EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz8TEvXxGzI
Probably the most hit-and-miss, take-or-leave component of the trilogy's design, yet also one of the most hotly debated: uncharted worlds. Those masses of land, usually resigned to side quests, that offer a little bit exploration, a little bit combat, and a lot of seeing/hearing/smelling mysterious landscapes. Also skyboxes.
You could even say that uncharted worlds are one of the most distinct components of the franchise, contributing significantly to its identity.
So if they were to return ('were" is probably not the right word, as they'll be there in some form), how would you have them?
A) Mass Effect 1 flavour: Sprawling landscapes, several kilometres worth of planetary terrain, explored via vehicle and foot. Open air, gorgeous skyboxes. Yet at the cost of detail and hand crafted content. Lots of "nothingness", asset repetition, and the risk of a lack of variety between planets. Discoverable by the player on the galaxy map, allowing for immediate vehicle drop-in, even if there's not much to "do" on the surface.
B) Mass Effect 2 flavour: Short, on-foot missions set in highly detailed and meticulously constructed locations across an assortment of planets, art and audio teams working wonders to make each location seem authentic and alive, if at the cost of real, playable scope. Largely discovered through quests.
C) Mass Effect 2: Overlord flavour: A hybrid of A and B; relatively small and neatly organised terrain space that is expansive enough to be explored by vehicle, designated drop off points leading to foot missions, the core explorable area moreso acting like a hub.
D) Mass Effect 3 flavour: Similar to Mass Effect 2, exploration stripped back further and discovery deeply integrated into the main quest arc. Act as more traditional "side quests" than freely discoverable/explorable "uncharted worlds". Limited to blue/green/red colour palette.
So what would you chose? Consider the logistics of development, manpower/money/time and such, as well as what can be done with engines these days. What is the perfect middle ground in retaining that authentic Mass Effect feel, doing something new, but also not going too overboard? Would you want vehicles to return, and if so, how would you have them? Or would you be happier with the ME2 approach: neatly organised side missions with density > expansiveness?
What do you want from Uncharted Worlds in Mass Effect 4?
Probably the most hit-and-miss, take-or-leave component of the trilogy's design, yet also one of the most hotly debated: uncharted worlds. Those masses of land, usually resigned to side quests, that offer a little bit exploration, a little bit combat, and a lot of seeing/hearing/smelling mysterious landscapes. Also skyboxes.
You could even say that uncharted worlds are one of the most distinct components of the franchise, contributing significantly to its identity.
So if they were to return ('were" is probably not the right word, as they'll be there in some form), how would you have them?
A) Mass Effect 1 flavour: Sprawling landscapes, several kilometres worth of planetary terrain, explored via vehicle and foot. Open air, gorgeous skyboxes. Yet at the cost of detail and hand crafted content. Lots of "nothingness", asset repetition, and the risk of a lack of variety between planets. Discoverable by the player on the galaxy map, allowing for immediate vehicle drop-in, even if there's not much to "do" on the surface.
B) Mass Effect 2 flavour: Short, on-foot missions set in highly detailed and meticulously constructed locations across an assortment of planets, art and audio teams working wonders to make each location seem authentic and alive, if at the cost of real, playable scope. Largely discovered through quests.
C) Mass Effect 2: Overlord flavour: A hybrid of A and B; relatively small and neatly organised terrain space that is expansive enough to be explored by vehicle, designated drop off points leading to foot missions, the core explorable area moreso acting like a hub.
D) Mass Effect 3 flavour: Similar to Mass Effect 2, exploration stripped back further and discovery deeply integrated into the main quest arc. Act as more traditional "side quests" than freely discoverable/explorable "uncharted worlds". Limited to blue/green/red colour palette.
So what would you chose? Consider the logistics of development, manpower/money/time and such, as well as what can be done with engines these days. What is the perfect middle ground in retaining that authentic Mass Effect feel, doing something new, but also not going too overboard? Would you want vehicles to return, and if so, how would you have them? Or would you be happier with the ME2 approach: neatly organised side missions with density > expansiveness?
What do you want from Uncharted Worlds in Mass Effect 4?
