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[shinobi602]

I really feel like EA marketing is sending this game out to die.

I know, but you'd think they would show everything we would want to see in February instead of keeping certain stuff until we're 2-3 weeks away from the release.

Here's hoping the gameplay video next week at least show a bit of character creator, multiplayer, hubs, galaxy map, nomad... We really didn't see enough of Nomad gameplay to give us an idea. 5 secs in a trailer is barely worth mentioning.

I think they'll be good. It sucks for fans who are aching to get more details, but when you think about it, the few weeks leading up to release being full of Mass Effect stuff will get a lot of eyes on the game and "hype people up". At least that's EA's thinking.

 

[Patryn]

I think they'll be good. It sucks for fans who are aching to get more details, but when you think about it, the few weeks leading up to release being full of Mass Effect stuff will get a lot of eyes on the game and "hype people up". At least that's EA's thinking.

I'm just worried it'll be lost in the Horizon aftermath/Switch hype cycle.

In addition, as much as it pains me as someone who wants this game to succeed, I feel like there's a narrative developing among hardcore gamers around this game, and it's not a good one. At some point, that narrative may start bleeding onto those less hardcore.

 

[JeffG]

I just want them to put out new Phone background images.

Change my Cassandra to Sara

 

[LegalEagleMike]

That MP beta would go a long way to generating some hype...whenever the hell it is.

 

[BrassDragon]

I'm just worried it'll be lost in the Horizon aftermath/Switch hype cycle.

In addition, as much as it pains me as someone who wants this game to succeed, I feel like there's a narrative developing among hardcore gamers around this game, and it's not a good one. At some point, that narrative may start bleeding onto those less hardcore.

I want to second this concern... the way they positioned the game, it has to overdeliver on expectations with nothing to cushion the blow if it falls short.

It's been a while since BioWare hit an unqualified homerun which, yeah, makes me antsy. Guess they already know the deal from internal reviews and they're still pushing the March release so hopefully it's all good.

 

[DevilDog]

In addition, as much as it pains me as someone who wants this game to succeed, I feel like there's a narrative developing among hardcore gamers around this game, and it's not a good one. At some point, that narrative may start bleeding onto those less hardcore.

There's a lot of negativity going around it, but what is the general narrative?

 

[orichalcos]

Sara and Scott added to the Cosplay character kit

http://blog.bioware.com/2017/01/31/mass-effect-andromeda-character-kits/

Sara kit: A cerberus SMG?

 

[Royal_Phalanx]

I'm worried that they haven't learnt enough from Inquisition. Some decent side quest gameplay would put my mind at ease. I expect high standards after playing Witcher 3. I know they can't spoil too much, but they've been so quiet on this.

 

[diaspora]

I'm worried that they haven't learnt enough from Inquisition. Some decent side quest gameplay would put my mind at ease. I expect high standards after playing Witcher 3. I know they can't spoil too much, but they've been so quiet on this.

lol the goddamn Creative Director of DA can clearly articulate the issues that certain zones had, I don't see why another IP wouldn't be cognizant of those issues too

 

[JeffG]

Sara kit: A cerberus SMG?

A gift from Cora

 

[Lt-47]

That MP beta would go a long way to generating some hype...whenever the hell it is.

One week or two before the EA access if I had to take a guess. Beta very close to launch has been the norm lately

 

[DevilDog]

I'm worried that they haven't learnt enough from Inquisition. Some decent side quest gameplay would put my mind at ease. I expect high standards after playing Witcher 3. I know they can't spoil too much, but they've been so quiet on this.

Mac Walters praised inquisition and said that he hopes they do as well as they've done, cause "that game got game of the year".

And on the other hand they copied that hand flamethrower Geralt has and the investigation tool is witcher senses 2.0

Honestly it looks like they've learned nothing and they're just copying things from witcher 3 mindlessly.

