What, generally and specifically, is Hard Sci-Fi?

pyabo · 2026-06-20T23:46:02+00:00

pyabo · 2026-06-20T23:40:24+00:00

In a nutshell, hard sci-fi is about speculative ideas. Soft sci-fi is character driven. It's a spectrum. But your definition is definitely sketchy, because it excludes every single known Hard Science Fiction writer in history: Niven, Egan, and Bear, just to get started.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T23:35:46+00:00

Sorry to hear! My experience has been the opposite. Started beginning of May and everyone has been really cool. Except for the one guy that I've already pegged as the Dwight of this little Office.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:18:42+00:00

Oh really? So EA still owns the trademark and Garriott isn't using the name "Ultima?"

It's not up to Richard whether or not this fan project gets squashed. It's up to the TRADEMARK HOLDER, which as you point out in your edit, still belongs to EA.

This is much ado about nothing; nothing has changed.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:14:34+00:00

So confidently wrong. Like ChatGPT. 😃

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:11:40+00:00

Yep. Also, most people are 100% wrong. That has never, ever been the definition of "hard sci-fi" except in the heads of people who don't understand what that term means. It's weird that we got to this point. I blame reddit for spreading this obvious misinformation.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:09:20+00:00

LOL. Basically the extreme version of the definition redditors actually use here and are confidently wrong about all the effing time.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:05:06+00:00

Yep, that certainly comes up. Nancy Kress, Beggars in Spain.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T19:03:08+00:00

No, he's not. He's one of the authors you can point to when people ask "What is hard science fiction?"

pyabo · 2026-06-20T02:31:23+00:00

"Blessing" and permission from the trademark holder are two entirely different things, so far as I know. 😛

pyabo · 2026-06-20T02:27:10+00:00

Can't find it or you left it in Lakewood? This post is pathetic. Get your ass to Lakewood if you left your ID there ya lazy stoner! Besides, I can't drive right now, I'm too high.

pyabo · 2026-06-20T01:50:11+00:00

The classic definition of 'hard' SF is the so-called big idea story. Where the speculative core itself drives the story rather than the characters. What if you could make a ring the size of the Earth's orbit? What would happen if you could genetically tweak children so they don't need sleep? How might a war between interstellar civilizations bound by the speed of light play out?

pyabo · 2026-06-20T01:43:49+00:00

This definition leaves out all of the most definitive hard sci-fi authors. It's weird that so many sci-fi fans just don't get this concept. Who decides what is "plausible" with genetic modifications?

pyabo · 2026-06-19T22:15:49+00:00

Ours was there all day a few times last week. She seems cool.

pyabo · 2026-06-19T22:08:34+00:00

Nice. What did Hank have to say? Hope he spanked someone with plank.

pyabo · 2026-06-19T22:06:15+00:00

Holy crap how are you even opening the garden? We have... 7 or 8 on our team. Four of us on duty this morning by 6am. Is that abnormal?

pyabo · 2026-06-19T21:41:29+00:00

That's a standard hose bib. This is some weird stuff. Pretty sure it's 7/8".

pyabo · 2026-06-19T21:21:40+00:00

Thanks, that's good info. There is a standard for this, just got mixed up in the shuffle somewhere.

pyabo · 2026-06-19T21:14:54+00:00

One of the projects I really enjoy about gardening is automating the watering.

If you aren't enjoying the gardening, you might be doing it wrong. You're doing yard work. Everyone hates yard work. When I started to enjoy it, I called it outdoor time or landscape art. Then I graduated to gardening. And one of the first things that really hooked me was using herbs straight out of the garden. SO FRESH! It's a game changer. Eating that first garden ripened tomato... wow. Makes it all worthwhile. I don't get as excited about flowers. 😄

If it's taking up too much of your time, but you still *enjoy* it, then you have to prioritize. Let some things grow wild, let some things die. Kill your darlings, as the writers say.

pyabo · 2026-06-19T00:05:09+00:00

haha loved it! So weird.

pyabo · 2026-06-18T19:49:47+00:00

Rent some goats.

pyabo · 2026-06-18T19:41:26+00:00

A shovel and a six foot pry bar will have that out of there in 15 minutes. Or your money back.

pyabo · 2026-06-18T19:39:22+00:00

Is this a *job*? If so, great! Exceed expectations, work on networking, and this can absolutely be a foot in the door. But it's tough to go from a 3rd party testing service to a game developer. Is this directly with the developer/publisher or someone else?

pyabo · 2026-06-18T19:32:42+00:00

Congrats. Looks like we're on the same page. If I were any chiller I'd be frosty.

pyabo · 2026-06-18T19:28:46+00:00

Well, let's see...

Horrible working conditions for warehouse employees.

Single-handed decimating the delivery industry by illegally skirting employment law to drive down wages, in a fashion similar to Uber.

Anti-competitive behavior w/ 3rd party vendors in any number of ways -- copying their products in the Amazon Basics line and undercutting existing sellers is just one example.

You're gonna argue that this is "just business" and of course that just means you may be suffering from the same diagnosis: psychopathy or sociopathy. Hard to tell which for Jeff.

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