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[Subitai]

Idk. Maybe there aren't enough RPG buyers to fund the game we all want and Bioware does have to make it appeal to CoD players.

 

[Jarmel]

It'll probably be like ME1 where any type of biotic attack makes Shepard go ragdoll for a few seconds.

Well they mentioned falling but yes you're almost certainly correct. A man can dream though.

 

[Nirolak]

It'll probably be like ME1 where any type of biotic attack makes Shepard go ragdoll for a few seconds.

The seem to be taking a lot of queues from Dead Space between the Reaper enemy design and the "control while being thrown around" gameplay, so the would at least seem to have the tech ready to let you move while being thrown around.

 

[TheFightingFish]

"Twelve was a big number in Mass Effect 2 - almost too big", Hudson concedes. "We're focused on a smaller squad with deeper relationships and more interesting interplay in Mass Effect 3' he explains.

If they actually mean what they say about deeper interactions with a smaller cast then I'd totally be down with that. I'd love to see a cast with actual growth as friends / enemies between the cast members apart from Shepard. I get why Shepard has to be the focus, but having such interesting characters that only relate to Shepard always seems like such a big waste to me. I want more than just party banter here.

 

[Aurarian]

They have to start a new player somewhere. There is no cannon, just the worst beginning that gives you incentive to go back to mass effect 1 and import your own choices into 2.

Or by reading a comic.

I swear I read somewhere here on GAF a couple of weeks back that the choice was made into canon. I just laugh that they say we have choices in the game and then completely nullify them by ret-conning them later on.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

This info is sounding pretty hot.

Super-hot even.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

Someone on the Bioware forums summarized some info from the new Xbox World magazine:

I tried to cut out some of the stuff we've heard about already, full post is here: http://social.bioware.com/forum/Mass-Effect/Mass-Effect-General-Discussion-NO-SPOILERS-ALLOWED/Xbox-World-Magazine-ME3-info-ULTRA-Spoilerific-7352856-1.html

I like some of that, but ...

BIG LEVELS:

Spoiler

"These spaces large enough to accommodate a six hundred foot Reaper bossfight, and a fifty foot Cerberus Atlas mech Shepard himself pilots later in the game."

they need to stop spoiling the game already.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Twelve was a big number in Mass Effect 2 - almost too big", Hudson concedes.

Every goddamn Bioware release in the past couple of years has literally had a marketing campaign leading up to them advertising the stripping of features and diminishing scope as some type of spin to make it all to sound positive.

Bioware's main objective and focus is no longer trying to deliver an experience that pushes the limits but instead, how they can best rape the consumers with each new iteration in the most stealthy way possible.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

I swear I read somewhere here on GAF a couple of weeks back that the choice was made into canon. I just laugh that they say we have choices in the game and then completely nullify them by ret-conning them later on.

Maybe we assumed as such because it was the default, but ya it's so god damn brutal. Wrex dead, council dead, everyone you could kill, dead. Just awful. I just assumed from word of mouth (like you) bioware had that as canon-Shep.

Maybe they don't.

 

[Jarmel]

Every goddamn Bioware release in the past couple of years has literally had a marketing campaign leading up to them advertising the stripping of features and diminishing scope as some type of spin to make it all to sound positive.

Bioware's main objective and focus is no longer trying to deliver an experience that pushes the limits but instead, how they can best rape the consumers with each new iteration in the most stealthy way possible.

Jesus it's amazing how people twist anything to suit their own perspective. Hudson is absolutely correct, 12 was too many. I would rather them focus on 6-7 squadmates with more depth than 12 with shallow conversations. Calibrations anyone?

 

[~Kinggi~]

Jesus it's amazing how people twist anything to suit their own perspective. Hudson is absolutely correct, 12 was too many. I would rather them focus on 6-7 squadmates with more depth than 12 with shallow conversations. Calibrations anyone?

