105 odpowiedzi w tym temacie

[R. Bratenahl]

They're some good ideas.  

 

The only one I don't completely agree with is the third one. After a long enough time, the events of the first three become irrelevant, preserved in history, set in stone, and the details lost to the collective memory. That said, there is no need for canon endings or connections to the original games except for the very nature of what goes down within the vast landscape of the universe.

 

Far-future setting is almost like a complete reboot. ME1, 2,3 might as well have not even happened, roughly speaking. 

 

The reapers: I wouldn't mind seeing them again, they just seem like this force of nature that confronting is unavoidable. Though it's doubtful they'll be in the same form as they previously appeared. Even if they were destroyed, they'll rise again because of human ingenuity, think Sky-Net's origin from the Terminator films. Machines so far evolved that they are more advanced than their creators and are gunning for the ultimate destruction.

 

So think about it, things go in cycles, reapers are created, beginning as early machines, (calculators, laptops, landline phones) and technological advancement gives rise to their sentient persona. Just like humans beginning as single celled organisms and evolving to a higher form.

 

Even if humans were assimilated (the control/synthesis options) organic human life will return, because it can't not exist.

 

The vicious cycle can not be stopped. Simply stalled for a time. Suppose you destroy the relays, history forgets, future generations ignore lessons in favor of convenience and necessity. The relays are rebuilt by a distant generation.

 

Time goes on. As it should.

 

My apologies for this being so long.

 

On the subject of Genders and races, Yes.  

 

Even if Females are scarce, (Krogan/ turian),  gender differentiation is awesome to have.

 

Will there ever be a male Asari? Is it scientifically possible, over a long enough time span, probably yes. with the help of evolutionary, scientific miracles.   

[R. Bratenahl]

What about "on the move conversations?"

 

I picture it this way: 

 

While roaming hub locations, ( Ex: spaceship, Citadel, Illium, Omega. whatever form these type of places take in the next one) you can choose to talk with you squad mates. But instead of being a conversation filled with cutscenes, and two people standing in place. You can walk and roam the world. 

 

Since your in a hub location, there's no worry of the combat mechanics interfering  with the conversation mechanics.

 

I figure it could be controlled like this: 

 

say you want to take the conversation on the move. Either you enter the location with them or meet up with them somewhere and they've got nothing better to do. the same trigger used for squad commands could be used to pull up the dialog options,  the look stick is used to select a reply and you move on while the conversation moves forward.

 

Alternatively button pad could be appropriated for this.  But i'd love to see the series take things on the move.

[herkles]

snip

 

That would be good. It also relates to one of my favorite if minor things about ME3; the squad interactions with each other and not shepard. As sometimes you will find kaiden and james playing poker, or tali mourning the fallen, or garrus, james and javik telling war stories. It helped add to the immersion. So having more of that would be great. 

 

Also I doubt they would do a sequel, and here is my thinking. People don't just want a sequel. they want a sequel to their game. This means that if you go to the far-future where nothing matters to allow for it, then why not just do another IP? if you were to make to include differences that people did, then I can figure at least 68 possible varaitions, and almost certainly more. This is just not feesable to do a story around without severaly affecting the writing. plus didn't they say they want to avoid it connecting much with shepard?

[R. Bratenahl]

Personally, i want continuation of the series. be it indirect sequel, or prequel. 

 

What would make a prequel interesting to me is this: 

 

Set the prequel so far in the past that the mystery of what will happen next is preserved as if it was a sequel. Of course to have all the races and beings currently in the mythology of the game universe  may be difficult to achieve without making some of the facts of the first game's history come off as half truths or outright lies. 

 

But if you think about it, history is subject to inaccuracy due to bias. 

 

Setting a prequel too close to the beginning of the original games disposes of some of the mystery. Its like knowing the ending to 'Lost' or "Breaking Bad" and then trying to watch the series from start to end.  

[ShinsFortress]

I never buy prequel video games.  If it's set so far in the past as to make no difference, might as well reboot the franchise or call it something else.

[herkles]

Personally, i want continuation of the series. be it indirect sequel, or prequel. 

 

What would make a prequel interesting to me is this: 

 

Set the prequel so far in the past that the mystery of what will happen next is preserved as if it was a sequel. Of course to have all the races and beings currently in the mythology of the game universe  may be difficult to achieve without making some of the facts of the first game's history come off as half truths or outright lies. 

 

But if you think about it, history is subject to inaccuracy due to bias. 

 

Setting a prequel too close to the beginning of the original games disposes of some of the mystery. Its like knowing the ending to 'Lost' or "Breaking Bad" and then trying to watch the series from start to end.  

