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Hiya.

#1

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

So what'd I miss?


#2

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

You look a little familiar...


#3

LittleSin

LittleSin

Oh wow!

HI!


#4

PatrThom

PatrThom

Quite a bit. Poke around.

--Patrick


#5

Cajungal

Cajungal

ZEEEEEEEEEN!!! *hug*


#6

GasBandit

GasBandit

Well, well, well. Look what the cat lady dragged in.


#7

Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

sup, playa


#8

Cheesy1

Cheesy1

ZEEEEEEEEEN!!! *hug*
^What she said! Welcome back!


#9

strawman

strawman

So what'd I miss?
Sauna pants. Three holiday gift exchanges. A few instances of cancer. Enough drama to fuel the sun for a billion years.

Not much else. How are you doing lately?


#10

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet



#11

blotsfan

blotsfan

I think this poster is actually Mathias.


#12

Bubble181

Bubble181

ZEEEEEEEEEN!!! *hug*
^^ Yup, this.

Not missed much. Drama, some more drama, occasionally some drama, and a lot of idiots who overbake their steak.


#13

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

Fastest way to catch up is to read the last 2 pages of all the locked threads.


#14

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

*waves happily at everyone*

Sauna pants. Three holiday gift exchanges. A few instances of cancer. Enough drama to fuel the sun for a billion years.
So nothing new?

How are you doing lately?
I'm a pure-D housebound gimp now, but otherwise things are lovely. Mr. ZM got a job at Blizzard, so we moved to Irvine and holy hell do I not miss living in Los Angeles, although we do visit once a month.

A little birdie told me someone had randomly dissed my blog because I stopped updating for a while. Which I found fairly funny given all the circumstances he knows nothing about. And it also made me want to come by and see all you wonderful people again.

All this new folderol with the trophies and the buttons and the icons is rendering me frightened and confused, though.


#15

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Irvine? Man, I forgot you lived relatively nearby.


#16

Bumble the Boy Wonder

Bumble the Boy Wonder

You didn't miss anything... not nearly as much as we missed you.

3d5199ba875fa12baefc52a4ba00d53e.jpg


#17

strawman

strawman

All this new folderol with the trophies and the buttons and the icons is rendering me frightened and confused, though.
Just take a deep breath, and whenever you see a post from me, click the little thumbs up button.

Easy as pie.


#18

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

click the heart


#19

GasBandit

GasBandit

All this new folderol with the trophies and the buttons and the icons is rendering me frightened and confused, though.
"Folderol." Nicely done. I like it when people aren't afraid to use vocabulary above "remedial" level.


#20

evilmike

evilmike

Sauna pants. Three holiday gift exchanges. A few instances of cancer. Enough drama to fuel the sun for a billion years.

Not much else. How are you doing lately?
Also, Bumble, Allen, and stienman were all involved in a horrific teleportation accident which resulted in their current avatars.


#21

MindDetective

MindDetective

Enough drama to fuel the sun for a billion years.
Wait, wait, wait. I thought the sun was a mass of incandescent gas?

Actually, scratch that, the sun is a miasma of incandescent plasma. Or did The Might Be Giants get it wrong again?


#22

Espy

Espy

Weeeeeell hey there.


Wanna go ban someone for old times sake?


#23

MindDetective

MindDetective

Also, Bumble, Allen, and stienman were all involved in a horrific teleportation accident which resulted in their current avatars.
And Drifter.


#24

strawman

strawman

So nothing new?
Oh, I think last time you were here I only had four or five kids. I now have six, and the seventh one is on his way, and all are boys.

Sorry to hear your gimpitude has only increased, but I'm glad you're in a happier place and otherwise doing well. Was the move relatively recent?


#25

Vagabond

Vagabond

Oh man what. Stick around for a while, please. That'll surely ease the need to jump back into twitter I get every once and a while.


#26

GasBandit

GasBandit

Oh, I think last time you were here I only had four or five kids. I now have six, and the seventh one is on his way, and all are boys
He's growing his own baseball team, you see.


