NationStates Jolt Archive

Your favorite sci-fi "universe" from those listed and why so?

IF OTHER Describe

Ian M Banks' Culture universe.

Mainly because it's just so cool, the books are really well written and it has ships that are smarter than people and actually captain and repair themselves so the crew are just along for the ride. I guess that appeals to the loafer within me.

I adore the "Otherland Series" by Tad Williams. It's the same universe as ours... sort of. Thats probably the best Sci-fi I've ever read. The Ekumen series by Ursula K Le Guin is awsome too, especially "The Left Hand of Darkness".

Your favorite sci-fi "universe" from those listed and why so?

IF OTHER Describe

Poor list. You include Andromeda but leave out Stargate? What the crap?

I voted Trek, but only out of this list. I might have voted Stargate had it been included. It would definitely have been a hard choice to make, at least.

I like SW but that's space opera...

"Real" sci-fi I really like:

Asimov (although I don't like the psionicism in the Foundation cycle, it's too "magic"; but the Robots cycle (Caves of steel etc) rulez, and hooray for Susie Calvin and Lucky Starr). And the Asimov spin-off "Caliban" books by R.McBride Allen. Also I think that "The Gods themselves" is the one most original pieces of literature ever written.

O.S.Card's Ender books. Neh?

The Orion books and the Berserkers books have quite good ideas.

Robert Heinlein, Philip Dick, Ray Bradbury...

And many, many others.

As a general rule of thumb, I think that the best sci-fi doesn't focus on tech and science. It focuses on how people react to the issues generated by new tech and science.

Among the list, I choose Hitch Hiker's.

Halo! Halo, Halo, Halo!

...

Halo!

:p

But seriously, its a great science fiction universe, and much more richly imagined than most people think. Zanzibar Island and the East African Protectorate, the Kiswahili slums of Old Mombasa, the road to Voi, the fall of Reach to the Covenant, the fall of High Charity to the Flood, first contact at Harvest, the rebels of the Outer Colonies, the siege of the Inner Colonies, the Sentinel Wall, the attack on the Control Room, the Silent Cartographer, the South African refugees of planet Biko, the Forerunner hieroglyphs, the Pillar of Autumn, the Rainforest Wars, the Stalk of Black Corn, the mysteries of ONI, the Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine... so many interesting settings and events.

[/fan gibberish]

Hmm... seems most options on the list are foremost known as tv-series or movies... And here I thought the thread would scratch more than the surface...

Risottia I can only agree. Still, I would've voted WH40K RT if I could. For the sheer insanity.

As a general rule of thumb, I think that the best sci-fi doesn't focus on tech and science. It focuses on how people react to the issues generated by new tech and science.


So true. Human interactions, when put out of the normal everyday earth-life, are what drives good SF, not warp engines or antimatter rayguns. There are two different schools in Sci-fi though... the tech-lovers and the psykology-fans. I'm definitly the latter. Have you read Le Guin?

As much as I love Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate and pretty much every other SciFi universe, my choice is clear:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/ImperialEagleRotating.gif

As much as I love Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate and pretty much every other SciFi universe, my choice is clear:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/ImperialEagleRotating.gif

for the Imperium

We's be waitin fer yoo pansy humies! Send us some's dem spass marinades. We likes dem krunchy.

As much as I love Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate and pretty much every other SciFi universe, my choice is clear:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/ImperialEagleRotating.gif

The choice is clear for me too:

http://www.uwplatt.edu/web/webstandards/WiLS/pix/smile.gif

The choice is clear for me too:

http://www.uwplatt.edu/web/webstandards/WiLS/pix/smile.gif

Is that a self portrait? :p


...Star Trek, followed closely by StarCraft.

Is that a self portrait? :p



Artist's conception. :)

Star Wars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mongo

I think a lot depends on the medium. I read. So I picked Dune, though Hitchhiker's would have been a close second, because both were well written. Likewise, I enjoy LeGuin and Iain M. Banks (he whose name is misspelt so often).

Star Wars and Star Trek are just movies to me, and I don't even watch TV...

