Mass Effect propaganda - sidequests?

[GhostofAnakin]

Actually, Archie, Bioware has stated that we will be playing Shepherd through ME2 and ME3. You will be able to transfer your character over to the next two games and the decisions you made in the previous game will effect story aspects in the sequels.

 

I just can't see that being possible, at least not to any extent, or to actually affect gameplay in ME2 and ME3. My guess is, it'll be superficial like in KOTOR2, when you could decide whether Revan was male/female, LS/DS. It didn't really profoundly affect the actual universe, it just added a couple of twists to the story.

[Sand]

It is possible because Bioware, making an assumption here, placed "plot tags" on the character file. At each major plot tage it records what the character did. When the character is transfered the plot tags are read by the game and adjust accordingly. Bioware is pulling a Peter Jackson-LotR style production when it comes to the ME triogy.

[Wrath of Dagon]

Unlike KOTOR, ME was planned as a trilogy all along, with the story continuing through all 3 games. But if the consequences are as non-existent as in the first game, who cares? I'd imagine it'll be similar to selecting your background in the first game, where you get a special quest or 2 depending on some decision you made in the 1st game, and a bit of dialog about it.

[Calax]

biggest problem with ME2 using shepard is how will they make all sheps be created equal? I mean a level 60 shepard isn't going to be on part with a new shepard in ME2

[Wrath of Dagon]

You can restart ME1 with a character at level 60. They'll just scale everything to your level. For ME2 they can even let you level up to level higher than 1 to start with, even if you didn't play ME1.

[Sand]

biggest problem with ME2 using shepard is how will they make all sheps be created equal? I mean a level 60 shepard isn't going to be on part with a new shepard in ME2

 

Why would that be an issue in a single player game?

[Xard]

lol level scaling

[GhostofAnakin]

Unlike KOTOR, ME was planned as a trilogy all along, with the story continuing through all 3 games. But if the consequences are as non-existent as in the first game, who cares? I'd imagine it'll be similar to selecting your background in the first game, where you get a special quest or 2 depending on some decision you made in the 1st game, and a bit of dialog about it.

 

I care, because that's been one of the biggest selling points, that you can carry over your character AND the choices you make will have an impact.

 

If they don't make an impact, then there's really no point to even carrying over my Shepard.

[Volourn]

"I care, because that's been one of the biggest selling points,"

 

O RLY?

 

That's one of the big selling points?

 

Doubtful.

 

I woudl think combat, characters, dialogue, the universe, game play, and all that other stuff are all bigger.

 

You are telling us the ability to play Shepard in all 3 games is just a simportant? I doubt it had that much effect on sales either posiitve or negative. L0L

 

That said, I think, playing Shepard as is in ME2 is gonna be lame. You are level 50+, and by then all your abilities are near maxed out so unless they put some new uber abilities (which would be lame), theres' gonna be a lack of character development...

[GhostofAnakin]

"I care, because that's been one of the biggest selling points,"

 

O RLY?

 

That's one of the big selling points?

 

Doubtful.

 

I woudl think combat, characters, dialogue, the universe, game play, and all that other stuff are all bigger.

 

You are telling us the ability to play Shepard in all 3 games is just a simportant? I doubt it had that much effect on sales either posiitve or negative. L0L

 

That said, I think, playing Shepard as is in ME2 is gonna be lame. You are level 50+, and by then all your abilities are near maxed out so unless they put some new uber abilities (which would be lame), theres' gonna be a lack of character development...

 

Volo, if you're going to quote me, quote the entire context of what I said.

 

I said that the ability for your decisions in ME1 to impact what happens in ME2 is one of the biggest selling points for *me*, and thus, if they don't carry that ability forward, I don't see the point in importing my ME1 character into ME2.

 

The only reason I'd even want to use the same character, is if whatever decisions I made in the first game has some kind of impact on the second (and BioWare has inferred as such).

[Rosbjerg]

It'll probably only be minor.. But it can feel big if they play it right.

 

If the game world makes it seem like what you did had a big impact - and there's a few consequences - you'll probably feel like you made an important decision. Then imo it's okay if in actuality (when you think back) it wasn't that big.

 

Smoke and mirrors.

