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Sci-fi novels deserving of an MMORPG?
Infliction
Member Posts: 1,115
Simply to counteract the thread "Fantasy novels deserving an MMORPG", I'm wondering what science fiction novels would make a good MMO. I haven't read a whole lot of the scifi genre, but... Maybe dune? Throw yer ideas out
Comments
Dune.
I put these in that other thread too, but they'd fit better here
Asimov's Foundation (THE original Sci-fi, if you havn't read this, and your a sci-fi fan, get on it in a hurry. These are the books that schooled George Lucas and Gene Roddenberry in sci-fi. What J.R.R Tolken is to fantasy, these books are to Sci-fi)
Pohl's Gateway (another great sci-fi series)
Douglas's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (my favorite book of all time, although I don't really think I want an MMORPG about it. It's so classic and perfect the way it is, I think any attempt to redo it would only ruin it. The movie wasn't a disgrace, but it didn't do the book ANY justice.
The Millenium Lee
I agree. Dune has alot to offer.
Many...
I would like to see at least Asimov: Foundation series, Philip K. Dick: Do androids dream of electric sheep (Bladerunner) and Charless Stross: Singularity Sky series. Dune doesn't feel scifi enough - it is more like adventure in desert. But you might get good game from it.
"I know I said this was my last post, but you my friend are a idiotic moron." -Shadow4482
I think the David Brin 'Uplift' Saga http://www.davidbrin.com/upliftbooks.html
The human race taking its first tentative steps in a universe filled with ancient powers and eons old conflict. The battle above the planet in Startide Rising has to be one of the most gripping things I have ever read. The whole 'uplift' and 'client' ideas could work so well...
I actually base some of my RP in EVE around the idea of uplift as I play an Amarrian and we are trying to 'enlighten/uplift' the Minmatar race which are our slaves...
Amarr Victor
lol, you really are clueless as to what Sci-Fi is.
Most people view Sci-Fi to be like Star Wars and like you mentiond Bladerunner....such a shame. It has alot more to offer then that.
Dune is far more Sci-Fi then Bladerunner. Alot more. Bladerunner is on earth in the future. Dune is on different planets, with ALOT of different races and political combat, and religious issues.
The TV series was bad, but good story wise. I suggest you see the movie and the TV series. Better yet, read the books.
Dune is massive.
I think it will be really REALLY hard to get some of the best sci-fi universes in a MMORPG game.
For example the Manifold series from Stephen Baxter is simply not possible in a MMORPG since it stories all happen in diffrent universes (manifolds).
Snow Crash is another book i really love but would be hard to code in a mmorpg (Real-Life and a virtual community in a mmorpg ?)
Dune is possible though but there is enough dune already so skip that one.
I said it in a previous post, I nominate TRON. Alot can be implemented when your dealing with the Online Computer World.
I miss the old (MCP) Master Control Program
The possibilites are limitless on creating a mmorpg about this movie. But as we know, alot of movie mmorpgs havent had much success, yet.
Hence Matrix Online and Star War Galaxies (NOW).
I noticed Lord of the Rings and Disney is putting out a Pirates of the Caribbean.
There is also Star Trek Online and Stargate Worlds.
I am a huge fan of Dune and while I would love to see a game, and I think the Dune universe would be great as an MMO, I think like many of the games they would botch it. Last thing I want to see in a game is several thousand Muad'Ib/Usal/Kwisatch Haderach's running around. The thought of that happening in LOTR Online makes me convulse enough as it is
Tron would be cool, but the winner on this thread so far would have to be Pohl's Gateway! Osyyrus you are a god for mentioning that. VERY adaptable to an online format. For one, there's the chance of dieing on a mission and plethora of solo or grouping opportunities.
I miss Imperator
Gorram Mythic killing it...
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Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. - Oscar Wilde
While The Isaac Asimov universe around Foundation would be awesome... There is one series of books that pawns in SF, and has all the elements to be godlike in the mmo genre:
Hyperion series by Dan Simmons, go read it quickly! Awesome setting, crammed with awesome ideas in every field of SF and I think it's quite original too.
Yes, prime SF indeed.
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lol, you really are clueless as to what Sci-Fi is.
Most people view Sci-Fi to be like Star Wars and like you mentiond Bladerunner....such a shame. It has alot more to offer then that.
Dune is far more Sci-Fi then Bladerunner. Alot more. Bladerunner is on earth in the future. Dune is on different planets, with ALOT of different races and political combat, and religious issues.
The TV series was bad, but good story wise. I suggest you see the movie and the TV series. Better yet, read the books.
Dune is massive.
