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Mass Effect: Andromeda - Cinematic trailer

Dalibor68

Banned
Faces seem to be the one thing Bioware has the most problems with on the otherwise great Frostbite Engine. Inquisition was the same.
And it's a shame because the faces are so important in these games, and they were really good in the Unreal Engine Mass Effects.

The hand-crafted ones that is.
 
Yeah, that'll the do trick - first bit of promotional material since the 2015 N7 trailer to feed my hype.

Finally we get some personality, stakes and story drive... without too many spoilers which is not easy.

It's been a long time coming but I'll take it.
 
On the one hand, some people in this thread have some seriously rose-colored glasses on when it comes to ME 1-3. If you don't think the trilogy was chock-full of jankier animation than this, one-note characters, and "I've got a Krogan"-tier dialogue, you really weren't paying attention.

But even so, Andromeda still hasn't put out a good trailer, has it? None of their advertising material (including the Andromeda Initiative videos people seem to like) actually manages to give us a glimpse into what they're promising, and if this "Cinematic trailer" hasn't done that, then maybe this stuff just isn't really in the game.
  • Where's the awe-inspiring sense of exploration and discovery and a vast frontier full of mysteries? The only videos that invoke that feelings are the ones using real footage from real-life space programs with voice-overs. Nothing in their CGI trailer material, and certainly nothing in the actual gameplay they've shown, manages to tap into that feeling.
  • Where's the difficult wrangling and tough decision-making over colonialism we've been promised? Not even vaguely present in their marketing material so far.
  • Where's my glimpse at a villain who isn't just a Starcraft 2-tier "super powerful evil space guy, that we all have to unite to stop!"? Good lord I hope that isn't the A-plot of the game. Andromeda seems ripe for a story that doesn't follow that template, with many small and personal clashes between different peoples, troubling conflicts in which neither side is clearly right or wrong, etc. This trailer seems to promise the opposite?

I'm kinda right on the edge of cancelling by $37 CDKeys.com preorder. But I like playing the Mass Effect games. As in, I enjoy the gameplay a lot (though even there, the 3-active-skill-limit hovers like a dark shadow). So I'll probably keep it.

Some other thoughts:
  • I think Jaal bothers me because he looks kinda like a hybrid between a Turian and the Cowardly Lion?
  • They really didn't put any effort into better facial animation, did they?
  • I like Sara Ryder's design (if not her facial animation) specifically because she doesn't look like a model. She looks like a woman with a somewhat round face, a weird-shaped bulbous nose, and a kinda greasy complexion. Someone who isn't ugly, but who isn't perfectly conventionally attractive either. She looks like a human being with flaws and quirks, rather than a perfect square-jawed football team captain (BroShep) or a handsome 20-something douchebag (BroRyder).
 

Tovarisc

Member
Where's my glimpse at a villain who isn't just a Starcraft 2-tier "super powerful evil space guy, that we all have to unite to stop!"? Good lord I hope that isn't the A-plot of the game. Andromeda seems ripe for a story that doesn't follow that template, with many small and personal clashes between different peoples, troubling conflicts in which neither side is clearly right or wrong, etc. This trailer seems to promise the opposite?

I think Andromeda's story should revolve around whole "Races of Milky Way coming to invade and colonize Andromeda, in which there is already advanced lifeforms" and not bring up some "Single Big Bad To Destroy Together" rewarm from previous ME's and even DA's. After all we are the invaders here, we should be greeted with great suspicion and maybe even hostility. You could write some good stuff from that without it becoming drama of politics.
 
I'm glad that the squad mates appear to be wearing proper freaking attire to be running around the galaxy. Unlike taking Jack running around Haestrom like her skin shouldn't be on fire lol.

Funny that you mention this when Peebee is running around with a jacket and midriff exposed.
 

eot

Banned
Not going to watch the trailer, but it's disappointing reading that there's a big bad villain. Do something else for once ffs BioWare.
 

spekkeh

Banned
I can't put my finger on why, but all the character's faces look fucked up to me. There's just something weird about them.

Personally I think it's more their weird posture that makes their faces seem out of place and really derpy. They put their shoulders back and their heads forward and yet their faces are indifferent, instead of strained as you would expect in such a posture.

scott-ryder-sarah-ryder-mass-effect-andromeda.jpg


And yeah, though Sarah Ryder looks fine here, if I'm going to repopulate the galaxy, I would've brought a Miranda with me, if you catch my drift. It's a shame they apparently can't do long hair very well in Frostbite.

18k8p0m9qlmlhjpg.jpg
 

masterkajo

Member
Not going to watch the trailer, but it's disappointing reading that there's a big bad villain. Do something else for once ffs BioWare.
Yeah I hope it is not the one and only thing that matters. DA:I was such a letdown in this regard. The one big bad guy is exactly what he appeares to be. His motivation was also majorly lacking. Pls Bioware...
 

glaurung

Member
Sarah Ryder definitely looks special. A bit better than the gameplay trailer a while back, but still not a default face I'd pick on a whim.
 

masterkajo

Member
Sarah Ryder definitely looks special. A bit better than the gameplay trailer a while back, but still not a default face I'd pick on a whim.
I also think that the default Alec Ryder (father) seems a bit off in that briefing video. But I guess the squad mates do have better faces just because they are fixed whereas the Ryders are customizable which if it is anything like dragon age 2 might also change your father and sibling.
 
