Mass Effect 3

[Raithe]

Its pretty much a couple of pages of Vega getting into a bar fight, then a page of Anderson arriving to put a stop to it, then a page of Anderson telling Vega to get over it, soldier on, and oh, by the way, you're going to be the guy guarding the prisoner known as Shephard. Then it ends.

 

Not much of a tie in, or even any real explanation of other events.

[Majek]

There is no H in Shepard.

 

And damn you Bioware, ME3 got into my head and now i'm scared i'll go and buy the expensive DDE on Origin, because i want all the guns and stuff.

[BobSmith101]

If it's anything like the weapons that came free with the PS3 version of ME2 they will just make the game ridiculously easy.

 

I wondered who the ape guy was in the intro as well thanks for clearing that up. Where is my Who the F*** are you dialogue choice?

Edited February 18, 2012 by BobSmith101

[Orogun01]

There is no H in Shepard.

 

And damn you Bioware, ME3 got into my head and now i'm scared i'll go and buy the expensive DDE on Origin, because i want all the guns and stuff.

Or you could wait until BW decides that's time to pack them all into a neat little DLC and squeeze you out of more cash.

 

BW I'm dissapoint.jpg

[Gorth]

Just an odd, out of the blue observation, which might be coincidental (or not), but it seemed to me in ME2 that there was some correlation between planets with high Element Zero content and presence (either current or past) of organic life. Maybe Element Zero is the "fossil fuel" that Reapers need and so go around and seed the galaxy with enough technology (the relays) to make sure life spreads to those places they want them to in order to make a bountiful harvest of Space Diesel.

 

Now, did anybody ever figure out why Haestrom's sun (where you pick up Tali) was suffering from rapid ageing? Some kind of superweapon? The gadget that is going to nuke the Reapers or just part of the process where the Reapers test their harvesting technology by baking the content of a planet into Element Zero fuel rods?

[Oblarg]

It was made pretty clear in the first game that the Reapers do not wipe out *all* organice life, only all spacefaring organic life. They'd have no way of wiping out all organic life, as they don't search the entire galaxy - this was all explained by Vigil on Ilos. By taking the citadel, they are, ostensibly, then able to interpret all the lovely data the organics have on their own civilization and then proceed to systematically dismantle it. This is why Ilos survived - there was no record of Ilos on the Citadel or on any other Prothean world, and thus the Reapers simply didn't know anyone was there. It thus stands to reason that there could be plenty of other organic populations, even fairly "advanced" ones, that are not wiped out every cycle because they have not yet discovered interstellar travel. In fact, I sort of wish more had been done with this, because if there's one obvious weakness in the Reaper plan it's that they're seemingly not very thorough in their extermination - there are numerous ways a species could "slip through the cracks" in a way that could perhaps allow them to become a threat to the Reapers in the next cycle. It's a pity they didn't go with this idea, and instead brought the reapers down to a much less imposing foe than they previously were.

 

So, yeah, of the myriad plot issues in the Mass Effect universe, the 50,000 year timescale between harvests is not one of them.

[Orogun01]

Just an odd, out of the blue observation, which might be coincidental (or not), but it seemed to me in ME2 that there was some correlation between planets with high Element Zero content and presence (either current or past) of organic life. Maybe Element Zero is the "fossil fuel" that Reapers need and so go around and seed the galaxy with enough technology (the relays) to make sure life spreads to those places they want them to in order to make a bountiful harvest of Space Diesel.

 

Now, did anybody ever figure out why Haestrom's sun (where you pick up Tali) was suffering from rapid ageing? Some kind of superweapon? The gadget that is going to nuke the Reapers or just part of the process where the Reapers test their harvesting technology by baking the content of a planet into Element Zero fuel rods?

Or since they equated Element zero to dark matter they are going for "The reapers are trying to create black holes into Dark Space so they can cross into ours" I smell a plot hole in the making, maybe BW is trying to cross somewhere.

