Mass Effect: The Milky Way @SC4D

[Gugu3]

Great pictures!

[vortext]

Congrats on being OSITM! 

Hope we get to see more of your awesome custom BATs! 

[Huston_N7]

sc-4
Thanks a lot, a much appreciated comment! Mass Effect just happens to be my favorite game series, pretty much why I'm making this MD

threestooges
Thanks a lot! Such an honor to be able to make it into the OSITM Never thought I'd see the day

Gugu3
Thanks a lot!

vortext
Thanks so much! It's great to be on the OSITM!

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Note: Another update, another BAT, another interesting environmental concept tackled with SimCity alongside Photoshop! Based on a Mass Effect game mission world "Feros", so the planet isn't an original idea but I am here to recreate the Mass Effect universe so Hope you all enjoy this update!
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The world of Feros is situated on the far opposite side of the Galactic Core from the Violet Nebula cluster located in the Attican Beta cluster. Two-third's of the planet's landmasses are blanketed in a contiguous crumbling former Prothean Megalopolis that once dominated the surface of Feros. Now dead and aging, Feros' only sapient inhabitants are mainly researchers, scientists and a small group of colonists from Earth. They take shelter in Feros' tall Prothean skyscrapers that are of unknown stability. With a small population of roughly over a thousand, this is later reduced to a little more than 300. The previous population count accounts for the small independent colonist group and teams of scientists and researchers employed by the Earth Corporation, ExoGeni. ExoGeni is later forced to abandon their Feros Research base following its devastation in a Geth assault.

Though unknown to the independent colonists who practically became ExoGeni's own test subjects, they were exposed to a creature with the power of indoctrination; an ability to manipulate one's mind, effectively brainwashing the target. The creature labelled 'Thorian' also dwelled within the towers of Feros. It gained scientific interest and therefore was not terminated, nor mentioned to the independent colonists of its risks and dangers.


With the Thorian's and ExoGeni's activities under the radar of the Alliance, they send the crew of the Normandy SR1 to see to the supposed turmoil experienced on Feros. Alleged Geth sightings were reported, and in response by the Alliance to evacuate any colonists, they sent the SR1 as reinforcement.



Of course, the situation was for worse.



With Saren's hopes of helping Harbinger bring the arrival of the Reapers closer, he sent is allied Heretic Geth to retrieve the Thorian 'plant'. With its indoctrination abilities, it would have been a great creature to take advantage and put to use. The dispatched geth assaulted the small colony of Zhu's Hope in search of Thorian plant in the very aged Prothean towers.



The crew of the Normandy SR1 were ready to take on the geth. Though the amount of units taking on a small colony was staggering. The Thorian must've had some great importance.



And when the Normandy crew found the Thorian with the help of indoctrinated colonists, this is what they got. For a 'plant', it was highly unexpected. Didn't even cross anyone's minds. Huh.

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Thanks for viewing TMW!

[rooker1]

Very nice update and ecellent read.
Huge congrats on your OSITM!

Robin

[Huston_N7]

rooker1
Thanks a lot

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Note:Hello SC4D, just another update, following this note.
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Orbited by the single moon Aniteria and explored by the Turian pioneer Corren Kronis, the planet Kronis is shadily located in the distant and quite isolated star system Liberator. Early explorations of the planet were quite sketchy, providing little information which did not prompt any true interest for the average but small dead rock. With a nothing more than a thin atmosphere of argon and krypton, the likelihood of even simple cellular life thriving here would be like asking if a Human could breathe without a pressure suit on the moon. While orbiting a very energetic Orange star, the sterilization of its surface by oncoming solar winds and no protection by a viable atmosphere assures that nothing lives on this world.

But by the time Turian suveyors came around to scower through the planet again for any viable resources, something interesting sprang up on their readings. Unusually large deposits of Element Zero caught the eyes of the surveyors and immediately caught the eyes of Turian mining corporations here and far. A surge of activity flooded Kronis as a major landrush overtook what was once thought a scab planet.

Now one of the prime sources of eezo in the Violet Nebula, it churns out large amounts of eezo which is taken to Palaven or nearby Turian colonies to be refined for use commercially or industrially. Since no other significant Turian colonies exist in the Liberator system, large shipments of eezo are taken out of the system by transport ships and brought to the Aerene system's Lera Relay to travel to other star clusters. Unfortunately being in the Terminus systems, transport doesn't come without sacrifice and loss. Investing in the recovery of eezo from Kronis is costly and can come with certain risks. A main risk of operating industries in this very lawless zone galactic space is the risk of losing potential profits and eezo stockpiles to aggressive and sometimes cunning pirates. Raids on Kronis' spaceports and mining outposts themselves are so common that they can almost be said that they're regular. Pirates who often raid Kronis typically learn from there mistakes and have made some successful operations, but amateurs who often deceive themselves with whole lot of firepower think they could easily blast away the Turian defeneses on Kronis' mining outposts and Spaceports while easily by-passing the lunar defense on Aniteria, Kronis' only natural satellite.



