Magick Scrolls: The use of Papyrus

[Marvin]

My first thought in the game, when i've seen the papyrus was "Hey, you can surely make spell scrolls of it". Sadly, i can't. But why not? Put some spell scrolls into graves, crumbled temples or as a loot of an unknown magical monster. Use the scroll, and it will disappear. But if you have papyrus and charcoal (or ink and a feather), you're able to copy that spell.

[dra6o0n]

What about a more 'ancient' form of rituals where you cast it, nothing happens but it occurs in the future point of time instead?

Like calling for rain for example, or having a massive forestry growth overnight.

Or maybe even summoning a group of werepigs later on at night?

[501105]

Ewww, I dont know, I would prefer the game not to become too magicky. The core of the game seems to be about science and is fairly realistic in how it forces you to survive. Adding scrolls with all kinds of spells could ruin the vibe of the game.

[Marvin]

Well, we are teleported by Demon in a world, where are Giant spiders, Treemens, Werepigs and (Soon) Hellhounds. Where trees can rise within days. Where you can eaten by the darkness itself. And there is a magic button in the craftmenu.I think, the game IS magicky.

For sure, spells shouldn't be that powerful, like in other games/RPG's (question of balance).

[501105]

I get that, but the game should not turn into a Diablo with scrolls that you can cast as offensive spells imo. For the most part the struggle of Wilson staying alive is him making most of what resources there are on the island. If you are using a spell/ritual to make it rain or so, now that I could buy, but not fireballs and the like.

[TheGreyPotter]

I wouldnt say there's a emphasis on science so much as there's an emphasis on SCIENCE!!! *flash of lightning* It's still whimsical and silly though, nothing too bombastic or over the top for either science or magic. Low Fantasy? Magical realism...?

Anyway, I can see scroll and spell writing being linked to something demonic, providing moderate benefits that come at a great cost. Or maybe "the magic scroll" is just a createable magic item, and it gives one random effect, either positive or negative. It could fill your health in a dire moment, teleport you across the map, or instantly break all your tools. You would never know until you read it...

EDIT: Yeah, I wouldnt want to see this game become combat-oriented diablo-esque either. Not really what makes the game fun... combat is very lethal for a reason!

[Marvin]

Another solution for a magical balance, may a character, which special power is to create/copy spellscrolls. And yes, magic can be far more, than just throw fireballs.

Magic use could lure darker creatures from above into the world, too. As i heard of the hounds first, i thought about Lovecraft's "Hounds of Tindalos" .

[Vichi]

I think magic, in a utility/fun way can be a very good idea.

Maybe fun thins like summon a hostile treant, clone a beefalo, or why not, grow a beard not matter who you are.

Or utility ones like transform a stone into gold so you can mine it for 4-5 golds, night-vision for 1 night or teleport you to a random place.

But always at high cost, maybe 1-2 stacks of things related to the spell itself(logs for summon a treant, stone for the philosopher's scroll, etc)

[Royal]

There's a lot of dumping on magic. I don't quite get it people love the science which I get but magic is a part of the game too- From the description:

Don’t Starve is an uncompromising wilderness survival game full of science and magic.

I don't want necessarily offensive spells but I'd like magic to be another side of the coin, how to survive. Wilson is a gentleman scientist of course he uses science but maybe another character is a psychic (or something I'm totally spitballing here) and they use like a sleep spell instead of a blowgun. Although, I don't like the scrolls idea much, it's just more stuff to carry around, I first thought that would be the use of paper as well. You can use it to craft some sort of scroll or tome that allows you to learn a couple spells which help to achieve goals that some use science for and that would be fine by me.

But at some point we're going to have to accept that more than just science is going on here. Wilson makes a magical meat effigy which will resurrect him from death not exactly a science behind that yet. Unless he's Doctor Frankenstein or something?

[A Bad Feeling]

Ewww, I dont know, I would prefer the game not to become too magicky. The core of the game seems to be about science and is fairly realistic in how it forces you to survive. Adding scrolls with all kinds of spells could ruin the vibe of the game.

I agree with 501105 here. I don't like the wacky magical stuff.

I remember when I bought Minecraft, back when it has sold 22k copies or so... It was great!

Then came the updates... "Redstone" (Sorry excuse for being lazy and not implementing some kind of REAL wiring. Good luck putting some kind of weird red powder made out of stone together and getting something to a circuit or "energy")... Out-of-nowhere-propulsion-rails... Potions... Enchanting Table (that sounds gay even when I write, why would someone do that?)... ARGH.

Magical is useful and fun for sure, but it need to stay in a minimal state. Do you want to do some kind of weird "ritual" and go to another dimension? Fine, do it. Do want to create an awesome monster and not care to explain? Fine, no problem. Do you want to put magic in my in-game day-to-day to make rain, grow forest or something? No, thank you. Shoot salt bullets to the sky, create chemical fertilizer, I don't know, science seems more interesting, complex and intriguing to me, so I would defend it more than some mumbojumbo, voodoo, out of nowhere thing.

[501105]

I agree with 501105 here. I don't like the wacky magical stuff.

I remember when I bought Minecraft, back when it has sold 22k copies or so... It was great!

Then came the updates... "Redstone" (Sorry excuse for being lazy and not implementing some kind of REAL wiring. Good luck putting some kind of weird red powder made out of stone together and getting something to a circuit or "energy")... Out-of-nowhere-propulsion-rails... Potions... Enchanting Table (that sounds gay even when I write, why would someone do that?)... ARGH.

Magical is useful and fun for sure, but it need to stay in a minimal state. Do you want to do some kind of weird "ritual" and go to another dimension? Fine, do it. Do want to create an awesome monster and not care to explain? Fine, no problem. Do you want to put magic in my in-game day-to-day to make rain, grow forest or something? No, thank you. Shoot salt bullets to the sky, create chemical fertilizer, I don't know, science seems more interesting, complex and intriguing to me, so I would defend it more than some mumbojumbo, voodoo, out of nowhere thing.

This and much more, not to mention that I think it adds to the survival feel when you only have a fairly basic tools/weapons at your desposal in a very strange world. Yes there are parts in the game that are too bizarre to ever be real or science, but that makes it all the more interesting to survive in. I would hate to feel like I am some warlock in a magical world, not to mention I can play Magicka or so if I want that.

[A Bad Feeling]

This and much more, not to mention that I think it adds to the survival feel when you only have a fairly basic tools/weapons at your desposal in a very strange world. Yes there are parts in the game that are too bizarre to ever be real or science, but that makes it all the more interesting to survive in. I would hate to feel like I am some warlock in a magical world, not to mention I can play Magicka or so if I want that.

Exactly! I can only hope the developers think alike us.

*whispers* "Science is the poetry of reality." - R. Dawkins

[Royal]

Again it's in the description. There's already magic in the game they aren't going to cut it out. I like the science far more than doing things with magic, but maybe having a little faith that they will handle it well would be ok?

[501105]

Ow I have all the faith of the world in them, but magic is a fairly difficult aspect and going too far in it could completely change the core of the game, hence my strong opinion on it. A bit of magic for for some wonder is fine if done in a crazy frankensteiny way, but I fear for magic in combat or so.

[Royal]

Right well I agree on no fireballs but again I think having a few alternative paths of how to do things. For instance a sleep potion/spell instead of the blowdarts. An illumination potion/spell instead of a torch or miners hat.

Potions IMHO are the better way to go, alchemy being 1 part science 1 part magic.

But otherwise I'd rather see rituals, things to add whimsy that would be fun to try but aren't the only way to play the game.