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[Natureguy85]

 

Tonight, Emma Shep finally got around to answer the call from Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

• This is another mission where they should have cranked up the creepy for longer. Having a fight straight off the bat was a mistake, much better to explore the colony first before getting ambushed
• The conversation with Kaidan is really poor. Not a single explanation is given to Kaidan about where you have been, how you are or even the ability to say 'Hey! Good to see you!'. In fact you can't even get him to send a message back to the Alliance or anything. Railroading of a conversation at its poorest
• These missions really do feel like an afterthought of the story, something to get out of the way before doing the more interesting vignettes in different places. A game based around Shep being a SPECTRE exploring the galaxy, discovering minor crimes whilst investigating a larger conspiracy would have been brilliant series of games - ME2 feels a little like that (like certain parts of ME1 do too). On reflection, THAT is the game I would want
• The lighting is really good in this level, and some of the music

 

 

I totally agree on the "power of silence" idea. However they do it several times: one already and two later. They did it for Freedom's progress and later do that for both the Collector Cruiser and the Derelict Reaper. They could do it here too but maybe they wanted to change it up. Even good things can get stale.

 

Actually, at least for ME1 romanced Ashley, (I forget on my Femshep romanced Kaidan playthrough) the friendliest response is something like "Hey, good to see you." I couldn't believe it. It was as if they simply hadn't seen each other in awhile, not like one of them had been dead.

 

The main plot missions were pretty bad. The story was terrible. All he good this game has is in its character stories.

 

I like the picture of Shepard and Mordin as well as the one of Shepard in cover hiding from the scarab. (I forget what it's really called)

[Natureguy85]

Forced, maybe. But it is essentially the military equivalent of political advancement... except the Spectre appointment which is flat-out a political appointment by Udina because of pure political bullcrap. Which is actually totally in character.

 

The only problem I have with it is they are the same rank from ME1 to ME2 (two years), then suddenly advance from ME2 to ME3 (about six months to a year). If Ashley/Kaidan had advanced in rank by the time you meet them in ME2 it would not seem as forced.

 

The advancement is fine; my issue is that it's to match what Shepard is/was. Also as a minor note there should be no such thing as an "N7 program" that you just go in. "N" refers to a role and "7" refers to level or rank within that role. Is James already an "N" marine? In looking at the wiki, I think they just phrased it poorly. If he said he was going into special forces to be an "N" marine, it wouldn't have bothered me as much because he was just starting out, hoping to eventually get to N7. I think that's what is actually happening.

 

And you're right about Udina with the Spectre appointment.

 

Both Ashley and Kaidan get a promotion, but it's still a big jump. Kaidan goes from Staff Lieutenant in ME1 to Staff Commander in ME2, which means he has already jumped Shepard. I'm not in the military, but that seems like a large jump for two years. Ashley goes from Gunnery Chief to Operations Chief, which is just one NCO rank, in two years, which is far more reasonable. However, in the few months between ME2 and ME3, she is commissioned as an officer and blows through 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, and Staff Lieutenant to get to Lieutenant commander.

 

Edit: The ranks from the wiki: http://masseffect.wi..._Military_Ranks

[Monica21]

Both Ashley and Kaidan get a promotion, but it's still a big jump. Kaidan goes from Staff Lieutenant in ME1 to Staff Commander in ME2, which means he has already jumped Shepard. I'm not in the military, but that seems like a large jump for two years. Ashley goes from Gunnery Chief to Operations Chief, which is just one NCO rank, in two years, which is far more reasonable. However, in the few months between ME2 and ME3, she is commissioned as an officer and blows through 2nd Lieutenant, 1st Lieutenant, and Staff Lieutenant to get to Lieutenant commander.

 

I didn't realize her jump between ME2 and ME3 was that big. Wow. The confusing thing about the ranks is that they (I guess?) smushed the officer ranks for the Navy and Marines. Commander is Navy and Major is Marines, so I actually have no clue how Kaidan ends up as Lieutenant, Commander, and then Major. And less as to how that compares to Shepard.

[Natureguy85]

I didn't realize her jump between ME2 and ME3 was that big. Wow. The confusing thing about the ranks is that they (I guess?) smushed the officer ranks for the Navy and Marines. Commander is Navy and Major is Marines, so I actually have no clue how Kaidan ends up as Lieutenant, Commander, and then Major. And less as to how that compares to Shepard.

