The Official Thread of Shepard's in Space. ME4 Page 18

[Ambrose Burnside]

The Mass Effect series remains the only one where I've bought all (story-based) DLC. It was so good.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Does Wrex carry on over to 2 or does he disappear regardless of the outcome from the first?

Missed this. If he's alive at the end of 1 he features in 2 as a prominent non-playable character.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Completed ME2 + all DLC 100% and finally started ME3. Loving it however what the fuck happened to my beautiful FemShep. Stunning in ME1. Imported to ME2 without a hitch. Looks like a crack whore in ME3. She’s back at the clinic tonight for some work before we head off again.

[Ambrose Burnside]

Mass Effect 3 was underrated, and I haven't even gone back to check out the extended ending, I didn't have a problem with the way it originally ended.

The DLC was awesome too.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Mass Effect 3's quest/journal system is shithouse. A massive downgrade vs ME2. After my first substantial Citadel visit I picked up a slew of boring fetch quests. When you get the item there's no inventory indication you have it and your journal doesn't update to tell you it's ready to be handed in. It's as crap as it is tedious. Add to that I trawl the galaxy map looking for systems listed in quests only to find they're not there. Check online and apparently you need to do other missions for them to appear. Disappointingly poor design.

[GeneraL CyberFunK]

It's been a while since I played ME3 and I don't recall there being a problem with any of that.

I think I need to go back and play it as I think it's my fave of the trilogy.

[Peppermint Lounge]

It sticks out if you're trying to knock off all side missions before proceeding with priority story missions, given previous Mass Effect games can bring substantial consequences if you don't pay attention to when you play/complete your side missions.

This article sums it up:

https://thatgamesux.com/mass-effect-3-k ... ch-quests/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've worked out the most efficient way to knock these quests over now and am spending more time in the meat of the game. But even then during one of the Tuchanka story missions I picked up some item that generated a quest in the journal reading something along the lines of 'Citadel: find someone who will take these plans'. So I go to the Citadel and check each floor map for a new NPC to speak to. Nothing. I assume that means it will spawn after a later mission. More boring minutes spent adhering to ambiguous quest instructions to find someone who may or may not be there.

[Peppermint Lounge]

After a rocky start I'm now fully engrossed and loving it.

SPOILER:







My Shep is predominantly Paragon so I lost Mordin on Tuchanka. On one hand a good death and it was very well done. I felt it when he smiled his satisfied smile upon releasing the genophage cure. You can't ask for more than that from a story driven game. On the other hand I like Mordin and am not remotely attached to Wrex, so having Wrex suck up my arse after Mordin's sacrifice is small reward.

[Ambrose Burnside]

That death scene is one of my favourite scenes in gaming history.

Felt so down afterwards.

[GeneraL CyberFunK]

You can make it so that Mordin lives.. but he doesn't release the cure. It is such an amazing scene regardless of what you chose. I felt bad when he died. There is another scene I reckon you will also get stabbed right in the feels for..
In fact there are lots in this game. Citadel DLC especially.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Thane. Felt again. The way he gently turns his head after FemShep finishes reading his prayer to her.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Mass Effect fans if you feel like watching a one hour videogame essay (who doesn't!) then this is a good total breakdown of Mass Effect 3 - pre production, production, plot, gameplay, everything. When I finally played it recently immediately after replaying 1 & 2 I was struck by the substandard and obviously rushed aspects of it. It's explained well here (tl;dr: EA). The author has published essays for ME1 & 2 also.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Multiplayer is a lot of fun actually.. I spent WAY more time playing it in ME3 back in the day which was a complete surprise for me since I rarely play online...

Agreed. ME3 multiplayer still alive on PC as I found a match immediately. It was good fun. Less fun for the veteran healers who had to constantly revive my minutes old character.

[GeneraL CyberFunK]

Andromeda has an improved MP in terms of gameplay what with the ability to jump (forget you, ladders!) but ME3 has a lot more content in terms of types of enemy encounters, characters to play as and levels.

Plus.. there is nothing more unnerving than the sound of 3 Banshees teleporting their way across a map to kill you!

[Ambrose Burnside]

Mass Effect's back. The Legendary Edition of BioWare's beloved trilogy launches on 14th May and Shepard's aging space adventures have never looked better. We have plenty of detail on all the upgrades this remaster brings to Mass Effect 1, 2 and 3 below.

First, some specifics. The Mass Effect trilogy's Legendary Edition includes 4K support and HDR compatibility, plus 60 FPS on PC and consoles from PS4 Pro/Xbox One Series X forwards. On PC, it adds support for controllers and 21:9 widescreen displays. As expected, all three games and all single-player DLCs are included. There's no multiplayer mode, no additional story elements, and no version (yet) for Nintendo Switch.

