'Shroomfest (Round 8) - FANTASY vs SCI-FI
- Thread starter Diamant
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Well, it will go well with crackers.
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I love me a good fantasy on occasion.
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If we're talking about power scaling and battles, Zeus one time pranked a couple of us with a bracelet he said was supposedly to increase our height. Well, we ended up kicking his ass for that ruse.
All I'm saying is that I'm not scared of a Death Star. Not too much anyway.
All I'm saying is that I'm not scared of a Death Star. Not too much anyway.
Revin
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To be honest, I haven't really decided which team to join yet, but I have an observation and then a question to whoever is interested in answering. Comparison in a debate is a tried and true method of showing why one thing is better than another, and while you are correct in saying that the fantasy example is more exciting out of the two specific examples you are providing, I think your framing here is a little misleading. What you didn't mention here is that you have two very specifically chosen examples which are not only separated by medium (one is animated, and one is purely live action), but also by time period, with your negative example being almost 50 years older than your positive example, with no acknowledgement of the differences in technology and techniques available to the creators when they were making. To make a similar comparison, if I came into this thread saying that sci-fi games are better than fantasy because Cyberpunk 2077 has better graphics than Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, it would be a completely unfair comparison that doesn't really hold any water because it is not comparing things that were made under the same limitations, and it is ignoring any other recent examples in the opposing genre, including several award winning fantasy games such as Zelda Breath of the Wild, Baldur's Gate 3, and Elden Ring. While I do think part of the onus is on team sci-fi to counter your claim, I think your argument would have been more compelling if you had picked things that are contemporaries, like a sci-fi cartoon that was released in recent years (Ben 10, Star Wars The Clone Wars, etc) or another 1960s TV show to compare against Star Trek. If you really feel the need to compare, I think a truly strong case should be able to convince me your team can beat the best that the opposition has to offer, rather than having to cherry-pick the worst example to make yours look better by default.
With that all being said, because I'm unfortunately too busy to really look into and collate a post myself for either genre, I am interested to hear from supporters on both sides: what is your favourite example of a fight scene or epic battle from your respective genre? One-on-one duels, giant clashes between armies, looking at battle scenes from a particular decade in media... anything is fair game, but since Sparks has brought this concept up, I think it would be neat to see a wider variety of examples and why you think they are cool. After all, I am a fence sitter, and I need convincing.
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Well if we're going to be talking about fight scenes...
Darth Sidious' duel with Darth Maul and Savage Opress is one of the highlights of that show.
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- He/Him |Boo1268
Do you like lamp oil ropes Bombs magic Mystical monsters of all shapes and sizes being in nature and wheilding a blade? Then Fantasy is for you my friend cause magic and mystery encapsulates these lands of enchantment and wonder so if your up for some Mystical adventures and want to ride some dragons then fantasy's for you pal!With that all being said, because I'm unfortunately too busy to really look into and collate a post myself for either genre, I am interested to hear from supporters on both sides: what is your favourite example of a fight scene or epic battle from your respective genre? One-on-one duels, giant clashes between armies, looking at battle scenes from a particular decade in media... anything is fair game, but since Sparks has brought this concept up, I think it would be neat to see a wider variety of examples and why you think they are cool. After all, I am a fence sitter, and I need convincing.
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If you really want an epic fight scene, check this one out! Not as many effects, yet the result is spectacular!
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truly a masterful fightIf you really want an epic fight scene, check this one out! Not as many effects, yet the result is spectacular!
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
Fantasy Tepig
Cute fire pig Pokémon! Fantasy will prevail!
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@Revin That post was just meant to be goofy. I always thought the Gorn fight was hilariously bad and thought I'd use it as an example.
But if it's a neck-and-neck battle that has two things of the same medium (in this case video games!) competing against each other with them releasing relatively close to each other, I have one for you!
To make things extra humorous, I'm making them about two terrible final bosses!
But if it's a neck-and-neck battle that has two things of the same medium (in this case video games!) competing against each other with them releasing relatively close to each other, I have one for you!
To make things extra humorous, I'm making them about two terrible final bosses!
Dr. Neo Cortex from Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Behold what is possibly the worst final boss in a game I have ever seen. All you have to do is chase him and attack him 3 times and you win. The battle is super quick and doesn't require much effort at all. And those asteroids and mines? Who cares! All they do is push you back. This counts as Sci-Fi because the dude is a mad scientist, and it takes place in space.
Gnasty Gnorc battle from Spyro the Dragon
Gnasty Gnorc is a lame final boss, but at least he actually fights back, something Neo Cortex doesn't do. Yeah most of the "fight" is chasing him. But at the beginning and the end he casts spells to your current position.
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Consider his awesome boss theme though (gotta admit his other themes are better but this is still good)
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I'm glad you asked! Being on the battlefield is my specialty, so I get into a lot of fights, and while my weapon changes from each incarnation, I'm currently using a siege spear. It's pretty cool! There's attacks where I launch into the sky, blast into the ground, send out shockwaves, and kill people by revving up my machine (which allows me to fight faster). My musou attack plows through people regardless if they are blocking, my air musou drills people to the ground, while my trigger attack musou carries me a huge distance. My siege spear was given a rather futuristic look as opposed to other Warriors because the developers wanted to show off the technological advancements in the Jin faction.
