Black Rose Posted July 24, 2023 Report Share Posted July 24, 2023 Skipping the ever-popular "if you're the GM, you can do anything you want!" answer, I have a question regarding mirrors. I'm not going to get into the idea of many parabolic mirrors making a heat beam ("Go-go-gadget Archimedes!)... at least, not yet. But how would you build the usual effects a mirror would have? Would Reflection, Only Light Effects be enough, and just handwave other minor effects with a Power skill roll? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 24, 2023 Report Share Posted July 24, 2023 What's the application? Cuz IMO this doesn't rise to the level of "equipment" unless your tech level is rather low. No points, no definition, in most cases. If I absolutely MUST define it? Images, sight group, with a -2 limitation of "what's in front of it". But why define it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf Posted July 24, 2023 Report Share Posted July 24, 2023 A parabolic mirror could be the used to create numerous powers. They would be more of a special effect than something that needs to be defined. For the most part each parabolic mirror is going to be useful for what it was designed for. The parabolic mirror to create a laser is probably not going to be able to be used as a telescope without serious modification. If the character has the ability to modify equipment that drastically and quickly, they really should have gadget based VPP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 26, 2023 Report Share Posted July 26, 2023 I'm reminded of two beings. The Flash villain the Mirror Master, and the Jojo stand Man In The Mirror (changed to Mirror Man outside Japan). Both have the ability to go through the Mirror Dimension at will (with Man In The Mirror able to drag people unwillingly into mirrors, idealistucly without their stands also). But that falls under "other powers not asked for in the original post". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted July 26, 2023 Report Share Posted July 26, 2023 Okay, I will be that guy. I dont want to be that guy, but I have hit a roadblock. Which standard,mirror things are you after? The image you see part, or the bouncing light part? If it is that second part, then the Reflection, light effects only works fine. If it is the images part, well then Images. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 26, 2023 Report Share Posted July 26, 2023 It is all about what you actually want ot to do. Like anything else, using a mirror to do things is a special effect for powers. Everything could be from "what mirrors can do", but some of that can easily be "what I learned I can do with mirrors". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Rose Posted July 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 On 7/26/2023 at 9:03 AM, Duke Bushido said: Okay, I will be that guy. I dont want to be that guy, but I have hit a roadblock. Which standard,mirror things are you after? The image you see part, or the bouncing light part? If it is that second part, then the Reflection, light effects only works fine. If it is the images part, well then Images. I'm trying to simulate a spell from GURPS Magic, specifically the Mirror spell. Paraphrasing, it "makes a reflective surface, either on an object (one-sided) or freestanding (two-sided). Doesn't have to be flat. Blah blah scientific paradigm blah blah make parabolic reflectors yadda yadda." I want the "bounce light" effect, and the "reflection" effect, but the "make a precise enough parabolic reflector and melt lead" effect (which is mentioned in the description BTW) is one I'm leery of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 That sounds like three separate effects. Reflecting light-based attacks would be reflection, the reflection effect would be images, and the melt lead would be a blast or RKA. To do all three you would need to purchase three separate effects. If frameworks are allowed, you might be able to use a multipower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asperion Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 The way I would handle this would be to think of what people use the mirrors for. Most often it will be to control light. It doesn't matter the size of the mirror, only the location, angle, and reflectivity that it possesses. As a result, tiny hand held mirrors can get as powerful as giant industrial units, and more useful. Making common items like holograms, laser, flash, and much more are all possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoneWolf Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 If the reflection is just the normal being able to see things reflected in the mirror you may not even need to buy anything. Common items normally do not need to be defined or purchased with points. You only need to define or purchase things that will have a real impact on the game. A key that unlocks a door does not need to be written up or paid for with points. If you can use the mirror to project images or otherwise have an impact on combat you will need to purchase the effect, but just using a mirror to see your reflection or similar purposes does not need to be paid for. Focusing the light to melt things on the other hand will require you to pay for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steriaca Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 10 minutes ago, LoneWolf said: If the reflection is just the normal being able to see things reflected in the mirror you may not even need to buy anything. Common items normally do not need to be defined or purchased with points. You only need to define or purchase things that will have a real impact on the game. A key that unlocks a door does not need to be written up or paid for with points. If you can use the mirror to project images or otherwise have an impact on combat you will need to purchase the effect, but just using a mirror to see your reflection or similar purposes does not need to be paid for. Focusing the light to melt things on the other hand will require you to pay for it. Well, to make a non-reflective object reflective would be a Transform effect... Jason Reid and DentArthurDent 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Bushido Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 18 hours ago, Black Rose said: I'm trying to simulate a spell from GURPS Magic, specifically the Mirror spell. Paraphrasing, it "makes a reflective surface, either on an object (one-sided) or freestanding (two-sided). Doesn't have to be flat. Blah blah scientific paradigm blah blah make parabolic reflectors yadda yadda." I want the "bounce light" effect, and the "reflection" effect, but the "make a precise enough parabolic reflector and melt lead" effect (which is mentioned in the description BTW) is one I'm leery of. "Bounce light" and "images", if you expect both of those to have an in-game effect. If bounce light does not include lasers, radiation, or other veraions of Energy Blast or RKA, then I wouldn't build it, either, amd just go with "images" with a limitwd build suggesting two-dimensional reflections. If the images wont have in-game utility, then I wouldnt build that either. Short version: What in-game abilities does the player have with this power (or powers)? Build those. "He creatws a reflective surface" is one-hubdred percent special effects and needs only to be declared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmjalund Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 if the images can;t fool people i would use a very basic change environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DentArthurDent Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 I try to avoid Transform, but in this case I’m with Steriaca. Trying to anticipate all the ways that differently shaped mirrors can used is making me dizzy: telescope, looking around corners, transmitting signals, laser light, signal mirror, arthroscope, microscope, … Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 Which is why almost the entire discussion is completely off base. Microscope and arthroscope don't use mirrors, AFAIK. Optical microscope has a lens. Endoscopes generally use fiber optics, I believe. A plane mirror reflects incident light. Using one to see around corners doesn't change this, and doesn't change the power definition. It shouldn't require a power stunt...why? A skill roll of SOME type, to get a good view w/o being noticed, ok...but it has nothing to do with the power in question. A parabolic reflector...light coming in parallel to the axis of the parabaloid gets concentrated at the focal point of the paraboloid. On its own, that doesn't give you a weapon. It's not working like the classic magnifying glass igniting paper trick. (We'll use the nicer form...not the one the Bad Kids did....) A reflecting telescope includes a small mirror at the focal point, which reflects the light from the mirror to the eyepiece. For a weapons system? The parabolic mirror is generally used to improve collimation, thereby improving concentration...same energy level, smaller beam diameter...which means more power applied at the spot. Yeah, you could use a parabolic mirror like a lens...concentrate sunlight and use that to do damage...but this is VERY tricky. Both have fixed focal lengths...the point at which all the beams intercept. Too short, they haven't converged. Further, they diverge. It isn't exactly practical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DentArthurDent Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 Reflecting microscopes. They're not common but they exist and have useful applications. https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/anatomy/reflected.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclevlad Posted July 28, 2023 Report Share Posted July 28, 2023 Oh, cool. Learn something new. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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