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Mass Effect: Andromeda |OT| Ryders on the Storm

Having a blast with the engineer profile so far. N7 Piranha in close range against enemies debuffed and primed by my tech skills is just nasty. LOL

Game is full of bugs; I've had the Nomad spawn inside a remnant vault when I fell off a ledge and respawned, an instance when Drack could not be revived after a Fiend bodied him (remained short of one party member until I switched him out for another one at a forward station), and lastly this beauty on the Tempest after a cryo canister exploded in my face during a loyalty mission...

img_20170327_161121l5pmu.jpg


Your face is tired, Addison?! Well, mine is still thawing out...

Fix yer shit, Bioware.
 
I'm actually really disappointed with this - Driving around was fun at first on EOS, but having landed on the second planet (ice?) I'm already bored senseless with it & have no real desire to do the same thing I just did again :|

I mean, what were you expecting? Did you really think that the Nomad would just be an Eos thing? Driving it is a major gameplay mechanic, like the Mako in ME1. What you're saying is akin to complaining that Voeld also has shooting on it.
 

Jaraghan

Member
The combat isn't really clicking for me in this game. I've tried biotics, vanguard with asari sword and charge, pure guns, mix of biotics and guns and now I am just going to settle with sniping enemies from afar.
 

Zakalwe

Banned
This game isn't moody or electric enough to feel like Mass Effect. It feels so much thinner on atmosphere. There's something so weak with the dialogue, like it's so exposition and lore pushing without actually pushing for intense scenarios or emotional highs that the originals had. And the Ryder's seem so basic and cliche.

Really hope they go the DAI route and make the next entry standalone and darker. And polish the tech ffs.

Oh man, I get this... the moody atmosphere of 2 is one of the things I love most about it. It's definitely missing here, even if it's intentional and the game is built that way etc... it's still something I miss.

I don't think 2 will ever be topped in terms of atmosphere, I'll have to make peace with that.
 

Jocund

Member
If video is anything like first 30 seconds was it's just clickbait riding on "Look at these animations, lets laugh together" train.
He actually doesn't spend a lot of time on the animations. It's mostly story and character stuff, and how he thinks the older games are so much better.

That said, I take issue with a lot of what he says, especially his take on Sara and the bit on voice acting.
 
Is it ever explained why they aren't communicating with other Arks and the Milky Way? Since Mass Effect provided us with the deus ex machina called "Quantum Entanglement" which supposedly has infinite range and no lag then I don't understand why they aren't in touch with one another constantly. I know they are expensive and aren't very feasible for squad communication but not having 4 across the Arks and another set of 4 to communicate with the Milky Way, or at least one on the Nexus, seems bizarre.

There's a news announcement on the Nexus that mentions they're trying to contact next of kin in the Milky Way for some recent deaths in Andromeda, but weren't getting a response.

Next of kin... for family members from 600 years ago, I think it's some kind of dark humour.

As for the Arks, they're missing so presumably all communications aren't getting responses either.
 
If video is anything like first 30 seconds was it's just clickbait riding on "Look at these animations, lets laugh together" train.
The feedback loop about it is getting fucking ridiculous at this point.

Regarding tone I like that it's a more light hearted, less serious romp. The last game was literally the end of the Galaxy, the dourness never let up. It's nice that this game has a sense of humor and lightness and embraces it. For me.
 

Zakalwe

Banned
One of the side quests on the Nexus, you walk past a guy scanning machines saying there's a power outage he can't figure out, asks you to scan to help... but I can't find anything to scan.

Anyone know what to do?
 

mcz117chief

Member
There's a news announcement on the Nexus that mentions they're trying to contact next of kin in the Milky Way for some recent deaths in Andromeda, but weren't getting a response.

Refuse ending confirmed
?

As for the Arks, they're missing so presumably all communications aren't getting responses either.

But muh Quantum Entanglement! I dunno, it feels like the entire story and lore of Mass Effect after the 1st game totally fell apart and the only way to enjoy these games is to just not think about it at all.
 

Santiako

Member
Oh my god SAM shut the fuck up, you don't need to tell me each time I step into the snow that temperatures are dropping. I really hope they patch an option to shut him up.
 
One of the side quests on the Nexus, you walk past a guy scanning machines saying there's a power outage he can't figure out, asks you to scan to help... but I can't find anything to scan.

Anyone know what to do?

There should be power boxes you can scan and which then lead you to follow power lines with your scanner.
 
2. hold reload to switch between current gun and last gun used.
3. the download arrow button in the right corner
4. pretty much every planet is like the first planet in terms of open worldness

Awesome thank you!! Especially the fact the planets take an open linear approach. Based in the start I'm pretty sure I'm going love this more than 2 and 3 of the original trilogy.

Is it just me or does my Ryder sound like Nathan Drake? I like the tone and the banter between him and Liam. I heard people hate Liam but I already like him more than Jacob.
 

azyless

Member
One of the side quests on the Nexus, you walk past a guy scanning machines saying there's a power outage he can't figure out, asks you to scan to help... but I can't find anything to scan.

