ME3, as retarded as ever.

[Sacculina]

There is some very well done written stuff though. Pretty much all of Patrick Weekes stuff.

Uh, this Patrick Weekes?

Personally, I think romances are badass. As a gamer, I’d love to see a game whose main story was a love story (and which did not involve a tentacle-based minigame). The argument for awhile was that not enough gamers cared about these simulated relationships to have that be the main focus of the game, and that it would largely be a long bunch of conversations instead of a game. On the other hand, the new influx of story-focused gamers, combined with new advances in digital acting, make it entirely possible that a love story could succeed with modern fans.

Source: http://blog.bioware.com/2008/11/05/romances-are-badass-p1/

I really hope, for Jaesun's sake, that this is the guy who wrote Mordin and Legion.

 

[ghostdog]

In the new trilogy Sheppard will travel to the outer rim to tame its savage realms. Cenobites are going to receive some collar-grabbing. Romancing the sexy hermaphrodite reaper mother-queen is going to be an option. ME4 - Xtreme rim-job.

 

[Monk]

I'll play it for the story.

 

[Roguey]

There is some very well done written stuff though. Pretty much all of Patrick Weekes stuff.

Uh, this Patrick Weekes?

Personally, I think romances are badass. As a gamer, I’d love to see a game whose main story was a love story (and which did not involve a tentacle-based minigame). The argument for awhile was that not enough gamers cared about these simulated relationships to have that be the main focus of the game, and that it would largely be a long bunch of conversations instead of a game. On the other hand, the new influx of story-focused gamers, combined with new advances in digital acting, make it entirely possible that a love story could succeed with modern fans.

Source: http://blog.bioware.com/2008/11/05/romances-are-badass-p1/

I really hope, for Jaesun's sake, that this is the guy who wrote Mordin and Legion.

Yes, this Patrick Weekes.

Jennifer Hepler wants a combat-skip button: Horrible! Kick her out!
Patrick Weekes agrees with her: Awesome writer!

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

I thought this Patrick Weekes guy left BioWare because he was getting sick how DA2 turned out to be. Either I'm mistaken and it was another designer, or this tool just crawled back to join the decline.

 

[circ]

Your games have a poor completion rate because they're shit. Ok?

 

[Roguey]

I thought this Patrick Weekes guy left BioWare because he was getting sick how DA2 turned out to be. Either I'm mistaken and it was another designer, or this tool just crawled back to join the decline.

That was Brent Knowles.

 

[Jaesun]

There is some very well done written stuff though. Pretty much all of Patrick Weekes stuff. Hell, most games have not had that much good written stuff in many games recently. But ultimately, ME is NOT a SERIOUS BUSINESS game, it was always advertised as a B Movie Soap Opera, and in that, The Mass Effect Team delivered.

Was that the stuff involving Mordin Solus? His character, arc and side mission are about a billion times more interesting and well-written than anything else in that game (or just about any other game I've played in the last 10 years for that matter). It's true that there are some good bits here and there (the Geth, again) so I'd be interested if the good stuff was the result of one guy's efforts.

Yes he wrote all the Mordin Solus stuff. And IIRC he's also the guy that added all of the "ads" in the various areas you visit (like the Asari Death robe, Blasto the Jellyfish etc.. ads).

Did Patrick Weekes write Legion?

No, that sadly was (and I keep forgetting his real name) a former Lore writer for Asherons Call by the handle of Stormwaltz. Another good writer that sadly left BioWare for Bethesda.............

I really liked all of Legion's dialogue.

 

[Raghar]

No, that sadly was (and I keep forgetting his real name) a former Lore writer for Asherons Call by the handle of Stormwaltz. Another good writer that sadly left BioWare for Bethesda.............

What is he working now? Skyrim writing was attrocious, thus it's unlikely he worked on it.

 

[Jaesun]

No, that sadly was (and I keep forgetting his real name) a former Lore writer for Asherons Call by the handle of Stormwaltz. Another good writer that sadly left BioWare for Bethesda.............

What is he working now? Skyrim writing was attrocious, thus it's unlikely he worked on it.

I honestly haven't kept up on what he has done since leaving BioWare. When I heard he went to Bethesda, I though what a fucking waste of your talent. You might as well apply for a janitor position there, as all your talent will completely go to waste. It's really sad too, as he did some fantastic stuff for Asherons Call.

 

[Raghar]

Well Eurogamer said: You can't buy inspiration no mater how big are the names.

 

[861129]

Uh, this Patrick Weekes?

