Mass Effect Series Thread

[Xenos]

But multiplayer was one of the best things about Mass Effect 3...

 

Granted, I suppose focusing solely on single-player first and foremost for a title like this, which is basically a new start, would be a good idea, but I'd like multiplayer to come back with some new things added.

[RidersDX]

I am dying for a new Mass Effect don't get me wrong, but there's an expectation for the next game to be as big if not bigger than the previous games. Being the first new game after the original trilogy, it's even more key that they get the game right. So I would definitely much rather wait than get a game that was rushed.

 

It was nice to see them tease us a bit with some behind the scenes footage though it didn't reveal all that much.

[Patticus]

BioWare: Mass Effect 4 will reference original trilogy but remain separate - "We've got a really cool idea for how we're going to carry on."

The next Mass Effect game will reference the series' existing trilogy, BioWare has said, although there's still no clear confirmation of when the new title will be set.

 

But, when quizzed on the subject, BioWare Edmonton and Montreal boss Aaryn Flynn told Game Trailers that the developer had a "really cool idea" for how the franchise would continue.

 

"I can't get into that too much. We've got a really cool idea for how we're going to carry on - keep the trilogy separate but at the same time give a bunch of nods to fans who enjoyed the trilogy in the past," he teased.

"That's all going to come out soon."

 

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-06-11-bioware-mass-effect-4-will-reference-original-trilogy-but-remain-separate

 

E3 2014 EA press conference BioWare video:

I am comforted somewhat that they seem to know how they're going to carry the series on. I have absolutely no idea what they're going to do to reference the original trilogy yet keep it more or less completely separated, as there are so many potential ways to do it (Flash forward or back in time, new galaxy, alternate universe, chalk up inconvenient bits of the story to the end of ME3's storyteller's failing memory etc). That said, as long as the whole writing team is involved from start to finish, checking and balancing one another along the way, I remain very hopeful for the series' future.

[ImPantsAtThis]

Jos Hendriks @Sjosz

 

Moved my desk to the corner. I'd take a picture but every wall around me has secret information I can't share.

 

 

BioWare's day-to-day continues.

 

--

 

Firstly, sorry if I got anyone's hopes up by bumping, but I'd like to ask everyone a question.

 

What is the key element of Mass Effect to you? (no wrong answers, would just like to get a measure of everybody's thoughts)

 

My answer below, spoilers for all 3 games:

 

A lot of people mention exploration, or meeting new races as what they feel Mass Effect is about. In my mind though, it has always been a tale about humanity's place in the galaxy -- do they fit in, how do they align themselves and with whom, are they mistrusted?, etc. and I've always found it intriguing. This has weaved its way into the Paragon/Renegade system (at least in the first game). Paragon is about accepting new races, trying to integrate by putting the needs of the whole galaxy over potential human advancement, whereas as Renegade is for those who would rather humans be above the other species, or simply doesn't trust the aliens. Think about it: you're humanity's first human spectre, and you go about making tough decisions and destabilising faith in the council by going after Saren. Then you have to answer to the human media and military, defending your choices to work with the aliens by bringing them on your crew and such. It's also reflected in the council choice at the end and, despite the Reapers showing up, I think that's what the first game was about.

 

In the second game, this theme is largely abandoned in favour of telling the stories of your own crew. No matter what happened in the citadel at ME 1's close, people are a bit quieter about smack-talking humans in this one. That's not to say there aren't examples. My favourite is the Rodam Expeditions guy, Etarn Tiron. If you let the council die, he is positively caustic to Shepard and humans, stating his job is to 'beat the hell out of humans who try to mess with the merchandise'. If you saved the council, however, he's one of the friendliest NPCs in the game, admitting he'd name his first-born after Shepard of they asked. This, along with mention of an arms race between the humans and turians (if you let the council die) is a good show that the humans' rise is going entirely unopposed.

