Mass Effect

[The Faceless Rebel]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Magus`:<br><br>I'm thinking of doing a Soldier + Barrier, as on Hardcore/Insanity the extra protection could've been nice for some bits -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>I've found that Adept + Shotgun is a lot of fun in Hardcore. First I lift/singularity/throw them, and then I blast them into the next galaxy with my Spectre shottie. Good times.<br><br>There were a few points in the early game where I was made of paper and my Biotic abilities couldn't do jack shit, but a little patience helped a lot in the early going. Now I'm level 30 and unstoppable because my abilities recharge so quickly now I can use them multiple times in a battle even without Adrenaline Burst.

 

[Daemonic]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR>You have to be nice to your crew members. Choose the top choice and not the bottom one, except in a very few instances. In the case of Garrus, choose the top option always to get his sidequest. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I pretty much always chose the bottom one for Garrus & Wrex, and I got both of their sidequests. Maybe you just have to be consistent?<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Daemonic:<BR> Well, I took Ashley on every mission possible </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>You didn't try out wrex/garrus on citadel or anything? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Not once. The only time was the one mission I was forced to do without Ashley. Which still puts her several missions ahead of Tali. Weirdness.

 

[Semi On]

By the way, Garrus is a bit of a push over. It didn't take very long before I had him completely flip flopping from being the hardass Turian, get it done, type to basically a paragon.

 

[lateralis]

ok just hit the asari achievement.<BR><BR>I finished virmire, went through all the cutscenes and was on my way to meet with anderson in flux when I stopped to offer my support and endorsement to the terra firma party. it looks like that's what did it.<BR><BR>all told I have 48 assignments complete and 17 missions including 2 of the fetch quests (turian emblems and asari writings, I also did the keepers if you are counting that one.)<BR><BR>given that there's at least one citadel sidequest (the negotiator guy outside flux) and the rest of the main quest of ilos and citadel, I'd say it's a very close call to see whether you could do it without ANY of the fetch quests.<BR><BR>if you are gonna try, I would just hold off on the fetch quests till after you escape the citadel. if you haven't unlocked it by then, start on a scavenger hunt until you do.

 

[HappyBunny]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Magus`:<br>Garrus has a special quest? -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_confused.gif -- </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Yup, his is pretty cool IMO. It's about a criminal that got away from C-Sec. I seem to remember you have to go through a few steps of asking him about C-Sec before he brings it up, though.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<br>I've found that Adept + Shotgun is a lot of fun in Hardcore. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>My first play was a soldier and I unlocked all the weapons. For my next one I'm thinking Adept, but I haven't decided on shotgun or assault rifle. Shotgun is fun, but assault rifle is more generally useful I think. Also I'm wondering if Adept + Shotgun is too much like a Vanguard.

 

[The Faceless Rebel]

"I heard a voice in my head. She said to me, even now, there is still hope. But I do not see it. It is long since we have had any hope."<BR><BR>-Boromir<BR><BR>http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=18705<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The new print issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine has an article on the recent news of BioWare and Pandemic being purchased by Electronic Arts. The article points out that because of the purchase, EA will now own Mass Effect, the recently released sci-fi RPG from developer BioWare that Microsoft published for the Xbox 360. <B>However, according to an unnamed source cited in the article, an agreement has been made for Mass Effect 2 and 3 to both be published by Microsoft as well, with BioWare and EA to be listed as developers rather than publishers.</B> BioWare, EA and Microsoft have yet to officially announce Mass Effect 2 although the sales and critical acclaim have been high so it would seem to be a likely possibility. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

