Perception

Have you ever wondered about perception? I do all the time, and thought it might be nice to post up FULL explanations of the different types:


Energy Perception, also called Energy Sense, Energy Sensitivity, Energy Detection, Altered Senses, Altered Perception or Abnormal Sensitivity is the ability to change one’s vision or shift one’s brain waves, which allows one to psychically see or detect the presence of a certain type, or numerous types, of energy (or the presence of already-changed perception). This ability could allow one to see any of the following types of energy (or media for the flow of energy):

• Astral Energy Perception, also called Ectoplasmic/Astral/Spirit/Ghost Sense or Psychresthesia is the ability to perceive energy emanated by spirits (within bodies or dissociated) allowing one to detect the presence of ghosts, to see if a subject is alive (or possessed) and the like; may induce a chilling feeling in the user, so his breath becomes visible whenever ghosts/spirits are present

• Aural Energy Perception, also called Aural Energy Sense, Aura Sense, Aura Perception, Radiesthesia, Radial Sensitivity/Perception/Sense or Aura Reading is the ability to detect the auras of living things and to read the content of the aura; this ability allows one to discern the level of a subject’s emotions (and emotional instability), intentions, if someone is possessed and the presence of empathic links (as well as being able to identify subjects by their auras)

• Color Spectrum Perception, also called Optical Spectrum Perception or Chromesthesia is the ability to perceive the entire color spectrum via sight; allows the user to see camouflagers and distinguish between similar colors (i.e. the metallic luster of a key lost in the grass, traces of bodily fluids on a surface), or even selectively see/ignore certain colors (during this, one views all other colors as black, white or gray); sensory stimuli may cause one to see certain colors

• Death Energy Perception/Detection, also called Death-Force Perception/Detection or Dead/Undead Sense is the perception of death-force released by the dead, undead and spirits of the deceased; it can also be used to detect the presence of the dying, the dead or undead and their nature (corpse, vampire, zombie, ghost, etc.); also allows one to perceive the condition of subject (how close to death, etc.)

• Electrical Energy Perception, also called Electrical Perception, Electricity Sense or Electroception is the ability to perceive electrical currents (even static); one with this ability could tell if a storm were approaching or could detect the presence of bioelectricity in biotic creatures (or electricity in electrical appliances and devices); they are especially keen to the sound and feeling of electricity in the air

• Electromagnetic Perception is the ability to perceive the entire electromagnetic spectrum (instead of just light, electricity or magnetism), from radio waves and television broadcasts to light waves and electrical energy (including information stored on electronic media); one with this ability can even sense disturbances in the Sun and Earth's electromagnetic fields

• Gravitational Energy Perception, also called Gravitation Perception, Gravity Sense/Perception, Gravimetry or Baroreception/Barognosis is the ability to sense the intensity/fluctuation of gravitational fields; the user can sense disturbances in gravitational fields made by movement, perceive the weight and density of objects, or discern how to effectively defy gravity, which allows Superhuman Agility

• Heat Energy Perception, also called Heat Sense, Thermoception, Thermesthesia or Thermometry is the psychic ability to sense the presence of heat, and determine the immediate temperature. One with this ability does not see heat patterns, but rather feels them, and in some cases, can psychometrically divine the source of the heat, based on the amount/degree of heat

• Karmic Perception, also called Karma Perception, Karma Sense, Morality Perception or Alignment Perception is the ability to perceive positive and negative energy, and thus the relative morality of whomever one looks at or comes into contact with (if their most recent actions were good or bad, if they have good or bad intentions, etc.) and if and/or when something good or bad is going to happen to them

• Life Energy Perception/Detection, also called Life-Force Perception/Detection or Life Sense is the perception of the life-force that exudes from all living things; can be used to tell if a subject is alive as well as their vitality/health level; can also be used to tell the nature of the lifeform (plant, animal, human, extraterrestrial, etc.); also allows one to perceive the condition of subject (how much vitality, etc.)

• Light Energy Perception or Light Perception is the ability to perceive all light as visible light; can be used to see the paths of light beams, and see through bent light (to notice invisible subjects, and to see through light-based illusion); may imply sensitivity to intense light, but may also imply the ability to discriminate between what type of light one desires to see (infrared, ultraviolet, normal, etc.)

