Relay 3 - Worlds

[MarketTantrik]

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Worlds

(The information about the worlds posted here is taken from The Art of Mass Effect Universe)

 

Citadel

Total length (open): 44.7km

Diameter (open): 12.8km

Thickness of Ward arms: 330m

Presidium diameter: 7.2km

Exterior armor thickness: 13m

Gross weight: 7.11 billion metric tons

Population: 13.2 million (excluding keepers)

 

The Citadel represents the seat of galactis government and this was the level most representative of Mass Effect's

architectural style. With large swooping curves cutting across vertical lines,it aimed to define Mass Effect's look.

The actual design was inspired by structural that had five sides and a ring. The five sides became the ward arms,each

one a city size of Manhanttan. The ring became the Persidium. Later, we attached the Citadel Tower, where the councel

members sit. We designed a 3-D model to help visualize the Citadel's ability to transform from an open station into

an impenetrable shell.

The top images on the opposite page is the Presidium's interior- the utopia of tomorrow-a perfect blend of nature and

architecture.We referenced NASA concepts, including the Stanford torus design. Early Citadel concepts also had

winfows looking out into space, which were eventually discarded when the design confused testers.

 

The Citadel Wards conveyed a more cosmopolitian vibe than on illium, with a safer and more vibrant street life than

that on Omega.Inspiration was drawn from cities such as Dubai and Tokyo.

The Citadel's Shipyard are understandbly massive, since more than 13 million people live on the station and it is

more than 40 kilometers long. Reference were taken from modern-day shipyards and scaled up to reflect the Citadel's immersive size.

 

 

 

Virmire

Originally Virmire was to be a tropical paradise, a vacation spot for galactic travelers. The inspiration for the

rock formation was the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. The buildings were connected by floating walkways and attached by

structures built into the rocks--nature and architecture working in harmony. This all changed radically.Virmire

became Saren's base of operations, making the paradise theme unusable.The design shifted to"nautical fortess,"

complete with massive concrete walls and heavy gun batteries.Some of the original concepts remain in the level,such

as the floating walkways and the open-air environment.

 

Therum

Therum was originally a base built around the openeing of a volcano.The base was going to be built up around the

caldera,with heavy equipment mining the molten rock.Instead, the level was redesigned as an underground dig site.

 

Noveria

What's a sciene-fiction game without an ice planet? Noveria originally had a lower alpine section with the research

stations high among the peaks.Eventually, we removed the lower section because it made players think they were on two

different planets.The mountaintop station,Peak 15, was designed to look camfoulaged .It was so massive that it

blended right in with the other peaks.

 

Eden Prime

The original idea for Eden Prime, inspired by England's Lake District National Park, had blue skies and rolling

green hills.The Eden Prime colony farmed this area and created large towers with a suspended rail system for

transporting crops.Later,we decided that Reapers had destroyed Eden Prime by the time Shepard arrived.The new design

included battle damage and the "scorched sky" seen in the final game.

 

 

Illos

Illos originally felt like El Dorado or other legendary cities lost deep within a jungle, but having several

tropical planets in the game,we decided to change the appearance of the level and give it more alien feel.We

refrenced Zdizislaw Beksinski when reimagining this world. The dried coral replaced the roots and vegetation covering

the structures. We also relit the level to give it the feel that everything there was dying,just as the Protheans

had.

 

 

Feros

Feros featured Shepard fighting through war-torn skyscrappers linked by bridges.We wanted to push the epic nature of

kilometers tall super-skyscrappers that had been wrecked by the geth.When the player arrives,only a few remain.The

images to the left show the hub where the colonists erected shields and barriers to protect themselves,powered by

one of their cargo ships.

 

Omega

Omega's inital concept was a dark version of the Citadel,grimy and crime ridden .The shape of Omega was based on that

of a mushroom cloud- hollowed-out asteroid portion forms the cloud and the metallic contruction creates the plume.

SOme of the ideas for the interior included large shafts connected by bridges for an industrial feel. Early versions

that relied too heavily on bridges were then scrapped in order to create more walkable areas.

 

Afterlife is the ultimate in illict entertainment,and the club's concept was based on a high end bar similar to those

in Las Vegas.Violence seethes under the surface,but Aria,Omega's queen of crime,keeps it under the control.

Omega's interior is shrouded in a perpetual haze from the industrial equipment mining the asteroid.This mutes the

colors and makes it clear that the station is an unhealthy place to live.The pipes and neon were added to enforce the

feeling of a lawless output.

Early concepts of Omega centered on the asteroid ,trying to bring its presence into the city.As the asteroid was

mined for highly valuable element zero, structures for people to live and work expanded downward in vertical columns.

 

 

ILLIUM

Illium's capital of Nos Astra was conceived as the idea city of the future, the place where everyone wanted to

live.Clean architecture,no garbage ,and flying cars reflected a more utopian,1950s view of the future.Illuim's smooth

curves and horizontal lines reinforced the Mass Effect style.

Later, it was decided to add more neon and holographic displays to give the impression that it was swimming in

information and advertising.

 

 

Tuchanka

The Krogan,consumed by constant internal warfare, live in ruins, and Wrex sits on a throne surrounded by the rubble

of his once-glorious civilization. The armored vehicle was originally a concept design for the vehicle that would

become the Mako in the original Mass Effect,but was deemed to large.Here it was repurposed as a krogan vehicle,where

it fit in perfectly.Its oversized tires helped it drive over rubble and war-torn terrain.

 

Horizon

Horizon is a colony with prefabricated buildings.It was imagined that these structures were modular and were stacked

in transport ships much like modern-day shipping containers.They would then be assembled in various

configuration,depending on the size and needs of the colony.

 

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[ScrewyAurum]

add the descriptions for the major council race home worlds like thessia and palaven