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[Nirolak]

Alright, I'll just put this all together here for the next page.

In the livechat mentioned in the last post, apparently they said there would be big levels in Mass Effect 3, but I never watched it so I can't confirm.

Obviously there are spoilers for Mass Effect 2 here, but you really shouldn't be reading a sequel thread if you're concerned about spoilers for the previous game.

HUD:

Squadmates:

 

[HDgaming42]

PS3 owner here, tell your Bioware to port Mass Effect (1) and I'll gladly pay for it

I suspect you might think ME1 is a step "backward". You won't get any "mission completed reward screens" to remind you what it is you're doing.

You will have to drive the Mako across planet surfaces instead of scanning (I prefer the former). Inventory is a mess, though it was preferable to having no customizable armor for your squad.

There's more reading, IIRC. It doesn't play like Gears.

I could go on. It is a flawed, but better game overall IMHO. If they'd simply made more varied Mako missions and fixed the inventory issue I'd have been happy. Instead they seemed to take more away than they gave back...

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I care about the story, but when I posted the following comments in the official thread:


I got bashed hard, so the real question is if YOU guys care about the story and the world of Mass Effect :lol

I really stopped caring about the story early on, but I still prefer leveling up in the middle of a mission(as long as there is no fighting going on).

 

[Yoshichan]

I suspect you might think ME1 is a step "backward". You won't get any "mission completed reward screens" to remind you what it is you're doing.

You will have to drive the Mako across planet surfaces instead of scanning (I prefer the former). Inventory is a mess, though it was preferable to having no customizable armor for your squad.

There's more reading, IIRC. It doesn't play like Gears.

I could go on. It is a flawed, but better game overall IMHO. If they'd simply made more varied Mako missions and fixed the inventory issue I'd have been happy. Instead they seemed to take more away than they gave back...

Yep, I know how much more RPG ME1 is. When I bought ME2, I honestly expected a third person shooter with some dialogue sequences in it. And who can be disappointed with those expectations? I loved, loved, loved the game and I'm looking forward to ME3 just as much as anyone else

edit: I also remember a friend of mine telling me that I shouldn't be playing ME1 (back when I got to the chance to try it on 360) just because of the Mako-across-planet thing. He said it was boring as hell.

 

[Kyoufu]

Not only mission complete screens need to go but also ammo. Can't believe they added that in. I prefer the heat system from the first game. Thermal clips was just a step back. This is supposed to be far far into the future, why the fuck do I need thermal clip ammo.

Improve the combat by not forcing me to stay in cover so much. The beauty of the first game was no global cooldown when using an ability, meaning the combat flowed very nicely. It was dynamic. In ME2 you use one ability then you have to duck back in cover before you can use another. What a downgrade from the first game.

I do however enjoy their direction they took with each Class in the game. I like how they play differently as opposed to the first game where there was practically no difference between a Vanguard and Adept, etc. The problem in ME2 though is they are limited to only a handful of abilities and powers. In ME1 you could do a lot of things. I would like a balance of both.

Also, as bad as the Mako exploration was, it was still better than planet scanning.

I wish BioWare would hire me. I'd make ME3 the best RPG ever.

 

[Yoshichan]

Improve the combat by not forcing me to stay in cover so much. The beauty of the first game was no global cooldown when using an ability, meaning the combat flowed very nicely. It was dynamic. In ME2 you use one ability then you have to duck back in cover before you can use another. What a downgrade from the first game.

Hell yes, I didn't understand why they put GCD in it... felt so odd and really ruins some of the pacing in the action.

 

[EatChildren]

I worry about BioWare's insistence to listen to 'fan feedback', especially their stat tracking relative to squad mates. Getting stats that say "X% of players used this squad mate" really is no indication that squaddy is geuinely the most popular.

Look at someone like Legion. He came in far too late into the game, and was completely optional. Because of this he will never show up in any of BioWare's statistic collecting. Characters that came early will have a greater advantage of coming across as 'popular'.

EDIT: Also I will skull fuck BioWare when they dont bring back Garrus and Tali as squad mates, butchering my go-to team for the trilogy.

