Mass Effect Hype Preview

[Judge Hades]

"New" dialog system? What's is it?

[jaguars4ever]

It's an Action RPG.

 

In short, it's an action game.

 

Not interested...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's rather a narrow minded view. JE is considered an 'Action RPG' too, but despite being quite possibly the best RPG post-2000, I suppose its classification makes it 'uninteresting' by default, right?

 

At the end of the day, these are just labels. In fact, one would struggle to find a "pure" genre game these days, as most games are sub-genres or use elements from other genres.

 

Can you instantly assert the difference between an Action-RPG, Action-Adventure-RPG, Action-Adventure with RPG elements, turn-based adventure, tactical RPG, etc ad nauseam?

Edited May 13, 2006 by jaguars4ever

[Fenghuang]

What about Bloodlines?!!

 

JE = Better?

[Judge Hades]

I like JE better than Bloodlines.

[Volourn]

BL's role-playing is on par (and in some ways better); but it's combat is much, much worse. In fact, BL's combat makes KOTOR's combat look godly.

 

 

""New" dialog system? What's is it?"

 

I'm not perfectly clear on it as of yet. It seems to combine the typical BIO/Obsidian/Dialogue with a new emotive type. Here's a snip about a convo with a bartender from the various previews:

 

"BioWare chose to play through with the stock bald headed guy, and demonstrated a tense conversation with a bartender. Sheperd walked up and engaged the drink distributor politely at first, inquiring where a certain diplomat might be found. When the barkeep bristled and clammed up, Sheperd was given a few conversation options. In the bottom right hand corner of the screen was displayed red circle, split into six sections. Each section described a basic emotional reaction like "I'm not going to go along with this," but not the exact statement that would be uttered. Picking the more forceful, negative reaction of the bunch two times, Sheperd eventually pulled out a gun and aimed it directly at the bartender's face, and subsequently go the location of the diplomat"

 

 

 

P.S. On top of all the other stuff, I think this illustrates that this is no simple 'action rpg'. Not to many action games have that kind of emphasis on dialogue. Heck, most role-playing games don't either. LOL

 

 

Edited May 13, 2006 by Volourn

[Judge Hades]

Well, from what I have heard ME is going to be fully voiced, even the main Shepard character will be speaking his/her lines so the emotive system might go be best way of doing it giving how they are voicing the characters.

[Volourn]

You'll still get the normal dialogue choices found in BIO games which was biggest worries. I just want to see a screen or a clip of it in action.

[Judge Hades]

So you not only have what you will say but you now control how you say it? That could be interesting.

Edited May 13, 2006 by Judge Hades

[Llyranor]

Yeah, the 'new' dialogue system is indeed intriguing, and seems to have been well-received at E3. I'm just interested in seeing how they'll actually pull it off.

[Judge Hades]

Well, the only way I will see it is if the X Box 360 Premium drops under $100 or they port it over to PC. Would be nice to see that method in Dragon Age, if it is still being made.

[Archmonarch]

So you not only have what you will say but you now control how you say it?  That could be interesting.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

From what I understand, no. To expand slightly on what Volourn said, each section of the "dialogue circle" (for lack of a better term) will contain an approach, such as bully, bribe, persuade, threaten, etc. However, you will not see the actual line you will say.

Once you choose a path of action, the PC will speak the corresponding dialogue.

[Volourn]

"Sheperd was given a few conversation options. In the bottom right hand corner of the screen was displayed red circle, split into six sections. Each section described a basic emotional reaction like "I'm not going to go along with this," but not the exact statement that would be uttered."

 

This is the tricky part, and I asked on the baords if the 'ol dialogue options would still be in along with the emotional add ons and was told yes.

 

That's why I actually want to see a dialogue screen...

[Plano Skywalker]

From what I understand, no. To expand slightly on what Volourn said, each section of the "dialogue circle" (for lack of a better term) will contain an approach, such as bully, bribe, persuade, threaten, etc. However, you will not see the actual line you will say.

Once you choose a path of action, the PC will speak the corresponding dialogue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

hmmm, sounds like their designers were passing around a doobie and playing some Bard's Tale and said "hey, let's do something like that".

 

one of the things I like about being able to see what I am about to say is that it can be used to allow me to fill in my own backstory....without text, there isn't going to be as much of that.

[Fenghuang]

Well it is Canada.

[Tel Aviv]

ME is the reason I will plunk down ducats for a 360.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Me too man, me too.

[Dark_Raven]

Just like the BG series was!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your logic is flawed yet again. Please come back when you have gained Wisdom.

[Volourn]

*goes read the bookS of wisdom after slaughtering 100s of xvarts*

[Dark_Raven]

Well, from what I have heard ME is going to be fully voiced, even the main Shepard character will be speaking his/her lines so the emotive system might go be best way of doing it giving how they are voicing the characters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like fully voiced or near fully voiced games. After playing games like Bloodlines and the Kotor series, I have been spoiled by it. Playing the BG series with its few voiced lines, I find it lacking.

[alanschu]

Heh, isn't E3 itself "closed to the public?"

[jaguars4ever]

*goes read the bookS of wisdom after slaughtering 100s of xvarts*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A typical Tome of Understanding Volourn contains a sober, if dry analysis of forum battles, historic threads, bioware policies, philosophical r00fles, and theories of Jade Empire selling well. While rarely interesting to anyone outside of the gaming circle, it is said that some such tomes have even added a single point to the Wisdom of certain forum-monkeys. Such marvels, however, are the product of potent and magical Kanadian maple leaves placed upon the tome as it is being written. Unfortunately, this same magic causes the tome to disappear after Alanschu logs into the forum.

[Judge Hades]

[Dark_Raven]

You do not approve?

[SHodges]

It's on the Xbox 360, so even if it is an RPG, we can expect a much more action oriented approach...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This seems like the common attitude, and I don't really understand it. It's true that there are console players out there that prefer more action than thinking, but those same players are on the PC as well. I'm sure there are many guys playing Counter Strike Source that wouldn't touch a Fallout game for instance. As a console-first, pc-second guy, trust me, I was just as disappointed at what happened to Deus Ex: Invisible War as the next guy, or that Oblivion was child-proofed and scaled to death, or that Thief III was Splinter Cell'd, etc. I hope that Bioware doesn't share this attitude, because I'd much rather have a deeper Mass Effect as opposed to a twitchy run and gun version.

 

 

As for the game itself, looks awesome, I can't wait to play it. KotOR and Jade Empire were some of the best games I played last gen, I hope the Mass Effect trilogy can keep it up.