43 réponses à ce sujet

[Larry-3]

BioWare, instead of choosing from a predetermined background, why not chose many small minor details to create a background.

Here is an example...

Where was your character born?
■ Earth
□ Luna
□ Mars

Beliefs
■ Religious
□ Agnostic
□ Atheist

Age
■ 20s
□ 30s
□ 40s

Recent history
□ Outlaw
■ Freelance Courier
□ Smuggler
□ Military
□ Freelance Mercenary

Raised in
□ City
■ Suburbs
□ Country

Maybe you all could come up with better or more examples. The point is, use a bunch of minor details to create a background rather then choose from a predetermined background. The details can be very detailed or kind of vague to encourage more imagination.

[Han Shot First]

Too many options would result in a character that wasn't far removed from a blank slate. While they'd have an established backstory, no one would ever comment on it. 

 

If they go for some variation in the main character's background, I'd rather they kept the options as limited as they did with Shepard.

[malloc]

>Bioware backgrounds.

>Have any impact at all

 

K.

[Gwydden]

Too many options would result in a character that wasn't far removed from a blank slate. While they'd have an established backstory, no one would ever comment on it. 

 

If they go for some variation in the main character's background, I'd rather they kept the options as limited as they did with Shepard.

I would like it if they kept about the same amount of options the trilogy had and then either had those options have a significant impact on the story or, at the very least, reference them. A lot.

[N7Jamaican]

This is fun, I already have a character drawn up for RP purposes (when a ME:A community develops with more information).. I might just post one of my characters.

[Enigmatick]

As long as there as a "no information given" background, sure.

[LordSwagley]

+1

10/10

Would +1 Again

[Spectr61]

BioWare, instead of choosing from a predetermined background, why not chose many small minor details to create a background.
Here is an example...
Where was your character born?
■ Earth
□ Luna
□ Mars
Beliefs
■ Religious
□ Agnostic
□ Atheist
Age
■ 20s
□ 30s
□ 40s
Recent history
□ Outlaw
■ Freelance Courier
□ Smuggler
□ Military
□ Freelance Mercenary
Raised in
□ City
■ Suburbs
□ Country
Maybe you all could come up with better or more examples. The point is, use a bunch of minor details to create a background rather then choose from a predetermined background. The details can be very detailed or kind of vague to encourage more imagination.

No.

Exponential growth curves make this unrealistic.

Unless of course you don't want your choices to matter downline.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

 

Let's have some fun with this:

Where was your character born?
■ Earth
□ Luna
□ Mars

*  Terra Nova

*  Mindoir

*  Tiptree

*  Horizon

*  Eden Prime

*  Bekenstein

*  Shanxi

*  Benning

*  Caleston

*  Omega

Beliefs
■ Religious
□ Agnostic
□ Atheist

*  Whatever suits the moment

Age
■ 20s
□ 30s
□ 40s

Recent history
□ Outlaw
■ Freelance Courier
□ Smuggler
□ Military
□ Freelance Mercenary

*  Nerd

*  Mechanic

*  Pilot

*  Dancer

*  Scientist


Raised in
□ City
■ Suburbs
□ Country

*  Urban blight

*  On a space station

*  You don't know what it's like, man

 

What sign (Earth) were you born under?

 

*  Aquarius

*  Pisces

*  Aries

*  Taurus

*  Gemini

*  Cancer

*  Leo

*  Virgo

*  Scorpio

*  Saggitarius

*  Capricorn

*  I don't believe in that stuff.

 

Phobias:

 

*  the dark

*  heights

*  spiders

*  snakes

*  bugs

*  all creepy crawlies

*  guns

*  being alone

*  water

You guys can come up with even more stuff! I know you can.

[LordSwagley]

No.

Exponential growth curves make this unrealistic.

Unless of course you don't want your choices to matter downline.

Blank slate it is. Meet Commander John/Jane Doe. Born in *Static*. Service Record is *Spills coffee on computer* oh damn. Rest is unimportant. He/She/It is now in charge of humanities fate. Good Luck!

Just kidding. But on a more serious note, what would you suggest instead? ME1 style choices? Pre-set Hawke? Dragon Age Origins stories? Blanky-slate-mc-vague-backround-quisitor?

[Spectr61]

Blank slate it is. Meet Commander John/Jane Doe. Born in *Static*. Service Record is *Spills coffee on computer* oh damn. Rest is unimportant. He/She/It is now in charge of humanities fate. Good Luck!
Just kidding. But on a more serious note, what would you suggest instead? ME1 style choices? Pre-set Hawke? Dragon Age Origins stories? Blanky-slate-mc-vague-backround-quisitor?

I like that my decisions affected later gameplay and dialogue. Spanning 3 separate games.

I would like that to be present in the new game.

Bioware could have lots of beginning states like the OP presented, but I think the dialogue choices would become overly burdensome for the writers and voice actors, thereby taking limited assets from someplace else. Maybe content?

So, possibly a choice of a preset like ME1? But then by the end of ME3 there were all sorts of somersaults going on.

I hope we get customization, but not at the price of content.

[Queen Skadi]

How about little to no background and let the player define the character over the course of the game?

 

Seriously the most important part of the character should not be the things the player never gets to experience that happen before the game even begins, it should be the actual events of the game and how the character chooses to react to them and how they in turn define the character.

[Broganisity]

I would like it if they kept about the same amount of options the trilogy had and then either had those options have a significant impact on the story or, at the very least, reference them. A lot.

I'd rather they be referenced enough so that past actions are recognized but not enough that they overshadow current and future endeavors.

