95 réponses à ce sujet

[Dean_the_Young]

Forgive the puns in the title, but seriously. I had never noticed until someone pointed it out on another forum, but no other species in the Mass Effect universe has head-hair like Humans do. Turians, Salarians, Asari, Batarians... what you see is pretty much what they are. Always. Only humans have a lush crop of head-fuzz that can be drastically changed from one day to the next.

And from an alien's perspective, that would probably be pretty freaky at first. Just imagine the inbuilt assumptions from the POV of a species whose head can't change like that. Humans are probably as much identified by their hairstyles in the same way we recognize Turians by their face paint, or Asari by their Tatoos. Things that really don't change.

Heck, amatuer alien sociologists probably did their own sort of social-modeling by hairstyle. 'Military caste only grows short hair on males. female military are of certain shapes. Old humans see hair change shades like skin pigments. Humans with spiked 'mohawks' generally of the 'punk' caste.'



But the idea of cutting hair probably seems pretty horrific the first time an alien encounters it. Especially since the notion that we don't have pain receptors in our hair probably isn't that obvious to anyone who doesn't have hair.

Just imagine what might occur if someone changed hairstyles overnight.


"Morning Garrus."
"Morning Shepa- Shepard! Your head!"
"Hm? Oh, you noticed?"
"Damnit, Shepard, when did this happen? Who did this to you!?"
"Uh, a barber? Last night? I mean-"
"Bastard, he ambushed you?! Shepard, did he hurt you anywhere else? How many were there, to take you down like that?"
"Garrus, calm down, I don't think you-"
"Gods, Shepard, you- no, I understand."
"You do?"
"I've seen this before in CSEC. Traumatic assaults can lead the victim into denial as a response. It's only natural."
"Garrus, I-"
"Doctor Chakwas! By god, someone get Doctor Chakwas! Shepard's been maimed!"
"Garrus, listen to me!"
"No, you listen Shepard. It will be alright. I promise you, I'll find the bastard who did this, and I'll make him pay."

[AlexXIV]

Shoulldn't they know hair from animals? Also if hair sets humans above and apart from other aliens, doesn't it also set women above and apart from men? At least if we talk about head hear and not facial or body hair. I mean, men tend to get bald, women ... not so much.

Modifié par AlexXIV, 13 avril 2011 - 01:57 .

[CaptainZaysh]

Heh, never considered this. Thanks Dean.

[Dean_the_Young]

AlexXIV wrote...

Shoulldn't they know hair from animals?

Not unless their animals have hair. And why would they? Do fish have hair? Lizards? Birds? How many mammals have similar head-hair like we do? Even monkeys have 'fur' as opposed to our sense of hair styles.

The xenobioligists of species without hair might be aware of the difference, but the cultural-layman who doesn't  know (because they never heard, never investigated, never thought much about it) would easily experience a moment of culture shock when something that they hadn't realized comes in their mind. Sort of how American soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan have plenty of stories of being amazed that the natives don't know how to use a toilet or portajohn... not realizing that toilets are a Western invention, and that many societies today still don't have plumbing and so wouldn't be used to it.

Also if hair sets humans above and apart from other aliens, doesn't it also set women above and apart from men? At least if we talk about head hear and not facial or body hair. I mean, men tend to get bald, women ... not so much.

It was blatantly-nodded joke. Though (warning, another joke!) one would hope we could cure male-pattern baldness in the future.

More matter-of-factly, it wouldn't be unusual or unreasonable for aliens researching humans to categorize us by our hair... including women.

[Akizora]

I think the Volus are probably very hairy little round things...never know under those suits.

[AlexXIV]

Dean_the_Young wrote...

AlexXIV wrote...

Shoulldn't they know hair from animals?

Not unless their animals have hair. And why would they? Do fish have hair? Lizards? Birds? How many mammals have similar head-hair like we do? Even monkeys have 'fur' as opposed to our sense of hair styles.

The xenobioligists of species without hair might be aware of the difference, but the cultural-layman who doesn't  know (because they never heard, never investigated, never thought much about it) would easily experience a moment of culture shock when something that they hadn't realized comes in their mind. Sort of how American soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan have plenty of stories of being amazed that the natives don't know how to use a toilet or portajohn... not realizing that toilets are a Western invention, and that many societies today still don't have plumbing and so wouldn't be used to it.

Also if hair sets humans above and apart from other aliens, doesn't it also set women above and apart from men? At least if we talk about head hear and not facial or body hair. I mean, men tend to get bald, women ... not so much.

It was blatantly-nodded joke. Though (warning, another joke!) one would hope we could cure male-pattern baldness in the future.

More matter-of-factly, it wouldn't be unusual or unreasonable for aliens researching humans to categorize us by our hair... including women.

Harkin and Pressley are proof it cannot be cured. They can only raise dead people in the future, but not cure baldness.