I think that guy fails to recall the Dune games that have already come out. Dune 1 (1991), Dune 2 (1992), and Dune Generations (2001). All are RTS from what I can recall.
Am I missing any?
Cheers!
t0yb0x
PS - I believe Dune 1 and 2 are considered abandonware now. So a free download.
_______
Now Playing:
EQ2
Prior Games (in no order):
SWG, L2, RO, PT, ROSE, CoH/CoV, AO, UO, EVE, WoW and a bunch of others.
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Wee! Forums swallowing another post!
Anyway... Where was I. Ah yes... What novels?
Star Wars! (lol sorry)
I'd love a warped Philip K. Dick world tho.
As far as novels go tho... I have a VERY hard time finding written SF that I can enjoy. Alot of it is a bit too dullsville for me. As is w/ fantasy. Don't get me wrong tho... I do love to read and read fairly often. But the thing is I like my SF less spacey. I know that sounds weird, but that's just how it is.
I love reading Philip K. Dick tho.
Outside of actual novels... Logan's Run could make for an interesting game. Tho perhaps not an MMO. Hrm...
TBH I really want a revamped and new Star Wars universe. But that'll never happen.
t0yb0x
(think i'll sign things as -t from here on out)
_______
Now Playing:
EQ2
Prior Games (in no order):
SWG, L2, RO, PT, ROSE, CoH/CoV, AO, UO, EVE, WoW and a bunch of others.
_______
I'd love to see a Dragonriders of Pern MMO, though they'd probably screw it up hardcore.
Now with 57.3% more flames!
LOL That would be awesome, but would make a mess in the long run. There are gamers willing to kill themselves over games like RO and L2 as it is. "A Scanner Darkly Online" would just throw in some massive therapy bills to that lol ! Still would be cool. That or making games based on the PnP games Paranoia or Over the Edge...
___________~____________
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. - Oscar Wilde
I agree. Dune has alot to offer.
Seconded. Dune is my favorite sci-fi book, if not my favorite book overall. It would be a great setting for an MMORPG.
I also really love Asimov's work. It warms my heart to know that people still follow classic science fiction.
Oh well - I should have defined what I mean by science fiction in my first post...
I am normally dividing science-fiction/fantasy books to three main categories:
It has been couple years when I did read Dune last time and I might remember everything wrong, but if I remember right there was spice that was magically increasing lifespan and used to space navigation, sword fights were only way to fight against person who did have force shield, advanced computers were illegal and there was some kind special human breed that were able to replace computers partially, etc. After reading Dune, I was thinking: Ok great book, but not realistically possible. You would get good MMORPG from it (yes I know that there has been already done some average games from Dune) - but I wouldnt call it science fiction I would call it science fantasy MMORPG. Anarchy-Online is pretty good example from this kind game.
Science fiction shows way what could happened, if technology (or for example political situation) advances to some direction. It might show worst fears or best hopes. It attempts to predict future. Of course, if technology advanced long enough it is going to be magical from our point of view. But still good author might be able to explain this with scientific terms instead of rolling in almighty magic. Singularity Sky is pretty good example from this: there is ultra advanced human form that arrives to planet, drop small telephones to planet and ask from anyone who happened to pick up phone: Hello? Will you entertain us? From this absurd situation book will eventually evolve to pretty logical conclusions.
Singularity Sky is also good example that line between fiction and fantasy is very blurry. Some would say that Singularity Sky is more fantasy than fiction. I think that Dune is more fantasy than fiction, there is just too many magical and unexplained elements if someone disagrees, then I am not going to argue with that, because there is no clear line between science fiction and fantasy. Arguing from such thing would be pretty pointless and in fact difference between fiction and fantasy is so minimal that it would be just stupid waste of time.
But dammit, dont ever say again that I am clueless and I should read more sci-fi!
"I know I said this was my last post, but you my friend are a idiotic moron." -Shadow4482
Reply to Resetgun:
I'm glad to see someone else draws a distinction between real science and fantasy science.
Most sci/fi has some fantastical "science" in it that is more fantasy than science. Sometimes it annoys me and sometimes it doesn't.
If it's a good story I don't usually care if the author went off the deep end with his "science". There are some standard things that are pretty easy to accept for the sake of a story, like faster than light travel. Some things are harder to overlook and then whether it annoys me or not depends entirely on the quality of the story and the writing.
I'll say that fantasy science bothers me the least when it's obvious that that's what it is. When the author is just replacing magic with psuedo science and isn't really trying to hide the fact. A good example of this would be "Lord of Light" by Roger Zelazny.
