Mass Effect Lead Writer: Next Game Can't Be A Spin Off

[Karloff]

Mass Effect Lead Writer: Next Game Can't Be A Spin Off

Mac Walters can't go into specifics, but he can talk about the last game's ending.

"We have agreed to tell a story that doesn't relate necessarily to any of the Shepard events at all, whatsoever," says Mac Walters, Mass Effect's writer throughout the series. The next game absolutely has to feel like Mass Effect, look like Mass Effect, but cannot be a Mass Effect spin off. Don't expect to see Shepard or any of that character's companions; the next game has its own story to tell.

Story telling is much on Walters' mind, particularly after the fan outcry that followed after the end sequence in Mass Effect 3 [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/experienced-points/9506-Mass-Effect-3-Ending-Controversy]. Walters acknowledges that the development team underestimated the level of ownership the fan base felt it had over the character. "I'm not saying that our decision was wrong or right," says Walters. "I think we just underestimated the impact that would have on certain players." It's a lesson learned, says he. Now it's time to go forward, not dwell on the past.

But if you were hoping Walters would say a little more about what the next Mass Effect would be about, rather than what it wouldn't, you're out of luck. We just know it's coming; we don't know what it is.

Source: Complex Gaming [http://www.complex.com/video-games/2013/10/new-york-comic-con-interview-mac-walter-mass-effect-walter-white-moment]


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[Sidmen]

Yeah, this is more-or-less what I had been expecting. Hopefully they put their alien modelling from ME3's multiplayer to use and give us a few options of what kind of character we'd like to play. Even if it was just a selection of different pre-modeled characters. Though, I suppose that'd make voice acting a mess.

 

[carpathic]

Here's hoping for a return to ME1's darker Sci-Fi tone (like a dirty 80's sci fi) and RP heavy mode, or even ME2's compromise between RPG and Shooter elements.

I suspect that is not going to happen, but a man can hope right?

Man, I am still butthurt about ME3's ending. Shouldn't I have let go of it by now?

 

[Doom972]

So it's a game that take place in the Mass Effect universe but doesn't have to do anything with ME's main story arc? That's pretty much a spin-off, as it should be.

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

So it's a game that take place in the Mass Effect universe but doesn't have to do anything with ME's main story arc? That's pretty much a spin-off, as it should be.

Pretty much, this sounds like EA doublespeak to me.

Captcha: sick puppy

 

[Alpha Maeko]

Same universe, different protagonist/companions/perspective?

Isn't that basically the definition of a spinoff? ._.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Unfortunately, whatever Bioware do this game is going to pay for the sins of number 3. I played 3 to finish the story I'd begun two games previously and to sign off those characters, I had an emotional attachment to getting to the end similar to watching Star Wars or reading The Lord of the Rings. I put up with the shrinking of the game to a linear TPS because of that, the bits I remember are all conversations, there's no striking gameplay moment like running up the side of Citadel Tower or stepping through the shattered CIC of the SR1.

The new game, unless the gameplay moves back massively towards Mass Effect 1's variety and ambition I've no interest from a gameplay perspective. Since the story of 1-3 is now officially 'done' I've no attachment to whatever ass pulled plot comes next, however compelling it may actually be.

Even if it's really, really good Bioware and EA are going to have a hard time selling the next Mass Effect to people who consider their involvement with the series 'finished' like me.

Man, I am still butthurt about ME3's ending. Shouldn't I have let go of it by now?

It was a pretty shitty ending to 120 hours plus of game, not just plot wise, the gameplay in the last two hours of ME3 is pretty terrible as well. It's really amazing how lazy it was actually, given that they apparently had/have no intention of continuing the story it begs the question why they didn't structure it like the suicide mission, but apparently running in circles for twenty minutes followed by a QTE and blue/green/red was the epic conclusion John Riccitiello demanded.

 

[JediMB]

I'd be hesitant to touch another Mass Effect regardless, but Mac Walters getting to keep his Lead Writer role?

Nuh-uh. Excitement level: 0.

 

[BloodRed Pixel]

just give us that goddmand, frakking Mass Effect 3.5 we deserve!!!

It's not that Shepard dies, it's that the fucked up ending needs to be finished properly.
And Shepard'S death does also not inherently mean that the story arc is finished, which isn't by the end of ME3.

 

[Primero Holodon]

Same universe, different protagonist/companions/perspective?

Isn't that basically the definition of a spinoff? ._.

I think a spin off is something that explores a minor element that has already been introduced in the series more deeply. Like if the next game followed the backstory of a minor character or companion. It's sort of like how Star trek TNG doesn't have any of the original characters, but it isn't a spin off.

 

[mad825]

or even ME2's compromise between RPG and Shooter elements.

ME2's gameplay was utter shite. From a RPG stand point and as an FPS.

OT:I get the feeling that he wants and is trying to say the ME4 will be a sequel.

 

[fix-the-spade]

I'd be hesitant to touch another Mass Effect regardless, but Mac Walters getting to keep his Lead Writer role?

Nuh-uh. Excitement level: 0.

I think Mac Walters (or any Bioware staff) had very little to do with the end game, the defining factor of it's development would have been when EA told them to spend a third of the budget on a multi player mode and that it had to be tied into the single player and feature micro transactions. Everything from that point on is damage control, including the game we got at the end.

 

[carpathic]

or even ME2's compromise between RPG and Shooter elements.

