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Mass Effect |OT| Alien love in an elevator

ALeperMessiah said:
I asked before an didn't hear back from anyone. But where and when do you pick up Liara?

She's part of one of the main quest hubs. Specifically, the "find the archaeologist at the Hades Gamma cluster" quest. So the timing just depends on when you decide to pursue that quest chain.
 

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
GhaleonEB said:
Be that as it may. I got the game yesterday, but haven't had a chance to play it, but here's my concern: technical defects can have a big impact on everything the game is trying to do.

Yes, I agree with you 100%.

GhaleonEB said:
All the effort that went into creating a compelling story through music, acting, modeling, directing, lighting - it all fell apart when I'm watching the environment and characters load in layers. It's hard to see past it, at least on the first time through.

I hear what you're saying but, respectfully, I think your expectations are too high. Games will always have technical issues, period. Whether it's a wonky animation here, a framerate burp there, technical issues are a fact of life. Better technology won't solve the problem: developers will always push their resources to the max (sometimes on purpose, other times due to coding deficiencies).
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
I definitely think the texture pop in is more obvious than Gears of War. But I'm not really complaining.
 

RSTEIN

Comics, serious business!
Y2Kev said:
I definitely think the texture pop in is more obvious than Gears of War. But I'm not really complaining.

It's interested. I wonder why this is. Thoughts:

1) They said they had to perform "miracles" to get the game on one disc. Could this have been a solution (but isn't the game < 6 gigs or something)?

2) There are a lot more textures on the disc to access.

3) They received, like many other devs it appears, a gimped UE3 toolset.


Please note I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm making this up as I go.
 

GhaleonEB

Member
RSTEIN said:
I hear what you're saying but, respectfully, I think your expectations are too high. Games will always have technical issues, period. Whether it's a wonky animation here, a framerate burp there, technical issues are a fact of life. Better technology won't solve the problem: developers will always push their resources to the max (sometimes on purpose, other times due to coding deficiencies).
Oh, I don't ever expect technical perfection. I understand that when a game really pushes the hardware, it can creak around the seams. I tend to look past that stuff. But there's certain kinds of technical issues that can have a very large impact and are hard to overlook. The examples I used were meant to convey that range - there was texture loading during Gears of War, but I was able to see past it. The same was true in Oblivion, and in the technical issues of most AAA games, for that matter. In Halo 2, it was bad enough that it hurt the experince the developer was trying to create, which is where it goes from being a footnote to serious problem.

I'm sure I'll manage to say which Mass Effect falls into shortly. :)
 

Sectus

Member
There's some really neat dialogue in this game...

"Those Geth are perfect ambushers. They don't move, they don't make a single sound... they don't even breathe." - "Sir, they have flashlight heads."

While on a mission to save a scientist from a seemingly mad corporal: "Corporal, don't shoot the scientist, you'll face a courtmartial. Let me shoot him instead, I'm a Spectre so I'm above the law."

:lol
 
BastardSamurai said:
She's part of one of the main quest hubs. Specifically, the "find the archaeologist at the Hades Gamma cluster" quest. So the timing just depends on when you decide to pursue that quest chain.

Thanks!
 

FFChris

Member
RSTEIN said:
It's interested. I wonder why this is. Thoughts:

1) They said they had to perform "miracles" to get the game on one disc. Could this have been a solution (but isn't the game < 6 gigs or something)?

2) There are a lot more textures on the disc to access.

3) They received, like many other devs it appears, a gimped UE3 toolset.

Please note I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm making this up as I go.

Could be #1. Maybe the textures were so compressed that it takes extra time for them to be taken from the disk and uncompressed, hence why they load in so slowly.

Of course, the UT3 engine is notorious for pop-in, it happens in a lot of games with that engine, so it's more likely to be that I think.

I'm no computer genius though.
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
RSTEIN said:
It's interested. I wonder why this is. Thoughts:

1) They said they had to perform "miracles" to get the game on one disc. Could this have been a solution (but isn't the game < 6 gigs or something)?

2) There are a lot more textures on the disc to access.

3) They received, like many other devs it appears, a gimped UE3 toolset.


Please note I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm making this up as I go.

I don't know. It doesn't have those certain..."amenities" gears had. Like obviously, it's a different kind of game, but it stutters a bit when it saves, which is different than Gears. And the texture pop in is a little more noticeable. And I think overall Gears is probably more visually striking. But the environments are hardly comparable in size or in design, and I haven't played more than an hour and a half of the game.