 

I view the mass effect galaxy big enough to have smaller stories, and considering that it is 100,000 LY across and only about 1% of the galaxy has been explored well that is true. Not every story has to be about shepard or his/her crew.

 

And having a smaller story is good IMO, it is going to be hard to top 'saving the galaxy' for some. But the strength of the ME games was never the plot, it was the characters. Having a story about exploring the terminus systems while the first game/second game is around would be plenty of time to do stuff without dealing with shepard. Keep in mind there was a time gap of two years between the first and second game. 

 

 

 

I never buy prequel video games.  If it's set so far in the past as to make no difference, might as well reboot the franchise or call it something else.

This also goes for setting it so far into the future where things don't matter either. 

[R. Bratenahl]

I view the mass effect galaxy big enough to have smaller stories, and considering that it is 100,000 LY across and only about 1% of the galaxy has been explored well that is true. Not every story has to be about shepard or his/her crew.

 

And having a smaller story is good IMO, it is going to be hard to top 'saving the galaxy' for some. But the strength of the ME games was never the plot, it was the characters. Having a story about exploring the terminus systems while the first game/second game is around would be plenty of time to do stuff without dealing with shepard. Keep in mind there was a time gap of two years between the first and second game. 

 

 

 

This also goes for setting it so far into the future where things don't matter either. 

It's fair to say that the next one could have a smaller more character driven story. For example, you have basically a handful of templates any story can follow regardless of the details:

 

Character vs Character

 

Character vs self 

 

Character vs nature 

 

Character vs supernatural 

 

Character vs destiny 

 

Character vs Society

 

six actually.

 

they are pretty easy to explain, almost self explanatory.

 

In many ways the Mass Effect Trilogy has already touched on all of these.  

 

That said.

 

Suppose for example, and for lack of a sufficient substitute, you are Aldrin. (Since Shepard was named for an actual astronaut our example will be too.) Aldrin was born on Minidoir  raiders killed his parents. He was fourteen, he still knows the face of the raider who killed them, a biotic, and a rogue specter (yes this example is hacked from current ME lore. but i've got nothing better to use.) The rogue specters name is Greedo. (Ok star wars, too.) Aldrin became a raider and is traversing the galaxy by way of a commandeered  ship not unlike the Normandy SR-3. Full crew and a damn good pilot. His aim: to track down Greedo and decide his fate. But Greedo is elusive and cunning with many underworld connections. It's a chase across the galaxy...

 

That could be an engaging tale when combined with sufficient player agency and a coherent combat experience.      

[JCFR]

Well, concerning Character and story-telling, i would very much welcome, not playing a stereotypical Marine-Guy once again.
Shepardwas ok but... well far too many games with scifi-setting and gunplay take a use of soldier-like maincharacters... and they're almost never that interesting.
I would prefer some kind of outlaw or survivalist.

I don't think Bioware will add Origin-like background-stories (too difficult to integrate into a single plotline).

in general i would prefer some other story than hunt this guy down or take revenge (i like stories about taking revenge but.. well since there have been so many AC by ubisoft,which used this as it's core, it's been a bit overused to me.)
Why not some kind of story about an expedition - following the traces of other protheans, which survived.
Or being part of a first-contact teamand have to figute out if this new race canbe part of the galactic society or if it's a threat.
Or having to find a new planet for the batarians to colonisem while keeping the peace between the different social classes.

And another thing i appreciate would be more enemy-types, resembling the hostility of your environment.
Meaning: More and different threats according to the type of world, you're on.
Since ME1 it was always the same. Yeah some new Geth ord reaper-unit here and there but the planet themself seemed mostly very tame. No man-eating plants, no super-big Varen, no creativity whatsoever. That should really change.

[R. Bratenahl]

That whole revenge story i cobbled together was just for example's sake. 

 

I love the idea of an expedition. Maybe it could take place after Shep but a new first contact with a newcomer to the galactic society. They have problems of their own, you can assist them or deem them a threat.

 

Maybe the new protagonist has Shadow Broker connections. From the SB, He/she gains info on the new galaxy, the new race,  a lead on an artifact worth an unprecedented fortune, and dossier's for a crew that can assist him/her in the expedition...

[JCFR]

That whole revenge story i cobbled together was just for example's sake. 
 
I love the idea of an expedition. Maybe it could take place after Shep but a new first contact with a newcomer to the galactic society. They have problems of their own, you can assist them or deem them a threat.
 
Maybe the new protagonist has Shadow Broker connections. From the SB, He/she gains info on the new galaxy, the new race,  a lead on an artifact worth an unprecedented fortune, and dossier's for a crew that can assist him/her in the expedition...

