Interview Mass Effect, trilogies, and epicness!

[obediah]

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.

This guy was soooo close:

So how elaborate should the mini-game be? If the game is too long and involved, it pulls people away from the game, and after they've completed it several times, it becomes an elaborate chore. If the game is too short and simple, then it is simply an annoying interruption in the flow of the game.

If simple minigames suck because of 'A', and elaborate minigames suck becaues of 'B', why try to balance A and B to make your minigame suck less, when you can just skip the fucking mini-game altogether. It's not like there is some magic point where those to concerns cancel out and open the hidden gates to minigame utopia. Just make a god damned RPG, and leave mini-games up to free flash games and wii shovelware.

Anyone that doesn't express frustration when a minigame pops up in their RPG is an evil retarded doppleganger and needs to be put down. Preferably by firing them into random game publishers at high speed.

 

[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.

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.

I would assume you are reffering to Imperial I-class Star Destroyers? Watch A New Hope and lissen to Hans boating about the Falcon (and how it can out run Imperial Vessels), the Empire can only afford to stick crusiers on detail in the outer rim (never mind how expensive the EU says they are) they clearly don't have enough. Hell, a bunch of Star Destroyers seems like a better way of spending whatever the Death Stars budget was.

 

[Maia]

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.

I know that it is a heresy here, but I'd really prefer if there was entertaining gameplay behind things other than just combat. Simple skill-checks and dice-rolls are pretty boring, IMHO.
Fallout's and PST's "gameplay through dialog" was a step in the right direction and I am sure that nobody here would prefer to replace it with checks. That is not to say that I have encountered a lot of enjoyable mini-games outside of GTA series... But personally, I get tired of constant combat, which often isn't that interesting in the first place, and am more than eager for some breaks. That's why I also liked the adventure elements - puzzles, riddles and such that used to be the staple of older CRPGs. I'd love to see implementation of stealth that allows for the same breadth of tactical and strategical decisions that combat does.

 

[NiM82]

I would assume you are reffering to Imperial I-class Star Destroyers? Watch A New Hope and lissen to Hans boating about the Falcon (and how it can out run Imperial Vessels), the Empire can only afford to stick crusiers on detail in the outer rim (never mind how expensive the EU says they are) they clearly don't have enough. Hell, a bunch of Star Destroyers seems like a better way of spending whatever the Death Stars budget was.

I thought the whole point of the Death Star was blackmail? Fuck around with the Empire and they simply blow up a planet sympathetic to the Rebellion with the push of a button. Unlike SD/SSD's that would require big ground assaults to take out pesky planetary shields (see Empire Strikes Back).

If the Death Stars hadn't been stopped, after a few worlds went kaput every system/planet would be singing the Emperors praises and chasing out the rebels - lest they be purged. Much more effective than maintaining a gigantic standing army.

 

[mjorkerina]

I know that it is a heresy here, but I'd really prefer if there was entertaining gameplay behind things other than just combat. Simple skill-checks and dice-rolls are pretty boring, IMHO.
Fallout's and PST's "gameplay through dialog" was a step in the right direction and I am sure that nobody here would prefer to replace it with checks.

Are you dumb ? the "gameplay through dialog" in Fallout and PST are implemented with lots of stats checks, it's your character who's doing his talking with his intelligence, charisma and so on, not you. In PST there even was dialogue lines opened if you had the right dexterity or strength sometimes, giving you physical action through the dialogue system (like twisting someone's neck). If the check saw that you had the strength of a two years old the choice didn't appear. So it has checks everywhere. How could we "replace it with checks" ? it's already done that way.

I'd love to see implementation of stealth that allows for the same breadth of tactical and strategical decisions that combat does.

What your suggestion has to do with mini games ? absolutely nothing. A mini game is a game in the game that are nearly always a copy of actual old games you used to play in 8 bit systems or the original game boy. The retarded dude who worked on the mini game for Mass Effect openly admits doing something close to Frogger. The mini game for Bioshock is based on an idea nearly as old as Frogger. And so on.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipe_Dream_(video_game)


Doing a better implementation of stealth would involve actual roleplaying and lots of stat checks and would blend with the mechanics of the game. It shouldn't be implemented as a "game in a game" dumbassery.

 

[denizsi]

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..

You're looking at it the wrong way. Death Star is a gigantic space station, weapon of mass destruction, barracks, host to the political head of the empire, all combined into one mobile structure. You can carry a fleet of SDs with it anywhere and provide maintenance and infantry support at the spot. It's like moving a whole Terran base anywhere you want.

Ultimately, as a non-negotiable and irresistable weapon of absolute destruction, psychological implications of that on targets is a weapon on its own.

 

[Riso]

As they said so nicely in the movies itself IIRC, it's a weapon of terror. It's sole purpose really. Intimidate the populations into fear and follow the emperor without questioning.

 

[deuxhero]

I would assume you are reffering to Imperial I-class Star Destroyers? Watch A New Hope and lissen to Hans boating about the Falcon (and how it can out run Imperial Vessels), the Empire can only afford to stick crusiers on detail in the outer rim (never mind how expensive the EU says they are) they clearly don't have enough. Hell, a bunch of Star Destroyers seems like a better way of spending whatever the Death Stars budget was.

