The Doom of Our Sci-Fi
polycounter lvl 15
Hey guys! 
So I've been doing some research for a new environment. Something Sci-fi something new and completely different from my current project. And, as i research I keep running into the same form (Actually, more or less the same style) of concepts. You know... the usual suspect; when it comes to Sci-fi Concepts: the seams, the pipes, the bolts, the panels, the plates, The gray, the neon, the digital screen... it gets super redundant quick looking thru them in google images.
I think this is more apparent to me cause of this last project i worked on, i was researching a lot of Art Deco and Deco consists of certain flows of geometrical shapes. The style stands out for its own. But, When I look at the concepts of the sci-fi results... It usually consists of this look that resembles a clunky computer. It's as if interior designers or architects don't exist. And I'm not saying that all sci-fi suffers from this just the majority.
The minority are the group that's still copied to this day. Something like Blade Runner comes to mind. The look of Blade Runner has "History" to it, it's stuck in a point in time all on it's own. And this concerns me, 'cause I want to see that 'next' Blade Runner type of film that inspires us all, but not to just copy it. But to create something that will stand as a classic. And the patterns that i see on google don't really encourage that.
So, This is why i brought this thought here, I'm really curious to see what you guys think of this? Am i just over thinking this? Am i looking in the wrong area?
So I've been doing some research for a new environment. Something Sci-fi something new and completely different from my current project. And, as i research I keep running into the same form (Actually, more or less the same style) of concepts. You know... the usual suspect; when it comes to Sci-fi Concepts: the seams, the pipes, the bolts, the panels, the plates, The gray, the neon, the digital screen... it gets super redundant quick looking thru them in google images.
I think this is more apparent to me cause of this last project i worked on, i was researching a lot of Art Deco and Deco consists of certain flows of geometrical shapes. The style stands out for its own. But, When I look at the concepts of the sci-fi results... It usually consists of this look that resembles a clunky computer. It's as if interior designers or architects don't exist. And I'm not saying that all sci-fi suffers from this just the majority.
The minority are the group that's still copied to this day. Something like Blade Runner comes to mind. The look of Blade Runner has "History" to it, it's stuck in a point in time all on it's own. And this concerns me, 'cause I want to see that 'next' Blade Runner type of film that inspires us all, but not to just copy it. But to create something that will stand as a classic. And the patterns that i see on google don't really encourage that.
So, This is why i brought this thought here, I'm really curious to see what you guys think of this? Am i just over thinking this? Am i looking in the wrong area?
Replies
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/313130/in_praise_of_the_scifi_corridor.html
Check out Syd Meads non-aliens/bladerunner work if you want a huge range of bright interesting scifi designs.
We accept that the ship is in space because it's insides look a lot like the belly of a ship (Or submarine). We accept that this is the super advanced space computer because, well... It LOOKS like the super advanced space computer.
All those things (the seams, the pipes, the bolts, the panels, the plates, The gray, the neon, the digital screen) help connect the audience to what their viewing.
TL/DR- Sci-fi environments can only go as far as the audience is willing to accept. Fresh Unique Sci-fi = Willing and accepting audience
Now, books? That's some trippy ass scifi. We need some games and films that tackle stuff like organic starships more...
Scrap pipes and grungy metal from a junkyard are cheaper than custom machined paneling. Grunge is easier to maintain a consistent look over months of shooting than chrome.. that sorta thing.
But yeah there are a range of styles out there. Just keep looking, or invent your own.
If you are looking for something dirtier looking, I'd say build a collection of really weird industrial structures and base your work from that. Maybe it's time to forget about your concept art folder for a while.
If you disagree with how people generally do stuff then experiment with your own ideas and prove the world is wrong
Ah, here it is:
[ame]
The main points he brought up were about familiarity, similar to what Hobo mentioned.
But sci-fi is like women, unless there's a penis on it, we love it all!
