Magic Batteries Options

[Xahn Borealis]

Is it possible to create a manatech device that can be used to power something with magic? I can see how you could maybe have some gizmo you cast a spell on, then the gizmo uses the energy from the effect you've created to power something. Maybe an Ignite Spell powers a boiler? Or a Magic Fingers Spell turns a dynamo? If anyone reads the Whateley Academy stories, it's similar to what Jinn does with the Kitty Compact.

I was also thinking there could be a spell specifically made for this purpose that causes some effect that allows energy to be easily harnessed. Maybe a variant on Physical Barrier that could be used to contain a fusion reaction, either.

[Yerameyahu]

Why? I mean, you can have a spirit turn a wheel, etc., sure.

[Adarael]

I broke some serious conservation-of-mass/energy laws in SR3 by abusing the spell creation rules in Magic in the Shadows. So creating flame was a physical manipulation, right? And... physical manipulations could be made permanent in the spell design chart. Well, if you make a tiny flame aura spell, or a "heat object" spell, but the heating of that object isn't enough to physically damage it or consume it as fuel... Well, looks like you got the start of a perpetual reactor, huh? Toss a bunch of these in a pit. Run water over it. Steam is generated. Hardness steam. As long as you have water, or some way to harness energy from heat, bam. Free energy.

I suspect this would (on a large scale) start to cause some serious astral warping, though. Which is why the PC only used the tech to make cigarette lighters.

[Fatum]

First, you have Charge from War! which charges ANY device, apparently.
Second, yeah, as pointed out up there, just summon a spirit of fire, use its Energy Aura to boil water for a turbine or whatever.

[Adarael]

Well, in the case of spirits, there is a definite time limit and investment limit - 1000 nuyen per point of force you want to bind, first off, and it loses 1 service per sunrise/sunset, and you have to have a mage service the engine by re-binding the elemental. That's at least some level of maintenence and interaction required beyond "Cast and go", so it's not so game-breaking.

[Yerameyahu]

Long-term binding, obviously.

[Xahn Borealis]

I was thinking you could sustain or quicken a spell designed for this purpose on some manatech device so it draws energy from ambient mana. Also it probably wouldn't be enough to recharge vehicles or peak discharge batteries, but maybe enough to power satellite uplinks or the like in survival scenarios.

[Yerameyahu]

If you sustained or quickened this 'Charge' spell (or a very similar variant), you literally would be drawing energy from ambient mana.

[Xahn Borealis]

Maybe. I need to get War.

[Yerameyahu]

Not for that, anyway. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) If you think it's a good idea (I don't), just house rule it.

[Fatum]

Charge is a P spell, not a S. You can't sustain or quicken it.

[HeckfyEx]

Well, in the case of spirits, there is a definite time limit and investment limit - 1000 nuyen per point of force you want to bind, first off, and it loses 1 service per sunrise/sunset, and you have to have a mage service the engine by re-binding the elemental. That's at least some level of maintenence and interaction required beyond "Cast and go", so it's not so game-breaking.

Two words - Ally Spirit.

[Fatum]

Ally Spirits are expensive, long-term binding may turn out to be more cost-effective.

[Neraph]

There's an unclaimed bounty from the Draco Foundation for finding a way to do something like this, which makes me think that things of that nature aren't supposed to be plausible.

But come on. Especially with the Calling rules it's easy to get an Inhabitation spirit bound into whatever device you want and utilize their spirit powers for whatever "MagiTech" you want.

Step 1: Design a gun-ish looking thing.
Step 2: Have a spirit with Elemental Attack (-----) and Exotic Ranged Weapon bound to it with the standing order to throw Element at whatever the barrel is pointed at when the trigger is pulled.
Step 3: Profit!

But the setting/fluff for SR makes me think this stuff is somehow not possible. Hence the massive undertaking I am making to adapt certain rules from SR and D&D into a unique blend of my own set in my own custom cosmology/world/setting.

[pbangarth]

If you are not breaking the law of conservation of energy by converting mana into an electrical effect, then you are not breaking the law of conservation of energy by converting mana into steam.

[Yerameyahu]

What law? This is magic.

[pbangarth]

What law? This is magic.

Earlier an argument was made regarding conservation of mass/energy. I'm just pointing out that if this law coexists with magic in one kind of energy generating spell, it should do so in another.

So, practically speaking... what law? This is magic.

[Makki]

let's say a spell can create energy out of mana. at some point humanity will have harvested all mana and the manacount goes down. the barrel prices for mana go through the roof and we're back in 2010

[pbangarth]

Do we have any mana storage devices, then?

[Tzeentch]

-- Short answer: manatech of this sort (mana batteries, fireball rifles) does not exist. There are a few pieces of technology that are specifically designed for mages though.

[Snow_Fox]

Well, if you make a tiny flame aura spell, or a "heat object" spell, but the heating of that object isn't enough to physically damage it or consume it as fuel... Well, looks like you got the start of a perpetual reactor, huh? Toss a bunch of these in a pit. Run water over it. Steam is generated. Hardness steam. As long as you have water, or some way to harness energy from heat, bam. Free energy.

it's not quite a purpetual energy machine because you'd need to cart in the water.

[Yerameyahu]

Psh. Closed loop with condensation. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Straight Razor]

thermoelectric cell array
alter temperature quickened to raise the temp of one side
alter temperature quickened to lower the temp of the other side

Poof: forever battery

you could make something the size of a hardback book that can supply 100W DC
Or you can make it bigger and have a plane with electric motors that never has to land.

[Yerameyahu]

Or, the spell just spits out electricity. I mean, it's magic. Do whatever. Maybe the earth would eventually stop being a ground? I dunno, any problems are for the next generation, just like aorist rods. Er. The previous generation? *shrug*

[hobgoblin]

fireball rifles

Sounds like a anchoring effect. And it would at best be a one shot...