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[Grieving Natashina]

Two years of warning, though what I was referring to above was the imminent arrival of the Reapers. Anyway, I'm going to sign on with rapscallioness' theory about this being a repurposed project.
As for the FTL method, we'll have to see

I've been kicking around a theory like that for the last year. It involves the Asari and the Salarians, and I think the original purpose was two fold. It turned out longer than I thought, so I'm putting the theory in spoiler tags to save on some space.

Spoiler

First, I think the the Ark(s) were originally started centuries if not several millenia before ME1. The Asari's have proven to be a gentle sort of tyrant and not a lot better than the Protheans. They're nice enough, but their government is very self centred. Then again, a lot of the race has come off as haughty and full of hubris. They might have considered going to Andromeda simply because they could. It would be a great way to experiment with tech and run possible scenarios on how to get there.

Secondly, it strikes me as the perfect way for the arrogant divas the Asari to establish another power base. I think that the Salarians would get involved because of their tech prowess and their penchant for doing reckless stuff. They've also admitted that they enjoy experimenting on other races, some in a benign ways and some in insane ways (Dr. Saleon). So I figured for a long time at least one of those large ships that look like they were powered by "small" relays was done by a joint effort based on years of an allied friendship between the races.

Then the Fall of Thessia hits and the Asari councillor talking about "continuity of civilization" and "we thought this day would never come." I've also felt that the stories that involved the Protheans warning the Asari about the End of Life As You All Know it was still in the back of the Asari government mind. Those stories probably got muddled and dismissed as primitive superstitious nonsense by the general populous. However, due to the bits of information they got from the Cypher, the religious and government leaders might have took it more seriously. They might have figured, "Sure, why not. A few Asari lifetimes and we might be able to come up with something. I doubt it's the end of the world, but better safe than sorry."

This is all just opinion. I won't pretend I know what comes next. I've also read some good theories that are very contrary to what I just posted. All in all, this is a pretty civilized thread with some interesting food for thought.

[Beerfish]

Lack of voice options.

Lack of race options.

Lack of background options. 

We're practically predefined characters at this point. 

 

Those can all be considered good things under some circumstances.

 

You always get a large trade off, customization vs a tight story that works well.  The more customization you give the player, the looser the story becomes and often the more watered down certain content becomes.  It's simply a design decision that has to be made early in a game.  And what you gain on one side you often lose on the other side.

[FKA_Servo]

Lack of voice options.

Lack of race options.

Lack of background options. 

We're practically predefined characters at this point. 

 

I am squarely in your corner with wanting all these things, but apart from the origin/psych profile, it's the same as the Shep trilogy , and Shepard was still pretty predefined.

 

DId they actually say that there was nothing analogous to the origins and psych profiles?

[Hanako Ikezawa]

Those can all be considered good things under some circumstances.

 

You always get a large trade off, customization vs a tight story that works well.  The more customization you give the player, the looser the story becomes and often the more watered down certain content becomes.  It's simply a design decision that has to be made early in a game.  And what you gain on one side you often lose on the other side.

I'd take customization over a "tight story that works well" any day of the week when it comes to Role-Playing Games. 

 

 

I am squarely in your corner with wanting all these things, but apart from the origin/psych profile, it's the same as the Shep trilogy , and Shepard was still pretty predefined.

 

DId they actually say that there was nothing analogous to the origins and psych profiles?

And I was hoping to have a less predefined character than Shepard this time around. I want 'my' character to actually be my character. 

Yes, they did. The fact you have a family that are tied to the plot. Can't really do that with various origins. 

[AlanC9]

I'm still not 100% sold on the idea that we're looking at Earth there. I see the dark area that's supposed to be the Great Lakes, but on my screen I don't see the right coastlines. Though all the ships I can identify are Alliance designs except for the Arks.

[Beerfish]

I'd take customization over a "tight story that works well" any day of the week when it comes to Role-Playing Games. 

And I take the opposite tact.  One of the few games that to me made this work and most of the unique content was up front was the first Dragon Age game.

[Steelcan]

 

And I was hoping to have a less predefined character than Shepard this time around. I want 'my' character to actually be my character. 

Yes, they did. The fact you have a family that are tied to the plot. Can't really do that with various origins. 

I just don't think that's something the ME team is interested in doing

[FKA_Servo]

And I was hoping to have a less predefined character than Shepard this time around. I want 'my' character to actually be my character. 

