Mass Effect 3 Will Bring Back the "Fun and Lightness"

JeanLuc761

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That sounds like an absurd overreaction DarkHuntress. They're simply saying that fans responded well to the humor they added to Mass Effect 2, so they want to add more AS WELL as making the game darker for the finale.
 

JeanLuc761

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Souplex said:
Will it bring back the RPG elements while it's at it?
This argument is getting old, and it all comes down to how you define an RPG. If you see it as stats building and a lot of armor/weapon customization, then I can see how Mass Effect 2 failed. I choose to look at it in a different, and more literal light.

Mass Effect (both of them) has been the best and truest RPG I've played yet because, unlike any other, I can influence the story and the people around me. I can choose how I look, how I act, how I play. I truly am playing/embodying a role, rather than simply building up stats on a completely pre-defined character.
 

ImprovizoR

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I was hoping they would return to the lighter atmosphere of Mass Effect 1. They should also bring back planet exploration and item management from ME1. ME2 was an awesome 3rd person shooter, but I prefer an RPG. I appreciate ME2 for what it is, and I think it's somewhat better then ME1, but if they want to impress fans they should take the best from ME1 and ME2 and combine them in ME3, plus some new gameplay elements they'll probably come up with.
 

Silent 1

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I really don't see how Mass Effect 3 will work, I have an image in my head of Shepard hiding behind a chest high wall fighting a with a pistol and it's not doing anything... And the Reaper is saying WTF is he doing???
 

Lizard_viking

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jthm said:
Xaositect said:
jthm said:
As far as being won back, All I can say is won back to what? What would you like back from the first game? That horrible inventory system? The gel door opening minigame? Clunky goddamn controls and long elevator rides? No, Mass Effect 2 was a step in the right direction (several steps in fact, and at a running pace).
The vastly superior story (anyone who thinks ME2s plot is better is an idiot and is wrong - it sucked). The smaller in number, but better fleshed out characters. The better variety of squadmate banter. The better designed and uninterrupted gameworld, instead of crappy waist high cover as far as the eye can see cluttering up one off "shooting galleries" that finish with a "mission complete" screen (and godawful, boring repetative loading screens playing the same shitty schemetics constantly: ME1 had a clever use of hiding long loading screens - ME2 has long and boring loading screens).

Its always funny to see the ME2 fanboys list off the major flaws of ME1, as if by someone acknowledging the fact that ME2 was a dumbed down piece of shit shooter automatically means that ME1 was gaming perfection.

No, ultimately I just want back from ME1 the feeling of basically playing a game not designed for dumbasses like you.
Still losing that battle against maturity, eh? I like how I'm the "dumbass" yet you're the one to stoop to personal insults over nothing but an opinion. My advice? Stop arguing with me now, you only make yourself look worse. I can't help but wonder if I'm being trolled here.

Your "vastly superior story?" Cthulu in space. Try reading some H.P. Lovecraft, then come tell me I'm wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u590xaLpkDg&feature=related

I hate to have to be the one to tell you this, but ME1 was a cover based shooter too. I know it's been a long time since you actually played it, but yes, the run to cover system was there and the only way to win at harder difficulties. ME2 just smoothed it out, made it fit with the controls and the rest of the game. Don't believe me? Here's a walkthrough video, combat starts (and ends quickly) at about the 1:40 mark. Look to the left and right. Why, is that waist high cover in the form of conveniently placed rocks? It is! Continue playing, look for railings, boxes tram car walls. All waist high cover! SHOCK!

SPOILERS

As to the "smaller in number and better fleshed out characters", did we play different games here? I'd like a specific example of any character from Mass Effect 1 having a more fleshed out story than any character in Mass Effect 2. The only one I could see an argument for is Wrex, possibly the only complex character in the first game. And even then, I'd say that finding out your father is a monster (Tali and Jacob, ME2), making the decision between mass murder and mind control (Legion), deciding to show mercy rather than indulge in vengeance (Garrus, who always took revenge in his sidequest in ME1), letting go of your love for the greater good (Kasumi) killing your own daughter to protect strangers from her (Samarra) not telling your people about the war crimes committed against them in order to preserve peace (Legion, Tali) all of these situations and story telling elements are as good as, if not better, the Wrex point to support Saren or not when he cures the Genophage.
So seriously, where is the storytelling better in ME1 than ME2? I really want to know.