I will say I am pretty happy with performance in combat. I haven't had the game choke on my once when it actually mattered.
 

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
FFChris said:
Could be #1. Maybe the textures were so compressed that it takes extra time for them to be taken from the disk and uncompressed, hence why they load in so slowly.

Of course, the UT3 engine is notorious for pop-in, it happens in a lot of games with that engine, so it's more likely to be that I think.

I'm no computer genius though.
I think it is necessary in order to display such high-resolution textures. Uncharted has the same issues (though nowhere near as bad).
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
BenjaminBirdie said:
I've heard a lot of complaints about autosaving. Is there no manual saving functionality?

No, you can manually save. It also autosaves at critical points.

The game so far as been really sexellent, I'd probably pull an all-dayer if it weren't for class at 4.
 

Variable

Member
Just purchased the game, but I found out about the Dell day of deals thing in Canada so I saved $15 on the game. The only down side is that I wont get it until Dec 3rd. Oh well, time to catch up on Call of Duty 4, Assassins Creed, Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3, Legend of Zelda Phantom Hour Glass, Halo 3 and Project Gotham Racing 4.
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
FFChris said:
Go on...skip them...

Haha.

My comments so far:

--The dialog is pretty natural up to the point I played. Bioware is known for the wildly stupid three choice outcome™ stuff, but so far I'd say everything has been a reasonable choice. No, "HOW R BABBYS FORMED? [anger]" type stuff yet.

--The music is really beyond my expectations.

--The combat works really well. It feels like a shooter, but it isn't, which is nice. Very smooth, nice squad controls, and I like the ring menus. I don't quite get the cover system. I'm sorry developers, but "push forwardto enter cover" isn't good anymore. Too many games have showed us that there is a better way. But it is functional. Not like Call of Duty "cover" or whatever.

--I think the conversation system is really impressive, and the voice acting has been quite nice. I'd say this with the exception of Captain Anderson, whose face is so fat his lips did not really move when he talked.

--Where is the lesbo sex

thank you and good night
 

Sectus

Member
RSTEIN said:
It's interested. I wonder why this is. Thoughts:

1) They said they had to perform "miracles" to get the game on one disc. Could this have been a solution (but isn't the game < 6 gigs or something)?

2) There are a lot more textures on the disc to access.

3) They received, like many other devs it appears, a gimped UE3 toolset.


Please note I have no idea what I'm talking about and I'm making this up as I go.
I'm not a technical genius, but I seriously doubt it's related to the size of anything on the DVD. It seems to be more like a limitation of the relatively slow loading from the dvd drive, and it seems like a feature of the UE3 engine to only load lowres textures/models before starting a map, and then dynamically loading hires textures while playing.

They could probably have eliminated the problem if they loaded all the textures before starting the map/cutscene, or made the game freeze up for a split second whenever it needed to show a highres texture which wasn't loaded yet. But that would just be trading one annoying problem for another.

Considering the annoying texture pop-ins and the occasional awful framerate I get the impression this game was designed to be played on a PC.
 

Dalauz

Member
BenjaminBirdie said:
I've heard a lot of complaints about autosaving. Is there no manual saving functionality?
The only big issue about autosaving is in explorations parts. The rest is OK (at least worked ok for me)
 

careksims

Member
I been on a media blackout for this game til I get the game and I find out I can get it today, finally! I know some already had it since last week but I had so many games to finish before this! Now I can concentrate all of it to Mass Effect for the Thanksgiving break! Hooray!
 

tak

Member
Y2Kev said:
--The dialog is pretty natural up to the point I played. Bioware is known for the wildly stupid three choice outcome™ stuff, but so far I'd say everything has been a reasonable choice. No, "HOW R BABBYS FORMED? [anger]" type stuff yet.

--The combat works really well. It feels like a shooter, but it isn't, which is nice. Very smooth, nice squad controls, and I like the ring menus. I don't quite get the cover system. I'm sorry developers, but "push forwardto enter cover" isn't good anymore. Too many games have showed us that there is a better way. But it is functional. Not like Call of Duty "cover" or whatever.

