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[AlexBasch]

I'd be insanely happy if they integrated a "Origins" thing like they did in Dragon Age.

Maybe I'd still pick a human every now and then, but I'm sure people would go nuts if they had the choice to start out with a turian.

Garrus was non human and he was the dudest of dudes.

You can't ask for a better bro than Garrus, he was brotastic even with Femshep.

 

[Sajuuk]

So now bioware will have to try save 2 franchises from the own stupid mistakes. Good thing ea like to forgive mistakes.

 

[rdrr gnr]

How can you reconcile 'more talking; less shooting', with ditching decision making and the morality system? You'd essentially be asking for long cutscenes then.

Easily. I qualified my statement with 'meaningful' decisions -- self-contained choices that culminate in that very game itself are okay. I do something at Level 1 that alters my story at Level 15 -- I just don't want any more lies about branching storylines. Having a binary morality system is quite possibly one of the worst game mechanics ever conceived -- just because one does not gain Paragon or Renegade points from a decision does not mean one would ignore dialogue. You can have branching options; you can have multiple layers of conversation. The voice-acting, writing, and lore should be interesting enough to facilitate that on their own. I should want to talk. And not limiting all conversations to an eventual Good/Evil; Black/White; Yes/No; 0/1; is a good thing.

 

[iworkatjunes]

I hope they name the next character Bishop.

 

[Jawmuncher]

All I ask is for more dialog options that actually matter.
One had a ton, 2 scaled back a bit, and 3 was just yes or no.

 

[jwhit28]

I'm not picking on just Mass Effect here, but why call it Mass Effect 4 at all? Why even call it a Mass Effect game? Just make sure to let everyone know its in the same universe and call it whatever you want.

 

[adamsapple]

Just make sure to let everyone know its in the same universe and call it whatever you want.

What better way to let everyone know its the same universe then adding the same brand name ?

 

[Kritz]

We asked him what the studio’s approach to whatever comes next in the galaxy-hopping franchise will involve, to which Condominas replied, “There is one thing we are absolutely sure of – there will be no more Shepard, and the trilogy is over.”

“This is really our starting point. Now the Mass Effect universe is vast, and very, very rich. So at this point in time, we don’t even know what kind of time frame we’re going to be in. All we’re doing is more gathering ideas from the teams, gathering feedback to see several things.”

“So first, we don’t want to make ‘Shepard 2′, or Mass Effect 4 with like, ‘oh there’s no more Shepard but you’re a soldier in the universe’. So this will be a very, very different context for sure, and nothing has been decided on the rest.”

ME2 /3 spoilers:

Spoiler

Considering that Shepard could have died three times over the series of Mass Effect, wouldn't they be onto Shepard 4 anyway?

I'm at the point where all my investment in Bioware's games has been destroyed, so I have nothing left in me to be disappointed by Mass Effect 4. I don't care anymore. Let's just have the Sten / Wrex crossover that we all deserve.

 

[jwhit28]

What better way to let everyone know its the same universe then adding the same brand name ?

Well then give it a subtitle or something. Why use 4 if it really isn't a continuation of 1-3?

 

[Canis lupus]

I would love a time period before the current one, with a different alien race who get beaten by the Reapers in the end. The choices should be to flee to earth or die a heroic death till the end.

 

[Enduin]

I said it before I'll say it again. Make its a Space-Sim/TPS Hybrid.

This would be incredibly effective as well if they set the game Post ME3, and not pussy out and go Pre ME3 so as to not deal with the consequences, because your MC could be a simple captain of a small corvette with a handful of crewman just trying to make a living in the galaxy. Which would be perfect for reintroducing players to the new ME galaxy.

Think Han Solo/Malcolm Reynolds type character. Not looking to save the universe, just trying to get by and make a living. Don't have to be space Jesus, just can go on a fun ass journey exploring the new state of the galaxy, kicking ass and making credits. With that it can be a much more personal and character driven story, especially with the "villains" not having to be hugely evil/retarded, but can simply be assholes or someone who simply sees things different from you.

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

Focus on an asari Matriarch. First game deals with the first part deals with her first 100 years of life. Becoming an adult so to speak. Second game deals with her working up to be a matriarch. Political intrigue and sabotage nd shit. Last game I about her death and passing on the torch to a new generation. You can keep all the morality stuff because it won't matter how u played the last game because they'll be about 200 years apart storyline wise. And the important decisions will actually mean something. Its so awesome I want a fucking job.

 

[Hindle]

Stand alone games from now on, starring a hitman or a bounty hunter.

 

[kurahador]

Am I the only one who wants a totally new galaxy? With new races and everything.