Squadmate banter? Is that what you call it when your squad stands in a loading screen/elevator and has a scripted convo that you knew was going to come up when you got in the elevator? That's somehow better than say, Garrus and Tali making fun of that same banter while running through a level? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qL27phynI&feature=related

You call the elevators clever? Really? I call it pace breaking.

List of improvements.
Loading screen > Endless Elevator Ride
Tweaked mechanics > old, clunky combat engine
firewalker dlc and probes > horrible controlling Mako
ME 2 Music >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ME 1 music
weapons specific to classes >>> Everyone gets the same 4 weapons, but only some classes can aim.
Darker storyline, punctuated by humor > Lack of humor or emotional inflection of any kind
ME2 Voice acting >>>>> ME 1 Voice acting.
variety of character models > choice of buff guy or butch chick
Final boss followed by climactic ending scene and promise of new threat rising into credits >>> half hearted ending movie of plotholes followed by... talking to two crap rendered, unlikable characters about which unlikable twat you should leave in charge instead in what amounts to the same conversation regardless of your decision to save/kill the council.

I'll post more as I think of 'em.
Oh look. Anything can sound shitty if you want it to, you just did it.

ME2 may have some good characters (I thought so) but it also had a terrible plot, terrible ME1 cast cameos, stupid plot devices (Shepard's death, Shuttle scene). The only thing good about the main plot was TIM.
 

Cynical skeptic

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... uh... huh.

Sounds like another case of accurate information not surviving the game of "telephone" that is market research.

Like someone else said (almost a month ago!) the problem with me2 is that it wasn't dark, at all, despite the game insisting at every turn that it was. Then, the few segments that were actually dark (mordin.) were utterly brilliant.

Also, the each individual side-character character in me2 had just about as much 'screen time' as characters in me1. Saying otherwise is pure delusion.

The problems with me1 is it was a very shoddy product. Too many systems operating on too high a level of illusory complexity, confusing the stupids and boring anyone with capacity to figure out none of it meant much of anything. But once it passes through all the layers of useless individuals who's only skillset is "ensuring I have a job," it becomes "GAEM ES 2 COMPLICTD, U MAEK SIMPL!"

As far as the story, me2 is still entirely too clean for what it's trying to portray. The idea they're going to make it lighter is just disappointing.
 

jthm

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Lizard_viking said:
jthm said:
Xaositect said:
jthm said:
As far as being won back, All I can say is won back to what? What would you like back from the first game? That horrible inventory system? The gel door opening minigame? Clunky goddamn controls and long elevator rides? No, Mass Effect 2 was a step in the right direction (several steps in fact, and at a running pace).
The vastly superior story (anyone who thinks ME2s plot is better is an idiot and is wrong - it sucked). The smaller in number, but better fleshed out characters. The better variety of squadmate banter. The better designed and uninterrupted gameworld, instead of crappy waist high cover as far as the eye can see cluttering up one off "shooting galleries" that finish with a "mission complete" screen (and godawful, boring repetative loading screens playing the same shitty schemetics constantly: ME1 had a clever use of hiding long loading screens - ME2 has long and boring loading screens).

Its always funny to see the ME2 fanboys list off the major flaws of ME1, as if by someone acknowledging the fact that ME2 was a dumbed down piece of shit shooter automatically means that ME1 was gaming perfection.

No, ultimately I just want back from ME1 the feeling of basically playing a game not designed for dumbasses like you.
Still losing that battle against maturity, eh? I like how I'm the "dumbass" yet you're the one to stoop to personal insults over nothing but an opinion. My advice? Stop arguing with me now, you only make yourself look worse. I can't help but wonder if I'm being trolled here.

Your "vastly superior story?" Cthulu in space. Try reading some H.P. Lovecraft, then come tell me I'm wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u590xaLpkDg&feature=related

I hate to have to be the one to tell you this, but ME1 was a cover based shooter too. I know it's been a long time since you actually played it, but yes, the run to cover system was there and the only way to win at harder difficulties. ME2 just smoothed it out, made it fit with the controls and the rest of the game. Don't believe me? Here's a walkthrough video, combat starts (and ends quickly) at about the 1:40 mark. Look to the left and right. Why, is that waist high cover in the form of conveniently placed rocks? It is! Continue playing, look for railings, boxes tram car walls. All waist high cover! SHOCK!