[Oner]

The dragons in DA are actually Rappers Reapers!

Dun dun DUNN

[entrerix]

shepherd is actually morrigans space baby

[Tale]

shepherd is actually morrigans space baby

So he's half-Quarian?

[Maria Caliban]

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

 

 

I wish mine were a book reading generation.

[Majek]

Or you could wait until BW decides that's time to pack them all into a neat little DLC and squeeze you out of more cash.

 

BW I'm dissapoint.jpg

I'm good at waiting. :/ So i guess i should compliment their marketing skills if they manage to convince people to buy overpriced stuff.

 

Now, did anybody ever figure out why Haestrom's sun (where you pick up Tali) was suffering from rapid ageing? Some kind of superweapon? The gadget that is going to nuke the Reapers or just part of the process where the Reapers test their harvesting technology by baking the content of a planet into Element Zero fuel rods?

It serves as proof that Shivans exist. :D

[Drowsy Emperor]

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

 

 

I wish mine were a book reading generation.

 

This really says more about the decline of sci-fi as a genre than it does about mass effect. Films are made and books are published but its all weak and dependent on old glory (just like ME, although it is a homage of sorts so that gets it a free pass).

 

When the space race optimism in Odyssey 2001 and anti-utopian pessimism of Blade Runner had run their course, sci fi was basically finished. With the end of the cold war ideologies lost their draw and serious projections of a future society died with them. The dominant, unspoken illusion now is that we live in the best possible society so we don't need imaginary futures any more.

 

Sci-fi kicked the bucket and fantasy stepped in its shoes (the success of LotR, Harry P, Twilight). Sadly fantasy is in every possible way, a step backwards, mostly a collection of fairy tales for grownups (isn't it obvious how many fantasy novels are instant bestsellers now, but how sci-fi is nowhere to be found?). But that's exactly what people like the one that wrote the article need, a toy to be dangled in front of their noses, to fill their empty minds and imaginations. Because thinking and any sort of cerebral experience is so out of fashion.

 

Transhumanists are trying to pick up sci-fi but they have little new to offer and its mostly packaged in the obsolete idea of unconditional faith in the power of science to set everything right.

 

PS: The article is ridiculous on so many levels its not even worth exploring. In happier times people would be fired after writing this sort of garbage.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Nepenthe]

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

 

 

I wish mine were a book reading generation.

 

This really says more about the decline of sci-fi as a genre than it does about mass effect. Films are made and books are published but its all weak and dependent on old glory (just like ME, although it is a homage of sorts so that gets it a free pass).

 

When the space race optimism in Odyssey 2001 and anti-utopian pessimism of Blade Runner had run their course, sci fi was basically finished. With the end of the cold war ideologies lost their draw and serious projections of a future society died with them. The dominant, unspoken illusion now is that we live in the best possible society so we don't need imaginary futures any more.

 

Sci-fi kicked the bucket and fantasy stepped in its shoes (the success of LotR, Harry P, Twilight). Sadly fantasy is in every possible way, a step backwards, mostly a collection of fairy tales for grownups (isn't it obvious how many fantasy novels are instant bestsellers now, but how sci-fi is nowhere to be found?). But that's exactly what people like the one that wrote the article need, a toy to be dangled in front of their noses, to fill their empty minds and imaginations. Because thinking and any sort of cerebral experience is so out of fashion.

 

Transhumanists are trying to pick up sci-fi but they have little new to offer and its mostly packaged in the obsolete idea of unconditional faith in the power of science to set everything right.

 

PS: The article is ridiculous on so many levels its not even worth exploring. In happier times people would be fired after writing this sort of garbage.

 

I CBA to read the article, but I can agree with your thoughts on the matter. Especially re the homage nature of ME, which does get glossed over for good (seemingly in this case) or bad ("it's... derivative!"), but your points on the stagnation of sci fi are very valid. Frankly am a bit surprised there hasn't been a resurgence of cyberpunk, the time would be ripe for it.

