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[Phaedon]

I understand that it is probably a bit early for this, but mind you, not everyone has unlimited free time. I compiled what I believe is a neat guide for a real preparation for ME3. I'll be reposting and improving these threads as months pass, so don't worry if you don't feel like bookmarking it yet.

This list does contain spoilers, very minor ones in the description  (which you could have read in any product description), and major ones in the revelance to ME3 section.


1. Timeline 37,000,000 BC to 2157 AD


Type: Wiki Entry

Description: For starters, of course, you will want to get a general understanding of the lore behind the universe.The Mass Effect Wiki has a very nice list of events here, if you wish to check it.

Relevance to ME3: ME3 will be exploring various themes mentioned in previous games, but never truly seen before. It's good to head into ME3 with a better understanding of the MEverse.

2. Evolution (Issue #1-#4)

Type: Comic(s)

Description: Evolution takes place during, and after, the invasion of Shanxi, and of course the First Contact War/Relay 314 incident. It follows a much younger Illusive Man, and leads up to the events which caused the death of Saren's brother and creation of Cerberus.

Relevance to ME3: Introduces the concept of Reaper artifact/booby traps, which we may have encountered in the side quest UNC: Depot Sigma-23 in ME1, gives an insight into TIM's character, and Cerberus' seperation from the Alliance.

3. Timeline 2157 AD to 2165

Type: Wiki Entry

Relevance to ME3: Insignificant, though it somewhat bridges Evolution and Revelation.

4. Revelation

Type: Book

Description: While Mass Effect: Revelation begins before Evolution, that is only covered in one chapter, while the main story starts during 2165. We follow N7 graduate and Alliance Lieutenant David Anderson, initially into the raid of an Alliance facility that was attacked, the quest to find Kahlee Sanders, and finally into uncovering a conspiracy and his attempt at becoming the first human Spectre.

Relevance to ME3: None, not really. It does however provide a lot of character development for Anderson, Sanders and even Saren. You could say that it is an introduction into the rest of the books.

5. Doors - A Jack Story
Type: Comic

Description: Doors is an awesome fan comic by Epantirasthat sums up the early life of Jack and how they shaped her personality. So wait, we are allowing fan art now? Hell yes, as long as it is canonical.You can read it here.

Relevance to ME3: The insight that it provides to Jack's character may only occur during her romance. Besides, I suspect that it will make people treat her differently during ME2.

6. Timeline, 2165 - 2183

Type: Wiki Entry

Relevance to ME3: To ME3? Not much, but it does bridge Revelation to Mass Effect and the "contemporary" MEverse in general.

7. Mass Effect

Type: Video Game

Description: Really, Commander?

Relevance to ME3: Several themes and characters are introduced, while multiple decisions will most likely play a role in ME3 (Rachni Queen, Council, Virmire Survivor, etc)

7. Mass Effect Chronicles

Type: Video Game

Description: MEC is a free fan game taking place in the MEverse, now long after Commander Shepard's death (and therefore, ME1). It follows the stories of 4 people (A Turian, A Salarian, An Asari,and of course Vazill) the fates of which, at several points intertwine. You can play as Vazill right now

Relevance to ME3: While not direct, you get to experience the galaxy from the POV of aliens. And that's not just it! Because of your race, people will treat you differently, and share their opinions (if they are of the same race as you) differently. Ever wondered what a turian C-Sec customs officer thinks about humans? That's not all of course, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.

8. Incursion

Type: Comic

Description: Incursion is a free short comic (official, this time) that takes place a few weeks after ME1, and shows Aria dealing with Collectors. You can read it for free here.

Relevance to ME3: Not much. It does explain a certain reaction of Aria's in ME2, however.

9. Ascension

Type: Book

Description: Two months after the Battle of the Citadel, Cerberus pushes ahead two of their projects, Ascension, and the infiltration of the Migrant Fleet...

Relevance to ME3: ...both of which fail spectacularly, just in case you'd expect anything different. To ME3? Probably not,other than understanding the way Cerberus operates, though it's definitely connected to Retribution and Deception.

10. Galaxy

Type: Video Game

Description: Galaxy is probably the only step I'll have to skip sadly, since it's an iPhone game. It apparently follows Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson in their quest for the priiize, and stopping a big political assasination.

Relevance to ME3: None. To ME2? Probably plenty, since both of the protagonists are major characters in it.

11. Events of 2184

Type: Wiki Entry

Relevance to ME3: Minor, really.

12. Retribution, Issues #1-#4

Type: Comic(s)

Description: Liara is approached with Cerberus and Feron in order to recover Commander Shepard's body.

Relevance to ME3: ME3? Probably none. Sheds light, however, to a plotpoint of ME2, and is the introduction to the DLC Lair of the Shadow Broker.