Yes, they did. The fact you have a family that are tied to the plot. Can't really do that with various origins. 

 

Fair enough. I don't expect ME to be a good RPG, and I'm not actually looking for one. ME1 was still a bad RPG anyway, but it remains my favorite in the series. I just want a ride that stimulates the same feelings that ME1 did. Time will tell obviously, but none of what they've said so far seems incompatible with that (and some decent exploration bodes very well).

 

You could still do a psych profile - or have a defining experience that's disconnected from your family status. Or (since they say that it will figure into character creation somehow) maybe you'll craft the whole family, and have a say in their pre-ark circumstances? Might as well be positive.

 

I don't think they'd do something quite so boneheaded and limiting as the Shaun sitch in Fallout.

[Lady Artifice]

Lack of voice options.

Lack of race options.

Lack of background options. 

We're practically predefined characters at this point. 

 

Is the lack of background options confirmed? I'm still holding out hope for a psych profile/career background in the CC.

[Grieving Natashina]

Is the lack of background options confirmed? I'm still holding out hope for a psych profile/career background in the CC.

Nothing confirmed yet in that regard. There's a good chance we'll learn more over the summer. The big convention season just started, so hopefully we'll learn more before N7 Day.

[AresKeith]

Is the lack of background options confirmed? I'm still holding out hope for a psych profile/career background in the CC.

 

Nothing confirmed, having a family wouldn't interfere with a background being chosen 

[Andrew Lucas]

Lack of race options.
We're practically predefined characters at this point.

Oh, gosh! We're human?! Oh my god... how did I not see that coming. What a shock....

[Serza]

WE BE FILTHY HOOMANS AGAIN?!

 

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE QUARIAN MASTER RACE?!

[Grieving Natashina]

Oh, gosh! We're human?! Oh my god... how did I not see that coming. What a shock....

Hana has always been a huge fan of race selection. They weren't the only one let down by the lack of a city elf option in DA:I. I was bummed as well, because I'm not a huge fan of the Dalish. I was also a fan of the EU and their story seemed more interesting than the Dalish. I've learned to roll with it, because if nothing else Solas' romance is pretty unique among the rest.

Anyhow, I don't see the appeal of having such an option in a Mass Effect game to be honest. I still think we'll get a "Who's Mythal" type question if we play another race in this game and I really don't want to experience that one again. It's right up there with "What's a paladin" in the last Ultima game EA did. So I'd rather play a human that's more of an outsider and can ask the more obvious and stupid questions. I think that ME1 did a fine job with that. They conveyed the idea that Shepard knew some things, but wasn't privy to all of the details. For me, it was a nice welcome to the series when I played it the first time 2 years ago.

As an aside, I don't hate EA. They've helped keep BioWare and other studios alive and publishing their games. It doesn't mean I'll defend many of their actions. What they did to the Ulitma series was almost criminal. <glare>

As a BioWare fan, rushing ME3 and DA2 out the door too soon really effected the games. Thankfully, I found DA2 very enjoyable and pretty well done considering the game had less than a year of development time. I liked a lot of ME3 (aside from the Starbrat,) but it also felt uneven. Parts of the game felt more detailed and with more TLC than others. There was also missions that I felt were very uneven. Losing Thessia was a great moment imho, because it shows Shep can't save everyone. On the other, they used Kai Lang as a Villain Sue and completely changed his personality from the comics. Like I said, uneven and even a little disjointed. YMMV, of course.

[AlanC9]

I still think we'll get a "Who's Mythal" type question if we play another race in this game and I really don't want to experience that one again.

How about a "you can reproduce with each other"? Or a "who were the Protheans"?

[Grieving Natashina]

How about a "you can reproduce with each other"? Or a "who were the Protheans"?

I could see that very easily with an Asari character, sadly. It's pretty bad storytelling and I don't want that creeping up in ME:A. I'm looking forward to the game quite a bit, but when BioWare blunders in their storytelling, they go big or go home.

[Hanako Ikezawa]

I could see that very easily with an Asari character, sadly. It's pretty bad storytelling and I don't want that creeping up in ME:A. I'm looking forward to the game quite a bit, but when BioWare blunders in their storytelling, they go big or go home.

Then don't pick the option. Same with the "Who is Mythal" in DAI. You don't have to choose it. 