Was no critic on you, but game industry in general. Like i said, revenge is a bit overused right now (looking at you, ubisoft).

About your idea of a connection between the poragonist and the shadow broker... well ithas a nicering - i give you that - but a new ME-Cyclus with a new main-character should not resort too much on previous NPCs (yes they could get a cameo but a new era needs new, strong characters).

I just wish for ME4 to take the next step to an even bigger experience.
ME1 put a new standard to the way NPC-dialogue should be handled. The mimic and gesture just made me go WOW... eventhough the game-mechanics and design itself had many flaws, but ok, it was the first part of a new franchise and such games always have a hard time.

ME2 added to this experience with the dialogue interactions and even better NPC-characters. Gameplay was refined (even though the RPG-part took major damage) and in it's whole it was a great experience.

ME3... well, even not considering the terrible ending (lame as hell) it didn't really do anything better than ME2... no aded feature, no improvement, no innovation. The ship was still a hub between missions, maps were still small and mostly pipes and gameplay felt still the same.
And that is something i wish to change for the next part of the series.

[R. Bratenahl]

 I take no offense. My revenge story was intentionally hackneyed.  

 

On the subject of the games dialogue mechanics having many flaws:

 

This could be a soulution:

 

 

This negotiation above uses a similar dialogue system as Mass effect and is a brilliant display of what the devs on mass effect could do to improve on their own. I posted it in one other thread but now thing it might be misplaced in that one.  

[JCFR]

Ah yes... the Deus Ex system... frankly spoken, it felt a bit weird to me. I liked, that you had to switch tactics through the whole talk, if you wanted to be successful. It felt like a real argument between persons and didn't end up in "Just stick to the upper right option and play the paragon-style".
On the other hand i rarely felt like having control about the situation and the outcome, which would be a bit unsatisfying for a Rpg.

The best - in my opinion - would be some kind of hybrid. Imagine starting a conversation and you can start by being aggressive, passive, cynical or intelectual (according to your stats). You pick the aggressive-option and the dialogue starts to develope.
And the answer-choices you get in every "round" depend on the direction you're taking.
For example, if you keep sticking to being aggressive, the more extreme get your options until a point of no return where you have to decide how to end the conversation (maybe by giving an order, intimidating, knocking the guy out or even execute him).
But until you reach this point of no return, you still have the possability, to alter your course... maybe because you notice, that the person you're talking to is too stubborn to persuade him or too coldblooded to initmidate him.
Such a thing would be cool.

[R. Bratenahl]

 The "pick a color to Win" system has to go. Bottom line. I loved conversations in Deus Ex HR. That unpredictability felt so realistic and made me wonder if i could do it another way and therefore appealed to me highly even when things didn't go my way. Deus Ex's system is best utilized on a case by case basis (i.e. zeke Sanders, Megan's Mother, Sarif,  Wayne Haas, etc.) Each NPC offered a different challenge.  Re-playability is hugely increased.

 

the more dynamic and morally gray the dialogue system is, the better. The more black and white (Blue and Red) the system is, the faster it's going to lose re-playability.

 

Even the final Decision in Deus Ex packed a massive "gut-punch-- head-smack" that made you wonder if you made the right one.

 

ME3 packed a wallop with the original releases 'synergy' ending i chose. I'm all for ambiguity. But why does Mass Effect lose so much impact on the successive play-throughs?

 

For example, the extended cut 'Reject all options' choice: I didn't bat an eye. 

 

Maybe for me, impact is satisfaction. Even when its objectively undesirable. 

[JCFR]

Well, the reason, why it's so unsatisfying is hard to grasp... i guess it's because the dialogues in the ME-series feels a bit like... well, as if it's on rails.
Sure, you can switch and alter your course but there was no benefit to it. If you want to be paragon, pick the upper right choice... if you wanna be renegade, pick the lower right choice... everything else was mostly for showcase. It felt more like watching a movie, than playing a game.

I still fondly remember times of Baldur's Gate 2 or Planescape Torment, where you often had from 5 up to 6 or 7 sentences to choose from during major dialogues and you had to pick carefully  and calculate nuances.

 

So in conlusion again:

What i liked about the Deus Ex  dialogues - it wasn't as predictable as in ME and you had to vary your choices and adapt to the course the conversation took.

What i didn't like was, that because of the same reasons, it often felt as if i wasn't in control (the situation was taken out of my hand) and i only failed, just because i wasn't lucky.

So something inbetween would be nice.

 

That and fu**ing spaceships which are more than just decoration. If i will be able to drive with the Mako above planets, then i want to control my ship and use it (in space battles for example).

