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Mass Effect - We're getting closer. Label ME2 spoilers to help some folks out.

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Posts

  • evilthecatevilthecat Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    evilthecat on
    tip.. tip.. TALLY.. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    How does no NG+ help #1? Your last save was probably after a point of no return, so if the DLC is supposed to happen before the game ends, you'd need to use an earlier save regardless.

    I'm hoping the reason there is no NG+ is because the DLCs will bridge the gap between ME2 and ME3 and they want you to be the appropriate level-range, especially if they add new abilities/levels.

    ...Umm...they've explicitly said that you'll be able to explore after you beat the game.

    You know like those RPGs where you beat the game. Save. Then it puts you somewhere else after the game has been beaten.

    This is like three steps away from WoW.

    joshgotro on
    does it?
  • FiarynFiaryn Omnicidal Madman Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    There are 10 party members, only two of them are returning from the old game.

    At this point we know one of them is Tali and the other has a 99.9% chance of being Garrus.

    Fiaryn on
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  • UltrachristUltrachrist Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    How does no NG+ help #1? Your last save was probably after a point of no return, so if the DLC is supposed to happen before the game ends, you'd need to use an earlier save regardless.

    I'm hoping the reason there is no NG+ is because the DLCs will bridge the gap between ME2 and ME3 and they want you to be the appropriate level-range, especially if they add new abilities/levels.

    ...Umm...they've explicitly said that you'll be able to explore after you beat the game.

    You know like those RPGs where you beat the game. Save. Then it puts you somewhere else after the game has been beaten.

    Oh I understand now. Yeah I like that.

    Ultrachrist on
    ultrachrist2.png
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    You're a little, lttp.

    They've changed it to ten characters now.

    As we know most of them.

    Thane
    Mordin
    Tali
    Miranda
    Jacob
    Subject Zero
    Grunt
    Samara
    ???
    ???

    So, the last two are the ones we're waiting for(and Garrus is seeming more and more likely as time passes).

    Dragkonias on
  • evilthecatevilthecat Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    evilthecat wrote: »
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    There are 10 party members, only two of them are returning from the old game.

    At this point we know one of them is Tali and the other has a 99.9% chance of being Garrus.

    urgh. sources?
    I only ask because this is disappointing. MotB did the same thing and all that did was alienate you, I found. Well poo. No ash and no wrex :/

    evilthecat on
    tip.. tip.. TALLY.. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  • FiarynFiaryn Omnicidal Madman Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    evilthecat wrote: »
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    There are 10 party members, only two of them are returning from the old game.

    At this point we know one of them is Tali and the other has a 99.9% chance of being Garrus.

    urgh. sources?
    I only ask because this is disappointing. MotB did the same thing and all that did was alienate you, I found. Well poo. No ash and no wrex :/

    There's a very good reason for why they did this
    It would be somewhat wasteful to commit resources to a full party member who may or may not even be alive. Ashley, Kaidan, and Wrex all have reasonable chance of dying during ME1.

    Fiaryn on
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  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    How does no NG+ help #1? Your last save was probably after a point of no return, so if the DLC is supposed to happen before the game ends, you'd need to use an earlier save regardless.

    I'm hoping the reason there is no NG+ is because the DLCs will bridge the gap between ME2 and ME3 and they want you to be the appropriate level-range, especially if they add new abilities/levels.

    ...Umm...they've explicitly said that you'll be able to explore after you beat the game.

    You know like those RPGs where you beat the game. Save. Then it puts you somewhere else after the game has been beaten.

    I'm pretty excited about that actually. In the main ME campaign doing the side quests which weren't just talking to a bunch of people always seemed inappropriate since HOLY FUCK THE UNIVERSE AS WE KNOW IT WILL BE DESTROYED.

    Doing them after I've killed the main danger seems more appropriate in a "what does a Spectre do with a kickass spaceship and a lot of guns on a normal day" type of way.

    EDIT: Also - 10 squadmates? My money is on a shitload of them dying during the campaign since it would simply the hell out of writing ME3.

    electricitylikesme on
  • Frosty the Snow PlowFrosty the Snow Plow Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    evilthecat wrote: »
    so does anyone have a general consensus on which companions are going to be back and squadable?
    if you go by the screenshots (12 slots for party selection) then .. there are 6 "old" squaddies and 6 new ones.

    then again, samara seems to be an adept, subject is an adept and liara is one as well, I can't believe they'd shove three of them into our faces.

    argh need more info!

