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<blockquote data-quote="Bloodstone Press" data-source="post: 1220283" data-attributes="member: 12468">I've been kicking around some ideas about a steam-age sci-fantasy setting too. I've been reading up on the literary elements of both genres and thinking about ways to combine them. I've also been studying several other settings that combine those elements.&nbsp; It seems an increasingly popular thing to do...&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the definitions of the differences between sci-fi and fantasy I’ve seen is&nbsp; &quot;'Science fiction deals with improbable possibilities, fantasy with plausible impossibilities.”&nbsp; In my opinion, there are only two genres; sci-fi and fantasy. The term &quot;science fantasy&quot; is like the term &quot;half-elf.&quot; it isn't really one or the other, but a little of both. However, all such stories can be grouped into one of those two genres. Either they are sci-fi with fantasy elements added. Or they are fantasy with sci-fi elements added. &nbsp;Although Star Wars is in the gray area of &quot;science Fantasy,&quot; I think it is ultimately a fantasy story with sci-fi elements added to it. &quot;A long time ago... far, far away&quot; is almost synonymous with &quot;once upon a time.&quot; Not to mention the clear themes of good/evil and religion. And let’s not forget the swords, princesses and knights. &nbsp;I don't see Buck Rogers as being in the gray area of &quot;science fantasy&quot; at all. I think it is clear sci-fi. It is more an improbable possibility than a plausible impossibility, to me. I would put Star Trek, anything post apocalyptic like Thundarr or Mad Max, and all of Asimov's work in the sci-fi category too. &nbsp;For me, the question of &quot;possibility&quot; depends on whether the setting is based on a supposed future or alteration of our own world or not. If the answer is &quot;yes&quot; then the story probably, but not always, falls into the Sci-fi category.&nbsp;If the answer is &quot;no. The story takes place in an imaginary time or place that isn't a supposed future or alteration of our current real world.&quot; then I think it is most probably, but not always, a fantasy story.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Bloodstone Press, post: 1220283, member: 12468"] I've been kicking around some ideas about a steam-age sci-fantasy setting too. I've been reading up on the literary elements of both genres and thinking about ways to combine them. I've also been studying several other settings that combine those elements. It seems an increasingly popular thing to do... One of the definitions of the differences between sci-fi and fantasy I’ve seen is "'Science fiction deals with improbable possibilities, fantasy with plausible impossibilities.” In my opinion, there are only two genres; sci-fi and fantasy. The term "science fantasy" is like the term "half-elf." it isn't really one or the other, but a little of both. However, all such stories can be grouped into one of those two genres. Either they are sci-fi with fantasy elements added. Or they are fantasy with sci-fi elements added. Although Star Wars is in the gray area of "science Fantasy," I think it is ultimately a fantasy story with sci-fi elements added to it. "A long time ago... far, far away" is almost synonymous with "once upon a time." Not to mention the clear themes of good/evil and religion. And let’s not forget the swords, princesses and knights. I don't see Buck Rogers as being in the gray area of "science fantasy" at all. I think it is clear sci-fi. It is more an improbable possibility than a plausible impossibility, to me. I would put Star Trek, anything post apocalyptic like Thundarr or Mad Max, and all of Asimov's work in the sci-fi category too. For me, the question of "possibility" depends on whether the setting is based on a supposed future or alteration of our own world or not. If the answer is "yes" then the story probably, but not always, falls into the Sci-fi category. If the answer is "no. The story takes place in an imaginary time or place that isn't a supposed future or alteration of our current real world." then I think it is most probably, but not always, a fantasy story. [/QUOTE]

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