History Main / StandardScifiSetting

* A [[ProudScholarRace wise/spiritual race]] decked out in CrystalSpiresAndTogas. These are often HumanAliens and/or SpaceElves, possibly the NeglectfulPrecursors, if they're already extinct. Their ships will be sleek, but more rounded, and usually colored white, silver, or blue (gold or copper/bronze is rare, but acceptable). If there's a metaphysical aspect, these guys will be brimming with it more than any others. Bonus points if they have [[ShadowArchetype a rival sect called the "Dark" something]].

* TheGreys or LittleGreenMen, the two most common type of aliens used due to them being from alleged-alien sightings. Their somewhat less common cousins, LizardFolk, pop up from time to time. The former tend to be the ProudScholarRace, while the latter tend to be the ProudWarriorRace.

* TheFederation, TheEmpire, or other space faring humans that fly [[ISOStandardHumanSpaceship big gray battleships and little gray fighters]], and comprise the bulk of the StandardSciFiArmy. They have a good chance of being [[HumansAreSpecial descended directly]] from the NeglectfulPrecursors.

* Equally important is ''Film/{{Aliens}}''. While the movie lacks other alien civilizations and ''easy'' faster than light speed, it single handedly defined human culture, technology, military, and visual style for Standard Sci Fi Settings for decades to come. ''Series/BabylonFive'', ''VideoGame/StarCraft'', ''VideoGame/FreeSpace'', ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'', and ''Franchise/MassEffect'' are more or less directly based on this movie.

** SpaceIsAnOcean is in full effect to the extent that ships are ''designed'' to ram each other and some of them literally look like boats. StandardSciFiFleet is only averted by the fact that no warships bigger than shuttles seem to exist besides carriers (which are very fragile and have few to no anti-ship or point-defense weapons, but carry lots of ground troops and fighters, as well as some weapons exclusively for orbital bombardment). Several of the films climax in a large SpaceBattle with a StandardStarshipScuffle. [[RockBeatsLaser Modern Earth aircraft and weapons are totally sufficient to destroy the fighters and carriers used by the space civs]]. [[PlasmaCannon Plasma weapons]], [[LaserBlade Laser Blades]], [[SchizoTech monomolecular]] [[AbsurdlySharpBlade swords/spears]], and so on exist alongside modern [[KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter chemically-propelled firearms]] (in fact, the main armaments of most spacecraft we see appear to be autocannons and missiles). FunctionalMagic exists as both PsychicPowers and as a distinct set of abilities outright referred to ''as'' magic. FasterThanLightTravel is achieved via a PortalNetwork. CasualInterstellarTravel via small ships is a reality thanks to said network. [[SpaceFighter Space Fighters]] that don't even use missiles are responsible for nearly every relevant combat action aside from bombing static targets. TheSingularity is nowhere to be found in the setting, and the fact that the average Cosmic MCU citizen is an InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien is a small series-wide RunningGag (bits of Earth tech from an old Zune to an [=M249=] are viewed as amazing technology, and blue collar Earth mechanics can improve on advanced alien technology with little issue).

** The Franchise/StargateVerse differs from the Standard Sci-Fi Setting in a number of ways. First and most importantly, the characters are mostly modern Americans, and all the high-tech stuff is unknown to the general world simply because of a {{Masquerade}}. Morality is more [[BlackAndGrayMorality black and gray]] than in many Sci-Fi settings because the military often has to ShootTheDog. This is almost unique in that most of the protagonists are GenreSavvy. However, by the end of the series Earth basically is playing the role of TheFederation, thanks partially to the [[NeglectfulPrecursors Very Neglectful Precursors]] and partially to Earth's role in freeing the {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s from millenia of slavery.

** The dark side of the Minbari is shown almost right away though they always have an attractive side as well as a dark side and the Narns don't really mellow although G'kar does (they simply change from [[TheEmpire the would-be Empire]] into TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized). The Minbari curiously are both a ProudWarriorRace and a ProudScholarRace. The Centauri are a big surprise; no one would expect them to be good enough at fighting to be brutal conquerors anymore. [=EarthGov=] is a surprise; we expect it to be TheFederation and instead it evolves into a PoliceState, but with the twist that it is an isolationist and nativist PoliceState rather than TheEmpire, and spends more time suppressing internal rebellion then in aggression. Interestingly most of the characters including the command staff and all the main ambassadors at one time or another end up as LaResistance to their own government in various ways and degrees. The Vorlons are a real surprise, turning out to be almost as evil as the Shadows except for Kosh. The Shadows follow the generic description above almost exactly, being the SealedEvilInACan that forces leaders from other races to form TheAlliance.

