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Mass Effect |OT| Alien love in an elevator

O

Odrion

Banned
Should I keep playing the Vanguard (the shotgun) class? His psi moves are pretty cool, but I miss having a automatic. :[

(and they say you can increase melee damage, but how do you melee?)
 
B

bendak

Member
The 360's hardware is specially built to be able to decompress game data on the fly without a performance hit. Uncompressed, a game like Mass Effect is in the 20GB range.
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
bendak said:
The 360's hardware is specially built to be able to decompress game data on the fly without a performance hit.
Click to expand...

... of course there's a performance hit. Decompression costs CPU time.

This game looks nice btw, I don't know where I'm going to find the time. This could make for a good 'new year's lull' game to take me through to spring if it's nice and long.
 
B

bendak

Member
gofreak said:
... of course there's a performance hit. Decompression costs CPU time.

This game looks nice btw, I don't know where I'm going to find the time. This could make for a good 'new year's lull' game to take me through to spring if it's nice and long.
Click to expand...

Yeah but this CPU time is outside of the normal specs. So the developer can make their game, then compress when its all done and not see a performance hit.
 
G

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
bendak said:
Yeah but this CPU time is outside of the normal specs.
Click to expand...

Fourth core confirmed?

In case you take me seriously..no..if you look at the CPU profiles of a few games that have been published in presentations etc. you'll often see even application specific decompression threads, whatever about library provided stuff

bendak said:
So the developer can make their game, then compress when its all done and not see a performance hit.
Click to expand...

Compression time is obviously not a run-time cost. Decompression is.

Anyway, back to Mass Effect...
 
B

Borys

Banned
Are we really going through the same "omg! iso size is small! something-something-blu-ray-somehting"-debate that was present when Oblivion hit again?

Jesus :lol
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
Borys said:
Are we really going through the same "omg! iso size is small! something-something-blu-ray-somehting"-debate that was present when Oblivion hit again?

Jesus :lol
Click to expand...


Na i think its more like "Good luck with the sequels" discussion this time around because they've maxed out DVD-9.
 
B

bendak

Member
gofreak said:
Compression time is obviously not a run-time cost. Decompression is.

Anyway, back to Mass Effect...
Click to expand...

The 360 has hardware audio decompression on the southbridge. This is so there's no CPU hit. I think you guys got the wrong idea...I'm not trying to start a DVD9/BD argument.

But yeah, back to Mass Effect.....and calling every store :lol
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
Ghost said:
Na i think its more like "Good luck with the sequels" discussion this time around because they've maxed out DVD-9.
Click to expand...

Why would that be the case? Same engine, different scenarios. I don't think it's an incremental sequel like GTA:VC -> GTA: SA. It's a story-based trilogy.
 
O

Odrion

Banned
Holy shit, a million times better than Jade Empire. Although I'm becoming finnicky about the color of my character's hair and weither or not Vanguard was a good class to choose.
 
R

Rowsdower

Member
Odrion said:
Holy shit, a million times better than Jade Empire. Although I'm becoming finnicky about the color of my character's hair and weither or not Vanguard was a good class to choose.
Click to expand...

Well, technically you could still swap out characters, no? Your Shepard would be Lvl 1, but at least he would have reasonable hair.
 
E

Eric WK

Member
Hunter D said:
A guy on my FL has been playing this from sunday morning till now. Why can't NYC kmart be like NJ kmart. :(
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've had two people playing it. One's a current journalist and one's an ex-journalist so it makes sense, but it's definitely making me envious.
 
F

FrankT

Member
Nif said:
I'd been trying to find one, but they're mostly low quality versions of the boxart. I made this instead:



It'll be on my desktop for a while. =)
Click to expand...


Oh that is sex. This game is going to be a wet dream, come true.
 
F

FrankT

Member
Odrion said:
Holy shit, a million times better than Jade Empire. Although I'm becoming finnicky about the color of my character's hair and weither or not Vanguard was a good class to choose.
Click to expand...


What classes have an automatic?
 
H

Hunter D

Member
Eric WK said:
Yeah, I've had two people playing it. One's a current journalist and one's an ex-journalist so it makes sense, but it's definitely making me envious.
Click to expand...
The guys you know have a connection to the industry. The guy I know just walked into kmart and picked it up.

