Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) - Nerds protecting nonces

Divine right to rule said:
Most modern Science Fiction writers have no clue about science or technology.
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misconceptions that Current Year Clown World SF writers likely aren't aware -- nor seem to care -- are misconceptions:


- Misconceptions - Atomic Rockets (long and image-heavy page)
 
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ToroidalBoat said:
No Shipping Lanes In Space
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This one isn't quite accurate. If you're using torch engines or just regular low-speedacceleration space travel, there is the concept of the interplanetary (or interstellar) transport network, which is a gravitationally-determined path between bodies that makes use of their gravitational interactions to reduce the amount of energy required to travel. It changes slowly as bodies move, so you'll need to keep your charts reasonably up to date, but they provide all sorts of opportunities for things like waystations at certain points. Of course, I wouldn't expect this to be understood by $currentYear writers either. Anyone who does use it would get an immediate rank up in my estimations, because it means they did the minimal amount of research necessary to discover the concept.

That said, if you're using some high-falutin warp engine, meaning you can just zip straight from point a to point b, space shipping lanes will become a thing simply because of the density of trade between certain points. But again, that's probably something these people won't understand. They just use "shipping lanes" because they heard it mentioned once.
 
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teriyakiburns said:
This one isn't quite accurate. If you're using torch engines or just regular low-speedacceleration space travel, there is the concept of the interplanetary (or interstellar) transport network, which is a gravitationally-determined path between bodies that makes use of their gravitational interactions to reduce the amount of energy required to travel. It changes slowly as bodies move, so you'll need to keep your charts reasonably up to date, but they provide all sorts of opportunities for things like waystations at certain points. Of course, I wouldn't expect this to be understood by $currentYear writers either. Anyone who does use it would get an immediate rank up in my estimations, because it means they did the minimal amount of research necessary to discover the concept.

That said, if you're using some high-falutin warp engine, meaning you can just zip straight from point a to point b, space shipping lanes will become a thing simply because of the density of trade between certain points. But again, that's probably something these people won't understand. They just use "shipping lanes" because they heard it mentioned once.
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I'd like to expand on this as well. If we get to the point of multi station or satellite existence, then we will have to have some sort of systems. The most comparable and likely is to use a modified version of our waypoints in aviation. The routes are markers that are known points in navigation. They aren't mandatory, but are heavily used for simplicity and safety.

Theoretically you could use high mass objects with known travel paths and gravity fields to mark way points and create buoys for pings and relays. The cross sections of these known travel locations will become new waypoints.
Screenshot 2023-12-14 051154.png
 
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ToroidalBoat said:
It is a CIC not a Bridge
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I'd call this debatable, although it is correct to say the Bridge of the Enterprise is more like a modern CIC, so points for emphasizing real-world nomenclature.
First, it's not uncommon for terms to change their meaning in subtle ways. The tower on the back of a submarine is called a "sail" but it's not designed to catch wind to push the submarine around. I can imagine their deciding it's easier to say "Bridge" than "CIC."
Second, like a modern bridge, the bridge on the Enterprise is the highest crewed part of the ship.
 
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teriyakiburns said:
Anyone who does use it would get an immediate rank up in my estimations, because it means they did the minimal amount of research necessary to discover the concept.
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In one of John C Wright's "count to..." books, there is a period in the future where ships are using space sails propelled forward by a laser fired from the sending planet, and arrives by the receiving planet shooting the sail with a "slow down" laser. One book has a dramatic point where the "air traffic controller" is being asked to not send the "catch" signal and let the ship drift past the planet.

I need to pick it back up and finish it now that I think about it.
 
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ToroidalBoat said:
The site focuses on "hard SF" which is partly why it can look that way.
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Yeah this is a guide to hard sci-fi, really. And with some particular biases. 'Fuel is not reaction mass' which is technically true 'except for some confusing cases like chemical rockets'. Guess what 99% of all space thrusters built to date are and 100% of stuff that gets you into orbit? Guy seems to have a hardon for nuclear propulsion, and why not, but we don't really make those right now.

People already nitpicked the CIC/Bridge thing. It's almost natural the two functions would merge on a starship. And probably be called 'the bridge' because nothing, nothing dies harder than 'naval tradition'. Jean-Luc isn't going to care that "It's a CIC in the tradition of World War 2 and Lensman!" when his mental image is captaining a Napoleonic ship of the line.
 
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Commissar Fuklaw said:
What a great site but I could do without the snarky, autistic, no fun allowed, redditor writing
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Weird, I actually found it rather un-Reddit-like and enjoyably autistic to read. Reddit paedos (all redditors are paedos) are more "A thousand pardons for this mild criticism, all opinions are valid, allow me to whip myself as I apologetically correct something and then suck your cock" than "well ackchyually" these days.
 
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ToroidalBoat said:
Space Is Not An Ocean
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More debatably, spacecraft classes will probably not be named after naval ship classes (e.g., Cruiser, Battleship, Destroyer, Frigate, etc.), the military rank structure will probably be more like the Air Force instead of the Navy, and space pirates are highly unlikely.
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It makes more sense to name "spaceships" after wet navy ship types than not. As the roles for the vessels will be practically the same. Any dedicated warship will invariably be referred to as a battleship. A ship meant to act independently for extended periods of time will be a cruiser. A planetary defense vessel will get labeled a corvette or even more likely a fast attack craft.

The only terms I can see besides those would be from submarines. As submarine warfare is carried out in a 3D and windowless environment. So it might make more sense to label all "spaceships" as "spaceboats" or "starboats"; or even "v-boats" for voidboats. While labeling nuclear ballistic missile carriers as boomers after the wet navy versions.
 
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Has there been an overall trend of American SF getting dumbed down over the years, at least with films and shows? Like American SF in the 1950s was more "intellectual" overall (like Forbidden Planet), while by the '90s it was more action-y overall (Star Trek being an arguable exception)? And then there is American SF in Current Year.
 
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ToroidalBoat said:
Has there been an overall trend of American SF getting dumbed down over the years, at least with films and shows? Like American SF in the 1950s was more "intellectual" overall (like Forbidden Planet), while by the '90s it was more action-y overall (Star Trek being an arguable exception)? And then there is American SF in Current Year.
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Anecdotally, new sci-fi novels I have picked up in random in physical bookstores since about 2010 have been full of Reddit atheism and vapid Joss Whedon snark, written with a clear lack of knowledge on what's been tried and failed in terms of polyamorous societies/homogenous vs. heterogeneous societies/economic systems. Women authors tend to be the worst offenders. This example stands out as absolute bugminded trash:


Star Trek in Current Year features fat negress do-nothing activist Stacey Abrams as President of Earth, and some of the sloppiest dumbest writing in a Trek show or any sci-fi show that I have ever seen.
 
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quackrock said:
Anecdotally, new sci-fi novels I have picked up in random in physical bookstores since about 2010 have been full of Reddit atheism and vapid Joss Whedon snark, written with a clear lack of knowledge on what's been tried and failed in terms of polyamorous societies/homogenous vs. heterogeneous societies/economic systems. Women authors tend to be the worst offenders. This example stands out as absolute bugminded trash:

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OMG I'm tempted to throw that link into the wikipedia thread.

Who wants to bet me that either the author, or their publicist is the one who wrote that wiki article?

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The article freakin' plagiarized itself!
 
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