I don't have any epic cutscenes involving my siege spear, but previously, I did stop someone from getting killed and got this pretty awesome clash. I was using the great sword at the time, it's a massive cleaver that I can carry surprisingly with ease.
Oh and I also saved my father's life from demons in Nanjun, thanks to time-traveling shenanigans.
Of course, I can list off other moments where much more talented officers than I am rip up the battlefield, with probably more spectacular results, but I'm just going from what I know!
Could you people on the Sci-Fi side show me YOUR great battles? I'm sure regardless of era, you'd still be great warriors!
Fantasy Tepig
Cute fire pig Pokémon! Fantasy will prevail!
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Fantasy is such an amazing genre that there is an I SPY book based on it: I SPY Fantasy! I still have this book!
Oh yes! Such fantastic and magical sights are waiting for you to see them! Below are a few of the many pleasant surprises within!
Not only is there a book, but a PC game exists as well!
Wait a second… aliens? A space world to explore? Looks like everything seen here counts as Fantasy! Don't look at me, I didn't make the rules!
But what I really wanted to show you was the medieval castle world!
Look how happy they are to see you! Come now, I'll give you a tour! Are you excited? I hope so!
What a lively entrance! Knights are jousting by the front door, battles occurring atop the castle walls, a crab holding a red button on the bottom left corner… I feel like a kid again! Follow me!
Welcome to the grand lobby! From here you can go in one of many different directions. You can:
1. Travel up the stairs to reach the upper floors
2. Investigate the painting
3. Access the main hallway via the big doors in the center
4. Enter the alcove on the right side to reach to the dungeon. Let's go there now!
This is the dungeon. Unfortunately, a princess is imprisoned and must be freed! 6 keys are needed to unlock the gate. Who will be heroic enough to save her?! Oh and by the way, that glowing passage to the west leads to the Wizard's room.
Here we are at the Wizard's room! This magical place is where the potions are created. With enough practice, you can brew a potion that'll fix anything!
Up next in the tour is the main hallway!
The main hallway features a brilliant crown seated on the throne and an armory located to your right. A fine room for royalty indeed! Let's check the armory.
Armor, weapons, shields! You want it? It's yours my friend! The room itself is rather tight, so let's return to the hallway and closely examine the crown.
Great gemstones! So many details on a crown fit for a king! It even says "ALL HAIL THE KING" on it! I want that crown… er, but anyway! Let's go upstairs now.
Do you want to look outside and admire the view? You can! This is more of a storage room, but you can take a look at the contents of that chest by the wall to the left, or you can reach the roof by climbing the stairs on east. To the roof we go!
A different perspective from what we saw on the outside! It's a battle in action, like a freeze-frame! Cool right! Be sure to say "hi" to the Falcon before you leave! Do you want to see some treasure? Of course you do!
OK, maybe "treasure" wasn't the right word, but there is still some nice stuff to check out! I'm a big fan of the unicorn figurine and wooden dragon toy myself. What about you? Only one more place to stop on our tour, and that's the painting in the lobby!
It is believed that this painting honors a heroic and brave warrior who founded this very castle! He seems to have dragon designs on his clothing and equipment. Do you think he's a fan of the magnificent creatures?
The tour might have ended, but the adventure has not! By simply exploring the castle, we have obtained the 6 keys needed to free the princess! We can't just leave her behind!
HUZZAH! We've done it! Let's open her cell door - wait a second… LOOK OUT!!!
Phew! That was a close one. It seems a meanie-pants dragon is guarding the princess's cell. We must find a way to get rid of it!
Alright, I have a solution, but I need you to be safe. Please wait in the main hallway for now. I'll find you once I've completed my task.
Good news! I have made a potion that'll make the dragon harmless. Watch this!
Look at him! He's so cute when he's tiny! Aww what a cute widdle dwagon you are! He's run off into the nearby hole in the wall! Now that the threat is gone, we can save the princess!
And with that, the adventure has concluded! I hope you enjoyed this rousing castle adventure/tour! I'm glad you appreciate the wonders of Fantasy!
Oh yes! Such fantastic and magical sights are waiting for you to see them! Below are a few of the many pleasant surprises within!
Wait a second… aliens? A space world to explore? Looks like everything seen here counts as Fantasy! Don't look at me, I didn't make the rules!
But what I really wanted to show you was the medieval castle world!
Look how happy they are to see you! Come now, I'll give you a tour! Are you excited? I hope so!
What a lively entrance! Knights are jousting by the front door, battles occurring atop the castle walls, a crab holding a red button on the bottom left corner… I feel like a kid again! Follow me!
Welcome to the grand lobby! From here you can go in one of many different directions. You can:
1. Travel up the stairs to reach the upper floors
2. Investigate the painting
3. Access the main hallway via the big doors in the center
4. Enter the alcove on the right side to reach to the dungeon. Let's go there now!
This is the dungeon. Unfortunately, a princess is imprisoned and must be freed! 6 keys are needed to unlock the gate. Who will be heroic enough to save her?! Oh and by the way, that glowing passage to the west leads to the Wizard's room.
