I Just Realized The Elder Scrolls can be considered Sci-Fi

[D-Class 198482]

Hear me out here.
The Elder Scrolls is set on an entirely different planet, right? That means the trolls, the dragons, the werewolves and the Vampire Lords...
They're all aliens.
In fact, quite a few fantasy games can be considered Sci-Fi. They are either in another universe, dimension, or another different planet.
Discuss.
I personally don't find this that far-fetched because the trolls look like something you'd see invading the Earth

 

[Mr.PlanetEater]

No, I'm sorry but no. Science Fiction is a very clear cut genre from Fantasy; and besides most works of fiction take place in alternate universes--even if it's just Earth only different. You wouldn't call Gulliver's Travels a science fiction novel.

 

[Smashingpass]

And, by extension, the Fire & Ice series, Middle-Earth series and countless others can be considered Sci-Fi too.

The two genres are quite similar. Not entirely sure I get your point.

 

[DoPo]

No, sci-fi is different than what you're describing. Now, with, for example, Might and Magic, you might have a point but no, TES is not sci-fi. What it portrays has to be vaguely plausible and sort of related to humanity today, as in the differences between us and whatever is portrayed. Yeah, it's a wide range of things you can include here but if you really want to include TES...then the entire sci-fi genre is absolutely meaningless, since everything would be sci-fi by your definition. Unless it's a historical work, I suppose.

 

[shrekfan246]

What interesting logic.

I don't think being on a different planet precludes it from being a simple fantasy game.

While I won't be one to say that science-fiction has to conform to the strict parameters set forth for it over the past few decades, the complete lack of technological... stuff... in the universe generally means it doesn't fit in the genre and is why we have separate genres - like 'fantasy' - for exactly this reason.

Could Sci-Fi and Fantasy collide? Sure. But the most 'Sci-fi" thing about the Elder Scrolls is the ancient Dwemer civilization, who have been long dead.

 

[Pink Gregory]

And of what significance is that exactly?

Not meaning to sound hostile, I just don't see the difference it makes. Like, at all.

 

[WoW Killer]

Klingons are space-orcs, vulcans are space-elves. It's all the same.

There's other sides to sci-fi, but a lot of it is space-fantasy.

 

[PeterMerkin69]

Woah, hold on a second, he might have a point. Maybe the environment was all one big metallic zoo-like habitat made from alien alloys. That would explain why there were glossy hotspots all over everything, even matte surfaces like weathered wood, and why the scenery was all out of proportion.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Well, generally the difference between fantasy and Sci-fi is believability: Sci-fi can technically take place in our universe and should conform (however loosely) to our laws of physics, so Sci-fi always generally explains or handwaves the more exceptional constructs in their universe in a way that, loosely speaking, would be possible for us to do in our universe.
An example would be element zero of Mass Effect, which is used in a pseudo-scientific way to explain why the ships travel so fast, and how everything is powered, why the guns shoot so hard etc. Techinically, if that element was found by us, we could achieve those things as well.

Fantasy does not bother to justify itself in our universe, so you get magic and situations that are never explained or justified, they just are the way they are.

Skyrim is chock-full of unscientific stuff that is never reasoned or justified. It's just possible because 'magic'. This is pure fantasy.

Oddly enough, the most interesting case when you consider these definitions is Star Wars, which has the Sci-fi elements as regards the hyperdrive engines, all the guns, armour, alien races etc: It's justified by pure pseudo-science, but the Force and the origin of the Jedi's powers is pure fantasy; a mystical energy that has no scientific basis, and allows basically anything to happen no matter if it's scientifically possible or not. And even more interesting is when you consider Lucas' abysmal explanation of the Force as the midichlorian bacteria that lives in all things and gives a Jedi power, that was essentially an attempt to remove the fantasy side of Star Wars and make it a 100% rational Sci-fi, but it didn't work because the explanation wasn't plausible enough, and it came too late in the game, so the inexplicable fantasy nature of the Force was already accepted as what it was.

 

[ellers07]

This is a very interesting idea. I was in a literature class once where we examined the relationship between Fantasy and Science Fiction. I've come to see fantasy as a very broad term that can include a lot of types of literature, including the Tolkein type epics and Sci-Fi works, as well as everything in between. Honestly, Star Wars is an excellent example of the blending of the two. It has a very fantasy feel, even though I would generally classify it as Sci-Fi.

