Long ago, we had several Collaborative World Projects in this subforum. We built several (mostly) realistic worlds with all its geography, climate, enviroments, wildlife and history, though we often stopped short at the history part. It was a lot of fun.
Back then I wanted also to do a science fiction collaborative universe, where we could make a world with its own history, tech, alien species, planets, and so on. Unfortunately the thread fizzled out and there haven't been many collaborative projects since.
So I got nostalgic and decided to change that.
Let's build a science fiction universe! Usually, we start with a map (and depending on the scale we might need different kinds of maps) but we will build it piece by piece, debating concepts and introducing new stuff until we have something really nice and community built! Who knows, maybe it could become the next big AH.com TL!
Let's start by deciding the setting and scale of our universe, since there are many kinds of science fiction. Once we decide that, we can hammer the details in a proper thread, but by all means, feel free to propose stuff here already!
Here are the options:
Space Opera
Scale: Interstellar to Galactic (maybe even intergalactic)
You know this one. Armadas of great interstellar empires decide the future of the galaxy, there are plenty of different alien races yet humanlike enough to drink with them in seedy space bars, faster-than-light travel is available even for small tramp traders, lots of intrigue, diplomacy, war and trade, and often influenced by larger-than-life characters. Normally space operas play fast and loose with scientific rigor, but we can do anything from something stretching the line into space fantasy like Star Wars to something that pays more attention to real-life science like older science fiction novels or some of Star Trek.
Examples: Star Wars, Star Trek, many classical science fiction novels (Foundation, Dune)
Hard Science Fiction
Scale: Interplanetary to Galactic
In hard science fiction we'll do our best to only use technologies that can be done in the real world or at least justified by hard science. Aliens, if they appear, are really alien and the product of a totally different evolution from Earth life. Technologies and spaceships are designed with realism in mind; there can be a couple exceptions (for example, if we REALLY want FTL we can use some of the most realistic wormhole designs), but a couple, nothing more. Normally hard sci-fi is set into our own future but it can easily be done in an alternate timeline. The scale can also vary; hard science fiction can be also about a near future world with the first steps across the Solar System, or an expansive interestellar civilization with terraformed worlds and giant habitats.
Examples: The Expanse, Planetes, Orion's Arm (for something more grand-scale)
Cyberpunk
Scale: Planetary to Interplanetary
The focus of Cyberpunk is of course on digital technology, artificial intelligence, human augumentation, and a discussion of their effects on society, and it often takes a dystopian bent though it's not necessary. It its mostly realistic, but more 'out-there' technologies and concepts can be thrown, even fantasy elements. It's a world that can be even drawn in a single world map, set either Twenty Minutes Into The Future (our own future) or maybe in an alternate timeline where, for example 80s Japan kept growing to be a superpower, or many such options. If we feel like it, we can add things like Biopunk to the mix.
Examples: Blade Runner, Ghost In The Shell, Shadowrun
Post-Apocalyptic
Scale: Planetary, maybe continental or local
Maybe it was a world war, a plague, alien invasion, or an AI uprising, but the old world is now gone and new societies have risen from the ashes. Post-apocalyptic worlds can be as varied as the disasters that created it, and it can have tones from the dystopian to the healing. As for technology, it can be as realistic and gritty as what we have now (though at one point, it becomes just alternate history...) or mad science like Fallout, or even crazier alien or AI tech assuming they destroyed the world as we know it.
Examples: Fallout, The Matrix (in 'the real world'), Half-Life.
Science Fantasy
Scale: Planetary to Galactic
This actually encompasses a lot of different works, that unlike Space Opera that can have supernatural elements on the side, it's put in front and center; actual gods exist and are directly involved in space civilizations... or are incomprehensible eldritch abominations... space travel is available by magical means, there are cosmic powers vaguely explained by science-sounding words (the important thing is that it's INTERNALLY consistent), and realism is politely put aside for awesome battles with cosmic powers in desert worlds with scantily clad princesses. Looks like a mess but it can be really, really fun in a consistent, well built universe.
Examples: Warhammer 40K, the 'cosmic horror' genre, the 'Sword-And-Planet' genre.
Think I forgot something like say mecha or steampunk or your favorite subgenre? Feel free to propose it in the thread and if it sounds cool enough we'll consider it!
