Mass effect Trilogy

[AGX-17]

Until the obviously unique and snowflake-special human race appeared, of course. Humans are a collective Mary-Sue in the Mass Effect universe. Despite every human except some of the face-scanned NPCs and the occasional well-crafted custom Shepard being hideous. Incidentially, Canada is the Mary-Sue nation state of planet Earth in the ME universe. Imagine that.

Humans are unique snowflakes in pretty much every single scifi universe. Star Wars? Just about everyone of any importance is human. Babylon 5? All it takes to get rid of species that have been around since the dawn of time is to have some human yell at them a bit (at least the end of ME3 did not involve the Shep telling the Reapers to "get the hell out of our galaxy" and have them leave like whipped curs). Star Trek? Wonderful, enlightened peace loving humanity brings fluffy bunnies, lentil soup, understanding and prosperity to all the peoples of the galaxy. Vulcans may say "live long and Prosper" but humans Make It So despite the past 10k years of our existence proving demonstrably that in reality We Cannae Do It.

 

Awesome humanity saving the day for Johnny Foreigner Xenoer is a cliche that needs to die painfully, but it's a genre problem not one with any specific universe.

 

Incidentially, there was an anime in the early 80s where the protagonists have an ancient alien giant robot (they found it when colonizing a planet,) that cleaves planets in half and destroys solar systems over the course of their battles with an alien race pursuing them across the galaxy in an attempt to obtain said robot (not the smartest aliens in that respect, they also looked suspiciously like Vulcans,) but by the end, all the cast dies. The protagonist is the last to die, and his dying act is to **** everything and use the robot's infinite power to destroy (subject to debate) either the entire galaxy or the entire universe, with complete disregard for the literally countless innocents of any/every species that were wiped out in one very human act of spite.

Edited January 5, 2013 by AGX-17

[Enoch]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

[GhostofAnakin]

I don't know if it's a coincidence, or just an influx of new posters with the release of ME3, or what. But it's kind of odd how a lot of those on the BSN who defend every item of ME3 tend to have join dates after the ME3 release. I guess BioWare/EA got what they wanted and brought in a new fanbase.

[Calax]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

It's a game that doesn't understand it's own initial appeal. I thinks that it's a shooter with RPG elements and "your choices matter" but what people were sold on was the your choices matter first and the RPG second (with the shooter being sort of window dressing).

 

The story doesn't feel to cohesive, there are four major "acts" each with WORLD SHATTERING IMPLICATIONS! that have a culmination. However these stories don't really overlap that much, and once each one is done, the only change in the universe that the player interacts with, is a random guy in your CIC.

 

The Journal is TERRIBLE, giving only the most bare bones information.

 

Characters from ME 1 seemingly are more important to the writers than those of ME 2, even though you spent far more time learning about your ME2 companions than you ever did for your ME1 pals.

 

Over use of "manipulation" to try to tug at the players heart. New character that's built in to help people get up to speed on the universe, but you still won't be caught up with him and he's fairly one dimensional.

 

 

.....

 

Wouldn't it have been awesome if the Virmire survivior was the one killed on earth at the start rather than some little dork? Would certainly make for a better reason to have PTSD.

[Zoraptor]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

It's probably worth it at that price, especially if you have realistic expectations. It's a pretty variable experience though so enjoyment will depend on how much you can set aside the bad parts.

[Hurlshort]

If you played ME1 and ME2, I don't know why you wouldn't want to finish the series, especially for a bargain price.

 

Personally I enjoyed the way they brought closure to most of the relationships and storylines. The good far outweighed the bad.

[AGX-17]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

 

Better than $60 + another $10 for the on-disc DLC.

[GhostofAnakin]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

 

If you've waited this long, why not wait until the "ultimate" edition or whatever it's called is released, which will likely include all the DLC? That's what I usually do if I end up not buying the game within the first couple of months of its release.