Now an amateur band of pirates are making their own 'first' raid. They're targeting Kronis' designated system capital, Saterix Spaceport, the heart of Kronis' stockpiles of eezo. Mined eezo is taken from the various mining outposts located around the planet and are sent to the few Spaceports built on Kronis. The largest of all Kronis Spaceports, Saterix Spaceport holds the largest number of transported eezo on the planet, and handles the transport of eezo off-world and out of system to be shipped elsewhere around the galaxy.

Though when targeted by foolish amateur pirates, a defense mechanism the station has which has effectively kept its eezo from being seized by those under the law, is being activated. A station wide lockdown is implemented under these situations. Automated Laser Defense turrets are then fully active, ready to target any hostile forces. Massive Blast shield doors then seal the station's Docking Bay entrances and windows are sealed with smaller blast shields as well to prevent any risk of breach or de-pressurization. The station is now fully protected and virtually impenetrable.

Well, all except for the fact that there's an obstruction preventing the blast shields from closing on the 3rd Docking Bay.



And what else could that obstruction have been but nothing more than a freighter trying to dock before they're targeted by the amateur pirates. This could be a problem.



Meanwhile, as the transport ship tries to get its act together and make it into the spaceport, the automated turrets begin firing on the hostile pirate forces making their way towards the station. Turian pilots based on the Spaceport are dispatched and began the very exhilerating fight to bring down the marauders, something that doesn't typically happen but still happens on the well fortified Saterix Spaceport.



On the other side of the battle, the amateur pirates aren't doing so well. Thinking rigged crop shuttles and Mantis gunships with serious firepower was going to get them anywhere into a fortified Turian Spaceport obviously wasn't getting them anywhere. Their ships were being downed one by one by the laser turrets. While an eventual dog-fight with military trained Turian pilots wasn't going to make it any better for them either. They began firing at the Spaceport defenses and Turian fighters but with such distracting and destructive lasers shooting towards them, the pressure built up and they obviously weren't holding out.



Some proof of their futile endeavors were evident several kilometers before when a ship was shot down by one of the Spaceport's long-range Laser turrets.



Raids like this are common on the planet, though are not as likely to involve attacking the primary Spaceport on Kronis. Though the pirates could've gotten some significant eezo piles from the Spaceport Docking Bays and storage containment facilities, it would take a lot more than firepower coupled with disastrous tactics to take down the main Spaceport. Especially if its occupied by a species with the galaxy's most notorious military force.

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Thanks for viewing TMW!

[whatevermind]

This is a really neat MD. Well done! 

[Swordmaster]

Congrats on getting into OSITM from me too. Well done indeed.


Cheers
Willy

[noahclem]

Excellent work here    The different location facts and unique presentation make it a lot of fun. Keep up the great work and congrats on OSITM 

[benedict]

Congratulations on having your MD featured as OSITM.

[Terring7]

Congrats for a well deserved O.S.I.T.M.

[Huston_N7]

whatevermind
Thanks a lot!

Swordmaster
Thanks for the congrats, a much appreciated comment!

noahclem
Thanks for the congratulations! I do strive to make it presentable (endless hours on these single updates sometimes, you have no idea )

benedict
Thanks for the congrats

Terring7
Thanks a lot for the congratulations!

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Note: There's nothing overly note worthy to say for me right now, just awesome to see that TMW is on the OSITM and being my first MD to be featured into the OSITM. The update is as follows
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We're visting again the beautiful joint Human-Asari water-world colony of Salacia, home to massive underwater predators, spectacular oceanic environments, tropical archipelagos and platform cities. With its 96% ocean coverage and only 4% of the surface having dry land in the form of broken islands, Salacia is also home to one of the galaxy's fiercest and largest of tropical hurricanes. Weather reeks havoc on the planet on a regular basis, though it's not likely to completely ruin the planet's still long hours of sunshine and blue skies. As a consequence of the planet's close proximity to Anemoi, Salacia's parent star or system Sun, the immense heat it receives that supports a very consistent tropical climate on Salacia triggers storms of unparalleled ferocity with wind speeds commonly gusting to about 800 kph in the strongest of tropical hurricanes that can occur more frequently then one would like it to.

To keep from encountering these monster superstorms, it's inhabitants of a vast array of species have adapted by constructing underwater infrastructure, sometimes housing small populations but not exceeding 5,000 in a single station. There are also scattered amounts of underwater research outposts and labs that are privately built under the noses of the Salacia Planetary Government based in Hydropolis; the capital of Salacia. Though there are still many identified and charted underwater outposts, many still get away with how vast and large the oceans of Salacia are. Searching for illegal infrastructure and settlements is pointless.