This poll closes in a week. Then I'll open a thread and we can start worldbuilding! In the meantime feel free to comment and propose your ideas!
Back then I wanted also to do a science fiction collaborative universe, where we could make a world with its own history, tech, alien species, planets, and so on. Unfortunately the thread fizzled out and there haven't been many collaborative projects since.
So I got nostalgic and decided to change that.
Let's build a science fiction universe! Usually, we start with a map (and depending on the scale we might need different kinds of maps) but we will build it piece by piece, debating concepts and introducing new stuff until we have something really nice and community built! Who knows, maybe it could become the next big AH.com TL!
Let's start by deciding the setting and scale of our universe, since there are many kinds of science fiction. Once we decide that, we can hammer the details in a proper thread, but by all means, feel free to propose stuff here already!
Here are the options:
Space Opera
Scale: Interstellar to Galactic (maybe even intergalactic)
You know this one. Armadas of great interstellar empires decide the future of the galaxy, there are plenty of different alien races yet humanlike enough to drink with them in seedy space bars, faster-than-light travel is available even for small tramp traders, lots of intrigue, diplomacy, war and trade, and often influenced by larger-than-life characters. Normally space operas play fast and loose with scientific rigor, but we can do anything from something stretching the line into space fantasy like Star Wars to something that pays more attention to real-life science like older science fiction novels or some of Star Trek.
Examples: Star Wars, Star Trek, many classical science fiction novels (Foundation, Dune)
Hard Science Fiction
Scale: Interplanetary to Galactic
In hard science fiction we'll do our best to only use technologies that can be done in the real world or at least justified by hard science. Aliens, if they appear, are really alien and the product of a totally different evolution from Earth life. Technologies and spaceships are designed with realism in mind; there can be a couple exceptions (for example, if we REALLY want FTL we can use some of the most realistic wormhole designs), but a couple, nothing more. Normally hard sci-fi is set into our own future but it can easily be done in an alternate timeline. The scale can also vary; hard science fiction can be also about a near future world with the first steps across the Solar System, or an expansive interestellar civilization with terraformed worlds and giant habitats.
Examples: The Expanse, Planetes, Orion's Arm (for something more grand-scale)
Cyberpunk
Scale: Planetary to Interplanetary
The focus of Cyberpunk is of course on digital technology, artificial intelligence, human augumentation, and a discussion of their effects on society, and it often takes a dystopian bent though it's not necessary. It its mostly realistic, but more 'out-there' technologies and concepts can be thrown, even fantasy elements. It's a world that can be even drawn in a single world map, set either Twenty Minutes Into The Future (our own future) or maybe in an alternate timeline where, for example 80s Japan kept growing to be a superpower, or many such options. If we feel like it, we can add things like Biopunk to the mix.
Examples: Blade Runner, Ghost In The Shell, Shadowrun
Post-Apocalyptic
Scale: Planetary, maybe continental or local
Maybe it was a world war, a plague, alien invasion, or an AI uprising, but the old world is now gone and new societies have risen from the ashes. Post-apocalyptic worlds can be as varied as the disasters that created it, and it can have tones from the dystopian to the healing. As for technology, it can be as realistic and gritty as what we have now (though at one point, it becomes just alternate history...) or mad science like Fallout, or even crazier alien or AI tech assuming they destroyed the world as we know it.
Examples: Fallout, The Matrix (in 'the real world'), Half-Life.
Science Fantasy
Scale: Planetary to Galactic
This actually encompasses a lot of different works, that unlike Space Opera that can have supernatural elements on the side, it's put in front and center; actual gods exist and are directly involved in space civilizations... or are incomprehensible eldritch abominations... space travel is available by magical means, there are cosmic powers vaguely explained by science-sounding words (the important thing is that it's INTERNALLY consistent), and realism is politely put aside for awesome battles with cosmic powers in desert worlds with scantily clad princesses. Looks like a mess but it can be really, really fun in a consistent, well built universe.
Examples: Warhammer 40K, the 'cosmic horror' genre, the 'Sword-And-Planet' genre.
Think I forgot something like say mecha or steampunk or your favorite subgenre? Feel free to propose it in the thread and if it sounds cool enough we'll consider it!
This poll closes in a week. Then I'll open a thread and we can start worldbuilding! In the meantime feel free to comment and propose your ideas!
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