7 réponses à ce sujet

[C0uncil0rTev0s]

*OLDTIMER ALERT* 

I am a seasoned player in tactical RPG/strategy/3P Action games, with a gaming career started back in 1996. Everything said here is based on my experience, which can be alternative from yours. 

 

*SPOILER ALERT* 

In this post some of the Bioware games' plots are partly revealed. Please, refrain from reading further if you don't want to get your first experience with DA:I, DA2 and ME3 spoiled.

 

*WALL OF TEXT ALERT*

This post is huge. Please, refrain from further reading if you can't take in more than an average NY Times article text.

 

 

Now... Well, to the point, I guess.

Long story short - I've got my hands on Dragon Age: Inquisition and I beg you, Bioware, to make ME Next anything but not like this... nuisance.

 

Now long story long.

 

I'm a PC gamer with some console experience, but that experience goes only for XB360 ME1-ME3 games. I've bought this console back in 2007 solely to play Mass Effect games on my couch and I liked most of the things (apart from sloppy aiming, gamepad issue - not as precise as a mouse controller I'm used to). And each of these games had something... touching in its core.

 

Mass Effect was a revelation of the whole new universe with a set of amazing races (with asari being my favourite) in a classic Bioware plot. While the writing was somewhat average, the scenery, the cameraman work and the level design pieces of the game are still not matched.

 

Spoiler

Another strong part of ME was the villain and the really threatening lines of the Souvereign on the Virmire... Daym, I still get chills playing that conversation. Amazing. Could we have someone that badass, please?

 

Same goes for balanced exploring soundtrack - calming, inspiring. I'd really like some of THAT kind of music, like the Spectre Induction, in the coming game.

 

Mass Effect 2 is my favourite game among all three for a couple of reasons. 

 

Spoiler

First - it is very companion-oriented. We get to know who these people around us actually are, with all the details you could've ever hoped for. Characters are nice to the point of feeling alive, which is an accomplishment I don't give away easily.

 

Second - it is very diverse in means of the location/level design, I'd say 'one of everything' approach. While I didn't really like the sub-location system here it works, so ... I can live with it in the future games.

 

Third - it is very balanced. No class is too much OP so others feel useless, but some of the classes surely need more skill than the rest to be effective.

 

Fourth - it had Aria T'Loak introduced. Best paragon character in a renegade look-alike I've ever seen... And that voice? Carrie-Ann Moss did so much of a job here I can't thank her enough. She is really the most impressive and deep considered-to-be-female character in all of the Mass Effect universe and ... please, could we have someone like her in ME Next?

 

I don't mean the same way of life, or the troubled past, or leading the criminal syndicate thing. I mean the personality. Someone you can adore, hate, be angry of and a little worship at the same time. Someone of THAT kind of leadership.

 

I also liked a lot ME2 developer team approach on choosing the main theme for the DLC "Lair of the Shadow Broker". Community cried for more T'Soni and you granted it. Thank a lot for this jewel in a crown, folks. 

 

Maybe you could make some writing and concept contests for the community? Like, you will consider some of the best contributions to be used in the development of the game (prize on its own).  

 

Mass Effect 3 wasn't a game I'd say I loved as a whole. Some parts of it were indeed awesome - gameplay mechanics (while a GoW clone, a really smooth and reliable one), music and ambient sounds and level design. Thessia part and the Temple of the Athame where just... wow. 

 

But... There were DLCs I liked the most in years, and I got all of them. Even cosmetic packs. 

God bless Mass Effect artists.

 

...

 

And then I bought Dragon Age: Inquisition. And it has certain... flaws, putting it nice.

 

I. DA:I players were not able to test what is coming to them, while ME3 had MP beta-test program. Please go on with that tradition and give out some parts of the game to people to test. This would be most welcome.

 

II. DA:I players were lied to, and this time - a lot. Please don't give promises you are not going to fulfil. Mass Effect audience, with me counting in, can understand a lot of things but not the ugly PR lies, please.

 

III. Please consider to abandon old-generation consoles, so that: 

a. XB360 and PS3 users don't waste money on a monstrously dumbed-down product;

b. You, Bioware folks, can focus on making a truly innovative game.

 

IV. Writing was always a core for all Bioware games, including ME series. Please, keep up your banner, so that:

a. Main villain isn't a two-bit mentally handicapped loser as Corypheus in DA:I (no offence towards mentally handicapped people);

b. Protagonist isn't a two-bit 'paladin' personality and can be developed either into a good guy/girl or a natural monster. I'd prefer something more sophisticated than just Paragon/Renegade system, but it's good, too.

c. Main conflict isn't obvious from the very start and is goddamn logical, unlike the clumsy lore-breaking story we got in DA:I.

d. SBPD (Standard Bioware Plot Design ™) isn't just a Gaider copy/paste of earlier Bioware games. Guys, you made ME2. I believe in you.

e. Party members aren't jerks to each other and the player. We really want to meet nice people once in a while. Remember Liara from ME1? Or maybe Merrill from DA2? Please give us someone nice like those two girls, and if there's an asari LI for us I promise you a cake.

f. There is a reference to earlier Mass Effects? Easter eggs? Jokes, Codex trivia, Banter episodes, anything? A little fan service never hurts.

g. There is fewer number of fetch quests. Maybe you could focus on interacting with the surroundings? Repair the antenna quest (with a mini-game), skin a monster, help someone to rearm ammo clips etc. But please make those 'go to x and fetch y items of z sort) less in number and more... lore-friendly.

