History as a Valid Reference for Fantasy and Sci-Fi

In many of my recent articles, I've proceeded from the assumption that real life comparisons with games are a logical and natural concept. Apparently, I am mistaken. I have been told that the game is fantasy or sci-fi and that means it's not supposed to be real. Yet one of the great strengths of the genres is their link with the human experience.

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Cannot agree more with your premise that Fantasy and Sci-Fi, at least good Fantasy and Sci-Fi, manifest some significant and recognizable ties with real-world elements.

As a historian by training,I am especially sensitive to these references in games and books and likely more affected than other players and readers when an author or game-designer misuses them. Indeed, nothing ruins immersion more for me than a clumsy approximation of a human culture or civilization in a fantasy or Sci-Fi game setting.

I think that Fantasy and Sci-Fi must strive to be just as believable and ''real'' as other genres to be successful, even if they tilt very much towards the exotic and towards escapism.

I completely agree with your entire article. Like Hounde I too am a historian by training and trade and I am an avid Fantasy and Science Fiction reader and am also a huge gamer. The games and books that draw to me that most are the ones that have a basis in "fact" we shall say. These are the ones that have things that you can relate to and completely see.

You mention Warcraft in your article and that is the game that I go to the most when making this argument/discussion with my friends. I believe that the success of this game and other Blizzard games is the history and the back story that they take care to think up. Along with that is the real life issues that they infuse with using racism and the need to fight a war. When it comes to books the Dragonlance series is also the one that I use most often because the character progression and the drama of the elements that they use.

These aren't elements that are a cold hard fact of say 2009, these are the elements that no matter when you read it you can see the correlation between today and what you are reading in the story.

The more believable and "real" you can make your story or your game the more that the player or reader is going to enjoy themselves because it makes sense. Like Hounde said Fantasy and Science Fiction might tilt more towards exotic and escapism but without the anchor then they just become a failed vision that no one wants to read or play.