120 réponses à ce sujet

[Dale]

Okay Bioware...

 

Hopefully your marketing department is doing their job reading our rants & raves.  I'll let you in on a secret:  once you PERFECT something, then DON"T CHANGE IT!    You don't declare the WHEEL obsolete because it is a 10,000 year old invention.  Likely you've already read a million opinions already so here goes -- a LONG SHOT in that you might JUST consider this.   If not, may the Reapers assimilate you.

 

Reinstate the ME1 radar screen in the lower-right to show where enemies are (red triangles).   Also include the MAP screen for the bigger picture.  In some games (like Dead Space), you are given a 3D map that you can rotate & view from any direction.  This is awesome when navigating multiple floors (instead of the "stairs" icon -- duhh).

 

Reinstate the ME1 planet exploration missions.   That really gave some variety.   Prefer Mako over Hammerhead.  Heck, use both!  Scanning planets (ME2) for minerals was the biggest WASTE of time in any game.   Think about it:  the SR2 cost billions.   Resurrection of Shep cost billions -- yet we've got to fiddle fart scurrying around finding this & that to upgrade our hand-held weapons!  (ludicrous)

 

Show characters in CASUAL wear instead of ALWAYS same (usually combat) garb.   ME1 showed both.  Shep's apartment (ME3) was a good start -- but not quite there.

 

Tali's face plate *MUST* be transparent.  Remember 300 years ago they didn't wear suits.   Though in the flotilla she says "I've never shown my face to anyone".   Is she GOD?  Will we drop dead if we see her face?   Okay, if they're picky around other Quarians, then the face place can be temporarily obscure -- but around the rest of us -  CLEAR!   It would be really NICE if she had a special (germ-free) decontaminated private room where she could entertain visitors outside her suit.   Her immune systems are improving, aren't they? 

 

How about some SURPRISES in the game?  Totally void in the entire trilogy.   Kaiden (ME1) could have at the last moment discovered an elevator & underground tram to take him a couple miles away while Shep and Saren blabbed for 3 minutes.   With all the planets surveyed & visited (ME2), you'd think Tali could have stumbled across some alien (Prothean) technology to bring her immune systems back to normal. IE: various Star Trek episodes.    How about a little PROGRESS folks  -- instead of the same old same old?

 

Hacking only when something important.

 

Focus on STORY instead of spending 80% of the time running around like an idiot trying to find resources & money & upgrades.

 

A HANDFUL of weapon & ammo mods (not 40 weapon mods, 30 ammo mods, 20 shield mods).  I ran a laptop to my side (Excel spreadsheet) just to keep up with all the variations.   That was ridiculous in ME1 and clumsy in ME3.    Menus should be entirely HIERARCHIC and not NETWORK.   Showing bar graphs to compare weapons is good (ME3).   A simple drag-and-drop (or checkbox in a list of mods) would be simple & intuitive.  Menus should be simple & intuitive and NOT NEED AN [explanation] GUIDE!

 

Reinstate mission TASK DETAILS (as in ME1 & ME2).  It was piecemeal & nonexistent in ME3.   Some games give an option to show the current objective HUD (one line).

 

Team should be able to swap weapons (with each other) in the field (not just at the armory).

 

When it comes to Council, politicians, admirals, etc --  IRON-CLAD admission that they ROYALLY screwed up (or exposed as such).  I was really hoping at the start of ME3, that Shep would FINALLY get to tell the Alliance Command "You stupid idiots!  I told you so!"  Perhaps that was implied -- but it needed to be said explicitly.

 

Finally you do NOT have a MEMORIAL service for your hero.   Somebody had sawdust for brains -- and WE (your customers) pay your bills & keep you from holding up cardboard at the intersection.

 

.====================================================================================================

 

Forum readers:  As you can expect, these are simply MY suggestions.   Obviously you may see things differently & have lots to contribute.   The primary intended audience for this thread is Bioware to improve on the next game(s).   I solicit your input & creative ideas -- but keep in mind that Bioware will most likely listen to BRIEF bullets (1-3 liners) rather than an "epistle" of [splintered] discussion.   Thanks for your input.

[Pateu]

  With all the planets surveyed & visited (ME2), you'd think Tali could have stumbled across some alien (Prothean) technology to bring her immune systems back to normal

 

Sounds like wishful thinking. The Protheans had an incredibly advanced biology- they could tell who inhabited a room and how the guy was just with their smell, not to mention the ala Matrix memory shards.

