Mass Effect 3

[Zoraptor]

Because encounter design based on moving forward through enemies is largely less tactical and more reflex-based than encounter design based on defeating a set number of enemies in a certain environment.

Er, really? Seems to me that some variation is a good idea, sit back and wait for your enemies to come and fight you on ground of your choosing means your enemy is dumb, especially if you have to go to them based on the scenario set up. I'm not sure that ME combat can really be described as 'tactical' in any real sense given you're clearly not meant to micromanage your team mates- and not in a world where something with real tactics like JA2 exists. But I cannot see any argument where defending is more tactical than attacking, the tactics are just different.

[Deraldin]

New information up about the multiplayer. Looks like 6 maps. Images in the link here.

[Majek]

I only read Bio boards if Rick ( GIbbed) posts anything useful. :D

 

edit: the maps looks very good. Too bad there's only 6.

Edited March 3, 2012 by Majek

[Bos_hybrid]

edit: the maps looks very good. Too bad there's only 6.

 

DLC

[Nepenthe]

Both questions directed at me have been answered correctly (and in admirable detail :D) while I was dreaming of unicorns, so no need to address those more.

I only read Bio boards if Rick ( GIbbed) posts anything useful. :D

 

edit: the maps looks very good. Too bad there's only 6.

AFAIK, they're recycling the N7 mission maps for those. So 6 N7 missions, 6 MP maps?

 

Will be interesting to see if they maintain dual use in the future, or if they'll go the way of Activision's 1200 point MP maps.

[Raithe]

Hm, just wrapping up Overlord and then onto Arrival to prep a third "variety" save for potential transfer to ME3.

 

Although I'd remember the whole "dark matter" references on the Tali Recruit mission, I hadn't realised there were a couple of other "dark matter" nods in other parts of the game. Mordin makes a comment about researchers and dark matter in the early..third of the game. And I'm sure there was one or two others scattered around.

 

Does make me ponder on whether that's something for ME3, or just things they're throwing in for other future games set in the ME Universe....

 

And will the Prothean artifact you gather in Firewalker turn out to be of any use? Inquiring minds want to know...

[BobSmith101]

Dark matter would likely have been a better motive. The orb is on the asset list so it must have some sort of use. The plot is quite FFX/Yevan does not really make too much sense.

Edited March 4, 2012 by BobSmith101

[Gorgon]

Setting up the next cataclysm. Find the orb and return it to mount doom perhaps.

[Gorgon]

Do they still have firewalker in ME3 though. I thought that was mostly a flop. Craft wasn't responsive or very fun to drive around.

[Majek]

Default shepard is kinda incompetent.( Don't know where this is from though, somebody sent it to me. So it might be fake. The beginning of Me3 doesn't make sense if all this is true.) Spoilers for choices taken in Me1 and Me2.

 

 

 

++++ Mass Effect 1 choices ++++

 

- Garrus was recruited

- Wrex was recruited

- The feros colony was not saved

- Shiala, the asari, was killed by the Thorian

- The Rachni Queen died

- Shepard killed Wrex on Virmire

- Shepard had no romance (oh noes!)

- The destiny ascension, along with the council, was destroyed.

- Udina was named counsellor

- All side missions and DLC content are considered as if you did not do them

 

++++ Mass Effect 2 choices ++++

 

- It is assumed Shepard did not do any loyalty missions

- Shepard did not help Mordin, as such no chance was made to save or destroy the genophage cure data.

- Tali was exiled by her people

- Shepard had no romance

- Zaeed and Kasumi were never recruited

- Mordin is alive

- Garrus is alive

- Miranda is alive

- Jacob is alive

- Grunt was never woken up from the tank and as such is never mentioned

- Jack died during the suicide mission

- Thane died during the suicide mission

- Tali was recruited and is alive

- Tali never romanced

- Samara was never recruited, but she fought her way off of ilium and was then murdered by Morinth.

- Legion was never reactivated and never gained a name

- Shepard destroyed the collector base

- The only normandy crew members that survived the suicide mission were Joker and Chakwas. Yeoman chambers and all other mass effect 2 non-squad members died.

- Shepard did not complete optional N7 missions and assignments (such as citadel missions)

- Shepard did not complete Arrival, Overlord or the shadow broker DLC. But the events of Arrival and Overlord happened off screen, the batarian system still exploded, and Liara is still the shadow broker.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Majek

[Raithe]

Oh yes, that's one isn't it. The Reapers have a "Husk modified version of Rachni" in ME3... is that actually because you saved the Rachni Queen and there are Rachni out there for the Reapers to find.. or is it going to happen regardless of whether you saved her or not?