Fantasy science bothers me the most when it is presented as legitimate science. As if we're all too stupid to tell the difference. You see a lot of that in Star Trek. It gets the most annoying when they spend fifteen minutes talking about it and tossing around big words to try to make it sound authentic when it's really just a load of BS. I can accept gimmicks to further a story but don't waste my time with a lot of meaningless babbling about something that we all know is just a gimmick.
But back on topic, I'm not sure if any of the sci/fi books I've read would make a good MMORPG. Maybe something in Larry Niven's -Known Space- universe. Lot's of fantasy science in that too, but oh well.
That's why I think Asimov's stuff is really great. If you string all his books together, they (in great detail) explain everything that happens between today's world and a world that is so removed from today that the human race has forgotten that we even ever came from earth. A lot of people don't realize that books like I, Robot all the way through his last books are actually in the same setting, they just tell different parts of the same timeline. It's kinda funny too cause he writes them in such a way that you don't even realize it until you get towards the end of all his books, that they actually tell the same story. There is SO much detail in there. Oh, BTW, for all you Foundation freaks out there, there is a movie being made as we speak. After the success of I, Robot, the movie community is having a good look at all of Asimov's stuff.
It's funny too, cause if you look at how our technology is growing, that kind of science fiction is turning into science fact. We have writers who dream things up and then we have scientists who fall in love with science BECAUSE of the things these guys dream up. Our science gears toward our science fiction, art imitates life imitates art kinda thing. Why do you think cell phones flip? Or computers can now talk. Robots investigating Mars. None of these things would have come about if it hadn't been writen as FICTION somewhere along the line.
http://www.themovieblog.com/archives/2004/06/asimovs_foundation_being_adapted_for_film.html
The Millenium Lee
lol, you really are clueless as to what Sci-Fi is.
Most people view Sci-Fi to be like Star Wars and like you mentiond Bladerunner....such a shame. It has alot more to offer then that.
Dune is far more Sci-Fi then Bladerunner. Alot more. Bladerunner is on earth in the future. Dune is on different planets, with ALOT of different races and political combat, and religious issues.
The TV series was bad, but good story wise. I suggest you see the movie and the TV series. Better yet, read the books.
Dune is massive.
Actually I've heard Star Wars being referred to as a 'Space Fantasy' more than it is a Sci-Fi.
It doesn't matter what your definition of science fiction is 'cause the rest of the world already has a definition for it...
Science Fiction: noun: A literary or cinematic genre in which fantasy, typically based on speculative scientific discoveries or developments, environmental changes, space travel, or life on other planets, forms part of the plot or background.
Dune is a Science Fiction novel written by Frank Herbert
Ive always thought Star Ship Troopers could be a good MMO. The PvE could be excellent im not sure how you could get PvP involved though.
I will have to agree with those who said Dune and the Foundation series. Both offer a vast amount of culture, planets, vehicles, NPC heroes, if the developers want to go that way, as well as just plane lore and history. I would definately be excited to see these two produced, preferable Dune, just because I think it has a bit more to offer a game.
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."
-Friedrich Nietzsche
The dividing line between "Science Fiction" and "Fantasy" is not clear-cut, most of the time when someome lists what's supposedly the dividing line they end up excluding almost all of what most people consider science fiction. Any definition that exludes the Foundation Series, Lensman series, and Ringworld series, just to name three, to say nothing of pretty much all movie and TV SF (no Star Wars or Star Trek) is pretty clearly a flawed definition, and exluding psionics excludes those.
Though Bluecoyote, spice in Dune was NOT just a geriatric drug, I don't see how you could possibly get that idea. Spice's biggest effect was on psionic powers, it's value as an anti-aging drug was secondary to the fact that the Navigator's guild needed its boost to prescient powers for space travel, and it's main effect in the story had nothing to do with its anti-aging properties.
Let me throw in a couple for consideration.
Larry Niven's novel Ringworld and sequals would be awesome as an MMO, huge amounts of land, most not covered in the novels but rich with backstory. They are part of a group of novels he did called the "Known Space" series.
Another that would kind of cross to fantasy would be an MMO based on Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series. Original "settlers" of Darkover crashed on a planet, outlawed ranged weapons and developed psychic powers over a few generations. I have to admit, I haven't read these in a long time but the world popped into my mind when I read the original post.
An old series by Robert Adams called the "Horseclans" would also make a good world. It is post-Apocolypse Earth. The stories are based around a culture created by a guy, Milo Morai, who survived the destruction because he is a mutant with unlimited regeneration. Basically he is immortal unless drowned or decapitated. There are a few other of these immortals through the stories.
Last one. Mars, based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter series. Those books also created an excellent sci-fi world and culture and jumping 20' in the air because of the lesser gravity of mars would be fun.
As I said, for consideration.
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NFWolfDude