#27

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

I am going to feel sorry for Stieny's youngest...

I had a hard time in school because my teachers all had at least one of my 3 older brothers.

I can't imagine being the last of 21 to go through the same school district.


#28

Bubble181

Bubble181

Oh, and if that was a reference to buffalo buffalo buffalo, I want my maple cookie please :p (cfr your blog post of July 6th). Otherwise, I'm curious what it's a reference to.


#29

strawman

strawman

Wait, wait, wait. I thought the sun was a mass of incandescent gas?

Actually, scratch that, the sun is a miasma of incandescent plasma. Or did The Might Be Giants get it wrong again?
Now I've got that song stuck in my head.

I just posted, and this is crazy, but here's an ear worm, sing it maybe?


#30

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

Fastest way to catch up is to read the last 2 pages of all the locked threads.
Ha ha, how sad that I knew that was the first thing to do when I was poking around here for the first time in forever. :D

stienman, your fecundity astonished me two years ago, so that hasn't changed. Mazel tov! And we moved a year ago. I was seriously about to turn into an agoraphobic towards the end there. Oh, and the cats like it better here too.

You didn't miss anything... not nearly as much as we missed you.
D'awww. I'd start handing out hearts and hugs and such but I think I'll remain a Luddite for a bit longer. Postin' it old school.


Wanna go ban someone for old times sake?

...I kinda do.


#31

Espy

Espy

...I kinda do.
Oh boy :awesome:


#32

Officer_Charon

Officer_Charon

I regret that I didn't get the chance to know you as much as the "older generation" on here before you disappeared, but I recall that your posts were usually of a higher-than-average caliber.

Glad to see that you haven't disappeared! There's been entirely too much of that, of late.


#33

drifter

drifter

And Drifter.
LIES AND SLANDER

Also: hi!


#34

WasabiPoptart

WasabiPoptart

I love you Cat Lady!


#35

Gusto

Gusto

OH MY GOD


#36

Wahad

Wahad

Celebrations! Salutations!


#37

@Li3n

@Li3n

Ok Dave, i admit you where right, sacrificing Chaz in that blood ritual did work...


#38

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

The legendary ZenMonkey returns!


#39

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

Thanks all. I literally don't have the energy (mental or physical) to keep up around here anymore -- which is no comment on the forums at all, just a fact of my illness. But lately I've really needed a little HF back in my life.

I love you Cat Lady!
Bitch pl...oh, it's in your avatar again, is it?


Ok Dave, i admit you where right, sacrificing Chaz in that blood ritual did work...

Oh shit that's funny. The timing didn't escape me but it really was a coincidence.


#40

Sparhawk

Sparhawk

So what'd I miss?
What? You were gone? Didn't notice. :D Welcome home ZM.


#41

Gryfter

Gryfter

Welcome back Zen!


#42

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I have nothing constructive to add to this thread, other than WASSUP! :sohappy:


#43

Gusto

Gusto

HAAYYYYYY GUUUUURRRRL


#44

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

AAAAAAAAAAY SEXY LADY


#45

DarkAudit

DarkAudit

:aaah::aaah::aaah:

SHE'S BACK!!

:D :D :D


#46



SeraRelm

/hiatus
Hello Zen.
hiatus


#47

Bowielee

Bowielee

/hiatus
Hello Zen.
hiatus
Ditto


#48

Dave

Dave

HOLY ZEN IT'S A SHITMONKEY!!

I mean...

ZEN!! Good gravy but it's good to see you! I must say you are light-years ahead of me when it comes to crossword puzzles, but I like ya anyway!


#49

Bones

Bones

HOLY CRAP HIYA ZEN! You were just leaving when I joined here, and while I might have only known you a short time, your return here is welcome!


#50

Bumble the Boy Wonder

Bumble the Boy Wonder

HOLY CRAP HIYA ZEN! You were just leaving when I joined here, and while I might have only known you a short time, your return here is welcome!
I got a "Candle in the Wind" vibe from this post.


