Valmy in SPAAAAAAAAACE (Mass Effect Series AAR)

[Caliga]

HOW ABOUT GOODBYE

[Valmy]

Heh. We are coming to that part.

[viper37]

But to be fair nobody ever was successful appealing to the hardcore niche. I mean besides Bioware. Huh.

Bioware didn't make Betrayal at Krondor (I got confused for a moment with "Return to Krondor"  ), nor did they make the Eye of the Beholder series

But actually there are a ton of reunions on Illium. Everybody Shepard has ever met is coincidentally here at the exact same time and in close proximity to the Space Port.  Small galaxy and all that.

They're all there to see some lawyer.  I smell impending doom on this rock.

This also gets Shepard a discount at the shop, since you have to do a quest to get this on illium instead of just selling out your good name like on the Citadel.

You're a Terran hero and they have more weight on the Citadel than on an Asari colony

'Wait aren't Krogans egg layers so shouldn't they have no sex drive and...eh Asari already break all the rules of nature anyway.'

Tsk, tsk.  Such ignorance of National Geographics documentaries...  Well, actually, I don't think Nat Geo ever did a piece on crocodile mating rituals (reptilian egg layers), but I did a search for you:
http://www.livescience.com/28145-animal-sex-crocodiles.html

I'm disapointed by your prejudice toward non humans, Valmy.

To address these difficulties they singed a contract with Baria Frontiers

So.. It's a musical, now?

Seems like she should be blaming the Geth

People kill people.  I've learned that from somewhere.

Why can't Shepard have normal friends?

It is simply not true that opposites attrack.

This is one bizarre code; I can only assume it is closely related to the Qun from Dragon Age.

A species for wich we only see males gives birth to a species for wich we only see females.  Interesting...

What was the point of the mass effect fields? Is she biotically bound to Shepard now?

What is the point of drinking wine thinking it's your lord's blood and eating bread thinking it's your lord's body?  We don't judge anyone here. 

'Was it a date? Darnit I forgot to clear it with Languish if it was a date or not!'

Since I'm better at virtual dates than real ones, I already told you all about it back in part 1

[viper37]

can't wait for part six
It's a little longer than ME1, given you're not halfway through yet
At least, that was a nice improvement.

[Caliga]

Betrayal at Krondor... forgot about that game.  It was awesome.

[Valmy]

Bioware didn't make Betrayal at Krondor (I got confused for a moment with "Return to Krondor"  ), nor did they make the Eye of the Beholder series

The Baldur's Gate series was pretty hardcore even if they did not make you eat.

You're a Terran hero and they have more weight on the Citadel than on an Asari colony

Terran? This is not Wing Commander! But come to think of it they really should have had a space combat part.

Tsk, tsk.  Such ignorance of National Geographics documentaries...  Well, actually, I don't think Nat Geo ever did a piece on crocodile mating rituals (reptilian egg layers), but I did a search for you:
http://www.livescience.com/28145-animal-sex-crocodiles.html

I'm disapointed by your prejudice toward non humans, Valmy.

It gets worse. Everytime I say 'Salarian' I pronounce it 'sale et rien'.

To address these difficulties they singed a contract with Baria Frontiers

I can stick even more Lin Manuel Miranda songs in there if you like

People kill people.  I've learned that from somewhere.

Geth don't kill people, Quarians kill people?

A species for wich we only see males gives birth to a species for wich we only see females.  Interesting...

Maybe the Qunari is what Asari really look like :O

What is the point of drinking wine thinking it's your lord's blood and eating bread thinking it's your lord's body?  We don't judge anyone here. 

Hey! It symbolizes sacrifice and um...an excuse to drink wine when you are underage.

Since I'm better at virtual dates than real ones, I already told you all about it back in part 1

Yes, thank you that was very helpful.

[Valmy]

can't wait for part six
It's a little longer than ME1, given you're not halfway through yet
At least, that was a nice improvement.

Well the part I just posted was Part 6

Yeah it will be much longer than Mass Effect and I intend to do the Liara and Reaper DLCs after I complete the main game so that will be two more parts on top of that.

I edited Part 6 and added some headers to split up the missions and locations a bit. I hope that makes it easier to follow, I know grumbler said he found Part 5 a little confusing.

[viper37]

The Baldur's Gate series was pretty hardcore even if they did not make you eat.

hmm, pretty sure they did, or you lost hp by not eating and sleeping.

Terran? This is not Wing Commander! But come to think of it they really should have had a space combat part.

Just like Kotor

I can stick even more Lin Manuel Miranda songs in there if you like

I'll be fine, thank you very much

Geth don't kill people, Quarians kill people?

sort of.  I can't say no more until you finish the series.

[viper37]

can't wait for part six
It's a little longer than ME1, given you're not halfway through yet
At least, that was a nice improvement.

Well the part I just posted was Part 6

duh!

Yeah it will be much longer than Mass Effect and I intend to do the Liara and Reaper DLCs after I complete the main game so that will be two more parts on top of that.

