42753 réponses à ce sujet

[sagefic]

***ARRIVAL SPOILERS FOLLOW*** (though it seems that's the norm by now)








Huh, well, I missed quite a few pages and I skimmed them rather than reading in detail, but to quote Lina Lamont (girl scout cookies to you if you know who that is) "I LIKED it!"

I really did. I think a lot of it was that my theory that ME3 should begin with Shep on trial, some of my private theories about what the Reapers will turn out to represent, etc., were completely satisfied by this DLC. Add to it that I see Kyrie as someone who is always saying, "Man, why am *I* always standing closest when the sh*t hits the fan?" and it really fit her, too. So yeah, I liked it.



The gameplay - was HARD. i only got 1 of the 3 cheevos. i'll have to try again. i got a kick out of the challenge, had to step up my adepting. thankfully, i brought the Mattock this time (got firepower pack while i was at it)

The plot - I liked. yeah, you're railroaded into a number of decisions, but they were so clearly the ONLY option that they seemed canon-shep to me. like with saren - you have to go after him - this felt along the same lines



The sacrifice - i have little love for batarians and neither does kyrie. maybe there are good ones in there - most are totally awful. the irony of this vs. Bringing Down the Sky, however, was not lost on me. the whole time, kyrie was thinking - "d*mn, now I'M the terrorist" and she'd do it again in a heartbeat, even knowing that the rest of the galaxy might hate her for it. i REALLY liked that aspect - the hero has to become reviled to save the day. it totally worked for me - and for my paragrade playthrough.

The debrief - wow, hackett looks just how i pictured him and i love that he still trusts shep. that the Alliance is using her as a scapegoat is PERFECT. i mean, it sucks, but it's PERFECT. i am SO ready to see how this plays out. kyrie has a few months to cool off before putting on her dress blues, and dare i hope the VS will be there to defend her? (omg, omg, please say yes!)



and the fact that hackett acknowledged the normandy "wasn't exaclty a cerberus ship anymore" made my day. no, it's not, thank you very much, and so I finished the DLC pleased as punch. i guess i read a lot into shep's voice/animations, so i TOTALLY thought she expressed an appropriate conflicted feeling over her actions. but i feel like shepard is led to this "fine, whatever it takes to stop the reapers" - so accepting that bit of characterization as handed down from the writers, i found little to complain about in the DLC and lots to enjoy. truly, i did enjoy it a ton.

my only eye-roll moments were shep talking to herself (k, i know it needed to be done, but in my fanfic shep internally monologues to herself, but to hear it outloud was a little odd). joker just sitting there like a mime and saying nothing (creepy! the man talks SO much it was just weird. i half expected them to steal just some short sound bite from the main game to fill in) and that the cool woman with the british accent turns out to be evil. sadness. i was hoping to keep helen mirren dr. whatsherface with me a little longer. but sadly, i took the renegade interrupt with no regrets.

yeah, i liked it. i really, really did. made my day, and kyrie's ready for ME3 now.

Modifié par sagequeen, 31 mars 2011 - 01:33 .

[Cypher0020]

ooooo when do you get to see Dr. Chakwas again? After Shep gets knocked out?

[Harpalyce]

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

I'm pretty sure mine would take up that offer.

...and then promptly dump it on Miranda as revenge. Although she's pretty sure Miranda could handle it, she's also sure that Miranda might be driven completely insane by it.

(Delia really, really doesn't like Miranda after Pragia, though in my head mostly it's an old grudge because of Miranda's poor bedside manner at the very start of ME2. Even heroes need to be told that they're going to be okay, sometimes.)

Though she might pause to create Intergalactic Shepard Day, a holiday wherein all persons named Delia Shepard are to be given all the free booze, lapdances, and liver transplants they request.

Edit: And cake. Ice cream cake, specifically. ...Delia Shepard is rather silly. She'd stick around just long enough to have one giant party for the express purpose of booze and cake. And then she'd hand the reigns over to someone she wanted to annoy.

Though the running gag I keep meaning to illustrate is her joking that after all is said and done, she's going to go start her own cult. After all, she's got the returning from the dead thing down. She's nominating Joker for patron saint of porn.

Modifié par Harpalyce, 31 mars 2011 - 01:49 .

[thompsmt]

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

For Renée, no.  She'd serve on the Council, if asked, but she's got a strong Cincinatus feeling that after all is said and done, getting enough land for privacy is about what she wants.  If Liara stays on as Shadow Broker after everything is said and done, she'll run cargo and messages back and forth.

Nimue, she would give it a try.  I think her destructiveness would get her in a bit of trouble though.

[sagefic]

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

after arrival, kyrie is just hoping the galaxy makes it past reaper day. if ever there isn't threat of imminent extinction, she's retiring. she was sitting the fence before arrival, but now she's sure: when this is done, she's done, too. let her name go down in history as it will. she's a free woman then and she's on her own.

