BioWare Breaks Down Mass Effect 3 Game Modes

[RatRace123]

Eh, for me all the RPG stats and equipment setup and stuff is just as much of what Mass Effect is as the story, even if I prefer the story overall.

I'll be sticking with RPG mode, but it's nice to give people options. And, I'll probably go through a story mode playthrough at least once.

 

[4RM3D]

This is a feature they're not forcing to use. If you were to play ME3 you'd choose the RPG option. It in no way impacts your gameplay experience whatsoever. It probably didn't take very many development resources to create. They're adding it with the hope this will get more people to buy and enjoy their game.

To to sum up your stance: It doesn't affect your gameplay experience. It encourages a wider range of players to enjoy Mass Effect. It probably didn't take much effort to implement. = Fuck you Bioware I'm going home.

Well, if you put it like *that*, it ain't all that bad. But to quote Fappy (again, because he formulated it so well):

...but I can't help but wonder if Bioware is going to start broadening their audience too far to the point of alienating their fanbase...

It ain't just Mass Effect 3. It's also Dragon Age 2 and Bioware's direction in general. It's a collection of many things, with Mass Effect 3 being the final straw.

 

[Anti Nudist Cupcake]

Kids these days need even more hand holding?

It's getting ridiculous, I know.

 

[IncredibleTurnip]

It seems kind of like say "Okay, okay. You don't have to PLAY the game. Just BUY the game."

 

[the7ofswords]

My concern is hat by trying to be all things to all people they might fail at all of them, or, at least the one that's most important to me. (i.e., RPG) That being said, this does seem like the most reasonable way to go about it.

But, don't all the shooter fanatics already have options? That is to say CoD:MW & Battlefield and Halo and all that? Those are a nice diversion on occasion, but I want a character-and-story-driven game. That's the whole reason I buy BioWare games.

I'm still looking forward to this ME3, as I loved the first two.

Can't really judge until we've played it, after all ...

 

[Rariow]

I have an internal battle inside me right now. My jerkish, hard-core, asshole PC elitist part (Which exists, though I manage to keep it hidden almost all the time), wants to go in ALL CAPS RAGE MODE against consoles, and everything that isn't an exclusively RPG producer right now. On the other hand, the goody two shoes, kind, understanding, part of me says that not everyone wants to be a hardcore gamer, and that I should be happy to see that these people can enjoy themselves, and that more choice is ALWAYS better, never worse.

Honestly, I think the "nice" part of me is correct. Everyone should have a choice of how to play the game, though I will outright REFUSE to play it on anything but Roleplay mode. I do have to admit, however, that the words "Automatic Dialogue" made me cringe, especially when referring to a BioWare game.

Oh, well. Maybe I'll be able to trick my non-RPG-fan friends into playing this, and hopefully that will make them turn to the light side.

 

[Hyper-space]

Are you listening to yourself? Mass Effect a complex game? My friends and I were playing fucking C&C Tiberium Sun when we were 11.

That's great, I'll take your word for it.

Yeah, moving around 3D space might be daunting for new-comers - which is why they've the first level always much easier than the others (fewer enemies, constant info drip on controls, linear levels, etc). And there's literally nothing complicated about Mass Effect that isn't explained away in the first few minutes i.e. moving, shooting and taking cover. The first game's modding system and item management has been removed as well.

Do you what "perspective" means? It means looking at things from another view or someone else's shoes. So while we as gamers might think to ourselves "Well, this is something I have seen before and I know the logic behind all of the features and how they work in the game" when we see Mass Effect 2, others (read: people who have not been playing video-games for years or decades) would be rightfully confused. This is something that you have to (for once) think as if you are not a gamer who has years of experience, and more of a new-comer who doesn't know the game-logic behind RPGS, FPS, RTS, ect.

A new-comer won't know about all the modifiers that are in an RPG, such as different weapons stats, player stats and so on, meaning that a RELATIVELY (fucking read up on it) complex game such as Mass Effect 2 won't make much sense to them. We can pick up any RPG and always have a rough idea of what the logic behind the game is (that is, what is subject to modifiers such as stats, and what is not) because we've played games that all had the same logic. A new-comer might not get that a red barrel will explode if you shoot it, or that certain items in the environment might be destructible while others are not.

Its these repeating design-choices and features that make up our collective video-game experience, we know the extent and limitations of our interactions with the game enviroment.

So yes, Mass Effect 2 is a complex game for people who are new to video-games, but not for gamers and/or people with experience.

 

[4RM3D]

It ain't just Mass Effect 3. It's also Dragon Age 2 and Bioware's direction in general. It's a collection of many things, with Mass Effect 3 being the final straw.

