[Mass Effect] Lay off the DLC arguments. USE SPOILER TAGS

Cojones · February 2012

Aegeri wrote: »

Cojones wrote: »

Orca wrote: »

Cinedesign in 2000 was people standing in a room and no voice acting.

I wonder why it was easier to have more people.

HMMMMM.

As I've said, BG2 probably(correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd bet that it's a pretty significant difference) has more voice acted lines per NPC companion than ME or ME2 does.

Clearly, none of it was animated, but then BG2 must've cost what, a tenth of the cost of ME 2?

I'm really not that convinced about that. It did have some voice acting, but I don't remember them all being fully voiced and many conversations are non-voiced. It's something I would need to play BG2 again, but I am 100% sure companions aren't voiced to the same extent that ME ones do. Now in terms of outright dialog? Yeah, BG2 has a ton more - but that is because they didn't have to voice all of it.

Well yes, and I can't argue with this.

It's generally the case that the first line in a conversation is voiced(sometimes subsequent ones are too, depending on the importance of the conversation) and the rest is just text. Fully voicing BG2 as-is would be absurd given the sheer volume of dialogue, and so many characters did wind up being redundant(come on, how many people ever used Mazzy/Nalia/Valygar) that it simply wouldn't make sense to repeat or expand on the model of having ~20 companions.

This said, consider PS:T(which I conveniently completed today). PS:T has seven party members(of which one arrives very late on and three join up by around the mid-game, with the great majority of interaction between the core of Morte, Dak'kon, Annah and Grace) and still hasn't come close to being surpassed in terms of writing or party interaction. Am I mad for wanting to see this level of party interaction again?

Also, this comes to mind when considering the hundreds of Cerberus footsoldiers who aren't yet indoctrinated:

Dragkonias · February 2012

Jephery wrote: »

Basically, you have the statistical abstraction of an entity which is what most people would call "rpg mechanics" and then you have role playing.

And then people argue over each other because they don't know which one the other is talking about.

This is funny because it's so true.

Why I say that "RPG" is such a meaningless term these days.

manwiththemachinegun · February 2012

Dox the PI wrote: »

Getting some Mass effect 1 vibes from this

Sooo good.

If there's anything I wish Mass Effect stole from Metal Gear, it would be an Ipod like Snake has. Garrus has one, so should Shep. I want this to be my combat music.

Jacobkosh · February 2012

Jephery wrote: »

Basically, you have the statistical abstraction of an entity which is what most people would call "rpg mechanics" and then you have role playing.

And then people argue over each other because they don't know which one the other is talking about.

I wish someone would come up with a pithy name for the stat-management, looty inventory stuff because it is absolutely its own thing and fun in its own ways but I'd like to be able to know when I get a game if it's that or if I'm actually supposed to be pretending to be a guy and making decisions the way that guy would make them.

Vicktor · February 2012

Z0re wrote: »

Aegeri wrote: »

Dox the PI wrote: »

Reapers aims are pretty obvious
Cerberus would be the more likely to have secret motives or whatever

Cerberus are idiots and unfortunately have been written into the "Here, enjoy your dunce hat" corner of the room. This is a bit of a shame because ME2 almost gave them enough depth to be considered actually not entirely idiotic. But nope, ME3 shows they are still the redshirt army of the universe.

Huh? ME1 showed them as a scary, amoral army of scientists responsible for unleashing Rachni and Thorian Creepers across much of the galaxy. They had the political power to kidnap an admiral who was looking in to them and they were at least competent and scary antagonists.

ME2 has them pretend to be pro-human and also exposes you to the fact that they cannot do anything without near 100% losses of personnel. They are totally incompetent at... everything. I mean, assuming TIM and EDI aren't lying about Cerberus' size, you see the entire organization die over the course of the game because they are such abject failures.

Cerberus didn't unleash the Rachni or the Thorian Creepers. However, both the Rachni and the Creepers are puppet enemies controlled from a central location that they were researching. Now that you mention it, Cerberus has been seeking a puppet army for a while... that's probably why TIM wanted the base so badly, and why they relied so heavily on robots for security.

