Coffee Talk #2: Fantasy Games vs. SciFi Games

Posted on October 13th, by raymond padilla in Coffee Talk, PC Gaming, Today's Specials, Videogames. 215 comments

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Toy Story 3 trailer, the upcoming “Super 6″ middleweight tournament, or Rob Schneider’s birthday, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Fantasy vs. SciFi — it’s a debate that will last an eternity. Most gamers I know enjoy both settings, but strongly lean towards one or the other. Some folks dig games with swords and sorcery, others prefer laser rifles and warp drives. Personally, I’m way more of a fantasy guy than a sci-fi guy. Space battles are cool and all, but I rather jump into an adventure filled with mystical spells, magic weapons, and cool frickin’ dragons. I liked Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but I loved Baldur’s Gate.

Dragon Age Origins chicky Coffee Talk #2: Fantasy Games vs. SciFi Games

My reasoning is simple; fantasy settings are more ridiculous, ergo more imaginative. Science fiction — good science fiction anyway — is often based on…(get this) science. Sure, it might be theoretical, but in many cases it’s plausible and not a huge leap from reality. Even though a lot of sci-fi features alien races and futuristic weaponry, it’s just too “real” for me. At the end of the day I see science as cold and clinical (I’m sure a psychiatrist would tell me that I’m just afraid of death).

Fantasy is more fun for me. A sword of sharpness? Ludicrous. A bag of holding? Preposterous. A race of miniature creatures that live inside trees and bake cookies? Waitaminute…those actually exist. So many elements in fantasy games, books, etc. are just impossible. Call me a romantic, but I enjoy dreaming about the impossible.

I’d love to hear about your preference. Are you SciFi or fantasy? Pick a side and explain your choice (please)!

Coffee Talk PC Gaming Videogames

Smartguy

I definitely lean more towards the fantasy setting for games and entertainment. I'm not opposed to Sci-Fi at all. I find that in interactive media the swords and boards type generally has a better story to me. Some sci-fi stories are epic and can't be touched by fantasy. For example: Mass Effect had one of the best sci-fi stories I have ever seen in a game. It's rare that I find a sci-fi story in a game that is that good. On the flip side, I think sci-fi is better movie or mini-series material than fantasy.

I actually like the titles that blend sci-fi and another genre or two together. Final Fantasy 8 is a good example.
THE_GREAT_THUNDERCRA

i like how there arent pages for comments here, i used to hate having to load different pages on that other site

and i read what you said yesterday about those guys

truth be told ray, the feed kinda sucks for gaming news. Kotaku, even vgchartz usually gets stories first. I never went there for gaming news. I went there to talk to you guys, nothing more

We dont expect you to build rome in a day dude, just give us our coffee talk, with our without paul baldwin
N8R

I lean toward Sci-Fi. I find more of my own internal imagination pondering the technology behind the things I see, play, read, etc. Like when Issac Asimov first talked about robots it invoked enough thought that now we have vacuums that sweep the floor by them self as well as cars that actually don't have any driver of any kind. It proves that fiction leads way to truth as opposed to (in my opinion) the more conventional other way around.

But ultimately, my top preference is the healthy blend of both… superheroes. For the record I would like to state that Superman would beat the crap out of any other fictional character ever (shut up Batman fanboys). I think there are few exceptions that would just make a good fight. Spawn, Darth Vader, maybe Lord Valdemort… but that's about it.

Still, comic book style stories FTW!
THE_GREAT_THUNDERCRA

i dont really have a good reason, but ive always kinda hated jamie foxx
N8R

I second the Thundercracker.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@THE_GREAT_THUNDERCRACKER I shall give you your Coffee Talk and hopefully a lot more, good sir.

Don't underestimate TheFeed. Klepek is one of the best news hounds in the biz. Andrew is one of the most talented writers I've ever worked with. Leahy is just…an amazing young man with a brilliant future ahead of him. Okay, I better stop. I'll get misty. Ha!

