I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favourite thread on Obsidian

[Maria Caliban]

Well, the planet scanning isn't that bad post-patch. It's still a useless time sink, but the time it takes to scan a planet is pretty trivial now. Doesn't feel so much of a chore, especially when you start with the replay bonuses

 

The Overlord is decent, but I'd say LotSB is worth breaking all kinds of principles over. I'm pretty sure there will be a 'complete' set at some point (there's apparently one coming for DAO), but pretty sure it won't be until after ALL the DLC has been released. And that might be for a year, at least. :/

 

It would be nice if I knew exactly what the upper limit was for needed minerals. I'm playing my ME 1 character again so I get two bonuses, but I'm still compulsively running around and spending 30 probes per system to deplete every planet.

 

If anyone cares, I also agree that Liar of the Shadow Broker is very good.

 

I find myself going through 95% of the game without ever touching my heavy weapon. Then I unleash most of my heavy ammo on the thresher maw. It almost kills it in one shot if timed correctly at the start of the combat.

 

Almost all the major missions have boss fights at the end, and I use it for that.

[Nepenthe]

Well, the planet scanning isn't that bad post-patch. It's still a useless time sink, but the time it takes to scan a planet is pretty trivial now. Doesn't feel so much of a chore, especially when you start with the replay bonuses

 

The Overlord is decent, but I'd say LotSB is worth breaking all kinds of principles over. I'm pretty sure there will be a 'complete' set at some point (there's apparently one coming for DAO), but pretty sure it won't be until after ALL the DLC has been released. And that might be for a year, at least. :/

 

It would be nice if I knew exactly what the upper limit was for needed minerals. I'm playing my ME 1 character again so I get two bonuses, but I'm still compulsively running around and spending 30 probes per system to deplete every planet.

 

Well, I agree that there's a problem there, but I'm not sure it's in the game...

 

Hard to say what the cost is, as it keeps going up with new DLC (Lair alone added quite a pile of new stuff) - and engineer's have reduced costs etc. Not exactly sure why it's necessary to scan beforehand, though...

[mr insomniac]

It would be nice if I knew exactly what the upper limit was for needed minerals. I'm playing my ME 1 character again so I get two bonuses, but I'm still compulsively running around and spending 30 probes per system to deplete every planet.

Per Mass Effect Wiki:

...Know that it only takes 195,000 Palladium, 275,000 Platinum, 220,000 Iridium, and 31,000 Element Zero (+5000 for every Bonus training and +2500 for every retraining of powers and skills) to purchase EVERY research project in the game. What that means is, if you have already collected the aforementioned resources in the above numbers, buying more probes to scan for more resources is a waste of credits, especially since between rare resources and credits, the latter is much more difficult to come by.

...Mining isn't the only income for resources. If every mission and assignment is completed, and all resources on the mission are collected, only 166000 Palladium, 243000 Platinum, 191000 Iridium, and 23000 Element Zero (+5000 for every Bonus training and +2500 for every retraining of powers and skills) need to be collected. An additional 50000 less is required in each if a Mass Effect 2 play-through has been completed, meaning that with this bonus there is no need to mine Element Zero.

I dunno when that was last updated, and whether those numbers reflect the DLCs or not, but it's a good rough estimate

Edited September 22, 2010 by mr insomniac

[Deraldin]

I dunno when that was last updated, and whether those numbers reflect the DLCs or not, but it's a good rough estimate

 

The numbers are updated for the latest DLC according to the discussion page.

[~Di]

I've played almost all the classes, and Sentinel is by far the most fun for me! Vanguard was the least fun, me not being suicidal and all. Ick.

 

Oh... Mako rules, Hammerhead drools. I hate that thing.

[Gromnir]

I've played almost all the classes, and Sentinel is by far the most fun for me! Vanguard was the least fun, me not being suicidal and all. Ick.

 

Oh... Mako rules, Hammerhead drools. I hate that thing.

 

 

the mako is mindless and frequent tedious, but it is harmless. the hammerhead, on the other hand, adds genuine gameplay. the problem for some folks is that the gameplay added is closer to the adventure or platformer end o' the spectrum. we don't mind the hammerhead missions too much, but we don't feel that skipping over rivers o' lava with a bouncing car is particular fun neither.

 

as for the sentinel... it is unfortunate, but tech armour becomes useless at higher difficulties, so the sentinel has a potential pointless power. on the other hand, warp and overload is near essential powers. we almost always play the infiltrator, but if bio balanced out tech armour for more challenging difficulties, we would have a tough choice 'tween infiltrator and sentinel.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Nepenthe]

the mako is mindless and frequent tedious, but it is harmless. the hammerhead, on the other hand, adds genuine gameplay. the problem for some folks is that the gameplay added is closer to the adventure or platformer end o' the spectrum. we don't mind the hammerhead missions too much, but we don't feel that skipping over rivers o' lava with a bouncing car is particular fun neither.