* Some of the future in ''Series/DoctorWho''. In particular the Dalek Wars where TheAlliance, including Earth, is battling the Dalek Empire (the ultimate ScaryDogmaticAliens), and the First Earth Empire period, with the Earth Empire as TheFederation and the Draconian Empire as TheEmpire. It's a bit of a different angle, since we see the setting from the perspective of a [[MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch not-so-neglectful]] member of the NeglectfulPrecursors.

* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars'' has a wealth of this, although it plays with a lot of them, like different races using different faster than light drives (all the standard methods are used, but by different races) and a wealth of [[AllThereInTheManual background information]] on the different races and their inner workings that would put several sci-fi TV series to shame.

* ''Videogame/SupremeCommander'': The [=UEF=] are the standard TheFederation, the Aeon are high tech ChurchMilitant, the Cybrans are cyborgs, and the Seraphim are the aliens. They all have HumongousMecha, and teleport via quantum physics.
* The ''Endless Universe'' of ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' and ''VideoGame/EndlessLegend''. The very core of all civilizations revolves around a substance called [[GreenRocks Dust]] which were created eons ago by the [[{{Precursors}} Endless]], and is used for almost anything. From building cities, creating new technologies, to a form of currency. It features multiple races of every alignment and ideology, including sentient robots and SiliconBasedLife.

* Averted/subverted in ''Website/OrionsArm'', which tries to be a hard sci-fi setting without sacrificing any of the appeal of the more traditional SpaceOpera. The result is a transhumanist setting ruled by godlike {{Artificial Intelligence}}s called Archai, which have experienced not one, but several [[TheSingularity Singularities]] and rule over their lesser subjects like benign deities. Advanced nanotechnology and relativistic spaceflight are commonplace, and while true FTL is impossible, [[PortalNetwork wormholes]] and ReactionlessDrive technology have been created by the Archai. CreatingLife is also not that hard, and baseline unmodified humans represent only a tiny part of the extremely diverse terragen (originating-from-Earth) civilization composed of genetically modified transhumans and sentient animals and sentient human-animal hybrids, cyborgs of all kinds, sentient robots, and several kinds of infomorphic lifeforms. And that's just the lower toposophic (read: number of Singularities crossed) levels, before you get to the various planet-sized [=AI=]s, DysonSphere-sized [=AI=]s, and the wormhole-based [=AI=]s that are the higher toposophic beings (the 'godlings' and full godlike Archai). And that's just the terragens, not counting the handful of ''[[StarfishAliens very alien]]'' aliens that the setting features. Basically, any technology or lifeform that isn't banned outright by physics is in there, somewhere.

Examples come mostly from TV, Movies, and especially video games, where scientific accuracy often [[RuleOfCool takes a back seat to awesome visuals and an engaging storyline]]. Compare SciFiKitchenSink, which takes a Standard Sci-Fi Setting, then crams as many other SpeculativeFictionTropes into it as it can.

* Beyond known space will be the unknown region where TheVirus, the HordeOfAlienLocusts, the PlanetLooters, or what have you come from. Expect it to be poorly-charted, if at all, with the main characters having no idea what lurks beyond.

* Also, don't forget about [[TheSyndicate]]. One or more of them will usually come into power on the fringes of the galaxy, dabbling in a wide variety of illegitimate businesses. [[BountyHunter Bounty Hunters]] and other HiredGuns usually act as their enforcers.

* Also, don't forget about [[TheSyndicate criminal syndicates]]. One or more of them will usually come into power on the fringes of the galaxy, dabbling in a wide variety of illegitimate businesses. [[BountyHunter Bounty hunters]] and other HiredGuns usually act as their enforcers.

