Mass Effect 2

[Elemental]

This one seems pretty obvious to me. Inter-alien organization charged with promoting and maintaining peace, both are very specialized and privledged organizations that is seen as an honorary serving rather than for any personal gain. Agents report directly to the head governing body. Basicly self-regulating. Somewhat secretive and mysterious. Both began as non-human institutions but in the course of the story come to include human members.

Those are both a real stretch

Obviously they're not identical and these tend to be archetypes that exist in lots of sci-fi (e.g. the Turians can be seen as similar to Klingons as well). The Turians are very honor driven and have a largely warrior-mentality. The Asari are a bit more enigmatic and tend to be the diplomats (not that all Minbari were diplomatic) and have also served as having our main alien female characters in both stories.

Well, technically, B5's character is Morden

I know but now you're the one nitpicking. It's not exactly a common name but it does tend to pop up in sci-fi and fantasy a bit.

B5 hardly invented that one. That's a standard plot line.

I didn't say they did and that's partly why I put it further down the list. But both stories use them in very similar manners (ME1 especially) and not like in Star Trek, Star Wars, Dune, or any other space sci-fi that readily comes to mind.

[OdoWanKenobi]

I don't recall ever hearing the Turians being honor-driven. Though, neither were the Narn. The Narn do have a somewhat legitimate reason for their aggression though, having been enslaved for so many years. The Turians are essentially thugs.

While there may be some superficial similarities, those can mostly be chalked up to common sci-fi cliches. I think you're seeing what you want to see with the B5 connections.

[Elemental]

I'm not certain why I'd want to see that but obviously you don't need to agree with me.

[-Brett-]

The most visible B5 reference is probably the Citadel. Similar in premise to B5's titular space station.

[Skywalker]

The turians as a species aren't explicitly honor driven or have a warrior mentality akin to the Narn or the Klingons, they're just raised in a society with a large emphasis on personal responsibility and service to the state (whether it be military or otherwise). You don't really hear a lot of turians blathering about how this is honorable, or that is dishonorable, etc.

I don't see the Rangers being granted nearly the same amount of leeway as the Spectres. Spectres are above the law, and can do whatever they feel is necessary to complete their missions. Saren Arterius would never make it in the Rangers.

There are a few vague similarities, but no more so than most other sci-fi. The Citadel is probably the only thing in ME that would come closest to being a B5 reference.

[Reverend]

I think it'd be a mistake to try and draw too many direct parallels with other sci-fi universes as while there are certainly some very strong influences, it's very much it's own thing.

The Spectres for example do have a fair amount in common with B5's Anla'shok, but then they also have shades of Jedi in terms of their role in the galaxy, but again, by no means identical.

The Citadel indeed absolutely screamed B5 to me when I first played ME but again, it's not exactly a wholesale rip off or anything; though the function of the two stations are broadly similar and they both draw from the Gerard K. O'Neill cylinder concept, they're very different places with very different histories. Plus of course the Citadel appears to be a MUCH bigger place.

I don't buy the idea that Asari=Minbari for a second. Aside from having funny heads they have NOTHING particularly in common that you couldn't also apply to other fictional races. Personally I suspect the Twi'leks from Star Wars had a greater influence, with them starting out with the design and building a fictional culture and biology from that.

Having said all that, there is a pretty glaring element borrowed from another sci-fi franchise in the form of the Quarrians and the migrant fleet; a homeless race on the run from the artificial life-forms they created. Though again, they've taken the idea and made it their own. The Quarians are the Colonials and the Geth most defiantly aren't Cylons.
To my mind, the Quarian culture reminded me somewhat of the "Free Traders" from Robert Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy, though the concept of their destroyed immune system appears to be a unique idea, though I'm sure it's possible someone else has already had a similar one.

[Herkimer Jitty]

Elemental wrote:

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But both stories use them in very similar manners (ME1 especially) and not like in Star Trek, Star Wars, Dune, or any other space sci-fi that readily comes to mind.

Alien(s).

Appropriate, considering the whole Noveria Peak 15 mission was influenced by it. With a bit of Ender's Game thrown in for good measure.

[Reverend]

OK I caved and got the Kasumi DLC..I wouldn't say I regret it or anything as it's well done for what it is but I wouldn't say it was quite worth the money either. Like with Zaeed I can't see her adding much to the group dynamic and aside from poking around her quarters, there's nothing to really talk to her about. Of course it doesn't help that I played it on a save where I'd already completed the game (and told E-Man to go spin) so getting new assignments from the bloke is a bit weird. Perhaps on a subsequent playthrough I'll get a better sense of her combat usefulness, but as it stands I'm not sure how much use she'd be against the collectors.

As for the other new stuff, the character save I played the DLC on was a soldier class, so I can't really comment yet on how I like the new weapon. Oh and the new casual wear looks really odd on my femShep as she still walks and runs like she's wearing armour, which in a slinky black dress makes her looks awkward and manly...which for a soldier is appropriate, but still...very odd looking.

P.S. Anyone know why they didn't do a dialogue tree for either of the DLC team members? Is it really that much more work?

[clint g]

Reverend wrote:

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P.S. Anyone know why they didn't do a dialogue tree for either of the DLC team members? Is it really that much more work?

That's probably it. Also, the more options they give the more crap they'll need to take into account with the sequel

[Skywalker]

Reverend wrote:

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OK I caved and got the Kasumi DLC..I wouldn't say I regret it or anything as it's well done for what it is but I wouldn't say it was quite worth the money either. Like with Zaeed I can't see her adding much to the group dynamic and aside from poking around her quarters, there's nothing to really talk to her about. Of course it doesn't help that I played it on a save where I'd already completed the game (and told E-Man to go spin) so getting new assignments from the bloke is a bit weird. Perhaps on a subsequent playthrough I'll get a better sense of her combat usefulness, but as it stands I'm not sure how much use she'd be against the collectors.

Wait, really? Even if you give TIM the finger, he still gives you assignments in DLC?

Wow. Nice one, BioWare.

[Reverend]

Not just assignments but new weapons and armour too! Perhaps he's trying to mend fences?

[Neumann]

Not experiencing Hamlet in Elcor stinks or TREK VI

The Krogan seem to be Retarded Jem-Hadar/Klingon hybrids!
The Symbol of the Alliance is kinda obvious too... also the idea to explore and scan planets and get missions both on mass effect 1 and 2.
The landing Craft of mass Effect 2 is just a realistic looking shuttle... don't deny it

[The Master of Tarquin Hill]

Neumann wrote:

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Not experiencing Hamlet in Elcor stinks or TREK VI

The Krogan seem to be Retarded Jem-Hadar/Klingon hybrids!
The Symbol of the Alliance is kinda obvious too... also the idea to explore and scan planets and get missions both on mass effect 1 and 2.
The landing Craft of mass Effect 2 is just a realistic looking shuttle... don't deny it

I am familiar with all of the things that you reference in your post but, I'm just left thinking...HUH?

[Herkimer Jitty]

He's just sipping a glass of Hatorade.

[Neumann]

I apologize if it sounded random, my point was that the Star Trek influences on mass effect are quite evident and sometimes more easier to catch than of those other less known franchises. ( By no means I'm attacking B5 as I find it quite enjoyable) There is also a cool reference on the bar with the drink which is "green"

And another thing that was great on both mass effect 1 & 2 was the idea of being a captain of your ship and getting missions where you would land and solve some nefarious shit! That was priceless!

Now regarding the next game in the series, we can surely predict some sort of Avatar-like mission