@N8R I am of the opinion that Darkseid should have kicked Superman's ass every time they fought. I never really understood why that was even a close fight.
THE_GREAT_THUNDERCRA

dude, its totally not my business so feel free to not answer these questions

what the hell happened? did you do something? Did you ever make it to tokyo?
N8R

@ R Pad

It's because Darkseid always underestimated him due to his own flaws of being drunk with power. That was Darkseid's weakness… himself.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@THE_GREAT_THUNDERCRACKER I'm afraid that I can't answer all of your questions. I did make it to Tokyo though (actually twice in September). At the very least, I'm grateful for two United trips to Asia that helped me get 1K status.

@N8R Still not buying it. Darkseid could blink out an omega beam that sent Supes to a neighboring galaxy.
N8R

Also… I know we have Yankee fans here… but I'm rooting for a Freeway series. I just want to drive past bars and see the fights break out.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@N8R A freeway series would be a nice story. The Yankees winning it all in their first season in the new park would be a better one.
Thundercracker

ok lets try this again
N8R

@ R Pad

Yeah he could… but he's too (what's the word I'm looking for) zealous?
Thundercracker

just making sure my gravitar works, bear with me folks
Thundercracker

ok still no?
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@Thundercracker You can add multiple email addresses to a single Gravatar account. You can even assign specific icons to specific email addresses all under the same account.
Thundercracker

HA HA!

i miss the g4 panda
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@Thundercracker It's working for you now — at least on my end. If you don't see it on your PC then you might have the clear cache and cookies.
N8R

@ R Pad

You realize how crazy it'll get if there's a freeway series though, right?

The Yankees need another championship like the Pirates need another season under .500.
Thundercracker

i got it dude

had " hotmail " when it should have been "yahoo"

im tired, i was working all night
SlickyFats

I hadn't really considered the Sci-Fi (or as the the channel calls themselves now SyFy) vs Fantasy debate, then I stated looking at my games. I guess it more Fantasy for me but I liked Two Worlds, Oblivion, Mass Effect (1 for Sci-Fi), Too Human (I guess that's both), Viking, Rune.
redtailman

So who all is getting Uncharted 2?
N8R

@ Thundercracker

I hate that damn panda.

That bastard made me care less about the endangered species act.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@N8R It would be incredibly annoying for 405 commuters. I'd actually find it kind of funny.

@SlickyFats A-ha. Any guesses as to why you gravitate towards fantasy?

@Everyone If you have a moment, please don't forget to…uh…thank our sponsors. Ha!
Thundercracker

bizarro, bookshelf and blakseed are gonna be confused
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@Thundercracker Oh yeah? Why's that?
Thundercracker

cause everyones over here and apparently they havent got the memo
Thundercracker

@redtailman

EVERYONE

cept im getting it friday cause i want to be able to sit and enjoy the game when i put it in
tokz_21

I'm love sci-fi more than fantasy. My friend convinced me to pick up WoW and i'm up to level 20 with a month of game play, but i really don't like it. It's just a little boring to me. Or maybe it's just that really looking forward to SW:Old Republic MMO and playing a game i really had no interest in playing to begin with.

The Yankees should win. If i have to hear or see about a rally monkey in the World Series once again. I'm going to punch my cousin in the face when i go to Anaheim next spring/summer.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@Thundercracker That's a bummer. It would be cool to have those guys in the mix.

@tokz_21 Please don't punch your cousin in the face.
N8R

@ Thundercracker

I haven't seen Bizarro in a good while as it is. I figured he either lost his internet or got locked up (he stayed getting in trouble).

@ R Pad

Very true… I'll be sitting up north laughing as well. But the 101 probably won't be pretty either. Then again, it never is.
tokz_21

@Rpad

yeah maybe i went too far on that but those monkeys are annoying plus i hate the name of the team, The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Do you not realize your team name is using Angels twice? Any Californian should see that and should be annoyed by that too!
N8R

@ Tokz

It's using "the" twice too. "The The Angels Angels".

and what are the Dodgers dodging?
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@tokz_21The name is SO stupid, language aside. I was living in Irvine (dullest two years of my life) when it happened. Anaheim got hosed. It's an insult to the city.

