Mass Effect Andromeda

[ktchong]

 

[majestic]

Having seen some streamers stream this thing it looks about on the quality I have come to expect from Bioware so why people are all freaking out about this thing when they were cool with Inquisition I find odd. I will get it eventually and play it through once. It looks alright.

 

But then animations and big time graphics are not really something I care about that much. KOTOR still looks good to me. 

 

It essentially boils down to the stereotype of the neckbearded, socially awkward nerd fat guy who complains that them wimmin in the new Bioware game aren't the usual masturbation material he's used to and what appears to be half of the reactionary lol-alt internet element co-opting this as a vehicle for another social justice warrior conspiracy, and since Bioware took the wrong side in the past they're a decent target.

 

Funny thing there: This is Bioware second game that got transferred from the established codebase to Frostbite and it again has techincal issues (especially my old friend the silent crash to desktop) and is not exactly up to standards previously set. That this was done by an inexperienced team that seems to have hired all the wrong people and has been in development for ages doesn't help at all. *sigh*

[Valmy]

 

 

 

It essentially boils down to the stereotype of the neckbearded, socially awkward nerd fat guy who complains that them wimmin in the new Bioware game aren't the usual masturbation material he's used to and what appears to be half of the reactionary lol-alt internet element co-opting this as a vehicle for another social justice warrior conspiracy, and since Bioware took the wrong side in the past they're a decent target.

 

Funny thing there: This is Bioware second game that got transferred from the established codebase to Frostbite and it again has techincal issues (especially my old friend the silent crash to desktop) and is not exactly up to standards previously set. That this was done by an inexperienced team that seems to have hired all the wrong people and has been in development for ages doesn't help at all. *sigh*

 

 

Ah well I was worried that political stuff might be part of it. I try to do my best to ignore that crap.

 

Does it have more problems than Inquisition did? I heard that alot of this game was made by that new Montreal studio so maybe so.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Valmy

[the_dog_days]

In terms of bugs, its the worst release so far this year. Like, AC Unity levels of bugginess. Its no coincidence that MEA was released at the end of March; EA wanted a title out by the end of the first quarter.

[ktchong]

Mass Effect: Andromeda was made by a different studio, not the actual Bioware.

 

EA took the Mass Effect franchise away from Bioware, (i.e., Bioware Edmonton,) and gave it to a cheaper and less-capable studio. EA created the other studio after acquiring the Bioware brand and called it "Bioware Montreal". Bioware "Montreal" has nothing to do with Bioware "Edmonton": it has different company cultures, different management, different people, etc. After taking Mass Effect from Bioware Edmonton, EA ordered the real Bioware to spend its energy, resources and time into creating a new franchise.

 

So that is EA's business model for the "Bioware" brand: have Bioware Edmonton create one new franchise after another. If a franchise becomes successful and builds a fanbase, then take the franchise away from Edmonton and give it to a cheaper, less-capable studio to continue to make sequels. Then, repeat and rinse: order Bioware to create another new franchise for EA to squeeze dry. Bioware has become EA's "money tree" to create new franchises and mass produce sequels.

 

I recognize that EA's business model because it was what EA did to Origin Systems, the once-venerable developer of the Ultima and Wing Commander series. EA bought the already successful but underfunded Origin in the 1990s and proceeded to squeeze it dry, until Origin's crediblity and reputation was completely destroyed. Then EA shut down Origin studios and moved on to the next acquisition. Of course, nowadays few people remember Origin as a pioneer game developer and only knows it as the name for the hated DRM platform of EA.

 

The founder-CEO of Origin Systems, Richard Garriott, left some years after his company was acquired by EA.   Many years after his departure, I read in an interview and found out that Richard Garriott was forced out of his company by EA - under a circumstance very similar to how Bioware's founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk suddenly left their company.  For years Garriott could not disclose the reason for his exit from Origin due to his contract with EA, and he only revealed the truth after the contract and its non-disclosure clause had expired.  When I read about Muzyka and Zeschuk's departure just a few year after their company was acquired by EA, I immediately went, "Whoa, whoa, whoa.... this all seems all very familiar."  So I already know where Bioware is heading.