 

[Mindlog]

Mac Walters praised inquisition and said that he hopes they do as well as they've done, cause "that game got game of the year".

And on the other hand they copied that hand flamethrower Geralt has and the investigation tool is witcher senses 2.0

Honestly it looks like they've learned nothing and they're just copying things from witcher 3 mindlessly.

...

 

[Poodlestrike]

...

I'm gonna need this with like... A single, wounded tear dripping down his cheek.

 

[diaspora]

Mac Walters praised inquisition and said that he hopes they do as well as they've done, cause "that game got game of the year".

And on the other hand they copied that hand flamethrower Geralt has and the investigation tool is witcher senses 2.0

Honestly it looks like they've learned nothing and they're just copying things from witcher 3 mindlessly.

Inquisition was a great if flawed game that was the most successful in BioWare history. There are issues with how some zones and gating was handled that Laidlaw seems acutely cognizant of, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't want to at least do as well as DAI.

 

[DeadlyParasite]

I think they'll be good. It sucks for fans who are aching to get more details, but when you think about it, the few weeks leading up to release being full of Mass Effect stuff will get a lot of eyes on the game and "hype people up". At least that's EA's thinking.

The old "shout at the top of our lungs and pray someone notices us in the last few weeks" approach, I'm sure that'll go over well. There's enough of a deluge of gaming related releases in the next month that I wouldn't be surprised if this game gets lost in the ether if it doesn't review spectacularly.

Everything marketing-wise to date has been a veritable "Where's Waldo" of information and footage. We're 41 and 1/2 days from launch and people still don't know how the overall game plays beyond a controversial "gameplay" reveal back in December. We've had 3 separate headscratching E3 showings with nothing of substantial value to show and no hype to build upon.

One week or two before the EA access if I had to take a guess. Beta very close to launch has been the norm lately

Then why did they make us waste our time filling out a bunch of useless information on the BioWare beacon website if it's just a casual marketing beta? They could've saved us all that time by just asking what platform we want a code for and click "finished".

 

[prag16]

Speaking of mock/internal reviews... Shinobi, when are those taking place? Has to be soon, if not already done? Would be interesting to get a sense of the outcome of those.

 

[Heckler456]

Mac Walters praised inquisition and said that he hopes they do as well as they've done, cause "that game got game of the year".

And on the other hand they copied that hand flamethrower Geralt has and the investigation tool is witcher senses 2.0

Honestly it looks like they've learned nothing and they're just copying things from witcher 3 mindlessly.

The Witcher 3 invented neither the "hand flamethrower" nor detective vision.

Mac Walters has specifically stated that they've learned at least one thing from DA:I: More meaningful side quests.

 

[DevilDog]

Yeah, I agree. However what worries me most is the marketing.

There's a lot of skepticism in the community right now, and the info dumps should've been like antibiotics hitting a home run on those concerns.


They're not doing a good job so far, and it seems likely to me that they don't fully realize what those concerns are. I'm worried that the content they bring out is just reflecting this.

No offense to anyone who really is amazed what they're showing so far, I can only speak for me and for others who are not really satisfied by what's going on so far.

The Witcher 3 invented neither the "hand flamethrower" nor detective vision.

Mac Walters has specifically stated that they've learned at least one thing from DA:I: More meaningful side quests.

It's not about who invented it. Originality was never the point of it all.

As for the rest, we will see. I expect little from Walters even though I wish him the best.

 

[Patryn]

There's a lot of negativity going around it, but what is the general narrative?

That it's a rushed game being shoved out the door by a company without a lot of faith. Basically, face.gif writ large. It's the sense I get from a bunch of GAF posts when talking about the game.

I get very little sense of excitement about the title. In all honestly, I feel like most people are excited about the game in spite of the marketing, and not really due to it.

 

[Mindlog]

It's not about who invented it. Originality was never the point of it all.

Then what was the point?
Break fans?

