I think I prefer "mildly hardened Space Opera". That is Space Opera with reasonably realistic(or unrealistic but justifiable enough not to worry about) details of science and and sociology. I don't usually like either utopias or dystopias.
The type I prefer would have expansion in space and cultures competing for glory. Much of this would center on the semi-civilized borders. This idea is often called a "Space-Western" which is I think a rather annoying way to put it for two reasons. One is that their are other frontiers besides the American. Another reason is that the Western is America's peculiar contribution to the epic tradition; it is to America what sagas are to Iceland. The term "Space Western" underestimates how it is in fact a theme found in many cultures and now taken into space.
The type of story I envision would vary in intensity between low-key frontier danger, and "great quests". In fact my favorite setting is the Traveller RPG setting which allows for all the things I am desiring. One thing Traveller doesn't do as well at is handling the Mythic style of Space Opera which contains universe shaking events and de facto supernatural events-like Babylon 5 or Dune. Traveller can do that sort of thing, but the Gurps version at least is incompatible with threats to civilization. That problem can be solved by having smaller threats(to one single culture for instance) and doing ones work far away from the Third Imperium. There is still plenty of room; a lot of the best remembered stories from legend were after all about the saving of a single city, or the adventures of one hero.
One plot device I have recently become fascinated with is the "nested story". That is where one tells a story in which someone else tells a story. It has tremendous advantages, among them is that one can temporarily change settings or explore a different part of one's own setting. One can even change genres easily. For instance I recently wrote a sci-fi which had a character telling a story drawn from the folklore of her planet. This allowed me to temporarily switch to fantasy without the awkwardness that might otherwise come.
The type I prefer would have expansion in space and cultures competing for glory. Much of this would center on the semi-civilized borders. This idea is often called a "Space-Western" which is I think a rather annoying way to put it for two reasons. One is that their are other frontiers besides the American. Another reason is that the Western is America's peculiar contribution to the epic tradition; it is to America what sagas are to Iceland. The term "Space Western" underestimates how it is in fact a theme found in many cultures and now taken into space.
The type of story I envision would vary in intensity between low-key frontier danger, and "great quests". In fact my favorite setting is the Traveller RPG setting which allows for all the things I am desiring. One thing Traveller doesn't do as well at is handling the Mythic style of Space Opera which contains universe shaking events and de facto supernatural events-like Babylon 5 or Dune. Traveller can do that sort of thing, but the Gurps version at least is incompatible with threats to civilization. That problem can be solved by having smaller threats(to one single culture for instance) and doing ones work far away from the Third Imperium. There is still plenty of room; a lot of the best remembered stories from legend were after all about the saving of a single city, or the adventures of one hero.
One plot device I have recently become fascinated with is the "nested story". That is where one tells a story in which someone else tells a story. It has tremendous advantages, among them is that one can temporarily change settings or explore a different part of one's own setting. One can even change genres easily. For instance I recently wrote a sci-fi which had a character telling a story drawn from the folklore of her planet. This allowed me to temporarily switch to fantasy without the awkwardness that might otherwise come.
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