#51

tegid

tegid

Yay! Welcome back! We've missed you :)


#52

doomdragon6

doomdragon6

HOLY SHIT IT'S ZENMONKEY

HI!!! *wave*


#53

Chippy

Chippy

Fuck. Yes.


#54

Frank

Frank

Hello Zen Monkey. I'm not sure we've ever been really acquainted. I am Frank. From Canada. It's nice to see you again in these forums.


#55

North_Ranger

North_Ranger

HOLY CRAP, IT'S THE CRAZY MONKEY CAT LADY!

*MASSIVE HUGS*

Good to see ya again, it's been a while since you plunged into these murky depths of the interwebs.


#56

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

HOLY ZEN IT'S A SHITMONKEY!!
Probably not the first time this year I've been called that.

I must say you are light-years ahead of me when it comes to crossword puzzles, but I like ya anyway!
Aw, you read those? :)

Good to see ya again, it's been a while since you plunged into these murky depths of the interwebs.
No, I've been treading fetid water in some other murky depths. Suffice it to say that I was craving the mature discourse of Halforums -- not kidding -- if that gives you any indication. Also I felt like being around people with goddamn senses of humor again!

*waves quietly to the lurking types* *shakes hands with Frank* *hugs all the rest of you crazy bastiges*


#57

Espy

Espy

the mature discourse of Halforums
We are very mature for our age.


#58

blotsfan

blotsfan



#59

bhamv3

bhamv3

Yay! Now I can go back to publicly hating Sondheim because I know at least one other person thinks the way I do here! :D

Please stay for a long, long time. Not just for the Sondheim thing, either. But because you are awesome.


#60

Hylian

Hylian

Hi there stranger :D


#61

strawman

strawman

the mature discourse of Halforums


#62

Chippy

Chippy

no but seriously I am stoked right now.


#63

Bubble181

Bubble181

We are very mature for our age.
Said the baby.


#64

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Well, that baby is pretty mature for his age.


#65

Fun Size

Fun Size

A little birdie told me someone had randomly dissed my blog because I stopped updating for a while.
It wasn't me right? Because I don't think I said that.


Please someone tell me I didn't say that. :facepalm:


#66

Bubble181

Bubble181

Well, that baby is pretty mature for his age.
Pfft, smoking is a sign of immaturity.


#67

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Who said I was talking about the smoking? We all have our vices. That baby is pretty smart.


#68

Bubble181

Bubble181

Who said I was talking about the smoking? We all have our vices. That baby is pretty smart.
Smarter than that fish you've got there.


#69

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Um... okay?


#70

Bubble181

Bubble181

Um... okay?
It's clearly rtying to lure food with a fake Bumble, but such bait is far too liable to attract GasBandits and other dangerous creatures. He's going to get eaten one of these days, I tell you.


#71

Bumble the Boy Wonder

Bumble the Boy Wonder

My face is clearly just doing a happy jig.


#72

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

God damn it Bumble!

DAMN ALL THIS AVATAR CHANGING!


#73

Bubble181

Bubble181

My face is clearly just doing a happy jig.
Wasn't talking to you, now was I? :p


#74

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

His face is clearly just doing a happy jig.


#75

Bubble181

Bubble181

His face is clearly just doing a happy jig.
Ohh really? Okay than, I completely misread the signs. Darn. Let's dance together, a jig of unison and friendship.


#76

ZenMonkey

ZenMonkey

Oh whoops...

Oh, and if that was a reference to buffalo buffalo buffalo, I want my maple cookie please :p (cfr your blog post of July 6th). Otherwise, I'm curious what it's a reference to.


Please someone tell me I didn't say that. :facepalm:
Unless it's a Memento kind of thing, I'm sure the person who told me knows he or she told me.


Good times...


#77

Thread Necromancer

Thread Necromancer

Welcome back Zen. It's a pleasure to see you post again.


#78

@Li3n

@Li3n

Oh shit that's funny. The timing didn't escape me but it really was a coincidence.
I still say we sacrifice Gas, just to make sure... for science!!!!