 

Prefer Mako over Hammerhead.

 

Please no. Both were horrible. The Mako can't even adjust the height of its firing. The shells always go straight, at the same height as the Mako is. If you're 1 meter above the enemy- or the other way around, you can't shoot it.

[Raizo]

I have a million pet peeves with the trilogy but I can't get into all of them at the moment since I'm about go to work so I'll just say this;

After playing ME1, ME2 and ME3 it is evident that there is a strong lack of long term planning in the ME trilogy. These 3 games should have fit together better than they currently do. ME2 in particular has nothing to do with the other 2 and as such ME3 ignores most of ME3 which is where a lot of the ME3 rage begins. I am so angry at the pay off to choices like who you picked to be the human councillor in ME1 and the arachnid situation not to mention how ME2's squad mates were handled. Plan your **** better in the future.

[Pateu]

ME2 in particular has nothing to do with the other 2

 

Yeah, stopping the Collectors from wrecking the Terminus system and creating a Reaper, stopping the Shadow Broker and stopping the Reapers in Arrival has nothing to do with Reapers.

[Rithmerdui]

ME1
The majority of the exploration missions lacked depth compared to the rest of the game - I felt like I were going from point A to B. Enemies were very spread out and terrain on many worlds was too large and empty without any real content. UNC: Collection also just a bunch of silly fetch quests. Also the reused "dungeon levels" on the uncharted worlds that bothered me.

Don't get me wrong I don't hate the mako it was just the uncharted assignments. The main plot missions with the mako were good (except when I glitch on Feros).

I do like that the uncharted assignments and mako exploration are optional. If I don't want to do them I simply don't. If someone else want to do them fine. It's the freedom of choice these Bioware games give that makes them appealing, for me that is.

All and all they could've made exploration differently, visiting research facilities and dig sites became old fast. Had they added some visitable human/alien colonies (or homeworlds) I wouldn't mind exploring. I for one would've been interested to see some of the other species homeworld/colonies and get more insight on their culture than just getting a simple in-game convo explaining on how their culture works.
I find aliens in ME series interesting - among others the Vorcha, Volus and Elcor didn't get so much attention sadly. The humans on the other hand are... well humans. Nothing new to see there.
One thing that were good, were the the ME2 mission that brings you to see the migrant fleet.
I'm a history/culture/religion nerd, don't judge me

In short: Mako exploration and uncharted assignments lacked depth.

ME2 & ME3
Handing us the ME2 squad and then taking them away made me feel let down. I would've liked the option of recruiting at least one ME2 exclusive character, especially if the ones are love interests. I did find it weird that every ME2 exclusive squadmate were so stubborn to not join up with the Normandy crew & squad especially when the entire galaxy is at risk. True few of the ME2 squad had good reasons to but some of them did not. As for the ME3 squad, I never did feel any connection with James even as much I tried to like him.

In short: Should not make squadmates and then remove/replace them (at least not too often). Unless it's a different protagonist.

Overall theres some other minor and major things, but these are the ones I wanted to bring up.

Modifié par Rithmerdui, 27 juin 2014 - 12:09 .

[CptFalconPunch]

The Mako can't even adjust the height of its firing. The shells always go straight, at the same height as the Mako is. If you're 1 meter above the enemy- or the other way around, you can't shoot it.

 

Wow seriously? You couldn't even figure out this only happened when un-zoomed? When you zoom in shots are 100% dead accurate.

 

 

 

Anyway, NO FAN INPUT. Noone here is a game designer, and I doubt people here have anything of value to add. The only places Bioware got input was the Mako removal and the RPG-inventory removal in ME2. NO no no no no.

[Raizo]

Yeah, stopping the Collectors from wrecking the Terminus system and creating a Reaper, stopping the Shadow Broker and stopping the Reapers in Arrival has nothing to do with Reapers.

Sorry, I meant to say almost nothing to do with ME1 and ME3. In any case you know what I mean, ME2 doesn't really further the Reaper invasion storyline all that much, heck the Reaper involvement with the Collectors doesn't even become apparent until near the end of the game.

[CptFalconPunch]

Yeah, stopping the Collectors from wrecking the Terminus system and creating a Reaper, stopping the Shadow Broker and stopping the Reapers in Arrival has nothing to do with Reapers.

