125 réponses à ce sujet

[Halfdan The Menace]

Anything with boobs seem to be preferable but overdone already. Can we have bearded aliens to match the hairy humans?

[Han Shot First]

Something like the Gormak or the Esh-Kha from SWTOR would be cool.

 

 

 

24:18 on the second one

[Pavan]

Really think we should have a new Tribal like alien species, something akin to the wookies from star wars - but with more war paint

 

And their best warrior should become a squad member

[CrutchCricket]

Outside of the interaction with more 'alien' aliens, I would like to see a larger focus on non-humanoid species as well. I appreciate when the writers of a setting can make the aliens feel foreign to us, but I like it even more when the aliens in question don't look like a human in a rubber costume. Obviously, animation for such things comes at a cost, but I personally think that such an expenditure of resources would be worth it to help distinguish a game like ME from 99.9999% of all the other mainstream sci-fi settings out there. Plus, as an RPG with multiplayer capabilities, its a crime to relegate non-humanoid aliens like the Rachni and Elcor as glorified background props (IMO). 

 

Now granted, the multiplayer side of things isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it would provide the perfect testbed for such unique kit ideas, and robust animation skeletons. Keep the single player campaign filled with rubber fore headed human look-a-likes if you have to, but multiplayer doesn't really have an excuse to not add such outliers to the game.

 

*Mini Rant incoming*

I am still baffled as to how some people can go on and on about how such requests are too hard or impossible to do when we've had something like Gears of War 3's Beast Mode that came out years ago for a third person shooter. 

 

Spoiler

 

It's obviously not because such non-humanoid kits are impossible to do. And it's obvious that adding in such elements didn't take everything else away from the rest of the game. I would like to see BioWare put forth the effort and give us something truly alien in appearance to play as in MP, at least show us that the entire universe isn't inhabited solely by creatures with just two arms and legs and one head.

*End of mini rant*

I rather think it'd be the other way around with SP being able to accommodate non bipedal humanoid models and MP being more formulaic. But that's only based on ME3's rather formulaic gameplay model.The first thing I'd like corrected in that is the overreliance if not complete purging of insta-kills, especially when they apply them to things that should laugh at the concept (geth, krogan)

 

It was a big part of the reason why I couldn't kill the queen in ME1. Like, here's this fascinating bizarre creature that sees and hears the world so wildly different from us and it's at my mercy. How could I kill it? It's too bad that the thorian wasn't treated quite as well, what with the goofy asari clone and husk-like creeper thing, or that we had the option to spare it, being another odd unique life form. 

I don't know about sparing it but it was a crime beyond reason that the thorian never factored into anything beyond ME1, especially since it would make a better Leviathan than Leviathan itself.

 

Something like the Gormak or the Esh-Kha from SWTOR would be cool.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSloU94J558&t=24m18s

 

24:18 on the second one

Agreed. I thought the Voss were fascinating as well.

[Wayning_Star]

Id like to see close up of the leviathan culture clash. As often as not, aliens won't tell you they're here or even alien for that matter.. they just run the show.

[Vortex13]

I rather think it'd be the other way around with SP being able to accommodate non bipedal humanoid models and MP being more formulaic. But that's only based on ME3's rather formulaic gameplay model.The first thing I'd like corrected in that is the overreliance if not complete purging of insta-kills, especially when they apply them to things that should laugh at the concept (geth, krogan)

 

 

Even then the ME 3 MP was able to bring in the Collectors, and the non-humanoid Praetorian enemy types. And if it's possible to create a brand new animation for an NPC, its only a slight step up to make that playable. It's easier, obviously, to just give us a look-a-like kit with slightly tweaked powers, but if we could get some unique options that would most certainly help break up the formulaic nature of the MP (IMO).

[Fuenf789]

Even then the ME 3 MP was able to bring in the Collectors, and the non-humanoid Praetorian enemy types. And if it's possible to create a brand new animation for an NPC, its only a slight step up to make that playable. It's easier, obviously, to just give us a look-a-like kit with slightly tweaked powers, but if we could get some unique options that would most certainly help break up the formulaic nature of the MP (IMO).[

^ formulaic nature is a natural necessity . That's why balances are needed from time to time to keep everything under control and non-exploitable.

[Vortex13]

^ formulaic nature is a natural necessity . That's why balances are needed from time time to keep everything under control and non-exploitable.

