Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #160 on: February 24, 2014, 12:24:07 AM »
I very briefly played the latest free game, some shit called Toy Soldiers.  It's crap, and not even entertaining crap.

I'm downloading some mediocre-looking zombie game called Dead Island.

I have now beaten it.  It's shit.  Of particular note is the story, which is integrated so poorly with the gameplay that it's actually laughable.

I have now taken advantage of a deal on Xbox Live to buy Mass Effect for $3.74.  I don't know if I'll go through the whole trilogy, but I figure that at least the first one is worth a shot.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2015, 03:58:33 AM by Saddam Hussein »

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #161 on: February 24, 2014, 12:39:25 AM »
Might as well get the trilogy box set. Gives all the DLC and shit for a good price.

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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #162 on: February 24, 2014, 12:44:25 AM »
Quote from: Saddam Hussein link=topic=667.msg18890#msg18890 date=1393201
447
I have now taken advantage of a deal on Xbox Live to buy Mass Effect for $3.74.  I don't know if I'll go through the whole trilogy, but I figure that at least the first one is worth a shot.
I liked the combat in the second one over the first.  The first one just felt slow.  And assault rifles were basically useless.  (Huge cone of fire) 
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #163 on: February 24, 2014, 01:04:28 AM »
Quote from: Saddam Hussein link=topic=667.msg18890#msg18890 date=1393201
447
I have now taken advantage of a deal on Xbox Live to buy Mass Effect for $3.74.  I don't know if I'll go through the whole trilogy, but I figure that at least the first one is worth a shot.
I liked the combat in the second one over the first.  The first one just felt slow.  And assault rifles were basically useless.  (Huge cone of fire) 

I disagree. The first one takes a bit of getting used to, but after a while (and certainly towards the end of the game) most classes are very fun to play. ME2 was more clunky in comparison and takes longer to enjoy. I always hated how Shepard runs like an arthritic with the stamina of an old lady, whereas in the first and third games he's much more mobile.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #164 on: February 24, 2014, 02:03:02 AM »
It's been difficult for an outsider to the franchise to understand all the hubbub about the ending of the last one.  Is the issue that you're given three choices, but you get the same cutscene no matter which one you pick?  And during the course of the cutscene, there's some big explosion or something that kills everyone?

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #165 on: February 24, 2014, 02:39:13 AM »
It's been difficult for an outsider to the franchise to understand all the hubbub about the ending of the last one.  Is the issue that you're given three choices, but you get the same cutscene no matter which one you pick?  And during the course of the cutscene, there's some big explosion or something that kills everyone?

There are multitudes of issues with it. The gameplay on the final mission sucked, it was even worse than the dumb boss fight in ME2. There are a number of contradictions and unanswered questions that result from the whole ordeal. Worst of all, the logic behind the Reapers runs in complete contradiction to themes set up and reinforced throughout all 3 games. The 3 choices offered are arbitrary and obviously lifted straight from Deus Ex. The ending cinematics ignore logic previously set up in the series, and leave even more questions unanswered.

The extended cut did little besides answer some of the unanswered questions. The only way I can enjoy the ending is to heavily modify it using generic 'happy ending' mods, because at least that way I don't get pissed off with the 'God child'.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #166 on: February 24, 2014, 02:41:24 AM »
But is what I said right?

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #167 on: February 24, 2014, 02:48:33 AM »
But is what I said right?

Not quite. The reason the ending was awful is because it threw out a bunch of well established themes just to copy Deus Ex. All of the heavy handed God child dialogue is wrong. The endings it forces you to choose are arbitrary and pointless, because they all pretty much result with the same thing.

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Offline Lord Dave

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #168 on: February 24, 2014, 02:57:51 AM »
But is what I said right?
Yep.

Two themes hinted on are that Element Zero destabilizes stars and that Reapers have been guiding every advanced civilization's technology for a very long time.  (Humans get their tech from Protheans.  Protheans get tech from whoever came before, and so on)

I for one was hoping for more of a Borg type thing where the reapers are unable to advance themselves so they ensure that all species follow their technological path and use whatever they create to better themselves.

And at the end, your actions in the previous games (total paragon/renegade) determine if your "kill all reapers" or "control all reapers" is successful.  Ex. Full Renegade can control but not kill but doing so may doom the galaxy to the same problem again.