 

as for the sentinel... it is unfortunate, but tech armour becomes useless at higher difficulties, so the sentinel has a potential pointless power. on the other hand, warp and overload is near essential powers. we almost always play the infiltrator, but if bio balanced out tech armour for more challenging difficulties, we would have a tough choice 'tween infiltrator and sentinel.

I could not disagree more with either statement.

[~Di]

I've played almost all the classes, and Sentinel is by far the most fun for me! Vanguard was the least fun, me not being suicidal and all. Ick.

 

Oh... Mako rules, Hammerhead drools. I hate that thing.

 

 

the mako is mindless and frequent tedious, but it is harmless. the hammerhead, on the other hand, adds genuine gameplay. the problem for some folks is that the gameplay added is closer to the adventure or platformer end o' the spectrum. we don't mind the hammerhead missions too much, but we don't feel that skipping over rivers o' lava with a bouncing car is particular fun neither.

 

as for the sentinel... it is unfortunate, but tech armour becomes useless at higher difficulties, so the sentinel has a potential pointless power. on the other hand, warp and overload is near essential powers. we almost always play the infiltrator, but if bio balanced out tech armour for more challenging difficulties, we would have a tough choice 'tween infiltrator and sentinel.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

Once I figured out the hammerhead tricks, I could scoot through the missions on the first try fairly quickly. I just didn't enjoy them, and the vehicle was so unstable that I practically dented my keyboard trying to keep the thing in one place while drilling. At least the mako stayed where I put it when I stopped.

 

You are quite right, Warp and Overload are incredibly helpful powers. Reave, however, is my ultimate weapon and the power I always choose for my "extra" choice. Between Reave and Overload, there is nothing my Sentinel can't handle, despite the lessened effectiveness of tech armor in the later games. Also, unlike you and the brave folk of your ilk, I rarely play the challenging difficulties. I'm not that patient, and have just as much fun when I'm not being frustrated.

 

I didn't like playing infiltrator because I honestly didn't care for being a sniper. Ridiculous, I know, because I thought it would be my favorite weapon. In practice, though, I just preferred the more ham-handed approach! I'm not a particularly subtle person...

[Nepenthe]

I didn't like playing infiltrator because I honestly didn't care for being a sniper. Ridiculous, I know, because I thought it would be my favorite weapon. In practice, though, I just preferred the more ham-handed approach! I'm not a particularly subtle person...

 

I prefer the same, more... direct approach myself, yet enjoyed the infiltrator quite a bit. The basic skillset + Locust is quite enough to handle 'everyday' combat on the... standard difficulties, while the sniper ability is useful in those encounters when you actually have to bunker down and engage a relatively large number of opponents in good cover. And incinerate is always fun

[Nepenthe]

These two are from around ME2's release, but I don't remember reading them before:

 

http://pc.rpgsite.net/articles/152/189/mar...-interview.html

 

http://pc.rpgsite.net/articles/152/205/mar...ew-round-2.html

 

I've always liked his understated approach to Shepard, and my respect for the guy just went up a few more levels.

[HoonDing]

I don't doubt he's a swell (and pretty hot) guy, but he's a terrible voice-actor.

 

Go look up the Shadows of Amn ending movie, even in that one he sounds exactly the same as in ME.

[Nepenthe]

I don't doubt he's a swell (and pretty hot) guy, but he's a terrible voice-actor.

 

And I'll continue to disagree with you

[HoonDing]

Don't tell me you like the voice-acting in Two Worlds as well? Meer sounds about on par with the hero from TW (whom I believe, was one of the developers).

 

But in TW, all voice-over is pretty lackluster, so it doesn't really stand out so much. Unlike ME.

Edited September 24, 2010 by virumor

[WorstUsernameEver]

I think our perception is colored by his (bad) performance as Shepard. I don't remember cringing at his roles in Dragon Age for one.

[Hurlshort]

Don't tell me you like the voice-acting in Two Worlds as well? Meer sounds about on par with the hero from TW (whom I believe, was one of the developers).

 

But in TW, all voice-over is pretty lackluster, so it doesn't really stand out so much. Unlike ME.

 

Yeah, I'll disagree with that. TW voice is atrocious. It is severely grating. Shephard is nowhere near those levels.

[Maria Caliban]

I am very fond of Jennifer Hale, and would likely think better of Meer's Shepard if I didn't have her to directly contrast the voice work with.