 

 

To a point.

 

The co-operative foundation of something like ME MP though would allow for more asymmetrical gameplay; even ME 3's MP had some semblance of that with kits like the Volus and Juggernaut. Sure, your Rachni kit might not be up to 'Pro Gaming' levels of balance with your Human Engineer kit, but that is not really a bad thing.

 

If balance was the number one priority for BioWare's MP team for ME 3, then we never would have gotten anything other than human soldiers to play as.

[ArcadiaGrey]

I'd just like some alien squadmates who aren't humanoid in design.   I'm a little tired of recruitable aliens all having noses, mouths and boobs in the same places. I think evolution would be a little more haphazard than that.    

[Fuenf789]

To a point.

The co-operative foundation of something like ME MP though would allow for more asymmetrical gameplay; even ME 3's MP had some semblance of that with kits like the Volus and Juggernaut. Sure, your Rachni kit might not be up to 'Pro Gaming' levels of balance with your Human Engineer kit, but that is not really a bad thing.

If balance was the number one priority for BioWare's MP team for ME 3, then we never would have gotten anything other than human soldiers to play as.

If ,by assymmetric , you mean simply different, then yes, kits should be different.

Otherwise , recall that In the platinum solo's it's clear that every character has unique skills to allow it to handle most enemies with different skills. In that sense they might appear assymetric, but are "nearly" symmetric in handing out damage. The more symmetric the total power output is- over 11 waves/ etc, the more the game "feels" fair.

So overall "real" symmetry is ideal but with "apparent" assymetry removed through skill by experienced players.

So I have a different perception from you on MP symmetry, likely based on the time we invested there.

[CrutchCricket]

Even then the ME 3 MP was able to bring in the Collectors, and the non-humanoid Praetorian enemy types. And if it's possible to create a brand new animation for an NPC, its only a slight step up to make that playable. It's easier, obviously, to just give us a look-a-like kit with slightly tweaked powers, but if we could get some unique options that would most certainly help break up the formulaic nature of the MP (IMO).

Yes, but the Praetorian floats most of the time. And it's not just walking animations you'd have to consider, it's animations for every action you need to perform in MP:
 
Running- More of a challenge to animate than a walking gait I'd wager.
Cover- Probably wouldn't use it.
Ladders/vaulting over cover
Dodging
Hacking/reviving
Instakill animations (may they rot in hell)
Melee/heavy melee/running melee
 
As well as integrating elements that need to be common on the model- weapons, rockets, pizza etc.
 
Again this only applies to a formulaic model like ME3's MP where there's only one formula. And it may not be impossible but the harder it is or the more effort it takes the less likely it is to be implemented.
 
But since you've gotten me thinking about it, just for fun here's how I'd integrate the non-standard species into ME3 MP:
 
Elcor- Weapon platform on their back. Imagine the back armoring section with teh weapon slots of any armor flat horizontal on a square/rectangular platform. Weapons are in their usual slot, active weapon is held by two mechanical arms, the arms also switch weapons and extend to hack/revive. Can't dodge, can't take cover, can't climb ladders (this last may be a deal breaker). Melee is volus bubble that explodes when dropped/collapsed or the shockwave for light, shield absorb for heavy that the juggernaut uses. Immune to insta-kills. Powers might include siege artillery shots (which means the back platform would also have some heavy cannon looking things on the side. This is turning out to basically be a bipedal jug that can't climb ladders.
 
Hanar- You could actually make this one act bipedal though it looks really strange/comical:
 


Personally I'd prefer if they float with inactive weapons/rockets/pizza floating in a mass effect field behind them and a few tentacles using the active weapon/hacking/reviving. Though I can just imagine the visual glitches. Floating actually solves all the movement problems. Quick float left/right/forward/backwards to dodge (cannibalize teh asari dodge for the biotic effects), float up/down ladders, over cover etc. Bonus points for freaky tentacle animations when you do. As for powers, any biotic power would work. Melee is some kind of tentacle attack for heavy and light with poison effects applied (as hanar have natural toxins).

 

Rachni: Movement would likely be like elcor but faster and able to dodge (likely a four legged geth hop) but I have no idea where to strap the guns or how they'd use them. The long tentacles, the T-Rex like smaller limbs? I found this fan drawing but I'm not sure how well that'd work in animation:

 

[Former_Fiend]

Personally I'd like to see something with four arms.

