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Messages - ulysses sword

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Mistborn on Top 100 SFF novels of All Time!
« on: August 18, 2011, 08:18:48 PM »
Meh, I always take lists like these with a grain of salt, they seem to be biased towards more current works.  That being said, I can't think of 98 novels better than Mistborn or the Kingkiller Chronicles. (23/100, I need to read more)

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Allomantric Table-Theory+Mistborn SPOILERS.
« on: August 17, 2011, 06:21:35 PM »
I think that the "16 metals" includes alloys.  This may not fit the Wikipedia definition of a metal, but fits common usage well enough.  In addition, the alloys are specific in formulation, and grant powers that are distinct from their component elements.  For example Pewter (lead + tin) does not grant you the powers of tin (increased senses) and lead (? counteracting Tin, and giving strength? etc...).  Thirdly, it would require a pretty huge break in continuity from the 16/100 mistsickness being implied to include Mistings of all kinds, as well as a huge revision of the Allomantic table of elements.  Lastly Sazed says there are two metals they don't know of, not 9 or 10 as he would have said if there was 16 non-alloyed metals (although it's possible "nobody" knowing about them could be a valid counter point, if others knew about other non-alloyed metals).  Sorry, but I don't think this is very likely.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: On Feruchemical 'Mistings'
« on: August 16, 2011, 12:43:12 AM »
On the iron stores Higgs Bosons theory, in practice it would not work because Sazed clearly describes himself falling more slowly when he stores his weight, therefore it must be distorting/storing the effects of gravity as a more massive Sazed would fall at the same rate as a less massive Sazed.

That would be true...if the world had no atmosphere.  To prove this to yourself, drop a cannonball (high mass) and a balloon (same shape/size, low mass) side by side, and see how fast they fall.  Also, in Sazed and Marsh's fight, he also stopped himself from being pushed backwards using stored mass, which gravity could not do.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Alloy of Law Excerpt (Updated with Ch3)
« on: August 15, 2011, 04:56:14 AM »
In #2, I meant that an object's apparent mass (resistance to changing velocity) would be increased, I don't think that the weight (downwards force due to gravity) or that the acceleration of gravity changes inside or out, it is still 9.81 (or whatever) metres per (local) second squared.

The ones that I can think of are that if you ever caught somebody's sword only halfway in a speed bubble (Vin was using a sword taller than she was in one of the books) and it wasn't mid-swing, having their sword suddenly become 100x heavier would basically ruin them.

I think it would have 100x the mass, but the same weight. Following this, it would just get stuck in the edge, not be pulled down.  This would still be pretty bad, but still recoverable.

I'm still trying to figure out what would happen if you caught an arrow halfway in.

EDIT: as for catching someone halfway in, I can't imagine that they could be used as a (instantly fatal) weapon like that, so...people follow theory #1, and are always in or out, unlike inanimate objects?

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Alloy of Law Excerpt (Updated with Ch3)
« on: August 13, 2011, 08:17:53 AM »
I see two possibilities with pulling an item crossing a speed bubble, both of which say (almost) nothing happens.

1. It cannot happen, the bubble warps itself to either include or exclude any discrete item.  This could have the side effect of deflecting and changing the speed of moving objects, like bullets.

2. The large change in momentum would increase the amount of force needed to move the table (that sticks out of a Bendalloy bubble).  I think it would be about 100x as hard (assuming 100x speedup of time) to accelerate an outside object (or part of one) from inside of the bubble as outside of it, because it would be moving that much faster in the outside world.  most objects are not that strong, so they would break at the edge of the bubble.

I'm not sure about either of these ideas, especially with such limited information to go off of, but I think #2 is better at least.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Alloy of Law - Vanishers Theory
« on: August 13, 2011, 12:37:06 AM »
I don't believe that Nicrosil is generally known yet, so Duralumin spikes could be the motivation.  I doubt it though, as  there is no way to detect a Duralumin Misting.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Alloy of Law (Chapter 5)
« on: August 12, 2011, 12:55:28 AM »
My guess to the fight? Wax lightly tosses several coins out of the bubble, directly in line with the Vanishers he is targeting.  They are going slow enough to not be deflected much by passing through the bubble.  Wayne drops the bubble, then Wax pushes all dozen or so coins directly outwards, towards their targets.  Repeat two or three more times, then relax in victory.  I'm sure there's something wrong with this, but I'm not sure what it is. 

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Allomancy: full powers of metals (spoilers)
« on: August 05, 2011, 06:45:43 AM »
Iron and Steel lines are obstructed by wood (p132, FE paperback).  I had always assumed that it was purely a function of distance and size, but I guess not.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Allomancy: full powers of metals (spoilers)
« on: July 30, 2011, 04:02:11 AM »
Atium: Corrects for its own effects, except against Atium, Electrum, and conscious thought. (how Vin defeated Zane)

If it didn't do this, it would not be nearly as powerful as it is portrayed.  Dodging by inches only works if they don't change their swing to hit again, as a second or two is plenty of time for a subconscious correction.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Allomancy: full powers of metals (spoilers)
« on: July 29, 2011, 08:34:42 PM »
Regular Allomancers "see" the lines as coming out of the center of their chest, but they "see" them with their eyes.  Inquisitors were human once; they probably perceive it the same way.

