399 réponses à ce sujet

[Derek Hollan]

Gamescook wrote...

Hi Derek, 

Will Phase Disruptor ever be made a scootch stronger than it currently has been? Without a My Buddy Volus under the Slayer's arm, PD feels... lacking in "oomph".

We can look at it.  No promises, of course.

[Derek Hollan]

Versus Omnibus wrote...

Hey Derek, why haven't you guys added a Reaper-based assault rifle yet?!

I am going to assume you mean a human-sized reaper based assault rifle.  The alternative would be rather...um...unwieldly. 

Who knows?  Anything is possible with the right imagination.

[Derek Hollan]

JumboWheat01 wrote...

Hey Derek, I remember you saying the one non-Mass Effect race you'd bring into the game would be Klingons. So now I have to ask...

Klingon vs. Krogans. Winner?

Given the idea that Krogans are just bigger and tougher, I would have to go with them.

[Derek Hollan]

gilgamesh v9 wrote...

Which super-power would you take of these 3?

-Super strength and super speed
-Being incredibly smart and the having the ability to read minds
-The ability to turn invisible (including your clothes and anything you can carry)

Personally I'd go with #2

The first would be pretty hardcore.  I mean, who would argue with you, right?

The second choice has merit but, I think I might become depressed with many thoughts and thought-processes out there.

The third could be tricky.  I might accidently stab myself with a fork when I eat.

Ok, based on those, I'll go with the first option.

[Derek Hollan]

Outrider42 wrote...

Derek Hollan wrote...

CDRSkyShepard wrote...

Derek Hollan wrote...

Jayhau wrote...

Any plans to address the increasing number of gold cards?

There is a mountain that makes it difficult for new or retuning players to climb

That is definitely an issue that is being discussed at a higher level than I, yes.

Along a similar vein, I'd really like to know what is going to be done for off-and-on players. Right now, the MP is very inaccessible to those of us who only have just enough time to devote to a couple matches every so often. I don't often get new equipment because I don't get a lot of credits, and I often get kicked from random games because my guns suck, even on Silver.

Also, what's the point in having all these fun new characters if we never get to unlock them?

This is a question that is also being discussed at the same level.  I am not privvy to that information.  The feedback does get heard though.

I undertsand you guys don't have access to the information, but I was wondering what you think of my idea.

We have these weekend challenges now that use the new challenge system to grant a Commendation Pack for success. So my idea is to use this challenge system we already have in place to give players a chance to unlock more items. The thing I want to see most are character unlocks. I think it is crazy with how many characters we have now, and the vast majority are rare. The diversity of the characters are what makes this game special. Why keep that locked away by a random store?

Anyway, my idea is to expand the challenge rewards to other challenges, and reward players completing them with special Commendation Packs that have a random item that is related to the challenge.

For example, a player using an adept completes a certain number of adept related challenges. The game rewards the player with a Character Commendation Pack (CCP) that contains a random adept card. This greatly increases that player's chance of getting a new adept they have not unlocked yet. Since the card is still random, nothing is guarrenteed. Also, since challenges can only be repeated after completely finishing the gold level, that will help keep people from being able to farm the challenges too easily.

So this method uses the system that is already in place, though I imagine it may still need a patch to do, but who knows. Still, I think this idea can work. And perhaps it can be applied to regular guns as well (not the promos.) It should be easier to unlock uncommon guns and items at the very least. Having level 3 ammo as an uncommon has totally screwed over the viability of the Vetern Pack. A new player who has to play Bronze is pretty steamed to plunk down 20k and get nothing but consumables for it.

We certainly have the capability and it has been considered.

This sort of reward-based challenge is likely something we would consider for special events but there are no plans to make it a regular thing.

[Derek Hollan]

improvisionist wrote...

Any chance we can get an alt Council Operative banner with all of the Council races on it? Instead of it just being an Asari banner

I can ask.  I just can't promise.

[Derek Hollan]

oO Stryfe Oo wrote...

Hey, Derek

I've got another question: Are the asari in MP supposed to be Commandos? I've noticed they're all wearing the ME1 Commando uniform (Ugh, it's so hideous), but their skill tree says "Asari Justicar". There's already a Justicar in MP. I mean, they don't seem like what I picture a Commando to be, but they're wearing the outfit.