What things

Bioware "streamlined" Mass Effect's interaction, so that you exactly know what each choice in a conversation does. In Dragon Age 1 you had to actually think before you said something in game. But Dragon Age is another franchise, right? Dragon Age 2 picked up the Mass Effect dialog (among other stuff). Which didn't really improve the game but streamlined dumbed it down more.

Dragon Age 1 didn't really work well for consoles. At least, not as good as the PC version. That was actually (indirectly) a good thing. I mean optimizing games specially for the PC. Instead of the other 99% of the games, which are optimized for the console. But that didn't last long as Dragon Age 2 stripped that one part away and focused on the console instead.

Dragon Age 2 wasn't a bad game, but it wasn't Dragon Age. I also expected more from Bioware, but instead we got something people described as the "Dragon Effect" and one step further away from Baldur's Gate.

Mass Effect 1 was an action/RPG, Mass Effect 2 stripped a lot of the RPG elements away. Even with the simplified RPG elements, Bioware still managed to screw up the class balance, again. And speaking of balance... In Dragon Age 1 the balance was also crap and on top of that the game was far too easy. Although I could have lived with the "easy part".

Mass Effect 3... See my previous post(s).

There is more still, but I don't feel like delving any further into this.

Is Bioware trying to insult us? Scrap that question. I already know the answer. The answer is NO, obviously, because it would be plain stupid otherwise. Then again... No no, I am not actively trying to hate a studio. I want to like game studios, I really do. But they are all making it so hard for me.

I really like The Witcher 2 (minus gameplay balancing); awesome game. The Witcher 2 is everything Dragon Age 2 should (could?) have been. CD Projekt's stance on no DRM in games is also awesome. But then they had to sue gamers who may have played a pirated version. That was just an example. Fortunately, CD Projekt is still on the "good side". I can't say the same for Bioware.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Kids these days need even more hand holding?

What? Do you mean like little children or just teenagers new to video-games? Because when it comes to new players, a little hand-holding is necessary.

I mean really, we take it for granted our years (and in a lot of cases, decades) of experience with video-games and its evolution for granted. When we started playing games it was pretty straight-forward and simple, not much to learn besides the functions of like, 3 buttons or something. But that is not the case with new players, seeing as even "simple" games (nowadays) have more buttons than are in a car, which proves a bit too daunting for new players to get accustomed to. Things such as moving around in a 3-D space in a video-game isn't instinctual and require a bit of practice, we might find it easy seeing as we grew into it and have had years to get accustomed to it.

Its ridiculous to assume that ANYONE new to (or inexperienced with) video-games can just pick up a complex (sure, it may be simple to people who have been playing video-games for years) game such as Mass Effect and immediately learn everything they need. Its akin to trying to teach someone all the mechanics of a small plane in less than half an hour.

I applaud efforts like these that make it more accessible to new gamers without sacrificing content or complexity. This will allow new players to ease their way into the game, so maybe they start out in story or action mode, then go on to the RPG mode when they've learned the ins and outs. Its literally a win-win situation, and anyone who moans about this needs to take their head out of their ass.

That's why games should have a tutorial section which would show them how to play.
Dumbing the game down as much as possible won't do them an real good.

Adding a quick and short tutorial section would be fast and easy. But coding 3 separated mods WILL lead to many bugs and will take a lot of time, which could have been used for something else. Maybe something important?

Mass Effect started as a RPG game. If people want to play Mass Effect, they have to play a RPG game. I don't see anyone complaining that Skyrim isn't an adventure game, a platformer or an FPS, do you?
Why didn't Blizzard make an option for Starcraft II to be a FPS because it is to complicated for new player? Oh wait, they were just smart and added a fucking tutorial.

I'm not saying that they shouldn't try to make it a bit easier for newer player, but they shouldn't change the core of the game.
As I said, a tutorial would be enough. Invest the time and resources in something else or release the game earlier.

 

[Undead Dragon King]

You don't decide what is canon Hudson?

Everyone who offed Leliana in the first Dragon Age would like to have a word with you.

You think that's bad? One word: Revan.

I believe that was George Lucas' decision. And it's his IP, so he gets the "word of God" rule for anything concerning Star Wars

 

[Android2137]

...Maybe I'm stupid, but aren't these just different names for "Casual, Normal, Veteran, Hardcore, Insanity"? I mean Mass Effect was what got me into shooters. I got through the games on Casual, Normal, and even Veteran. How terrible at shooters do you have to be to not get through Casual? You are talking to someone who can't get through Deus Ex tutorial for some reason... (It's the stealthy bits. I suck at the stealthy bits.)