I would recommend doing the Liara DLC before the end of the game and doing the Reaper DLC after the suicide mission.  Story wise, it makes more sense that way.

For ME3 DLCs, they need to be done before the end of the game to make any sense.

I edited Part 6 and added some headers to split up the missions and locations a bit. I hope that makes it easier to follow, I know grumbler said he found Part 5 a little confusing.

I played the game a few times, so it's ok for me

[grumbler]

I edited Part 6 and added some headers to split up the missions and locations a bit. I hope that makes it easier to follow, I know grumbler said he found Part 5 a little confusing.

I should have been clearer that I found the story confusing, not your explanation of it.  Some of the very things that you addressed as odd are part of that.  Husks also bug me:  what super-science race would employ zombies when much-lower-maintenance robots are available?

[Malicious Intent]

I edited Part 6 and added some headers to split up the missions and locations a bit. I hope that makes it easier to follow, I know grumbler said he found Part 5 a little confusing.

I should have been clearer that I found the story confusing, not your explanation of it.  Some of the very things that you addressed as odd are part of that.  Husks also bug me:  what super-science race would employ zombies when much-lower-maintenance robots are available?

Due to the AI ban, robots are generally not terribly effective. They are mostly deployed to buff private security forces with cheap numbers that can draw fire away from the far more combat efficient organics.

Husks are extremely easy and cheap to produce. You simply convert the populace in the attacked territory via dragon's teeth and get a fast, durable, expandable and highly aggressive assault / terror force. After an action, husks can either be deactivated for transport or simply be disposed. The zombie analogy is only not really fitting, as husks are partly cybernetic constructs.

More will be learned about husks and their variations in ME3.

[Malicious Intent]

I would recommend doing the Liara DLC before the end of the game and doing the Reaper DLC after the suicide mission.  Story wise, it makes more sense that way.

For ME3 DLCs, they need to be done before the end of the game to make any sense.

Agreed. Liara's DLC also has a few special features, that require multiple visits between other missions (nothing important though, just the chance to get some new upgrades, money and resources). The Arrival DLC can also be played before the final mission of the main game (post DLC dialogue will be appropriately altered). Project Overlord should be done before the final mission.

[grumbler]

Due to the AI ban, robots are generally not terribly effective. They are mostly deployed to buff private security forces with cheap numbers that can draw fire away from the far more combat efficient organics.

Husks are extremely easy and cheap to produce. You simply convert the populace in the attacked territory via dragon's teeth and get a fast, durable, expandable and highly aggressive assault / terror force. After an action, husks can either be deactivated for transport or simply be disposed. The zombie analogy is only not really fitting, as husks are partly cybernetic constructs.

More will be learned about husks and their variations in ME3.

Yeah, it is reasoning like that that confuses me.  First, robots don't need AI to be much more intelligent and combat-effective than husks.  Second, an "AI ban" is scarcely going to deter a group willing to kill thousands or millions of sentients to create husks.  Robots can be recharged; husks appear biological, and so energy much be supplied via food, a much less efficient and more expensive process.  Husks being transported would require life support; not so for robots.  Robots are as disposable as husks.

As you note that there is more to the story than we know, I won't belabor it.  I simply was pointing out that it is things like this that have me confused in this story, not Valmy's descriptions.

[viper37]

Husks also bug me:  what super-science race would employ zombies when much-lower-maintenance robots are available?

Possible plot spoiler for ME3, although part of it was revealed through ME1's final act, ME2's final act and Arrival DLC:
[spoiler]
they believe that sentient machines are there to destroy humanity.  They believe that by harvesting biological species, they are saving them by preserving their differences.  They don't have a problem allying with the Geth, but they don't intend to keep them alive either, no more than any one else collaborating with them in this cycle.
Hence, they use husks as cannon fodder.  They're effective against lightly armed ennemies (especially the unarmed ones).[/spoiler]

[viper37]

Yeah, it is reasoning like that that confuses me.  First, robots don't need AI to be much more intelligent and combat-effective than husks.

Yes, they do.  Otherwise, they are just like the robots Valmy slaughtered in his first act.

Second, an "AI ban" is scarcely going to deter a group willing to kill thousands or millions of sentients to create husks.

The AI ban is not a form of UN-like resolution.  Nor is it enforced by one very advanced and very agressive species.
More on that in ME3.

  Robots can be recharged; husks appear biological, and so energy much be supplied via food, a much less efficient and more expensive process.  Husks being transported would require life support; not so for robots.  Robots are as disposable as husks.

They are half cybernetics and don't need to breath.  They are kinda dead, like zombies.  No will of their own, primal instincts only.

[spoiler]
and they eat their victims, like other kind of Reapers.[/spoiler]


But the most important aspect of all:
It's sci-fi.  In a video game.  Not everything makes sense with today's comprehension of science.  I mean, they create some kind of bubble to traval faster than light and need to discharge their drive core every now and then.  And some kind of relay network built by an ancient race will let them traval to other star systems in seconds.