[Megathread] Mass Effect 3

[Mordin Solus]

its the special edition one hes talking about

[Deleted]

Never noticed you can shoot the legs off husks in ME2...
Sure makes things easier.

http://i.imgur.com/iPDqj.jpg
Dundundun....

[Leonard McCoy]

Shep sacrificing himself makes total sense. I'd actually be a little bit disappointed if they made a "perfect" ending. Look what we're talking about is the end of a cycle that's repeated itself for literally aeons. Of course their are gonna be dire consequences and it's gonna require sacrifice. They took a bit of a risk with the ending and it didn't pay off like they expected. Can't wait for the EC though.

[Nerraw]

In the future you can just open up the map and it will show the location of the npc's including Adams. It shows the "named" or the ones you can talk to but not all interactable ones. Since the guy that you can interact with to salute or the dog aren't shown.

I've never used the map much in ME3. I actually just now am realizing I've never opened it on the Normandy at all.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 07:02 PM ----------

I don't mind a self-sacrificial Shepard. That's not among any of my complaints about the ending. Such an ending can always be done powerfully if done correctly.

Though, I do believe a "perfect ending" should be achievable, such as there was in ME2; do everything a certain way and Shepard lives, the mass relays remain functional and the Reapers are destroyed. Just like if you do everything a certain way in ME2, everyone can go home alive.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 12:42 PM ----------



There's a dog?

It's good in theory, but in the end all it does is take away choice. Who would ever on purpose not choose the absolute perfect ending for their canon Shepard?

That was also one of the things the writer mentioned in here earlier got into. He liked the idea, but it really did take away options. It turned into more of a chore than anything else. And it made people expect that everything they did in ME3 would eventually lead to the same conclusion, that you could have that picture-perfect ending where everyone survived and went home to get hammered.

And I agree with him on that. I liked the choice on Virmire so much better, since I had to actually choose, and it would affect my galaxy for two or more games to come. No matter what I did there would be consequences. The "choices" in the suicide mission opened up a path with absolutely no consequences at all. I like the idea, but it doesn't fit in Mass Effect.


And the dog is a robotic dog you get on the shuttle deck with the Collector's Edition. It doesn't do much other than wandering around and looking cute.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 07:04 PM ----------

Never noticed you can shoot the legs off husks in ME2...
Sure makes things easier.

http://i.imgur.com/iPDqj.jpg
Dundundun....

Biotic Pull also kills husks instantly.

[Adam Jensen]

It's good in theory, but in the end all it does is take away choice. Who would ever on purpose not choose the absolute perfect ending for their canon Shepard?

That was also one of the things the writer mentioned in here earlier got into. He liked the idea, but it really did take away options. It turned into more of a chore than anything else. And it made people expect that everything they did in ME3 would eventually lead to the same conclusion, that you could have that picture-perfect ending where everyone survived and went home to get hammered.

And I agree with him on that. I liked the choice on Virmire so much better, since I had to actually choose, and it would affect my galaxy for two or more games to come. No matter what I did there would be consequences. The "choices" in the suicide mission opened up a path with absolutely no consequences at all. I like the idea, but it doesn't fit in Mass Effect.

You do have a point. Now that I know how to achieve "No One Left Behind," I always feel compelled to do it the same way. Virmire on the other hand is an interesting dilemma because either option sucks; Kaiden or Ash will die, there's no alternative, just chose.

[rhorle]

Never noticed you can shoot the legs off husks in ME2...
Sure makes things easier.

http://i.imgur.com/iPDqj.jpg
Dundundun....

Since at least ME2 all enemies have a weak spot that does more damage. The codex or something else somewhere in the game mentions legs for husks. I think you can also do the waist for husks though I always just shoot the kneecap area in ME2. For a lot just having a better weapon/ability over comes it. For example you are supposed to change your weapons for the enemy type in ME2 and ME3 as some are designed to be stronger or weaker against different types. (More variation in types in me2). But you pretty much used the good weapons all the time because they powered over any strength. Husks are just a better example of the system since its a body part and so easily seen.

I think a lot of people really over looked some of those things that were mentioned in the games when it comes to the story of ME3. If you actually look at the story of Cerberus in ME1 and 2 you could pretty much predict their story for ME3. Some of the other story elements aren't always as "clear" as the one hinted at in that picture. But Bioware has done a great job of putting hints at the future in each of the past games.

It makes me curious as to what hints for the future were in ME3 if any. But it stands to reason there will be some since both Liara and the Asari enacted contingency plans.

[Deleted]

It makes me curious as to what hints for the future were in ME3 if any. But it stands to reason there will be some since both Liara and the Asari enacted contingency plans.

All hail Liara T'soni, queen of the asari!

[Nerraw]

You do have a point. Now that I know how to achieve "No One Left Behind," I always feel compelled to do it the same way. Virmire on the other hand is an interesting dilemma because either option sucks; Kaiden or Ash will die, there's no alternative, just chose.

Indeed. While some games do benefit from the "perfect" choices, Mass Effect shouldn't have had it. Especially seeing as how things turned out in the end.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 07:54 PM ----------

All hail Liara T'soni, queen of the asari!

Liara would never accept that role willingly.

Now, Aria on the other hand....

[Deleted]

Liara would never accept that role willingly.

I disagree, a shattered people need a strong and wise leader to unite and lead them.
And even if she hesitated, Shepard have an ability to steamroll anyone verbally.

[Nerraw]

Maybe if there was no one else to step up. However, we do know that Aria has... connections. If she wanted to, she could easily put herself in a position to rule whatever she wanted.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 08:05 PM ----------

Bioware sure as hell isn't wasting time getting back to work.

https://twitter.com/Sjosz/status/217290262593011713
"Man, I forgot how much fun prototyping is. I'll be prototyping some stuff today, and I'm all giddy about it."

