Poll: Sci-Fi vs. Fantasy,who wins?

[Beryl77]

I don't think the god card counts, since there are also gods in sci-fi, so both could do that. As for Cthulhu, isn't he both fantasy and sci-fi?
Anyway, I think it would be a draw. Fantasy could use a magic of immense destruction which wipes out all beings and sci-fi could do the same with some hyper advanced technology.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Depends entirely on what sort of fantasy vs what sort of sci-fi.

Neuromancer vs Harry Potter? My money's on sci-fi.
The Time Machine vs Artemis Fowl? I'm betting on the fair folk.

There is so much sci-fi and so much fantasy out there it is literally impossible to call. In general though I'd say fantasy, because although there are some sci-fi out there that have god level aliens, fantasy is more likely to have a brand new pantheon of omnipotent beings with each new book.

 

[ImperialSunlight]

The thing is that Science Fantasy is still fantasy more than sci-fi since it can't happen in real life.

So, science fiction has giant mechs... and science fantasy (which is fantasy) has giant magical mechs. Shaped like dragons.

Edit: Fantasy wins btw.

 

[Dfskelleton]

Fantasy has Cthulhu. How is this even a contest?

What are you talking about "fantasy"? Are you denying the existence of the great one?
OT: I pick Sci-Fi. Sure, Fantasy has Gods, but Sci-Fi has emotionless computers with god-like control over physics.
And lasers.
You can't go wrong with lasers.

 

[Nemesis729]

Fantasy of course, Dem gods

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

Well I prefer fantasy settings to sci-fi. So I'll go with fantasy, plus it has you know gods.

 

[deckai]

Clearly Sci-fi would win, a Sci-fi setting doesn't exclude any fantasy elements, like magic (or equivalents... psi or other techno-based superpowers) or gods, while a fantasy setting almost always exclude any sci-elements (You can have dwarfs, dragon and magic in space but no orbital station in middle earth). That's also the reason why I usually prefer Sci-fi over fantasy.. well, at least when I need to decide between those two .

With this in mind, Sci-fi could use everything fantasy has + their technological advantages.

But if you go with a more classic view on this (space marines vs. "input-random-fantasy-race-here") I would still probably go with Sci-fi it's more flexible than fantasy which would be a big advantage in the long run.

 

[Andothul]

I love both but i think you can just do so much more with a sci fi universe.

 

[Zipa]

The thing is that Science Fantasy is still fantasy more than sci-fi since it can't happen in real life.

So, science fiction has giant mechs... and science fantasy (which is fantasy) has giant magical mechs. Shaped like dragons.

Edit: Fantasy wins btw.

Unless you are warhammer 40k which has both mechanical mechs and magical ones to.

 

[T0MCAT]

I say they join force's into the ultimate genre, Sci-fi Fantasy

 

[Aean]

The thing is that Science Fantasy is still fantasy more than sci-fi since it can't happen in real life.

So, science fiction has giant mechs... and science fantasy (which is fantasy) has giant magical mechs. Shaped like dragons.

Edit: Fantasy wins btw.

Science Fiction - (Noun)
- a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible (or at least non-supernatural) content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities.

Super Natural

1.(of a manifestation or event) Attributed to some force beyond scientific understanding or the laws of nature

I'm pretty sure that means that we are still allowed to classify Jedi, Protoss, and the Zerg as "Sci-Fi". Actually, even dragons and the like could be considered science fiction if placed in the proper context.

Edit @ Dekai

I'd have to say not quite. Sci-Fi is limited in that you can't have spellcasters, Fantasy isn't technically limited to not have space stations either, it is rather implied though.

 

[FourEyedTroll]

So basically Tom, Warhammer 40,000 wins...

 

[JambalayaBob]

Well, fantasy can pretty much call the God card depending on the setting, so they would clearly win.

Dude, Clarke's Third Law is Sci-Fi's version of this if taken to its necessary extreme (which it has been on numerous occasions).

 

[fulano]

They're both the exact same thing.

 

[Hawk of Battle]

I can't say who wins, but since 40k has been called up, EVERYONE loses!

 

[Drunkbot]

As I recall from the comic book series Fable, it was technology beating magic. Not even sci-fi, just modern stuff. The point is even made several times through the series that gunpowder weapons in general trump magic.

Dragons lose to fighter jets. I am pretty sure gods get jacked up by nukes.

So, while I have been a fan of fantasy for decades, long before I was interested in sci-fi, I am afraid I would contend that fantasy in general cannot match up with modern tech, much less future tech.

 

[loc978]

Yeah... it's hard to separate them into distinct genres. 40k wins for taking the most ridiculously overpowered aspects of both and combining them into a huge gooey mess.

 

[Outcast107]

Warhammer 40K. BAM combine the two together.

 

[Virmire]

The Call of Cthulhu isn't fantasy at all, it's pure Sci-Fi. Alien god that partially exists on a different plain of existance, is metaphysical, and abides in a city of 'impossible dimentions' = Sci-Fi. He is a 'lesser' god, not an alien, a true deity. He is on par with earth's gods who in turn answer to ancient and more powerful beings which cannot be comprehended by the mind of mankind. We are ants to Cthulhu, who is a cell to them.

I'm getting the metal image of Gandalf VS Darth Vader...

Fantasy is more 'destructive' There are beings of great power who can wipe out civilizations, some sci-fi has that (like Lovecraft's stuff), but it leans more towards Star Trek or Star Wars, spaceships and laser swords. Discounting gods and both sides, I am thinking Sci Fi. Middle Earth can have a battalion of Saurons, it doesn't amount to much when they're being turned to ash by a Death Star.

 

[Comma-Kazie]

I prefer science fiction; there are a near infinite number of ways for SF to pan out, but fantasy can only go so far before it passes into J.R.R. Tolkien's back yard.