Fantasy vs Science Fiction

Science Fiction for me.

It's a much harder choice though. In the end there's something about space and lasers i find very appealing.

Both! Space magic, you know? Cyborg dragons, or something? But if I had to choose I'd go with sci-fi.

I can't seem to edit my post so...

I forgot to ask, how do you characterize stuff like later Final Fantasy games such as X and XIII or Warhammer 40k?

Science-fiction because space. Even when I'm playing something like Skyrim and I look at the night sky, I'm thinking "man, there's probably an epic space war happenning in that universe, and I'm down here fighting dragons with a sword".

Both for me too. But if I realy have to choose only one, that would be science fiction.

Fantasy has magic as its unique point, but the rest of the world is still traditional in concept and never evolving. For example: swords. In fantasy you can have a sword with magic on it... and that's about it. In sci-fi, there are lightsabers, robot swords that transforms into something, gunswords and so on.

EDIT: Was it Hizang who got banned during the site transition?

Yes it was. Something to do with linking porn or something. I didn't actually see the post in question.

Science Fiction for sure, It's much more interesting on the whole.

Lasers > Swords

Fantasy. Gotta stick with the roots! ~ Dragon Age 3..

Both. Spaceships + magic = awesome.

Firefly. Wait, what? Oh, sci-fi.

Always sci-fi.

I've never really felt that there should be such a distinction, as far as I'm concerned they both should just be considered fantasy.

It depends on the context where some themes fit better as fantasy and some fit better as sci-fi.

This is an interesting question, since Science Fiction is such a hard genre to define. I mean there are a lot of books that are considered science fiction, yet they have nothing about space, lasers, robots or spacemagic. Some of the Philip K. Dick's works for example.

Tough choice but I am going to go with Fantasy.

Science Fiction but I'd take a break from it and enjoy some fresh Fantasy air once in awhile. Thankfully we can enjoy both as much as we want eh.

The line between both seems to blur. If I were to pick between something that's purely sci-fi or purely fantasy, I'd pick sci-fi, but then something like Full Metal Alchemist comes along and the line there is pretty blurred. It's not science fiction because alchemy will never be possible, but then it's not fantasy because they (mostly) stick to a set of rules, call alchemy a "science", and have to know the chemical makeup of whatever they're transmuting.

Anyway, I prefer sci-fi but I have no qualms with indulging in fantasy.

I really like both but if i have to choose, its sci fi. There's something about lasers and and traveling to new and alien worlds that I've always found appealing.

fantasy. i find i'm a lot more selective when it comes to sci-fi, but there's a fair amount of fantasy worlds i'm interested in.

also berserk and game of thrones are the best so there's that.

Dune seems to be a good blend between the two.

I really can't choose. I read more fantasy, but I love science fiction.

So, I can't vote.

Sci Fi requires a bit more work on the author's part to explain their fancy doohickery. This usually makes for more intriguing world building as the author has to at least loosely base his/her ideas on known physical laws. My favorite sort of scifi is the kind that doesn't jump too far into the realm of pure and absolute fantasy. I like my scifi with limited or no FTL, no teleportation, no artificial grav.

With fantasy, author has free rein to just magic it up as a way of explaining everything, which can make for less satisfactory fictional world.

Which is not to say that scifi cannot be unsatisfactory or that fantasy cannot be satisfactory, this is just general reason why I tend to prefer one over the other. I love them both, though.

I love both, but lately I've been more into science fiction.

I agree with this sentiment. I'm a bit tired of cliche fantasy and space opera has worn thin as well. The best idea is mix and match the two. Gimme robots casting fireballs and elves in space. Really what more exciting than a gun that shoots magic spells?

If it's either/or and I can only choose one, I'll go with sci-fi because there is more room for settings that stray from the well-worn archetypes.

@penguindust: Movies and television programs are just about the last place interesting and innovative world building are likely to happen, due to the expense of production and the greater cost of potential failure (generic and safe wins the day). Novels are the forefront and probably always will be for this reason.

Cancel your cable! Read books! :)

Love me some Sci-fi, and I'm a huge sucker for any sci-fi lore more than fantasy, but I enjoy both a lot. Combining them is ok by me, and I think 40K is a legit example and it's lore is pretty intoxicating.

Looks like Destiny will mix them, and that could be amazing for sure. Very intrigued with that business.

Both. Since there is very, very little "science fiction" that isn't fantasy you really have to go both.

How dare you?! There are people in space at this very second!

@penguindust said:

@chibithor said:

Both! Space magic, you know? Cyborg dragons, or something? But if I had to choose I'd go with sci-fi.

I agree with this sentiment. I'm a bit tired of cliche fantasy and space opera has worn thin as well. The best idea is mix and match the two. Gimme robots casting fireballs and elves in space. Really what more exciting than a gun that shoots magic spells?

