Names for magic?

[David Bergström]

Hey everyone!

I was talking with some friends about a project we're considering making, and we were talking about the semantics of Magic and names for it, and we were talking about the compromise between originality and simplicity and familiarity. It got me thinking and I thought I'd put this question out to you guys, because it's a tricky compromise to make, and I want to hear everyone's thoughts;

What are some names for magic that you have liked that you have come across in games? (As in Mana, MP, etc)

Following with;
What does everyone here prefer, would you like a game to keep it simple by naming things 'Mana', or would you rather have some new name / concept, but have to learn it and have it explained?


Any thoughts appreciated!

 

[MyLordRobinson]

For things like "Mana", my current project uses AP which stands for Arcane Power / Points. 

 

[SLEEP]

As a rule of thumb, if you go more complex than a word that basically means magic, unless it's not magic you're getting too abstract. MP stands for "magic points" or "mana points" or something and it's fine. Mystical, runes, psychic, wizardry, are all words i've seen in games to describe similar concepts. Abilities and skills tend to be the names of powerful moves that still draw from a finite pool of points, but aren't magical, like a sword technique as opposed to a fireball.

A new concept needs a good reason to exist. Magic and Abilities are a common terminology, and as you point it, it can get too obtuse not to go with the crowd. A developer would need a really good reason not to draw on common names. It's like not calling attack "attack". Or defend "defend". It's such a widespread convention that it's best to stick with it. And if a game uses it's own magic lore, then abilities/skills works fine as a back up. For somebody to have a system of powerful moves drawing from a finite pool of points, and to not use magic or abilities as it's name, it would have to function differently that how a standard magic pool works. If somebody's looking to get creative with names, why not rename the thing the RTP calls "TP"? Similar systems to TP range the gamut of names, with no universal label, so go nuts naming that.

 

[Probotector 200X]

I like SaGa Frontier's JP instead of MP, because....I still don't know what it stands for! Really though, that game is pretty confusing the first few times you play it, so...having an unfamiliar MP name, that I still don't know what it means, fits pretty well, actually.

What I like most about it is it also has WP (which may mean Waza Points, Waza meaning something like "technique", I believe?) for non-magic techniques. It's one of the only RPGs I've ever played that has separate points for magical techs and non-magic techs, and I love that. (one thing I love about Ace is that it's practically built in, but...needs scripting to be another "P", instead of a 100% thing)

One other point, I like it when some common things, like Magic, might have a different name, and have it somehow work with the story. Like, people actually refer to it by it's name in cutscenes or whatever. No, I don't mean saying "MP", but if you call Magic...say, Eldritch Arts, specifically or something, then have characters refer to it as such. It adds "flavor"...

 

[Alexander Amnell]

I don't know, mine are different because it's more of a 'middle ages' rpg and I like to have dated names for it like alacrity instead of agility and resolve instead of defense... magic points is spiritual energy, but that's mainly because I turned the tp system into a physical energy pool for non magical attacks and they went together. Personally I don't think anyone that plays rpgs often is going to be to confused with a non-conventional magic term for more than a few minutes, although my point is probably moot because spiritual energy isn't all that uncommon... at least I believe I've heard it somewhere else before.

 

[Eschaton]

You could just have a number of "spells" if you want to go old-school.  "MP" has also been known to stand for "mana pool"

 

[orochii]

You can remove completely the use of "MP" and TP, make skills cost HP (or just cooldowns and that stuff), and never refer to the term "magic" or whatever your characters call it. This is something done in Live a Live for example, where there is no skill cost, just casting time and wait time after doing the skill. But anyway, it involves a grid and target "ranges".

I think that even if you use magic, is good to refer to it on the story, and even explain it, unless the game has no interest on explaining anything about the world, and just focus on, for example, the plot and the characters (which is completely fine!). In that case you can just throw a familiar name like magic, and don't care explaining why is it called like that.

But yeah, you can name it Inner Power, Ki/Chi, Burritos... it doesn't mean any change unless you give it a meaning,

Orochii Zouveleki

 

[kerbonklin]

But yeah, you can name it Inner Power, Ki/Chi, Burritos... it doesn't mean any change unless you give it a meaning,

Only if my character had a Burp of Destruction ability. =P

 

[CWells]

I'm fine with Energy in regards to magic. Or perhaps you can go with something like SF for Spirit Force? Depends a little on your universe.