Here we are at the Wizard's room! This magical place is where the potions are created. With enough practice, you can brew a potion that'll fix anything!
Up next in the tour is the main hallway!
The main hallway features a brilliant crown seated on the throne and an armory located to your right. A fine room for royalty indeed! Let's check the armory.
Armor, weapons, shields! You want it? It's yours my friend! The room itself is rather tight, so let's return to the hallway and closely examine the crown.
Great gemstones! So many details on a crown fit for a king! It even says "ALL HAIL THE KING" on it! I want that crown… er, but anyway! Let's go upstairs now.
Do you want to look outside and admire the view? You can! This is more of a storage room, but you can take a look at the contents of that chest by the wall to the left, or you can reach the roof by climbing the stairs on east. To the roof we go!
A different perspective from what we saw on the outside! It's a battle in action, like a freeze-frame! Cool right! Be sure to say "hi" to the Falcon before you leave! Do you want to see some treasure? Of course you do!
OK, maybe "treasure" wasn't the right word, but there is still some nice stuff to check out! I'm a big fan of the unicorn figurine and wooden dragon toy myself. What about you? Only one more place to stop on our tour, and that's the painting in the lobby!
It is believed that this painting honors a heroic and brave warrior who founded this very castle! He seems to have dragon designs on his clothing and equipment. Do you think he's a fan of the magnificent creatures?
The tour might have ended, but the adventure has not! By simply exploring the castle, we have obtained the 6 keys needed to free the princess! We can't just leave her behind!
HUZZAH! We've done it! Let's open her cell door - wait a second… LOOK OUT!!!
Phew! That was a close one. It seems a meanie-pants dragon is guarding the princess's cell. We must find a way to get rid of it!
Alright, I have a solution, but I need you to be safe. Please wait in the main hallway for now. I'll find you once I've completed my task.
Good news! I have made a potion that'll make the dragon harmless. Watch this!
Look at him! He's so cute when he's tiny! Aww what a cute widdle dwagon you are! He's run off into the nearby hole in the wall! Now that the threat is gone, we can save the princess!
And with that, the adventure has concluded! I hope you enjoyed this rousing castle adventure/tour! I'm glad you appreciate the wonders of Fantasy!
Yay Fantasy! Hooray for having educational and fun activities for all ages!
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I would be remiss not to mention the fact that just because a story is set in space doesn't necessarily make it Sci-fi. That you need to have actual scientific concepts and discussion in it, which disqualifies stuff like Star Wars and its mystical space magic.
Or to point out the existence of Space Fantasy here (which is what Star Wars actually is). Despite the prevalent belief that Fantasy is all medieval-locked adventures in the equivalent of temperate, rural, English countryside, when in actuality Fantasy is just a whimsical or fantastic story that can be set anywhere, in any time period.
Anyway, I know there's a Fantasy vs. Sci-fi battle going on here, but I heard someone slander onions, so that's much more important to me now.
I don't know how often people here handle onions, but they only stink when you cut them up and then leave them sitting out in the open air. Fresh onions smell fairly inoffensive and are very delicious.
Admittedly onions have a habit of making you cry. But so does the stuff that passes for Fantasy AND Sci-fi on TV nowadays, and at least the onions are providing me with a nutritious meal once I am no longer in pain.
ENDORSE: TEAM ONIONS
Or to point out the existence of Space Fantasy here (which is what Star Wars actually is). Despite the prevalent belief that Fantasy is all medieval-locked adventures in the equivalent of temperate, rural, English countryside, when in actuality Fantasy is just a whimsical or fantastic story that can be set anywhere, in any time period.
Anyway, I know there's a Fantasy vs. Sci-fi battle going on here, but I heard someone slander onions, so that's much more important to me now.
I don't know how often people here handle onions, but they only stink when you cut them up and then leave them sitting out in the open air. Fresh onions smell fairly inoffensive and are very delicious.
Admittedly onions have a habit of making you cry. But so does the stuff that passes for Fantasy AND Sci-fi on TV nowadays, and at least the onions are providing me with a nutritious meal once I am no longer in pain.
ENDORSE: TEAM ONIONS
Ok, so I just went grocery shopping and got accosted by a homeless person who thought it would be a good idea to yell at me across the parking lot for some reason. Experiences like this make you ask yourself the big questions, like "Am I living my life to the fullest?" or "Did I hamstring my own point about genre identification by attaching it to a joke post?" So let me elaborate further.
What is Sci-Fi?
If you ask this question to a layman they might reply with something like "Well, it's the shooty lasery thingamabober in space, with the spaceships and laser swords and aliens." These things are indeed all very prevalent within Sci-Fi. But you need to understand, they are superficial elements that just happen to be in this genre a lot, NOT its defining pillars.
Sci-Fi is shorthand for Science Fiction.
SCIENCE Fiction.
That means SCIENCE must be a central element within the story for it to count. And by "central element" I don't mean someone must use technology at some point. It means that technology must be derived from (fictional) scientific principles, and these principles need to be known, discussed, and critical to the narrative.
