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Author Topic: Agriculture: A balance of simplicity and complexity  (Read 9996 times)

Bromus

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Re: Agriculture: A balance of simplicity and complexity
« Reply #75 on: April 04, 2016, 02:53:34 pm »

There's a difference between fictional and magical.

In a fictional world, cavern mega-flora/fauna exist because of subterranean carbon deposits being excited by the heat energy of the magma sea. Thus, "Science-Fiction".

In a magical world, cavern mega-flora/fauna exist by the grace of an energy source that violates (or otherwise leaves unexplained) the simple laws of logical cause/effect and conservation of energy. This is a strong element of the "Fantasy" genre.

Some settings include both, and this is all great fun. I think that DF aims for a heavy skew toward reality-based fiction (re: geology and economy), and magical elements are included mostly to tickle our imaginations and boost fun-factor.

How much does it matter how we explain the cavern-life? Not a whole lot, because it can be explained both ways. It's up to the brothers what kind of story they want to tell with the game. I'm sure they have lots of people from every angle yelling in their ears about it.

-B
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GoblinCookie

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Re: Agriculture: A balance of simplicity and complexity
« Reply #76 on: April 09, 2016, 05:46:15 am »

There's a difference between fictional and magical.

In a fictional world, cavern mega-flora/fauna exist because of subterranean carbon deposits being excited by the heat energy of the magma sea. Thus, "Science-Fiction".

In a magical world, cavern mega-flora/fauna exist by the grace of an energy source that violates (or otherwise leaves unexplained) the simple laws of logical cause/effect and conservation of energy. This is a strong element of the "Fantasy" genre.

Some settings include both, and this is all great fun. I think that DF aims for a heavy skew toward reality-based fiction (re: geology and economy), and magical elements are included mostly to tickle our imaginations and boost fun-factor.

How much does it matter how we explain the cavern-life? Not a whole lot, because it can be explained both ways. It's up to the brothers what kind of story they want to tell with the game. I'm sure they have lots of people from every angle yelling in their ears about it.

-B

Cavern life exists in reality, so what is the problem with it existing in DF? 

The only issue is how do the nutrients get into the caverns, but that is a similiar question to where does the water in the rivers and aquifers come from? 
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