Oh, and Ben Bova's Mars series rocks for those who like near sci-fi, and Simmon's Hyperion series is not bad either.

the one a.e. schmitz's telzey amberdon stories are set in.

b5 and farscape are ok for those mentioned. or carol cherreh's one her chennur stories are set in. the one on the other side of the gate in jo claton's skeen stories. though not perhapse the one on this side of it. if it has to be something that came out of holyrude, the one henson and oz's dark crystal was set in, although that one is clearly and unapologeticly fantasy. yet even there it is more believable then any of the all or predominantly human ones.

suspension of disbelief is for me the main thing, and i simple cannot suspend disbelief in a universe in which earth's human species is anything more then the new kids on the block.

=^^=
.../\...

This poll is made of enormous fail for lacking Dr. Who. For shame!

Star Wars.

Anyone who's spent any time around here at all knows how I voted. ;)

Wow, I like Star Wars, mostly because I prefer space opera than sci-fi deep engineering crap, like star trek.

But well, then again, I am a journalist and a script writer, not anything at all related to hard science, and I think such preferences has a lot to do with what you really like in real life. I remember my first shock in a subject at the university, called "Science Fiction films", was to discover that Star Wars wasn't a proper sci-fi movie, but more a fantasy movie in a futuristic setting.

And the foundation series by Asimov, well, I love the concept of "psycohistory", although I read the books in spanish, and I have no idea about the possible translations in english.

I like a lot the Warhammer 40,000 setting, after reading a pair of books about the subject years ago.

Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy is an hybrid of sci-fi and humour, so as Star Wars, it is not a proper sci-fi theme at all.

Wow, I like Star Wars, mostly because I prefer space opera than sci-fi deep engineering crap, like star trek.

It's not all that deep really, when all you need to do to solve any problem you encounter is reverse the polarity of some piece of your equipment. :p

Meh, the best part is when you hear some trekkie saying that Star Trek is a plot filled with deep psychological drama. It is not, it is about science, you like it?, ok, but do not confuse things.

We used to laugh hard at those. Hard.

1984

The original Battlestar Galactica universe tied with the alternate universe in Star Trek that harbors the Terran Empire.

The original Battlestar Galactica universe...

The original? Ew.

So true. Human interactions, when put out of the normal everyday earth-life, are what drives good SF, not warp engines or antimatter rayguns. There are two different schools in Sci-fi though... the tech-lovers and the psykology-fans. I'm definitly the latter. Have you read Le Guin?

Just a couple of short novels, and I can't remember the titles (least of all in english) right now. Interesting, very insightful; but I don't like her prose too much.

Galaxy Quest or Red dwarf

1984

That's not sci-fi. It's reality.

Oceania (USA+UK) ruled by B.B. (Bush+Bliar) who manipulate reality to achieve total consensus.
1985: "we are allied with the muslim afghani rebels against the Evil Empire"
2002: "we are allied against the evil muslim afghani terrorists, we always have been"

Oh damn, this is a hard one. Serenity or BSG... hmm...

I will go for BSG, but Serenity is close behind. What can I say, I like scifi with some eliments of realism (as in non-perfect humans, no aliens, and with characters that I can understand and relate to) in it with minimum technobabble.

The original? Ew.The original BSG universe was awesome. I loved the collection of colonies, abandoned prison posts, and cylon bases the Galactica came across. The new series is better than the old, but I believe the original series had the more compelling atmosphere and more interesting universe.

The original BSG universe was awesome. I loved the collection of colonies, abandoned prison posts, and cylon bases the Galactica came across. The new series is better than the old, but I believe the original series had the more compelling atmosphere and more interesting universe.

I loved it as a kid, too, but now I just can't take the overwhelming cheese factor.

I loved it as a kid, too, but now I just can't take the overwhelming cheese factor.

I never saw the original bsg before, only bits and pieces. After watrching the little bit that I have, I found it incredibly cheesy in way that only the 80's could make. Also Starbuck is a guy WTF... :)

I never saw the original bsg before, only bits and pieces. After watrching the little bit that I have, I found it incredibly cheesy in way that only the 80's could make. Also Starbuck is a guy WTF... :)

And Boomer's a black guy, not a hot Asian chick.

That's not sci-fi. It's reality.