 

[David Bergström]

Haha thanks everyone for the prompt replies! Yeah I was just thinking about it (I guess it's all a matter of semantics, really)! I just thought I'd ask to see what everyone here thinks, because, if anyone is going to debate the semantics of magic, it'll be a community of people making RPGs
@Rebel_Prince: Oh! I like that (not going to steal it, but I like it), I've always love referring to 'arcane arts/artes' instead of magic XD
@SLEEP: I completely agree, Sleep. I mean, it's one thing if you have a concept to replace magic and you explain it well, or you have a name for magic that fits within the context of the game, etc, but you have to be careful about how you do it. I've played games with a name for some form of power that has left me thinking "why didn't they just make it / call it magic?".

@Probotector: Yeah I know what you mean with your second point, I agree! Whatever happens, I want to integrate the construct into the world and story of the game, because it makes the game seem a great deal deeper in construction!
@Alexander: Oh, that's awesome! I like games that have topical references to the time period, and make sense within their universe.

@Eschaton: Ah! I've heard of that! I've most commonly seen it as 'Magic Points' or 'Mana Points', but I have seen Mana Pool!
@Muramasa: Yeah, I agree, I like things to be explained, and I will in my project But yes, the game will have a 'magic' system, but what I name it is what I'm contemplating right now...
@Kerbonklin: Hahaha oh my God YES! A mexican food powered protagonist. Chilly Fart AOE skill
@CWells: Yeah, I know what you mean, I was thinking of ways to incorperate the system into the world of the game.


Thank you so much for you help everyone! You've been great!

 

[Darkanine]

Personally,I use AP (Ability/action points,haven't picked yet),because my characters aren't all magic based.Names I've in other RPGs have generally been along the same lines "x points",heres a few I've seen.

• EP (Energy points)
• SP (Skill/spirit/spell points)
• BP (Battle points)
• TP (Tech points)

There also a few other in a different vane,ENG/Supply/Stamina etc.

 

[Eschaton]

You don't have to call them 'points.'  JRPGs love their points, but you don't have to call them that.  And muramasa made a good 'point' (rimshot) that you don't even need a pool of points for your spells.  You can give cooldowns a shot.  Beware of downtime (time between DPS) if you have pure-wizard characters, though.  Downtime is boring.

 

[Allerka]

In the case of my game, I use a universal "skill points" term for both magic and non-magical special abilities. Essentially both draw on the wielder's natural energy levels, so in both cases using lots of skills or spells leaves the user just straight-up tired, and having one restorative item for it keeps it from getting needlessly complex. 

I do like the idea of just having cooldowns for everything. Like Eschaton said, though, don't get too carried away with it (or balance it by having plenty of skills to choose from).

 

[OM3GA-Z3RO]

I remember a game that had a similar function to how TP works but that game called it FP which stood for Fury Points.

Can't remember the game though -.-'

 

[Eschaton]

Again, you don't have to append "points." It can just be called "magic," "fury," "stamina," or "mana."

 

[orochii]

Again, you don't have to append "points." It can just be called "magic," "fury," "stamina," or "mana."

Like the Limit Break bar. The "bar" suffix was given by fans if I'm not mistaken. And internally it still works as a percentage, like the VXA's TP.

Also "P" can stand for "Power",

Orochii Zouveleki

 

[Darkanine]

I remember a game that had a similar function to how TP works but that game called it FP which stood for Fury Points.

Can't remember the game though -.-'

FP also means Feat points in G.U.R.P.S .

 

[Pugh95Bear]

I believe I have seen BP before meaning Blood Points, and the character was a Vampire that used Blood Magic. I guess this would be for the character that uses his/her health (like someone suggested earlier) to cast spells. Wouldn't a leech ability be interesting in that though? Say the character has 400 HP and uses the leech ability. You could have him/her lose 50 points and gain 200 if it is successful. Lose a little; gain a lot. Just a thought.


Personally, I love Mysteria and Magick, when simply talking names. MP seems fine for the majority of situations. It gives a sense of familiarity to RPG players so they have something to grasp on to that they know and recognize 100%.

 

[David Bergström]

PughBear, I totally agree, and it's that familiarity that I'm guarded against discarding. Everyone here has made excellent points, really I thin for the purpose of my game, as PughBear (and others) have said, I'll stick with a 'mana pool', however even character who are unable to use spells will draw from their MP when using techniques, because in the realm of the game project I am working on, 'Mana' is not purely magical, it is a driving force used to propel any form of ability beyond it's normal means (kinda like electricity to a toaster).

Thanks for you help everyone!

As an afterthought, I do like the idea of cooldowns, I have to say, not too sure how I would go about coding them though. If anyone could point in the direction of a script, I would be very appreciative!

 

[Eschaton]

There is a script by a user named Zetu on the RMVXAce Community Forums, if you're using Ace (it's on freaking sale).  It will allow you to define the vocab for different actor's MP.  So non-casters don't have to power their techniques with a mana pool if you don't want them to.