 

It was nice knowing ya, Bioware.

Edited March 23, 2017 by ktchong

[Hurlshort]

Actually I kind of like the idea that a good studio is freed up to create new IP's while established franchises are continued on with a group that is still trying to earn their stripes. Particularly when the original trilogy was wrapped up pretty neatly (regardless of whether you liked it.) Obviously this is going to mean the franchise may take a nose dive, but it is also going to mean we get more new properties.

 

The execution may be flawed, but the model seems very reasonable.

[ktchong]

Actually I kind of like the idea that a good studio is freed up to create new IP's while established franchises are continued on with a group that is still trying to earn their stripes. Particularly when the original trilogy was wrapped up pretty neatly (regardless of whether you liked it.) Obviously this is going to mean the franchise may take a nose dive, but it is also going to mean we get more new properties.

 

The execution may be flawed, but the model seems very reasonable.

 

It is a good business model - from a business standpoint and for short-term, quaterly-profit-maximizing purpose.    However, I have seen the final outcomes of that business model of EA, (because EA has used it on other development studios it acquired - studios that no longer exist.)  What is good for business is not necessarily good for gaming.

 

Here may be the silver lining for Obsidian: Bioware actually filled in the void created by Origins Systems.  Bioware started at around the same time when Origin Systems (the leading RPG developer of its time) were in decline under EA's control.  Which means, in about five to ten years, Obsidian will have the opportunity to fill in the void created by the demise of Bioware.

Edited March 23, 2017 by ktchong

[Hurlshort]

But Origin was churning out average sequels, I don't remember a lot of new IP's.

[ktchong]

But Origin was churning out average sequels, I don't remember a lot of new IP's.

 

It tried to create a few IP like Crusader and Jane's, but none of them had been as commercially and critically successful as Ultima or Wing Commanders (whose qualities were being diminished by buggy sequels.)  It was one of the reasons why Richard Garriot was forced out: he took the fall for the failure of those failed and cancelled titles.  (I suspect Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk were the fall guys  for Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3.)

 

My conjecture: Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk have a ten-year non-disclosure agreement with EA.  (Richard Garriott had a one-year non-compete and five-year non-disclosure, if I remember correctly; and he came out and talked and swung at EA soon after the five years.)  I can't wait to  hear from Muzyka and   Zeschuk in ten years.

Edited March 23, 2017 by ktchong

[Valmy]

I think I know what they will say. They were forced to make ME3 and DA2 in absurdly short development times all while undergoing a major re-organization. That would take the fun out of it for anybody.

[Bendu]

Feel the pain.

 

 

[ktchong]

I think I know what they will say. They were forced to make ME3 and DA2 in absurdly short development times all while undergoing a major re-organization. That would take the fun out of it for anybody.

 

That's what Richard Garriott said.

 

EA became successful by making sport franchise titles like NBA and  NFL.  EA's business model is to keep to a tight schedule to chunk out a new NBA or NFL title every year, and EA absolutely cannot miss a release date for those sport titles.  Then, after a certain year's NBA or NFL video game is released, EA never looks back and completely fixes the problems in a NBA or NFL game.  EA moves on to next year's NBA or NFL.  That is the same business model EA enforces on all its studios.  Which works for sport titles but destroys everything else.

Edited March 23, 2017 by ktchong

[the_dog_days]

Feel the pain.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JbNpF0lO9g

Paw in paw, they walk beneath a waterfall. Ape and cat, together at last.

[Hurlshort]

Sure, but Richard Garriott clearly wanted to keep making games and lost access to titles he was greatly attached to. The Doctors come across as hobbyists who just kind of struck gold and rode it out. They cashed out when they could and seem happy pursuing other interests. Honestly it seems like a pretty great deal for them. Not that I feel all that bad for Garriott, the guy built a castle with his gaming money.  

[Bartimaeus]

(I suspect Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk were the fall guys  for Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect 3.)

 

Fall guys...for two games released 9 years apart? The former of which was way before EA's time?

 

(e): I'm retarded: KotOR is not Star Wars: The Old Republic. Ah, they got me good. Carry on, I suppose.