[Nepenthe]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

 

If you've waited this long, why not wait until the "ultimate" edition or whatever it's called is released, which will likely include all the DLC? That's what I usually do if I end up not buying the game within the first couple of months of its release.

I don't think there's one for ME2, yet. Best reason not to wait (there probably won't be one). Not sure what the trilogy version had on PC, though.

[BruceVC]

If you played ME1 and ME2, I don't know why you wouldn't want to finish the series, especially for a bargain price.

 

Personally I enjoyed the way they brought closure to most of the relationships and storylines. The good far outweighed the bad.

 

This, buy ME3. Its entertaining and does bring some level of finality to the whole epic.

[Enoch]

So, I'm contemplating actually buying ME3 while it's still on sale on amazon. ($20 for the version with "from ashes")

 

Talk me out of it? I've been generally spoiled about how they've ****ed up the overarching plotline, but I enjoyed ME2's gameplay and character interaction enough to be interested in seeing some more of it.

 

If you've waited this long, why not wait until the "ultimate" edition or whatever it's called is released, which will likely include all the DLC? That's what I usually do if I end up not buying the game within the first couple of months of its release.

I don't think there's one for ME2, yet. Best reason not to wait (there probably won't be one). Not sure what the trilogy version had on PC, though.

 

Yeah, Bio/EA doesn't appear to do the "OMFG Edition with the Game and all the DLC" thing. And, even if they did, most of the DLC I'm aware of has been multiplayer maps, which I couldn't care less about. (The tactical pause is crucial to my enjoyment of the combat, so multiplayer is probably a no-go.)

 

I made the buy. I may not play it for a week or three, but this way I lock in the $20 price point for when I do.

[MrBrown]

If you've waited this long, why not wait until the "ultimate" edition or whatever it's called is released, which will likely include all the DLC? That's what I usually do if I end up not buying the game within the first couple of months of its release.

 

It seems their current policy is not to make these. EA policy, maybe, wouldn't know. They didn't make one for DA2 or ME2.

[Cariannis]

If you've waited this long, why not wait until the "ultimate" edition or whatever it's called is released, which will likely include all the DLC? That's what I usually do if I end up not buying the game within the first couple of months of its release.

 

It seems their current policy is not to make these. EA policy, maybe, wouldn't know. They didn't make one for DA2 or ME2.

 

There isn’t any retailer interest in a Dragon Age II Ultimate Edition. Really who can blame them?

[GhostofAnakin]

Yeah, Bio/EA doesn't appear to do the "OMFG Edition with the Game and all the DLC" thing. And, even if they did, most of the DLC I'm aware of has been multiplayer maps, which I couldn't care less about. (The tactical pause is crucial to my enjoyment of the combat, so multiplayer is probably a no-go.)

 

I made the buy. I may not play it for a week or three, but this way I lock in the $20 price point for when I do.

 

A lot of the DLC is multiplayer maps, but those are free. The DLC you have to pay for is mostly SP stuff. So far there's been two DLC (three, if you count the Prothean Day-One DLC), with at least one more on the way.

 

I'm surprised they stopped with the Ultimate editions. I can understand DA2; there were, what, 2 total DLC for it? But ME2 had quite a bundle of DLC, and ME3 seems to be following in its footsteps.

[Enoch]

So, I posted my initial impressions in the "What are you playing" thread, but this seems like a more appropraite spot for a question.

 

I'm still quite early in the game, but I'm wondering about one of my decisions-- what do I miss by turning down the reporter who wanted to come on-board? It seemed like an incredibly bad idea, from a roleplaying perspective, so I told her no. But if that locks me out of any interesting subsequent character interaction, it might be worth a reload. (I still might start all over from the beginning, anyway, just to raise the difficulty a peg.)

Edited January 15, 2013 by Enoch

[Malcador]

Interaction ? Nope. I think you miss out on the chance for 10-15 points on your EMS - 5 for taking her and you can get some more based on questions from her interviews.