[Shenzi]

sagequeen wrote...

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

after arrival, kyrie is just hoping the galaxy makes it past reaper day. if ever there isn't threat of imminent extinction, she's retiring. she was sitting the fence before arrival, but now she's sure: when this is done, she's done, too. let her name go down in history as it will. she's a free woman then and she's on her own.

Kate feels the same way, it's time to retire after the Reapers are dealt with.

[Mr.Vakarian]

sagequeen wrote...

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

after arrival, kyrie is just hoping the galaxy makes it past reaper day. if ever there isn't threat of imminent extinction, she's retiring. she was sitting the fence before arrival, but now she's sure: when this is done, she's done, too. let her name go down in history as it will. she's a free woman then and she's on her own.

Same here for Maddy. There's no telling what will happen in ME3, but since her resurrection..The Alliance has left her with a bit of  sour taste. Had it not, she would have stayed in another 20 or 30 years and retired as an Admiral.  When it's over, she is retiring early.   Maybe she'll get an posh aprtment on Illium and buy into a popular night club, eventually buy out her partners, and run it for the next 30 years. She might buy back her grandparents land in Montana and set up a private estate/ranch and bread horses.....she may even cash out all she owns and slip off to some quiet corner of the galaxy and dissapear into the halls of history.....leaving her fate and whereabouts unknown.

Haven't made up my mind yet...or how Kaidan would fit in 

[JamieCOTC]

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

UJ, no.  She's just A. too paragon to want that and B. realistic enough to know it would be a pain in the a**. 
Erica, yes ... but just long enough to slap Udina, the Council and Alliance brass around a bit.  Then she would make Kaidan get back to her side and reliquish her crown to Liara. 



Lab Assitant: "Crap!  I left the restraints in Dr. Kenson's bedroom again!! Crap! Crap! Crap!!"


"Last thing I remember was a giant Reaper lava lamp. Either this is a dream, I'm in deep sh*t or I ate more of Dr. Chwkas's brownies again."


"I am SO damned tired of waking up on lab tables!  Where is that goddamned writer?!"


"And one more thing! Stop hitting on me!! I know you feel this?  WTF?  I will tear you apart?  I -- I'm not even going there!!" 


"Witch Hunt?  What are you saying?  The DLC wasn't that bad." 

I know I'm over the quota, but if I may endulge a bit, Arrival is a good DLC for screenshots.  It shows off UJ's baby blue eyes quite well. 


This sky, too, is folding under you ...


... And it’s all over now, baby blue.

Modifié par JamieCOTC, 31 mars 2011 - 02:37 .

[Sinapus]

Harpalyce wrote...

I wonder how on earth they're going to justify multiplayer. SUDDENLY, SHEPARDS! EVERYWHERE! A WHOLE HERD OF THEM! ...Herd? Pack? Flock? ...umm...

Quantum physics gone horribly wrong?

[SkaldFish]

I'm trying to make it through all the Arrival comments, but I want to make a few of my own while the first runthrough is still fresh. I'm sure most if not all have already been made, so I apologize for the repetition, but if I wait too long I'll be too kind.

I thought the basic story idea was a decent one. But, with the exception of the graphics work, which I thought was often exquisite, it was pretty poorly executed. The dialogue was trite and amateurish, i got REALLY tired of crouching behind one storage crate after another, and, worst of all, I can't really see what substantial value it added to the trilogy's story arc. How was this a transition? What did it develop (besides a fair amount of disappointment)?

Let's see. The story told us that

1. The Reapers are trying to return to the galaxy any way they can, they apparently have a number of ways to do so, and sooner or later they will succeed. Surprise! We already knew that.
2. Human scientists in the ME Universe  take One-A-Day brand stupid pills. This enables them to oblige unimaginative writers who insist on having them expose themselves to Reaper artifacts so we can play the "Oh no you dit-ent!" game just before they start talking about how good it must be to be a Reaper. This is not new information.
3. The only story evolution is in the BioWare story. BioWare's concept of Shepard is markedly different from that of a great many players, and there is a distinct move towards more shooting and less role playing. Unfortunately, that's not news either.

That's pretty much it, I think. No character development, no real plot advancement, poor implementation of paragon/renegade options that left me feeling more like a B-movie spectator than a participant (and frankly made me angry that my FemShep was forced into behaviors she'd never have exhibited), and a cardboard throwaway character in Kenson that you really didn't mind so much throwing away.

To be fair, though, I did learn a few things I didn't know: Unfortunately, I think I wish I still didn't know them.

