<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Flounder:<BR>I almost went with the Barrier ability, then realized that Barrier gives a boost to my shield for about 30 seconds at a time (I know you can recharge it instantly but still it's limited to only some of the time) where as Electronics boosts my shields ALL the time, and with the shield boost ability I can recharge it when I want to as well. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Arg, dammit - I forgot about the shield bonus attached to electronics, and now I'm tempted to restart the Soldier I made to start prepping for my Insanity run x.x<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Zaskar:<BR>As happybunny said, you can assign one ability to the right bumper that is like a 'quick' pick. If you press the RB fast it will fire that ability. Personally I found it a pain in the ass. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I found it quite useful if attached to an ability like shield boost (or barrier), since it doesn't have to be targetted.<BR><BR>But for targetted ones, I missed more than I hit when I tried using the map feature.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>Gur bayl qvssrerapr v fnj jnf lbh qvqa'g trg gur enpuav fvqrdhrfgf; hayrff V fbzrubj zvffrq gurz. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Those sidequests are unrelated to your decision there.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>V bssrq gur pbhapvy zl svefg ehagueh. V fnirq gurz gur frpbaq gvzr nebhaq. Lbh fgvyy unir gur fnzr pbairefngvba obgu gvzrf; lbh fgvyy unir gb znxr gur fnzr pubvpr. Lbh xabj V arire cvpxrq Hqvan nf gur erc orpnhfr V gubhtug ur jnf na nff. Ohg vg'f abg rknpgyl n fher guvat gung uhznavgl jba'g or qbzvanag jvgu Pncg. Naqrefba ba gur pbhapvy; ur vf n zvyvgnel yrnqre nsgrenyy. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Fbhaqf yvxr lbh qvqa'g ernyyl qb guvatf qvssrerag gura - vs lbh'er zber cnentba guna erartnqr lbh trg n qvssrerag raqvat guna vs lbh'er nyy erartnqr - rfcrpvnyyl jvgu gur qvssreraprf ba fnivat/vtabevat gur pbhapvy.<BR><BR>Sbe vafgnapr, gubhtu lbh'er fgvyy cvpxvat Naqrefba/Hqvan, va bar vafgnapr lbh'er whfg wbvavat gur pbhapvy, naq va gur bgure lbh'er ersbezvat vg jvgu uhznaf orvat gur cbjre.
Mass Effect
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Fbhaqf yvxr lbh qvqa'g ernyyl qb guvatf qvssrerag gura - vs lbh'er zber cnentba guna erartnqr lbh trg n qvssrerag raqvat guna vs lbh'er nyy erartnqr - rfcrpvnyyl jvgu gur qvssreraprf ba fnivat/vtabevat gur pbhapvy.<BR><BR>Sbe vafgnapr, gubhtu lbh'er fgvyy cvpxvat Naqrefba/Hqvan, va bar vafgnapr lbh'er whfg wbvavat gur pbhapvy, naq va gur bgure lbh'er ersbezvat vg jvgu uhznaf orvat gur cbjre. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Be va gur zbfg rkgerzr pnfr bs erartnqr, na nyy uhzna pbhapvy
Well that's my point. The RP guys can't really complain because this is essentially an RPG with shooter combat. Anyone who complains that there is more "action" in the action part of the game is crazy. Adding a more coherent combat system would only add more value to the game not take anything away from it. <BR><BR>For example let me illustrate what I would have liked to see with the squad I did my 2nd runthru with. I was a soldier with Wrex and Garrus in my squad. I specialized in sniper and AR with throw as my bonus biotic power. I am on a mission and I have to take out a room full of mercs on a abandoned planetary base.<BR><BR>What I would have liked to have seen is this:<BR><BR>Using the electronics/decryption abilities have Garrus take sensor readings of the room before I enter the room. The sensor reading gives me the layout of the room and the locations of all the enemies in it.<BR><BR>Open the door and go in. Have a flashbang or cloaking system to give me a few seconds to position my squad for the assault. Now I have multiple options based upon what I see and what I want to do:<BR><BR>With Wrex as my main tank I have him run in and engage all close quarter fighters. Or take up the AR behind cover and have a firefight.<BR><BR>Order Garrus to take up a position with good cover and take out all long range fighters with the sniper. Or using the AR support Wrex at medium range.<BR><BR>I can either take up medium range support with or without Garrus or be the primary sniper with or without Garrus.<BR><BR>Once all the short range fighters and long fighters are eliminated engage the other enemies taking cover; using flanking manuevers and using Wrex as a decoy/tank. Or if I am using an all AR setup; have a classic firefight jumping from cover to cover and flanking.<BR><BR>Another alternative to this is to have a Stealth option to the room; sneaking in via airducts or crawlspaces. Make your squad perform a diversionary attack while you sneak up from behind and assassinate everyone. Or just sneak in and silently eliminate as many people until you get to the last few guys and then just charge in.<BR><BR>Boom, "bag em and tag em."