[The Faceless Rebel]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HappyBunny:<BR><BR>My first play was a soldier and I unlocked all the weapons. For my next one I'm thinking Adept, but I haven't decided on shotgun or assault rifle. Shotgun is fun, but assault rifle is more generally useful I think. Also I'm wondering if Adept + Shotgun is too much like a Vanguard. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>You know, I played as a Vanguard my first playthrough, and now I'm Adept + Shotgun. Superficially they are similar, then you realize that a Vanguard gets Medium Armor and Adrenaline Burst. The play style is quite different. With a Vanguard I would basically run up to everything and stand in front of them blasting away until they fell over, because Medium Armor + Barrier + Shield Boost + Adrenaline Burst makes you into an invincible killing machine. I went Shock Trooper and got Barrier Specialization for even more invincibility. Plus Adrenaline Burst also lets you instantly use Medi-Gel again instead of waiting for it to recharge. I hardly even used any Biotics as a Vanguard because I never needed them, I was like the fucking Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 out there. Nothing could stop me, not even Geth Primes.<BR><BR>As Adept + Shotgun, I'm considerably more squishy. I find myself taking cover a lot more and spamming my Biotic powers to get my enemies into a vulnerable position so I can blast them from a safe place. I can't stand around and just brush off enemy fire like annoying flies anymore because that usually results in a quick death when my Barrier dies and I don't have Adrenaline Burst to instantly throw up a new Barrier and spam Medi-Gel with. Also as an Adept I have way less HP too, so in the early game Geth Snipers or Rocket Drones were insta-death if they hit me directly, something I never feared or even noticed as a Vanguard. Plus Adepts have a lot more fun powers to play around with, I find myself purposely using powers on the last enemy in a room just to watch them float around lazily before I finished them off with a point blank last shot.<BR><BR>Assault Rifle is great too, but once you have the Spectre AR all the challenge goes away even on Hardcore because at that point its accuracy is as great as the sniper rifle plus it fires continuously and you can kill things with the AR from the other side of the planet. It would be nice to have the AR for Insanity methinks.

 

[NinjaMutha]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR>"I heard a voice in my head. She said to me, even now, there is still hope. But I do not see it. It is long since we have had any hope."<BR><BR>-Boromir<BR><BR>http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=18705<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The new print issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly magazine has an article on the recent news of BioWare and Pandemic being purchased by Electronic Arts. The article points out that because of the purchase, EA will now own Mass Effect, the recently released sci-fi RPG from developer BioWare that Microsoft published for the Xbox 360. <B>However, according to an unnamed source cited in the article, an agreement has been made for Mass Effect 2 and 3 to both be published by Microsoft as well, with BioWare and EA to be listed as developers rather than publishers.</B> BioWare, EA and Microsoft have yet to officially announce Mass Effect 2 although the sales and critical acclaim have been high so it would seem to be a likely possibility. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>oh please God. Don't let EA fuck up the sequels.

 

[NinjaMutha]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HappyBunny:<BR><BR>My first play was a soldier and I unlocked all the weapons. For my next one I'm thinking Adept, but I haven't decided on shotgun or assault rifle. Shotgun is fun, but assault rifle is more generally useful I think. Also I'm wondering if Adept + Shotgun is too much like a Vanguard. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>You know, I played as a Vanguard my first playthrough, and now I'm Adept + Shotgun. Superficially they are similar, then you realize that a Vanguard gets Medium Armor and Adrenaline Burst. The play style is quite different. With a Vanguard I would basically run up to everything and stand in front of them blasting away until they fell over, because Medium Armor + Barrier + Shield Boost + Adrenaline Burst makes you into an invincible killing machine. I went Shock Trooper and got Barrier Specialization for even more invincibility. Plus Adrenaline Burst also lets you instantly use Medi-Gel again instead of waiting for it to recharge. I hardly even used any Biotics as a Vanguard because I never needed them, I was like the fucking Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 out there. Nothing could stop me, not even Geth Primes.<BR><BR>As Adept + Shotgun, I'm considerably more squishy. I find myself taking cover a lot more and spamming my Biotic powers to get my enemies into a vulnerable position so I can blast them from a safe place. I can't stand around and just brush off enemy fire like annoying flies anymore because that usually results in a quick death when my Barrier dies and I don't have Adrenaline Burst to instantly throw up a new Barrier and spam Medi-Gel with. Also as an Adept I have way less HP too, so in the early game Geth Snipers or Rocket Drones were insta-death if they hit me directly, something I never feared or even noticed as a Vanguard. Plus Adepts have a lot more fun powers to play around with, I find myself purposely using powers on the last enemy in a room just to watch them float around lazily before I finished them off with a point blank last shot.<BR><BR>Assault Rifle is great too, but once you have the Spectre AR all the challenge goes away even on Hardcore because at that point its accuracy is as great as the sniper rifle plus it fires continuously and you can kill things with the AR from the other side of the planet. It would be nice to have the AR for Insanity methinks. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Sounds like Vanguard + assault rifle for me on my next playthrough. There are some decent medium armors. Not so much light.