Oceania (USA+UK) ruled by B.B. (Bush+Bliar) who manipulate reality to achieve total consensus.
1985: "we are allied with the muslim afghani rebels against the Evil Empire"
2002: "we are allied against the evil muslim afghani terrorists, we always have been"

It used to be though...maybe I will go with Captain Scarlet instead.

And Boomer's a black guy, not a hot Asian chick.

but Boomer is still a cylon right... and Colonel Tigh is still a raging Alcholoic who has a blackbelt in tigh-fu? :) *Goes and hides in the corner, after realizing I have reverse G.I.N.O syndrome.*

I loved it as a kid, too, but now I just can't take the overwhelming cheese factor.I'm not talking about the show as a whole, just the setting. And that one is pretty much unrivaled.

I never saw the original bsg before, only bits and pieces. After watrching the little bit that I have, I found it incredibly cheesy in way that only the 80's could make. Also Starbuck is a guy WTF... :)Hey, don't diss Dirk Benedict! :D

but Boomer is still a cylon right... and Colonel Tigh is still a raging Alcholoic who hits women? :) *Goes and hides in the corner, after realizing I have reverse G.I.N.O syndrome.*

GINO? Glad I'm Not Old? :upyours: :p

No, the Cylons in the old series were all robots. They didn't have "skinjobs."

Hey, don't diss Dirk Benedict! :D

That guy was the epitome of early '80s cheese.

GINO? Glad I'm Not Old? :upyours: :p

No, the Cylons in the old series were all robots. They didn't have "skinjobs."

HAHA, satire my friend satire :) (and typos to boot)

HAHA, satire my friend satire :) (and typos to boot)

I know. That's why I added this to my response: :p . ;)

That guy was the epitome of early '80s cheese.I guess you hate the A-Team, too. :D

I know. That's why I added this to my response: :p . ;)


I knew you knew, I was clarifying for all of those in internet land who might think I am serious :) Besides Dirk Benedict smoked cheap cigars, at least Kate Sackoff smokes cubans, oh I went there whats up now... :)

I guess you hate the A-Team, too. :D

Um...you didn't see my A-Team thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=520049), did you? ;)

For "Universe" I voted for Trek...but my favorite Sci Fi is Philip K. Dick by a mile. Robert Heinlein is rather good as well. His Starship Troopers book is sooooooooo much better than the movie, which I actually enjoyed as well.

Of the ones on the poll, I'd say Firefly/Serenity. But my favourite of all time is David Weber's Honorverse. It's such a magnificently constructed universe, with so much potential to tell stories in...:D

I loved it as a kid, too, but now I just can't take the overwhelming cheese factor.

That is my position on the two BSGs. Though I would love to watch it again -- but I might have to do it in small bites. ;)

For the poll, I'm a B5 fan. I really love the new BSG and consider it a close second, but it falls in second place in my mind for two reasons: (1) I'm not sure the story-arc has been completely designed (they are just making it up as they go along and doing an awesome job at it), and (2) the universe seems small without some other contact than the cylons and colonies.

That is my position on the two BSGs. Though I would love to watch it again -- but I might have to do it in small bites. ;)


I made the mistake of sitting through a bunch of them in a row on the Sci-Fi Channel, when I was home sick two or three years ago. By mid-afternoon, I just couldn't take it anymore. Once the nostalgia factor wore off, I was left sitting there, saying to myself, "I sued to think this shite was cool?!?"

And since when do you venture into General? :p

As much as I love Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate and pretty much every other SciFi universe, my choice is clear:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/ImperialEagleRotating.gif

I agree. How come thats not a choice?

On that list I'd pick Star Wars of course, although the Farscape universe is a close second.

Not on the list though is the Honorverse, the universe in the books written by David Weber. Awesome books that any sci-fi lover should read. :)

Um...you didn't see my A-Team thread (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=520049), did you? ;)No, I hadn't :(
Howling Mad ftw! :D

Your favorite sci-fi "universe" from those listed and why so?

IF OTHER Describe

You actually listed Foundation in the poll.

:fluffle:

No, I hadn't :(
Howling Mad ftw! :D

That's how I voted. :cool:

That's how I voted. :cool:Yeah, he's some character.

But now I can see what made you dislike the Original BSG. A marathon sitting is what ruined Friends for me.