<BR><BR>The problem trying to do that with the current combat system is:<BR><BR>A) You cannot independently control your squad. Not only that you they are not smart enough to make effective use of cover and assign target priority by themselves.<BR><BR>B) The enemy AI suffers from the same problem. They hardly make use of effective cover. Plus as I have seen all enemies in the game have an "aggro" range. You get inside of it and it doesn't matter what type of fighter they are they will instantly charge you. They will not use their strength/weaknesses effectively. Not only that in the few times where I could snipe effectively they will either stand there and allow you to snipe them or fire in your direction without moving.<BR><BR>Under the current combat system there is no infiltration, no flanking, and no way to make an effective "kill box." On my hardcore runthru with Spectre weapons on my entire squad I could engage almost anything without even using any special powers thru majority of the engagements. The only encounters that gave me pause were with Krogans or Geth destroyers. No tactics, nothing even remotely RPG about it. Even in classic turn based RPG games there were plenty of tactical and strategy elements to combat. In ME I feel combat has been too dumbed down.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Be va gur zbfg rkgerzr pnfr bs erartnqr, na nyy uhzna pbhapvy </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><BR>That is just plain weird. I finished my second runthru completely renegade; filled to the brim and them some cause I was still getting R points even though my meter was full. I finished my first runthru 5/6th full Paragon. I got the acheivements for both. But I got the same choices both times. And I chose the 2 different options at the end. I didn't get that ending; unless it's tied to Hqvan.
Personally, I hate your ideas, Hurricane - I would hate to have to worry that much about the combat.<BR><BR>Now, if it leaned <I>slightly</I> that way, then it wouldn't be so bad, but the level of fine control you describe would just drive me batty in what is supposed to be an RPG.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Now, if it leaned slightly that way, then it wouldn't be so bad, but the level of fine control you describe would just drive me batty in what is supposed to be an RPG. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><BR>As opposed to what? Turned based play where you had to select every option for every player's actions? What you never played Final Fantasy? Or Dragon Quest? What about final Fantasy Tactics?
Fuck no, I don't want to go back to turn based, but I expect an RPG, not a tactical shooter.<br><br>I don't want to have to worry so much about combat.<br><br>Some of the things you want would be nice, like better squad AI - if you could, say, set Garrus to hang back and snipe, while Wrex would rush in and smash things, that would be nice - enemies would mob Wrex and you could also hang back and pick them off.<br><br>But the extent you want with having to worry about placing them and flashbangs and whatnot is too much - if I want tactical stuff like that I'd go play CoD4 or Ghost Recon -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --
Odd day in the GESC, I agree with Magus`. Choosing to go climb though air ducts and flashbangs does not fit anywhere into this game. If it did, could you imagine the dev time needed to add all that detail above and beyond what there is now? Mass Effect 2 would have a dev cycle like DNF.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Zaskar:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm pretty sure there is no such "no caching" rule. From what I've read caching can be done by the games pretty transparently. And I'm unconvinced that Mass Effect does not cache. Hard drive caching does not magically save them from their poor texture streaming. I've also had times where I heard the DVD drive spin down while loading, as if it were grabbing data from the hard disk </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>The devs have said on their forums (I'm not gonna go find it, you do it if you care) that when they started this project (before the 360 was on the street) their publisher (Microsoft Game Studios) laid down the law, no caching since there is a good chance there will not be a harddisk to cache too. Little did anyone know way back then that it would not be the case when the game actually shipped. The devs have also stated that the pop-in would be greatly reduced if they would have had done things different. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Hmm, I'll take your word for it I guess. I had never seen anyone actually post supporting evidence for the claim that it doesn't cache, just assumptions that it doesn't. The closest I ever saw was referencing Tycho on Penny-Arcade, but he didn't post any supporting evidence either. And since I've also seen people claim that the MS APIs do caching transparently and automatically, I was somewhat skeptical of that.
