Mass Effect Discussion

[Jistic]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

How's the music?

[UNC_Pete]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

I've been totally oblivious to the gaming scene but if this is lie KOTOR I'll be requesting the soon to be Mrs. to get me a copy for xmas. Either this or GHIII..ahhh choices..

[burnwood]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Lol. Took one minute to sticky.

yeah, how's the music?

[DLaren]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Found some good info and more impressions on the xbox.com forums.

Weapons:

Assault Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols, Sniper Rifles, Grenades.

Each class is limited to certain weapons they can use effectively. Soldier is the only class that can train in all four types of weapons. If your class can only use a pistol or a shotgun, when you go to distribute points to increase your stats, you will only have the option to improve those two weapons. In the game, you will see that all of your squad members carry all four weapons types on their backs, but even if you strictly use an Assault Rifle, if you are never given the option to place any points in that skill, you will never become any better at it.

Each weapon can be upgraded in the game. The actual weapon recieves one upgrade: ie. better barrel for more power, stabilizers to give it better accuracy, sights, enemy scanners, etc. The second option for improving your weapon comes with ammo types: Explosive rounds, armor piercing, shredder rounds, plus many more to find throughout the game. Even your Grenades can be upgraded. Here is the best part, when you replace one weapon with another, it will automatically ask you if you want to transfer over any upgrades, so you do not have to worry about saving a certain upgrade for a better gun.

Armor:

Light, Medium, Heavy. Simple enough right? Armor has three types of protection:

Damage Protection- How much Damage is reduced when that bullet hits you.
Shields- Stops weapons fire from even coming into contact with you, and although shields recharge, if they get hit too many times they temporarily overload, and you will start to take damage.

Tech/Biotic Protection- There are certain attacks that jump right through your shields and armor, and the only way to stop these attacks is this layer of protection.

There are some armor types that have a 0 value assigned to one of the above defenses, which means they offer no protection in that regard. Your armor can also be upgraded: First Aid components- help regenerate your life after you have been hit, shield batteries- increase your shield output, armor plating- increase damage protection, plus many more options. Again, when you choose to replace your armor with another, you will get the option to transfer any uprades as well. You may also toggle helmet on or off for you and most of your squad mates.

Oh, before we move on, yes there are different styles to both your weapons and armor, so you will not be stuck with the same looking armor all the time, however, most manufacurers prefer to have their armor stand out as being their own, so if you get equipment from the same company, it will look very similiar, if not exactly the same.

Combat-

Over the shoulder squad based. You can issue general commands to your squad mates with the D-Pad.

If you hold in the left or right bumper, you can select which weapon or skill yourself or one of your squad mates will use. This also puts a pause into the combat, so you aren't killed picking a power. When you hold in the right bumper specifically, you can assign a skill to be activated when you tap the RB. after you use that skill, you can then re-assign another skill to be used next. You also have the option of allowing your squad mates to use their skills at will, or wait until you tell them to do so. Note- when you use skills or biotics, you suffer from decreased accuracy with your weapons for a certain period of time. There are ways to shorten that time as well, which are discussed in your character screen where you can see where you have assigned your skill points.

There is a very interesting and useful cover mechanic. Where you can tilt around corners or over barracades, fire a few rounds, or use a skill then return to cover, safe from taking enemy fire. This is only useful if your enemies do not swarm you however, then your cover is meaning less once they pass the barrier.

You can also use the Left trigger to tighten your view for a better aim, which also increases accuracy.

Space Travel-

Ah, the Normandy. Home Sweet Home. Feel free to walk around the ship and talk to its crew, your crew and learn everything you can about this ship, it is very interesting to know how the technology works. When you want to travel between planets and other systems you have to go to the star map. Here you can go anywhere in the Galaxy (within game limits). Your view starts tight around the object or planet your ship is orbiting, or investigating. if you want to zoom out to see what else is in that solar system press the X button. This will allow you to see other planets and points of interest in the solar system you are currently in. Pick another planet and travel to it. Then you can survey it or land on it, there is always more to do. Everything done in this solar system? Press X again to look at other neighboring solar systems, and then press A to move in again to explore closer.

Planet Exploration-

Most times you will find yourself scouring the surface of planets in the Mako, an armored transport with a machine gun and cannon turret placed on top. Some planets you can explore on foot, others you have to retreat back to the Mako or suffer from the surface conditions. Each planet has it own dangers and areas to explore, and treasures to find.

Conversations-

This is where the game really shines. The conversation system is phenominal. Previous games would give you the entire response, and then you select one. In this game, you get the jist of the response/question.
Example: The option you select says "Spectre?" when you select it, your avatar can say something like "What makes you think I'm a Spectre?" And your avatar speaks the lines. There is emotion and subtle nuances in the voice. There is real anger coming from the avatar when they are supposed to be angry, there is subtle amusement or even "interest" in the avatar's voice when speaking with someone they are close to. The voice acting is very well done, and you will recognize various familiar and famous voices in the game.

Two notable names: Seth Green and Marina Sirtis. You will recognize more.

Charm and Intimidate Options-
These closed conversation options only open when your character has reached certain levels of charm and intimidation. They usually help you sweet talk or down right bully your way into a better reward, or more information, or just the answer you want to hear. You would be amazed what a pretty smile or a gun under a chin can accomplish.