[AresKeith]

Then don't pick the option. Same with the "Who is Mythal" in DAI. You don't have to choose it. 

 

The fact that it's there when "said race" should already know that answer is the problem

[Andrew Lucas]

Hana has always been a huge fan of race selection. They weren't the only one let down by the lack of a city elf option in DA:I. I was bummed as well, because I'm not a huge fan of the Dalish. I was also a fan of the EU and their story seemed more interesting than the Dalish. I've learned to roll with it, because if nothing else Solas' romance is pretty unique among the rest.
Anyhow, I don't see the appeal of having such an option in a Mass Effect game to be honest. I still think we'll get a "Who's Mythal" type question if we play another race in this game and I really don't want to experience that one again. It's right up there with "What's a paladin" in the last Ultima game EA did. So I'd rather play a human that's more of an outsider and can ask the more obvious and stupid questions. I think that ME1 did a fine job with that. They conveyed the idea that Shepard knew some things, but wasn't privy to all of the details. For me, it was a nice welcome to the series when I played it the first time 2 years ago.
As an aside, I don't hate EA. They've helped keep BioWare and other studios alive and publishing their games. It doesn't mean I'll defend many of their actions. What they did to the Ulitma series was almost criminal. <glare>
As a BioWare fan, rushing ME3 and DA2 out the door too soon really effected the games. Thankfully, I found DA2 very enjoyable and pretty well done considering the game had less than a year of development time. I liked a lot of ME3 (aside from the Starbrat,) but it also felt uneven. Parts of the game felt more detailed and with more TLC than others. There was also missions that I felt were very uneven. Losing Thessia was a great moment imho, because it shows Shep can't save everyone. On the other, they used Kai Lang as a Villain Sue and completely changed his personality from the comics. Like I said, uneven and even a little disjointed. YMMV, of course.

I'm confused...

[goishen]

My own personal feeling is that it's not inside the ark ship, it's aboard the Tempest when fleeing from something.  She either got knocked out, or something.

[Dalinne]

Then don't pick the option. Same with the "Who is Mythal" in DAI. You don't have to choose it. 

However, if I recall correctly, you have Morrigan humansplaining you things about your own culture.

TO A DALISH!!!

[Hanako Ikezawa]

The fact that it's there when "said race" should already know that answer is the problem

I agree. Though who is to say Bioware would, I don't know, learn from their mistakes and fix that issue. 

[Hanako Ikezawa]

However, if I recall correctly, you have Morrigan humansplaining you things about your own culture.

TO A DALISH!!!

That's no different than reality. There are people all over the place who explain culture/religion/etc to people of said group as if that person in said group is clueless. 

[Grieving Natashina]

Then don't pick the option. Same with the "Who is Mythal" in DAI. You don't have to choose it.

It's a disconnect though and frankly, a waste of the word budget. I'm not saying you're wrong in what you want. I've been reading your posts for over two years and I respect where you are coming from. There are times I've agreed, like with the city elf exclusion. I was with you; in EU, we read about the city elves and how they are effecting Orlais. Only to have them unavailable for the player and barely mentioned. I feel it's invaluable for the DA series to maintain race selection. The story fabric of Thedas is emphasized over the personal stories and having multiple races can really make more of the world feel alive.

I am saying that it's pretty lazy coding and lazy storytelling, and something they could have handled with more grace. They shouldn't have kept in the flags for the elf PC in he first place, imho. That's probably much easier said than done, but it irked me. The ME approach felt more organic in that regard, and personally, that's one of the reasons why I prefer human-only for ME series.

I guess a part of me never outgrew the near hero-worship I used to have for astronauts. Growing up in the 80s, being an astronaut would have been like being a rock star to me. My life might not have turned out that way, but in the ME series, it allows me to experience just a little bit of that. Silly, I know, and the character is usually not my avatar, but I found that any decent story pulls you in like that. So that's the other big reason why I prefer human-only for this game.

Childish? Perhaps. However, YMMV as always.

[Grieving Natashina]

I'm confused...

I apologize for the double post. If you're referring to "Who's Mythal," this was a question that a Dalish elf PC can ask of Morrigan. Mythal is more or less their main Mother/Earth Goddess. The PC can even have the marks of Mythal on their face and still have that question pop up.

"What's a paladin," refers to the last Ultima game that EA did. Your character was the paladin and was the same character in all of the games. <facepalm> I hate that crap, but thankfully it's not too prevelant.