262 réponses à ce sujet

[I Am Robot]

There are a lot of people who are asking for non-human playable characters, but I'm not too fond of the idea, for a couple of reasons.

 

Firstly, a recurring theme in Mass Effect is humanity's role within the galactic society. Shepard is considered humanity's representative and more often than not his actions influence how the rest of the galaxy views the human race and also how humans perceive other races. I think it'd do a lot of good to keep this theme at the core of future mass effect entries.

 

Second, tailoring content to player choice AS WELL as race could (COULD) lower the overall quality of the content by putting too much burden on the development team. Mass Effect is an RPG that has its roots in player decision making and story development, something like DA on the other hand, while maintaining a healthy focus on the story and the world in true Bioware fashion, puts a bit more emphasis on the player's progression through the leveling system, increasing combat effectiveness and visual customization of the characters. I think having non-human playable races is a small step towards the DA formula. Like I've said before I think DA is a great franchise but it's qualities are not ones I would wish for the coming ME games.

 

 Thoughts?  

[Undead Han]

I have mixed feelings about having multiple playable races.

 

On the one hand having more options at character creation is cool, particularly if those options result in a slightly different experience while playing the game, and isn't solely cosmetic.

 

On the other...it does run the risk of lowering the overall quality of the game. DA:I for example was a less cinematic experience than the previous two games, with the camera positioned at a distance while conversing with many NPCs. That served to make the game somewhat less immersive than DA:O or DA2. While part of that was probably due the shift to a partially open world format, having to tailor cinematic conversations to multiple races at multiple heights and such would have been work compared to a protagonist from a single race. It does make me wonder if the multiple playable races in DA:I also played a role.

 

On that note...I suppose I'm in favor of multiple playable races if Bioware can produce a product that is no less cinematic or immersive than ME2 or ME3, and against it if they can't. While DA:I is a good game, I think it also had some very noticeable flaws. And I'd be disappointed if ME:Next was essentially the same game except in space.

[Gwydden]

There are a lot of people who are asking for non-human playable characters, but I'm not too fond of the idea, for a couple of reasons.

 

Firstly, a recurring theme in Mass Effect is humanity's role within the galactic society. Shepard is considered humanity's representative and more often than not his actions influence how the rest of the galaxy views the human race and also how humans perceive other races. I think it'd do a lot of good to keep this theme at the core of future mass effect entries.

 

Second, tailoring content to player choice AS WELL as race could (COULD) lower the overall quality of the content by putting too much burden on the development team. Mass Effect is an RPG that has its roots in player decision making and story development, something like DA on the other hand, while maintaining a healthy focus on the story and the world in true Bioware fashion, puts a bit more emphasis on the player's progression through the leveling system, increasing combat effectiveness and visual customization of the characters. I think having non-human playable races is a small step towards the DA formula. Like I've said before I think DA is a great franchise but it's qualities are not ones I would wish for the coming ME games.

 

 Thoughts?  

I agree.

 

I would add a few more reasons why playable species is a bad idea. It would be difficult and expensive to implement to any decent extent, and even then the payoff would almost certainly not be worth it. Just think back to exactly how much did different playable races mean in DAO and more recently in DAI. Those resources would be better used fleshing out a human character. Better CC, better animations, better backstory, better connection to the story, and so on. I don't like to pull the numbers game, but the truth is I don't believe aliens are actually in high enough demand from the general fandom to justify the opportunity cost.

 

Moreover, making aliens playable just cheapens them further. ME aliens are already far from alien and nowhere near as fleshed out as they would need to be to keep up with humans, story-wise. An anthropocentric perspective allows for much better storytelling from pretty much every angle. Plot, setting, and characters are better to introduce this way, and the themes are just ripe for the taking. Note that when I say anthropocentric I don't mean a "humans are the awesomest awesome awesome thing since awesome awesomesauce" but merely that the story should be told from a human perspective.

 

So yeah, I agree. It wouldn't be a big deal if aliens were playable, after all, but I would seriously prefer they weren't.

 

I have mixed feelings about having multiple playable races.

 

On the one hand having more options at character creation is cool, particularly if those options result in a slightly different experience while playing the game, and isn't solely cosmetic.

 

On the other...it does run the risk of lowering the overall quality of the game. DA:I for example was a less cinematic experience than the previous two games, with the camera positioned at a distance while conversing with many NPCs. That served to make the game somewhat less immersive than DA:O or DA2. While part of that was probably due the shift to a partially open world format, having to tailor cinematic conversations to multiple races at multiple heights and such would have been work compared to a protagonist from a single race. It does make me wonder if the multiple playable races in DA:I also played a role.