I called kmart on broadway to try and get. The lady answering the phones thought I was some other guy that had apparently called the store multiple times. Needless to say she got pissed off and then I took her head off for being pissed off at me for no reason. I hope I got her fired after complaining to her boss about her attitude.
 
H

Hunter D

Member
TekunoRobby said:
I just walked into Kmart and picked it up and I'm a journo. I got it early and I don't have to do a review, weeeee.
Click to expand...
Is the kmart close to NYC?

Just checked your profile. Forget it.
 
R

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
TekunoRobby said:
I just walked into Kmart and picked it up and I'm a journo. I got it early and I don't have to do a review, weeeee.
Click to expand...

With great power comes great responsibility. You owe it to GAF to provide impressions.
 
C

Caspel

Business & Marketing Manager @ GungHo
having spent 3-4 hours into it, I will say the start of the game had a big surprise I didn't expect coming. It makes me want to check online to see if the surprise will be reversed but I won't spoil myself.

Once I learned how to use the abilities, the game became even more exciting to play. Throwing enemies is pretty tight, the barriers around my character looks sweet, the villain in the game throws a fit early in the game which shows his madness, and I can't wait to meet more characters to join my party.
 
O

Odrion

Banned
Jtyettis said:
What classes have an automatic?
Click to expand...
Well, I think all the classes has all the types of guns, but only the soldier can shoot an automatic without it fucking up.

Also, this game has one fucking awesome soundtrack, if anyone doesn't know about it yet: Think of The Warriors' soundtrack, it's just like that.

Enjoying the Vanguard more now that he has a bunch of sweet abilities, but I still wish I could somehow change my dude's hair. :[
 
N

Nif

Member
J

JayDubya

Banned
Jtyettis said:
What classes have an automatic?
Click to expand...

I think all characters can use all weapons but only certain classes can put skill points into given abilities.

So Assault Rifle is a Soldier only skill. They also can train in Pistol and Sniper and Shotgun if you want, but Assault Rifle is exclusive, so I plan on maxing out that skill, myself.

http://masseffect.bioware.com/galacticcodex/classes_part_one.html said:
Soldier

Soldiers are combat specialists ideal for the front lines of a firefight. Soldiers begin the game trained with skills in both pistols and assault rifles, they have improved health and the ability to wear medium combat armor. As you progress through the game you can unlock assault training, skills with shotguns and sniper rifles, become able to perform first aid on yourself and party members, and wear heavy combat armor.

Starting Talents:

* Pistols
* Assault Rifles (Exclusive)
* Combat Armor (medium to start,
upgrading to heavy)
* Fitness

Unlockable Talents:

* Shotguns
* Sniper Rifles
* First Aid
* Assault Training (Exclusive)

Engineer

Engineers are tech specialists. Using the holographic OmniTool they can decrypt security systems, repair and/or modify technical equipment, disrupt enemy weapons or shields and heal their party. Even though they begin the game with only pistols and the OmniTool, engineers can unlock the ability to wear light armor and to reverse engineer enemy technology. They can also learn to put up protective shields and to heal the party.

Starting Talents:

* Pistols
* Electronics
* Decryption
* First Aid

Unlockable Talents:

* Basic Armor (light only)
* Reverse Engineering (Exclusive)
* Shielding
* Medicine

Adept

Adepts are biotic specialists. Starting out equipped with pistols and light armor, the true strength of the adept is through the upgradeable implants that give them their biotic powers. These powers can be used to lift or throw objects, shield the party and disable or destroy enemies.

Starting Talents:

* Basic Armor (light only)
* Throw
* Barrier
* Warp

Unlockable Talents:

* Pistols
* Lift
* Stasis
* Singularity (Exclusive)

Infiltrator

Infiltrators combine combat and tech abilities, and specialize in killing or disabling enemies at long range. Infiltrators are trained to use OmniTools, but the focus is on decryption and offensive abilities rather than healing. They can train with pistols or sniper rifles, and can learn to wear medium armor.

Starting Talents:

* Pistols
* Tactical Armor (light to start, upgrading to medium)
* Electronics
* Decryption

Unlockable Talents:

* Sniper Rifles
* Fitness
* Shielding
* First Aid


Vanguard

Vanguards are biotic warriors. They combine offensive biotic abilities and weapons training to quickly take down opponents, and are especially deadly at short range. They can train with pistols and shotguns, and can learn to wear medium armor.