 

[Daemonic]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NinjaMutha:<br>Sounds like Vanguard + assault rifle for me on my next playthrough. There are some decent medium armors. Not so much light. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Vanguard and Shotgun is all you need. It's so much fun. And shotguns are friggen insanely powerful. And Carnage is a blast. Literally. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif --

 

[NinjaMutha]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Daemonic:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by NinjaMutha:<br>Sounds like Vanguard + assault rifle for me on my next playthrough. There are some decent medium armors. Not so much light. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>Vanguard and Shotgun is all you need. It's so much fun. And shotguns are friggen insanely powerful. And Carnage is a blast. Literally. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_razz.gif -- </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>It just seems that you dont really need the shotgun skill as much. I mean, you're inherently using it at close range where accuracy isnt as much of a big deal. My soldier only has about 5 points in shotgun (enough to unlock carnage) and he kills people pretty well. But the later assault rifles are nice for killing things before they get close to you (like those krogans who bull rush you)

 

[Magus`]

I wasn't much a fan of the shotgun, except at the end of Feros.

 

[Harbinger]

I loved the shotgun myself, especially when I got the koyvalev VIII and later the Spectre Master Gear X ones.

 

[Verio]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I find myself purposely using powers on the last enemy in a room just to watch them float around lazily before I finished them off with a point blank last shot. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Wait until you get to that last sequence on the Citadel. Fun Fact: if you can get enemies to float past the border of the play area, they die instantly. I killed more then half of the enemies in this part of the game with throw/lift/singuarity my first playthrough as an adept. The other thing I love to death is that momentum is conserved with these skills. One of my favorite things is Lifting a charging Krogan. They come off the ground and fly right over your head flailing wildly.<BR><BR>Also lateralis, thanks for the info on Liara. I think what I will do is use your info near the end of my current run (shooting for Tali and Kaidan) and then subtract the quests that require endless running around, and see what that leaves me with. The problem with the quests in question is that if you don't do them while you are already ON all the planets, it would be slightly less than fun to spend a few hours driving around each and every planet in the game looking for datadisks/writings/elements/ID tags.<BR><BR>But hey, even if that doesn't work, my next run through (#3) as an engineer with Garrus and Ashley should be FAR easier with this info.

 

[HappyBunny]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Harbinger:<BR>I loved the shotgun myself, especially when I got the koyvalev VIII and later the Spectre Master Gear X ones. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>How do you get higher level spectre gear? I only saw the level 7 stuff on my first play through, and so did my roomate. Do you have to be over 50 to get it?

 

[senduran]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR>You have to be nice to your crew members. Choose the top choice and not the bottom one, except in a very few instances. In the case of Garrus, choose the top option always to get his sidequest. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Yeah, as pointed out, you don't have to be nice. Garrus and Ashley (and Wrex I'm undecided on) are renegades at heart, and will seem to like you more if you choose the renegade (bottom) option. Renegade doesn't mean 'nasty', but in that context a more strict, military-style 'get-it-done' attitude.<BR><BR>Kaiden and Tali are definitely paragons whilst Liara is a paragon but will try to see things from the paragron point of view more readily. Only when you're actively flirting with someone should you really think about forcing yourself to pick the paragon choice, otherwise choose whatever seems most appropriate. (Even during flirts the renegade option can work and is fun!)

 

[senduran]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<br>As Adept + Shotgun, I'm considerably more squishy. I find myself taking cover a lot more and spamming my Biotic powers to get my enemies into a vulnerable position so I can blast them from a safe place. I can't stand around and just brush off enemy fire like annoying flies anymore because that usually results in a quick death when my Barrier dies and I don't have Adrenaline Burst to instantly throw up a new Barrier and spam Medi-Gel with. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>I played adept first time round and never put a single point into armor/weapons. I also used medi-gel less than 5 times in the whole game. Strong barrier + strong other biotic skills = win -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --<br><br>Depending on level I either had to seek cover like you say, or I could 'stand around and just brush off enemy fire'. Sure, rockets I might have to dodge, but I'd just singularity the rocket user and just about everyone else in the room -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif --

 

[Magus`]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HappyBunny:<BR>How do you get higher level spectre gear? I only saw the level 7 stuff on my first play through, and so did my roomate. Do you have to be over 50 to get it? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>The spectre X gear is only available after you finish the first playthrough.