 

[gdt]

I worry about BioWare's insistence to listen to 'fan feedback', especially their stat tracking relative to squad mates. Getting stats that say "X% of players used this squad mate" really is no indication that squaddy is geuinely the most popular.

Look at someone like Legion. He came in far too late into the game, and was completely optional. Because of this he will never show up in any of BioWare's statistic collecting. Characters that came early will have a greater advantage of coming across as 'popular'.

They've commented that they're proud on how hard they worked on the least popular stuff.

Something like that, anyway.




Let's hope so.

 

[Yoshichan]

I worry about BioWare's insistence to listen to 'fan feedback', especially their stat tracking relative to squad mates. Getting stats that say "X% of players used this squad mate" really is no indication that squaddy is geuinely the most popular.

Wow, I didn't know they did this. Miranda and Jacob will clearly be the two on top...

EDIT: Also I will skull fuck BioWare when they dont bring back Garrus and Tali as squad mates, butchering my go-to team for the trilogy.

Wait, I have no experience with Bioware... why would they do this? Garrus and Tali are my squad mates (and Tali more than that, love her personality and character soooooo much)... why?

 

[HDgaming42]

Wow, I didn't know they did this. Miranda and Grunt will clearly be the two on top...

Fixed.

 

[gdt]

Improve the combat by not forcing me to stay in cover so much. The beauty of the first game was no global cooldown when using an ability, meaning the combat flowed very nicely. It was dynamic. In ME2 you use one ability then you have to duck back in cover before you can use another. What a downgrade from the first game.

But the lack of GC in ME1 meant that you could just spam biotics. Just go down the list spamming them all. By the time you used the last one, the first on the list would be all charged up again.

GC works much better.

 

[Gui_PT]

Jacob LOL

(I'm not racist)

 

[Yoshichan]

Fixed.

Meh, just another fat Krogan with less of brain :/

Even though I never did play the original Mass Effect, I must say that while I was in Tuchanka, I loved Wrex' personality. Why couldn't I recruit him instead of that experiment-failure?!

Jacob LOL

(I'm not racist)

Dude was about to become my first lover in ME2 when I realized what he was trying to do... I immediately rejected him and got back to my sweet Garrus <3

Spoiler

I got a bit of Thane too

 

[gdt]

Wow, I didn't know they did this. Miranda and Jacob will clearly be the two on top...

Wait, I have no experience with Bioware... why would they do this? Garrus and Tali are my squad mates (and Tali more than that, love her personality and character soooooo much)... why?

Many characters from ME1 aren't playable in ME2. For various reasons (most of them are off being bosses).

 

[Peff]

I worry about BioWare's insistence to listen to 'fan feedback', especially their stat tracking relative to squad mates. Getting stats that say "X% of players used this squad mate" really is no indication that squaddy is geuinely the most popular.

Look at someone like Legion. He came in far too late into the game, and was completely optional. Because of this he will never show up in any of BioWare's statistic collecting. Characters that came early will have a greater advantage of coming across as 'popular'.

EDIT: Also I will skull fuck BioWare when they dont bring back Garrus and Tali as squad mates, butchering my go-to team for the trilogy.

It kinda reads like by fan-feedback they mean the BioWare forums, which all but ensures they'll both be back. But yeah, if they do ditch everyone it would probably be the biggest possible disappointment for me.

Spoiler

I still believe!

.

 

[Yoshichan]

Many characters from ME1 aren't playable in ME2. For various reasons (most of them are off being bosses).

Ah yeah, but they wouldn't completely take them out of the world right?

edit: it wouldn't make any sense for Tali to go back to her folks... especially considering my choices I did in ME2 :lol

 

[Totobeni]

Mako made the first game feel huge and like you are doing real shit in huge moons in space, The problem was the driving since it handles like a horny turtle on a stick, they should have fixed that and make it easier and not removing the entire thing.

I just hope they don't pull a DA2 with ME3, ME2 was already a huge step back and soulless shooter and got boring story compared to ME1, and now they have even shorter development time ( plus they were doing all the dlc).

