That's what several months of polish and QA will do to a game. Too bad ME3 didn't get the same treatment (and never will, thanks to the usual type of post-release support from Bioware/EA: Minor patches, just DLC)
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Mass Effect 3 Spoiler Thread |OT2| Taste the Rainbow
- Thread starter Patryn
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That's what several months of polish and QA will do to a game. Too bad ME3 didn't get the same treatment (and never will, thanks to the usual type of post-release support from Bioware/EA: Minor patches, just DLC)
Welcome. Pull up a chair and weep with us.
It's weird. lip-sync is better in ME1 but the actual cutscene quality looks way better in ME3.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
B_Rik_Schitthaus
Banned
ME2 at least works as a series of short stories in the ME universe, 3 replaced that shining light with shooting things in a war zone.
God, does Kaidan ever have anything interesting to say? GEEZE.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
This is the part where I tell you that it seems BioWare's intentions were to end the series, full stop, with Mass Effect 3. Hudson said they felt future Mass Effect games would take place during or prior to the events of ME3.
They left a big, empty hole in the franchise with no intentions to ever fill it. Because, in the wise words of Walters: Lots of speculation from everyone.
Galactic Fork
A little fluff between the ears never did any harm...
I wasn't going to say anything to you because you have a futurama avatar and you actually to the time in the pole to say what you liked about the ending, but your last few posts swayed me.
spekkeh's poll answer said:
What does this even mean? This isn't the problem at all. At the point of the ending where everything gets stupid, billions of people are dead, earth is in ruins, the citadel is a giant floating coffin, most of the advanced races' home planets are the way of earth. Only time travel could make a happy ending. So right now, get it out of your head that people expected things to be happy. Everybody was fine up to that point. There was always going to have to be a rebuilding. And it was always going to have to be depressing.
spekkeh's poll answer said:
Did you actually listen to anything the catalyst said? Really paid attention to what was being said? Noticed that Shepard just stood there and listened and complied? Not only was that whole scene out of place, it was stupid, and the logic was moronic. His answer to a hypothetical situation that is proven in the series to not even be inevitable is to destroy all advanced civilizations every 50000 years. If they were suddenly going to contradict everything Sovereign and Harbinger have been saying since the first game, at least they could come up with something not moronic.
spekkeh's poll answer said:
So almost identical ending movies with a scene with joker that makes no sense, was enough to give closure?
The destruction of the mass relays was cheap, and stranded everybody you gathered in the sol system (assuming they didn't blow up in the white hot explosions of (your choice of color) energy.
There's also the fact that EMS really wasn't important. There was no significance to the big decisions. In ME2's ending all your loyalty quests actually meant something, determining how well they'd do their jobs in their final mission. Plus you had to put some in special jobs based on their skills, and that had meaning. In ME3, you basically had loyalty missions, but with whole races, which at the time I found awesome, and I was excited to get to the end to see how that would be used, but it wasn't! They might as well have not even been there. I was hopeful they'd do something as the ending progressed, but then harbinger was heading to earth, and I thought "now! I'll get to choose what part of the fleet to send." When it didn't happen, I gave Bioware too much credit and thought I must have missed something. Then when I was hit by the laser, I thought, maybe I should redo this and see if I could dodge it. I was just dodging one over on Rannoch. But nope. Then the little boy showed up and yeah...
I remember going in the center where PAX was taking place last year and soooo much people were wearing the N7 hoodie. I'm interested to see if that's going to change this year.
Kung Fu Jedi
Member
Not surprised at that news, but disappointed. The Universe actually just got (potentially) a lot more interesting with the ending of the trilogy. That figures though.
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
They are honestly shooting themselves in the foot if that is true. I have no - literally no - idea why they would think that limiting future ME games to one timeframe is creatively the best thing to do.
Like I said before, I don't think they want to flesh out the universe. They are done with that kind of game.
Get ready for one shot stories that have no repercussions outside of that game.
I'm with EatChildren. $5 says their next game will essentially be "Mass Effect Uncharted"
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
I can sort of understand this, as well.