The Northern Hemisphere of Salacia is currently experiencing a drastic high in erratic Hurricane weather. With the moons Volturnus and Tiberinus in the background, 2 of the planet's 3 moons...Kodiak shuttles are flying high over the planet's turbulent atmosphere to rendezvous with the patrolling system cruisers in the distance that's flying over the Hyper-Hurricane Thali, a Hurricane that's endured for several days already over the very turbulent Hunderolt Ocean. As you can see, it's currently about to engulf settlements along the New-Pacific Archipelago.



Violent winds and turbulent ocean currents are brought by the havoc of the Hyper-Hurricane above. Thali is no obscure occurrence as storms on Salacia can last for days to even over a week on end being fed by the heat of the planet's oceans during the Terbinum Magnum or Procellae Maximum season. But below the violent hurricane and the turbulent ocean, a calm prevails and its aquatic inhabitants are left undisturbed. So are those living in artificial environments on the subsurface.



An underwater station lies unknown to those outside. Likely a privately chartered research outpost, it's not a station that's listed on charted maps of Salacia's oceans and seas. Diving Mechs are seen interacting, observing and scowering the environment around the station, overcoming the darkness of the deep waters almost 3500m below sea level. Aquatic marine life like strangely large Jelly-fish and small fish-like creatures roam the deep waters, adapted to the immense pressure as they've evolved to thrive in the darkness searching for prey in life abundant subsurface where deep-sea corals and marine animals live amongst.



The darkness is immense and only specially built and installed lighting and the use of magnesium to burn allows divers to roam and explore the areas around. It seems a fellow researcher has found amongst the ocean's thick flora and fauna, a lost relic; the remnants of a long lost Alliance survey craft that once probed and explored Salacia. Likely to have encountered one of Salacia's monster storms or collided with an Aquatic Thresher Maw, the craft was greatly overwhelmed and control was lost, sending the crew to plummet into the ocean. Though aged and rusted, likely to have been here for the last decade, it still upholds the Alliance symbol proudly, though its crew lost many years ago.



Meanwhile farther afoot, a Salacian Aquatic Thresher Maw hastily rages through the ocean floor. Essentially the aquatic version of a subterranean Thresher Maw, spores that arrived on the planet had allowed the species to adapt to the planet's mostly oceanic environment. It was first found on Salacia by Human pioneers who first sited the beast flying out of the planet's ocean, narrowly hitting the craft they were occupying. Little is known about this species except that it's a counterpart of the Thresher Maw. It's population is relatively low, with only about 3,000 (estimated at 2,905) across the planet. It's massive size (being under the classification as mega-fauna) has made it a common problem when encountered and has triggered a revision when building underwater stations. Often penetrating stations within a matter of seconds, it's an unlikely escape when these beasts smash open underwater infrastructure. There have been 27 known breaches in Salacia's colonial history, none of which have had any reported or recovered survivors (they would've been eventually killed by the pressure underwater alone when a station was penetrated).

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Thanks for viewing TMW!

[noahclem]

Quite the interesting planet! I love the tall picture. Is the galactic core uninhabitable?

[Huston_N7]

noahclem
As far as those in the story are concerned, the galactic core is presumably uninhabitable and mostly overtaken by black holes and dying stars. Not only that, there are no conceivable ways to access the galactic core unless one uses the Omega 4 Relay (The only known Mass Relay connecting the Omega Nebula to the Galactic core). Even then, no ship has ever made it through the relay (except for one) to tell the tale. :O

So in short, presumably no

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Note: I have brought yet another update, and I also removed Malware from my computer. Hooray This is a rather simplistic update with images that aren't cluttered with structures. Enjoy.

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Israfil. A human colony located in the outskirst of the Milky Way in the covert Valhallan Threshold cluster. It was solely settled for it's deposits of Element Zero which miners extract from the depths of the dwarf planet's crust layer. With about 1,000 setteled on the small world, they're scattered around a vast number of mining facilities. A major facility known as the Mecca Eezo Mining Facility or MEMF/MEMO is home to substantial number of miners who both live and work at the station.

The Dwarf world colony is currently being monitored by the SSV Manila; a dispatched patrolling Alliance Cruiser, watches the perimeters of Israfil's Airspace and constantly spies for any suspicious activities and landings on the planet after an incident relating to the attacks on Gagarin station prompted a correlation with Israfil's microbial organisms.



A chunky dwarf world located in an asteroid belt, it's currently not in direct contact with many asteroids; in between a break in the asteroid belt where there's a significant clearance with only a few asteroids floating around the area.



The Mecca Mining Facility, home to several dozen to hundred miners extracting and recovering Element Zero from Israfil's mineral rocks. A transport ship is making a stop at the station to take in any recovered Element Zero minerals to transport off-world to refineries on larger Human Colonies.