* Averted/subverted in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', which tries to be a hard sci-fi setting without sacrificing any of the appeal of the more traditional SpaceOpera. The result is a transhumanist setting ruled by godlike {{Artificial Intelligence}}s called Archai, which have experienced not one, but several [[TheSingularity Singularities]] and rule over their lesser subjects like benign deities. Advanced nanotechnology and relativistic spaceflight are commonplace, and while true FTL is impossible, [[PortalNetwork wormholes]] and ReactionlessDrive technology have been created by the Archai. CreatingLife is also not that hard, and baseline unmodified humans represent only a tiny part of the extremely diverse terragen (originating-from-Earth) civilization composed of genetically modified transhumans and sentient animals and sentient human-animal hybrids, cyborgs of all kinds, sentient robots, and several kinds of infomorphic lifeforms. And that's just the lower toposophic (read: number of Singularities crossed) levels, before you get to the various planet-sized [=AI=]s, DysonSphere-sized [=AI=]s, and the wormhole-based [=AI=]s that are the higher toposophic beings (the 'godlings' and full godlike Archai). And that's just the terragens, not counting the handful of ''[[StarfishAliens very alien]]'' aliens that the setting features. Basically, any technology or lifeform that isn't banned outright by physics is in there, somewhere.

** The [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters AI uprising]] was a peaceful separation that took place centuries ago. The [=AIs=] formed their own nation of the TechnoCore, which remains closely associated with the Hegemony by having a representative serving on the Hegemony's high council and often sharing their technology.

* ''Literature/TheSagaOfSevenSuns'' uses this, but it sometimes borders on ClicheStorm.
* The ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'' Universe of Creator/DavidBrin.

* ''Literature/PandorasStar'' does it brilliantly.
* ''Literature/TourOfTheMerrimack'' fits this, with the US as TheFederation, Palatine as the ProudWarriorRace at war with them, and the Hive as the HordeOfAlienLocusts that forces the two into an EnemyMine.

* {{Neglectful|Precursors}} (or outright {{Abusive|Precursors}}) [[NeglectfulPrecursors Precursors]].

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'', with the network of jump gates (though they can still use Alcubierre drives to pull several thousand times light speed ''without'' jump gates), mass effect fields as the {{Applied Phlebotinum}} of choice, the Reapers and Protheans sharing the role of {{Precursors}}, the krogan as [[ProudWarriorRaceguy proud warrior race]], the salarians as [[ProudScholarRaceGuy proud scientist race]], the geth and Reapers as the genocidal aliens (with a hint of {{Cosmic Horror}}), and the asari doubling as both [[PsychicPowers psychic]] SpaceElves and an [[OneGenderRace entire species]] of [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe blue-skinned space babes]].

* The ''Literature/HumanxCommonwealth'' universe, with the titular Commonwealth as TheFederation, the [=AAnn=] as TheEmpire with elements of ProudWarriorRace, scads of {{Precursors}}, including the Xunca as the NeglectfulPrecursors, along with their LostTechnology, and the galaxy-devouring [[UltimateEvil Great Evil]].

* The space-faring powers will divide their territory into sectors, each containing multiple star systems.

Not surprisingly, this setting tends to fall toward the "soft" end of the MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness. Examples come mostly from TV, Movies, and especially video games, where scientific accuracy often [[RuleOfCool takes a back seat to awesome visuals and an engaging storyline]]. Compare SciFiKitchenSink, which takes a Standard Sci-Fi Setting, then crams as many other SpeculativeFictionTropes into it as it can.

* Averted/subverted in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', which tries to be a [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness hard]] sci-fi setting without sacrificing any of the appeal of the more traditional SpaceOpera. The result is a transhumanist setting ruled by godlike {{Artificial Intelligence}}s called Archai, which have experienced not one, but several [[TheSingularity Singularities]] and rule over their lesser subjects like benign deities. Advanced nanotechnology and relativistic spaceflight are commonplace, and while true FTL is impossible, [[PortalNetwork wormholes]] and ReactionlessDrive technology have been created by the Archai. CreatingLife is also not that hard, and baseline unmodified humans represent only a tiny part of the extremely diverse terragen (originating-from-Earth) civilization composed of genetically modified transhumans and sentient animals and sentient human-animal hybrids, cyborgs of all kinds, sentient robots, and several kinds of infomorphic lifeforms. And that's just the lower toposophic (read: number of Singularities crossed) levels, before you get to the various planet-sized [=AI=]s, DysonSphere-sized [=AI=]s, and the wormhole-based [=AI=]s that are the higher toposophic beings (the 'godlings' and full godlike Archai). And that's just the terragens, not counting the handful of ''[[StarfishAliens very alien]]'' aliens that the setting features. Basically, any technology or lifeform that isn't banned outright by physics is in there, somewhere.

* An ancient and hidebound [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy proud warrior race]] who may double as ScaryDogmaticAliens. Their ships will typically be purple, green, or gold. If anyone has an EnemyCivilWar ready to break out, it will be these guys. May experience an EnemyMine situation with the HumansByAnyOtherName if a common threat appears.