They discovered that this Import system just isn't working for the types of games they want to make.
And yet, I still don't see why they are doing it like this.
Will you romance the blonde or the brunette? Or maybe even Sully.
You won't have a choice.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
Welcome to the NeoGAF Did I Just See What I Think I Saw Support Auxilliary.
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Some of the members will take Levis jeans if you can get them.
riceandbeans
Member
True, but it's obvious they plan on extending the game further with DLC. Even at the end, it's sort of implied Shepard lives and there's more stories to tell. Questions in the series aren't a bad thing either. It gives more power to the player. Instead of trying to get inside Bioware's head, players get to think for themselves about the story.
I don't mind seeing the series come to a close. We got a trilogy, it was great, except for that Galactic Readiness BS, certain answers will get filled in DLC, and Bioware can move on to new IP's rather than make a sequel to something that wasn't intended.
In the final hours app it said all future content would likely take place during or before ME3. Why do you think you get landed back on the normandy when you do after beating it?
harriet the spy
Member
But Liara's voice acting improved over the series, i think. Like Tali's (she overacts but she can be funny).
Bioware explicitly said they are creating content to 'expand on the ending' or something like that? Either full fledged DLC, or just slightly more scenes at the ending (for free,or not).
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
They don't plan to extend the game with DLC though. Their plans for DLC are for post-end game missions. Eg: Take Back Omega. The game boots you before the point of no return for a reason.
Shepard's survival in the destruction ending was, as Walters put it, just a tease of 'hope'.
They don't want post-ME3 games of any kind. This may change now, and it might have changed if under the pressure from fans, but that was their intention.
It doesn't help their case, though. Even if their goal is to make a bunch of Uncharted-esque Mass Effect games with self contained stories, it is in their best interest to keep the universe open.
Hypothetical: Reapers die, Shepard is dead, the universe now fends for itself. Premise: civil war between the species in a post-war environment where resources are scarce and alliances begin to crumble, as the species of the galaxy try to rebuild their homes while burying the dead.
They could have basically gone "nuts to trilogies" and still furthered the game universe with something fresh. Something interesting, though familiar. And, by keeping the universe active, they have a hook for essentially unlimited material to keep old fans interested, and to milk the universe with comics, books and other crap.
Limiting themselves to a specific time frame does them no favours regardless of the kind of games they want to make. It limits their source material, questions the commitment of series long fans (who are easy money), and backs them into a corner they may need to retcon themselves out.
If all they want to make is Call of Mass Effect or Uncharted: Mass Effect it would still more beneficial to give their universe room to breath.
What they've done is just...dumb. Hurts the franchise, hurts the fanbase, hurts everyone.
Typographenia
Member
My brother!
They have to keep some kind of choice in LI. It just wouldn't be right otherwise.
harriet the spy
Member
Especially since they won't be able to pull a Mass Effect: Prothean of the Old Empire. The game doesn't take place that far in the future so if they want to include humans they are not only reduced to the current cycle, but to a 200 years span. Something very limited.
I know I wouldn't play a game as a protean.
Maybe as a keeper, though.
bigdaddygamebot
Member
I think Bioware has been fucked hard enough by "player choice" that they are over it. I don't think they will be putting as much choice in their games considering how this and the Dragon II thing went down.
They could have also left it open and still moved on. Good ending, open to more, but say "We are done with this now, byeeeee". Less hurt all around. Makes no sense what they did.
Why though? Just too difficult? Choice is a huge reason I liked Bioware. If they choose to drop who they are and go for traditional games, they'll be dead to me.
Why though? Just too difficult? Choice is a huge reason I liked Bioware. If they choose to drop who they are and go for traditional games, they'll be dead to me.
I finished my first playthrough a week after release around 2 a.m. I find it interesting that I had the absolute worst diarrhea ever immediately after completion. Like, I had to put down the magazine I was reading on the toilet because it required all my mental and emotional faculties. Spinning in my head was the choice I just made, wtf that ending meant, and what the Catalyst said. All the buildup from the Mass Effect trilogy manifested into human waste; I probably excreted food I ate while playing ME1 for the first time.
