Wait no, maybe "no sci-fi elements" is the wrong way to say it, because what makes Ryzom unique is ofcourse that it does have many elements that are *usually* only used in sci-fi - even if they're not inherently sci-fi.
Because almost all fantasy goes for the "medieval stasis europe + magic" setting, we usually come across "post-apocalyptic tribal society" only in sci-fi works. Ryzom is rare because it's gone for post-apocalyptic tribal society in a fantasy.
The 'post-apocalyptic' automatically means you get a strong focus on recovering lost history and re-discovering lost technology. This means the game is permeated with the feeling that society is constantly evolving as technology marches on - something we usually encounter only in sci-fi, again because almost all fantasy plays in an eternal medieval stasis world.
And many fantasies do have tribal societies, but only as a backdrop to the medieval cities. Making the tribal societies the only societies in the world creates a whole different atmosphere.
Because almost all fantasy goes for the "medieval stasis europe + magic" setting, we usually come across "post-apocalyptic tribal society" only in sci-fi works. Ryzom is rare because it's gone for post-apocalyptic tribal society in a fantasy.
The 'post-apocalyptic' automatically means you get a strong focus on recovering lost history and re-discovering lost technology. This means the game is permeated with the feeling that society is constantly evolving as technology marches on - something we usually encounter only in sci-fi, again because almost all fantasy plays in an eternal medieval stasis world.
And many fantasies do have tribal societies, but only as a backdrop to the medieval cities. Making the tribal societies the only societies in the world creates a whole different atmosphere.