Anthem: Bioware's next Mass Effect-like IP

[Charge me Doctor]

So what makes it better than other similar games? From alpha gameplay it looks like titanfall or mass effect andromida...why should i play this rather than them?

it's new off course! you don't want to play old games, obviously.

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They were specifically telling the people who literally found it incomprehensible that BF may fudge history a bit and add women to roles to not buy their games. They figured if those people were toxic now, they will be toxic later, and no loss to the game. Yeah, good move imo.

If you have consumers who are troglodytes, and going to social media and acting like such, yeah call them on it. There are plenty of companies who Twitter accounts destroy people like that, and it largely turns into positive PR because those neanderthals are not the majority. The populace is so vocal now, it's not longer acceptable to pretend to like everyone anymore and that is fine.

Fun thing is - they could add women and not fudge history at all. It's obvious that they did it do make an outrage and a loud boom around their game. Previously this strategy worked, can't see why it won't work now

[Jtbrig7390]

I understand the bad reputation EA has, and I am not saying it isn't well deserved, but I'd rather discuss THE GAME itself in a thread about the game.

And that game is being published and funded by EA, If you support their products you support their bullshit.

[nekobaka]

I know exactly how ME multiplayer (MEMP) loot boxes worked. It's why I specifically referenced it. Yes, you could buy power, but they were different from what people "typically" consider in P2W.

The important points for me are:
- MEMP was PvE. I don't care if someone bought the game, and then bought all the best stuff and does more damage than me. We're on the same team. If anything, it makes it easier for me. I also don't inspect people's characters / gear before matches so probably wouldn't notice the difference between a terrible person who bought all their gear and a good player in bad gear.
- All the loot boxes were available for purchase with in game currency, earned at a reasonable rate. I think worked out to ever 2.5 successful games I could buy a premium box. Or every successful game if I only wanted boxes with rares, instead of a chance for an ultra rare.
- I could consistently clear the hardest settings without fully maxed gear
- You were guaranteed to eventually get everything. Guns could be leveled from 1-10. Once you got the same gun 10 times to level it to max, you would never get that gun again. It's not like say, Hearthstone, where you can get duplicate cards you don't need, and then can dust hundreds of them to get one card you do. Every single thing you get from the boxes is an upgrade.


If people want to spend money to make a PvE experience "better" for themselves, have at it. I personally quite enjoyed MEMP and put a ton of time into it both solo and with friends.

Just wanted to make sure the distinction was clear with many of the supporting community being for purely cosmetic only along with no loot boxes. Many of those who supported it being pay only loot boxes in Destiny turned face when it was added as a grindable option despite it still remaining largely cosmetic and still obtainable for free for hardcore players. In ME:A the devs added three additional percs beyond level ten with each with additional levels to extend the grind. That of which one being the clear winner and the rest regarded as garbage filler.

Reguarding a nock out system. Unfortunately for Destiny there was a very vocal group that was happy they spent over 1k hours not obtaining a god roll. Same group makes up a good portion of the anthem fan club. Which brings back Anthem of will devs and if they do cater to such players will they satisfy this level of hardcore. I had my own criticisms of D1 year 3 that had a fairly trivial grind for the "casual" player base with a very large gap for the completionists and maintain the same towards Diablo3. Great for a month and then just shallow searching for the rare of the rare drops to push me forward. Personally just boring. No targeted grinds, no new unlocks of features, and gameplay mechanics.

[Lahis]

Honest question: does motion blur impact FPS performance, and if not, will it really hurt to make that a toggleable feature on the consoles?

Motipn blur is mainly used to mask the low fps, so toggling it on console would be counterproductive for their goals :P

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Except for the parts where they have already said their monetization plans. Sure they may change, but If they're all cosmetic, or done in the style of ME multiplayer, I'm fine with it.

I'm still not sure what any of this has to do with the comments about game play though.

Wouldn't be first time gameplay and progression is turned inyo grindy mess to incentivise buying the progression insteqd of playing to get it.

[Coldkil]

Therein lies the whole problem with the Games as Live Service model.

Agree fully.

EDIT: the problem arose when companies shifted from "number of active accounts" to "how many hours people play" as a core metric to determine the success of a game. All while not realizing playerbase has changed and excluding the small core of "nolifers" (not a critique, just focusing on the concept) basically everyone has a very short attention span and/or small timeframes to play, and people love to jump onto the "next big thing".

Games are designed as a service - meaning everything is dragged and slow, while actual support and new content dies shortafter because the new game has to come out.