When I finally finished my business, I no longer felt frustrated! It was over, I could go to bed, and I had a very interesting PR situation to observe in the future. It felt good.
I guess what I'm saying is we all need a post-ME3 shit because it'll probably be way more satisfying than the conference at PAX.
When I finally finished my business, I no longer felt frustrated! It was over, I could go to bed, and I had a very interesting PR situation to observe in the future. It felt good.
I guess what I'm saying is we all need a post-ME3 shit because it'll probably be way more satisfying than the conference at PAX.
They really don't have to. Set it up during ME1. Minimal Reaper presence, everything is mostly open to build on.
Or they might just say "Fuck it all", we'll do whatever the hell we want. What is a big bummer is that Bioware is trapped. They are now part of one of the biggest publisher in the industry. One that expect yearly games that sell +5mil copies. That much is obvious. But, Bioware doesn't seem to be able to deliver. DAII was a big mistake. It didn't sell that well, wasn't that good and just sucked any good will they might have had from ME2 and DAO. Now, ME3 was pretty well received. If we forget the ending shitstorm, it had a high 90 metacritic and seemed to have sold decently. But that's the issue, it didn't move 4-5 mil copies. Last we heard, it shipped 3.5. It's safe to assume that they might have sold 3mil. And that's probably not good enough for EA.
Frankly, Bioware just scrapping everything they did with ME1, ME2 and ME3 is probably the most logical thing to do business wise. Concentrating in simpler designs and a linear story is probably to way to go forward for the studio.
RedRedSuit
Member
You really felt that (the 360 version of) Mass Effect had several months of polish and QA applied to it and comparing it favorably to ME3 in that regard?
'Cuz I'm playing through Mass Effect 1 on 360 right now after several years... and man....
I know a lot of you are angry, but I have a hard time believing they would drop a system that has defined them for so long. It's their thing, it's what makes them stand out; more so than the dice roll system.
Right now they have a lot of pissed off fans, but at least they still have them. Losing player choice would almost assuredly drop the majority of them and bring their games in competition with Gears or Uncharted. That's a huge, nonsensical gamble. I'm sure someone is going to say, "well they've been suuuper irrational lately and so on" but not at the extent you guys are suggesting. It would be suicide.
Right now they have a lot of pissed off fans, but at least they still have them. Losing player choice would almost assuredly drop the majority of them and bring their games in competition with Gears or Uncharted. That's a huge, nonsensical gamble. I'm sure someone is going to say, "well they've been suuuper irrational lately and so on" but not at the extent you guys are suggesting. It would be suicide.
Retrofluxed
Member
Keep an eye on Dragon Age 3, that'll really tells us what direction they are going. I do have to agree to the sentiment that if Bioware drops the "choice" from their games and goes even further after the CoD and Gears audience, I'll move on. I'll be sad, because there really isn't anyone doing what they do for RPGs at the moment (hell we barely get any western RPGs with a customized character and big choices). Shit, if they don't want to do importing anymore, I'm fine with how DA1 went down as a mostly self contained game. Just give me a love interest, some choices and a character creator and I'm good to go.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
I know, but it's still not a favourable position to be in no matter what their intentions for the franchise are. Even making the most generic, lore thin linear Uncharted/Call of Duty clone, it would be favourable to do so in an open universe as opposed to a closed one, just to give them more source material to work with and bank on old school fans having some interest.
It's very strange, and I honestly think it comes from a mix of Walters/Hudson wanting to end the series in a memorable way, and feeling so burnt out they really wanted to bring the franchise to somewhat of a close.
Forgot about that game.
You are quite right, it's going to be a good example of where the studio is going next. I'm still a bit puzzled that they are asking for feedback before even presenting their core design or even some kind of art. :|
bigdaddygamebot
Member
well...too difficult for Bioware to manage. Maybe not for others. This might be only me, but the expectation set by Bioware around player choice is the cause of much of "outrage" around how they handled the ending.
heliosRAzi
Banned
What do you mean when you say Uncharted? Is it because of the lack of dialogue options, dudebro catering, and scripted events?
