Yep. I wanna make Kirk look like a boyscout.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Mass Effect: Andromeda - Some small updates (voice casting has started, combat, etc)
- Thread starter shinobi602
- Start date
Yep. I wanna make Kirk look like a boyscout.
Except by picking a canon ending they literally couldn't be taking into account what players did.
It's either move elsewhere (which is interesting and new) and not deal with it, or outright ignore what a bunch of players did by making certain choices canon.
formasymphonic
Member
I fear you may have to pray pretty hard.
That seems to be pretty high on the "tick box game design requirement" list these days. Particularly so for RPGs and their variants, no?
Ditto. Or at the very least, laidback DA2 style crafting.
Technically, but one requires actually examining what players did and the choices they made, the other requires no examination or consideration at all. Not everyone could be accommodated but they would have at least taken the time to go over it, weigh the options and so on.
The current situation just averts that entirely. Nothing that occurs in ME3 matters to Andromeda. I'm not saying that's good or bad. Just that in a hypothetical situation where ME4 exists and people are outraged at one ending being canon and not the others, that situation at least requires BioWare to spend time and care in looking at what people did and chose and how that affects the universe going forward. The current situation requires none of that.
Which I find funny. People would be far more angry and outraged that they actually took the time to work things out than the reality where they literally run off to another galaxy and ignore the endings entirely.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
There's nothing to work out though. It's not a puzzle. There's no prize for analysing the outcomes and deciding to go in a specific canonised direction that by nature makes a portion of the fanbase and their choices redundant. For all we know they did look at the data (which I think ME3 was able to provide, as it helped shape the DLC) and deduced that given what they wanted to do for their direction with the series picking a canon simply wasn't worth it. Like it doesn't matter how intent and analytical they are with trilogy data, or how they handle the outcome, the outcome is still the same; one that makes choices redundant and simply uses fragments of the trilogy outcome, along with potentially new data, as framework for a new story that overrides everyone trilogy outcome anyway.
I remember when this game was first in discussion and I argued my ideal scenario would be to pick a canon (even if it wasn't my own), or make one up, and set it in the same galaxy, post war, in a kind of cold war / post-war depression and use them as central themes. New clans and political empires popping up. Uncharted reaches of space opened up as everyone becomes desperate for resources. I still think that would be really cool, my universe or not. But I don't really think there's anything bold about. It's only as good as they could execute it, and ultimately it's the same shit; create an template that isn't one from my original journey and tell a new story.
And honestly I don't really trust BioWare's writing teams to approach the mangled trilogy ending state and successfully deliver on a canonised post-war game.
I remember when this game was first in discussion and I argued my ideal scenario would be to pick a canon (even if it wasn't my own), or make one up, and set it in the same galaxy, post war, in a kind of cold war / post-war depression and use them as central themes. New clans and political empires popping up. Uncharted reaches of space opened up as everyone becomes desperate for resources. I still think that would be really cool, my universe or not. But I don't really think there's anything bold about. It's only as good as they could execute it, and ultimately it's the same shit; create an template that isn't one from my original journey and tell a new story.
And honestly I don't really trust BioWare's writing teams to approach the mangled trilogy ending state and successfully deliver on a canonised post-war game.
Cornbread78
Member
So close, yet SOOO FAR away!!!
Doug Heffernan
Member
Just makes me realize how far this game is from releasing. 
Why be annoyed if they didn't choose synthesis? Honestly, that would the worst one to pick, if you ask me.
I was always advocating that they should have just picked a modified Destroy where it didn't have any of the bad side effects they had to add so it wasn't the clearest and most obvious choice.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Ultimate destruction: everyone dead except humans.
Fixed that for you.
I actually like Tali a lot, but people took that shit too far.
itchyass86
Member
I honestly wouldn't mind if Jennifer Hale was recasted into ME Andromeda as squadmate. That'd be rad.
Just please - no Nolan North or Troy Baker.
Just please - no Nolan North or Troy Baker.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
LlamaJohnson
Member
I don't get the anti-Andromeda argument. The original trilogy is over. That story is done. Bioware want to tell a new story, free from the constraints of the many decisions and choices that we all made. I killed Mordin. Killed his ass. I destroyed the Quarians, and never chose Tali for a mission, and she bought it on the suicide mission. Killed Wrex. No regrets. That's the way I wanted my story to go, and to a large degree, I was able to see it through to the end. People I know who played the series played it exactly the opposite. To continue the story with certain characters that I already knew, or places I've already been, but then to tell me that the way I want to play it is impossible because a certain few of the creators wanted to keep Mordin alive? Nah man. Start over. Give me a new story to play. The original series will always be there for me to play again. I'm ready for something new. Bioware is too.
nocturnalis
Member
I'd kill that thieving Quarian. When playing no import ME3, I would make sure to make Tali kill herself, then pick destroy so the Geth would die too.
nocturnalis
Member
What I really care about is multiplayer. ME3 Co-Op is my favorite. It bad better be great. Hopefully they aren't afraid to put tight multiplayer powers in singleplayer.
JohnnyFootball
GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I have rather low expectations for this game and honestly, its the best feeling to have.
Rannoch was a pretty mixed way to end that arc, though at least is wasnt downright terrible like how they treated Legion and the Geth.