 

You're right about them smushing the ranks. The Wiki talks about them holding onto some Marine terminology. For their purposes, Major is equivalent to Captain, so they are above Commander. Shepard is a Lieutenant Commander, which is below full Commander. So Kaidan went up two ranks between 1 and 2, and one more between 2 and 3.

[Monica21]

You're right about them smushing the ranks. The Wiki talks about them holding onto some Marine terminology. For their purposes, Major is equivalent to Captain, so they are above Commander. Shepard is a Lieutenant Commander, which is below full Commander. So Kaidan went up two ranks between 1 and 2, and one more between 2 and 3.

 

Ah, I see. I have not read all the things yet. Thank you.

[cap and gown]

It has been a while since I read the wiki, but in the U.S.

 

Ensign - 2nd Lieutenant

Lieutenant junior grade - 1st Lieutenant

Lieutenant - Captain

Lieutenant Commander - Major

Commander - Lieutenant Colonel

Captain - Colonel

[naddaya]

I totally agree on the "power of silence" idea. However they do it several times: one already and two later. They did it for Freedom's progress and later do that for both the Collector Cruiser and the Derelict Reaper. They could do it here too but maybe they wanted to change it up. Even good things can get stale.

 

Actually, at least for ME1 romanced Ashley, (I forget on my Femshep romanced Kaidan playthrough) the friendliest response is something like "Hey, good to see you." I couldn't believe it. It was as if they simply hadn't seen each other in awhile, not like one of them had been dead.

 

The main plot missions were pretty bad. The story was terrible. All he good this game has is in its character stories.

 

I like the picture of Shepard and Mordin as well as the one of Shepard in cover hiding from the scarab. (I forget what it's really called)

 

The fact that Shepard didn't seem to care about their own death until ME3 and was expected to start working straight after waking up also bothered me. No one except for Kaidan/Ash and maybe Jacob showed much reaction. The meeting with Anderson was pretty cold too. If Shepard was severely injured/in a coma instead of dead it would have worked better.

 

Some levels are great (Omega and Illium), but the story isn't very solid. Replaying the whole trilogy made me realize that ME3 is actually my favourite, for all my complaining about the autodialogue and the endings.

 

Btw I recruited Jack and just got to Horizon too after 4 years of not playing ME2. I forgot how bad the dialogue was.

Spoiler

 

[Natureguy85]

The fact that Shepard didn't seem to care about their own death until ME3 and was expected to start working straight after waking up also bothered me. No one except for Kaidan/Ash and maybe Jacob showed much reaction. The meeting with Anderson was pretty cold too. If Shepard was severely injured/in a coma instead of dead it would have worked better.

 

Some levels are great (Omega and Illium), but the story isn't very solid. Replaying the whole trilogy made me realize that ME3 is actually my favourite, for all my complaining about the autodialogue and the endings.

 

Btw I recruited Jack and just got to Horizon too after 4 years of not playing ME2. I forgot how bad the dialogue was.

 

Exactly. Shepard is not affected by their death and resurrection until one scene in ME 3 near the end... and then nothing further. Hell, Mass Effect even has an in-universe example of a VI that thinks it's a person but that's never explored. Look up President Huerta or listen to the argument in the hospital on the Citadel in ME3.

 

I'll always love Tali's reaction but you're right that other characters act like it's nothing: even Garrus. Others, like Zaeed, claim that Shepard survived the incident, which isn't true either. The weird thing with Ashley/Kaidan is that they wait until Shepard says something to get all upset. When they first walk out they give that creepy speech identifying Shepard to Mr. "I hate the Alliance".

 

The settings of Omega and Illium are indeed great but they are home to Aria, who is probably the most wasted character ever (all that set up and she does nothing), and Liara, who was completely changed off screen but wasn't made a squadmate for us to explore what happened to her over the last two years! They finally gave us that with Lair of the Shadow Broker, but then ME3 did almost nothing with her being the Shadow Broker.

[fraggle]

It bothers me because I have no idea what these people did to achieve their great leaps in their career. Ashley and Kaidan were at least along for the ride with Shepard in ME1. James sounds like a small child in the back seat when you first leave Earth. My main thought of him is this.