 

[EatChildren]

Wait, I have no experience with Bioware... why would they do this? Garrus and Tali are my squad mates (and Tali more than that, love her personality and character soooooo much)... why?

I dont have any proof of anything, it's just the path I see them taking in terms of efficient game development and use of company resources. All the squaddies in ME2 can die at the end, so they can all theoretically never return. If squad members are to recieve just as much attention in ME3 as they did in ME2, then it's a pretty significant waste of development time to spend on significant character quests and content. Look at ME1->ME2. By the end, the three characters that had no chance of dying recieved, by far, the most screen time and content. The three characters that could were used very little.

I hope I'm wrong and I'd like BioWare to give the middle finger to how ME2 ended, but I could see them reserving the ME2 cast to smaller, non squad mate roles.

 

[Nirolak]

I dont have any proof of anything, it's just the path I see them taking in terms of efficient game development and use of company resources. All the squaddies in ME2 can die at the end, so they can all theoretically never return. If squad members are to recieve just as much attention in ME3 as they did in ME2, then it's a pretty significant waste of development time to spend on significant character quests and content. Look at ME1->ME2. By the end, the three characters that had no chance of dying recieved, by far, the most screen time and content. The three characters that could were used very little.

I hope I'm wrong and I'd like BioWare to give the middle finger to how ME2 ended, but I could see them reserving the ME2 cast to smaller, non squad mate roles.

Well, you'll be happy to know that Anders in DA2 set the precedent for this.

 

[gdt]

Mako made the first game feel huge and like you are doing real shit in huge moons in space, The problem was the driving since it handles like a horny turtle on a stick, they should have fixed that and make it easier and not removing the entire thing.

I just hope they don't pull a DA2 with ME3, ME2 was already a huge step back and soulless shooter and got boring story compared to ME1, and now they have even shorter development time ( plus they were doing all the dlc).

ME3 will be in development longer than ME2.


I loved how ME2 handled the side quests---smaller, but very distinct areas. If we can just expand the size a bit (though not as large and boring as the ME1 moons) it'll rock.

 

[Yoshichan]

I just hope they don't pull a DA2 with ME3, ME2 was already a huge step back and soulless shooter and got boring story compared to ME1, and now they have even shorter development time ( plus they were doing all the dlc).

I'm sure I read somewhere that the people making the DLC are not the same people that are working with ME3.

 

[Ickman3400]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the people making the DLC are not the same people that are working with ME3.

Yup, they split a small team off to work on DLC while the majority of the main team worked on ME3.

 

[Kyoufu]

But the lack of GC in ME1 meant that you could just spam biotics. Just go down the list spamming them all. By the time you used the last one, the first on the list would be all charged up again.

GC works much better.

Well what else is an Adept going to do other than spam biotics?

That is like saying a mage cannot be allowed to use all of his/her spells.

 

[Patryn]

Ah yeah, but they wouldn't completely take them out of the world right?

edit: it wouldn't make any sense for Tali to go back to her folks... especially considering my choices I did in ME2 :lol

Trust me; If you played ME1, then you'd understand that Kaiden/Ashley are NOTHING like the person they are in ME1. They are given total personality transplants just to justify why they don't drop everything and join up with you.

Liara also has a massive change in personality. Some of her old side shows up in Lair of the Shadow Broker, but you have to understand that she was the naive, innocent one in ME1.

So the moral is: Bioware is not above completely changing characters' personalities to suit whatever changes have been made to the game.

However, I think if anyone is going to return from your squad as teammates in ME3, it's going to be Garrus and Tali. At this point, the ME series is as much about those two as it is Shepard.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

I worry about BioWare's insistence to listen to 'fan feedback', especially their stat tracking relative to squad mates. Getting stats that say "X% of players used this squad mate" really is no indication that squaddy is geuinely the most popular.

Look at someone like Legion. He came in far too late into the game, and was completely optional. Because of this he will never show up in any of BioWare's statistic collecting. Characters that came early will have a greater advantage of coming across as 'popular'.

EDIT: Also I will skull fuck BioWare when they dont bring back Garrus and Tali as squad mates, butchering my go-to team for the trilogy.