13. Mass Effect 2
Type: Video Game

Description: I am crossing my arms so hard, right now, Commander.

Relevance to ME3: Major themes explored, Normandy SR2 and TIM introduced, several important choices (Spectre status, Collector Base, Tali's Exile, Heretics, Genophage Cure, etc)

14. Retribution

Type: Book

Description: Following the events of Ascension, in 2186, Cerberus abducts Paul Grayson and implant him with Reaper tech. The results..., well is that even a question? Massacre aside, Anderson, Aria and Sanders join in on the fun.

Relevance to ME3: Apart from the ruthlessness of Cerberus being reaffirmed, an additional speech with a Reaper (Harbinger?) adds some new hints, apparently Anderson quits, and an alliance is forged between Aria and TIM. Don't forget Kai Leng, a character which you will have the chance to hate both here and in ME3!

15. Inquisition

Type: Comic

Description: Yet another free short comic. This time, Udina has a job for Bailey, a pretty shady one as well. Ever wondered what happenned to the C-Sec Executor from ME1? You can read it here.

Relevance to ME3: Sets the climate in C-Sec, and adds a new facet into Udina's and Bailey's characters.

16. Invasion (Issues #1-#4)

Type: Comic(s)

Description: We don't know much about it yet, other than it's a comic series which focuses on strange looking husks murdering Cerberus operatives, and that Aria is fighting for her territorial control over Omega.

Relevance to ME3: Should be significant. New reaperised creatures are introduced.

17. Deception
Type: Book

Description: While not much is known about that particular book yet, Grayson's daughter just learned about what happenned to him, and is quite pissed at Cerberus (Who isn't?). Oh, boy, this shall be fun.

Relevance to ME3: We have been promised that it will bridge us to ME3.

Modifié par Phaedon, 29 juillet 2011 - 12:15 .

[Kaiser_Wilhelm]

Informative, though I'm not sure fan comics should be counted as official canon.

[Phaedon]

Kaiser_Wilhelm wrote...

Informative, though I'm not sure fan comics should be counted as official canon.

Not really the point of the list. The information in it, however, is quite canon, as far as I am concerned.

[Kaiser Shepard]

Trying to establish your own fangame as canon now, Phae?

Well, best of luck to you.

[Phaedon]

Kaiser Shepard wrote...

Trying to establish your own fangame as canon now, Phae?

Well, best of luck to you.

It's not my  fan game, and I have explicitly stated the circumstances under which fan creations are considered as valid preparation to ME3, second-german-emperor-to-have-a-problem-with-this-during-the-few-minutes-after-the-thread's-creation-guy.

MEC doesn't disturb any established characters, other than perhaps the reporter.

--

Anyway, to finally get on-topic, I am finally finishing my second canon (and the one that I'll go through) run of ME1. I have already read Evolution, and I am finishing Ascension. The rest of the comics are saved on my account for later viewing.

Are you guys preparing for ME3? How? Where? When? Who?

Post. Post. Post.

Modifié par Phaedon, 29 juillet 2011 - 12:21 .

[Someone With Mass]

I'll probably look things upon the wiki page if I've missed anything when it comes to the books or the comics.

As for the game, I'm in the middle of a canon playthrough, so that should be done soon.

Will probably avoid this place like the plague a few weeks before the release.

[Praetor Knight]

Someone With Mass wrote...

I'll probably look things upon the wiki page if I've missed anything when it comes to the books or the comics.

As for the game, I'm in the middle of a canon playthrough, so that should be done soon.

Will probably avoid this place like the plague a few weeks before the release.

I'm most likely gonna dissappear from here the first few months after release, playing and replaying ME3

[sympathy4saren]

I'm checking in every now and again and give my perspective. I'm more and more optimistic of ME3.

I'm looking forward very much to Skyrim, and I know that'll keep me more than busy and satisfied until Mass Effect 3.

I'm pretty psyched to find out more about the Reapers.

[Phaedon]

Eh, forgot to add CDN news.

Someone With Mass wrote...

I'll probably look things upon the wiki page if I've missed anything when it comes to the books or the comics.

As for the game, I'm in the middle of a canon playthrough, so that should be done soon.

Will probably avoid this place like the plague a few weeks before the release.

ME1 or ME2?

The PLC wrote...

I honestly can't take a list like this serious, when you include fan-made comics and games.

Provide me with a valid reason as to why the information they provide you with is non-canonical or stops you from experiencing ME3 better (in fact, it does the exact opposite), and then you can go ahead and not read them.

Reading Doors, for example, practically changes the ME2 experience for me.

[pablodurando]

I'm with the people who say that you shouldn't include fan-made material.  You're just posting stuff out of your ass that could be completely false.  It gives the list more credibility if you just stick to the official Bioware Mass Effect franchise.

