Welcome to the new Mass Effect thread, with the imminent release of ME3 we expect a lot of posts to begin filling this thread. Lately a lot of the posts have concerned Bioware and their policy on Day 1 DLC. Or even EA. This isn't the thread to critique them. There is however a Bioware thread where you can go and discuss that matter. It would be appreciate by fans of Mass Effect and the moderators if you can keep the topics separate of each other. To this end I've added a link to the Bioware thread where you can feel free to critique them to your hearts content. This also includes other things such as their limited collectors edition policy and any other thing you can think of. Thank you in advance.

With spoilers soon to be rampant make sure to put them in a spoiler to not ruin the game for people. The spoiler tags can be used like so [spoiler r] and the matching tag would be [ / spoiler] with no spaces an dremoving the extra r in the first tag. Below is an example spoiler.


Thread Rules:

• 
  This is an ongoing topic for discussion about Mass Effect series, so keep the discussion on the games.
  
• 
  It is understandable if you don't like Mass Effect games. We have no problem with you sharing this, but this is an ongoing topic. As such, it is primarily based on the positive aspects of the games, so if you don't like them don't post.
  
• 
  This is an ongoing discussion and some people don't like Mass Effect games. If you try to provoke them it is just as bad. If you do disagree with someone, please don't drag it into a fight. This topic is primarily for what we like about the games and our ongoing experiences.
  
• 
  Respect forum rules. If you are unclear review them here.
  
• 
  Respect for other forum members is perhaps the most important. We all have opinions and we are all human beings. Treat each other with respect.

http://masseffect.bioware.com/

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_Wiki

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCXHzbEDK5E&feature=related

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1352525-biowareea-recurring-fiascoes/

Previous threads: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1073436 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1073826 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1074494 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1075138 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1075497 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1075916 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1076411 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1076897 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1077734 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1078265 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1079090 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1079854 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1080626 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1081545 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1082029 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1082910 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1084127 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1084986 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1085395 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1085841 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1086200 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1086630 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1087738 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1088382 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1088920 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1090105 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1093323 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1097121 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1100627 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1107191 | http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?showtopic=1142182 |http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1348972-mass-effect-thread-54/


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZGFjBmD41Q

So is it just me, or did that maintenance the other day improve the multiplayer lobby a great deal? (like, you'll actually get additional people in a half-full group now. )

Does any one know anything about what Batarian ships look like or how many dreadnaughts they have?
Can't find anything on them!
Also, Where are Alliance dreadnaughts constucted? I'm guessing Arcturus right?

I haven't played the demo since, so I couldn't comment. None of the progress carries over so I don't want to waste time unlocking things twice.

Nothing is known about the Batarian fleet. Other than they have something called the Leviathan of Vis or something, an alleged super ship they found. They're also known to attempt wild and crazy ideas as weapons. Like an reflector mirror to deflect hear and cool a planet for terraform. It's speculated they could use it as a weapon. It's known they have a special ops force team, so I would imagine a ship similar to the Normandy - stealth. They're known to have dreadnoughts, but as a non-citadel member they aren't bound by treaties. So they could have tons of them and we don't know. Batarian weapons are all manufactured by the state, it's implied they're more ramshackle but rugged than Citadel counterparts. Otherwise they would be comparable to a human fleet. We have precious little information on their Navy; but if they found humans a rival at ME1, and have only slid down since then. They couldn't be all that powerful. /prays this doesn't bite his Shepard in the ass in the game.

Edit
Alliance ships? No idea, I imagine some at Arcturus. Though many might come form corporations who manufacture their gear. So they could be all over the Solar System/Galaxy. Wherever they buy said ships from. Though I get the feeling Arcturus is more of a base than a construction yard, so I doubt anything larger than a Heavy Cruiser (destroyer+).

I'd be disappointed if some Batarians don't go after Shephard for what happened with Arrival.

Oh perhaps using Batarians as a neutral faction. You can hire them out as mercenaries. They have sub-par ships, but you can get higher classes of ships sooner if you rush the middle of the map and buy them. The downside is you neglect infrastructure to do it, so if your plan fails. Then your going to be on the defensive.

Edit
I suspect we'll see some Batarian rage going on, I would also be disappointed. I know for sure the game features Batarians at some point, but that's all I can say. Not that I know much more than that.

Gamestar is out with the first review of ME3. Here's copy-pasta of a summary I got on BSN (yes, I wanted to see the drama; the DLC is having exactly the effect I thought it would... ).

Click the spoiler button for the review. Those parts of the review that talk about locations, strategy, characters and story have their own spoiler buttons within the review. Basically, I've double-spoilered the surprises.


You're welcome.

I think I've got the reapers finished.
Put them in a battle with a Super Star Destroyer, they lost.
1v1 with the SR3, they lost.
3 of them versus around 15 Alliance cruisers, they won with no losses.
There very hard to balance, but I think I got it.

Need some Ideas for 'hero' units for the Turians, got the Executor and the Destiny Ascension, but thats it.