SPOILERS

As to the "smaller in number and better fleshed out characters", did we play different games here? I'd like a specific example of any character from Mass Effect 1 having a more fleshed out story than any character in Mass Effect 2. The only one I could see an argument for is Wrex, possibly the only complex character in the first game. And even then, I'd say that finding out your father is a monster (Tali and Jacob, ME2), making the decision between mass murder and mind control (Legion), deciding to show mercy rather than indulge in vengeance (Garrus, who always took revenge in his sidequest in ME1), letting go of your love for the greater good (Kasumi) killing your own daughter to protect strangers from her (Samarra) not telling your people about the war crimes committed against them in order to preserve peace (Legion, Tali) all of these situations and story telling elements are as good as, if not better, the Wrex point to support Saren or not when he cures the Genophage.
So seriously, where is the storytelling better in ME1 than ME2? I really want to know.

Squadmate banter? Is that what you call it when your squad stands in a loading screen/elevator and has a scripted convo that you knew was going to come up when you got in the elevator? That's somehow better than say, Garrus and Tali making fun of that same banter while running through a level? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4qL27phynI&feature=related

You call the elevators clever? Really? I call it pace breaking.

List of improvements.
Loading screen > Endless Elevator Ride
Tweaked mechanics > old, clunky combat engine
firewalker dlc and probes > horrible controlling Mako
ME 2 Music >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ME 1 music
weapons specific to classes >>> Everyone gets the same 4 weapons, but only some classes can aim.
Darker storyline, punctuated by humor > Lack of humor or emotional inflection of any kind
ME2 Voice acting >>>>> ME 1 Voice acting.
variety of character models > choice of buff guy or butch chick
Final boss followed by climactic ending scene and promise of new threat rising into credits >>> half hearted ending movie of plotholes followed by... talking to two crap rendered, unlikable characters about which unlikable twat you should leave in charge instead in what amounts to the same conversation regardless of your decision to save/kill the council.

I'll post more as I think of 'em.
Oh look. Anything can sound shitty if you want it to, you just did it.

ME2 may have some good characters (I thought so) but it also had a terrible plot, terrible ME1 cast cameos, stupid plot devices (Shepard's death, Shuttle scene). The only thing good about the main plot was TIM.
No, it had a pretty good plot with a terrible ending (a human reaper? Why?). ME1 explained the reapers were unable to get back into the galaxy quickly without the Citadel access point and that needed to be addressed.

As far as the ME1 cameos, it's hardly the ME2 dev team's fault that Ashley, Kaidan and Liara were weak characters from the very start. Besides, Garus and Tali were pretty alright. Wrex was the only one with a good reason not to drop everything and help.

The Death thing I sort of agree, but then they needed to give you some excuse to revamp your character if you felt it important to do so.

TIM was cool enough, but Shepard was a more compelling character than him for at least half the game.

I just don't see the argument for ME1 being a better game. In no way, shape or form.
 

Lizard_viking

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jthm said:
/quote]

No, it had a pretty good plot with a terrible ending (a human reaper? Why?). ME1 explained the reapers were unable to get back into the galaxy quickly without the Citadel access point and that needed to be addressed.

As far as the ME1 cameos, it's hardly the ME2 dev team's fault that Ashley, Kaidan and Liara were weak characters from the very start. Besides, Garus and Tali were pretty alright. Wrex was the only one with a good reason not to drop everything and help.

The Death thing I sort of agree, but then they needed to give you some excuse to revamp your character if you felt it important to do so.

TIM was cool enough, but Shepard was a more compelling character than him for at least half the game.

I just don't see the argument for ME1 being a better game. In no way, shape or form.
Seems we have to agree to disagree then.

Also I fail to see how Liara, Ashley and Kaidan was shallow characters compared to pretty much rest of the cast. Also how can Shepard be a compelling character when he shows less emotions than Gordon Freeman? He doesn't even care about getting killed or the people he cares about accusing him of being a traitor.

In the end it all boils downs to this.