I know you are joking, don't worry. So am I

[Magragoc]

Quarians probably have hair, or a hair analogue. There's a sartorial element in their helmet / accessory design with the males having a stylized "topknot" and, of course, the headscarf that the females wear.

Being stuck in those suits removed all but the most blatant of sexual characteristics, so of course they would have latched onto additional signals, but the natural choice is to mimic what is already there, rather than create something entirely new off-the-cuff.

Modifié par Magragoc, 13 avril 2011 - 02:25 .

[Dean_the_Young]

Magragoc wrote...

Quarians probably have hair, or a hair analogue. There's a sartorial element in their helmet / accessory design with the males having a stylized "topknot" and, of course, the headscarf that the females wear.

Being stuck in those suits removed all but the most blatant of sexual characteristics, so of course they would have latched onto additional signals, but the natural choice is to mimic what is already there, rather than create something entirely new off-the-cuff.

Yes and no. Plenty of of civilizations have art that emphasizes aspects that other civilizations do not.

A headscarf does not need to be for hair, since it can just as well be as protection/decoration of a bald head, nor does a topknot need to secure hair either. It can decorate or signal a helm, which exists to protect the head as opposed to the hair.

[AlexXIV]

Magragoc wrote...

Quarians probably have hair, or a hair analogue. There's a sartorial element in their helmet / accessory design with the males having a stylized "topknot" and, of course, the headscarf that the females wear.

Being stuck in those suits removed all but the most blatant of sexual characteristics, so of course they would have latched onto additional signals, but the natural choice is to mimic what is already there, rather than create something entirely new off-the-cuff.

I always pictured Quarians to be rather reptile looking considering their hands and legs.

[Sajuro]

So the Reapers are interested in humans because they want long flowing hair?

[Dean_the_Young]

If you were a bald space cuttlefish, you'd want the secret too.

[Anacronian Stryx]

Hair is just elongated and flexible scales.. lots of spices in the me universe with scales.

Modifié par Anacronian Stryx, 13 avril 2011 - 03:26 .

[Dean_the_Young]

Which is like saying a tail is just elongated skin. Humans have skin, but that doesn't mean we're familiar with tails.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Aren't batarians supposed to have hair as well, according to the lore?

[mr_luga]

The un-funny reality of why they dont have hair though is this: The engine can't deal with it very well.

You've seen the hair your avatar can have in ME? <.<; It looks like ****, like plastic ****

I hope in the future of ME they will have a new engine, though it prolly wont happend until a new console comes out that is strong enough to better render hair

[Labrev]

Plus, humans, as far as I've seen, are one of the only species without scales. Turians, asari, salarians all have them.

Modifié par Hah Yes Reapers, 13 avril 2011 - 03:46 .

[lovgreno]

Hard to know about the volus and quarians of course. They could be hairballs for all we know (suddenly the Tali lovestory got a little more interesting).

But it's a cool detail I never thought about before. Thanks for sharing it Dean.

[Dean_the_Young]

lovgreno wrote...

Hard to know about the volus and quarians of course. They could be hairballs for all we know (suddenly the Tali lovestory got a little more interesting).

But it's a cool detail I never thought about before. Thanks for sharing it Dean.

...great, now I want a 'Tali revealed' which has Chewbacca for Tali's face.

Thanks a lot, lovgreno. I'll forgive you if you do the photshopping.

[lovgreno]

If I fail to amuse I am quite happy to at least be creepy.

[88mphSlayer]

if the Unreal Engine was any good at rendering hair you'd probably see more alien species with hair...

[Devbo22]

And now we know the real reason that the humans were chosen for "ascension". The only thing lacking in the complete evolution of the Reapers is hair. You know Harbinger wants to be sporting a fro or mullet the next time he says, "I am the Harbinger of your perfection".

[mr_luga]

It isnt by coincidence that 99% of unreal engine games got bald space marines in them

[Praetor Knight]

Sajuro wrote...

So the Reapers are interested in humans because they want long flowing hair?

They want to bring back this dude in the ME universe.

[armass]

Hair and fur are pretty similar. http://www.wisegeek....air-and-fur.htm

There should be more mammal like sapient species in ME universe, ive already proposed something cat (Kzinti), wolf or bear like. Problem is that the graphics engine they use cant make a realistically looking hair apparently. Tough i wonder if this is such a Big reason. After all, Halo had brutes, which were hairy space gorillas basically, and they looked fine.

Modifié par armass, 13 avril 2011 - 05:30 .

[Wolverfrog]

Dean_the_Young wrote...

Heck, amatuer alien sociologists probably did their own sort of social-modeling by hairstyle. 

Somehow Relevant.

http://4.bp.blogspot...00/Londo+S2.jpg

Modifié par Wolverfrog, 13 avril 2011 - 05:32 .