[Sand]

The thing to remember is that ME1 is the first act of the sotry. A lot of the consequences for the decisions made in ME1 won't be really felt til ME2 or even ME3. Such as dealing with the death of a party member who may have a large family might have certain members of that family looking for you seeking answers or that how you handled a situation at a colony could either spark severe instability or give an unsavory individual greater power. We just have to wait and see what Bioware does.

[Laozi]

So you're saying there could be actually no consequences at all

[Sand]

Its a possibility. We won't know at any level of certainty till we get to play ME2 and ME3.

[qt3.14159]

I'm really not sure I'm interested in playing ME2 or 3... the first just didn't do enough to hook me.

[Hell Kitty]

It is possible because Bioware, making an assumption here, placed "plot tags" on the character file. At each major plot tage it records what the character did. When the character is transfered the plot tags are read by the game and adjust accordingly. Bioware is pulling a Peter Jackson-LotR style production when it comes to the ME triogy.

 

These "tags" tend to be pretty obvious, like did you

let the alien queen live

or did you

give the information to the Shadow Broker

. Hopefully they have an effect on the story, rather than just getting mentioned in passing.

 

biggest problem with ME2 using shepard is how will they make all sheps be created equal? I mean a level 60 shepard isn't going to be on part with a new shepard in ME2

 

Yeah. Is the cap going to be raised to 120 or some such, or will we be importing maxed characters, which kinda take away part of the fun.

[GhostofAnakin]

I'm kind of wondering how they (BioWare) are going to account for the different levels of characters a person could theoretically import over. For instance, I finished the game once with one character, and ended about level 34 or so. While a different character has been bumped up to the max of level 60. So I wonder how ME2 is going to take that difference in levels into account.

 

By the way, does anyone else have audio issues with some of the dialogue? Especially when I'm talking to Kaiden and Garrus on the Normandy, during their conversations their voice drops down to a whisper and I find myself having to pump up the volume to ridiculous levels to hear them.

Edited July 14, 2008 by GhostofAnakin

[Sand]

I wold either think they will drop everyone to level 1 again, which is a copout in my ever so humble opinion, or use some form of level scaling.

[Pop]

By the way, does anyone else have audio issues with some of the dialogue? Especially when I'm talking to Kaiden and Garrus on the Normandy, during their conversations their voice drops down to a whisper and I find myself having to pump up the volume to ridiculous levels to hear them.

I had that problem, but only during elevator rides. You had to have subtitles on to get any of those little convos.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Might be bugged 3d sounds. Move the camera around if you can.

[GhostofAnakin]

Mine happens with every single conversation with Kaiden on the Normandy, and with a handful of conversations with Garrus on the Normandy.

[Sand]

I have the same problem, but not with ME but with NWN2 with Neeshka at times.

[Guest The Architect]

Unlike KOTOR, ME was planned as a trilogy all along, with the story continuing through all 3 games. But if the consequences are as non-existent as in the first game, who cares? I'd imagine it'll be similar to selecting your background in the first game, where you get a special quest or 2 depending on some decision you made in the 1st game, and a bit of dialog about it.

 

And what sort of consequences were you looking for exactly? Many decisions you made in the game had consequences.

 

Such as

having to choose whether to sacrifice Ashley or Kaidan, whether to kill Wrex or not {I don't know if you can if you get his armour, though}, whether to let the Rachni queen live or kill her and commit genocide. You think such actions wouldn't have any repercussions?

 

Your treatment of the situations on Noveria and Feros was also something to debate. Simple but bloody, or calculatingly civil? Or what about the wife's body of that Indian guy on the Citadel? Did you let them do their research or get the body returned?

 

 

The consequences of actions don't need to be shoved in our faces for them to be effective.

 

And Ghost Of Anakin, perhaps we may be able to import our character save files into Mass Effect 2, to determine what level we begin as if we are to play as Shepard again. As far as I know, Sand, I haven't heard anyone from BioWare say that we'll be playing as Shepard again in Mass Effect 2.

Edited July 15, 2008 by The Architect

[Sand]

Stanley Woo and Chris Priestly has said it a few times.

[Wrath of Dagon]

You think such actions wouldn't have any repercussions?

Well, they didn't.