 

Well, that's James He just cares for certain things way too much and just wants to help (you can clearly see how much Earth means to him when talking to him at the FOB or during the Citadel DLC visit when he shows the tattoo), and he's hotheaded, brash, but he also knows that he was wrong and admits it. I liked that.

It almost sounds like you didn't give him a chance (sorry if you did). And I don't understand what it has to do with Ash/Kaidan at least being around since ME1... so, he has no rights to be pushed into the N7 role because he's the "new guy"?

I'm not sure btw what it takes to rise in rank and get recommendations etc, but this is no real military, it's fictional. James got it because of what he did on Fehl Prime, got promoted for it, so we can at least judge a bit from there what it takes to get something like this.

 

About the video... come on, this scene was just in there to have some fun. Maybe playing with why would you let James do it when you have Tali (if she's alive)? Since he is a soldier, a grunt, I found it very funny to have them show this scene, but then he's actually still capable of doing it, he has no trouble dealing with techy stuff when he's assigned to such things at all. So, even though he comes across as the video says, he's far from it. He is capable. And he did well in Paragon Lost.

 

The N7 program thing... I took it as the whole process, it's clear he doesn't start directly as N7 candidate, but I took it as the way to actually get there.

(btw, if you have much more to say on James, it might be best if we shift this conversation to his thread, I don't want to continue posting off-topic here )

 

Actually, at least for ME1 romanced Ashley, (I forget on my Femshep romanced Kaidan playthrough) the friendliest response is something like "Hey, good to see you." I couldn't believe it. It was as if they simply hadn't seen each other in awhile, not like one of them had been dead.

 

As you guys already pointed out, this really was a wasted topic. It's a bad idea in itself. I would've liked for Shepard to just have an accident or be in a coma, whatever, but that whole dying thing and then no one really talks about it as if it didn't matter what the hell just actually happened is really really a wasted opportunity.

[Dantriges]

It has been a while since I read the wiki, but in the U.S.

 

Ensign - 2nd Lieutenant

Lieutenant junior grade - 1st Lieutenant

Lieutenant - Captain

Lieutenant Commander - Major

Commander - Lieutenant Colonel

Captain - Colonel

 

Sounds a lot like they forgot that Shep was a Lt Commander and Commander was just a shortened version and switched to US ranks. I pretend that Shep got a promotion after the whole Eden Prime incident and/or Spectre stuff and that they use US ranks.

[olnorton]

I started my first ever no import, default ME3 play through.
With no DLC's & only single player, they really made it hard for you to get a decent EMS.
But I've got the happy ending mod, so I'm not sure how much effect your EMS has with it anyway.
Is there any way to keep Urdnot Dag alive?

Spoiler

[Jeniva]

I'm at the end of ME1 again, but my ps3 keeps freezing and dying...Sigh. I killed Saren, got the end scene - and black screen...great. Again I go for the 3469869864th time

[cap and gown]

Is there any way to keep Urdnot Dag alive?
 

 

Dagg dies whether you have an import game with Grunt dead or are doing a non-import game. Dagg=Dead.

[olnorton]

Dagg dies whether you have an import game with Grunt dead or are doing a non-import game. Dagg=Dead.

Thanks, I couldn't see how I could have played it differently, but I thought I'd ask.
It was my first time meeting Dagg, The only time I had Grunt die in ME2, I ended up dying myself.
Is Matriarch Aethyta in the default ME3?
If she is, I must have missed her.

[gottaloveme]

Thank you to Indy, BF and Flaine - I really need to pay more attention, listen to a few more 'narratives' and choose a few different dialogues. They can be for another play through . Are these games a merry-gp-round you can ever actually get off of?

[AlanC9]

Is Matriarch Aethyta in the default ME3?If she is, I must have missed her.

Bio goofed with the head morph, so you won't recognize her. (edit: this may have something to do with how Aethyta looks better when Shepard's drunk on Ilium). And she doesn't show on the map. Look for her behind the bar in Apollo's Cafe after talking to Liara the first time on the Citadel.

[themikefest]

I started my first ever no import, default ME3 play through.

If interested, here's a thread about playing ME3 without a save import from ME2
 

With no DLC's & only single player, they really made it hard for you to get a decent EMS.