1. Reapers apparently need nothing more than a circular shuttle landing pad to transmit a holographic projection. It's almost like... like... they can suddenly do whatever the writer needs them to do when a too quick, simplistic wrap-up is required.
2. Shepard knows how to be a sort of Bizarro-World Reaper and assume control of mechs.
3. Mechs have been given circa 1960 TV tubes for visual processors. No wonder they're always shooting people.
4. Admiral Hackett has very questionable taste in hats.
5. Shepard has severe Attention Deficit Disorder. Mid-sentence of a warning to an entire solar system to get the hell out as fast as you can, she's interrupted by Indoctro-Kenson. Suddenly she's like a dog who catches sight of a squirrel. Warning? What Warning? Batarians? What Batarians?
6. Like The Princess Bride's Wesley building up a resistance to iocaine powder, Shepard can't be sedated for very long -- at least not when a lazy writer needs a plot device that enables her to wake up "just in time."
7. Shepard is also developing some strange form of rapid-onset Asperger's Syndrome. Dr. Kenson tells her a Reaper artifact has become her own personal NetFlix service, and Shepard responds with a "Gee, Hon, bad idea," then takes Kenson up on her offer for a free ReaperVision trial. Later, she shrugs her shoulders and vaporizes 300,000 Batarians without shedding a tear. At this rate, by the time we get to ME3 we might as well have Shepard be played by an Elcor.

I love what BioWare has created in the ME series, and I hate to be so harsh, but sometimes I just don't get the inconsistency.

The only SS I could find from my run-through where Shepard is showing some hint of emotion:


"On Omega, I made it a point to save one sick Batarian, and now I've murdered a quarter of a million. Damn you, Mac Walters. Damn you."

Modifié par SkaldFish, 02 avril 2011 - 12:34 .

[jeweledleah]

would any of my Shepards want wold domination? not my femsheps anyways, none of them have personality and desire for it, they would rather be either out in a world raising hell/doing good or relaxing somewhere, away from prying eyes.

multiplayer in ME...maybe L4D style? each person assumes control of one of the squadmates...but then there would be fighting of who gets to play shepard O_O maybe?
bah, best not think about it.

hmmm, maybe I should have worn a helmet, rain keeps getting under my collar


limited time and whole station of indoctrinated mercs? lovely

[Harpalyce]

Just finished my second FemShep runthrough, and I'm glad I played her more paragade than straight paragon.

It's not quite DAT SMIRK, but it'll do.

http://cloud.steampo...3E58C771210716/

Now I'm all ready and set to play LotSB and Arrival this weekend! ...as long as I can stay conscious at least. Mono is really cutting into my ME2 time, lol...

multiplayer in ME...maybe L4D style? each person assumes control of one of the squadmates...but then there would be fighting of who gets to play shepard O_O maybe?
bah, best not think about it.

If theres L4D style multiplayer, I demand an option to play as infected Baddie-Du-Jour, going back and forth. Regular multiplayer in L4D is sort of boring. Trying to kill my roommate as a spitter, though? HILARIOUS. I just need a Reaper to hand me the keys to a Collector or two and I'm all good.

Modifié par Harpalyce, 31 mars 2011 - 03:05 .

[sagefic]

hmmm... you know, to continue my pollyannaish tone for the evening, i'm intrigued by multiplayer.

if it's TOTALLY separate from a well-done singleplayer that finishes out the ME saga in a grand style fitting for the rest of the series, then whatever they do on the side is fine by me. i like to LAN play with the hubby, and the idea of joining him and/or other folks for battles sounds great. even if it is a non-shep with kyrie's face running around, i'm cool with that. just give me singularity and i'm good to go.

edit: in arrival, kyrie took out more than one batarian in a very unsportswomanlike manner...

Modifié par sagequeen, 31 mars 2011 - 03:12 .

[Lord Zeuss]

ADLegend21 wrote...

Femshep question time! Would your Femshep want to become, as I put it, supreme overlord of the Galaxy? I say this because Shepard is the only one who gets things done, and Since Liara is the Shadow broker, she could make it happen. Discuss!

Cara doesn't want supreme overlord status. In fact, once she's finished icing a few hundred thousand Reapers, she's giving Liara notice and then blowing up the Shadow Broker base and dismantling as much of that vile network as she can.

[Sinapus]

f1r3storm wrote...

aimlessgun wrote...

Yay I got good punch screens this time through Arrival.

Loved the facial expression here.

"Someone's made a big mistake!"

Maxim 35. That which does not kill you has made a tactical error.

:innocent:

[sagefic]

Sinapus wrote...

f1r3storm wrote...

aimlessgun wrote...

Yay I got good punch screens this time through Arrival.

Loved the facial expression here.

"Someone's made a big mistake!"

Maxim 35. That which does not kill you has made a tactical error.

