tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post2198741815992232876..comments2024-03-27T11:04:31.390-04:00Comments on From the Sorcerer's Skull: How Do You Like Your Sci-Fi?Treyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-76567934063183074762013-02-21T07:19:37.486-05:002013-02-21T07:19:37.486-05:00Well, like I said, I think the presence of "m...Well, like I said, I think the presence of "magic" (as in, a force which the characters in the setting refer to as magic and operates indistinguishably from fantasy magic) and superheroes (as in people who can lift multiple tons, hang out in airless space, fly at FTL speeds, or grow or shrink) is a pretty bright division line. It's a continuum of course (psionics are powers or magic) but I don't think it's hard to see a difference between Oddjohn and the X-Men despite similar basic ideas.<br /><br />I would agree with you that some Heavy Metal fantasy may have a less clear division, but I would also put "style over sense" stuff here. A woman riding a mechanical horse through space is ultra-soft.<br /><br />I should also note that I'm not saying everything in Heavy Metal or epic would fall into this category.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-31982567033694455832013-02-21T00:03:20.574-05:002013-02-21T00:03:20.574-05:00Being a big fan of Heavy Metal magazine and Epic I...Being a big fan of Heavy Metal magazine and Epic Illustrated, I definitely prefer the science fantasy / "soft" and "ultra-soft" end of the spectrum.<br /><br />In fact, I'm not really sure how you're really differentiating soft and ultra-soft--seems pretty much the same thing.Steven A. Torres-Romanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02650781519887703680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-16634442237978545202013-02-18T13:02:26.456-05:002013-02-18T13:02:26.456-05:00I like my sci-fi in a variety of ways. I like at l...I like my sci-fi in a variety of ways. I like at least a semblance of reality, but I don't want STL generation ships, except as a nifty thing to explore. I want FTL and anti-gravity. Star Wars-ian space opera is good for the swashbuckling and the evil empires, but it's not the same as Traveller or Star Trek. I still like it.<br /><br />The one I have the hardest time is gritty totally realistic sci-fi. No thanks.Brett Slocumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09240226222507995367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-59156066491203457252013-02-17T17:29:45.189-05:002013-02-17T17:29:45.189-05:00Interesting, I don't think we've had much ...Interesting, I don't think we've had much ultra-soft done outside of comics. There are a few movies, maybe, but not really in good movies.<br /><br />Wild Cards while <i>technically</i> science fiction is really beyond what I was discussing here since it's an alternate history and a superhero work of sorts.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-20511240719637121012013-02-17T15:22:09.479-05:002013-02-17T15:22:09.479-05:00Based on your examples, I seem to find myself pref...Based on your examples, I seem to find myself preferring the Medium for movies and television and Ultra-soft for comics. <br /><br />If you include the Wild Cards series of books in Ultra-Soft, I would say that's one of the few instances where I preferred that style in books. Jim Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05006833955333061262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-91778002526703519122013-02-16T15:46:01.608-05:002013-02-16T15:46:01.608-05:00I'm a fan of Alien, Ghost in the Shell, Apples...I'm a fan of Alien, Ghost in the Shell, Appleseed. Beyond those I don't know a lot about hard sf.<br />Most of my exposure comes from comic books, so soft and mushy.<br />If I were writing something myself that's the way I would go also.<br />Rifts and Gamma World are two of my favorite games, and they are pretty darn soft in terms of what can be included.Timothy Paul Schaeferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12279725399542404987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-67271072745377671442013-02-16T15:39:54.310-05:002013-02-16T15:39:54.310-05:00I respect and enjoy good Hard SF, but for my own s...I respect and enjoy good Hard SF, but for my own stories, I think Soft works best for my and my style.Cross Planeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00258583245202567276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-43229725338225239282013-02-16T06:14:14.414-05:002013-02-16T06:14:14.414-05:00Sounds like you may run into the same problem as m...Sounds like you may run into the same problem as me: it can get hard to choose sometimes!Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-19879308173153601412013-02-16T00:44:36.764-05:002013-02-16T00:44:36.764-05:00Same here, I'm a range guy for sure! For readi...Same here, I'm a range guy for sure! For reading, I seem to split between the good'n'hard and the spongy soft - Gibson and maybe Stephenson to Reznick's galactic history tales. I like my comic book stories to treat the sci-fi as a backdrop to gonzo storytelling. When I end up discussing ideas about where humans are headed, especially with someone less oriented to sci-fi media, I like to go with the 'hard science.'<br />I just recently downloaded Eclipse Phase and Stars Without Number, and I think those land somewhere in the middle (and are totally fun reads).David Lewis Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03426202390328885389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-73168389331158183762013-02-15T22:34:12.751-05:002013-02-15T22:34:12.751-05:00I'm with you. I like a range.I'm with you. I like a range.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-32832994853185921692013-02-15T22:26:57.670-05:002013-02-15T22:26:57.670-05:00I like the whole range, it is really all about exe...I like the whole range, it is really all about execution. I'd have to say the setting of the story and the type of story are of far more interest to me than anything else. I do, however, have a particular fondness for the absurd. Aoshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13752224263943355669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-53142655840595926002013-02-15T20:02:39.155-05:002013-02-15T20:02:39.155-05:00Soft is my favorite for movies.