So the blue lines always come out of your chest, and you perceive them from the perspective of where your eyes are?  That would actually fit quite well.  (Now I want someone who was born blind to Snap into a Lurcher or a Coinshot, so they don't have preconceptions)

Some more powers that I found/remembered:

Brass/Zinc: control Hemalurgic creations
Bronze (with Duralumin): Know exactly what is being done with Allomancy. (Vin hearing Breeze Soothing Elend)

and some more questions:

Electrum: can you use it to find out your capabilities?  For example, if you run at a gap between two buildings while burning Electrum, would you see all of your shadows fall into the alley if the gap was too wide for you to jump?  This would allow you to stop running in time.  If it could be used this way, then it could be useful for seeing where you will land with a steel jump.

Brass/Zinc: can they be used to control only Hemalurgic creations (Inquisitors, Koloss, and Kandra), or anyone with a spike?  It would definitely be more difficult the fewer spikes are in someone/something, but is it possible?

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Allomancy: full powers of metals (spoilers)
« on: July 27, 2011, 06:29:48 AM »
The reason Zane was so skilled/powerful with steel is because he was hemalurgically spiked.

Also check out the Table of Allomantic Metals released a couple years ago. It has the complete allomantic effects of all sixteen regular metals plus the two God Metals, as known in-world, a few centuries after the events of HoA. (ie. around the time of the second trilogy)

Zane being more skilled at steelpushing is the reason that I put skill as a secondary power of Steel.  The difficulty of turning while hovering wasn't the amount of strength available, it was the precision required.  I saw this as a unique ability of Zane's because he had twice the Steel ability of anyone else (except for Inquisitors).  It would also help explain how Marsh became adept at it with so little time for practice. EDIT: another question, why do Inquisitors see out of their "eyes", instead of out of the middle of their chests?

The Table of Allomantic Metals is a good starting point, but it gives very incomplete descriptions of the metals' powers.  For example, the description of Copper does not mention that it blocks Soothing and Rioting, Pewter does not mention fatigue or coordination, and Tin does not mention seeing through Mist (to use only the most strongly supported examples).

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Brandon Sanderson / Allomancy: full powers of metals (spoilers)
« on: July 27, 2011, 04:29:03 AM »
The allomantic powers seem to have both primary and secondary, supporting powers.  I'm trying to put together all of them here, to get a better understanding of the magic system.  Here''s what I have so far: 

Iron: Pulls metals, also allows you to see them
Steel: Pushes metals, also allows you to see them, gives skill in itself? (Zane?)
Tin: Enhances senses, also allows you to see through the mists clearer, and better at interpreting them (eg. telling locations by heartbeat, lip reading)
Pewter: Enhances strength, also speed, endurance, toughness, healing, drug resistance, and coordination.  Inability to feel pain or fatigue.
Zinc: Heighten emotions of others
Brass: Dampen emotions of others
Copper: Hide Allomancy, also immunity to Zinc and Brass
Bronze: Find Allomancy, also where, and what kind, and amount of reserves remaining.
Gold: see alternate version of self (different choices)
Electrum: ? also counteracts Atium.
Atium: see the future, also understand what to do about it.

I didn't find enough information about any of the others to give a good idea.  So, what should I add, and what shouldn't be here?

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: I Hate Dragons
« on: July 22, 2011, 06:14:10 AM »
He hears them phonetically, either that or not at all.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: Alloy of Law Excerpt (Updated with Ch3)
« on: July 14, 2011, 12:42:24 AM »
...maybe it's Marsh that's behind the Vanishers.  With the right spikes, he could make a speed bubble big enough, as well as helping move all of the freight that they stole.  Either that, or else the freight is stolen at loading time, and the rest is just a big distraction, except for the hostages.

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Brandon Sanderson / Re: I'm very keen to see the Mistborn video game.
« on: July 13, 2011, 04:25:18 AM »
My idea for how a Mistborn MMO could work:

Have the main setting in Luthadel
Make the players mistings in thieving groups
Have raids be on keeps of various influence and power, and the "wilderness" be city streets, with guards.
Have XP be in terms of either gold stolen, or notoriety gained.
A successful group would require more than just coinshots and thugs, balanced below, but might be limited to first four.
-Coinshots: mainly fighting class.  Steel could be controlled with "push objects away from self" and "push self away from objects" selector, with bracing yourself and not being able to push off of light objects handwaved away.
-Lurchers: Counters coinshots.  Could be given better mobility than them, as well as the ability to pull teammates precisely.
-Thugs: Pewter's poisonous effects could be played way up, as well as how fast it burns, to make pewter mostly viable only while fighting already.
-Tineyes: Scouting, maybe giving increased information on the enemy, including better critical hit chance (?) and accuracy with bows. 
-Soother: Debuff enemies with apathy, buff friends with focus.
-Rioter:  Debuff enemies with fear, buff allies with courage.
-Seeker: finds enemies, and IDs them.
-Smoker: hides from seekers.  Immune to debuffs, might give resistance/immunity to teammates as well to make more useful.

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