@N8R Bullets from Compton.
Thundercracker

so an eskimo is driving cross country and his car breaks down, he takes it to the mechanic and about an hour later he comes out and tells the eskimo

well, you blew a seal

the eskimo then says, yeah but whats wrong with the car?
tokz_21

@N8R

Well since they were from Brooklyn originally maybe they were dodging bullets at the time.
tokz_21

@Rpad

I totally agree with you, Anaheim did get hosed on that one. I blame the owner and the fans for letting him get away with it.
Thundercracker

thought this was funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvGwvnzyw3Q

not a rick roll

and no need to take out spaces!! HA!
tokz_21

@thundercracker

It was hilarious especially the girl's faces at the :29sec mark. priceless.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@Thundercracker Yeah, I never liked that spacing links thing. Nor did I like links in the story opening in new windows. In my mind, it shows a lack of confidence in your content. If your content is good enough and the community is engaging then people will come back after they've checked out any links you've shown them.

Then again, I don't have a job right now so what do I know? Ha!
N8R

@ tokz and R Pad

Since I'm originally from Pittsburgh, my allegiance stays with the Pirates (sigh). You want to talk about fans getting hosed? The GM ruined that team yt built what probably is the best place to see a ballgame in the league.

All you can eat seats for $20 and peanut gallery for $9 no matter who they play/lose to. Plus, the way PNC Park is designed makes it so every seat is a pretty good seat.
RRODisHere

I lean more towards sci-fi more than fantasy because I hate turn based RPGs.

I'm on my way to pick up my games.
http://rpad.tv raymond padilla

@N8R My respect for goes even higher! Props for sticking with your team. I'd love to see the park though. I heard it's beautiful.

@RRODisHere *gasp* I LOVE turn-based RPGs!!!
N8R

@ Thundercracker

The title alone cracked me up. That went straight to Facebook.
tokz_21

@N8R

Yeah being from Chicago, I get to see the bumbling Pirates face the Cubs 16 times over the summer. I actually thought they were going to do something this year and make it out of the cellar but they can't. It's like the GM called it quits in April once they fell back 10 games. Traded McLouth and then traded Nyjer Morgan. Oh not to mention the great trade for Aramis Ramirez in late '03.
smartguy

I am pulling for the Dodgers because I'd like Joe Torre to win one for someone besides Steinbrenner. I also think Manny Ramirez will have another contract dispute if he wins the world series this year. It's always fun to read about athletes with super large egos gripe about not making enough millions of dollars during a recession. (i'm looking at you crabtree)

As soon as class is done today….Brutal Legend will be mine.
Thundercracker

the pirates have a few decent players

andrew mccutchen

okay, the pirates have one decent player
N8R

@ tokz

I went to visit my mom over the summer and took my son to a game the day after they traded Morgan. Fans were upset. We happened to be playing the Cubs as well (and lost of course).

When we were walking to the Park, I saw somebody with a Fukudome jersey and thought it was a joke. Then we got to the game… and it was no joke. His number should be #2 though. That way, the back of his jersey would read "FUKUDOME 2"
N8R

@ Thundercracker

Yeah, McCutcheon is next on the trading block.
Shockwave562

I guess I always liked Sci-Fi over fantasy. I'm with N8R in that I'm a little obsessed with what the future holds for all of us. I eat up new technology like no ones business so I enjoy seeing a future that someone else has dreamt up.

It's funny though because I've really gotten in to fantasy games, Oblivion and Morrowind were probably the first real fantasy games I got in to. Of course I love the Zelda series but it's about as much fantasy as it is RPG.

When I look back now I think it's hilarious that I thought Sci-Fi was cool and Fantasy was nerdy… lol. Is it just me or did fantasy become a lot more popular in culture because of the Lord of the Rings movies?

Newer Comments »

Coffee Talk #2: Fantasy Games vs. SciFi Games

Sponsors

Categories

Recent Comments

Support RPad.TV (please)!

Today's Poll

Buy RPad.tv Merchandise (Please!)