Poll: Regarding Realism and Sci-Fi Space Battles

[RJ 17]

Good evening, my fellow Escapists. I come to you with a simple question regarding an issue that has been brought up by another Escapist that I've been speaking with regarding Mass Effect. The issue is regarding a simple notion, really, and one that I'd imagine the vast majority of us are (hopefully) fully aware of: there is no sound in space. Quite simply: sound cannot travel in a vacuum. Hell, that's the entire point behind the original Alien's tag-line: "In space, no one can hear you scream!"

My fellow Escapist finds that space battles in ME - and in every space-bound sci-fi franchise, for that matter - would be much more satisfying (or at least much less annoying to him) if they went with the realistic approach to things. No massive explosions, no "PEW-PEW-PEW!!!" of lasers, no "VVVVWOOOSH!" of star ships...basically anything taking place in space should take place in absolute silence. I argued that while such an approach would certainly be much more realistic, it would also be incredibly less entertaining.

So I bring the question to you! Regarding space battles and such in Sci-Fi franchises, what do you/would you prefer: absolute silence or sound?

 

[DefunctTheory]

No.

While yes, it is realistic to have no sound (Unless your actually getting hit, then its LOUD), its also audibly boring. When it comes to video media, whether it be video games, movies, or TV, you only have access to two senses - Your hearing and your vision. Your down to two out of five right off the bat. Removing sound just removes you further from whats happening on screen.

Would some people get some sort of smug satisfaction out of a completely realistic, sound free space battle? Oh, of course. But most wouldn't - Most people just need more feedback from their media experience then a completely sterile, soundless picture.

Besides, if you want to get really bitchy, military grade lasers aren't even visible, and when you consider the scale of space battles, the lack of light, and the distances involved, seeing projectiles would be essentially impossible. So whats next, space ships flying around space with no sound, and no visible indication that there a fight going on besides seemingly random parts falling off of ships?

 

[Thaluikhain]

I don't mind breaks from reality, but I get annoyed when everyone breaks from reality the exact same way.

If you don't want to have a soundless battle, why not come up with an interesting way of having noise? There's mention that the sound in Star Wars is supposedly made by computers to alert crews that something is going on...doesn't really work as an excuse, but you could have ominous computer noises getting louder or more frequent when something is about to happen, for example.

 

[Dizchu]

I'm okay with Star Wars being loud and filled with explosions, it's not really "sci-fi", it's more like The Lord of the Rings in space. It's fantasy, I can deal with a few logical inconsistencies if they result in a more cohesive experience.

With hard sci-fi though, I'd rather it stick to actual science. Space battles are awesome but I don't even think they belong in "proper" sci-fi to begin with. That might be me being a killjoy though.

I do like the compromise some works of sci-fi make, of not having dead silence in space but rather this eerie muffled sound, similar to being underwater. Dead Space did this and it was great.

 

[Zontar]

Besides, if you want to get really bitchy, military grade lasers aren't even visible, and when you consider the scale of space battles, the lack of light, and the distances involved, seeing projectiles would be essentially impossible. So whats next, space ships flying around space with no sound, and no visible indication that there a fight going on besides seemingly random parts falling off of ships?

Add to that the fact that lasers don't even work the way demonstrated in a lot of science fiction (it really doesn't make much sense as an offensive weapon when you get right down to it. Defensive yes but not offensive. A shield or deflector using real physics would have it bounce off harmlessly no matter what the power output) and then at the end of the day space battles are just effectively smart ISBMs being fired between ships and hoping you survive when the MAD is over. I remember in Leviathan Wakes (first of the Expanse series SyFy is about to have an original series about and fail hard at adapting) one of the characters feels the vibration of the ballistic, kinetic weapons of the ship he's on firing and is shocked that anyone could be close enough for that to be used (which was due to the fact that the fleet they where in had the navies of two factions right at the moment where their alliance fell apart and turned into war).

 

[twistedmic]

While the silence of space can be effective, like in Firefly and during hull breaches in the new Star Trek movies, I prefer space battles to be filled with explosions, laser blasts and engine sounds.

 

[Aerosteam]

Something that's in a different reality can make up its own rules. What if in Mass Effect sound is actually present in space?

 

[Queen Michael]

I believe Marvin the Martian is speaking for every viewer of these hypothetical soundless space battles:

 

[CrystalShadow]

While it's true there's no sound in space, that'd get dull.
(There's no music in life either. Does that mean films shouldn't have sountracks?)

Besides, you could argue it's not actually true in a strict sense.
If you assume the sound you hear in a battle scene in space is from a "god's eye view" (eg you can hear it from all or at least multiple locations) then it could be argued that what you're hearing is the internal sounds of the various ships and whatever else involved in a fight.

Most ships have an atmosphere inside of them.
Therefore, internally, any sound produced by any component of them, will be heard inside the ship itself.
Even without the atmosphere, all physical matter transmits sound to some degree.

So if the laser cannons fire, the sound will reverberate through the hull, and vibrate any air internally to the ship, and thus produce audible sound in at least some parts of the ship.

Throw the sounds of everything involved in the fight together, and I doubt what you'd hear is silence.

