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The Mass Effect Community Thread
- Thread starter shinobi602
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RevolverVaro
Member
I'm willing to wager my soul that neither will happen.
TC McQueen
Member
Eh, I could do without The Expanse. Dark Matter is more my jam.
Speaking of Dark Matter, I wish Mass Effect 1 had gone with a similar setup for the setting (multiple galactic mega-corps all jockeying for power and on the verge of war) instead of the "ancient evil awakens" thing they did. It probably would've avoided the need to soft reboot the entire franchise by going to another galaxy, since the endings of ME3 probably wouldn't have been drastic changes to the very nature of the galactic population.
Ivory Samoan
Gold Member
Dark Matter to me is like Pitne For, whilst The Expanse is like liquid Azure.
I shudder putting them in the same quality tier I'm being honest.
Foxhound286
Member
The hoodie looks fine. Really digging the scavenger armor.
DevilDog
Member
I know what you mean, but at the same time we wouldn't have gotten ME1's story so I'm fine with things not being this way. Better get 1 gem of a story rather than 4 mediocre ones just so that we can milk the franchise.
And is really Dark Matter that good? I guess I have the time to check it out.
TC McQueen
Member
Dark Matter is the Stargate to The Expanse's Battlestar Galactica. It's a softer scifi space opera with less of a budget, but makes up for it with a solid cast that has pretty good chemistry (which makes sense, a bunch of ex-Stargate folks created and work on it). There's also less of a unified plot and more of a general direction/theme for each season, so it's kinda like ME2.
There's no sapient aliens, which is kind of a bummer.
Poodlestrike
Banned
Tbh, while I haven't seen The Expanse (it's on The List), Dark Matter doesn't feel that Stargate-y. If anything, I'd more readily compare it to Firefly, in terms of setting and tone.
Expanse isn't Stargate-y at all, but has makings of epic space story.
Fun fact about show: How physics are modeled, how ships are designed etc. are based on actual scientific facts and/or theories about how it would be best to do. Especially ship design is interesting and could be used some day.
Poodlestrike
Banned
No, I was saying that Dark Matter isn't all that Stargate-y, which was the comparison being made.
DeadlyParasite
Member
Always a fools hope expecting pre-order armour to look decent it seems. Except Mass Effect 3, the N7 Defender armour was great.
Dandy Lyin
Member
I like the Expanse and Dark Matter, for very different reasons. I prefer the more grounded feel of the Expanse over Dark Matter's... I don't really no what word to use. Cartooniness? It's got a feudal Japan space empire, for example. I like it for what it is though.
I do think that Bioware's stories would be much better if they toned down the scope of their stories. It always has to be saving the world, or in ME's case, the galaxy. DA2 was flawed, but at least the story wasn't over the top.
Poodlestrike
Banned
DA2 is probably the reason why they got locked into the "save the world" format, tbh. Avoiding direct comparisons to that.
Also, as an aside, while the feudal Japan empire in Dark Matter is certainly odd, there's been a lot of interesting fiction that deals with the balkanization effect that space travel or, really, wildly increased resources coupled with a breakdown in existing structures can produce. People with a ton of money/power in environments with little existing cultural oversight make the societies they want to make. For an earthbound example, I'd recommend Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age.
Dandy Lyin
Member
I'm sure you're right. It is a shame though that the "DA2 experiment" would be considered a failure because of it's scope, rather than because of everything else that was wrong with DA2. Most of DA2's story is pretty great, and being a nobody for much of it was so refreshing.
Sounds interesting! Will check it out some time.
Finished the first game in around 20 hours. Don't think I missed anything, though I never bothered with the DLC first time round and I wasn't going to pick it up now.
Started ME2...it's startling how refined and cinematic it feels compared to the first. We all know how great the gameplay is, but it's interesting playing them back to back. I think I personally prefer the overall narrative of the first, but there's no denying how well put together 2/3 are.
Hopefully Andromeda can find a nice middle ground.
Started ME2...it's startling how refined and cinematic it feels compared to the first. We all know how great the gameplay is, but it's interesting playing them back to back. I think I personally prefer the overall narrative of the first, but there's no denying how well put together 2/3 are.
Hopefully Andromeda can find a nice middle ground.