[Serrano]

Diana Allers basically fills in the role of Emily Wong (and a lot of people seem to hate her although I didn't find her more annoying than any of the other characters). If you take her with you then you get a couple of conversation scenes and a shallow romance. Othewise she's like Kasumi and Zaeed in ME2 in that she can't be interacted with except for her specific big conversations. I think there are also some extra banter lines from her and other members of the Normandy crew if she's aboard and you also get some war assest points which have a very minor effect on the ending. You won't miss much from not taking her with you but ME3 is mostly about the accumulated little things, so I'd suggest if by reloading you only have to replay a half hour of exploring the citadel it's probably worth it, if you've already left the citadel and done missions then just forget about her.

[GhostofAnakin]

So, I posted my initial impressions in the "What are you playing" thread, but this seems like a more appropraite spot for a question.

 

I'm still quite early in the game, but I'm wondering about one of my decisions-- what do I miss by turning down the reporter who wanted to come on-board? It seemed like an incredibly bad idea, from a roleplaying perspective, so I told her no. But if that locks me out of any interesting subsequent character interaction, it might be worth a reload. (I still might start all over from the beginning, anyway, just to raise the difficulty a peg.)

 

You're better off not bringing her along. Her voice acting is the most annoying in the game. And really, she adds very little other than some EMS points. But by the end of the game, it won't matter.

[Enoch]

Yeah, I haven't quite figured out how much I should be worrying about the EMS points. I assume that I have a headstart by playing a ME1-ME2 import, and that the game is structured such that I'll be OK if I try to do most of the side missions and avoid screwing up any of the main missions too badly. I'm not intending to do the multiplayer, but I recall from the pre-release hype that the multiplayer missions were helpful, but not necessary to unlock all the endgame options (such as they are ).

 

I guess I'm leaning towards taking her. It may be a miniscule amount of content, and I may find the character annoying, but when a game presents me with a choice between "presence of content" versus "absence of content," it makes it tough to choose the latter. (Unless the content in question is something that I am already certain will be quite unpleasant, like Witcher2 QTEs, or a Bioware sex scene.) It goes against my instincts as a roleplayer, but I can always just pretend that Hackett asked me to accomodate the press.

[Enoch]

Actually, another question: How am I supposed to be reading the influence bar on my character sheet?

 

I imported a character who did ME1 rather Paragon, but did ME2 about 70% Renegade (only major Paragon decision was the last one). I see a red bar, with a slightly smaller white bar either above or behind it. Is the scale additive (which would mean I have more Renegade than Paragon), or is in an overlay, with the Renegade bar obscuring part of the larger Paragon bar behind it?

[NOK222]

Actually, another question: How am I supposed to be reading the influence bar on my character sheet?

 

I imported a character who did ME1 rather Paragon, but did ME2 about 70% Renegade (only major Paragon decision was the last one). I see a red bar, with a slightly smaller white bar either above or behind it. Is the scale additive (which would mean I have more Renegade than Paragon), or is in an overlay, with the Renegade bar obscuring part of the larger Paragon bar behind it?

 

I dont know, my advice, make the decisions how you want them, but by Rannoch you should have one of those bars 3/4 full for a certain decision.

Edited January 15, 2013 by NKKKK

[Zoraptor]

There's a generic 'reputation' stat now, which is the white bar thingy (paragon/ renegade are still blue/red). It's a decent enough change in theory, though a bit belated.

[Hassat Hunter]

I didn't understood it in ME3 either.

Eventually the greyed out options turned blue though... so, yeah...

[Calax]

In terms of content I think it's just 2 conversations with you and one that you walk in on/can shut down or something.

[Enoch]

There's a generic 'reputation' stat now, which is the white bar thingy (paragon/ renegade are still blue/red). It's a decent enough change in theory, though a bit belated.

Ah, that makes sense, I guess. So the screen displays your overall "reputation" in white, and the higher of your two alignment scores in the appropriate color.