Things You Did Not Know About ME1 On Your First Playthrough

[Cycloneman]

1. You can romance Liara while being a bitch most of the time. As long as you don't pick "I'm not interested in you" and suchlike, you can call her obsessed, etc. At least, this seems to be true. Not through with her dialogue trees yet, but Shep seems to make a pretty good butch.

 

2. If you go back to the Citadel after a mission and go to the Ambassador's quarters, Udina and Anderson might just have a talk with you!

 

3. You can have Noveria stuck in your quest log forever if you don't go do the Lorik Qui'in quest, and instead simply take the jellyfish's illegal contraband to Anoleis, thus bypassing that entire section. (I still have "Noveria: Lorik Qui'in" in my main quest journal, even though I've already killed Benezia and let the Rachni go)

 

4. You can leave Wrex behind altogether. Heh, **** you Wrex. You won't be screwing up my mission to kill Kaidan at the end.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

You can leave Garrus behind altogether as well.

[Cycloneman]

Yeah, but Garrus owns.

 

e: OH **** I MAYBE SHOULD HAVE PUT SPOILERS IN THE TOPIC TITLE. WOOPSIE.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Cycloneman

[~Di]

er... what does having or not having Wrex have to do with your decision to let Kaidan die? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Cycloneman]

er... what does having or not having Wrex have to do with your decision to let Kaidan die? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's the same planet, isn't it? It's not meant seriously or anything.

[~Di]

er... what does having or not having Wrex have to do with your decision to let Kaidan die? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's the same planet, isn't it? It's not meant seriously or anything.

 

Yes, same planet. I just don't understand how Wrex could possibly screw up your intention to let Kaidan die. If you hate Wrex that much, you have the opportunity on that same planet to

simply kill Wrex yourself.

*shrug* Oh, well.

[I want teh kotor 3]

Why would anybody want ME1-Garrus (AKA whiny *****) over Wrex?

[Cycloneman]

Why would anybody want ME1-Garrus (AKA whiny *****) over Wrex?

Because Garrus is a badass pulpy cop who excellently embodies Renegade principles while simultaneously avoiding being a pointless douche and whose worldview is cool and which you can positively effect. On the other hand, Wrex is a boring character who you may recall from KotOR as "Canderous Ordo" and Jade Empire as "the Black Whirlwind."

 

Or, as YCS superstar "Dr. Pwn" (yes, she does have an MD), put it:

Garrus is cool because he's just the loosest cannon cop in the galaxy raging constantly under a shaky facade of respectability.

 

Every after mission conversation boils down to:

 

Garrus: **** red tape, **** cops, **** my dumb **** dad, **** the rules, being a Spectre is awesome because I can kill anyone and don't have to fill out ****.

 

Shepard: Glad to have you on the team.

[mr insomniac]

Why would anybody want ME1-Garrus (AKA whiny *****) over Wrex?

Because Garrus is a badass pulpy cop who excellently embodies Renegade principles while simultaneously avoiding being a pointless douche and whose worldview is cool and which you can positively effect. On the other hand, Wrex is a boring character who you may recall from KotOR as "Canderous Ordo" and Jade Empire as "the Black Whirlwind."

I didn't play Jade Empire long enough to meet the Black Whirlwind, but what's wrong with Canderous? He's no HK-47 but still. And Wrex wasn't that bad either.

 

Or, as YCS superstar "Dr. Pwn" (yes, she does have an MD), put it:

Garrus is cool because he's just the loosest cannon cop in the galaxy raging constantly under a shaky facade of respectability.

 

Every after mission conversation boils down to:

 

Garrus: **** red tape, **** cops, **** my dumb **** dad, **** the rules, being a Spectre is awesome because I can kill anyone and don't have to fill out ****.

 

Shepard: Glad to have you on the team.

Yeah, but his voice was kinda whiny through all that. Don't believe me? Listen to him say, "We'll have a better chance if we all stick together," and tell me honestly that you don't want to poke his eyes out. If he had a Dirty Harry voice that would be different. Besides after talking to both that Turian council member and the head of C-Sec, I just wanted to punch Turians whenever I met them. ME should have had renegade interrupts. Er, don't get me wrong, I like Garrus. He just came across as a whiner in ME.