And to tie in with the previous game, make Synthesis as canon ending and this new galaxy somehow makes first contact with them.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

If they can make the characters as engaging again, I'll probably buy it. I agree that other alien races seems like a way to go, playing as a fledgling Krogan and working your way up through the ranks, forming a Krant etc. seems like an interesting concept, but I'm just as enamored with the thought of a standalone Garrus game.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

All I hope is that I am getting a proper RPG this time around and not a shallow 3rd oerson shooter with some RPG elements. #fool'shope.

 

[ScreenSplitter]

All I hope is that I am getting a proper RPG this time around and not a shallow 3rd oerson shooter with some RPG elements. #fool'shope.

Hopefully it will be turn based and be slow and boring so you can really ejaculate.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Why not star as a drell assassin that was the protege of Thane or some shit?

Mass Effect: Assassins

 

[Kyoufu]

All I hope is that I am getting a proper RPG this time around and not a shallow 3rd oerson shooter with some RPG elements. #fool'shope.

It's an EA game. That's never going to happen.

 

[StuBurns]

They never recaptured that Star Trek feeling of the first game, just being a ship's captain, dealing with galactic politics, I'd love to see them return to that, but I suspect Mass Effect 4 will just be a third person shooter in space with a couple of dialogue options.

 

[The Dunmer of Narsis]

What about a ME game set on THANEs home world. Starting as a child as one of there race and eventually becoming and assassin and venturing out into the galaxy. I'm a bit rusty on ME lore...and haven't finished ME3....but yea a non-human main character would be the way to go reckon.

 

[hateradio]

I don't know if I want another Mass Effect game if it's going to be a stream-lined, completely linear, buggy mess.

 

[farnham]

let me play aria tloak

What about a ME game set on THANEs home world. Starting as a child as one of there race and eventually becoming and assassin and venturing out into the galaxy. I'm a bit rusty on ME lore...and haven't finished ME3....but yea a non-human main character would be the way to go reckon.

more hanar is always fine with me... those guys are just ridiculosly funny

 

[firehawk12]

How can you reconcile 'more talking; less shooting', with ditching decision making and the morality system? You'd essentially be asking for long cutscenes then.

Basically, The Walking Dead... for better or for worse. There are no RT/LT options that give points and level you up at the very least.

 

[Napoleonthechimp]

SGU? SGU? Nothing should ever aspire to be like SGU.

What a sad world you live in where you hate on SGU. I happen to be capable of loving SG1, Atlantis and SGU, which I put down to being a superior human.

 

[adamsapple]

I wish the next ME is a prequel set in the "First Contact War" starring Anderson.

 

[BurnOutBrighter]

Or how about not telling me what the consequences of my actions will be before I make them, or not obviously telegraphing the paragon and renegade options. Witcher style.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

Next game is about a sexy blue alien woman seducing her way across all space races and space genders. Guns will fire kisses like in Space Channel 5. In fact the whole game will be heavily inspired by Space Channel 5 and dating sims.

 

[snoopeasystreet]

It sounds promising but I can't see there being any chance that you won't still be a soldier in the universe. It is a video game after all.

 

[jlh]

I don't know if I want another Mass Effect game if it's going to be a stream-lined, completely linear, buggy mess.

Well it's virtually guaranteed to be two of the three. Most of the bugginess of ME3 was caused by the rushed development schedule so considering how far out this game is I don't think they will have those kinds of bug issues for ME4.

That said I absolutely expect this to be an overly slick, cinematic action game with a couple of meaningless dialog choices, some weapon customization and of course the gag-inducing bland ass romances thrown in so that they can check off the "role-playing" box. It's sad because the Mass Effect universe is so amazing, with or without Shepard, there are just so many awesome stories that could be told unfortunately I just don't trust Bioware to do the telling.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

Hopefully it will be turn based and be slow and boring so you can really ejaculate.

Oh God if it's something like XCOM then it'll be awesome ! but that's not going to happen.

 

[CharmingCharlie]

It is as if they are trying to think of every way possible to make Mass Effect 4 as unappealing as possible. I probably wouldn't have minded them moving on to another character if they had actually bothered to wrap up Shepards story but they couldn't even be bothered to do that.

The main reason I invested in the ME universe was because of the Shepard I created in the game. Since Shepard is finished then I guess I am finished with the ME universe.

 

[LuchaShaq]

After the way they threw away all of their built up lore and world at the end of 3 I can't imagine any mass effect 4 that isn't thousands of years in the future or that ret cons 100% of the ME3 ending.

Such a bummer, was my favorite fictional lore/universe by miles and miles.

 

[Replicant]

Garrus was non human and he was the dudest of dudes.

He was......until the new ME3 ending revealed that he's a real #JUDAS.

