The "Science" of Brickonicle [Worldbuilding] [Pitch]

Assuming that Artakha follows the same scientific laws and stuff (I’m not very good at scientific terminology so prepare to laugh out loud at my cringey and inaccurate remarks) as we do, figuring out the ‘scientific’ explanations to things like the Nuva and Mask powers would be interesting(maybe creating different political parties based on how much someone believes in science/spiritual stuff). Tectonics could also be made real, I would love to design a Pangea-like Artakha for the First Toa.

Mask Powers @UltimateMustacheX - Masks supposedly send jolts based on the alloy if the mask (yay protodermis exists now!)
For more detail look here and here.

Comments and CC are welcome as always, I have no idea if or how this would made real.

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I guess I’ll actually get some use out of my engineering degree, with this topic. :laughing: I’ll see if I come up with anything while at work tomorrow.

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I’m ok with this.

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I did some thinking on my commute home, and came up with the science of mask powers.

Mask powers in G3 are physical augmentations, so they can technically be gained through training. When a mask is activated, it sends a slight jolt to the brain, kickstarting the needed trait without having to train the skill.

Masks would be made of a metal alloy. The composition of the alloy would be different for each mask type, and each alloy would send the spark to a different part of the brain. The jolt wouldn’t hurt. The sensation would just be what a Matoran considers as the mask activating.


Endurance - The jolt numbs the body, making fatigue and pain lessen. This lets the wearer continue fighting past their normal limit.

Perception - The jolt hits nerves controlling the senses, temporarily boosting them.

Sonar - The jolt hits a nerve that sends a signal to the body, making it produce a click for echolocation.

Translation - The jolt hits the part of the brain involved in communicative functions. This allows the wearer to understand and speak other languages.

Charisma - The jolt hits pleasure centers in the brain. This allows the wearer to become more confident in their actions, thus appearing more appealing to those around them.

Stealth - The jolt sends a slight charge throughout the body, making the wearer lighter on their feet.

Strength - The jolt is sent to the muscles, boosting the wearer’s overall strength.

Speed - The jolt is sent to the legs, boosting the wearer’s overall speed.

Accuracy - The jolt hits nerves around the eyes, and boosts concentration, allowing for more accurate strikes.

Balance - The jolt sends signals to the vestibular, somatosensory, and visual systems to boost the wearer’s sense of balance.

Night Vision - The jolt hits nerves to the eyes, boosting their ability to take in light. This allows the wearer to see in the dark.

Rahi Control - The jolt causes a slight electrical discharge to radiate from the wearer. This wave has a soothing effect on Rahi, making them more docile.

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So the masks connect to the neural networks in the brain, in respect to their function, to increase their output signal strength? That makes a lot of sense and even gives a pretty good explanation for how the Mask of Control takes over Tren Krom.
I really like this concept, nicely done @UltimateMustacheX.

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Is this completely necessary? I think coming up with real-world scientific explanations for things like mask powers or elemental powers is probably more trouble than it’s worth.

I hadn’t even thought of the application in terms of the legendary masks.

Creation - The jolt stimulates the frontal lobe, allowing for swifter cognitive functions that affect imagination and creativity.

Control - The jolt causes an electrical discharge to radiate from the wearer. This wave has a numbing effect on sentient creatures, slowing their cognitive abilities, and preventing them from thinking critically or independently.

Alternate Futures - The jolt hits multiple nerves throughout the brain. This causes a boost in the senses, with the potential to cause hallucinations.


We’re doing it because it’s fun to apply science to fictional concepts. Also, it gives some potential worldbuilding. Not every Matoran follows the beliefs of the Great Beings or the Elemental Gods. So for those Matoran, they would come up with scientific explanations for the phenomena in their world.

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The thing is though, this is a world where it is possible to prove that gods not only exist, but are responsible for natural phenomena.

That may be true, but just like in the real world, people don’t always believe what’s right in front of them. Sentience allows us to think in different ways, and thus, makes us stubborn and often resistant to other views. (Heck, that’s likely one of the reasons Makuta sees it as a curse.)

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Fair enough. I think it’s better to not get bogged down in these kinds of details, but if it’s what you find fun I won’t stop you.

You mean sapience

Sapience is wisdom. Sentience is the ability to experience things. We think in different ways, due to having different experiences.

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Most animals are sentient though. Only humans, and potentially some other animals, are sapient. Sapience is why we have different beliefs.