No love for Killjoys? :-(
A bounty hunter-themed DLC for Mass Effect would be pretty awesome. I don't know how it would work in Andromeda, but:
If C-Sec/The Council issued warrants like the RAC, Liara/Barla Von provided intel on bounties, and one of the merc groups (Eclipse/Blue Suns/Blood Pack) had a bounty hunting squad (but it could really be anyone), that'd make for some interesting DLC. Add options for non-lethal weapons/takedowns and I'd be in.
A bounty hunter-themed DLC for Mass Effect would be pretty awesome. I don't know how it would work in Andromeda, but:
If C-Sec/The Council issued warrants like the RAC, Liara/Barla Von provided intel on bounties, and one of the merc groups (Eclipse/Blue Suns/Blood Pack) had a bounty hunting squad (but it could really be anyone), that'd make for some interesting DLC. Add options for non-lethal weapons/takedowns and I'd be in.
Between Killjoys and Dark Matter I'd call Killjoys the better show. I should finish the new season tbh.
TC McQueen
Member
Eh, I think I watched one episode (the pilot) and checked out when I saw there might be a love triangle between the three leads right away.
Dark Matter had the better cast and atmosphere for me, and that made a lot of the difference.
Also, Dark Matter wasn't using that fugly overexposed and possibly desaturated look that Killjoys and The Expanse seem to use a lot.
Freezasaurus
Member
Huh. Killjoys kinda lost me about mid-Second season. But I still enjoy Dark Matter.
There actually is no love triangle. It's a straight boss/big sister relationship between two of those characters.
I dunno I never got into the later bits of Dark Matter, I remember the first 3 episodes being pretty bad compared to Killjoys.
You could always read the books. I think they're currently on #6 with 3 more already contracted to finish out the series.
Dandy Lyin
Member
There is no love triangle between them.
DevilDog
Member
Dark Matter is very very Firefly-ish after all.
I will if it gets cancelled. I heard it wasn't doing too good, for how expensive it is anyway.
I have to read so much in this university, that I'd rather stay away from any more books
I will if it gets cancelled. I heard it wasn't doing too good, for how expensive it is anyway.
Killjoys S1 is better then Dark Matter S1 but Killjoys really drops off in S2 while Dark Matter finds a new gear in S2 and is vastly improved from S1
I definitely don't think the show will survive to see the end of the book series and the guys that do the books have stated they have a definite end in mind so probably worth reading at some point.Dark Matter is very very Firefly-ish after all.
I have to read so much in this university, that I'd rather stay away from any more books
I will if it gets cancelled. I heard it wasn't doing too good, for how expensive it is anyway.
DeadlyParasite
Member
Don't really care about football but I wonder what the buzz for the game would be if EA decided to fork out some millions for a ME: Andromeda Superbowl ad Spot.
Might've been a nice entrypoint to a seemingly dry marketing campaign with 43 days left until launch.
¯\_(ツ_/¯
Might've been a nice entrypoint to a seemingly dry marketing campaign with 43 days left until launch.
¯\_(ツ
_/¯
The Lamonster
Member
I dig the new "hoodie."
Don't really care about football but I wonder what the buzz for the game would be if EA decided to fork out some millions for a ME: Andromeda Superbowl ad Spot.
Might've been a nice entrypoint to a seemingly dry marketing campaign with 43 days left until launch.
¯\_(ツ
Waste of money.
DeadlyParasite
Member
I mean yeah, but what else can they do at this point? TV commercials closer to launch aren't going to have the impact they did 5 and 7 years ago respectively with the way people have generally abandoned cable TV, so I'm particularly puzzled what EA feels will effectively market this game for them.
More trailers in the manner of the recently released cinematic one aren't going to draw in any more people that haven't already caught the hype so what do they have left up their sleeves? A bunch of previews on gaming news websites and 15 minutes gameplay slices aren't going to rock the boat outside of enthusiast forums like here so....
Are they praying that the game will have good word of mouth from the Multiplayer beta and twitch/youtube streamers?
Even if there is no direct crossover I feel like anything they release in late feb/ early march is going to get buried by the noise from the Switch launch/other major titles releasing.
