Gritty, ala Deus Ex and anything that has to do with a post apocolyptic world. I have no hope for humanity and in the end our destiny is to destroy ourselves.
Personally, i like a little from column A and a little from column B.
The environments and universe of the likes of Aliens really appeals to me, it's all really cool and actually believeable. But then again, on the other hand, i like the futuristic steralised environments to. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
ThansalThe New ScumJoin Date: 2002-08-22Member: 1215Members, Constellation
I like em both, and one of the best representations?
Star Wars!
You have the grit of the worlds like Tatooine, yet at the same time you have the crisp and steril envirnments like most of the rebel/empire main areas.
No realistic place is gona be just one or the other, thus the combination of the 2 is great <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
If it's gritty, I like there being some glimmer of hope of a better future or a haven for humanity. I can't take "death death death" all the time - it gets depressing. I don't want death and destruction without hope.
That's one reason why I like Star Trek - in the midst of a big bad galaxy, the Federation are there to offer peace.
Blade Runner bored and depressed me. I didn't relate to any of the characters, and didn't like the hopeless attitude so prevalent in it. Some may argue that's the future of humanity, but once again, I prefer to hope. And also to watch movies with that same hopeful attitude.
TalesinOur own little well of hateJoin Date: 2002-11-08Member: 7710NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators
Just to use more familiar definitions, as the terms are being applied here: Sterile = Utopian Gritty = Dystopian
Personally, I like the type that have a society (or array of societies) that live in a utopian-type haze on the visible civilian side of things, but are actually dystopian in the 'real' face of the universe.
Kind of how a high-rise of glass and steel still throws trash in the dumpster(s) out back for the garbage man to collect and take away. It's a facade, but one perpetuated by those living in it. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> So you have the option available for the utopian noble to get kicked out, and have to learn to deal with actual life in the dystopian world (s)he has never had to deal with, or thought existed before. And you've gotta have grimed-up engineers crawling around in the depths of those interstellar craft somewhere, even if the passenger cabins are all over-varnished wood and onyx.
Then horrificly terrifying. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
An example could be: Science Station (Sterile) -> Boarded, embattled, dying Science Station (Gritty) -> Boarded, embattled, dying Science Station with lots of bodies, blood, gore, and general and specific chaos (Horrificly terrifying)
FYI: General Chaos -> Power failures, erupting pipes killing ppl/players/whatever, and various other "unseen" disasters. Specific Chaos -> All the petty officers die (Leutenant), but not the higher-ranked ones(Generals) Gives a huge sense of paranoya (Why are they left alive? what could [instert enemy name here] want with them? are they involved somehow?)
I kind of like both, but I think a better representation than Star Wars would be the SciFi Channel mini-series of <i>Dune</i> and <i>Children of Dune</i>.
What I especially like about it is how it has that dark overtone of hopelessness and a bit of a depressing atmosphere. Even at the end of <i>Dune</i> when Paul is victorious, just seeing Irulan standing there lets you know that things will never truely be as they should.
both. I like sci-fi with interesting technology, a good plot, whatever it is is fine as long as its plot is entertaining and it has to be <b>well written</b>. I can't stand authors that make poor word choices and huge descriptive paragraphs that really add little to the experience.
You've probably never heard of it but the best example of what I like is the Evergence Trilogy by Sean WIlliams and Shane Dix - great read!
If its too sterile its just looks too unrealistic. Example is liek Star Trek. How the heck can they have zero money economy? What a dream.
And like people have beens saying, if its too gritty its too depressing. Warhammer 40k for example. I don't hate it. In fact I love it. But I would prefer some glimmer of hope here and there. Why can't the imperial and Chaos be friends? Why can't Eldar and Orks have a pint together? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
There is a glimmer of hope in 40K, its called the Emperor, and he's awesome <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
A truely, entirely utopic setting is just bad storytelling. Noone in their right mind starts a story with "They live happily ever after". And even the variation thereof, where say the crew of the Enterprise is portrayed as morally upright and lame as the Superfriends, are boring unless you're 5 years old and are too intelligent to attempt to pick up the supposed meaning of plot and characters.
So finally, good storys simply rely on creating feelings of desperation, or outlining the unalterable human condition in the authors way. If the author was high as a kite and thought everyone should frickin' get along and/or fight 2-bit villains (Borg/Evil Mindcontrolling Sex0rbots from Zolon 5) the resulting story is obviously boring unless you share his outlook (meaning, a heavy substance abuser).
On the other hand, when good thought and observation of how people adapt to situations, the compromises they make, how they live with themselves and the lies they chose to believe mere millimeters below absolute conciousness are unraveled in any enviroment, be it futuristic or not, it tends to be something most of us can relate to and ponder.
Uh yeah. Guess for me everything worth reading is bound to be a fictive Dystopia in some guise or another <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
(To whoever posted "Dystopian" above, thats an adj. - Utopia/Dystopia are the nouns)
<!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+May 13 2004, 04:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ May 13 2004, 04:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> There is a glimmer of hope in 40K, its called the Emperor, and he's awesome <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> The emperor is dead evil. The imperials feed him psykers as he need human psy powers to live on his throne
Sterile! Though I did enjoy the darker parts of DS9, with the Section 32 and that one were Sisko recorded his log about blowing up a Romulan with Garak and didn't feel the guilts.