But now I can see what made you dislike the Original BSG. A marathon sitting is what ruined Friends for me.

Nah, Friends ruined Friends. ;)

I loved it as a kid, too, but now I just can't take the overwhelming cheese factor.

Ditto to that.

Nah, Friends ruined Friends. ;)

And that. :p

Def WH40k. So gritty, so violent and it demonstrates what happens to a technologicaly advanced race who bases the entirety of their society on religion.

Definitaly Babylon 5.

The aliens arent cheesy. The technology seems funtional and efficient. The characters are deep and well developed. The whole series is a 5 parts epic.

The only thing that comes close is Battlestar Gallactica, but it is not finished yet, so you cant compare both. But the two have what every sci-fi series need: a good and interesting plot with good, deep and believable characters.

I never liked Star Trek. You can watch it in any order you want. All the episodes are stand alone. But in B5 and BG, if you miss an episode you miss a lot.

I agree. How come thats not a choice?

There are those who claim that 40k isn't sci fi, that it's fantasy with guns. Of course, I'm a raging 40k fan, so I don't care either way.

Definitaly Babylon 5.

The aliens arent cheesy. The technology seems funtional and efficient. The characters are deep and well developed. The whole series is a 5 parts epic.

The acting, though, was utter shite.

QUARK!!!!

Garbagemen in Space!!!

Just out of curiousity, is there somebody else's Andromeda to which one has to contrast Gene Roddenberry's one? If not, it seems pretty desperate to add the name just to lend some lustre...

Anyway, I voted for Star Trek, and Stargate, if it were there, would probably be second on my list.

Doctor Who

Though B5 and Firefly almost made it.

Doctor Who

The poll is a disgrace for ignoring that.

Star Wars = Silly mystical movie crap is not SF
Star Trek = Meh - TOS and TNG were watchable, DS9 was pretty good
Babylon 5 = OK melodrama
Battlestar Galactica = The original was OK for what it was
Dune = Second best off your list (unless you mean the awful movie)
Foundation (Asimov) = best off your miserable list
Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda = Haven't seen it
Farscape = Haven't seen it
Serenity = Haven't seen it
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy! = Original radio series, BBC series, and books were funny enough

All in all, I'd say the OP needs to read more and quit watching so much bad TV....

Just out of curiousity, is there somebody else's Andromeda to which one has to contrast Gene Roddenberry's one? If not, it seems pretty desperate to add the name just to lend some lustre...

Anyway, I voted for Star Trek, and Stargate, if it were there, would probably be second on my list.

Because that's the full title. Including his other one. Gene Roddenberry's Earth: Final Conflict

also missing from the list.
Space Rangers
TekWar
Space: Above and Beyond
Buck Rogers in the 25 Century
Flash Gordon
Logan's Run

also missing from the list.
Space Rangers
TekWar
Space: Above and Beyond
Buck Rogers in the 25 Century
Flash Gordon
Logan's Run


And Cowboy Bebop. :p

And Cowboy Bebop. :p

Oh... if we're adding ANIME to it...


the list will truely be endless! :p

and how could the OP forget about Blade Runner!

Changed my mind again and going with Futurama - I want to eat that bachelor chow

Changed my mind again and going with Futurama - I want to eat that bachelor chow

ANd drink Slurm. :)

HGG all the way out of the list here, but there should be an "Other". Had there been such an option, I would have expressed my dedicated Schlockism (http://www.schlockmercenary.com/index.html).

A couple people have suggested that SciFi isn't SciFi if it has a mystical element to it...

I couldn't disagree more. In fact, some of the BEST SciFi contains mysticism/spirituality. It HAS to be more than just high tech and aliens to be good. This, IMHO is where Star Trek fails. It's spiritually sterile for the most part. (Unless you're an alien)

Consider some examples:

Dune-The entire mythos of the Kwisatz Haderach was religious, even though the source of the mysticism was the Bene Gesserit. Consider also the Golden Path and the Spice rutuals.

Star Wars- The whole Force thing

Battlestar Galactica (original)-Adama was a deeply spiritual man and the series as a whole contained elements of Mormon theology to give it a coherent spiritual structure

Battlestar Galactica (new)-The Monotheism/spirituality of the cylons is one of their main motivators for their hostility against the colonials' polytheistic religion.