[BobSmith101]

It was made pretty clear in the first game that the Reapers do not wipe out *all* organice life, only all spacefaring organic life. They'd have no way of wiping out all organic life, as they don't search the entire galaxy - this was all explained by Vigil on Ilos. By taking the citadel, they are, ostensibly, then able to interpret all the lovely data the organics have on their own civilization and then proceed to systematically dismantle it. This is why Ilos survived - there was no record of Ilos on the Citadel or on any other Prothean world, and thus the Reapers simply didn't know anyone was there. It thus stands to reason that there could be plenty of other organic populations, even fairly "advanced" ones, that are not wiped out every cycle because they have not yet discovered interstellar travel. In fact, I sort of wish more had been done with this, because if there's one obvious weakness in the Reaper plan it's that they're seemingly not very thorough in their extermination - there are numerous ways a species could "slip through the cracks" in a way that could perhaps allow them to become a threat to the Reapers in the next cycle. It's a pity they didn't go with this idea, and instead brought the reapers down to a much less imposing foe than they previously were.

 

So, yeah, of the myriad plot issues in the Mass Effect universe, the 50,000 year timescale between harvests is not one of them.

 

But it's also made clear in the intro of ME3 that every 50,000 years the Reapers come along to cleanse the Galaxy of all Organic life. They can't both be correct....

 

Even if it were limited to spacefaring races the problem is still this. To get from Hominid to present day it's taken 5 million years give or take a million. To get from Homo Sapian to space travel has taken around 200,000 years.

 

These are just ballpark figures and likely wrong, but close enough.

 

There are around 8 Mass Effect races if 1% of the galaxy has been explored that leaves about 792 ME class races in total as Reaper "fodder". It's simply a case of diminishing returns it takes considerably longer to "grow" a new race than it does to consume one. Unless there is something else going on the Reapers would have run out of "food" many many cycles ago.

 

Your post did spark another theory, that goes in line with the Reapers being akin to farmers. That they are culling the advanced races to prevent the destruction of their food supply. It's very much like how human farmers will cull badgers close to their land because of the fear that those badgers will have TB and spread it to the cattle.

A big galactic war with planet destroying weapons would not be in the Reapers interests at all. It's a preventative measure, just like a badger cull.

Humans cull all sorts of things in self interest, so it's not too hard to attribute the same to Reapers especially if they operate purely on logic and above morality.

 

The other option is that the Reapers ascend races that are deemed worthy (having discovered ME tech), or have reached evolutionary stagnation and leave a blank slate for something new. They may do it in a way the race does not understand at the time, but thats because they don't have the same thought process as a Reaper. The Reapers may be see the race as a whole and not care about individual elements.

Edited February 19, 2012 by BobSmith101

[Nepenthe]

It was made pretty clear in the first game that the Reapers do not wipe out *all* organice life, only all spacefaring organic life. They'd have no way of wiping out all organic life, as they don't search the entire galaxy - this was all explained by Vigil on Ilos. By taking the citadel, they are, ostensibly, then able to interpret all the lovely data the organics have on their own civilization and then proceed to systematically dismantle it. This is why Ilos survived - there was no record of Ilos on the Citadel or on any other Prothean world, and thus the Reapers simply didn't know anyone was there. It thus stands to reason that there could be plenty of other organic populations, even fairly "advanced" ones, that are not wiped out every cycle because they have not yet discovered interstellar travel. In fact, I sort of wish more had been done with this, because if there's one obvious weakness in the Reaper plan it's that they're seemingly not very thorough in their extermination - there are numerous ways a species could "slip through the cracks" in a way that could perhaps allow them to become a threat to the Reapers in the next cycle. It's a pity they didn't go with this idea, and instead brought the reapers down to a much less imposing foe than they previously were.

 

So, yeah, of the myriad plot issues in the Mass Effect universe, the 50,000 year timescale between harvests is not one of them.