 

On that note...I suppose I'm in favor of multiple playable races if Bioware can produce a product that is no less cinematic or immersive than ME2 or ME3, and against it if they can't. While DA:I is a good game, I think it also had some very noticeable flaws. And I'd be disappointed if ME:Next was essentially the same game except in space.

Problem is, we can't have our cake and eat it too. Implementing playable species will necessarily mean sacrificing other aspects of the game, for an end product that is almost inevitably going to be half-assed.

[Karlone123]

I am in favour of DA remaining open to multiple races, but for some reason I do not feel the same for Mass Effect. Or at least maybe offer a two species option from Turian and Human. I would be somewhat in support of that. Maybe if Bioware branched out into other genres for Mass Effect such tactical shooter like Rainbow Six Vegas as a Turian C-Sec Commander could non-human roles be filled.

[I Am Robot]

I have mixed feelings about having multiple playable races.

 

On the one hand having more options at character creation is cool, particularly if those options result in a slightly different experience while playing the game, and isn't solely cosmetic.

 

On the other...it does run the risk of lowering the overall quality of the game. DA:I for example was a less cinematic experience than the previous two games, with the camera positioned at a distance while conversing with many NPCs. That served to make the game somewhat less immersive than DA:O or DA2. While part of that was probably due the shift to a partially open world format, having to tailor cinematic conversations to multiple races at multiple heights and such would have been work compared to a protagonist from a single race. It does make me wonder if the multiple playable races in DA:I also played a role.

 

On that note...I suppose I'm in favor of multiple playable races if Bioware can produce a product that is no less cinematic or immersive than ME2 or ME3, and against it if they can't. While DA:I is a good game, I think it also had some very noticeable flaws. And I'd be disappointed if ME:Next was essentially the same game except in space.

 

I kind of agree with @Gwydden. Let's say they have a massive budget for this, like massive maybe $90-100 million (hypothetically). perhaps this and the new technologies at their disposal would allow them to create a game as cinematic and as rich in it's story telling as ME3 while giving the player the choice to play as different races. Yet if they were to focus solely on human playable characters, they could make the experience and the story even more gripping and fun.  

[CaIIisto]

Human characters or non-Human characters they'll be YOUR advocate, so you're embuing them with Human values and characteristics either way.....

For the record, I would prefer Human PCs only, largely for the reasons outlined above, for fear of the budgetary impacts of any additional development needed.

[Barquiel]

I like to play as non-humans as often as possible, personally. That's why I'm also glad they let us choose our race in DA:I. Honestly, that was the turning point for me (I wasn't very excited about the game before that). And I think the story is much more fun as an elf.

For me, race option in the next ME game would be a huge plus (I'd even forgive them for the ME3s ending if I can play as an asari )...especially since I don't see why everything has to be so human-centric (human and their place in the galaxy, cerberus, the fixation on earth in ME3, etc.). But it is not necessarily a deal-breaker.

[God]

Humans for everyone.

 

The weeds of the universe. Just try and stop them aliens. My chosen inheritors of this 100 billion galaxy universe.

 

 

Seriously though, I support human-only protagonists.

[GalacticWolf5]

Human for single player.

Human and alien for multiplayer.

That's how it should be.

[God]

Human for single player.

Human and alien for multiplayer.

That's how it should be.

 

I'm with this. 

 

Humans are my chosen race. Everyone and everything else are just accessories.

[Dr. Rush]

Gross, no thanks. Humans are very boring. ME was entirely too human-centric, it is time to give players more freedom to roleplay as more than just a human in a galaxy full of diverse species and civilizations. 

[God]

Gross, no thanks. Humans are very boring. ME was entirely too human-centric, it is time to give players more freedom to roleplay as more than just a human in a galaxy full of diverse species and civilizations. 

 

I'm on board with that, as long as its multiplayer only.

[Undead Han]

If Bioware does go with multiple playable races, maybe it is best to limit it to races that use the same character model as humans. So, Asari & Drell basically.

 

As cool as it might to play as a Turian or a Krogan, either one would require more work for cinematic scenes. Not to mention unique armor & such, since they wouldn't wear the same designs as a human protagonist.

[themikefest]

I agree.

[God]

If Bioware does go with multiple playable races, maybe it is best to limit it to races that use the same character model as humans. So, Asari & Drell basically.

 

As cool as it might to play as a Turian or a Krogan, either one would require more work for cinematic scenes. Not to mention unique armor & such, since they wouldn't wear the same designs as a human protagonist.

 

Also, there's the element of voicing each character.

