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Dumpshock Forums _ General Gaming _ Mass Effect 3
Posted by: Sixgun_Sage Jan 22 2012, 07:08 PM
Who here is looking forward to it? I am about half an hour from finishing my second playthrough on ME2 with my version of Shepard being a level 30 Infiltrator, I have the Kasumi and Zaeed mission packs, Firewalker and the Firepower DLC as well after finishing the game once with no DLC and yes, downloaded Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning so I can have the Reckoner Armor and Chakram Rifle. Obviously I am geared up and ready to see Mass Effect 3 drop but I wanted to hear everyone else on the board's thoughts.
Posted by: Tanegar Jan 22 2012, 09:14 PM
I never finished the first one.
Posted by: LurkerOutThere Jan 22 2012, 10:28 PM
I played the first one on my xbox and got the second for PC. Having beaten the first one on PC i wanted credit so i selected an online save file closest to my choices, but that knowledge that I was playing someone elses character was also kind of jarring and i want to fix that before ME 3. On the other hand ME 1 and 2 are quite the slog to go through again.
Posted by: Wounded Ronin Jan 23 2012, 03:41 AM
I always plan to try a different Shepard, but after finishing the game one time and enjoying it, I never find that I have the time to replay it.
I'll look forward to 3.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Jan 23 2012, 05:44 AM
I'm a self-admitted ME fanboy. Jonesing for 3. I've played through ME1 3-4 times in full, ME2 easily double that number, and am running a new character from ME1 all the way through 2 so it's ready for 3 when it hits. Yeah, I'm one of *those* people.
Posted by: Faraday Jan 23 2012, 07:51 AM
Know that feeling. Already did my run through though, so I'm set.
Posted by: Blade Jan 23 2012, 09:46 AM
I liked the first one, though it had many problems such as most side missions (and land vehicle trips) being bland and repetitive and having only one real "city".
I'm currently playing the second one, with the same badass John Blade Shepard (though I regret having chosen a male, I played the first one in French and it had surprisingly good voice-over, but the English Shephard is just completely uninspired), and though I still have a lot of fun with the story and conversation options, I find the gameplay very repetitive. Most missions are just a succession of boring battles (find a cover, use power, shoot shoot, hide, wait, use power, shoot, shoot and so on).
Posted by: crash2029 Jan 23 2012, 10:15 AM
I loved ME1 and then when ME2 came out I about had an aneurysm. I am chomping at the bit for ME3, as I have been since I last heard about it last year. I just hope it doesnt come out while I'm on vacation in march. That would suck, the whole time I would be thinking "it's out and I don't have it! Gaah!"
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Jan 23 2012, 01:31 PM
3/6/12. 
EDIT: Corrected date.
Posted by: Sixgun_Sage Jan 23 2012, 04:57 PM
From discussions I've seen elsewhere the general consensus seems to be a level cap of 50 or 60 for ME3...
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Jan 31 2012, 05:12 PM
So who is going to forsake their Significant Other in favor of the ME3 Demo on 2/14? (I'm not, though it is a little tempting...)
Posted by: X-Kalibur Jan 31 2012, 08:10 PM
I would never forsake Tali! Oh right... you mean... nevermind.
Posted by: Tiralee Jan 31 2012, 11:39 PM
Ah yes the MShep/FemShep debate:)
After having been told, "you could at least TRY it" I went and started a MShep...10 minutes later, with the stilted dialogue and bland sameness from the character, I reloaded my FemShep character and had her run as a Renegate alt.
Scary thing is, I was accruing more "lightside points" than Renegade, while being a royal bitch. Weird.
At least I managed to run both through MProbeLaunchedEProbeLaunched2, fluking a perfect ending (everyone made it, and this time I wasn't trying for it) with the Queen of Bitch alt. Also, it's a pity Jack wasn't with that whole huggy/feely crap, being an ex-con - I always suspected she was after Garis.
Also, being a bitch makes Grunt like you...a LOT, really fast. No..not that way...