 

[InfiniteNoodles]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I finished virmire, went through all the cutscenes and was on my way to meet with anderson in flux when I stopped to offer my support and endorsement to the terra firma party. it looks like that's what did it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I've gotten 3 ally achievements here as well. It seems like finishing the terra firma party fulfills one of the non-mission quest requirements or something.<BR><BR>If you're a soldier, don't bother with barrier. Just max your immunity and specialize in shock trooper. Immunity recharges just as it runs out, so you can continually have it up. I'm playing on insane and I can walk right up to any enemy in the game and have a point-blank firefight. It kind of break it, to be honest.

 

[arhra]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR><BR>You know, I played as a Vanguard my first playthrough, and now I'm Adept + Shotgun. Superficially they are similar, then you realize that a Vanguard gets Medium Armor and Adrenaline Burst. The play style is quite different. With a Vanguard I would basically run up to everything and stand in front of them blasting away until they fell over, because Medium Armor + Barrier + Shield Boost + Adrenaline Burst makes you into an invincible killing machine. I went Shock Trooper and got Barrier Specialization for even more invincibility. Plus Adrenaline Burst also lets you instantly use Medi-Gel again instead of waiting for it to recharge. I hardly even used any Biotics as a Vanguard because I never needed them, I was like the fucking Cyberdyne Systems Model 101 out there. Nothing could stop me, not even Geth Primes.<BR><BR>As Adept + Shotgun, I'm considerably more squishy. I find myself taking cover a lot more and spamming my Biotic powers to get my enemies into a vulnerable position so I can blast them from a safe place. I can't stand around and just brush off enemy fire like annoying flies anymore because that usually results in a quick death when my Barrier dies and I don't have Adrenaline Burst to instantly throw up a new Barrier and spam Medi-Gel with. Also as an Adept I have way less HP too, so in the early game Geth Snipers or Rocket Drones were insta-death if they hit me directly, something I never feared or even noticed as a Vanguard. Plus Adepts have a lot more fun powers to play around with, I find myself purposely using powers on the last enemy in a room just to watch them float around lazily before I finished them off with a point blank last shot. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>On my vanguard (who i took all the way to 60, doing the second playthrough on hardcore), i never even unlocked medium armour - i was light armour all the way, and played it much like you're describing your adept+shotgun (lots of lift, etc for crowd control). Plus i went Nemesis for more and better lift - by the end of my new game+, when i was packing a Savant X bio-amp and double Medical Exoskeleton X armour mods, along with maxed Lift talent and maxed Nemesis talent, Lift cooled down well before it even expired, so i could just permanently juggle most things while i killed them (even the end boss, who seems to reduce the duration of CC effects - between me and Liara, he never got a single shot off). Plus i had barrier permanently up (the cooldown was so low that i could just refresh it after taking a few hits), so even in light armour i could tank basically anything without a problem.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The spectre X gear is only available after you finish the first playthrough. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>You can get it on your first playthrough, as long as you hit 50 before landing on Ilos (after that, you obviously can't get back to the requisitions officer to buy it).<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"><BR>I've gotten 3 ally achievements here as well. It seems like finishing the terra firma party fulfills one of the non-mission quest requirements or something. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I got Asari Ally from finishing up The Fan, just after coming back from Virmire. I can't remember if i did that before or after the Terra Firma quest or not, though.

 

[Verio]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I got Asari Ally from finishing up The Fan, just after coming back from Virmire. I can't remember if i did that before or after the Terra Firma quest or not, though. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>The real question is if you had done all the collection quests at this point -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --

 

[arhra]

Hm. Thinking about it, i probably had completed them - i was done with sidequests at that point (barring the last few you get on that last visit to the Citadel), and while i never particularly focussed on completing the collections, i think i completed them anyway (as long as you survey all available planets, and hit all the anomalies/etc on uncharted worlds, as well as hit up any mineral deposits that show up on radar as you're doing the anomalies, you should get enough of everything to complete them all).

 

[phil_mckrevis]

I would just like to say the developers shoud DIAF for not letting you save between conversations and combat. I really don't want to listen to the same conversation 4 times, let alone have to participate in said conversation.

 

[Semi On]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I would just like to say the developers shoud DIAF for not letting you save between conversations and combat. I really don't want to listen to the same conversation 4 times, let alone have to participate in said conversation. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>The x-button helps.

 

[Crolis]

There were a few spots where their auto save didn't make much sense. At the bottom of the elevator in the prothean ruins where you pick up the Asari chick. On hardcore the fight at the top of the elevator took me a few tries but they auto saved at the bottom so you had to ride the elevator between fights.

