Mass Effect

[Pirandello]

 

I'd assume that the original Cerberus team is still with you like they were at the end of Mass Effect 2.

 

In other news, Bioware has revealed one James Sanders to be a new companion in ME3. He's human.

 

[Cyber Rat]

That sounds like a real red shirt name. That's why I'm not sure whether I've heard of it/read it in ME1/2 or some other game...

[Vargras]

It's also the surname of one of the main characters in the Mass Effect novels.

 

DUN DUN DUNNNNNN.

[Pirandello]

That sounds like a real red shirt name. That's why I'm not sure whether I've heard of it/read it in ME1/2 or some other game...

Yeah, I got that vibe off it, too... his name is absolutely generic. Hopefully he'll be given a decent face and personality lest we bury him under our favorite companions.

[deanb]

Woot. Sounds like they realised ME2 went a bit too far in the stripped down route.

Wonder if they'll bring back the mako as part of this u-turn.

 

 

Also did you guys honestly expect us to start the game with no fresh new team. We get a Normandy 3 for christ sakes. I wouldn't be surprised if you're dead too.

 

[AgamemnonV2]

I always thought one of the weakest plot points of Mass Effect 2 was shoe-horning a point to have Shepard get a new crew and ship (and that whole "I got better" thing too). 75% of Mass Effect is you playing Dr. Phil for your new crew. Why the hell do we have to do this again? Am I really going to be running around again solving someone's daddy problems while Reapers rip apart the galaxy? "Grr Shepard, I am psychologically compromised because I can't grow a pair and get over some emotional experience in my past!" Where's my Renegade option to slap the shit out of those teammates?

 

I have this sinking feeling that Mass Effect 3 is, again, going to be 25% main story and then 75% having to get your crew's shit together so they don't get you killed. Ugh.

 

Also: What did I say about Cerberus?

[McBeeferton]

Alright, everyone. Time to grow a quad and choose:

 

MaleShep or FemShep?

[TheMightyEthan]

Where's my Renegade option to slap the shit out of those teammates?

lmao, I can just see it:

 

Paragon option - Okay, we'll go solve your [insert insignificant problem here].

 

Renegade option - Shut the fuck up and quit whining before I throw you out an airlock.

 

Either one results in loyalty.

[deanb]

Yeah, didn't the codex in ME1 state that earth was an industrialised shit hole that humans quite happily fled from to other colonies once the charon relay was found?

 

edit: nevermind. Seems Earth is a paradise. Unless you live in Africa in which case yeah it's a shithole.

Also some shitty weather (so I guess not a paradise?), and you can't fly through the atmosphere.

It's kinda curious that China and Russia are under represented in ME considering current developments n such. Was it ever stated which nation/company found the Prothean cache?

 

edit 2: Mars was colonised by Europe first with US n China following a decade later. Prothean cache was translated via "global effort"

 

(I'm only asking cos of recent Firelfy viewing and the heavy focus on China there as one of the main original nations)

[Mercurial]

Alright, everyone. Time to grow a quad and choose:

 

MaleShep or FemShep?

Both.

[deanb]

From what I understood of the codex entry the gap wasn't between classes in individual nations, but that the gap was between the "advanced nations" n "less fortunate regions" Which sounds like a 1st n 3rd world gap than a class gap.

 

edit: also I'm pretty sure that the 2 metre sea rise means that the ME3 trailer is missing substantial amounts of Thames/North Sea from it.

[deanb]

The homeworld and capital of humanity is entering a new golden age. The resource wealth of a dozen settled colonies and a hundred industrial outposts flows back to Earth, fueling great works of industry, commerce, and art. The great cities are greening as arcology skyscrapers and telecommuting allow more efficient use of land.

 

Earth is still divided among nation-states, though all are affiliated beneath the overarching banner of the Systems Alliance. While every human enjoys longer and better life then ever, the gap between rich and poor widens daily. Advanced nations have eliminated most genetic disease and pollution. Less fortunate regions have not progressed beyond 20th century technology, and are often smog-choked, overpopulated slums.

 

Sea levels have risen two meters in the last 200 years, and violent weather is common due to environmental damage inflicted during the late 21st century. The past few decades, however, have seen significant improvement due to recent technological advances.

 

Though I'm unsure if this is ME1, ME2 or both. Cos I'm sure in ME2 they tweaked a fair bit on Earth already. Cos I'm sure ME1 implied it was a shithole, then ME2 kinda pulled back the reigns on that, maybe in response to future plans for ME3.

[Vargras]

 

I wouldn't really say that "Earth is so important in the grand scheme of things", and that's why the Reapers are attacking it, but there's several things you need to keep in mind:

 

1.) The Reapers had NEVER been stopped until Shepard showed up and destroyed Sovereign, which delayed the Reaper fleet returning.

2.) Shepard essentially destroys all Collectors in existence, as well as the Human Reaper, which basically halted the Reaper's plans (again).