-Tir
I hope to fuck they dump that thermal clip bullshit....
Posted by: Faraday Feb 1 2012, 03:58 AM
I hope to fuck they dump that thermal clip bullshit....
Not gonna happen, sadly.
Posted by: X-Kalibur Feb 1 2012, 07:52 PM
You only hate the thermal clips until you play on nightmare as a Soldier. Then you love it.
Posted by: Bigity Feb 2 2012, 02:03 PM
Looking forward to ME3, Diablo 3, and the X-COM strategy remake (not the FPS). And Borderlands 2.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Feb 19 2012, 02:46 AM
So who nabbed the demo and what did they think?
Posted by: Yerameyahu Feb 19 2012, 03:50 AM
The multiplayer isn't bad. Still not as smooth and dynamic as a real FPS (and for good or ill, that's what they're aiming at), but they brought back weapon customization and leveling. The difficulty is higher, and it encourages teamwork. It feels like Uncharted 2's multiplayer to me (which isn't wonderful). It has sticky cover, bleh, and you can't really run and jump as you'd like; on the other hand, you have all kinds of guns and powers to wreck people with, and annoying diverse enemies.
Posted by: DWC Feb 19 2012, 05:53 AM
I like the Kinect integration, since it almost covers for how clumsy the interface is. That said, after playing the PC and 360 versions of the demo, game play is still vastly superior for the PC. If I didn't have 100% complete saves for the first two on my XBox, I'd be swapping my preorder first thing tomorrow morning.
Oh, and Jennifer Hale rules. She's why I wound up playing a Republic Trooper in SWTOR.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Feb 19 2012, 09:33 PM
I like the increased pace of the game thus far, as well as the amped up textures (though some look... off for some reason... too much bump mapping I think). I love the addition of the melee attack. It's nice seeing an adept unload with biotics as we've seen in so many cutscenes in the past 2 games. All in all, I'm pretty stoked.
Other than the "Getting soft in the middle" comment, I can't yet see any justification for the loss of all abilities from the previous game, when you were at the height of your ability.
Also, they'd best have a damned good explanation for why Cerberus turned on my Renegade Shepard that gave TIM the base. Else I'm gonna rip his ass in half with my femshep's biotics.
Oh, and agreed: Jennifer Hale friggin' rules. LOVE her voice acting. I need to get SWTOR still. That's on the list, but can't do it until I rebuild my main system. Got the new system specced out, just gotta get together the funds.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Feb 20 2012, 05:05 AM
I've been suspicious of the Illusive Man since I saw his eyes.
Y'know, the eyes that look just like the ones that the reaper-converted humans have?
-k
Posted by: Bigity Feb 20 2012, 01:38 PM
One idea I've heard is that TIM started putting reaper tech into his body, with bad results.
Posted by: crash2029 Feb 21 2012, 02:24 AM
Other than the "Getting soft in the middle" comment, I can't yet see any justification for the loss of all abilities from the previous game, when you were at the height of your ability.
Also, they'd best have a damned good explanation for why Cerberus turned on my Renegade Shepard that gave TIM the base. Else I'm gonna rip his ass in half with my femshep's biotics.
Oh, and agreed: Jennifer Hale friggin' rules. LOVE her voice acting. I need to get SWTOR still. That's on the list, but can't do it until I rebuild my main system. Got the new system specced out, just gotta get together the funds.
From what I've read, if you import your save you will start at the level you were when you saved.
Posted by: Lindt Feb 21 2012, 03:12 AM
Yeah, I have 3 different play thru's ready for ME3. The "Hey, lets play thru ME1 before ME2 comes out" which basically only got me the major plot points, but its 'MY' character. The default start ME2 renegade biotic (how crap did the default start suck or what?!?), and the genuinely paragon game I downloaded from the net.
Far too excited. Unfortunately, It drops 12 weeks before my masters thesis is due. If this gets spoiled, I will murder people.
