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The Mass Effect Community Thread
- Thread starter shinobi602
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They never should have in the first place. Dragon Age is significantly more coherent and consistent comparatively.
Poodlestrike
Banned
It basically already has been.
BTW, going off that "ME multiplayer wishes" thread, I'm surprised there's so many people who either hated the store or never tried/resent the multi. The store was easily one of the best microtransaction systems I've seen (frankly, it's my gold standard), and the multi was a major highlight.
BrassDragon
Member
The excellent multiplayer took some sting out of my issues with the ending.
But tying galactic readiness to multiplayer matches, with a real time decay no less, was just misgudied BS.
I still wonder if they actually made a mistake having the (*cough) 'best' ending only achievable by multiplayer participation or if they did it by design. I remember their spokespeople didn't seem to be aware of this shortly after release... at least they patched it out when the extended cut rolled around.
Poodlestrike
Banned
The "Shepard Lives" ending thing? Yeah, that was probably a mistake, but the number of people hung up on it all this time later? After it was patched out? kek.
Pretty much every decision related to the ending of ME3 was a bad decision.
I'll be interested to see how Andromeda differs given that they're swinging from total authorial fiat to focus-testing the ending(s?).
Not that I suspect they had much of a choice. I'd almost guarantee that EA stepped in and is mandating that they bring in outside help for the ending this time after the ME3 fiasco.
Ivory Samoan
Gold Member
I have to say, I'm in a pretty awesome hyped place right now for the game: it actually feels real at least now.
Love the aspect of family that Mac mentioned too: that brings a whole new dynamic to my Mass Effect adventuring....yuss.
Love the aspect of family that Mac mentioned too: that brings a whole new dynamic to my Mass Effect adventuring....yuss.
Watch how you will have to decide near the end of the game if you'll have to sacrifice your brother or your mother after 30 hours of getting to know and love them.
Then you'll go "Fuck you Bioware, you can't do that to me."
The family thing could be good, but I look at how they handled it in DA2 on just an appearance basis and I worry.
For instance, one of the main reasons I ended up going to default Hawke in that game was actually hair color. While they made attempts to have skin color match, they didn't care about hair so my original Hawke was a redheaded happy rogue... in a family of all dark haired people.
He totally looked like he didn't fit in the least. Same problem with my second attempt. Eventually I felt shackled to conform to the existing characters and I didn't feel like I was creating my own character, so I said screw it and just went default.
It's the only time I've ever gone default appearance in a Bioware game.
For instance, one of the main reasons I ended up going to default Hawke in that game was actually hair color. While they made attempts to have skin color match, they didn't care about hair so my original Hawke was a redheaded happy rogue... in a family of all dark haired people.
He totally looked like he didn't fit in the least. Same problem with my second attempt. Eventually I felt shackled to conform to the existing characters and I didn't feel like I was creating my own character, so I said screw it and just went default.
It's the only time I've ever gone default appearance in a Bioware game.
Ivory Samoan
Gold Member
I can't wait for that moment.....it'll be my alien waifu or my kin, it's going to be a hard choice.
Let's do this, my biotic shields are up: let's head to Andromeda.
The Artisan
Member
those ryder rumors were on point but i do think they could've come up with a more original name than that.
but it's all good & hype.
but it's all good & hype.
Probably immediately. A few people were cheesed the Hawke siblings wouldn't.
Edit: as for DA2, I only ever played it with mods so that the family hair and skin tones match your custom Hawke so I probably likedit more than most.
SilentDisco
Neo Member
Shepard was homage to Alan Shepard; 1st American male in space.
Ryder is homage to Sally Ride; 1st American female in space.
or so I'm guessing...
The Artisan
Member
that ain't confirmed but i guess that could be true.
i wanted them to go with gaffney.
The Artisan
Member
exmachina64
Banned
I'm glad for the focus testing, but I hope it's balanced.
If they handle it as poorly as Fallout 4, everyone's going to hit the roof.
If the name was Gaffney, I'd spend the whole game wishing it was Underwood.
*renegade action*
"Man, Underwood, you're an evil son of a bitch."
I don't think it'll be the same as Fallout 4. For the problems I had with DA2, I liked how Bioware was able to deal with family; your choices would dictate the fate of the sibling that survives the flight to Kirkwall like whether they'd be a Warden, Circle Mage, Templar, or dead. Then again- I did use mods to ensure that their skin, hair, and eye colours would match my custom character.
BrassDragon
Member
My baseless theory is that the mysterious N7 character we saw in the early reveals is also a Ryder, maybe a sibling or parent... to make the goal of exploring and finding out what happened to his expedition more personal.
I think so to. I had mentioned it earlier but with the first N7 trailer it was mentioned that the N7 wasn't the protagonist, so it could be another Ryder. A woman if you're playing as Guyer, a male if you're playing as Rydgirl.
BrassDragon
Member
It makes sense, doesn't it?