 

On topic, well jeez, I'm trying real hard to remember what I didn't know the first time I played ME. It's been a long time. There were alot of little sidequests I didn't know about. Like the ones about the Rachni that occurred after Noveria, or the one involving that guy on the Citadel who was looking for his missing brother. I didn't realize you had to hover the galaxy map cursor next to the planet. I just thought it was a bug that I couldn't land on it. Little things like that.

[Calax]

for the wrex thing, it's totally unlinked to Kaiden. The person who dies on that planet is FORCED into your party so you have no choice but to take them on your quest.

[Orogun01]

You forgot that if you say hi to Ashley she automatically falls in love with you.

[mr insomniac]

You forgot that if you say hi to Ashley she automatically falls in love with you.

So does Liara, or Kaidan for that matter.

[Oner]

Besides after talking to both that Turian council member and the head of C-Sec, I just wanted to punch Turians whenever I met them. ME should have had renegade interrupts.

To be fair, the C-Sec turian isn't as big a douche as he first appears to be.

[Orogun01]

You forgot that if you say hi to Ashley she automatically falls in love with you.

So does Liara, or Kaidan for that matter.

True, but at least Liara is kind enough warn you. Don't know about Kaiden.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Besides after talking to both that Turian council member and the head of C-Sec, I just wanted to punch Turians whenever I met them. ME should have had renegade interrupts.

To be fair, the C-Sec turian isn't as big a douche as he first appears to be.

He's probably one of the more reasonable characters in the game.

[mr insomniac]

Besides after talking to both that Turian council member and the head of C-Sec, I just wanted to punch Turians whenever I met them. ME should have had renegade interrupts.

To be fair, the C-Sec turian isn't as big a douche as he first appears to be.

He's probably one of the more reasonable characters in the game.

He may have turned out alright, but I stand by my original statement. The first conversation with him made me want to punch turians.

[Amentep]

Why would anybody want ME1-Garrus (AKA whiny *****) over Wrex?

Because Garrus is a badass pulpy cop who excellently embodies Renegade principles while simultaneously avoiding being a pointless douche and whose worldview is cool and which you can positively effect. On the other hand, Wrex is a boring character who you may recall from KotOR as "Canderous Ordo" and Jade Empire as "the Black Whirlwind."

 

Wait, The Black Whirlwind was boring?

 

Spear Catches Leaf: "You've just had the... unexpected honor of defeating the Black Whirlwind, the self-styled deadliest mercenary in the Jade Empire."

Player: "What earns a mercenary a title like "deadlist?""

Spear Catches Leaf: "The tales say this man once stormed an entire fortress alone, naked, and screaming his defiance into the night."

The Black Whirlwind: "Ha! Scared the tar out of those border guards! But they botched the story; I was naked, screaming, *and* I was dead drunk."

 

Sure he was no Kang the Mad, but boring?

 

Mind you I didn't think Wrex was boring but did find Garrus' stories always boiling down to the same thing (OMGWTF?! I have to follow rules! Wah!) to be repetitious.

[I want teh kotor 3]

Why would anybody want ME1-Garrus (AKA whiny *****) over Wrex?

Because Garrus is a badass pulpy cop who excellently embodies Renegade principles while simultaneously avoiding being a pointless douche and whose worldview is cool and which you can positively effect. On the other hand, Wrex is a boring character who you may recall from KotOR as "Canderous Ordo" and Jade Empire as "the Black Whirlwind."

 

 

 

Exactly. He just complains. Wrex, on the other hand, says things like, "They're fools. You should eat them."

[Cycloneman]

Wait, The Black Whirlwind was boring?

 

Spear Catches Leaf: "You've just had the... unexpected honor of defeating the Black Whirlwind, the self-styled deadliest mercenary in the Jade Empire."

Player: "What earns a mercenary a title like "deadlist?""

Spear Catches Leaf: "The tales say this man once stormed an entire fortress alone, naked, and screaming his defiance into the night."

The Black Whirlwind: "Ha! Scared the tar out of those border guards! But they botched the story; I was naked, screaming, *and* I was dead drunk."

 

Sure he was no Kang the Mad, but boring?

Yes, boring. A cardboard cut-out character with (like Wrex) little-to-no personality outside of "I like to kill things. Want to hear a story about me killing things?"

Mind you I didn't think Wrex was boring but did find Garrus' stories always boiling down to the same thing (OMGWTF?! I have to follow rules! Wah!) to be repetitious.

