BioWare's New Game

[Malcador]

But I also agree that coming to this forum and listening to people drone on about how horrible they are, how crappy they are, and imply that anyone who doesn't agree that said games are horrible and crappy must be some kind of mentally inferior jackwagon who wouldn't know decent writing and game design if it squatted on their foot and peed does tend to make me come here less often, and be less willing to post an opinion.

 

 

Hold on, let me get a violin for you.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Malcador

[Gorth]

Hold on, let me get a violin for you.

Begone you intellectually inferior peon, you... at least post a link to Brahms or Liszt

 

I wish I could write a formula for what makes me like a game and what not. I can list individual rules for likes and dislikes (mingames and QTE is teh suck, tactical combat good etc.), but not a complete recipe. Some games have just about awful everything, yet the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

[Purkake]

Bioware continues to be serious business.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Oh we don't all think they're terrible games.

 

We just notice the flaws more.

[Amentep]

Hold on, let me get a violin for you.

Begone you intellectually inferior peon, you... at least post a link to Brahms or Liszt

 

I wish I could write a formula for what makes me like a game and what not. I can list individual rules for likes and dislikes (mingames and QTE is teh suck, tactical combat good etc.), but not a complete recipe. Some games have just about awful everything, yet the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

 

There have been games that - honestly given my taste I *should* have loved but I didn't. And ones I should have hated that I loved.

 

That's what makes the entertainment field so frustrating, I suppose.

 

But most of what I come from is - was I entertained. Some games do it and others don't. I can talk about things I like and don't like, but ultimately there isn't (and probably can't) be an objective "if A + B exist then C" when it comes to games.

[sorophx]

am I the only one to whom there is?

[~Di]

But I also agree that coming to this forum and listening to people drone on about how horrible they are, how crappy they are, and imply that anyone who doesn't agree that said games are horrible and crappy must be some kind of mentally inferior jackwagon who wouldn't know decent writing and game design if it squatted on their foot and peed does tend to make me come here less often, and be less willing to post an opinion.

 

 

Hold on, let me get a violin for you.

 

Wow. I'm sure chopping off the last line of my post was an inadvertent omission, since it would have made your sarcastic comment unnecessary and, well, silly. Let me fix that for you:

 

Fortunately there are usually a few intellectually superior types who agree with me, and make it all worthwhile.

[Oblarg]

"If you agree with me you're smart and unique. If you disagree with me you're a moron."

 

Great way to build support. I sure feel inclined to take you seriously now!

[Hell Kitty]

true. I'm not supposed to understand. it just clicks with some people

 

what I want to know is why?

 

I wish I had an explanation why I've enjoyed playing it so much. I don't, I never do, not for ME(2), not for Deus Ex, not for Baldur's Gate 2. I just know what I like, and a bunch of internet know-it-alls won't change that for me. They might lessen my enjoyment for talking abou the games, but not for playing them.

 

This. I loved ME1 and I loved ME2. I've played them multiple times, and will continue to play them. Then again, I play all the games I love to death... Deus Ex, Baldurs Gate 2, Jagged Alliance 2, even Gothic 3! I can't explain why I get immersed in these games and enjoy playing them. It shouldn't really matter. Different people like different things.

 

But I also agree that coming to this forum and listening to people drone on about how horrible they are, how crappy they are, and imply that anyone who doesn't agree that said games are horrible and crappy must be some kind of mentally inferior jackwagon who wouldn't know decent writing and game design if it squatted on their foot and peed does tend to make me come here less often, and be less willing to post an opinion.

 

Fortunately there are usually a few intellectually superior types who agree with me, and make it all worthwhile.

 

Internet forums do seem to bring out the grumpy bears in people. I agree with Nepenthe's comment about lessening the enjoyment of talking about games.

 

"If you agree with me you're smart and unique. If you disagree with me you're a moron."

 

Welcome to the Obsidian Forum Community!

Edited December 14, 2010 by Hell Kitty

[Malcador]

Wow. I'm sure chopping off the last line of my post was an inadvertent omission, since it would have made your sarcastic comment unnecessary and, well, silly. Let me fix that for you:

 

Actually, I was just playing along with that comment rather than trying to be sarcastic or mocking to you.

 

Maybe I needed more smilies ?

[Purkake]

Internet forums do seem to bring out the grumpy bears in people. I agree with Nepenthe's comment about lessening the enjoyment of talking about games.

There's plenty of forums with non-cynical/bitter/jaded people out there.

 

It's probably the post-Black Isle Syndrome.

[Malcador]

It is strange to come across optimistic people or cheerful ones. Makes one very uneasy. Poor deluded fools!

[Maria Caliban]

As an aside, I have complete faith that Dragon Age 2 will be an excellent game that I love to play. I will also enjoy the story and companions.

 

Actually, I expect several games in 2011 to be good.

[Gorth]

It is strange to come across optimistic people or cheerful ones. Makes one very uneasy. Poor deluded fools!

Party game time... guess who is employed as what

 

Depression/Job relationship

 

[Tigranes]

I'm sure I'm not the only one that enjoys the irony of the last page or so?

 

I like fun games, I don't like it when games make me cringe with stupidity or overhanded pandering. *shrug* What I think always gets ignored is - when you have everyone 'bashing Bioware', there are usually going to be two things going on there - (1) Bashing for the sake of it, (2) Bashing because they've done something stupid/bad/detestable. You can criticise (1), but that doesn't make the (2) go away. Same with fanboyism, really, in most cases.