#79

GasBandit

GasBandit

I still say we sacrifice Gas, just to make sure... for science!!!!
If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.


#80

Cheesy1

Cheesy1

Yeah, if you burn him on a pyre he'll just come back as a blue ghost that looks like Hayden Christensen. And nobody wants that. Nobody.


#81

@Li3n

@Li3n

If you strike me down, I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.
Yeah, i'll let any future kids know that if some blue ghost shows up with unsolicited advice and asks them to go to the dark side jungles of Brazil for training they shouldn't kiss any attractive females because it's probably their twin sister...


#82

Jake

Jake

Sup.


#83

Cheesy1

Cheesy1

It's THAT guy!

Welcome back! :D


#84

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Yo.


#85

CrimsonSoul

CrimsonSoul

So what'd I miss?
who are you? You must be new here! Welcome to HALFORUMS! Don't mind the mess


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


#86

Jax

Jax

Hey I just spotted this, and this is crazy, but we all like you, so hang around here more often, maybe?


#87

CrimsonSoul

CrimsonSoul

Incidentally, HALFORUMS gets put in all caps by my auto correct for some reason


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


#88

Calleja

Calleja

AWWW I MISSED DIS

This thread was old school as fuck.

Let's make it even more old schooley.



This thread needs more...





BRUCE!!!!!!
[DOUBLEPOST=1357637671][/DOUBLEPOST](Also, sorry for stepping on your turf, Thread Necromancer, but I'm an insomniac with lots of posts to read)


#89

bhamv3

bhamv3

Ahem.

Scarlett next please?


#90

Calleja

Calleja

Ahem.

Scarlett next please?
Who?


#91

T

The_Khan

really REALLY!?

I mean, ms Johansen? a purty lady you used to post all over the board?

That's it, I'm going to go to wendys now and get a frosty, if you don't know what I'm talking about when I get back, I'll call you susan.


#92

Calleja

Calleja

What now? Do I know you?


#93

T

The_Khan

What now? Do I know you?
Used to post under a different name since before the schism, I think we conversed once or twice. I mostly hung around in the GBandit vs JCM epic thread battles of history.


#94

Calleja

Calleja

You're Chazwozel, aren't you?


#95

T

The_Khan

You're Chazwozel, aren't you?
sadly, no, that would mean I made more money.


#96

Calleja

Calleja

ZENMONKEY!!

(No, seriously, what was your previous name, I do remember seeing you around I was being "funny", but now I'm intrigued about the other username)


#97

PatrThom

PatrThom

This thread needs more...

...BRUCE WANNABES
2da27oh8honad22o.jpg


--Patrick


#98

Calleja

Calleja

who the fuck is that?


#99

PatrThom

PatrThom

who the fuck is that?
:oops: OK, that's gonna cost you 5 geek points, mister.



--Patrick


#100

Calleja

Calleja

Ah, yeah, no, I will not accept the geek point penalty. I'm a Trekkie, never liked B5.


#101

Bubble181

Bubble181

I'm a Trekkie, doesn't mean you shouldn't at least know thy enemy.


#102

GasBandit

GasBandit

Michael Garibaldi could out-security every top name star trek security officer combined.

And if you like sci fi but don't like Babylon 5, there's something seriously wrong with you. Like, Sheldon Cooper caliber personality issues.


#103

Calleja

Calleja

I like science fiction, not scifi, there's your problem.


#104

North_Ranger

North_Ranger

I like science fiction, not scifi, there's your problem.
The difference being...?


#105

Krisken

Krisken

This is a great thing to wake up to. Welcome back, ZM :) We've missed you much.


#106

Chad Sexington

Chad Sexington

This is a great thing to wake up to. Welcome back, ZM :) We've missed you much.
Don't shoot the messenger, but... check the date.


#107

Krisken

Krisken

Fuck.


