Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Speculative biology is simultaneously a science and form of art in which one speculates on the possibilities of life and evolution. What could the world look like if dinosaurs had never gone extinct? What could alien lifeforms look like? What kinds of plants and animals might exist in the far future? These questions and more are tackled by speculative biologists, and the Speculative Evolution welcomes all relevant ideas, inquiries, and world-building projects alike. With a member base comprising users from across the world, our community is the largest and longest-running place of gathering for speculative biologists on the web.

While unregistered users are able to browse the forum on a basic level, registering an account provides additional forum access not visible to guests as well as the ability to join in discussions and contribute yourself! Registration is free and instantaneous.

Join our community today!

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Mass Effect 3 Excitment
Topic Started: Jan 9 2012, 03:58 AM (2,177 Views)
Kamidio
Member Avatar
The Game Master of the SSU:NC
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
I meant the whole splitting into three factions, of which, only one will survive.
SSU:NC - Finding a new home.
Posted Image
Quotes
WAA
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Flisch
Member Avatar
Superhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Parasky
Jan 24 2012, 02:26 PM
Your assumptions are good, but a bit flawed. If the reapers have been doing their thing since long before the Protheans, and succeeding every time, then sentient spaceships or not its a pretty safe bet to say that they're rather cocky. Arrogance is the sign of a mortal being, and anything that is mortal can be defeated no matter how powerful it is. If it bleeds, we can kill it.

A) Because they won a lot they have to be cocky? That's a pretty bold assumption on your part. They might feel superior to us, simply because they are, but I wouldn't call it cockiness.

B) It has been stated times and times again that the reaper mindset is so alien and different from any organic's mindset that it is basically impossible to know what reapers think or how they feel. They obviously do have emotions, but not in the same way we do. To spin my analogy with ants further: We are the ants, and we have no idea what humans could think, even if we tried to to put ourselves into the humans' mindset.

C) Even IF they are arrogant, I highly doubt it'll be their downfall, unless bioware wants to pull an aesop on us, which admittedly is a rather poor lesson. "Wiping out entire civilisations without a trace is ok, but don't ever become arrogant!"


Parasky
Jan 24 2012, 02:26 PM
History is full of examples of far larger, technologically superior forces being defeated by smaller, inferior forces. China once ruled Vietnam directly, unlike the other nations surrounding it from which it demanded tribute. As you can imagine rebellion was common, and the Chinese were finally kicked out of Vietnam when the Chinese army was routed by a small sect of female Vietnamese monks fighting unarmed and completely naked in the jungle. Similarly when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 they pulled out after ten years. However the reason they pulled out wasn't because they were losing, by all means they were arguably "winning" the war in the traditional sense. Despite having the entire country under occupation, the endless insurrection of local forces broke the will of the Soviets to continue fighting, even though their casualty rate was under 20% (by all means that is a resounding success).

But the vietnamese weren't part of the reproductive cycle of the chinese. Plus, the technological gap between any two human civilisations at any time on earth is significantly smaller than the difference between reapers and the rest of the galactic community. As Lamna said, the reapers have consumed near endless amounts of civilisations in the past. They have been around for millions of years. Anyone who is going to say that the current galactic civilisations are anywhere close to the reapers technology-wise will get the blue laughed off their ass. (:3)


Parasky
Jan 24 2012, 02:26 PM
Besides, there's no reason to expect it to be realistic. It's a game, an interactive story. Like all stories it has a deus ex machina, because heroes who are destined to win against a clearly evil force simply don't exist in the real world.

Well, there is one reason: It wouldn't be very interesting as a deus ex. Yes, many games pull one, but I don't believe it's a good thing. Infact most people will complain about a silly "handwaving" ending, which is understandable. The game's entire plot culminates after three whole games. It'd be incredibly disappointing if they just pulled some unknown super-powerful force out their butts and let it defeat the reapers. It would render the first two games kind of useless from a story perspective.

The Mass Effect games are built around choices. Everything you decide in the game is having an immediate or long-term effect on the game or it's sequels. Introducing a new force that defeats the reapers without being dependant or influenced by former game decisions renders the entire franchise and the whole point of the game concept meaningless.


dialforthedevil
Jan 24 2012, 02:58 PM
They are robots.