• Magic Perception, also called Magic Detection or Magic Sense is the perception of magical or supernatural energy (usually by its type and intensity); can be used to detect sources of it as well (like magic items and supernatural entities/creatures) and sometimes even what the magic is used for

• Magnetic Energy Perception, also called Magnetoception or Magnetometry is the psychic ability to sense the presence of magnetic fields, and determine changes in said fields. One with this ability does not see magnetic forces, but rather feels them, and in many cases, this allows a keen sense of navigation, altitude and the relative proximity of objects/subjects/locations to the user (by feeling the direction of magnetic flux or the shape of magnetic disruptions)

• Mechanical Energy Perception, also called Potential-Kinetic Energy Perception, Potential/Kinetic Perception or Potential/Kinetic Energy Sense is the ability to perceive mechanical (potential and kinetic) energy, which appear to the user’s vision in contrasting colors (if the user perceives it visually). This can be used to see targets’ potential/kinetic energy (sometimes even a target’s projected path of motion).

• Psychic Energy Perception, also called Psychic Energy Sense, Psyche Sense, Psyche Perception, Psychesthesia, Psychic Sensitivity/Perception/Sense or Psyche Reading is the ability to detect the psyche of living things and to read the content of the psyche; this ability allows the user to discern a subject’s level of intelligence, their knowledge, if they are psychic and the presence of psychic links (as well as being able to identify subjects by their psyches)

• Radioactivity Perception or Radiation Perception is the ability to sense radioactivity as well as radioactive substances (harmful radiation, as well as those like sunlight and heat); used to detect nuclear weapons or toxic waste and/or sense various forms of radiation, be it ultraviolet, nuclear, atomic or otherwise; this could even be used to tell if someone or something has been exposed to harmful amounts of radiation, what kind, and the like

• Stochastic Field Perception, also called Stochastic Perception or Luck Sense is the ability to perceive stochastic fields, allowing one to follow them in order to create good or bad luck (similar to one with the power of Serendipity or Zemblanity), to discern the likelihood of the occurrence of good/bad stochastic events (good/bad luck) occurring, or to tell if someone has/will have good or bad luck

• Wind Energy Perception or Wind Perception is the ability to perceive the flow and flux of the wind, and its direction; it also allows one to perceive things being carried by the wind, or that affect the flow of wind; it may even allow one to eavesdrop on conversations by listening to voices being carried by the wind (and otherwise mimic Superhuman Hearing), or allow one to mimic Superhuman Smell by honing in on scents carried by wind

One with this ability is exceptionally sensitive to the energy they are capable of perceiving, and as such, abilities and attacks based on that energy type will do them great deals of damage (unless they have Protected Senses and/or Immunity to the energy, which is common). Sometimes this ability may even be used to detect subjects which are capable of manipulating the energy that the user can detect. Other forms of perception are possible, but these are most common.

    * Note: Color Spectrum Perception and Light Perception are not the same; Light Perception allows one to see light on all bands; Color Spectrum Perception allows one to see detail in colors on the bands of visible light (and see polarized light to be able to selectively see/ignore colors).

    * Note: Ghost Sense and Mediumism are not the same; Mediumism allows the user to perceive ghosts (beings composed of, and emanating, ectoplasm); Ghost Sense allows one to perceive spiritual energy, as well, but it is not required that a spirit is present (in fact, one with a Ghost Sense can perceive a ghost in the immediate vicinity even before they manifest on the material plane)

    * Note: Wind Perception doesn’t always come as psychic perception of the wind; sometimes the user can perceive it as visible light, smell it more acutely than usual, taste it, or hear it more acutely than usual, or is more sensitive to what it carries (particles, pheromones, etc.), or all of the former, or a combination


Dimensional Energy Perception

• Dimensional Energy Perception is the ability to psychically (or perceptually) sense the energy that constitutes spatial portals and dimensional portals. One with this ability can perceive the presence of spatial or dimensional warps, the conditions within the spatial warp, whether or not access is allowed from both sides, as well as where the warp leads to. The user of this ability can even sense when something is about to pass through from the other side. This ability most commonly accompanies a superhuman ability like Teleportation, Dimensonal Travel or Time Travel.

Extradimensional Energy Perception

• Extradimensional Energy Perception is the ability to psychically (or perceptually) sense energy that is extraterrestrial in origin. The user of this ability can perhaps perceive magic energy, ectoplasm, psionic energy, “Balefire” (disrupts physical/mental processes), “Nether” (inverts energy effects), “Nullfire” (obliterates living matter) and all other energies which exist at a quantum level (even perhaps time itself). However, the perception one gains is not definite; some can perceive all these energy types and more, while others can only perceive one, or a few.