 

[Paul M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Semi On:<BR>The x-button helps. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Yeah, but you still have to skip through a bunch of dialog in some places. I had a tough fight my first play through that probably took me 15-20 attempts and had to go through dialog every single time. This is one case where the fact that most dialog options in the game have exactly the same result was a bonus.<BR><BR>I would be happier if the X button didn't also select a dialog choice however. I'd personally prefer if it skipped, but you still had to hit A to select. I'm frequently exiting out of dialog before I want to because of it. Sure, it's my fault for being impatient, but I don't need to see every conversation again and again, and especially with vendors. Ug why do I have to select multiple dialog options in order to buy and sell things, it's maddening.

 

[Mojo-jojo]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shrubber:<BR>I would be happier if the X button didn't also select a dialog choice however. I'd personally prefer if it skipped, but you still had to hit A to select. I'm frequently exiting out of dialog before I want to because of it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>One thing that helps is to hold the analog stick straight up while you hit X.<BR><BR>Since there aren't choices there, it'll wait for you.

 

[Magus`]

Mojo has a good tip there - you can also preselect options like that if you know the dialog tree (for instance with the normandy quartermaster)

 

[Semi On]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I would be happier if the X button didn't also select a dialog choice however. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Agreed. I'll have to keep Mojo's rec in mind.

 

[FractalLaw]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crolis:<br>There were a few spots where their auto save didn't make much sense. At the bottom of the elevator in the prothean ruins where you pick up the Asari chick. On hardcore the fight at the top of the elevator took me a few tries but they auto saved at the bottom so you had to ride the elevator between fights. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>It's worse as an Adept on Insanity. The Krogan can one hit you through barrier with his melee attack. -- View image here: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/scared_classic.gif --<br><br>That one took me about 20 tries.

 

[arhra]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crolis:<BR>There were a few spots where their auto save didn't make much sense. At the bottom of the elevator in the prothean ruins where you pick up the Asari chick. On hardcore the fight at the top of the elevator took me a few tries but they auto saved at the bottom so you had to ride the elevator between fights. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I just did that section on Insanity with a fresh Infiltrator.<BR><BR>Luckily it only took me three or four attempts, but many more and i would have started to get seriously annoyed.

 

[The Faceless Rebel]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FractalLaw:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crolis:<br>There were a few spots where their auto save didn't make much sense. At the bottom of the elevator in the prothean ruins where you pick up the Asari chick. On hardcore the fight at the top of the elevator took me a few tries but they auto saved at the bottom so you had to ride the elevator between fights. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>It's worse as an Adept on Insanity. The Krogan can one hit you through barrier with his melee attack. -- View image here: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/scared_classic.gif --<br><br>That one took me about 20 tries. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>I did that probably 5-7 times on Hardcore. By the end I had discovered something about that Krogan's AI. He will not charge you until you've killed all of his Geth pals. Then he will walk slowly towards you firing until you have his life down to a certain level, then he storms (runs) right at you and melees you, which always causes you to insta-die unless you are a level 50+ replaying on New Game+. I didn't kill his ugly ass until I figured out to use my shotgun until his shields were gone, then I switched over to the pistol and activated Marksman, then I just spammed him with unrelenting pistol fire until he went down. He started his storm towards me but I was able to put him down before he reached me.<br><br>On Hardcore and Insanity, the game is filled with cheap insta-deaths like that one when you are at a low level. Once you have decent armor and shields, you can't really be insta-killed anymore, but in the early going there were a few times where I wanted to throw my controller through my TV.

 

[Verio]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">On Hardcore and Insanity, the game is filled with cheap insta-deaths like that one when you are at a low level. Once you have decent armor and shields, you can't really be insta-killed anymore, but in the early going there were a few times where I wanted to throw my controller through my TV. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Due to the fact that I didnt get my Garrus achievement on my first runthrough, and the remaining achievements I want (shotgun; Garrus, Ashley, and Liara; all the tech abilities) I have decided I don't want to deal with that headache on run 3 (insanity) and have since decided I will do Engineer with Garrus and Ashley on Insanity, and then my final run will be just for fun, As a Vanguard with Kaidan and Liara, or Wrex and Liara on Veteran or so.