Maybe you could change their passive skill tree name to reflect what they actually are? "Natural Biotic" seems like it'd be fitting. It'd at least leave room for another Asari kit later if you guys chose to make one.

Yes, the Asari available are considered the commandos.  The Justicar skill tree is simply the type of training available to them.

The Justicar kit, however, is specifically a Justicar.

[Derek Hollan]

chemicalinxs wrote...

Are the Volus really Ultra Rare or are they Rare under the guise of Ultra Rare? I got the Volus Adept three times in the span of a week and only have three UR weapons all rank I.

If you can't answer that how much testing goes to DLC weapons? Sometimes really powerful guns are released only to get nerfed a few weeks later.

The Volus are, indeed, Ultra-rare.  Considering that they are the only Ultra-rare characters, however, that will be the ones you get if you happen to draw an ultra-rare character card.

A great deal of testing does go into each of the weapons.  Weeks even.  The difficulty comes in deciding where the team would like to see each one fall and how strong it should be released at.  The reciprocal arguement is that there are weapons that have been released that really aren't powerful enough.  The issue there is that they never get the same notice by the community that the most powerful weapons do.

[Derek Hollan]

CDRSkyShepard wrote...

Hey Derek, any word on further ME3 Datapad app support? It's how I used to keep my GAW at 100% because I don't have time to play MP constantly. Mine worked for a while even after switching to iOS 6, but it's not anymore.

I do not work in that department so I don't typically hear what is happening there.  I can only pass the feedback along.

[Derek Hollan]

MittelBienchen2 wrote...

Hey Derek, if I may ask .. what made you leave the Canadian Forces?

Like Ray and Greg deciding to leave the gaming industry, I felt it was time to move on.  Twenty years is a long time and I was due for a change in my life.  It will always be part of who I am and I will continue to support those involved, of course.  That sort of sacrifice comes at a cost.  It was just enough for me and my family.

[Derek Hollan]

Geimhreadh wrote...

Have you played Dragon Age? If so, what's your favorite companion out of the series? And if you've played DA2, what's your favorite personality for Hawke?

My favourite companion for Dragon Age: Origins was Alistair.  I just felt like he still had a good sense of humour through even the toughest times.  It's something I can identify with.

I went with the smart-alec Hawke in DA2.

I think I am detecting a theme here.

[Derek Hollan]

MoeRayShep wrote...

Hey Derek,
Is anybody looking into/concerned with:
-more efficient matchmaking
-including ping function in lobbies
-making it easier to see your friends' in-game status in Origin, esp wrt putting up a flag if somebody drops out and they need an extra body.

Asked these all earlier, but they got buried under the stack of other questions.
So instead I got to read about your military service and affinity for Pumpkin ale.

Not that these aren't interesting topics, I just kind of feel the issues I mentioned are pretty central to user enjoyment of the game.

These questions do come up.  They would, of course, require a patch and reworking of some systems.  So, while I can pass the feedback along, I just can't promise anything.

As for anything Origin related, I can't comment on those.  It is specific to them and I would recommend passing your feedback to them.

[Derek Hollan]

WarW1zard25 wrote...

Hey Derek,
I noticed in one of your replies that you were in the Canadian Forces for 20 years. Thanks for serving your country!

My pleasure.

[Derek Hollan]

CeeMurda7 wrote...

Hey Derek why aren't you guys including an option for higher sensitivity on consoles? Huge deal to me

I can pass the feedback along.  I have no answer for this otherwise.

[Derek Hollan]

improvisionist wrote...

boxers or briefs

Answered already in a "brief" discussion.

[Derek Hollan]

Lord Graal wrote...

Ahoy Derek,

I don't suppose you could whisper into the local code wizards ear and get them to add the challenge option to the lobby could you? It's awfully inconvenient to have to log out of the lobby and back again just to see it.

Ta Muchly.

The reason was a design choice.  People already mess around for long periods in the lobby without readying up.

[Derek Hollan]

oO Stryfe Oo wrote...