[Deleted]

Maybe if there was no one else to step up. However, we do know that Aria has... connections. If she wanted to, she could easily put herself in a position to rule whatever she wanted.

I doubt Liara would just sit back and let some ruthless gangsterboss lead her people.

[razisgosu]

Honestly though why would you not expect Doom and Gloom given the story of Mass Effect? That a battle that is pretty much hopeless might be hopeless? Just because you die in the end also doesn't mean it isn't a happy ending or isn't filled with just doom and gloom. Would shepard really know what to do with himself with no reapers? Do you really see him sitting on a new citadel council? President of the galaxy?

Doom and Gloom doesn't make for a bad story. Lord of the Rings is filled with plenty of doom and gloom and doesn't really have a "happy" ending but it is an excellent story. And I found the ME ending to be a happy one for my character. Just because my Shepard died and didn't get to raise a family with Ashley doesn't mean it wasn't a happy ending for him. He died doing what he has done since becoming a spectre candidate. Fighting against a foe that seemed impossible to beat and sacrificing along the way.

I'm going to loop back to my DA:O example here. There was the option to be a self sacrificing character AND the option to be the hero who lives. There was that option to get that happy ending where your character lived. In ME2 you had the ability to get your "happy ending" where everyone survived. Why would I not expect a doom and gloom ending? Because it's not something Bioware has practiced in the past. To me, the hero of a story dying, is unacceptable (in most cases). To provide another example, if Harry Potter died in the final battle against Voldemort would the fans rage? Chances are high they would. It's not a perfect example, but a similar one.

What would Shepard do without reapers? I dunno, he was a young lad, I'm sure he'd figure something out. There's plenty of evil in the galaxy that he could go after.

[razisgosu]

I think I know which Dragon Age-writer it was, he was active on BSN a couple of months back as well. Since he had nothing to do with the develoment of ME. He definitely had some interesting viewpoints. He agreed with some things regarding the ending, disagreed with other things. And he may be right in this particular case.

However, the premise of Mass Effect is portraying a harsh, gritty galaxy where the risk of a premature death is pretty high. It was never supposed to be a happy place. Heck, the first things you encounter in ME1 is someone under your command dying, sentient robots impaling people and turning them into cybernetic zombies, one of your would-be colleauges representing the James Bond-agency of the Mass Effect universe being gunned down by a co-worker, and a creepy-ass vision showing huge robots going to work on an ancient civilization. And that's just the first 30 minutes of the entire trilogy.

I can understand people wanting a happy ending. I wanted one too. But I never truly expected the ending to come without some pretty big sacrifices in one form or another. This trilogy was never lining up for that rainbows-and-unicorns ending.

Besides, the story doesn't have to end all doom-and-gloom. It all comes down to the individual's point of view. I for one am fine with my Control choice. It's definitely not picture-perfect seeing as Shepard sacrifices himself, but he does so in order to save everyone else left alive.

Beating the DA:O comparison dead horse here, but it wasn't much better a world than ME if you think about it. Darkspawn everywhere, if you started as an elf, being abused by humans, living in the slums, mages essentially locked up and hunted by templars. Even if it's a terrible gritty world, they managed to write in an ending where the hero lived. I know, different games, developers, etc. It just goes to show how different the company has changed in a few years.

To me self sacrifice is never written right as it's not something I want to see. I do get attached to characters and I hate to see them die, especially my character. Honestly I feel there should have been a way to save both Kaidan and Ashley, split your party, 2 go save one, you save the other, but I'm getting off topic here.

[Nerraw]

I doubt Liara would just sit back and let some ruthless gangsterboss lead her people.

Cat-fight of the Cycle. I need tickets to that dance.

[Deleted]

Cat-fight of the Cycle. I need tickets to that dance.

Toss Samara in the mix and im buying frontrow seats.

[ishootblanks]

Up until the Crusader, I wasn't really a fan of shotguns at all in MP, with a slight exception of the Reegar carbine, but after messing around with the Crusader in the firing range, it quickly became one of my favourite weapons given it's effective use as a high powered, armour piercing sniper shotgun. Any Guardians in MP now go down in about 1 shot with a rough aim to the head, not even needing to bother with the letterbox sized opening, as the Crusader just goes through the plate. Also the Eagle is a pistol I want to try out due to it's automatic fire use. So far the only N7 weapons I have managed to get are the Hurricane, and SMGs aren't really my thing, as well as the Crusader.

the hurricane with a non-sniper specced infiltrator.. or turian soldier is pretty fun.. you just rip things to shreds..

[Nerraw]

"If you replay (as suggested) from before the attack on Cerberus Base, i believe the required EMS is ~3100 to see all the scenes. That should allow you to see everything even without MP (6200 Assets@ 50% readiness rating)"

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to...80/22#12744478

[Deleted]

This means noone will ever get the bad cinematics where Sword gets smashed and the cutscene where your squadmates are killed by Harbringer, or the cinematic where everyone on Earth is killed.

*ahem*
Read the following word in TotalHalibuts voice: "Casuals"

[Nerraw]

Agreed. It should have been doable in SP only from the start, but lowering it this much is just... Yeah.

---------- Post added 2012-06-25 at 09:49 PM ----------

I can't fucking believe people still outright refuse to acknowledge that crashing an asteroid into a relay and overloading it could have two different outcomes.

[Nerraw]

Damn, suddenly I started getting the chills. Pre-game-release nerves have started setting in. -.-