Developing a conflict?

[bluefoxicy]

Is there any process you use for developing a conflict?

I'm toying with the idea of writing some sci-fi; I've been writing fragments, developing characters, growing a universe from pieces of will. I've even developed a governmental structure in my head that's different than what we have here.

I have some ideas, but they all seem ... reused. Basically all I can think of is Holt Fasner (The Gap Cycle), aliens (everything's used alien invasion forces in a galactic war), and anti-heroes (being on the side of the bad guys).

Because of the universe I've chosen, some conflicts are impossible: particularly small scale politics don't work when you're dealing with mankind just finally developing the ability to colonize the galaxy. Internal wars are just barely possible: due to the universe I've set up, it's possible for someone to find a habitable planet near an ore-rich asteroid belt or such and begin to build a space super-power... which would give me something boring, or another Holt Fasner.

Seriously. Space race, we can go out and colonize. The first belligerent person to build up a planet can either develop space battle stations and start attacking people before they have defenses; or he can develop space defenses and manipulate most/all of human space into giving him police powers (giant politics game). The first is boring: even if he gets a good hold, he's a direct enemy and everyone hates him; the story is simple. The second is ... another Holt Fasner, just from a completely different approach and a different history.

The innards of the story would be different from other stories, of course. Even the ones I'm ripping off (I've noticed many ways to tell a story have been employed by various writers; I've actually directly selected one, because I like the writing style, and decided to use that as the method to write MY story). I'm focusing a lot on the development and applications of technology; on comparative politics (different planets, different political atmospheres, different political THEORY); and on social issues. But there still has to be a real story in there, a sort of conflict, something ugly.

[Alexa12345]

I'm not so much into sci-fi, but if you'll succed writing a book try to make it really original because until now i didn't read something sci-fi to leave me speachless. Good luck.

[bluefoxicy]

I'm not so much into sci-fi, but if you'll succed writing a book try to make it really original because until now i didn't read something sci-fi to leave me speachless. Good luck.

For me the bar's set pretty high because I read The Gap Cycle, and that kind of conflict is really deep and complex and thus hard to do. I can do something "original" in one aspect, but in another it's going to be easily of a likeness to something else.

EDIT: Ah, I'm getting some interesting ideas now. Apparently if I let things bubble around, the natural progression happens anyway and then I have to deal with it...

[EXPECT_THE_EXPECTED]

wow you are in the zone lol