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[K.Jack]

This game is fantastic so far.

I'm just having one problem: load times. It looks great, runs well on my system, but the load times can be atrocious. I just left the Citadel and went on the Normandy. It took over a minute to load the Normandy.

What gives? My computer is more than capable of running the game?

PC version btw.

For real. Load times going between the levels of the Normandy are also too long.

Playing on Hardcore, my main frustration is how long it takes too respawn. After I've died three or four times, I get sick of it.

 

[Coxswain]

Also, here is a general list of useless party members (for more or less all missions, Tali and Legion have specific uses though):

Tali
Jack
Grunt
Jacob
Samara
Legion

Samara is pretty good once you complete her Loyalty quest. Reave is far and away the most powerful anti-armour/anti-Barrier skill. And (spoiler for Samara's Loyalty quest):

Spoiler

assuming that when you say Tali and Legion have specific uses, you mean AI Hacking is useful on the few missions where you fight mostly Geth/Mechs, Morinth gets an equivalent skill that takes over Organics, which is a hell of a lot more useful in most of the game

.

And while Biotics are generally not all that useful since stripping defenses is 90% of the way to killing an enemy anyway, there are a fair number of places in the game where there are simply so many enemies attacking that using Pull and such to dilute the concentration of bullets headed your way is more effective than focus-firing every enemy down one at a time.

Agreed on most of the others, though. Most of the game's combat revolves around stripping down defenses, particularly Armour, so most of the time skills that can't really be brought to bear until the defenses are down end up being a bit late to the party in every fight they're in.

 

[Naeblish]

They should have added in hats. Like, a big motherfucking cowboy hat.

 

[Livanh]

Beat the game and honestly i'm quite disappointed!
Many spoilers - be warned !

Spoiler

To me it feels like a really sloppy sequel, like someone decided to just milk the franchise.
While there are some good new things, most parts of the game just feel gutted.
What the fuck is this main story? No twists, no surprises, a boss that makes no sense whatsoever.
I loved ME 1 for its great story where everything made sense, was explained and connected in a logical way.
Why collectors? To build a stupid human-bot hanging around somewhere guy? What's it purpose? Hug planets? Why and how can the “psycho-collector-hl2-thing” mind control through mass relais? Why humans to built this thing? Why now? Did the reapers need it every 50.000years?
They had no humans then? No wonder no one in cares about collectors. Some thing hanging around somewhere frikkin far away build from some humans – whoopsie doo!
Doesn't even seem like a big concern to my whole crew, since every single one of them keeps nagging me with some sort of sister/brother/daughter/father-problem. Hey we are going to rescue the universe, ok wait lets check if my sister is all comfy first. Like it fukin matters.
Not to get me wrong here, I liked the characters an their backgrounds but they really show that there is no main plot. I was so disappointed when I finally jumped through the portal.
The game just feels really gutted story wise, and it also shows in the tali plot:
why do all party members suddenly leave the normandy? Didn't she say on com that she desided who is with her? Not all? Well fine all leave, collectors attack. Cut. Jacob escapes. Cut. Crew back on board. What happened? How did they get back?
And why the fuck is Legion kept in the AI-Core room?
So many logical flaws.
They even achieved the impossible to make the inventory system worse. Walking through your ship with loading times for every frikkin floor to put gear on?
Why the fuck did they put in weapon lockers? Just to put them in random places in levels?
Grinding? Pets? Is this WoW or what.
I really don't see any improvement apart from combat compared to the first part.
Who would have thought Bioware fucks the story up

 

[neojubei]

let's talk again after you bought the

Spoiler

Death Mask

.

I'd NEVER take that thing off.

Okay now I'm interested.

They all look like crap anyways, and I dont need the stat boosts. Customizing your baseline Shepard's armor look >>> any of the DLC armor. My Shepard is rocking a maroon-ish tinted suit, and is basically kind of a big deal.