I'd say more is better. How about just focusing on putting more effort into those 12? Like i said, Bioware has had a very consistent trend on a number of issues where there solution is to cut content and then act like it will benefit the game. Dragon Age 2 is their worst offense yet. ME 3 might just take that spot if its any more stripped down than ME 2 was from ME 1.

 

[HadesGigas]

Yeah 12 is probably too many to expect to have a lot of depth, but they went with that and acted like they succeeded at it for years. Now "oh it's too much and we have to scale it back". Comes off looking bad.

 

[Jarmel]

I'd say more is better. How about just focusing on putting more effort into those 12? Like i said, Bioware has had a very consistent trend on a number of issues where there solution is to cut content and then act like it will benefit the game. Dragon Age 2 is their worst offense yet. ME 3 might just take that spot if its any more stripped down than ME 2 was from ME 1.

Limited resources. Quality always beats quantity. In an ideal world each character would have thousands of hours of dialogue but we don't live in one. That's even excluding how redundant and useless many of the characters were in a combat setting.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

Yeah 12 is probably too many to expect to have a lot of depth, but they went with that and acted like they succeeded at it for years. Now "oh it's too much and we have to scale it back". Comes off looking bad.

It does? Seems like they did 12, and it worked well enough, but they want a deeper experience. Smart to me.

 

[HadesGigas]

It does? Seems like they did 12, and it worked well enough, but they want a deeper experience. Smart to me.

A deeper experience where half of the like 16 or whatever people that Shepard has hung out with are cameos at best. The final game of the trilogy is the one that probably should have had a large cast, ME1 and ME2's surviving casts combined + 1 or 2 newbies. But they made ME2's cast too big for that to be feasible

 

[pmj]

Jesus it's amazing how people twist anything to suit their own perspective. Hudson is absolutely correct, 12 was too many. I would rather them focus on 6-7 squadmates with more depth than 12 with shallow conversations. Calibrations anyone?

So, 6-7 squadmates. Garrus and Tali are two of them, but they can both be dead. If they are dead in your game, you have only have 4-5 characters for use in ME3. One spot is taken by Liara, leaving room for just 3-4 new characters, possibly even less if there are some surprise returns. Is that really enough?

I'm hoping for a few more than just 6.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

A deeper experience where half of the like 16 or whatever people that Shepard has hung out with are cameos at best. The final game of the trilogy is the one that probably should have had a large cast, ME1 and ME2's surviving casts combined + 1 or 2 newbies. But they made ME2's cast too big for that to be feasible

And the people he will "hang" with will be much more fleshed out according to Bioware.

I like it. If I had a choice, i'd add in Wrex, but seeing as he seems occupied with being king of the lizards, it is what it is .

 

[MaddenNFL64]

So, 6-7 squadmates. Garrus and Tali are two of them, but they can both be dead. If they are dead in your game, you have only have 4-5 characters for use in ME3. One spot is taken by Liara, leaving room for just 3-4 new characters, possibly even less if there are some surprise returns. Is that really enough?

I'm hoping for a few more than just 6.

The first game had 6.

This is why speculation on how a game will "feel" never goes well. We don't know shit.

 

[pmj]

The first game had 6.

This is why speculation on how a game will "feel" never goes well. We don't know shit.

Yeah, the first game had 6. What Jarmel suggested was a ME3 that with a shitty savefile could have as few as 4.

I want more than 4.

 

[MaddenNFL64]

Yeah, the first game had 6. What Jarmel suggested was a ME3 that with a shitty savefile could have as few as 4.

I want more than 4.

You made shitty choices. Making them stick, is a good thing.

You will have an experience not many will have.

 

[Jarmel]

So, 6-7 squadmates. Garrus and Tali are two of them, but they can both be dead. If they are dead in your game, you have only have 4-5 characters for use in ME3. One spot is taken by Liara, leaving room for just 3-4 new characters, possibly even less if there are some surprise returns. Is that really enough?

I'm hoping for a few more than just 6.

