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[The Expanse] You know a lot about how people die.

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  • redxredx I(x)=2(x)+1 whole numbersRegistered User regular
    edited December 2015
    majanz wrote: »
    Has anyone around here watched the pilot - whom didn't previously read the books?

    I'm curious to know if someone who was new to the story liked it or not. I watched the pilot a second time and I think they skipped over quite a lot of the exposition.
    For example, the acceleration chairs. No real explanation as to why they were getting the milky goo pumped into their necks.

    Just watched it and have not read anything. I don't think they needed an explanation, aside from...
    they were in a very massive ship, and they did high g burn (like, what 1g?, belters are pussies) ok fine.

    but, I guess the thing I didn't get was why they would actually have burned that hard. Long lowish burns make sense, tearing a ship apart and doing damage to the crew seem to do a course correction, seems... uncalled for? So far away from how one would expect a propulsion system to function that it either needs an explanation or to be like emergency combat maneuvering.





    edit:reads thread... 3g and magical drives.... ehhh. ok I guess.

    redx on
    They moistly come out at night, moistly.
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    edited December 2015
    Seal wrote: »
    The USA didn't pop into existence in 1776 and wasn't at the bottom of a gravity well, over the horizon of a much larger gravity well. The barrier to colonisation is vastly steeper when you're comparing crossing an ocean vs. producing enough delta V to make it to Mars in a timely fashion. Was there a major breakthrough in space travel that made it a few orders of magnitude cheaper to get things into orbit prior to Mars colonisation?

    Yes.....did you watch the pilot? We've been colonizing the solar system. Even if it doesn't spell it out, it's obvious we've got some sort of advanced engines or somesuch. They make a goddamn uturn with magic goop to counteract the G Forces. I wouldn't be surprised if a space elevator makes an appearance. Maybe they found unobtanium on Mars prompting a surge of colonization. There's a lot of ways Mars could become a power inside 200 years.

    Cabezone on
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    redx wrote: »
    majanz wrote: »
    Has anyone around here watched the pilot - whom didn't previously read the books?

    I'm curious to know if someone who was new to the story liked it or not. I watched the pilot a second time and I think they skipped over quite a lot of the exposition.
    For example, the acceleration chairs. No real explanation as to why they were getting the milky goo pumped into their necks.

    Just watched it and have not read anything. I don't think they needed an explanation, aside from...
    they were in a very massive ship, and they did high g burn (like, what 1g?, belters are pussies) ok fine.

    but, I guess the thing I didn't get was why they would actually have burned that hard. Long lowish burns make sense, tearing a ship apart and doing damage to the crew seem to do a course correction, seems... uncalled for? So far away from how one would expect a propulsion system to function that it either needs an explanation or to be like emergency combat maneuvering.





    edit:reads thread... 3g and magical drives.... ehhh. ok I guess.

    Yeah it's like, you can't do anything like that in without magic space engines.

  • Emissary42Emissary42 Registered User regular
    edited December 2015
    Cabezone wrote: »
    Seal wrote: »
    The USA didn't pop into existence in 1776 and wasn't at the bottom of a gravity well, over the horizon of a much larger gravity well. The barrier to colonisation is vastly steeper when you're comparing crossing an ocean vs. producing enough delta V to make it to Mars in a timely fashion. Was there a major breakthrough in space travel that made it a few orders of magnitude cheaper to get things into orbit prior to Mars colonisation?

    Yes.....did you watch the pilot? We've been colonizing the solar system. Even if it doesn't spell it out, it's obvious we've got some sort of advanced engines or somesuch. They make a goddamn uturn with magic goop to counteract the G Forces. I wouldn't be surprised if a space elevator makes an appearance. Maybe they found unobtanium on Mars prompting a surge of colonization. There's a lot of ways Mars could become a power inside 200 years.

    Really, Mars is given so much weight because the story would be very, VERY boring if there weren't two Great Powers in the solar system.

    edit: If Mars' population was more realistic, it would also make the distinction between Mars & the Belt much less clear.

    Emissary42 on
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Seal wrote: »
    The USA didn't pop into existence in 1776 and wasn't at the bottom of a gravity well, over the horizon of a much larger gravity well. The barrier to colonisation is vastly steeper when you're comparing crossing an ocean vs. producing enough delta V to make it to Mars in a timely fashion. Was there a major breakthrough in space travel that made it a few orders of magnitude cheaper to get things into orbit prior to Mars colonisation?