#108

Calleja

Calleja

The difference being...?
Forrest J Ackerman used the term sci-fi (analogous to the then-trendy "hi-fi") at UCLA in 1954.[38] As science fiction entered popular culture, writers and fans active in the field came to associate the term with low-budget, low-tech "B-movies" and with low-quality pulp science fiction.[39][40][41] By the 1970s, critics within the field such as Terry Carr and Damon Knight were using sci-fi to distinguish hack-work from serious science fiction,[42] and around 1978, Susan Wood and others introduced the pronunciation "skiffy". Peter Nicholls writes that "SF" (or "sf") is "the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers".[43] David Langford's monthly fanzine Ansible includes a regular section "As Others See Us" which offers numerous examples of "sci-fi" being used in a pejorative sense by people outside the genre.[44]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction#The_term_.22sci-fi.22


#109

GasBandit

GasBandit

In other words, "I'm a pretentious douchey nerd nobody can stand. Like the fat kid from Anime Club."

mort1.jpg


#110

Calleja

Calleja

You read a webcomic named "Anime Club" and I'M the nerd?


It's not really a pretentious thing, it's really gotten to the point where you need to separate Space Operas and "pulp fantasies in space!" from real science fiction. Star Wars isn't science fiction, Star Trek is. It's not necessarily bad to not be science fiction, but when authors like Asimov and Clarke himself speak up against the term "Sci-Fi", it's hard to argue with them.

It's like pop and rock. It's ok to like both, and arguing which is better is subjective and stupid, but you don't go around calling them the same thing, even if the roots could be the same.


#111

GasBandit

GasBandit

Star Wars isn't science fiction, Star Trek is.
You, sir, are worse than Hitler.


#112

Calleja

Calleja

Dude, I LOVE Star Wars... but it's a fantasy in space, a space opera. There isn't any SCIENCE to ANY of it.


#113

Krisken

Krisken

I'm not sure The Roots would want to be called pop or rock.


#114

Reverent-one

Reverent-one

You read a webcomic named "Anime Club" and I'M the nerd?


It's not really a pretentious thing, it's really gotten to the point where you need to separate Space Operas and "pulp fantasies in space!" from real science fiction. Star Wars isn't science fiction, Star Trek is. It's not necessarily bad to not be science fiction, but when authors like Asimov and Clarke himself speak up against the term "Sci-Fi", it's hard to argue with them.

It's like pop and rock. It's ok to like both, and arguing which is better is subjective and stupid, but you don't go around calling them the same thing, even if the roots could be the same.
On the other hand, Babylon 5 isn't Star Wars, and if it isn't science fiction, I don't think most Trek should count either.


#115

Calleja

Calleja

Yeah, I never said B5 isn't science fiction, just that I didn't like scifi when GasBandit told me that if I did I would then need to like B5.

I just never could get into that show.


#116

BananaHands

BananaHands

my favorite science fiction is the hobbit


#117

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Michael Garibaldi could out-security every top name star trek security officer combined.
250px-Odo.jpg


Almost every top name Security Officer. ;)


#118

GasBandit

GasBandit

Also, if you haven't read "Anime Club" you need to. Don't worry, there isn't a lot to catch up on.[DOUBLEPOST=1357768558][/DOUBLEPOST]
View attachment 9626

Almost every top name Security Officer. ;)
Pfft, shapeshifting's so passe in the B5verse that they have technology to make it a consumer item.

Garibaldi, however, is so genre savvy a computer simulation of his personality outsmarted its programmer and caused a nuclear first strike.


#119

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Pfft, shapeshifting's so passe in the B5verse that they have technology to make it a consumer item.

Garibaldi, however, is so genre savvy a computer simulation of his personality outsmarted its programmer and caused a nuclear first strike.
Yes, in his universe he's a high level badass, in Odo's he's one as well.

Are we going to compare B5 and Trek tech now?


#120

Chippy

Chippy

just poppin in to voice my support for gun show/anime club


#121

GasBandit

GasBandit

Yes, in his universe he's a high level badass, in Odo's he's one as well.

Are we going to compare B5 and Trek tech now?
Garibaldi sleeps under a gigantic poster of Daffy Duck.

Odo sleeps in a bucket.

Q.

E.

D.

Mofo.