...I'm not actually spoilering anything, because it's all guesswork, but pieces are starting to fall into place...

Dun Dun DUUUUUUUNNNNNN.

Der Waffle Mous · February 2012

Dragkonias wrote: »

Jephery wrote: »

Basically, you have the statistical abstraction of an entity which is what most people would call "rpg mechanics" and then you have role playing.

And then people argue over each other because they don't know which one the other is talking about.

This is funny because it's so true.

Why I say that "RPG" is such a meaningless term these days.

Genre syncretism, I love it.

milk ducks · February 2012

-Tal wrote: »

Mac Walters confirmed the reapers will not be secretly good because that would be lame.

Reaper spoilers.

Spoiler:

Toldo · February 2012

Judging by how fast those Reapers are razing the planet... is there going to be any Earth left to come back to?

Dragkonias · February 2012

milk ducks wrote: »

-Tal wrote: »

Mac Walters confirmed the reapers will not be secretly good because that would be lame.

Reaper spoilers.

Spoiler:

As I understand the leaked plot, it turns out the Reapers were initially created by organics in an attempt to prevent galactic civilization from ever being able to progress technologically to the point at which something they refer to as a "singularity" would develop. As I understand the concept of a singularity in this context, it's basically the point where the galaxy tears itself asunder with war over technology and shit. The Reapers have extreme methods, but in a sense, they're effectively "pruning" civilization, so it never reaches a point where it destroys itself entirely. Also, since each Reaper is effectively created from thousands or millions of living beings who've had their flesh transformed into Reaper-ness, the very existence of the Reapers, like, "preserves" those species. Does that make sense? It's kind of hard to explain.

If this is true...I would be cool with that.

As long as they stay assholes.

manwiththemachinegun · February 2012

It takes a few hundred years for the Reapers to completely pacify a species, so it's far to say Earth won't become extinct right away. However, it'll probably get knocked back to the dark ages, a feudal age if they're lucky, without outside help rebuilding.

Lemming · February 2012

manwiththemachinegun wrote: »

Dox the PI wrote: »

Getting some Mass effect 1 vibes from this

Sooo good.

If there's anything I wish Mass Effect stole from Metal Gear, it would be an Ipod like Snake has. Garrus has one, so should Shep. I want this to be my combat music.

When did this music play? I don't remember it and it's awesome

Edit: Lower Afterlife hurrrrrrrr

-Tal · February 2012

I'm not gonna read that spoiler but reapers will always be assholes to me

Frozenzen · February 2012

Afterlife overall has excellent design, it's obvious they want you to go to omega first and enter it to get a great first impression of new locations in the game.

Sure worked on me.

CaptainNemo · February 2012

-Tal wrote: »

I'm not gonna read that spoiler but reapers will always be assholes to me

It's a pretty good origin that will piss of transhumanism fetishists, so it has that going for it.

finnith · February 2012

Jacobkosh wrote: »

Jephery wrote: »

Basically, you have the statistical abstraction of an entity which is what most people would call "rpg mechanics" and then you have role playing.

And then people argue over each other because they don't know which one the other is talking about.

I wish someone would come up with a pithy name for the stat-management, looty inventory stuff because it is absolutely its own thing and fun in its own ways but I'd like to be able to know when I get a game if it's that or if I'm actually supposed to be pretending to be a guy and making decisions the way that guy would make them.

While I am definitely falling for the bait, I will say that I know people (in real life I mean) who are not very good at the game part of the Mass Effect (i.e. the shooter), and thus are not able to enjoy it. For them, the non-participatory nature of most RPG's is good because you don't need the reflexes or hand-eye coordination shooters require. I guess that's why they have the RPG mode now.

Dragkonias · February 2012

RPG is the most hardcore mode though...

Basically.

RPG mode is for manly men.

Action mode is for fratboy jockheads.

Story mode is for pussies.

Something for everyone.

CaptainNemo · February 2012

I love how unique all the guns are looking in ME3. I'm already starting to plan how my Soldier Shep's loadout will be.

Dragkonias · February 2012

I actually like how ingenious but simple the weight system is.