Babylon 5- Not only did it delve into the symbolism of human religion (The Vorlons/Shadows manipulations) but this series actually portrayed the religious lives of the main characters, and in some cases were essential to defining those characters. Even the humans.

Robotech- Demonstrated some religious identity in some of the characters, but most importantly the mystical aspectd of protoculture as it related to the Invid civilization gets fairly deep in the Sentinels storyline.

A notable exception to this is Firefly/Serenity, although the presence of the Preacher on the ship did add a spiritual element as it was a key component in his relationship with Malcolm.

I love Dune for its mysticism, and the depiction of aristocracy in a science fiction setting. The novels have a lot of subteness in them.

And yes the poll has some failings in choices, but remember I was going mainly for SPACE OPERA and sci-fi in space primarily. Stargate is in its own category in this way (less starships), Blade Runner is more cyberpunk at least what we see of it is, etc.

The acting, though, was utter shite.

It was good enough. IN the start it was shitty, but it improved (like everything else) over the five years.

And who cares anyway, Babylon 5 had Londo in it, the coolest and deepest sci-fi character ever.

I love Dune for its mysticism, and the depiction of aristocracy in a science fiction setting. The novels have a lot of subteness in them.

And yes the poll has some failings in choices, but remember I was going mainly for SPACE OPERA and sci-fi in space primarily. Stargate is in its own category in this way (less starships), Blade Runner is more cyberpunk at least what we see of it is, etc.

Ah in terms of space opera I'd choose Battlestar hands down (new).

It's the firefly universe, not serenity.

It was good enough. IN the start it was shitty, but it improved (like everything else) over the five years.

And who cares anyway, Babylon 5 had Londo in it, the coolest and deepest sci-fi character ever.

I would have said G'Kar, but really the two come as a set. Neither could have reached the depth they did without the other.

By far, my favorite sci-fi series is Wildcards. Wildcards is a book series edited by George R.R. Martin that takes place in a shared universe where an alien virus has given a small group of people superpowers and has mutated others.

What I like about the series, is that it takes the superhero genre and gives it an adult makeover. The characters are multi-dimensional, with more complicated motives than just "Let's put on a costume and fight crime!", there is no absolute good or evil here. Also the plot lines deal with more adult topics such as sex, drugs, torture and more sex. Even some of the characters themselves are adult oriented such as Fortunato who gets his power through Tantric sex or Captain Tripps who gets his through hallucinogenic drugs.

An excellent, well written series. See the Wikipedia article for more info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cards

I would have said G'Kar, but really the two come as a set. Neither could have reached the depth they did without the other.

Agree, both really did a lot to develop the other character.

Still, as much as I liked G´Kar, I thought Londo was my favorite.

By far, my favorite sci-fi series is Wildcards. Wildcards is a book series edited by George R.R. Martin that takes place in a shared universe where an alien virus has given a small group of people superpowers and has mutated others.

What I like about the series, is that it takes the superhero genre and gives it an adult makeover. The characters are multi-dimensional, with more complicated motives than just "Let's put on a costume and fight crime!", there is no absolute good or evil here. Also the plot lines deal with more adult topics such as sex, drugs, torture and more sex. Even some of the characters themselves are adult oriented such as Fortunato who gets his power through Tantric sex or Captain Tripps who gets his through hallucinogenic drugs.

An excellent, well written series. See the Wikipedia article for more info:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cards

check out http://www.secretworldchronicle.com/

I loved the Minbari, they were my favorite race in Babylon 5 though Babylon 5 is not my favorite universe. The Minbari were interesting (I have an roleplay sourcebook for them) with their caste system, etc.

<snip>

Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda = Haven't seen it
Farscape = Haven't seen it
Serenity = Haven't seen it

<snip>

All in all, I'd say the OP needs to read more and quit watching so much bad TV....

If you haven't seen them how do you know they're bad?

A couple people have suggested that SciFi isn't SciFi if it has a mystical element to it...

<snip>

A notable exception to this is Firefly/Serenity, although the presence of the Preacher on the ship did add a spiritual element as it was a key component in his relationship with Malcolm.