You get a lot of this in old Star Trek, where plots are often derived from characters interacting with technology, explaining this technology to the viewer, and then dealing with the ramifications of this technology when it malfunctions or is used improperly. If you ask a Star Trek nerd how a teleporter works, they will launch into a highly detailed explanation of how the beam machine scans a person's molecular structure as it disassembles them atom by atom, then uses quantum entanglement to transfer this information to a location whereupon atoms from that location are picked out of the air and reassembles the person, again atom by atom, until it appears to the casual observer that the person has teleported, even though on a molecular level they are now a completely different entity. Episodes will then derive questions from this process, such as "What if this assembly happens to overlap another person at the time?" and create a plot where a character is accidentally merged with another to form an entirely new entity. And from THAT it derives a philosophical debate on whether it is morally justified to tear apart this newly formed entity--who might be happy with its existence--just because YOU wish to adhere to the status quo.
This scenario is possible because the established and consistent technology of the setting makes it possible. The details inform the drama, it is thus Science Fiction.
By contrast, if you ask a Star Wars nerd how a lightsaber works, usually they will be like "IDK, but wasn't it cool when Darth Maul cut Qui-Gon in half?" Asking another might yield "Well, I'm not sure, but I read the wiki and played KotoR and I THINK there is a crystal in the hilt that makes a light blade come out somehow. The color of the blade is determined by the type of crystal, and the Jedi order has an intricate cultural belief-system about which color symbolizes which virtue, and thus the color of any given Jedi's sword informs which of these virtues they believe in the most". The science and technology here are NOT central, they exist to facilitate a story about culture, history, and a person's beliefs. The tech could be crystals, they could be magic runes carved into a carbon rod, or there's a little alien that lives in the sword hilt and twists a knob to push the blade out like a tube of lipstick. You can pull the little alien out and talk to it, and it will say "Gooba-ga glook'sha ribbi-ribbi, na?" and Han Solo will lower his brow in resentment.
The story Star Wars tells would not be different if you changed the technology behind the lightsaber. It is meant to be a cool sword used as a prop in a tale that's not about it. The drama informs the details, it is thus Fantasy (in space).
Why then are so many Sci-Fi stories set in space? Simply because if you want to explore the ramifications of new and exciting technology, space is a very good setting to tell stories like that. It is a medium of infinite possibility. But the truth is: space is not a prerequisite to building compelling Sci-Fi. A Sci-Fi story can happen in a contemporary setting, perhaps in a medical facility that discovers a ground-breaking new application of technology to revolutionize the field of modern medicine. None of these characters would ever set foot in a space ship or on another planet, no aliens would show up and no galaxies are traversed. Yet it would still be Science Fiction, despite staying on Earth the entire time.
If you wanted to be REALLY unconventional, you could probably even set a Sci-Fi story in a medieval stasis world, perhaps via exploring alchemy. I don't think anyone has tried it, and I have no idea how well it would work, but it's certainly something you can try.
Conversely, while many Fantasy stories are set in medieval stasis with elves because a lot of Fantasy writers are either too creatively bankrupt or too inexperienced and insecure to not rip off Tolkien, the genre is not constrained to that location and/or time period. You can tell a compelling "drama informs world details" (i.e. Fantasy) type story in modern times, or on the moon, or in the depths of space 5000 years in the future.
You cannot think of "genre" as "story that takes place in one specific location". A genre is measured by tone and by which specific elements of a story it prioritizes. You can put a dragon into Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and both will filter the encounter through their respective lenses. Fantasy will try to weave an epic tale about the creature, while Sci-Fi will analyze it and try to understand how it works, why it is there, and what the consequences are. Both are valid ways to tell a story.
But I hope this makes it clear that you cannot boil down a debate of "Fantasy" vs "Sci-Fi" to "medieval wizard slop" against "space shenanigans". You have to discuss their differences in how they approach their material. THAT is the distinction between the two, and to reduce them to anything else does a disservice to both.
Anyway, Avatar: The Last Airbender is really cool, and so is Mass Effect 1. And so are onions. Eat your onions.
Oh, and garlic too. Eat garlic, it's like the onion's cool cousin. You will not turn into an obese man who obsesses over material wealth. It's very healthy, IDK why Nintendo attributes it to unhealthy eating. A clove of garlic per day lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure. Believe me, once you see how modern writers are butchering both Star Trek AND The Elder Scrolls and you DON'T have a heart attack in response, you will thank me for my advice.
What is Sci-Fi?
If you ask this question to a layman they might reply with something like "Well, it's the shooty lasery thingamabober in space, with the spaceships and laser swords and aliens." These things are indeed all very prevalent within Sci-Fi. But you need to understand, they are superficial elements that just happen to be in this genre a lot, NOT its defining pillars.
Sci-Fi is shorthand for Science Fiction.
SCIENCE Fiction.
That means SCIENCE must be a central element within the story for it to count. And by "central element" I don't mean someone must use technology at some point. It means that technology must be derived from (fictional) scientific principles, and these principles need to be known, discussed, and critical to the narrative.
