Mass Effect Thoughts

Professor S · 12-27-2007, 08:53 AM

I thought I'd post a new thread as the other is quite old.

I just started playing this game, and so far it has been a transcendant experience. This is the type of game that permanently changes things. I am only about an hour and a half in the game and I can already begin seeing how my choices now are going to effect not only my immediate future, but large plot points in the far future. It shows how a carefully planned choice system can be implemented to create a live world. This isn't sandbox gaming, as sandbox games tend to pause real life while you putz around and not punish you for poor decisions. This is consequence gaming, where a rushed or poorly chosen comments can greatly impact your future.

The graphics and animations are just amazing as well. My favorite part is the facial construction system. I never expected my created character to look so lifelike. Normally created characters look far inferior to developer creations, but I have to say that I think my guy looks even grittier and "more real".

Finally, there are some drawbacks. I'm disappointed by the special ability system. Its uninuitive and clumsy. These are moves I WANT to use repeatedly and the game makes it relatively difficult for me to do so, which is a shame.

Once again, these are thoughts based on a small amount of gameplay. I'll post more as I move through the game.

DarkMaster · 12-27-2007, 10:51 AM

Just started exploring freely in the game, and I have to say it's pretty awesome so far. I think more explanation could've been given into using special abilities, the UI is kind of clumsy. I still don't understand why all my characters have first aid but there's no selection for first aid in the abilities menu? (holding RB) Maybe I missed something in the brief explanations at the beginning of the game.

I also found it odd, when I first started playing, that the game had some kind of weird static, fuzziness, it was incredibly annoying. I thought there was something wrong with my TV, but fiddling with the graphics options in the menu I found that there was a film grain option turned on. Turning it off made the game look infinitely better, why would they even have this stupid display option, let alone make it a default?

Anywho, back to playing.

Bond · 12-27-2007, 01:00 PM

It seems as though Mass Effect is a step above the KOTOR series in every way, minus the lack of a tutorial mission and some interface issues.

DarkMaster, I was also puzzled as to why the grain effect would be default... BioWare must have thought it, er, made the world look more like the future? Regardless, the game is better off with it turned off.

Dyne · 12-27-2007, 02:08 PM

I can see why film grain might be annoying in anything other than 1080p. However in 1080p I find it really accents the experience and it looks like a high def movie - after all, at its core, film is made up of film grains. Watching in high def, you can see every grain. Mass Effect looks mimics it very well.

Also: the game is fucking fantastic. My whole family just sat down on christmas and watched my girlfriend play for two hours. It was awesome.

Professor S · 12-27-2007, 02:16 PM

Question: How the hell do you take off in your ship? I tried talking to Joker, opening the Map, and nothing works. I should be able to do this. I'M A SPECTRE, DAMMIT!!!

Bond · 12-27-2007, 02:19 PM

You go to the map, find a cluster, the game should ask you if you wish to travel to that cluster, you say yes, and then you're free to explore the planets in that cluster.

Professor S · 12-27-2007, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bond

You go to the map, find a cluster, the game should ask you if you wish to travel to that cluster, you say yes, and then you're free to explore the planets in that cluster.

There are no other clusters... this is weird.

Fox 6 · 12-27-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor S

Question: How the hell do you take off in your ship? I tried talking to Joker, opening the Map, and nothing works. I should be able to do this. I'M A SPECTRE, DAMMIT!!!

the giant holo mao floating there by XO Pressely go on they little ramp ans press A it gives you options as to which system to travel. Also after a bit you unlock more planets to venture too.

Edit: i have no clue what to tell you now..............

you might wanna check your journal just incase youre missing something.........

Ive already beaten the game once and it was freaking amazing.... ill just wait here and be humble while the rest of you catch up. Also once you've beat it once and start over with a new character, you get to add a skill that your previous character possesed. For example, i beat it as a Vanguard the first time through. I started a new game and carried over the shotgun skill.

Bond · 12-28-2007, 03:14 PM

Well, ended the game yesterday. Took me around 20 hours and I still had a lot of side quests left to do.

I plan on playing the game again as more of a renegade and finishing those other side quests, but I want to get to the rest of The Orange Box and Eternal Sonata before break is over.

Typhoid · 12-28-2007, 03:21 PM

I posted this on one of Dyne's facebook notes, so I'll re-post it here, aswell:

"I'll say this about the game - I haven't played it - but I watched my friend play it for a while the other day, and I thought it was really cool at first. Aside from the fact your character runs like a pansy with a tampon up his ass and rose petals for feet. I like the fact you can say what you want - and it matters on charm and forcefulness.

However, I don't like the huge amount of politics in the game. My friend was on a planet, and everyone was his friend. He was helping kill things. He opened a door he apparently wasn't supposed to, and everyone started shooting him. The game then took a turn for the worse, and then the planet exploded - causing his game to end. His previous save point (I don't know if the game is autosave, manual, or there are actual save locations - so I don't know if it's bad game design or player fault) was 3 hours previous to where he was when he died. That frustrated even me, to no end."

Bond · 12-28-2007, 03:53 PM

The game auto-saves for you in important locations. You can also manually save your game anytime you are not in combat.

DarkMaster · 12-28-2007, 05:37 PM

I'm at 13 some hours now, and haven't even done a single thing to progress the main story since first becoming a spectre. there's just so much to do and explore. Awesome game.

Fox 6 · 12-29-2007, 11:00 PM

Well, i managed to pick up the mass prequel novel. IM NOT A NERD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DarkMaster · 01-05-2008, 12:15 PM

I beat the game a little while ago with something like 37 hours on the clock I think. Fantastic game, I got so caught up in doing all the sidequest stuff and just exploring different systems. The main game content was incredible, those worlds were so great. A really cool cast of characters, I would've like to have seen more closure with the ending, but I guess a Mass Effect 2 is on the way (or it better be).

I started a new game with a female character this time, going completely Renegade. She's such a hateful bitch, it's hilarious.