Origins of Genres: Current Incarnations, and future speculations, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Science Fiction and Fantasy are products of our mind’s imagination. We twist reality, we turn time and through the genres, we tell stories unbelievable yet engaging.
I will define Science Fiction as our future. Technological advancements have made possible the “Science Fiction” imagined up in the past. Touch screens, thumbprint scanners have all been created. The creation of floating cars and cities will not be too far in the future too. Frankenstein has also been “created”, with the creation of artificial heart and limbs. Then how does Science Fiction “predicts” all the future? It is based on how humans interact with the surroundings, an extension of our human limbs. Without the use for humans, Science Fiction will not exist.
Fantasy for me though, is another reality in our reality. This reality is considered absurd, but definitely not unthinkable or unimaginable. Fantasy is a product from our thoughts, the mind, so there can no unthinkable or unimaginable. Or else it will be something unknown and not fantasy. Absurd reality is reality twisted to fit the context of the different world. For example, Dragons are derived from the combination of the serpent with other animals. In fantasy, we transform reality but we do not create reality. Our senses limit the creation of ideas inside them, by transforming them. If we can think outside of the senses, we can then create anything and everything, similar to the enlightenment of Man to a God.
Transrealism and Slipstream are forms of literature which is part of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Yet for me I think it is much closer to Fantasy. It is a reality in our reality but not an entirely complete reality. We make sense of the no-sense. The realization of the no-sense is unable to be explained in Science, because Science can only reveal the Truth of everything around us, but cannot explain us.
In relation to Games Design, I think it is important to balance the Known and the Unknown in a game. Throwing the player in a game which seems like the present reality might actually make him more immersed in the game, but bore him easily since he has seen everything in the real world before. While if we throw the player in a game where nothing makes sense, he might try to explore his way out, but also be unable to expect whatever is coming since he has never seen anything like that before. Balance is important so that the level of interest will be kept there. Gradual adjustments can be made for the players to gradually adapt to different kinds of gameplay.
I will define Science Fiction as our future. Technological advancements have made possible the “Science Fiction” imagined up in the past. Touch screens, thumbprint scanners have all been created. The creation of floating cars and cities will not be too far in the future too. Frankenstein has also been “created”, with the creation of artificial heart and limbs. Then how does Science Fiction “predicts” all the future? It is based on how humans interact with the surroundings, an extension of our human limbs. Without the use for humans, Science Fiction will not exist.
Fantasy for me though, is another reality in our reality. This reality is considered absurd, but definitely not unthinkable or unimaginable. Fantasy is a product from our thoughts, the mind, so there can no unthinkable or unimaginable. Or else it will be something unknown and not fantasy. Absurd reality is reality twisted to fit the context of the different world. For example, Dragons are derived from the combination of the serpent with other animals. In fantasy, we transform reality but we do not create reality. Our senses limit the creation of ideas inside them, by transforming them. If we can think outside of the senses, we can then create anything and everything, similar to the enlightenment of Man to a God.
Transrealism and Slipstream are forms of literature which is part of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Yet for me I think it is much closer to Fantasy. It is a reality in our reality but not an entirely complete reality. We make sense of the no-sense. The realization of the no-sense is unable to be explained in Science, because Science can only reveal the Truth of everything around us, but cannot explain us.In relation to Games Design, I think it is important to balance the Known and the Unknown in a game. Throwing the player in a game which seems like the present reality might actually make him more immersed in the game, but bore him easily since he has seen everything in the real world before. While if we throw the player in a game where nothing makes sense, he might try to explore his way out, but also be unable to expect whatever is coming since he has never seen anything like that before. Balance is important so that the level of interest will be kept there. Gradual adjustments can be made for the players to gradually adapt to different kinds of gameplay.
It seems like you're no longer updating this blog, but I'll give my thoughts anyways. I can't agree with your definition of science fiction. The problem is that there's still plenty of speculation about other creatures without people being involved. And there's also speculation regarding our own past with heavy scientific elements.
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