Illusory Energy Perception

• Illusory Energy Perception, also called Illusion Perception, Illusory Perception, Hallucination Perception, Hallucinatory Perception, Delusion Perception or Delusional Perception is the ability to perceive illusory energy psychically (or by one of the senses, depending on the type of illusion or delusion) without being fooled. For example, if someone imagined himself committing suicide, the user could see the subject committing suicide, while also seeing him where he actually was. If a man saw himself as better than others, the user could actually see the subject’s self-image. This could be used to discern if someone is deluded (or having hallucinations), etc.

•If the user should ever encounter an illusion caster, illusion or hallucinations of any kind, he can often also elect to see past the illusion, rather than seeing/feeling them and being fooled.

    * Note: The user can also perceive when someone is casting an illusion (light-based, mental and sensory).

Kinesthesia

• Kinesthesia, also called Motion/Movement Detection is a version of Mechanical Energy Perception, in which the user can only perceive the movement of living things. One with this ability can psychically sense the firing of nerves involved in movement, and thus can detect when a foe is about to move seconds before the movement actually takes place (as well as sometimes perceiving the pulse of living things). The user can also tell if subjects are approaching, how many (even if foes move silently), and the like. This ability is usually accompanied by Superhuman Touch and Superhuman Reflexes.

Link Energy Perception

• Link Energy Perception, also called Link Perception, Link Sense or Zygometry is a version of Aural Energy Perception and Psychic Energy Perception in which the user can perceive links of any kind. The user can sense psychic links (including when a subject is involved in a Hive Mind), psionic links (similar to psychic, but the energy becomes visible when the two are in proximity), empathic links (linked emotions), sympathetic links (look-alikes, if someone is possessed, being mind-controlled or linking of life force, etc.), sensory links, and sentimental links (a person’s emotional attachment to something). This ability may accompany Linking.

Sound Energy Perception

• Sound Energy Perception, also called Sound Perception, Sonic Perception, Sound Sense or Sonic Sense is the ability to perceive sound of any kind. One with this ability can perceive volume, pitch and other properties of sound at will. This ability can be used to tune in on ultrasonic (higher-than-audible) or infrasonic (lower-than-audible) sounds to allow superhuman hearing. The user can even mimic sounds by hearing them and adjusting one’s voice to match them.

•If the user can perceive sounds by sight, then sounds of different kinds have different colors (and variations in volume, frequency and vary in brightness, shade, etc.); if the user perceives vibration by hearing, then vibrations of different kinds have different volume, pitch and frequency.

    * Note: One can also use this ability to determine an object’s resonance; by tapping on a surface, one can see the vibrations that bounce off, and if the user possesses a Sonic ability (or similar power to produce vibration), he can adjust his power to match that resonance, allowing him to shatter glass.

Vector Energy Perception

• Vector Energy Perception, also called Vector Perception, Vector Sense or Vector Sensitivity is a version of Mechanical Energy Perception in which one can perceive motion vectors. The user views vectors as colored rays which bend in the form of an object’s trajectory (if an object moved in a straight line, the vector would look like a straight line). Not only can the user perceive when vectors are formed (as subtle vibrations), he can also perceive from which direction it came; he can even perceive the power and speed behind produced vectors.

Vibration Energy Perception

• Vibration Energy Perception, also called Vibration Perception or Vibration Sense is the ability to perceive vibrations of any kind. One with this ability can perceive vibrations through the air, water and solid surfaces, most commonly as either actual vibrations that register mentally, or they are perceived as visible light (though other ways are possible, such as by hearing). The user of this ability can perceive heat, sound, air and perhaps even psychic vibrations.

•If the user can perceive vibrations by sight, then vibrations of different kinds have different colors (and vary in brightness, shade, etc.); if the user perceives vibration by hearing, then vibrations of different kinds have different amplitude, wavelength and frequency.

    * Note: One can also use this ability to determine an object’s resonance; by tapping on a surface, one can see the vibrations that bounce off, and if the user possesses a Seismic ability (or similar power to produce vibration), he can adjust his power to match that resonance, allowing him to shatter glass.

    * Note: Vibration Energy Perception is not the same as Sound Energy Perception; with Vibration Energy Perception, one perceives vibrations as vibrating tactile sensations, while Sound Energy Perception perceives vibrations as varying sounds.