[KaiserShep]

It makes no sense to directly control the ship in battle unless your character is also the pilot of the ship. In any case, Mass Effect really should not have any kind of Star Wars-like space battles anyway, because they completely break the lore of the game, which is a big problem many had with the entire first sequence of Priority: Earth. If your character is the commander of a ship, and it's in battle, the extent to which you should be able to control what the ship does is in dialogue, barking orders at whichever crewman controls whatever weapon or countermeasure at your disposal. Of course, the problem with this idea is that it could be far too technical in its terminology to be manageable as dialogue options.

[JCFR]

It makes no sense to directly control the ship in battle unless your character is also the pilot of the ship. In any case, Mass Effect really should not have any kind of Star Wars-like space battles anyway, because they completely break the lore of the game, which is a big problem many had with the entire first sequence of Priority: Earth. If your character is the commander of a ship, and it's in battle, the extent to which you should be able to control what the ship does is in dialogue, barking orders at whichever crewman controls whatever weapon or countermeasure at your disposal. Of course, the problem with this idea is that it could be far too technical in its terminology to be manageable as dialogue options.

 

Depends on the point of view. I mean why not adding star-fighters instead of shuttles in some missions... and your argument sounds like "if i play Kirk in Star Trek i can't control the enterprise because that's Chekov's job" - RIDICULOUS!

And i'm sorry to say, but i prefer wing commander over bridge commander.

 

About your  so called "lore of the game"... what's that in your opinion?

To me the whole ME-series is 50% dialogue, decisions and story and 50% combat... and combat is incredible repetitive - it just get's extremly annoying in the 3rd playthrough. It's alwyas the same: Pick mission, pick loadout, enter map... oh, some cover... then enemies will spawn the next second. Then shoot, shoot, shoot, use a skill, shoot, shoot, shoot... all dead, moving on... a few more steps... oh cover. And again and again.

In addition, most classes feel  quite alike... there's no really big difference between technican or biotic... and this difference got even less, after ME3 made it possible to use any weapon with any class. The Rpg-Elements are still bare minimum. 

 

I hunger for a variation in gameplay... for new features. Why are 3d-space-battles such a taboo? I don't get it.

[herkles]

It makes no sense to directly control the ship in battle unless your character is also the pilot of the ship. In any case, Mass Effect really should not have any kind of Star Wars-like space battles anyway, because they completely break the lore of the game, which is a big problem many had with the entire first sequence of Priority: Earth. If your character is the commander of a ship, and it's in battle, the extent to which you should be able to control what the ship does is in dialogue, barking orders at whichever crewman controls whatever weapon or countermeasure at your disposal. Of course, the problem with this idea is that it could be far too technical in its terminology to be manageable as dialogue options.

 

 

I agree, while I wouldn't mind space battles if they followed the rather good lore, but the problem is that they are nothing like star-wars space battles. The close range of ships in the ME universe is ten KILOMETERS. That is the shortest distance, it gets exponetially further away after that with dreadnaughts having tens of thousand kilometers. Not naywhere near the star-wars style of space battles.

 

 

That being said, I would love more missions where one is out in space. either on a space-station, in a destroyed ship and so on.

[Alex.A]

There so many things that come in mind it truly is confusing where to start.

 

1) Mini-puzzles

2) Mako and Hammerhead

3) Extended customization of character

4) Customization of team

5) Loot system as in ME1

6) Extended convos and decision making system that allows to radically change the story depending on paragon/renegate points

7) A better interface for our character, our team and most of all, our inventory/merchants

 

The list can go for a while, but i am hopefull that Bioware learned from their mistakes, which brings me to #8...

 

8) Bioware ditches EA so everyone can finally be happy and get a truly great game.

 

PS. 9) A conclussion as to wtf happened with the sun on Haestorm. Yes?

[ShinsFortress]

There so many things that come in mind it truly is confusing where to start.

 

1) Mini-puzzles

2) Mako and Hammerhead

3) Extended customization of character

4) Customization of team

5) Loot system as in ME1

6) Extended convos and decision making system that allows to radically change the story depending on paragon/renegate points

7) A better interface for our character, our team and most of all, our inventory/merchants

 

The list can go for a while, but i am hopefull that Bioware learned from their mistakes, which brings me to #8...

 

8) Bioware ditches EA so everyone can finally be happy and get a truly great game.

 

PS. 9) A conclussion as to wtf happened with the sun on Haestorm. Yes?

 

That's a pretty good list.  I was one of those that didn't mind and sometimes liked the Mako and Hammerhead stuff.  I actually preferred the Mako over the Hammerhead.  But then it reminded me of several different movie/cartoon/TV/toy vehicles I saw in my childhood.

