67 réponses à ce sujet

[zarnk567]

The same place the story in Mass Effect 3 went during the last 10 min.... Into a Plot-hole.

[Militarized]

I think it's like a navy space flight where we salute the coffin and jettison it into space.

If it weren't for a galactic dark age and no more place flight.

[TheHoneyRuns]

WhiteJoker wrote...

Functionally any Mass Effect 4 would have to occur in one of two ways; shortly (on a relative scale so probably a couple decades/centuries) after the end of ME3 or centuries later.

If we take the shortly after approach then we're likely looking at the rebuilding of the universe style game with perhaps a focus on either exploration as a theme or inter-species conflict resolution. It's also possible to go with a rebuilding theme though unlikely.

If we're talking centuries later deal then there's really only two approaches. Either everything is the same and they managed to repair/remake mass relays (thus invalidating the entire point of destroying them) or everything is completely different and really the only connection is the name of the series (or the implication that it's in the same universe).

Right! So in the case of directly afterwards, the focus on exploration and/or conflict-resolution could still leave us with an RPG, varied gameplay and satisfying storytelling. The same could, theoritically, be said about the centuries later theory, though that would be less likely. And I dread the thought of the Mass Relays being rebuilt, which would only solidify the fact that is was a bad idea to destroy them in the first place.

[Silpheed58]

We may never know given the lead doesn't want to do any post Shep stories.

[WhiteJoker]

TheHoneyRuns wrote...

WhiteJoker wrote...

Functionally any Mass Effect 4 would have to occur in one of two ways; shortly (on a relative scale so probably a couple decades/centuries) after the end of ME3 or centuries later.

If we take the shortly after approach then we're likely looking at the rebuilding of the universe style game with perhaps a focus on either exploration as a theme or inter-species conflict resolution. It's also possible to go with a rebuilding theme though unlikely.

If we're talking centuries later deal then there's really only two approaches. Either everything is the same and they managed to repair/remake mass relays (thus invalidating the entire point of destroying them) or everything is completely different and really the only connection is the name of the series (or the implication that it's in the same universe).

Right! So in the case of directly afterwards, the focus on exploration and/or conflict-resolution could still leave us with an RPG, varied gameplay and satisfying storytelling. The same could, theoritically, be said about the centuries later theory, though that would be less likely. And I dread the thought of the Mass Relays being rebuilt, which would only solidify the fact that is was a bad idea to destroy them in the first place.

Yes but you can do that with any idea.  In order to be a Mass Effect game you need two things; you need the same alien species and you need the game play mechanics which involve biotics (the only tangible connection we had to the "Mass Effect" idea).  If you have biotics then that means you have eezo around.  If you have eezo that means you're likely using mass effect fields.  If you're using mass effect fields then you're looking at mass relays because those are the "ultimate" conclusion of mass effect technology.  You can't really get away from biotics either because it's such a huge part of the Asari, one of the central races of the Mass Effect universe.

It is doable though if you set it between the short and long time frames around the idea that in the effort to restore mass relay technology they discovered something different which they then use while they work on restoring the network as a whole.  In which case you still have the same universe and setting without having to completely go back on the destroyed relays while still having different technology that doesn't have to handwave away the existance of biotics and mass effect fields. 

[clos]

To the dumpster for all I care. As long as the ending remains as is I could care less what else happens to ME universe or any other Bioware games for that matter.

[TheHoneyRuns]

WhiteJoker wrote...

TheHoneyRuns wrote...

WhiteJoker wrote...

Functionally any Mass Effect 4 would have to occur in one of two ways; shortly (on a relative scale so probably a couple decades/centuries) after the end of ME3 or centuries later.

If we take the shortly after approach then we're likely looking at the rebuilding of the universe style game with perhaps a focus on either exploration as a theme or inter-species conflict resolution. It's also possible to go with a rebuilding theme though unlikely.

If we're talking centuries later deal then there's really only two approaches. Either everything is the same and they managed to repair/remake mass relays (thus invalidating the entire point of destroying them) or everything is completely different and really the only connection is the name of the series (or the implication that it's in the same universe).

