The Expanse
https://basementmtl.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-expanse.html
Stepping away from the games for a moment, I want to take
the time to talk to you about a book series called The Expanse. Written by
James S.A. Corey (which is a pseudonym for two different authors who co-write
the series), The Expanse is a gritty and exciting sci-fi
series that takes place during the adolescence of human space travel—reason
being is that mankind has colonized all of the solar system (Mars, the asteroid
belt, and even some of the moons of the outer planets) but isn't quite able to
travel fast enough to reach distant solar systems. Personally I find this
setting very intriguing and pretty unique, since most popular sci-fi tend to be
way before that, still on Earth, or so far past it you have faster than light
(FTL) travel everywhere.
The Expanse is a fairly recent series, with Leviathan Wakes, the first book in the
series, being released only in 2011. New entries have been releasing every year
since then, totaling 4 so far. I started reading the series in 2013, right
after Sang-Froid was released. During the summer there wasn't much
left to do and with another project not starting up immediately, I had a lot of
free time on my hands. I saw an article about the third book in the series up
on io9 and they were saying it was one of the best books of the year (in
regards to sci-fi of course). So I gave the first one a shot and I was hooked.
For 5-600 page-books they're pretty fast reads. Lots of dialogue, lots of
action, they're really fun.
The series is in fact so good, they decided to make a TV
show out of it. They are hailing it as the Game
of Thrones of space operas and that the script is right up there with the Battlestar Galactica reboot. Of course
the SyFy channel is at the helm of
the project...so hopefully it won't be a disaster. I'm still hopeful.
Now to bring this full circle, would this series work as a
game? The lore is right there. I remember reading somewhere (can't remember
where) that the original idea for the universe they created was already a work
of fiction they had for a pen and paper RPG they always played. It was so easy
for them to expand upon the universe because they already knew what the
corridors of a particular station looked like. I don't think I would ever make it
as a straight forward RPG with a narrative, but it could easily work as maybe
an MMO, or maybe even some sort of privateer type game where you can carve your
own path in the universe. The latter one might be the best way to do it. There are
already lots of places to visit in the universe and without spoiling anything
in the books, the locales increase as it goes along.
The only major problem you would have, but could also use it
as a gameplay mechanic at the same time, would be travel times. Like I said, no
FTL drives on them ships, so it takes like 6 months sometimes to get from one
place in the solar system to another. You have to factor in all your supplies like
food and whatnot, plus your crews well-being, not to mention the fuel. I think it
would be pretty interesting to say the least.
The 5th book in the series is due out this summer. Having
just finished reading the 4th book, I for one cannot wait. I also can't wait
for the TV show; though, aside from the show runners saying that it will be
coming out in 2015, there is no concrete date set as of now.
Here's the first trailer they released for the TV show:
