Editing Campaign setting (section)

===Science fiction===
{{See also|Category:Science fiction role-playing games}}
'''Science fiction''' settings typically take place in the future. Common elements involve futuristic technology, contact with alien life forms, experimental societies, and space travel. [[Psionics (role-playing games)|Psionic]] abilities (i.e. [[Extrasensory perception|ESP]] and [[telekinesis]]) often take the place of magic. Similar to [[science fiction]] literature and film, the game genre contains sub-genres such as [[:Category:Cyberpunk role-playing games|cyberpunk]], [[:Category:Space opera role-playing games|space opera]], and [[:Category:Steampunk role-playing games|steampunk]].

Science fiction settings for role playing were introduced with ''[[Metamorphosis Alpha]]'' in 1976—dungeon adventuring on a "lost starship"<ref>{{cite web |date=12 April 2024 |title=Para Bellum Consulting Purchases James M. Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha |url=https://www.enworld.org/threads/para-bellum-consulting-purchases-james-m-ward%E2%80%99s-metamorphosis-alpha.703613/ |website=www.enworld.org}}</ref>—and in 1977 soon followed with ''[[Traveller (role-playing game)|Traveller]]'', a [[space opera]] game. Its ''[[Imperium (Traveller)|Third Imperium]]'' setting covered multiple worlds and [[Extraterrestrials in fiction|alien]] races.<ref name="appelcline2016">{{Cite book |last=Appelcline |first=Shannon |title=The Science Fiction in Traveller |date=2016 |publisher=Far Future Enterprises |isbn=978-1-55878-049-1 |location=USA}}</ref> ''[[Gamma World]]'', introduced in 1978, explored the replacement of traditional elements of fantasy settings with the [[Pseudoscience|pseudo-scientific]] elements of [[Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|post-apocalyptic fiction]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Brief History of the Future |url=http://www.think-magazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264:a-brief-history-of-the-future&catid=49:doomsday&Itemid=34 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120133141/http://www.think-magazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264%3Aa-brief-history-of-the-future&catid=49%3Adoomsday&Itemid=34 |archive-date=2010-11-20 |access-date=7 November 2017 |website=Think Magazine}}</ref> Due to the success of ''[[Star Wars]]'', and the franchise's impact on popular culture, many science fiction settings were introduced or adapted during the 1980s. Such settings often involved detailed accounts of military and/or trading operations and organizations.