Right! So in the case of directly afterwards, the focus on exploration and/or conflict-resolution could still leave us with an RPG, varied gameplay and satisfying storytelling. The same could, theoritically, be said about the centuries later theory, though that would be less likely. And I dread the thought of the Mass Relays being rebuilt, which would only solidify the fact that is was a bad idea to destroy them in the first place.

Yes but you can do that with any idea.  In order to be a Mass Effect game you need two things; you need the same alien species and you need the game play mechanics which involve biotics (the only tangible connection we had to the "Mass Effect" idea).  If you have biotics then that means you have eezo around.  If you have eezo that means you're likely using mass effect fields.  If you're using mass effect fields then you're looking at mass relays because those are the "ultimate" conclusion of mass effect technology.  You can't really get away from biotics either because it's such a huge part of the Asari, one of the central races of the Mass Effect universe.

It is doable though if you set it between the short and long time frames around the idea that in the effort to restore mass relay technology they discovered something different which they then use while they work on restoring the network as a whole.  In which case you still have the same universe and setting without having to completely go back on the destroyed relays while still having different technology that doesn't have to handwave away the existance of biotics and mass effect fields. 

So we're looking at a very specific set of guidelines the dev's would have to follow in order to keep in line with prior games. It... I don't know, it seems feasible, but unlikely, which is worrisome. I dig your thinking here, but creating a cataclysmic event of this size only to immediately have the denizens of the galaxies begin repair work on the Mass Relays, it still makes it seem like the whole thing would be a bandaid on a hemorrhaging artery.

Bioware has been traveling this path for a while, from point-and-click with Baldur's Gate to sandbox running/questing with a heavy emphasis on character development in KotOR to the more controlled/action-oriented Jade Empire and finally to Dragon Age and Mass Effect, which has stayed along the same path despite the far lean towards action. They haven't really strayed to much from this so I doubt they'd swith the genre of the series to Strategy, RTS or FPS.

Having said that, the only other viable course of action (besides the aforemention prequels, which would be highly depressing), would be pretty much what you've laid out. And that has... I guess, emotional flaws, as well as logical ones. Kind of. Emotionally, people wouldn't be as invested because, helping the species on the road back to intersteller travel through repairing the Relays would be a constant reminder of the actions the player was forced to commit as Shepard, and removing that from the matter, opening the next game on the plight of any given species would, one would suspect, require having played the first three games to have an understanding of the importance of why the relays need to be built again, why biotics can do these things and need the relays to do them and so on.

Yet by removing any of these factors from the game would be detrimental to the overall storyline of the series. I'm willing to give whatever they come out with (future galaxy-wise, not prequel) because they've earned my trust through so many games to the point that ten horrifying minutes of gaming isn't going to irrevocably mar my view of them. But I still can't quite wrap my head around the point of it all, if the best-case scenario you've presented is what comes to fruition.

[TheHoneyRuns]

FatalX7.0 wrote...

...god damn it, Casey.

[FatalX7.0]

[FatalX7.0]

Wait.

What the hell is going on!? O_O

[TheHoneyRuns]

FatalX7.0 wrote...

Wait.

What the hell is going on!? O_O

LOL, I'm sorry, I quoted you from the other thread because it was relevant to this one.

[AMmayhem]

Mass relays stay destroyed, but communication buoys weren't Reaper tech. So Earth can still communicate with Thessia, Palaven, Tuchanka, etc. Now everyone is collaborating to improve FTL drives, or remake Mass Relays. Of course there's the issue of Sol feeding all the Humans, Asari, Krogan, Turians, and Quarians.

Maybe the Quarians and Turians work a deal to make a run for Palaven. It's a heck of a lot closer than Rannoch, and Quarian Liveships could maybe make food for both races for the trip.

People on Eden Prime and Terra Nova sit pretty, both being in FTL range and on planets with plenty of space to be populated.

The brainstorming could easily continue on...

[daboy042188]

EndrinAmtrum wrote...

