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GAF Plays: Mass Effect series (unmarked spoilers)

Yeah, when you reach the entrance to the base, you can either go to the right (which is where I always went), and go in through the front doors. But you can also go to the left, and head back down onto the sand again. A bit away from there there's a locked door that leads into the sewers. That way, you enter the base almost immediately next to the area with the indoctrinated salarians.

Oh, and speaking of which, I just found out that you can talk to the captive salarians you see when you cross an upper walkway in a room in the base, too. I thought they were there for flavor, but there's a door beside the elevator in the elevator room you can follow down and into their room, where you can set them all free.

How I never discovered this sooner is pretty baffling. :lol

Psh, a bunch of amateurs up in here! ;P
 
Boom, ME1 finished. That space battle still gives me goosebumps, so many years later. Shepard's shit-eating smirk at the end is great, too. :lol

And somehow, in some really odd way, M4 Part 2 really is the perfect ending song for this game. It makes no sense, but it's perfect.
 
Been doing a Paragon run of ME2 for a couple of days now. It's been fun running around, and Omega definitely is on of my favorite places in the series. It still looks great as well, too bad Bioware still designs their locations as hubs and corridors and not like actual places. Anyone actually like the Firewalker missions? I don't think I ever finished them last I played. They are too short, too easy and while the vehicle is cool design-wise, it doesn't have much going for it.

Also, Mass Effect 2 has been too buggy for me lately, so much that I'm considering just giving up on this run. It never auto signs-in on startup (claims timedout connection), I have to fiddle with CPU affinity to make loading times fast again every single time I launch the game, it has locked up three times on me now and sometimes while scanning a planet (as if that wasn't punishment enough) the ESC key stops working so I have to end the process through the task manager and start again. Probably not the place to be complaining but I don't remember it being this bad last I played it (though it's been almost 2 years).

Finally, I still enjoy ME1 a lot more than this game. Something about it just clicks with me better and I found it more enjoyable, issues and all.
 
I have a bit of a newbie question for Mass Effect 2, even though I've beaten it twice. How do you tell the Shield/Health of your squadmates? I know the thin white line means they're in cooldown, but I can't read anything off the bigger quarter-circle area.

It's on the PC UI, by the way, in case the console one is much different.
 
Huh, ME2's cover mechanic certainly feels a lot more sloppy than I remembered. ME3 definitely improved on that area.

But the way Shepard moves in ME2 in comparison to ME3 is just better.
 
I have a bit of a newbie question for Mass Effect 2, even though I've beaten it twice. How do you tell the Shield/Health of your squadmates? I know the thin white line means they're in cooldown, but I can't read anything off the bigger quarter-circle area.

It's on the PC UI, by the way, in case the console one is much different.

There are the 2 "head" and the half moon next to them means getting hit/shields down.
I think it's a different color depending on what like white for shields, and pink for health. When it's starts pulsating/flashing, then they are about to die
 
Finished ME1 today and, wow, Tali way more Renegade than I remember (agreeing on killing the rachni queen, wanting to let the council die). On my first playthrough I didn't use her until I got rid of Kaiden so I didn't hear much of her dialogue outside of conversations.

Also, dat ending. Still love it. The music is just perfect.
 
Finished ME1 today and, wow, Tali way more Renegade than I remember (agreeing on killing the rachni queen, wanting to let the council die). On my first playthrough I didn't use her until I got rid of Kaiden so I didn't hear much of her dialogue outside of conversations.

Also, dat ending. Still love it. The music is just perfect.

I think that only happens if the other squadmate is even more paragon than she is. Not sure, though.
 
Yeah, when you reach the entrance to the base, you can either go to the right (which is where I always went), and go in through the front doors. But you can also go to the left, and head back down onto the sand again. A bit away from there there's a locked door that leads into the sewers. That way, you enter the base almost immediately next to the area with the indoctrinated salarians.

Oh, and speaking of which, I just found out that you can talk to the captive salarians you see when you cross an upper walkway in a room in the base, too. I thought they were there for flavor, but there's a door beside the elevator in the elevator room you can follow down and into their room, where you can set them all free.

How I never discovered this sooner is pretty baffling. :lol

OMG WTF

I've beaten ME1 like 10 times. How did i never notice?
 
I think it's because I play ME1 the same way every time. Same class, same choices, same romance.

Why? =(

I'm very OCD about entering every room and looking at every corner, even though you never found something great. I even reload sometimes when entering a room triggers a cutscene and I left some part unchecked. Also, in the uncharted planets I usually started in the bottom left corner and worked my way horizontally to the top of the map :P
 
Finished ME1 today and, wow, Tali way more Renegade than I remember (agreeing on killing the rachni queen, wanting to let the council die). On my first playthrough I didn't use her until I got rid of Kaiden so I didn't hear much of her dialogue outside of conversations.

Also, dat ending. Still love it. The music is just perfect.

