The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Why so little technological advancement in ME?

KingCarlton · 04-11-2002, 03:35 AM

I am going to look at it from outside the story...from the writers' point of view.

Why does it take so long for a civilisation to advance in such fables? Well, it has to do with the uniqueness of the story in which a set time and place is very important...

A story doesn't take a life time to happen.
We read it in a few hours and it may span a few thousand years but if the changes, as they are in real time, were to be mentioned they would be very drastic and seem too fast while reading the tale.

I would like to draw your attention to another such fantasy fable, George Lucas' "STAR WARS" - Now here we are shown that technological achievements are almost the exact same in whichever time a story is set, some of which are four thousand years apart. This holds on to and regenerates the uniqueness of the story. A sense of feel to the other world a story creates for the reader.

Now for the exact opposite, take a look at the movie " THE TIME MACHINE" where real time changes are shown at a dramatic accelerated rate, which is great for this story as it deals with such.
I wouldn't want that to happen with every story; it will take away the escapism value from it.

Hell, then every writer will be read as James Michener, who is good reading, but not for the average fanatastic journey fans.

I don't think that the fellowship riding vehicles LIKE dirtbikes and the Uruk Hai/ Orc Army chasing them on vehicles LIKE Harleys and armed with weapons LIKE Pump-Action Shotguns would be very Middle Earth-lIke at all.

~sitting down to write the next bestseller~

Know Peace

[img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img]

04-11-2002, 03:35 AM	#5
KingCarlton Wight Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Dream Kingdom Posts: 119	I am going to look at it from outside the story...from the writers' point of view. Why does it take so long for a civilisation to advance in such fables? Well, it has to do with the uniqueness of the story in which a set time and place is very important... A story doesn't take a life time to happen. We read it in a few hours and it may span a few thousand years but if the changes, as they are in real time, were to be mentioned they would be very drastic and seem too fast while reading the tale. I would like to draw your attention to another such fantasy fable, George Lucas' "STAR WARS" - Now here we are shown that technological achievements are almost the exact same in whichever time a story is set, some of which are four thousand years apart. This holds on to and regenerates the uniqueness of the story. A sense of feel to the other world a story creates for the reader. Now for the exact opposite, take a look at the movie " THE TIME MACHINE" where real time changes are shown at a dramatic accelerated rate, which is great for this story as it deals with such. I wouldn't want that to happen with every story; it will take away the escapism value from it. Hell, then every writer will be read as James Michener, who is good reading, but not for the average fanatastic journey fans. I don't think that the fellowship riding vehicles LIKE dirtbikes and the Uruk Hai/ Orc Army chasing them on vehicles LIKE Harleys and armed with weapons LIKE Pump-Action Shotguns would be very Middle Earth-lIke at all. ~sitting down to write the next bestseller~ Know Peace [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] [img]smilies/redface.gif[/img] __________________ Know ye People, that between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities, And the rise of the sons of Aryas, there was an age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars. Hither came Carlton, the King, black haired, bronze hued, mightily thewed, sullen eyed. Sword in hand, a warrior, a destroyer, a conqueror. With gigantic melancholies and gigantic mirth, to tread the jewelled thrones of the Earth, under his sandalled feet.