Anyone know what to do?
If I remember correctly, you should see some yellow lines with the scanner, leading to the other power thingies you have to scan.
 
But muh Quantum Entanglement! I dunno, it feels like the entire story and lore of Mass Effect after the 1st game totally fell apart and the only way to enjoy these games is to just not think about it at all.

Yeah but I mean the Arks are late, and they're not responding to communications, so they're "missing" in that sense. Doesn't matter about instant comms in that case.
 

Tovarisc

Member
You realize you and the person you're responding to haven't watched the video, and are "feedback looping" defensive responses without any regard to the content, right?

I couldn't take video seriously and make myself watch it when he started to ride animations in juvenile manner.
 

Ushay

Member
Despite promising myself to wait for a patch (for the single player campaign) I decided to play for a bit and see if I encountered any issues. I didn't get far, managed to get on to the Nexus and encounterd my first bug.

One of the NPCs was rapidly dashing around glitched with no animation while I was in dialogue, really distracting but not a deal breaker. Then I got to speak to Addison.. Yup, I'lll wait for that patch after all. Back to multiplayer!
 

Zakalwe

Banned
There should be power boxes you can scan and which then lead you to follow power lines with your scanner.

If I remember correctly, you should see some yellow lines with the scanner, leading to the other power thingies you have to scan.

Do you know the quest I mean? Guy's standing in between the Docking Area and Hydroponics. He's scanning an incubator and saying there's a power outage, but I've scanned everywhere around it and don't see a power supply or power lines to follow...

I'm probably missing something really obvious.

EDIT: Oops. I tracked the quest in my journal and it's pointed me to where I need to go, which is in an entirely different area. Lessen learnt, remember to actually check the quest log...

Thanks for the responses.
 

Mattdaddy

Gold Member
The more I play this game the more I really like it. Some of the stuff that annoyed the hell out of me the first couple hours I hardly even notice anymore. Playing on PS4 pro if they could patch the framerate just a little I would be thrilled.

Combat as vanguard is so dope. Biotic charging around the battlefield just blowing fuckers up is my jam.
 

Vengal

Member
Question about a plot point

How important are the arks to the overall story and/or enjoyment of the game. The asari ark quest is entirely broken for me and it's really bumming me out.
 

Vamphuntr

Member
Question about a plot point

How important are the arks to the overall story and/or enjoyment of the game. The asari ark quest is entirely broken for me and it's really bumming me out.

It affects who helps you during the final mission. One is mandatory for the story, the two other are optional.
 

nOoblet16

Member
Question about a plot point

How important are the arks to the overall story and/or enjoyment of the game. The asari ark quest is entirely broken for me and it's really bumming me out.

How is it broken? The asari ark is optional but relevant to a loyalty quest and important to it. Among the other two, one is important to story and unmissable while the other is completely optional and has no effect on any side quests. But all of them have an effect on the final mission, not story wise but how it plays out.
 

mcz117chief

Member
Yeah but I mean the Arks are late, and they're not responding to communications, so they're "missing" in that sense. Doesn't matter about instant comms in that case.

I'm not too far into the game but I know that each Ark has one of those AI bots inside and they are permanently active to keep the ship working. I also know that the AI on board the human Ark has Quantum Entanglement device to keep in contact with the main character so I would expect each Ark have one as well to keep in contact.

So that leaves us with three options:

1) the AIs are down and the Arks are completely adrift in space
2) only the human Ark has a Quantum Entanglement communication suite
3) writers goofed it up
 

nOoblet16

Member
I'm not too far into the game but I know that each Ark has one of those AI bots inside and they are permanently active to keep the ship working. I also know that the AI on board the human Ark has Quantum Entanglement device to keep in contact with the main character so I would expect each Ark have one as well to keep in contact.

So that leaves us with three options:

1) the AIs are down and the Arks are completely adrift in space
2) only the human Ark has a Quantum Entanglement communication suite
3) writers goofed it up

The answer to your question in spoilers
It's number 1
 

Vengal

Member
How is it broken? The asari ark is optional but relevant to a loyalty quest and important to it. Among the other two, one is important to story and unmissable while the other is completely optional and has no effect on any side quests. But all of them have an effect on the final mission, not story wise but how it plays out.

I'm at the point where it tells you where to go to find it and nothing is in the system. I already submitted a bug report but there are quite Afew bugs out there so I'm not expecting anything fast.
 

nOoblet16

Member
I'm at the point where it tells you where to go to find it and nothing is in the system. I already submitted a bug report but there are quite Afew bugs out there so I'm not expecting anything fast.

It's a loyalty mission, you only get the option if you have spoken to the relevant crew member and they have given you that mission. Have they? If they have and you have the mission in your journal and it's still not showing up then that's a bug if they haven't then it's not a bug.
 

Vengal

Member
It's a loyalty mission, you only get the option if you have spoken to the relevant crew member and they have given you that mission. Have they? If they have and you have the mission in your journal and it's still not showing up then that's a bug if they haven't then it's not a bug.

All of the above, she told me where to go and the journal says what system to goto and nothing there.
 

nOoblet16

Member
All of the above, she told me where to go and the journal says what system to goto and nothing there.