Well so far confirmed are:
Tali
Garrus
Ashley/Kaidan
Liara
Sanders

That's five already confirmed, with three as locks. I'm also sure that more of the ME2 cast will be back as squadmates, mainly looking at Legion and Mordin due to them being favorites and how integral their backstory is to the main story. Then there are sure to be more new squadmates. I would say probably 10 with 8 old squadmates and two new ones. Of the 7-8 there will be swappable models like a generic Krogan instead of Wrex if Wrex is dead.

Best guess:
Tali
Ashley/Kaidan
Liara
Sanders
Miranda/Jack
New female
Garrus
Legion
Mordin
? Now there has to be a token Krogan on the squad. Wrex doesn't make sense from a story POV but people want him badly especially compared to Grunt. So my guess is that Wrex will indeed be a squadmate and they want to keep him a surprise like Garrus

The rest will be temporary squadmates.

They have to assume at a certain point that you saved SOMEBODY in ME2. Chances are there won't be more than 2 new squadmates as they said that there are no new LIs in the game. Otherwise people are going to get pissed that you can't romance whoever. So worse case scenario is somebody has 4 and the best case is around 10. Although I can easily see both Miranda and Jack getting relegated to temporary squadmate status.

 

[LEGGZZZZ]

"I think Lair of the Shadow Broker is a good look at how we design levels now" says Hudson

GOTY 2012

 

[Aurarian]

Maybe we assumed as such because it was the default, but ya it's so god damn brutal. Wrex dead, council dead, everyone you could kill, dead. Just awful. I just assumed from word of mouth (like you) bioware had that as canon-Shep.

Maybe they don't.

I hope not. Udina is a douche and doesn't deserve it imo. At least I won't have to worry about squadmates(they're all alive). Wait... I may have to worry about Liara(will she leave?) since Bioware swears I cheated on her after being dead for two years.

 

[HK-47]

I'd say more is better. How about just focusing on putting more effort into those 12? Like i said, Bioware has had a very consistent trend on a number of issues where there solution is to cut content and then act like it will benefit the game. Dragon Age 2 is their worst offense yet. ME 3 might just take that spot if its any more stripped down than ME 2 was from ME 1.

12 characters is too much and spreads them thin. I actually have advocated for smaller, well written and well tied in parties like in MotB.

I'd rather have 4 Mordins, if you dont mind.

 

[Yoshichan]

"I think Lair of the Shadow Broker is a good look at how we design levels now" says Hudson

GOTY 2012

This is HUGE.

 

[Shrennin]

"I think Lair of the Shadow Broker is a good look at how we design levels now" says Hudson

GOTY 2012

This is HUGE.

Pretty much. LotSB was so awesome because of its constant shifting gameplay. You never knew what to expect. If BioWare makes all of ME3 like that then I cannot see how it does not get GOTY 2012 myself.

 

[DanielJr82]

"Twelve was a big number in Mass Effect 2 - almost too big", Hudson concedes. "We're focused on a smaller squad with deeper relationships and more interesting interplay in Mass Effect 3' he explains. "We're not going to have twelve again but we are going to do more with the characters on your squad including Liara, and Kaidan or Ashley. And we're bringing everyone back - every main character is in Mass Effect 3 somewhere"

"Over and over Bioware's team mention the scale of ME3 - every fight every enemy and every space is bigger than anything you've ever seen rendered in Mass Effect - or by the Unreal Engine - before"

"I think Lair of the Shadow Broker is a good look at how we design levels now" says Hudson [...] "

I'M SO FREGGIN' PSYCHED, lol! Woot! I'm loving the idea of a smaller but more complex squad. The biggest Unreal Engine game yet? Damn! Then the whole game will be like LotSB? Take my money now Bioware, lol!

Q1 2012 feels so far away. Which is why E3 has to deliver, come on Bioware, keep my appetite whetted until 2012!

 

[Mr_Zombie]

"Over and over Bioware's team mention the scale of ME3 - every fight every enemy and every space is bigger than anything you've ever seen rendered in Mass Effect - or by the Unreal Engine - before"

They do know that there are MMORPGs using Unreal Engine 3, right?