Starting Talents:

* Pistols
* Fitness
* Throw
* Warp

Unlockable Talents:

* Shotguns
* Tactical Armor (light to start, upgrading to medium)
* Lift
* Barrier

Sentinel

Sentinels combine biotic and tech abilities. Typically they use biotic abilities and advanced healing skills to defend allies, though they can also disrupt opponents with biotic or Tech attacks. They are more efficient at tech and biotics than other classes, but at the expense of combat. Sentinels can only use light armor, and receive no advanced weapon training.

Starting Talents:

* Throw
* Barrier
* Electronics
* First Aid

Unlockable Talents:

* Lift
* Stasis
* Decryption
* Medicine
Click to expand...
 
S

sangreal

Member
gofreak said:
Fourth core confirmed?

In case you take me seriously..no..if you look at the CPU profiles of a few games that have been published in presentations etc. you'll often see even application specific decompression threads, whatever about library provided stuff
Click to expand...

The 360 has dedicated hardware for XMA decompression. I believe that is what he is talking about
 
Z

Zzoram

Member
sangreal said:
While I think DVD9 is fine, 6.74GB is most definitely not "well within the constraints" considering the max is 6.8GB
Click to expand...

Wait, DVD-9 maxes out at 6.8GB?!? I always thought it was 8.5GB. Wow, please elaborate.
 
S

sangreal

Member
Zzoram said:
Wait, DVD-9 maxes out at 6.8GB?!? I always thought it was 8.5GB. Wow, please elaborate.
Click to expand...

Yes, a typical DVD-9 maxes out at 8.5GB but the space allocated to game data on an Xbox 360 game disc is 6.8GB

dvd9.jpg


Effective Game Disc Usage: Compression & Caching
 
A

anachronous_one

Prologue Type S Alpha
Gah, I'm so weak. I already had the standard edition preordered from Amazon.com, but after seeing Che's collector's edition, I've upgraded to the Limited Edition.

-$10

+1 geekdom
 
C

chespace

It's not actually trolling if you don't admit it
Finished Mass Effect on Saturday night. Clocked in at just under 40 hours and thoroughly enjoyed it. The game will probably be a bit shorter for most of you, but I did just about every single sidequest I could find (and ended up getting the "completionist" achievement). There were still a TON of planets I did not visit/scan, FYI. The ending sequence/battle was :O

I'd like to play through this again with a male biotic only character, but TOO MANY GAMES!!

I shall revisit Mass Effect next spring.
 
S

sangreal

Member
Zzoram said:
So they restrict the game to 6.8GB to ensure the slowest part of the DVD doesn't get used?
Click to expand...

From what I remember going back to the 360 launch in 2005, the rest is used for anti-piracy like DieH@rd said.

Which would be pretty funny considering how easy 360 discs are copied
 
Tieno

Tieno

Member
Zzoram said:
So they restrict the game to 6.8GB to ensure the slowest part of the DVD doesn't get used?
Click to expand...
I thought it (also?) had to do with copy protection. (which has been cracked for a while now)
 
B

BenjaminBirdie

Banned
chespace said:
Finished Mass Effect on Saturday night. Clocked in at just under 40 hours and thoroughly enjoyed it. The game will probably be a bit shorter for most of you, but I did just about every single sidequest I could find (and ended up getting the "completionist" achievement). There were still a TON of planets I did not visit/scan, FYI. The ending sequence/battle was :O

I'd like to play through this again with a male biotic only character, but TOO MANY GAMES!!

I shall revisit Mass Effect next spring.
Click to expand...

Would you qualify the ending as a "cliff" "hanger"?
 
Z

Zzoram

Member
sangreal said:
From what I remember going back to the 360 launch in 2005, the rest is used for anti-piracy like DieH@rd said.

Which would be pretty funny considering how easy 360 discs are copied
Click to expand...

That's pretty ridiculous. If anything, I hope Microsoft frees up some of that space in the near future for developers to use, since the anti-piracy crap obviously isn't working, and us paying customers would the benefit of bigger games.
 
J

JimtotheHum

Member
given the different types of character described- lets start a poll of what everyone is gonna be in mass effect...ie Soldier, Engineer, adept....

I think Im leaning towards Sentinal....
 
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