They also played Ghost Riders in the Sky over images of N7-man exploring Andromeda and getting ready for combat (isn't this where we see the Ryder dog tag too?)
Since Ryder is effectively cut off from her relatives (and they'll all be long dead by the time she arrives in Andromeda), the only way I see the family theme playing out is if she brought some of the them with her... or if this N7 vanguard is related.
It would be cool if he turns out to be the antagonist... we need a good Saren. BioWare games in general are due for a threatening and believably motivated villain.
They also played Ghost Riders in the Sky over images of N7-man exploring Andromeda and getting ready for combat (isn't this where we see the Ryder dog tag too?)
Since Ryder is effectively cut off from her relatives (and they'll all be long dead by the time she arrives in Andromeda), the only way I see the family theme playing out is if she brought some of the them with her... or if this N7 vanguard is related.
It would be cool if he turns out to be the antagonist... we need a good Saren. BioWare games in general are due for a threatening and believably motivated villain.
That's... a good point. Solas is nothing short of incredible for a villain. Better imo than most western RPGs in general.
BrassDragon
Member
I only played Inquisition at release, did I miss something? Never felt the need to go back or buy DLC.
He was a party member with a kicker in the epilogue. The actual villain in the game was nothing to write home about and I can't even remember his name.
Corypheus was never the actual villain.
BrassDragon
Member
I'm not trying to be obtuse but how, exactly, was I supposed to catch that? I played the game for 93 hours and got most of the achievements. Did they massively add backstory in the DLC or is this a 2deep4me kinda thing?
Also: dramatic catalyst does not equal antagonist - at no point did I work against him in the story.
Solas drops hints and mentions for... most of the game. It ramps up after the destruction of Haven. Beating the game has Solas come out straight as the main antagonist, and the Trespasser expands on it. You don't actively/knowingly work against him for the bulk of the game because he's playing you like a damn fiddle there's flags for this throughout the game. FWIW this is after over 200 hours in the game.
BrassDragon
Member
Yeah, I didn't miss that he's the driver of the narrative - but can we agree that it's a bit rich to call him the antagonist when that's not actually something that's motivating your choices throughout the actual game?
It also doesn't excuse Corypheus being a non-entity, Saren functioned just fine as an extension of the Reapers.
It also doesn't excuse Corypheus being a non-entity, Saren functioned just fine as an extension of the Reapers.
Corypheus was fine for what he was, a tool of Solas' gone way out of the fuck control that he's getting you to clean up for him.
edit: Most of the decisions you make in the game are dependent on what Solas does and doesn't tell you. Trespasser alone puts him head and shoulders above modern WRPG villains imo.
edit: Most of the decisions you make in the game are dependent on what Solas does and doesn't tell you. Trespasser alone puts him head and shoulders above modern WRPG villains imo.
It's more the Trespasser DLC that cements
Solas
BrassDragon
Member
Depends on the fans you talk to
The sympathy I've seen of him and his motivations are disturbing.
... *sigh* And I was 20 hours in to Inquisition without knowing this.
Poodlestrike
Banned
I'd put money on it, tbh. They run off to do god-knows-what, you're following after them, always a step behind, right up until the end.
I can dig it.
Also: clearly I need to play Trespasser, and also eventually the rest of the base game
Yeah that was supposed to be a thing in ME1, always wondered why it wasn't.
It's mostly ME3 that puzzles me since you can play as Turians, Krogans, etc in the MP, so I'm not sure why they wouldn't let you switch characters for combat in the SP if they've already demonstrated the ability to play as different races and classes in the game itself.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Pause & play vs. full real time, I guess.
I mean, that makes sense as far as coop is concerned, though the puzzle as to why we're still lacking the ability to switch between squadmates is left in the air.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Well, that's what I mean. There's not really a window to do anything interesting with squaddie switching.
Also, compare and contrast the skill point totals between Shepard and his bros. Dude's got a lot more to work with, generally. I get wanting to play as, like, Mordin, but taking control of him in combat is just gonna limit the player.
Sure, but there's really no reason to not implement it. I mean, I can make a mage Inquisitor, but switch to Champion Blackwall, or Reaver Bull if I want to, and there's tactical benefits of doing it.
edit: I mean, it just adds variety to the gameplay being able to switch between characters.
Sorry man.
Depends on the fans you talk to
The sympathy I've seen of him and his motivations are disturbing.
Well, I've seen people asking for the option to join Corypheus as his right hand so I guess nothing surprises me...
BrassDragon
Member
Walters is talking about 'internal focus testing' which I think has more to do with peer review and fresh eyes on the narrative, rather than design-by-peanut-gallery. The rumored lack of internal review is probably one reason why the ending was such a dramatic squib with lots of lore/thematic inconsistencies. Seems like a reasonable 'lesson learned', no need for corporate mandates.
Mac Walters said:
Barrow Roll
Member
You, and everyone else discussing it could at least have the decency to spoiler tag that stuff now. I'm a little ticked myself.Sorry man.
did what i could, apologies again!
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