* A [[ProudScholarRaceGuy wise/spiritual race]] decked out in CrystalSpiresAndTogas. These are often HumanAliens and/or SpaceElves, possibly the NeglectfulPrecursors, if they're already extinct. Their ships will be sleek, but more rounded, and usually colored white, silver, or blue (gold or copper/bronze is rare, but acceptable). If there's a metaphysical aspect, these guys will be brimming with it more than any others. Bonus points if they have [[ShadowArchetype a rival sect called the "Dark" something]].

A typical plot involves the humans fighting the {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s until one or the other stumbles upon the ruins of the Neglectful Precursor civilization and unleashes the [[SealedEvilInACan evil third race]]. Then a bunch of people die, there are lots of cool [[StuffBlowingUp explosions]], and the first two races [[EnemyOfMyEnemy team up]] to take out the genocidal aliens. Usually they have to track down some LostSuperweapon and use it to destroy the alien queen/mothership/homeworld, thereby saving the galaxy... for now.

* ''ComicBook/{{Legion of Super-Heroes}}'' has a 1000-years-from-now setting that was so close to the Standard Sci-Fi Setting (at least until the threeboot) that you'd think it's clearly based on ''Franchise/StarTrek'' had it not actually ''preceded'' Trek by a good 8 years. FTL? Original has warp drive, reboot adds Stargates. Threeboot isn't so stock, as transmatter gates have rendered spacecraft obsolete. The United Planets is TheFederation (it was at least once erroneously called "the Federation of Planets"). Mysticism? Check. Not just psionics, but explicit magic, since it takes place in the FantasyKitchenSink Franchise/DCUniverse. Proud warrior race? The Khunds, sometimes specifically based on Klingons. Alien hordes? Check. Space pirates? Check.

* TheGreys or LittleGreenMen, the two most common type of aliens used due to them being from alleged-alien sightings. Their somewhat less common cousins, TheReptilians, pop up from time to time. The former tend to be the ProudScholarRace, while the latter tend to be the ProudWarriorRace.

* NeglectfulPrecursors.

* Averted/subverted in ''WebOriginal/OrionsArm'', which tries to be a [[MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness hard]] sci-fi setting without sacrificing any of the appeal of the more traditional SpaceOpera. The result is a transhumanist setting ruled by godlike {{Artificial Intelligence}}s called Archai, which have experienced not one, but several [[TheSingularity Singularities]] and rule over their lesser subjects like benign deities. Advanced nanotechnology and relativistic spaceflight are commonplace, and while true FTL is impossible, [[PortalNetwork wormholes]] and ReactionlessDrive technology have been created by the Archai. CreatingLife is also not that hard, and baseline unmodified humans represent only a tiny part of the extremely diverse terragen (originating-from-Earth) civilization composed of genetically modified transhumans and sentient animals and sentient human-animal hybrids, cyborgs of all kinds, sentient robots, and several kinds of infomorphic lifeforms. And that's just the lower toposophic (read: number of Singularities crossed) levels, before you get to the various planet-sized [=AI=]s, DysonSphere-sized [=AI=]s, and the wormhole-based [=AI=]s that are the higher toposophic beings (the 'godlings' and full godlike Archai). And that's just the terragens, not counting the handful of ''[[StarfishAlien very alien]]'' aliens that the setting features. Basically, any technology or lifeform that isn't banned outright by physics is in there, somewhere.

* There will usually be at least two distinct regions of space: a core region of densely populated and rich planets under the control of the GalacticSuperpower, and the [[UngovernorableGalaxy border region]] where you can find just about any type of world, from advanced ones nearly on par with the core to loosely populated desert planets with a single town on them. Mercenaries, pirates, rebels, [[NGOSuperpower powerful non-state groups]], criminals, and various other unsavory types will exert a lot of influence in the border region, where law is much looser than it is in the core region. The SpaceWestern is almost always set entirely in the border region. A middle region between the two extremes is optional.

* The ''Franchise/StarWars'' ExpandedUniverse is more or less the TropeCodifier in modern fiction. The films have an extremely light version of this, checking off the technology section, but mostly missing out on the population section (aliens are used for flavor but have little relevance), and being very light on factions (space pirates are shown to exist, but only matter in what side they take with the main two factions). The Expanded Universe fills out the rest, having stories where pretty much everything gets its DayInTheLimelight, elaborating on a ProudWarriorRace through the Mandalorians, the Yuuzhan Vong being ScaryDogmaticAliens from "beyond known space", and also giving much more relevance to side factions (including some corporations).

