Mass Effect 3 to have more than 1000 variables in its story?

[Bateluer]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=258534

Bioware has revealed that Mass Effect 3 will be shaped by over 1,000 story variations from the first two games in the series.

Like its predecessor, Mass Effect 3 will offer continuation of the decisions players made in previous iterations of the franchise.

But according to ME2 project lead Casey Hudson, things have gotten a little complicated for the studio.

"We plan out the larger plot points of the story from one game to the next, but it would be impossible to plan it all in advance," he told PC Zone issue 224 (in all good stores now, folks).

"More importantly, we'd never be able to plan as many creative opportunities if we'd do it all up front. Instead, we record what a player has done in a play-through, and then we have all of those choices available that writers can refer to as they build storylines...

"Numerically, it's over 1,000 variables that we'll have access to for shaping the Mass Effect 3 experience for people who've played the previous games."

Hudson said that Bioware wouldn't be reinventing its action-RPG approach with the third game - which the studio has already started work on.

Hopefully, it doesn't get too consolized. ME2 was fun, but any more dumbed down and I'd have to hold off on buying it.

 

[Fenixgoon]

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=258534



Hopefully, it doesn't get too consolized. ME2 was fun, but any more dumbed down and I'd have to hold off on buying it.

i didn't like the limited weapon selection and lack of item variation. there were like.. 4 of each weapon. i really liked ME1's system better, despite ungainly (to be nice) inventory system.

 

[TecHNooB]

I'd be happy if they combined what they had going for them in ME1 and ME2. I didn't think ME2 was too dumbed down as ME1's inventory system was quite cluttered (having useless duplicates is annoying). Just add more weapons and allow more weapon / power customization.

 

[Cheesetogo]

They cut down ME2 just enough IMO. ME1's inventory system was downright terrible. The only thing I was really disappointed in was the Citadel -- the epic feel was somewhat lost by the reduction in size.

 

[Skurge]

I Love that game, but the thing that stops replaying it as much as I want to, are the mini-games.

The mining in ME2 being the worse.

 

[Ika]

Combine ME1 and ME2 and throw out the crappy parts (planet exploration, inventory management, in 1; greatly reduced RPG feel in 2) they'd have a fscking awesome game on their hands.

 

[Zenoth]

They keep talking about decisions from previous games affecting the next...

I'm not sure if I'm the only one but if there's one thing that cannot be denied (well, at least for me) is that most of the choices I made in Mass Effect did not have any significant impact in Mass Effect 2, some even had no consequences whatsoever, not to mention that the very basis of my character's psychological and pre-service history profiles (Colonist, War Hero, Earth-born, Ruthless, etc.) barely had any effect in ME2 (oh, well, yeah I did get some news broadcasts on the Citadel in relation to my own Shepard being a Colonist-Ruthless, so I guess it's mission accomplished for BioWare).

One of the most blatantly ignored profile is the Sole Survivor one, in which Shepard was the sole survivor (literally) during a thresher maw attack on Akuze, an attack that according to another survivor (corporal Toombs) was entirely orchestrated by Cerberus to help them study the thresher maws by luring the Alliance marines (Shepard's unit) there. In ME2 there is absolutely no direct reference to that event by any of the Cerberus members on the Normandy nor is it possible to even have a single discussion about it with the Illusive Man, although now we work with/for Cerberus. But that's not the only example, basically each and every single psychological and pre-history service profiles had basically no impact in ME2 (at least not in the form of unique assignments directly related to them like it was in ME1, heck there's even more consequences to being a Colonist-Ruthless in ME1's Bring Down the Sky DLC than there is in the entirety of ME2).

I do sincerely hope that ME3 will fill up all the holes gloriously set by ME2, because really, all those potential missions we could have had that were replaced by mere personal messages on your private terminal in my opinion was just wasted meat. Additionally, I want to go back as a real Specter in ME3 (in ME2 let's face it, it was meaningless) and not work for or with Cerberus anymore, I want the Normandy (SR-2 or another, I don't care anymore since the original is gone) to get rid of that big obvious Cerberus logo painted on it that also has no effect whatsoever in ME2 when you suddenly show it up at the Citadel ("hey guys, there's a big Cerberus ship in Citadel space, let it come, is has to be harmless, it's a known terrorist organization but we don't care about that").

 

[TecHNooB]

They cut down ME2 just enough IMO. ME1's inventory system was downright terrible. The only thing I was really disappointed in was the Citadel -- the epic feel was somewhat lost by the reduction in size.

NPCs talk about certain areas of the Citadel being closed off for repairs. I was hoping that as you progressed in the game, more areas of the Citadel would be available for exploration. Unfortunately, this was not the case

 

[NoQuarter]

They keep talking about decisions from previous games affecting the next...

I'm not sure if I'm the only one but if there's one thing that cannot be denied (well, at least for me) is that most of the choices I made in Mass Effect did not have any significant impact in Mass Effect 2, some even had no consequences whatsoever, not to mention that the very basis of my character's psychological and pre-service history profiles (Colonist, War Hero, Earth-born, Ruthless, etc.) barely had any effect in ME2 (oh, well, yeah I did get some news broadcasts on the Citadel in relation to my own Shepard being a Colonist-Ruthless, so I guess it's mission accomplished for BioWare).

Agreed, I had lost my ME1 saves in a hard drive crash (had just deleted my backups too ) so I played through ME1 all over again before I started ME2 and it wasn't worth it at all, the actual story and locations skirt around as much ME1 content as possible to avoid having to actually resolve world altering decisions from ME1, the only thing I even noticed really were a couple NPC's were alive (Blake and Wrex) and some galactic news audio clips.