In ME1, I think all the crew members have both paragon and renegade dialogues at all the major choices. I remember reading about a person who glitched things in such a way that they only brought Tali to the final battle on the Citadel, and got to watch her have an argument with herself as she said both the paragon and renegade dialogues.
 
The ME art book was pretty neat. Also clarifies the omni-blade's tangibility a bit: "..the omni-tool uses an ultrafast fabricator to manufacture a disposable blade almost instantly."

So, I guess the omni-tool really is just an intangible, holographic interface... Where the heck does all that other mess come from then? >_>

* Sai tries to stop mulling over it.

Anyways, did those codes for pre-ordering the book go out already? Or are they going to be sent around the game's launch?
 
In ME1, I think all the crew members have both paragon and renegade dialogues at all the major choices. I remember reading about a person who glitched things in such a way that they only brought Tali to the final battle on the Citadel, and got to watch her have an argument with herself as she said both the paragon and renegade dialogues.

Haha, really? What an odd thing for Bioware to do. I don't see why they didn't have the responses based on the character's personality instead of interchangeable responses.
 
The ME art book was pretty neat. Also clarifies the omni-blade's tangibility a bit: "..the omni-tool uses an ultrafast fabricator to manufacture a disposable blade almost instantly."

So, I guess the omni-tool really is just an intangible, holographic interface... Where the heck does all that other mess come from then? >_>

* Sai tries to stop mulling over it.

Good thing I'm playing ME3 as a biotic so I don't have to strain my brain thinking about that :P
 
Haha, really? What an odd thing for Bioware to do. I don't see why they didn't have the responses based on the character's personality instead of interchangeable responses.

I don't know it made for a pretty interesting dialog between Garrus and Wrex http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN8k0iN0Mow&t=5m3s

It's also weird that some of them have a mostly renegade/paragon view of things, then it turns around just for the sake of the good/bad rule. Like say if you make Ashley like aliens, Liara will be the one saying to let the council die.

In ME2 they didn't really say anything, other than Jack about Legion rewritting the geth
 
The ME art book was pretty neat. Also clarifies the omni-blade's tangibility a bit: "..the omni-tool uses an ultrafast fabricator to manufacture a disposable blade almost instantly."

So, I guess the omni-tool really is just an intangible, holographic interface... Where the heck does all that other mess come from then? >_>

* Sai tries to stop mulling over it.

Anyways, did those codes for pre-ordering the book go out already? Or are they going to be sent around the game's launch?
The promo ends on Monday, so I figure it'll be at least until then before they send codes out (just ordered the book a moment ago myself).

EDIT: Just checked the fine print, and it says the codes will be emailed no later than March 8th.
 
In ME1, I think all the crew members have both paragon and renegade dialogues at all the major choices. I remember reading about a person who glitched things in such a way that they only brought Tali to the final battle on the Citadel, and got to watch her have an argument with herself as she said both the paragon and renegade dialogues.

Yep. Most times I end up hearing Ashley suggest I save the council, and I always saw that as her coming around to accepting aliens.
 
Still playing Mass Effect 2 for the second time, but now on the PS3 and I have a question fellow GAFFers:

I choose Liara for my romance from the Comic Book regarding Mass Effect 1, now I just finished Shadow Broker and I still flirting with her. I haven't speak to any other person in order to romance her.

I talked to her, she went to the Normandy, we drank wine, I said I want blue babies (lol) but one question remains: Will I still get a romance with her? On my first play (on 360) I got the Paramour achievement, will I get this trophy if I stick to Liara? If so, when? Before entering Mass Relay 4?

Right now she's the Shadow Broker so... Will I get Paramour? I'm curious, thanks in advance!
 
Nope, staying faithful won't allow you to unlock the Paramour Achievement/Trophy.

If you've done the Shadow Broker before the Reaper IFF/Suicide Mission, you may still have the opportunity to romance somebody else.
 
I did it before the IFF, thanks for answering.

I wonder if there's something positive waiting for me in ME3 regarding Liara. Makes me thing if it's worth to stay faithful with Liara for ME3...

I may get to romance another character or just have two save files. Anyone was in the same situation?
 
I don't know it made for a pretty interesting dialog between Garrus and Wrex http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN8k0iN0Mow&t=5m3s

It's also weird that some of them have a mostly renegade/paragon view of things, then it turns around just for the sake of the good/bad rule. Like say if you make Ashley like aliens, Liara will be the one saying to let the council die.

In ME2 they didn't really say anything, other than Jack about Legion rewritting the geth
Jack has a line there? Hm, must take Jack on Legions mission, then.

I found one more hidden line, this one from Jacob, on Mordin's mission. When examining the dead human, you can have Shepard remark that things like this almost makes Cerberus seem like a good idea. Jacob comments on that.
 
I did it before the IFF, thanks for answering.

I wonder if there's something positive waiting for me in ME3 regarding Liara. Makes me thing if it's worth to stay faithful with Liara for ME3...

