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8
votes
3answers
161 views
Interesting trivia questions to which you already know the answer
Is it acceptable to post questions to which we already know the answer if it is a particularly interesting and obscure science fictional factoid? For instance today I found out that the origin of the ...
3
votes
2answers
59 views
Are questions about fictional use of fusion reactors better asked in physics or sci-fi stack exchange?
I'm curious about fictional use of fusion power (obviously any use of a fusion reactor is currently fictional as man hasn't had success in building a self-perpetuating one yet). My concern is that if ...
3
votes
2answers
100 views
How have we been using the General Reference close reason?
I'm interested after reading the discussion Introduce a "General Reference" close reason on Meta Stack Overflow.
What kinds of questions have been decided "General Reference"? Which have been ...
0
votes
2answers
67 views
Automatically sci-fi topics?
Do some topics make something ‘de-facto’ sci-fi?
For example is any story that involves time travel by default considered sci-fi? Other topics that might fit this question extra-planetary space ...
6
votes
3answers
60 views
Are questions whose answers would determine if a work could be categorized as sci-fi considered on-topic?
A question about the show Dexter has been asked that essentially questions whether there is a sci-fi/fantasy element to a show generally regarded as "regular" fiction.
Is this appropriate for this ...
20
votes
6answers
445 views
Should we exclude religious texts, and which?
It's clear that questions about religious texts cause friction. So should we ban questions that are specifically about religious texts? If so, how wide should the ban be: only about the Bible (which ...
4
votes
4answers
488 views
Why was this question about the Old Testament closed as off-topic?
The question How could Noah fit all those animals into the Ark? was closed as off-topic. I don't understand why. It's asking for an explanation of a plot detail in a work that surely qualifies as ...
11
votes
8answers
415 views
What are our boundaries?
A few weeks ago, I noticed the first questions that gave me pause, thinking, should we allow these? But they kind of fit, so I didn't do anything to get in its way.
Could the Planeteers use their ...
10
votes
5answers
236 views
Are questions about Santa Claus on topic?
Is Santa Claus a Fantasy topic? I think yes, but just want to be sure before doing so.
6
votes
1answer
121 views
Is Wikia.com general reference?
It's fairly clear that Wikipedia is considered general reference (for both SciFi.SE and many other sites).
Is wikia.com network considered general reference as well? For example for Harry Potter ...
6
votes
0answers
85 views
Why was this time-travel Potter question closed?
This question about whether characters can be brought back to life in the Potter universe was closed. None of the closers left a comment explaining why they closed the question.
Why was this closed? ...
7
votes
3answers
226 views
Should we revise our book recommendation policy?
As per our FAQ, recommendations are off-topic. Historically, we started off allowing them, but eventually banned them. At the time, it seems that our analysis was that most recommendation requests ...
2
votes
2answers
77 views
Are questions about science fiction/fantasy itself not considered on topic?
I'm rather confused as to why my most recent question is being voted to be closed. Even some of the answers are saying it will be closed.
But why?
Do questions HAVE to be about specific ...
9
votes
3answers
259 views
Are children's literature and cartoons for children on-topic?
Books and movies intended for children very often contain fantasy elements. They are typically not considered part of the fantasy genre, but rather part of the specific “for children” genre. Does this ...
2
votes
2answers
51 views
Are questions about current, or near-future science/technology on-topic?
Questions discussing fictional advanced technology are on-topic. So, we have questions asking about phasers in Star Trek, or ZPMs in Stargate. But what about science/technology that isn't ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
Is anime on-topic?
We're Science Fiction & Fantasy. We deal with all forms of speculative fiction.
Does this automatically include anime? If so, will this change if the Anime & Manga proposal launches?
We've ...
3
votes
2answers
73 views
Are questions about specific detail in the book (non-obscure) on-topic?
I am specifically referring to "What exactly is the circumstance of this specific event in book X".
An example would be: How did Ender kill this character?
Basically, the type of question that are ...
-2
votes
2answers
53 views
Exception to the general reference rule?
Currently general reference is one of the standard reasons for closing a question. However, I want to propose an exception to this clause: The question should not be closed, if the general reference ...
10
votes
1answer
262 views
How do we handle conflicts with the Anime and Movies sites?
There are now Stack Exchange sites about anime & manga and movies & TV. Questions about SF anime, manga or movies could therefore be on-topic on two sites.
My understanding is that a ...
8
votes
2answers
136 views
Should questions about special effects techniques be allowed on Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange?
I was wondering if questions about special effects techniques be allowed on the Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange? For example, questions like
What techniques did the artists use in ...
5
votes
1answer
45 views
Would non-horror Speculative Fiction be on-topic for this site?
Speculative fiction is usually defined as science fiction, fantasy and horror plus some odds and ends. scifi and fantasy are on-topic for this site, but horror is not. So would that odds and ends ...
3
votes
2answers
49 views
Should questions asking about the future of a franchise, series, or literary work (groupings) be permitted? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do we deal with questions about rumors and release dates?
Recently, even I asked, questions referring to the future or the "future plans of" have been showing up ...
5
votes
1answer
89 views
What is the limit for questions about ongoing series?
Questions about events in an ongoing series might get a definitive answer once the next book comes out or the next episode airs. What questions are too time-sensitive, and what questions are ...
0
votes
0answers
77 views
Are questions about Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle allowed on this site? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Spy movies/ books: On topic?
Are questions about Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle allowed on this site? Stephenson is usually labeled as a science fiction writer, but I'm ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views
What's the procedure when a question is not answerable (yet)?
Ok not to be intentional subjective but what do I do? In my question In The Doctor Who Universe, who is the mysterious lady who carries the blue journal? I find that I'm told an answer is not yet ...
3
votes
2answers
124 views
Are shopping questions on topic?