Yea I feel the same way. On the Archangel mission, I wore then collector's armor and it totally took me out of the moment. I am going to stick with upgrading and changing my main armor.

 

[kuYuri]

Yep, it has happened to me but only once so far. Probably a bug.

It's happened to me every few dialogues so far.

 

[firehawk12]

i shot them an email, hopefully they'll point me in the right direction. if not i'll bite the bullet and buy it.

thanks

Don't do it. Call them if you have to. But that's just me I guess. :lol

I am attempting to min-max DURING play, and it is so much fun.

The flying thing? He is pretty easy.

Spread the other squad-mates, make them use anti-armor and long ranged weapons, they will be ignored.

Use the crates(the left block) to hide and spam warp and Assault armor. Just keep moving circularly and have it follow you, you should basically have permanent cover.

Cheers. I'll see if that works. Was there even a checkpoint during that final encounter at all? Or do you have to basically survive the whole thing?

Question...



Can male shepherd get off with a male character this time around?

I found it slightly distasteful that you could be a lesbian last time... but not have a gay male character.

Kind've reduced that whole idea down to puerile titillation for adolescents rather than a meaningful character choice.


Not a huge deal... just something i wish they had considered.

Their argument is that the Asari aren't female, so there was no lesbian option in the first game. People have said that you can "romance"

Spoiler

Kelly

as FemShep this time around though.

And they know about it, since people regularly complain and get their threads locked on BioWare's forums - they're just pretty insistent on the fact that Shepard (and by implication, all his crew members) happens to be straight.

I suppose I respect that in a way - because in BioWare you end up with two bisexual characters who end up being shallow (at least, I assume they don't treat male/female PCs any differently other than a few selected lines of dialog).

Now if they made a game where Shepard was gay and could only be gay? That'd be progressive - but no one would play that game - especially the audience they're trying to reach during the NFL playoffs.

 

[Cep]

Samara is pretty good once you complete her Loyalty quest. Reave is far and away the most powerful anti-armour/anti-Barrier skill. And (spoiler for Samara's Loyalty quest):

Spoiler

assuming that when you say Tali and Legion have specific uses, you mean AI Hacking is useful on the few missions where you fight mostly Geth/Mechs, Morinth gets an equivalent skill that takes over Organics, which is a hell of a lot more useful in most of the game

.

And while Biotics are generally not all that useful since stripping defenses is 90% of the way to killing an enemy anyway, there are a fair number of places in the game where there are simply so many enemies attacking that using Pull and such to dilute the concentration of bullets headed your way is more effective than focus-firing every enemy down one at a time.

Agreed on most of the others, though. Most of the game's combat revolves around stripping down defenses, particularly Armour, so most of the time skills that can't really be brought to bear until the defenses are down end up being a bit late to the party in every fight they're in.

I JUST got Samara and you are correct. I should remove them from my suck list (should be called "least used character list").

And yes you are correct that there are times when using biotics is useful, but those can be hard to predict, so it is best to prepare for the entire mission instead of specific parts.

I really hope that bioware does a little balancing, but i doubt it.

I was really pissed that Tali and Legion were so unimpressive.

 

[Solo]

I only have two disappointments so far:
- I was checking out the achievements list from the main menu, and it appears they've removed the Ally achievements. What the hell? They were the best incentive to play the first game multiple times. Sad to see them gone.
- I clicked on "credits" just to tease myself and see if I would be treated to Faunts. I wasnt Dont get me wrong, "Suicide Mission" is probably the best track on the score, but it doesnt feel like something thats going to be a flawless capper to the game like "M4 Part 2" was.

 

[MegaKungFuRadio]

I'm now glad and not at all guilty that I downloaded all the free DLC from the XBL marketplace error because the mess of codes and EA accounts and BioWare accounts and Xbox accounts is a joke. I'd be banging my head against the wall trying to get my Dragon Blood, Collectors', and Inferno armor instead of banging my head against the wall trying to link the accounts for shits and giggles.