 

Per Mass Effect Wiki:

...Know that it only takes 195,000 Palladium, 275,000 Platinum, 220,000 Iridium, and 31,000 Element Zero (+5000 for every Bonus training and +2500 for every retraining of powers and skills) to purchase EVERY research project in the game. What that means is, if you have already collected the aforementioned resources in the above numbers, buying more probes to scan for more resources is a waste of credits, especially since between rare resources and credits, the latter is much more difficult to come by.

...Mining isn't the only income for resources. If every mission and assignment is completed, and all resources on the mission are collected, only 166000 Palladium, 243000 Platinum, 191000 Iridium, and 23000 Element Zero (+5000 for every Bonus training and +2500 for every retraining of powers and skills) need to be collected. An additional 50000 less is required in each if a Mass Effect 2 play-through has been completed, meaning that with this bonus there is no need to mine Element Zero.

I dunno when that was last updated, and whether those numbers reflect the DLCs or not, but it's a good rough estimate

 

Thank you kindly.

Edited September 24, 2010 by Maria Caliban

[HoonDing]

Don't tell me you like the voice-acting in Two Worlds as well? Meer sounds about on par with the hero from TW (whom I believe, was one of the developers).

 

But in TW, all voice-over is pretty lackluster, so it doesn't really stand out so much. Unlike ME.

 

Yeah, I'll disagree with that. TW voice is atrocious. It is severely grating. Shephard is nowhere near those levels.

It's not that bad, really, compared to most other (Eastern) European developed games. It's just the "mayhap" in every single sentence that's really annoying.

 

I sometimes think a lot of European studios use their leftover budgets to quickly pick up a few random foreign exchange students or language students from a local university to serve as "voice actor".

Edited September 24, 2010 by virumor

[Maria Caliban]

It occurs to me that the cab chase is possibly the only time I've laughed during either of the ME titles.

[Nepenthe]

Don't tell me you like the voice-acting in Two Worlds as well? Meer sounds about on par with the hero from TW (whom I believe, was one of the developers).

 

But in TW, all voice-over is pretty lackluster, so it doesn't really stand out so much. Unlike ME.

 

No, another of the games I have not played. The only comparison I can think of is Deus Ex, which indeed had lousy voice acting - and, yeah, I think Meer blows all of the talent in DX out of the water.

 

I've always thought that it's just a question of him aiming for the 'calm, collected officer voice' that a lot of people go 'zomfg mark meer suxors, he's so, like, flat' over. But I have no idea what the particular argument for his putative suckiness here is... that he's not Jennifer Hale? That he uses the same voice in a game that came out 10 years ago (almost to the day, right?)? Honestly, I have never seen anything but groupthink in the 'anti-Meer' movement - enough of Femshep/Hale fans have kept bashing on him, partially due to the dominance of the Hepard in marketing, to the point that a lot of people have just started repeating it.

[I want teh kotor 3]

Hepard

 

[HoonDing]

I finally sat down & played Lair of the Shadow Broker. I'd rate it with a 10/10 if not for a crash during a cutscene, forcing me to re-do a bossfight. Oh, and that car "chase" was retarded. The Sentinel class again proved its superiority; coming with Liara's Singularity & Warp and Legion's drone & head-popping all the filler combat was over very, very quickly.

 

I do think, though, that it should've been part of the vanilla game. The dossiers alone, for instance, clear up a few glaring plotholes in ME2.

[Oner]

The dossiers alone, for instance, clear up a few glaring plotholes in ME2.

For example?

[Maria Caliban]

Oh, and that car "chase" was retarded.

 

That car chase was awesome.

[mr insomniac]

I've always thought that it's just a question of him aiming for the 'calm, collected officer voice' that a lot of people go 'zomfg mark meer suxors, he's so, like, flat' over. But I have no idea what the particular argument for his putative suckiness here is... that he's not Jennifer Hale? That he uses the same voice in a game that came out 10 years ago (almost to the day, right?)? Honestly, I have never seen anything but groupthink in the 'anti-Meer' movement - enough of Femshep/Hale fans have kept bashing on him, partially due to the dominance of the Hepard in marketing, to the point that a lot of people have just started repeating it.

I have to say I think Meer's work in ME2 is greatly improved over ME. His voice seems to fit Shepard a lot better this time around. Jennifer Hale, OTOH, while still awesome as always, seems a bit lacklustre in places in ME2... *looks up nervously* was that thunder?

 

Oh, and that car "chase" was retarded.

That car chase was awesome.

Yes. Yes it was.

[HoonDing]

The dossiers alone, for instance, clear up a few glaring plotholes in ME2.

For example?

 

Wilson

 

 

Oh, and that car "chase" was retarded.

 

That car chase was awesome.

Too short and obviously ripped from Attack of the Clones.