 

[Lakitu]

 

[Xamdou]

Awesome but can we customize weapon ammo, skins, scopes?

 

[Blue Ninja]

Awesome but can we customize weapon ammo, skins, scopes?

Dunno about skins, but ammo is definitely adjustable again, and I think scopes are, too.

 

[Nirolak]

Since some people were wondering earlier:

 

[Van Buren]

Since some people were wondering earlier:

I wish they would focus on explaining those rpg improvements instead of spoiling vital plot points in previews.

 

[Lakitu]

Casey Hudson on Squad Banter

 

[Nirolak]

Dunno about skins, but ammo is definitely adjustable again, and I think scopes are, too.

Awesome but can we customize weapon ammo, skins, scopes?

As for this, here's what we know:

-Your weapons have three upgrade slots -scope barrel and grip, and you can change the color and camouflage of weapons. [OXM]

-You may be able to get an eyepiece, like Garrus's, that will allow non-sniper weapons to scope in further, which also hints at armor having more of an effect on gameplay. [OXM]

-Powers Combine: Example given with Soldier: "Soldier still has an arcing attack called Concussive Shot, but it now behaves differently depending on the ammo upgrade he/she is using. Cryo ammo lets you use that same trajectory to deliver a blast of ice that can freeze every enemy in the area."

---

Finally, Casey says whether or not we will learn everything about the Reapers in Mass Effect 3. (Click For Answer - not sure if people consider this a spoiler so it's a link.)

 

[Xamdou]

As for this, here's what we know:

-Your weapons have three upgrade slots -scope barrel and grip, and you can change the color and camouflage of weapons. [OXM]

-You may be able to get an eyepiece, like Garrus's, that will allow non-sniper weapons to scope in further, which also hints at armor having more of an effect on gameplay. [OXM]

-Powers Combine: Example given with Soldier: "Soldier still has an arcing attack called Concussive Shot, but it now behaves differently depending on the ammo upgrade he/she is using. Cryo ammo lets you use that same trajectory to deliver a blast of ice that can freeze every enemy in the area."

---

Finally, Casey says whether or not we will learn everything about the Reapers in Mass Effect 3. (Click For Answer - not sure if people consider this a spoiler so it's a link.)

Thanks for the confirmation Nirolak!

So weapon customization is better than ME2, hopefully the story is more epic like ME1 ;O!

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

All the last info sounds so sweet (even the tweets), contrary to what pessimist believe right now, I think the game seems is going to be excellent when all its said and done.

 

[Shalashaska]

"The Seatle/Vancouver megacity on the west coast of North America is a truly gigantic space which Shepard will visit before and after the Reapers take it apart."

"If you Google Map Vancouver the layout is pretty much the exact same as our map" says Level Artist Don Arceta. "Geographically it's very true to the real world"

Awesome. It's gonna be fun to play in a place I've lived.

 

[Lakitu]

A lot of the new information has me excited (again).

-Taking inspiration from LOTSB for the combat.
-Toggle helmet feature is in.
-Squad banter will be in and a lot better than ME 2 by the sounds of it.
-We can sell weapons (and probably other stuff too), this makes me so happy.

 

[Montresor]

Awesome. It's gonna be fun to play in a place I've lived.

What the fuck spoilers!

How is it possible news like that is leaked so early? I'm in this thread for news about cast members and game play and scope but not for damn epic storyline info like I just accidentally read. D=

 

[Kitschkraft]

If they actually mean what they say about deeper interactions with a smaller cast then I'd totally be down with that. I'd love to see a cast with actual growth as friends / enemies between the cast members apart from Shepard. I get why Shepard has to be the focus, but having such interesting characters that only relate to Shepard always seems like such a big waste to me. I want more than just party banter here.

I actually agree with this. I'd rather the characters have growth and themes and personalities. The more characters they focus on, the worse each character is going to be.

