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Rumour: Small new Mass Effect: Andromeda details

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Video of info here (no new footage): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGpNBtzVRH4
Long story short, dude posts info, contacts reddit mods, provides what they believe to be sufficient proof that the person has access to an early build of the game.
Still marking it as a rumour because why not. I haven't played the game, but I can say that some of this stuff echoes details I've heard too, so it's probably legit.
Props to Renekton for posting it first.

My summary:
  • Same party-of-three setup of the last three games: you plus two squadmates.
  • Two of the squadmates include a petite, buxom, blonde human woman. And a krogan (spotted in the E3 trailer).
  • Play as "Pathfinder".
  • Tasked with finding a new home for the human race.
  • Other races included too, obviously.
  • Squadmates + yourself have jetpacks that play a key role in exploration.
  • Omni tool is more versatile with situational interactivity. EG: deploy a shield in combat.
  • Similar weapons as per previous games.
  • Quality of facial features and character models a major feature of rendering improvements.
  • Destructible cover.
  • New ship is an entirely new design plus new layout from the Normandy. Has a balcony to observe lower levels, and see stuff like the Mako, and a "Pathfinder's quarters".
  • Conduct "Strike" missions from ship.
  • Meeting room to interact with squad.
  • Mako more or less identical to what appeared in the E3 trailer. Likely customisable.
  • Character customisation includes armour, helmet, gauntlet, etc.
  • Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.
  • FTL drive for rapid travel.
  • Markers on planets and what not for guiding.
  • Main alien enemies described as a cross between Vorcha and Collectors.
  • During early build combat enemies dropped in via Cerberus ships. Unsure if this is a placeholder or legit.
  • One antagonist is
    a human soldier, armoured similar to you but without the N7 branding. Can spare/kill him. Motivations unknown.

Not much. But there.
 
  • Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.

But...but what about Uncharted Worlds/New Worlds theme :(
 

danthefan

Member
This is probably my most anticipated game at the moment. I love this series, and the thoughts of what they can do in the current gen.
 

Lime

Member
  • Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.

But...but what about Uncharted Worlds/New Worlds theme :(

You'll hear that theme or something like it while doing the elite dangerous exploration
 

Xando

Member
  • Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.

But...but what about Uncharted Worlds/New Worlds theme :(
I think they might go the DA:I way with big areas but no more galaxy exploration
 

Adry9

Member
Seems like they're not trying to renew the formula.(That's not necessarily a bad thing).

"Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations."

This can either be the best thing ever or make the huge galaxy feel really small.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Omni tool is like a thing that the writer can just conjure up whenever they need a "uhh we need some thing that can do this or that" or whatever huh, hahaha.
 
So you're on "The Ark" right with numerous other races and the mission is to find a new home for humans? Odd.

Why is that odd?

The Milky Way is facing total annihilation of course the species of the milky way would try and preserve the civilisations, history, culture, science, etc.. by going to where the Reapers aren't. I doubt the other species would want a human to try and find them a home.
 
I'm guessing that new galaxy traversal system is basically what we saw in the announcement trailer here:
https://youtu.be/uG8V9dRqSsw?t=35s

There'll still be a map, you'll just be standing in the cockpit interacting with it like Tony Stark.

Butthole clenched tight at that mention of 'one big twist':
Cerberus insignias
. Be cool, Bioware.
 
I think they might go the DA:I way with big areas but no more galaxy exploration

Actually, this would make sense.

Really, there shouldn't be any mass relays, since those were constructions of the Reapers, so no galaxy other than the Milky Way should have them.

Thus no galaxy wide exploration. Just whatever planets you can get to via normal FTL before you cook your crew.

Butthole clenched tight at that mention of 'one big twist':
Cerberus insignias
. Be cool, Bioware.

Oh fuck off no! They're another thing ME3 ruined that we need to go forward pretending never existed.

New galaxy, clean slate. Don't walk that dog shit through the nice new home you're making Bioware!
 

wolfhowwl

Banned
[*]Omni tool is more versatile with situational interactivity. EG: deploy a shield in combat.

Cool. It wasn't fair that this asshole got an omni-riot shield and we never did.

shadow-broker-fight-3.png
 
Why is that odd?