[SKAR]

Pretty aliens.

[BaaBaaBlacksheep]

Ummm I know this is an repeated yet awkward request but revamp Ardat-Yakshi like succubi with umm...."big guns" only for females to romance one....ahem......

[Vortex13]

Yes, but the Praetorian floats most of the time. And it's not just walking animations you'd have to consider, it's animations for every action you need to perform in MP:
 
Running- More of a challenge to animate than a walking gait I'd wager.
Cover- Probably wouldn't use it.
Ladders/vaulting over cover
Dodging
Hacking/reviving
Instakill animations (may they rot in hell)
Melee/heavy melee/running melee
 
As well as integrating elements that need to be common on the model- weapons, rockets, pizza etc.
 
Again this only applies to a formulaic model like ME3's MP where there's only one formula. And it may not be impossible but the harder it is or the more effort it takes the less likely it is to be implemented.
 
But since you've gotten me thinking about it, just for fun here's how I'd integrate the non-standard species into ME3 MP:
 
Elcor- Weapon platform on their back. Imagine the back armoring section with teh weapon slots of any armor flat horizontal on a square/rectangular platform. Weapons are in their usual slot, active weapon is held by two mechanical arms, the arms also switch weapons and extend to hack/revive. Can't dodge, can't take cover, can't climb ladders (this last may be a deal breaker). Melee is volus bubble that explodes when dropped/collapsed or the shockwave for light, shield absorb for heavy that the juggernaut uses. Immune to insta-kills. Powers might include siege artillery shots (which means the back platform would also have some heavy cannon looking things on the side. This is turning out to basically be a bipedal jug that can't climb ladders.
 
Hanar- You could actually make this one act bipedal though it looks really strange/comical:
 

Personally I'd prefer if they float with inactive weapons/rockets/pizza floating in a mass effect field behind them and a few tentacles using the active weapon/hacking/reviving. Though I can just imagine the visual glitches. Floating actually solves all the movement problems. Quick float left/right/forward/backwards to dodge (cannibalize teh asari dodge for the biotic effects), float up/down ladders, over cover etc. Bonus points for freaky tentacle animations when you do. As for powers, any biotic power would work. Melee is some kind of tentacle attack for heavy and light with poison effects applied (as hanar have natural toxins).

 

Rachni: Movement would likely be like elcor but faster and able to dodge (likely a four legged geth hop) but I have no idea where to strap the guns or how they'd use them. The long tentacles, the T-Rex like smaller limbs? I found this fan drawing but I'm not sure how well that'd work in animation:

 

 

 

Why would such kits have to play exactly like the "normal" humanoid ones? 

 

If BioWare is going to spend the effort in bringing something like a Rachni, Elcor, or Hanar to the playable table, then why would they stop halfway and try to force standard gameplay mechanics onto something that is clearly separate from that both in terms of lore and animation styles? 

 

A Rachni would function more as a pure melee class, with some ranged talents coming in the form of acid spit or biotics. No need to try and get them to hold a gun, just make them a unique close quarters combat kit. Unlike the other "melee" kits like the Krogan Warlord, or the Slasher the Rachni wouldn't be forced to carry a gun into battle, they are the weapon.

 

An Elcor would work with a heavy weapons platform; as it is described as such in their lore; but there is no need to make it so that any "normal" weapon can slot onto their backs, just make unique Elcor only weapons for them to use. I mean, the Elcor foot soldier is described by the rest of the galaxy as a walking tank, so anything less than a bazooka on their backs would seem rather out of place. As for melee combat, an Elcor is one of the strongest alien species in the known galaxy; yes even more so than the Krogan. Use something similar to a gorilla in terms of melee animations, maybe even have the Elcor rip human-sized enemies that they kill in melee combat in half.

 

As for a Hanar, they wouldn't need to be able to wield "normal" weapons either, as if a gun designed around humanoid ergonomics could possibly be used by a Hanar. Just give them a unique set of weapons and have their play style be more geared towards hit and run tactics, and team support. I do like your idea of using the Asari's dodge for the Hanar, that could work easily enough. As for melee combat, Hanar wouldn't be going toe to tentacle with something like a Brute or a Banshee, but we do know that one almost strangled Zaeed to death, so human-sized foes should be fair game.

