I'm not sold on mixing components and tools or mixing advanced and basic items... i.e. if you go with basic items, no resonators / modulators, etc. If you go with advanced items, no hammers, screwdrivers etc.

As someone said earlier, I like the idea of basic item types modified by a "high-tech" prefix.

Possible item type ideas:

Scalpel, compass, chisel, hand-drill, leadholder/pencil, lens, wrench, rasp, awl, scissors, whistle (sonic?), etc.

Possible prefix ideas:

Chronometric, Temporal, Quantum, Aetheric, Vacuous, Transdimensional, Planar, Acoustic, Sonic, Electromagnetic, Hydrostatic, Prismatic, Ultraviolet, Iridescent, Optical, Force, Synthetic, Superconductive, Inertial, Entropic, Resonant, Vector, etc.

I wasn't really going for advanced vs basic, I was trying to think more on what might be actual implements that the institute might use that just happen to have an offensive use.

Most of the item types that you have suggested are woodworking tools, but why would the institute name their implements as such?

The only reason I really put the screwdriver in there was for the reference and the mental image of a researcher sighing while trying to explain to some outside what they are doing twisting their temporal adjustment device before eventually likening it to a screwdriver.

Also building on the wand paragraph, if you have different tool name styles you also can have an rp where the Arcane Metaphysicists are mocked because they wield wands rather than some "better" tool. Likewise with the screwdriver, though slightly different because the temporal scientists could be all "It's not a screwdriver we just call it that for the simple folk".

The scalpel would be sort of mid-range, it's a valid tool for the job but it's not overly "high tech" but probably links them more to the arcane group because "it's just the best tool for the job".

The Aether and the Void are fairly separate from the normal inhabitable areas of the universe, so those scientists might be a bit more "well, our studies involve phenomena that are not normally observable within the basin so obviously we need sufficiently advanced tools to be able to conduct our research"

Dimensional gets a bit iffy, if the dimensions are just the different planes then they might be using a fancy tool for the sake of using a fancy tool, if we're referring to separate dimensions then they might be justified in their need for something a bit more advanced.


As to the prefixes I rather like the six most recently listed (well... domothean is a bit iffy, I'd suggest harmonic if it weren't the skill name)

There are already laboratories of the natural sciences, temporal continuum, arcane metaphysics, metaplanar and transdimensional physics

We can probably align domothean to natural sciences, temporal to temporal, arcane to arcane and dimensional to metaplanar and transdimensional. Leaving void and aetheric without an existing lab.

Harmonics is really in need of a few spam-reducing commands:

CRYSTALPLEX ACTIVATE ALL
CRYSTALPLEX DEACTIVATE ALL
CRYSTALPLEX TARGET OFFENSIVE
CRYSTALPLEX TARGET DEFENSIVE

Yes please.

Thirded.

Fourthed-ed-ed?

Maybe it's one of those things that makes it easier to code?

Would it be possible for CRYSTALPLEX TARGET GEM PERSON to be doable without balance or eq? Would make it easier to alias and do all together.

Wait, they changed it so spinning gems must be targeted... and each gem must be targeted individually... and doing so consumes eq/balance? I hope the increased effects are pretty dramatic, because that sounds like a lot of micromanagement.

When I read the news post about this in-game, I suspected there would be a need for alias spam, but not an eq/balance cost for each individual gem....

Doesn't consume, requires. You have to spin, then target.

Which does it require? Balance, equilibrium, or both? I can't really tell, from what's been said. Still, that's a lot better than consume. You can do multiples in the same alias as long as you have balance/eq, then?



Hm, I must have said something confusing, or else I'm confused. As I understand it, you spin them to put them in the crystalplex, where they stay, right? And once they're spinning in the crystalplex, you can then target them on someone (which requires balance and/or eq)?

Yep that's right. It'd be simpler if I could spin and target them in the same alias, but alas... thank goodness for demonnic's balance chaser script =)

Well, I liked the way Harmonics worked before this change. It seemed simple (too simple for some, I suppose) and elegant. Now, you have to individually target handfuls of gems in both a defensive and offensive capacity, which also requires balance/eq. It all sounds unnecessarily complicated and micromanagement-y to me.

However, it's really early in Harmonics' lifespan and the admins have also implemented a good change (no gem spam in rooms), so that's not really a Chicken Little complaint on my part. Constructive criticism, etc. As far as fixing the problems, Shamarah is spot-on, and I also agree that maybe balance/eq shouldn't be required. Maybe that last would be too unbalanced, though.

Well, the upside to those micromanagement changes is that a lot of our gems are really nice now... (to be honest I thought they were kinda nice before already)

Why not just allow:

CRYSTALSPIN

And have that add it to your crystalplex already targeted?

Pardon me for asking this again, but does gem targeting require:

1.) equilibrium
2.) balance
3.) equilibrium or balance
4.) equilibrium and balance

While I'm here, what about spinning them into the crystalplex to begin with? Does that consume or require anything? How about activation and deactivation?

spinning a crystal requires and consumes balance. Targetting requires you to have balance, but doesn't consume it.

Targeting requires balance and equilibrium (but does not consume either) and, no, that's not going to change. You need to think a little about targeting rather than being able to target continuously on the fly during battles while off balance/equilibrium. Such minimal strategic thinking is hardly some onerous "micromanagement".

It's micromanagement in the sense that you have to make an alias that targets all your offensive gems and then all your defensive gems (unless those only target yourself now). They're asking for, I think, the ability to just target them all at once in one command, the same way Wiccans and Illuminati can ORDER ENTOURAGE ATTACK . You'd still need balance and equilibrium to do it.

You wouldn't want to use that anyway though, would you? You would only want to send offensive crystals at enemies, and defensive at allies, so an "order entourage" equivalent wouldn't work.

Sorry if I'm missing something, I don't play a Researcher.