Basically it allows you to have some guns that are just plain better than others but at a cost.

So those people who preferred the ME1 style of upgrade get some of what they want.

And the people who preferred ME2's more horizontal progression get some of what they want.

Orca · February 2012

finnith wrote: »

Jacobkosh wrote: »

Jephery wrote: »

Basically, you have the statistical abstraction of an entity which is what most people would call "rpg mechanics" and then you have role playing.

And then people argue over each other because they don't know which one the other is talking about.

I wish someone would come up with a pithy name for the stat-management, looty inventory stuff because it is absolutely its own thing and fun in its own ways but I'd like to be able to know when I get a game if it's that or if I'm actually supposed to be pretending to be a guy and making decisions the way that guy would make them.

While I am definitely falling for the bait, I will say that I know people (in real life I mean) who are not very good at the game part of the Mass Effect (i.e. the shooter), and thus are not able to enjoy it. For them, the non-participatory nature of most RPG's is good because you don't need the reflexes or hand-eye coordination shooters require. I guess that's why they have the RPG mode now.

Yeah. I mean, by most standards here I'm not that great a player, but my ME2 playthrough I'm running on Casual for the speed.

Approaching it like I do an insanity fight, there's nothing but corposes on the floor 20 seconds after I enter a boss fight.

It's kind of ridiculous.

And there are people for whom Casual is still too hard. So it's good that they're expanding their player base with a simple switch.

finnith · February 2012

Sorry I meant story mode. The one that makes the gameplay easy.

CaptainNemo · February 2012

I am going to be a walking arsenal. I mean, I am just going to a walking Borderland's loot box of weird ass guns. Pistols? Feh. I have a sticky grenade gun. AR? Ha! I have a grenade machine gun. Heavy weapons? Nothing heavier then a Geth Gatling Gun.

nicopernicus · February 2012

I'm glad they added the different modes as well. My wife has always been interested in Mass Effect, but hadn't been able to play. Now she will.

Dragkonias · February 2012

Honestly. I think that my first run(Vanguard run) will be the hardest one for me to balance as far as weapons go).

I mean Soldier I'm pretty much going to want to load up on the baddest guns I can find. Probably AR/Sniper rifle only though.

Infiltrator, one of the high power sniper rifles with a pistol or SMG(if they don't suck like they do in the MP demo) at my side.

Adept/Engineer. Pretty light. Pistol or Pistol/SMG at most. Maybe Pistol/Shotgun for Engineer.

Sentinel. Maybe just a low weight AR.

But Vanguard...I want cooldown and I want something that kills shit. So...I will have to think about it.

Dox the PI · February 2012

fuck this person

Spoiler:

CaptainNemo · February 2012

Dox the PI wrote: »

fuck this person

Spoiler:

That's the same face I'd make if I had ME3, to be honest.

manwiththemachinegun · February 2012

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I love how unique all the guns are looking in ME3. I'm already starting to plan how my Soldier Shep's loadout will be.

Locust and Saber
Phalanx and Scimitar
Hornet and that multi-Alliance missile launcher

Dragkonias wrote: »

Honestly. I think that my first run(Vanguard run) will be the hardest one for me to balance as far as weapons go).

I mean Soldier I'm pretty much going to want to load up on the baddest guns I can find.

Infiltrator, one of the high power sniper rifles with a pistol or SMG(if they don't suck like they do in the MP demo) at my side.

Adept/Engineer. Pretty light. Pistol or Pistol/SMG at most. Maybe Pistol/Shotgun for Engineer.

Sentinel. Maybe just a low weight AR.

But Vanguard...I want cooldown and I want something that kills shit. So...I will have to think about it.

I'm going to be playing a slightly sub-optimal Sentinel for flavor and awesome.

Max cool down, damage resistance, and weight perks taken, at least two guns per mission. More if it won't affect me past -50%.

I want to be a walking TRON tank spewing biotics, tech attacks and bullets. Cooldowns be damned.