[DistantUtopia]

I want to see an "Ultraman" alien in Andromeda 

[fizzypop]

Don't care so long as they are hot. Like it or not, but I for one appreciate good looking races.

[Obliviousmiss]

I think it's high time for some fur. 

 

[CrutchCricket]

Why would such kits have to play exactly like the "normal" humanoid ones? 

 

If BioWare is going to spend the effort in bringing something like a Rachni, Elcor, or Hanar to the playable table, then why would they stop halfway and try to force standard gameplay mechanics onto something that is clearly separate from that both in terms of lore and animation styles? 

 

A Rachni would function more as a pure melee class, with some ranged talents coming in the form of acid spit or biotics. No need to try and get them to hold a gun, just make them a unique close quarters combat kit. Unlike the other "melee" kits like the Krogan Warlord, or the Slasher the Rachni wouldn't be forced to carry a gun into battle, they are the weapon.

 

An Elcor would work with a heavy weapons platform; as it is described as such in their lore; but there is no need to make it so that any "normal" weapon can slot onto their backs, just make unique Elcor only weapons for them to use. I mean, the Elcor foot soldier is described by the rest of the galaxy as a walking tank, so anything less than a bazooka on their backs would seem rather out of place. As for melee combat, an Elcor is one of the strongest alien species in the known galaxy; yes even more so than the Krogan. Use something similar to a gorilla in terms of melee animations, maybe even have the Elcor rip human-sized enemies that they kill in melee combat in half.

 

As for a Hanar, they wouldn't need to be able to wield "normal" weapons either, as if a gun designed around humanoid ergonomics could possibly be used by a Hanar. Just give them a unique set of weapons and have their play style be more geared towards hit and run tactics, and team support. I do like your idea of using the Asari's dodge for the Hanar, that could work easily enough. As for melee combat, Hanar wouldn't be going toe to tentacle with something like a Brute or a Banshee, but we do know that one almost strangled Zaeed to death, so human-sized foes should be fair game.

Because those are the constraints of the ME3 MP formula. There is zero new/different gameplay from the SP where you play as Shepard, a humanoid who uses guns and some powers.

 

So when you request non-standard species to be playable you're not only requesting new animations and tweaking a few mechanics, you're also requesting brand new gameplay with all of the balancing that entails. And as superfluous as guns may seem on some characters you can't do away with them entirely in the ME3 model. Just think of guardians and their stupid nope shield. Unless you give a kit the equivalent of pull/lash they have to use a weapon to pierce/get around that. Same for phantom/banshee/Praetorian nope bubbles to a lesser extent. And as a funny aside, consider seeker swarms that still have to climb ladders or "hop" over cover. The limitations are apparent.

 

Now if they do make it more open in the new game, then of course something new and different would be awesome. But even if we look at SP/MP games in general, MP does not typically introduce brand new gameplay not seen in SP. It's almost always more of the same. And ME3 is currently locked into "humanoids with guns and some powers". If that changes for Andromeda, I'm all for it. But I'm not sure how likely that is, given we seem to play a human exclusively again.

[Han Shot First]

Personally I'd like to see something with four arms.

 

One of the Mass Effect comics had a four-armed alien as background scenery on Omega. 

 

It's a shame that species never got a further mention or appearance in the series.

[Arcian]

I think it's high time for some fur. 

 

[collective groaning of BioWare's physics department intensifies]

[Obliviousmiss]

[collective groaning of BioWare's physics department intensifies]

 

Have you played Rise of the Tomb Raider? Have you seen Lara's hair? I believe it's possible. 

 

 

A huge pain in the ass, yes, but possible.

[Killroy]

Beings with organic/internal biotics so powerful they manifest as flame-like distortions from the body. 

 

[Killroy]

Have you played Rise of the Tomb Raider? Have you seen Lara's hair? I believe it's possible. 

 

A huge pain in the ass, yes, but possible.

 

But not possible for a wide selection of haristyles. They probably put thousands of man-hours into that one hairstyle. Now imagine doing that for two dozen hairstyles. 

[Obliviousmiss]

But not possible for a wide selection of haristyles. They probably put thousands of man-hours into that one hairstyle. Now imagine doing that for two dozen hairstyles. 

 

While I was talking about alien fur, not hairstyles, I see your point. It'd be nice to dream.