Guidelines for Sci-Fi and Magic of Alterra

Article I - Justification

-Recognizing that the previous law known as "Ban on OP Sci-Fi Weaponry" was widely received by the Alterran community as either draconian or too open to the subject of interpretation.

-Hereby introduces this guideline to succeed the "Ban on OP Sci-Fi Weaponry" law , parts of Article IX - Technological Development and parts of Article XVII - Magic on the RP bill rendering the stated laws obsolete by the introduction of this guideline.

Article II - Definition

-Defining Sci-Fi technology as technologies yet to be developed or currently under development by the world in real-life. Such "techs" would often blur into magic and thus shall have IRL constraints/basis. In turn these technologies' limitations are defined by manufacturing technologies, quality and the operator's knowledge.

-Defining Magic as technologies that do not follow IRL constraints or basis and are dependent on either magic power or mana. They come in form of spells, enchantments, elixirs, runes, and other mediums. The said technologies are limited by either the user's magical skill or the quality of the medium (and thus the maker's magical skill).

-Defining Magitech as the combination of the two, often in use by hybrids. Magitech must be treated as Sci-Fi tech and shall have advantages of both technologies while following constraints of both.

-Defines Magic power as the latent magical capability possessed by native species. This can be treated as an internal mana reserve and thus can be drawn from for usage in magic. Drawing into magic power can drain and exhaust the user if abused and will regenerate through time or through intake of mana.

-Defines Mana as an enigmatic resource that is the key of operating Magical and Magitech technologies. It is extracted underground and is considered blue, viscous, and somewhat volatile in it's raw state. It must be refined to be used.

Article III - Sci-Fi technologies

Laser Weapons;

-Laser weapons are to be re-allowed. Such weapons have key advantages like pin-point accuracy, lack of recoil, lack of sound, no bullet drop, and literal lightspeed projectile movement. With these in mind they are also subject to high infrared output, long-range limitations due to both power and line-of-sight restriction, requires optics, dissapates in the atmosphere, high power consumption and the requirement of lasers to be focused on a target. These may be ofcourse compensated for through more research but will remain as a main disadvantage for laser weaponries.

-Magical beams must also follow rules for lasers depending on the situation.

Mind Control;

-Re-allowed. Mind control is defined as the control of one's freewill through either magic, drugs, diseases, or hypnosis. Mind control would so allow one to freely control one's own populace. All mind control technologies will then be subject to willpower of the target that may resist mind control lengthening the time or even sabotaging the behavior imposed upon them.

-Mind Control can be used against enemy citizens or POWs as long as it's for the purpose of pacification. It may be used against other characters or enemy units when mutually-agreed upon by the target nation.

-What does not count as mind control: Stimulants, Depressants, Illusions, or if it's forced through situation (like bomb or shock collars).

Plasma Weapons;

-Re-allowed and could have high armor piercing capabilities. There is a problem about using plasma weapons, It has an extremely small range and has high power requirements similar to lasers.

Black Hole/Anti-Matter Weapons;

-Will remain banned due to extremely high destructive capability and the fact that it's nearly impossible to produce.

Nanobots;

-Re-allowed and It may be re-allowed and be used for medical purposes. Due to it's size it may only perform a limited amount of functions, has no capability to reproduce, and cannot do long range signals limiting the use of it as bio-weapons.

Gravity-Altering Devices

-Re-allowed and may be used as a form of levitation device or propulsion device. They will have a large energy drain as long as it's in effect. Gravity-Altering devices will also be highly vulnerable to Electromagnetic pulses or High-powered microwave bombs. It may not be used defensively for balancing reasons.

Orbital Bombardment;

-Shall remain banned due to being overpowered against natives.

-Whereas natives or hybrids are also too allowed to create alternative magical / magitech forms of the stated technologies.

Article IV - Enforcement

-Whereas this bill shall be enforced as a guideline in utilizing the aforementioned technologies and if they are to be abused a complaint may be filed against the violator to either the RPM or DRPM.