The Milky Way is facing total annihilation of course the species of the milky way would try and preserve the civilisations, history, culture, science, etc.. by going to where the Reapers aren't. I doubt the other species would want a human to try and find them a home.
I just hate how it will probably be focused on just human survival. The humans are the least interesting of all the species in Mass Effect. It would also seem really weird having a big party of numerous species looking for a home for humans.
 

WeTeHa

Member
Is there a way to freeze myself until this releases? Please send me a PM then.

Sure, just come by my lab, I can freeze you in liquid nitrogen or liquid helium. Your choice.
Can't guarantee the thawing part works, but the freezing is 100%. :p

Can't wait for the game. Though I have a feeling the game won't release in 2016.
 

JoseLopez

Member
I just hate how it will probably be focused on just human survival. The humans are the least interesting of all the species in Mass Effect. It would also seem really weird having a big party of numerous species looking for a home for humans.
If their getting paid or rewarded why would that matter?
 

Plasma

Banned
[*]New ship is an entirely new design plus new layout from the Normandy. Has a balcony to observe lower levels, and see stuff like the Mako, and a "Pathfinder's quarters".

Hopefully this means no loading times between travelling to different decks of the ship.
 

Denton

Member
I so very much hope they will fill this universe with interesting quests and characters (Witcher 3) and not pointless busywork filler fetchquests (DA Inquisition).
I love Mass Effect trilogy since it had a fairly low amount of filler, but then that used to be true about DA too.
 

cripterion

Member
Thanks for posting these juicy details.

I have mild expectations for this one, I'm really looking forward to go back into a space rpg. Also hopefully can switch party members early, don't want no stinky krogan with me.
This title needs to go big on exploration! I need Mass Effect style planets to roam around considering the engine that it runs on.
 
Looks awesome and this seems to match the previous information on the game. I got the opportunity to see several members of the team in Montreal, they are all really fans of Mass Effect, I have really no doubt that they will do the best Mass Effect game.
GOTY 2016
 

Xando

Member
Actually, this would make sense.

Really, there shouldn't be any mass relays, since those were constructions of the Reapers, so no galaxy other than the Milky Way should have them.

Thus no galaxy wide exploration. Just whatever planets you can get to via normal FTL before you cook your crew.

Yeah thinking about it, it would make a lot of sense if they go the DA:I route.

We know Mako will play a role and now Jetpacks point to big areas to explore.
 

Bedlam

Member
...

[*]Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.

wat

I sure hope there is still a galaxy map. That was one of the best things about ME because of the sense of scale it built, the aesthetics and the music.

edit: Booo @ Cerberus
 

Indrid Cold

Unconfirmed Member
Cerberus? Ewww. I want a geth squad mate(since we're forced to be shitty humans again). Legion was horribly under utilized.
 

JeffZero

Purple Drazi
Cerberus? Ewww. I want a geth squad mate(since we're forced to be shitty humans again). Legion was horribly under utilized.

Setting aside my own bias (humans are the best part of any great multispecies space opera saga) I don't have faith in BioWare (despite them being my favorite developer, hands down) to do narrative justice to the notion of several playable races. Somewhere, somehow, a lot of personal emotional attachment moments will get lost in the scramble of needing to neutralize NPC dialogue to accommodate several possible race selections while maintaining a "word budget", as the writers often call it.
 

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
I honestly think doing a multi-race playable narrative would be far easier than BioWare/some think, as all it requires conditionally is that the core narrative and setting do not pander to racial motivations. It's not complicated; just don't revolve the story around racial tensions, conflict, and development, and don't wrap it around a cast of characters with deeply ingrained racial traits. Contextual dialogue would be required, but a cast of essentially nobodies embarking on a mission not about Race WarZ avoids much of the tougher logistical issues when building a narrative to accommodate racial perspectives. Numerous other games can and do get away with it frequently. It's a staple of old RPGs. BioWare can do it, fuck they did it with Dragon Age. They simply chose not to in Mass Effect because they (unfortunately) prefer the alternative.

If Cerberus is back I'm going to put something through a wall.
 
[*]Traditional galaxy map navigation gone. Galaxy traversal now done via first person view of the ship, manually flying to locations.

This could be how they get the ship combat into the series...

[*]New ship is an entirely new design plus new layout from the Normandy. Has a balcony to observe lower levels, and see stuff like the Mako, and a "Pathfinder's quarters".
[*]Conduct "Strike" missions from ship.
[*]Meeting room to interact with squad.

Tell me more about the ship...
 
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