I'd say there's no fucking way Tali and Garrus aren't coming back as squadmates, they're probably the most popular companions.

...but hey, I expect more moronic decisions from Bioware...

Also, not only legion is probably fucked up, Kasumi who came as a DLC have so little chances...It's a shame she is pretty interesting and I would like to see her in ME3, with you know...actual conversations (or maybe that was the intention of making her a DLC character as a first aproach of the character and the expanded her in ME3).

 

[Nirolak]

Mako made the first game feel huge and like you are doing real shit in huge moons in space, The problem was the driving since it handles like a horny turtle on a stick, they should have fixed that and make it easier and not removing the entire thing.

I just hope they don't pull a DA2 with ME3, ME2 was already a huge step back and soulless shooter and got boring story compared to ME1, and now they have even shorter development time ( plus they were doing all the dlc).

ME3 will be in development longer than ME2.


I loved how ME2 handled the side quests---smaller, but very distinct areas. If we can just expand the size a bit (though not as large and boring as the ME1 moons) it'll rock.

I'm not sure what the full development time of ME2 was, but we do actually know ME3's.

 

[HDgaming42]

Meh, just another fat Krogan with less of brain

The way I play I need a squad-mate tank. I suspect a lot of other people did too.

Would be interesting to see the break-down. Miranda and Grunt were the only two squad mates that didn't end up on the floor when they (frequently) ignored my commands and ran around all willy-nilly.

 

[gdt]

Well what else is an Adept going to do other than spam biotics?

That is like saying a mage cannot be allowed to use all of his/her spells.

This is true.

Maybe an adept should have individual cooldowns as a class bonus.

 

[Grisby]

Mako made the first game feel huge and like you are doing real shit in huge moons in space, The problem was the driving since it handles like a horny turtle on a stick, they should have fixed that and make it easier and not removing the entire thing.

I just hope they don't pull a DA2 with ME3, ME2 was already a huge step back and soulless shooter and got boring story compared to ME1, and now they have even shorter development time ( plus they were doing all the dlc).

I liked the Mako enough and the sky boxes were some of the best around. However, I vastly preferred ME2's approach with more varying missions and scenery. The copy paste side mission settings of ME1 kill the game every time I reply it.

Thats the one thing I hope Bioware doesn't take from DA2 and put back into ME3.

Of course, I think they found a happy medium with the Overlord DLC. I'm betting there will be more of that type of structure in the game.

 

[HDgaming42]

Well what else is an Adept going to do other than spam biotics?

That is like saying a mage cannot be allowed to use all of his/her spells.

Exactly. Not everyone plays a tank.

 

[Kyoufu]

This is true.

Maybe an adept should have individual cooldowns as a class bonus.

Indeed.

 

[Yoshichan]

Trust me; If you played ME1, then you'd understand that Kaiden/Ashley are NOTHING like the person they are in ME1. They are given total personality transplants just to justify why they don't drop everything and join up with you.

Liara also has a massive change in personality. Some of her old side shows up in Lair of the Shadow Broker, but you have to understand that she was the naive, innocent one in ME1.

So the moral is: Bioware is not above completely changing characters' personalities to suit whatever changes have been made to the game.

However, I think if anyone is going to return from your squad as teammates in ME3, it's going to be Garrus and Tali. At this point, the ME series is as much about those two as it is Shepard.

Wow, I really had no clue... I found both Kaiden and Ashley (on both my playthroughs) to be boring characters and I'm glad they disappeared. God damn, if they were good developed characters in ME1 then I can completely understand the disappointment in some cases.

I really liked Liara though, but mostly because of the Shadow Broker. Naive and innocent? I'd love to see that... damn I need to play ME1.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Well what else is an Adept going to do other than spam biotics?

That is like saying a mage cannot be allowed to use all of his/her spells.

Adept was broken in ME1, maybe GC was an extreme measure but actually playing adept is more fun in ME2 because is more challenging.

Wow, I really had no clue... I found both Kaiden and Ashley (on both my playthroughs) to be boring characters and I'm glad they disappeared. God damn, if they were good developed characters in ME1 then I can completely understand the disappointment in some cases.