0blique · February 2012

Anyone know the best way to use a sentinel? Right now I'm trying to level up a Turian one, and I can't say that I'm using him effectively. With tech armor, his abilities recharge slowly, and without it, he feels like an engineer without drone/sentry turret for support.

nicopernicus · February 2012

My first play through will be like Dragkonias'

Adept/Engineer. Pretty light. Pistol or Pistol/SMG at most. Maybe Pistol/Shotgun for Engineer

Based on the multiplayer that is what I had the most fun doing.

joshgotro · February 2012

You should be setting up biotic explosions and throwing people into walls.

I personally would just throw people into walls while I slowly made my way to them and shotgun surprise!

CaptainNemo · February 2012

It's soldier all the way for me. I just love the idea of a woman with no special powers or gadgets or anything saving the galaxy with naught but her guns and her crew.

joshgotro · February 2012

Yep. My main shep is Soldier. Dude's all I've got a tool for this situation. CAIN.

manwiththemachinegun · February 2012

It opens up once you get that -30% tech armor power reduction perk. You really notice the difference.

Basically you need to spec your Sentinel to be somewhat tanky, and level the shit out of overload so it triple hits enemies and can combo into tech bursts. Throw spam builds work great too. You're the guy your teammates need when they charge a turret or get wasted by an Atlas.

That's not what I'm doing since it's a little too min-maxing for my tastes.

Orca · February 2012

I'll have to see what the damage etc. looks like on my shotguns. But first run through, based only on the demo, will probably be Vanguard with Katana and nothing else.

Deaderinred · February 2012

you guys want a laugh? its dlc argument related so ill put it in a spoiler

Spoiler:

CaptainNemo · February 2012

I wonder if we'll still be able to visit Omega. I'm sure we're going back to the Citadel to scream all kings of naughty words at a certain turian.

Zaylenz · February 2012

0blique wrote: »

Anyone know the best way to use a sentinel? Right now I'm trying to level up a Turian one, and I can't say that I'm using him effectively. With tech armor, his abilities recharge slowly, and without it, he feels like an engineer without drone/sentry turret for support.

So far I've been playing the Turian Sentinal by putting most of my points into Overload, Assault Training, and Warp. I usually leave the Tech Armor off unless I'm in trouble, as I'd rather have the faster cooldown. I generally hit everything I can with Overload, with the Neural Shock upgrade, and finish them off with the Carnifex.

CaptainNemo · February 2012

Deaderinred wrote: »

you guys want a laugh? its dlc argument related so ill put it in a spoiler

Spoiler:

The following is a post from a me3 thread on another forum.

It's an add-on that is entirely optional.

That's where I think you are completely wrong. Let me first say, I haven't finished any of the ME games and I've only played the first part of ME1.

Having said that, from what I understand, the "optional" dlc contains a plot hole that is at the core of the ME universe and storyline. This means Bioware / EA have essentially betrayed the trust of their customers. When you go watch a movie, for instance Star Wars, you don't have to pay $10 bucks to see who's luke's father.

This is even worse though. As a consumer who has stuck to a trilogy of a story based game, you put your trust in the filmmaker's (or in this case developer's) judgement to give you a proper conclusion. Think of DLC as popcorn, not as a plot hole.

Of course I won't debate it makes sense for Bioware to do this in a purely economic sense. However, as someone from the outside, I think it is in poor taste, really poor taste. I completely understand the outrage for this. Some people do take it a bit far, but I understand the sentiment. To do something like this is offensive to your audience.

Just my 2 cents.

i dont even.

That's not what a plot hole is.

Orca · February 2012

Deaderinred wrote: »

you guys want a laugh? its dlc argument related so ill put it in a spoiler

I didn't know Dietz argued on the internet

Eat it You Nasty Pig. · February 2012

so basically, random people who don't even play the ME games are trolling bioware's forum about it?

:rotate:

Orca · February 2012

CaptainNemo wrote: »

I wonder if we'll still be able to visit Omega. I'm sure we're going back to the Citadel to scream all kings of naughty words at a certain turian.

I want to be able to walk up to the batarian preacher and whisper in his ear "you were right"

just before I blow his 4-eyed brains out.

Penny Arcade

[Mass Effect] Lay off the DLC arguments. USE SPOILER TAGS

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