- Sci-Fi Factions -

[halfeclipse]

See everyone above saying "I prefer A because..." or "I prefer B because...". Ignore it, it is meaningless. I really doubt anyone has ever read Starship troopers and said "Well this book is O.K. but it would be so much better if the Terran federation was the USA!" or read the Worldwar Tetralogy and thought "If only this was taking place on Capricorn Beta 5." Go with what you feel works best in the context of the story, and what you're more capable of writing. It's likely one of the two choices will mesh better with the plot and your abilities but none of us here have any real idea what the plot is, and (Unless you've posted a bunch of stories previously) nor your writing style. In the end as long as the work is genuinely enjoyable to read, no one will really give a damn if the world your using is that of reality's or one of utter fiction.

 

[Dyp100]

Go realistic Sci-Fi, don't mind about "offending readers", people aren't as easily offended as they make seem, plus, any racism/sexism/whateverism that makes sense in the plot isn't offensive. People have different ideas, it's human, if people in your fiction are like that then they become more believable characters.

Also, nothing wrong with messing up a bit of politics, not everything is clear cut, especially in the world of politics.

I guess, but reading something that just doesn't seem likely or that offends you is a massive immersion-breaker.

I want to be careful, that's all.

When is it set, btw?

Not sure about the setting, probably around 300-400 years from now.

What kinda level of hard sci-fi ya doing? Also...Are Brits involved in any way? 8D

Pretty hard. Although technology isn't the focus of the story, I want anything I include to be scientifically tight. So, no sound in space, no handheld laser guns, no FTL or Warp travel, etc.

And as for including Britain, I dunno. I don't think I could extrapolate the futures of most European nations without the help of people who live there. I want to include you fellas, but I don't want to mess it up if I do, if you know what I mean. In other words, I'll only include countries to whom I can do literary justice... :|

1. I guess you are right, but, nothing is perfect, and someone is ALWAYS going to be offended, but if you can make an interesting and remarkable story people will ignore that stuff.

2/3. Hard Sci-Fi is nummy with a bit of creativity. In that long a time it's likely we'll have colonized what we can of the Solar System, no? Also, we COULD have hand held laser guns, but laser guns are impractical, they cost a lot to produce, and a bullet does just as much. There only advantage is they are invisible and silent, and that makes for boring story telling. XD Can you tell me about some of the tech in the fic? (I could try help you improve it, I tend to look around for developing tech and such, so therefore I do have some ideas that may help, if you'd let me, of course, don't want to step on ya baby.)

3. Never been to the UK? IDK, in the future I see Britain leaving Europe, probably joining up with America, or some such. I mean, it would be a bit silly to exclude the UK in a story about politics (in the future), we are still very big players of the World.

Think you could, IDK, PM me some of your ideas, or some such? This seems like a cool story, if your will I would like to help. (I meant, you are asking for feedback.)

 

[The Warden]

I prefer both, really.
I mean, if I want a wacky space adventure, I can watch Star Wars, but if I want to see the future and how humanity is then, I can watch Star Trek.

 

[twistedshadows]

I enjoy both for different reasons. I like the former for escaping from this world and delving purely into imagination, and I like the latter for considering what the future could hold for the real world, or seeing what this world could have been like if historical events had gone differently. Both types are good for different moods and mind-sets.

I know what you mean, but with option B, would you be willing to give the text a little leeway in terms of believability, or would you only feel satisfied if everything were to be portrayed in a way that you think is entirely possible?

To me, the beauty of sci-fi is that it doesn't have to be entirely possible. So long as the story is well written, interesting, and has characters I can identify with, I don't really mind whether or not everything portrayed seems plausible.

I think that's fairly true of most people. For example, there are many things in Hitchhiker's Guide that aren't believable, but it's still widely loved.

 

[John Wedge]

B is interesting however it carries with it the risk that someone will just say 'Nope you've totally misunderstood how my country is developing/ how world politics works' and as such you've got to be careful that your 'what if' actually holds together. Though provided you do your background research thoroughly enough this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

A gives you carte blanche to do whatever you want though, so if your world picture doesn't map so well onto one with our socio-political history then that's the way to go.

In the end though I reckon both are just as juicy, provided you make the most of them!

 

[DefunctTheory]

It depends on what your trying to do. If it doesn't matter to the story line, it probably wont matter to the reader. If the story line hinges on it, well, you just answered the question yourself.

 

[Spoonius]

If there aliens go a cause it would be retarded to go b, if you know what I mean? If there humans then go a cause its way more interesting. You cuold make the good guys could fight russia or china, as their pretty big countries?

There aren't any aliens in the narrative. And why do you consider real human factions to be more interesting than fictional ones?

Also, I'm trying to avoid cliched concepts, such as Russia or China being the "bad guys". They get enough of that, it's unoriginal.

 

[Spoonius]

real people are better becuase you dont have to make it all up. You know wherethey are now to and what they look like so you dont have to imagine eveyrthing. and I could see where Id be in the future!

Well, you still have bridge the gap between the present and the future, and if you don't get it right, then people disrespect your work. Don't forget that with fictional factions, you have creative freedom.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

I am unable to answer the question. I have seen things that were quite amazing where factions were based on present day ideas (Firefly for example, also Star Trek), but I have also seen universes where there isn't much of an intentional connection.