You certainly entitled to your opinion. The game itself classifies Shepard as a SPECTRE; which I took to be a "special forces" role. The title itself states "reconnaissance" which should includes more stealth action. And then you get 2 guys to work with. Adding a concealment or confusion element to combat is specifically what separates special forces from grunts. Not only that Nihlus scouted ahead on Eden Prime; he didn't engaged anyone head on and apparently stealthed his way to the train depot.<BR><BR>Now if they didn't want all that then they should have ditched the squad; made Shepard a Master Chief type character; and have him wreak havoc across the Galaxy. Now that I think about it; it's strange that both the SPECTRE'S in the game were lone warriors but you get a squad.
It sounds like you want Mass Effect to just be a tactical shooter with a good story. That's not the type of game they wanted to make, and that's not the type of game a lot of people want from it. It's fine if you want a different type of game, but don't expect it to change at a fundamental level like that.
The 360 definitely caches content to the hard drive, as long as one is available. I believe the OS maintains three persistent caches, one each for the last three games the console has run. Play a forth one and your oldest cache will be replaced. This is one of the things done with that 7GB of space that users can't free up even when they delete "everything".<BR><BR>Heck, Oblivion had a fairly famous bug which caused its disk cache to occasionally become corrupted, which resulted in horrible performance. The fix? Hold down any button while the game loaded. This caused the cache to be dumped and rebuilt. This works for every game, I believe, although there's rarely a reason to do it.<BR><BR>On the other hand, developers do have to allow for the possibility that the 360 may not have a hard drive attached. That means they are forced to code their game in such a way that its performance is adequate in those (unhappy) cases. Since most people have hard drives, this requirement is... not ideal. Also, I doubt the caches supplied by the OS are any bigger than a gig, so that's still a limitation.
WHAT!!! I am not making this game out to be something that it is not. This is exactly how the game was sold to us.<BR><BR>A casual search for Mass Effect Tactical shooter will pull up multiple reviews of the game which all describe ME as a TACTICAL SHOOTER/RPG.<BR><BR>QUOTE TIME!!!!! <BR><BR>Found in an interview made 11/5/05:<BR><BR>http://www.gamebanshee.com/interviews/masseffect1.php<BR><BR>From the mouth of BioWare joint CEO Greg Zeschuk, as well as producer/project director Casey Hudson<BR><BR>Greg Zeschuk:<BR><BR>"In addition to visual customization we’ve got a deep role playing system in Mass Effect that players will also use to further differentiate their character – because it is squad-based game we are aiming for significant differences between characters to fulfill our goal of a strongly tactical combat system where success will depend on the type of characters you’re using and the actions you chose!"<BR><BR>Casey Hudson:<BR><BR>Yes, players will be able switch over to control either of the other two squad members in real-time. We’re not talking in much detail about squad control yet, but you’ll be able to set the weapons and tactics of your squad members so that they can fight on their own while you press the battle. <BR><BR>From an IGN interview made in 8/2/07:<BR><BR>http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/810/810124p1.html<BR><BR>Casey Hudson: Our goal was to evolve the tactical, squad-based gameplay of KOTOR into the more familiar 3rd-person shooter style interface. Lots of people really enjoyed the semi-turn-based combat of KOTOR, but it also represented a barrier to many other players, who wanted something more real-time. So we set out to create a real-time combat system that still had the tactical fun and RPG-style team coordination that made KOTOR a lot of fun.<BR><BR>Taken from a Gamersquad Interview with Casey Hudson on 10/18/06:<BR><BR>http://www.gamersquad.com/category/Interviews/GamerSqua...ive-Mass-Effect-Q-A/<BR><BR>"The combat in Mass Effect is an entirely new real-time system, but is surprisingly similar to what was fun about KOTOR in that you are able to fight as a squad of 3 characters, either letting them fight on their own or giving them very specific tactical commands. It’s not a twitchy kind of combat like in a first-person-shooter, but it does have a familiar third-person feel to it where you can aim anywhere and fire at any time. <BR><BR>Your squad members each have their own unique skills and abilities – as chosen by you when you develop them over the course of the game. And since their special abilities (along with weapon mods etc.) have amazing physics and visual effects, your squad can co-operate in ways that just aren’t possible in other games.<BR><BR>For example, one thing we showed at X06 this year was how you can throw a steel barrier out of the way using telekinetics so the enemy is exposed to an attack from your squad members. Then, you can hit the floating barrier with a shotgun blast to throw it into the enemy and cause further damage. You can also pause the game at any time to issue very specific tactical orders to pull of incredible feats of coordination. At X06 we demonstrated this against a huge machine-like enemy. One character provided cover fire, another character ran up and fired an EMP burst that took down the enemy’s shields, then our lead character fired an attack that overloads the shotgun for a massive short-range attack. These kinds of incredible co-operations are possible in this system, allowing the characters you’ve developed to reach their full potential in combat."<BR><BR>That was what we were pitched; at no point in the entire development did they deviate from those statements(being that the game was in development for 2 years and I have quotes dating back from 2005). In the end they delivered an anemic squad control scheme with the most rudimentary of enemy AI. Absolutely no tactics at all; except for what weapon to fire; what mods to use; and what powers to shot.