 

The third game... well, I don't like talking about it, since I didn't enjoy it too much. That said, this one is all about Shepard trying to convince the rest of the galaxy they should help him retake the human homeworld. This is less about the galaxy thinking the humans are worth it to beat the Reapers, as you may have expected, but is more about uniting the whole galaxy to fight a common foe. This is also a few years after humans have taken at least one seat in the council, so the others are a little more accustomed to humanity and the Alliance now. As a result, there isn't too much conflict regarding whether humans are doing too much or are trying to run the show. Of course, along the way you still have to deal with some races (you can guess which ones) who either want to leave Earth to burn in order to slow down the Reapers, or don't want to play nice with the other races, calling Shepard and humanity and 'bully'. Obviously, it seems crisis doesn't always engender co-operation. "I'd call it human nature, but..."

 

What about you? What do you think?

 

[Chaos Incarnate]

Firstly, sorry if I got anyone's hopes up by bumping, but I'd like to ask everyone a question.

 

What is the key element of Mass Effect to you? (no wrong answers, would just like to get a measure of everybody's thoughts)

 

What about you? What do you think?

To me, Mass Effect has always been about the characters, first and foremost. If it weren't for building up relationships, how would I feel even close enough of a shit about this series?

 

Shooting cans on top of the Presidium with my broski Garrus, becoming Grunt's battlemaster, gaining an escaped psychotic convict's respect, getting a sentimental moment with Liara's time capsule, giving my shuttle pilot the will to live again after losing his husband (by even romancing the sweet heart in one of my playthroughs), and hearing my ship's one and only Scientist Salarian pour his heart out through his very own rendition of Gilbert and Sullivan; it's those kind of moments with these people that are going to be remembered by me and define the series.

 

 

Gah, right in the feels!

 

I find it to be an interesting universe, but I guarantee you fans would hardly be as attached or outspoken if it weren't for this utterly compelling and relatable crew of people that endeared throughout the trilogy.

[Xenos]

Rumor spreading around that Mass Effect 4 got leaked.

 

NARRATIVE:

• Premise: Set in the Helius Cluster of the Andromeda Galaxy, removed by time and space from the Mass Effect "Commander Shepard" trilogy and its ending. Play as a "Pathfinder" explorer leading expedition with the aim of establishing new home for humanity. Encounter "savage untamed lands", "cut-throat outlaws", and "warring alien races" in an effort to survive and colonies. Andromeda is home to a mysterious alien race, the Remnants, who've left their vaults and ancient technology throughout.
• Game Objective: Explore 100s of solar systems (over 4x size of Mass Effect 3) collecting resources, developing your ship, crew, and arsenal, while engaging in diplomacy in order to set up colonies, while discovering the mystery behind the Remnants and racing to secure their technology.
• New Species: Remnants, an ancient race who've left ruins and technology throughout the galaxy. And Khet, seemingly antagonistic.
• Squadmates: Same as previous games: make friends, take two with you on missions. Cora is able to generate biotic shields you can fire out of. Drack is a Krogan.
• Loyalty Missions: Same as previous games: complete to unlock increased loyalty and new skill tree for that character. Example: Krogan colony ship has been stolen by outlaws. Track down the ship and return it to increase loyalty with Drack. Dialogue trees and end game impacted by loyalty status.
• Dialogue: "Meaningful choices". Deeper control over responses, such as interrupting conversation. Action based choices are physical choices to shape the course of conversation, such as pulling out a weapon and forcing them to open a door instead of attempting to do so purely via conversation.

EXPLORATION/CUSTOMISATION

• Tempest Starship: Pilotable ship to discover 100s of solar systems. Customisable with trophies/loot/photos taken through the galaxy. Transition between flying ship, to landing on planet, to driving Mako, to getting out on foot, all seamless with no loading screens.
• Mako Vehicle: Upgradeable with turbo boost, shield generator, hostile detector, etc. Customisable paint job.
• Planets: 100s of surfaces to explore, for discovering places to colonise, and alien vaults/outputs to conquer.
• Colonies: Build settlements on habitable planets. Able to decide what type of settlement for bonuses. EG: Recon Settlements will clear fog of war on space map and offer more strike team missions, meanwhile Mining Settlements will periodically supply crafting materials.
• Blueprints: Allow you to craft alien technology using materials for better equipment and weapons, such as a jetpack for jumping, cryo-beam to target enemies, etc.
• Crew: Customisable skill trees, gear, weapons, etc.