3.) Even if it is a giant shit-hole, Earth still has the largest population of humans, and it's still basically "home" for the human race. I'd say it would be pretty damn demoralizing to have your home planet completely obliterated.

 

The Reaper invasion isn't so much about humans being extremely imporant in galactic affairs or whatever. Seems like it's more about vengeance or something - in the millions of years that the Reapers have been around, they were never stopped until a particular human showed up - and he/she did it twice.

 

[Mr. GOH!]

I love the fact that, no matter which gender you choose, the Earther Shep escaped from the vile and brutal gangs of the blasted hellscape of urban Canada. Or perhaps Canadian pronunciations somehow rose to prevalence for World English.

 

Earth is truly fucked if Canada's turned into an urban hellscape, is all I can say.

 

Oh, and for the record, renegade-ish FemShep all the way. Male Shep just sounds like a big ol' corn-fed douche bag any way you slice it. My FemShep is a tough cookie who makes the hard decisions and doesn't suffer fools or goddamned space racists. She's yelled down two Krogans, chewed out the founder of the Blue Suns and slapped the shit out of the same reporter on two occasions. She's cold hung up the phone on the Council and the Illusive Man. She's found doomed love twice in the arms of aliens. But she's saved her crew from certain death twice and stolen the most advanced ship in the galaxy. She's not just FemShep, she's the only Shep that matters and she will do her duty when the Reapers come a-knockin'.

Edited April 9, 2011 by Mr. GOH!

[deanb]

She's found doomed love twice in the arms of aliens.

she will do her duty when the Reapers come a-knockin'.

 

 

So three aliens by ME3?

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

Alien sex is really the main reason I play Mass Effect

[TheMightyEthan]

Alien sex is really the main reason I play Mass Effect

For is that not what man has dreamt of since he first looked up at the stars?

 

 

@GOH!: They didn't sound especially Canadian to me, just Generic North-American.

[Vargras]

@GOH!: They didn't sound especially Canadian to me, just Generic North-American.

 

Male Shep's voice actor and Female Shep's voice actress are both Canadian.

[Mr. GOH!]

Male Shep has a stronger Canadian accent. It's all in the vowels. Once you hear it, you'll notice it all the time. Shep is a Canuck, born and bred.

[AgamemnonV2]

Male Shep has a stronger Canadian accent. It's all in the vowels. Once you hear it, you'll notice it all the time. Shep is a Canuck, born and bred.

Well, it makes sense. Bioware is a Canadian.

 

Also, it proves the theory that all good sci-fi comes from Canada. Case-and-point: Stargate: SG-1. And anything that gives us Amanda Tapping AND Tricia Helfer is awesome.

[Pirandello]

I like how they're incorporating Mass Effect 2 PS3's version with the interactive comic book to fill in details from the previous games if you're starting out fresh.

[Mr. GOH!]

Male Shep has a stronger Canadian accent. It's all in the vowels. Once you hear it, you'll notice it all the time. Shep is a Canuck, born and bred.

Well, it makes sense. Bioware is a Canadian.

 

Also, it proves the theory that all good sci-fi comes from Canada. Case-and-point: Stargate: SG-1. And anything that gives us Amanda Tapping AND Tricia Helfer is awesome.

 

Stargate SG-1 is good sci-fi if you're on drugs or a child, I suppose. I also find Canada's resident Sci-Fi author, Robert J. Sawyer, to be a little overrated. I do like their Second Seat sci-fi author, Peter Watts, though his work on video game novelizations has me furrowing my brow.

 

The best sci-fi writing comes from Britain and, more specifically, Scotland. The concentration of great sci-fi authors in Scotland and Northern England is astounding.

 

But I do love Bioware's relentless Canadianism; when you register games or log into their site, the little flag next to the English language selection is Canadian. A wonderful dig at both Americans/Brits and the Quebecois. Tres magnifique!

[deanb]

Scotland and Northern England? No one ever compliments those.

Doctor Who is Welsh, Primeval is Pinewood and the south, Misfits in London, Red Dwarf in I dunno. There's not much UK sci-fi I can think of. At least recent.

[AgamemnonV2]

Stargate SG-1 is good sci-fi if you're on drugs or a child, I suppose.

Get. Out.

[Mr. GOH!]

Scotland and Northern England? No one ever compliments those.

Doctor Who is Welsh, Primeval is Pinewood and the south, Misfits in London, Red Dwarf in I dunno. There's not much UK sci-fi I can think of. At least recent.

 

Ian McDonald, Charles Stross, Ken MacLeod and Iain M. Banks, to name a few. Great modern sci-fi authors.

 

Now, back to Mass Effect: I hear ME3 features a return of RPG elements, especially regarding character customization and weapon customization. Fuck yes, dudes. Fuck yes!

 

Hopefully it's not a return to the clusterfuck that was ME1's skill progression and inventory.

Edited April 10, 2011 by Mr. GOH!