--I think the conversation system is really impressive, and the voice acting has been quite nice. I'd say this with the exception of Captain Anderson, whose face is so fat his lips did not really move when he talked.
Those are the three things that have impressed me the most too. I've only played for a short amount of time, but the dialog and voice acting are really impressive for this type of game. In addition, the combat is a lot better then I thought it would be. It's not prefect, but I think it works a lot better then other similar games.
 

Spire

Subconscious Brolonging
Either the bugged out or I'm just retaded.
I went back to the bar to kill Fist and after clearing everyone out, the back door wouldn't open. I searched high and low, talked to everyone and couldn't find a way to open the door or progress past that point.
 

Dalauz

Member
Spire said:
Either the bugged out or I'm just retaded.
I went back to the bar to kill Fist and after clearing everyone out, the back door wouldn't open. I searched high and low, talked to everyone and couldn't find a way to open the door or progress past that point.
try loot the disk in Fist room
 

Quazar

Member
Just picked it up, cant wait to dive in it. How is the debuffing in this game, crucial or just useless like a lot of other RPGs these days? I'm thinking about taking Engineer/Tech route.
 

Odrion

Banned
God damn the loading nitpicking is stupid.

You only see it when you load a file or go through inventory! Who gives a shit!
 
Coop said:
I'm 2 hours in and I only have one question. How are some people beating this game in 12 hours? O_O

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

ad nauseum
 

Edwood

Member
BenjaminBirdie said:
[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

ad nauseum

LOL, prettty much how I played all if Bioware's other games when playing through again for the other ending. :lol
 

JayDubya

Banned
BenjaminBirdie said:
[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

[Shut up and get out of my way!]

ad nauseum

You're forgetting the punching and shooting people that annoy you so they stop talking aspect. :lol Readily evident in most trailers so far that you can dodge out of a lot of conversations and opportunities to talk your way out of stuff.
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
JayDubya said:
You're forgetting the punching and shooting people that annoy you so they stop talking aspect. :lol


Awesome. I smell "Ruthless" in my very near future. I've already started kinda, walking out of Gamestop with a decidedly un-free Mass Effect strategy guide. Does that gimme Renegade points?? ;-)
 

Dalauz

Member
Quazar said:
Just picked it up, cant wait to dive in it. How is the debuffing in this game, crucial or just useless like a lot of other RPGs these days? I'm thinking about taking Engineer/Tech route.
Debuffing/CC is kinda hard at low levels, you have too much cooldowns in almost everything. Once you level and expend some points and get some nice lvl VI+ omnitools (less cooldowns more effects duration).. is overpowered.

I always play as Debuffer/CCer @ MMO's and was viable in ME.

sorry for my engRish.
 

jet1911

Member
I love the music in the elevator. :lol

You're forgetting the punching and shooting people that annoy you so they stop talking aspect. Readily evident in most trailers so far that you can dodge out of a lot of conversations and opportunities to talk your way out of stuff.

I shot my way out of some sidequests already. It was awesome. :D
 

Quazar

Member
Dalauz said:
Debuffing/CC is kinda hard at low levels, you have too much cooldowns in almost everything. Once you level and expend some points and get some nice lvl VI+ omnitools (less cooldowns more effects duration).. is overpowered.

I always play as Debuffer/CCer @ MMO's and was viable in ME.

sorry for my engRish.

Cool, thanks. Was trying to bring that MMO thought in this game. >.> I really hope these fights require strategy, it's my major gripe with RPGs these days. They're too easy.
 

VALIS

Member
Just started up, the two things that really stand out so far are the faces and the music. The music is some kinda wonderful icy space-synth shit, and the faces are jarringly real looking. Well, kinda. The mouth area is a little stiff, and everyone kind of has this pan-face-ugly thing going on, but screen caps don't do it justice. The faces really are remarkable.
 

JayDubya

Banned
bob_arctor said:
Awesome. I smell "Ruthless" in my very near future. I've already started kinda, walking out of Gamestop with a decidedly un-free Mass Effect strategy guide. Does that gimme Renegade points?? ;-)

No, unless I'm mistaken, that makes you a thief. >_>

Bad Bob, no biscuit! Bioware needs teh monies to make teh sequelz.
 

KTallguy

Banned
Got to play for around 30-60 minutes today, my friend and I traded off.