You get a lot of this in old Star Trek, where plots are often derived from characters interacting with technology, explaining this technology to the viewer, and then dealing with the ramifications of this technology when it malfunctions or is used improperly. If you ask a Star Trek nerd how a teleporter works, they will launch into a highly detailed explanation of how the beam machine scans a person's molecular structure as it disassembles them atom by atom, then uses quantum entanglement to transfer this information to a location whereupon atoms from that location are picked out of the air and reassembles the person, again atom by atom, until it appears to the casual observer that the person has teleported, even though on a molecular level they are now a completely different entity. Episodes will then derive questions from this process, such as "What if this assembly happens to overlap another person at the time?" and create a plot where a character is accidentally merged with another to form an entirely new entity. And from THAT it derives a philosophical debate on whether it is morally justified to tear apart this newly formed entity--who might be happy with its existence--just because YOU wish to adhere to the status quo.
This scenario is possible because the established and consistent technology of the setting makes it possible. The details inform the drama, it is thus Science Fiction.
By contrast, if you ask a Star Wars nerd how a lightsaber works, usually they will be like "IDK, but wasn't it cool when Darth Maul cut Qui-Gon in half?" Asking another might yield "Well, I'm not sure, but I read the wiki and played KotoR and I THINK there is a crystal in the hilt that makes a light blade come out somehow. The color of the blade is determined by the type of crystal, and the Jedi order has an intricate cultural belief-system about which color symbolizes which virtue, and thus the color of any given Jedi's sword informs which of these virtues they believe in the most". The science and technology here are NOT central, they exist to facilitate a story about culture, history, and a person's beliefs. The tech could be crystals, they could be magic runes carved into a carbon rod, or there's a little alien that lives in the sword hilt and twists a knob to push the blade out like a tube of lipstick. You can pull the little alien out and talk to it, and it will say "Gooba-ga glook'sha ribbi-ribbi, na?" and Han Solo will lower his brow in resentment.
The story Star Wars tells would not be different if you changed the technology behind the lightsaber. It is meant to be a cool sword used as a prop in a tale that's not about it. The drama informs the details, it is thus Fantasy (in space).
Why then are so many Sci-Fi stories set in space? Simply because if you want to explore the ramifications of new and exciting technology, space is a very good setting to tell stories like that. It is a medium of infinite possibility. But the truth is: space is not a prerequisite to building compelling Sci-Fi. A Sci-Fi story can happen in a contemporary setting, perhaps in a medical facility that discovers a ground-breaking new application of technology to revolutionize the field of modern medicine. None of these characters would ever set foot in a space ship or on another planet, no aliens would show up and no galaxies are traversed. Yet it would still be Science Fiction, despite staying on Earth the entire time.
If you wanted to be REALLY unconventional, you could probably even set a Sci-Fi story in a medieval stasis world, perhaps via exploring alchemy. I don't think anyone has tried it, and I have no idea how well it would work, but it's certainly something you can try.
Conversely, while many Fantasy stories are set in medieval stasis with elves because a lot of Fantasy writers are either too creatively bankrupt or too inexperienced and insecure to not rip off Tolkien, the genre is not constrained to that location and/or time period. You can tell a compelling "drama informs world details" (i.e. Fantasy) type story in modern times, or on the moon, or in the depths of space 5000 years in the future.
You cannot think of "genre" as "story that takes place in one specific location". A genre is measured by tone and by which specific elements of a story it prioritizes. You can put a dragon into Fantasy and Sci-Fi, and both will filter the encounter through their respective lenses. Fantasy will try to weave an epic tale about the creature, while Sci-Fi will analyze it and try to understand how it works, why it is there, and what the consequences are. Both are valid ways to tell a story.
But I hope this makes it clear that you cannot boil down a debate of "Fantasy" vs "Sci-Fi" to "medieval wizard slop" against "space shenanigans". You have to discuss their differences in how they approach their material. THAT is the distinction between the two, and to reduce them to anything else does a disservice to both.
Anyway, Avatar: The Last Airbender is really cool, and so is Mass Effect 1. And so are onions. Eat your onions.
Oh, and garlic too. Eat garlic, it's like the onion's cool cousin. You will not turn into an obese man who obsesses over material wealth. It's very healthy, IDK why Nintendo attributes it to unhealthy eating. A clove of garlic per day lowers your cholesterol and blood pressure. Believe me, once you see how modern writers are butchering both Star Trek AND The Elder Scrolls and you DON'T have a heart attack in response, you will thank me for my advice.
Fantasy Tepig
Cute fire pig Pokémon! Fantasy will prevail!
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I know exactly of a Fantasy environment that does not take place in the Middle Ages, nor does it have wizards, knights, elves and such - The Mushroom Kingdom!
"What is this mysterious mushroom world?" you may ask, but rest assured it takes place in the present day (or at least the 1980's, according to The Super Mario Bros. Movie)! It's mostly a peaceful world as the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, called Toads (even though they do not resemble the frog in any way) participate in fun, playful hobbies like gardening, partying and kart racing. The kingdom is ruled by a severe sweet princess named Princess Peach, so some Fantasy royalty is here at least.