Time to spend at least 3 games in some generic arkship! :b
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
The survey leak implied multiplayer is kinda integrated into single player this time. It's still co-op, but your multiplayer characters are a strike team or something, can be sent on missions for resource, and those missions can be played manually with that character. I guess a bit like how Peace Walker works.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
BioWare fucked over Legion and the Geth, but I suppose I should have seen it coming given they've done it to every one of my favourite plot points.
These worlds are MINE!
My head canon is already way different than the current mainline series. It doesn't really matter what they do. Cerberus was always human STG. Shepard didn't find out about what Cerberus did to the unit until Mass Effect 2 (which is actually Mass Effect 1 because in my universe it goes ME2 Collectors attacking human colonies -> ME1 Saren takes notice and follows up on the Collectors -> ME3)
I hope they successfully execute on the premise that we're the invading force this time.
My hope is that there's no voice acting for the main character so this isn't an issue : ^)
Brah, the silent protagonist ain't been cool for years though. Not even Fallout is doing it anymore. Times a' changing.
Shadowrun and Pillars certainly are better for it.
I 100 percent guarantee you're going to be disappointed.
Bioware is never going to do a silent protagonist ever again.
The most you'll get is a few options for male and female voices.
But Mass Effect 3 was always billed as a trilogy, and that's what it ended up being. My understanding is that most of the lead writers and executive producers of the trilogy have left by now. If that is the case, what good is it to have a new creative team shackled to the decisions of the last creative team?
I ultimately think this is for the better, and I personally had no beefs with ME3 (even the much-hated ending). This will allow the newer storytellers to flex their muscles and own something new instead of playing "reconciliation" with what was already done.
anexanhume
Member
Bring refund guy back.
Sadly, Mac Walters (writer on ME1, co-head writer on ME2, head writer on ME3) is still around.
That's the best thing they could have done, a clean break.
More worrying are the leaked story details.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Shinobi delivering the goods!
Sounds like it's a ways out though 😢
Sounds like it's a ways out though 😢
Florida_Man_5000
Member
I don't mind crafting, i just don't like the dandelion hunting that accompanies it in DAI.
I hope MA-Andromeda decides to take the ME3 multiplayer combat and use it to make single player combat better. I would like team synergy formation to be a heavy part of each mission. The gun variation was much more important to gameplay there too and it needs to carry over.
Where we're going we don't need melee. Or a shotgun if we're being honest.Of course Charge is the most fun baby!!
Cant wait for the good ol combo "charge+melee+shotgun"
Way back when I was kinda sad that there would be no more Shepard, but now I'm all aboard the Andromeda train and so happy they took this route. I'm ready to start fresh with another character for sure. Like EatChildren said I think trying to consolidate all of those ME choices into an ME4 would have just not been good. I probably wouldn't have entrusted them with that task either. A clean slate is the best possible option.
Holiday 2016 is the plan but I feel like it'll end up being Q1 2017.
On that note, really hoping ME: A isn't part 1 of something. Considering the vastness of space BW should turn the ME series into self-contained games.
I'm mostly fucking with him but yeah thanks for reminding me.
I don't mind if they create sequels for it a la the first trilogy than say something like Dragon Age, but I just don't want to turn it into a smaller scaled first game then UH OH!!! A secret is unveiled that puts the entire galaxy at risk. At this point based on the leak I guess you could say the ancient alien race called The Remnant or whatever. What's up with them if that's true remains to be seen, but I just don't want it to transform into a game about becoming a savior.
I understand this position, I really do, but I just don't fully agree with it. The state of the ME galaxy post ME3 is a very different place than what it was in ME1/2. The events of the game, not including the endings, alone nearly levels the galaxy. The way the game ended left a lot of room for new avenues and for future games to leave their own mark. Everything was basically reduced to raw clay again.
Andromeda is easier, it sets aside all that baggage from the endings. Which is huge, terrible baggage. It doesn't technically negate or wipe away the events of the originally trilogy and allows the new team to do whatever they want. That's really enticing, I'm not surprised they took it at all.
But personally I would have preferred they channeled that desire to make something new by building on the rubble and ashes of the original series, rather than wiping the slate clean. I don't like side stepping, especially when done to avoid a previous decision that has massive repercussions on a setting.
I want to see how the galaxy rebounds, or doesn't, after the Reaper War. I don't want to pal around with all the same companions and deal with the same conflicts and stupid shit like that, but I like to see settings grow and change overtime based on the events around them and few games offer that opportunity and now it's gone with ME. Andromeda cannot do that ever. I'm still excited for it immensely because I am hopeful for what it can offer in terms of gameplay and exploration, but I won't just ignore the fact that I think without a doubt staying in the Milky Way would have been a much more interesting and worthwhile choice creatively. Probably harder and not without its issues, but in a perfect world it could be something great. Maybe Andromeda is the better choice given the realities of the situation, but that's not exactly my problem.
I'd be fine with a less-hands on Dragon Age format, whereby your decisions are kept track of but virtually nothing carries over to new games except perhaps by passing mention in the new setting. I think having another trilogy in the vein of the original would exhaust me, such as the same PC and characters and plot conflict. Like really, another 10 years before this plotline is resolved? The self-contained format limits them to local consequences, but that also opens the opportunity for more variance within that local setting.