    There are 10 party members, only two of them are returning from the old game.

    At this point we know one of them is Tali and the other has a 99.9% chance of being Garrus.

    urgh. sources?
    I only ask because this is disappointing. MotB did the same thing and all that did was alienate you, I found. Well poo. No ash and no wrex :/

    http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/339/gtfok.jpg

    The context of the video being everyone Shepard is assembling to make a team. He's in a selection amongst Mordin, Tali, and Sheepdawg. Garrus has also been featured in a video, but that one could very well be a cameo.

    It's not confirmation. But it's awfully suggestive.

    Frosty the Snow Plow on
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    How does no NG+ help #1? Your last save was probably after a point of no return, so if the DLC is supposed to happen before the game ends, you'd need to use an earlier save regardless.

    I'm hoping the reason there is no NG+ is because the DLCs will bridge the gap between ME2 and ME3 and they want you to be the appropriate level-range, especially if they add new abilities/levels.

    ...Umm...they've explicitly said that you'll be able to explore after you beat the game.

    You know like those RPGs where you beat the game. Save. Then it puts you somewhere else after the game has been beaten.

    I'm pretty excited about that actually. In the main ME campaign doing the side quests which weren't just talking to a bunch of people always seemed inappropriate since HOLY FUCK THE UNIVERSE AS WE KNOW IT WILL BE DESTROYED.

    Doing them after I've killed the main danger seems more appropriate in a "what does a Spectre do with a kickass spaceship and a lot of guns on a normal day" type of way.

    You know, I've played enough games in general that the whole "The universe could end at any moment" thing doesn't really get me anymore. Which, in the same token, is funny because I also hate when games put time limits in.

    Dragkonias on
  • evilthecatevilthecat Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    see i thought about the "character is dead so we're not wasting money on dialogue" argument, but that can be applied to many characters and even shepard himself (or herself, as only playing the game once will deny you the female voice overs etc).

    *sigh*

    oh well, won't be long now!

    evilthecat on
    tip.. tip.. TALLY.. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    see i thought about the "character is dead so we're not wasting money on dialogue" argument, but that can be applied to many characters and even shepard himself (or herself, as only playing the game once will deny you the female voice overs etc).

    *sigh*

    oh well, won't be long now!

    No it can't. Since you know...they didn't actually die in the first one. While the other three that were mentioned have the possibility to die in the game.

    Dragkonias on
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    joshgotro on
    does it?
  • Frosty the Snow PlowFrosty the Snow Plow Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    As long as Wrex and I can have one lovely conversation, I'm happy.

    Him all on the Krogan homeworld going "What the fuck".

    Frosty the Snow Plow on
  • FiarynFiaryn Omnicidal Madman Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    It's been suggested he'll be making a cameo of some sort, yes.

    Fiaryn on
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  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    Since he is one of the plot "checks" for the ME1 save data, it seems likely.

    Dragkonias on
  • Frosty the Snow PlowFrosty the Snow Plow Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Conrad is confirmed, yeah. He was referred to as Commander Conrad. D:

    Frosty the Snow Plow on
  • electricitylikesmeelectricitylikesme Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    It's been suggested he'll be making a cameo of some sort, yes.

    I didn't know you could get him killed. That seems...extreme even for renegade Sheperd.

    Also what's the money the cameo for Ashley in the slim minority in which she survived is that she ends up happily working for Cerberus?

    Like, she must totally fit their recruitment profile.

    electricitylikesme on
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    Since he is one of the plot "checks" for the ME1 save data, it seems likely.

    Applying the last two posts to an argument for why they would waste time making dialogue for the people that have the possibility of dying in ME.

    joshgotro on
    does it?
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Is he still in if you convinced him to drop the whole idea and go back to his wife?

    Because I was kind of hoping that was the end of him.

    Of course, I was also hoping the photo of me with my gun was going to be put to nefarious purpose, but that didn't happen.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    It's been suggested he'll be making a cameo of some sort, yes.

    I didn't know you could get him killed. That seems...extreme even for renegade Sheperd.

    Also what's the money the cameo for Ashley in the slim minority in which she survived is that she ends up happily working for Cerberus?

