Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness/One Big Lie: Difference between revisions

 

{{examples}}

* [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s ''[[Humanx Commonwealth]]'' series operates on a great deal of [[Phlebotinum]] mixed with just enough hard sci fi elements to keep things sounding plausible. For example, [[FTL Travel]] is performed by means of [[Artificial Gravity]] generators that violate [[No Conservation of Energy|conservation of energy]], but the rules for employing them are very strict, and most other technologies are based on things resembling known physics, or are logical extensions of the use of [[Artificial Gravity]]. However, once the [[Precursors]] start to show up with their [[Lost Technology]], things get really fanciful really fast. Examples: constructed artificial planetoids that can traverse the galaxy in a week and fire star system-destroying bursts of energy across intergalactic space, entire planets that warp through alternate dimensions, etc.

* [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s ''Farnham's Freehold'' features a little [[Time Travel]], but is chiefly focused on exploring the fictional future society.

* ''[[Ilivais X]]'' likely falls within this. Though it's set only somewhat late in the 21st century, a [[Lensman Arms Race]] at the time the Aztecs fought of Cortez elevates the technology several millenia beyond what it should be (notably, space travel occuring in the 1700s). Most of the technology is fairly plausible- the [[Humongous Mecha]] are, for the most part, incapable of walking on land and usually meant solely for flight (even the ones that can move on land have some vertical thrust), cities prone to disasters are suspended in the air via satellites, hovering vehicles operate on a computerized maglev system, mechanical and organic regeneration occurs with [[Nanomachines]], advanced neuroscience allows the Drive Cores to work, etc. The [[Desperation Attack|End Codes]] are not explained at all, however, as they apparently stop time for anything that doesn't have an End Code itself, though it generally drains the user's energy very quickly. It's presumed the titular mech's teleportation works this way, which is only possible with its Cyclic Engine, but that isn't explained either aside from stating it took a long time to make. The latter is essentially the [[MacGuffin]] of the story.

* ''[[Eclipse Phase]]'' is, in the main, [[Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness/Speculative Science|Speculative Science]] based on forecast trends of technological development. However, post-singularity beings and aliens are capable of doing stuff that runs straight into [[Clarke's Third Law]], most notably the [[Portal Network|Pandora Gates]].

* In [[Firefly]], the Big Lies are gravity control and {{spoiler|[[Psychic Powers]]}}. (And perhaps a [[Reactionless Drive]], but we can't be sure.)

* ''[[Patlabor]]'''s only "lie" is the existence of giant humanoid robots that can support their own weight, and even then it's more plausible than, say ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam|Gundam]]''.<ref>This is excepting single episodes with weirdness such as ghosts and [[Kaiju]].</ref>

 

'''''One Small Fib:''''' These stories include only a single counterfactual device (often [[FTL Travel]]), but this mechanism is not a major driver of the plot.

* In the universe of the [[1632]] series, the plot device behind the transposition of the West Virginia town to the middle of the [[Thirty Years War]] is only ever mentioned in the preface to the original novel. Everything else in the story is based on fact or speculation.

* Many Hal Clement novels, such as ''[[Mission Of Gravity]]'', ''Close to Critical'', are set in a universe featuring FTL, but only as a background element explaining the presence of humans in other star system. The planets themselves are designed by straightforward extrapolation of known physics to situations vastly unlike those of Earth.

* ''[[Alien]]'' and its sequel. Spaceships have slow FTL travel, during which the crew lie in cryogenic sleep for months or even years. The many discovered planets go by numbers, but almost none of them are naturally inhabitable. Technology is otherwise quite plausible. The [[Bizarre Alien Biology|titular Alien's physiology]] stretches credibility a little, with its rapid growth an ability to infect seemingly any species.

** Other films [[Fanon Discontinuity|diverge from the first two]] in various ways, and become somewhat less hard as a result. Things like the chestbursters taking on features of their host, super-rapid growth into adult aliens, stealth warships, etc etc require disbelief to be suspended somewhat higher. Novels and comics set in the Aliens/Predator extended universe inevitably follow the [[Rule of Cool]] and the authors [[Did Not Do the Research|do not always understand the consequences of their ideas]].

** Arguably, the [[Artificial Gravity]] on board the ''Nostromo'' bumps the count to '''two''' small fibs. Although one could argue that maybe the spacecraft is under constant engine thrust every time they show somebody walking around in it.

*** When they're taking off from the planetoid, Carter says "engaging artificial gravity" as they exit the planet's gravity well.

* ''[[Silent Running]]'''s one small fib is [[Artificial Gravity]], probably because filming in zero-G was impossible for the filmmakers.

 

----