And here I was searching to booklet on how to control my other characters...looks like I had it all right...weapon, mods, powers, thats it.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Personally, I hate your ideas, Hurricane - I would hate to have to worry that much about the combat. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>++<BR><BR>That would drag combat out much longer, and be far more involved than I wanted this game to be. It would be SOCOM with a story, not a Bioware game. <BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">WHAT!!! I am not making this game out to be something that it is not. This is exactly how the game was sold to us. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>And yet none of us were execting this. I'll grant that the original vision of the game, four years ago or so, was a little closer to what you're describing. However, they apparently found it didn't work or was too hard to implement but either way, it was changed to what we have now and everyone else seems to have known that.<BR><BR>In the first few levels, I would have definitely liked a little more control of my teammates as I was too squishy. But once I got a few levels behind me, I became a killing machine and all the effort you describe in combat would just drag the game out. Personally, I rather enjoy clearing a room with my Specter shotgun and sending geth flying, then moving onto the next.
Ok, getting a better feel for things after spending a whole lot of time on the Citadel. I can now see that there are side quests in addition to the main quest, one of which got my mind-screwed by the Consort in her nifty Jetsons style bubble bed.<BR><BR>Really nice set design although the texture popups undermine it. I'm getting the idea that some of these side quests might be affecting me in a negative way, like scanning the Keepers but unlike most games I'm not sure. I guess that's a good thing.<BR><BR>I'm going the Paragon route with this first character. I'll save being a dick for the next one. I'm just waiting to get back to the ship so I can explore some of these side missions but I expect I must advance the main quest a bit more before that becomes possible.
4 years ago?????<BR><BR><BR>11/5/05<BR><BR>10/18/06<BR><BR>8/2/07<BR><BR>They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement..........<BR><BR>I'm not trying to be a hater. I loved KOTOR and I thought their concept of RPGing was very original. But in terms of the evolution of their style I don't see it in this game. It feels unfinished and rushed to me. I got this game brand new and for 60 bucks I expect more.<BR><BR>IT's funny how I pointed out the complete disconnect between what the game designers were stating as their intention for the game and what they delivered and still have people defend it as, "oh well that's what we got." <BR><BR>Sorry I have been playing RPG's for far too long to accept this as high end of RPG gaming. I don't see it. The story was good and the dialog\choice system was very good(my personal gripes aside I did enjoy the story immensely).<BR><BR>As a game itself I had a mostly "meh" feeling throughout the whole thing. At no point did I feel challenged or thought that the combat was enjoyable or engaging. And then at one point I just took a few minutes and actually ran around a room and saw the level design and thought, "Why the hell was all this made if I can't use it?" <BR><BR>After seeing my squadmates take hit after hit and not duck, or worse, me directing them to get the hell outta the way and them just standing here while I'm spamming the up button I realized just how deficient this game was in terms of combat.<BR><BR>Then I had to sit there and count the seconds it takes until the texture for the causeway the Normandy docks to in the Citadel to load up. OR while I am having a conversation; or landing the mako; basically anytime a new scene loads up. And I think to myself, "this is a next gen game?"<BR><BR>Let's not get into the Inventory/Stat system.<BR><BR>Like I said this is my opinion. If your perfectly happy with what you got then more power to you. Me I expect alot more for my hard earned money and I'm not afraid to say I expected more.
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>I'm not trying to be a hater. I loved KOTOR and I thought their concept of RPGing was very original. But in terms of the evolution of their style I don't see it in this game. It feels unfinished and rushed to me. I got this game brand new and for 60 bucks I expect more. </div>
</blockquote>Okay, got it. Thanks for sharing your opinion.<br><br>Any quibbles I have with the game (haven't quite finished it; on chapter 6 @ L46) are pretty minor, like repetitive floorplans, etc. At first I liked the Mako levels but after doing -- literally -- every possible side mission in the game I'm totally tired of the Mako. Never want to drive it again. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif -- My squadmates? Hell, they're killing machines. I can't wait to up the difficulty in ME because my dudes are TOO good. They take cover, blast baddies before I ever get to take aim, etc. In fact I'm having a hell of a time getting the "X # of kills" achievement with the weapons because my squad takes all my kills. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif --<br><br>But then I turned the AI on to "full" and let it do its thing. Micromanaging my squad isn't a direction I want to go, nor does it help my suspension of disbelief.