MISSIONS TYPES AND MULTIPLAYER:

• Remnant Vault Raids: Ancient ruins in two variants. Standard: Accessed by finding and activating Remnant Monoliths, explored to find a "powerful artefact". Acquiring artefact triggers defence systems: robots, traps, and restructured layout. Rewards with valuable loot, crafting resources, and Star Keys. Orbital Facilities: Unlocked with Star Keys, provide permanent stat bonuses, and optional higher difficulty vault raids that add Khet patrols and outlaws. Rewards with rare loot and narrative acclaim.
• Khet Outposts: Optional wave-based combat challenges that reward with XP, reduced Khet power and additional narrative options in the region if destroyed.
• Strike Team: Spend resources to recruit mercenaries and develop AI controlled strike teams to be deployed on randomly generated, time sensitive missions. Include settlement defence and remnant artefact recovery. Strike Teams return 20 - 30 minutes later with XP, currency, and equipment depending on mission outcome. Spend money/resources to train Strike Team, and buy better equipment, to increase success rate and send on dangerous missions.
• Active Strike Team: See above, however you can choose to complete the Strike Team mission manually via play using your multiplayer roster of characters. Able to play co-op with friends, more friends increasing difficulty and rewards. Bonus rewards for joining another players strike team mission. XP, loot, and customisation rewards for Strike Team played characters are cohesive with multiplayer specific horde mode.
• Horde Mode: Similar to Mass Effect 3: four players against waves of enemies with additional objectives such as disabling a bomb or assassinating a target. Similar XP/loot rewards to Mass Effect 3. APEX funds earned to be used in single player.

 

All of this sounds pretty crazy, a bit skeptical it'll be too close to Mass Effect: Inquisition though. Since Dragon Age Inquisition got leaked the exact same way and all of the information was correct, I think it's safe to say that this, or most of this, is legit.

EDIT: And if you still have doubt, you skeptics out there (yeah, I see you), That pathfinder thing probably isn't made up shit, considering these shirts that Bioware Montreal have.

[Solkia]

*squeals*

 

Mass Effect 2 is the first WRPG I've played that not only didn't leave me with a shitty impression, but actually got me addicted.

 

I would gladly welcome Mass Effect 4

[Gabz Girl]

That sounds so so SO GOOD! o__o I just hope the story is better executed than Mass Effect 3. Gameplay wise it sounds amazing though.

[KrazyBean]

That sounds insane. Can't wait for E3!

[Xenos]

Am I the only one hoping the loyalty missions resemble Mass Effect 2's more instead of Inquisition's let-me-just-mask-this-generic-quest-with-shallow-character-development? Then again, I could say that about pretty much all the features they're showing off. Saddling an epic sci-fi space opera with fetch quests, grindathons, and loot gathering is not a good look.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Andromeda Galaxy? Oh you crafty bastards, that might actually work without the story baggage of the original trilogy.

 

Though not to unexpected, it also makes sense. The Reapers essentially controlled the Milky Way Galaxy, so with them being friends/destroyed it would only make sense to use their highly advanced technology to reach another galaxy.

[Patticus]

Pretty sure that they'd need a planet- or star-sized relay to make it out to the Andromeda galaxy, due to the monstrous distances involved making traditional FTL travel impractical. Unless they're planning on ignoring the rules laid down in prior games.

 

Oh and Chaos, ME4 takes place concurrently to the events of ME1-3, meaning tech born of the war is not in play yet. If old Reaper or dead civ tech is in use, it has been procured from a site the Reapers were unaware of. Maybe that half a billion year old ship the Batarians half-inched?

[Xenos]

Cryogenic sleep is the popular theory, essentially it sets for Andromeda sometime during the events of Mass Effect 3, and by the time it gets there and lands on a good place for the first settlements, hundreds of years have passed, or maybe even a thousand.