I love ME2's combat system though, the story isn't as compelling as ME1 was and I'd prefer a little more character customization. Hated the inventory in ME1 as after a certain point everything you get is worthless, I just jacked up my inventory slots to 1500 in the .ini

I think ME3 will be great as they clearly learned a lot from ME1 and should learn more from ME2.

 

[Phobic9]

Combine ME1 and ME2 and throw out the crappy parts (planet exploration, inventory management, in 1; greatly reduced RPG feel in 2) they'd have a fscking awesome game on their hands.

Have to agree here. If they can merge the RPG-epic like feel of ME1 with the combat and gameplay of ME2, then ME3 will be amazing.

 

[s44]

2^10 is 1024, so 1000+ variations could mean as few as ten relevant decisions. (edit -- they do say 1000+ "variables" further down, though)

Jettisoning the ME1 inventory system is the best decision Bioware ever made.

 

[GaryJohnson]

The only thing I really missed from ME1's inventory system were the weapon mods. They were kind of replaced with the ammo powers in ME2, which weren't as good.

I didn't hate ME1's mining. It wasn't great. But the mining in ME2 was just god awful.

 

[Ika]

The only thing I really missed from ME1's inventory system were the weapon mods. They were kind of replaced with the ammo powers in ME2, which weren't as good.

I didn't hate ME1's mining. It wasn't great. But the mining in ME2 was just god awful.

I liked ammo powers. I customized my squad with two full-squad ammo powers (say, disrupter and shredder) and took the single powerful one for myself (inferno?). I definitely prefer it to be in the form of a "power" than in the form of item management, it's much simpler and easier to use. I don't want to have to switch item mods in the middle of a battle.

 

[Liet]

I'm with Zenoth. SOOOO many plot holes that could've been utilized.

It's nowhere near the complex, "decisions matter", interactive masterpiece that the industry seems to want it to be. But it's decent. The ME2 combat system was a VAST improvement, and the ME2 inventory was only hindered by a lack of options, really. All in all, ME2 is a good, fun game that is disappointing in that it could've easily been REALLY MINDBLOWING.

Oh well.

 

[Bateluer]

Oddly enough, it wasn't the mining and resource gathering in ME2 I disliked. It was the fact that there was almost nothing you could do with the resources that irritated me. After a point, you easily accumulate enough resources to buy every upgrade for the Normandy, with truckloads to spare. Kinda pointless. Would like to see more ship upgrades, armor, weapons, interior, etc. We are going to be taking on a fleet of Reapers, after all. If there was more you could do with the resources, it'd be much better.

Apparently, I'm in the minority for disliking ME2's FPS style combat system.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Anybody wondering if ME3 will really have a definite ending or if they will find a way to continue the story after that? Seems like a big step from shepard having just one ship to defeating the reapers.

 

[TecHNooB]

Anybody wondering if ME3 will really have a definite ending or if they will find a way to continue the story after that? Seems like a big step from shepard having just one ship to defeating the reapers.

The rachni will save us all (or me at least )

 

[Dorkenstein]

1000 variables that will lead to an un-satisfying conclusion, I think. I'll be amazed and very pleased if it turns out well. They have a tough job cut out for them to continue all the possible variations.

 

[Liet]

The rachni will save us all (or me at least )

That's how it'll be for my Soldier, but not for my ME2 Infiltrator and Biotic because BIOWARE WON'T LET ME FUCKING CHOOSE THEIR HISTORY WITHOUT PLAYING ME1 AGAIN.

SO goddamned frustrating.

 

[s44]

That's how it'll be for my Soldier, but not for my ME2 Infiltrator and Biotic because BIOWARE WON'T LET ME FUCKING CHOOSE THEIR HISTORY WITHOUT PLAYING ME1 AGAIN.

SO goddamned frustrating.

It's amazing how people post this link to every thread but some keep ignoring it.

 

[Liet]

Oh, I know about it. However, it's a feature that should've been included at release. It's absolutely ridiculous that they expect us to play ME1 all over again if we just want to try out a different class/sex with the same history.

 

[Kev]

("hey guys, there's a big Cerberus ship in Citadel space, let it come, is has to be harmless, it's a known terrorist organization but we don't care about that").

Hahah, this wasn't as bad as them letting Legion walk around in the citadel though.

 

[Kev]

Oh, I know about it. However, it's a feature that should've been included at release. It's absolutely ridiculous that they expect us to play ME1 all over again if we just want to try out a different class/sex with the same history.

Just get the save game editor

 

[Liet]

Is it included with ME2? If not, then that's my point - it should've been.

 

[Zenoth]

Anybody wondering if ME3 will really have a definite ending or if they will find a way to continue the story after that? Seems like a big step from shepard having just one ship to defeating the reapers.

It was confirmed already that Mass Effect 3 will be the last game of the Mass Effect franchise in relation to the Commander Shepard's story arc. That means that if one day we do get "another" Mass Effect game then we won't be playing as Commander Shepard anymore, but it is certainly possible that we do get other ME-related games after ME3. Also, who says that there's only going to be one ship to defeat the Reapers? I sure bet you that the Normandy SR-2 itself won't do any final blows to any single Reaper, but if it does it won't be alone.

In the meantime I think that BioWare needs to release more DLCs related to plot holes rather than adding useless new armors and weapons left and right. The next DLC, Lair of the Shadow Broker, is the only one so far for ME2 that relates to elements revealed in the original Mass Effect (the Shadow Broker) and later on continued in the comic Mass Effect: Redemption. If BioWare could concentrate on doing more DLCs in the same vein then we could finally understand a LOT more of what the heck is going on in ME2. As a side note, they should make a DLC about that mission that I apparently had to do but never did with my entire team aboard the shuttle in the middle of absolutely nowhere, that would be a start.