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From: db@cstvax.UUCP (Dave Berry)
Newsgroups: net.games.frp
Subject: Re: Illusionists
Message-ID: <31@cstvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 3-Dec-85 11:21:20 EST
Article-I.D.: cstvax.31
Posted: Tue Dec  3 11:21:20 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Dec-85 16:53:41 EST
References: <9060@ritcv.UUCP> <15300006@convexs> <245@watmath.UUCP>
Reply-To: db@cstvax.UUCP (Dave Berry)
Organization: Comp. Sc., Edinburgh Univ., Scotland
Lines: 38

I like Tim Maroney's distinction between the senses of touch, balance
and kinesthesia.  Presumably we could add heat/cold as another sense
(this would include infravision) and maybe ultravision too.

I also like the distinction made by Tim, Russell Quin & Jim Gardner,
between "Effect" illusions and "Mental" (psionic) illusions.  I don't
agree with Tim's insistence on Mental illusions only - if we're dealing
with magic which can create fireballs etc., why can't we create the
magical equivalent of a hologram or tape recording?

HOWEVER, while I can cope with visual, infravisual (heat), ultravisual,
aural & olfactory Effect illusions, I don't see how one's sense of balance
or kinesthesia can be affected by external influence (except secondarily,
eg. as a result of a disorienting visual illusion), so I would only allow
these to be affected by Mental illusions.  I'm not sure how I would deal
with touch - I think I would allow tactile Effect illusions, but I wouldn't
allow them to do damage.  Tactile Mental illusions would be able to do
damage, probably as per a mental attack (as Tim suggested).

The two approaches give an interesting balance.  Effect illusions affect
everybody, but Mental illusions only affect the target(s).  On the other hand,
Mental illusions can do damage and can be made more convincing.

Either or both could be allowed to alter reality at high levels.  Mental
illusions would probably alter subjective reality only, as Russell suggested
(in a slightly different context).

Disbelief would differ also.  Mental illusions would require willpower
(Wisdom in AD&D) to disbelieve, and would then disappear completely.
Effect illusions would require perception (Intelligence in AD&D), and
should remain (as suggested by Jim & Carl Rigney) - the "false" sensory 
data is still there, but you know you can ignore it ....
As several people have pointed out, the chance of disbelieving something
should be affected by how likely the something is, and quite possibly by
how desirable it is - we all tend to believe what we want to believe.
-- 
	Dave Berry. CS postgrad, Univ. of Edinburgh		
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