Modifié par pablodurando, 29 juillet 2011 - 12:29 .

[Phaedon]

HomelessGal wrote...

I finally went ahead and read the novels and comics.

A painful experience I now regret.

Comics I can understand due to the bad art in Retribution, Evolution 1 and 2, and the two free ones, but novels? What's wrong with them?

I like Drew's writing, pretty detailed, though I have to admit that his characters are not the strongest, while he should stop raping TIM by making him an uninteresting character, as well as a protagonist when his design strictly forbids him from being one.

No one likes reading a book about the bad guy.

[Meshaber]

How are the novels? Nerdcandy or actually readable litterature?

[Someone With Mass]

Phaedon wrote...

ME1 or ME2?

ME2. I'm relatively happy with the ME1.

[Phaedon]

Meshaber wrote...

How are the novels? Nerdcandy or actually readable litterature?

Well, I'll tell you what I think about them, though you should also hear other people's opinions. Not the "Oh, no they suck!" or "They rock!" type of posts, but you know, opinions backed up with arguments.

I really like Drew's writing style. He writes in a way which makes me instantly create scenes in my mind, and not in a few occasions now and then, all the time. The plots themselves are quite interesting, but you can survive playing the games without them. They do provide a great deal of depth and analyze various plotpoints (better than the games can)

What I dislike are the characters. The main 4 characters which are reapper in most novels are Anderson, Kahlee Sanders, Paul Grayson and TIM. TIM is not deep. At all. The rest, eh, they are OK, I suppose, they are average Joes and Janes for the most part, so you won't be in love with them, but the character development is pretty basic. 

If you want my opinion, read one of them, and you'll decide if you like or not the others (other than Deception which is written by a different writer), I say that they are worth it.

[Phaedon]

HomelessGal wrote...
I just don't like Mr Karpyshyn as a writer. I find his characters and prose weak, and consequently I find it an incredible struggle to actually finish his books. I've previously read some of his other works so the blame's entirely on me, but unfortunately I'm also a completionist. I can appreciate some of the minor details they brought to the ME setting, but I'm also really hoping that Kai Leng is the only novel character that will be appearing in ME3. 

I can see where you are coming from, and I agree with you for the most part, not to the point that I can't enjoy the novels, however. 

[shepskisaac]

*subscribes the thread*

Love Phaedon threads 

Modifié par IsaacShep, 29 juillet 2011 - 12:50 .

[Xarathox]

sympathy4saren wrote...

I'm checking in every now and again and give my perspective. I'm more and more optimistic of ME3.

I'm looking forward very much to Skyrim, and I know that'll keep me more than busy and satisfied until Mass Effect 3.

I'm pretty psyched to find out more about the Reapers.

Yeah, as soon as Skyrim drops I'll likely be a no show for a while on here. I logged over 400 hours in oblivion, so I know I'll be able to keep my nose clean from the oversaturation of ME3 info leading up to launch.

[Phaedon]

IsaacShep wrote...

*subscribes the thread*

Love Phaedon threads 

*Phew* A post lacking negativity, thanks mate.

--

I'll be also posting a quick checklist, feel free to use it as well, people:

[   ] = Not done yet, [ X ] = Done, [ O ]= Won't be done.

1. [ X ]
2. [ X ]
3. [ X ]
4. [ X ] (almost finished)
5. [ X ]
6. [ X ]
7. [ X ] (almost finished)
8. [   ] (with 8 being MEC because I messed up)
9. [   ]
10. [   ]
11. [ O ]
12. [   ]
13. [   ]
14. [   ]
15. [   ]
16. [   ]
17. [   ]
18. [   ]

Modifié par Phaedon, 29 juillet 2011 - 12:56 .

[spirosz]

Thanks for the thread!

[Kaiser Shepard]

The are also excerpts of the novels in the Mass Media section of the ME2 site. Should give a decent insight into Drew's writing.

[LadyJaneGrey]

Phaedon wrote...

Comics I can understand due to the bad art in Retribution, Evolution 1 and 2, and the two free ones, but novels? What's wrong with them?

I like Drew's writing, pretty detailed, though I have to admit that his characters are not the strongest...

*Inserts just-my-opinion disclaimer.*

*Points to bolded.*

Here's my experience with Revelation:

• Snag a copy on my new Kindle. 
• Zip through a fun (though standard) action story.
• Reach point where major rescue has taken place.  Think "good deal; now we can see how the characters change, become more nuanced, and take on the next obstacle." 
• Reach point where Kahlee tells Anderson to back off.  Think "that was a bit clunky; I hope the next chapter is better." 
• Press the next button to turn page.  Realize that I am actually the end.
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