6 réponses à ce sujet

[hawk99]

 I finished ME1, waiting for ME2 in the mail, have read Revelations, and the three Redemption comics, and partway through Ascension.  I have to say I love the ME universe and have been especially impressed at Drew Karpyshyn's talent as a writer.  Along with writing the novels, I know he was the lead writer of the game.  One of my favorite ideas of the universe is the idea of the ancient alien technology which is discovered and propels humanity (and other alien races) forward, and idea of the mass relays and fields.  Were these Karpyshyn's original ideas...or someone else at Bioware?  Have they been attributed to anyone in particular?

[A Fhaol Bhig]

Never thought about that.

[hawk99]

I'm guessing the compound of a lot of other ideas, brainstorming, etc. But just curious...

[Thumbs-Up-Dinosaur]

The theme of modern societies finding the advanced technological remains of a dead species and using them has been done before in science fiction, the most immediate connection I think about is Frederik Pohl's Gateway. As for the mass relay idea, it seems like its been done before as a common plot device to make space travel more accessible, but I have no idea where it could've been done before.

[Thumbs-Up-Dinosaur]

Ah, found out an example for the mass relay precedent: The Farcaster network in Dan Simmons' Hyperion novels.

[hawk99]

It seems like most of Mass Effect is a conglomeration of different ideas, opposed to any particular original idea. It's a little bit Star Wars, Star Trek, Starship Troops...even notice ideas from Dune (Thresher Maw), and Ender's Game (rachni = buggers).



Thanks for the references on the alien technology and mass relays, will be sure to check those out.

[hawk99]

Ah, and Carl Sagan's Contact for the ancient transportation network...as the aliens in that aren't sure where it originated. The spinning rings of the mass relays could also be compared to the machine they build.