62 réponses à ce sujet

[bottledwater]

is it one per cycle? one reaper every 50000 years? if so, there are only about 250,000 reapers; assuming it took 1.5 (very generous) billion years since the creation of the universe for the reapers to evolve, then 12.5 billion years divided by 50,000 years per cycle means 250,000 cycles.


so really, how bad could a reaper invasion be? they couldn't even blot out the sun over one world. pfft.

[Whatever42]

At the end of time, the Reapers travel to the beginning of the universe (creating an alternate timeline, hence a new universe) and begins the cycle again. So there could be limitless Reapers. Trillions. Zillions. Infesting almost every reality. But Shepard will beat them!

[Nyaore]

Considering all the mayhem one reaper caused during their official 'down time' I'd say that it would be bad, really bad. Remember, the Reapers don't even have to be that strong in order to do massive damage. Their Indoctrination ability would allow them to cause pandemonium within the races of the galaxy, causing galatic upheaval and civil unrest, all without them having to lift a single metal tentacle on their end. They're dangerous not so much because of their superior firepower and technology, although that certainly helps a good deal, but instead because they have the ability to seduce organic races into being little more than their obedient slaves.

As for how many are actually made, I don't believe this is ever stated. I'd imagine it's more than one however, given the fact that the Vigil mentioned that the Prothean extinction took several hundred years to be finalized, that the Reapers could have made several of their own kind during the last cycle with enough materials - a.k.a. captured Protheans.

Modifié par Nyaore, 21 septembre 2010 - 02:44 .

[AdamNW]

I would imagine not very many. Humans and Protheans are the only two species in the past 50k years.

[Sajuro]

There were no Prothean Reapers made, the game stated that. Besides, the Reapers can destroy ships by RAMMING them

[Nightwriter]

You mean in an average cycle?

Figure they can only make two Reapers - at most - out of a single given species.

So I'd say it depends on how many worthy species there are in a certain cycle. Which leads me to the question, why was there only one spacefaring species during the last cycle, but 50,000 years later, there are a ton of spacefaring species?

[Whatever42]

AdamNW wrote...

I would imagine not very many. Humans and Protheans are the only two species in the past 50k years.

We know the Reapers have been around 37 million years at least. Lets say it takes 10 million people to create a Reaper. Humanity has 11 billion people, which probably isn't that numerous as galactic civilizations go. Lets say the Reapers get 10% of them for procreation (a low number). Lets say that only 10% of the cycles have a suitable race (again, probably a low number). Lets further assume that the Reapers are only 37 millions years old. Thats over 8000 Reapers right there. And it could be 10x that many.

Ouch.

[AdamNW]

I do believe the question was "how many reapers are made per cycle?", not "How many reapers exist?"

@Nightwriter: It's just how natural selection works.  If the Genophage hadn't been administered, the Krogan could have easily become the only species in the galaxy.

Modifié par AdamNW, 21 septembre 2010 - 02:50 .

[Whatever42]

AdamNW wrote...

I do believe the question was "how many reapers are made per cycle?", not "How many reapers exist?"

Well, EDI said that it would take millions to make a Reaper. There are billions of humans. However, on average we have no idea how many cycles have suitable races or how numerous those races are or how hard they will fight to avoid ascension. So if you look at the few variables I had and accept those numbers (which you would be foolish to) then it would be an average of 10 Reapers per cycle.

Who knows? It did look like there was a lot of them, though.

[praetor_alpha]

Nightwriter wrote...

You mean in an average cycle?

Figure they can only make two Reapers - at most - out of a single given species.

So I'd say it depends on how many worthy species there are in a certain cycle. Which leads me to the question, why was there only one spacefaring species during the last cycle, but 50,000 years later, there are a ton of spacefaring species?

As said, one species could totally dominate the others (like the Krogan would have). Or all the others were wiped out by a disease similar to what Shep and Mordin stopped on Omega. That was connected (indirectly or otherwise) to the Reapers.

As for how many, I always thought one. Three absolutely tops. Remember, millions of individuals, "an entire nation"?

Modifié par praetor_alpha, 21 septembre 2010 - 02:56 .

[Kusy]

eleven.

Nightwriter wrote...

You mean in an average cycle?

Figure they can only make two Reapers - at most - out of a single given species.

So I'd say it depends on how many worthy species there are in a certain cycle. Which leads me to the question, why was there only one spacefaring species during the last cycle, but 50,000 years later, there are a ton of spacefaring species?

My anwser would be that the Protheans had their own interest in the genetics field. They seemed to advance "lower" species in subtle ways, aiding their evolution. Obviously the game hints that humans were lead during the evolution by the Prothenas, Hanar beliefs would also point to that. It's likely that they ascended more species that way, to a level they wouldn't all normaly reach. You could say they did what the Reapers were doing for eons... just in the more positive way.

They helped species evolve just enough for them to be able to develop further along the patch they put them on but not far away for them to atract Reapers attention.

Modifié par Mr.Kusy, 21 septembre 2010 - 03:19 .

[Onyx Jaguar]

I'd say about tre-fitty

[Mr. Gogeta34]

"-more times than you can fathom"

"You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence"

"We are legion- Our numbers will darken the sky of EVERY world"

Modifié par Mr. Gogeta34, 21 septembre 2010 - 03:22 .

[Kusy]

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

"More times than you can fathom"

"You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence"

"We are legion- Our numbers will darken the sky of EVERY world"

And none of those quotes are even remotely related to the toppic's main question.

Modifié par Mr.Kusy, 21 septembre 2010 - 03:22 .

[Mr. Gogeta34]

Mr.Kusy wrote...

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

"More times than you can fathom"

"You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence"

"We are legion- Our numbers will darken the sky of EVERY world"

And none of those quotes are even remotely related to the toppic.

