The Mass Effect 3/BioWare Thread

[Delterius]

I want to be a Half celestial hobgoblin.

 

[Elfberserker]

Fuck it.
I want to be half dwarf dragon thingie.

 

[Stokowski]

 

[Derpy]

It wasn't just that it was derivative, it was that the situations, characters and plot were so bland - especially in ME1.

I respect your stance on ME2 although I disagree vehemently. The second game had an utterly silly (if not retarded) premise from the start, and the supposed "integration" with choices from the first game was verged either on the absurd, the non-existent or the superficial. In fact the whole continuity of the story is screwed up.

Anyone who picks apart story and lore could easily see that Mass Effect 2 introduces many retcons and inconsistencies throughout not just the story, but even the game mechanics themselves (reloading weapons?). And while any sci-fi or fantasy storyline requires you to suspend your disbelief and let a few inexplicable things and plot-holes slip by, Mass Effect 2 was riddled with so many that it simply became impossible to ignore. While the first game felt like the story writers painstakingly took their time so their lore made sense, Mass Effect 2 felt like a different set of writers got their hands on the lore and lazily created or outright changed things along the way. It just felt like an excuse to introduce new people to the story without any regard whatsoever for the overall story arc.

ME1's setup was very good and allowed for the possibility of some really interesting developments later on in the series (i.e, if a competent storyteller with a satisfying story to tell had dreamed up the trilogy instead, s/he couldn't have done much better with the beginnings of the Reaper plot than BioWare did in ME1). I found Sovereign's dialogue enigmatic and his motives inscrutable in a way that created tension and provoked questions -- an excellent opening to what could have been a really interesting three-part tale. Under that lens, ME1 was great and opened up the possibility of future greatness for the series. ME2 (and ME3), on the other hand...

What could have potentially been a cool galaxy hopping space opera with Lovecraftian super-evil was ruined by a change in focus, a change of writers and a change of heart. ME1 felt like a labor of love and passion. ME2 (&3) felt like Bioware shamelessly whoring its artistic and creative integrity away to the gluttonous mass of corporate greed.

 

[Night Goat]

The thing that bothers me most about Mass Effect 2 is that the technology that can bring the dead back to life - possibly the most important invention in human history - is used once and never mentioned again. Science fiction is supposed to explore ideas and their implications; it could have been interesting to see how such a development would impact society, but instead it's immediately pushed aside so we can get back to the generic fantasy plot in space.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Anyone who picks apart story and lore could easily see that Mass Effect 2 introduces many retcons and inconsistencies throughout not just the story, but even the game mechanics themselves (reloading weapons?).

Given that I like reloading weapons in my futuristic space marine RPGs (futuristic shooters w/o reloading: ME1 and DE:IW...just saying) and thought that ME1s story sucked, none of this really bothered me that much. By plot, I meant the way the way ME2 is written itself, not the way it meshes with the series as a whole. A gem doesn't mesh well with poop anyway.

ME1's setup was very good and allowed for the possibility of some really interesting developments later on in the series

Generic evil mind controling space robots want to wipe out all life in the universe...again...oh, and space zombies. Wow. What a setup. So many interesting places to go with that. Like, what if Shepard fought the zombies and killed the robots just like he did in the first game? Oh, the possibilities. Again, I'm not shedding any tears over the lore of what had to be one of the most generic sci fi games I've ever played.

space opera with Lovecraftian super-evil

Lovecraftian super-evil

Lovecraftian

the phrase "spinning like a turbine in his grave" comes to mind, but whatever.

 

[donkeymong]

Well, show a Sci Fi Series or Rpg that doesnt copy anything written before (Lexx,the Darkzone?). Good luck.
What exactly was interesting about Mass Effect 2 characters by the way?
Most bland, superhero comic figures with Daddy and Mommy issues.
Only liked Legion and Morinth, rest was completly uninteresting.

The first game had a decent story, Mass Effect had a entertaining Multiplayer, Mass Effect 2 has nothing worth to mention...

 

[WhiteGuts]

Yeah it's like they took out what little soul was left in ME1 and made the most generic boring ass game they could think of.

 

[Elfberserker]

What I like about first Mass effect was the atmosphere.
It might have been cliche, but it did manage to awake that sense of wonder and actually explore the universe.

Level design might sucked, companions were mediocrity, story was typical bioware plot, but thankfully short.
However I enjoyed the atmosphere and the feeling when exploring main plot locations. There was something that managed to wake up that little boy inside me when playing that game.