 

V. Crafting and researching things. 

a. Could you please allow player to gather certain blueprints and resources (like, from mines) to equip the protagonist, the party and probably some friendly NPCs? Should be awesome.

b. Crafting shouldn't rely on RNG, neither getting in the schematics nor chance per success. Please consider an alternative workaround, like quest rewards, shopping, or whatever else what's not RNG.

c. Visible Modules for weapons sound hell of a fine to me - most modern role-playing games have it! Please consider on-the-fly attach/detach operations to be made.

 

VI. Inventory

a. Could we get off the traditional moronic menus in menus please? Just two/three/four/five slots for weapons, one slot for armour, one slot for helmet, one slot for legs/arms parts, one extra (for special items)... And all rest is marked to be acquired later, off-mission. 

Because if I'd want to loot tons of items I'd go Borderlands.

b. Please consider item comparing feature in the release version of the game. Inquisition had it... halved (no compare feature on acquiring items, just in-inventory one). 

c. Please make a lesser number of useless trash-vendor items or let them stack somehow. Running out of stash space because of X repeated items is a horrible idea.

 

And, you know... Talking to fans is the greatest thing you can do while developing the game. 

It feels so good and warm to know you're heard (not listened to, but heard). 

 

Don't abandon us, ...

                                   ...please.

[AlanC9]

I'm disappointed. This is awfully short compared to a NYT article.

[C0uncil0rTev0s]

I'm disappointed. This is awfully short compared to a NYT article.

Was intended to be more. Lost my nerve halfway through.

Btw, Al, what are you doing here?

[Vortigernrex]

Nice post. I also hope the character development becomes a little more diverse with alternating skill trees and perhaps more than just paragon vs renegade. D&D games have 9 alignments, after all, and opposing alignment with an NPC can prevent or change interaction between the character and that NPC - making alignment really important in your in-game relationships.

 

With questing, the ME3 quest system of 'overhearing random conversations' is a little contrived and even creepy. If ME4 (for lack of a new title) has more of a freelancer type character, then maybe job boards, job 'brokers' or some such can be used for most side quests. I agree with CoucillorTevos above that there should be fewer 'fetch & carry' quests and more solve a serious problem, murder, disappearance, theft - Witcher has a nice balance of different types of quests (though it can also be a bit much on the fetch-and-carry side).

 

I like the idea of fewer items of more worth, such as multiple mods to customise a weapon and armour (rather than masses of new weapons and complete suits of armour). Also, thow in a couple of big 'goal' expenses that can be saved up for - such as custom modifications for a ship (I'd really like a modular ship design), or maybe a private apartment on a space station/colony.

 

Finally, please don't make the plot line too linear. Keep in mind that ME players generally play through the game many times over and linear plot progression limits the replayability and reduces the 'value' of choices in the game. Have a few major story branches that lead down different paths for a time before meeting up again with the main plot line. It is not time wasted because you can be sure players will replay the game many times to experience all plot branches.

[DSiKn355]

My only suggestion is set ME4/ME:NEXT BEFORE Shepard.

 

Problem being during Shepard's time the Reapers are a threat to ALL LIFE  no matter if they are in a different galaxy its still harvest time.

 

And of course to give an enemy who you cannot ultimately defeat as it's due to another's actions would just take away any feeling of importance in what you are actually doing.

 

Oh and if it becomes a trilogy again a reward for being with your Love Interest would be nice i.e marriage, children or something.

 

Because the lack of interaction with my love interest and no reward in ME3 was very disheartening to say the least. At times I felt myself jealous of Garrus as Tali would brush me off with "I am busy, maybe later" or "Can't talk now" but manages to be in full conversation  even with light flirting with Garrus. I know its to back up the alternative of Tali getting with Garrus but there should have been consideration for those who chose Tali as a love interest.... Just saying.

[AlanC9]

Was intended to be more. Lost my nerve halfway through.
Btw, Al, what are you doing here?

I feel bad about answering a question three weeks late, especially when my answer is only "why wouldn't I be here"?

[Han Shot First]

 

 

III. Please consider to abandon old-generation consoles

 

I doubt you need to worry about that one. Considering ME:Next won't be releasing until sometime in 2016 at the earliest, it would be shocking if the game wasn't entirely next gen. By that time both the Xbox One and PS4 will be about 3 years old.