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>I'm not trying to be a hater. I loved KOTOR and I thought their concept of RPGing was very original. But in terms of the evolution of their style I don't see it in this game. It feels unfinished and rushed to me. I got this game brand new and for 60 bucks I expect more. </div>
</blockquote>Okay, got it. Thanks for sharing your opinion.<br><br>Any quibbles I have with the game (haven't quite finished it; on chapter 6 @ L46) are pretty minor, like repetitive floorplans, etc. At first I liked the Mako levels but after doing -- literally -- every possible side mission in the game I'm totally tired of the Mako. Never want to drive it again. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif -- My squadmates? Hell, they're killing machines. I can't wait to up the difficulty in ME because my dudes are TOO good. They take cover, blast baddies before I ever get to take aim, etc. In fact I'm having a hell of a time getting the "X # of kills" achievement with the weapons because my squad takes all my kills. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif --<br><br>But then I turned the AI on to "full" and let it do its thing. Micromanaging my squad isn't a direction I want to go, nor does it help my suspension of disbelief.
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement.......... </div>
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<br><br>I disagree. Only the quotes from 2005 indicate more than the shipping product, to me. Every video released in the last year depicting combat pretty clearly identified that their original scope had changed. <br><br>Perhaps my time in marketing has desensitized me to hyperbole though.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Me I expect alot more for my hard earned money and I'm not afraid to say I expected more. </div>
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<br><br>-- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif -- <br><br>Yeah, that's it. We disagree because you're a better person. You just have a more refined palate for games or some such bullshit.<br><br>It couldn't be that we just have different tastes and what's important to you isn't to me and vice versa.
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement.......... </div>
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<br><br>I disagree. Only the quotes from 2005 indicate more than the shipping product, to me. Every video released in the last year depicting combat pretty clearly identified that their original scope had changed. <br><br>Perhaps my time in marketing has desensitized me to hyperbole though.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Me I expect alot more for my hard earned money and I'm not afraid to say I expected more. </div>
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<br><br>-- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif -- <br><br>Yeah, that's it. We disagree because you're a better person. You just have a more refined palate for games or some such bullshit.<br><br>It couldn't be that we just have different tastes and what's important to you isn't to me and vice versa.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement.......... </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Actually, according to your quotes, 4 months ago they said it would be similar to "the tactical, squad-based gameplay <B>of KOTOR</B>". I wasn't aware KOTOR turned into a rainbow 6-style shooter since i last played it...<BR><BR>They've been consistent in saying that the combat would be "tactical". That doesn't mean they were planning on making the combat identical to a rainbow 6/ghost recon/etc shooter.<BR><BR>That said, personally i'd like a <I>bit</I> more squad control, but nothing like what you're suggesting. Something as simple as being able to give basic commands to your squad mates individually (move to location, fire on target, etc) from the command wheel would be enough to make me happy (along with improved AI, etc), but too much complication would just bog it down.<BR><BR>I've actually found that playing my Infiltrator, with my squadmates being Ashley and Wrex, i could do a fair bit of the kinds of things you're talking about, simply because i can just equip shotguns on them, and tell them to charge in while i cover with sniper fire. The problem, of course, is that only really works with that kind of combination, and anything more complicated is stymied by the fact that you can only command them both simultaneously. Simply moving squad commands to the command wheel (and making them affect individual squad members) would fix that nicely, without slowing things down much or overcomplicating things.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"><BR>That is just plain weird. I finished my second runthru completely renegade; filled to the brim and them some cause I was still getting R points even though my meter was full. I finished my first runthru 5/6th full Paragon. I got the acheivements for both. But I got the same choices both times. And I chose the 2 different options at the end. I didn't get that ending; unless it's tied to Hqvan. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>There are four seperate endings (with minor variations based on jurgure lbh cvpx Naqrefba be Hqvan). I posted a summary of the different combinations and what ending they lead to a few pages back. I just finished a renegade/pbhapvy qvrf playthrough, and it has a <I>very</I> different tone to all the others (Hqvan tbrf nyy fcnpr-anmv ba lbh naq vafvfgf gung uhznavgl arrqf gb whzc vagb gur cbjre inphhz naq yrnq gur tnynkl jvgu na veba svfg).
