Why so serious? Or can someone summarize the negativity

We don't use nukes on-planet here-and-now, either.

Doesn't mean that MAD still isn't a thing.

Habitable planets are expensive.

 

This terminology annoys me a little bit, it implies that there is a one true sci-fi (which quickly devolves into the No True Scottsman Fallacy) and can be rather dismissive of other forms of the genre. Given how large and nebulous the term Sci-fi is it's better to break stuff down into its sub genres.

Is infinity Hard Sci-fi? God no. It's more in line with a Space Opera like The Culture series with a heavy dose of Cyber-Punk on the side.

 

Uh, am I on the right thread?

 

I'm not at CB and I'd shitpost about it.

Hell, I remember when Guges was a regular.

No, you're on the left one. The right one is the other way.

 

Remember that MAD is not limited to nukes. It covers the whole gambit of weapons of mass destruction. If I lived in the Human Sphere I'd be more worried about tailored bio plagues and nanotech (which has already happened in the setting). Are PanO and YJ willing to deploy such weapons? I think they're as willing as the Soviet Union and the US about dropping nukes on each other (which was never).

Before anyone also bring up that shitty "this is the future" argument again I'll just say Gutier isn't some Nostradamus. The history of the human sphere parallels our real world kind of well (with a few changes). Those Neo-colonial wars look awfully suspicious like the world wars. Out of that a cold war came about between the two super powers (huh, whey does this sound so familiar as well). One one side you have the evil eastern power and on the other the goodie toe shoes western power (yeah they do nothing wrong cause they're the dudes in blue). Between them you have the smaller powers stuck in this cold war and making sure they don't get swallowed up the bigger fisher. The band of misfits who have a penchant for turning outdated tech into something worthwhile and don't have a lot of friends to count on in a sea of hostility (a little like Israel). Then we have the golden age of Islam reincarnated with Haqqislam (Jihad is bad for business). You then get the Mary sues of the universe with Ariadna. Those three powers have come together to form a loose alliance to keep themselves out of the talons of PanO and YJ (helps that O-12 is also much more powerful then it's real world cousin the UN). Toss in the aliens and an AI to round out the sci-fi elements.

So to say that the setting of Infinity isn't our world is kind of disingenuous because it really looks like a mirror to ours during the Cold War. Gutier is influenced by his experiences and his knowledge (looks at the Nomad symbol and the Popular Front symbol from the Spanish Civil War... hmmm). Those influences and experiences informs his writing (like all authors). Yeah, it might be seen through a pulpy, anime aesthetic, and cyberpunk lens but damn if I can't draw some parallels to ours.

 

There's some meaty talk here about the interactions/implications of MAD, planet-killers, and politics in the Infinity universe.

Totally deserves its own thread, rather than getting lost in the drek of this one.

Anyone want to fork the topic into its own thread?

 

I'm not saying the Infinity fluff is amazing sci-fi, but the best examples of the genre aren't about asking "what if...", but making allegories. And, honestly, if you come from a European perspective, then the analogy of separist forces tearing apart trans-national political entities can't be missed...

 

What!? When has there been an example in history of a separatist force breaking away from its parent empire in a remote location, (much to the chagrin of the native populace), all while aided by the one of the parent empires greatest adversaries!? As an American I find the idea absolutely ludicrous, and a clear example of poor writing.

And keep in mind while answering my question: I have a Fine Arts Degree and am a learned student in the Human Condition.

 

Brexit. Means, Brexit...


Edit: It was all too late that I realised what you meant... still, enjoy your giant bronze lady-statue...

 

I miss Comic Sans so much.


But I don't have an issue with the idea of the Uprising, just the execution of it.

We've tried that several times.

Those threads have mostly gotten locked, as they were discussions/complaints about the believability of the fluff of the Uprising. I think the one that hasn't been locked is the 'Space Combat in the Human Sphere' thread.

 

What you're referring to is the US, but that's like Shentang or Aconticimiento declaring independence. What JSA is more closely related would be Ireland and that took a hell of a lot more than just 5 (or even 10) rebellions, some of which ended with counter-rebellion hanging the ring leaders before the Beefeaters landed in Dublin.

 

Hey man, easy, easy! Not every space opera or anime fan understands that having an effective intrasolar system cargo traffic immediately leads to having massive WMD presence in said solar system :D

 

@Ariwch

Yep, but every DECENT Anime Fan SHOULD known of "Mobile Suit Gundam". . . . .where one of the "Antihero Villain" of the serie, Char Aznable, often foiled by the "Hero" Amuro Rey, wondered if the "O'Neill Colonies" (20x5 Km. cylinders "Vivarium" styled space stations set at Lagrange Points of Gravitic Equilibrium between Moon and Earth) would make a nice, big boom (Dinosaur Extinction level "Boom!") if launched on the head of his Nemesis. . .

Then, in the Anime / Manga Timeline, just some years later one of the most advanced O'Neills, an Hydroponic "Garden Paradise" where THOUSANDS of Solar Mirrors enabled the lush growth of ALL manners of nourishing vegetables, is QUICKLY transformed in an IMMENSE "Solaser" (Solar Powered Laser) able to effectively "Melt Away" whole fleet of Military Starships. . .

And this is 20+ Years Old tropes of Sci-Fi Mangas AT LEAST SLIGHTLY grounded in Hard Physics but that were UNFORTUNATELY "buried" under "Way Cooler" styles of "Sci-Fantasy" Animes like Evangelion (where the Enemies were "Reality Warping Extradimensional Horrors" more UNCOMPREHENSIBLE than those of Lovecraft !!) or by "Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagaan" (whose absurd "Physics Defying" appeal I honestly NEVER comprehended). . .

. . . . .

The problem is that EVERY Infinity Fan has HIS OWN BRAND of preferred "Sci-Fi Anime Inspiration" and tend to EXCLUDE the others. . .

@Section9 , as could CLEARLY comprehended by the chosen Nickname and Avatar (Batou of Ghsot In The Shell) like more something that is GROUNDED in Reality (as an Ex Military Police Soldier myself I TOTALLY CONCUR); others like more something that has AS MUCH REALITY-STRICT RULES than "My Little Pony" ("YAY! FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC!! BEST DAY EVER !!! By befriending Discord, DRACONIC DEMON LORD OF CHAOS, I TAME HIM !!!"). . .

For Me an Anime Girl of Infinity SHOULD be like Major Motoko Kusanagi, field deploying in Army Camo, with SENSIBLE Boots and a Woman Fatigue Suit. . . . .for other is Atalanta, a Heavy Sniper Riflewoman DRESSED AS "SAILOR MOON" !!!

. . . .

To each One His PREFERRED "Anime Waifu" BUT PLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEEE. . . RESPECT the Opinion of Others. . .

 

But... But... But there IS a soft SF MLP interpretation story that ties MLPverse and Eclipse Phase-like setting! So no necessity in denying credibility in HS!

 

Take some asprin before reading.

 

Approach with your preferred hard liquor as well.

 

I'm pretty sure encouraging GI bleeding is bad form.

 

You are amazing and I love you but...also...double your meds.

 

No way, @stevenart74 is much more fun off them!