Personally, I think romances are badass. As a gamer, I’d love to see a game whose main story was a love story (and which did not involve a tentacle-based minigame). The argument for awhile was that not enough gamers cared about these simulated relationships to have that be the main focus of the game, and that it would largely be a long bunch of conversations instead of a game. On the other hand, the new influx of story-focused gamers, combined with new advances in digital acting, make it entirely possible that a love story could succeed with modern fans.

Source: http://blog.bioware.com/2008/11/05/romances-are-badass-p1/

I really hope, for Jaesun's sake, that this is the guy who wrote Mordin and Legion.

Nowt wrong with a love story in itself. The issue is with Bioware games, IMO, as it relates to the romance aspect, is the sensiblity of the horribly written, nerd pandering, tacked on dating sim bullshit and the simultaneous pretense that it's somehow an example of serious storytelling. With better execution, as the central focus of a game - why not? Not that I would play a game like that, personally, but literature is full of fabulously meaningful love stories. And not that a love based video game would rise to the level of that literature, of course, but no game does. Good for what it is.

 

[K9doggie]

Yes, this Patrick Weekes.

Jennifer Hepler wants a combat-skip button: Horrible! Kick her out!
Patrick Weekes agrees with her: Awesome writer!

That's Codex misogyny for you.

 

[RPGMaster]

IIRC, Weekes also wrote the Tali stuff for ME2.

 

[Menckenstein]

If you're a capable writer (Weekes, not Hepler) but all you produce is shit, you're worse than someone who can only produce shit (Hepler).

 

[sea]

You know, if gamers want a game with easy combat that just lets them get to the story bits, that's fine with me. So long as it's optional I couldn't care less. Same goes for action mode. Yeah, it's an obvious compromise to hit the Gears of War market, but again, if it doesn't hurt the core game I don't mind in the least.

I do have a problem with awful writing, universe-breaking canon inconsistencies, shoddy PC ports and dull gameplay, though. You want to bash something, bash that instead.

 

[Menckenstein]

If we're speaking generally about all games then I can kind of agree with you, but when those alternative "modes" (mass) effect the "core" game for the worse, then they don't belong there.

 

[abnaxus]

I honestly haven't kept up on what he has done since leaving BioWare. When I heard he went to Bethesda, I though what a fucking waste of your talent. You might as well apply for a janitor position there, as all your talent will completely go to waste. It's really sad too, as he did some fantastic stuff for Asherons Call.

I looked on Mobygames and it's Chris L'Etoile you're talking about. It doesn't mention he's now working with Bethesda, though.

 

[Jaesun]

I looked on Mobygames and it's Chris L'Etoile you're talking about. It doesn't mention he's now working with Bethesda, though.

Yep that's the guy. Though, I don't recall Moby Games ever being that good on updating people on their site. If he has a linkedin profile that would be more up to date.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Shit, I forgot Bethy is also working on a friggin' MMO. Any update on that?

 

[Freelance Henchman]

Will it feature dragons and FUS ROH DA!!!?

 

[dbx]

No, probably mutantorc, vaultscorridors, and majestic shit.

 

[Menckenstein]

Shit, I forgot Bethy is also working on a friggin' MMO. Any update on that?

Mundus Online - where you can defeat entire armies by leaping onto a tall enough rock and spamming fireballs.

 

[curry]

I guess Fallout MMORPG is now only a matter of time

 

[Sceptic]

There is some very well done written stuff though. Pretty much all of Patrick Weekes stuff.

Mordin was pretty well done, definitely the most interesting Bioware NPC since forever (I think the only one that comes even close is Shale, but still a long way off). Legion was well written, with two problems: the whole Geth heretics concept was an utterly idiotic attempt at delivering "shages of grey" (hint: grey isn't necessarily better than B&W), and the fact you get him so late in the MQ, so unless you plan things VERY carefully you'll miss out on half his interactions (which is what happened to me).

But ultimately, ME is NOT a SERIOUS BUSINESS game, it was always advertised as a B Movie Soap Opera, and in that, The Mass Effect Team delivered.

I think the biggest problem with ME2 writing is that it actually tried to deviate from pure space opera derp, only to drown itself into much worse derp. ME1 pulled off every space opera cliche it could find, and if it wasn't for the fact they so blatantly ripped off Gateway I wouldn't have minded as much (though the "humans are special!" angle was also done very badly). But ME2 tried to distance itself from this with all the grimdark edgy SERIOUS BUSINESS. When it works, like with Mordin and Legion, it's great. When it doesn't work, like just about everywhere else (one of the worst offenders probably being Thane's loyalty mission. ugh. And Jacob's. Double-ugh) it's really, really bad. It looks like they're going for SERIUS again with ME3.