Personally I think it's more their weird posture that makes their faces seem out of place and really derpy. They put their shoulders back and their heads forward and yet their faces are indifferent, instead of strained as you would expect in such a posture.

scott-ryder-sarah-ryder-mass-effect-andromeda.jpg

]

Whats up with the hair of both the characters? Looks like the hair is plastic

I think it's actually because their legs are so much shorter than their torsos.
Seriously, it's really disturbing.




Also, I want this dudes jacket.
 

glaurung

Member
I also think that the default Alec Ryder (father) seems a bit off in that briefing video. But I guess the squad mates do have better faces just because they are fixed whereas the Ryders are customizable which if it is anything like dragon age 2 might also change your father and sibling.
Well, he's no prize pig. His age adds some gravitas to what would otherwise be a very boring stock model.
I totally expect him to get killed one mission into the game.
 

Braag

Member
The trailer was very similar to all previous Bioware trailers.
- bombastic music
- cheesy one liners
- varied group of people must survived impossible odds
- main villain looks scary and has a deep menacing voice
- player character makes out with a hot chick

It's a Bioware game all right.

Despite all that I'm hyped for more Mass Effect.
 

glaurung

Member
Closer investigation of Sarah's and Scott's skull shapes leads me to believe that they have different mothers.

The mystery deepens.
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
jeebus that crew looked like the 19 to 26yo crew of people.

Well they are. Scott/Sarah Ryder are only 22 years old. Liam is likely no more than a year or two older, if that, and Cora is probably no much more than 26. If I'm not mistaken I believe they specifically said they wanted a more fresh faced and inexperienced group of characters this time around, rather than have battle hardened veterans.

As for the rest of the crew PeeBee definitely seems to be quite young, but for an Asari she could still easily be 200 years old like Liara. Vetra doesn't come across as young, but we haven't exactly gotten much exposure to her so it's hard to say and I'm thinking Drack will be very very old. Who know's about the new alien's age, could be anything.
 

Tovarisc

Member
Well they are. Scott/Sarah Ryder are only 22 years old. Liam is likely no more than a year or two older, if that, and Cora is probably no much more than 26. If I'm not mistaken I believe they specifically said they wanted a more fresh faced and inexperienced group of characters this time around, rather than have battle hardened veterans.

As for the rest of the crew PeeBee definitely seems to be quite young, but for an Asari she could still easily be 200 years old like Liara. Vetra doesn't come across as young, but we haven't exactly gotten much exposure to her so it's hard to say and I'm thinking Drack will be very very old. Who know's about the new alien's age, could be anything.

So, barely out of diapers?
 
Did they actually say a big part of the story will be the issue of colonisation? I can't conceive how that wouldn't be the player essentially being the enemy here, I'm curious to how they will play this out. Or are they just going to gloss over it?
 

glaurung

Member
Did they actually say a big part of the story will be the issue of colonisation? I can't conceive how that wouldn't be the player essentially being the enemy here, I'm curious to how they will play this out. Or are they just going to gloss over it?
Game turns into SimColony after the tutorial bang-bang mission.

It will be as punishing as The Banished.
 

Tovarisc

Member
Did they actually say a big part of the story will be the issue of colonisation? I can't conceive how that wouldn't be the player essentially being the enemy here, I'm curious to how they will play this out. Or are they just going to gloss over it?

At the start it's issue and humanity are baddies. Then The BadDude comes around and all races of Andromeda needs humanity to save their asses because only Greatest humanity can beat The BadDude. During end leg of the game all races of Andromeda embrace their new saviors, Greatest Humanity, and give us permission to colonize where ever and do what ever.

I kinda hope not, but something like that is remote possibility. After all humans are this miracle race of Mass Effect universe.
 

prag16

Banned
At the start it's issue and humanity are baddies. Then The BadDude comes around and all races of Andromeda needs humanity to save their asses because only Greatest humanity can beat The BadDude. During end leg of the game all races of Andromeda embrace their new saviors, Greatest Humanity, and give us permission to colonize where ever and do what ever.

I kinda hope not, but something like that is remote possibility. After all humans are this miracle race of Mass Effect universe.

Shinobi said either her or the community thread that the Archon's motives not necessarily straight up "evil". So I have hope for something more nuanced.
 

Enduin

No bald cap? Lies!
I'm very much hoping the whole Archon/Kett situation is more nuanced. Almost like the First Contact war between the Humans and Turians. With maybe some mild intrigue and side stuff about the Remnants thrown in.

I think I would actually be quite surprised if the Kett turned out to be some malicious force in Andromeda and we show up and the other alien races come to us to help fight them. Which is bananas because even at peak population the Milky Way species won't amount to more than 140k. That's not a proper army facing potential tens of billions of aliens on their home turf.
 

Lime

Member
That SAM thing is weird.

They're supposed to have launched from Milky Way before the Reaper invasion, and that means the prohibition of AI development is still in effect... and yet they seemed to allow a fully functional AI to be developed for the Andromeda mission? Weird.

It's just an ad-hoc excuse to have a not-EDI in your not-Normandy.
 

Lister

Banned
Characters do seem a bit cartoony... almost like Dragon Age Inquisition came in and started painting faces.

But it doesn't look bad, IMHO.
 
I don't care about the graphics that much, even though much of the discussion ITT is centered around it.

The tone of the trailer was really, really cheesy though. Not good old-fashioned scifi cheesy or Starship Troopers cheesy either. More like Michael Bay cheesy.

Still confident the game will be great. I loved Inquisition too. But the original Mass Effect is still king in Bioware's modern output. Here's hoping this will be equally great.
 
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