And what's this? Magical items that transform whoever comes into contact with them?! That's right! Have you ever wanted fire powers? The Fire Flower is for you! An elephant transformation? Thanks to the Elephant Fruit, it can happen!
And there's also Bowser and his army! The Koopa King is a grump most of the time, but whenever he wants to have fun too, he won't miss an opportunity! He's more of a friendly rival to Mario rather than a full-on enemy.
Why do all of these creatures exist? I don't know myself, but no scientific explanation is ever given, so Science Fiction isn't involved.
Those were just a few of the many wonders of the Mushroom Kingdom! Come visit yourself and you'll have a blast! If Bowser does ever happen to cause trouble, you can always count on the Mario Bros. to put a stop to his plans!
And what's this? You like onions @Lin Beifong?
"What is this mysterious mushroom world?" you may ask, but rest assured it takes place in the present day (or at least the 1980's, according to The Super Mario Bros. Movie)! It's mostly a peaceful world as the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, called Toads (even though they do not resemble the frog in any way) participate in fun, playful hobbies like gardening, partying and kart racing. The kingdom is ruled by a severe sweet princess named Princess Peach, so some Fantasy royalty is here at least.
And what's this? Magical items that transform whoever comes into contact with them?! That's right! Have you ever wanted fire powers? The Fire Flower is for you! An elephant transformation? Thanks to the Elephant Fruit, it can happen!
And there's also Bowser and his army! The Koopa King is a grump most of the time, but whenever he wants to have fun too, he won't miss an opportunity! He's more of a friendly rival to Mario rather than a full-on enemy.
Why do all of these creatures exist? I don't know myself, but no scientific explanation is ever given, so Science Fiction isn't involved.
Those were just a few of the many wonders of the Mushroom Kingdom! Come visit yourself and you'll have a blast! If Bowser does ever happen to cause trouble, you can always count on the Mario Bros. to put a stop to his plans!
And what's this? You like onions @Lin Beifong?
Behold the Omega-onion! No doubt THE best onion in the kingdom (or even the world for that matter)! Look, it's glowing too! That just shows how amazing it is!
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I ate garlic raw. Like at least 4 whole cloves. Had to eat a lot of dumplings and soy sauce to counter particularly painful stinging in the mouth and now I have garlic breath that lasted like three days.
Good stuff.
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*~= UNAUTHORIZED TRANSMISSION INCOMING =~*
WHOA WHOA WHOA! WELL, WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, THEY FINALLY GOT A NEW BROADCAST ORDER FOR 'SHROOMFEST! AND NO ONE THOUGHT TO LET YOUR OLD PAL TELLER VISION KNOW ABOUT IT? FOR SHAME, I'M HURT! DEVASTATED, EVEN! I'VE BEEN BORED OUT OF MY CASING SINCE MEGA BRAWL 2 PRODUCTION WRAPPED, AND YOU'RE GOING TO DENY ME THIS CHANCE AT THE SPOTLIGHT? YOU'RE LUCKY I'M NOT ONE TO HOLD A GRUDGE, MOSTLY!
LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE OFF TO A GOOD START ALREADY! I MEAN, WE'VE ALREADY GOT A WHOLE DEBATE ON WHETHER SOME OF THESE THINGS EVEN COUNT FOR YOUR TEAM! ARE WE ABOUT TO HAVE A STARGATE SITUATION ON OUR HANDS? THAT LITTLE NINJA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A REAL RATINGS BOOST, I TELL YOU WHAT! I DON'T KNOW IF THIS ONION SUBPLOT IS GOING ANYWHERE, THOUGH...
SO HERE'S A LITTLE QUESTION I HAVE TO SHAKE THINGS UP FOR YOU! IF SCIENCE FICTION NEEDS A THOROUGH EXPLANATION OF ITS CONCEPTS TO COUNT, MAYBE WE CAN STILL PUT A LITTLE MAGIC IN OUR SCI-FI BY THE SAME LOGIC? THE WORD "ESOTERA" MEAN ANYTHING TO ANY OF YOU?
BUT I DIGRESS! I SEE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIGHT SCENES, AND I LOVE A GOOD FIGHT SCENE! PULL IT OFF RIGHT, AND THE RATINGS SKYROCKET! BUT WHAT IF WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO TALK ABOUT FIGHT SCENES? MAYBE WE CAN JUST MAKE OUR OWN!
THAT'S RIGHT - A LITTLE BIT OF SUPER SMASH BROS.! I'M NOT GOING TRY TO KID YOU AND SAY THIS IS A FANTASY OR SCI-FI GAME, BUT CHECK OUT THE KIT ON ARAN UP THERE! THEY'VE GOT FIGHTERS FROM BOTH GENRES COMING IN HOT! THEY EVEN FINALLY GOT THE GUY EVERYONE SAID WAS TOO BIG TO MAKE IT IN! SO PROUD OF YOU, RIDDLES, YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. FANTASY'S GOT SCI-FI BEAT ON NUMBERS, BUT QUALITY OVER QUANTITY, AS THEY SAY! HOW MANY TIMES YOU GOING TO PUT THE SAME SWORDFIGHTER IN THAT GAME, SAKURAI?
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY? FOX, FINAL DESTINATION, NO ITEMS?