<!--QuoteBegin-Flint Paper+May 13 2004, 01:47 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Flint Paper @ May 13 2004, 01:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Sterile! Though I did enjoy the darker parts of DS9, with the Section 32 and that one were Sisko recorded his log about blowing up a Romulan with Garak and didn't feel the guilts. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Ditto. Star Trek isn't 100% sterile... I have to admit its gritty parts are the most enjoyable.
Comments
Star Trek is more insightful, which just doesnt have the magic a dramatic scifi does.
/The glass is half empty
The environments and universe of the likes of Aliens really appeals to me, it's all really cool and actually believeable. But then again, on the other hand, i like the futuristic steralised environments to. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But yea, as much as the world would pwn being all steril and clean and iPod looking, gritty is just more entertaining.
Star Wars > Star Trek
Star Wars!
You have the grit of the worlds like Tatooine, yet at the same time you have the crisp and steril envirnments like most of the rebel/empire main areas.
No realistic place is gona be just one or the other, thus the combination of the 2 is great <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
But yea, i stick to starwars > star trek...
It's weird though, cause I'm normally an upbeat person who hates thinking and talking about that crap.
That's one reason why I like Star Trek - in the midst of a big bad galaxy, the Federation are there to offer peace.
Blade Runner bored and depressed me. I didn't relate to any of the characters, and didn't like the hopeless attitude so prevalent in it. Some may argue that's the future of humanity, but once again, I prefer to hope. And also to watch movies with that same hopeful attitude.
Sterile = Utopian
Gritty = Dystopian
Personally, I like the type that have a society (or array of societies) that live in a utopian-type haze on the visible civilian side of things, but are actually dystopian in the 'real' face of the universe.
Kind of how a high-rise of glass and steel still throws trash in the dumpster(s) out back for the garbage man to collect and take away.
It's a facade, but one perpetuated by those living in it. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> So you have the option available for the utopian noble to get kicked out, and have to learn to deal with actual life in the dystopian world (s)he has never had to deal with, or thought existed before. And you've gotta have grimed-up engineers crawling around in the depths of those interstellar craft somewhere, even if the passenger cabins are all over-varnished wood and onyx.
The CG and makeup effects kinda sucked for the first season, but I rather enjoyed from season 2 onward.
Then horrificly terrifying. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
An example could be:
Science Station (Sterile) -> Boarded, embattled, dying Science Station (Gritty) -> Boarded, embattled, dying Science Station with lots of bodies, blood, gore, and general and specific chaos (Horrificly terrifying)
FYI:
General Chaos -> Power failures, erupting pipes killing ppl/players/whatever, and various other "unseen" disasters.
Specific Chaos -> All the petty officers die (Leutenant), but not the higher-ranked ones(Generals) Gives a huge sense of paranoya (Why are they left alive? what could [instert enemy name here] want with them? are they involved somehow?)
What I especially like about it is how it has that dark overtone of hopelessness and a bit of a depressing atmosphere. Even at the end of <i>Dune</i> when Paul is victorious, just seeing Irulan standing there lets you know that things will never truely be as they should.
Bladerunner, Aliens, NS, all the way!
You've probably never heard of it but the best example of what I like is the Evergence Trilogy by Sean WIlliams and Shane Dix - great read!
If its too sterile its just looks too unrealistic. Example is liek Star Trek. How the heck can they have zero money economy? What a dream.
And like people have beens saying, if its too gritty its too depressing. Warhammer 40k for example. I don't hate it. In fact I love it. But I would prefer some glimmer of hope here and there. Why can't the imperial and Chaos be friends? Why can't Eldar and Orks have a pint together? <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
/sings Why can't we be friends
So finally, good storys simply rely on creating feelings of desperation, or outlining the unalterable human condition in the authors way. If the author was high as a kite and thought everyone should frickin' get along and/or fight 2-bit villains (Borg/Evil Mindcontrolling Sex0rbots from Zolon 5) the resulting story is obviously boring unless you share his outlook (meaning, a heavy substance abuser).
On the other hand, when good thought and observation of how people adapt to situations, the compromises they make, how they live with themselves and the lies they chose to believe mere millimeters below absolute conciousness are unraveled in any enviroment, be it futuristic or not, it tends to be something most of us can relate to and ponder.
Uh yeah. Guess for me everything worth reading is bound to be a fictive Dystopia in some guise or another <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
(To whoever posted "Dystopian" above, thats an adj. - Utopia/Dystopia are the nouns)
The emperor is dead evil. The imperials feed him psykers as he need human psy powers to live on his throne
Which AFAIK isn't good.
Gritty. Fallout, Aliens, Firefly...definately gritty.
Ditto. Star Trek isn't 100% sterile... I have to admit its gritty parts are the most enjoyable.