Is asking where something sci-fi/fantasy can be obtained on topic?
What about asking about out of print (and whatever that is called in TV/film) items? Is it ok to ask where a copy if a work could be ...
3
votes
2answers
38 views
Subtitles/Translations On or Off topic?
Spanish subtitles for Tron: The next day
Are there any better English translations of Solaris available, beyond the original translation from French?
Particularly on the first link, there seems to ...
-6
votes
1answer
76 views
Talking about sci-fi is off topic?
Hi everyone.
Yesterday, I opened a question "Talk about the Doctor Who episode 'The Impossible Astronaut'".
It was promptly down-voted and I was pointed to the FAQ. I was left in disbelief that ...
10
votes
1answer
102 views
What good questions are not about a specific work?
Most of the questions on site are about a specific SF work or universe. That's fine, but it's disappointing to have pretty much only questions of this kind.
In particular, most popular works and ...
2
votes
0answers
30 views
Are “upcoming-books” questions considered on-topic? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How do we deal with questions about rumors and release dates?
An example is: Future Malazan novels by Steven Erikson?
At first glance, I would argue that such questions ...
2
votes
1answer
41 views
Are speculations about history on-topic?
Are questions that ask “what would the world be if X had (not) happened” on-topic for this site? What about the closely related “what would need to have changed for X to become true”?
Example:
...
7
votes
2answers
100 views
Which mediums can be the basis of questions?
I could not find the information anywhere, so I was wondering whether there is any restriction on the kinds of medium whose works can be discussed here? Books, TV, Movies seem to be fair game but what ...
3
votes
2answers
43 views
Do questions concerning topics that are not exclusively SFF related, but are found in SFF, on or off topic?
This is in relation to the following question:
Historical basis for the character of the fool
While this is not an element that is exclusive to SFF, it certainly is not an uncommon element in ...
18
votes
14answers
1k views
What questions are on-topic, and what questions are off-topic?
SciFi.SE's identity is still being defined, and as such there's a lot of unresolved confusion wrapped up in dozens of topics about what types of questions are acceptable.
Let's stop creating ...
16
votes
3answers
226 views
Are works that aren't SF per se, but have occasional SFnal elements on-topic? (e.g. spy movies)
For example, spy stuff like James Bond, 24, Tom Clancy, have some elements of sci-fi, but are a genre unto themselves. Should we include them in the list of on topic discussions?
-8
votes
1answer
64 views
Would a poll on the most influential hacker movies be appropriate?
Not all hacker movies are science-fiction, but a large percentage of them are. Would this poll be appropriate for the site?
18
votes
1answer
176 views
Can I ask a question about video game based scifi/fantasy?
As an occasional consumer of Halo books/games, I'm often curious about certain plot points or want to ask questions about that game's universe. Would this be the appropriate site for these questions? ...
14
votes
0answers
177 views
Scifi Stack Exchange is now “Science Fiction & Fantasy”
ANNOUNCEMENT:
This site has been officially renamed "Science Fiction and Fantasy". While both subjects were generally considered on topic, the fantasy genre is now explicitly integrated into this ...
6
votes
1answer
318 views
Acceptability of reading/viewing order questions
There are quite a few reading-order questions (I added the tag; it should perhaps include viewing-order in some way, but I couldn't think of a suitable word).
Personally, these questions seem ok: ...
6
votes
2answers
95 views
Sci-fi technology: On topic?
Is discussing any futuristic technology on topic? I'm talking about themes that might exist in a sci-fi book, but haven't necessarily been written yet. A few examples are:
How to best defend the ...
0
votes
4answers
65 views
Getting clarity on closing of questions
I'm puzzled by some of the close question decisions recently. Here are two examples (the first is my question):
Is there anyone like Terry Pratchett in the sci-fi world?
Other than Douglas Adams, ...
1
vote
2answers
88 views
Are speculation questions fair game for this site?
Are questions similar to ones posed here http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WMG/HarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality
considered appropriate for this site?
8
votes
3answers
111 views
Are fan-fics fair game for this site?
Is it valid to ask about fanfic and other alternate-version sources for science-fiction material on this site?
11
votes
3answers
181 views
How do we deal with questions about rumors and release dates?
I just noticed this question:
Has anyone heard any rumors about the third book in Scott Sigler's “Infected” series?
While I sympathize with users being curious about release dates, but especially ...
9
votes
5answers
155 views
What sort of Sci-Fi SE would appeal to Isaac Asimov or Robert Heinlein?
Our current trajectory seems to be to restrict this site to mere trivia questions both in and out of various science fiction universes. Who wrote this story? Why did character X in universe Y do Z? ...
1
vote
2answers
338 views
What is wrong with “broad” questions?
For example, this question Terraforming new planet, turns out it's a gas, viable?
This is an interesting question - and could spur a lot of discussion which I would love to read and even participate ...
18
votes
4answers
163 views
Should we change the name of this site to include fantasy?
We've already had one question that has basically decided that if people want to talk about fantasy here, it's okay, but the name sci-fi would discourage them. There have been other hints from other ...
6
votes
2answers
120 views
Why does the community think identify what movie/show and actor was in questions are good?
So I saw that The Ashley Judd question got re-opened after a massive edit, I think that is a good thing and part of the proccess. However, I think this is a very sad statement from the community as ...
14
votes
4answers
91 views
Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction and StackExchange - making it work?
The Ages Old Question: In an Encounter between The Federation and The Empire, Who wins?
I asked that question very much on purpose. I'm sure if I look at the definition for the site it will be one ...
5
votes
5answers
64 views
What topics should be discussed here?
There are many people who don't seem to like the quality of questions that are on this site, and there's probably a half dozen questions on Meta about should something be on topic for this site. ...