ME2's gameplay was utter shite. From a RPG stand point and as an FPS.

OT:I get the feeling that he wants and is trying to say the ME4 will be a sequel.

ME2's gameplay was shite. I was often frustrated, and as a person who is not particularly good at shooter games, I found I constantly ran out of ammo and my powers couldn't take care of baddies the way they could in ME1. My supreme hope is that we'll see another ME1, but it is never going to happen.

 

[Legion]

Well you can never underestimate the 'fans' enough.

They will always surprise you with their perceived level of 'ownership' of your own damn work.

Which is largely Bioware's fault to be honest. No other company comes out with things such as:

"And, to be honest, you [the fans] are crafting your Mass Effect story as
much as we are anyway."

Interviewer: "So are you guys the creators or the stewards of the franchise?"
Hudson: "Um? You know, at this point, I think we?re co-creators with
the fans. We use a lot of feedback."

That is not to say that I disagree with you, as some people do take it too far, but Bioware likes to use things such as the above to get people interested pre-release, but not dealing with the fans reactions afterwards.

I was on the Bioware forums a fair bit prior to ME3's release and I guarantee you that there is practically nothing in ME3 at all that fans were clamouring for.

Except for one thing. They gave Joker and EDI a romance.

OT: Like other people it seems they are using the term incorrectly. If it takes place in the ME universe but doesn't follow the story already set out then it is pretty much the definition of a spin-off.

I guess they may mean it is set in a completely different time-zone, like the Knight of the Old Republic did in Star Wars. In which case the game would either be set in the First Contact war, or years after the game finished, around the time they used that idiotic scene with the grandfather talking about "The Shepard" or some time in between.

To be honest the fact that they consider the hologram brat canon has more or less killed my interest in the series anyway. I can't say "never", but in many ways I wish I'd never started the series, knowing I will never get a satisfactory resolution to the story arc.

 

[JediMB]

I'd be hesitant to touch another Mass Effect regardless, but Mac Walters getting to keep his Lead Writer role?

Nuh-uh. Excitement level: 0.

I think Mac Walters (or any Bioware staff) had very little to do with the end game, the defining factor of it's development would have been when EA told them to spend a third of the budget on a multi player mode and that it had to be tied into the single player and feature micro transactions. Everything from that point on is damage control, including the game we got at the end.

While BioWare were quite obviously locked into a scenario that was hard to manage, due to the "Take Back Earth" marketing campaign, it doesn't change that the story Walters and Hudson wrote was full of contradictions and general nonsense.

But the ending isn't the only reason I dislike Walters (and Hudson). There's the shift towards a stronger focus on human characters, and then there's the completely unnecessary character of Vega, who seemed to exist only so that Walters had a character of his own to write.

 

[bug_of_war]

ME2's gameplay was shite. I was often frustrated, and as a person who is not particularly good at shooter games, I found I constantly ran out of ammo and my powers couldn't take care of baddies the way they could in ME1. My supreme hope is that we'll see another ME1, but it is never going to happen.

Wait, so because you are bad at shooters the gameplay of ME2 is bad? That's like someone whom is illiterate saying that the writing in a game is bad.

OT: Cool, I feel extremely sorry for the mostly unwarranted hate/sneers that Bioware are/are going to be getting from many people, but hopefully they'll cool off, watch Jim's latest vid and realise that they're anger is being misused in this situation. One should never hope for failure in an attempt to make something great, encourage Bioware, show them that you're worth striving for, give them constructive critique instead of, "I AM SO BUTTHURT! YOU GUYS ARE JUST SO BAD AND I WILL BUY THIS GAME USED".

Seriously, why should they make a good game if no one seems to like or encourage them?

 

[Metalrocks]

they should fix the ending by getting rid of this retarded spacekid. even when the extended ending did fix the problems, it still would be better if they would have changed the entire ending.

oh, and this sounds like a spin of to me as well.

 

[carpathic]

ME2's gameplay was shite. I was often frustrated, and as a person who is not particularly good at shooter games, I found I constantly ran out of ammo and my powers couldn't take care of baddies the way they could in ME1. My supreme hope is that we'll see another ME1, but it is never going to happen.

Wait, so because you are bad at shooters the gameplay of ME2 is bad? That's like someone whom is illiterate saying that the writing in a game is bad.

OT: Cool, I feel extremely sorry for the mostly unwarranted hate/sneers that Bioware are/are going to be getting from many people, but hopefully they'll cool off, watch Jim's latest vid and realise that they're anger is being misused in this situation. One should never hope for failure in an attempt to make something great, encourage Bioware, show them that you're worth striving for, give them constructive critique instead of, "I AM SO BUTTHURT! YOU GUYS ARE JUST SO BAD AND I WILL BUY THIS GAME USED".

Seriously, why should they make a good game if no one seems to like or encourage them?

Yep.

Though your inflammatory analogy to a person who is illiterate doesn't really apply here. I beat the game, I beat it on insanity with a soldier and an infiltrator. Also, a person who is illiterate is certainly able to judge the strength of the writing in a story - someone else can read it to them. I just don't think I am very good at games that are shooters, I get very frustrated with them.

Though most of my concerns around gameplay being shite had nothing to do with the shooting mechanism, I did beat the game like 6 or 7 times. I just like to see better balance between the powers. I preferred the overheating mechanism of the first game and found it fit better with the regenerating shields/health/armor.