The entire concept is failing in the worst possible way.

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Not really sure where anyone is getting this sort of information about Anthem? You can't buy gear and all monetization at launch is cosmetic. All story DLC will also be included.

EA can't really afford shitty monetization strategies any more. They've already touched the 3rd rail and gotten zapped. I'd be absolutely shocked if they force something predatory post launch.

Wasn't about Anthem, just a direct response to the quote in my post. I didn't play Anthem so i cannot comment on its quality - i'm just gonna wait a couple of months.

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Like Vanilla WoW?

Yes, for certain aspects. I think my pov is also changed over years naturally given everyone grows up, life changes and priorities shift around. Hours i could dedicate in Vanilla are no more available now, hence my point.

I acknowledge that i'm no more part of the audience for such games; either they can be played in a more "relaxed" way or i'm not goona invest my little time onto something i cannot even scratch its surface.

[yasiru]

How pray tell, do we do that when it's not out yet and the few that stress-tested are under NDA? And the one little 10min video makes it look exactly like playing any other modern looter-shooter.

Sort of a fair point there. Yes the game isn't out yet and those who played the alpha are under NDA (which is the minority of us here), but there has been far from just one 10 minute video put out on the game. Besides the developers own videos, IGN and others have been slowly releasing stuff. There is even a 40+ minute video on suit customization alone. They are about to do one on weapons alone. So there is plenty for people to generate some discussion over and/or give their first impressions. Which some people have been doing.

Going along with your point though, time and time again Bioware has been saying there will not be lootboxes in the game, but that hasn't stopped people from crying foul that there will be because it's EA. So by your own idea why complain about the monetization of the game when there has been zero minutes of video/info about it? I'm not an EA fan by any means, and have maybe owned 1-3 games of their's ever (2 madden games thru the years and DA Inquisition, that's it. DA:I didn't have any loot box issue that I am aware of and it was made by bioware, the team behind this game), so don't get the idea I am somehow defending them. I am looking at this game via Bioware.

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And that game is being published and funded by EA, If you support their products you support their bullshit.

I get your point but don't give a crap about EA. However I do like Bioware, so can I not support Bioware when they make a game that looks fun to me, or must I ignore them just because they fall under EA?

[kaelleria]

Sort of a fair point there. Yes the game isn't out yet and those who played the alpha are under NDA (which is the minority of us here), but there has been far from just one 10 minute video put out on the game. Besides the developers own videos, IGN and others have been slowly releasing stuff. There is even a 40+ minute video on suit customization alone. They are about to do one on weapons alone. So there is plenty for people to generate some discussion over and/or give their first impressions. Which some people have been doing.

Going along with your point though, time and time again Bioware has been saying there will not be lootboxes in the game, but that hasn't stopped people from crying foul that there will be because it's EA. So by your own idea why complain about the monetization of the game when there has been zero minutes of video/info about it? I'm not an EA fan by any means, and have maybe owned 1-3 games of their's ever (2 madden games thru the years and DA Inquisition, that's it. DA:I didn't have any loot box issue that I am aware of and it was made by bioware, the team behind this game), so don't get the idea I am somehow defending them. I am looking at this game via Bioware.

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I get your point but don't give a crap about EA. However I do like Bioware, so can I not support Bioware when they make a game that looks fun to me, or must I ignore them just because they fall under EA?

It's almost like people don't actually look at the videos I've been linking or something...

[-Villentretenmerth-]

I can't wait for the Game to release, because it will be the final nail in the coffin for whatever is left of BioWare. And that means FIFA is the last Franchise left for EA and when Lootboxes get banned, they are basically fucked!

[yasiru]

I can't wait for the Game to release, because it will be the final nail in the coffin for whatever is left of BioWare. And that means FIFA is the last Franchise left for EA and when Lootboxes get banned, they are basically fucked!

Again, I understand the EA hate, but what exactly do you have against Bioware? Ok Andromeda was a screwed up mess, but they appear to be trying to right the ship with this game and I don't recall Bioware doing anything controversial besides the Andromeda thing. I don't get the mindset of hoping Bioware falls apart. Rather, I hope they make great games that people can enjoy. If they go down that's just another studio we have lost that could be offering us good things in the future... Losing a good studio does no one any favors.

[kaelleria]

Nifty little trailer with some new gameplay footage.

[Lahis]

I get your point but don't give a crap about EA. However I do like Bioware, so can I not support Bioware when they make a game that looks fun to me, or must I ignore them just because they fall under EA?

Bioware are inseparable from EA, so you either support EA or don't.