I don't see how it can go anywhere. Destroying a Mass Relay destroys the system it was in. We just thrashed the Galaxy.

by ramming an asteroid into it. i got the sense the crucible turned the energy from the destruction into reaper-destroying, Reaper controlling, or magical machine-sex energy as opposed to "reduce the star system to it's component atoms" energy


ontopic though: probably prequels. personally i'd like to see the rachni wars or the krogan rebellions or stuff like the anhur rebellions

Modifié par daboy042188, 29 mars 2012 - 02:39 .

[TheHoneyRuns]

AMmayhem wrote...

Mass relays stay destroyed, but communication buoys weren't Reaper tech. So Earth can still communicate with Thessia, Palaven, Tuchanka, etc. Now everyone is collaborating to improve FTL drives, or remake Mass Relays. Of course there's the issue of Sol feeding all the Humans, Asari, Krogan, Turians, and Quarians.

Maybe the Quarians and Turians work a deal to make a run for Palaven. It's a heck of a lot closer than Rannoch, and Quarian Liveships could maybe make food for both races for the trip.

People on Eden Prime and Terra Nova sit pretty, both being in FTL range and on planets with plenty of space to be populated.

The brainstorming could easily continue on...

This could totally be done, but would possibly require the absence of a main character ala Shepard. For instance, a number of missions on Earth as a particular character until the comm buoy is set up, the transmission to Rannoch, missions with the Quarians and the Geth, follow-up on Thessia with the Asari and so on and so forth. This would strongly suggest a dramatic change in gameplay from RPG/Action to RTS, as is popular with character/world switching, but is not unheard of in traditional RPG's.

I like the possibilities this would give us.

[WhiteJoker]

TheHoneyRuns wrote...

So we're looking at a very specific set of guidelines the dev's would have to follow in order to keep in line with prior games. It... I don't know, it seems feasible, but unlikely, which is worrisome. I dig your thinking here, but creating a cataclysmic event of this size only to immediately have the denizens of the galaxies begin repair work on the Mass Relays, it still makes it seem like the whole thing would be a bandaid on a hemorrhaging artery.

Which is the other reason why I think destroying the mass relays is kind of pointless (aside from them being central to the setting beyond just the Reaper thing) and that is when you're bleeding to death you don't take the time to find a clean bandage, you instead take what you have and use it.  A society that has been set back isn't going to spend the time to make new FTL when they can just salvage existing tech; you'd need to make up a reason for why they woudln't be using what exists even if they have to spend time rebuilding it because that's still faster then making something from scratch.

Bioware has been traveling this path for a while, from point-and-click with Baldur's Gate to sandbox running/questing with a heavy emphasis on character development in KotOR to the more controlled/action-oriented Jade Empire and finally to Dragon Age and Mass Effect, which has stayed along the same path despite the far lean towards action. They haven't really strayed to much from this so I doubt they'd swith the genre of the series to Strategy, RTS or FPS.

Bioware is actually more a franchise these days.  The Old Republic is basically from Mythic Studios, and I don't know exactly which company was likely folded into Bioware for their upcoming Command and Conquer game but I do know they are a "new" Bioware studio.  Bioware looks to be less and less Bioware and more a brand name EA is trading on due to their relatively decent standing with fans.

But really, that's still a non-point since Bioware has, since Jade Empire and Mass Effect, shown that they enjoy mixing and mashing genres into the RPG formula and trying stuff that are different.  It's not new with them and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Having said that, the only other viable course of action (besides the aforemention prequels, which would be highly depressing), would be pretty much what you've laid out. And that has... I guess, emotional flaws, as well as logical ones. Kind of. Emotionally, people wouldn't be as invested because, helping the species on the road back to intersteller travel through repairing the Relays would be a constant reminder of the actions the player was forced to commit as Shepard, and removing that from the matter, opening the next game on the plight of any given species would, one would suspect, require having played the first three games to have an understanding of the importance of why the relays need to be built again, why biotics can do these things and need the relays to do them and so on.