* The ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' games have less of a mystical bent than other examples (though the Precursors might count), but otherwise fits perfectly. The Covenant are the ScaryDogmaticAliens, The Flood are TheVirus, and The Forerunners are the NeglectfulPrecursors. The plot is largely as above.

** SpaceIsAnOcean is in full effect to the extent that ships are ''designed'' to ram each other and some of them literally look like boats. StandardSciFiFleet is only averted by the fact that no ships bigger than shuttles seem to exist besides carriers (which are very fragile and have few to no anti-ship or point-defense weapons, but carry lots of ground troops and fighters, as well as some weapons exclusively for orbital bombardment). Several of the films climax in a large SpaceBattle with a StandardStarshipScuffle. [[RockBeatsLaser Modern Earth aircraft and weapons are totally sufficient to destroy the fighters and carriers used by the space civs]]. [[PlasmaCannon Plasma weapons]], [[LaserBlade Laser Blades]], [[SchizoTech monomolecular]] [[AbsurdlySharpBlade swords/spears]], and so on exist alongside modern [[KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter chemically-propelled firearms]] (in fact, the main armaments of most spacecraft we see appear to be autocannons and missiles). FunctionalMagic exists as both PsychicPowers and as a distinct set of abilities outright referred to ''as'' magic. FasterThanLightTravel is achieved via a PortalNetwork. CasualInterstellarTravel via small ships is a reality thanks to said network. [[SpaceFighter Space Fighters]] that don't even use missiles are responsible for nearly every relevant combat action aside from bombing static targets. TheSingularity is nowhere to be found in the setting, and the fact that the average Cosmic MCU citizen is an InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien is a small series-wide RunningGag (bits of Earth tech from an old Zune to an [=M249=] are viewed as amazing technology, and blue collar Earth mechanics can improve on advanced alien technology with little issue).

* ''Franchise/MassEffect'', with the network of jump gates, mass effect fields as the {{Applied Phlebotinum}} of choice, the Reapers and Protheans sharing the role of {{Precursors}}, the krogan as [[ProudWarriorRaceguy proud warrior race]], the salarians as [[ProudScholarRaceGuy proud scientist race]], the geth and Reapers as the genocidal aliens (with a hint of {{Cosmic Horror}}), and the asari doubling as both [[PsychicPowers psychic]] SpaceElves and an [[OneGenderRace entire species]] of [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe blue-skinned space babes]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'': The Terrans are the humans, the Protoss are the Warriors, the Zerg are the HordeOfAlienLocusts and the Xel'Naga are the Precursors. PsychicPowers are everywhere.

** Asgardians and Sovereign are the ancient wise CrystalSpiresAndTogas HumanAliens,[[note]]Okay, [[RubberForeheadAliens the Sovereign have gold skin and eyes]].[[/note]] with the former being a more sympathetic example (and having several primitive species as protectorates) and the latter being less so. Ultron's army are rogue robots out to kill organic life. The Nova Empire, despite its name, is TheFederation where many species both primitive and advanced live together in peace. The Kree Empire is straight-up TheEmpire and quite brutal, while the Skrulls and unnamed others are sympathetic rebels to their tyranny. The Ravagers are the largest collection of SpacePirates and mercenaries in the setting (how sympathetic they are, and in particular whether they're anti-heroes to out-and-out villains, varies on the specific clan). Thanos's forces, which are composed of AlwaysChaoticEvil troops implied to be synthetically-created (like the Chitauri and Outriders), are the genocidal PlanetLooters under the control of a PhysicalGod GalacticConqueror (other groups like the Frost Giants fill the "evil race" position to a lesser degree). The Dark Elves and their off-screen counterparts of the Light Elves are SpaceElves. The lawless frontier where pirates, warlords, and corrupt nobles rule is epitomized by worlds like Sakaar. There are LoadsAndLoadsOfRaces, and generally they're RubberForeheadAliens distinguished from baseline humans only by their skin color and minor head prosthetics (though HumanoidAliens and the occasional StarfishAliens are shown to exist). The rarely-seen Watchers resemble TheGreys and are the ProudScholarRace. Ego, Dormammu, Surtur, and a few other entities to come share the role of the cosmic EldritchAbomination. The Celestials are the ultra-advanced {{Precursors}}. The main protagonists of this subset of the franchise are a ProudWarriorRaceGuy (Thor), a super-genius billionaire in PoweredArmor (Iron Man), and a Han Solo-esque LovableRogue (Starlord). Earth exists as a HiddenElfVillage with [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant disproportionate military power]], and its inhabitants are referred to as terrans.

