Starbound: more fantasy or realism? Which is better?

<Marty McFly jokes, enter stage left>

Oh man, alright, let's call it to a vote ... Worst Science Fiction Film and Worst Fantasy Film.

 

Kind of a problem with this, realism is attributed to things that exist in the real world, but fantasy is usually for magic.

Hate to be the guy that ruins anyone's expectations, but there will be no magic in this game, but it won't be "Realistic" either, (You know, since there are laser rifles, and 6+ species to play as) So really there isn't an option for what starbound WILL be (Which is a fantasy sci-fy, exploration, survival, sandbox type game [Did I mention no magic?])

Realistic games tend to be games like CoD, or Simulators, Starbound will not be realistic

 

Surrealism and Magic are two different things.
Being a sci-fi game Starbound can do whatever it wants as long as it can be explained on a scientifical level... but I like when games can just sometimes not make sense.
However as I've said, I don't want to see people shooting random fireballs at each other, unless it just so happens that they own the new state of the art Digi-tech Fireball Shooter!TM

 

"Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, parallel universes, extraterrestrial life, and paranormal abilities. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovations is one purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas". Science fiction has been used by authors as a device to discuss philosophical ideas such as identity, desire, morality, and social structure. Science fiction is largely based on writing rationally about alternative possible worlds or futures. It is similar to, but differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation)."

"The settings for science fiction are often contrary to consensus reality, but most science fiction relies on a considerable degree of suspension of disbelief, which is facilitated in the reader's mind by potential scientific explanations or solutions to various fictional elements."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction

As long as the game remains within this definition, which I believe it will more stray towards the science-fantasy side of things, I am cool with whatever Chucklefish decides to do.

 

Their religion is fine until Avians start to kill another races for their god lol.

BTW if gods start talking back than it's sign of personality disorder.

 

My stance on magic is, "What does God need with a starship?"

If we had magic why would we even need this scifi junk like lazers. It works is small doses when combined, like the force in starwars. Anything else and it becomes another setting completely.

 

I'm a big fan of settings that mix sci fi and fantasy. Actually, i've never really gotten into such a setting, so more on the side of settings my friends and I have made in the past. Generally settings that started off fantasy, but then we said "You know what would be cool? Let's bump this setting to the future a few hundred/thousand years". Thus.. magic and spaceships, elves with pew pew lasers, and such. But, I digress..

In the end though, i'm totally fine with plain sci fi. I don't think "realism" enters much into it however. I guess if we're going into "proper" definitions, we're talking "hard" and "soft" sci fi here, of which Starbound would be more than firmly in the latter. I've never really gotten into hard sci fi so that suits me just fine.

 

Realism is always better, imo.

 

Sci-Fi all the way, we also need a Deer humanoid xD

 

The game will be mostly realism I am sure there will be fantasy easter eggs and secrets mostly because it will be weird things that can't be explained. I don't mind either genre separate or mixed I enjoy them all equally. Only example that I can see where I find one better then another is I find Warhammer 40k and Starcraft way more interesting then Warhammer and Warcraft. Starbound seems like it may be like the x-files will mostly be aliens but might have bigfoot and vampires hidden in there some where.

 

It's hard to tell really, whatever makes the game flow better. I personally think Starbound needs to be a bit more realistic.

 

When one takes into consideration that magic can be seen as high technology, I don't mind "fantasy" elements being in a game like this. When one sees a Unicorn, I see a mutation, when someone is shooting fireballs from their hands, it's nothing more then a glove that can ignite the air, doing something like that could make the "magic" parts explainable, so in the end it's all still just science.

 

Realism and coherence are necessary for the fictional elements to stand out even more and to value them, so a good mix is always what one should go for.

As in: don't nitpick about the characters not falling at 9,8m/s^2, but also don't make an equippable lead anvil that speeds up your character because "I mean, we can pretty much justify anything right guys?". Well this example is actually absurd enough and specific enough about weight in both of its elements that it might even work but still you get what I mean.

 

There is a difference between real-world physics and a game world being fantasy or real-life.
I dont see too many games that you start out with a loud buzzing in your hear, wake up, brush your teeth, get a shower, get clothes on, fight traffic to get to work, work a boring job rubber stamping reports, staying awake or the boss gets angry at you...
Damn... now i want to knife myself.

Point is... real world is boring, we deal with it daily! Sure it needs mechanics, but so does the world around us.

 

Some people seems confused. science fiction imply a certain level of realism.
Starbound classify much more as "science-fantasy". Fantasy dosent automatically means dragons and magic but rather, something that isint real or literally explainable.
And thats where starbound is imo. Its futuristic, yes, but not grounded in any major realism apart from laws of physics we are all familiar with.

think star wars, thats another science-fantasy setting. its futuristic yes, but there's never any real technological explanation as to how blasters works or how space-ships fly.

So technically, for its own good, starbound dosent need more "realism" and it already has a good quantity of its own sort of "fantasy".

 

Well, people are used to the term "fantasy", when used on its own at least like in the OP, to mean a setting with magic, mythical creatures, etc. Plus the OP mentioned dragons and unicorns.

 

Realism? Really?

Science Fiction doesn't imply that it is realistic. Since when were space aliens and anthropomorphic birds realistic? Since when were giant spaceships and trees growing eyeballs realistic? Since when was mollygos eating cake realistic?

Anyway, I believe they're not going for fantasy, but maybe there's a biiiit of it in there.

 

Well thats why its confusing, the true definition of "science-fiction" in media is a futuristic setting grounded in realistic scientific theories that can mostly, partially or at least hint at the science inside the setting with the story told also heavily implying/explaining science and technology.
And on the other side you have things like space-western, science-fantasy and space-opera which are in futuristic setting but where sciency stuff happens without clearly-defined explanations. (space-western laser revolver, lightsabers, etc).

throught the ages, some meanings have degraded and "true" science-fiction has garnered the misnomer "hardcore" science-fiction and other meanings changed for the worst too.

Im trying to explain that in a way, starbound's style is true science-fantasy, which, for a game like this, is perfect and shouldnt be changed

 

In the core game — the more realism the better. It is harder to do that way. You can always add more unicorns via mods, but I think that the "pure" Starbound should remain as hard sci-fi as it is possible. Sure, it is pretty soft sci-fi as it is now, but still in my opinion it should hold the ground against fairies.

 

It's almost like no one reads all of threads anymore. I have the definition of science fiction - true science fiction - up there in my post, but people keep talking about how science fiction isn't realistic anyway. It's kind of funny.