The first Mass Effect made note of a War Hero Shepard's time on Elysium a fair bit, but I never found it excessive or lacking. Later games ignored it for the most part which is good, given that Shepard sorta ,you know, eclipsed those past things by taking down Saren and Sovereign? It's also bad for people either just entering the series (since when did I go to Elysium, Miranda you hippie?) and it helps add a little extra flavor to your interactions with certain people.

So. . .yeah. Balance.

[Larry-3]

As long as there as a "no information given" background, sure.

Sure, I do not see why that should not be an option.

No.
Exponential growth curves make this unrealistic.
Unless of course you don't want your choices to matter downline.

Well they do not have to appear in any dialogue. But I think it would be fun to have a bad background and turn into a gray character. Or a good background and become somewhat renegade-ish.

How about little to no background and let the player define the character over the course of the game?
 
Seriously the most important part of the character should not be the things the player never gets to experience that happen before the game even begins, it should be the actual events of the game and how the character chooses to react to them and how they in turn define the character.

It would not be interesting to know where you have been or what you have did to get where you are?

[Larry-3]

SH0tgUn JUliA, I think your character would have a few extra interesting lines.

[N7Jamaican]

My background in the game would be alliance ICT graduate, but has no combat experience aside from simulations on the "holodeck" on the hub station .

[Larry-3]

My background in the game would be alliance ICT graduate, but has no combat experience aside from simulations on the "holodeck" on the hub station .

I think that is called being "green"... I think. Regardless, with your background, I could see a unique bonus to weapon accuracy, or maybe an NPC asking you how the holodecks were.

[RoboticWater]

Well they do not have to appear in any dialogue. But I think it would be fun to have a bad background and turn into a gray character. Or a good background and become somewhat renegade-ish.

But if they don't show up, what's the point? It might as well be head-canon.

 

In fact, if you don't mind not having reactions, why not leave the protagonist with an intentionally vague background so the player can completely make up their own? 

[N7Jamaican]

I think that is called being "green"... I think. Regardless, with your background, I could see a unique bonus to weapon accuracy, or maybe an NPC asking you how the holodecks were.

 

Also , NPCs could question his combat experience and experience in general.

[Kabooooom]

Too many options would result in a character that wasn't far removed from a blank slate. While they'd have an established backstory, no one would ever comment on it.

If they go for some variation in the main character's background, I'd rather they kept the options as limited as they did with Shepard.

I completely agree with this. A limited, but established back story is better. The player character should still be able to respond in conversations in ways that contribute to his/her back story though. It can be fleshed out that way.

For example, the OP lists a religion option. In ME1, when Ashley starts blabbering about religion, I was glad that my Shep could softly shut her ass down. That's the way it should be. You shouldn't be railroaded into opinions, and should be allowed to pick the ones you want that either represent your own or the particular character you are role playing. That way, certain characteristics can be fleshed out.

Or, tl/dr - keeping things the way they've done it is better, with just tweaking a little. No big changes are necessary. Bioware was good in this regard to begin with.

[Queen Skadi]

It would not be interesting to know where you have been or what you have did to get where you are?

 

You know what would be even more interesting? If they actually showed and allowed the player to experience the events that lead up to forging the person that your character is by the end of the game, the defining moments of your character's life should not happen off screen before the game even begins, the should be a major part of the story yet to be told.

 

In short I don't want to be told about how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in a tournament I have never experienced, saw or even heard about until that guy mentioned how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in it as it means nothing to me, I would much rather characters react to how much of a **** my character is for wiping out the peace loving race of Aotearoa provided it is actually an event in the game that I the player had an active hand in.

[Kabooooom]

You know what would be even more interesting? If they actually showed and allowed the player to experience the events that lead up to forging the person that your character is by the end of the game, the defining moments of your character's life should not happen off screen before the game even begins, the should be a major part of the story yet to be told.

In short I don't want to be told about how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in a tournament I have never experienced, saw or even heard about until that guy mentioned how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in it as it means nothing to me, I would much rather characters react to how much of a **** my character is for wiping out the peace loving race of Aotearoa provided it is actually an event in the game that I the player had an active hand in.

A thousand times this.

And luckily, it seems they are going that way if they are true to their word and want this character to be a sort of anti-hero or reluctant hero. Which are my favorite kinds of heroes.

Why? Well, because in real life, ordinary people do extraordinary things when placed in extraordinary circumstances. That is far more interesting to me than a Herculean hero who was fated by the gods to save the world.

Having their character progression happen off screen makes no sense in that regard. It only was plausible for a Shepard like hero.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

In fact, if you don't mind not having reactions, why not leave the protagonist with an intentionally vague background so the player can completely make up their own? 

I'm perfectly fine with that. Vastly prefer protagonists that are more vague like the Warden or Inquisitor than predefined like Hawke or Shepard. 

[Larry-3]

You know what would be even more interesting? If they actually showed and allowed the player to experience the events that lead up to forging the person that your character is by the end of the game, the defining moments of your character's life should not happen off screen before the game even begins, the should be a major part of the story yet to be told.

In short I don't want to be told about how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in a tournament I have never experienced, saw or even heard about until that guy mentioned how awesome my character is for thrashing everyone in it as it means nothing to me, I would much rather characters react to how much of a **** my character is for wiping out the peace loving race of Aotearoa provided it is actually an event in the game that I the player had an active hand in.

1/2
BioWare, here is you next idea for a DLC.

2/2
[+5 renegade]

[Larry-3]

You know, I did originally state that it could be kind of vauge; whatever level of details or vagueness you feel would be perfect. The point is that we get more say in our background rather than a predetermined one.