 

Yes, stopping 1 fragile ship and risking your life instead of finding ways to beat the reapers, is certainly logical. And lets not forget, even without beating the collectors the reapers still arrive, meaning it makes absolutely 0 difference. Top notch writing and observation skills. I hope you never become a leader of anything.

 

Its sad, how the real progression and story missions happen in paid DLC. Dear lord I hope you're the minority, unelss you can pay for everyones DLC.

[Guanxii]

Without save importation and with unrelated stories each game can have genuine branching paths/narrative in theory. Whether or not we'll ever see that in practice is another matter.

[Rithmerdui]

As for protagonist in the next game I don't mind if they plan to make another human.
However in future games maybe add other species for character selection, would be interesting to see events through the eyes of another species. I mean why add so many fascinating species if you can't play them.
I find aliens in ME series interesting - among others the Vorcha, Volus and Elcor didn't get so much attention sadly. The humans on the other hand are... well humans. Nothing new to see there. I'd get it that people relate better to a human protagonist, same could be said about dragon age but they have race selection - So why not?

Think about it... for example playing as a Turian/Salarian/Krogan during the krogan rebellions - seeing it from their different perspectives. Another example would be the first contact war. Humans may have their perspective on the first contact war and the turians probably have their own aswell.

As for the OP I like some of the things you've suggested.

Modifié par Rithmerdui, 28 juin 2014 - 08:40 .

[Gtdef]

Yeah, stopping the Collectors from wrecking the Terminus system and creating a Reaper, stopping the Shadow Broker and stopping the Reapers in Arrival has nothing to do with Reapers.

 

 

Actually it doesn't. The arrival mission makes the collector mission obsolete. The collectors try to make a reaper and by doing the math from in game info it will require at least a decade to complete. The actual reapers only need a few months to reach MW.

 

So yes, ME2 has nothing to do with the reapers. It has to do with "choice and consequence" and how if someone isn't loyal catches a missile to the face in the last mission.

[Heimdall]

Actually it doesn't. The arrival mission makes the collector mission obsolete. The collectors try to make a reaper and by doing the math from in game info it will require at least a decade to complete. The actual reapers only need a few months to reach MW.

 

So yes, ME2 has nothing to do with the reapers. It has to do with "choice and consequence" and how if someone isn't loyal catches a missile to the face in the last mission.

That said, the basic premise of ME2 was entertaining.  I enjoyed the episodic feel to it, in terms of recruitment and loyalty missions.  The problem was there wasn't a coherent overall narrative to link them all together and the plot of ME2 suffers the same fate in relation to the overall story of the trilogy.

[Raizo]

That said, the basic premise of ME2 was entertaining.  I enjoyed the episodic feel to it, in terms of recruitment and loyalty missions.  The problem was there wasn't a coherent overall narrative to link them all together and the plot of ME2 suffers the same fate in relation to the overall story of the trilogy.

Don't get me wrong, ME2 is/was my favourite Mass a Effect game, I had more fun playing it then I did ME and ME3 combined, it's just a shame that I look back on it after ME3 and all I see is wasted time and wasted potential, in the grander scheme of things most of ME2 is pointless. You spend almost 80% of the game gathering a squad of characters that are mostly ignored in ME3. The Reaper invasion storyline is barely covered in ME2 at the very end and in the Arrival DLC.

[Jaulen]

Wow seriously? You couldn't even figure out this only happened when un-zoomed? When you zoom in shots are 100% dead accurate.

 

 

 

Anyway, NO FAN INPUT. Noone here is a game designer, and I doubt people here have anything of value to add. The only places Bioware got input was the Mako removal and the RPG-inventory removal in ME2. NO no no no no.

 

 

I do think that constructive fan input is valid.

 

My main comment would be to have a coherent long term plot thought out. Which I think is the weakness in the ME series story.

(I may be wrong, I recall reading this here on the forums *so ingest with huge pile of salt* but I think they went into ME with an idea of a possible triology but only had the story for one game plotted (unsure of reception/if they'd be green lighted for more games)? Unlike what I think I recall the DA series has done, is have an overaching plot idea that could span multiple games...probably also helps that DA isn't tied to one protragonist/organization/big bad)

 

Not details, but a general outline. (I was told in English classes to start your story with the end in mind.)