 

But it's also made clear in the intro of ME3 that every 50,000 years the Reapers come along to cleanse the Galaxy of all Organic life. They can't both be correct....

Yes, and the abbreviated version in the intro is incorrect. Can we move on, now?

[Janmanden]

Just an odd, out of the blue observation, which might be coincidental (or not), but it seemed to me in ME2 that there was some correlation between planets with high Element Zero content and presence (either current or past) of organic life. Maybe Element Zero is the "fossil fuel" that Reapers need and so go around and seed the galaxy with enough technology (the relays) to make sure life spreads to those places they want them to in order to make a bountiful harvest of Space Diesel.

 

Now, did anybody ever figure out why Haestrom's sun (where you pick up Tali) was suffering from rapid ageing? Some kind of superweapon? The gadget that is going to nuke the Reapers or just part of the process where the Reapers test their harvesting technology by baking the content of a planet into Element Zero fuel rods?

Or since they equated Element zero to dark matter they are going for "The reapers are trying to create black holes into Dark Space so they can cross into ours" I smell a plot hole in the making, maybe BW is trying to cross somewhere.

 

Well, actually, the term Tali used was 'Dark Energy'.. I guess BioWare was toying with a return of the Dark side of Force, erm, Biotics, Tech, whatever, who knows.. I have a faint memory of another reference.. Maybe it was Gianni Parsini or some Asari merchant or other referring to research into Dark Energy mods.

[Janmanden]

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

 

 

 

It seems to be rather silly to suggest that the role of humans (or americans) is insignificant, when every species of the Galaxy speaks american already.. They've only been part of the inter-galactic community for 30 years and it's already the official language of the galaxy, more than that it has completed wiped out any other language apart from two words that Tali still remember..

[Nepenthe]

Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation

 

 

 

It seems to be rather silly to suggest that the role of humans (or americans) is insignificant, when every species of the Galaxy speaks american already.. They've only been part of the inter-galactic community for 30 years and it's already the official language of the galaxy, more than that it has completed wiped out any other language apart from two words that Tali still remember..

 

You need to crack open the in-game codex and read about the automatic translation software.

 

Besides, Broshep is definitely Canadian!

[Nepenthe]

More practical info:

 

Someone's datamined the demo and some dialogue (with Ashley/Kaidan) referring to me1/2 choices has been chopped from the beginning. Stupid, but hopefully limited to just the demo.

 

Heavy melee observes a similar lock as the biotic/tech powers do, so once you get the hang of it, it shouldn't be as useless as it was to me.

[BobSmith101]

Yes, and the abbreviated version in the intro is incorrect. Can we move on, now?

 

Actually as a source it's probably more correct because its before the game starts. It's addressing the player of the game directly. If it's wrong then its a god awful ****-up to be so wrong with the very first thing the player sees in the game. Then again you have the VS not long after who can't seem to tell the difference between a Dread and a Cruiser (that on is a confirmed mistake).

[BobSmith101]

Just an odd, out of the blue observation, which might be coincidental (or not), but it seemed to me in ME2 that there was some correlation between planets with high Element Zero content and presence (either current or past) of organic life. Maybe Element Zero is the "fossil fuel" that Reapers need and so go around and seed the galaxy with enough technology (the relays) to make sure life spreads to those places they want them to in order to make a bountiful harvest of Space Diesel.

 

Now, did anybody ever figure out why Haestrom's sun (where you pick up Tali) was suffering from rapid ageing? Some kind of superweapon? The gadget that is going to nuke the Reapers or just part of the process where the Reapers test their harvesting technology by baking the content of a planet into Element Zero fuel rods?

Or since they equated Element zero to dark matter they are going for "The reapers are trying to create black holes into Dark Space so they can cross into ours" I smell a plot hole in the making, maybe BW is trying to cross somewhere.

 

Well, actually, the term Tali used was 'Dark Energy'.. I guess BioWare was toying with a return of the Dark side of Force, erm, Biotics, Tech, whatever, who knows.. I have a faint memory of another reference.. Maybe it was Gianni Parsini or some Asari merchant or other referring to research into Dark Energy mods.

