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[TheSinkingKnight]

Manveer Heir ‏@manveerheir 1h
Right now I'm playing through the latest Mass Effect stuff. Really cool to see the game coming together over time and feel like a real game.

One hour ago...

 

[shinobi602]

- Core theme of new game/series is exploration and discovery. "Frontier" stuff. Relays being reactivated in a post-Reaper universe. No real galactic threat, so a "golden age" of galactic exploration. This means new worlds, and new first contact with species that had previously been unknown to galactic society.

My feelings exactly.

- Bring back planet exploration in some form, specifically through larger levels. New console RAM/CPU ceilings coupled with Frostbite 3's ability to render large, densely packed levels should make this feasible.

Pretty much why I'm hoping a 360/PS3 release is not on the table. By the time this releases, the PS4 and XB1 should have sizable installed bases I hope EA sees that as enough. I don't think BioWare's the type to sacrifice their vision on their games. There should be multitudes of planets to land on, this time with much, much more landmarks and actual populations. With the exponential power increase in these new consoles, there's no excuse for having barren wastelands again.

- Go back to blurring the lines between encounter zones. Hide compartmentalisation. Make the "flow" between NPC conversations, hubs, combat, and exploration seamless and invisible. Just like Mass Effect 1, and to a lesser extent Mass Effect 2.

This is a good point, and I think there's a good indication of that. If you look at the 30 minute long presentation of Inquisition, you can see a small example of this with the Inquisitor being able to enter and leave conversations dynamically without having to "enter" them.

- Playable species in campaign. Pretty sure this will happen. Human/Turian/Asari are likely candidates and should be easy to do.

This is the thing I'm a little wary of...I do like the sound of having multiple species as an option, but part of me also worries that having to work that out would mean dividing resources and stretching out dedicated time to accommodate branching themes or stories that each species bring to the table.

Focusing just on a playable human might allow them to flesh out a more concentrated story. I just want a focused, deep narrative. If they can do that with multiple playable species, I'm fine with that too.

 

[shinobi602]

One hour ago...

Wanted to retweet that but he has me blocked :-/

 

[flkraven]

This is the thing I'm a little wary of...I do like the sound of having multiple species as an option, but part of me also worries that having to work that out would mean dividing resources and stretching out dedicated time to accommodate branching themes or stories that each species bring to the table.

Focusing just on a playable human might allow them to flesh out a more concentrated story. I just want a focused, deep narrative. If they can do that with multiple playable species, I'm fine with that too.

This is my thoughts exactly. I am more than happy to have a human-only character in Mass Effect (and Dragon Age for that matter) if it makes for a better, more-detailed story.

Wanted to retweet that but he has me blocked :-/

Wat?! Why?

 

[_woLf]

All I want is playable Asari pls bioware

 

[shinobi602]

Wat?! Why?

Think it was because of the Adam Orth thing.

 

[EatChildren]

This is the thing I'm a little wary of...I do like the sound of having multiple species as an option, but part of me also worries that having to work that out would mean dividing resources and stretching out dedicated time to accommodate branching themes or stories that each species bring to the table.

Focusing just on a playable human might allow them to flesh out a more concentrated story. I just want a focused, deep narrative. If they can do that with multiple playable species, I'm fine with that too.

I agree, but I don't think it will matter much for Mass Effect: _______ if they play their narrative cards right. As much as it pains some people, a major underlying theme of the original trilogy's narrative was the fact you were a prominent member of the alliance, and a human. It was woven into numerous plot threads, sometimes small sometimes large, and almost always a topic of conversation if just as a passing observation. Shepard being human was a "thing" for all three games, whether it be becoming the first human Spectre and pushing for a human on the council, to working with a militant pro-human organisation. Human specific dialogue had to be there, almost constantly.

If the next series were to, for example, focus exclusively on a story of discovery and contact with new species, wherein identity of the protagonist isn't really all that important as it could be anyone, then they could easily get away with multiple species in the same way the original trilogy could effortlessly shift between genders. Kind of like a lot of fantasy RPGs, where the scope of the narrative can still be huge but the player's species/race is irrelevant.

There shouldn't be any detriment to a narrative with multiple playable species if the narrative itself doesn't put a specific player species as a topic of great importance.

 

[flkraven]

Think it was because of the Adam Orth thing.

The 'Deal with it" guy? Why did it result in you getting blocked? I understand if you don't want to chat about it here though.

 

[shinobi602]

I agree, but I don't think it will matter much for Mass Effect: _______ if they play their narrative cards right. As much as it pains some people, a major underlying theme of the original trilogy's narrative was the fact you were a prominent member of the alliance, and a human. It was woven into numerous plot threads, sometimes small sometimes large, and almost always a topic of conversation if just as a passing observation. Shepard being human was a "thing" for all three games, whether it be becoming the first human Spectre and pushing for a human on the council, to working with a militant pro-human organisation. Human specific dialogue had to be there, almost constantly.

