Mass Effect: Andromeda

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Meep
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Meep » Wed Apr 05, 2017 12:33 pm

The main problem I have with this game is that the basic premise does not make any sense. Why does the whole Andromeda Initiative or whatever even exist? The Milky Way has over a 100 billion stars, so going to another galaxy to be a pioneer and explore makes no sense, especially since in the previous Mass Effect there are large numbers of world with new colonies on them or which are completely uncolonised. It would make sense if they were doing it to escape the reapers but what I have read makes it clear that this is not the case.

Strangely enough, before Andromeda was announced I had an idea for ME4 that involved cryo, however it was quite different from this game. My idea was that a faction of Cerberus was in charge of a "backup" plan to save humanity by putting people in stasis and hiding the compound somewhere the reapers would never look. Then a few hundred years after, or however long they predicting the reaping to last, they wake only to find out that Shepherd actually defeated them and now the galaxy is completely different. The council has collapsed and the different species are completely at odds with each other, the Krogan rid of the genophage has become a threat again and one of the races, like Asari or even human, is creating an empire that is busy conquering everyone else. That kind of scenario would have created countless different plot lines and possibilities whilst keeping the existing lore intact. Basically, the golden age of the council is gone and galaxy is now in chaos and you end up getting pulled into different disputes and crisis.

I maintain that this would have been much better than what we got with Andromeda, make much more sense and maintain the existing backstory without throwing everything away like they have done.

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BID0
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by BID0 » Wed Apr 05, 2017 2:55 pm

Meep wrote:The main problem I have with this game is that the basic premise does not make any sense. Why does the whole Andromeda Initiative or whatever even exist? The Milky Way has over a 100 billion stars, so going to another galaxy to be a pioneer and explore makes no sense, especially since in the previous Mass Effect there are large numbers of world with new colonies on them or which are completely uncolonised. It would make sense if they were doing it to escape the reapers but what I have read makes it clear that this is not the case.

Strangely enough, before Andromeda was announced I had an idea for ME4 that involved cryo, however it was quite different from this game. My idea was that a faction of Cerberus was in charge of a "backup" plan to save humanity by putting people in stasis and hiding the compound somewhere the reapers would never look. Then a few hundred years after, or however long they predicting the reaping to last, they wake only to find out that Shepherd actually defeated them and now the galaxy is completely different. The council has collapsed and the different species are completely at odds with each other, the Krogan rid of the genophage has become a threat again and one of the races, like Asari or even human, is creating an empire that is busy conquering everyone else. That kind of scenario would have created countless different plot lines and possibilities whilst keeping the existing lore intact. Basically, the golden age of the council is gone and galaxy is now in chaos and you end up getting pulled into different disputes and crisis.

I maintain that this would have been much better than what we got with Andromeda, make much more sense and maintain the existing backstory without throwing everything away like they have done.

I think they should have left the Mass Effect name alone and came up with something new. Or do a prequel.

Like you, this story line doesn't seem to make much sense to me and it stinks of a lack of imagination/laziness. Why is there only a handful of new species and the other 99% came along for the ride from the previous games for starters :lol: it doesn't make any sense.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by False » Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:29 pm

KjGarly wrote:This is out there on the high seas for PC owners :shifty:


I heard that when they patch it they are also updating the version of Denuvo, which will render the crack obsolete if you want to play the 'fixed' versions.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by KjGarly » Wed Apr 05, 2017 3:31 pm

Gently-Parted Ringpiece wrote:
KjGarly wrote:This is out there on the high seas for PC owners :shifty:


I heard that when they patch it they are also updating the version of Denuvo, which will render the crack obsolete if you want to play the 'fixed' versions.


Ah well, unlucky pirate folk.

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Hexx
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Hexx » Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:28 am

Everything done now but what I think is the final mission - gotta do a quick run around to talk to everyone.

Ryder Family Secrets - Mum being on the Ark wasn't a huge surprise, but the clear spelling out of "Milky Way gone bye bye" was unexpected. I thought they'd hint at it...but did they also make "Reject Star Child" the canon ending if the Milky Way has gone silent?


 

Jardann vs "the opposition" is an interesting set up - wonder if they'll be answers in last mission or if that's a hook for sequels/DLC

I thought we'd end up activating FauxMeridan and then Archon would take it over - so was nice we held it and drove the Kett off. Wish I'd took Jaarl on the mission though.

Lovely round off with crew as well. Peebee committing to the team. Cora setting out her own path. Vetra going climbing with me and talking. Drack's message about parents/kids (he's going to die, isn't he :). Jaarl's great "meet the family" and showing off his room....and...um...Liam playing football. He's the worst.

 Speaking of. Looking like I'm not having a Space Romance. Gil sprung a kiss on me, then 5 seconds before meeting his friend said "Are we 'boyfriends' or 'friends'? Quick Decide!!!!!" Dick move under pressure. Not wanting to be bfs under pressure has shut down his potential romance...but he's still going on about bloody kids and how's he's going to be a dad now (wtf would have happened if I'd said yes to his insane ultimatium!!!!) Very very disappointing for m/m playthrough


Screw the haters. This has been great

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Samuel_1 » Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:32 am

Hexx wrote:
Screw the haters. This has been great


That's good to hear, I really liked the previous ME games.

