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Post by garethl on Oct 19, 2011 7:29:55 GMT
What's the secret behind adventures set in the future?
Most of the adventure ideas I have are set in the present day or somewhere out of time. I can't come up with good future seeds.
I have read somewhere that you should introduce one life-changing piece of technology and extrapolate from there.
What are the tricks/techniques you use when you make futuristic adventures?
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Post by cliffordjones on Oct 19, 2011 8:35:39 GMT
I think that often Doctor Who episodes set in the future satirize and comment on elements of contemporary life. For example, 'The Long Game' references media saturation and manipulation,'Gridlock' references the problem of vehicle congestion. Sometimes an episode can be seen to make a point about some wider, more fundamental issue. eg 'The Doctor's Daughter' seems to have something to say about the futility of war. There's an interesting article that relates to this here: www.hrvt.net/andrewoday/satire.htm I am in no way saying that this is the only way to approach writing a futuristic Who adventure but it might prove helpful as a jumping off point. There may be a particular real-life issue that inspires you  |
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Post by cliffordjones on Oct 19, 2011 9:02:46 GMT
Also, it's possible to steal whole plots from other sources and transplant them into a futuristic setting. This really is a case of just filing off the serial numbers. Transplanting an old story to a shiny new setting can give it a whole new lease of life. What you need is a 'timeless classic' - Shakespeare is a good choice IMHO. I came up with an adventure idea called Gangs of New New York, which is basically Romeo and Juliet set on New Earth in the year 5,000,000,037.
As well as stories there are also myths, which are a great place to 'borrow' ideas from. For example, we've recently seen the myth of the minotaur's labyrinth get a sci-fi reworking in Who.
Old horror stories are great for mining ideas too. You just need to substitute any supernatural element with some timey wimey technobabble and you're good to go.
Edit: I'm going to add that One Thousand And One Nights is a fantastic place to hijack ideas from. There are classic story elements in these tales that seem to have a habit of cropping up all over the place. 'The Satan Pit', for example, clearly owes some inspiration to the genie-in-the-bottle motif.
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Post by Craig Oxbrow on Oct 19, 2011 12:34:32 GMT
I wrote a bit on dystopian and possibly satirical SF adventures here but they're far from the only type set in the future. Another style of SF that Doctor Who fits into sometimes is Space Opera, which often takes place in the far future and/or alien planets and distant galaxies. Of course, one of Who's unusual features is that it can have Space Opera episodes happen here and now as well. A future setting can also be just a backdrop for another Who adventure type, like a Base Under Siege ( The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit, juxtaposing ancient evil with Aliens-style grungy space bases instead of the modern world like The Daemons) or a Secret Invasion or this year's Dalek attack or even a Christmas Special. |
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Post by boxer01 on Oct 20, 2011 22:50:41 GMT
Brilliant! |
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Post by garethl on Oct 23, 2011 7:33:04 GMT
I wrote a bit on dystopian and possibly satirical SF adventures here but they're far from the only type set in the future. Another style of SF that Doctor Who fits into sometimes is Space Opera, which often takes place in the far future and/or alien planets and distant galaxies. Of course, one of Who's unusual features is that it can have Space Opera episodes happen here and now as well. A future setting can also be just a backdrop for another Who adventure type, like a Base Under Siege ( The Impossible Planet and The Satan Pit, juxtaposing ancient evil with Aliens-style grungy space bases instead of the modern world like The Daemons) or a Secret Invasion or this year's Dalek attack or even a Christmas Special. I remember reading your "series full of plots". There's some very good advice in them. I agree with boxer01 that Scavengers is brilliant. Also, it's possible to steal whole plots from other sources and transplant them into a futuristic setting. This really is a case of just filing off the serial numbers. Transplanting an old story to a shiny new setting can give it a whole new lease of life. What you need is a 'timeless classic' - Shakespeare is a good choice IMHO. I came up with an adventure idea called Gangs of New New York, which is basically Romeo and Juliet set on New Earth in the year 5,000,000,037. As well as stories there are also myths, which are a great place to 'borrow' ideas from. For example, we've recently seen the myth of the minotaur's labyrinth get a sci-fi reworking in Who.. Where Shakespeare is, Carrionites follow! "Borrowing" from other stories is always good advice. I'm not really fond of using "Romeo and Juliet" because that story has been used a million billion times already. Hadn't thought of using myths. Thanks everyone! |
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stahlman
3rd Incarnation
Doctor, stop wasting my time, will you?
Posts: 222
Favourite Doctors: second,third,fourth
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Post by stahlman on Oct 23, 2011 8:12:25 GMT
Social and political commentary /satire are certainly strong themes for a futristic story holding up a mirror to ourselves.
Maybe also there is an aspect of one of Dr Who's tropes that you are itching to look at in more detail.
Is a future version of humanity ever going to find a way to 'de-convert' a cyberman possibly using nanotechnology-for example.
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Post by Craig Oxbrow on Oct 23, 2011 10:46:45 GMT
Brilliant! I remember reading your "series full of plots". There's some very good advice in them. I agree with boxer01 that Scavengers is brilliant. Aw, shucks. Thanks. |
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Post by Craig Oxbrow on Oct 23, 2011 10:50:49 GMT
Social and political commentary /satire are certainly strong themes for a futristic story holding up a mirror to ourselves. Maybe also there is an aspect of one of Dr Who's tropes that you are itching to look at in more detail. Is a future version of humanity ever going to find a way to 'de-convert' a cyberman possibly using nanotechnology-for example. An adventure hook I came up with years ago and never did anything with... A colony world in the 40th Century. A squad of Cybermen teleport into the middle of a busy plaza, causing panic as they march past the people, ignore the police laser bolts reflecting off their armour... and gun down one man before teleporting away. "Why did they single him out like that?" "He used to be one of them..." Terror Of The Cybermen |
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stahlman
3rd Incarnation
Doctor, stop wasting my time, will you?
Posts: 222
Favourite Doctors: second,third,fourth
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Post by stahlman on Oct 23, 2011 18:49:41 GMT
In my Cure for the Cybermen scenario the nanotechnology solution is subverted by the cybermen who actually planned the 'cure' as a more efficient means of converting humans to cyber-form.
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Post by blaster219 on Oct 23, 2011 21:45:53 GMT
In my Cure for the Cybermen scenario the nanotechnology solution is subverted by the cybermen who actually planned the 'cure' as a more efficient means of converting humans to cyber-form. "Opposition is non-optimal. Prepare to be upgraded." |
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