Which sci-fi universe would you like to live in?

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2005-08-30 12:45pm

Cultureverse after the Idrian War.
Just stick my on an orbital or something and keep me away from Contact or SC. I don't really care for meeting new alien races when i can live in what is essentially paradise.

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2005-08-30 12:49pm

Why does everyone want to live in the Culture. Have you ever READ about how they live, yeah it's paradise and that's the problem. No drive, no need, everything is there at your fingertips and you can never advance past the Minds who run the show.

You wont be living in Utopia, you'll be a big computer's pet gerbil! What point is there in living if you can have anything you want anytime? What objective, what goal?

Fuck that noise, i'd rather toil in a hive plant on Armageddon, at least it'd be cool to maybe someday join the Steel Legion, see the galaxy on a crusade or something.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2005-08-30 12:53pm

See, that's why I went with the Edenists. It's a damn nice society, but you still have to work and live with some sembelance of normality. Plus, if you're lucky enough to be born a 'hawk, that's a sweet trip through the stars.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2005-08-30 12:57pm

Culture.

No question, no hesitation, no nothing.

Culture.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2005-08-30 01:00pm

I hate to start a debate here, but the Minds are so intelligent that we could not oppose them or probably even comprehend them. We'd essentially be well-treated cats. Does your cat really comprehend your life? No, but you feed it, play with it, and treat it well and it's happy too. I'd like to be a simple, carefree cat, so I for one welcome our Computer Overlords.

I don't know if it's wrong, but even if I could have everything I want in the Cultureverse, which I doubt, but the goal of having just about anything I want at any time is pure, disgustingly large hedonism of all sorts. Like a gigantic summer break with a replicator and a holodeck.

Slaanesh doesn't let that happen, and even if you survive to 30 in the 40k universe you're subject to the incomprehensible machinations of the Imperium, where Inquisitors may shoot you in the back of the head and burn your corpse because some guy down the street might have been related in some way to a cult, and where Tyranids or Orks or worse may go RAWR and eat your entire planet that was only established as a speedbump in the first place. 40k isn't a nice place, that's the idea of the setting.

Ravengrim · Post by **Ravengrim** » 2005-08-30 01:00pm

Id pick the SW universe without a doubt. Sure, there is always some sort of shit going down, but it is huge enough that you can find a nice place to live how you want without anyone trying to mess with you. Or you could jump right in the middle if you want. The possibilities are endless.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2005-08-30 01:00pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:What objective, what goal?

Whatever you want.

Recreational suicide? Back yourself up before you go. Want to fight a war (or at least go along for the ride), just nip off on an ROU. Want to have fun in far flung corners of the universe, teaching them all to play nice, join Contact, or for the real fun and adventure, Special Circumstances.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2005-08-30 01:10pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:Why does everyone want to live in the Culture. Have you ever READ about how they live, yeah it's paradise and that's the problem. No drive, no need, everything is there at your fingertips and you can never advance past the Minds who run the show.

You wont be living in Utopia, you'll be a big computer's pet gerbil! What point is there in living if you can have anything you want anytime? What objective, what goal?

Fuck that noise, i'd rather toil in a hive plant on Armageddon, at least it'd be cool to maybe someday join the Steel Legion, see the galaxy on a crusade or something.

No drive? Quite frankly i don't really have much of a drive anyway. My main goals in life are to avoid getting killed and live a decent life. That's it. And if i ever did get a drive to do something then there's always Contact, or any of the massive variety the Culture offers.

No need? You say that like it's a bad thing. Having seen what can happen when people "need but can't get" (Shit loads in Africa for eg.) i'd definately sign up to never need anything again.

Never advancing past the minds? So what. You think i want to run a country? Chances are i'll never surpass anyone in any field here on Earth, so why should i care about beating a computer designed to have godlike intelligence?

So yes, i would gladly exchange the extremely small chance that i will do something worthwile down here in exchange for living a life that is for all intents and purposes free of involuntary risk, and where my standard of living is greater than anything curently possible on this planet.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2005-08-30 01:15pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:OH!

Or...i want to be in teh Mad Max universe, around Road Warrior-era, about fifteen years after the 'big one'.

Something always struck me as, i dont know, fun about the post-apocalypse.

Me too, but the fallout universe is better with more technology and the life of a vault dweller or enclave citizen is pretty sweet (except for those damn slavers/water chips/ G.E.C.K needs/invading chosen ones

)

Morat · Post by **Morat** » 2005-08-30 01:20pm

Why does everyone want to live in the Culture. Have you ever READ about how they live, yeah it's paradise and that's the problem. No drive, no need, everything is there at your fingertips and you can never advance past the Minds who run the show.

You wont be living in Utopia, you'll be a big computer's pet gerbil! What point is there in living if you can have anything you want anytime? What objective, what goal?

Fuck that noise, i'd rather toil in a hive plant on Armageddon, at least it'd be cool to maybe someday join the Steel Legion, see the galaxy on a crusade or something.

If you get really bored with the Culture, you can always leave and join some other civilization. There are lots of those around in the Culture universe. I say, give utopia a try before you decide that it sucks. If you hate it, you can always do something else later.

Embracer Of Darkness · Post by **Embracer Of Darkness** » 2005-08-30 01:46pm

I think anyone who would choose to live in Empire-era Star Wars is batshit insane or an utter fanboy, no offense. I just can't see the good side to living under a fascist, totalitarian government that is in a state of civil war.

As for where I'd personally live, it'd have to be the Federation in Star Trek. Not my favourite franchise, and not the most technologically advanced civilisation, but definitely comfortable with plenty of freedom to do whatever you want with your life. Not to mention that utter threats to the Federation are few and far between, as hostilities seem to be border disputes with actual wars being few and far between.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2005-08-30 02:28pm

The Federation's OK if you're a Starfleet officer. Most of the ordinary people we see, at least in TNG, are on backwater podunk planets that always seem two steps away from blowing up.