 

[Currygan]

All I hope is that I am getting a proper RPG this time around and not a shallow 3rd oerson shooter with some RPG elements. #fool'shope.

it will never happen...if anything, it will me more shooting oriented

 

[Lime]

aka " We want Nathan Drake in Space"

 

[Hot Coldman]

They'd be wise to go the Uncharted route with the story next time and keep everything self-contained within each game, even if they make another trilogy. That universe is brimming with potential but if they go to the "save the universe" well again they're doing themselves a dis-service.

So, basically, I want a C-SPEC game

 

[Captain Tuttle]

Racchni Wars would be cool, stumble across Sovereign manipulating the Racchni and stuff.

 

[doubleplusgood]

Isometric party RPG.

This. I need this.

 

[The Technomancer]

If this means that the main character won't be a regular-but-special person selected to be inducted into an elite order of powerful people who then give them orders and/or the PC goes rogue from...than I might just be interested

 

[Almighty]

The other interesting note is them not having decided on a time frame. I believe both Hudson and Gamble (and the general themes of ME3's ending) made it pretty clear they felt the universe was 'over' at the end of the third game, stating that new Mass Effect titles would take place during or prior to Shepard's story. There's no way they'll make a human-less game, and that gives them a pretty damn small window to tell a new mainline story, unless you wish to cut aliens from the entire game. Coupled with the backlash over the series' end and general cynicism from fans about a dead universe, I wouldn't be surprised if BioWare back peddled and decided to set the game post-ME3.

I agree with this assessment. I would be shocked, well beyond shocked, if Bioware didn't retconn the whole ME3 ending and set the new Mass Effect post ME3. As you said there is no way they will go human-less in this series. So that leaves them with only a few options.

1. Set it pre-ME1 which is a really small window and will leave most of the known galaxy cut off. As humans haven't discovered it yet.

2. Have it take place during the ME trilogy. Though doing that will tie their hands a little bit, but is still a possibility.

3. Retconn the ME3 ending and have it take place post-ME3.

Out of those three I think the retconning the ending is the easiest therefor the likely route they will take. With the ending not being well received that makes it even easier. Option two having it take place during ME time frame is also a possibility.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

There's no way they'll make a human-less game, and that gives them a pretty damn small window to tell a new mainline story, unless you wish to cut aliens from the entire game. Coupled with the backlash over the series' end and general cynicism from fans about a dead universe, I wouldn't be surprised if BioWare back peddled and decided to set the game post-ME3.

yeah, I can see them doing that.

 

[Wiggum2007]

I hope the story has a smaller scope

I'm tired of saving the galaxy I just want to explore.

 

[matrix-cat]

More RPG, less generic shooter nonsense, please. Mass Effect 1's shooting was bearable because it was so incredibly low impact; before long you could get yourself a shotgun that could fire all day without overheating, and then you were good to go. ME2 brought in Gears of War-ish mechanics and difficulty, which just isn't sustainable over forty-something hours of gameplay. Shit gets boring. 90% of the missions are just you shooting men from cover, and the memorable ones like Thane's loyalty mission are memorable just because they're different, rather than for the fun you have during them.

The Mass Effect universe (before they killed it ololo) could support so many different stories and styles of gameplay. It's such a shame that the next Mass Effect is absolutely, 100% guaranteed to be a shooter.

 

[Violet_0]

let us create alien characters (Salarians) and we have a deal

 

[Derrick01]

Good now they can take a deep breath and get a fresh start on the series. Hopefully they eliminate character customization if they're going to stick to a voiced protagonist.

Go back to making it a RPG series and make it even deeper than 1 which is what should have happened with ME2. I'd prefer the story centering around the citadel with a deep political system in place instead of some boring and cheesy save the entire galaxy thing. Basically make the game Obsidian would likely make if they were given control of the IP for a game.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

I want to be one of those floaty cloud squid things this time.

 

[grimshawish]

Make the game ALL about the characters on your ship. Thats why Mass Effect 1 is so awesome, its the worst band of people imaginable to deal with the most serious threat imaginable; but its about them - its a proper RPG unlike the two sequels who show their problems right away by taking control away from you and destroying your ship and dithing your crew.

Seriously just a nice game with some quests and a bunch of characters along the way who are in their own ways interesting - chuck in a traitor, some arguements between crew members and a 'moral choice' where your crew at at extreme differences and it'd be awesome.

 

[Galactic Fork]

I wish they'd put more starflight\star control 2 elements. Make the space travel the focus.

 

[Confidence Man]

Good now they can take a deep breath and get a fresh start on the series. Hopefully they eliminate character customization if they're going to stick to a voiced protagonist.

Go back to making it a RPG series and make it even deeper than 1 which is what should have happened with ME2. I'd prefer the story centering around the citadel with a deep political system in place instead of some boring and cheesy save the entire galaxy thing. Basically make the game Obsidian would likely make if they were given control of the IP for a game.

The downward slope toward utter irrelevance only goes one way.