"if so, there are only about 250,000 reapers; assuming it took 1.5 (very generous) billion years since the creation of the universe for the reapers to evolve, then 12.5 billion years divided by 50,000 years per cycle means 250,000 cycles."   -Original Poster/Thread Starter/Topic


If Sovereign wasn't exaggerating, then their numbers may well be a new number.

Modifié par Mr. Gogeta34, 21 septembre 2010 - 03:24 .

[AdamNW]

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

Mr.Kusy wrote...

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

"More times than you can fathom"

"You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence"

"We are legion- Our numbers will darken the sky of EVERY world"

And none of those quotes are even remotely related to the toppic.

"if so, there are only about 250,000 reapers; assuming it took 1.5 (very generous) billion years since the creation of the universe for the reapers to evolve, then 12.5 billion years divided by 50,000 years per cycle means 250,000 cycles."   -Original Poster/Thread Starter/Topic


If Sovereign wasn't exaggerating, then their numbers may well be a new number.

I think it's funny that you read the topic post and still managed to get the point of the thread incorrect.

[Nightwriter]

Mr.Kusy wrote...

My anwser would be that the Protheans had their own interest in the genetics field. They seemed to advance "lower" species in subtle ways, aiding their evolution. Obviously the game hints that humans were lead during thevolution by the Prothenas, Hanar beliefs would also point to that. It's likely that they ascended more species that way, to a level they wouldn't all normaly reach. You could say they did what the Reapers were doing for eons... just in the more positive way.

They helped species evolve just enough for them to be able to develop further along the patch they put them on but not far away for them to atract Reapers attention.

So you're saying there wasn't a great diversity of spacefaring species because of direct influence by the Protheans, who kept this from happening (either intentionally or unintentionally, with good intentions or bad).

I've also considered the explanation that the Reapers manipulated the situation in such a way that they prevented other spacefaring species from developing, a luxury they wouldn't have had in this cycle, cut off as they were.

[AdamNW]

It also could have been that the Protheans were the only species the Reapers considered worthwhile.

[PWENER]

My guess is 1 to 3 at most (if they get lucky).

[PWENER]

Wow. We are screwed. 1 to 3, times A LOT of cycles.

Don't know how this will help... but what the heck.

Modifié par PWENER, 21 septembre 2010 - 03:54 .

[Mr. Gogeta34]

AdamNW wrote...

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

Mr.Kusy wrote...

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

"More times than you can fathom"

"You cannot even grasp the nature of our existence"

"We are legion- Our numbers will darken the sky of EVERY world"

And none of those quotes are even remotely related to the toppic.

"if so, there are only about 250,000 reapers; assuming it took 1.5 (very generous) billion years since the creation of the universe for the reapers to evolve, then 12.5 billion years divided by 50,000 years per cycle means 250,000 cycles."   -Original Poster/Thread Starter/Topic


If Sovereign wasn't exaggerating, then their numbers may well be a new number.

I think it's funny that you read the topic post and still managed to get the point of the thread incorrect.

Lol... no, I just made a comment on what was stated in this thread by the thread starter.  The thread could have any over-arching point it wants but I was addressing a specific one.  Just mentioning that Soverign claimed that the number of "cycles" was unfathomable... which could change the equation you all are using for the point of this topic.

[jojon2se]

EDI makes an educated guess that the Protheans were unsuitable for "reaperfication" - that doesn't mean she's necessarily right. From where I am standing, it seems likely the reapers would construct both new reapers AND support personell, in the form of collectors, or equivalent, to do maintanence work, etc.

It also stands to reason that more than one race could be deemed "worthy" each cycle and that a population could be large enough to suffice for multiple reapers, unless our nasties are locked in wasteful, tourney-like ways.

[abstractwhiz]

Mr. Gogeta34 wrote...

"if so, there are only about 250,000 reapers; assuming it took 1.5 (very generous) billion years since the creation of the universe for the reapers to evolve, then 12.5 billion years divided by 50,000 years per cycle means 250,000 cycles."   -Original Poster/Thread Starter/Topic

Eh, that's too early for nucleosynthesis to produce enough metals for a planet to support an industrial civilization. And if the Reapers are so insanely old, then they've got to be the stupidest ancient race possible, because there's no way in hell anyone should be able to defeat a technological civilization billions of years ahead of them. If they were that old, Sovereign could have just purged the entire galaxy all by itself, rather than getting screwed over by a bunch of upstarts in tiny ships.

Modifié par abstractwhiz, 21 septembre 2010 - 05:24 .

[AresXX7]

IMHO, I don't think the Reapers make a new one every cycle.

For the most part, I'd say they 'harvest' to keep themselves operational, just as an organic requires nutrients and a machine - fuel/battery power.

But, when a situation occurs like the derelict Reaper & Sovereign, they may create a new one to maintain a certain number of them.

Or, when there is something of significance about a certain species, such as the Protheans - being the only space-faring race advanced enough during that particular cycle, or more importantly, their ability to comprehend & learn more about the mass relays & other Reaper technology than any other. (although it was a failed attempt, they were still deemed worthy of 'ascension')

As for humans, not just because 'we were able to destroy one of their own', but our genetic diversity was a key factor as well.

They could very well make a new one to replace another that has lost optimal functioning due to age and/or limitations from whatever species contributed to it's creation.

Of course, some of this is purely speculation due to not having enough insight from a lack of information given by the writers. But I cannot imagine there being that many Reapers, as the OP has estimated, because what good would it do to even try to fight them? The odds would be even more insurmountable than they already are.
And eventually there would be too few resources to adequately sustain all of them.

Modifié par AriesXX7, 21 septembre 2010 - 07:03 .

[CroGamer002]

They probably didn't make Reaper for every cycle.

Harbinger is picky you know.