Incorrect. The reapers are a hybrid between synthetic and organic material. Furthermore, it's not even a real argument. Robots can have true emotions too, as long as they're programmed to have them.


Parasky
Jan 24 2012, 04:00 PM
Speaking of which, how do you know the reapers are as powerful as they say? Sure, it took all that power to take down Sovereign but if you recall nobody believed that he or the reapers even existed. It was a surprise attack made by an unknown species with unknown technology, you can't use that as a judgment of the reaper's power. And just because they say they were the ones who destroyed the protheans and made the technology from which they freely partook. I wouldn't take anyone's word on that, let alone from the guy who is openly talking about being the harbinger of my species destruction. How do you even know the reapers are even as old as they say? Or that they've actually wiped out all civilized life in the entire galaxy?

Did you even play the first game, or the second game for that matter? It was a prothean VI that told us about their entire civilisation being wiped out by the reapers. As lamna said there are derelict reapers that are tens of millions of years old. Plus, Sovereign was on its own and it destroyed a good bit of the organics' fleet, while doing some major damage to the citadel. Let's assume there's only 100 reapers in existence. I'm pretty positive, that if you pitch them against the entire organic civilisation, that the reapers would win without even any considerable losses. And it has been hinted at their numbers going into the thousands.


lamna
Jan 24 2012, 04:41 PM
Now millions of years old is different than being eternal, but they have been around a very long time indeed. They have destroyed galactic civilization a minimum of 740 times. We know they wiped all the civilizations out, because there is barely any evidence of previous civilizations left at all. If they had survived, then they would still be around, or have left more traces.

To be fair, there are some civilisations that survived. The virtual aliens come to mind. Also, if the harvest of the protheans would have gone a bit faster, the protheans might have survived too. I think that in the past there might have been quite a few civilisations that survived the reaper harvests, but most of them would probably be eradicated by the time the reapers came back again and realised their earlier mistakes. (Assuming it even is a mistake. When we harvest vegetables there will always be one part or one plant that goes unharvested. And we don't care because it's not worth the cost to search the field for just one corn/leaf/tuber.)


lamna
Jan 24 2012, 04:41 PM
But you come close to what I think might be their undoing, remember what Sovereign said on Virmire? "We are each a nation". Assuming that's true, the might not have a leader and may end up deciding to do different things, factions may form and they might fight amongst themselves.

But after all we know, the reapers need organics to reproduce. I don't see why reapers would go through all that danger and costs simply "for fun". We know that reapers can be destroyed with concentrated fire, so we have to assume that it's at least possible that each harvest, the reapers lose one or two of their own. Since we know there is no reason to think the reapers are eusocial, I highly doubt they'd risk getting killed for something that wasn't necessary for them to survive as a species or something with such an incredible gain, that it's worth the risk.

Either way, I don't see why the reapers would turn on each other.
We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Ànraich
Member Avatar
L'évolution Spéculative est moi

lamna
Jan 24 2012, 04:41 PM
We know they have been around a long time because there is a dead reaper from 37 million years ago, and plenty of planets thought the galaxy with only a few tiny traces of dead civilizations, everything else wiped out by orbital bombardment, even on barren worlds that could have only had small outposts. You should try to enjoy all the mining you have to do, you learn a lot.

Now millions of years old is different than being eternal, but they have been around a very long time indeed. They have destroyed galactic civilization a minimum of 740 times. We know they wiped all the civilizations out, because there is barely any evidence of previous civilizations left at all. If they had survived, then they would still be around, or have left more traces.

The reapers are like the Borg, when they say "We are the Borg. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. Your culture will adapt to service us. Resistance is futile." They aren't trying to scare us, they are simply stating the facts. The reapers are arrogant, but they have earned it.