Retrofluxed
Member
Its a good gesture. After the DA2 and ME3 ending fiasco, I think Bioware has no clue where to proceed from here and are trying to get a real feeling from the community on how to do just that. It seems like there is a feeling going around that Bioware knows almost all their goodwill is almost up and they are too afraid to pull the trigger on DA3 without getting some direction from the fanbase. I'm sure the core systems are already in place, but I'm sure the direction surrounding choices, character development and other flexible ideas are still up in the air.
Complistic
Member
They won't even officially say they're working on a DA3. Just "their next project" They want ideas for a game that they won't even tell people what it is.
That just tells me they're completely out of their minds.
A linear gameplay experience with a story and big set pieces.
ME3 isn't far from it in terms of mission structure and character dialog.
Jake Tower
Banned
I would. As Javik. He was the Renegade Shepard of his cycle.
Yeah WTF at whoever posted this. All that QA and you get stuck in the wall when walking to your locker in the Normand
heliosRAzi
Banned
I like Uncharted, but they need to keep it away from Mass Effect
Jake Tower
Banned
That's pretty much what they did in ME3. That's why I've been saying that even before the ending, the game itself wasn't that great. It tried to be a third person action game, and it was mediocre at best in this regard.
This seems to be a minority opinion in this thread, however.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/sr.aspx?sm=Vw_2boz9miNaqEfEQzUN0o9x6fb1L4vwDM2rWBmgdEPFg_3d
Some interesting data. The survey was started in the ME subreddit. So, I guess that the basic individual probably played ME1 and follows the franchise. Also, about 30% believe that the indoctrination theory is real. SMH.
Well, that's maybe a bit too "strongly" stated. Currently, ME3 is not Gear of Wars. It's not Uncharted. It's in the middle. Picking elements from both franchise and trying to apply them into the Mass Effect "mold". The action is okay and the shooting is "fun". What really bothers me is the stiff movement and how rigid everything feels. But that's also because ME3 is not just action. It's the satisfaction of talking to old friends and seeing how their story play out in ME3. There are a few extremely well crafted moments in ME3. Moments that really prove that Bioware understands how to create a cinematic experience. Tutchanka and Rannoch are perfect example of every piece falling into place. The issue is that the quality is not consistent.
Some interesting data. The survey was started in the ME subreddit. So, I guess that the basic individual probably played ME1 and follows the franchise. Also, about 30% believe that the indoctrination theory is real. SMH.
Well, that's maybe a bit too "strongly" stated. Currently, ME3 is not Gear of Wars. It's not Uncharted. It's in the middle. Picking elements from both franchise and trying to apply them into the Mass Effect "mold". The action is okay and the shooting is "fun". What really bothers me is the stiff movement and how rigid everything feels. But that's also because ME3 is not just action. It's the satisfaction of talking to old friends and seeing how their story play out in ME3. There are a few extremely well crafted moments in ME3. Moments that really prove that Bioware understands how to create a cinematic experience. Tutchanka and Rannoch are perfect example of every piece falling into place. The issue is that the quality is not consistent.
Zomba13
Member
I'm thinking of making my own bootleg N7 hoodie. I've got the patch from the CE, I've got a black hoodie (though I'd probs get a new one for this) and then all I need are some red and white strips of fabric to sew onto one of the arms.
I should have clarified that sentence when I had the chance. It would solely put them in competition with those games and that's not a thing they can succeed in. Not without keeping their original fans and choice system.
It has always been a third person action game. ME1 having dice rolls didn't change that, ME2 proved it, and ME3 continues on with the mechanic.
riceandbeans
Member
I don't think that's possible if you chose to destroy the Reapers. At least, not planet on planet war. Maybe civil war on each respective planet. From what I gathered, if you destroyed them, then space travel has become severely limited and I'm not even sure they could make it out of their own galaxy or into space at all.