If the next series were to, for example, focus exclusively on a story of discovery and contact with new species, wherein identity of the protagonist isn't really all that important as it could be anyone, then they could easily get away with multiple species in the same way the original trilogy could effortlessly shift between genders. Kind of like a lot of fantasy RPGs, where the scope of the narrative can still be huge but the player's species/race is irrelevant.

There shouldn't be any detriment to a narrative with multiple playable species if the narrative itself doesn't put a specific player species as a topic of great importance.

Well said, and that's certainly possible. But in that case, that would mean throwing any uniqueness of the species of the main protagonist to the wayside. It might lessen the appeal of picking a specific species in the first place. If NPCs and other characters in the world don't really differentiate between you being a human or an asari, or that aspect is never brought up, why really implement it?

Just so we can know in the back of our minds "hey, this character model we're playing as is an asari"? It should still come up in the story and missions to make our choice unique and worthwhile, to give it value. If it's completely irrelevant, it just feels cheap and a waste of time, you know? Part of the appeal of playing as a different species would be to see how the world reacts to you.

 

[Finster]

an intention to return to the more fleshed out exploration aspect of the original Mass Effect.

Calling the exploration in ME1 "fleshed out" is like calling a studio apartment with a stool and a toilet "furnished".

 

[EatChildren]

It would still come up though, as it does in RPGs already, and matter where appropriate. I don't think the player's species needs to be as important as it was in original trilogy though, and personally would hope we don't see that level of species identity wank again. That's kinda what I'm getting at: it really was a big huge deal in Mass Effect trilogy that you were human. Probably moreso than any other species were treated.

It would only cause big issues with more obtuse species that have niche requirements, like the Krogan, Quarian, and Geth. I think you could pretty comfortably get away with Human, Asari, Turian, and maybe even Salarian as playable, have other character acknowledge their species where necessary, and still craft a solid narrative around the variation. They're the most wide spread and mingling of all the races in the game. You could be Turian/Asari/Human and it wouldn't really imply where you were born, what your background was, or anything like that. Not like Krogan or something.

 

[shinobi602]

Calling the exploration in ME1 "fleshed out" is like calling a studio apartment with a stool and a toilet "furnished".

Relative to the "exploration" we saw in ME2 and ME3, "fleshed out" is more than adequate lol.

 

[shinobi602]

 

[EatChildren]

ahnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Dany]

It feels like stuff is moving faster...or the are teasing more ;P

 

[castlemadeofsand]

Me3 showed me they don't know how to write a competent interesting sci fi plot. The first was so promising but they totally botched it in the end. It's a shame since there really isn't much out there like it

 

[shinobi602]

ahnhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Endo Punk]

Hopefully the new hardware means they can fix the wooden animation and facial expressions. And as for character creator... let me make a futa and then you can have all my moneyz.

 

[Melchiah]

That’s a Mako alright, but what does it mean? Drawing inspiration for the future game from past games, in this case, the Mako, indicates an intention to return to the more fleshed out exploration aspect of the original Mass Effect. In the previous trilogy, fans were a little dismayed at the limited scope of discovery and exploration in Mass Effect 2 and 3. Does signal a possibility of actually landed on planets, taking a vehicle for a ride and heading out into the unknown? Anything’s possible at this point, and frankly I’m out of my seat with excitement. I missed the ability to explore ancient ruins, abandoned military outposts, barren wastelands and tundras.

...

Alright, if I had the vision of a hawk, I might be able to discern exactly what’s on screen on the monitors in the back, but I’m no miracle worker here. What’s obvious right away is a menu shot there on the middle screen. Look familiar? That’s because it is. It shows the customization screen from Mass Effect 3‘s multiplayer mode. What does that tell us exactly? What’s most likely happening here are designers using the multiplayer from Mass Effect 3 as a reference point and building on to it. We’ll see large changes and updates for sure, but it’s clear that it’ll be a starting point for the next Mass Effect‘s multiplayer. We also know the new game will continue to implement the same post-release DLC as previous games, as noted in a job listing by BioWare.

I quite enjoyed the multiplayer myself so this is most welcome news.

The next gen version of the multiplayer is certainly a welcome news. Can't wait. Hopefully they won't change the dynamics for the worse.

I must disagree with the exploring though. I found it really tedious in ME1, and in retrospect I think I would have had a more enjoyable experience, if I had skipped doing all of the sidequests. The skyboxes were magnificent, but most of the planets and the outposts' interiors looked the same. If they'll bring the exploring back, I hope they add a plenty of variety in it.


EDIT: Fantastic OP, by the way. =)

 

[Tabby]

The next gen version of the multiplayer is certainly a welcome news. Can't wait. Hopefully they won't change the dynamics for the worse.