    Yes. Incredibly light spoilers about background history:
    I don't believe the show mentioned it but the creation of the Epstein drive makes space travel trivially easy (comparatively) since fuel is no longer a major concern. And that breakthrough was made by a Martian which gave their government a head start in development. Earth didn't have the technology until they caved to Mars' demands.

  • jefe414jefe414 "My Other Drill Hole is a Teleporter" Mechagodzilla is Best GodzillaRegistered User regular
    Cabezone wrote: »
    Seal wrote: »
    The USA didn't pop into existence in 1776 and wasn't at the bottom of a gravity well, over the horizon of a much larger gravity well. The barrier to colonisation is vastly steeper when you're comparing crossing an ocean vs. producing enough delta V to make it to Mars in a timely fashion. Was there a major breakthrough in space travel that made it a few orders of magnitude cheaper to get things into orbit prior to Mars colonisation?

    Yes.....did you watch the pilot? We've been colonizing the solar system. Even if it doesn't spell it out, it's obvious we've got some sort of advanced engines or somesuch. They make a goddamn uturn with magic goop to counteract the G Forces. I wouldn't be surprised if a space elevator makes an appearance. Maybe they found unobtanium on Mars prompting a surge of colonization. There's a lot of ways Mars could become a power inside 200 years.

    Reaper tech. Probably still think it's Prothean.

    Xbox Live: Jefe414
  • ApostateApostate Prince SpaceRegistered User regular
    For those curious about how Mars competes with Earth see below.

    As it is only background it really shouldn't spoil anything but those who want to be virginal for the show I put it behind a spoiler tag.
    While Earth has more people, and more of certain kinds of resources, much of the population is on the dole (called BASIC in the books) and jobless. I don't remember off hand what the percentage is but IIRC it was like 50% or more. This means they have a giant boat anchor around their neck and so their general productivity is in the cellar.

    Mars in contrast is attempting a multigenerational terraforming project in which the entire planet contributes to. It is populated with pioneers, innovators, visionaries, scientists, engineers, etc. No one is there unless they like hard work, hard conditions, and have an appreciation for long term goals. Goals that they most likely will not even live to see. There are no 30 hour work weeks on Mars. As such Mars's productivity is many magnitudes greater than Earth's. So they are able to compete with them on a fairly even footing. Not surprisingly Mars thinks Earth is populated with a bunch of whiney spoiled brats.

  • simonwolfsimonwolf i can feel a difference today, a differenceRegistered User regular
    I came into this blind! The pilot seemed good, set up stuff. I don't particularly mind not having the technology explained to me in agonising detail, since you get the general gist of it through the narrative itself. I'm looking forward to watching the show as it releases.

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    i'm interested to hear how people who haven't read the books like the show

    it feels to me like there's a whole lot of stuff i already know and things would be confusing or at least not well explained if you don't have the background knowledge

    the trailer especially seemed to me like it would just sound like RANDOM SCI FI THINGS to people who didn't already know what was going on

    it sounds like that's not the case which makes me happy

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • simonwolfsimonwolf i can feel a difference today, a differenceRegistered User regular
    I can't think of anything that I, as a blind viewer, was finding confusing about the setting and/or technology, it all seemed either spelled out enough for the story-at-the-moment or was setting up things for future episodes, so I don't mind not knowing everything.

    I mean, I'm also a dude who has been big into SF for a long time, so I may be taking things for granted! But I found it an enjoyable romp, albeit one that was creaking from the strain of a SyFy budget.

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    i imagine the things i'm thinking aren't fleshed out are actually things i didn't know at the time reading the books either

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    edited December 2015
    I read the first, maybe second book when they came out but I honestly only remember the broad strokes. It's a little hard to follow the asteroid stuff but everything else is straightforward. I love the exterior shot of New York with the ocean walls. That's a great way to show rather than tell that yup, global warming was not stopped and it's probably an issue.

    Cabezone on
  • Emissary42Emissary42 Registered User regular
    Just polished off the third book, spoilers within:
    If the show makes it through to that point, I hope they manage to set things up a bit better. While I can see what the authors were trying to do, there were too many new undeveloped characters to have nearly as coherent a story as the two earlier books. From the looks of it they are in fact doing so: introducing Avasarla now is a great way to give her character more depth while fleshing out Earth at the same time. I'm also betting that they're going to have a lot of practical & CG VFX fun with the unexpected vigorous speed limit enforcement on the fleet in Abbadon's Gate. I would also bet money that it ends up being in the midseason finale episode (again, if the show gets that far).

