Fantasy Races vs Sci Fi Species. Different or not?

[Big J Money]

By Sci Fi species, I'm referring to sentient and sapient species, for example the major races in Star Trek and Star Wars (Vulkans, Klingons, Mon Calamari, Wookies, etc)

Do you think there is any significant difference between the two? Do (or would) you tend to treat them differently in how you play or GM a campaign? Are there implications of being a fantasy race that are not true of a sapient alien race or vice-versa?

Or are they identical concepts in your mind?

I'm curious what different opinions are out there. Thanks for sharing.

Edit: hopefully made the line of inquiry clearer

 

[ART!]

I was going to say that the difference is that fantasy races can have magical origins and magical means of procreating or cross-breeding, but sci-fi has genetic manipulation and the like, so...?

 

[payn]

Dont see any difference.

 

[Umbran]

Do you think there is any significant difference in how players or game masters should treat fantasy races and such sci fi species in their campaigns?

How other people should treat them? No. I, personally, do think of them significantly differently. I prefer games that support treating them differently. But I don't hold that my preferences are in any way a superior such that there's some call for others do to what I do.

 

[Big J Money]

I prefer games that support treating them differently.

Can you give an example of one or more ways they can be treated differently? I realize that it's your preferred way in terms of fun or maybe immersion, and you aren't implying that it's the only way or the right way (I'm the same on that when it comes to a lot of these kinds of campaign choices).

Edit: I'm trying to figure out how to rephrase my question to get rid of the 'should'. I still want to hear from people who have strong opinons as well, though.

 

[billd91]

Same? Yes and no. Fantasy and sci-fi races are the same and should be treated the same in that they should reflect and encourage people to take a different point of view, show off different strengths/weaknesses compared to others.

But they're a bit different in the idea that fantasy races from the same world should probably be expected to have more in common - at least socially and historically - than sci-fi species that are from completely different worlds. I'd be more inclined to push some differences further for alien sci-fi races than I would for fantasy races.
At least some of the Traveller alien races are good examples of how far you can push differences and have fun with them. The K'kree are always strongly evocative with their militant herbevorism, extreme claustrophobia, and herd mentality. Aslan are also fun with their extreme divide between male and female roles. It may seem silly that male Aslan really don't understand technical skills (Q: How many male aslan does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: At least 5 because I've seen 4 trying...), but it makes for some strong role playing opportunities playing such extreme levels of differing mentalities and capabilities that may only be really acceptable (from a modern political standpoint) because they are so alien.

 

[Silvercat Moonpaw]

Since I don't necessarily care for there to be a dividing line between fantasy and sci-fi, I'd prefer not to treat them differently.

 

[Mind of tempest]

sci-fi has less hybrids depending on the setting

 

[Umbran]

Can you give an example of one or more ways they can be treated differently?

The first thing that comes to mind is that I'm okay with fantasy races that make no bloody sense.

YOu want 47 different kinds of elf that frequently interact, can interbreed, but somehow maintain distinctiveness for thousands of years? Cool. Dragonboobs, and Lizardfolk that don't have specific issues with cold? I'm good. Monocultures? I'm okay, so long as they aren't racist retreads. Dwarven cultures with dubious agricultural support? Go for it! Everything interbreeding with every other thing? That's fine. The mere existence of 17 peoples sharing the same ecological niche for thousands of years, with no regard for what makes for a viable breeding population? We almost insist on it!

What happens with fantasy races can be arbitrary, nonsensical, and not stand up to more than 5 minutes worth of consideration, and I. Don't. Care. I can wave my hands in the background whispering about magic that doesn't follow logic, and the whim of capricious deities, and there are no issues.

Except for Kender. Those guys are nonsensical, and really freakin' annoying. They can take a hike. Tasslehoff Burrfoot was not a typical member of his people - he didn't have wanderlust, he was exiled for his compulsive lying and callous disregard for the needs of others. Rather than address his issues he projected them into fictions about how all his people were just like him. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

In sci-fi, if you give me an alien race that doesn't hold up to two minutes of logical thought, and we will have words.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Since I don't necessarily care for there to be a dividing line between fantasy and sci-fi, I'd prefer not to treat them differently.

I agree! For example, I am a big fan of blending them together into Science Fantasy.

The biggest benefit? Well, you get to space the elves. Long life and trance doesn't help in the vacuum of space ...