Forums » Elder Scrolls

• TwistedOrthrus

  

  • 180 posts
   

  September 5, 2014 5:01 PM EDT

  Pretty self explanatory really. Which do you prefer and why?

  If you really want to you can discuss them on specific forms of media. 

  e.g which genre makes better video games? Books? Movies? 

  Any great crossovers that combine the genres? 

  Discuss. 

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  September 5, 2014 5:21 PM EDT

  I don't think they can be compared like that. I mean, what does it mean "which is better"? Both genres have great books, movies, video games, I think it will always come to personal preference. Personally, I prefer sci-fi, because I'm more a scientist-type guy in real life. 

• TwistedOrthrus

  

  • 180 posts
   

  September 5, 2014 5:27 PM EDT

  Did a quick edit to make things clearer. 

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  September 5, 2014 5:49 PM EDT

  Now my reply is weird lol 

• Okan-Zeeus

  

  • 149 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 6:01 PM EDT

  It's all science-fiction, technically. That's the umbrella term fantasy falls under. ^^

  If you really twist my arm, I'm a bigger fan of science-fiction in the sense you're getting at. Fantasy is great, don't get me wrong, but there's just something about science-fiction settings that's always clicked with me...

  One day I hope to write a science-fiction story.

  ...Scratch that. I have to write one. It's going to happen. 

• Borommakot

  

  • 1217 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 6:03 PM EDT

  Good man.

• Borommakot

  

  • 1217 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 6:06 PM EDT

  I prefer science fiction for the most part. In my experience, science fiction is too often driven by setting, which in some ways it must be. Without the uniqueness of the fantasy setting, it's sometimes ends up as more of a historical fiction than anything. I feel that science fiction can be more about plot, but benefits just as much from a unique setting.

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 6:52 PM EDT

  The best fantasy is better than the greatest science fiction. The average science fiction is better than the average fantasy. I think most fantasy is complete shite, but then you get Tolkien or G.R.R. Martin and they change the genre. I haven't really read any bad science fiction I can think of.

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 6:54 PM EDT

  The best fantasy is better than the greatest science fiction.

  Are you claiming that in general, or it's your personal preference?

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 7:05 PM EDT

  Yes

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 7:15 PM EDT

  ...OK...? 

  If you claim it in general, I disagree. For me Isaac Asimov's science fiction tops Tolkien's fantasy. 

  If it's your personal preference, I have no quarrel with that

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 7:28 PM EDT

  It's at least fitting to pit the greatest authors of their genres against one another, but alas Tolkien is superior. We have only to establish a means by which to judge them, so I can make it explicitly clear why this is so.

  I suggest influence upon their genre, book sales, and adaptations to start with.

• Vazgen

  

  • 1483 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 7:47 PM EDT

  How about we compare their awards instead? 

• Laurie Bear

  

  • 29 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 7:58 PM EDT

  When I first got into fantasy it was a book called Dragonriders of Pern, after reading it I looked up the Author who actual considered her books Sci-Fi but I still thought of her style as Fantasy... Anyway I love Fantasy, I'm always looking for the next best story :)
• Borommakot

  

  • 1217 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 8:07 PM EDT

  I have to agree on this. Whenever I've approached "the greatest" science fiction it's frequently ended up buried in too many other messages to make the sci-fi bit worth it.

  I don't know about Martin changing the genre, though. In what ways?

• Riggzon

  

  • 75 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 8:21 PM EDT

  Fantasy is my favourite, tbh. But, even though that's true, Star Wars is still my favourite film series ever. However, I prefer the fantasy settings e.g. Usually medieval, mystical lands, larger than life landscapes etc. Generally though I'm torn between the two, and am very close to loving the genres equally.

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 10:05 PM EDT

  We can include awards as well.

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 10:08 PM EDT

  By flipping it on its head. He takes nearly every trope that fantasy is built upon and deconstructs it.

  Martin bit is largely my opinion, but I think he'd be counted amongst Tolkien given a few more years.
• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 10:13 PM EDT

  Star Wars is really more science fantasy. Too much magic and space opera for science fiction, too much technology and aliens for fantasy. I think the blend is nice, it only needed someone more creative in charge.

  It's really a sliding scale sort of thing. It's got its own TVTrope: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness

• Borommakot

  

  • 1217 posts
   

  September 8, 2014 10:15 PM EDT

  Is there a place I can see some examples of it? I imagine some folks have done articles or something.

• Tom

  

  • 624 posts
   

  September 9, 2014 1:11 AM EDT

   Most of it requires reading through the books, and it becomes more apparent every time you read it again. G.R.R. Martin sets these characters up as what you expect from fantasy; the noble and honorable lord, the beautiful queen, the prince charming, the valiant king, and then you start to see why every one of these things is a façade. Ned Stark puts his honor before reason, Cersei is truly one of the ugliest people in the books, Jaimie/Joffrey are vile human beings (though Jaimie gets better), Robert is a complete failure as a king despite being loved and a great warrior. I like this quote from Sir Jorah Mormont, and it's the quickest thing I can think of for a direct example lifted from text.

  "Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died."

• Nekros The Shadow

  

  • 50 posts
   

  September 9, 2014 3:22 AM EDT

  To be honest, sci-fi is better, since look at Marvel, and all the great (and also some terrible) work that they have done for the past 75 years. That's quite the achievement.

• Nekros The Shadow

  

  • 50 posts
   

  September 9, 2014 3:31 AM EDT

  I see magic in skyrim as a birth defect caused by the divines 'ahem' aliens or the daedra aliens as well. The dragons are also alien creatures created by the alien daedra and divines through biotechnology. The ability to shout? the dragons birth human beings called the dragonborn who also have the shout ability. The oblivion realms? alien worlds for the daedric princes.

• Shimazu

  

  • 209 posts
   

  September 9, 2014 3:32 AM EDT

  I'd like to challenge your statement that fantasy falls under science-fiction. Are you saying TES is classed as science-fiction?
• Nekros The Shadow

  

  • 50 posts
   

  September 9, 2014 3:41 AM EDT

  Yes. True scientists like myself would see that.