Two themes usually come up when multiplayer is discussed. The theme getting the most attention is whether or not multiplayer adversely impacts single player. The other theme, which is getting less attention, is what would be a fitting multiplayer experience for the Mass Effect universe.
While it's an important concern, I'd like to leave the debate of whether or not multiplayer adversely impacts the single player out of this particular thread. Rather, I'd like to explore what a "fitting" multiplayer experience for the Mass Effect universe would look like. Also, for the purposes here, I'm not referring to a MMO, but a multiplayer bundled with Mass Effect 3 (or a future Mass Effect).
I think a multiplayer that fits in the Mass Effect universe cannot only be about combat. It needs to have a story direction of some sort, not simply modes like Horde, Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, etc. It could still have those modes, but those modes would be encased in a story.
Also, people wouldn't be interfacing with a 2-d lobby between games. Rather it would be a 3-d in-game lobby (like on a space station).
Others have mentioned some multiplayer modes with a story as examples of how it could be done in Mass Effect. Some one mentioned Splinter Cell, which supplemented the single player story, but didn't interfere with it. Some one else mentioned Grand Theft Auto 4, which has some elements that could work here. Also, in the single player, how character "death" is handled could be a way to address it in multiplayer in Mass Effect. I'd also recommend Mech Assault 2 as an example. The interesting feature with that game is people chose an alliance and, the multiplayer games taken collectively, impacted the galaxy for all players.
Perhaps a Mass Effect multiplayer could have some of these flavorings. Sometimes when disaster strikes, there are those who want to exploit it and make a power grab. Perhaps that's the story of the multiplayer?
Maybe players can join a faction. Maybe the Alliance, Cerberus, Blood Pack, Eclipse, Blue Suns, C-Sec (if play is localized to the wards of the Citadel), etc.? And from space station hangars, players could join missions to go out and fight for one side or another (like the recruitment scene on Omega). And the side the players fight for impacts the particular area (which could be a border star cluster) in question. So a space station conquered by Eclipse has Eclipse NPC guards and Eclipse players get discounts maybe?
NPC leaders could send messages (like in Grand Theft Auto 4 when the players would get instructions through their cell phones), along the lines of "We need you and any additional reinforcements you can find. We're making a strategic strike. I've sent the encrypted coordinates to your console." Or it could be messages you receive at your console.
Let's put combat aside completely for a moment. Is it possible to have a multiplayer where combat is somewhat avoidable if one wishes? One of the first images I thought of when I heard the rumors about multiplayer was walking through a space station (like the Citadel's Presidium) and encountering other players. The other players would be custom characters (not Shepard).
Players could socialize in the clubs and play gambling games. They could have their own apartments or small ships they could decorate with their earnings (like you can now with your captain's quarters) and invite others to into. They could also buy outfits and equipment with their earnings. And for those who want to try to avoid combat, maybe they could trade amongst the space stations, mine planets, or repair/deploy comm buoys.
The car chase scene in the "Lair of the Shadow Broker" could be a model of a game mode, perhaps tied to Capture the Flag. A player steals vital intel or prototype equipment and needs to flee in a car while being chased by pursuers.
I think there are ways to make this feel like a MMO in the sense of scale and impact, but not be an MMO on the technical side. Replacing 2-d lobbies with "smart loading" 3-d in-game lobbies along with players actions collectively shaping the universe, its borders or economics, could achieve that feel.
But that's just some brainstorming of what I could see being more inline with the Mass Effect universe. What about you?
Modifié par Solomon Gunn, 20 juin 2011 - 10:08 .
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