71 réponses à ce sujet

[moneycashgeorge]

 I can't imagine why it was decided that Drew Karpyshan should stop leading the writing of Mass Effect. He still works for BioWare, he's been writing TOR as last I know, so why move him away from the franchise he created? Mass Effect was hailed for the brilliance and cohesion of its writing, so what sense does it make to change writers?

Was it possibly EA's decision? Did they think he wasn't mainstream enough?

Walters does not seem to be doing a good job. The retcons are piling up, the story of Mass Effect 2, while certainly well written, is of questionable significance. Many of the more thematic elements of Mass Effect 1 have been discarded. Walter's comic books are laughably (or scarily) bad, and Mass Effect 3 will suffer if that is the direction he's taking it in.

Does BioWare notice this trend? Do they even care? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

[Nashiktal]

He stopped working on Mass Effect because he is working on the MMO. MMO's take just a wee bit more work than a single console game.

Not entirely happy with it, but whats done is done.

[ToshiStation38]

From what I understand, Karpyshyn wanted to move somewhere less snowy and I can see why they would bring him onto their Star Wars project which is likely, IMO, a bigger investment for both Bioware as well as EA.

Walters worked on Mass Effect 1, and I guess the powers-at-Bioware thought he was the best candidate to take over lead writing duites.

Also, keep in mind that the story of the Mass Effect trilogy has been long since plotted out (or so we've been told). I'm sure we'll still be seeing Karpyshyn's hand in a lot of what we see in Mass Effect 3.

[didymos1120]

moneycashgeorge wrote...

The retcons are piling up, the story of Mass Effect 2, while certainly well written, is of questionable significance.

Walters did not control the main story of ME2.  The main story of the games is worked out by Casey Hudson, the Lead Designer and the Lead Writer, and the latter is not the most important person in the room.  Also, Drew Karpyshyn helped write it too.  He was still co-Lead at the time.

[Nashiktal]

ToshiStation38 wrote...

From what I understand, Karpyshyn wanted to move somewhere less snowy and I can see why they would bring him onto their Star Wars project which is likely, IMO, a bigger investment for both Bioware as well as EA.

Walters worked on Mass Effect 1, and I guess the powers-at-Bioware thought he was the best candidate to take over lead writing duites.

Also, keep in mind that the story of the Mass Effect trilogy has been long since plotted out (or so we've been told). I'm sure we'll still be seeing Karpyshyn's hand in a lot of what we see in Mass Effect 3.

As far as we know, Drew only wrote the outline, the bare bones direction the story is going to take. Walter does the specifics now that he is the lead. So while it might have been known that we would be encountering the base, we don't know what the specifics were going to be until walter picked it up.

[Chris Priestly]

Drew semi-retired from BioWare. He moved to Texas to take up golf and concentrate on his writing (he writes books besides video games). He does work supporting the MMO team when he isn't on the golf course or writing novels.

Mac was one of the senior writers here at BioWare (Edmonton) and worked on Mass Effect 1. When Drew left, Mac was offered the position as lead writer for Mass Effect 2 and, now, Mass Effect 3.

Now you know and can put aside your conspiracy theories or whatever started this.

[Shepard Lives]

Chris Priestly wrote...

Drew semi-retired from BioWare. He moved to Texas to take up golf and concentrate on his writing (he writes books besides video games). He does work supporting the MMO team when he isn't on the golf course or writing novels.

Mac was one of the senior writers here at BioWare (Edmonton) and worked on Mass Effect 1. When Drew left, Mac was offered the position as lead writer for Mass Effect 2 and, now, Mass Effect 3.

Now you know and can put aside your conspiracy theories or whatever started this.

LIES ALL LIES I REFUSE TO BELIEVE YOU LA LA LA LA LA LA LA

[stonbw1]

Without weighing in on who's best, my impression is that the writing took an approach much like the LOST tv series: Before they even started, they knew how the show started and how it ended. If you're that keen on Drew's interpretation, it's safe to say that you'll be happier with ME3's story than ME2's, since it's likely he devised both the begining and end at the start.

[didymos1120]

ToshiStation38 wrote...

Also, keep in mind that the story of the Mass Effect trilogy has been long since plotted out (or so we've been told).

No, we've never been told that.  The devs have only said (repeatedly) that they had very basic story points after ME1 worked out, and most everything else is left undefined until it comes time to actually write the game.  For example, Casey Hudson on writing ME2:

Myself and the lead designer and writer sit down and figure out what will happen in the story. Then the goals and how we get from the beginning to the end of the story starts turning into a story outline, and then more of a written outline. With Mass Effect 2, we knew the premise of this story, we knew some of the story outline, and at that point I just sat down and in Excel, created a flowchart of boxes where each chart would be a mission. That helped create the kind of clarity that allowed us to finish the story outline but also start filling those boxes with the sub plots. Once we had that, now everyone can start working in little tiny sub-teams - Writer, designer, artist - would be working on developing each of those missions together, starting with just the crude initial version, then we'd get feedback, and then more of a developed one, and then one with actual written text and art to look at.

