# Exploring Science-Fiction RPGs (Part 1)
## Finding Your Science-Fiction Niche ...
### ... In Time
Science-fiction stories can occur in nearly any time period from pre-history to the end of time itself.
Many settings mix and match time periods in creative ways as well for interesting effects, such as time travelling, science-fiction westerns, alternate history settings, and more.
What time periods interest you, the past, the present, or the future?
Is time travel present?
### ... In Space
Science-fiction stories are not limited in where they occur.
Our Earth, alternate Earths, our Solar System, the nearby stars, across the galaxy or practically anywhere else our telescopes have ever seen.
Each scale or scope of setting provides its own wonders, opportunities, and limitations.
Science-fiction also offers many varieties of places from planetary surfaces, colonies, outposts, space stations, spacecraft, and fantastic megastructures like a Dyson sphere or Larry Niven's Ringworld.
How big of a setting interests you?
What kinds of places within the setting interest you?
### ... In The Details
#### Lifeforms
A common dividing point in science-fiction is whether or not alien species or lifeforms are present.
Some settings are human-centric while others teem with fantastic sentients and creatures.
What is your preference?
An example of a human-centric setting would be Joss Whedon's 'verse from the Firefly television series and the Serenity movie.
Star Trek and Star Wars are both examples of settings teeming with other lifeforms of all kinds.
What kinds of lifeforms interest you?
#### Communications
Another dividing point in science-fiction settings involves communications.
Some settings provide faster-than-light communication abilities, which can make the setting seem more "tightly packed" as news travels faster.
Other settings, such as Traveller's Third Imperium, limit communications to the speed of vehicles that can move between the stars and planets which make the setting feel much more "sprawling"
How fast should news travel?
#### Travel
Following on the communications detail, the speed of travel between planets and star systems drive much of the "feel" of a science-fiction setting.
Traveller and Star Frontiers limit interstellar travel to roughly one jump per week with much shorter travel times within a star system.
Star Wars or Star Trek can warp from place to place in the blink of an eye.
So, how fast should people travel?
## Know Thyself
With the factors above, we have only scratched the surface of the science-fiction possibilities available.
Consider your list of top science-fiction movies, television shows, books, comics, or manga.
What do the top entries have in common?
If you can list out a few of the most common traits of your favorites, that can quickly help find a game that fits your favorites.
## Finding Your Science-Fiction Niche ...
### ... In Time
Science-fiction stories can occur in nearly any time period from pre-history to the end of time itself.
Many settings mix and match time periods in creative ways as well for interesting effects, such as time travelling, science-fiction westerns, alternate history settings, and more.
What time periods interest you, the past, the present, or the future?
Is time travel present?
### ... In Space
Science-fiction stories are not limited in where they occur.
Our Earth, alternate Earths, our Solar System, the nearby stars, across the galaxy or practically anywhere else our telescopes have ever seen.
Each scale or scope of setting provides its own wonders, opportunities, and limitations.
Science-fiction also offers many varieties of places from planetary surfaces, colonies, outposts, space stations, spacecraft, and fantastic megastructures like a Dyson sphere or Larry Niven's Ringworld.
How big of a setting interests you?
What kinds of places within the setting interest you?
### ... In The Details
#### Lifeforms
A common dividing point in science-fiction is whether or not alien species or lifeforms are present.
Some settings are human-centric while others teem with fantastic sentients and creatures.
What is your preference?
An example of a human-centric setting would be Joss Whedon's 'verse from the Firefly television series and the Serenity movie.
Star Trek and Star Wars are both examples of settings teeming with other lifeforms of all kinds.
What kinds of lifeforms interest you?
#### Communications
Another dividing point in science-fiction settings involves communications.
Some settings provide faster-than-light communication abilities, which can make the setting seem more "tightly packed" as news travels faster.
Other settings, such as Traveller's Third Imperium, limit communications to the speed of vehicles that can move between the stars and planets which make the setting feel much more "sprawling"
How fast should news travel?
#### Travel
Following on the communications detail, the speed of travel between planets and star systems drive much of the "feel" of a science-fiction setting.
Traveller and Star Frontiers limit interstellar travel to roughly one jump per week with much shorter travel times within a star system.
Star Wars or Star Trek can warp from place to place in the blink of an eye.
So, how fast should people travel?
## Know Thyself
With the factors above, we have only scratched the surface of the science-fiction possibilities available.
Consider your list of top science-fiction movies, television shows, books, comics, or manga.
What do the top entries have in common?
If you can list out a few of the most common traits of your favorites, that can quickly help find a game that fits your favorites.
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