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I was thinking the Mask of Alternate Futures would stimulate the temporal lobe to increase the wearer’s ability to process information. This way Karzahni is using available information to generate models of possible futures.


@fangface1, I have been under the impression that sentience = free will for years. I never thought it might mean anything less.
Thank you for your comment.

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Regarding Endurance: When it comes to endurance, the main cause of fatigue isn’t necessarily the pain but instead the rate at which the body heats up and expels said heat. If someone builds up too much heat, their body overheats and results in the fatigue. Pain (specifically sharp pain, not aching) typically results from performing an action that the individual has no where near enough preparation for (ie lack of training). Like watching a couch potato run a marathon.

Regarding Stealth: What if the jolt sent out a pulse that caused outside beings to not register the user?

Regarding Strength and Speed: I think both of these are fairly identical based on how you’ve described speed. Sprinters train their legs to perform at explosive rates, requiring a lot of lean leg strength in order to propel them forward. Perhaps if the Mask of Speed altered the user’s rate of processing the outside world or reacting to outside stimuli, that would help distinguish.

Regarding Accuracy and Night Vision: Since they are both eye-related (sense-related), wouldn’t Perception render them obsolete? You could just combine all sense-related powers (iffy on Sonar) into Perception.

Regarding Rahi Control: Nothing to critique, I’m just really happy you listed it here. Reminds me of the Faxon (I know Faxon isn’t Rahi Control, but let me have this) :laughing:

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Endurance: I didn’t mean that fatigue and pain were tied together. I just meant that it numbs both of those aspects. Either one can be a cause to slow you down and prevent you from continuing, which is negated with endurance.

Stealth: The main issue I had was that my description didn’t include a form of concealment. However, I think that a pulse affecting others is a bit too much. A few other powers have a pulse, but those ones are specifically meant to have an effect on others. Stealth is meant to be contained to the user (using your own movements to avoid detection, not changing how others perceive you). So I basically see it as the light-footed effect allows them to not only move quietly, but have a bit more acrobatics too, which will aid in getting around peoples’ perceptions. The pulse may result in better concealment, but then it’s not really stealth anymore.

Strength/Speed: Strength is a full body effect that results in raw power. Speed just focuses on the legs, allowing for a much more concentrated burst that gives the speed. But yes, speed should also let the user process faster, in order to keep up with their body.

Sense powers: The difference is the function. Perception is purely a heightened form of all 5 senses. Accuracy is eyes, but also increases concentration, in order to obtain the focus to hit a target in the exact spot you need (hand-eye coordination). A perception power may let you see the target better, but not necessarily hit them. Night vision is also eyes, but focuses on the ability to take in light. It doesn’t mean you can see farther or anything, just that what you can see is sharper and more defined, which lets you see in the dark as if it were day. Perception doesn’t have enough devoted to just eyesight to allow for that. Its eye power is essentially telescopic vision. Sonar is echolocation (the actual click). Perception may be able to hear the click, but it can’t produce it.

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Y’all are thinking of the Matoran’s brains as actual organic brains when they’re actually synthetic and programmed.

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It’s sounding more and more like they’re robotic with little to no organic parts. So how do they have families?

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Endurance: Fair enough, but numbing might not be the solution. Nerves are needed in order for proper movement, and numbing them could reduce the functionality. Maybe if it involved a higher pain tolerance and a faster cooldown time?

Stealth: Fair enough. That makes sense.

Strength/Speed: I’m not saying speed wouldn’t affect the legs; they’d have to. I’m saying that Strength should amplify the strength of the entire body (legs included), while Speed should amplify movement/reflex/processing speed throughout the entire body. If this is what you meant, then we’re on the same page.

Sense Powers: I know what each of the sense powers’ functions are, but I think that at least Night Vision should be included with Perception. Accuracy I agree should be a separate power, and it didn’t register with me until later that hand-eye coordination wasn’t strictly eye-related. I agree Sonar shouldn’t be included, and I stated that I was iffy on it.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to such a large reply. :slight_smile:

@Jon: Is any part of the Matoran organic, or are they 100% synthetic?

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Assuming sufficiently advanced technology, it wouldn’t be impossible to replicate a reproductive system.

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Not necessarily, every brain has its designated components whether it is organic or synthetic. We are just using how a human brain functions as a reference, the actual abilities would be performed by similar functions of the matoran brain.

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