And if they do not think they will be able to make sequels in the series to continue the overarching story from one game to the next, then the ending of each game should have enough closure to be satisfying and coherent, but leave things open for the future or 'speculation' from fans.

[AlanC9]

Actually it doesn't. The arrival mission makes the collector mission obsolete. The collectors try to make a reaper and by doing the math from in game info it will require at least a decade to complete. The actual reapers only need a few months to reach MW.

I believe one of the devs flatly stated that the human-Reaper was never supposed to be a replacement for Sovereign or anything of that nature. However, one of Harbinger's final ME2 lines is something like "we will find another way" which implies that Shepard did accomplish something. But it's really not clear what that something could be. Saving some thousands of colonists for a little while is nice for Shepard, but wouldn't be of any concern to Harbinger.

[AlanC9]

My main comment would be to have a coherent long term plot thought out. Which I think is the weakness in the ME series story.
(I may be wrong, I recall reading this here on the forums *so ingest with huge pile of salt* but I think they went into ME with an idea of a possible triology but only had the story for one game plotted (unsure of reception/if they'd be green lighted for more games)?

This is essentially correct. They wanted to do a trilogy, but didn't know if ME would be enough of a hit to allow one. (Bio's previous original IP didn't do all that well.) So they pushed off all of the decisions about how such a trilogy would work until it actually was time to make sequels.

[AlanC9]

Anyway, NO FAN INPUT. Noone here is a game designer, and I doubt people here have anything of value to add. The only places Bioware got input was the Mako removal and the RPG-inventory removal in ME2. NO no no no no.

Best parts of the design. But in general, I agree that fans are idiots and should be ignored.

[Raizo]

I do think that constructive fan input is valid.
 
My main comment would be to have a coherent long term plot thought out. Which I think is the weakness in the ME series story.
(I may be wrong, I recall reading this here on the forums *so ingest with huge pile of salt* but I think they went into ME with an idea of a possible triology but only had the story for one game plotted (unsure of reception/if they'd be green lighted for more games)? Unlike what I think I recall the DA series has done, is have an overaching plot idea that could span multiple games...probably also helps that DA isn't tied to one protragonist/organization/big bad)
 
Not details, but a general outline. (I was told in English classes to start your story with the end in mind.)
And if they do not think they will be able to make sequels in the series to continue the overarching story from one game to the next, then the ending of each game should have enough closure to be satisfying and coherent, but leave things open for the future or 'speculation' from fans.

I heard something similar to.

I get that ME was designed to be a stand alone game since Bioware did not know if to would be successful enough to justify 2 sequels and I am also sympathetic to the idea that despite the fact that ME2 and ME3 are continuing ME's storyline they also need to be user friendly to new gamers who picked up the franchise late but I don't understand why Bioware did not begin working on ME3's plot at the same time they were writing ME2. ME2 should have been Act 1 of the Reaper invasion and ME3 should have been Act 2. Instead nothing happens in ME2 and everything happens in ME3 and as such ME3 feels rushed.

[Heimdall]

This is essentially correct. They wanted to do a trilogy, but didn't know if ME would be enough of a hit to allow one. (Bio's previous original IP didn't do all that well.) So they pushed off all of the decisions about how such a trilogy would work until it actually was time to make sequels.

Well part of the problem was that they were still figuring out how to end the series even after they knew they could go ahead with a trilogy.  Remember the dark energy plot?  Even into ME3's early stages, they apparently still had part of that, but dropped it.

 

At the very least, they needed to figure out the Reaper's motivations before going forward (Honestly they probably should have set that in stone or determined never to reveal it back when they wrote Sovereign's speech in ME1), but they just sort of muddled through.

[Heimdall]

I heard something similar to.

I get that ME was designed to be a stand alone game since Bioware did not know if to would be successful enough to justify 2 sequels and I am also sympathetic to the idea that despite the fact that ME2 and ME3 are continuing ME's storyline they also need to be user friendly to new gamers who picked up the franchise late but I don't understand why Bioware did not begin working on ME3's plot at the same time they were writing ME2. ME2 should have been Act 1 of the Reaper invasion and ME3 should have been Act 2. Instead nothing happens in ME2 and everything happens in ME3 and as such ME3 feels rushed.

Agreed on what ME2 and ME3 should have been.  ME2 should have been about preparing for the Reaper's arrival and ended with the first real battle against them.  Them ME3 could have picked up in the midst of the war.