    Like, she must totally fit their recruitment profile.
    I don't think him dying is a renegade thing. I think it's a "failed to persuade him not to go" thing.

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    Since he is one of the plot "checks" for the ME1 save data, it seems likely.

    Applying the last two posts to an argument for why they would waste time making dialogue for the people that have the possibility of dying in ME.

    There is a time/resource difference between a character that may appear for one cutscene/sidequest versus a full-on party member with many branching dialogue and plot trees.

    So I don't see how it applies.

    Dragkonias on
  • joshgotrojoshgotro Deviled Egg The Land of REAL CHILIRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    Since he is one of the plot "checks" for the ME1 save data, it seems likely.

    Applying the last two posts to an argument for why they would waste time making dialogue for the people that have the possibility of dying in ME.

    There is a time/resource difference between a character that may appear for one cutscene versus a full-on party member.

    So I don't see how it applies.
    They all might appear for one cutscene.

    joshgotro on
    does it?
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    Since he is one of the plot "checks" for the ME1 save data, it seems likely.

    Applying the last two posts to an argument for why they would waste time making dialogue for the people that have the possibility of dying in ME.

    There is a time/resource difference between a character that may appear for one cutscene versus a full-on party member.

    So I don't see how it applies.
    They all might appear for one cutscene.

    Who are "they" exactly?

    Not being sarcastic, just not sure who you're referring to at the moment.

    Dragkonias on
  • evilthecatevilthecat Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    evilthecat wrote: »
    see i thought about the "character is dead so we're not wasting money on dialogue" argument, but that can be applied to many characters and even shepard himself (or herself, as only playing the game once will deny you the female voice overs etc).

    *sigh*

    oh well, won't be long now!

    No it can't. Since you know...they didn't actually die in the first one. While the other three that were mentioned have the possibility to die in the game.

    The argument still applies, either you're only going to play through the game once and miss out on a good 8 characters as people generally find their favorites quickly or you'll play it through several times because you want to experience all content, in which case you can simply roll a new shepard and choose who died and who didn't.

    evilthecat on
    tip.. tip.. TALLY.. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    evilthecat wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    evilthecat wrote: »
    see i thought about the "character is dead so we're not wasting money on dialogue" argument, but that can be applied to many characters and even shepard himself (or herself, as only playing the game once will deny you the female voice overs etc).

    *sigh*

    oh well, won't be long now!

    No it can't. Since you know...they didn't actually die in the first one. While the other three that were mentioned have the possibility to die in the game.

    The argument still applies, either you're only going to play through the game once and miss out on a good 8 characters as people generally find their favorites quickly or you'll play it through several times because you want to experience all content, in which case you can simply roll a new shepard and choose who died and who didn't.

    Yes, and that would be good if Bioware was making the game for one person. But they're making it for many people, who may have played it in many different ways. So they have to find a medium that will work for everyone. Which, sadly, probably won't completely please everyone.

    Dragkonias on
  • NuzakNuzak Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Stormwaltz wrote: »
    For anyone interested:

    I wrote some articles for the BioWare blog that were never approved before I left, and haven't been published since. Since it appears BW has no plans to use them, and they say nothing that breaks my NDA (it's all personal opinion stuff), I've started publishing them on my GamerDNA page.

    thoughtfully written. the moon side mission is a bitch to complete, but, moreso than other planets it's worth it just for the skybox.

    holy fuck, guys. i'm on the fucking moon.

    was there any debate amongst the mass effect staff over the exact situation on earth?

    Nuzak on
  • Wet BanditWet Bandit Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Fiaryn wrote: »
    joshgotro wrote: »
    Isn't the freaky fan from ME in ME2 if you choose not to get him killed?

    It's been suggested he'll be making a cameo of some sort, yes.

    I must say, I almost wish I would have allowed him to run off and get killed. He was easily the worst character in ME1. He was like a 10-year-old boy, except he was supposed to be around 30 or so. Just terrible. The sooner my Mass Effect experience is without him, the better.