Having a blast so far! Just reached lvl 30 after finishing Noveria, Feros, and finding Liara. I'm going to hit some more sidequests before moving on with the main story. Should the spectre VII weapons be available now? Or do I have to hit 1M credits first?
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement.......... </div>
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<br>No, they weren't - your quote from 07 merely says tactical, it explains nothing like what you're arguing (unless you left out important bits)<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>IT's funny how I pointed out the complete disconnect between what the game designers were stating as their intention for the game and what they delivered and still have people defend it as, "oh well that's what we got." </div>
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<br>A disconnect from YEARS ago - games change as they progress.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neva6:<br>Having a blast so far! Just reached lvl 30 after finishing Noveria, Feros, and finding Liara. I'm going to hit some more sidequests before moving on with the main story. Should the spectre VII weapons be available now? Or do I have to hit 1M credits first? </div>
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<br>Your level is irrelevant - the spectre weapons are tied to the "Rich" achievement -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>They were spouting the same line as of 4 months ago and were consistently saying the same thing since it's announcement.......... </div>
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<br>No, they weren't - your quote from 07 merely says tactical, it explains nothing like what you're arguing (unless you left out important bits)<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<br>IT's funny how I pointed out the complete disconnect between what the game designers were stating as their intention for the game and what they delivered and still have people defend it as, "oh well that's what we got." </div>
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<br>A disconnect from YEARS ago - games change as they progress.<br><br><blockquote class="ip-ubbcode-quote">
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neva6:<br>Having a blast so far! Just reached lvl 30 after finishing Noveria, Feros, and finding Liara. I'm going to hit some more sidequests before moving on with the main story. Should the spectre VII weapons be available now? Or do I have to hit 1M credits first? </div>
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<br>Your level is irrelevant - the spectre weapons are tied to the "Rich" achievement -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif --
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neva6:<BR>Having a blast so far! Just reached lvl 30 after finishing Noveria, Feros, and finding Liara. I'm going to hit some more sidequests before moving on with the main story. Should the spectre VII weapons be available now? Or do I have to hit 1M credits first? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Need the 1mill achievement first.
Old quotes?<BR><BR>Here's one from an interview on 2/15/07<BR><BR>http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=239&page=2<BR><BR><BR>Casey Hudson: You'll command a squad of up to 3 characters, including yourself. Each squad member has very unique skills, equipment and behavior, and you can develop these things as the game unfolds. In combat, you'll be able to issue movement and attack orders to your squad members, making excellent use of their special abilities exactly how and when you need them.<BR><BR>For example, using single presses from the D-pad or shoulder buttons, you can get squad members to take cover at a particular location, attack a specific target, and even perform special abilities (such as "Suppression Fire" and the shield-smashing "EMP Burst") simultaneously on a target to take down some of the biggest threats. <BR><BR><BR>Hmm... Suppressing fire? Cover orders? Using shoulder buttons? And that's from this year.
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Magus`:<br> <br>Your level is irrelevant - the spectre weapons are tied to the "Rich" achievement -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- </div>
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<br><br>Thanks. That's what I get for trusting information from other forums. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif --
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Magus`:<br> <br>Your level is irrelevant - the spectre weapons are tied to the "Rich" achievement -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif -- </div>
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<br><br>Thanks. That's what I get for trusting information from other forums. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_mad.gif --
Wait here is an interview from 8/07:<BR><BR><BR>http://www.xboxgazette.com/interview_mass_effect_en.php<BR><BR><BR><BR>Casey Hudson : Combat in Mass Effect definitely has an intense and action-packed feel, but to actually play it is a very tactical experience with more of an RPG pacing. Combat is fully real-time, where you can look and shoot anywhere at any time. But, you can also pause the game at any time to think strategically about your combat situation, and then issue specific orders to get your squad members to move and target enemies exactly how you want.<BR>You can also switch to directly control other characters in your squad, and you also have many more things to do in combat than just shooting, including the use of aggressive tech skills that are extremely dangerous in combat, and the release of violent bursts of dark energy through various powers called Biotics. So combat in Mass Effect has the familiar and intuitive interface of a 3rd person shooter, but the pacing and tactical options that make RPG combat extremely challenging and fun!