 

[Lt-47]

Then why did they make us waste our time filling out a bunch of useless information on the BioWare beacon website if it's just a casual marketing beta? They could've saved us all that time by just asking what platform we want a code for and click "finished".

Who knows... It one of many weird things EA has done these last few months

 

[DevilDog]

That it's a rushed game being shoved out the door by a company without a lot of faith. Basically, face.gif writ large. It's the sense I get from a bunch of GAF posts when talking about the game.

I get very little sense of excitement about the title. In all honestly, I feel like most people are excited about the game in spite of the marketing, and not really due to it.

Really? People think it's going to be rushed? I've never seen a comment reffering to this, usually its all about Inquisition in space.

Also I agree, the marketing so far has done nothing , if not made things worse in a couple of areas. EA is acting so weird lately.

Then what was the point?
Break fans?

"It's in that game that did good so let's have it here too."

Also break fans?

Who knows... It one of many weird things EA has done these last few months

Remember that time when they released Titanfall 2 in between BF1 and Call of duty? Then they acted surprised by it's low numbers?

 

[Mindlog]

I mean... This is going to be the first Mass Effect game ever where players are going to get a chance to try the campaign before it's released. As someone that reads a forum continuously burned by marketing...

Too many ellipses, but the dissonance just baffles me.

"It's in that game that did good so let's have it here too."

Also break fans?

It's layers upon layers.

 

[Patryn]

Really? People think it's going to be rushed? I've never seen a comment reffering to this, usually its all about Inquisition in space.

Symptom of the release date coming so late combined with this lack of media, I believe.

I don't understand it either, but I keep seeing people saying they expect it to be delayed.

 

[prag16]

Symptom of the release date coming so late combined with this lack of media, I believe.

I don't understand it either, but I keep seeing people saying they expect it to be delayed.

Yeah, there are definitely still comments being thrown around alleging that it is rushed. Not as many as the "DA:I in space" comments, but they exist.

And yeah, it boggles my mind that there are still people "worried" (or concern trolling, take your pick) about delays at this stage in the game.

 

[Lexxon]

Unmarked ME Trilogy ending spoilers incoming.

I just finished my first ME3 (and full trilogy) playthrough a few minutes ago. Now, I was one of the biggest nerd-ragers about the original ending (I'm sure if you look through my post history, you'll find it), and it put such a bad taste in my mouth that I largely ignored Mass Effect media and DLC and such until maybe a year or two ago, the main thing being that my girlfriend of a year plus is a huge ME fan and got me back on the positive thinking train about the series.

Anyways.

I just finished the ending, and it was so much better. Now, I played the Extended Cut back when it came out, and while it was better, it didn't fix the problems I had with the ending whatsoever. Now, given time, the Leviathan DLC, and maybe just an entirely different mindset, I actually enjoyed the ending for what it was.

Having full explanation of what is actually happening from the Catalyst, actually having some backstory of his origins from the Leviathan DLC, having proper closure with the crew in Citadel DLC...it just all tied together so much better. I ended up being seriously torn between Control and Synthesis, while in the original I picked Destroy (now, why would I kill EDI and the Geth after what they've done?), I ended up picking Synthesis, because while I'm not 100% convinced synthesis was inevitable, it was the best solution. Having that much control over the reapers with no certainty about your personal future (and basically being a god) is a little...unsettling and a bit too much power to wield as one human. Let society choose their path, not Shepard.

Anyways, just wanted to get this down, because I went into this trilogy playthrough dreading going through the ending again, after it legitimately angered and saddened me the first time around.

Now I'm even more excited for Andromeda. Day one!

 

[Doodis]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be negative on this before it even comes out, but am I the only one that thinks these character heads are just...bad? I can't put my finger on it, but they look like some weird mix between a wax model and a pizza-place animatronic.

Scott's hair looks like plastic. And those eyes...they're just...wrong.

 

[Lexxon]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be negative on this before it even comes out, but am I the only one that thinks these character heads are just...bad?