[Dale]

At the very least, they needed to figure out the Reaper's motivations before going forward (Honestly they probably should have set that in stone or determined never to reveal it back when they wrote Sovereign's speech in ME1), but they just sort of muddled through.

 

RIGHT Heimdall!    The ME storyline REALLY DOES owe us some answers -- instead of letting us fumble in the dark with endless loose ends....   I don't buy this crap about "it is too far beyond your comprehension....".    There is nothing "mysterous, wonderful, & wise" about mass galactic genocide -- it's pretty BASIC:  evil (however you want to define that).   Kill, steal, & destroy is NOT beyond our so-called "comprehension"....it's in the daily news.   How about some real answers!

 

IMO, the real culprit that we are all dancing around is Leviathan.   Where did it come from?   Why did it create the Catalyst (that created the reapers)?   What is Leviathan's motivation for routine galactic extention (harvesting) unless Leviathan is the eventual benefactor of all the [countless] trillions harvested -- then drill down deeper:  WHY?   What does Leviathan gain?

[Heimdall]

At the very least, they needed to figure out the Reaper's motivations before going forward (Honestly they probably should have set that in stone or determined never to reveal it back when they wrote Sovereign's speech in ME1), but they just sort of muddled through.

 

RIGHT Heimdall!    The ME storyline REALLY DOES owe us some answers -- instead of letting us fumble in the dark with endless loose ends....   I don't buy this crap about "it is too far beyond your comprehension....".    There is nothing "mysterous, wonderful, & wise" about mass galactic genocide -- it's pretty BASIC:  evil (however you want to define that).   Kill, steal, & destroy is NOT beyond our so-called "comprehension"....it's in the daily news.   How about some real answers!

 

IMO, the real culprit that we are all dancing around is Leviathan.   Where did it come from?   Why did it create the Catalyst (that created the reapers)?   What is Leviathan's motivation for routine galactic extention (harvesting) unless Leviathan is the eventual benefactor of all the [countless] trillions harvested -- then drill down deeper:  WHY?   What does Leviathan gain?

Well, as described in ME3, the cycle is expressly something Leviathan didn't want.  They were the victim of the first cycle and it nearly exterminated them.  They don't benefit from it because it isn't their design, that's why they decide to help Shepard.

 

Though honestly, if they wanted to explore the Reaper's origins, that should have been central to the plot, not a DLC.

[AlanC9]

Well part of the problem was that they were still figuring out how to end the series even after they knew they could go ahead with a trilogy.  Remember the dark energy plot?  Even into ME3's early stages, they apparently still had part of that, but dropped it.
 
At the very least, they needed to figure out the Reaper's motivations before going forward (Honestly they probably should have set that in stone or determined never to reveal it back when they wrote Sovereign's speech in ME1), but they just sort of muddled through.

Agreed, but one of the problems here is that ME1 established several facts about the Reapers. Not just that they destroyed the Protheans, but that they've established regular cycles of extinction, and apparently organized their entire civilization around those cycles. They don't seem to have established these facts on any basis other than that they sounded kinda cool.

[AlanC9]

Well, as described in ME3, the cycle is expressly something Leviathan didn't want.  They were the victim of the first cycle and it nearly exterminated them.  They don't benefit from it because it isn't their design, that's why they decide to help Shepard.
 
Though honestly, if they wanted to explore the Reaper's origins, that should have been central to the plot, not a DLC.

IIRC devs have said that they came up with the Leviathan idea too late for inclusion in the game.

[AlanC9]

RIGHT Heimdall!    The ME storyline REALLY DOES owe us some answers -- instead of letting us fumble in the dark with endless loose ends....   I don't buy this crap about "it is too far beyond your comprehension....".    There is nothing "mysterous, wonderful, & wise" about mass galactic genocide -- it's pretty BASIC:  evil (however you want to define that).   Kill, steal, & destroy is NOT beyond our so-called "comprehension"....it's in the daily news.   How about some real answers!
 
IMO, the real culprit that we are all dancing around is Leviathan.   Where did it come from?   Why did it create the Catalyst (that created the reapers)?   What is Leviathan's motivation for routine galactic extention (harvesting) unless Leviathan is the eventual benefactor of all the [countless] trillions harvested -- then drill down deeper:  WHY?   What does Leviathan gain?

You've already had those answers. There's no plan. The Leviathans simply screwed up.