My only worry is that by Biowares standards, "deeper characters" may only mean like 2 or 3 extra dialogues a piece....that's not what I'm asking for. I want these people to be as fleshed out as possible. Is it too much to ask that they move around the ship, or at least their own rooms, for once?

Finally, Casey says whether or not we will learn everything about the Reapers in Mass Effect 3. (Click For Answer - not sure if people consider this a spoiler so it's a link.)

*Comments regarding this spoiler*

Spoiler

I'm disappointed that they are going to explain the reapers. I feel like any explanation can only be unsatisfying and that it would have been best to maybe drop some clues that can lead to a number of different theories, but never explicitly explain them. But, that's just me, I know some feel the exact opposite. I think it's more interesting to leave speculation though.

 

[darkwing]

hmm just finished ME2, haven't gotten any hints that Cerberus is working for the Reapers, what's up with that??

 

[Lakitu]

hmm just finished ME2, haven't gotten any hints that Cerberus is working for the Reapers, what's up with that??

Only one magazine said that, PC Gamer. It sounds like speculation to me, since in all the other articles they mentioned that Bioware wouldn't tell them why.

 

[IoCaster]

hmm just finished ME2, haven't gotten any hints that Cerberus is working for the Reapers, what's up with that??

That could be easily explained away by Reaper indoctrination. That's been the writers crutch throughout the series. There doesn't even have to be any direct contact with an actual live Reaper. Just exposure to one of their 'artifacts' will get the job done.

ME: Saren, Benezia, Shiala and a research team on some side planet that spike and huskify themselves.

ME2: The researchers on the

Spoiler

derelict reaper

that spike and huskify themselves. The entire crew in

Spoiler

the Arrival DLC

. Then there's TIM and the partial indoctrination revealed in that shitty ME: Evolution comic.

I'm sure that there are other cases that I don't remember off-hand and some that are detailed in the crappy novels that I couldn't bring myself to finish reading. At this point it's probably best to roll with it and just ignore the nonsensical elements of the story/plot. ME3 will almost certainly be entertaining and lots of fun to play regardless. On the plus side Garrus, Tali, Liara, Ash/Kaiden and the rest of your wacky sidekicks will return to do some more calibrating and heavy breathing. What's not to love?

 

[Zeliard]

*Comments regarding this spoiler*

Spoiler

I'm disappointed that they are going to explain the reapers. I feel like any explanation can only be unsatisfying and that it would have been best to maybe drop some clues that can lead to a number of different theories, but never explicitly explain them. But, that's just me, I know some feel the exact opposite. I think it's more interesting to leave speculation though.

Spoiler

Meh, explain them. I don't want another several years of people debating the Reapers' origins and intentions like they're the Space Jockeys or whatever. Endless speculation can get old. If the explanation ends up silly then that's on Bioware for making a silly species the central antagonist of their new sci-fi property.

 

[Helzown]

That is literally the worst possible thing they could have done with Cerberus, plotwise.

That's silly, you don't even know the extent of that statement.

 

[HK-47]

Spoiler

I'm disappointed that they are going to explain the reapers. I feel like any explanation can only be unsatisfying and that it would have been best to maybe drop some clues that can lead to a number of different theories, but never explicitly explain them. But, that's just me, I know some feel the exact opposite. I think it's more interesting to leave speculation though.

Too late. ME2 ruined that.

 

[Lakitu]

Minor thing: Casey Hudson says that ME 3 will have seamless loading and that the stuff they'll be showing in the future won't contain any story spoilers.

 

[castlegar]

"The Seatle/Vancouver megacity on the west coast of North America is a truly gigantic space which Shepard will visit before and after the Reapers take it apart."

"If you Google Map Vancouver the layout is pretty much the exact same as our map" says Level Artist Don Arceta. "Geographically it's very true to the real world"

I love shit like this (especially here since I live in Vancouver). Eager to see it

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

This preview mentions that 70% of people weren't faithful to their ME1 romance, and that this will come back to bite them.

Holy shit, BRB starting a new game in ME2 to be faithful to Kaidan...

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