** Asgardians and Sovereign are the ancient wise CrystalSpiresAndTogas HumanAliens,[[note]]Okay, [[RubberForeheadAliens the Sovereign have gold skin and eyes]].[[/note]] with the former being a more sympathetic example (and having several primitive species as protectorates) and the latter being less so. Ultron's army are rogue robots out to kill organic life. The Nova Empire, despite its name, is TheFederation where many species both primitive and advanced live together in peace. The Kree Empire is straight-up TheEmpire and quite brutal, while the Skrulls and unnamed others are sympathetic rebels to their tyranny. The Ravagers are the largest collection of SpacePirates and mercenaries in the setting (how sympathetic they are, and in particular whether they're anti-heroes to out-and-out villains, varies on the specific clan). Thanos's forces, which are composed of AlwaysChaoticEvil troops implied to be synthetically-created, are the genocidal PlanetLooters under the control of a PhysicalGod GalacticConqueror (other groups like the Frost Giants fill the "evil race" position to a lesser degree). The Dark Elves and their off-screen counterparts of the Light Elves are SpaceElves. The lawless frontier where pirates, warlords, and corrupt nobles rule is epitomized by worlds like Sakaar. There are LoadsAndLoadsOfRaces, and generally they're RubberForeheadAliens distinguished from baseline humans only by their skin color and minor head prosthetics (though HumanoidAliens and the occasional StarfishAliens are shown to exist). The rarely-seen Watchers resemble TheGreys and are the ProudScholarRace. Ego, Dormammu, Surtur, and a few other entities to come share the role of the cosmic EldritchAbomination. The Celestials are the ultra-advanced {{Precursors}}. The main protagonists of this subset of the franchise are a ProudWarriorRaceGuy (Thor), a super-genius billionaire in PoweredArmor (Iron Man), and a Han Solo-esque LovableRogue (Starlord). Earth exists as a HiddenElfVillage with [[AwakeningTheSleepingGiant disproportionate military power]], and its inhabitants are referred to as terrans.
** SpaceIsAnOcean is in full effect to the extent that ships are ''designed'' to ram each other and some of them literally look like boats. StandardSciFiFleet is only averted by the fact that no ships bigger than shuttles seem to exist besides carriers (which are very fragile and have few to no anti-ship or point-defense weapons, but carry lots of ground troops and fighters, as well as some weapons exclusively for orbital bombardment). Several of the films climax in a large SpaceBattle with a StandardStarshipScuffle. [[RockBeatsLaser Modern Earth aircraft and weapons are totally sufficient to destroy the fighters and carriers used by the space civs]]. [[PlasmaCannon Plasma weapons]], [[LaserBlade Laser Blades]], [[SchizoTech monomolecular]] [[AbsurdlySharpBlade swords/spears]], and so on exist alongside modern [[KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter chemically-propelled firearms]] (in fact, the main armaments of most spacecraft we see appear to be autocannons and missiles). FunctionalMagic exists as both PsychicPowers and as a distinct set of abilities outright referred to ''as'' magic. FasterThanLightTravel is achieved via a PortalNetwork. CasualInterstellarTravel via small ships is a reality thanks to said network. [[SpaceFighter Space Fighters]] that don't even use missiles are responsible for nearly every relevant combat action aside from bombing static targets. TheSingularity is nowhere to be found in the setting, and the fact that InsufficientlyAdvancedAliens are everywhere is a small series-wide RunningGag (bits of Earth tech from an old Zune to an [=M249=] are viewed as amazing technology).

* The ''Endless Universe'' of ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace'' and ''VideoGame/EndlessLegend''. The very core of all civilizations revolves around a substance called [[GreenRocks Dust]] which were created eons ago by the [[{{Precursors}} Endless]], and is used for almost anything. From building cities, creating new technologies, to a form of currency. It features multiple races of every alignment and ideology, including sentient robots, and SiliconBasedLife.

** It's the perspective of many that humanity is the come-lately {{Proud Warrior Race Guy}}s. They're trusted enough to be considered for the Council and Spectre membership, but not that much more than the Krogans.