#122

Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

Gun Show and Achewood are the only webcomics that don't completely fucking suck always


#123

Krisken

Krisken

Nevermind Erfworld/Goblins/Darths and Droids.

Egads, Charlie, ya gotta stop being wrong.


#124

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

Egads, Charlie, ya gotta stop being wrong.
But then he'd stop being funny!


#125

Frank

Frank

Gun Show and Achewood are the only webcomics that don't completely fucking suck always
Perry Bible Fellowship is the best absurdist web-comic of all time. OF ALL TIME.


#126

Krisken

Krisken

But then he'd stop being funny!
He's more the Chris Elliott of Halforums. I'll let you sort out what that means.


#127

Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

Wait, retracted, Perry Bible Fellowship owns


#128

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

...owned


#129

Calleja

Calleja

Gun Show and Achewood are the only webcomics that don't completely fucking suck always
For someone who "champions" political correctness, you sure like to use generalizations. *looks at his username*


#130

Charlie Don't Surf

Charlie Don't Surf

For someone who "champions" political correctness, you sure like to use generalizations. *looks at his username*
it's not my fault that Achewood is one of the good ones and Penny Arcade goes around with its pants down to its ankles, talking in its ghetto slang, listening to rap music and gangbanging


#131

Calleja

Calleja

it's not my fault that Achewood is one of the good ones and Penny Arcade goes around with its pants down to its ankles, talking in its ghetto slang, listening to rap music and gangbanging
You're dealing in absolutes anyway, Sith. You said those two were the ONLY webcomics that didn't "completely fucking suck always". Those are 2 generalizations right there. Nice logic. You should jump down your own throat with sentences like that.


#132

PatrThom

PatrThom

I like science fiction, not scifi, there's your problem.
I like Science Fiction and SciFi, but lately I've been rather disappointed with SyFy.

And I believe Star Trek is generally regarded as "Science Fantasy."
Wait, lemme see if I can dig up a graphic I posted on this subject a loooooong time ago...
…nuts, can't find it (we can't look up our uploaded graphics any more? Aww…), I'll repost it here when I get back home, but it was regarding the Silistra series

--Patrick


#133

Calleja

Calleja

And I believe Star Trek is generally regarded as "Science Fantasy."

--Patrick
What? By whom? If stuff like The Inner Light, Measure of a Man, Chain of Command etc aren't science fiction, then nothing is.


#134

drifter

drifter

New one just went up today.


#135

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

He's more the Chris Elliott of Halforums. I'll let you sort out what that means.
cabinboy.jpg


Yeah, I can see that :rofl:


#136

sixpackshaker

sixpackshaker

New one just went up today.
It is great that they came back from that long hiatus. How long was it, seems like years.


#137

fade

fade

When I think of science fantasy, I think of things like A Wrinkle in Time or A Princess of Mars. There's a focus on the science, but it is beyond unlikely, and more specifically, it has fantasy elements.


#138

strawman

strawman

Unfortunately that's a pretty subjective measure. Knowing what we know now, Edgar Rice Burroughs would not be considered science fiction. The atmosphere on nearby planets is not human compatible, and there aren't creatures on those planets.

But he is certainly considered an early pioneer of science fiction, and you'll be hard pressed to find any serious science fiction organization claim otherwise.


#139

PatrThom

PatrThom

Wait, lemme see if I can dig up a graphic I posted on this subject a loooooong time ago...
…nuts, can't find it (we can't look up our uploaded graphics any more? Aww…), I'll repost it here when I get back home, but it was regarding the Silistra series
Here's the graphic (It's pretty big):