Sure, it doesn't realistically represent what any one person would hear, and it's a non-realistic perspective, but it shows a key point.

Space battles are only silent from some perspectives...

 

[Ironman126]

first of the Expanse series SyFy is about to have an original series about and fail hard at adapting

I am so sad the authors let SyFy touch their work. SyFy ruins everything they touch. I want to see SyFy burn for at least a thousand years.

OT: I always liked Mass Effect's explanation: audio simulators. Yes, the actually battles are silent, but in ME3, Cortez mentions turning off the audio emulators and just watching ships drift silently through space.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

Yeah, when it comes to space battles, this is one of those elements of sci-fi where I gladly turn my brain off and just let them have at it.

Yes, it's unrealistic to have sounds in space, explosions, missiles that function just like they would in an environment with gravity, and dog-fighting fighters. Do I care? No. Because all of those elements help make it much more interesting and exciting.

 

[Megalodon]

Something that's in a different reality can make up its own rules. What if in Mass Effect sound is actually present in space?

Then it has to be established by the story. That's just how our minds work. If something fundamental differs from normality in the setting it is the creator's responsibility to explain it, otherwise it stretches suspension of disbelief. It's why the 'it's just a fantasy' excuse often doesn't hold water. This is especially true with a setting like ME, which (at least in theory) has an exhaustive codex of setting fluff. Far easier to just acknowledge they're using a common sci fi trope and accept it, rather than warping the setting to make the silly trope fit.

As for the specifics of 'sound in space'? It doesn't bother me when it's there, but I do very much enjoy it when a work does have silent space (it was one of the few enjoyable things about Interstellar).

 

[lechat]

BSG and firefly both done that but it only works because it is contrasted with the usual sound inside the ships as people are running and screaming from the explosions that were silent seconds earlier.
I imagine if i had to play an epic multi hour space battle with no sound that might get a bit boring.

 

[Sampler]

Battlestar Galatica remake did the no sound in space for a fair few bits which worked well - but in a game, nah - though, if you fancy it just turn your speakers off...

 

[The Jovian]

first of the Expanse series SyFy is about to have an original series about and fail hard at adapting

I am so sad the authors let SyFy touch their work. SyFy ruins everything they touch. I want to see SyFy burn for at least a thousand years.

Yeah you're right, they've never done anything good... except for Stargate Atlantis, The 4400, Warehouse 13, Eureka, Alphas, Battlestar Galactica, Farscape, 12 Monkeys and the best humanly possible adaptations of Frank Herbert's magnum opus Dune...

Actually both of you are wrong, so please reserve your judgments until we've actually seen the show, okay? Cause at this point its quality is not a matter of which network its airing at by rather a matter of who is writing, producing and starring in it. I never expected the recent Syfy addition 12 Monkeys to be good especially given the track record of its creators, but I was wrong and it was good to begin with and got progressively better as the season went on, to the point where I can't wait for the second season.

Getting back on topic, I'm on Team "PEW, PEW, PEW" all the way. Space battles just wouldn't feel as epic as they do if there were no sound. I mean just imagine Star Wars' space battles with no sound. Instead of awesome, they'd feel awkward.

 

[Schtimpy]

It depends on the movie. Most movies/shows are focused on being exciting, so they have large explosions and lasers and pew pew pew. If you wanted to go for realistic sound, you would have to have a much different tone to the battles. It could work, but you'd have to focus on the human element.

Also, not just the sound, have you noticed how close all the ships get to each other? In space there is almost no obstacles. You could shoot from a solar system away and hit (eventually). A "real" space battle would be so boring it's ridiculous. Except for you know, death. I mean, the other ship would be a blip of light on a screen.

I'm on the real side, just cause I want to see it. A "Sub" movie in space would be pretty bitchin.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Sometimes the finality of having no sound in space is beautiful and terrifying.


However, to have that throughout an entire movie or video game experience would be a bit much to endure for hours on end. Lasers sound fun, engine sounds give the impression of intense thrust. If a game or a movie picks a moment to highlight the dead silence of space, I wouldn't complain but I'm not going to demand it out of everything.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

See, I really want to defend the Battlestar Galactica / Firefly way of doing things, but then I remember the sound of a TIE Fighter and have to say that sounds in space battles are, while not strickly speaking accurate, wwaaayyyy cooler.

 

[Zhukov]

I generally prefer my space battle with pew-pews, vrooms, booms and whooshes. It's more entertaining.

Although I remember enjoying the space scenes in that Battlestar Galactica reboot thing which, if I recall, were mostly silent.

Thing is, a realistic battle in space would be boring to watch. It would take place at massively long range, likely involve invisible projectiles and, yes, would be silent.

I'm not against hard sci-fi, but it would need to be a good story rather than a science wank.

 

[Fox12]

I think it would actually be really interesting to see a silent space battle, if its well done. One of my favorite scenes in Akira is when Tetsuo goes into space to destroy a satellite, and it's totally silent. I was really surprised, but it was a poignant moment. And ladies and gentlemen....firefly. It can be poignant, emotional, terrifying, or sad and artistic, depending on the mood.

It certainly doesn't need to be te norm, but it would be fun to see people experiment with it more.