If it's either/or and I can only choose one, I'll go with sci-fi because there is more room for settings that stray from the well-worn archetypes.

It's been a while, but that's the Caster from Outlaw Star, isn't it? Or something like that?

its gotta be super hard sci-fi or space opera a la dune

Fantasy trips my trigger a bit more than scifi, but I do love both :D

Science Fiction has more variety. With fantasy people often stick to the blue print of Tolkien.

I don't like fantasy, but i do love me some Star Wars.

@pr1mus: Humm . . . Are you being mind-controlled by Hizang?

Science Fiction by a mile.

I like hard sci fi a lot, mostly because the author is dedicating a great deal of effort to make sure that their tech contrivances work in some sort of reasonably plausible way. However, I don't feel it necessary to have those tight technical explanations for everything to keep that plausible appeal going. The important part is that the author sets clear rules for their universe and follows them, never breaks them. So many authors will flagrantly break their own physical laws just for shock value at the middle twist or conclusion, but this really undercuts the overall quality of the story in a lot of cases.

The best non-hard sci fi author (i won't say 'soft') I have encountered is Connie Willis. Specifically her unique treatment of time travel used in Doomsday Book and To Say Nothing Of The Dog. Willis' time travel is deliberately soft sci fi (okay I said 'soft'). She never explains exactly how it works and that is never important to the story. What she does do is set out very clearly defined rules that her time travel must abide by. I won't get into specifics, but the way she plays around those self enforced rules in order to take the narrative in unique directions is something very special in sci fi genre. Very special in literature in general. The conclusions in both of those books are extremely satisfying in part because of her strict adherence to the rules. She does not allow plot holes.

So read those books! Imbibe of the goodness! Cozy up with the oh-so-very British comedy!

I feel like i'm not quite up to the level of Demoskinos' Pulp or No Pulp poll yet. Maybe you could investigate over there for possible Hizang possession!

I think I'll monitor both cases. It can still go either way.

I consider them functionally identical, and thus my answer is Fantasy/Sci-Fi crossover, because Might and Magic VI gave you laser guns at the very end of the game and that was totally rad and stupid in a way I could get behind.

I like science-fiction more. To me, fantasy just doesn't expand on the boundaries enough. What cultivates me most of the sci-fi genre is going up into space, visiting different planets, meeting all of the many extraterrestrial beings/creatures... etc. All for a good cause.

Puts it to perspective doesn't it? We don't know jack-shit about the world around us and beyond its limits.

If we're talking each of these genres at their most genrey, then I'd have to say Fantasy. I've never been into hard Sci-Fi, because I think the minutiae distracts the reader from the story (though to be fair I would say the same thing about The Lord of The Rings in a heartbeat.) Honestly, they're kind of the same thing. The only real difference being their aesthetics. So Fantasy, because swords are bitchin'.

Sci-Fi that is actually related to science. While I like the imagery and creatures involved in fantasy stuff, the whole overly-romantic vibe to most fantasy stuff really starts to bug me.

For whatever reason, the first concrete example I thought of was Elder Scrolls V Fallout.

In both cases, I'd prefer sci-fi/Fallout V fantasy/Elder Scrolls. Although I do very much enjoy both, there's something about throwing advanced technology into the mix that sparks my interest. It almost makes the impossible seem even a little bit achievable.

but thats quantity over quality . . swords are a lot easier to allow for a good story and moment to happen.

Star Wars bro. Best of both worlds.

@

I have wanted to make a thread much ike this. More so saying " fantsay is pointless".

Its usefull in entertainment however thats it.

While Sci fi gives people new ideas for the future. Tech to strive for. Warnings of what to do with it when we do acheive it. The half of the stuff that was just a dream in Star trek the original serise is fact today.

Star trek next gen had people walking around with Datapads!. What do we have now? Ipads! kindles! and what not. I see buisness people useing Ipads on the go just like star trek.

While Fantasy....social issues? I realy dont see a better men of manki7nd through fantasy.

I say this because I thaugh about all these Harry Potter fans vs Star wars fans phenomenon.

Star wars while it is the old Farm boy goes on an adventure for the wizard story. It is sci fi and has us strive for that tech. While Harry potter....yeah...I dont know.

It also sticks in my craw when Scientific things are explained in such ways as Harry potter.

News was recporting on Optical camaflouge. the basic we have is concept of useing a projector to and such. While the strive in the end is almost invisbility.

News reported saying "want your very own cloak of invisibility? Just like Harry potter?"

Makes me maaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

I mean enjoy fantasay....just Sci fi educates at the same time.

Syfy

I choose both. They're both so infinitely full of potential and have produce such incredible worlds and stories, I couldn't pick one or the other.

I'm not a huge fan of either to be honest, but between the two definitely sci-fi.