I really liked Liara though, but mostly because of the Shadow Broker. Naive and innocent? I'd love to see that... damn I need to play ME1.

Kaiden was boooooring in ME1, it's the Jacob of that game.You basically hear his dialogues once and you never want to see him again.

Liara is a much better character in ME2, IMO.

 

[Patryn]

The way I play I need a squad-mate tank. I suspect a lot of other people did too.

Would be interesting to see the break-down. Miranda and Grunt were the only two squad mates that didn't end up on the floor when they (frequently) ignored my commands and ran around all willy-nilly.

Miranda is a given as the most popular to run with, simply because she auto-buffs the entire team. I'm just really surprised that you think Grunt is the second most popular. I'd be willing to bet that Garrus is number 2.

 

[EatChildren]

Liara's personality change is a by hyperbolic. She's really not that different, and the differences that are there are justified by the lengthy time that passed between both games, and the fact she was extremely young and naive.

She grew up, that's all. The loony Mass Effect Liara fans were just pissy that she wasn't slobbing their knob after Shepard returned from the dead years later. As if, you know, Liara hadn't accepted Shepard's death, mourned, and moved on.

 

[Yoshichan]

Would be interesting to see the break-down. Miranda and Grunt were the only two squad mates that didn't end up on the floor when they (frequently) ignored my commands and ran around all willy-nilly.

Yeah, what the fuck was up with the AI anyway? It's as if the game wasn't designed to be on insanity... I'm pausing the game and ordering my squad to go to each corner so that I can use their powers efficiently. Instead they do something completely different and boom, they're both dead. It wasn't until I chose Kasumi (for invisibility) and Miranda (squad buffs) that I managed to do good on insanity.

That was the only part during ME2 that I was literally screaming at my screen, saying "What the fuck were they thinking, they NEED to fix this for ME3!"

 

[gdt]

A
Kaiden was boooooring in ME1, it's the Jacob of that game.You basically hear his dialogues once and you never want to see him again.

Liara is a much better character in ME2, IMO.

Right on both counts.

Liara's personality change is a by hyperbolic. She's really not that different, and the differences that are there are justified by the lengthy time that passed between both games, and the fact she was extremely young and naive.

She grew up, that's all. The loony Mass Effect Liara fans were just pissy that she wasn't slobbing their knob after Shepard returned from the dead years later. As if, you know, Liara hadn't accepted Shepard's death, mourned, and moved on.

Right on all counts. Liara softened alot in Shadow Broker. When the mission was done.

 

[StevePharma]

Yeah, what the fuck was up with the AI anyway? It's as if the game wasn't designed to be on insanity... I'm pausing the game and ordering my squad to go to each corner so that I can use their powers efficiently. Instead they do something completely different and boom, they're both dead. It wasn't until I chose Kasumi (for invisibility) and Miranda (squad buffs) that I managed to do good on insanity.

That was the only part during ME2 that I was literally screaming at my screen, saying "What the fuck were they thinking, they NEED to fix this for ME3!"

Maybe ME3 is a solo mission for Shepard like in the Arrival and Kasumi DLCs..... [/dragonage2'd]

MIND BLOWN

 

[gdt]

Wow, I really had no clue... I found both Kaiden and Ashley (on both my playthroughs) to be boring characters and I'm glad they disappeared. God damn, if they were good developed characters in ME1 then I can completely understand the disappointment in some cases.

I really liked Liara though, but mostly because of the Shadow Broker. Naive and innocent? I'd love to see that... damn I need to play ME1.

Kaiden is easily the worst character of the bunch in ME1. Ashley...yeah, I was surprised she didn't join me in ME2.

 

[Grisby]

Liara's personality change is a by hyperbolic. She's really not that different, and the differences that are there are justified by the lengthy time that passed between both games, and the fact she was extremely young and naive.

She grew up, that's all. The loony Mass Effect Liara fans were just pissy that she wasn't slobbing their knob after Shepard returned from the dead years later. As if, you know, Liara hadn't accepted Shepard's death, mourned, and moved on.