[kaelleria]

Bioware are inseparable from EA, so you either support EA or don't.

Ok then get out of the thread and let us discuss the game. Make an EA hate thread elsewhere.

[glowpipe]

Will the demo show what the end game is like after a few weeks/month?

The demo gonna show you what they want you to see. Can't use a demo, tailored to trick you to buy the game, to decide

[Anaphaze]

And that game is being published and funded by EA, If you support their products you support their bullshit.

We're posting on a forum for predominately WoW and other activision-blizzard games. Most people here are probably subbed to WoW or play other blizzard games. We're supporting activisions bullshit, which at this point is arguably worse than EA.

[yasiru]

The demo gonna show you what they want you to see. Can't use a demo, tailored to trick you to buy the game, to decide

Tailored to trick us? Really? Please explain how it will be tailored to trick us? Sorry, but I would rather have a demo to try than not have one, like most other games. I kind of see it as Bioware trying to do the right thing, rather than trick us.

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Bioware are inseparable from EA, so you either support EA or don't.

So if i don't like my daughter's school, but like one of her teachers, must I not support the teacher because she is connected with the school? Same logic, different situation. So if I like Anthem and want to play it, I shouldn't because EA is the publisher? If that is the case you better re-evaluate everything you do in life. there's probably numerous companies owned by bigger corps. that you purchase things from or use their products without realizing what a monster the umbrella company is... My intention is playing Anthem is because it looks fun and I want to play it. If EA is supported in the process I don't really care. They aren't clubbing seals in the arctic or something with the money they get from my game purchase... I'm not going to punish myself by not playing a game I want to play, or punish Bioware who I like, just because they are owned by EA.

[glowpipe]

Tailored to trick us? Really? Please explain how it will be tailored to trick us? Sorry, but I would rather have a demo to try than not have one, like most other games. I kind of see it as Bioware trying to do the right thing, rather than trick us.

they won't show glearing gameplay issues in the demo. The demo will be tailored to only show the pro's and hide the cons. Disabling features that might not work aswell etc.

I am looking forward to this game and gonna play it on the origin acess as soon as it comes out, but a demo of the content they want us to see, is hardly anything to judge a game on

[Lindon]

they won't show glearing gameplay issues in the demo. The demo will be tailored to only show the pro's and hide the cons. Disabling features that might not work aswell etc.

I am looking forward to this game and gonna play it on the origin acess as soon as it comes out, but a demo of the content they want us to see, is hardly anything to judge a game on

I'm unsure as to what you think a demo used to be since all game demos has always only let you play a miniscule amount of a game. A demo has in most cases only let you play a maximum of one mission or part of a mission (roughly 30 min gametime). A demo is just meant to be a taste of what a game can provide and in Anthem's case a demo would be a prime place to try out the combat system and see if the visuals and maybe world-building is something that you find interesting.
You've never been able to "review" every mechanic and feature of a game in a demo and you never will.

[tehdef]

Again, I understand the EA hate, but what exactly do you have against Bioware? Ok Andromeda was a screwed up mess, but they appear to be trying to right the ship with this game and I don't recall Bioware doing anything controversial besides the Andromeda thing. I don't get the mindset of hoping Bioware falls apart. Rather, I hope they make great games that people can enjoy. If they go down that's just another studio we have lost that could be offering us good things in the future... Losing a good studio does no one any favors.

Andromeda was fine. I backed off the game for like ~2 months after it came out, went back, and had a great time. In fact, I had such a good time, that I'm really pissed that the hate it receives killed the future games, since the story ends on a damn cliffhanger.

[NoiseTank13]

Andromeda was fine. I backed off the game for like ~2 months after it came out, went back, and had a great time. In fact, I had such a good time, that I'm really pissed that the hate it receives killed the future games, since the story ends on a damn cliffhanger.

No, it was barely below-average typical open world tripe, filled with writing done from inexperience writers who had more experience with memes than character archetypes, including an actual "Dude Where's my Mako and Weed" sidequest. None of the NPC's were noteworthy, the villains were boring.

And as an additional insult, they included a multiplayer that still utilized P2P matchmaking and no text chat, which meant your communication was nothing or middle-schooler throating his mic like a porn star.

[Lahis]

Tailored to trick us? Really? Please explain how it will be tailored to trick us? Sorry, but I would rather have a demo to try than not have one, like most other games. I kind of see it as Bioware trying to do the right thing, rather than trick us.

It is frontloaded demo filled with awesome set pieces. Cut short just before the game falls flat down on its face.