A little further south, the SSV Manila Alliance Cruiser is making a run by the station in part of its patrol route over Israfil. Though there haven't been any real sightings of any suspicious activity, they still watch the airspace cautiously, and the cruisers on-board scientific crew continue to research the microbial life of Israfil, even though they have already been proven to pose no correlation with those used on Jump Zero.



With it's patrol route crossing paths with the Mecca Facility, a small contact crew is making a routine check on the facilty's status. Leaving the Manila, the crew board a Kodiak Shuttle to the station. Still no signs of any activity, it's looking more and more like a waste of time to monitor Israfil's airspace.





Thanks for viewing TMW!

[noahclem]

That's a really good collection of sci-fi bats you've made use of! Great presentation and images again. Sci-fi MDs are a bit of a niche category but you seem to have mastered the subect 

[Bipin]

Awesome as usual! 

[vortext]

Awesome mosaic! 

[sim_link]

Great mosaic, those lights stand out beautifully.

[Huston_N7]

noahclem
Sci-Fi is more or less my forte and thanks I actually made the BAT myself

Bipin
Thanks a lot Bipin

vortext
Thanks a lot

sim_link
Thank you


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Note: This update contains two different BATs that I made specifically for this update. The "Prothean Beacon" and "temporary shelters" are of my design and creation. Other than that, enjoy the update.

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From the Valhallan Threshold, we are now treking back to the Violet Nebula. We're visiting the quite recently charted Enessa System. The system was only first visited in the early 2170s by the Asari who monitored it to confirm and explore the detected planet's of the still unmapped star system.

After more than a decade, the system is now confirmed to have 5 known planets orbiting the F-class Orange star Enessa One of these worlds that was surveyed by the Asari crews visiting the system had their spirits lifted when they found a habitable temperate nitrogen-oxygen garden world in the Enessa System; a truly unexpected turnout. It's now inhabited by over 1.1 Million Asari and other minor population groups. The population is concentrated in several settlements ranging from a small city to rural agrarian towns. Feylos' inhabitants have been greatly impressed by the display of the Fall seasonal changes, where vast lands are turned into vibrant and colorful plains. It's one of the features of the temperate planet that is exploited by the planet's tourism industry, bringing in tourists of all races to the world.

But more intriguingly, the recent findings of ancient Palaeotechnology on the planet from a sentient species drew scientists to the planet from far and wide and had the Asari on edge when they found it was intact and active. Though no Sentient/Sapient species were found on the idyllic Feylos, nor any evidence of a past civilization like Kanaze's mysterious civilization, when more of the artifact was revealed, it was clear to the scientists on site that the artifact they had uncovered was of Prothean origin.



The location of the Prothean Artifact is in the Azalis regional subdivision, in the vast Tomerek Hills. At the dig-site that was located almost in the middle of nowhere, the clearly active Prothean Artifact, appears similar to data caches and storage artifacts that are found on other worlds such as Sol's human colony, Mars, a technology that had uplifted Humanity and advanced Human technology and sciences by over 200 years (The galaxy's sentient species alike were uplifted by these intact ruins which contained information that advanced civilizations by centuries more than they were at.) Like other data caches and artifacts, this could likely hold information or store weapons blueprints which could improve the state of current galactic technology and understandings.



While monitoring and investigating the newly found Prothean Artifact, many Asari and Alien scientists alike have established temporary shelters during their stay on the site of the artifact. Before the artifact can be transported to a more secure facility, scientists make a thorough inspection and on-site analysis of the tech to insure it's stable, and to give a quick overview of what it may and how much it may contain.



The Asari scientists run an analysis of the artifact, if possible on site, even analyze the content of the Artifact and confirm that it's a data cache or stored archive.



As the sun rises over Feylos' Tomerek Hills, scientists start yet another day and resume their work on investigating the state of the valuable Prothean Artifact.


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Thanks for viewing TMW!

[art128]

Can you please re-size that very big picture? It's way bigger than the authorized size.

Anyway, nice update! I like it when we see more SC4 than Photoshop effects. That little camp is amazing.

[noahclem]

Wow, those are some fantastic pics    I reallyl enjoy the way the futuristic bats are incorporated with more familiar city ones and excellent seasonal flora. A very interesting planet indeed and I enjoy your story line's as usual. I actually googled Earth's average surface temp (starting a string of reading that culminated in me discovering the highest recorded atmospheric temperatures on Mars exceed those of Finland  ).

As for image size, I'm a moderator of the MD section and won't force you to change them, but recommended best practice would be to use:

Code Select Expand

[img width=1024]imagesource[/img]

allowing users to click for full resolution. That should make your MD more accessible to more people and hopefully increase your audience.

Keep up the great work