[Haristo]

I don't want to know who's best, I just think you guys made some pretty awesome stuff and it must continue. I found ME2 a little inferiour to ME1 in tems of scenario but it doesn't mean it is really bad, it still was brilliant and perfect compared to the actual video game market.

[Tassigny]

moneycashgeorge wrote...

 I can't imagine why it was decided that Drew Karpyshan should stop leading the writing of Mass Effect. He still works for BioWare, he's been writing TOR as last I know, so why move him away from the franchise he created? Mass Effect was hailed for the brilliance and cohesion of its writing, so what sense does it make to change writers?

Was it possibly EA's decision? Did they think he wasn't mainstream enough?

Walters does not seem to be doing a good job. The retcons are piling up, the story of Mass Effect 2, while certainly well written, is of questionable significance. Many of the more thematic elements of Mass Effect 1 have been discarded. Walter's comic books are laughably (or scarily) bad, and Mass Effect 3 will suffer if that is the direction he's taking it in.

Does BioWare notice this trend? Do they even care? It doesn't seem to make any sense.

Hello,

At first, I was glad : Drew Karpshyn was, after all, the guy who created the incredible bland characters of the books. But then, you mentioned that Walters was behind the comics and will now write for ME3. This. IS. A CATASTROPHY. First bad (terrible) news about ME3 yet. I hope Bioware will manage to contain him. Seriously. The comics were TERRIBLE.

[ToshiStation38]

didymos1120 wrote...

Fair enough. I thought I remembered reading something like this back before we'd even moved to the BSN site and we're back at the old boards from Chris L'Étoile or Patrick Weekes, but I don't feel like looking for it.

[Haristo]

Tassigny wrote...

Hello,

At first, I was glad : Drew Karpshyn was, after all, the guy who created the incredible bland characters of the books. But then, you mentioned that Walters was behind the comics and will now write for ME3. This. IS. A CATASTROPHY. First bad (terrible) news about ME3 yet. I hope Bioware will manage to contain him. Seriously. The comics were TERRIBLE.

Comic Books are a touchy media that is totally its own style. you can't really consider yourself as a comic writter if you wrote Movies, Games or novels about the same content, because this media is so different that at no point it can port pretty well. some peoples do manage to do both Comics and something else, but it does... THIS IS SPARTA ! Consider yourselves lucky to live in a world where Frank Miller didn't wrote any Batman movies...

[IrishSpectre257]

Tassigny wrote...

Hello,

At first, I was glad : Drew Karpshyn was, after all, the guy who created the incredible bland characters of the books. But then, you mentioned that Walters was behind the comics and will now write for ME3. This. IS. A CATASTROPHY. First bad (terrible) news about ME3 yet. I hope Bioware will manage to contain him. Seriously. The comics were TERRIBLE.

Mac just wrote the plots for the comics, which I actually have no problems with. The problem with the comics is the artwork and script.

[naledgeborn]

Mac's been a round since NWN I think. He's written some great characters since then. He can only get better.

[didymos1120]

IrishSpectre257 wrote...

Mac just wrote the plots for the comics, which I actually have no problems with. The problem with the comics is the artwork and script.

Well, he did do all the writing for the two mini-comics, Incursion and Inquisition.  And maybe Genesis, but no one's sure, and most of us just pretend that it doesn't exist anyway.

[Haristo]

didymos1120 wrote...

IrishSpectre257 wrote...

Mac just wrote the plots for the comics, which I actually have no problems with. The problem with the comics is the artwork and script.

Well, he did do all the writing for the two mini-comics, Incursion and Inquisition.  And maybe Genesis, but no one's sure, and most of us just pretend that it doesn't exist anyway.

Mass Effect Genesis ? They released a Mass Effect game on Sega Genesis ?!?  AWESOME !

[Hathur]

You know, for "such a horrible author", you'd think Mass Effect 2 was some sort of colossal failure due to Mac Walters.. as opposed to the critically acclaimed, extremely successful and fan-beloved game that it actually became... oh and inducted into the Smithsonian museum of art as well recently.

If Walter's writing is so crap, why do millions and millions of people love this game?

I sure as hell don't love it for it's gameplay.... the gameplay is solid, but nothing fantastic.. nothing other games haven't done before & better.

I, and millions others, love it for the characters & stories that run through it.... y'know... that thing Mac Walters had a large hand in?

[Haristo]

Hathur wrote...

You know, for "such a horrible author", you'd think Mass Effect 2 was some sort of colossal failure due to Mac Walters.. as opposed to the critically acclaimed, extremely successful and fan-beloved game that it actually became... oh and inducted into the Smithsonian museum of art as well recently.