I must disagree with the exploring though. I found it really tedious in ME1, and in retrospect I think I would have had a more enjoyable experience, if I had skipped doing all of the sidequests. The skyboxes were magnificent, but most of the planets and the outposts' interiors looked the same. If they'll bring the exploring back, I hope they add a plenty of variety in it.


EDIT: Fantastic OP, by the way. =)

If done right It could be great.
I found the Mako boring in ME1, exploring empty worlds with nothing to look for isn't exactly my idea of fun.

 

[Bisnic]

I still like the Mako parts despite the empty worlds and controls being a little untrustworthy when climbing mountains. It had that feeling of being alone on an alien world(probably thanks to the soundtrack and wonderful skyboxes) that I've yet to experiment in any other space game.
Everytime i do Noveria while i'm on the Mako and see the big building in the distance that we get closer and closer, it gives a feeling of "Something's bad in there, but fuck it i'm going anyway".

 

[rezn0r]

Awesome thread, awesome series

I really enjoyed all of the exploring and side quests in ME1... the first playthrough. The second and third it was really old and tedious. If they can make it "next-gen" (awesome varied environments) and also really optional - as in not required for a "good" or "best" ending - it could turn out really great. I totally understand the need for 2-3 playthroughs in a series like this, with all of its choices and endings, but making certain things nearly required for a specific ending is rough.

I'm not sure how I feel about the FPS rumor (unless it was shot down already, I skimmed the last few pages), if it's a spinoff that's great, I'd really like it to stick closer to its RPG half in the future big games.

 

[Melchiah]

If done right It could be great.
I found the Mako boring in ME1, exploring empty worlds with nothing to look for isn't exactly my idea of fun.

If they'll add variety and substance to the planets and side missions, like in the later MEs, the exploring could be far more interesting.

I still like the Mako parts despite the empty worlds and controls being a little untrustworthy when climbing mountains. It had that feeling of being alone on an alien world(probably thanks to the soundtrack and wonderful skyboxes) that I've yet to experiment in any other space game.
Everytime i do Noveria while i'm on the Mako and see the big building in the distance that we get closer and closer, it gives a feeling of "Something's bad in there, but fuck it i'm going anyway".

The soundtrack of the first was great. Hopefully they'll return to its theme, but I doubt it.

 

[Dennis]

Fresh and fun?

I have a bad feeling about this....

 

[shinobi602]

I must disagree with the exploring though. I found it really tedious in ME1, and in retrospect I think I would have had a more enjoyable experience, if I had skipped doing all of the sidequests. The skyboxes were magnificent, but most of the planets and the outposts' interiors looked the same. If they'll bring the exploring back, I hope they add a plenty of variety in it.


EDIT: Fantastic OP, by the way. =)

Well, my point was to bring back a larger view of exploration akin to ME1 compared to the limited scope of ME2 and ME3. That doesn't mean it should be back exactly the same way. There needs to be a lot more variety, a lot more detail, a lot more things to discover, and that should be more than possible with the headroom the new consoles give.

And thanks!

 

[Melchiah]

Well, my point was to bring back a larger view of exploration akin to ME1 compared to the limited scope of ME2 and ME3. That doesn't mean it should be back exactly the same way. There needs to be a lot more variety, a lot more detail, a lot more things to discover, and that should be more than possible with the headroom the new consoles give.

And thanks!

Yeah, it could be awesome, if they put some effort into it, and don't cut corners by copy-pasting environments and missions.

There was a lot of info in the OP I hadn't seen before. So, thanks for putting it all up there.

 

[shinobi602]

Yeah, it could be awesome, if they put some effort into it, and don't cut corners by copy-pasting environments and missions.

There was a lot of info in the OP I hadn't seen before. So, thanks for putting it all up there.

My pleasure buddy.

 

[EatChildren]

Oh, and beating a dead horse, but like in the other thread I'm really, really confident that reported PAX leak is completely accurate. Or any inaccuracies are a result of the author misinterpreting. It's hugely believable.

 

[doemaaan]

Took me long enough, but I finally got to reading the OP. Super excited about the possibilities of Bioware bringing back exploration. I can't wait to see what they'll be able to accomplish on these consoles... As long as they've got the right mix between exploration and corridor shooting (I don't hate that stuff), they'll hear no complaints from me.

ME1's exploration sections were too long and barren, and ME2 got rid of them completely (save for the Overlord DLC), but made combat more fun. If they really bring that aspect back as a main part of the next ME game, I have high hopes that their past experiences will help them create something MUCH better this time around. It's probably my biggest worry for the game right now.

 

[GSR]

Looks like they've started mocap for the game.

Ken Thain ‏@KenThain

Getting set for our first motion capture session for the next #MassEffect .Off to Vancouver tomorrow to use EA's world class mocap facility.

Of course, a game like this needs a lot of mocap, so I wouldn't take this as a sign that they're too far into development. Still nice to see a new hint of progress.