Your Squad-

I'm not going to get into who is in your squad, if you watched any of the trailers you know about Ashley, the female marine who starts off in the white armor, and the Turian.

But your squadmates are set classes, and they are unable to change their class. You can either have the game assign ability points automatically as you accumulate experience, or you can opt to assign them yourself. Your squad will react to things you say and do, and will respond according to how your choices align with their personal beliefs. You can have a maximum of two squadmates to accompany Sheppard on his missions. Your squad mates accompany you, but you cannot take direct control over your squad mates.

Picking Locks / Hacking Terminals-

Breaking into anything requires a basic skill in electronics, decryption, or hacking. Without enough points in whichever area your specific target requires, you will be unable to even attempt to break into it. With enough points you will be given one or two options manual hack or override using omnigels. Manual hacking required keeping up with the buttons flashing on screen. if you fail to keep up you will fail the hack and be able to attempt it again. you will then have to resort to using up your omnigels to crack open your target. If you dont have enough or any technical skills to hack into something, your squad mates' skills can allow you to still attempt. If your squad mate has enough skill to attempt the hack, you will have the same interface. No matter who attempts the hack, you will only have one try at the hack before you have to use your omnigels.

[dubplate]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

How is the item management? I read a review that said it was a little confusing and annoying.

[dubplate]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

I ordered the game from an online retailer.

Care to share which one or shoot me a PM?

[Skerik]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Care to share which one or shoot me a PM?

TRU.com, but they've wised up and have stopped selling it since.

To whomever asked about the item management, it does take a little getting used to. The problem is that as far as I can tell, there's nowhere where you can see all your items and upgrades in one place. Items are grouped by type. So if you select a character and go to that character's pistol, you'll see all the other pistols you have in stock. Go to the sniper rifle for that character, see all the sniper rifles, etc. Also, you can't see upgrades until you go into the upgrade menu for a given weapon, which means you can't tell which upgrades you have equipped where without selecting each weapon, going into its upgrade menu and seeing what's there. Kind of annoying, imo, but not overly so.

At least this is what I've noticed so far. Maybe there's a view where you can see everything, but I haven't found it yet. I also haven't had much time to play over the past two days or so, but I'll give it some more time this weekend.

[ausar72]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

So...

What's up with the elevators in the game? Are they really THAT bad, LOL?

http://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/11/16/#22311

[Leahmic223]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

So...

What's up with the elevators in the game? Are they really THAT bad, LOL?

http://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/11/16/#22311

Maybe the Elevators are a subtle loading screen. You're in the elevator going to a new floor/level on the map, so its like loading. Don't know I haven't played it yet, but how people make it sound as if there are a lot of them, then they seem to be loading screens.

[ThaGenecyst]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Question about aiming... is it really as hard as these preview video's make it seem... every video i've watched, it seems like they can't keep that reticle on a target to save their life


and how is the framerate?

[Skerik]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Question about aiming... is it really as hard as these preview video's make it seem... every video i've watched, it seems like they can't keep that reticle on a target to save their life

and how is the framerate?

I haven't noticed any framerate problems. As for the aiming, I personally don't have a problem with it but it's not COD4 or anything in terms of its smoothness when it comes to the 3rd person shooter portion of the game. I'm also unsure of exactly how the aiming works in terms of the fact that different guns have different aiming ratings, so I'm not sure if that affects how easy they are to aim, or whether there's some kind of behind the scenes aiming equation at work after you fire at someone.

As for the elevators, I've only been on two of them and the journeys have been pretty unnecessarily long. And that view in the comic is pretty much exactly what you see when you're riding. Your guys are looking at you, you're looking at your guys....and the elevator is moving....yeah.

[Jistic]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Your guys are looking at you, you're looking at your guys....and the elevator is moving....yeah.

And an uncomfortable silence falls over everyone...

Well I struck out at Toys R' Us, so gotta wait til next week.

How far you in? Are you free roaming now?

[rocket21]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

And an uncomfortable silence falls over everyone...

Well I struck out at Toys R' Us, so gotta wait til next week.

How far you in? Are you free roaming now?

I am about two hours in and I can't believe how sweet this game is! It is like a next-gen KOTOR essentially, but the story makes up for the lack of the Star Wars universe.

I haven't made it to free roaming yet. I just got finished with the first part Eden Prime, which is the first world in the tutorial/prologue. I could be quite a bit further by now, but I have stopped to talk to everyone and get the entire realm of questions answered.

All I can saw is WOW! You guys should be counting down the seconds until Tuesday. I just got lucky getting it early. I really like Assassin's Creed, but it won't see the 360 for quite some time. The best part is that I am on vacation next week, so I will make a huge dent in Mass Effect!

Let me know if there are any questions I can answer. I am playing as a Vanguard. Really cool character class.

[Flawless]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

Your guys are looking at you, you're looking at your guys....and the elevator is moving....yeah.

They don't chat?

I thought I read that you and your party members would interact in a meaningful chat and convey background history through the loudspeaker news announcements.

[Stumbleweed]

Re: Mass Effect - Impressions

They don't chat?

I thought I read that you and your party members would interact in a meaningful chat and convey background history through the loudspeaker news announcements.

Haha, it's just like any other awkward elevator situation, I guess.

"What floor?"

"Oh, the Teramytheum Quadrant please."

"Wow, the boron gas is really thick today, huh?"

"Yeah..."

~silence~<SILENCE>