If Walter's writing is so crap, why do millions and millions of people love this game?

I sure as hell don't love it for it's gameplay.... the gameplay is solid, but nothing fantastic.. nothing other games haven't done before & better.

I, and millions others, love it for the characters & stories that run through it.... y'know... that thing Mac Walters had a large hand in?

That a sophism but you got a point, This guy wrote pretty good stuff... ME2 is still greatly written.

[bald man in a boat]

Hathur wrote...

You know, for "such a horrible author", you'd think Mass Effect 2 was some sort of colossal failure due to Mac Walters.. as opposed to the critically acclaimed, extremely successful and fan-beloved game that it actually became... oh and inducted into the Smithsonian museum of art as well recently.

If Walter's writing is so crap, why do millions and millions of people love this game?

I sure as hell don't love it for it's gameplay.... the gameplay is solid, but nothing fantastic.. nothing other games haven't done before & better.

I, and millions others, love it for the characters & stories that run through it.... y'know... that thing Mac Walters had a large hand in?

This.

[Jonathan Shepard]

Hathur wrote...

You know, for "such a horrible author", you'd think Mass Effect 2 was some sort of colossal failure due to Mac Walters.. as opposed to the critically acclaimed, extremely successful and fan-beloved game that it actually became... oh and inducted into the Smithsonian museum of art as well recently.

If Walter's writing is so crap, why do millions and millions of people love this game?

I sure as hell don't love it for it's gameplay.... the gameplay is solid, but nothing fantastic.. nothing other games haven't done before & better.

I, and millions others, love it for the characters & stories that run through it.... y'know... that thing Mac Walters had a large hand in?

If Stephanie Meyer's writing is crap, why do so many fangirls love her and her books?

[CulturalGeekGirl]

On a clear, moonless night, Mac Walters found himself walking down an unlit country back road. If you had asked him, he couldn't have told you how he got there, or where he was going. Somehow, he knew it was time to stop when he reached the crossroads. After a moment, a man appeared in the darkness, though it was impossible to tell whether he had materialized, or simply walked. The man was charming, slick, and fashionable, with eyes like banked coals.

"Hey, Mac. I'm here to offer you a deal. Do you want to write one of the best games ever made, win an incredible number of Game of the Year awards, and get paid to take a leadership role in something you love?" 

"Of course I do; I'm guessing that's why I came here. What do you want, my soul?"

"No, no. We don't do it that way anymore," the charming man said. "Here is the required payment: no matter what you do, no one will ever give you any credit. There will always be a contingent of fanboys convinced that you are the worst thing to ever happen to their favorite game. Now, sign here and it'll be... official."

"I think I'd just rather do the soul thing, honestly..."

[Haristo]

Jonathan Shepard wrote...

If Stephanie Meyer's writing is crap, why do so many fangirls love her and her books?

Mac Walters : Introduced at the Smithonian Museum of art.
Stephanie meyer : 10+ nominations to Razzie Awards.

'Nuff said.

[AdmiralCheez]

CulturalGeekGirl wrote...

On a clear, moonless night, Mac Walters found himself walking down an unlit country back road. If you had asked him, he couldn't have told you how he got there, or where he was going. Somehow, he knew it was time to stop when he reached the crossroads. After a moment, a man appeared in the darkness, though it was impossible to tell whether he had materialized, or simply walked. The man was charming, slick, and fashionable, with eyes like banked coals.

"Hey, Mac. I'm here to offer you a deal. Do you want to write one of the best games ever made, win an incredible number of Game of the Year awards, and get paid to take a leadership role in something you love?" 

"Of course I do; I'm guessing that's why I came here. What do you want, my soul?"

"No, no. We don't do it that way anymore," the charming man said. "Here is the required payment: no matter what you do, no one will ever give you any credit. There will always be a contingent of fanboys convinced that you are the worst thing to ever happen to their favorite game. Now, sign here and it'll be... official."

"I think I'd just rather do the soul thing, honestly..."

This post?  Winning.  Written in tiger blood.

Seriously, guys, ME1's writing alone wasn't too impressive.

Modifié par AdmiralCheez, 11 mai 2011 - 10:38 .

[Jonathan Shepard]

Haristo wrote...

Jonathan Shepard wrote...

If Stephanie Meyer's writing is crap, why do so many fangirls love her and her books?

Mac Walters : Introduced at the Smithonian Museum of art.
Stephanie meyer : 10+ nominations to Razzie Awards.

'Nuff said.

Mac Walters didn't do the art though. Still, he IS better than Meyer. Frankly, most everyone is. Just saying- even badly written things can become popular. Popularity =/= good writing. 
(Though if ME2 were a spin-off and not a "sequel," I'd be happy. Not enough Reaper-inclusive story... relevant Reaper-inclusive story, anyway.)