 

[Mikeyfell]

I didn't think I could cry any more.

So they're taking out the role playing part if you want to play on a higher difficulty?

And what's all this crap about Bioware saying their stories don't have cannon?

Why is Leliana alive? They couldn't even maintain the most basic level of consistency between the two Dragon Age games.

I'm going to go sulk...

 

[Actino]

The FUCK?

They put options in the game? Like other people have a different preference than me? The fucking nerve...

...Anyway, the only relatively reasonable argument I've heard against this is that it'll distract them from doing other things.

That is ridiculous.

Lolololololol, well said. Btw, Casey Hudson said it didn't take much work to do, so there are now no valid reasons to complain.

 

[Actino]

A Massive Moan From a Massive Mass Effect Fanboy (Me):

Now I've drawn you in with an uber-cool tongue twister heading, I want to clear up any false speculation, and I want this ?ME3 internet complaining trend? to end. Here are virtually all the complaints and speculation I have heard and my response to them all:

- "EA have ruined Bioware" (easily the most popular complaint) Most people seemed to love Mass Effect 2, yet everyone seems to be echoing this complaint all over the internet. ME3 is not even out yet and people are blaming EA for problems that people don't even know exist. All evidence suggests is that Bioware is very confident and know exactly what the fans want. (Read the developers tweets).

- "Noooo! Multiplayer will take away from single player experience" - they've got a seperate team for multiplayer. - payed for by EA, no doubt. + You don't have to play it + it could be fun! (new features are a good thing). Since the announcement of this new additional feature, I think it's become a natural instinct to complain about ME3 and conform to bashing EA and Bioware for no good reason. ? I hope people can get over this before the game comes out: I can see the metacritic scores now: Average Critic Score: 98, Average User Score: 68. But who knows, maybe the game will have the pleasant surprise effect.

- "Where are the RPG features? I'm not getting this game if they dumb it down." They are doing much more customisation, character development, way more weapons/powers, huge consequences for previous choices. They have stated they are making it as RPG-esque as mass effect 1, but without shit menus. - Since when is over-complexity good?

- "All they're showing is action and gameplay" Of course they are! Conversations don't translate well into trailers and they don't want to ruin parts of the story. (They have to appeal to mainstream audiences as well). Action is also an important part of Mass Effect. Improved combat is a necessity for ME3 and from what I've seen, it looks very satisfying.

- ?DA2 was shit, ME3 better not do the same.? There are about 6 different Bioware teams now and Casey Hudson?s team, who made ME1 + ME2, didn?t make DA2. The Mass Effect team has never let down their fans and I doubt they will in march.

- "I can't get the good ending without multiplayer!? ME3 is gonna be shit." You can still get the good ending without playing multiplayer; it's just one way of getting it!!!!!

- "Online pass? Pre order bonuses? Fuck you EA!" This kind of marketing strategy is used all the time now in video games, but the amount of complaints, for ME3's use of these strategies, has been so over-excessive. Pre order bonuses are nothing new, yet the negativity was astounding, probably because it's become natural to hate on mass effect 3.

- "If it's not on steam, then I'm not getting it" - Your loss! But if you are really willing to sacrifice potentially the best game of this generation and an end to an epic story, then why are you commenting, because clearly your not a major fan of the series.

From things like twitter, Bioware is evidently very confident stating it's "the best game we've ever made", "far better than we originally thought", "so pleased with what we've done, the fans won't be disappointed." and I don't see any reason to doubt them.

I appreciate the need for scepticism, but to me all the issues people are worrying about are either, not actual issues (mere speculation), silly EA marketing things or minority complaints which most people don't agree with.

To me Mass Effect 3 is looking to be a near perfect if not perfect game, which perfectly blends the best from mass effect 1 + 2 and improving every aspect. This is coming from a long term fan that has literally read and watched everything they have released.

Agree or disagree, just understand all the facts I've clarified about the game.

 

[VladG]

Are you listening to yourself? Mass Effect a complex game? My friends and I were playing fucking C&C Tiberium Sun jerking off to how awesome we were when we were 11.

Fixed for what you actually meant to say.

For anyone who is defending Bioware on their decision to include "Action Mode" and attacking those who oppose it: Most of these people are probably concerned what this may mean for Bioware's future games. There have been many scary warning signs as of late and this is one of them.

Beeeeecause.... the possibility of more modes and options is bad?

Bioware CEO: We already dumbed the game down to appeal to a great as possible player base. But we are still unhappy. Isn't there a way to make the game playable for everyone, including children at the age of 1 and elderly people who never played a game in their who lives?

Bioware Dev: Well yes, we just strip the 'game element' out of the game and make it an interactive movie.