Good:

- Story seems very, very interesting.
- The characters, save the one human male party member in the beginning, are endearing and have a lot of personality.
- Combat is cool, I like the use of all the abilities, although sometimes targeting is a bit weird, I don't really "get" the difference between regular and left trigger aiming.
- Music is great
- Camera can get a bit funky but the shaking during combat provides tension.
- Dialog is pretty awesome, well written and delivered

Bad:

- Framerate and Texture pop in kind of sucks, but in all honesty it doesn't detract from the experience so much. Sometimes the textures take a looong time to come in though :p
- Map and waypoint system is really weird and hard to follow
- Although you have cool dialog options, it doesn't really change much, except in certain "key" areas. I guess it's to be expected.

I thought the elevator was ok, because they have news reports playing while you're riding.
 

xbhaskarx

Member
This game is so good I can barely play it. Just choosing a class and customizing my character took forever.

I'm actually getting worried about my ability to enjoy this game, as I'm not sure it can possibly live up to the ridiculously high expectations I have created for it.
 

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009
The only bad comment I have about this game so far is so minor I feel bad almost saying it: and it's a spoiler, but early on:
shepard looks like he's taking a shit when he's possessed by the beacon
 

Sectus

Member
Quazar said:
Just picked it up, cant wait to dive in it. How is the debuffing in this game, crucial or just useless like a lot of other RPGs these days? I'm thinking about taking Engineer/Tech route.
From what I've experienced, it's near useless, even at higher levels. An effect like disabling enemy weapons for a few seconds just isn't worth it. Stunning enemies completely (via biotics) is far more effective. Simply shooting enemies is even more effective.

There's still a fair amount of tactics involved though. Although I wouldn't say it's directly related to the skills. I'm playing on hardcore now and there's definitely some fights which are near impossbile unless you try to be a bit cunning with how you fight the enemies. Setting up an ambush and leading enemies into it is a very effective way to deal with some of the tougher fights. (I just wish it was actually possible to specifically select a spot for each party member to stand in.... it's pure hell trying to get party members to stand where you want them)
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
JayDubya said:
No, unless I'm mistaken, that makes you a thief. >_>

Bad Bob, no biscuit! Bioware needs teh monies to make teh sequelz.

Well, I did buy the game at the same time as the thievery. Well, slightly prior to the thievery. Perhaps I'm more of a Paragon/Renegade combination? Or is that Scoundrel? Will my whole galactic career consist of shooting first???


OMGPLEASETIMEGOFASTEREATDINNERSLEEPYTIMEKIDSSLEEPYTIMEWIFEPLAYPLAYPLAY!!
 
Y2Kev said:
The only bad comment I have about this game so far is so minor I feel bad almost saying it: and it's a spoiler, but early on:
shepard looks like he's taking a shit when he's possessed by the beacon

I thought that when I saw it in the trailer.
 

DrBo42

Member
I was playing a bit here at lunch and I gotta say the game is truly gorgeous. I went with the default Shepard because it's the companies 360 and I wanted to jump in quickly. (Pun recognized but not intended) I kept going around seeing who I could talk to on the ship and barely got to any combat in the 45 minutes I played. I can already tell the story is going to rule me for the coming holiday. As soon as I got to the combat I had to turn it off because some people wanted to play Guitar Hero 3. It seemed pretty solid though. Can't wait until I get home. :D
 

duffey

Member
bob_arctor said:
Awesome. I smell "Ruthless" in my very near future. I've already started kinda, walking out of Gamestop with a decidedly un-free Mass Effect strategy guide. Does that gimme Renegade points?? ;-)
Why would you admit that? Seriously.
 

Burger

Member
Played for several hours now.

Good:
+ Graphics are incredible. Seriously, animation is top notch, I got goosebumps during the first big flight sequence (you will know it when you see it)
+ Music is awesome. Che described it as Vangelis like, which is a great description.
+ Dialogue system is amazing. Somehow I immediately know what my response will be and it makes the conversation flow like buttah. You can see the marionette strings behind it occasionally, but it's of no consequence.
+ Game is DEEP. I've played for like 7-8 hours and only done the first planet, which is part of the overall story.
+ Characters are great. I've had a few little winks from Ashley, I've been putting on the charm.
+ Art/Design is way above average. Seriously.

Bad:
- Weapons/Inventory management is almost all text based. Would have been much better if each weapon had a little icon next to it.
- Very minor framerate and texture pop in issues. Still, totally do not care because your forced suspension of disbelief always makes up for it.
- Not enough time in the day to play it.


Thanks Bioware!
 
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