Mass effect 2 and 3?
Nice graphics and better shooters, but they didn't have the charm or the magic of first one.
I am still baffled about ME2 decision to throw players at cerberus at the beginning...

 

[Akratus]

Mass Effect 1 Lead Writer: Drew Karpyshyn.

Mass Effect 2 Lead Writers: Mac Walters, Drew Karpyshyn.

Mass Effect 3 Lead Writer: Mac Walters.

 

[kris]

Anyone who picks apart story and lore could easily see that Mass Effect 2 introduces many retcons and inconsistencies throughout not just the story, but even the game mechanics themselves (reloading weapons?).

Given that I like reloading weapons in my futuristic space marine RPGs (futuristic shooters w/o reloading: ME1 and DE:IW...just saying) and thought that ME1s story sucked, none of this really bothered me that much. By plot, I meant the way the way ME2 is written itself, not the way it meshes with the series as a whole. A gem doesn't mesh well with poop anyway.

ME1's setup was very good and allowed for the possibility of some really interesting developments later on in the series

Generic evil mind controling space robots want to wipe out all life in the universe...again...oh, and space zombies. Wow. What a setup. So many interesting places to go with that. Like, what if Shepard fought the zombies and killed the robots just like he did in the first game? Oh, the possibilities. Again, I'm not shedding any tears over the lore of what had to be one of the most generic sci fi games I've ever played.

space opera with Lovecraftian super-evil

Lovecraftian super-evil

Lovecraftian

the phrase "spinning like a turbine in his grave" comes to mind, but whatever.

Something wrong with quotes here, because I am pretty sure those are not things I said.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

Something wrong with quotes here, because I am pretty sure those are not things I said.

Sooooo sorry about that, bro. Yes, something is wrong with the quote system in general, so I have to copy in the quotes by hand after clicking reply. I must have pasted the wrong code in. My bad. I'll edit it.

 

[Azrael the cat]

His current position in Bioware is a waste of a talent. People should hope he gets fired and picked up by some other RPG company but only to work as a designer and not a writer.

Yup, Ascension mod for BG2 is the proof of that, one of the best mods I've ever tried for any game.

He is one of the co creators of the A Pop Demand mod for Victoria II. This means Gaider has better taste in games than half these forums.

As I said earlier, I like to rip on Gaider's wig out of comedy. But he's the best BioWare employee there is, as far as I'm concerned.

Wait, what? Gaider worked on the Pop Demand Mod?

That's...whoa.

I've often thought that there's an element of 'the lady doth protest too much' to Gaider's defense of Bioware's design. You don't get THAT worked up over criticism unless you know enough about what you're doing in order to recognise when the criticism cuts deep.

 

[Azrael the cat]

Mass Effect 1 Lead Writer: Drew Karpyshyn.

Mass Effect 2 Lead Writers: Mac Walters, Drew Karpyshyn.

Mass Effect 3 Lead Writer: Mac Walters.

Curious - does anyone know who was responsible for the BG2 idea of having an interloper highjack the typical BW 'chosen one' plot? I acknowledge that much of what made Irenicus memorable was the voice actor, but the underlying idea of having an outsider (on a comparatively minor personal vengeance quest) jack the destinies of both the 'chosen hero' and the 'big bad' was the kind of neat idea that modern Bioware seems incapable of.

 

[Derpy]

ME1's setup was very good and allowed for the possibility of some really interesting developments later on in the series

Generic evil mind controling space robots want to wipe out all life in the universe...again...oh, and space zombies.

More like... an overarching saga of humanity's struggle to substantiate itself alongside other alien species, the conflicts therein, the organic/synthetic dichotomy and the approach of this great unfathomable threat to the existence of all advanced life in the galaxy coming in from the darkness.

Lovecraftian

the phrase "spinning like a turbine in his grave" comes to mind, but whatever.

Yes, "Lovercraftian", as in Lovecraft "inspired" horror tropes, which references an aesthetic similarity to the Cthulhu Mythos, and not as much actual Lovecraftian Horror, which has a specific set of traits. For instance, the Reapers, as originally conceived in ME1, were clearly an allusion to Cosmicism, which boils down to meaning that our limited organic brains could never comprehend the full depth of cosmic calculation, a notion which fits nicely with Sovereign's dialogue. If the Reapers are an example of a post-singularity society, then understanding their motives would naturally be impossible. This was of course consequently pooped on by the human-smoothie and starchild reveals of ME2 and ME3.