Also, for a weapon designed to kill the reapers, shooting it is the only way to make it work properly.  Wtf?
If you are going to DebOOonK an expert then you have to at least provide a source with credentials of equal or greater relevance. Even then, it merely shows that some experts disagree with each other.

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #169 on: February 24, 2014, 03:28:34 AM »
But is what I said right?
Yep.

Two themes hinted on are that Element Zero destabilizes stars and that Reapers have been guiding every advanced civilization's technology for a very long time.  (Humans get their tech from Protheans.  Protheans get tech from whoever came before, and so on)

I for one was hoping for more of a Borg type thing where the reapers are unable to advance themselves so they ensure that all species follow their technological path and use whatever they create to better themselves.

And at the end, your actions in the previous games (total paragon/renegade) determine if your "kill all reapers" or "control all reapers" is successful.  Ex. Full Renegade can control but not kill but doing so may doom the galaxy to the same problem again.


Also, for a weapon designed to kill the reapers, shooting it is the only way to make it work properly.  Wtf?

Originally the ending was going to be directly related to Mass Effect. It was a bit dumb in the early draft, but at least it made sense. It follows on from the hinting in ME2 that you mentioned. Basically, the widespread use of Mass Effect fields is destroying the galaxy slowly. The choice was along the lines of this: sacrifice all life and be absorbed into the reapers in the hopes of doing so will solve the problem or destroy the reapers in the hope that the species of the galaxy will solve it themselves.

It explains why they wipe everyone out and build reapers out of them, why they guide technological evolution, and why they hibernate for millions of years in dark space. This was the rough plan before the original lead writer left at the end of ME2.

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Offline rooster

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #170 on: February 24, 2014, 04:59:08 AM »
This was the rough plan before the original lead writer left at the end of ME2.
Ah, so that's why the game seems different. The story lines are generally weaker and don't continue previous themes as you mentioned. Do you know why he left?
« Last Edit: February 24, 2014, 05:07:01 AM by rooster »

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #171 on: February 24, 2014, 07:11:53 AM »
This was the rough plan before the original lead writer left at the end of ME2.
Ah, so that's why the game seems different. The story lines are generally weaker and don't continue previous themes as you mentioned. Do you know why he left?

Because he wanted to, apparently. It's weird that he decided to leave right before ending the series he had a big hand in creating, but I've never seen anything (except speculation) to suggest him leaving for another reason.

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Offline beardo

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #172 on: February 24, 2014, 09:31:23 AM »
Maybe the marketing department had other plans, and he thought "fuck that" and left.
The Mastery.

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Offline rooster

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #173 on: February 24, 2014, 05:13:17 PM »
Well screw, Drew. How dare he write the games and books to just leave at the end?! I lost any respect I may have had for him.

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #174 on: February 24, 2014, 08:36:45 PM »
He was lead writer, and while he wrote big sections of the story and dialogue, it wasn't all him. They usually split up parts of the game and spread them among the writers, then everyone shares their work and it goes through the lead writer before it goes into the game.

Saddam Hussein

Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #175 on: February 27, 2014, 04:47:33 AM »
The dialogue system is annoying.  I get that the options are meant to be the basic gist of your next line, but sometimes they're a little misleading.

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Offline rooster

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #176 on: February 27, 2014, 05:33:43 AM »
The dialogue system is annoying.  I get that the options are meant to be the basic gist of your next line, but sometimes they're a little misleading.
Yup. And sometimes the paragon and renegade option is just the same thing.

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Offline Pete Svarrior

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #177 on: February 27, 2014, 01:41:03 PM »
The dialogue system is annoying.  I get that the options are meant to be the basic gist of your next line, but sometimes they're a little misleading.
Perhaps you just need to get gud.
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Offline Blanko

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #178 on: February 27, 2014, 02:43:22 PM »
The dialogue system is annoying.  I get that the options are meant to be the basic gist of your next line, but sometimes they're a little misleading.
Perhaps you just need to get gud.

This is always good advice.

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Offline beardo

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Re: Now Playing (the Video Game Version)
« Reply #179 on: February 27, 2014, 08:52:51 PM »
Mass Effect is 3,24 € on steam right now. I'm not actually interested, because it doesn't seem like a game I could become a fan of, but it seems like a price I could buy most games for.
Also, Mass Effect 2 Digital Deluxe Edition for 7,49 €. And both for 9,99 €. Offer ends in 45 hours. What do?
« Last Edit: February 27, 2014, 08:58:07 PM by beardo »
The Mastery.