 

[FractalLaw]

<blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FractalLaw:<br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div>
<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Crolis:<br>There were a few spots where their auto save didn't make much sense. At the bottom of the elevator in the prothean ruins where you pick up the Asari chick. On hardcore the fight at the top of the elevator took me a few tries but they auto saved at the bottom so you had to ride the elevator between fights. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>It's worse as an Adept on Insanity. The Krogan can one hit you through barrier with his melee attack. -- View image here: https://cdn.arstechnica.net/forum/smilies/scared_classic.gif --<br><br>That one took me about 20 tries. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br>I did that probably 5-7 times on Hardcore. By the end I had discovered something about that Krogan's AI. He will not charge you until you've killed all of his Geth pals. Then he will walk slowly towards you firing until you have his life down to a certain level, then he storms (runs) right at you and melees you, which always causes you to insta-die unless you are a level 50+ replaying on New Game+. I didn't kill his ugly ass until I figured out to use my shotgun until his shields were gone, then I switched over to the pistol and activated Marksman, then I just spammed him with unrelenting pistol fire until he went down. He started his storm towards me but I was able to put him down before he reached me.<br><br>On Hardcore and Insanity, the game is filled with cheap insta-deaths like that one when you are at a low level. Once you have decent armor and shields, you can't really be insta-killed anymore, but in the early going there were a few times where I wanted to throw my controller through my TV. </div>
</blockquote>
<br><br><br>That's basically what I did too, except I spent about a minute sniping his foot from across the room until he was almost dead, then took him out with a pistol for the last little bit when he finally charged.

 

[krimhorn]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by The Faceless Rebel:<BR>I did that probably 5-7 times on Hardcore. By the end I had discovered something about that Krogan's AI. He will not charge you until you've killed all of his Geth pals. Then he will walk slowly towards you firing until you have his life down to a certain level, then he storms (runs) right at you and melees you, which always causes you to insta-die unless you are a level 50+ replaying on New Game+. I didn't kill his ugly ass until I figured out to use my shotgun until his shields were gone, then I switched over to the pistol and activated Marksman, then I just spammed him with unrelenting pistol fire until he went down. He started his storm towards me but I was able to put him down before he reached me.<BR><BR>On Hardcore and Insanity, the game is filled with cheap insta-deaths like that one when you are at a low level. Once you have decent armor and shields, you can't really be insta-killed anymore, but in the early going there were a few times where I wanted to throw my controller through my TV. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>That Krogan was a thorn in my side on both of my first two play-throughs (though oddly enough the only thorn during my Hardcore run). I quickly figured out the AI "trick" but it took me several tries to get the order to kill the geth down (specifically so I could end up behind the boxes to the right of the elevator). Doing that allowed me to concentrate firepower on him while he charged, took down my squad, and finally allowed me to (barely) kill him. Liara occasionally throwing him around helped too.<BR><BR>I'm at an impasse now though. After playing Hardcore with a new character and not really having a problem (besides a few very early rough spots) I decided to start up a new character on Insanity. I picked what may be the worst class to choose (Adept) and now I can't seem to kill any enemies when on foot.<BR><BR>I'm ~level 15, and between the minuscule drops I have little money, and even fewer weapons/upgrades to sell, so getting new equipment is pretty much out. Hopefully someone here will have some advice for a how to approach fights with a low level character.<BR><BR>Using cover isn't much of an option (though it is slightly better than standing in the line of fire) since I can barely drill through an enemy's shield (let alone kill them) before the rushing tide of opponents swarms over my team.<BR><BR>One final question: does the game do anything to protect the original "final save" when you start a new game+? I've been holding off on revisiting my first two characters, since the choices I made during those games are what I would consider my desired state for importing into ME2.

 

[Magus`]

Each time you beat the game, it makes a new "game end" save apart from your normal save games.<BR><BR>So long as you remember which is which, they are fine.

 