All Bioware conversations are a bit repetitious. Garrus's worked a lot better because they were drawing on an already existing archetype (cop who doesn't like to play by the rules) that they hadn't used in every other game they've made.

Exactly. He just complains. Wrex, on the other hand, says things like, "They're fools. You should eat them."

Wow. How is that amusing at all? If I wanted an obnoxious violent companion, I'd play Dragon Age and love on Morrigan.

[Oner]

Exactly. He just complains. Wrex, on the other hand, says things like, "They're fools. You should eat them."

Wow. How is that amusing at all? If I wanted an obnoxious violent companion, I'd play Dragon Age and love on Morrigan.

I found that line funny, didn't expect it.

[Amentep]

Wait, The Black Whirlwind was boring?

 

Spear Catches Leaf: "You've just had the... unexpected honor of defeating the Black Whirlwind, the self-styled deadliest mercenary in the Jade Empire."

Player: "What earns a mercenary a title like "deadlist?""

Spear Catches Leaf: "The tales say this man once stormed an entire fortress alone, naked, and screaming his defiance into the night."

The Black Whirlwind: "Ha! Scared the tar out of those border guards! But they botched the story; I was naked, screaming, *and* I was dead drunk."

 

Sure he was no Kang the Mad, but boring?

Yes, boring. A cardboard cut-out character with (like Wrex) little-to-no personality outside of "I like to kill things. Want to hear a story about me killing things?"

Mind you I didn't think Wrex was boring but did find Garrus' stories always boiling down to the same thing (OMGWTF?! I have to follow rules! Wah!) to be repetitious.

All Bioware conversations are a bit repetitious. Garrus's worked a lot better because they were drawing on an already existing archetype (cop who doesn't like to play by the rules) that they hadn't used in every other game they've made.

Exactly. He just complains. Wrex, on the other hand, says things like, "They're fools. You should eat them."

Wow. How is that amusing at all? If I wanted an obnoxious violent companion, I'd play Dragon Age and love on Morrigan.

 

Sooo, creating a character who is a ruthless fighter archtype is somehow inferior to Bioware drawing on the loose cannon cop archtype.

 

You'll pardon me if I fail to see the distinction, I hope!

 

I thought Wrex actually had some interesting observations - particularly his view of the genophage and what his people should be doing vs what they were. And his meetup with Saren was interesting.

 

Garrus had the guy who got away story that was interesting, but it took awhile to get to him.

 

Black Whirlwind was interesting to me because he was so totally chaotic as to be completely ridiculous. Thought he was a fun character and his and Kang's dialogues were always fun in JE, IMO.

 

I didn't find Morrigan to be obnoxiously violent either; in fact there's only one time I remember her suggesting a specific call to action that'd involve violence (specifically suggesting that killing Loghain and then gathering the army would be the best way to proceed). Most other times she seems to value individualism more than anything else.

Edited April 26, 2010 by Amentep

[Cycloneman]

Sooo, creating a character who is a ruthless fighter archtype is somehow inferior to Bioware drawing on the loose cannon cop archtype.

 

You'll pardon me if I fail to see the distinction, I hope!

Some archetypes are overused and bad. For example, the "reluctant hero" or the "sadistic villain" are common archetypes, and they suck real hard (the first because it's pretty unrealistic and the second because it's so cartoonish). It's possible to make them good, but that would require finesse that Bioware lacks. "Ruthless fighter" is a pretty cartoonish archetype too, and Bioware uses it too goddamn much and just as an excuse to add in ~3 stories that the character tells that are "awesome" and "cool". The "loose cannon cop" archetype is less common and has a lot more inherent conflict (namely between law and order & vigilante justice), so it works a lot better.

 

Plus Wrex is all like "WELL FORGET IT, I'M NOT SOME STEREOTYPE" and then the entire rest of the game his personality (not his backstory) boils down to "grumpy space frog that shoots dudes."

I thought Wrex actually had some interesting observations - particularly his view of the genophage and what his people should be doing vs what they were.

I really did not give a **** about everybody talking about their species. It was dumb and silly and shouldn't have been in the game. "Hello Tali, please, tell me about the Quarians. Despite being a badass special forces agent, I don't know **** about Quarians and can't be arsed to wiki it."