Ultra-soft is my ...Soft is my favorite for movies.<br /><br />Ultra-soft is my favorite for RPGs.Geoffrey McKinneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00042661843714609025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-68548650509505836742013-02-15T19:15:30.344-05:002013-02-15T19:15:30.344-05:00@Bill - It's a possibility.@Bill - It's a possibility.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-55256742058870971562013-02-15T18:13:44.800-05:002013-02-15T18:13:44.800-05:00Great question... I'm sort of a soft medium, I...Great question... I'm sort of a soft medium, I don't want ultra soft, but like the openess to pull in other ideas and such. I hope this means you are pondering a new project!!!Brutorz Billhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10261330634648140358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-69204794445567314032013-02-15T18:02:54.846-05:002013-02-15T18:02:54.846-05:00I'm firmly in the rayguns and rocketships camp...I'm firmly in the rayguns and rocketships camp of soft sci-fi, where ships go faster than light because THEY JUST CAN and a good adventure story is more important that the tech behind it. Psionics and other "space magic" is a bonus.Josh Burnetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13010068908384481313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-550936976818145352013-02-15T17:11:32.754-05:002013-02-15T17:11:32.754-05:00Good points, Jay. It is sort of a spectrum, and di...Good points, Jay. It is sort of a spectrum, and different versions of the same property can be a different shade on the scale.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-37622922810434456902013-02-15T16:25:01.032-05:002013-02-15T16:25:01.032-05:00Ha--I was JUST thinking about this very topic last...Ha--I was JUST thinking about this very topic last night! I like 'em all for a variety of reasons. But I think for gaming, I'm more of a softy. Hard sci-fi definately has its appeal (Outland, anyone?), but it's fun to smudge up the lens a and just blast things with gusto!<br /><br />I'd also argue that there's a lot of cross polination that can be done too. You could make Star Trek a lot softer (Hello, JJ Abrams!) and come in a bit harder on Star Wars if you imagined it grittier Blade Runner-like version of psychic police (might have to ditch lightsabers though). <br /><br />Another way of looking at it is through the lense of genre-mashing. One of my favorite examples is the film (that I'm certain you're familiar with!) Dark City. It's rich with noir/pulp, which should make it much "harder" but when you sprinkle in the mind-controlling aliens, it softens it up quite a bit. <br /><br />With so many flavors of science fiction/science fantasy it's hard to pick just one!Jay Exonautshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11336829684749993354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-84979968645130935402013-02-15T15:06:43.026-05:002013-02-15T15:06:43.026-05:00@Gus - Good point.
@James - Again, I think dichoto...@Gus - Good point.<br />@James - Again, I think dichotomy is a bit outdated and ignores "transhumanist" sci-fi.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-76049409060134266402013-02-15T13:36:26.595-05:002013-02-15T13:36:26.595-05:00I'd have to say soft but at least not ultra so...I'd have to say soft but at least not ultra soft!The Angry Lurkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01227314379603418332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-68907164174974549712013-02-15T11:49:59.399-05:002013-02-15T11:49:59.399-05:00I'm not sure that Gibson isn't painting a ...I'm not sure that Gibson isn't painting a reactionary world. He's just not on the side of reaction and making the claim that information overload is the enemy of reaction. Think about the end of Johnny Menomic where the ultra rigid perfect assassin for an ancient hierarchy is killed by Molly Millions but is really destroyed by the alien cacophany of the Lo Teks. I think the theme goes through the sprawl book and the ones after. Must like Gravity's Rainbow's focus on "The Counterforce". So yeah not reactionary, but interested in reaction.Gus Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14872819206286105195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-11651087138011442692013-02-15T11:35:12.589-05:002013-02-15T11:35:12.589-05:00As game material I'd say I start around medium...As game material I'd say I start around medium and can go all the way up to ultra soft if the ideas are interesting ones. <br /><br />For literature and movies, to me the specific genre and tropes are way less important than the quality of the work. <br /><br />I take a similar view to Jason's, only I'd expand militaristic and absolutist to include a broader range of "ideas", but agree a lot of hard science fiction tends to focus in on a single, significant speculation. In this light you can fit Gibson and Asimov alongside Heinlein and others. <br /><br />On the soft side it becomes about "ideas" vs. an idea, if that makes sense.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-47638484306726800012013-02-15T10:45:04.964-05:002013-02-15T10:45:04.964-05:00@Jason -I think you're using a somewhat outdat...@Jason -I think you're using a somewhat outdated definition of hard science fiction. The work of the likes if Egan, Nagata, and others presenr a much more malleable and less mundane world often than most soft science fiction. Gibson, (whose seminal work is 30 years old) is neither military focused, nor reactionary.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-63838600807964675992013-02-15T10:39:19.982-05:002013-02-15T10:39:19.982-05:00Pretty much everything except super-soft. I like A...Pretty much everything except super-soft. I like Andre Norton at one end, and various near-future books for the other end. Canageekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03770924810559440307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-78414544510097067022013-02-15T09:34:44.753-05:002013-02-15T09:34:44.753-05:00@Roger - Yeah, that's a set up you can probabl...@Roger - Yeah, that's a set up you can probably do at any level. Alien and Heavy Metal do it at a Medium and Soft Medium level , respectively. Moon and Silent Running are more Hard.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8302487761596456689.post-43625693741789787162013-02-15T09:32:31.653-05:002013-02-15T09:32:31.653-05:00I think it's intriguing how "hard" s...I think it's intriguing how "hard" science fiction often lines up with militaristic or absolutist political themes, whereas "soft" science fiction is concerned with different worlds, different realities, the confrontation between a "normalcy principle" and "strange otherness." I am thinking Lovecraft versus Heinlein, or Chandler versus Dick. It's as if hard science fiction writers are eager to "pin" reality down, whereas soft science fiction writers glory in the idea that reality is in flux, always changing. Jason Carneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17279418997850991996noreply@blogger.com