[arhra]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">So long as you remember which is which, they are fine. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>It shows the total playtime (total of that particular game and all previous ones with that character) on the career select screen, so you can sort them that way.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I did that probably 5-7 times on Hardcore. By the end I had discovered something about that Krogan's AI. He will not charge you until you've killed all of his Geth pals. Then he will walk slowly towards you firing until you have his life down to a certain level, then he storms (runs) right at you and melees you, which always causes you to insta-die unless you are a level 50+ replaying on New Game+. I didn't kill his ugly ass until I figured out to use my shotgun until his shields were gone, then I switched over to the pistol and activated Marksman, then I just spammed him with unrelenting pistol fire until he went down. He started his storm towards me but I was able to put him down before he reached me.<BR><BR>On Hardcore and Insanity, the game is filled with cheap insta-deaths like that one when you are at a low level. Once you have decent armor and shields, you can't really be insta-killed anymore, but in the early going there were a few times where I wanted to throw my controller through my TV. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>He didn't do <I>anything</I> like that on Insanity for me - the way i killed him was to clear out the Geth in the main part of the room, then dash up to the box near the exit where the sniper geth was, beat it down onto the floor and Marksman to finish it off, then hide behind the box to snipe the Krogan to death (after waiting for first aid and unity to recharge so i could get Garrus and Wrex back on their feet). Of course, once i got into that position, actually whittling him down took a good long time, thanks to the insane amount of immunity/regen/shield recharge shit he pulls off. Eventually finished him with coordinated power usage between me and Wrex (overload/warp/overkill/assassination, then damping to prevent him from recovering).

 

[Paul M]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Shrikebtr:<BR>I will do Engineer with Garrus and Ashley on Insanity </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I played through as an Engineer and it's damn boring. You don't get anything interesting at all compared to most classes. It's really completely a support class and you can't always depend on your teammates to lay out damage intelligently. I'd never even try it on Insanity, honestly.

 

[FractalLaw]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by krimhorn:I'm at an impasse now though. After playing Hardcore with a new character and not really having a problem (besides a few very early rough spots) I decided to start up a new character on Insanity. I picked what may be the worst class to choose (Adept) and now I can't seem to kill any enemies when on foot.<BR><BR>I'm ~level 15, and between the minuscule drops I have little money, and even fewer weapons/upgrades to sell, so getting new equipment is pretty much out. Hopefully someone here will have some advice for a how to approach fights with a low level character.<BR><BR>Using cover isn't much of an option (though it is slightly better than standing in the line of fire) since I can barely drill through an enemy's shield (let alone kill them) before the rushing tide of opponents swarms over my team.<BR><BR>One final question: does the game do anything to protect the original "final save" when you start a new game+? I've been holding off on revisiting my first two characters, since the choices I made during those games are what I would consider my desired state for importing into ME2. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><BR>I'm using a new Adept on Insanity with sniper rifles as a bonus skill. I've rescued Liara, cleared Feros, and am about mid way through Noveria. I haven't really had much trouble taking out ranged enemies, but anything that likes to close to melee range gives me trouble, particularly as their melee attacks will almost always one hit you.<BR><BR>I've been using Garrus and Wrex for party members; it's worked out well so far. The best advice I can give is to use cover and choke points as best as possible. Don't rush it, particularly when you're in a situation where enemies close to melee range. If you're in a melee situation try to go more for crowd control with your biotics than offense; if something gets in range to touch you you'll probably die.<BR><BR>You'll probably also want to look in to different weapon mods than you'd used on easier difficulty levels. Shield bypass really helps for enemies that have a ton of shields, DoTs help for ones that regen, and weapon force can be a big help in shotguns to keep melee enemies on the ground. The straight bonus damage ammo mods simply don't help as much at mid to short range due to the amount of damage that enemies can put out--you need something that gives you some crowd control while you whittle them down.<BR><BR>One other thing to be aware of is that many 'bosses' are immune to most biotics, which may mean that you need to adjust tactics.

 

[Hellboy]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I played through as an Engineer and it's damn boring. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I was looking at playing an Engineer because I thought I remembered something about Reverse Engineering the gear you find, and doing modifications to the Mako and your guns. But it looks like none of that made it into the final game. Which is a shame because without that stuff, the Engineer class is pretty generic with the exception of AI Hacking. Both Tali and Garrus are far better Engineers than you can hope to be (at least in a new game) since Tali can use shotguns and Garrus can use Assault, Sniper Rifles and Medium Armor. So really the ONLY reason to play an Engineer is to get the AI Hacking and Neural Shock achievements. Even then, can't Sentinels get those skills? I think you'd be better off waiting and playing a Sentinel w/ a perk skill like Assault Rifle or Shotgun.<BR><BR>What it boils down to is that the Biotic skills are fun, and greatly improve your survival in combat. Tech attacks are boring, often highly resisted on Hardcore and Insanity, and don't do anything to control the course of a fight (except Neural Shock which stuns for a few seconds). The way I build my teams always includes a Tech component like Garrus, Tali, or Kaidan which then leaves the other two team positions to focus on combat and biotics.