Posted by: X-Kalibur Feb 21 2012, 06:41 AM
Or good results. I personally am a fan of that theory.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Feb 22 2012, 03:49 PM
I found out when I imported my latest ME1 completion into ME2 that it was the 10th time I'd completed ME1. I.... feel kinda lame about that. LOL
At least I still pause or turn it off when the wife or child need tending to.
Posted by: Vilda Feb 26 2012, 10:36 AM
But there is no need for theories regarding Jack Harper's eyes, just read https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/354.mass-effect-evolution/
And regarding Cerberus turning on you, well, some of it is hinted on in Invasion https://digital.darkhorse.com/profile/1902.mass-effect-invasion-1-4-bundle/ and other information is ingame. Two weeks ago, we've had convention in Prague, where guys from EA showed us mission from Mars, just after you take off from Earth... man, I can not wait for the game to launch.
Posted by: Bigity Feb 29 2012, 04:30 PM
Sooooo close to the time I can Charge more nasty batarians in the face before I unload a shotgun into their groins.
And I guess in ME3, even more ways to beat em down.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Mar 2 2012, 01:17 AM
Yeah, now you can biotic punch them in the groin instead of shotgunning.
Posted by: Bigity Mar 2 2012, 07:59 PM
My off-base installation commander (aka Sergeant Major Wifey) has informed me I can get a new PSU to get my second-hand HD 4850 running, or ME3, and have to wait for the other until after our summer vacation. Low blow! But fair enough I guess.
Posted by: Lindt Mar 6 2012, 01:20 PM
No lower then the fact that (as normal) Electronic Arts cant seem to get a PC game right. The Origins distro platform is as I expected, a steaming pile of shit. You would figure that for 85 bucks, it might WORK...
Posted by: Bigity Mar 6 2012, 02:14 PM
And the Origin steam-clone is why I wasn't too upset to wait for the game.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Mar 6 2012, 04:00 PM
Huh. Player Metacritic score for the PC version is 2.
Not a good sign.
-k
Posted by: X-Kalibur Mar 6 2012, 06:42 PM
I picked up a 360 copy on Friday last week, was happy with the game and the culmination of everything. Need to play thru 1 and 2 again now.
Posted by: Bigity Mar 7 2012, 02:27 AM
Not a good sign.
-k
Well, the reviewers review gives it a 5/5. The user reviews are 2.5 with folks complaining about Day 1 DLC etc bombing it with zeros.
Posted by: Mäx Mar 7 2012, 10:10 PM
Not a good sign.
Thats just whiners being whiners, as usual.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Mar 8 2012, 06:24 AM
Ah.
Didn't the other games also have day 1 DLCs? How is this newsworthy?
If it's a good game, it's a good game, regardless of add-on packs.
-k
Posted by: CanRay Mar 8 2012, 03:12 PM
Wasn't the DLC not actually a DLC, but on the disc already? I remember one had that going... If it's on the disc, you shouldn't have to pay twice for it.
Whereas if it's DLC, and you had to Download it because the company didn't have time to PUT it on the disc, that's legit.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 8 2012, 03:36 PM
But, what if it's not on the disc because they had it ready, but deliberately held it back to make you buy it on Day 1? 
It *is* BS, like any DLC in general.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Mar 8 2012, 03:59 PM
Well, yeah, the DLC stuff may be shitty marketing tactics or whatever behavior on the part of the developer, but how does any of that affect the quality of the core game?
-k
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 8 2012, 04:07 PM
I didn't say that. I suppose it could, if they deliberate left out parts of the game to sell as DLC.
Posted by: CanRay Mar 8 2012, 06:21 PM
I still say DLC is like expansion packs...