That's fundementally the problem with future Mass Effect games; if they don't relate to Shepard or his crew then why bother having them be Mass Effect games in the first place?  The attraction most of the fans have had to Mass Effect have been for the characters and less for the setting itself and that's a problem when you torpedo everything.  Look at Halo, certainly the story wasn't terrible but it wasn't stellar either yet people were attached to it because of Master Chief, who had a rather non-personality for much of it.  It didn't matter how little personality he had, what people wanted to do was play as him and see more of his story.  It remains to be seen how Halo 4 will fare but I can almost guarantee you that fans of Halo will go into Halo 4 for that fact alone.

Yet by removing any of these factors from the game would be detrimental to the overall storyline of the series. I'm willing to give whatever they come out with (future galaxy-wise, not prequel) because they've earned my trust through so many games to the point that ten horrifying minutes of gaming isn't going to irrevocably mar my view of them. But I still can't quite wrap my head around the point of it all, if the best-case scenario you've presented is what comes to fruition.

As am I but largely because I'm easily bored and will play anything as long as I don't hate it and while I am disappointed with BIoware over ME3's ending I'm also pragmatic enough to realize that this gaff on their part doesn't mean that they're now the scum of the earth; they're just another game company now and like all the game companies out there sometimes they do things well, sometimes they do things badly, and sometimes they just do things.  The thing is though that there's not much of a reason for Bioware to make another Mass Effect game because without Shepard, Shepard's Crew, or the setting (which in a large part revolves around the relays and the citadel), you may as well just start fresh with another sci-fi setting.  Financially you would have to make new character designs and styles, certainly, but realistically... you'd have to do so anyways.  Perhaps not as many but hey, if you're doing it anyways you may as well.

[Humanoid_Typhoon]

Deflagratio wrote...

The same place Sim City, Command & Conquer and Battlefield went.


Nowhere.

QFT


:C C&C you will be missed.

[tekkaman fear]

TheHoneyRuns wrote...

FatalX7.0 wrote...

...god damn it, Casey.

gah, what is he George Lucas? This is one of the very things about Lucad that i dont care for. Refusal to take the main vessel of the franchise ahead. Books dont count. Im talking about the movies in Star Wars. and in the case of ME the games. 

[Luiginius]

To call of duty land, minimum effort with set release dates. More and more autodialog, less and less rpg elements.

[WildcardCharlie]

I dunno...but it makes me sad to think I won't be there

[TheHoneyRuns]

@WhiteJoker

Well... sh*t. That's pretty much the entire situation in a nutshell. It's not depressing so much as it's daunting, and not with the possibilities ahead but rather with the lack thereof. I really appreciate the rationality you and AMmayhem have approached the subject with, it's cathartic. Thanks, honestly.

If there was a bit more discussion here on the forums and just a fraction less despair, it'd be much easier to swallow such a bitter pill. But who knows, maybe the guys throwing heaps of despair around really are giving Hudson and crew pause for thought.

Separately, yeah, completely forgot about the Old Republic, you're right. They're branching out into MMO's, who knows what's next.

[Ck213]

I wouldn't mind playing a prequel. The thought of playing in the ME Universe without the relays...it just seems like it would be small boring. They would have to have some really great characters to hold my interest as well.

[HTTP 404]

the bargain bin!!

[HTTP 404]

why are you asking us? the fans don't know

[CmdrSlander]

I've covered this at length in my ME4 Concept. Pretty good look on how we would go about rebuilding the universe. The link is in my sig.

[TheHoneyRuns]

tekkaman fear wrote...

TheHoneyRuns wrote...

FatalX7.0 wrote...

...god damn it, Casey.

gah, what is he George Lucas? This is one of the very things about Lucad that i dont care for. Refusal to take the main vessel of the franchise ahead. Books dont count. Im talking about the movies in Star Wars. and in the case of ME the games. 

True, so very true. Though I haven't really trusted Lucas to do right by his own franchise ever since I learned that Endor was originally supposed to be Kashyyk, and instead of fuzzy-wuzzy teddy bears throwing rocks we were supposed to get a badass group of Wookies chucking spears and shootin' mofo's.