And also, you know, the fact that River was psychic.

Star Trek.

It is so realistic in terms of the political relationships among various factions. There is a large variety of races, ships, technology, etc.

And also, you know, the fact that River was psychic.

true dat.

Star Trek.

It is so realistic in terms of the political relationships among various factions. There is a large variety of races, ships, technology, etc.

I saw an interesting article a couple years back on Stardestroyer.net (http://www.stardestroyer.net) in which the plot of Star Trek:Insurrection was analyzed from a more practical point of view. It made for an interesting perspective in how the heroes aren't always the good guys, even if they're portrayed that way in the movie.

I saw an interesting article a couple years back on Stardestroyer.net (http://www.stardestroyer.net) in which the plot of Star Trek:Insurrection was analyzed from a more practical point of view. It made for an interesting perspective in how the heroes aren't always the good guys, even if they're portrayed that way in the movie.

Their funny, but I agree with the comments the Federation is almost Communistic in nature. There is a certain homogeneity and severity about the Federation. (Very little unstandard clothing, no money, centralized political and military command, little separation between civilian and military, very little private commerce, dictating directives, etc.)

Star Wars is not science fiction! I demand it be removed from the poll!

Their funny, but I agree with the comments the Federation is almost Communistic in nature. There is a certain homogeneity and severity about the Federation. (Very little unstandard clothing, no money, centralized political and military command, little separation between civilian and military, very little private commerce, dictating directives, etc.)

Agreed.

Sometimes it is said that the people of the Federation do not use money, sometimes they do. It seems like there are members of the Federation and Starfleet who use currency that originates from outside the Federation members themselves.

for the Imperium
The Emperor protects!
We's be waitin fer yoo pansy humies! Send us some's dem spass marinades. We likes dem krunchy.
For Fenris! For Russ! For the Emperor! Chaaaaaaarge!!!!! Awhooooooooooool! http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/Fenriswolf.gif
I agree. How come thats not a choice?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/Inquisition.jpg Do not ask. We have seen to it.
Def WH40k. So gritty, so violent and it demonstrates what happens to a technologicaly advanced race who bases the entirety of their society on religion.
Faith is my armour! Ignorance is my shield!

Thought of the day: "Blessed is the mind too small to doubt."

The Federation of Star Trek seems like communists as I said in an earlier post.

I guess everything has real world inspirations.

My favorite sci-fi series would probably be Ringworld by Larry Niven,
but since that's not listed I chose H2G2. I haven't read any of the other series, but I'm starting Foundation soon.

David Brin's Uplift universe is pretty fun. :p

Wow really surprised to see Farscape in this poll, was a DAMN good show, voted SW though, ahwell.

check out http://www.secretworldchronicle.com/

It looks pretty cool, I'll check it out. Thanks! :)

The original Battlestar Galactica universe tied with the alternate universe in Star Trek that harbors the Terran Empire.

Which is then squashed by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. I love the Alliance because Worf and Garak hold great power in it.

David Brin's Uplift universe is pretty fun. :p

if we're including books...

I would definiatly like to live in Anne McCaffery's world. Genetically Grown Dragons (Pern), Brain and Brawn ships, Fire Lizards!!!

It looks pretty cool, I'll check it out. Thanks! :)

I like 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Luck of the Devil'

One of the strengths of Star Wars is t hat generally no attempt is made to explain the technology. It's enough that it works and follows some consistent set of rules.

You get into trouble when you start trying to actually describe in detail how something works. It leads to inconsistency as well as the obvious: If we knew how it worked, we could build one.

By keeping the technology mysterious, we're not distracted by it and can focus on the characters and the plot.

That's not sci-fi. It's reality.

Oceania (USA+UK) ruled by B.B. (Bush+Bliar) who manipulate reality to achieve total consensus.
1985: "we are allied with the muslim afghani rebels against the Evil Empire"
2002: "we are allied against the evil muslim afghani terrorists, we always have been"

I wish I knew why Orwell called it Oceania when that's the name of the Australian continent.
Australasia's the name for New Zealand and Australia, by the way. (Just in case some pompous person decides to say that I'm wrong when in fact they're wrong.)