BrassDragon
Member
I'm guessing this new grand marketing experiment hinges on generating social media buzz and getting the right 'influencers' to spread word of mouth. This tracks with their comments when they closed the BioWare forums and the emphasis on hiding easter eggs in their promotional material rather than putting the information upfront. We'll probably see the game come alive with a bombardment of Let's Plays, particularly for multiplayer and the intro levels.
Not saying this works, just trying to decipher WTH they're trying to accomplish. Remember though, EA Games had a polished gem and critical darling in Titanfall 2 and then killed it with baffling marketing and sales decisions. Just because there's a plan doesn't mean it's a good one.
It also doesnt make much sense wasting the resources to advertise Mass Effect at a huge scale until after Zelda and Horizon release. If they start too strong now it will just get drowned out.
You can be sure that EA gives full access to streamers like CohhCarnage way before games release, they will get 15-20+ k viewers / day just because it's MEA and they will generate sales. Streamers are still very effective extensions of marketing campaigns no matter genre or game and streamers won't say "No" to access / money / promotions / sponsorship's that come with it.
Heckler456
Banned
First week of Feb sure went by fucking fast. I feel like the next 6 weeks will be CAKE with all these games coming out too! So close.
I hope we're getting something worthy this week. We're already Feb 6th and all we had in the past 2 weeks was the cinematic trailer & AI video the same day... Where is that "big marketing push" that was supposed to start end Jan./early Feb.? I mean, the trailer & video were nice, but we had nothing last week. If that big 15 mins video is only next week(apparently), what are we going to have in this one?
If that big 15 mins video is only next week(apparently), what are we going to have in this one?I hope we're getting something worthy this week. We're already Feb 6th and all we had in the past 2 weeks was the cinematic trailer & AI video the same day... Where is that "big marketing push" that was supposed to start end Jan./early Feb.? I mean, the trailer & video were nice, but we had nothing last week.
They have 5 weeks to push info and videos. That is quite a bit time.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I hope we're getting something worthy this week. We're already Feb 6th and all we had in the past 2 weeks was the cinematic trailer & AI video the same day... Where is that "big marketing push" that was supposed to start end Jan./early Feb.? I mean, the trailer & video were nice, but we had nothing last week.
They know the game will flop and are trying to keep the expectations so low that it will be no surprise.
Or maybe, they feel with low expectations it can only surprise people.
Who knows, but I do await the game.
shinobi602
Member
Since I was getting curious myself I asked around and, I guess I misread last time. They're focusing on finishing the game now. Deep dive with IGN is March, leading up to release. However the long gameplay slice is scheduled for next week towards the end of the week.I hope we're getting something worthy this week. We're already Feb 6th and all we had in the past 2 weeks was the cinematic trailer & AI video the same day... Where is that "big marketing push" that was supposed to start end Jan./early Feb.? I mean, the trailer & video were nice, but we had nothing last week.
Press also go hands on with the game for several hours next week as well, embargo for those previews is the middle of the following week, so we're still getting goodies this month. Sorry for the confusion ☺
Poodlestrike
Banned
March?!?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
prag16
Banned
Haha, I mean are you guys joking, or did you not read the post? Or are we just disappointed that the itsfuckingnothing continues for at least another week.
Long gameplay video late next week, and then blowout of professional preview coverage the following week. That's still February!
Maybe there's a shred of hope for an Andromeda Initiative video later this week to tide us over??? Shinobi pls
What's "Deep Dive"? Full details on things we have yet to see like character creation, multiplayer, characters interaction, etc.? Man the marketing is so weird on this game when we still don't know certain important things less than 2 months until release.
shinobi602
Member
Yea things like that. There's still stuff happening this month. Like I said, gameplay next week and preview coverage the week after.
I know, but you'd think they would show everything we would want to see in February instead of keeping certain stuff until we're 2-3 weeks away from the release.
Here's hoping the gameplay video next week at least show a bit of character creator, multiplayer, hubs, galaxy map, nomad... We really didn't see enough of Nomad gameplay to give us an idea. 5 secs in a trailer is barely worth mentioning.
JeffG
Member
Sara and Scott added to the Cosplay character kit
http://blog.bioware.com/2017/01/31/mass-effect-andromeda-character-kits/
http://blog.bioware.com/2017/01/31/mass-effect-andromeda-character-kits/
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