Gameplay department ME2>ME1
Story deparment ME2<ME1
 

jthm

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Lizard_viking said:
jthm said:
/quote]

No, it had a pretty good plot with a terrible ending (a human reaper? Why?). ME1 explained the reapers were unable to get back into the galaxy quickly without the Citadel access point and that needed to be addressed.

As far as the ME1 cameos, it's hardly the ME2 dev team's fault that Ashley, Kaidan and Liara were weak characters from the very start. Besides, Garus and Tali were pretty alright. Wrex was the only one with a good reason not to drop everything and help.

The Death thing I sort of agree, but then they needed to give you some excuse to revamp your character if you felt it important to do so.

TIM was cool enough, but Shepard was a more compelling character than him for at least half the game.

I just don't see the argument for ME1 being a better game. In no way, shape or form.
Seems we have to agree to disagree then.

Also I fail to see how Liara, Ashley and Kaidan was shallow characters compared to pretty much rest of the cast. Also how can Shepard be a compelling character when he shows less emotions than Gordon Freeman? He doesn't even care about getting killed or the people he cares about accusing him of being a traitor.

In the end it all boils downs to this.

Gameplay department ME2>ME1
Story deparment ME2<ME1
Compared to the rest of the cast of ME1? I'll go along with that. None of the characters from the first one were terribly compelling (except possibly Wrex), but since the love interest was one of those three, that's who I picked. As far as Shepard, he (or she) got a lot better in 2, mostly due to improved voice acting. He makes a fair number of comments about not wanting to get killed during the suicide mission. If you're talking about Liara, Ashley and Kaidan compared to the cast of ME2, yeah we will have to agree to disagree, and here's why:

Summarized dialogue trees, assuming you romanced them:
Liara: I speak in a level monotone and show no hint of emotional inflection, even though other asari do, so I can't claim it's a species thing. I'm supposed to be conflicted about my mother being a bad guy, but she was brainwashed, so it's not conflicting at all. Romance? Bonding? What?

Kaiden: I'm the exact same character as Carth Onasi from KOTOR except I have no tragic past. I have a shadowy past that I'm vaguely angry about except I'm not. (B)romance? Bonding? Huh?

Ashley: I'm a mildly xenophobic (racism, but with aliens) marine. I have guilt issues that disappear before you can say first mission over the death of my fellow marines and a smudge on my family honor that I'll only mention once and never again. Actually, this one can make a case for a halfway decent romance story. At least they flirt a little before jumping in the sack.

How am I doing so far?
Now the love interests from ME2 (assuming you played male):

Jack: I'm fucked in the head and insanely powerful. I have trust issues due to coming from an abusive (very abusive) background and hard luck life after. Every conversation is me trying to drive you away like people in real life with low self confidence or perceived mental problems often do. You can be the patient white knight or tell me to get over myself each time and while I never really agree with you, you wear down my barriers one at a time. That's called character development and it's what the first game lacked in all of its characters except Wrex.

Miranda: Massive inferiority complex based upon the situation of her birth (a little like Ashley there, except Miranda brings it up more than once) that nags at her and leaves her feeling "not good enough" no matter what she does. Also, Dat Ass. I'd say weakest romance in game.

Tali: Shy girl, watching idol from afar all through first game, has grown a bit in confidence after leading a commando team of her own, still worships shephard. Fiercely loyal to her persecuted people, but otherwise a quiet, shy type who stands in awe of you, which makes over flirtation from her a negative, but slip ups revealing her feelings are inevitable (again, like in real life). Kind of like dating a geeky Isreali girl I once knew. Cutest romance in game.

And that's just the romance parts! Leaving Wrex aside, can you honestly tell me that any character in ME1 had as compelling a moment in game as Mordin does when he's confronted with the results of his actions? That was some deep, well done storytelling. I'm certainly willing to listen to anyone who can say that "this point in ME1 was better than that" if you can back it up and cite specifics.
 

Boba Frag

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Quesa said:
So, in other words, it's Ewok time.
Oh, sweet Jesus no!!!

Lol

Still, I'm relaxed in the knowledge that Bioware is gonna put a lot of care and attention into Mass Effect 3, as they have done with the first two brilliant installments.

God, I love this series...