 

You can't take the DA:I route and do just two voices. The species differentiation doesn't allow it.

 

You'd need to have at least 2 voices for most alien species you play as if they make it anything like DA:I. And people would likely want to play as females of every race (sans the Asari of course).

 

So you'd need two actors for humans, two for turians, two for quarians, two for krogan, etc.

 

And they'd be voicing an entire game's worth of dialogue. So it would have to be a significant allocation of resources alone in this aspect, much more than would likely be acceptable.

[I Am Robot]

Gross, no thanks. Humans are very boring. ME was entirely too human-centric, it is time to give players more freedom to roleplay as more than just a human in a galaxy full of diverse species and civilizations. 

 

While only allowing you to play as a human, ME was the least anthropocentric of all space epics, in fact I'd go as far as to say it wasn't anthropocentric at all. You don't need to play as other species to explore their culture civilizations. In fact, having only human playable characters in single player would allow for these diverse cultures to be developed more fully. 

[God]

While only allowing you to play as a human, ME was the least anthropocentric of all space epics, in fact I'd go as far as to say it wasn't anthropocentric at all. You don't need to play as other species to explore their culture civilizations. In fact, having only human playable characters in single player would allow for these diverse cultures to be developed more fully. 

 

Mass Effect was pretty anthropocentric...

 

I mean, one of the largest themes of the games was how special humans were.

[Dar'Nara]

I'd love to be able to play as another race as well as human but it wont necessarily turn me away if it doesnt happen, i agree it would take alot of extra resources to make it happen and if BioWare did (or are) take(ing) that route im sure they'd make it work without compromising too much. But who knows eh? Time will surely tell

[Terca]

Mass Effect was pretty anthropocentric...

 

I mean, one of the largest themes of the games was how special humans were.

 

Agreed, the games had the underlying thread of "LOOK AT ALL THESE ALIENS. LOOK AT HOW THEY WRITHE IN THEIR INCOMPETENCE LIKE WORMS."

 

Like lol@ the possibility of having an all-human council in ME2. Really?

[God]

Agreed, the games had the underlying thread of "LOOK AT ALL THESE ALIENS. LOOK AT HOW THEY WRITHE IN THEIR INCOMPETENCE LIKE WORMS."

 

Like lol@ the possibility of having an all-human council in ME2. Really?

 

I'm not saying it like it's a bad thing. I've always been a pro-Cerberus supporter. That said, I'm not speciesist like many members of the alliance or Terra Firma. 

 

I support a cultured view of the cosmos through the lens of the informed Cerberus supporter willing to do what he can to build humanities place in the universe (the head of it), with or without the help or cooperation of other species.

[Vilio1]

I'd be disappointed if we won't be able to play as an asari or turian. I've already explored the Mass Effect universe as a human for three games now, that's enough.

[God]

My solution?

 

Human only, but give the option of playing as diverse human characters.

 

Give them accents, different backstories, and treat them as separate characters similar to DA:O

 

Have the soldier background be a different person than the biotic person for example. 

[Barquiel]

You don't need to play as other species to explore their culture civilizations. In fact, having only human playable characters in single player would allow for these diverse cultures to be developed more fully.

Depends on how it's done. Take, for example, Dragon Age Origins. You learn much more about the city elves if you play through their opening story. You learn more about Orzammar if you play as a dwarf., etc.

They could do something similar in the next Mass Effect game. Some short mission on Thessia for an asari character, a turian protagonist starts on Palavan,...

I think this would give us an opportunity to learn more about these races.

[Vespervin]

I agree with God (never thought I'd say that). If a Soldier approaches a situation differently than a Biotic, and the attitude is also different, I would support that. You guys may know I have a topic that's all about the multiple species option for the main character but I have stated that if the human customisation is really, really well done I would not mind of multiple species is included.

Then again, if they do include multiple species I would not mind, as long as sacrifices aren't made elsewhere in more important places.

[Malanek]

I would like to see playable non-human characters and I think it adds quite a lot of value bothe in terms of story immersion and gameplay which was clearly evidenced from ME3 multiplayer. I can see the argument about it costing additional resources and the big question is whether it is too costly against the benefit. I can't judge that.

 

As for the human point of view theme, I actually think it is high time that changed, and probably an argument for playable aliens. I think they can write a story that will work well with different races. As for cinematic differences, well that is partially resources but a lot of aliens are more or less the same height. If you didn't include Volus (yay) or Krogan (boo, I do want to play as a Krogan) I don't see why there would bee too many problems in terms of different camera angles. They need to produces animations for aliens anyway so the work wouldn't be wasted, although possibly not such a wide range.