:innocent:

They're both thinking "Okay, who put me back in Cerberus clothes? I'm gonna kill them."

[Cyansomnia]

@Sage

I actually loved the idea of the hero being reviled in order to serve the greater good. Kind of reminds me of the end of the Dark Knight, actually. Now that I've had time to think about it and I'm over the initial shock, it is an interesting way of leading into ME3.

It hit me on an emotional level that I wasn't expecting. Similar to the events in ME1, or even DA:Origins. I'm worried about my Shep, what might happen to her and if she's going to be able to pull through this.

I'm looking forward to the beginning of ME3. I also hope the VS becomes a huge part of helping out Shepard or even defending her in the trial. I still have my beefs with the DLC, though, in the sense it felt like it could have been further developed on a roleplaying level.

I want to say when it came to visuals, the station on the asteroid was aces. It reminded me of a few retro science fiction movies. Like the living areas of the ship in Alien, THX 1138 or Logan's Run.

@Skald

Your post made me chuckle and I generally agree.  

Modifié par Aislinn Trista, 31 mars 2011 - 03:35 .

[jeweledleah]

@Sage and cerberus clothes

I'm so glad that I have modded coaleced, because Leah woke up in her alliance clothes (they are the first option in that file instead of cerberus ones). its kinda funny that parts on the Normandy let you wear your usual casual wear, but on object Rho, you get to wear the first casual selection instead..

Modifié par jeweledleah, 31 mars 2011 - 03:30 .

[ELE08]

SkaldFish wrote...

-snip-
"On Omega, I made it a point to save one sick Batarian, and now I've murdered a quarter of a million. Damn you, Mac Walters. Damn you."

Snipped to leave the most relevant point intact. That done...

*lightly taps SkaldFish with a rolled up newspaper*

Stop it! Stop thinking critically!  Look an explosion! This is Mass Effect we're talking about.


Only joking of course.  I think your assessment is right on the money.

[ELE08]

Aislinn Trista wrote...

I'm looking forward to the beginning of ME3. I also hope the VS becomes a huge part of helping out Shepard or even defending her in the trial. I still have my beefs with the DLC, though, in the sense it felt like it could have been further developed on a roleplaying level.

I had this thought as well.  Shepard gets thrown to the wolves, and the VS steps up to defend her.  That would be a real heartwarmer.  Only problem is nothing has happened since Horizon to justify such a 180 in opinion and you'd think 300,000 dead Batarians would only make them question her more--unless they've been privy to some information we don't know about yet.

Oh VS, what are they going to do with you?  Inquiring minds...

[JamieCOTC]

Aislinn Trista wrote...

I actually loved the idea of the hero being reviled in order to serve the greater good. Kind of reminds me of the end of the Dark Knight, actually.

That was the first thing I thought of when I finished Arrival.  Does that mean Anderson will be her Commisioner Gordon?  If EDI is Alfred, she needs to be more sarcastic. 

Modifié par JamieCOTC, 31 mars 2011 - 03:55 .

[Sinapus]

The trial could be interrupted by the Reaper invasion, leading to an endgame dialogue option:

So... still want to put me on trial?

Edit:

All of my FemSheps would rather do help desk work than rule the galaxy. Though the two options are sort of like picking which religion's version of hell would you like to live in.

Riza: So... when you called earlier you were getting this "VPN password incorrect" error message and the previous analyst told you to contact the hotel's IT to check your extranet connection instead of... resetting your password?
Customer: Yes.
Riza: Excuse me. *launches incinerate at previous analyst*
Analyst: Aiiiiieeeeeee....
Riza: It was at one percent power, you big baby.
Customer: So... it's true about the help desk setting people on fire?
Riza: Not really. Can't send high-energy plasma through commlinks. Let me verify your identity and I'll reset your VPN password and see if that works.

Modifié par Sinapus, 31 mars 2011 - 04:19 .

[ADLegend21]

Ok, I serisouly need to stop writing stuff that makes me tear up....see what I mean?(set post arrival)

[SkaldFish]

ELE08 wrote...

SkaldFish wrote...

-snip-
"On Omega, I made it a point to save one sick Batarian, and now I've murdered a quarter of a million. Damn you, Mac Walters. Damn you."

Snipped to leave the most relevant point intact. That done...

*lightly taps SkaldFish with a rolled up newspaper*

Stop it! Stop thinking critically!  Look an explosion! This is Mass Effect we're talking about.


Only joking of course.  I think your assessment is right on the money.

OUCH! Wha... Ooooh... EXPLOSIONNNN! ... Story? What story?

@Aislinn: Thanks - Hopefully I'll find more to like after a few more playthroughs, and I will admit the Shepard on Trial setup is interesting, if kind of awkwardly done.

Long wait now until "Holiday 2011"...