Would it be accurate to say that this game is like Mass Effect...

[Busomjack]

Except it takes place in the present?

[Pop]

Not particularly. For reasons as to why comparisons to ME beyond cosmetic considerations are faulty, pleas see every other thread on this forum.

[WorstUsernameEver]

If you do a very action-y character yep, there will be similarities, but there are quite a lot different design decisions that make the game stand on its own from what we've seen : no companions, a lot of stealth mechanics and gadget that should make the gameplay much more varied, dramatically different story structure, non repeteable dialogues etc.

It certainly is the game that most resembles AP on the market right now, though, if it were me, I'd describe AP as a mix of ME and Deus Ex with a modern realistic spy setting.

[Tigranes]

There are basic similarities between Mass Effect and Alpha Protocol, those similarities you can also find in just about every Bioware RPG ever released, and most Obsidian & Black Isle RPGs as well. It's not just the two games, it's basically a particular 'style' of RPGs that Bioware and Black Isle developed in the last, what, twelve years.

 

Major differences between two games would be (a) AP has much greater amount of replayability, in ME it comes down to a few choices; (b) ME is guns-blazing squad combat, AP is solo with guns/stealth/tech/hand-to-hand options;

[ginji]

Alpha Protocol is the RPG version of Mass Effect.

[/irony mode off]

 

I think it's a "normal" western-rpg at his heart, with a lot of shooting (this generation demands shooting to everything) and a lot of choices. It has Mass Effect in it, yes, but also Splinter Cell.

 

Actually, maybe Alpha Protocol is the RPG version of Mass Effect and the stealth version of the last Splinter Cell :D

[Oner]

this generation demands shooting to everything

In contrast to the swords and magic of the olden days?

[Raithe]

On the surface, any rpg with a shooter style, over-the-shoulder, watch-the-butt perspective is going to be classed as "Mass Effect Like" these days...

 

It's when you look under the surface at the rest of the game that you see what it's really about...

[HoonDing]

Well, they both have a main character with bland voice-acting.

 

Since I could never finish ME with a male Shepard because of this, I fear for AP.

Edited May 5, 2010 by virumor

[ginji]

this generation demands shooting to everything

In contrast to the swords and magic of the olden days?

 

Well, i was referring to this generation in general... the majority of games requires you to take cover and shoot everything; Mass Effect 2 has become a third person shooter more than an RPG, and even an "adventure" like Alan Wake seem to have an awful lot of shooting sequences (I hope it doesn't).

Alpha Protocol is a game in this trend, with his third person shooter in it, but luckily it seems to be a bit more RPG at his heart.

[Raithe]

Well, i was referring to this generation in general... the majority of games requires you to take cover and shoot everything; Mass Effect 2 has become a third person shooter more than an RPG, and even an "adventure" like Alan Wake seem to have an awful lot of shooting sequences (I hope it doesn't).

Alpha Protocol is a game in this trend, with his third person shooter in it, but luckily it seems to be a bit more RPG at his heart.

 

Certain types of stories require there to be some method of shooting in them.. What's a sci-fi / space opera without some action sequences with laser / energy weapons blasting away down some narrow corridor and someone in dark armor striding menacingly about?

 

And again, with spy genres, after all the James Bond, Jason Bourne, and even Jack Bauer elements... you had a fair few moments of fire-fights, ducking behind cover and having to deal with enemy goons...

 

The care has to be taken in structuring those action-oriented elements in a way that works with the rpg side.... and in computer games, pushing the engine in more of a first person shooter way does seem to be a sensible way to handle it. (as long as the rp elements fit in appropriately.)

 

Deus Ex showed how it could blend together so well. So now we just wait a month and then we'll actually be able to see how AP handles it. The key trouble of trailer shots and such, is that they're normally chosen to show off the action elements in a game..... The wow-pizzazz factor of attracting attention.

[Cl_Flushentityhero]

In case you hadn't noticed, people are a bit defensive about that comparison.

 

Honestly, as far as the basics go, they're reasonably similar. They're both from the third person perspective, have guns, have various character skills, mission hubs, dialogue and plot-altering choices. They're WRPGs with shooter mechanics. There are plenty of things AP does differently as well, so it's not a clone, but anybody who doesn't see similarities isn't trying hard enough.

[WorstUsernameEver]

In case you hadn't noticed, people are a bit defensive about that comparison.

 

Honestly, as far as the basics go, they're reasonably similar. They're both from the third person perspective, have guns, have various character skills, mission hubs, dialogue and plot-altering choices. They're WRPGs with shooter mechanics. There are plenty of things AP does differently as well, so it's not a clone, but anybody who doesn't see similarities isn't trying hard enough.

 

Comparisons to Mass Effect are fine. It's reducing it to 'Mass Effect with spies' that's a bit jarring, since there are a number of key design decisions that set the two games apart.

I'm not saying, Alpha Protocol is doing it better, mind you, simply, it's doing it much more differently than people give it credit for.

