Reality Check

[Mr Prophet]

Okay; so here's a thing. At what point in the writing of a fanfic do you stop, check yourself and say: "Whoa!" What I mean is, where do you draw the line for technology and/or mysticism? At what stage do you decide that something does not belong in Stargate?

Now, I myself tend to work up to and around the level of technology established in the canon, but at the pseudo-mystical equivalent of Dr Who. Psychic abilities don't seem out of place, and my plans include the possibility of vampires and werewolves; of a kind at least.

Where would you other writers draw that line?

[ShadowMaat]

I try to keep it within the realm of plausible. If I invent ridiculous things for the sheer convenience of the plot, I'd be no better than TPTB. Sorry, couldn't resist...

Seriously, I try and keep the tech and physical/mental capabilities as realistic as possible. I don't invent new tech unless I have to and then I keep it similar to something we've seen or maybe something we just haven't seen yet.

I do have one fluff character that others think is a precog, but SHE doesn't think so and looked at logically she could just be exceptionally good at fitting pieces together.

[Mr Prophet]

I try to keep it within the realm of plausible. If I invent ridiculous things for the sheer convenience of the plot, I'd be no better than TPTB. Sorry, couldn't resist...

Seriously, I try and keep the tech and physical/mental capabilities as realistic as possible. I don't invent new tech unless I have to and then I keep it similar to something we've seen or maybe something we just haven't seen yet.

I do have one fluff character that others think is a precog, but SHE doesn't think so and looked at logically she could just be exceptionally good at fitting pieces together.

Well, precognition is something that is well-established in the Stargate universe, as are telepathy and telekinesis, so I feel justified in extending those kinds of abilities a little.

As for the vampires and werewolves...Well, that's another story entirely, but I figure if there can be gods, there can be monsters.

[Sela]

Part of the attraction for me to Stargate is the logical progression of technology within the context of the reality of the SG universe. Of course we have the Prometheus - it's the natural progression of backward engineering a piece of technology that we've come across in that universe. Same with the gliders. Next logical step. I don't like to jump way out of the natural progression just to establish a plot point.

For me it works the same with characters. We know these people inside and out and there are some things that we know that each of them just would not do. Like Teal'c starring in a one man musical comedy show on broadway - it's not gonna happen. Some things are just completely out of character and you know it when you read it or see it. If I read over what I've written and it doesn't sound right, I take it out. A little voice in my head will not let me rest until I do.

[ShadowMaat]

Like Teal'c starring in a one man musical comedy show on broadway - it's not gonna happen.

I dunno... with stuff like that, it depends on how it's written. If it's intended as a serious thought, then yes, it's ridiculous, but if it's written as a comedy piece it could be quite funny to read.

[Mr Prophet]

You know, while Broadway is a bit much, a Season 8 set story in which Teal'c started going along to a local open mike night might be just the thing; if well written.

[Sela]

You know, while Broadway is a bit much, a Season 8 set story in which Teal'c started going along to a local open mike night might be just the thing; if well written.

That's what they thought on Star Trek: The Next Generation with Data and Joe Pescipo doing stand up comedy on the holodeck. Not good. Really not good at all.

[Mr Prophet]

That's what they thought on Star Trek: The Next Generation with Data and Joe Pescipo doing stand up comedy on the holodeck. Not good. Really not good at all.

I did say 'if well written'.

[Sela]

Yes, you did. But some ideas are not going to fly no matter how well written because they are out of character.

[Skydiver]

i've never done vampires or any of the traditional monsters. never thought of a non-cheesy way to do it.

technology wise, sometimes i've tweaked things. I had some aliens inexplicible bring sam back to life...but i used the theory that it was mayan i think, who honored human sacrifice, and in part of the fic, they saw sam's death as a sacrifice, so they brought her back to life.

it was just a part of the story, not the main crux, but a twist and a way to kill her then bring her back.

other funky tech...if i can tie it into something we've already seen, then it makes more sense to me. it's sort of like what the show did in evolution

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they made telchak's device be how nuby could bring his kull warriors to life by saying that it was the basis for the sarc's. they explained it without going nuts explaining it

[Mr Prophet]

technology wise, sometimes i've tweaked things. I had some aliens inexplicible bring sam back to life...but i used the theory that it was mayan i think, who honored human sacrifice, and in part of the fic, they saw sam's death as a sacrifice, so they brought her back to life.

But wait a second; if they honour human sacrifice then they should not bring her back, because then there's no sacrifice. The act of sacrifice is entirely vitiated if the thing sacrificed is returned intact.

As to Teal'c at open mike night, I don't think it would be entirely out of character. He wants to explore the world, and this could be a way for him to do so in a relatively contained environment, and one in which any slips could be put down to a) nerves and b) part of an act.

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

For the Tau'ri, I try to draw the line at year 2004 tech and attitudes. For the aliens, I would be more expansive, but I would stop before using anything "truly" mystical/spiritual.

Sure, an alien or displaced human could have something that, at first glance, might seem paranormal, but if I did write such a trait in a character it would ultimately prove to be a fake.

Humans coping with advanced alien species using 21st century knowledge and tech is one side of the Stargate coin that I love. The Goa'uld-as-gods is the flip side of that coin. I expect to see a bit of fakery in other, so-called advanced, superior species, as well.

Do the Nox break the laws of physics? Do the Ascended? That's open to interpretation. I say, no, and while little has been done to explain how, exactly, they do the things they do(a wise decision, IMO), I have never seen anything paranormal in the way they do their thing.

One of the reasons why I never could get into Star Wars was the whole "force" thing. When it was later explained as midiclorians(sp?) or some such thing, I was not impressed(of course, neither was I impressed with that particular movie).

"Actual" werewolves, vampires, etc, never impressed me, either, but trying to give their existence some kind of basis in science is, to me, as lame as secularizing the force in Star Wars.

So, I would draw the line in writing "real" werewolves, vampires and paranormal stuff, and I won't read an author who writes that stuff. But I love a fic that uses these devices to give the impression that paranormal stuff is going on and part of the hero's mission is to debunk the fake.

[Skydiver]

But wait a second; if they honour human sacrifice then they should not bring her back, because then there's no sacrifice. The act of sacrifice is entirely vitiated if the thing sacrificed is returned intact.

in the fic, sam sacrificed herself to save the others (long story, literally) and then jack was willing to sacrifice himself to allow daniel and teal'c to live and the aliens, impressed by self-sacrifice, allowed the blood split to atone for thier trespassing and revived sam and let them go. it was not just the sacrifice that they liked but the fact that it was self-sacrifice, made freely and willingly

[Mr Prophet]

it was not just the sacrifice that they liked but the fact that it was self-sacrifice, made freely and willingly

Well, I get that, but surely if you respected a sacrifice, you wouldn't reverse it, because then there's no sacrifice. You would accept it; honour it. To return the sacrificed thing would be insulting.

Does this make any sense?

[Skydiver]

yeah, it does make sense.

you can write it off as plot device....and me not wanting to keep sam dead