Mass Effect 1, by far the most dated-looking of the trilogy, has undergone a particularly extensive rework, with dramatic improvements to some of its environments. The results on planets such as Eden Prime, Ilos and Feros look on first impression far closer to a full remake. ME1 has also seen other tweaks, including fan-requested improvements to the Mako vehicle's often wildly-erratic driving experience, various combat changes and much faster Citadel lifts (thank goodness).

Differences across the whole trilogy include remastered character models, an expanded universal character creator and the option to use ME3's default female Shepard model throughout. There are noticeable improvements to Shepard's range of available skin tones, hairstyles and makeup options, for a more diverse range of possibilities. Overall, BioWare says there are "tens of thousands" of updated textures, shaders, visual effects and lighting changes, plus a new bokeh-style depth of field.

The team had spent time discussing the need to keep improvements to character designs consistent across the trilogy, though also reflect the changes each character goes through. A look at an updated model for ME1's Liara, for example, shows her doe-eyedness tuned down a notch, a change which better reflects the direction of her character arc and model across the three games.

The Legendary Edition was also now content complete, with a new single launcher to wrap all three games in one, plus all respective DLCs and other items unlocked. It's worth taking a moment to note the list of included additions here is nothing less than the full single-player package, from simple mission packs to full-blown expansions like Lair of the Shadow Broker, from individual promotional weapons to squadmate costume packs and collector's edition bonuses. If it's relevant at all to the trilogy's single-player, it's included. Even the catch-up Genesis comics are there.

Gameplay changes to ME2 and ME3 sound relatively minimal, though there's a whole list of differences to remove "friction" from ME1. Aim assist adds adhesion to keep you locked onto enemies, while a "zoom snap" will flick your focus onto a target when aiming. Each ME1 gun has been balanced and given an individual feel similar to those found in later games. The Mako has been given a speed boost and updated physics, while the game's hidden loading screens in lifts have been drastically cut down in length. Comparison footage of a ride up to the Citadel's Presidium level lasts just 14 seconds in the Legendary Edition, down from 52 seconds in the original.

But even with the baseline changes across the trilogy, it seems clear Mass Effect 1 still lagged behind the visuals of the other two games. Did its levels need a full remake instead, in order to live up to the rest of the trilogy, or was there a middle ground to be found? "We didn't want to throw them out and start new," environment and character director Kevin Meek explained, recalling how for him, the layout of the original areas was an integral part of the experience when first playing the game, before he joined BioWare more recently to work on Anthem. So the team called in Derek Watts, art director on the original Mass Effect, to paint over images of ME1 as they stood with new details and effects, then went about creating those. Eden Prime, for example, now has new lighting to show off its fuller skybox and upressed textures, along with extra effects like smoke, ground fog, burning ashes and scattered debris.

A list of other ME1 improvements mentions enemy and squad AI changes, the removal of class-based weapon restrictions (though only some allow for training to higher levels), an XP rebalance so you can hit the game's cap without New Game Plus, more consistent autosave points, boss encounter improvements, reduced cooldown for first aid, a reduction in mini-games, and a modernised HUD.

Big Legendary Edition Reveal

I have the original trilogy on 360, and Andromeda on PC. Despite the lack of a retail release on PC (would have loved some sort of special physical edition for my favourite trilogy ever), I'll be going PC this time.

Can't wait.

[Ambrose Burnside]

The Pinnacle Station DLC from the original Mass Effect is not included.

The team tried to contact everyone and anyone that had any connection to this DLC. When BioWare and EA contacted Demiurge, the studio responsible for this DLC, hope surged only to come crashing down once more when the backups for the code sent over contained almost all corrupted data – even vital links were missing.

Walters added that in order for Pinnacle to see a revival, it would have to be an entire remake; made from the ground up and entirely from scratch. "It would basically take us another full six months just to do this with most of the team we've got," he told us. "I wish we could do it. Honestly, just because this is meant to be everything that the team ever created, brought together again - all the single-player content. And so, leaving it all on the cutting-room floor, it was heartbreaking."

[Madmya]

Bioware always seem to make things worse, so I'm worried about this. All they needed to do about Mass Effect 1 was update the graphics and fix the inventory system and now we hear about all these gameplay changes.

Don't fuck with the feel dammit.

[Peppermint Lounge]

Andromeda is in my Origin library waiting to be played. Should I? It looks good but there’s just so much disappointment from fans I haven’t been able to bring myself to start.

[Ambrose Burnside]

I enjoyed it. The graphical glitch memes have been fixed, and it has the best combat in the series. Story isn't as good though.

My biggest issue with it is that it ended on a big old cliffhanger that was never resolved in DLC because EA dropped it fast. It was resolved in a novel, but still. The Andromeda novels are actually pretty good.

[Ambrose Burnside]

Bioware always seem to make things worse, so I'm worried about this. All they needed to do about Mass Effect 1 was update the graphics and fix the inventory system and now we hear about all these gameplay changes.

