Interview Mass Effect, trilogies, and epicness!

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: BioWare

<a href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/">MTV Multiplayer</a> has a one question/one answer <A href="http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2008/04/04/bioware-why-we-are-making-mass-effect-as-a-trilogy/">interview</a> with <A href="http://www.bioware.com">BioWare</a>'s grand poobah <b>Ray "Elevator" Muzyka</b> about making <a href="http://masseffect.bioware.com">Mass Effect</a> a trilogy. Here's 50% of the answer:
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<blockquote><b>Specific to "Mass Effect," do you recall the moment when it was determined that it would be a trilogy?
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Ray Muzyka, BioWare co-founder:</b> Very much with "Mass Effect" it was the development team that drove the decision to make it a trilogy. I think the very first meeting we had with Casey Hudson, who is the project director on that project — Greg and me and Casey went out for lunch and said, "What do we do [next]? "Knights of the Old Republic" was a great success. What’s going to be the next challenge to the team?"
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At the lunch we decided that we want something that really feels epic. It’s like you’re the tip of the spear of humanity on a galactic stage. Something that’s big and ambitious. What about a trilogy?</blockquote>
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Epic is only epic when it's not silly. The problem with <a href="http://www.bioware.com/games/knights_old_republic/">Knights of the Old Republic</a> was that it's epic-ness was more silly-ness than anything else. A <i>factory</i>? Come on!
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://ve3d.ign.com/">Voodoo Extreme</A>

 

[Futile Rhetoric]

I like how Obsidian can put a (standalone) story of truly epic proportions in an expansion pack, while Bioware needs a trilogy.

 

[Jed]

Yeah, but it was an ancient evil factory.

 

[Arem]

Mars Effect has been delayed to June.

Also an immersive, epic minigame screenshot

 

[fastpunk]

I like how Obsidian can put a (standalone) story of truly epic proportions in an expansion pack, while Bioware a trilogy.

+1

And the difference in quality is quite big too.

 

[The Feral Kid]

No matter how silly the "factory" idea of KOTOR 1 is it doesn't come even close to be as retarded as the whole central theme and plot in KOTOR 2 is.

 

[kris]

No matter how silly the "factory" idea of KOTOR 1 is it doesn't come even close to be as retarded as the whole central theme and plot in KOTOR 2 is.

that was not retarded. It was quite refreshing, even with the loose ends.

I liked KOTORs story too, but that was because I am a star wars fan and the story felt like Star wars.

 

[Naked Ninja]

I thoroughly enjoyed Kotor. More plz.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

There's a great comment over at MTV Multiplayer:

I think Mass Effect is such a gem with a story line even beating that of Star Wars movie! I know that sounds big but I believe that is true…

 

[deuxhero]

I feel that a factory is a better use for a giant space station then a super laser that destroys planets (seriously, what was the Emperor thinking when he heard Tarkins idea for that?). Seriously, what strategic value would the Death Star have? Now compare that to the value of an ever growing fleet that can still destroy a planet if it feels the need too.

Oh and the Star Forge wasn't destroyed by a 2 hit to a two meters wide hole (oh and the Star Forge uses the force, something the ability to destroy a planet is insignifican next to).

There's a great comment over at MTV Multiplayer:

I think Mass Effect is such a gem with a story line even beating that of Star Wars movie! I know that sounds big but I believe that is true…

Have you seen the prequels?

 

[VonVentrue]

Also an immersive, epic minigame screenshot

Simply AMAZING.

 

[mjorkerina]

I blame Square and final fantasy for all the mini game crap the game industry is shoving up our throats nowadays. They popularized the idea a great deal. And if minigames shouldn't exist no matter the genre (wtf bioshock), its existence in "cRPGs" (I use the word lightly here) is made worse because in a fucking ROLE playing game it's your character that is supposed to have all the skill and do the work, not you.

Maybe biowhore should consider hiring Todd Howard. He's the missing link for Bioware to turn full nextgen.

 

[Herbert West]

It’s like you’re the tip of the spear of humanity on a galactic stage. Something that’s big and ambitious. What about a trilogy?

Egad! That sounds jolly ambitious and original, doesn't it?

 

[crakkie]

They said "big", not "original". Note their focus.

 

[Herbert West]

Multiply any dumbfuckery by a 1000 and you get a BIG dumbfuckery. But they certainly missed with the "ambitious".

Nah.... I'm panning a game I haven't played yet and probably will play when it gets to PC. I'm quite fond of good space operas in fact, so don't take my words to seriously. Still, trashing PR doesn't equate to trashing the game.

 

[deuxhero]

minigames shouldn't exist no matter the genre .

You have obviously not played Wario Ware.

 

[obediah]

Bagging $180 for the amount of content they got $50 for in BG2 has to be pretty epic for EA's bank account.

 

[slipgate_angel]

Also an immersive, epic minigame screenshot

I read the actual thing, and it's sad that they got rid of the button matching game just because it wasn't "Immersive" enough. Were looking for a game, not a simulator.

 

[Erzherzog]

And to follow up that logic, games are supposed to be fun at it's simplest goal, and the button mashing game failed horribly at that.

 

[OSK]

moar elevatorz!

 

[Inziladun]

Have you seen the prequels?

As much as I love Star Wars, even without the retarded additions of the "Special Addition" version of the trilogy or the Prequels, Star War's story was still pretty sub-par, in my opinion(not to mention it basically just copied verbatim from "The Hero with a Thousand Faces"). It was really the whole atmosphere that made Star Wars what it was. It's also a great setting to place a variety of stories in. It's a shame that expanded universe is mostly crap.

 

[MetalCraze]

I like how Obsidian can put a (standalone) story of truly epic proportions in an expansion pack, while Bioware needs a trilogy.

because you can't fit all retarded cliches in just one Mass Effect installment.

 

[ghostdog]

I like how Obsidian can put a (standalone) story of truly epic proportions in an expansion pack

They should have made the expansion standalone in all aspects. Why should anyone buy and install the craptacular NWN2 in order to play MOTB? Why should it be advertised as a sequel-expansion (when the story obviously is completely irrelevant) thus suggesting you to play the boring OC first?

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

I feel that a factory is a better use for a giant space station then a super laser that destroys planets (seriously, what was the Emperor thinking when he heard Tarkins idea for that?). Seriously, what strategic value would the Death Star have? Now compare that to the value of an ever growing fleet that can still destroy a planet if it feels the need too.

Well, the Empire already had tons of ships everywhere including Star Destroyers. Apparently the Death Star could move as well, so it was more of a starship than just a station.

No matter how silly the "factory" idea of KOTOR 1 is it doesn't come even close to be as retarded as the whole central theme and plot in KOTOR 2 is.

I kind of liked the "Tear in the Force" idea. It's one of those things that would be catastrophic for the Jedi and Sith, but not too many other people would really notice.

 

[Balor]

No matter how silly the "factory" idea of KOTOR 1 is it doesn't come even close to be as retarded as the whole central theme and plot in KOTOR 2 is.

Retarded as 'not overused, though-provoking and much more interesting then any SW story'? You have a very strange concept of retardation. I wonder if you consider Oblivion the smartest game EVAR?