I don't think you're wrong then calling The Elder Scrolls Science-Fiction. As was mentioned above, the Dwemer certainly provide an element of Sci-Fi. It wouldn't necessarily be my first suggestion if someone asked for a good Sci-Fi game, but I can see where their are some characteristics.

 

[ellers07]

This is a very interesting idea. I was in a literature class once where we examined the relationship between Fantasy and Science Fiction. I've come to see fantasy as a very broad term that can include a lot of types of literature, including the Tolkein type epics and Sci-Fi works, as well as everything in between. Honestly, Star Wars is an excellent example of the blending of the two. It has a very fantasy feel, even though I would generally classify it as Sci-Fi.

I don't think you're wrong then calling The Elder Scrolls Science-Fiction. As was mentioned above, the Dwemer certainly provide an element of Sci-Fi. It wouldn't necessarily be my first suggestion if someone asked for a good Sci-Fi game, but I can see where their are some characteristics.

Have you seen Krull? It has a lot of elements of sci-fi. Opening shot of a big spaceship, a planet-spanning empire, enemies who go round shooting stuff with lasers.

Still a fantasy film though. I mean, it was originally supposed to be a Dungeons And Dragons film, before Wizards fot stingy with the license.

Krull! Ah, that's a classic. I haven't seen it in quite a few years, but yeah that's another one i would think of as a fantasy film with some Sci-Fi elements. I do enjoy books and movies that can blend these different types of elements together. Here's another one for you, how about Master's of the Universe with Dolph Lundgren? Laser guns, mad scientists, and machines that make dimensional portals all combined with magic swords and a sorceress (though the movie really did play down the magical side of things). There's nothing like a fun cheesy movie.

Only slightly more on topic, where does something like steampunk fall then? It's technologically based, but it's a time that never was and never will be? A lot of what I have read tends to be more in the vein of alternate history. Is that Sci-Fi or Fantasy? Or is it something else entirely? I'll throw William Gibson's The Difference Engine out there. It's all very plausible, so I'm not sure Fantasy fits, but it doesn't quite seem to match with science fiction either.

 

[DoPo]

Only slightly more on topic, where does something like steampunk fall then?

It's normally a subgenre of sci-fi. Although it may not always be the case - if you have something like Arcanum or the Eberron setting in D&D (so, dwarvews, elves, orcs and goblins along with steam engines and magic) then that'd be more classical fantasy.

 

[mad825]

I take it you've been drinking OP...Don't drink and post kids.

 

[Hagi]

Eh...

Not sure I'd go with that argument...

If you want to make the argument that TES is sci-fi I'd go with Dwemer Automatons and how we'd be unable to construct robots ourselves that did all the things they did as well as keep on running for centuries after humanity was wiped out. But even that is a shaky one considering magic and all.

 

[Zealous]

Fantasy usually relates to the supernatural, unexplainable things that can't exist in our reality. Dwarves, demons, spells, ancient evils arising from the nether world, that sort of thing.

Sci-fi deals with technological development beyond our own resulting in scenarios that can't occur (if only at the moment in some cases) in our reality. Robots, space battles, terraforming, dystopian futures (fun fact, 1984 is technically sci-fi) and all that jazz.

Obviously, those are very broad definitions and as many people have already posted, there are plenty of stories that blend the two. However, in response to your original epiphany, no.

While you are correct in saying that the Elder Scrolls does take place on another planet and that the creatures inhabiting it could be considered aliens, that doesn't make it sci-fi based on the aforementioned definition of sci-fi. Plus they're already deeply entrenched in the realm of fantasy what with elves, dragons, magic, trolls and everything else.

So yeah, technically you could say that they are sci-fi, but that's really pushing it and it's a damn sight easier to not be a smartass with genres. Especially for shelf stockers at book stores.

 

[ComicsAreWeird]

Sci-Fi is, to me at least,a sub-genre of fantasy. The argument that most people usually use to separate the two is that sci-fi is more believable while fantasy deals with magic. A limited point of view. What today is considered fantasy, tomorrow could be considered reality. If I told someone a few centuries ago that I could summon my girlfriend's name and her face would appear on a piece of glass in my hand and I would be able to instantly talk to her even though she's not remotely near me...I'd be considered a sorceror.

The concept of magic, and therefore fantasy, is debatable.