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One of my favorite things in scifi is when later movies/shows have to try to write around old design chocies.
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this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2023
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I feel like it was probably the fans that pushed the designs in the more realistic direction. You’ve got hyper-vigilant fans looking over every fucking frame in a show/movie, taking measurements, making calculations, writing to the network/studio, asking obscure questions at conventions, and not to mention many may be somewhat well-educated, it’s just gradually pushed modern designs in that direction. When I see all the little details in a show like The Expanse, it feels real and I appreciate the attention to detail.
When something seemingly awkward happens on-screen, like a spaceship doesn’t stop on a time, or their boots are magnetic because antigravity isn’t a thing, or whatever, and then you have to think about it for a moment, like, “Oh, that’s because of XYZ, now that makes sense!” I like those little moments.
I like sci-fi (and write it a bit) and nowadays authors are too concerned with avoiding criticism from audience and sounding realistic.
If there is a definitive genre for provoking thought and testing the limits of imagination it is sci-fi.
Who cares if something is not realistic and sounds completely impossible? I like the classical "there was once the certainty that it was impossible to reach the moon". It was never about being a problem but a challenge and we solved it.
The concept of the space elevator was developed by a physicist inspired by something in a sci-fi novel.
What tends to be overlooked as well is that sci-fi vies to warn about possible consequences of ill considered decisions and technological developments which are usually the first to be coveted by whoever enjoys the work.
Sci-fi should never feel the need to apologize.