Try doing a mission or two elsewhere and then see if you can access it. If you have a priority mission then I suggest you go for that as it kind of "realigns" and "resets" the world everytime you do one.
 

TheMan

Member
So i'm still in the first mission after crash landing, but I think I'm heading towards the climax. I have to say, so far it's not bad. There's some imprecision to the controls and while you can jump over most obstacles, it's annoying to have forward movement stopped by a stupid rock. Facial animations are indeed crappy as well. But so far I'm digging it as a whole. Granted i'm not very far in, but the disdain for this game feels exaggerated so far.
 

okita

Member
One of the side quests on the Nexus, you walk past a guy scanning machines saying there's a power outage he can't figure out, asks you to scan to help... but I can't find anything to scan.

Anyone know what to do?

There are some panels around to scan, the game is very buggy, sometimes it fails to trigger objects to interact, loading a save game usually work. (Had tis problems a couple of times ...)
 

DOWN

Banned
Welcome to writing in a BioWare RPG. This game's dialogue is no different from the stuff in the previous games. Actually, in some spots, Andromeda is more organic. Either people's expectations of writing in video games have risen in the past few years or the game's myriad technical problems and general lack of polish have made its problems that much more obvious.
I just played the trilogy again over the past two months and disagree. I found the trilogy more heavy and emotionally present, while Andromeda feels simply incompetent at many points. Andromeda is closer to DAI than to ME beyond the superficial elements.
 

nOoblet16

Member
Man do I feel lucky that over the 66 hours of my playtime I only experienced one bug (some enemies in the later wave became invisible) in a sidequest and easily got past it because I had a save point right before the fight started.
Anyone discover a way (on PC) to turn off the HUD? E.g., health/ammo bars, squad icons, and the vehicle mining thing in the corner?

None so far, but I'm sure there will be some soon enough.

Edit: Seems I was wrong
 
Anyone discover a way (on PC) to turn off the HUD? E.g., health/ammo bars, squad icons, and the vehicle mining thing in the corner?

You can turn all HUD off on PC via the console, same method as all other Frostbite games on PC.

~ brings up the console
hit U then TAB once and then 1/0 for on/off and then enter.

I cannot even remember the full console command anymore, just the shortcut to it at that above will hide all the HUD.
 

Tovarisc

Member
I just played the trilogy again over the past two months and disagree. I found the trilogy more heavy and emotionally present, while Andromeda feels simply incompetent at many points. Andromeda is closer to DAI than to ME beyond the superficial elements.

For you Mass Effect game should be this grim and brooding experience with constant doom hanging over everyone, like OGT?

OGT does have a lot exposition and build up that fails to deliver anything meaningful or emotionally impacting, but it also has those moments where it does deliver. Most of those highs were result of 2-3 game build up tho. MEA tries to pull off few of those, but so depended on how invested you are in e.g. Jaal as character.
 

Vamphuntr

Member
I just played the trilogy again over the past two months and disagree. I found the trilogy more heavy and emotionally present, while Andromeda feels simply incompetent at many points. Andromeda is closer to DAI than to ME beyond the superficial elements.

Yeah it really is Mass Effect Inquisition even if they've tried their best to say it was not in the very short and not very well done marketing campaign. The pacing feels a bit off because of the structure and quest design of the game. The main missions are good but they rarely have much impact considering how they expect you to get involved in the world (driving around doing the quest markers on the map). Much of the twists seems like not so new if you've played the trilogy too.
 

Renae

Member
I didn't play to the two games, but when I read the positive and negative aspects of DA : Inquisition and ME : Andromeda, which are pretty the same, it seems like they deserve the same score (88 or 74?)... No ?
 

nOoblet16

Member
For you Mass Effect game should be this grim and brooding experience with constant doom hanging over everyone, like OGT?

OGT does have a lot exposition and build up that fails to deliver anything meaningful or emotionally impacting, but it also has those moments where it does deliver. Most of those highs were result of 2-3 game build up tho. MEA tries to pull off few of those, but so depended on how invested you are in e.g. Jaal as character.

Exactly, just because it's not that does not mean it's bad.

For instance I SPECIFICALLY like this game because I'm not racing against time. It actually makes me feel more involved in the game because now I can do side quests and silly stuff without thinking "Why am I doing this when every story cutscene and every character reminds me how pressed for time I am?". It was the worst in ME3, the biggest war ever is going on and I can go around Citadel endrosing shops, dancing in a bar and flirting with my crew. There was that disconnect which Andromeda does not have because the story here is not about urgency.
 
You can turn all HUD off on PC via the console, same method as all other Frostbite games on PC.

~ brings up the console
hit U then TAB once and then 1/0 for on/off and then enter.

I cannot even remember the full console command anymore, just the shortcut to it at that above will hide all the HUD.

Oh, nice. Thanks for the info!
 
I didn't play to the two games, but when I read the positive and negative aspects of DA : Inquisition and ME : Andromeda, which are pretty the same, it seems like they deserve the same score (88 or 74?)... No ?

DAI seems a lot more polished in retrospect, also has more customisation features for your character and party.
 
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