 

But I'm pretty sure on the aspect of the prologue of the game being the ship heading out during ME3, and then the game actually starting when you get there. I think that's the best way to address the original trilogy without the baggage.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Oh and Chaos, ME4 takes place concurrently to the events of ME1-3, meaning tech born of the war is not in play yet. If old Reaper or dead civ tech is in use, it has been procured from a site the Reapers were unaware of. Maybe that half a billion year old ship the Batarians half-inched?

Okay...now they got some 'splaining to do again.

 

At least it still sidesteps the whole mess they did with ME3's ending, so that's one plus.

[Patticus]

Unfortunately, the series now cannot return to the Milky Way galaxy in a "main" game (not a spin-off set earlier/concurrently) without that issue being addressed.

 

Honestly, they could remaster ME3 and tweak the final segment from the Earth landing onward, utilizing the entire writing staff team this time, and nobody would mind, and suddenly a world of new sequel possibilities emerge.

[Solkia]

So I finished Mass Effect 2

 

I went into this game expecting to hate it, but it really is an incredible game from beginning to end.

 

I failed Thane's Loyalty mission, and he also died escorting the doctor while Mordin died trying to close the door on the Collectors.

 

So now I'm doing a FemShep playthrough

 

 

Time to fuck Garrus

[Dobkeratops]

So now I'm doing a FemShep playthrough

 

Time to fuck Garrus

 

This is how Mass Effect 2 is meant to be played.

[Wittymations]

With this rumor, was it ever actually stated that ME4 was meant to take place during ME1-3? I know the stating of being "in Shepard's lifetime." But honestly, that seems a little vague to me. I mean, sure, it can be when it's absolutely guaranteed to be a live ME1-2 (He can technically die in 2 making your particular Reaper threat incoming without Shepard. And hell he DID die in 2 guaranteed), but he can also live in one of the ME3's destroy ending (and kinda in the control ending? Maybe?).

 

I'd hope they're looking at it from Shepard's time of being alive with the average expected human lifespan as "Shepard's lifetime." Like 10 years or something after ME3. That'd give enough of an excuse to find a way to travel dark space.

 

Best to take place after original trilogy. Use Reaper tech to advance space travel. Or have extra time flourish since Reaper harvest has been bested. Otherwise, continuity is

 

Problematic.

 

[

 

I do suppose there's other possibilities.

- Finding a new cache of Prothean data for traveling dark space that was never completed before the Reaper invasion.

- Similar to the above, but rather than Prothean data, it's a data cache from race from the other Galaxy who went to explore Milky Way.

- Private groups funding dark matter study. There is two years and six months of available time to work with of stuff not happening. The two years between ME1 to ME2. As well as the six months between ME2 to ME3. Perhaps a business is funding N7 to test dark matter energy and colonize new galaxies?

 

Some ideas I'm coming up with for it taking place at the same time as original trilogy.

[Solkia]

This is how Mass Effect 2 is meant to be played.

 

Okay, hold the phone

 

So I got to the point where I could romance Garrus. He talks about the C-Sec story about reach and flexibillity, so I use this as a chance to flirt with him by using the same words.

 

Do you know how this motherfucker replies?

 

 

Garrus do people not flirt in your race I'm trying to get you to fuck me you dumb green lizard human

[Xenos]

I feel like he was honestly playing dumb. The way that line is spelled out just feels way too deliberate.

[Solkia]

I love how in his loyalty mission he's this hardened badass who will end you if you cross him.

 

And then you suggest sex and he's just a huge fucking dork

[Xenos]

Oh my god Garrus please.

 

I really did miss out on something great when I dedicated it all to playing Male Shepard.

 

At least Tali fills the void nicely...

[Solkia]

You could make a new account on your console and make femshep on that

[Xenos]

Whenever I try to do a femshep playthrough my immersion is about as palpable as air. I don't know what it is but it just never sticks.

 

I'll be fine being friendzoned by Garrus, but only Garrus.

[Solkia]

 

Jesus Christ Garrus

 

Your game is so bad I actually had to use a Paragon action to fix it.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Alpha Solkia