I'm also glad I was patient and waited for my game to install and enter my Cerberus Network code on my Xbox instead of redeeming the code online while installing. At no point during the set up did the game actually ask me for any EA or BioWare account information, it just asked for the code, accepted it, and went straight to the main menu. There's also nothing in the options to change the log in information, either. The thing close is turning Auto Login to EA Online on and off. All that does is start up the game logged out of Cerberus Network unless I press Y, after which it must log into some phantom EA account or something because all I entered was a Cerberus Network redemption code.

At least with Dragon Age on PC, it shows the email address you signed up for a BioWare account with on the bottom left of the main menu, so you know everything is linked up neatly. I have no idea what's going on behind the scenes on the Xbox.

EDIT: I just created Silver account to see if I was losing my mind. This account asks for a EA.com account, which I guess means I signed of for an EA account on some other game and it pulled the info from that. I'm thinking Mirror's Edge, which sucks because I don't even have that game anymore to check.

EDIT2: Yup, it definitely pulled the info from another game. I just logged into Social.BioWare with my alternate email and my Gamertag/Cerberus Network shows up in my registered promo list. Looks like I'm stuck with one EA/BioWare account for PC and another for 360. As long as they don't do anymore cross software promotion, I should be OK. Still, it's frustrating and stupid.

 

[No_Style]

Female:

Spoiler

Garrus
Thane
Jacob

Lack of

Spoiler

Miranda

is disappointing. There will always be flings though.

 

[Cep]

Lack of

Spoiler

Miranda

is disappointing. There will always be flings though.

She is pretty boring though.

Seems like

Spoiler

Tali/Jack

got all the juice

 

[TheCardPlayer]

No Hanar or Elcor sex?



:lol

Elcor

Spoiler

Hamlet

>>>> Elcor Sex

 

[Solo]

One more observation: does anyone else find the music is really low in the mix this time? In ME1, it was always present and rocking away, which I love. In ME2, it was very subdued, to the point that I went and dropped my sound/dialogue volume down to 70 while keeping music at 100, and it still isnt as intrusive as I would like.

 

[Diablohead]

I thought those damage eyeball veins over the screen were too solid on the pc version due to a transparency bug, but fuck it looks ugly as shit even on the 360. Only going by screen shots here but fuck.

 

[MegaKungFuRadio]

One more observation: does anyone else find the music is really low in the mix this time? In ME1, it was always present and rocking away, which I love. In ME2, it was very subdued, to the point that I went and dropped my sound/dialogue volume down to 70 while keeping music at 100, and it still isnt as intrusive as I would like.

Exact opposite for me. There are places where I have to turn the music to 60 or lower to hear the dialogue.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Okay so, I'm getting ready to start playing ME2 (Steam version). As I understand it the only way to force AA is to rename the executable file "UT3.exe" or "Bioshock.exe" and then force it through the CCC (I have an ATI card).

The problem here is that you can't rename executables with Steam; it won't run. Please someone tell me there is some workaround for this?

 

[Dizzy-4U]

Their argument is that the Asari aren't female

Wait....what?

 

[Sir Garbageman]

Okay so, I'm getting ready to start playing ME2 (Steam version). As I understand it the only way to force AA is to rename the executable file "UT3.exe" or "Bioshock.exe" and then force it through the CCC (I have an ATI card).

The problem here is that you can't rename executables with Steam; it won't run. Please someone tell me there is some workaround for this?

Looking to hear about this too, thanks.

Also the combat is silky smooth now. Went and fired up ME1 and forgot how clunky it actually was at times.

 

[EatChildren]

Wait....what?

The Asari are a unisex species capable of reproducing with any gender of any species. Their not supposed to be female or male, as the concept of gender doesn't exist.

But, of course, their physiology and proportions are conveniantly based on that of attractive, fit, sexy human women.

