tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post3156300314448673909..comments2024-03-28T19:59:53.556-07:00Comments on Daddy Rolled a 1: Is Science-Fantasy "Laser Sharking"?Martin R. Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11672657745232101753noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post-2963434370281546412011-04-28T23:04:15.625-07:002011-04-28T23:04:15.625-07:00@Trey - well said. I think you captured it well -...@Trey - well said. I think you captured it well - certain types of fantasy <i>would</i> be lame by adding science fiction elements (Tolkien, et al). But, there's room for a science-fantasy mash-up that is not simply "laser-sharking."<br /><br />@Kelvin - agreed. To me the term "fantasy" is expansive and inclusive. To use another music analogy (I've been using those all day today when commenting on peoples' posts), it's like saying that Miles Davis is lame because he doesn't conform to the strict definition of the Dixieland Style. They are both "Jazz" in the broadest sense.<br /><br />@Steelcaress - thanks for the heads-up on Dreadstar. I'll have to check that out!<br /><br />@Dylan - thanks! Can't believe you weren't familiar with S3. It's a classic! Hope I didn't spoil it for you. I checked out your xenomorphs - very cool idea!Martin R. Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11672657745232101753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post-46930417147173496182011-04-28T17:42:15.361-07:002011-04-28T17:42:15.361-07:00Great post as always! Before today I wasn't f...Great post as always! Before today I wasn't familiar with the S3 adventure, thanks!<br /><br />Also, you and Dyson have inspired me, so I cited your blog on my recent post: http://digitalorc.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-exactly-are-we-dealing-with-here.htmlDigital Orchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00276516390269689741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post-79609869600123833282011-04-28T09:11:51.544-07:002011-04-28T09:11:51.544-07:00By that point, the fantasy of Lord Dunsany is not ...By that point, the fantasy of Lord Dunsany is not fantasy -- and yet I definitely know it is. Conan doesn't contain dragons, dwarves or elves, and yet it is undeniably fantasy.<br /><br />To place a blanket definition on what is and what is not fantasy is kind of silly, since there's a wide variety of sci-fi/fantasy out there. While I don't care too much for "urban fantasy," as they call it, it's still fantasy. That's why there are subdivisions. My personal preferences run to heroic fantasy or swords & sorcery (Conan, Song of Ice and Fire, Fahfrd and the Grey Mouser, etc), I can still groove out to (classic) Star Wars, Gamma World and Thundarr the Barbarian. One of my favorite science fantasies is a comic called Dreadstar, a weird mix of the mystical and the sci-fi together. <br /><br />Of course, lasersharking can make tons of money -- look at Power Rangers. The sources of that mashup aren't even from the same country!Eric R. Wirsinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04632409261940844934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post-70063697218161758972011-04-28T00:32:21.015-07:002011-04-28T00:32:21.015-07:00Trey puts it very well.
I once had a discussion w...Trey puts it very well.<br /><br />I once had a discussion with a fellow gamer who told me that the fantasy novels of China Miéville were not fantasy, because they didn't contain dwarves, elves and dragons.<br /><br />I don't understand this position in the slightest.<br /><br />There are people out there who have a very strict definition of what fantasy is, and I'm not saying that's wrong, but to me, the very word "fantasy" implies a more open and encompassing approach.thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-312698957749576588.post-35843065811313507092011-04-27T18:29:17.784-07:002011-04-27T18:29:17.784-07:00I happen to like it myself--I think your friend...I happen to like it myself--I think your friend's confusing two different things though.<br /><br />I think Westeros or Middle-Earth would indeed feel weird with science fictional elements, in the same way that <i>Mad Men</i> would be spoiled by Don Draper developing psychic powers.<br /><br />But Greyhawk ain't Tolkien. His problem is he's not acquainted with fantasy that accomodates these elements so he's trying to force fantasy gaming into a narrower box than need be. <br /><br />It's not chocolate in peanut butter, its dark chocolate vs. milk chocolate, and he's never tasted milk chocolate.Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.com