Plushie · Post by **Plushie** » 2005-08-30 03:01pm

I'd want to go for Empire era Star Wars, then I'd go to the Academy and become an Imperial Officer. I've always wanted to join the Navy, how cool would it be to join a space navy?

Either that, or as a Ji in my own universe. Nothing quite beats being able to go almost literally anywhere you want to in the universe you could want in under and hour and being able to screw with the lesser races without consequences to boot!

DocHorror · Post by **DocHorror** » 2005-08-30 04:39pm

I'd like to live in the Imperium, preferably on some garden world in Ultramar. Or to be a Rogue Trader, or Commissar.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-08-30 04:47pm

Culture. No questions, no second thoughts.

Anomie · Post by **Anomie** » 2005-08-30 04:50pm

1st Choice: Star Wars
2nd Choice: Known Space
3rd Choice: Culture
4th Choice: Star Trek

And if I could choose who or what I could be:

5th Choice: Aeoniverse form White Wolf Games. (Actually this would be my first choice)

Reasons

1. Star Wars - Get myself a stock light or medium freighter or an Action VI bulk freighter or maybe even a corellian corvette and an astromech little buddy, trick them both out, hire a small crew, and either become an explorer of the unknown regions or a smuggler.

2. Known Space - See if you could get a general products ship, get it custom fitted like the one in Ringworld Engineers, and have fun. Using boosterspice, live for centuries.

3. Culture - Never read any of the books, but from what I've read in peoples posts, it sounds like a sweet deal.

4. Star Trek - Holodeck and Replicators, their pretty much the only reasons.

5. Aeoniverse - Living as one of the PC's in any of the three games would be pretty cool, but I would love to be a Nova from the Aberrant setting. To have powers greater than thoose of minor gods from ancient Mythologies and with time eclipse even the greater gods, to be an instent celebrity, to have companies and governments falling over themselves to hire me with a initial paycheck that would make most CEO's blush. How could I not love it. Or else I'd be a Stalwart from the A! time, and have 80+ years to develop my powers and cultivate my resources and contacts. That would be just as sweet.

LapsedPacifist · Post by **LapsedPacifist** » 2005-08-30 04:54pm

Pre-fall Hyperion verse would be fun, if you had enough cash.

Cultureverse would be great. I'm old enough to realize I'm being jerked around by forces every minute of every day, might as well be the Minds.

I like conflict, struggle, and working for the good of something so even 40k's IoM would be a cool place to live.

LP

LapsedPacifist · Post by **LapsedPacifist** » 2005-08-30 05:00pm

Hell, in 40k verse I could feature as one of the poor schmucks that sets up a McNeill novel. "Billy worked the bolt again, but not even the Emperor could save him from the hail of shuriken blades. 'Marge!' he moaned as he died."

LP

Aktariel · Post by **Aktariel** » 2005-08-30 05:56pm

1. The Rix...specifically a Rix commando or a planet mind (though to be a commando I'd have to be a female...which I'm not.

2. Edenists

Random other options: Angelmass universe, the Stars My Destination universe (especially a Mars Commando), pre collapse Chasm City, post Galaxia Asimov Foundation-verse (or even Trevize-era Foundation verse), and Singularity Sky-verse

Embracer Of Darkness · Post by **Embracer Of Darkness** » 2005-08-30 05:59pm

Vendetta wrote:The Federation's OK if you're a Starfleet officer. Most of the ordinary people we see, at least in TNG, are on backwater podunk planets that always seem two steps away from blowing up.

I was thinking of Earth, actually.

Luzifer's right hand · Post by **Luzifer's right hand** » 2005-08-30 06:04pm

Culture or maybe the Polity(Culture light).

Sharpshooter · Post by **Sharpshooter** » 2005-08-30 06:24pm

The GitS-verse would be my first choice - it's advanced enough to make the possibilities for stuff nearly endless, but is also similar enough to make transitioning into a snap. The Trek-verse would be nice, but I'm too worried about getting beamed for some reason, and the Wars-verse might be a bit too much to handle.

Glimmervoid · Post by **Glimmervoid** » 2005-08-30 06:43pm

Ok top 4 human universes (going from 1 st to 4 th. Edinist (pre-nights dawn), culture (I don’t know much about them so can’t give a time scale), Startrek federation (TNG era maybe earth) and Brave new world (as pointed out you are conditioned to be happy).

As for my top non human universe. I would be a dweller from The Algebraist universe (don’t know if it has a proper name) because they are just so cool. Free space ship, cloths everything you could want. And a cool money system based on “coolness”. Unfortunately I would probably die as a child but if I made it to adult hood I would be happy. Also I would be practically immortal and they have wars for fun (And the ability to accelerate entire planets to near the speed of light and be able to hit other planets in other systems is always good). They would probably go in on at number 2 on the list above.

andrewgpaul · Post by **andrewgpaul** » 2005-08-30 07:49pm

the .303 bookworm wrote:Culture-verse is a literal utopia, even if I couldnt have force powers.

If you find a Mind or manufactory that finds the idea suitably interesting, I'm sure they could rig up some sort of field generator doohickey to replicate a lot of the Jedi powers. Yon Ship in State of the Art made a lightsaber, after all

Even during the Idiran War, I think the Culture would be pretty safe - it was a small minority of the total population that was involved, after all, and that was mostly Ships and Drones.

TimothyC · Post by **TimothyC** » 2005-08-30 08:01pm

Odyssey verse circa 3001. Other than the threat of big black monoliths doing something out of the ordinary you're in a paradise.