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 8 2012, 06:28 PM
Sometimes. There's a pretty broad continuum of possibilities, from the traditional 'one complete game' all the way to the 'freemium (everything a la carte) model'. In between are what are traditionally called 'expansions' (Brood Wars, Lord of Destruction, the 3 Guild Wars expansions), which tend to be pretty large. Mass Effect DLC, on the other hand, is usually some guns, a character, a mission. :/
Posted by: almost normal Mar 8 2012, 08:18 PM
-k
Cost analysis. I'm ecstatic to find a good game for 5 dollars that lasts me 20 hours. I'm disappointed when that same game cost me 60 instead. That's 11 6 packs gone forever.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 8 2012, 09:35 PM
It doesn't help that all games (AAA titles? whatever you call them) basically cost $60. So it's not like they're charging you less for the 'smaller' game. I'm not saying it's black and white, that there's even a standard 'size' for a $60 game, etc.… but I understand why people would be tweaked.
Me, I'd buy it when the price goes down anyway, preferably after they bundle the major DLC (like ME2 did). GOTY edition yay!
Posted by: KarmaInferno Mar 10 2012, 01:47 AM
I broke down and got the game.
I just go to the part where EDI... um. Well. Without spoiling for anyone...
I was not expecting that.
-k
Posted by: Adarael Mar 11 2012, 05:11 PM
Me, I'd buy it when the price goes down anyway, preferably after they bundle the major DLC (like ME2 did). GOTY edition yay!
The reason AAA games are always $60 is because lowering your game's price to $50, $40, or even $30 affects your amount of sales by less than 2%, and doesn't affect your review scores at all. People have only two settings for games, when it comes to costs: full price and "bargain" (or "XBLA") price. So basically, if you lower the price on your game, you don't really gain anything by it, and you just lose money. Note: this does not necessarily apply to Steam, but DOES apply to console games. Steam is harder to judge because Valve doesn't release their data. From what I understand, there is a higher correlation of price reduction to purchases on Steam, but it's still not enough to justify cutting prices unless you hit $20 or under, for the initial release. You can bump interest with a short one-day or two-day sale, though.
It's bizzare and counterintuitive, but that's what the data says.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 11 2012, 05:27 PM
No doubt. Economics is stupid. 
On the contrary, my point is precisely that they're doing it to maximize revenue. I meant from the consumer's point of view, you're paying $60 regardless of quality, size, etc. So they can literally make a $60 game, cut out 20% of it, and sell that content back to you for 3-5 'DLC' of $10 each. 
Posted by: Adarael Mar 11 2012, 06:20 PM
Out of curiosity, what games can you think of where 20% of the original package has been cut and made into DLC? I can think of a lot of day-1 DLC that was probably developed in tandem with the base game, but none where a full fifth of the game was made into a paid package.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 11 2012, 06:57 PM
None, it's a hypothetical ("can"). The consumer would never have any way of knowing, and there's often no distinction between 'the game' and 'DLC'. A given gun, character, or mission could easily be fully integrated, or not. Expansions are frequently stuff that was intended as a part of 'the game', but they ran out of time/etc. There's not necessarily any difference between 'base game' and 'tandem material'.
Posted by: CanRay Mar 11 2012, 07:02 PM
Or can be stuff they had to cut out for a variety of reasons, re-imagined, and put into DLC, like what happened with Fallout: New Vegas.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 11 2012, 07:07 PM
I agree. But it can also *not* be.
Posted by: CanRay Mar 11 2012, 07:21 PM
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 11 2012, 07:36 PM
It does get pretty mystic. Still, I feel like consumers have a clear emotional sense of 'real' and 'fake' DLC, and frustration with it. And given all the unclear lines and unknowable details, it's understandable that this should happen.
Posted by: CanRay Mar 11 2012, 07:55 PM
Yeah, the problem is the people that see things as "Black" and "White". A properly done DLC is like a Expansion Pack. A cheap one that is only a character and gear is also OK. A full-price one that is just gear and a character is fake.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 11 2012, 08:14 PM
Yup. And you can see how 'day-1' also plays a role. Oh well.