[Orogun01]

I guess this is the Obsidian curse, spend a lot of time making BW sequels and you can't go original. For shame!

 

In any case, it is free publicity and hopefully it will attract enough people to the product so that they can see how false those claims are. They are false, right?

Edited May 5, 2010 by Orogun01

[Purkake]

Yes.

[Oner]

In any case, it is free publicity and hopefully it will attract enough people to the product so that they can see how false those claims are.

People don't see what they don't want to.

 

 

But I do, even though I don't have eyes! Yohohoho~

 

Edited May 5, 2010 by Oner

[Orogun01]

In any case, it is free publicity and hopefully it will attract enough people to the product so that they can see how false those claims are.

People don't see what they don't want to.

 

 

But I do, even though I don't have eyes! Yohohoho~

 

Come on! They are obviously not the same, people can say that an elephant looks like a rabbit all they want but it doesn't make it so.

 

But association with ME can garner the support of ME fans. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one, I mean can you imagine a massive migration from the Bioboards. All of them fans bitching about romances and how they expected it to go this or that way, or asking why Sis wasn't romanceable. :ugh:

Edited May 5, 2010 by Orogun01

[Oner]

Come on! They are obviously not the same, people can say that an elephant looks like a rabbit all they want but it doesn't make it so.

They still will pretend that it's an elephant. And will be loud when doing so. (Then they become a majority.)

 

But as sociation with ME can garner the support of ME fans. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one, I mean can you imagine a massive migration from the Bioboards. All of them fans bitching about romances and how they expected it to go this or that way, or asking why Sis wasn't romanceable. :ugh:

Don't make me think about it! Don't!

 

Also, I want Sis to be romanceable.

Even though I don't have a ****! Yohohoho~

 

[Sannom]

In any case, it is free publicity and hopefully it will attract enough people to the product so that they can see how false those claims are.

People don't see what they don't want to.

 

 

But I do, even though I don't have eyes! Yohohoho~

 

 

Are you going to end all your posts in Brook's style from now on???

Edited May 5, 2010 by Sannom

[Orogun01]

Come on! They are obviously not the same, people can say that an elephant looks like a rabbit all they want but it doesn't make it so.

They still will pretend that it's an elephant. And will be loud when doing so. (Then they become a majority.)

 

But as sociation with ME can garner the support of ME fans. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one, I mean can you imagine a massive migration from the Bioboards. All of them fans bitching about romances and how they expected it to go this or that way, or asking why Sis wasn't romanceable. :ugh:

Don't make me think about it! Don't!

 

Also, I want Sis to be romanceable.

Even though I don't have a ****! Yohohoho~

 

Should we ask the moderators for some anti-BioFans measures?

[WorstUsernameEver]

Assuming that fans of the game would come here, considering the AP site links to an internal SEGA forum.

[Oner]

Are you going to end all your posts in Brook's style from now on???

Not always, I'm rather lazy.

Even though I'm dead! Yohohoho~

[Humodour]

Except it takes place in the present?

 

Yes, sure, if you want, now can everyone shut up about it.

[Oblarg]

In any case, it is free publicity and hopefully it will attract enough people to the product so that they can see how false those claims are.

People don't see what they don't want to.

 

 

But I do, even though I don't have eyes! Yohohoho~

 

Come on! They are obviously not the same, people can say that an elephant looks like a rabbit all they want but it doesn't make it so.

 

But association with ME can garner the support of ME fans. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one, I mean can you imagine a massive migration from the Bioboards. All of them fans bitching about romances and how they expected it to go this or that way, or asking why Sis wasn't romanceable. :ugh:

 

To be fair, a quick search of "Alpha Protocol" (read first page of first thread that popped up) on the BioWare forums returned pretty much nothing but positive posts. And not a single "DURR HURR GRAPHICS LOOK BAD" comment.

 

I'd rather the forum become flooded by ME fanboys than average mainstream gamers, to be honest, though personally I rather like the small forum community we have now.

[Orogun01]

To be fair, a quick search of "Alpha Protocol" (read first page of first thread that popped up) on the BioWare forums returned pretty much nothing but positive posts. And not a single "DURR HURR GRAPHICS LOOK BAD" comment.

 

I'd rather the forum become flooded by ME fanboys than average mainstream gamers, to be honest, though personally I rather like the small forum community we have now.

Second it, I always enjoy low populated forums. Still read the bio social site forums, it's riddled with romance threads, character threads, wild speculations that border on fan fiction and an insurmountable amount of characters fan groups.

Fandom is basically deciding the cast of ME3.

 

I rather keep that away from this game as much as possible, since crowd pleasing always seems to do games wrong.

[Thorton_AP]

I think there are some similarities to Mass Effect, but I don't think that's a bad thing. The combat style seems similar, although more determined by your character skills.

 

Basically it seems like a more RPG Heavy Mass Effect. There are some other differences, and I think the writing and choices/consequences will be significantly improved, but I don't think the comparison is that far off. Especially at first glance.

 

Both are different beasts as they try to do different things.