 

I believe "dark energy" is a by product of Ezo much the same way as you get nuclear waste material. Maybe we will see the ME equivilent of Depleted Uranium used to take down Reapers.Shooting something with that sort of mass with a rail gun should make a hole in pretty much anything.

[Nepenthe]

Yes, and the abbreviated version in the intro is incorrect. Can we move on, now?

 

Actually as a source it's probably more correct because its before the game starts. It's addressing the player of the game directly. If it's wrong then its a god awful ****-up to be so wrong with the very first thing the player sees in the game. Then again you have the VS not long after who can't seem to tell the difference between a Dread and a Cruiser (that on is a confirmed mistake).

 

It's a one sentence abbreviation of the backstory, I think it's allowed to be a little hyperbolical to convince new players of the direness of the situation. I'm sure they've accepted that somebody willing to pay $ 5 for the game will moan about it for weeks beforehand, before making the conscious decision.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Nepenthe

[BobSmith101]

Yes, and the abbreviated version in the intro is incorrect. Can we move on, now?

 

Actually as a source it's probably more correct because its before the game starts. It's addressing the player of the game directly. If it's wrong then its a god awful ****-up to be so wrong with the very first thing the player sees in the game. Then again you have the VS not long after who can't seem to tell the difference between a Dread and a Cruiser (that on is a confirmed mistake).

 

It's a one sentence abbreviation of the backstory, I think it's allowed to be a little hyperbolical to convince new players of the direness of the situation. I'm sure they've accepted that somebody willing to pay $ 5 for the game will moan about it for weeks beforehand, before making the conscious decision.

 

You kind of missed the point. Everything that we know about the Reapers once the game starts we only know as Shepard it may be wrong and the Protheans may have lied. It may just be that the Reapers are very bad at cleansing the Galaxy despite having been doing it for who knows however many years.

 

An RPG exists on the integrity of it's world. If they can't even get something so basic right (as in it's a mistake not as in Shepard does not know real story yet) then it merely reinforces that only paying

[Raithe]

This really says more about the decline of sci-fi as a genre than it does about mass effect. Films are made and books are published but its all weak and dependent on old glory (just like ME, although it is a homage of sorts so that gets it a free pass).

 

When the space race optimism in Odyssey 2001 and anti-utopian pessimism of Blade Runner had run their course, sci fi was basically finished. With the end of the cold war ideologies lost their draw and serious projections of a future society died with them. The dominant, unspoken illusion now is that we live in the best possible society so we don't need imaginary futures any more.

 

Sci-fi kicked the bucket and fantasy stepped in its shoes (the success of LotR, Harry P, Twilight). Sadly fantasy is in every possible way, a step backwards, mostly a collection of fairy tales for grownups (isn't it obvious how many fantasy novels are instant bestsellers now, but how sci-fi is nowhere to be found?). But that's exactly what people like the one that wrote the article need, a toy to be dangled in front of their noses, to fill their empty minds and imaginations. Because thinking and any sort of cerebral experience is so out of fashion.

 

Transhumanists are trying to pick up sci-fi but they have little new to offer and its mostly packaged in the obsolete idea of unconditional faith in the power of science to set everything right.

 

PS: The article is ridiculous on so many levels its not even worth exploring. In happier times people would be fired after writing this sort of garbage.

 

Hm, I wouldn't say the sci-fi genre in literature has declined. There are still plenty of damn good authors writing sci-fi across the whole spectrum - from Military sci-fi to space opera to hard sci-fi and in between.

 

Look at Baen publishing for one collection of damn good authors. Weber, Ringo, Drake, Flint and the like... For the non-Baen authors, the like of L E Modesitt is still producing some in-depth sci-fi, same with Mike Resnick and Mike Shepherd who tend to cover the military/exploration sci-fi more then anything else.