Also, "Lovercraftian", because actual Lovecraft horrors are unknowable, omnipotent, and indestructible forces who don't commune and interact with protagonists, let alone give them a monologue. Hence, they wouldn't really work as antagonists in a "video game" setting, particularly of the space operaish boom-boom bang-bang "Action"/RPG variety.

 

[chestburster]

Yes, "Lovercraftian", as in Lovecraft "inspired" horror tropes, which references an aesthetic similarity to the Cthulhu Mythos, and not as much actual Lovecraftian Horror, which has a specific set of traits. For instance, the Reapers, as originally conceived in ME1, were clearly an allusion to Cosmicism, which boils down to meaning that our limited organic brains could never comprehend the full depth of cosmic calculation, a notion which fits nicely with Sovereign's dialogue. If the Reapers are an example of a post-singularity society, then understanding their motives would naturally be impossible. This was of course consequently pooped on by the human-smoothie and starchild reveals of ME2 and ME3.

Also, "Lovercraftian", because actual Lovecraft horrors are unknowable, omnipotent, and indestructible forces who don't commune and interact with protagonists, let alone give them a monologue. Hence, they wouldn't really work as antagonists in a "video game" setting, particularly of the space operaish boom-boom bang-bang "Action"/RPG variety.

Yep. The Reapers are heavily based on the "Big Filter" hypothesis (cyclic extinction of intergalactic intelligent species) which Lovecraft himself hinted on.

Then Biowear turned Reapers from incomprehensible cosmic entities into giant intergalactic terminators.

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

lol, glad to see I'm not the only one the quote system is messing with.

The reapers are so banal and watered down they can hardly be considered anything similar to Lovecraft and they were that way from the beginning.

ME1's setup was very good and allowed for the possibility of some really interesting developments later on in the series

Generic evil mind controling space robots want to wipe out all life in the universe...again...oh, and space zombies.

More like... an overarching saga of humanity's blah blah

More like a fanboy's bowel movement after a night filled with Star Trek, Star Wars, Farscape, Battlestar, SG-1 and sausage flavored ice cream.

Lovercraftian

edit: why am i wasting my time itt when i could be playing D:OS?

 

[Whiner]

Which fanbase is more creepy - Bioware or My Little Pony?

 

[bat_boro]

I almost cried for the human race after I read that. The end could not come soon enough.

 

[donkeymong]

I almost cried for the human race after I read that. The end could not come soon enough.

Think positive. Some of them would have procreated if they not discovered through Bioware games that they are gay.

 

[Bliblablubb]

I almost cried for the human race after I read that. The end could not come soon enough.

Think positive. Some of them would have procreated if they not discovered through Bioware games that they are gay.

So Bioware can now add "improving the human race by cyberpsychology" to their huge list of Achievments (50 Gaymerpoints)! Damn, is there anything this company cannot do? Well, aside from writing emotional engaging romances, meaningful c&c, immersive endings..... uuh, forget I asked.

 

[Rake]

I almost cried for the human race after I read that. The end could not come soon enough.

Think positive. Some of them would have procreated if they not discovered through Bioware games that they are gay.

They cannot in "games as art", but they sure succeed in "games as a social service". Now if only they released a game full of bigotry, sexism, misogyny etc. The "you are hurting Real people" crowd would throw themselves out of windows and the betterment of human race would be complete.

 

[Jools]

I almost cried for the human race after I read that. The end could not come soon enough.

Think positive. Some of them would have procreated if they not discovered through Bioware games that they are gay.

So Bioware can now add "improving the human race by cyberpsychology" to their huge list of Achievments (50 Gaymerpoints)! Damn, is there anything this company cannot do? Well, aside from writing emotional engaging romances, meaningful c&c, immersive endings..... uuh, forget I asked.

There's tens of thousands of posts begging to differ, on the biobroads.

 

[Space Satan]

Looks like they're running a survey, lol

Help us make the next Mass Effect game the best one yet. Id appreciate it if you folks did this short survey...

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/69HFZTS

 

[Ninjerk]

Looks like they're running a survey, lol

Help us make the next Mass Effect game the best one yet. Id appreciate it if you folks did this short survey...

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/69HFZTS

I stopped at the snow planet in the first Mass Effect. The gameplay wasn't strong enough to carry the Halo-ripoff story delivered via hamfisted Cassandra complex.