  • Inquisitor77Inquisitor77 2 x Penny Arcade Fight Club Champion A fixed point in space and timeRegistered User regular
    Hey guys, I haven't read the books yet but they're on my list. I also hear pretty good things about the show. Should I watch the show and then read the books, or vice versa? I'm typically the person who has read the books before the show/movie, and I find my enjoyment of the latter only goes so far because I know what's going to happen. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that I won't enjoy the books as much because my mental images of the characters will be shaped by the show, and I'll know enough about the narrative and characters that it will similarly "ruin" the books for me.

    Any thoughts on which order I should do them in?

  • LindLind Registered User regular
    Thats a tough one. The books are awesome but the show looks good... I'd go with read the books, its well worth it.

  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    Hey guys, I haven't read the books yet but they're on my list. I also hear pretty good things about the show. Should I watch the show and then read the books, or vice versa? I'm typically the person who has read the books before the show/movie, and I find my enjoyment of the latter only goes so far because I know what's going to happen. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that I won't enjoy the books as much because my mental images of the characters will be shaped by the show, and I'll know enough about the narrative and characters that it will similarly "ruin" the books for me.

    Any thoughts on which order I should do them in?

    If you start reading the books, you won't be able to stop until you get to the end of the latest one. They're hard to put down.

    Just so you know, you'll be spoiled through season 5, at least. I guarantee.

  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    Hey guys, I haven't read the books yet but they're on my list. I also hear pretty good things about the show. Should I watch the show and then read the books, or vice versa? I'm typically the person who has read the books before the show/movie, and I find my enjoyment of the latter only goes so far because I know what's going to happen. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that I won't enjoy the books as much because my mental images of the characters will be shaped by the show, and I'll know enough about the narrative and characters that it will similarly "ruin" the books for me.

    Any thoughts on which order I should do them in?

    So far we've had one early release of an episode from the show. I don't think their is really a "right" answer here as nobody really knows how good the show is. So far it's been visually entertaining, has hewed closely to the books for like 90% of things and pretty much everybody has high hopes for it. On the other hand a couple of the changes from book to show have been to flatten some nuance and edgy things up, my mind isn't made up on these changes, yet they may well be the sort of thing you need when you lose the internal POV from moving to TV, but it's happening so I may be firmly stuck in book camp.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • Inquisitor77Inquisitor77 2 x Penny Arcade Fight Club Champion A fixed point in space and timeRegistered User regular
    Hmm...maybe I'll just wait for the show to release a few episodes to get the skinny on how good it is before making a decision. Thanks dudes!

  • ChanusChanus Harbinger of the Spicy Rooster Apocalypse The Flames of a Thousand Collapsed StarsRegistered User regular
    just read the book if you want to read the book

    it's good and it's not like one of those marathon novels you'll take months to read

    Allegedly a voice of reason.
  • Casually HardcoreCasually Hardcore Once an Asshole. Trying to be better. Registered User regular
    I highly enjoyed the books, personally.

  • AiserouAiserou Registered User regular
    Yea the books are great. I started reading them a little over a month ago (thanks to this thread!) and I just started book 5 last night. Each book has a pretty narrow focus and doesn't have a bunch of meandering subplots or huge casts of minor characters you need to remember. It's easy, but highly entertaining reading. I feel like it enhanced the first episode of the show.

  • jefe414jefe414 "My Other Drill Hole is a Teleporter" Mechagodzilla is Best GodzillaRegistered User regular
    So it's got a two night premier next week. Are they showing two episodes (one Monday, one Tuesday) or just replaying the same one both days?

    Xbox Live: Jefe414
  • ApostateApostate Prince SpaceRegistered User regular
    jefe414 wrote: »
    So it's got a two night premier next week. Are they showing two episodes (one Monday, one Tuesday) or just replaying the same one both days?

    I'm pretty sure it's two different episodes. Although they will probably rerun the first episode before the second episode on the second night if you miss it the first time.

  • Wraith260Wraith260 Happiest Goomba! Registered User regular
    it finally hit me last night, the thing that's filling me with doubt about this show and its the scheduling. i mean, seriously, who starts airing a brand new show the week before christmas? everything else is stopping for the next month, and yet SyFy are going to launch their new flagship show? its not making any sense to me. maybe if they were planning on burning through the season, an episode a night, but even that still seems risky. and it makes even less sense when you see other networks putting shorter run shows* on during January and February.

    so, yeah, i'm not really sure what SyFy is thinking with this and it's got me a little worried. anyone got info on its schedule that tells me i'm wrong and everything will be fine?