 

[firehawk12]

Wait....what?

Asari are monogendered, so they don't have the concept of gender. They just happen to look like hot women. :lol

 

[MMaRsu]

No Hanar or Elcor sex?



:lol

Sarcastic response : Elcor don't like interracial sex

 

[Solo]

So what will happen with the love interests in ME3? Do you have to chose between your ME1 and ME2 ones? Will there be a new ME3 one? Will there be a sexy time foursome?

 

[Ducarmel]

how come Shepard never say's anything about fighting for the lost like in the comercials, did I miss a speech somewhere in the game.

 

[Truant]

So why does the game only have anisotropy but no aa option? Am I missing something? wtf.

This is a problem in Unreal Engine 3, not the game itself. Anti-aliasing has to be 'emulated' through driver-specific settings.

 

[neojubei]

Anyone find any of those bottles of Dr. Pepper with the contest codes? I've been to 3 CVS stores and 2 corner variety stores and i cannot find them.

 

[MMaRsu]

I thought those damage eyeball veins over the screen were too solid on the pc version due to a transparency bug, but fuck it looks ugly as shit even on the 360. Only going by screen shots here but fuck.

I really hope they fix it.

Otherwise the graphics in this game are truly amazing.. truly

 

[Dennis]

Okay so, I'm getting ready to start playing ME2 (Steam version). As I understand it the only way to force AA is to rename the executable file "UT3.exe" or "Bioshock.exe" and then force it through the CCC (I have an ATI card).

The problem here is that you can't rename executables with Steam; it won't run. Please someone tell me there is some workaround for this?

Well, I guess you start by just trying forcing AA through CCC - some claim they have gotten AA this way without renaming the exe.

Edit: apparently they have used either the 9.12 driver or the 9.12 hotfix driver.

 

[Solo]

how come Shepard never say's anything about fighting for the lost like in the comercials, did I miss a speech somewhere in the game.

Ive barely scratched the surface of the game, but it wouldnt shock me if that dialogue was cut specifically for the trailer. Hell, Shepard in that speech sounds 10x more fired up than he ever does.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Well, I guess you start by just trying forcing AA through CCC - some claim they have gotten AA this way without renaming the exe.

Edit: apparently they have used either the 9.12 driver or the 9.12 hotfix driver.

Alright, I will try this as soon as Steam finishes "Decrypting" ME2. Jesus I didn't expect it to take so damn long. I would have done this earlier!

I have gotten AA with ME1 without renaming the exe so I suppose there is hope. HURRY UP DAMNIT I WANT TO SEE DAT MIRANDA-ASS FOR MYSELF

 

[deim0s]

They should have added in hats. Like, a big motherfucking cowboy hat.

Bioware fail at making hats, see Dragon Age.

 

[Zzoram]

I've been wearing the Inferno Armor but I am getting really annoyed by the helmet now. I guess I'll go for his custom armor instead.

 

[adamsapple]

how come Shepard never say's anything about fighting for the lost like in the comercials, did I miss a speech somewhere in the game.

er ..

Spoiler

that's a part of his speech (paragon one's iirc) right before the final mission

WAAAAAAAAAAAAALT !!

 

[Ducarmel]

Ive barely scratched the surface of the game, but it wouldnt shock me if that dialogue was cut specifically for the trailer. Hell, Shepard in that speech sounds 10x more fired up than he ever does.

your probably right!

There is a speech in

Spoiler

Tali's

quest that was really moving.

Hey did anybody try doing

Spoiler

Tali's

quest with

Spoiler

Legion

! I was Hoping for lolz but the Quarians I cant believe I paragon my way with

Spoiler

Legion

in the Flotila.




edit

er ..

Spoiler

that's a part of his speech (paragon one's iirc) right before the final mission

well Im going to have reload that part.

 

[Zzoram]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAALT !!

Doesn't look anything like Michael to me.

