So, last week I gave examples of shows I’m drawing inspiration on, examples of the genre that I like and want to use.  On my Tumblr, I was asked if shows that pushed at the edges of my definition counted (specifically, the criminally unknown Outlaw Star and the terrific Babylon 5), and answered “They probably should!” […]

Read more "Keeping the Baby and Beaming Out The Bathwater"

A fair question. Well, for starters, heroic starship crew sci-fi is about: Heroes, Who are the crew (that is, an ensemble cast of characters), Of a particular starship. Yes, yes, that’s a very silly answer, but it’s also illustrative – think of all the science fiction out there that fails one of these three. Star Wars, for example, […]

Read more "What do I mean by “Heroic Starship Crew Sci-Fi?”"

This all started because of Mailanka’s GURPS Psi-Wars blog. Give that a look: it’s well worth your time to see him iterate a set of rules and a setting for something almost, but not quite, clearly a Star Wars knockoff – and his essay on why he isn’t converting Star Wars but rather creating his own (as it […]

Read more "Setting Off"