Your opinions of BioWare after playing the Mass Effect series?
#1
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 10:09
Obviously, I'm new to the series and everything was automatically patched to the most recent/final update for me, but did BioWare handle everything well during/shortly after the release dates? For example, if "Problem A" arose a little after ME3's release did BioWare take your guys' thoughts and opinions on it, completely ignore it, etc?
I'm not dissing BioWare; played the first two games in less than a month and it's suddenly contending for my favorite game series ever? Beyond impressive. Alas, it feels like some things were just ignored altogether. Story-related bugs in ME2 you couldn't have missed, the lack of customization of mouse sensitivity and such that appears to be one of the larger issues, the hoopla over ME3's original ending (I'll have to Youtube it before I beat the game), yadda yadda yadda.
I don't believe that PCs were ever/will ever be the main platform so maybe that's it, but any thoughts/opinions are more than welcome.
#2
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 10:23
Haven't played any ME since the horrible end of #3, just couldn't... however, having played #1 and #2 again, I'd forgotten how much I like those two.
Guess I'll just pretend #2 is where it ends and let #3 gather dust.
#3
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 11:42
#4
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 11:53
Removing weapon switching with function keys (which is really hillarious, I've followed ME2 development from announcement to launch trailer, and every streamlining approach was done in the name of 'not breaking the flow of combat') and the lack of crouching altogether from ME2 and onwards bugged me for a long time, but I got used to it. The one thing I can't get used to is n+1 functions binded to space. Not to mention in 2-3 you have to go to the main menu if you want to reach anything. Thankfully the journal is beyond useless in 3 so it spares you some time.
#5
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 11:54
As for BW, I've had the greatest respect for the titles they've done and barring DA2/ME3. But they aren't that same company with those same high standards as what I'm seeing coming out from them now.
#6
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:00
#7
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:05
I think the company is slowly progressing away from the sorts of games I tend to like -- which is fine -- even if it leaves a gaping whole which I haven't really refilled yet. ME2 I actually found boring to "play" -- even if all the character interaction bits were mostly pretty good. Rapidly I came to realise I was just rushing through the next combat corridor to get to the next bit which had some interest in it. Generally the series progressed too much towards a shooter for my tastes, and a shooter with a fixed pattern of play (whereas ME1 was much more of a sandbox as to how you wanted to approach combat or equip your team).
That all said, the weirdest problem with Bioware all around the ME3 time was the peculiar, vague, and sometimes confusing press releases and general communication, something which I'm sure they are working on. A lot of people have a lot of investment in their games simply due to the style of them and the length of time of a trilogy or series, and sometimes the generic corporate-speak of some of the announcements really grated on my nerves. To tie into that is the weird marketing and advertisement of their games, which started around the ME2/DAO time. I think that's improved, but there's definitely been periods of "what the hell were they thinking?". It has lead to the image of Bioware being a powerful, inspired, but slightly floundering and confused company in my mind.
Regarding technical issues with the games: there are still ME1 problems (the bizarrely buggy sound engine, Garrus for goodness sake!) that were never fixed, but I believe that was because the port was outsourced and it would've cost a lot to get all that into shape and published. ME2 was pretty competent for the most part, though it still has a stupid multi-threading issue whereby I have to run a third-party utility to stop the game being absurdly laggy. There were crashes on 64-bit Windows in the early days too. ME3 has some daft scripting errors, but nothing major. The multiplayer while great, is a quagmire of network misery, but I have no idea if that's the game or the Origin network. One of my friends can STILL only connect to me in MP but quitting the game and then restarting. Another of my friends STILL gets randomly kicked out of games and can then not reconnect even after moving service provider and country. Vanguards still result in hilariously unstable games where you end up in the sky or through the floor. But if we're still playing it a year on, they must be doing something right - that's for sure.
#8
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:11
#9
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:22
With the Dragon Age series I have bought both, have haven't enjoyed either one as much as any of the Mass Effect games, but games have good story behind them, but the gameplay suffers. Both games I got tired of the combat and everything but the story quickly and at times I was pushing myself just to get a little further.
#10
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:26
#11
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:46
#12
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 12:53
Xabungle wrote...
I have loved their DA and ME series and gotten repeated entertainment from playing them. No complaints.
This^
They are my favorite developer. I love Mass Effect and Dragon Age. I think what does it for me is the personality of the characters, and the player character. Using the voiced pc makes my character feel more real to me than in a game like for example, Skyrim. And I really feel for my squadmates and other characters in the games. I love the way they can tell a story.
Love it!
#13
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 02:06
#14
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 02:41
The only time that I would consider using the single-player of Mass Effect 3 is when new DLC came for it, but I guess now that there is now no new DLC coming out there is NO reason at all to use Mass Effect 3 and that is a shame because I still do like Mass Effect 1 and 2 it just a shame that Mass Effect 3 is so bad.
#15
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 05:03
johnj1979 wrote...
I still use Mass Effect 1 and 2, but I don't use the single-player of Mass Effect 3.
The only time that I would consider using the single-player of Mass Effect 3 is when new DLC came for it, but I guess now that there is now no new DLC coming out there is NO reason at all to use Mass Effect 3 and that is a shame because I still do like Mass Effect 1 and 2 it just a shame that Mass Effect 3 is so bad.