[Vazgen]

There so many things that come in mind it truly is confusing where to start.

 

1) Mini-puzzles

2) Mako and Hammerhead

3) Extended customization of character

4) Customization of team

5) Loot system as in ME1

6) Extended convos and decision making system that allows to radically change the story depending on paragon/renegate points

7) A better interface for our character, our team and most of all, our inventory/merchants

 

The list can go for a while, but i am hopefull that Bioware learned from their mistakes, which brings me to #8...

 

8) Bioware ditches EA so everyone can finally be happy and get a truly great game.

 

PS. 9) A conclussion as to wtf happened with the sun on Haestorm. Yes?

Agreed on everything except 5 and 8.

5 - because loot system in ME1 sucked. Get Spectre weapons and it becomes pointless, you just waste time on turning items into omni-gel

8 - because that would set the company back, cut their finances and make them unable to use Frostbite 3 engine which the next game is based on

[Farangbaa]

8) Bioware ditches EA so everyone can finally be happy and get a truly great game.

EA was the owner of BW before the release of ME1. Granted, ME1 was well development before the takeover, but everything after that (including the worshipped ME2) was done completely under EA's wing.

Besides, EA opens up a LOT of resources.

[Alex.A]

I am aware that having EA backing you up means a lot of resources, but this doesn't mean they'll not push BW to rush the game. EA has a lot of fails and little gems to show for. Look at what happened with BF4. A complete and utter mess. I'd prefer if BW takes as much time as they think they need. At this point another company comes in mind that did a lot better before was bought...

 

Vazgen - i know that after you got Spectre gear it was gg, but still it added that extra layer, and had you running around to get those. I know that a lot of people want to max out their characters and i am one of them. I just have to get the best of the best and ME1 was no exception. I loved playing it again on Insane with full gear. It was a real blast for me. This time they could be little more careful so you get endgame gear a bit harder.

 

As for Mako and Hammerhead, both where great imo. My only complain is that some maps for Mako really blew. And i would also hope they add space battles. I think these side mini-games help the player relax a bit and become more immersed as more side stories and characters are revealed.

 

Anyway, as i said, the list could go for a very long time but i'm confident they'll do great.

[Alex.A]

I am aware that having EA backing you up means a lot of resources, but this doesn't mean they'll not push BW to rush the game. EA has a lot of fails and little gems to show for. Look at what happened with BF4. A complete and utter mess. I'd prefer if BW takes as much time as they think they need. At this point another company comes in mind that did a lot better before was bought...

 

Vazgen - i know that after you got Spectre gear it was gg, but still it added that extra layer, and had you running around to get those. I know that a lot of people want to max out their characters and i am one of them. I just have to get the best of the best and ME1 was no exception. I loved playing it again on Insane with full gear. It was a real blast for me. This time they could be little more careful so you get endgame gear a bit harder.

 

As for Mako and Hammerhead, both where great imo. My only complain is that some maps for Mako really blew. And i would also hope they add space battles. I think these side mini-games help the player relax a bit and become more immersed as more side stories and characters are revealed. After all, ME has a vast universe and it's a shame if the player is put on rails.

 

Anyway, as i said, the list could go for a very long time but i'm hopeful they'll do great.

[Khemikael]

There so many things that come in mind it truly is confusing where to start.

[...]

8) Bioware ditches EA so everyone can finally be happy and get a truly great game.

 

[...]

*looks at Fallout New Vegas and Wasteland 2*

If you want Bioware to ditch EA, get ready to wait 10 to 25 years to get a new Mass Effect (from the original creators).

 

[...]

I hunger for a variation in gameplay... for new features. Why are 3d-space-battles such a taboo? I don't get it.

The problem is: if Bioware tries to add many features, eventually they will be less developed. 3D space dogfight is a proper genre (Elite, Frelancer, X series and the forthcoming Star Citizen...) These games don't have great story or characters because it is not part of their core gameplay (unlike combat and trading)

I think Bioware shouldn't spread too much. Don't misread me, if they manage to create a game as good as the original ME trilogy with space dogfight I'll be the happiest man on Earth. But I doubt it.

Gosh! I become schizophrenic when it comes to space combat in Mass Effect.

[ShinsFortress]

EA was the owner of BW before the release of ME1. Granted, ME1 was well development before the takeover, but everything after that (including the worshipped ME2) was done completely under EA's wing.

Besides, EA opens up a LOT of resources.

 

ME2 was not worshipped.  Was it great?  Yes.  But I did not prefer it to ME1.  Consolification and thermal clips.  Pffft.