So, pretty much what i expected. The planet scanning better be much better, though

I can't decide which is worst, Oblivion's level scaling, DA2's dungeon recycling, ME2's scanning or Skyrim's UI

SR3 regularily flees from reapers. It shouldn't be winning against them. I've seen from the early reviews that while scanning Reaper might be alerted and you have to fly away.

Every fan base ever whines about everything. From Bethesda, to Bioware, and beyond.

EDI has the Reaper cyberwarfare programs and Normandy has the Thranix cannon and I needed a unit to make the reapers think twice.
SR3 is the ultimate end game unit for the Alliance, using stealth to close in then disabling shields with its special abilty, while dodging incoming attacks.
It really makes up for the Alliances numbers.

I meant

Gameplay > Lore. As long as you had no other choice. Hopefully when we all dig into ME3 they'll have more navy info for us on other species. And we can get a better look at what the Reapers are capable of.

Oh, yea. It's a real wretched hive of scum and villainy. Even I've been banned once over there, it's best for youngsters to stay out.

So, I've gave up my Origin hate and got to downloading Mass Effect demo. Any tips?

Uh not really, all classes are equally good. Though as a Human Adept expect to get more assists than kills. Though you do play a vital role locking down areas. Uh the final evolution of the warp explosion that does 300 damage isn't worth it. By the time your singularity runs out the enemies are usually dead. So it's more beneficial to have the wide area one.

Heavy Pistols are amazing and probably one of the best classes of guns in the game.

Also Origins can be sandboxied. Basically if you don't trust it scanning folders you can have it run in an area (with sandboxie program) that can block it from accessing parts of the computer. It's a little in the intermediate side of computer skills. So just google it, and see if it looks like something you can handle/want to do.

Wait, ME3 coming out in two weeks? Damn, I've been in the cave for too long again. Must make preparations for purchase.

Oh, is it just two weeks away? Cool. I rag on it a lot, but I'm actually looking forward to playing this. It's good, popcorn-y fun.

Can someone answer 2 questions for me:

1) Will ME3 require Origin to play EVEN if I buy a hard copy?

2) Whats up with the day 1 DLC everyone is up in arms about? Anyone know if that DLC is really that big of a part of the story?

Yes.


It's not that it's integral to the story, but it's... it's a big part of one of the core story elements of the trilogy. It was a [censored] move on EA's part. I can't believe people are putting up with it...

I'm pretty sure there will be 3rd party programs to bypass Origin. As said above I will get the legal product (preordered it actually, cost me just 40€) but I will surely seek for Origin bypasses. I don't usually complain about DRM but Origin is just pushing it too far.

Yes.

It's not critical at all. It's just a neat side character that adds a little extra lore to one species in the game. It's not essential. What you do need to know of said species is in the game. He's just a bonus to expand the concepts further. Lore freaks might think he's essential, but that's because they like reading everything. He isn't. I'm not even sure how much he can add to the lore if what backstory I've been told he has. There just wouldn't be any way for him to have known. Which makes it kinda tragic when thinking about it. So no, it isn't needed to explore any of the content in the main Mass Effect game. Gives you a squad mate, quest associated with him, weapon, and skins for all the characters in game. All for the price of ten dollars, which is pretty standard asking price for new squad mates. Zaeed and his project 10 dollar were the same, and Kasumi as well. Though she didn't come with any alternate skins for other characters. So they've sweetened the deal more.

The day 1 DLC was designed outside of the games development time and budget. As each part of the larger team finished, they moved on to making the DLC. So by the time primary programing was near complete or complete on ME3 and it was waiting certification they started programming the DLC in full. Given what I know of the squad mate I can say he's completely non-essential. I can also see why they cut him out, he's just not that relevant to the plot. At the end of the day they're only allotted so much time and money to work on ME3. If you wanted this squad mate in, than someone would have gotten taken out. (Personally I would see Tali kicked out, but think of the fan backlash. Bioware wasn't going to include her, then a veritable and actual [censored] storm occurred unlike this "anger protest" that people are doing now about the DLC.)" Other than Tali rewrite all of the characters have reasons to be there. Even the new guy who needs to ease new players in. They also didn't want such a gigantic squad as in ME3, since the story was more about stopping the Reapers. SO at the end of the day you got to decide what's more important to have in the game.

Starting ME1 again... Got the DLC for both games... Not much time, but I'm confident I'll have Perfectionist runs completed for both games by ME3 release.

Need to remind myself how to import old characters' face to a new one. Not wanting to just import the old one I hate being so overpowered at the start.
EDIT: Google failed me, so if anyone knows how to transfer face from old character to a new one let me know. Time's ticking and I really like my old FemShep

Just completed my ME2 run.
All missions completed, All clusters explored, all upgrades researched.
Your going to be cutting it close though.

Does any one know the max range of a Reapers weapons?
I'm not sure what range to give 'em. I'm thinking along the lines of a Cruisers main gun.