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>Hmm... Suppressing fire? Cover orders? Using shoulder buttons? And that's from this year.<BR> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>You're all wrapped up in language here, nothing said in this quote is not in the game today.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>Wait here is an interview from 8/07:<BR><BR> <B>Stuff that is in retail Mass Effect</B> <BR><BR> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>OK and? Everything in that quote is true. What is your point?<BR><BR>I think what the hang up here is when you read "tactical" you assume Rainbow6 or someshit and you are mad that Bioware has a looser definition of the term.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Zaskar:<BR>OK and? Everything in that quote is true. What is your point? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You can also switch to directly control other characters in your squad, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Marek:<BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Zaskar:<BR>OK and? Everything in that quote is true. What is your point? </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">You can also switch to directly control other characters in your squad, </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Hey, I'm not making excuses for bioware or anything here but technically you can via the right bumper. Need the tech member of your party to overload some mobs? Select it and s/he will.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>Old quotes?<BR><BR>Here's one from an interview on 2/15/07<BR><BR>http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=239&page=2<BR><BR><BR>Casey Hudson: You'll command a squad of up to 3 characters, including yourself. Each squad member has very unique skills, equipment and behavior, and you can develop these things as the game unfolds. In combat, you'll be able to issue movement and attack orders to your squad members, making excellent use of their special abilities exactly how and when you need them.<BR><BR>For example, using single presses from the D-pad or shoulder buttons, you can get squad members to take cover at a particular location, attack a specific target, and even perform special abilities (such as "Suppression Fire" and the shield-smashing "EMP Burst") simultaneously on a target to take down some of the biggest threats.<BR><BR><BR>Hmm... Suppressing fire? Cover orders? Using shoulder buttons? And that's from this year. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Uh, are you daft?<BR><BR>Right = attack my target<BR>Up = move here (and they'll use cover once there)<BR>RB = change their weapons<BR>LB = specifically choose attack powers and where to direct them<BR><BR>While yes, it's not <I>exactly</I> like the verbage in the quote says, it's pretty damned close.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Hurricane:<BR>You can also switch to directly control other characters in your squad </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>This is the only thing in that entire second quote that isn't in the game exactly as the quote says.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Zaskar:<BR>As happybunny said, you can assign one ability to the right bumper that is like a 'quick' pick. If you press the RB fast it will fire that ability. Personally I found it a pain in the ass.<BR> </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>I found it invaluable for Overkill. See five guys start coming down the way, just tap the bumper and never let your finger leave the trigger.
So I was getting close to my inventory limit and I decided to sell off a bunch of stuff that I didn't need. I had around 500k credits. A few minutes later I broke 1.1M and got the rich achievement. I then purchased the spectre shotgun and AR which dropped me back down to about 550k. But man are those guns awesome. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif --
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neva6:<br>So I was getting close to my inventory limit and I decided to sell off a bunch of stuff that I didn't need. I had around 500k credits. A few minutes later I broke 1.1M and got the rich achievement. I then purchased the spectre shotgun and AR which dropped me back down to about 550k. But man are those guns awesome. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif -- </div>
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<br><br>After I got those guns I didn't have to buy any more until I got to lvl 50 and got the lvl X Spectre guns
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<div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by neva6:<br>So I was getting close to my inventory limit and I decided to sell off a bunch of stuff that I didn't need. I had around 500k credits. A few minutes later I broke 1.1M and got the rich achievement. I then purchased the spectre shotgun and AR which dropped me back down to about 550k. But man are those guns awesome. -- View image here: http://episteme.meincmagazine.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif -- </div>
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<br><br>After I got those guns I didn't have to buy any more until I got to lvl 50 and got the lvl X Spectre guns
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Casey Hudson: You'll command a squad of up to 3 characters, including yourself. Each squad member has very unique skills, equipment and behavior, and you can develop these things as the game unfolds. In combat, you'll be able to issue movement and attack orders to your squad members, making excellent use of their special abilities exactly how and when you need them.<BR><BR>For example, using single presses from the D-pad or shoulder buttons, you can get squad members to take cover at a particular location, attack a specific target, and even perform special abilities (such as "Suppression Fire" and the shield-smashing "EMP Burst") simultaneously on a target to take down some of the biggest threats. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>All of that's in the game I played. Is it possible you just didn't read the manual?
And frankly I'd rather they spent time on fleshing out some other things before changing combat, if it came down to it. Obviously control of your squad didn't get to the granular level that they appeared to envision four years ago, but it isn't as if there is none. Hell if I could just tell each team member to go to different spots I'd be willing to call combat done as it is. That's the glaring omission to me.
