Sci-Fi vs Fantasy

[Fuzzy Modem]

Full size: http://crossovercomic.com/media/extras/epic/epic_vs_4096.jpg

Based solely on this image, who do you think will win? What leads you to this conclusion?

 

[J Riff]

SciFi will win because the Unicorns will run out of gas.
We've had this discussion before, in another thread, where I believe Fantasy has a slight edge.

 

[alchemist]

Based solely on the image, fantasy. They have the numbers. In real life *cough* Sci-fi would win by shooting down fantasy from thousands of miles away.

 

[Fuzzy Modem]

Image updated to include rock giants and pyromancers.

 

[Starbeast]

What you can't see in the picture are the cloaked bombers targeting the enemy bases and supply depots, no need for a ground war.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Fantasy. It's well known that dragons are not only substantially cooler than spacecraft, they're also much harder.

 

[J-WO]

Cultures with swords have, historically speaking and without exception, pulverised those with armour-piercing bullets. Everyone knows this.

(I voted SF. Can you tell?)

 

[Fuzzy Modem]

I'll define my magic system for you with the following quote from the script:

Well, what is a spell? It’s just a combination of words. Words are given power by intent. Take a spell for fire. Someone, somewhere, speaks three random words every time he lights a campfire. They may not even mean anything, and initially, they will make no difference. For the rest of his life this man speaks the words each time he lights the fire. He teaches other people the words, they teach more. It becomes tradition- then, eventually, people find that the fire starts easier when they speak the words. Someone writes them in a book. Now anyone, anywhere, with a copy of that book can start a fire with ease. After an age has passed you don’t even need firewood.

He speaks three words. Flame leaps from his fingers.

It’s the same with relics and potions. A relic is just an object that’s been used for the same purpose with the same intent for a few thousand years. A potion is just a combination of ingredients, like a combination of words.

[edit]
This power is derived from their sun, a rogue star emitting a unique radiation that tilts the scales from impossible to improbable, unlikely to achievable. As this star moves through the galaxy it "seeds" primordial worlds with the building blocks of life, and is therefore responsible for all life in the galaxy. Additionally this world acts as a kind of galactic game preserve, where every species from every planet presides over their own kingdom. This is where we get our legends about elves and dragons and such.

The planet is tidally locked, and the night side was completely uninhabited until the Sci-Fiers crashed a colony ship into it.

 

[Fuzzy Modem]

I think I'm going to add some wolf-like or bear-like cavalry to the fantasy side. Maybe more giants too.

Any other suggestions?

 

[Interference]

Magic beats science every time. Science is very, very limited.


Of course, magic doesn't exist but how many fiction writers would let that a little thing like fact get in their way?

 

[J-WO]

Magic beats science every time. Science is very, very limited.

I don't see Gandalf with a Stardestroyer.

 

[HareBrain]

Remember that the dragon is the cosmic force of creation and destruction. So, er, goodbye spacecraft.

 

[Interference]

I don't see Gandalf with a Stardestroyer.

He don't need none. He got hexi-deci-dimensional hand wavery at his disposal.

Remember: The mightiest man on Earth, Superman (you may know him as newsreader Clark Kent) is powerless against magic, and Hal Jordan just thinks about something and an entire new reality is right there in his mitts.

(Not if it's yellow, of course, but even magic has its limits, I guess)

 

[J-WO]

Superman can't even put his pants on right!

 

[Moony]

I voted fantasy.Admittedly not based on the picture though.Fantasy will win because of rules/"facts".Science is based on rules/"facts".Fantasy is not.

 

[GuruGeorge]

I like when you put both together! It take's creativity but it's worth it.

 

[bobbo19]

Cultures with swords have, historically speaking and without exception, pulverised those with armour-piercing bullets. Everyone knows this.

(I voted SF. Can you tell?)

This made me laugh. 100% agree

 

[Oskari]

But we're talking about science fiction. Science fiction has just as much imaginative scope as fantasy. If you insist on combining science and science fiction, then it's only fair to couple fantasy with religion. Don't you think?

The reason I think this is because fantasy is a closed system. The nature of magic and those who use it are well-established. Or that's the way it appears to me. So, like religion it really cannot move too far from its source, i.e. mythology. Yes, I can accept that this view is pretty limited (and naive), and I hope some readers of fantasy can point me away from elves and dragons and warlocks.

Science fiction, which, of course, is based, usually, on science doesn't suffer the same limitation, because it can't help but expand at a similar rate to our understanding of our world and our universe. Science fiction has always been the great asker of the question, What if?

Although I have a preference for science fiction, I have enjoyed many a good fantasy novel. From my view, science fiction hasn't quite yet had as good a work of literature as The Lord of the Rings (fantasy). But, again, I may be mistaken - and, anyway, it's so subjective.

Just had another thought. Fantasy is, like religion, more popular than science fiction, like science. Fantasy is all kind of warm and secure, whereas, science fiction can tend to be cold and insecure.

Fantasy is easily understood because, as I said, it is a closed system based on 'Earthly' concerns. The characters and landscape of fantasy is all too familiar at the best of times, which is not a bad thing, of course, especially when the writing is good.

Science fiction is a lot more difficult to understand, mainly because it is such an open system and, usually, based on 'difficult' science. The characters and landscape of science fiction can be as varied as our imaginations (which is not to suggest that fantasy lacks this quality) and it is exciting and frightening because of this.

 

[thatollie]

In ze wars, no one truly wins.

 

[J-WO]

In ze wars, no one truly wins.

I don't know; Vera Lynn sold a lot of records.