 

[MisterAnderson]

Quick question, how do I download my Steam Deluxe edition content? (Soundtrack & Artbook)

 

[Zzoram]

Quick question, how do I download my Steam Deluxe edition content? (Soundtrack & Artbook)

Try to right click the game in your Games list and see if it's one of the options.

 

[Ducarmel]

Quick question, how do I download my Steam Deluxe edition content? (Soundtrack & Artbook)

It should be located somewhere were that game is installed in an extras folder i cant confirm it but thats the case with most steam games

 

[mileS]

Is anyone playing the PC version with Bloom turned off? I find it to be quite extreme in some spots.

 

[bryehn]

3 hours in. Love it for the most part, hate the screen veins deal. It's the worst effect ever.

Also, will I get to tool around planets in a Mako-like vehicle or not? I really liked that compared to the soulless scanning of planets.

I like piloting the Normandy around manually, that's a pretty cool addition and I like the new mission structure.

 

[adamsapple]

Also, will I get to tool around planets in a Mako-like vehicle or not? I really liked that compared to the soulless scanning of planets.

I like piloting the Normandy around manually, that's a pretty cool addition and I like the new mission structure.

Not in the core game you won't, Hammerhead DLC is coming soon and there'll be specific missions for it later too as there's nothing in the game that demands a vehicle right now.

 

[MMaRsu]

er ..

Spoiler

that's a part of his speech (paragon one's iirc) right before the final mission

WAAAAAAAAAAAAALT !!

:lol

 

[bryehn]

Not in the core game you won't, Hammerhead DLC is coming soon and there'll be specific missions for it later too as there's nothing in the game that demands a vehicle right now.

Oh that sucks. I'll really miss the feeling of isolation being in the middle of nowhere on a planet looking up at the sky.

Everything feels compartmentalized and in many ways restricted.

Like skill classes, will more open up later?

Oh and

Spoiler

I planted my memorial at the Mako in anticipation of not driving anymore.

 

[Lunchbox]

if you do new game+ with the same character, does the game let you choose a new class/ do your face again?

or is it only when you import mass1 characters

 

[MMaRsu]

Not in the core game you won't, Hammerhead DLC is coming soon and there'll be specific missions for it later too as there's nothing in the game that demands a vehicle right now.

What if there are already missions in the game but not unlocked?

 

[adamsapple]

What if there are already missions in the game but not unlocked?

That could be true, but there's nothing that you can access right now that asks for a vehicle, so it might as well be a non issue ..

 

[MisterAnderson]

Well, I guess you start by just trying forcing AA through CCC - some claim they have gotten AA this way without renaming the exe.

Edit: apparently they have used either the 9.12 driver or the 9.12 hotfix driver.

No dice. I have 9.12 driver and forcing AA through CCC isn't doing anything :/ Is there a workaround? I found this on some IGN board:

Basically you go into the mass effect 2 binaries folder and rename masseffect2.exe to UT3.exe. If you have the steam version send me a pm and I'll tell you what to do. I'm not sure it's ok to talk about on the IGN boards.

But I don't have an IGN account so I can't PM him.

 

[derFeef]

No dice. I have 9.12 driver and forcing AA through CCC isn't doing anything :/ Is there a workaround? I found this on some IGN board:



But I don't have an IGN account so I can't PM him.

Ah thats bad. Renaming exe´s with Steam versions is a pain (do not ask me how to do this, I tried once but failed) Hopefully ATI will have an A.I. profile for ME2 in their next driver update.

 

[Pitch Black Flint]

Not in the core game you won't, Hammerhead DLC is coming soon and there'll be specific missions for it later too as there's nothing in the game that demands a vehicle right now.

That really sucks. I know some people complained about those sections of the first game, but I imagine those people never played Starflight growing up. Otherwise they'd be too busy crying joyous tears of nostalgia to see any fault in them.

 

[kai3345]

When is Zaeed supposed to be available?