The New World (TLDR Version)

I'm seriously thinking of having the first conversation in the game have an optional player reply at the end of it labelled 'TLDR', and having it pretty much wipe out the rest of the text in the entire game. It might make our esteemed writers cry though.

Maybe we'll also tie it to a nasty difficulty level.

Anyway, here lies the TLDR version of the previous post.

The setting is thus: A system of 17 moons around a gas giant. The closer to the planet, the more magical the setting, and the further, the more technological. Magic is done in understandable and physically limited ways. Magical energy is based on the 4 elements of yore; Earth Air Fire and Water. All matter is made of this energy and so is manipulatable by difficult magic.

The 'home' or 'origin' planet is a low-magic, high-tech civilization. This civilization is based on a vision of reality called the 'rules of invention', which allows them to create artifacts of complicated nature. The complexity is only limited to persistence and discipline. Devices as complicated as laser weaponry can be created by the smartest individuals, while the most stupid can still follow the rules and build themselves a toaster.

The conflict begins when a group discovers that the rules can be broken and that magic is the real law of the universe. In the ensuing culture clash this group builds a device to travel to another supposedly inhabited, high-energy moon. Some do so to prove their theory, some do to escape persecution, and some do to escape civilization, among other reasons.

One of the themes is science vs. fantasy. In this setting science and fantasy are effectively reversed from reality. Rather than science being the breakthrough of the renaissance, magic is, where science previously held sway. Except that the old 'science' is actually wrong and therefore more 'magic'.. It's wonderfully inverted.

A further theme is the corruptability of power. Some of the scientists learn what they can do in the high magic moons and take their research a bit too far. Also there is the nature of humanity, in that with the new tools in hand, people can eventually manipulate their own bodies in the same way that they perform invention.

That's probably still TLDR actually, but it's better.

How bout:

UGH BIG PLANET. UGH STEAMPUNK. UGH SPACE TRAVEL. AGH BAD THINGS ON PLANET. OOO SHINY MAGIC.