Edited March 23, 2017 by Bartimaeus

[Zoraptor]

Nah, don't. After all, he does think that Origin established the Jane's IP- which would involve time travelling back to 1898. It's as much a licensed product as an NBA game. Most of the rest is just standard industry practice, crappy maybe but everyone does it.

[Majek]

ktchong you're a ****ing idiot. Bioware is EA  and they became that when they merged with them. Their story is not comparable to other studios aquired by EA.

[Valmy]

ktchong you're a ****ing idiot. Bioware is EA  and they became that when they merged with them. Their story is not comparable to other studios aquired by EA.

 

Why not?

[Mamoulian War]

Feel the pain.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JbNpF0lO9g

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YWTXzM8Lt4

Oh god.... the blonde thing... is that man or a woman. I am so affraid to click that link, to find out myself O.o

[majestic]

That voice is from Fem!Ryder. Although I have to admire the person who made that face. That sure took some doing and is actually even worse than my orginal Mass Effect female Shepard face that looked like a red-haired praying mantis with yellow/green irises.

 

Now that I've actually played a couple of hours, well, yeah. This plays exactly like DA:I with guns. People complain about facial animations and the grand Bioware conspiracy against attractive women but nobody mentioned that retardely unresponsive controls that plagued Inquisition?

 

Talk about priorities. *sigh*

[GhostofAnakin]

Just started playing today.

 

I can't believe how bad the facial animations are.  The aliens are the only ones that look good.  Any human animation looks bad.  I don't remember it being this bad in the original ME trilogy, given the technology of the respective timeframe the games were released.

 

They also walk weird.  I was watching that Cora chick walk away, and she was all bow-legged with her arms arched in a weird way.

 

And that's not even touching on the movement of the lips/mouth not even being close to syncing with the dialogue being spoken.

 

How does BioWare do it?  How do the manage to make such ugly characters?  You look at all these other games recently released, and when they try to portray an "attractive character", the character model looks attractive.  BioWare seems like it's being a caricature of itself by making every character -- especially female -- look like an ugly parody of what they're supposed to be.

[Darkpriest]

To be honest, If i were the model on which they based the female Ryder, I'd sue Bioware for damaging of her outlook/career profile and tell them to step referencing her name in any of the materials. I am sure other models have a ton of laugh for how bad she looks in this game.

[FlintlockJazz]

Actually I kind of like the idea that a good studio is freed up to create new IP's while established franchises are continued on with a group that is still trying to earn their stripes. Particularly when the original trilogy was wrapped up pretty neatly (regardless of whether you liked it.) Obviously this is going to mean the franchise may take a nose dive, but it is also going to mean we get more new properties.

 

The execution may be flawed, but the model seems very reasonable.

Freed up?  Or forced?  Coming up with idea after idea constantly is going to lead to burnout.  Plus, wouldn't you want to work on and build up your own ideas rather than have them thrown over to other people the moment they have any success?  Obsidian have made a big deal out of how PoE 2 is the first time they have been able to work on a sequel to their own work, and it seems a big deal to them.  Also, more properties does not equal good properties, this model is not good for creativity. 

[kirottu]

 

Gamer succeeds in making a normal looking womans face. NPCs can't handle it and start to melt.

[Raithe]

I did one of the Loyalty missions last night - Liam's, and it turned out quite amusingly entertaining.  I'm curious how it could turn out if I'd made different choices earlier in the game - not to put too much spoilers on it, but certain colonists turn up to help out.

 

 

 

Basically you end up sneaking aboard a pirate vessel and things go **** up. I had started a scientific outpost, and suddenly had the science/engineers type turn up, latch onto the outside of the pirate ship and basically managed to keep switching its gravity around. I wonder whether there'd be a big difference if you had picked the military outpost.

So the whole mission kept going back and forth through the same rooms, just with walls becoming ceilings becoming floors, etc. A simple idea that turned out to give the whole thing a flavour of its own.

Also, a fair bit of humour involved. Plus you get the chance to deliver the immortal line "Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you." to the Pirate Captain, while the companion giggles behind you.