Ilaer

I wish I knew why Orwell called it Oceania when that's the name of the Australian continent.
Australasia's the name for New Zealand and Australia, by the way. (Just in case some pompous person decides to say that I'm wrong when in fact they're wrong.)

Ilaer

just got up but don't see one thing wrong with what you said

out of the list i had to choose Star Trek, however i would have said Star Wars but they just dont seem to be as technically comfortable. lame i know.

Stargate should have been listed!!
DeathLands is my favorite (novels, not TV)
and Serenity is actually Firefly

bump

While Star Wars isn't a hard science-fiction (more of a space opera), it is my favorite universe on the list (with the exception of the books, which kill it for me).

Still, I'm very sad that Known Space, the Larry Niven universe, was excluded. It's great reading, great setups, and the interactions are awesome. I'm a fan of how it suggests that we are controlled by our environments, no matter how much we terraform.

If you haven't seen them how do you know they're bad?

Because it's TV. For SF, the formula is always: Books > Movies > TV. Hence my comment that the OP needs to read more...

We's be waitin fer yoo pansy humies! Send us some's dem spass marinades. We likes dem krunchy.

My Templars and Cadians will turn your greenskin hides into puddin'!

It's the firefly universe, not serenity.

I'm glad I read this thread now, because I was going to call him on that...:)

I wish I knew why Orwell called it Oceania when that's the name of the Australian continent.

The Oceania of the book does possess the Oceania of Australasia. It's also the only one of the superstates in the book which is trans-oceanic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:1984_fictious_world_map.png


Australasia's the name for New Zealand and Australia, by the way. (Just in case some pompous person decides to say that I'm wrong when in fact they're wrong.)

Ilaer

No problem with that. However, Oceania is a geo-political region, not a continent, under the definitions I am aware of. (After that set up, somebody had to go and be pedantic. ;))

I gotta go with the Star Wars universe. I'm just a Jedi Junky.

Although the new Battlestar Galactica is unassailably cool.

GINO? Glad I'm Not Old? :upyours: :p

No, the Cylons in the old series were all robots. They didn't have "skinjobs."

Actually later on in the show when the Galactica discovers Earth (Set at contemporary 80s) the Cylons experiment with super-intelligent Skinjob navigation and weapons officers on the Raiders. One survived a crash landing on Earth with a Centurion and they tried to beam Earth's coordinates out to a Base Star.

What...no love for THIS (http://www.xmission.com/~layne/starcraft/images/zerg.jpg) guy? :p

my favorite isn't on the list

Larry Niven's Tales of Known Space universe

second favorite
Honor Harrington series

third favorite
David Drakes universe from the Hammers Slammers series

While Star Wars isn't a hard science-fiction (more of a space opera), it is my favorite universe on the list (with the exception of the books, which kill it for me).

Still, I'm very sad that Known Space, the Larry Niven universe, was excluded. It's great reading, great setups, and the interactions are awesome. I'm a fan of how it suggests that we are controlled by our environments, no matter how much we terraform.

good to see a fellow fan of Ringworld, the Protectors and the Kzin

(not to mention the Teela Brown gene.. I personally want that one myself)

Stargate was not included. So I voted Hitchhiker's Guide.

I actually like Miles Vorkosigan's universe.

It's the firefly universe, not serenity.



I was going to complain about this minor detail, but then had to remind myself that when I first clicked on this thread, I was expecting Firefly/Serenity to be left out.



I voted Serenity, btw, in case it wasn't obvious.

my favorite isn't on the list

Larry Niven's Tales of Known Space universe

second favorite
Honor Harrington series

third favorite
David Drakes universe from the Hammers Slammers series

Those are good choices all. Varley's Eight Worlds, and some of his related stuff, is damned good

Doctor Who.

Why two threads? They're exactly the same, near as I can make it.

Actually later on in the show when the Galactica discovers Earth (Set at contemporary 80s) the Cylons experiment with super-intelligent Skinjob navigation and weapons officers on the Raiders. One survived a crash landing on Earth with a Centurion and they tried to beam Earth's coordinates out to a Base Star.

Ah, right, I'd forgotten about that. The show really went downhill once they found Earth.

Ah, right, I'd forgotten about that. The show really went downhill once they found Earth.

