How NOT to Conworld.

[Zumir]

I wonder how those would work if you had magic and technology being intertwined :P

Any magic is indistinguishable from technology?

[Chagen]

Something that turns me off from a conworld is slavish insistence on absolute realism. Yeah, realism is super-fun to incorporate into your conworld, but I don't need 3 paragraphs scientifically explaining how your conworld has purple sky. Just say "the sky is purple", jesus.

[CrazyEttin]

Something that turns me off from a conworld is slavish insistence on absolute realism. Yeah, realism is super-fun to incorporate into your conworld, but I don't need 3 paragraphs scientifically explaining how your conworld has purple sky. Just say "the sky is purple", jesus.

But... But... The calculations and technobabble are the most fun part of conworlding.

[Chagen]

Yes, but there's a limit, where you realize, "I truly have many better things to be doing with my time".

[Zontas]

Something that turns me off from a conworld is slavish insistence on absolute realism. Yeah, realism is super-fun to incorporate into your conworld, but I don't need 3 paragraphs scientifically explaining how your conworld has purple sky. Just say "the sky is purple", jesus.

Three paragraphs of about five sentences is both the minimum and the maximum if you're going with that approach. It does't hurt to do so if you have something un-annoying to back it up.

[Zumir]

Another thing that grinds my gears (yes, I used to watch Family Guy, stop looking at me like that) is when a culture is never developed passed a high concept, e.g. a militaristic culture, or a pacifist culture, or a culture centered around the arts.

(Was that all one sentence? Jesus.)

[cybrxkhan]

@Chagen: Some people conworld with the purpose of absolute realism, so they enjoy that stuff. Others don't. It's more a matter of preference, in my opinion. And it's also more so their problem for writing so much and in a boring way rather than the nature of their conworld. It's certainly possible to devise and explain and interesting reason why the sky is purple. That's my opinion at least.

That said...

Another thing that grinds my gears (yes, I used to watch Family Guy, stop looking at me like that) is when a culture is never developed passed a high concept, e.g. a militaristic culture, or a pacifist culture, or a culture centered around the arts.

(Was that all one sentence? Jesus.)

Totally agreed. Isn't it the thing that pops up in cliched fantasy and sci-fi all the time? i.e. Elves are ALWAYS pacifist (except for that one exception!), Klingons ALWAYS are social darwinists (or something like that), etc. etc. It's one thing to have stereotypes, but another to make them real.

[CrazyEttin]

@Chagen: Some people conworld with the purpose of absolute realism, so they enjoy that stuff. Others don't. It's more a matter of preference, in my opinion. And it's also more so their problem for writing so much and in a boring way rather than the nature of their conworld. It's certainly possible to devise and explain and interesting reason why the sky is purple. That's my opinion at least.

This.

I usually do the calculations and invent the necessary science stuff, but only let some of it in the actual description of the world, most of it being stored in my notes if needed. Even if you just end up saying "The sky is purple" it's good to know yourself why it is that colour, because it might affect the world in different ways than just the sky colour.

[zelos]

@Chagen: Some people conworld with the purpose of absolute realism, so they enjoy that stuff. Others don't. It's more a matter of preference, in my opinion. And it's also more so their problem for writing so much and in a boring way rather than the nature of their conworld. It's certainly possible to devise and explain and interesting reason why the sky is purple. That's my opinion at least.

This.

I usually do the calculations and invent the necessary science stuff, but only let some of it in the actual description of the world, most of it being stored in my notes if needed. Even if you just end up saying "The sky is purple" it's good to know yourself why it is that colour, because it might affect the world in different ways than just the sky colour.

I usually approximate things :P If there is a feasable answer I leave it at that and care none more.

[thetha]

Another thing that grinds my gears (yes, I used to watch Family Guy, stop looking at me like that)

I don't think Family Guy created that phrase, or even popularized it.

[zelos]

Another thing that grinds my gears (yes, I used to watch Family Guy, stop looking at me like that)

I don't think Family Guy created that phrase, or even popularized it.

Y'know what really grinds my gears? When people grinds my gears

[taylorS]

A Sci-Fi pet-peeve:

Aliens who all look like funny-looking humans (complete with fingernails and breasts) and can hybridize with us (like Spock's parents). It is highly unlikely for another intelligent species too look so similar to us. Yes, there might be some convergent evolution (opposible digits for using tools and reduced jaws because of cooking), but they will otherwise look very different. Read the novels of David Brin's "Uplift" universe for realistic aliens.

[taylorS]

@Chagen: Some people conworld with the purpose of absolute realism, so they enjoy that stuff. Others don't. It's more a matter of preference, in my opinion. And it's also more so their problem for writing so much and in a boring way rather than the nature of their conworld. It's certainly possible to devise and explain and interesting reason why the sky is purple. That's my opinion at least.

That said...

Another thing that grinds my gears (yes, I used to watch Family Guy, stop looking at me like that) is when a culture is never developed passed a high concept, e.g. a militaristic culture, or a pacifist culture, or a culture centered around the arts.

(Was that all one sentence? Jesus.)

Totally agreed. Isn't it the thing that pops up in cliched fantasy and sci-fi all the time? i.e. Elves are ALWAYS pacifist (except for that one exception!), Klingons ALWAYS are social darwinists (or something like that), etc. etc. It's one thing to have stereotypes, but another to make them real.

You forgot the Ferengi.

[CrazyEttin]

A Sci-Fi pet-peeve:

Aliens who all look like funny-looking humans (complete with fingernails and breasts) and can hybridize with us (like Spock's parents). It is highly unlikely for another intelligent species too look so similar to us. Yes, there might be some convergent evolution (opposible digits for using tools and reduced jaws because of cooking), but they will otherwise look very different. Read the novels of David Brin's "Uplift" universe for realistic aliens.

Recommendation of Uplift series seconded.

And yes, rubber forehead aliens are annoying.

[eldin raigmore]

A Sci-Fi pet-peeve:
Aliens who all look like funny-looking humans (complete with fingernails and breasts) and can hybridize with us (like Spock's parents). It is highly unlikely for another intelligent species too look so similar to us. Yes, there might be some convergent evolution (opposible digits for using tools and reduced jaws because of cooking), but they will otherwise look very different. Read the novels of David Brin's "Uplift" universe for realistic aliens.

Also read Robert Silverberg's "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex". He mentions that Lois Lane has more genes in common with an ear of corn than with Superman.

[Lambuzhao]

Micamo, way in the beginning, was absolutely right -

There are not enough "pools of sentient acid" on conworld fiction.

[Micamo]

Also read Robert Silverberg's "Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex". He mentions that Lois Lane has more genes in common with an ear of corn than with Superman.

And yet, they were able to make babies together.

Hooray, biology?


So I just reread this entire thread and it gave me a horrific idea: Eroworld, the conworld consisting solely of various sexual fetishes. Who wants to help me with this one?

[Ànradh]

*snort* Pass... Since joining this forum, I've realised that any kinks I have are so mild that they'll be covered (and then some) by essentially anyone else here...

[thetha]

So I just reread this entire thread and it gave me a horrific idea: Eroworld, the conworld consisting solely of various sexual fetishes. Who wants to help me with this one?

Ooh! What if there's a specific fetish for each little society, and it dominates their culture; like the foot fetish people have a writing system that looks like a bunch of feet, and they never wear shoes. And people think ingrown toenails are curses.

[hubris_incalculable]

Monobiomic planets. Hurggg.

I'm looking at you, Star Wars.