 

 

And there shall be a proper in-game encounter with the Harvester (big alien bug/snake with wings lifeform). After being purely part of concept art for ME1, and slipped in as background shots in ME2 (such as the sequence on Tuchanka for Grunt's loyalty mission), you'll finally face off against them. Although, again, it'll be a Reaper modified version...

[Bendu]

Watched the 3 hour stream. Really looking forward to the game. Looks like there are some improvements over ME2, but also some very cheesy scenes.

[Orogun01]

Oh yes, that's one isn't it. The Reapers have a "Husk modified version of Rachni" in ME3... is that actually because you saved the Rachni Queen and there are Rachni out there for the Reapers to find.. or is it going to happen regardless of whether you saved her or not?

 

 

And there shall be a proper in-game encounter with the Harvester (big alien bug/snake with wings lifeform). After being purely part of concept art for ME1, and slipped in as background shots in ME2 (such as the sequence on Tuchanka for Grunt's loyalty mission), you'll finally face off against them. Although, again, it'll be a Reaper modified version...

This reminds me, does anyone knows if the big bugs in ME2 were Rachni? They certainly looked the part.

[Raithe]

This reminds me, does anyone knows if the big bugs in ME2 were Rachni? They certainly looked the part.

 

If you're meaning the one that was on Tuchanka that seemed to spawn those "fire-bugs" in Grunt's loyalty test, that was a Harvester. Also seen in the background during a cutscene of landing on a planet during one of the.. N7 missions I think it was.

 

The only appearance by the Rachni (if you had imported a save where you saved the Queen) was by a> the news reports about "mysterious ships that resemble the old rachni", and b> the asari messenger who talks to you on Illium.

 

 

Edited March 4, 2012 by Raithe

[Nepenthe]

This reminds me, does anyone knows if the big bugs in ME2 were Rachni? They certainly looked the part.

 

If you're meaning the one that was on Tuchanka that seemed to spawn those "fire-bugs" in Grunt's loyalty test, that was a Harvester. Also seen in the background during a cutscene of landing on a planet during one of the.. N7 missions I think it was.

He means the fire-bugs themselves. Not Rachni. They could've handled that a bit better.

 

Also, I'm less than 1/5 into the soundtrack, but IT'S ****ING AWESOME.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Nepenthe]

Can't edit so, double post. Call me gullible etc., but this makes sense to me and I'm happy to pay for it, too.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Majek]

I just want to meet Kalros.

Edited March 4, 2012 by Majek

[Malcador]

For those of you getting it digitally, how big a download is this ? Here in the land of bandwidth caps, that's important.

[Majek]

10 gb for the game. I can't tell you how much CE stuff ( if that interests you too) like the From Ashes DLC or N7 stuff is, because those downloads doesn't work for me yet.

[Deraldin]

10 gb for the game. I can't tell you how much CE stuff ( if that interests you too) like the From Ashes DLC or N7 stuff is, because those downloads doesn't work for me yet.

 

From Ashes is about 500MB. The N7 stuff is negligible. I think it's only a couple MBs but I can't remember the exact number. Someone managed to preload the whole thing on Origin and posted a screenshot of the downloads.

[Nepenthe]

I couldn't get the metadata on the wavs to show, but apparently Clint Mansell is credited as the sole author of one (1) track and co-author of another (with Sam Hulick). So either they are saving all his stuff, he's the most overhyped thing ever, or third option, what I've been thinking for a while, he either failed to deliver an actual score or it was rejected (one of the interviews mentions that the rest of the composing team was contacted in November)...

[Meshugger]

I just saw the leaked endings on youtube and goddammit, i can't believe that they actually went with the very route that i semi-joked about 6 (yes, six) years ago on these forums.

 

 

Ancient Robots eating everything alive every 50000 years? One could almost go as far as claiming the story to be a complete ripoff from Vandread. If the final boss is a lonesome child (or any lonesome entity) who is eating everything living in order to maintain his/hers perverted immortality, then it will certainly not be the best story ever

 

 

It's not even funny. That's just sad

[Gorgon]

It's not about the plot. The plot is going to suck, this can be predicted with confidence. Getting there will hopefully be interesting.

[Malcador]

It's not about the plot. The plot is going to suck, this can be predicted with confidence. Getting there will hopefully be interesting.

 

Hm, pretty much the truth for a lot of games.

 

Shepard was right about not needing tactics or strategy. Not really a spoiler but is cobbled together from leaked footage. Shame the engagement range is point-blank for space.

 

 

http://youtu.be/IB2lmavv5B4

 

[Maria Caliban]

Given my past experience with Mass Effect and BioWare, I'm going to speculate that the main plot will be weak, but there will be lots of good side-stories.