Posted by: Whipstitch Mar 12 2012, 12:58 AM
It'd be easier if people's opinions were a bit more consistent with this stuff, although admittedly my impression of player base schizophrenia is due in part to the fact that some of the people way off in left field by themselves are sometimes also the people screaming the loudest. Look at Starcraft II and the array of opinions about the decision to spread the game out as a trilogy of sorts, for example. Even just looking at a cross section of the disappointed purchasers ran the gamut from subjective but measured and understandable criticisms like "I feel that Blizzard's decision is exploitative of the fanbase" to the slightly demented-- I know a guy who claimed that "Wings of Liberty isn't even a complete game and the people who bought it are idiots." He actually got fired from Gamestop over it because he'd say that to customers. I mean hey, I grok hyperbole just fine, but at some point you're just doing yourself a disservice.
Posted by: bibliophile20 Mar 12 2012, 06:38 PM
Well, just finished it last night (at 2:30 in the morning... ... what?). Very good, very epic. There were bits that made me laugh, that made me cry, that made me go "hell yeah!", that made me sick to my stomach, that made me go "daww," and more. ... From a video game. I think Mr. Spielberg's challenge has been answered. Also, I think my dad nailed when I showed him ME1 several years ago: "This is not a game. This is a participatory movie."
That being said, the ending(s) is making my brain chew and think, and there's a little nugget of "but what if...?"; I blame too much GMing, with having to analyze and project outcomes. Now, back to ME1, to play through as female adept Shepherd with assault rifles! ... What? (Also, thank goodness my Shadowrun players are all on spring break this week!)
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 12 2012, 07:02 PM
Posted by: Dr.Rockso Mar 12 2012, 07:12 PM
I think its misleading, as a statement. What I hope it means is that you have the depth and feel of a movie, yet the choices and interactivity of a video game. What I hope it doesn't mean is that your on board the story train (choo! choo!) and that you get to choose whether to go left or right, but it really amounts to the same conclusion with little to no changes. Kind of like the ending of DE: Human Revolution or All of MGS4.
Posted by: ggodo Mar 12 2012, 07:12 PM
I'd like to throw in that the Day One DLC isn't on disc, but very much should've been a part of the main game. The character has some serious backstory/plot-relevance and the best dialogue throughout the game. Leaving him out is dumb. I'm not buying the game because I refuse to allow EA's beta DRM onto my machine after the damage their last DRM did. If their fully functionally DRM can nigh brick me, I don't want their broken shit on my machine. Fortunately a housemate bought the XBOX version. Also, play the multiplayer, it doesn't add to your War Assets, IT MULTIPLIES THEM! AND CAN BE A NUMBER LESS THAN ONE! That's not an issue over here simply because the entire house is playing the multiplayer whenever the actual game owner isn't playing singleplayer, though it's driven some reviewers insane.
Posted by: ggodo Mar 12 2012, 07:12 PM
I'd like to throw in that the Day One DLC isn't on disc, but very much should've been a part of the main game. The character has some serious backstory/plot-relevance and the best dialogue throughout the game. Leaving him out is dumb. I'm not buying the game because I refuse to allow EA's beta DRM onto my machine after the damage their last DRM did. If their fully functionally DRM can nigh brick me, I don't want their broken shit on my machine. Fortunately a housemate bought the XBOX version. Also, play the multiplayer, it doesn't add to your War Assets, IT MULTIPLIES THEM! AND CAN BE A NUMBER LESS THAN ONE! That's not an issue over here simply because the entire house is playing the multiplayer whenever the actual game owner isn't playing singleplayer, though it's driven some reviewers insane.
Posted by: Dr.Rockso Mar 12 2012, 07:20 PM
I might be willing to get the extra character, depending on how awesome they are. Shale from Dragon Age was an awesome addition that they didn't have time to fully implement in the original game(supposedly,anyway).
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 12 2012, 07:26 PM
It also depends on the price, so you never know.
Haha, ggodo, that's what I was thinking. The demo multiplayer was pretty fun, and I only care so much about the actual plot… might as well help out a friend!