From what I've read, this is all Frostbite. I don't know details, but it seems like an engine designed to build all of your games should probably do a better job with realistic human models. They do look kinda weird standalone, but I'm hoping it all flows with the new aesthetic.

 

[Maledict]

Jesus Christ what the hell is up with those? The guy they modelled Ryder off is extremely attractive, how come he looks worse than Shepherd?

 

[DeadlyParasite]

I dunno, I like the Scott Ryder character model. My first playthrough will be with him and an unchanged first name so I can experience all the cool dialogue stuff that custom named characters don't get.

 

[Tovarisc]

From what I've read, this is all Frostbite. I don't know details, but it seems like an engine designed to build all of your games should probably do a better job with realistic human models. They do look kinda weird standalone, but I'm hoping it all flows with the new aesthetic.

Battlefield 1 has great and realistic looking models for soldiers.

 

[Lt-47]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be negative on this before it even comes out, but am I the only one that thinks these character heads are just...bad? I can't put my finger on it, but they look like some weird mix between a wax model and a pizza-place animatronic.

Scott's hair looks like plastic. And those eyes...they're just...wrong.

Looks fine to me without the flat lighting and blank expression. Not the best faces ever and the hair shading is a bit off but still not nearly as distracting as DA:I

 

[Ridesh]

The best looking character is PeeBee

She and Jaal will be my cool dudes party.

 

[diaspora]

The best looking character is PeeBee

She and Jaal will be my cool dudes party.

So it looks like Asari won't have full space helmets the way humans do if they're continuing to use the face mask from ME2 and 3.

 

[Doodis]

Looks fine to me without the flat lighting and blank expression. Not the best faces ever and the hair shading is a bit off but still not nearly as distracting as DA:I

These shots do look much better. Maybe it's just their generic "no expression" model in the image I posted that looks off.

 

[Tovarisc]

The best looking character is PeeBee

Yeah, that midriff from 90s really pulls her design together!

ugh

 

[prag16]

Yeah, that midriff from 90s really pulls her design together!

ugh

Mass Effect fields, dude. Or something.

 

[DevilDog]

The best looking character is PeeBee

She and Jaal will be my cool dudes party.

Peebe is easily the worst designed character out of them all. Squadmates I mean, with Liam being top.

 

[diaspora]

What's wrong with Liam's design? He looks like a regular guy.

Edit: misread

 

[Tovarisc]

From pure visual perspective I liked most that Turian.

2nd & 3rd spot is split between blondie and new race.

 

[Dresden]

I'm sorry, I don't mean to be negative on this before it even comes out, but am I the only one that thinks these character heads are just...bad? I can't put my finger on it, but they look like some weird mix between a wax model and a pizza-place animatronic.

Scott's hair looks like plastic. And those eyes...they're just...wrong.

He looks like the wax museum version of Cliff Bleszinski.

 

[moustascheman]

Hey GAF, after playing through Mass Effect 2 again recently in preparation for Andromeda, I'm starting to feel a bit confused about the overall plot of the game in general, mainly why the collectors are supposed to be such a threat. I find it weird since a human stealth ship was able to take down the collector ship fairly easily, a human ship that's probably outclassed by other alliance ships in term of firepower already.

I'm also a bit confused as to what the point of the human reaper even was. Especially since Shepard and two others were able to take it down with a handgun and a few biotics.

 

[DevilDog]

Hey GAF, after playing through Mass Effect 2 again recently in preparation for Andromeda, I'm starting to feel a bit confused about the overall plot of the game in general, mainly why the collectors are supposed to be such a threat. I find it weird since a human stealth ship was able to take down the collector ship fairly easily, a human ship that's probably outclassed by other alliance ships in term of firepower already.

I'm also a bit confused as to what the point of the human reaper even was. Especially since Shepard and two others were able to take it down with a handgun and a few biotics.

