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[Typographenia]

I like her outfit there in white better. It's the same outfit from lair of the Shadow broker right?

Correct.
I quite enjoyed that outfit (probably still prefer me1's sciencey outfit), and I'm glad to see it making a return. However, I hope they change her face mask. Really, all of the ones that are just over the nose/mouth. It looks like half of your crew is going on a mission in harmful atmosphere and the others are going snorkeling.

 

[Wallach]

So much wrong in this post. Empire is beloved because it's the second act of the play where our heroes are at the lowest. It's the logical progression of narrative. Don't get me wrong, I loved ME2, but it did minimal to advance the plot of ME1 to the point that I don't think this was originally meant as a trilogy.

I honestly don't really believe that myself.

If they can get the plot turned around (and continue to write decent characters in the process), this game is going to be fuck awesome for me. Still waiting for more specifics on what they do with the "RPG mechanics" they want to expand on.

 

[subversus]

Ashley got a bad nose job and lip injections. Why would they mess with the original character model?

wow

 

[Gravijah]

Hey, at least they refined that whole "boring" thing they had going with Ashley.

 

[Dennis]

Hey, at least they refined that whole boring thing they had going with Ashley.

hush now child

 

[HDgaming42]

Hey, at least they refined that whole "boring" thing they had going with Ashley.

not sure if serious...

edit: ahhh, your quotes help. =)

 

[Gravijah]

Hey, I don't judge. If you like boring earfen, Ashley is your gal.

 

[Zen]

Hey, at least they refined that whole "boring" thing they had going with Ashley.

Ashley was many things depending on who you talked to, but I don't think boring was one of them. She was actually one of the more nuanced party characters in Mass Effect 1.

 

[subversus]

I think for the most part ME2 is beloved and rightfully so. The only common criticism was that it streamlined too much, jettisoned too many RPG mechanics, and became a third person shooter with stats.

I think what people are concerned about is ME3 appears to be heading even further in that direction, but not only in game mechanics, but story elements as well. Every preview for ME3 is just fight, fight, fight, whoa, look, there's a knife in your omni-tool, whoa now you're driving a giant robot and there's rockets, whoa look it's like a billion reapers, whoa, look at this big gorilla who's going to join the party, I bet he kicks ass, and so on.

yes, you summed it up pretty nicely. I never mind streamlining what was bad in the first place if they don't have guts to improve it, but when they streamline the story and writing.... I'm out. Even if it is the final part of the trilogy I would rather not play it than let it ruin series for me.

 

[Wallach]

She has big ass lips in the first game. I'm not really seeing it. She wouldn't be flappin' 'em in my storyline anymore either if Carth Alenko wasn't so useless.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

streamline the story and writing

Streamlining implies some level of efficiency.

 

[Gravijah]

Ashley was many things.

ashley is not amused
ashley just woke up
ashley is lost in thought
ashley HATE ALIENS

 

[subversus]

To be fair, it's her alt costume as opposed to her actually being a Justicar.

oh, that's relieving...

 

[subversus]

Streamlining implies some level of efficiency.

it's effcient for broadening audience and making money.

but I doubt that they'll succeed at that.

 

[Replicant]

Didn't know that Ashely is a bigot. Makes me glad that I chose Kaidan instead of her to survive in the Mass Effect 2 PS3 prologue comic.

 

[Jex]

You know, I didn't come into this thread expecting to dislike those designs quite as much as I do. It's like every character has reached Jack-level awful design.

 

[subversus]

You know, I didn't come into this thread expecting to dislike those designs quite as much as I do. It's like every character has reached Jack-level awful design.

I liked Jack. She didn't look generic at least. This guy looks just dumb.

 

[Rezbit]

Boring character.

Not too sure about Ashley - what happened to her eyes and nose? Looks weird.

 

[Lucius86]

I miss Ashleys armour design fro ME1. In fact, all the armour designs from ME1. It suited the setting of the game so well. Now it is more - militarised and rugged.

But it does look like they have massively improved the look of hair.

 

[GeorgioCostanzaX]

So much wrong in this post. Empire is beloved because it's the second act of the play where our heroes are at the lowest. It's the logical progression of narrative. Don't get me wrong, I loved ME2, but it did minimal to advance the plot of ME1 to the point that I don't think this was originally meant as a trilogy.

More like the reverse. Star Wars was a gamble for George Lucas: he had no idea if it would pay off or even get made in the first place and it's all pretty well documented in various biographies. Every major plot point is a retcon whereas Mass Effect 2 was always financed and intended to be a trilogy if you can track down pre-release interviews: the Shepard death and resurection bit non-withstanding. I'm not saying one is better than the other story wise but the two trilogies are structured similarly based on what we've seen thus far.

 

[Jex]

I liked Jack. She didn't look generic at least. This guy looks just dumb.

Bald girl with tattoos is not what I'd call an inspired design.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Didn't know that Ashely is a bigot. Makes me glad that I chose Kaidan instead of her to survive in the Mass Effect 2 PS3 prologue comic.

Ashley is a much better character. You chose poorly.

It's not like she's just a racist bitch for no reason.

 

[Nemesis_]

I want a fucking HANAR party member.

 

[Gravijah]

Ashley is a much better character. You chose poorly.

It's not like she's just a racist bitch for no reason.

There is no right choice. They're both wrong.


Every time a human companion is added to a ME game, a baby Krogan dies.

 

[Balphon]

Didn't know that Ashley is a bigot. Makes me glad that I chose Kaidan instead of her to survive in the Mass Effect 2 PS3 prologue comic.