I didn't find Morrigan to be obnoxiously violent either; in fact there's only one time I remember her suggesting a specific call to action that'd involve violence (specifically suggesting that killing Loghain and then gathering the army would be the best way to proceed). Most other times she seems to value individualism more than anything else.

Doesn't she ask you at one point to like murder your family for some marginal magical bonus if you're an elf? I remember reading about that somewhere.

[mr insomniac]

I thought Wrex actually had some interesting observations - particularly his view of the genophage and what his people should be doing vs what they were.

I really did not give a **** about everybody talking about their species. It was dumb and silly and shouldn't have been in the game. "Hello Tali, please, tell me about the Quarians. Despite being a badass special forces agent, I don't know **** about Quarians and can't be arsed to wiki it."

Actually, like Amentep said, Wrex's concern about the genophage and what it has done to his people makes him a more interesting character than any of the other krogan you meet. They were the "grumpy space frogs". Wrex knew the krogan had to become more than that to survive as a species. What he's trying to do in ME2 shows that.

 

And I'd like to know how else you're going to find out anything about the different alien races in Mass Effect without talking to them. It's far more interesting than reading codex entries about them, that much of the time aren't even unlocked until you do have those conversations.

[Cycloneman]

Actually, like Amentep said, Wrex's concern about the genophage and what it has done to his people makes him a more interesting character than any of the other krogan you meet. They were the "grumpy space frogs". Wrex knew the krogan had to become more than that to survive as a species. What he's trying to do in ME2 shows that.

No, Wrex was still just a grumpy space frog. If in my conversations with him on the ship, he went into detail about how he was a Maoist, that wouldn't make him any less a grumpy space frog (though I would probably bother with him if he did).

And I'd like to know how else you're going to find out anything about the different alien races in Mass Effect without talking to them. It's far more interesting than reading codex entries about them, that much of the time aren't even unlocked until you do have those conversations.

It's actually possible to drop information in without it seeming like an infodump. In the real world, conversations are made on the basis of shared information, mutual assumptions, and one can often discover these simply by listening. Infodumps completely lack this, and it makes it really blunt and lazy way to explain the setting.

[Amentep]

Sooo, creating a character who is a ruthless fighter archtype is somehow inferior to Bioware drawing on the loose cannon cop archtype.

 

You'll pardon me if I fail to see the distinction, I hope!

Some archetypes are overused and bad. For example, the "reluctant hero" or the "sadistic villain" are common archetypes, and they suck real hard (the first because it's pretty unrealistic and the second because it's so cartoonish). It's possible to make them good, but that would require finesse that Bioware lacks. "Ruthless fighter" is a pretty cartoonish archetype too, and Bioware uses it too goddamn much and just as an excuse to add in ~3 stories that the character tells that are "awesome" and "cool". The "loose cannon cop" archetype is less common and has a lot more inherent conflict (namely between law and order & vigilante justice), so it works a lot better.

 

Plus Wrex is all like "WELL FORGET IT, I'M NOT SOME STEREOTYPE" and then the entire rest of the game his personality (not his backstory) boils down to "grumpy space frog that shoots dudes."

 

I dunno, again to me its about execution, and I had no problem with Wrex. You didn't like him, fine. But you're making criteria for "coolness" that's only validity is your personal opinion.

 

I thought Wrex actually had some interesting observations - particularly his view of the genophage and what his people should be doing vs what they were.

I really did not give a **** about everybody talking about their species. It was dumb and silly and shouldn't have been in the game. "Hello Tali, please, tell me about the Quarians. Despite being a badass special forces agent, I don't know **** about Quarians and can't be arsed to wiki it."

 

Because individuals of each race clearly must have the same opinions of a galactic encyclopedia.

 

Reading about something and gaining perspective from individuals who experienced that something is completely different.

 

I didn't find Morrigan to be obnoxiously violent either; in fact there's only one time I remember her suggesting a specific call to action that'd involve violence (specifically suggesting that killing Loghain and then gathering the army would be the best way to proceed). Most other times she seems to value individualism more than anything else.

Doesn't she ask you at one point to like murder your family for some marginal magical bonus if you're an elf? I remember reading about that somewhere.

 

I've not gotten that particular dialogue. Given that the Dalish Elf origin is parentless, is this the City Elf (has a single parent) or more likely an elf mage?