But you come close to what I think might be their undoing, remember what Sovereign said on Virmire? "We are each a nation". Assuming that's true, the might not have a leader and may end up deciding to do different things, factions may form and they might fight amongst themselves.
That's true I suppose, they could very well be turned against each other. And trust me, I did plenty of mining. I explored every single planet in the game too, I was a bit disappointed I couldn't land on a vast majority of them like I could in the first game though. The descriptions were more or less satisfying though, and they gave me some good inspiration for spacescapes back in the days before I discovered the glory of WoW.
We should all aspire to die surrounded by our dearest friends. Just like Julius Caesar.

"The Lord Universe said: 'The same fate I have given to all things from stones to stars, that one day they shall become naught but memories aloft upon the winds of time. From dust all was born, and to dust all shall return.' He then looked upon His greatest creation, life, and pitied them, for unlike stars and stones they would soon learn of this fate and despair in the futility of their own existence. And so the Lord Universe decided to give life two gifts to save them from this despair. The first of these gifts was the soul, that life might more readily accept their fate, and the second was fear, that they might in time learn to avoid it altogether." - Excerpt from a Chanagwan creation myth, Legends and Folklore of the Planet Ghar, collected and published by Yieju Bai'an, explorer from the Celestial Commonwealth of Qonming

Tree That Owns Itself
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
lamna
Member Avatar


Quote:
 
To be fair, there are some civilisations that survived. The virtual aliens come to mind. Also, if the harvest of the protheans would have gone a bit faster, the protheans might have survived too. I think that in the past there might have been quite a few civilisations that survived the reaper harvests, but most of them would probably be eradicated by the time the reapers came back again and realised their earlier mistakes. (Assuming it even is a mistake. When we harvest vegetables there will always be one part or one plant that goes unharvested. And we don't care because it's not worth the cost to search the field for just one corn/leaf/tuber.)
I thought that might come up, it's probable a few species survived beyond the reaping, but the reapers seem to leave one of their own behind. It's probably their job to finish off any survivors.

I'm hoping that there is a "mediocre" ending where the galaxy gets trashed enough people survive in secret to rebuild and take the fight to the reapers, maybe having Liara's Granddaughter leading a fleet into dark space to kill them while they sleep.

Quote:
 
Either way, I don't see why the reapers would turn on each other.
Possibly resources, there may not be as many humans as there were for other species. Plus the reapers have already missed a generation, they tried to make a Prothean reaper and failed.
Edited by lamna, Jan 25 2012, 03:17 AM.
Living Fossils

Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural


34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur.
T.Neo
 
Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna?
[flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
whachamacallit2
Member Avatar
Guy who yells at squirrels
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Flisch
Jan 24 2012, 07:46 PM
Let's assume there's only 100 reapers in existence.
Actually, the ending scene in ME2 where the Reapers are heading toward the galaxy shows rough 295 reapers in a single shot.


But in any case, I'm really hoping that not failing in this game is actually going to be really difficult, let alone having a good ending. I'm almost hoping that the chances of having every technologically advanced sapient life form die is surprisingly simple, just to keep the Reapers as dangerous as possible.

That being said, I'm almost certain of what the deus ex machina will be; do you guys remember when Tali mentioned that "Star-destabilizing" Dark matter on her recruitment mission in ME2? How much do you want to bet that it'll have something to do with combating the Reapers?
Click for shameless self plug!
Spoiler: click to toggle

Get you one at http://whachamacallit1.deviantart.com/

Learn the life, history, and fate of the tidally locked planet Asteria at: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5725927/1
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Flisch
Member Avatar
Superhuman
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
whachamacallit2
Feb 24 2012, 10:40 PM
Flisch
Jan 24 2012, 07:46 PM
Let's assume there's only 100 reapers in existence.
Actually, the ending scene in ME2 where the Reapers are heading toward the galaxy shows rough 295 reapers in a single shot.
I was making a point about how powerful the reapers are.
We have a discord. If you want to join, simply message me, Icthyander or Sphenodon.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
dialforthedevil
Member Avatar
Frumentarii Administrator

Have any of you guys played the demo, the multiplayer is insane!!!!
Please come visit A Scientfic Fantasy http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/3433014/1/

ALSO!!! JOIN THE NEW RPG SITE!!! FOR ALL MEMBERS!!! IM GOING TO RUN MA GLOBAL SIMULATORS THERE!!! http://s4.zetaboards.com/jasonguppy/index/