Most fans deny the existance of Galactica 80, I believe ;)

I was going to complain about this minor detail, but then had to remind myself that when I first clicked on this thread, I was expecting Firefly/Serenity to be left out.



I voted Serenity, btw, in case it wasn't obvious.

You can't stop the signal :)

Most fans deny the existance of Galactica 80, I believe ;)

As well they should. It was bloody awful.

As well they should. It was bloody awful.

I personally like to deny the entire TOS, I mean come on pa Cartright in space, with star wars style weaponry... shutters... I also hate the fact that Tom Zerek is Apollo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kve1oGPjf8

I personally like to deny the entire TOS, I mean come on pa Cartright in space, with star wars style weaponry... shutters... I also hate the fact that Tom Zerek is Apollo.

Yeah, but Richard Hatch was one of the big reasons the new series got made. He pushed for years to remake the show. Without him, we might not have the new series.

Yeah, but Richard Hatch was one of the big reasons the new series got made. He pushed for years to remake the show. Without him, we might not have the new series.

Oh I like the actor he is great. His new character is very multi-deminsional, and no one knows what his intentions are. He is scarier than the cylons at times :) As before see link ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kve1oGPjf8

Oh I like the actor he is great. His new character is very multi-deminsional, and no one knows what his intentions are. He is scarier than the cylons at times :) As before see link ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Kve1oGPjf8

That is frackin' FANTASTIC! :D

As much as I love Star Wars and Star Trek and Stargate and pretty much every other SciFi universe, my choice is clear:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y223/GermanNightmare/ImperialEagleRotating.gif

Death to the Children of the False Emperor.:D

But it gets my vote all the same.

My Templars and Cadians will turn your greenskin hides into puddin'!
Well spoken. May the Emperor guide your aim!
Death to the Children of the False Emperor.:D

But it gets my vote all the same.
You shall be cleansed, traitorous scum!

Thought for the day: Carry the Emperor's will as your torch, with it destroy the shadows.

Star Wars (obviously) followed by Farscape, and Lexx. *misses Lexx*

Star Wars (obviously) followed by Farscape, and Lexx. *misses Lexx*

I miss it too

Anything by David Weber. Examples:

The Honor Harrington series.
Heirs of Empire series.
Empire of Man series.
The Stars at War
The Stars at War II

The Halo Universe. Very richly detailed. Read the books if you don't believe me.

Star Wars is a given. On that note they've got to make a movie out of the first Knights of the old Republic game.

A lot of people talk about the Halo Universe.


Another one I thought of is the Eve Online Universe, which actually has ALOT of theme.

I really like Star Trek, but if we're voting based on the universes then I have to pick Farscape. Some people say its tacky that they used muppets, but its much more likely than all aliens being completely humanoid.

It is the 41st Millennium. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Earth. He is the master of mankind by the will of the gods, and the master of a million worlds by the might of his inexhaustable armies. He is a rotting carcass writhing invisibly with power from the Dark Age of Technology. He is the Carrion Lord of the Imperium for whom a thousand souls are sacrificed every day so that he may never truly die.

Yet even in his deathless state, the Emperor continues his eternal vigiliance. Mighty battlefleets cross the daemon-infested miasma of the warp, the only route between distant stars, their way lit by the Astronomican, the psychic manifestation of the Emperor's will. Vast armies give battle in His name on uncounted worlds. Greatest among his soldiers are the Adeptus Astartes, the Space Marines, bio-engineered super-warriors. Their comrades in arms are legion: the Imperial Guard and countless Planetary defense forces, the ever-vigilant Inquisition and the tech-priests of the Adeptus Mechanicus to name only a few. But for all their multitudes, they are barely enough to hold off the ever-present threat from aliens, heretics, mutants - and worse.

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much as been forgotten, never to be relearned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the star, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting Gods.

Iron Within, Iron Without.

Stargate, followed by Star Trek, I think.

Though actually, the best one is the Perry Rhodan universe (the first couple of centuries thereof, that is).

change my answer...

VANDREAD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandread)!

oh to be there as the experimentation begins...

change my answer...

VANDREAD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandread)!

oh to be there as the experimentation begins...

interesting....

good old Blake Seven