Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen
Mind, I would actually count Space Opera proper as a fourth sub-genre...
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Here's where things get fuzzy, or at least resistant to consensus. Are those three things you mentioned actually sub-genres (and if so, of what? Space Opera? Sci-Fi itself?), or frameworks, or what? Is Space Opera a genre or sub-genre or a "lens" ("More fantasy elements!") atop a genre or sub-genre?
I'll leave that to people more versed in these things. I'll just say again that Space Exploration, Military Sci-Fi, and Scoundrels in Space (call them "broad concepts, possibly sub-genres if you will, within sci-fi and/or space opera") struck me as a neat trio for categorizing a lot of game and fiction concepts.
Many fiction concepts would seem to fit into one of the three:
Space Marines Bug-Hunters, or Frontline Rebels Against the Empire:
Military Sci-Fi.
"First-In" Scouts:
Space Exploration.
Space Pirates:
Scoundrels in Space.
Others might combine two:
Star Patrol:
Space Exploration +
Military Sci-Fi (in the guise of "Shoot 'Em Up Star Ranger Sci-Fi").
Scruffy Guerrilla Rebels Against the Empire:
Military Sci-Fi +
Scoundrels in Space.
Roguish Scheming Star Traders:
Space Exploration +
Scoundrels in Space.
(Hm, what would be the ambitious fiction/game concept that combines all three?)
In short, the three concepts struck me as a good trio for a hypothetical Space Opera boxed set to focus on. That's just my quick reaction, though; there may be far better ideas out there. Until then, though, I like your suggestion!