Mass Effect 2 "Sim-Shipping" on PC, Xbox 360

Andy Chalk

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Nov 12, 2002
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Mass Effect 2 "Sim-Shipping" on PC, Xbox 360


Xbox 360 [http://www./bioware.com] and PC at the same time.

Mass Effect [http://masseffect.bioware.com/me1/] didn't appear on the PC until six months after it was released as an Xbox 360 exclusive in November 2007. The delay turned out to be a good deal for PC gamers, given the numerous interface tweaks and overall performance boost the game was given, but according to associate producer Jesse Houston that's not going to happen the second time around; when Mass Effect 2 is released, we're all going to get the same game at the same time.

"We learned a lot from building the PC version before, and having built it six months later there was a big difference. So we actually took what we learned from PC and put it back into 360," he said in an interview with VG247 [http://www.vg247.com/2009/08/21/exclusive-vg247-talks-mass-effect-2-with-associate-producer-jesse-houston/].

"Fundamentally, we want you to have the same gameplay experience, but just with the difference in controls," he continued. "This time around, doing it at the same time for a sim-ship, we can control the differences much more smoothly because it's the same team building it now."

He also noted that while much of the coverage of the game thus far has concentrated on improvements in the combat system, BioWare has taken great pains to significantly upgrade other aspects of the game as well. "The physical amount of content in the game is almost double this time round," he said. "Visual assets, dialogue, how conversations work: the game itself is absolutely huge."


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oneniesteledain

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Aug 5, 2009
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That's freakin' awesome. For once, a major game released on PC as well as a console isn't being tossed on the back burner.
 

Doug

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Apr 23, 2008
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Nice! I won't have to wait to get this on my preferred PC now! Hoorah!

Also, looking forward to ME2; should be good!
 

Azhrarn-101

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While I love this announcement, I wonder if that means the PC controls will be less well done than in the PC version of the original Mass Effect, since for that one the UI was completely rebuilt and much improved from the original Xbox version.
 

Rhayn

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Jul 8, 2008
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Good ol' Bioware. Looking forward to this a lot.

Think I'll have to dust off my Shepard and play through it once more.
 

oneniesteledain

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Azhrarn-101 said:
While I love this announcement, I wonder if that means the PC controls will be less well done than in the PC version of the original Mass Effect, since for that one the UI was completely rebuilt and much improved from the original Xbox version.
I think the idea is the 360 and PC teams are the same, so they'll be able to make the 360 version better from what they learned in the PC, as they state.

We'll see in 6 months.
 

Dyp100

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Jul 14, 2009
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I really have no idea which to get. X_X

I mean, I like the 360 version cos my PC CPU sucks, but I'm gonna get Dragon Age, so I might end up getting the PC version for the armour on both games. xD (Depends if I upgrade my CPU by then.)
 

Sampler

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May 5, 2008
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Azhrarn-101 said:
While I love this announcement, I wonder if that means the PC controls will be less well done than in the PC version of the original Mass Effect, since for that one the UI was completely rebuilt and much improved from the original Xbox version.
Yes, rather than using the UI that garned good feedback from the original PC ME they'll probably use the much noted crappier original one from the 360...

Is your brain located in your pants?
 

fix-the-spade

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Oh my goodness I'm looking forward to this game.

Mass Effect has such a huge amount of effort put into it, I really hope this one has the same level of ambition and doesn't fall into the same traps KotOR2 fell into.
 

Somethingfake

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"The game itself is absolutely huge." And it's going to be incredibly complex. Hopefully, the PC version will avoid game stopping bugs and CTD's that seem to be a part of a PC gamers life nowadays.
 

IrrelevantTangent

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Malygris said:
He also noted that while much of the coverage of the game thus far has concentrated on improvements in the combat system, BioWare has taken great pains to significantly upgrade other aspects of the game as well. "The physical amount of content in the game is almost double this time round," he said. "Visual assets, dialogue, how conversations work: the game itself is absolutely huge."
If the amount of anticipation I currently have for Mass Effect 2 could be measured in the amount of electric output created if my brain was hooked up to a generator, I could light up an entire state. Consider me completely sold. This, along with Left 4 Dead 2, is probably my number-one anticipated game, hands-down.
 

RyuGaiden

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Nov 20, 2008
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Correct, Marq. KOTOR2 was done by Obsidian, the guys making Alpha Protocol. Mass Effect 2 is high on my wish list, but I wish I knew when it was coming out. Summer blockbuster of 2010, anyone?
 

Crimsane

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Damn. I was hoping for another console "beta", so that any problems will be fixed for the PC version before it launches.
 

Azhrarn-101

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Sampler said:
Azhrarn-101 said:
While I love this announcement, I wonder if that means the PC controls will be less well done than in the PC version of the original Mass Effect, since for that one the UI was completely rebuilt and much improved from the original Xbox version.
Yes, rather than using the UI that garned good feedback from the original PC ME they'll probably use the much noted crappier original one from the 360...

Is your brain located in your pants?
Not, not there last time I checked. ;)

As for using the "crappier" 360 version, I wouldn't be surprised, the new PC UI wasn't exactly designed for console controls, so they might make an adjusted version incorporating some of the PC improvements, lets just hope it'll give a good result and enjoy the game when it comes out.
 

Byers

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Nov 21, 2008
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fix-the-spade said:
Oh my goodness I'm looking forward to this game.

Mass Effect has such a huge amount of effort put into it, I really hope this one has the same level of ambition and doesn't fall into the same traps KotOR2 fell into.
KOTOR2 was made by Obsidian, not Bioware. Neverwinter Nights 2 were also made by Obsidian. Both were pretty lackluster so fortunately they're doing Mass Effect 2 themselves. Bioware's track record is pretty astounding, it's a pity they had to give someone else the reins with some of their properties, needlessly sullying their reputation a bit, considering many people assume the sequels are made by the same company who did the original.
 

RebelRising

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Holy mackerel, it is absolute torture to make me wait another 4-5 months for this game. I am so deliriously excited about it; it's going to be amazing.

That, and this decision in particular is just good business sense.
 

7ru7h

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Jul 8, 2009
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My god, this is the best news I have heard all day. Now, lets hope this becomes a trend and continues with other game devs.
 

cleverlymadeup

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oneniesteledain said:
That's freakin' awesome. For once, a major game released on PC as well as a console isn't being tossed on the back burner.
for once? sorry to say but the pc has ALWAYS gotten better stuff over the console and had games released for it mostly at the same time with a few exceptions