I have a lot of ideas when it comes to worldbuilding. I have always been a fan of science fantasy (combining both tropes from sci-fi and fantasy), but I feel like most works haven't embraced both genres to their fullest potential. The original Phantasy Star series is probably the closest because they weren't afraid to actually call magic "magic" instead of "the force" like in Star Wars.
I plan on using these ideas for my dream game (or series), but I'm posting these worldbuilding concepts anyway just in case I never get to creating the game, and I just don't care if other people use these ideas. They most likely have already been done before (in fact I know some of these ideas have been done before). I'm using AI to generate these concepts because I suck at drawing.
Anyway let's begin. First off, I think alien worlds should combine both ancient technology, futuristic technology, and everything in between. Technological progress isn't a linear path, so you shouldn't assume that aliens go through the same technological progression as we do. They might be flying interstellar ships, but they might also still be wielding swords and bows. So you can have spaceships flying over medieval style villages or even mudhuts. Star Wars has basically already popularized this, so this should be a no-brainer, but you can always take it a step further. For example, replace lightsabers with steel swords while still having space travel.
Gas Giant planets can have floating islands or even continents in them, kind of like the main setting of Skies of Arcadia.
Star Wars popularized wizards in space. I think we should also have witches in space. We can have alien witches flying between planets on their broom sticks.
Now for something weird. I have always had dreams of finding stores and restaurants in weird places. In my dream game, I plan on having the in-game stores be corner stores or convenient stores, much like in Earthbound or Pokemon, but given the schizo tech in this science-fantasy universe, you would have basically modernized convenient stores in medieval, old-western, or even pre-historic styled buildings. So there will basically be rustic, wooden buildings with modern beverage fridges inside. You can even have a cave with one room of the cave being a modernized convenience store.
So basically just have old-style buildings with modern (or futuristic) appliances in them.
Speaking of caves, I was thinking about having an alien race that builds everything in hollowed out caves, maybe in cliff-sides (like the Puebloans), or in completely underground caves. They probably might even hollow out asteroids, moons, and dwarf planets to make space stations. So imagine going inside a cave and seeing apartments, hotel rooms, restaurants, stores, etc.
Something that I have noticed when it comes to science fantasy is that is is mostly combining medieval fantasy with space travel or steampunk with space travel. I'm all for a space wuxia or at least an alien civilization that resembles Ancient China or Asia in general.
So I thought of a fictional currency for an alien species where the "money" is actual a form of energy that is stored in the body and can be transferred from one body to another. From a video game design stand-point, it's brilliant because it's an in-universe explain on how the characters are able to carry that much money.
I have ideas for power sources that these civilizations might use. There could be a fruit that is very electric. You know how some people make lemon batteries? Why not have a fruit that can actually be used as a practical power source and have these aliens farm them?
Or maybe free energy could exist in this universe. Many people believe that the Pyramids of Giza were actually ancient powerplants that tapped into energy from the ionosphere or the electric current flowing between celestial bodies (if the electric universe theory is to be believed). We can have alien civilizations using such technology. It fits perfectly with the combination of low and high-tech that this science fantasy universe provides.
@coolboymew Oh yeah, I forgot, but they would take the place of the Jedi in my science fantasy universe.
@coolboymew Also, the witches would be 100% alien and I'm not talking about human-looking aliens.
Check Airships: Kingdoms Adrift for some inspirational ship designs
Basically, magic elements should be inserted into primitive machinery, which justifies wizard species not developing more advanced designs, since their magic allows basic machines to already deliver performance close to that of more advanced species
@vokainen099 @coolboymew I got AI to generate them. I should've included "steampunk" somewhere in there.
First design the magic, and the maximum technological level "allowed", then work around those and how they could interact.
A techno-magic (Magic akin to a fantastic principle of physics, with its rules), instead of magic as is anything is possible at the writer's discretion
@vokainen099 Different races could have different magical and technological abilities. More technologically advanced species may have little to no magical capabilities while the more primitive types could have more. Some races might even have biological castes that determine their magical capabilities.
Another idea I had (which was already used in the Disney movie, Treasure Planet) is to have wooden ships flying between planets and stars. If certain alien species are capable of magic, then they can achieve low-tech space travel.