 

The ME series doesn't interest me at all and it looks boring - so I've hardly played it. So I won't presume to make extended judgments on them. But Bioware getting flack for using bland and boring screenshots to hype up ME3 as a "Mysterious New Game"? Bio does it they reap the derision, doesn't make everyone that comments an elitist.

[sorophx]

if we can't rename this thread into Mass Effect 3, maybe we should move to a new thread?

 

we're close to 500 anyway

Edited December 14, 2010 by sorophx

[Nepenthe]

The ME series doesn't interest me at all and it looks boring - so I've hardly played it. So I won't presume to make extended judgments on them. But Bioware getting flack for using bland and boring screenshots to hype up ME3 as a "Mysterious New Game"? Bio does it they reap the derision, doesn't make everyone that comments an elitist.

Sounds to me like everybody here pretty much is in agreement with the last part of your post, the brouhaha is more over people proclaiming their capability for creating a clearly superior ending to the series over the one Bioware has chosen - or that the route chosen, is in fact, somehow "new" at this point.

 

I was in the same boat with you Tig. For a long time I had 0 interest in Mass Effect, I only bought it about a year and a half ago. In spite of it's flaws (it clearly was a new type of game for Bio, and they did mistakes that were partially fixed for PC, as seen earlier in this thread), it (and the sequel) have become two of my favourite games of all time. I'm starting to think that my initial skepticism, and the way the game managed to overcome that, play a big role in why I like it so much. And why I have such derision for people who pick at the nits with this game, I guess I just think they can't let go of their prejudices.

[Orogun01]

Please, an autistic kid can do a better ending for ME. I hear that they dream great TV series

Edited December 14, 2010 by Orogun01

[Tigranes]

I did play about half an hour of the original ME1, and I ended up reading pretty extensive Let's Plays of ME1&2 - I was curious, and was prepared to pick up the copies if I found the LPs intriguing. In the past I've stopped reading LPs after a couple of chapters to go out and buy the game.

 

What I saw was a lot of really bland dialogue, generic sci-fi stuff that didn't always fit together properly, increasingly limited character customisation (I found KOTOR series pretty bad on that account too, actually - only saving grace was lightsabers), and way too easy, clunky combat. Didn't help that I'm not a fan of sci-fi. Certainly I think I gave it a fair go, and I can see how other people might get sucked into it - slick Bioware delivery, well fitted together gameplay mechanics to keep you going, etc.

[CoM_Solaufein]

I really haven't been following this. ME 3 eh? Too bad it wasn't BG3 or Kotor 3, something worth getting excited about.

[Orchomene]

What I find impossible to understand is how Bioware ended with such a crappy RPG system in ME1 (the skill system is just not a good mechanic) and such a poor inventory system, even worse than the one in Kotor. They have been doing CRPG for ten years, you can imagine they would have taken a look at different PnP rpg systems to get some inspiration.

For the inventory system, lack of stacking of same items is just not acceptable. It would have been really easy to put a number close to the object to show the number of duplicates. It could also have been useful to have a sort function. It's not like those things are difficult to implement and are costly.

So instead of repairing what was broken in the RPG mechanics, they just removed all.

 

Fort the rest, I can of course excuse the poor shooter mechanic since they are not very experienced in this. Same for the lack of balance since it's a single player game and balance requires a lot of time.

And story wise, it's just the kind of story they like. Not really my kind of stories, but they try to put interesting elements even if some side quests were a bit tedious.

 

In ME2, the story was lacking, side missions were more contrasted with some interesting and some really boring. The RPG mechanics totally disappeared and the focus on psychological issues of crew members was a bit too much omnipresent. That and the corridor shooter experience. Boring.

 

So I'm not expecting something from this franchise which has been presented as sci fi but is just space opera and very star wars like without light sabers.

[Nepenthe]

Certainly I think I gave it a fair go, and I can see how other people might get sucked into it - slick Bioware delivery, well fitted together gameplay mechanics to keep you going, etc.

FWIW, I didn't have you in mind when I mentioned people not approaching it with an open mind.

 

Also, can see the initial 30 minutes feeling pretty bad, certainly dependent on class. Oh well, not for everybody...

[Majek]

http://kotaku.com/5713080/mass-effect-scrolls-3-skyrim

[Amentep]

Internet forums do seem to bring out the grumpy bears in people. I agree with Nepenthe's comment about lessening the enjoyment of talking about games.

There's plenty of forums with non-cynical/bitter/jaded people out there.

 

It's probably the post-Black Isle Syndrome.

 

There don't seem to be any non-cynical/bitter/jaded people wherever I post...

 

...oh my god, it's me innit? The problem is me...

 

[Purkake]

Internet forums do seem to bring out the grumpy bears in people. I agree with Nepenthe's comment about lessening the enjoyment of talking about games.

There's plenty of forums with non-cynical/bitter/jaded people out there.

 

It's probably the post-Black Isle Syndrome.

 

There don't seem to be any non-cynical/bitter/jaded people wherever I post...

 

...oh my god, it's me innit? The problem is me...

 

NeoGAF's pretty chipper compared to all the old skool RPG depression pits...

 

I'm sure there are others too.