As much as people seem to imply that she was goose stepping through the corridors of the Normandy, Ashely wasn't so much xenophobic as she was mistrustful of aliens to the point of paranoia. Which is actually probably a prudent default response given how ruthless and/or myopic the council races tended to be in ME1/ME2.

Hell, she was probably right, since Shepard's tendency to blindly trust aliens without any real reason to do so came pretty close to biting him in the ass several times.

Edit: Typos.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

There is no right choice. They're both wrong.

One is actually developed.

The other might as well not exist.

By killing Kaiden I did the returned the Galaxy to its natural state.

 

[subversus]

Bald girl with tattoos is not what I'd call an inspired design.

it didn't look generic in Mass Effect universe (only stupid). This guy is a bland space marine crossbred with some character from TV series for MAXIMUM AUDIENCE COVERAGE.

 

[Gravijah]

developed.

We're not talking about Miranda here.

 

[The Xtortionist]

This guy is a bland space marine crossbred with some character from TV series for MAXIMUM AUDIENCE COVERAGE.

He clearly needs a cyber eyepatch, bandana, balaclava, 5 necklaces, funky earrings, a mullet, multicolor armbands, and fucking flame decals on his armor.

 

[Dina]

ITT:

1. People complaining about space marines looking like space marines.
2. People complaining about women looking too good.
3. People complaining about men not looking good enough.

Never stop gaf.

Well Buff McShoots does look weird and off. And I agree with the sentiment for Ashley that she looks like a celebrity nosejob gone bad.

I was expecting a redesign to mean a new outfit, new hair, maybe a new tattoo or technical implants. Not a fucking nosejob to make her look hotter.

I have less problems with Kaiden (boring! let him die too) and Liara.


On an unrelated note, still love your dev blogs on HoN. Keep that going please

 

[Fimbulvetr]

We're not talking about Miranda here.

Ass implants aren't development.

 

[Wallach]

Ass implants aren't development.

Fuck you that is future science at work.

 

[subversus]

He clearly needs a cyber eyepatch, bandana, balaclava, 5 necklaces, funky earrings, a mullet, multicolor armbands, and fucking flame decals on his armor.

day 1

 

[Gravijah]

Ass implants aren't development.

How about really creepy teeth?

 

[Wallach]

How about really creepy teeth?

Nobody said future science was perfect.

 

[Replicant]

Ashley is a much better character. You chose poorly.

Eh, as someone who's been discriminated before, I have little interest in conversing with a xenophobic character whatever her reason was/how awesome her background story was. I'd cringe through God-knows-how-many-hours of Mass Effect 3 gameplay every time I talk to her had she lived.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Eh, as someone who's been discriminated before, I have little interest in conversing with a xenophobic character whatever her reason was/how awesome her background story was. I'd cringe through God-knows-how-many-hours of Mass Effect 3 gameplay every time I talk to her had she lived.

It's not like she suggests you punch every alien you see.

At best she complains about Shep being to trusting initially, but then immediately agrees to trust his judgement as a professional.

And the only character she's actively angry at is Liara.

Hell, she's anti-Cerberus and actually criticizes space racists who want aliens to vacate human colonies.

 

[Gravijah]

It's not like she suggests you punch every alien you see.

At best she complains about Shep being to trusting initially, but then immediately agrees to trust his judgement as a professional.

And the only character she's actively angry at is Liara.

I can't believe you defend her actions, Fimbulvetr. I used to think so highly of you.

 

[Nome]

Eh, as someone who's been discriminated before, I have little interest in conversing with a xenophobic character whatever her reason was/how awesome her background story was. I'd cringe through God-knows-how-many-hours of Mass Effect 3 gameplay every time I talk to her had she lived.

Clearly Bioware is doing something right if they can elicit this sort of reaction

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I can't believe you defend her actions, Fimbulvetr. I used to think so highly of you.

Yes her actions like.... putting aside her mistrust for the sake of a greater cause.

 

[Replicant]

At best she complains about Shep being to trusting initially, but then immediately agrees to trust his judgement as a professional.

If I want that kind of confrontation, I'd get it from Miranda.

Hell, she's anti-Cerberus

So she's like half of the characters in Mass Effect 2 then. No loss. It'd be like hearing the siren in Silent Hill being repeated ad nauseum.

 

[Gravijah]

Yes her actions like.... putting aside her mistrust for the sake of a greater cause.

Oh, so she waffles! She can't even be consistently racist! ;(

 

[Reuenthal]

What is most memorable/ interesting about Kaiden? He is tied for the worst squad member up there with Grunt for me. Just adding little to no flavor to the Mass Effect universe. I am now trying to remember if there was something more to him than I recall.

 

[Wallach]

Yes her actions like.... putting aside her mistrust for the sake of a greater cause.

Yeah but... Kaiden had it tuff as a kid. Tonka tuff.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

If I want that kind of confrontation, I'd get it from Miranda.

There is no confrontation. She states her opinion, admits she has no place to say or decide something like that, then shuts up.

Yeah but... Kaiden had it tuff as a kid. Tonka tuff.

Wah, my implants that aren't actually that big of a deal.

 

[Gravijah]

Kaidan is so forgettable people don't even bother remembering how to spell his name.

 

[Wallach]

Kaidan is so forgettable people don't even bother remembering how to spell his name.

Sure I do. C-a-r-t-h. Carth.

 

[Balphon]

People dislike Ashley because she's "racist," but love (or at least, ya know, tolerate) Mordin despite the fact that he perpetrated a genocide.

Makes perfect sense.

 

[Dina]

I think my Femshep actually slept with Kaiden in 1. That was possible, wasn't it? I remember it being awkward as well too, haha.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Kaidan is so forgettable people don't even bother remembering how to spell his name.

Heh, even Bioware has been inconsistent with his name in marketing.