100_0654b.jpg


EDIT: Shrunk it a bit more, it was WAY too big.
Notice how even the publisher can't decide whether or not this series is Fantasy, Science Fiction, etc. And then there's that "Science Fantasy" novel just below.
What? By whom? If stuff like The Inner Light, Measure of a Man, Chain of Command etc aren't science fiction, then nothing is.
Incidentally, "The Inner Light" is my favorite episode in all of Trekdom.
I'm pretty sure this is a subjective thing, but I know authors like Larry Niven, Hal Clement, and others call what they do "hard" SF (which is what I see meant by "Science Fiction" as opposed to "SciFi" above), meaning that everything that they write is based on Science as it was known at the time of writing (or at least a best effort). Star Trek, in particular, has often been called out because they play fast and loose with Physics, especially as it applies to transporters, communication, genetics, etc. That is to say, in Trek, Nature often bows to the plot device of the moment. It makes great stories, certainly, but it lacks accuracy...even to itself. That is, even if you assume the laws of Physics actually are different in the Trek universe, they will up and violate their very own rules in another episode. So long as it's not too glaring, it doesn't ruin the immersion, but there have certainly been some eye rollers. I know that Arthur C. Clarke is quoted as saying, "Any sufficiently advanced techn0logy is indistinguishable from Magic," but there's a lot of the Trek universe that seems to operate purely on Faith and/or Whimsy. Again, doesn't stop me from enjoying it, just frays a little at the edges.

--Patrick


#140

Calleja

Calleja

No, I've always seen Hard SF as, well, a really rigorous subset of SF, but making then all "soft" SF "SciFi" is unfair. There's a reason the term Hard SF exists.

Reducing Star Trek to "Science Fantasy" because it doesn't go deeply into technicalities (this would make ANY Hard SF series become bogged down with long, technical explanations. Hard SF is almost exclusively written because of this, it's not very compatible with the pacing of television or movies) is taking it too far.

Besides, I've truly never, ever heard it being referred to as a "Fantasy". Wikipedia, which has TONS of pages on the discussion for terms like these goes with "Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise", whereas something that is DEFINITELY not SF like Star Wars goes with "Star Wars is an American epic space opera franchise"

Calling Star Trek fantasy is almost insulting :mad:


#141

fade

fade

Unfortunately that's a pretty subjective measure. Knowing what we know now, Edgar Rice Burroughs would not be considered science fiction. The atmosphere on nearby planets is not human compatible, and there aren't creatures on those planets.

But he is certainly considered an early pioneer of science fiction, and you'll be hard pressed to find any serious science fiction organization claim otherwise.
I'd say that's true, but then the lines between spec fic/science fic/science fantasy are pretty fuzzy and subjective. It's possible for a story to be viewed as all three. But what makes Princess science fantasy isn't that the science is wrong. It doesn't have to be right to be science fiction, just believable. What makes it science fantasy is that the science is there, but the fantasy opera story is also there.


#142

Chippy

Chippy

Forgot to add Hark! A Vagrant and Three Word phrase to the list of good webcomics


#143

bhamv3

bhamv3

I feel like there's an Arthur C. Clarke quote appropriate here.


#144

Calleja

Calleja

I feel like there's an Arthur C. Clarke quote appropriate here.
You mean the one PatrThom already used?


#145

figmentPez

figmentPez

Just call it Speculative Fiction and stop worrying about where the line is.

If you don't like that, I'll just be over here reading Donnerjack, The Practice Effect, The Fifth Elephant...


#146

bhamv3

bhamv3

You mean the one PatrThom already used?
Erm... yes.

I fail at reading.

I shall hang my head in shame for a period of time no less than five minutes.


#147

drifter

drifter



#148

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

drifter - I'm all across that board.... I really need to narrow my hobbies.


#149

T

The_Khan

drifter - I'm all across that board.... I really need to narrow my hobbies.
I know right. They're missing SCA furries, renfaire furries, roleplaying furries, LARP furries, comic furries, and bald furries?


#150

Calleja

Calleja

What? that chart's stupid, it's implying being "more geeky" is bad. I'm the biggest geek I've ever, ever met. Seriously, there's no sphere of geekdom I don't at least have the equivalent of a high school diploma on. I have several geek PhDs, too.