Sentient freedom
Goomba
Listen, listen LISTEN ALL OF YOU LISTEN UP OKAY? So this is a conflict between Fantasy and Sci-fi, and you know what? If fight scenes are what we're talking about, then how about this?!
As you can see, this video from Frosted_Derp will perfectly encapsulate the reality of swordsmen prevailing over gun wielders, and while the gun-man gets the upper hand in the first half, the sword-man uses the power of FISH and long swords to win the battle, fantasy will prevail. GO TEAM FANTASY!
As you can see, this video from Frosted_Derp will perfectly encapsulate the reality of swordsmen prevailing over gun wielders, and while the gun-man gets the upper hand in the first half, the sword-man uses the power of FISH and long swords to win the battle, fantasy will prevail. GO TEAM FANTASY!
It ends up being a tie in the end, but that still means you get to see how far swords can be powered up to.
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THAT'S RIGHT - A LITTLE BIT OF SUPER SMASH BROS.! I'M NOT GOING TRY TO KID YOU AND SAY THIS IS A FANTASY OR SCI-FI GAME, BUT CHECK OUT THE KIT ON ARAN UP THERE! THEY'VE GOT FIGHTERS FROM BOTH GENRES COMING IN HOT! THEY EVEN FINALLY GOT THE GUY EVERYONE SAID WAS TOO BIG TO MAKE IT IN! SO PROUD OF YOU, RIDDLES, YOU'RE AN INSPIRATION. FANTASY'S GOT SCI-FI BEAT ON NUMBERS, BUT QUALITY OVER QUANTITY, AS THEY SAY! HOW MANY TIMES YOU GOING TO PUT THE SAME SWORDFIGHTER IN THAT GAME, SAKURAI?
That's a nice suit of armor there! Completely covered, head to toe, maximum protection, just how I like it. What is that weapon on the right arm? It looks like a cannon with a giant orb of fire emitting from it. Is that cannon supposed to be part of the suit? What can the cannon do?
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YOU'RE GONNA LOVE THIS! THE ARM CANNON SHOOTS POWERFUL LASERS! KIND OF A DRAIN ON THE SPECIAL EFFECTS BUDGET, I HAVE TO ADMIT, BUT THE AUDIENCES GO CRAZY FOR THEM! YOU CAN CHARGE IT UP FOR AN EVEN MORE POWERFUL BLAST TOO! GIVES YOU SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE TO DO WHEN YOUR ENEMIES ARE OUT OF PUNCHING RANGE.
...I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THIS GAME LATELY. LIKE I SAID, BORED OUT OF MY CASING! BUT I BEAT MONIKA LAST WEEK!
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As a writer who enjoys both genres and thinks that space is cool and so are dragons...
I have to go with Team Sci-Fi on this Shroomfest. Star Trek is a great example of science fiction, dealing with the complexities of humans and aliens working together in space, forging new allies and discovering new worlds! I love Star Trek a lot, it's been a big influence on me and my life.
I have to go with Team Sci-Fi on this Shroomfest. Star Trek is a great example of science fiction, dealing with the complexities of humans and aliens working together in space, forging new allies and discovering new worlds! I love Star Trek a lot, it's been a big influence on me and my life.
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Hi, I'm here to chip in to endorse Fantasy for this Shroomfest and I've seen plenty of arguments for and against it. I'm here to make a personal case for this genre. While love plenty of great works Sci-Fi genre offers such as the appeal of technology changing human society, flashy armor, cool spaceships, alien themes, and engaging in interesting hypothetical fiction, after lengthy discussion with my sister, I realize that most of the media I enjoy is more aligned with Fantasy than Sci-Fi. I've contemplated why that's the case, and I've came up with some reasons.
Now, most of the reasons are broad strokes applied to two extremely diverse, difficult-to-define genres with disagreeing schools on what classifies as each or what classifies as another genre with those elements. These have the limitations that come with generalities, i.e. exceptions obviously apply. And that being said, I'm not going to touch on the semantics of the specific genre Star Wars, Star Trek or Avatar the Blue People Movie fall under (although I'm going with the assumption these are largely agreed to be science fiction with fantasy elements due to the movies' reliance on advanced technology that changes society in systemic fashion). Additionally, these arguments are entirely from personal experience. I don't actively seek or avoid sci-fi or fantasy works, I just read ones I think are intriguing. I don't think sci-fi is a genre I'd inherently dislike. Most of the elements I enjoy in fantasy can fit perfectly well in sci-fi, I just kind of wish more sci-fi works had things like... idk a girl bonding with a regular old horse in outer space or cats and dogs learning to navigate the sci fi world (I just thought immediately about Stray lol).