    Wet Bandit on
  • Zen VulgarityZen Vulgarity What a lovely day for tea Secret British ThreadRegistered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Nuzak wrote: »
    Stormwaltz wrote: »
    For anyone interested:

    I wrote some articles for the BioWare blog that were never approved before I left, and haven't been published since. Since it appears BW has no plans to use them, and they say nothing that breaks my NDA (it's all personal opinion stuff), I've started publishing them on my GamerDNA page.

    thoughtfully written. the moon side mission is a bitch to complete, but, moreso than other planets it's worth it just for the skybox.

    holy fuck, guys. i'm on the fucking moon.

    was there any debate amongst the mass effect staff over the exact situation on earth?

    WELCOME TAH ERF

    /punch

    dd866c16-616a-1dcc-a575-36bdc2ef5aeb-Independenceday+cigar.jpg

    Zen Vulgarity on
  • SeriouslySeriously Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Mr. Verner is the only character I never had to make any effort to be mean to. I stuck a gun in his face and sent him crying back to his "wife."

    I say "wife" because I know it's really an enshrined mannequin improvised out of household supplies in his closet with Shepard's photograph taped to the upturned bucket that corresponds to the head. It's my own fault for giving it to him, I had the uh-oh feeling the entire time.


    Maybe in ME2 there will be an option to use those chloroform soaked rags I know he keeps secreted on his person to set him on fucking fire in case someone screwed up and was nice to him.


    EDIT: Nuts, I see now that chloroform isn't flammable.

    Seriously on
  • Wet BanditWet Bandit Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Is that...is that Garrus's music?! What's he doing here?!

    So the CG trailer might have an unexpected bonus. When it shows the Illusive Man looking at his hologram computer thing talking about Shepard's squad, it shows little profiles of various people. You can clearly see Shepard, Tali, Thane, Mordin...and Garrus.

    garrus.jpg

    Here it is in context:

    http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/664/tali.jpg

    Garrus's profile is above the left shoulder of the Illusive Man in those shots, just above Shepard's profile.

    While this isn't confirmation confirmation, it seems to be pretty obvious.

    So that brings us up to seemingly nine known squad members:

    -Miranda
    -Jacob
    -SuZe
    -Tali
    -Thane
    -Mordin
    -Grunt
    -Samara
    -Garrus

    One more to go.

    Wet Bandit on
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    One page too late, Bandit.

    Dragkonias on
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Is there a reason that has to be Garrus? You show me a random turian with a holographic eyepiece and I'm going to think "Garrus." Same goes for Wrex/Krogans and Tali. Their species kind of have a 'look.'

    OptimusZed on
    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    That Screenshot is very interesting, but I still want to know one thing that people keep bringing up.

    Where did they specifically say that two squadmates would be returning? I know they said your love interest would not be a squadmate, so that knocks out three, and they specifically ruled out Wrex, so he's gone. If they did say TWO anywhere, then it's Garrus. But I haven't seen that.

    -Tal on
    PNk1Ml4.png
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    OptimusZed wrote: »
    Is there a reason that has to be Garrus? You show me a random turian with a holographic eyepiece and I'm going to think "Garrus." Same goes for Wrex/Krogans and Tali. Their species kind of have a 'look.'

    Well, it doesn't have to be. But using a Turian with an eye-scanner(that was unique to another Turian in the first game), would be pretty...lazy.

    Dragkonias on
  • EgosEgos Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    anyone want to guess the last companion will be a white human male? Or am I the only one guessing this?

    Or will Bio defy expectations and not have one?

    Egos on
  • Wet BanditWet Bandit Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    One page too late, Bandit.

    Gah! I missed that. Surprised that no one really commented on it last page. I mean, Garrus. He seems more relevant than Conrad Verner.

    Wet Bandit on
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Oh, sorry, I meant the page before that one.

    Dragkonias on
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Egos wrote: »
    anyone want to guess the last companion will be a white human male? Or am I the only one guessing this?

    Or will Bio defy expectations and not have one?

    Well, if the gender ratio is even then the next companions have to be one male and one female.

    Seriously, when did Bioware say specifically say TWO squadmates would return?

    -Tal on
    PNk1Ml4.png
  • EgosEgos Registered User regular
    edited December 2009
    Wet Bandit wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    One page too late, Bandit.

    Gah! I missed that. Surprised that no one really commented on it last page. I mean, Garrus. He seems more relevant than Conrad Verner.

    Conrad is modeled after some very high up Bio devs. They relate to his man love of Shepard a great deal and his plight to be like him. Hence why he was mentioned :winky:

    Egos on
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