#151

Bubble181

Bubble181

What? that chart's stupid, it's implying being "more geeky" is bad. I'm the biggest geek I've ever, ever met. Seriously, there's no sphere of geekdom I don't at least have the equivalent of a high school diploma on. I have several geek PhDs, too.
In other words, you write ST Furry fan fiction with a Mary Sue star? :p


#152

fade

fade

Hey, in defense of those artists, it's really hard to draw breasts while masturbating.


#153

BananaHands

BananaHands

Hey, in defense of those artists, it's really hard to draw breasts while masturbating.
Hell, I can barely type this sentence.


#154

bhamv3

bhamv3

Hell, I can barely type this sentence.
So that's what Banana Hands means.


#155

PatrThom

PatrThom

...the lines between spec fic/science fic/science fantasy are pretty fuzzy and subjective.
Ayep. For a really good example of "Where exactly do I put this one?" you can check out Christopher Stasheff's "The Warlock in Spite of Himself," which can pretty much be described as quintessential Science Fantasy.

ANY Hard SF series [will] become bogged down with long, technical explanations.
True, but most of them are written with the assumption that they are not required to educate their readership about the principles involved (though many do anyway), it's just a requirement that the story be grounded in our current understanding of reality. I completely agree that Hard SF can get pretty tedious and dry as the author drones on and on about minutiae, but I don't pretend to "get" every XKCD comic without a little help from Google, either.

--Patrick


#156

strawman

strawman

I DON'T CARE THAT THEY USED A WORMHOLE AND THAT OUR PLASMA WEAPONS WORK VIA PHOTOSYNTHESIS JUST TELL ME ABOUT THE ALIEN INVASION AND HOW WE BEAT THEM REAL GOOD.


#157

PatrThom

PatrThom

I DON'T CARE THAT THEY USED A WORMHOLE AND THAT OUR PLASMA WEAPONS WORK VIA PHOTOSYNTHESIS JUST TELL ME ABOUT THE ALIEN INVASION AND HOW WE BEAT THEM REAL GOOD.
Or just, y'know...explode a lot. People love explosions.
explosion.gif


--Patrick


#158

strawman

strawman

True dat.


#159

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

After all, look at Michael Bay's box office record.


#160

T

The_Khan

After all, look at Michael Bay's box office record.
I heard that JJ abrams was replaced at the last minute by Michael Bay


#161

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

I heard that JJ abrams was replaced at the last minute by Michael Bay
On what?


#162

T

The_Khan

All future star trek related things


#163

Gilgamesh

Gilgamesh

All future star trek related things
Yeah but Abrams can put together a coherent story and action scenes where you can actually tell what's going on.


#164

@Li3n

@Li3n

I like science fiction, not scifi, there's your problem.
I thought you said you like Star Trek...


#165

Calleja

Calleja

I thought you said you like Star Trek...
You really should read the rest of the thread before replying on old posts like that, I address that later.


#166

@Li3n

@Li3n

I just never could get into that show.
S1 is hard to get through... just pay attention to the b plots in each episode and ignore the main plots up until the season finale...[DOUBLEPOST=1359154319][/DOUBLEPOST]
You really should read the rest of the thread before replying on old posts like that, I address that later.
No, no, no... i had to make that dig... it is known.

Especially because of this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starfury#Real_world_interest

Yeah, ships that could actually work irl = Jules Verne level SF.


#167

Calleja

Calleja

I never said I didn't consider B5 science fiction, read again. I even specify that exact phrase somewhere.


#168

@Li3n

@Li3n

I never said I didn't consider B5 science fiction, read again. I even specify that exact phrase somewhere.
Hey, stop interrupting my righteous rant with your silly pointing out of clarifications you made in the meantime...[DOUBLEPOST=1359155112][/DOUBLEPOST]
Unfortunately that's a pretty subjective measure. Knowing what we know now, Edgar Rice Burroughs would not be considered science fiction. The atmosphere on nearby planets is not human compatible, and there aren't creatures on those planets.

But he is certainly considered an early pioneer of science fiction, and you'll be hard pressed to find any serious science fiction organization claim otherwise.
Mars having life or not doesn't actually matter in this case, the actual question you need to ask is "if Mars had life, could it work like in the book IRL?"


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