Poll: SciFi VS Fantasy

[Indecizion]

So yeah a discussion recently broke out among my vent group, over the pros and cons of both SciFi and fantasy in games movies/tv and books most agreed that they liked SciFi over fantasy with me and 1 other disagreeing, what do you think? is SciFi really that much better than fantasy or is my group just full of noobs?

 

[Cowabungaa]

I have never considered either of them to be better than the other, they're just...different. Both can be done good, both can be done horribly.

 

[ZombieGenesis]

I can rather see why both could be contrasted because they are both the more outlandish types of make-believe fiction, but there really is a lot to differentiate them. Typically Sci-Fi comes down to a logical basis of make believe (ala, "Science") while fantasy, being just that, does not require a logical basis for its characters, places or events. For that reason, I prefer fantasy, because you could put lots of Sci-Fi stuff into it and not force it to cross genres. While with Sci-Fi its very hard to justify magic powers.

 

[reg42]

It depends how they're executed honestly

 

[Kiefer13]

It's entirely subjective. I personally prefer sci-fi, but I don't think it's better per se, I just enjoy it more. I do like fantasy too though, and I'll like well done fantasy better than merely average sci-fi.

 

[Kollega]

I'd rather have sci-fi. But to be honest, i prefer the kind of sci-fi that is essentially a fairytale or glorious epic set in space. No outright magic, but the tech used is sufficently advanced to be indistinguishable from magic.

 

[saphirekosmos]

I think they are both great. I read and watch both and play games in both. I can't say I like one more than the other. It is really just an opinion thing. Some people will love one and hate the other. But at the same time they don't have to be exclusive. You can have Sci-fi-fantasy, look at the Warhammer universe.

 

[Toaster Hunter]

Neither is better than the other, the only way one is superior to another is execution

 

[Gildan Bladeborn]

Science Fiction trumps Fantasy because it has lasers and cyborgs. Plus it's a proven fact that putting things in space will typically make them more awesome.

Ideally though you have a setting where you get magic and lasers, with chainsaw-swords and faster than light travel conducted by taking a shortcut through hell. That would be totally awesome, too bad nothing like that exists!

...

Oh wait.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

You cannot say one is 'better' than the other.
It is all down to the person.
This one prefers Sci-Fi over Fantasy, but that is this one's choice.

 

[1gremlyn1]

They're both pretty much equal in my opinion, and they can both merge into each other. It really depends how its done.

 

[notme]

Fantasy is provides much easier escapism because it is not bound by rules, Science Fiction (SF) plays by the same hard science rules that we live by nowadays.

Need some evil enemy which you can direct all your hatred against? Well, the author says it is some "ancient evil" and that is that. SF might ask why people turn evil in the first place and what can be done about that.

Also, prophecy and destiny play a large role in Fantasy. Which of course means if you are a mere peasant, well, tough luck! SF is much more egalitarian, technology is user agnostic! (SF-Fantasy like Star Wars with all the Force mucking around is of course just Fantasy in space, ftr.)

Fantasy seems to long for a simpler time, in a way like the Middle Ages are romanticized. SF actually wants to make you understand complexity, not run away from it.

To really enjoy SF you need to have at least fundamental grasp of science to enjoy it, Fantasy is much more lenient with regard to the readers, viewers, gamers education.

Guess which Genre I favour!

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

They're so incredibly different that to even compare them is ridiculous in my mind. It's like trying to argue whether war fiction or romance is better, or whether westerns or erotica should be held in higher regard. The fact tht Waterstones et al put them in the same section together just shows how little the WS execs get this sort of fiction.

So I can't even compare the two, which I guess makes them equal in my mind.

 

[Jamienra]

Not even a subtle versus thread.

I think that Fantasy is the best but thats just my opinion.

 

[ribonuge]

Sci-fi, because i'm too bored not to be biased.

 

[Prophetic Heresy]

Science Fiction trumps Fantasy because it has lasers and cyborgs. Plus it's a proven fact that putting things in space will typically make them more awesome.

Ideally though you have a setting where you get magic and lasers, with chainsaw-swords and faster than light travel conducted by taking a shortcut through hell. That would be totally awesome, too bad nothing like that exists!

...

Oh wait.

I think that would've worked better if your avatar wasn't a Khorne demotivational.

 

[Indecizion]

Yeah i originaly said it depends on how it was executed and what it was, like i prefer scifi in movies/tv but i love fantasy books/rp so yeah but they said i HAD to pick a side so yeah.

 

[ace_of_something]

I tend to like fantasy better. Maybe cause the fights are cooler than 'they shoot each other'

Has anyone ever seen that Home Movies episode where the SciFi convention kids fight the RennFare kids? Classic
"You ever seen two dorks fight? It's hilarious."

 

[InsanityRequiem]

They're both the equal to me, really. Though it's when they're combined that things get all awesome. Fantasy in space! Science fantasy~