If you have the extended cut, 3100 ems is needed for the breath scene. Doing everything in the game without dlc, will not get the breath scene. The highest your ems will be is about 2950 with galactic readiness at 50%. Not enough for the breath scene. Not to worry. If you prevent TIM from killing Anderson, Anderson will be nice enough to give you 200 war assets giving you the breath scene.

If you do not have the extended cut, 4000 ems is needed to get the breath scene and saving Anderson.

 

Since you have the ending mod, you don't have to worry about what I posted above

[cap and gown]

Thanks, I couldn't see how I could have played it differently, but I thought I'd ask.
It was my first time meeting Dagg, The only time I had Grunt die in ME2, I ended up dying myself.
Is Matriarch Aethyta in the default ME3?
If she is, I must have missed her.

 

I don't believe Aethyta is there in a non-import. Not sure on that, though.

[olnorton]

I ended up with 2836 ems, I lost some for not letting Diana Allers on board & Garrus shooting Kaidan probably cost me a bit.
But 40% of hammer team made it.
I never got the Paragon option to make TIM kill himself (I had to shoot him)
But thanks to the MEHEM mod I finished up getting a cuddle from Traynor, so happy ending indeed.
What is the advantage in high reputation points?

[themikefest]

I don't believe Aethyta is there in a non-import. Not sure on that, though.

I believe she is. You still get the opportunity to convince Liara to talk with her 'father' to get those  25 war assets.

[cap and gown]

I ended up with 2836 ems, I lost some for not letting Diana Allers on board & Garrus shooting Kaidan probably cost me a bit.
But 40% of hammer team made it.
I never got the Paragon option to make TIM kill himself (I had to shoot him)
But thanks to the MEHEM mod I finished up getting a cuddle from Traynor, so happy ending indeed.
What is the advantage in high reputation points?

 

Persuade checks require a certain amount of reputation to pass. For instance, to pass the persuade check on Rannoch to convince Gerral to stop firing you need 4+ bars of reputation. For the VS confrontation during the coup you need 2+ bars of reputation.

 

With TIM I don't know what the required reputation is, but that is probably not the problem. To get TIM to shoot himself you need to have used a persuade option every time one is available. Many people miss the persuade option on Mars because they do not choose the left side dialogue options. You could also miss a persuade option with him on Thessia by not picking a left side dialogue option.

[AlanC9]

Persuade checks require a certain amount of reputation to pass. For instance, to pass the persuade check on Rannoch to convince Gerral to stop firing you need 4+ bars of reputation. For the VS confrontation during the coup you need 2+ bars of reputation.
 

I tested with Gibbed and couldn't get the VS check to fail with more than one bar, which would mean that an import Shepard can't ever fail the check.

[fraggle]

I tested with Gibbed and couldn't get the VS check to fail with more than one bar, which would mean that an import Shepard can't ever fail the check.

 

But doesn't the whole reputation stuff come only into play when you didn't get enough of the points you can collect with them? AFAIR these depend on whether

- the Council has been saved in ME1

- the VS was your LI and you cheated on them/confessed it

- Kirrahe or Thane are alive to save the councilor

- you were nice to them on Mars

- you visited them in the hospital or not when they were awake

 

I seem to remember that if you fail to do good in any of these points, only then will the reputation check come into play at all. If you have 4 points or more, the VS will automatically side with you, if below, reputation check. So I guess you could still fail when you did all the bad stuff

[birefringent]

A little Mass Effect 2 never hurt anyone

Spoiler

A Shuriken? How clever of you.

 

Miranda staying behind and Jacob closer to Shep is probably some symbolic way of showing that Miranda is not happy being second, and Jacob's happy following like a puppy 

[AlanC9]

But doesn't the whole reputation stuff come only into play when you didn't get enough of the points you can collect with them? AFAIR these depend on whether
- the Council has been saved in ME1
- the VS was your LI and you cheated on them/confessed it
- Kirrahe or Thane are alive to save the dalatress
- you were nice to them on Mars
- you visited them in the hospital or not when they were awake

I seem to remember that if you fail to do good in any of these points, only then will the reputation check come into play at all. If you have 4 points or more, the VS will automatically side with you, if below, reputation check. So I guess you could still fail when you did all the bad stuff

You're right. But it's pretty difficult to get to negative points if you care enough to do the hospital visits.