If you do want to go with a somewhat different look though, perhaps look to older sci-fi and in the direction of old sci-fi and "retro-futurism"? People's impressions of the future have evolved along with the way technology has evolved.
Still such a normalmap heaven! And I love doom3 for it
I do want to try and read more sci-fi books, Dune is something i've always wanted to read, and actually the movie had some great designs. I do agree that from the seams to the digital screens, it all helps to sell the a idea of a huge space ship. But when they do it some where else is just weird.
This is a good idea, I think i want more organic and more "back story" to the style. I'll def keep this in mind.
LOL.
Exactly dude but we just won't let it die respectively...
I think one of the most enjoyable sci-fi games i've ever played has to be Fallout 3, i mean the atmosphere, the creatures, the world. It was like 1950's cheesy sci-fi and they pulled it off so well. I think this is what bothers me for most games when they hear 'sci-fi' they think tech right away.
quick five minute trawl found me this
andthis
Or maybe the trippy vertigo educing hallways?
Moon did a good job of resurrecting the look:
Still horribly cliche but at least its not bare metal with hoses and pipes all over.
If you take a look at 40's/50's concepts of the millennium then I think you'll find a lot of seamless round shapes that rely heavily on whitespace and glass to abstract itself from the current architecture.
I always found the architecture from Star Wars (fml) to break the 'alien' trend, perhaps because a lot of the environments were commercial or residential -
http://img.neoseeker.com/v_concept_art.php?caid=6649
http://img.neoseeker.com/v_concept_art.php?caid=7802
http://img.neoseeker.com/v_concept_art.php?caid=14415
http://img.neoseeker.com/v_concept_art.php?caid=20007
I think really your best combining some really odd architecture (such as viking structures or any other pre victorian civilizations) and combining it with scifi features if you really want to do something original.
Ofcourse I'm just talking about environment architecture, not so much spaceships, I don't really know where to start there..
I know you can do alot but.
If you clutter up the environment have the walls inside out etc. It makes it look less fake. Your looking through a tiny screen onto blurry textures, everything looks flat, even the normals you can notice that they are just fake. Maybe games dont have the resolution or the detail yet to make simple walls look interesting.
Both alien and aliens.
They always depicted the clean and hospital-like civillian areas of ships or stations, like the hospital, the living areas of the nostromo, or the science areas of the colony.
And then they had the gritty shitty areas too, like the underbelly of the nostromo and its dirtier areas, and the standard corridors of the colony.
The sulaco was also quite different from it all, since it was a more cleaner look than the colony, but still military and rougher than the hospital.
Wait... WHat>?!
Ok, I'll get me coat.
This isn't from lack of imagination, almost every decent artist on this or any board can and has drawn some freaky awesome shit, but that never gets into production. It's in the selection that things go from awesome to boring. I don't have heavy experience in professional art, but even in my brief forays I've noticed that the blander designs are chosen for development, and the unique ones are rejected. Good, safe choices? Yes. Going to rock anyone's face? Unlikely.
So in conclusion, blame the art director. ;P
I'm not trying to be cantakerous, but I'd argue that things like Nausicaa fall way over the blurred lines and into the realm of fantasy than science fiction; largely because there is indeed no 'fictional science' within it. Science fiction is more about rationally feasible speculative developments scientifically; whereas something like Nausicaa is a fanciful setting that pays little to no regard to postulated science.
Personally, I feel a lot of the best sci-fi is the work that doesn't feel 'sci-fi' at all; instead it feels very familiar instead of ultra-futuristic and alien.
Star Wars isn't very far off really. Technology mixed with mysticism.
1. The Future: Can you imagine our world in 10 years, or in 100 years, or 1.000 years... 1.000.000 years?
2. Alternative History: Dare you to imagine the past, present or future (or the mix of them) with some twist in science?
3. The Unknown: Imagine a 'technology' from other worlds, or even other universes or dimensions.
As you see the possibilities are endless, just go crazy with science or make some research of what the end-of-sight of science is nowadays.
Hope this inspires you!