Mass effect 2 has a terrible plot that means nothing to itself and the trilogy. That's about it.

If you want some more insight to the development, the devs were messing around with how to continue and conclude the series, they had a couple of ideas about the human reaper and dark matter, which they scrapped before ME2 was released. It's why there are a couple of mentions and they go nowhere.

 

[prag16]

Peebe is easily the worst designed character out of them all. Squadmates I mean, with Liam being top.

What's wrong with Peebee? The usual midriff complaint? I don't have an issue with her. The entire crew seems kinda pedestrian tbh. But I'm not worried, it'll be fine.

 

[LegalEagleMike]

Everyone knows that an Asari belly button has powerful applications.

 

[DeadlyParasite]

Hey GAF, after playing through Mass Effect 2 again recently in preparation for Andromeda, I'm starting to feel a bit confused about the overall plot of the game in general, mainly why the collectors are supposed to be such a threat. I find it weird since a human stealth ship was able to take down the collector ship fairly easily, a human ship that's probably outclassed by other alliance ships in term of firepower already.

I'm also a bit confused as to what the point of the human reaper even was. Especially since Shepard and two others were able to take it down with a handgun a few biotics.

Well, I can give you explanations but you might not like it.

The Collectors are a threat because they pick off human colonies in the Terminus systems, who don't have fleets and ground-based weapons to protect themselves. You learn that the Human Systems Alliance doesn't bother to help these colonies with the except of Horizon and the GARDIAN defense cannons. If Shepard didn't intervene in 2 they would've likely gone unchallenged until it was too late. (We already know the Reapers are on their way thanks to Arrival DLC so the Collectors are just doing what they do best, whittling down the human population that the Reapers perceive as a threat).

As for the Normandy taking out the collector ship, if you upgraded the ship to have the Thanix cannon you've essentially mounted an experimental (as of Mass Effect 2) reaper-tech based weapon onto the hull of the ship. The in-game codex explains that the Turian government took pieces of Sovereign from the first game and reverse engineered themselves a miniature version of the Reaper's weapons. So naturally I don't think it's a stretch to assume that the Normandy could stop the Collector ship with something so powerful.

If you don't buy the Thanix cannon you still do damage but at great cost to the Normandy's crew. The implication being that the Collector ships have powerful weapons but relatively weak or normal kinetic barriers, which is why they prey on colonies and don't partake in head-on offensives vs the fleets of the Council species.

As for the human reaper, it was kind of explained to you why you were able to take it out. It's unfinished, the internal bits exposed, and still fairly early into its construction. The whole shape of a human thing is definitely one of the dumber parts of it but yeah.

Someone else is free to correct me but this is all I can say. That said, I don't think you'll find very many people who argue that Mass Effect 2 has the best main story of the three.

 

[Killzig]

Jesus Christ what the hell is up with those? The guy they modelled Ryder off is extremely attractive, how come he looks worse than Shepherd?

The facial hair is really the only thing that bothers me. That and the eyes on all the character models. There's something really off about them, they look diseased.

The whole shape of a Human thing is definitely one of the dumber parts of it but yeah.

If there'd been a giant prothean floating head reaper in ME3 I would have probably put my sides in orbit laughing and all would have been forgiven. Something like the giant head from Zardoz.

 

[DevilDog]

What's wrong with Peebee? The usual midriff complaint? I don't have an issue with her. The entire crew seems kinda pedestrian tbh. But I'm not worried, it'll be fine.

I can literally smell her entitlement and bitchiness.

Also her terrible outfit doesn't help. Neither does that fucking paint over her eyes. What is even the point of that, go wash that crap off.

 

[Yeul]

I can literally smell her entitlement and bitchiness.

Also her terrible outfit doesn't help. Neither does that fucking paint over her eyes. What is even the point of that, go wash that crap off.

Uhh...I don't know how you get all of that from such limited information, but that's really dramatic.