Fan-made DLC (of a sort) makes ME3 worthwhile again: MEHEM or MEEM (I prefer MEHEM). They put air back into the game's lungs.
#16
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 05:12
Getorex wrote...
johnj1979 wrote...
I still use Mass Effect 1 and 2, but I don't use the single-player of Mass Effect 3.
The only time that I would consider using the single-player of Mass Effect 3 is when new DLC came for it, but I guess now that there is now no new DLC coming out there is NO reason at all to use Mass Effect 3 and that is a shame because I still do like Mass Effect 1 and 2 it just a shame that Mass Effect 3 is so bad.
Fan-made DLC (of a sort) makes ME3 worthwhile again: MEHEM or MEEM (I prefer MEHEM). They put air back into the game's lungs.
+1. I could never get through my second playthrough but MEHEM allowed me to get through it and erase the starchild from my playthrough. It's still bittersweet, but IMO much better than the original ending. You're also missing the PC's biggest advantage; mods. Try adding some high resolution textures and other mods. It makes the experience much more enjoyable. I pretty much buy the PC versions whenever I can and only go console for the exclusives.
#17
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 05:15
Need's to support the game's they make, especially the gltiches and bugs. In ME3 I've had to reload because of the cockpit sticky floor and in DA2 I've had to restart my campain from the beginning due to a Death Siphon bug. After a year they are both still there. Two year's from now they will still be there to trap unsuspecting gamers and make them weepy about buying the game.
Need's to focus more on making their game's playable by removing these bug's. No matter what the rationale my original Baulder's gate copy never put me in a situation where I could not progress unless something killed me. That should be the standard and no game from BW should go unsupported till they can boast the same.
#18
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 05:22
I think BioWare's been good at addressing many issues, but there are still some bad ones that they haven't been able to fix (or bothered to). Examples of some bad ones being the ladder glitch in Leviathan and the invisible stone in a part of ME3 you haven't reached yet (you'll know it when you see it). But they can be ignored and/or circumvented, it just detracts slightly from the enjoyment.
I haven't had any mouse issues, though. Have you tried a different one? Even if it works perfectly outside the game and when playing other games, it might be some weird issue that appears with this particular engine or something? I don't know, just guessing really :-P
Also, I'm curious as to why you'll be watching the endings on youtube instead of seeing them yourself (which won't be horribly out of context)? I'm not saying I think the endings are good, but they'll lose what charm they do have if you spoil it like that :-)
#19
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 05:29
Liked ME 3 until before the ending, after which I first set foot into the forums and closely followed affairs for a while. In that time, it was disconcerting to hear so little of them, and what they did say didn't sound too good either. Like a big disconnect between them and that part of their consumers that included me.
Extended Cut was both like them stretching out a hand, saying "Look, we've listened to all you've said" and then again them still being stubborn and not wanting to move from their position (by not removing the core problem of the old ending, but this section is still no spoilers). Confusing!
Citadel felt even more like they had really listened, and were trying to make people happy. As it stands, I can't really say how I feel about them. They made my favourite games and I like them for that, but somehow I can still feel a sting of resentment. Well, it shows that everybody is human (me and them included) ...
#20
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 06:13
... except the last 5 minutes of ME3.
Also, their gameplay has significantly increased from 1 to 3, and I enjoyed the gameplay in ME3 the most.
But even though it has improved, it still has a lot to fix.
#21
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 06:18
Getorex wrote...
Declining opinion. As the Mass Effect series progressed, the story got weaker and shallower while the game play mechanics improved. In the end, improved mechanics cannot cover for a shallow story. That is why there are MP only (or nearly only) games and FPS. No story necessary, just run and gun.
+1 It's almost like Bioware's tired of making choice based rpgs, and want to go for the quick and easy "Don't think, just shoot, we'll tell you how to feel about it" stories
#22
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 06:46
Played me1 and 2 countless times.
But i was disappointed in the way that Bioware handled the ME3 ending controversy, i think a lot of peoples opinion about Bioware would have been very different today if Bioware hadn't hid behind PR bullsh*t and been honest about what actually happened.
#23
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 07:13
ME2 (and DAO): It's settled. I want to work here.
ME3 (and DA2, to a lesser extent): I think we're done here.
#24
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 07:35
ME2--good game
the problem I have is why do you have 12 squadmates when you only need 8 to complete the mission?
ME3--good game
I have to thank bioware for adding Samantha to the series so my femshep has someone she can romance.
The ending I would like to have more closure to the rubble scene. But I guess beggars can't be choosers.
#25
Posté 29 mars 2013 - 07:55
Then ME3 came out and that was just.... bad.
However, despite how heartbreaking ME3 was, it wasn't the reason I gave up on BW. I gave up on them due to their attitude, their reaction to the people who were dissatisfied with the game. The absolutely disgusting and shameful PR from them, their almost blind ignorance behind the vast majority of complaints, and the seeming arrogance from BW. In BW's opinion, their game is not flawed. The fans just can't understand or appreciate 'art'. That is what drove me away from BW.





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