Don't fuck with the feel dammit.

Brace yourselves, although non-gameplay, it certainly changes the "feel"

BioWare's upcoming Mass Effect Legendary Edition has taken a fresh look at the trilogy's gratuitous camera angles focusing on ME2 character Miranda - or more specifically, her bottom - and made some changes.

Speaking to Metro, Legendary Edition project director Mac Walters said that times had moved on since the original games launched, and adjustments had been made to a few things which stood out.

"I do think a lot of things have evolved since [the original games]," Walters said. "I don't know if I would say we were ultra-concerned about it or anything like that, but there were considerations. Kevin [Meek, environment and character director] actually called out some camera cuts that were just... why was that focusing on Miranda's butt? So in some cases we said, 'Okay, we can make a change there.' "

Other camera changes include some awkward angles for Shepard, which were clearly designed purely with the male Shepard model in mind. From experience, playing these through as female Shepard means she sits there manspreading in a skirt, and it's just ridiculous and a bit broken to watch.

"A male Shepherd animation would have him sitting with his legs quite wide open with a low camera where, if you were wearing a skirt, it would be a bit unflattering," Walters continued. "So we can't necessarily change that animation, but you can raise that camera up slightly to reduce the problem."

Mass Effect character Miranda is defined her by appearance, and her coming to terms with the fact her DNA was genetically-modified by her father is a major part of her overall character arc. But the trilogy's writing does a good enough job of tackling this - without players constantly being reminded of her body with camera shots of her catsuit.

Adjusting the camera so you're not staring up FemShep's skirt I'm OK with, that's clearly a mistake that wasn't picked up in testing.

Miranda? I was always more of a Liara guy anyway

[Ambrose Burnside]

Series X the console version to get, double the frame rate of the PS5 in the only mode that matters, favour framerate. Although that "up to" qualifier has me somewhat concerned as to how smooth the frame rate will be on all consoles:

PlayStation 5: Up to 60fps at 4K in Favor Quality, Up to 60fps at 1440p in Favor Framerate
Xbox Series X: Up to 60fps at 4K in Favor Quality, Up to 120fps at 1440p in Favor Framerate
PlayStation 4 Pro: Up to 30fps at 4K in Favor Quality, Up to 60fps at 1440p in Favor Framerate
Xbox Series S/Xbox One X: Up to 30fps at 4K in Favor Quality, Up to 60fps at 1440p in Favor Framerate
PlayStation 4: Up to 30fps at 1080p in Favor Quality, Up to 60fps at 1080p in Favor Framerate
Xbox One: Up to 30fps at 1080p in Favor Quality, Up to 60fps at 1080p in Favor Framerate

PC?

Last but not least is PC which, hardware allowing, can squeeze out up to 240fps and supports refresh rates of up to 240Hz. As you'd expect, PC players also get a variety of settings to tweak at will, meaning they can find their own preferred balance between graphics and performance.

I'm going PC this time around for the mods (and keyboard and mouse controls) after playing the original trilogy on 360, so I'll be rocking whichever settings give me a rock solid 60fps, none of this "up to" bullshit.

[lestat]

Series X has VRR, which I suspect will be needed. The whole up to says to me the game has FPS dips here and there. Surprised PS5 still doesn't have VRR support 6 months after launch.

[Madmya]

I'm fine with camera angle changes, as long as they don't change Miranda.

But I just know they're going to change something to the original Mass Effect which is going to irk me beyond what is reasonable. I have no faith in Bioware making good decisions.

Also I'm not paying full price for this, waiting for a sale.

[Ambrose Burnside]

I got it as a birthday present, but even if I didn't I reckon it's good value. Three full games plus all the DLC (minus Pinnacle Station). I haven't played through the trilogy since Mass Effect 3 came out (and I didn't bother to go back to play through the extended ending either, so that will be brand new for me too). I still rate them the best games of the 360 era (followed by the Arkham games), but I'm not the sort to play through games like these (60+ hour epics) multiple times. A decade is a long enough between drinks though I own all the novels and comics and the anime too, I am rather excited About to re-read Revelation, the prequel to Mass Effect.

I see you can toggle between original and upgraded Mako controls too. Still slightly annoyed they abandoned the Mako after the original, rather than improve it. That sense of exploration was lost when it was replaced by planet scanning.

EA have also released all the bonus content from ye olde Collector's Editions for free (until the end of May for some Nintendo-esque reason):

https://www.ea.com/games/mass-effect/ma ... lized=true

[Peppermint Lounge]

Played em back to back in 2019. It was my first ME3 play-through. First two among my favourite ever at the time. ME3 has good moments but overall it failed to bring home what it had set up so well in the previous games and so pretty much killed it for me. I won’t be going back.