Join the Campaign to save minotaurs from extinction!!! (include this in your signature to show your support!)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
urufumarukai
Member Avatar
Hitler is my spirit animal
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *
I have the demo, but haven't tried multiplayer yet. So it's good?
Henry you dick!
Mr. Hands
"Am I boring? Depends, do you like watching documentaries about 19th and 18th century warfare, having complicated feelings about bismark and crying over the film of winston churchill putting flowers on FDR's grave. If so then I'm so fucking boring. "
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
whachamacallit2
Member Avatar
Guy who yells at squirrels
 *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Flisch
Feb 25 2012, 01:39 PM
whachamacallit2
Feb 24 2012, 10:40 PM
Flisch
Jan 24 2012, 07:46 PM
Let's assume there's only 100 reapers in existence.
Actually, the ending scene in ME2 where the Reapers are heading toward the galaxy shows rough 295 reapers in a single shot.
I was making a point about how powerful the reapers are.
Yeah, I know. I was just supporting you by saying that there are a LOT of Reapers out there.
Click for shameless self plug!
Spoiler: click to toggle

Get you one at http://whachamacallit1.deviantart.com/

Learn the life, history, and fate of the tidally locked planet Asteria at: http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/5725927/1
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
lamna
Member Avatar


Quote:
 
Have any of you guys played the demo, the multiplayer is insane!!!!

No I haven't, it's on Origin right?
Quote:
 
That being said, I'm almost certain of what the deus ex machina will be; do you guys remember when Tali mentioned that "Star-destabilizing" Dark matter on her recruitment mission in ME2? How much do you want to bet that it'll have something to do with combating the Reapers?
I wanted to find the clip from SG1 where Carter blows up a sun to take out some of Apophis' ships. All I could find were conspiracy theories about Apophis and the sun being a "stargate".

Ah there we go.
Living Fossils

Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural


34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur.
T.Neo
 
Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna?
[flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Yeah, origin. I've played through the demo a good five times... multiplayer is great except on gold :P

It was dark energy, wasn't it?
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
lamna
Member Avatar


Wow, I'm horrible at multiplayer. Games in general really. Took me 5 rounds to remember how to sprint.
Living Fossils

Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural


34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur.
T.Neo
 
Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna?
[flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
dialforthedevil
Member Avatar
Frumentarii Administrator

The salarian infiltrator is what I use, the massive geth sniper from ME2 and the mattock. So good!
Please come visit A Scientfic Fantasy http://s1.zetaboards.com/Conceptual_Evolution/topic/3433014/1/

ALSO!!! JOIN THE NEW RPG SITE!!! FOR ALL MEMBERS!!! IM GOING TO RUN MA GLOBAL SIMULATORS THERE!!! http://s4.zetaboards.com/jasonguppy/index/

Join the Campaign to save minotaurs from extinction!!! (include this in your signature to show your support!)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Holben
Member Avatar
Rumbo a la Victoria

Connection to EA servers from my laptop is baaaaaad, so I've only played three rounds. Got to wave 6 on silver.
Time flows like a river. Which is to say, downhill. We can tell this because everything is going downhill rapidly. It would seem prudent to be somewhere else when we reach the sea.

"It is the old wound my king. It has never healed."
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
lamna
Member Avatar


Well I underestimated myself. If I play on bronze, as a soldier, hide, and get the map with the fighter you can use as cover I can last almost 2 minutes and thirty seconds.

That's almost something not to be ashamed of. Admittedly I'm playing alone, but still that's pretty poor.

So anyone still want to play with me? I'm dave10115 on Origin.
Edited by lamna, Feb 28 2012, 05:34 PM.
Living Fossils

Fósseis Vibos: Reserva Natural


34 MYH, 4 tonne dinosaur.
T.Neo
 
Are nipples or genitals necessary, lamna?
[flash=500,450] Video Magic! [/flash]
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
ZetaBoards - Free Forum Hosting
ZetaBoards gives you all the tools to create a successful discussion community.
Go to Next Page
« Previous Topic · General Discussion · Next Topic »
Add Reply