Poll: Sci-fi locations

[Dectomax]

So, my dear escapists, I have recently set about writing a Sci-fi story and I've so far managed to keep the city in which my character dwells fairly generic of the "American big city". Alas, I've come to a point where I must actually decide to branch out and get a little descriptive and couldn't choose between either New York or Los Angeles. I know what you're saying - "Cliched...Generic...Over-used..." Yes, yes they are...but they have set pieces that are pretty unique and allow me to work different things into said story. So, my question to you is: Which city would YOU pick - New York or Los Angeles?

For discussion value, which cities do you think are over-used and which city would you like to see some kind of Sci-fi movie take place in/get molested by aliens/zombies/bad guys?

 

[Vern5]

Why would anyone care about which Urban center someone was molested by an Alien in?

I don't think I've ever heard this conversation:

"Remember that movie where those girls get kidnapped by that alien chick who molests them all?"
"Yeah I remember. That scene was pretty hot but I can't help but think it would have been better if the movie took place in Washington DC"

The city is irrelevent unless you're destroying landmarks, which isn't even that ambitious as far as Sci-Fi novels go.

Why don't you set your novel in the new city of Las Verdes where everyone is a human/plant hybrid? Or how about the floating city of Neo-Gomorrah which only stays afloat so long as debauchery is taking place within the city.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Stay way from New York and Los Angelous. I would pick Chicago, Milwaukee, Austin, Kansas City, some place thats still a city, but not where everything always seems to go wrong in.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Doesn't that question sorta require all of the city being much the same, though? Why not set your story in a certain distinct part of the city?

And, how is the city going to influence the story? Most stuff set in either LA or NY could be set in the other without it making any difference, it'd be nice to see the setting dealt with in more detail.

I'd say, set the story in whichever city you are most familiar with, so you can do a more accurate portrayal of it.

 

[Images]

Be different indeed. New York and L.A. are pretty overdone. They're good for stuff like roleplaying World of Darkness but thats because there's so many films and TV shows set there that we have a clear idea of tone. With creative writing though, find something untouched!

 

[Korten12]

You could always just make up your own City that exists in the future.

 

[Dectomax]

Doesn't that question sorta require all of the city being much the same, though? Why not set your story in a certain distinct part of the city?

And, how is the city going to influence the story? Most stuff set in either LA or NY could be set in the other without it making any difference, it'd be nice to see the setting dealt with in more detail.

I'd say, set the story in whichever city you are most familiar with, so you can do a more accurate portrayal of it.

The city is a key part of the story, it's something which the main character and the characters are trying to reclaim.

The setting is a post apocalyptic, I was kinda describing it like the opening scene from I am Legend. It's just now that my characters are wandering through the city, I need to decide how the style is, because west coast and east coast America are pretty different, both culturally and physically.

 

[ms_sunlight]

I vote for San Diego. Much more interesting than LA.

 

[Thaluikhain]

The city is a key part of the story, it's something which the main character and the characters are trying to reclaim.

The setting is a post apocalyptic, I was kinda describing it like the opening scene from I am Legend. It's just now that my characters are wandering through the city, I need to decide how the style is, because west coast and east coast America are pretty different, both culturally and physically.

Well, I meant more what difference does it make if it's one city or the other, or just a bunch of "ordinary" buildings stuck next to each other?

 

[Dectomax]

The city is a key part of the story, it's something which the main character and the characters are trying to reclaim.

The setting is a post apocalyptic, I was kinda describing it like the opening scene from I am Legend. It's just now that my characters are wandering through the city, I need to decide how the style is, because west coast and east coast America are pretty different, both culturally and physically.

Well, I meant more what difference does it make if it's one city or the other, or just a bunch of "ordinary" buildings stuck next to each other?

Just the landmarks they characters would see and have to travel through and possibly the architecture of the buildings and possibly the naming of some key places too. Other than that, it would just be for visuals, or atleast "Imaginary visuals".

 

[Thaluikhain]

Ah, ok. Personally, I'd say that's a bit boring, and runs the risk of all the city's landmarks being stuck in the same block, I'd recommend delving a bit more into the feel of the place.

But, then again, I'm not a successful author, and if I was, my books would likely have vampires or something in them anyway.

 

[Dectomax]

Ah, ok. Personally, I'd say that's a bit boring, and runs the risk of all the city's landmarks being stuck in the same block, I'd recommend delving a bit more into the feel of the place.

But, then again, I'm not a successful author, and if I was, my books would likely have vampires or something in them anyway.

Both cities span over 50 miles last time I checked and with the awesomeness that is google maps, I can get a clear image of each road and path the characters take. Albeit it in a destroyed state.

Also - there are things akin to Vampires within my writing! ( Nearly-ish )