    *ABC with Agent Carter and CW with Legends of Tomorrow specifically.

  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    Well, what other time of year has more people on vacation, at home, warching TV?

  • KanaKana Registered User regular
    Cable channels are all worrying about building up their libraries now, with the growth of streaming and decrease in people with cable it's viewed as an investment for the future, even if nobody particularly is watching their shows right now. So it's a lot less weird to see odd premieres and such.

    A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
  • override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    eh if that was true I think they would have kept defiance going

  • DevoutlyApatheticDevoutlyApathetic Registered User regular
    It may be launching now as award bait.

    Nod. Get treat. PSN: Quippish
  • jefe414jefe414 "My Other Drill Hole is a Teleporter" Mechagodzilla is Best GodzillaRegistered User regular
    I figured now was a good time because many of the shows it's potential fans normally watch are going into mid-season break. I know that's the case with me.

    Xbox Live: Jefe414
  • tbloxhamtbloxham Registered User regular
    Also, the whole, "People don't watch TV at christmas" is a massive lie propagated by the networks in the 80s to make you watch more cheap specials and re-runs of old movies. Launching a TV show, espescially in online streaming form too, is a great idea at this time of year.

    "That is cool" - Abraham Lincoln
  • QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    The whole landscape for when and how to launch a show is changing. Loads of good TV is out and readily available even if you don't catch it the night it airs. People aren't gonna miss your show cause they're traveling for the holidays. Hell they're probably more likely to see it at this point. If they launch in December and make it available online they very well could have a shot with a lot of people on vacation looking for something new to fill the time between other stuff.

  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    I'm going to have, like, six extra days off in the next three weeks. I'm seriously considering getting Starz or something so I don't go crazy with nothing to watch.

  • TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    tbloxham wrote: »
    Also, the whole, "People don't watch TV at christmas" is a massive lie propagated by the networks in the 80s to make you watch more cheap specials and re-runs of old movies. Launching a TV show, espescially in online streaming form too, is a great idea at this time of year.

    It's not that people don't watch TV at Christmas, it's that the viewing audience's schedule gets really out of whack (with travelling, events, etc) so "Let's sit down at 7pm on Tuesday and watch this show" becomes difficult. Also, the break gives people who work on shows a break as well.

    It is absolutely an outdated model for modern cable networks. I'm absolutely sure SyFy looked at a bunch of things, including potential viewer numbers, when deciding when to launch this show. It is also probably why the first episode went up a few weeks ago.

  • Emissary42Emissary42 Registered User regular
    Well, they did do the Ascension miniseries at around the same time of year, AND the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries in 2003. I bet there's something about this particular time that works for science fiction audiences.

  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    I bet it tends to be a much more connected audience than typical. Less sticking to a TV watching schedule.

  • RedTideRedTide Registered User regular
    Emissary42 wrote: »
    Well, they did do the Ascension miniseries at around the same time of year, AND the Battlestar Galactica Miniseries in 2003. I bet there's something about this particular time that works for science fiction audiences.

    Crippling holiday enhanced loneliness?

    RedTide#1907 on Battle.net
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  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    The whole landscape for when and how to launch a show is changing. Loads of good TV is out and readily available even if you don't catch it the night it airs. People aren't gonna miss your show cause they're traveling for the holidays. Hell they're probably more likely to see it at this point. If they launch in December and make it available online they very well could have a shot with a lot of people on vacation looking for something new to fill the time between other stuff.

    And with streaming services, catching people WHILE they're traveling for the holidays is a great opportunity.

  • Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    Just finished the first book and I'm immediately diving into the second one.

    This is going to be an awesome TV series.

    There was a steam sig here. It's gone now.
  • CanadianWolverineCanadianWolverine Registered User regular
    Just saw the first episode on Space and ... wait, my first response to this thread is, "Wait, what?! What book!?"

    I enjoyed what I watched. Playing a bunch of Elite Dangerous lately and just saw The Martian a couple of days ago, so this is right in my wheel house. Kinda made me think of Pandorum for some reason I couldn't puzzle out.

    But even then, it has Thomas Jane, I can't help but be attracted to anything that hunk of a man is in because he puts on some really stellar performances.

    steam_sig.png
  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    edited December 2015
    Kinda made me think of Pandorum for some reason I couldn't puzzle out.

    Keep this feeling with you.

    Dracomicron on
This discussion has been closed.