Posted by: X-Kalibur Mar 14 2012, 08:23 PM
Without really spoiling anything, since achievements and whatnot give it away...
It's a prothean.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 14 2012, 09:03 PM
That's not a spoiler, it's stated in the advertising and everything.
Posted by: X-Kalibur Mar 14 2012, 11:02 PM
Since I played thru ME3 before official launch date, I have to finish my ME1>ME2 run thru into 3 before I can try it out. So I didn't even know it was part of the advertising gimmick. I just bought it and downloaded it (and trust me, it was not "on disk" DLC) while playing ME1 again.
Currently on ME2 (insanity) as an adept. Cleared the collector ship last night. Now to recruit everyone and do as many side missions as I can before doing the IFF mission. Insanity feels like a fair challenge... unless you play a vanguard. Don't do that.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Mar 15 2012, 03:35 AM
I really enjoyed ME3. I've got a few more playthroughs to do now.
My one beef was that a custom face from ME1 will NOT import into ME3 in most cases. I had to recreate all of my faces in the ME2 creator, write down the code and import it into 3 that way, and tweak it to make it fit. Annoying as hell, but at the end of 37 hrs of play, I'd long since forgotten.
The Prothean squad mate is very relevant to the game. In many ways, he's equivalent to Shale, in that the character was integrated but the process of getting him wasn't finished, and his addition is a fantastic one. I wholly recommend picking up the Ashes DLC.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 15 2012, 03:44 AM
I noticed that 'I can't get the right face' on a few webcomics/etc., and I just don't understand. Why… do you care? I guess I leave the helmet on anyway.
Ha, that's not helping the case that they didn't screw the buyer out of core content!
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Mar 18 2012, 04:33 PM
See, I prefer the helmet off. I like seeing the face of the character I'm playing. And the face had to be changed to get to ME3. It's weird hearing the same voice with a different face, I think is a huge part of it.
Plus, for a lot of people, the face of their Shepard is how they most identify the character. For that to suddenly change, it messes up your connection.
For me, what annoyed me most were the new hairstyles. Apparently between 2 and 3, Shepard stopped caring about grooming.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 18 2012, 04:44 PM
Weird, 'emotional' crap. This is why Master Chief was better. I guess I just don't connect with the character, who's really just a placeholder in the middle of the story for your own (forced) decisions. If you play through once as male, and then as female, surely that messes with you more than having the wrong chin shape?
That aside, it *is* impressive that they managed to bork the whole face/hair system between two games that are basically identical (game engine). Talk about your unforced errors!
Posted by: X-Kalibur Mar 19 2012, 07:03 PM
Beat Insanity with my adept over the weekend, last boss was a chump. Imported her into 3 for some renegade goodness. Then, what took me a week on insanity to do... took me a little more than a day to do on casual with a sentinel just to get thru (and do EVERY side mission) on paragon because my original import had goofed somewhere in 1 or 2.
What have I become?
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Mar 20 2012, 02:53 AM
See, as a roleplayer, I can connect with multiple characters. In ME, I have 3 separate male sheps and 1 femshep. And I'm able to connect with them because prior to playthrough, I came up with guidelines as to how they'll respond to the world. Femshep is a bitch, but she's loyal to her people. So she'll be nice to them, but stomp a mudhole in you if you get in her way. My main male shep is consumate good guy. Infiltrator shep is practical above all else, and the final one is a good guy but happily kicks the crap out of those who mess with his friends.
It's funny that recently I've had issues connecting with my actual PnP RPG characters more than I did in ME.
Fuck. I'm such a fanboi. I hate people like me.
Posted by: Yerameyahu Mar 20 2012, 02:56 AM
See, for me the 'roleplaying' choices are so simplistic and lame, the characters have no personality beyond 'nice' and 'mean'.
Posted by: Jhaiisiin Mar 23 2012, 07:16 PM
To each their own.
Posted by: KarmaInferno Mar 24 2012, 03:06 AM
http://darthsanddroids.net/episodes/0702.html
-k
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