Bioware CEO: Excellent, now the game can appeal to everyone sell even more copies.

Well, fuck you Bioware. You have been blacklisted! I won't buy anymore of your games. First you pull a 'Dragon Age 2' and now this!? I don't care if Mass Effect 3 is the epic conclusion. No, as of today you guys do not exist for me anymore.

Holy Jesus someone is riding the hyperbole train.

But where's the mode for me? I can't be bothered with actually playing the game, I just want to watch the cinematics.

Bioware, please delay the game another 4 months and program this mode in.

If you want the cinematics, www.youtube.com. I'm sure they'll be there within a day.

Being serious now, I think this is really starting to take hand-holding too far. The problem isn't exactly having options since the "classic" game mode is still there, most people shouldn't be bothered, right?

Well, the problem is creating these modes takes time (and I think it's safe to assume the game really was delayed for these "modes") and money, resources that were presumably diverted from the actual "core" game since any project will have a finite amount of resources.

It's true, the extra sales might bring in a greater investment so that, realistically, nothing was actually detracted from the game, but who can say if that's really the case?

And before anyone says that a AAA game shouldn't suffer from budget problems, I'd like to point out Deus Ex Human Revolution, the ending on that game was so horribly cut short and rushed I expect they had to choose between a proper ending and keeping the fucking lights on.

Please, find me a link about the ending of Deus Ex being bad (which I don't disagree with) because they were having problems keeping the lights on. No, seriously, go ahead, I'll wait.

....


Oh, what's that? It's just verbal diarrhea that's coming out from you? Ok then.

Seriously though, it's a couple of gameplay options that have absolutely no bearing on how you choose to play the game. It hasn't impacted the release date which has been March for what seems like forever now, and you're quite free to pretend that they're not even there. If this is, for some reason, why you (and I'm using you in a general sense here) decide to not buy ME3, you're actually doing yourself more harm than anything else.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112768-Deus-Ex-Devs-Taunt-Us-With-Cut-Content

Wait, what's that? They DID cut content? Enjoy my verbal diarrhea then. And before you say "but that's not the ending they cut"... well, if you actually think that's a proper ending that was in no way subject to deadlines or drained funding... there's really no point in discussing anything with you. Unless it's about a coloring book.

Oh, as for the specific delay for ME3, not even going to bother with looking up a link, but they did say they were delaying it to make it appeal to a broader audience. Go figure.

 

[TheScientificIssole]

"I'm Commander Shepard and I approve this message!"

(Seriously though, I just hope that there are no achievements related to starting & finishing the game in a particular mode.)

CONSOLATION PRIZES!
Yeah, but Mass Effect without story options is pointless.

 

[RA92]

Are you listening to yourself? Mass Effect a complex game? My friends and I were playing fucking C&C Tiberium Sun jerking off to how awesome we were when we were 11.

Fixed for what you actually meant to say.

Yeah, and putting words into other people's mouth doesn't make you sound like a twat. At all.

 

[Frotality]

you know its going to be a great game when the devs cant decide who the fuck they are appealing to and actually try to directly separate three demographics into different gamemodes.

sigh... im still waiting for the world to start making RPGs again instead of trying to figure out who the hell its making them for.

you want to make an RPG, make one. you want to make an action/RPG, make one. you want to make an action game, fucking make one. nobody will hate you. but for the love of god... get your shit together and figure it out which one ME3 is supposed to be. this endless RPG fanservice/ CoD appeal marketing of yours is getting on my nerves.

 

[Cenzton]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112768-Deus-Ex-Devs-Taunt-Us-With-Cut-Content

Wait, what's that? They DID cut content? Enjoy my verbal diarrhea then. And before you say "but that's not the ending they cut"... well, if you actually think that's a proper ending that was in no way subject to deadlines or drained funding... there's really no point in discussing anything with you. Unless it's about a coloring book.

Oh, as for the specific delay for ME3, not even going to bother with looking up a link, but they did say they were delaying it to make it appeal to a broader audience. Go figure.

Nowhere in the article does it say that the parts cut had anything to do with the ending, nor was is because of any budget problems, which are the two things your referred to in your original statement. Hell, if you even bothered to read the article you linked at all, it specifically states:
"Before fans have a chance to purse their collective lips and burst into petulant wails, the duo clarifies that these cuts were necessary to make Deus Ex: Human Revolution the stunningly detailed game you're likely enjoying at this very moment."

Good try though.

What baffles me most of all is that people think that actual content has been changed for the different modes. It clearly hasn't. The setting merely direct you through that content in different manners.

 

[Cooperblack]

Way to many people spend way to much time dictating how other people should play games.