I loved the change. When I saw her on Illium I couldn't believe how much of a different character she had become. It made her DLC all the better too because you could still see there was some of the same person under that exterior.

Your right, she 'grew' up. And it seemed that was the theme of all the returning ME characters. They all took on leadership roles and suffered from some sort of loss. Ashley/Kaiden not coming back either made sense to me and made it a bittersweet reunion when I fist met them (ash in my case.)

 

[Yoshichan]

Maybe ME3 is a solo mission for Shepard like in the Arrival and Kasumi DLCs.....

MIND BLOWN

I found out that the easiest way to beat insanity was to hide the squad in a corner and go solo (while using their abilities) :lol

So yeah I'd like a solo mission game! YEAAAAAH

 

[Lostconfused]

Well, you'll be happy to know that Anders in DA2 set the precedent for this.

The cure is even worse than the disease!

 

[Patryn]

Kaiden was boooooring in ME1, it's the Jacob of that game.You basically hear his dialogues once and you never want to see him again.

Liara is a much better character in ME2, IMO.

He may have been "vanilla," but he definitely wasn't the self-righteous blowhard he is in ME2. The Kaiden I knew would have allowed Shepard to explain what was going on, and he almost definitely would have joined up.

And let's not even talk about space racist Ashley: You'd think she'd jump for joy for the opportunity to work with a human-centric organization like Cerberus.

Frankly, the only character who had a good excuse for why they don't join you is Wrex.

 

[Kyoufu]

That was the only part during ME2 that I was literally screaming at my screen, saying "What the fuck were they thinking, they NEED to fix this for ME3!"

They also need to fix another thing...

Don't give a squadmate Overload AND Warp :lol

A huge percentage of players take her for that reason. Lets just say I like other characters much much more yet I still end up taking Miranda because she can take down all kinds of shields.

You could give A blind-folded, stuck in the basement Stevie Wonder warp and overload and everyone would take him along.

 

[HDgaming42]

Miranda is a given as the most popular to run with, simply because she auto-buffs the entire team. I'm just really surprised that you think Grunt is the second most popular. I'd be willing to bet that Garrus is number 2.

I think it would depend on the class you play. With gaming in general I like sniping and magic, so that's the way I play ME. I usually play through multiple times with the classes that fit those styles. I played ME1 as a tank as well, but didn't bother with ME2.

Garrus wound up dead on every mission I brought him on. He would NOT stay in cover. Ever.

I can only assume he acted this way on other people's playthroughs. I used Grunt simply because he didn't always die when he inevitably charged out of cover in some suicidal gambit in direct violation of my squad commands.

Man they better fix that...

 

[Hasphat'sAnts]

Miranda is a given as the most popular to run with, simply because she auto-buffs the entire team. I'm just really surprised that you think Grunt is the second most popular. I'd be willing to bet that Garrus is number 2.

Yeah. Miranda had Warp and Overload which hit shields, armor, and barriers. With the squad buff on top of that, I'd be surprised if she wasn't the most "popular" choice.

Garrus had Overload, Concussive Shot, and Armor Piercing Rounds, second most versatile character in the game. He and Miranda are who I rolled with the whole time.

 

[Ark]

As long as my I can continue my romance with Liara (And ditch Miranda if necessary) and that Kasumi can still be my squadmate, then I'm a happy man.

 

[Yoshichan]

They also need to fix another thing...

Don't give a squadmate Overload AND Warp :lol

A huge percentage of players take her for that reason. Lets just say I like other characters much much more yet I still end up taking Miranda because she can take down all kinds of shields.

Can't change dat GOD TIER, man! Can't change it :lol

 

[EatChildren]

Frankly, the only character who had a good excuse for why they don't join you is Wrex.

I would have loved to see more Wrex, but I will say his character devlepment made plenty of sense, and it's cool seeing him sit on the Krogan throne with a genuine passion for saving his people while also bringing out of the stone age. Shitting on the face of stupid, backwards cultural traditions that are holding their species back.

Oh Wrex, how I love thee.

 

[subversus]

It's good that all my squadmates are alive except the unpopular one and the diseased one. I won't have to deal with "fuck the ending, let's bring Y back!".