I just finished the game and enjoyed it enormously, but I also have to voice some disappointment with the combat. I'm not saying it's bad, per se, but it feels like it's not as... cinematic? engrossing? as KOTOR. My teammates weren't so bad... I found that they were pretty OK with moving where I wanted them and using powers/cover. Some quibbles with firing without LOS and such, but generally OK.<BR><BR>The real problem is the locations. I gather there is ONE pre-fab building manufacturer in the galaxy. Would have been impossible to at least have two?? Even three or four shouldn't have been a burden... the rooms are simple, and could be jumbled about a bit in 2 seconds with a 10 year old map editor.<BR><BR>Plus the 'trigger the bad guys then survive the rush' tactic got old. <BR><BR>Mako driving was another tedium. It was neat at first till you realized that none of it mattered (there were a couple of worlds where you really had to plan your route to get to some deposits, but that was it.) My crew would have long since murdered me in my sleep for what I put them through in that Mako. The jump jets were great for getting even better air off a cliff, but that's about it. And the Mako combat was super-repetitive. <BR><BR>Still, an excellent game all around, and I look forward to more expansion of the story. Hopefully David Brin is getting some green from this as well.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">The real problem is the locations. I gather there is ONE pre-fab building manufacturer in the galaxy. Would have been impossible to at least have two?? Even three or four shouldn't have been a burden... the rooms are simple, and could be jumbled about a bit in 2 seconds with a 10 year old map editor </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>This is my big gripe. And a close second is the fact that no matter the skills of the team member or yourself you have a full weapons loadout and can't get rid of them. <BR><BR>The devs explained this off as some cut scenes worked best with one type of gun and they figured the suspension of disbelief would be broken if you just pulled a shotgun out of your ass.To fix this for ME2 I hope they add a simple option to "hide untrained weapons" kind of like the helmet.
I finally finished my Paragon play through. I found the ending spectacular and enjoyed it quite a bit. I got chills, a little bit, jura Furc pnzr penjyvat bhg bs gur ehooyr.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Hell if I could just tell each team member to go to different spots I'd be willing to call combat done as it is. That's the glaring omission to me </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>That's exactly where I am with it. If I could just give seperate commands to help draw and flank a bit better, that would be all the change I needed. Now if the AI could be improved a bit so Garrus didn't just stand there and take a missile that's easily dodged to the dome, that would be cool too.<BR><BR>But this was really only necessary for me in the very beginning when I was too squishy to take much on directly. I still had a crap load of fun running through levels, laying shot to the chest of synthetic and organic alike.<BR><BR><BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm not saying it's bad, per se, but it feels like it's not as... cinematic? engrossing? as KOTOR. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Perhaps it's just the lack of flurish that losing light sabers would naturally cause? Because the combat in Kotor was about as basic as one can get. Once you got a light saber in your hand you could go through the rest of the game just issuing the attack command and ignoring everything else.
<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>I finally finished my Paragon play through. I found the ending spectacular and enjoyed it quite a bit. I got chills, a little bit, jura Furc pnzr penjyvat bhg bs gur ehooyr. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Oh hell yeah, when the shit went down hardcore and Gur fuvc oyrj hc fraqvat puhaxf vagb gur Pvgnqry gbjre evtug ng Furcneq, I was like OH SHIT. When the smoke cleared and the two folks I chose to be with me were pulled out of the rubble and the music was doing its thing I was like "OH NO!". Then I was very releived to see the ending there.<BR><BR>I've just started a new game with the same character and I notice I'm having JUST as much fun as the first time even though I know what I need to do.<BR><BR>My first one was nearly pure paragon. This run is more doing what I think I would do in the same situation, and I'm finding it to be almost a pure paragon run again... oh well. <BR><BR>its the game that keeps on giving. I'm trying to finish up the sniper acheivement now, and will move on the shotgun next. I figure I'll do all the combat achievements then start from scratch and do the others next.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Perhaps it's just the lack of flurish that losing light sabers would naturally cause? Because the combat in Kotor was about as basic as one can get. Once you got a light saber in your hand you could go through the rest of the game just issuing the attack command and ignoring everything else. </div></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>On reflection, I think it's more a game design issue than a 'problem'. In KOTOR, you pause the game and give your team instructions, then unpause and watch the carnage. In ME, you spend most of the fight zoomed in, blazing away, and your teammates are stats in the lower left of your screen.
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