I thought the whole point of the Death Star was blackmail? Fuck around with the Empire and they simply blow up a planet sympathetic to the Rebellion with the push of a button. Unlike SD/SSD's that would require big ground assaults to take out pesky planetary shields (see Empire Strikes Back).

If the Death Stars hadn't been stopped, after a few worlds went kaput every system/planet would be singing the Emperors praises and chasing out the rebels - lest they be purged. Much more effective than maintaining a gigantic standing army.

Except that the Death Star did the opposite, something Mr "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design." should have forseen

 

[NiM82]

Except that the Death Star did the opposite, something Mr "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design." should have forseen

That the design failed to live up to expectations is moot, it was the intended role/tactic that was under discussion, or so I thought. They were always going to get destroyed and the empire was always going to lose, that's hollywood - bad guys aren't allowed to win. But as a weapon of fear and intimidation, I think the fact the rebels made them their #1 target, worthy of an all out attack, speaks volumes about their potential to cause grief for the good guys.

 

[OccupatedVoid]

Don't make me stick my dick up your thermal exhaust port.

 

[Pegultagol]

Speaking of minigames, what do you guys think of Pazaak (sp?) card mini game from KOTOR? I recall it was quite well done, and more or less served what little purpose or niche that these breaks from the main gameplay should be ideally.

 

[kris]

But as a weapon of fear and intimidation, I think the fact the rebels made them their #1 target, worthy of an all out attack, speaks volumes about their potential to cause grief for the good guys.

Not that the rebels seemed that much of a threat anyway. I mean what did they have? a dozen fighters. the empire had been better off sending in two star destroyers.

 

[Shannow]

In fact in the books after the death of the Emperor Grand Admiral Thrawn mentions that he finds normal star ships more useful than super-weapons. But then he manned them with not fully developed clones directed by the deranged clone of a jedi master.
So you have to think about manning all those star destroyers with trained troops. And why risk loosing men and ships when you can solve the problem with one great boom? (If you are not impeded by morals the answer is quite simple)

And as moot as this discussion is, I find a death star more believable/threatening than a factory that poops ships out of its ass.

On topic: Why develop one long game and give your customers some real value if you can cash in three times? (I know the answer of course...)

On mini-games: As said before, if they are fun and completely optional I don't see a problem. Acromage was great, lockpicking in Dungeon Lords and Wizardry 8 was ok. I also love puzzles and riddles in games but that is something completely different from mini-games.

 

[zioburosky13]

If I want to play a lockpicking mini game, might as well go replay Splinter Cell non-stop.

What's an RPG game without a skill check?

 

[Herbert West]

The worst ever minigames were in Clive Barker Jericho. They were so fucking horrible I can't find words to express it.
Example- you go along a level, suddenly screen begins to shake, controll is wrestled from you and your char falls into a hole in the ground. Confusion here is- when the minigame starts I've no idea that controll is back into my hands. Furthermore, the minigame is all about pressing proper directional keys when their symbol flashes on the screen. Player has about 0.3 s to do that. Do it wrong and its the whole falling down cutscene again. And again and again, in my case about 10 times, untill I memorized they sequence. Ditched this POS of a game mainly due to the retarded minigame.

I've never seen a good minigame in any recent game. They are a crime against the humanity and devs should be raped and put on stakes for implementing them.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Blame Puzzle Pirates. That's where it's all coming from.

 

[mjorkerina]

On mini-games: As said before, if they are fun and completely optional I don't see a problem. Acromage was great, lockpicking in Dungeon Lords and Wizardry 8 was ok. I also love puzzles and riddles in games but that is something completely different from mini-games.

If you enjoy retardedness just go play some flash or java games on the intarweb and leave our RPGs alone.

Hell, games that are all about that kind of gameplay are way better than any minigame we have to put up with anyway. The Incredible Machine for example. They just don't belong to RPGs where it is about your character and not you.

 

[Shannow]

On mini-games: As said before, if they are fun and completely optional I don't see a problem. Acromage was great, lockpicking in Dungeon Lords and Wizardry 8 was ok. I also love puzzles and riddles in games but that is something completely different from mini-games.

If you enjoy retardedness just go play some flash or java games on the intarweb and leave our RPGs alone.

Hell, games that are all about that kind of gameplay are way better than any minigame we have to put up with anyway. The Incredible Machine for example. They just don't belong to RPGs where it is about your character and not you.

If you are retarded keep away from other people. Have you even played the games that were mentioned? If you like everything else in the action-RPG that is Ass Effect but the mini-games break your otherwise awesome RPG experience then crawl back to momma and whine as much as you like.
When your tears have dried up you can go and look for a mod that removes all mini-games from your favorite RPG, Oblivion. The you can go and larp being a girly furry while fapping and shitting your pants.
When you're finnished you can eat some of your shit and start again. The perfect shitto mobile.

 

[mjorkerina]

I like neither ME nor Oblivion so I'll let you suck my cock, choke on the jizz and die the way you were meant to since you were born, reject.

 

[Grifman]

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!

Yeah, after, just ask Hitler about that. Uh, but, well, you can't now, can you? Not after the US/USSR buried him under the production of all of their factories!