Be Prepared for the Robot Apocalypse (part 1)

According to the article below, robots will be smarter than us by 2029. How does that make you feel? We've grown up with sci-fi books and movies warning us that robots will decide humans are a problem. Already, drones are far beyond simple remote-control weapons, and their AI's are being designed towards total autonomy. Should we fear a Robot Apocalypse? Plenty of people have already prepared for a supposed “Zombie Apocalypse,” a scenario that the CDC has actually promoted as a possibility. Even though zombies are far less likely than killer robots with rogue AI's, I've yet to read any warnings to being prepared for a Robot Apocalypse. This week, we'll take a few tips from the Solar Echoes robot talents and learn how to improve our chances at surviving when robots decide we're no longer needed on this planet.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/robots-will-be-smarter-than-us-all-by-2029-warns-ai-expert-ray-kurzweil-9147506.html

Why Sci-Fi? (part 5)

Does Solar Echoes ever stray towards the realm of fantasy? Perhaps slightly--the mysterious rift in space known in Solar Echoes as the “Voidsea” involves ancient artifacts that violate the known laws of the universe. In a way, this could almost be considered “magic,” but we are careful to confine these powers, which we justify by attributing them to extra-dimensional technology. Many sci-fi stories take the same route, whether it is magic such as “the force” in Star Wars being attributed to psionic discipline resulting from “midi-chlorians” inside human cells, or teleportation in Star Trek being explained as matter conversion to energy and back. These little side-steps still manage to fall within the realm of sci-fi because we can explain them in a somewhat scientific way, rather than having to attribute them to something supernatural. There is a degree of license that is taken when writing sci-fi, and there are many parameters that writers must navigate. Sci-fi is a tricky genre, but it is likely that part of its popularity is due to the excitement that such things might, someday, be possible.

Why Sci-Fi? (part 4)

Should Solar Echoes be considered “hard sci-fi?” First, let's define that term: Hard sci-fi “is characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail, or on scientific accuracy, or on both.” (Wikipedia) Soft sci-fi, on the other hand, “refers to science fiction stories which lack a scientific focus or rigorous adherence to known science.” Solar Echoes is a mixture, to be honest. In our universe, Faster Than Light speed (FTL) is common, and exists without time-travel paradoxes. Though this would seem to strongly lean towards soft sci-fi because it violates known laws, there are many examples of FTL that can be found in stories considered as hard sci-fi. The existence of numerous advanced alien civilizations in the Solar Echoes universe also leans towards soft sci-fi, yet this is also not exclusive to the soft sci-fi categorization. However, Solar Echoes is largely based around the currently understood laws of the universe—black holes will crush matter to oblivion and starship fusion engines can't be overclocked for more power, for example.

Why Sci-Fi? (part 3)

There are a lot of challenges when writing a sci-fi game or story. Unlike fantasy, there feels like there is a lot more accountability. If the story wanders too far from reality or too far from the known laws of our universe, it begins to segue into the realm of fantasy. Although that's not inherently a bad thing—I really enjoy fantasy and I'll always consider Tolkien a visionary genius for the genre—science fiction ceases to be if “magic” enters the picture. The challenge to sci-fi writers is to make it believable and not fantastical. Could it happen? No? Then it's probably not sci-fi. This makes writing in the genre quite difficult because it requires a tremendous amount of research. For instance, just writing about hacking in the Solar Echoes universe involved consultation with several people working in computer security. Reading information online wasn't enough—the security experts were needed to let me know what was already on its way out and what would be likely to survive into the future. Try to imagine a future with CRT monitors on spaceships and telephones with cords. While it's not impossible that things might have gone that way, it feels very unlikely considering where we are now.

Why Sci-Fi? (part 2)

Consider one of my favorite quotes from my wife, also a sci-fi fan: “There's nothing better than good sci-fi, but there's also nothing worse than bad sci-fi.” So true! But what is good or bad? We all have our favorite styles. Some love the corny style of “Lost in Space,” while others insist on the hard sci-fi of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” There are Star Trek fans, and there are Star Wars fans. There are even debates between loyalist factions around particular sci-fi icons about which would win in a fight—Aliens vs. Predator, for example. Some of the most heated arguments over preferences and categorizations can be found among the sci-fi community, probably more so than with any other genre. There are obviously a lot of challenges to overcome in order to gather a following around a new sci-fi universe. With so much disagreement and disparity, why risk an endeavor in a genre with such a volatile fan base? Our hope is that the sci-fi crowd will recognize our love for this genre and see it expressed in everything we've designed. We might not capture everyone's interest, but even if a small fraction of the sci-fi community enjoys our universe, it is worth it. Having fans fuels us to write more, develop further, and continue creating with the same fervor we had when we started.

Why Sci-Fi? (part 1)

I've been asked this question a number of times when I tell people that I am one of the authors of the science-fiction role-playing game, Solar Echoes. From a marketing standpoint, the sci-fi genre in role-playing games is not nearly as popular as the fantasy genre. If the online store at RPGNow.com and DriveThruRPG is any indication, there are at least three or four times as many fantasy games as sci-fi. Right from the start, it doesn't look like this niche within a niche has much of a chance of doing well, but dedicated sci-fi fans would tell you otherwise—we love our sci-fi, and if it's good, we'll hungrily devour as much of it as we can consume!

Expansionism and Opportunity in a Vast Universe (part 5)

The fascinating and seemingly least viable reason to explore and colonize space is often the one that compels us the most—because it's there. New frontiers have always beckoned the hearts of men, but not a one of us hasn't looked up to the stars to stare at the vast universe and wonder what is out there. It is no longer a dream of circumstance, where we might consider colonizing another planet if we happened to already have the capability to do so. Now, there are private companies like Virgin Galactic and Mars One that are extending the possibility to enter space, or even become a colonist, to anyone that would pay. These companies are putting together the necessary funds, technologies, and other resources to make it possible. A ride into space aboard a Virgin Galactic vessel is priced at $250,000, so it is clear that such ventures could eventually be seen as profitable. Private enterprises could fuel the future of space travel, exploration, and colonization, without the shackles of government bureaucracy.