I think I'll pick this up eventually, but I'll wait for a few significant patches and a price drop.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Saint of Killers » Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:48 am

Samuel_1 wrote:
Hexx wrote:
Screw the haters. This has been great


That's good to hear, I really liked the previous ME games.

I think I'll pick this up eventually, but I'll wait for a few significant patches and a price drop.


+1 to that. I felt the same way about DA: I.

It's a shame ME: A was released in the state it was but my guess is, that, by the time I get around to playing it, BioWare will have sorted its various issues. (Saw on Twitter that they've already fixed the facial animations.)

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Hexx
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Hexx » Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:50 am

To be honest - I've not see that much of a state. Yeah there's some dodgy lines, animation and lip syncing - but it's definitely become a victim of "the internet knows".

It doesn't deserve the outright hammering it's gotten. It's solid.

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Frank
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Frank » Fri Apr 07, 2017 10:55 am

Skippable Galaxy Map animations yeahhhh. Finally.

Did no-one actually play it before it was released to kind of realise they were absolutely pointless and frustrating? :dread:

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Hexx » Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:00 am

Don't get your hopes up too much.

You still trigger the animation and about 2 seconds later can click a skip button. It's better, but it's not seamlessly smooth.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Frank » Fri Apr 07, 2017 11:17 am

I'll try it and if it's crap not play it until they patch it again

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by RockerShaun » Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:33 pm

It's a welcome update but plenty to improve still. Multiplayer is more stable now but still not without it's issues. I still get the odd random disconnect but not nearly as many as I used to.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Lagamorph » Sun Apr 09, 2017 10:24 am

Hexx wrote:Don't get your hopes up too much.

You still trigger the animation and about 2 seconds later can click a skip button. It's better, but it's not seamlessly smooth.

It would've been better if they'd just added an auto-skip option to the main settings menu.

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Pedz » Sun Apr 09, 2017 3:41 pm

I've been enjoying this. I get that people went nuts over the animations, but it's a pretty good game.

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Skippy
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Skippy » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:07 pm

Freelancer conducted a great interview for us with lead designer Ian Frazier - http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mass-effect-an ... ct-1616748

Have a couple of breakaway stories coming tomorrow and Saturday too

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Tafdolphin » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:26 pm

Skippy wrote:Freelancer conducted a great interview for us with lead designer Ian Frazier - http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mass-effect-an ... ct-1616748

Have a couple of breakaway stories coming tomorrow and Saturday too


That is a good article. However, the elephant in the room there is so huge it's compromising structural integrity. Do you guys, or your freelancers, get their questions vetted? There's absolutely no mention here of the mixed reviews the game received, or the varied nature of the criticisms which ranged from technical to thematic. It's a debrief piece that skips the most fundamental questions people want put to the designer.

On another note:

"For example, it's difficult to have a romance with something that looks like a big jello mould. It needs to have a familiar composition. And I think that was Gene Roddenberry's concept for Star Trek as well. If you look at a lot of the Trek aliens they are bipedal. They have eyes in the same places as us, and a mouth in the same spot. You can have a conversation with them."


I have a huge issue with this. At what point in the Bioware game bible did genuine innovation become subserviant to fuckability? And his last point is completely nullified by the Hanarr, who were one of the most interesting species in the original trilogy

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Skippy
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Skippy » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:57 pm

Tafdolphin wrote:
Skippy wrote:Freelancer conducted a great interview for us with lead designer Ian Frazier - http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mass-effect-an ... ct-1616748

Have a couple of breakaway stories coming tomorrow and Saturday too


That is a good article. However, the elephant in the room there is so huge it's compromising structural integrity. Do you guys, or your freelancers, get their questions vetted? There's absolutely no mention here of the mixed reviews the game received, or the varied nature of the criticisms which ranged from technical to thematic. It's a debrief piece that skips the most fundamental questions people want put to the designer.


That's the basis of one of the breakaway stories. Once those are live I'll put links into this one. That was the plan anyway, maybe I should go and make that clear in the article.

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Hexx
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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Hexx » Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:10 pm

Ask them where all the space gays are, and why Gill won't shut up about kids so I had to put him a time out?

And why I don't get closure with Reyes?

And why I can't get the player achievement without going after...females :dread:

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by Skippy » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:22 pm

Lead designer Ian Frazier tells us an early version of Andromeda was a "giant procedural game" - http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/mass-effect-an ... re-1616714

Unfortunately the interviewer didn't follow that up with a question about No Man's Sky

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PostRe: Mass Effect: Andromeda
by FatDaz » Sat Apr 15, 2017 4:53 pm

Just checked my save and I've put 65hours into this and only done 64% of the game. Still haven't started multiplayer yet either.

Despite all the negativity from the media I am really enjoying this. Story has some nice moments but I can see why it's not viewed as well as the others. It doesn't have the same build up and the big bad "kett" are a poorly developed threat overall.

I just wish they had pushed the boat out a little more in creating a new galaxy with more varied races, politics, history rather than just using the ones they already had. Essentially only 3 new ones:

Angara - generic occupied race Kett - bad guys with little development or motivation explained (collectors?) and remnant - generic and "mystery" ancient race of robots (reapers?)


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