Oh, hey another question:

Would adding character models as challenge rewards be feasible? Like, completeing a challenge would reward a player with a relevant character model (Machine mastery ---> Geth Pyro Model/Altered Legion Model?)

Any additions of this nature would require a patch and a large amount of design work.  Considering how many kits are currently available, we are talking about shipping a dlc on the scale of every kit ever made...again.

I can't promise this will happen.

[Derek Hollan]

Versus Omnibus wrote...

Hey Derek, did you get so hammered you forgot this topic?

No.  It just gets very busy here at times.  Plus, I am not around on the weekends.

[Derek Hollan]

GhostShadow115 wrote...

Hey Derek...
Do you like reading books from H.P. Lovecraft...?
If yes which one is your favorite...?

I have always intended to read them.  I simply have not yet.

[Derek Hollan]

Heggy wrote...

Derek Hollan wrote...

iloveexplosives wrote...

any update on harbinger voices for collectors in multi?

Changes like this would require a patch.  It is hard to say whether or not this will happen.  Based on how often Harbinger possesses a unit, he would be constantly yammering.  The sort of annoyance that would make one wish to bury their controller or mouse in their screen.

You could make it happen for the first unit of the wave, and the first time he possesses a particular type of unit. 

Also, need collector music for fighting collectors.

I will, of course, pass along the feedback to the team.

[Derek Hollan]

IronRush wrote...

Hey Derek...
Will have changes today as usual my friend?

Depending on how many, and how soon the changes are in and tested. 

[Derek Hollan]

Constant Motion wrote...

Howdy, Derek! Cheers for doing all this, hope you're well. Some of these are moderately big questions, so answer as many or as few as you want. I'm not expecting responses to all of them!

- I'm sure there's no such thing - but how does a standard day in the office look for Derek Hollan?

- What's your proudest achievement in your Mass Effect career? Both at work and at play.

- Are there any things in multiplayer - kits, guns, whatever - that you were surprised by the success of? How about the other way round, any characters you thought were killer that never got the warm reception you thought they deserved?

- What's the life-cycle of a DLC, from conception to release? How does one start? At what moment was Earth born, say?

1.  Standard day.  Get in.  Grab breakfast from the lunch room.  Avert my eyes as I walk into my office so as to avoid the NPlewes stare.  Grab coffee cup and follow the NPlewes to the coffee boat for a cup of something resembling coffee.  Drink black substance in cup.  Wake up.  Check submissions for changes on the system requiring testing.  Endure NPlewes meeting with "Live Team."  Check to see team has everything they need for upcoming weekend challenges.  Check on Eric F for balance changes.  Stare blankly at screen.  Drink more of the black substance they insist on calling "coffee." ...Much of the rest of the day is a cycle of the above.

2. Proudest moment of ME career at work?  Being assigned to the multi-player team.  At play?  Experiencing its overall success. 

3.  Last question is rather involved and would be better answered by someone like Eric.  Suffice to say a few months minimum is necessary.

[Derek Hollan]

Impius wrote...

Hey Derek,

would you guys kindly think about it, to keep the consumables after disconnects? I mean disconnects of any kind.

It is just frustrating to lose lvl. 3 and 4 consumables just because i got disconnected from EA/Masseffectservers or when i disconnect from a laggy host.

Are there any thoughts about it?

More feedback.  I can pass this along.  Admittedly we don't want people exploiting this though.  Disconnecting yourself because you don't like how the match is going, for example, is not something we want to encourage.

[Derek Hollan]

BMatys91 wrote...

From what you said you didn't utilize Dominate in MP because it was still in development in Leviathan. But why no Defense Matrix, Defense Drone and Slam in Retaliation? I know that these powers would require some change but I know you guys can handle this.

At this point, none of the currently designed kits felt a need for any of the above mentioned powers.  That is not to say they will never be added.

[Derek Hollan]

Heggy wrote...

Are there any things that were planned for multiplayer but cut? Or does that fall under NDA?

At one point we thought it would have been cool if characters developed and promoted in multi-player (albeit a limited number at a time), could actually join Shepard on the ship in the SP campaign, and not just as a Galaxy at War asset.  Obviously, the work involved and the time required for this was extreme and was nowhere near realistic without pushing everything way, way back.