RE: [DL] Re: Steam needs water

["Joe Frankovitch" <slvrdrgn@larp.com>]

Well, anyone can build a mad-science device if they have the blueprint.
Smith and Robards does not employ thousands of mad-scientists.  I doubt
they have more than a few dozen.  The mad-scientist is required because
he is pushed to the weird ideas by the manitou.  With a blue-print (or
formula) anyone can mass-produce a steam wagon or gatlin' pistol.
Normal folks and regular scientists probably couldn't fathom the thought
process involved in creating those blueprints, but with them in hand,
they can follow the steps to build the thing.

Ghost rock does not break any physical laws.  It can do whatever coal
can do, just better and hotter.  The weird part of the science is in the
concept, not the building.  For the most part, as has been mentioned,
mad-science devices operate on the exact same principles that modern
"gizmos" do.

In fact, there is no rule requiring that ghost rock be used in the
design of a device.  (Where's the ghost rock in a Gatlin' pistol?  Or an
Air-Catcher?  How about armored dusters?)  The insanity is the result of
the manitou making the scientist think "outside the box".

Whether Ghost Rock is the physical embodiment of the Manitou on earth or
not, all it does is burn hotter than coal.  (Oh, and it irradiates
really well)

Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-deadlands@gamerz.net [mailto:owner-deadlands@gamerz.net] On
Behalf Of Patrick Downs

also, i don't think i'm confused in saying that "ghost
rock isn't real" therefore the scientific explanation
for it's usage shouldn't have to be explained.
i've always heard the justification for why ghost-rock
gadgets work as "why do you think they call it 'mad'
science anyway" since 'normal' scientists (in the DL
world) can't explain how they work either (I seem to
remember reading a reference about a non-mad scientist
not being able to understand or explain a mad
scientist's work, I might be wrong)

I might be wrong about what ghost rock is really
composed of, but I knew it was condensed matter of
something that doesn't exist, so again: it's not real,
why does the scientific explanation have to be real?

slightly off-topic: I get tired of gamers trying to
justify how things really work into a physical world,
can't we all just suspend our disbelief? :-P
but seriously, my gaming group is always getting
distracted with conversations that start with "well
that could never happen..." or words like "inertia"
and "velocity" get brought up along with "mass" and
"some-other-scientic-terms-that-I-could-care-less-about"
and i've seen some of the worst arguments start
because of it. i've avoided superhero campaigns for a
long time because the worst arguments start with these
kinds of scientific explanations or lack thereof.

it's a game, have fun, pretend it's a movie and no one
will get hurt

okay, I'm done ranting
-doc

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