I may get to romance another character or just have two save files. Anyone was in the same situation?
I'm honestly not sure if this is accurate(and even if it is, it could've been changed since I heard about it), but I think there are some benefits involved in staying faithful to Ashley/Kaiden, or Liara throughout the trilogy.
 
I'm honestly not sure if this is accurate(and even if it is, it could've been changed since I heard about it), but I think there are some benefits involved in staying faithful to Ashley/Kaiden, or Liara throughout the trilogy.

In Lair of the Shadow Broker, you can either 'reaffirm' your relationship with Liara or break it off, if you are currently not with anyone else. But I think, if you are currently with someone or its after the final mission you can't be given that choice.

Man, that whole scene with Liara in Shepards Cabin was one of the most well done scenes in ME. So dynamics in the way she just 'responds' and knows things.
 
I have never romanced to anyone else, I was with Liara since the start and and the end of the Shadow Broker I asked about us, we talk, kissed, and it seems that I'm still with her.

It seems that I won't get the Paramour Trophy this way. It's okay, but will there be a scene with her before going to the suicide mission? I kinda want it but not sure if that will happen...

I really hope something good/rewarding can be waiting for me on ME3 if I keep it this way.
 
Just started my replay of Mass Effect 1 and got to the Citadel.

Have played it a bunch of times before on 360, but it does feel like a new game since I'm playing it on PC this time, definitely a lot smoother and more fluid.

I never realized how excited I am for ME3, I guess with so many other games it just seemed to not be so missed, but I know I've been a huge fan of the series, and playing the demo really pushed it over the edge. Can't wait now!
 
In Lair of the Shadow Broker, you can either 'reaffirm' your relationship with Liara or break it off, if you are currently not with anyone else. But I think, if you are currently with someone or its after the final mission you can't be given that choice.

Man, that whole scene with Liara in Shepards Cabin was one of the most well done scenes in ME. So dynamics in the way she just 'responds' and knows things.
Haha, just said the same thing earlier. It's probably the first time I truly respected the series' writing. Felt like two world-weary, worried friends having a normal discussion. Up to this point, the "serious moments" always involved sex or death. I was so glad to finally get an adult, smartly written scene. It single-handedly made ME2 a much better game.
 
I have never romanced to anyone else, I was with Liara since the start and and the end of the Shadow Broker I asked about us, we talk, kissed, and it seems that I'm still with her.

It seems that I won't get the Paramour Trophy this way. It's okay, but will there be a scene with her before going to the suicide mission? I kinda want it but not sure if that will happen...

I really hope something good/rewarding can be waiting for me on ME3 if I keep it this way.

Bioware has said that there will be rewards for those who stayed faithful, and fallout for those who didn't in ME3.
 
I started a new game of ME1 today! I plan to play both games in time for ME 3. I decided to start over and get rid of space racist this time. I'm also using characters I've never used before like Kaidan and Wrex. Man is the atmosphere great in this game. The tone is so much different than ME2.

It doesn't help that I'm slightly annoyed everyone refers to reapers as synthetic in the game >.> .
 
Jack has a line there? Hm, must take Jack on Legions mission, then.

I found one more hidden line, this one from Jacob, on Mordin's mission. When examining the dead human, you can have Shepard remark that things like this almost makes Cerberus seem like a good idea. Jacob comments on that.

Tali also says something, but I think they all do. Jack just says no and to let her die as herself. The Jacob line is even worse with Miranda as she'll "write that in her report"

Other dialogue I can think of is
jacob/Tali/Garrus on the derelict Reaper
Jacob/Miranda on Ish's package
Jack on Miranda's mission
Zaeed on Archangel's recruitment

There might be something with Legion on the Citadel too
 
Tali also says something, but I think they all do. Jack just says no and to let her die as herself. The Jacob line is even worse with Miranda as she'll "write that in her report"

Other dialogue I can think of is
jacob/Tali/Garrus on the derelict Reaper
Jacob/Miranda on Ish's package
Jack on Miranda's mission
Zaeed on Archangel's recruitment

There might be something with Legion on the Citadel too

Zaeed also comments on the Geth, telling you to blow them up because they're bloody Geth.
 
I had forgotten how bad the frame rate could get on ME1 on the 360.
Playing through now sometimes it slows to a crawl when stuff is going on, and this isn't even a lot of stuff, just a few more enemies on screen attacking and the frame rate can get terrible.

Having not played ME1 in a long time while playing ME2 more recently, they from memory really ironed out a lot of these graphical quirks with the frame rate and just graphics in the game in the sequel.
 
Maybe the rest of the game should have rewarded exploration then

It did... in a classic RPG kind of way.

You leveled up.

No wonder people act like it's fantastical to get close to level 60 in one playthrough.

You know that batch of Geth in that first area? If you take the sewer way you get to kill a bunch of Kirrahe's indoctrinated men, and get to kill those Geth at the upper opening. You can't get to Kirrahe's men when entering from above. You get a good few hundred XP down there extra that you close yourself off to going in the upper way.
 
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