- Scope. I believe Sci-Fi is inherently smaller scale in terms of themes than Fantasy. Sci-Fi tends to be set in the future (exceptions apply; Metro is sci-fi but is set in a hypothetical contemporary time; plenty of alien invasion stories including Mars Attacks and Pixels [sorry for the reminder] are a contemporary setting) and relies on the premise of exceptional technological advancements. Fantasy covers a broader range which includes historical (Asterix, Magyk, Game of Thrones, Elder Scrolls), contemporary (Dresden Files, Mortal Instruments, Earthbound), and future (Xenoblade, Final Fantasty VII, Hunger Games). Fantasy relies on paranormal and magic (which sci-fi can invoke, such as with Star Wars) but it doesn't exclude advanced technology. The setting of Sci-Fi is typically in the future (Star Wars's beginning "long time ago" doesn't really refute the rest of the setting having advanced technology) or in outer space, but it is not needed for the Sci-Fi genre (see Fahrenheit 451) These two can overlap, but in terms of sheer amount of genres I enjoy, there's more Fantasy than Sci-Fi. In the Nintendo community alone, Star Fox, F-Zero and Metroid are the most science fiction but more of the most prolific games are Fantasy: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Fire Emblem, Pokemon, Kirby, Mother, Pikmin, Xenoblade, Animal Crossing, Splatoon (or at least if we were to assume a linear spectrum between sci-fi and fantasy, Splatoon would be closer to Fantasy IMO due to a contemporary setting) and I think it's their settings either taking place in contemporary times or at least in times where technology isn't the forefront to society to the extent Star Fox, F-Zero, and Metroid are.
- Age. It's undeniable that fantasy works are pretty much present at the dawn of humanity, which is an extension of the first point. There has been some debate that Sci-Fi is also been very old (speculative fiction pretty much is also another thing that exists as long as humans do), and good points have been made, that being said. There are some elements of sci fi to be found in A True Story. But some of the greatest historical works are probably closer to fantasy such as Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales, Journey to the West (an inspiration for Dragon Ball), and Don Quixote. (Aesop fables are folklore; fantasy draws from it).
- Target Demographics. While it's at no inherent fault of the genre, Sci-Fi is traditionally mostly marketed toward the adult male demographic and contains plenty of male protagonists and key players, while Fantasy has a broader audience. This may be a critical reason, alongside the first reason I've enjoyed fantasy more often than Sci-Fi. Most Sci-Fi works I can think of at the top of my head is predominantly male: Star Wars, Star Trek, Warframe, Starcraft, Warhammer (well, both kinds of Warhammer). I also emphasize age: there are much more fantasy works for children that come to mind vs sci fi but there are still plenty of sci fi works including A Wrinkle in Time, ET, Big Hero Five, The Giver, Back to the Future, Magic School Bus(!); I just can think of far more fantasy works I enjoyed as a child including Dragon Tales, Kringle, The Boxes, Magyk, Magic Shop Books, Magic Treehouse, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Children of the Lamp, Roald Dahl's books, Swordbird, Poppy, Rats of Nimh, Chronicles of Narnia, (heard about Eragon, Artemis Fowl), and so on. I'm not saying Fantasy is entirely equal, but when I think about prolific works that enjoy a more sizable female portion of the fandom, they're more toward fantasy: Twilight, Mortal Instruments, My Little Pony, Harry Potter... just the top of my head. That being said, demographics are changing and Sci Fi is enjoying a more diverse cast of characters (albeit I still want more talking animals...) And also, fantasy isn't immune to limited demographics, as I believe works including Lord of the Rings, Warhammer, Diablo, also have the male appeal; and Dungeons & Dragons is only starting to be more inclusive.
- Roster. There is also demographics *within* the genre. There are plenty of fantasy works I enjoy that do include the likes of talking animals or bonding with unicorns and more Earthly animals, which always carries broad appeal to me, while Sci-Fi tends to limit itself to more humanoid characters, where even the aliens are often of similar body plan to humans. While Star Fox, Stellaris races, some Starcraft Zerg units such as the overmind, and the raccoon from Guardians of the Galaxy are notable Sci-Fi characters that less humanoid, I simply do not find anywhere near as many depictions of talking creatures in Sci Fi versus the immediate examples I can find from fantasy including My Little Pony, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, Kirby, Guardians of the Gahoole, Warrior Cats, and more. As for the human side of things, both genres likely fall into similar traps of not diversifying gender, race, age, ability, and body types, as long as systemic structure affects casting of them, so I can't really make a definitive case. As I touched on for target demographics, fantasy does probably edge out here, but not significantly, like there's still a lot of work left to do for both genres unfortunately.
Now, most of the reasons are broad strokes applied to two extremely diverse, difficult-to-define genres with disagreeing schools on what classifies as each or what classifies as another genre with those elements. These have the limitations that come with generalities, i.e. exceptions obviously apply. And that being said, I'm not going to touch on the semantics of the specific genre Star Wars, Star Trek or Avatar the Blue People Movie fall under (although I'm going with the assumption these are largely agreed to be science fiction with fantasy elements due to the movies' reliance on advanced technology that changes society in systemic fashion). Additionally, these arguments are entirely from personal experience. I don't actively seek or avoid sci-fi or fantasy works, I just read ones I think are intriguing. I don't think sci-fi is a genre I'd inherently dislike. Most of the elements I enjoy in fantasy can fit perfectly well in sci-fi, I just kind of wish more sci-fi works had things like... idk a girl bonding with a regular old horse in outer space or cats and dogs learning to navigate the sci fi world (I just thought immediately about Stray lol).
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