Mass Effect 3 - "Does this unit have a soul?"

[Dasquian Belargic]

Since the last thread got so predictably huuuuge, here is a new thread.

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HiRDJLcYua0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HiRDJLcYua0?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Something to read after completing the game... an interesting article (http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/03/23/mass-effect-3-ending-what-do-game-writers-think/) in which PC Gamer talks to game writers about Biowares announcement that they will 'change the ending' of Mass Effect 3 by asking the following question:

Do you object to the idea of developers changing a game’s narrative based on player feedback after release? Or do games (especially games that promote player agency) present a unique opportunity for “story collaboration” between users and producers that designers should take advantage of?

[Byl Laprovik]

ME1: bro edition begins

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p156/LoungieMu/8a3b5dac.jpg

[Dasquian Belargic]

Spike... is that you?

http://i43.tinypic.com/157nlau.jpg

[Byl Laprovik]

Well I was going more for Daniel Craig but the other hair looked crap

[Dasquian Belargic]

On a semi related note - Bioware is planning to release a patch to fix the buggy importing of character faces into ME3 http://www.computerandvideogames.com/341312/mass-effect-3-face-import-bug-fix-in-next-patch/

[Emelie Shadowstar]

Ok so... FINISHED!

And... uhh...

Really? ...REALLY? I mean... I can appreciate the whole "HA! Not hat you expected, is it? - thing." But it just seemed so... so... unsatisfying. I picked the "Fuck you" option... synthesis sounded like a good idea but I just couldn't see Shep going for it, especially not after EVERYTHING that happened. The whole purpose was to continue life as we know it, that's what the whole the war was about! I just couldn't see the good in an option going "Oh hey... yeah... I'll just play God rather than just stop my enemies from killing us all." Even if all the options were kinda play-God.

I think I'm just... uninspired by the ending. Not mad, just kinda...blah. It seemed just a bit too out of left field for my liking. I didn't like that all my choices seemed for absolute nothing. A Paragon and a Renegade would have come to that exact same spot as long as the player finished the majority of the game, it seems.

I had no problems with Shep dying. I felt like that was a very real possibility from the beginning, I think I just have issues with the whole feeling of "What the hell just happened...?" and not having it be an awesome way. Of course... I guess Shep wasn't actually dead? So...what... she's stranded on the busted Citadel and will die soon from wounds and such anyway?

Ok... so let's say I accept all the weirdness and sci fi mumbo jumbo and that's cool. It's unique... really weird and not very satisfying but shit, that's just how it goes sometimes.

...What the fuck was my squad doing on the ship? Weren't they making the final run to the citadel with me? Didn't that beam fuck them up too?? I heard a full retreat being called so that explains why Joker was flying away, but how the hell did Prothy the Prothean end up ok? (Didn't see Garrus.)

Also... I was disappointed in lack of Harbinger banter. He could NOT shut UP in ME2, and he was there staring me down and didn't say a damn thing?

I did like the whole "I'm fucking dying and stumbling and moving on anyway like a badass" thing. It's just that I agree with the whole hallucination/indoctrine theory thing in that it was all just too surreal.

If they leave that as the ending and don't change it with a DLC, I'm okay with that. I'll walk away feeling a little bummed, but not filled with nerd rage by any means. At least I got to kill the Reapers in the end... even if it did mean killing the Geth... and probably EDI :( Casualties of war *sniffle*

[Crusader]

OK done now too!
I think the best way for Bioware to get away with this would have been to just let Shepard and Anderson sit there, watch and die while the crucible turns on and then it fires the screen goes white and the credits roll.

I must admit that I can live with those ending very well since they leave little backdoors for a sequel except for the killing all the synthetics solution.

To put it bluntly the only ending that would stop the nerd rage would be to let Shepard in the end just destroy the reapers but that would have been an ending we all would have come up with.

The whole ending dilema reminded me of Deus Ex: Whatever ending I chose I felt like a jackass.

Like I said the ending was totaly badass until you stepped on that elevator platform.

My more honest complaint is that the game had no real boss fight at the end. I did not want to fight the Reaper version of the Illusive Man like it was originaly planed but fighting one wave of Brutes and one wave of Banshees is nothing special to you once you have done it for an entire sunday.

So my true and biggest complaint here is that the gameplay challenge was not giving me the feeling that this is it and that street with those rocket launcher cars was not even a memorable one in design and layout.

TL: DNR: Mass Effect 3 is a great ride until the very end. Sure I would have loved to see more side missions and mini games like in Mass Effect 2 but the game delivers until you finally get a chance to "sit down".

After that Bioware tries to show us that their writers are not creatively bankrupt by giving us an ending that we have not already seen more than once when we close our eyes.

[Emelie Shadowstar]

Oh my god... :lol

http://hisnamewasmaraudershields.tumblr.com/ (PLEASE DO NOT CLICK UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED THE GAME. Okidokie? Thanks.)

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

is anybody doing Operation Fortress this weekend? Would be good to take advantage of our offensive last weekend to score some XP bonus.

[Emelie Shadowstar]

If we still are having time change vs not-yet-time-change issue like last time around I'm down for playing before Dark Banana-ing. If not, maybe a round or two afterwards.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Our clocks went forward an hour this morning so I think we should all be back in sync now?

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck&feature=player_embedded

^ This is the best video so far about the (end-game spoiler) indoctrination theory

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Must admit, that was a very compelling argument. Do like that they went all the way back to ME1 to make some of their connections.

[Ben Merasska]

LEEEEEENNNNNNGGG! :shakefist

[Karl Valten]

http://verydemotivational.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/demotivational-posters-yeah-right.jpg

[Crusader]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck&feature=player_embedded

^ This is the best video so far about the (end-game spoiler) indoctrination theory

Damn this video is like an indoctrination by itself.

The worst thing about it is that it actually would make sense from a physical point of view.
I went back to my xbox because I wanted to see what happens if you do not choose at all. I asumed that my last savegame is the point right after Marauder Shields or up at Crucible but infact the last autosave you can resume is the outro of your choice. You actually have to load the restart mission savegame to chose a different ending.

My mind then told me that this savegame setup makes no sense. There is no need for a savegame at this point. Why would your actual decision in the end be important enough to justify an auto savegame at this point of the game? Any savegame after Marauder Shields or the illusive man would have done the trick.

So if this video is right this is probably one of the best pseudo endings ever and the best explaination why we should not delete our savegames after finishing ME3.

Before anyone goes into Nerd Rage next please keep something in mind: This would not be the first time that a game company sells the true ending as a DLC "Tell me Marius. Do you still have it?" Diablo 2 got closure in the Lord of Destruction Pack after featuring an open ending. Fallout 3 tried to do the same with the Broken Steel DLC.

TL: DNR: If there is still a story to tell about Shepard I would love to charge into battle with her/him again.

[Dasquian Belargic]

What makes that video so good, I think, is what Kyran said: it ties together the whole trilogy to explain WTF :cyduck is going on. If Bioware didn't do this intentionally, then it is a superbly lucky bit of fluke and they would almost be fools not to capitalise on it and release DLC in response.

[Crusader]

Yeah Shepard suddenly jumps up pulls a Cain out, aims at Harbinger and shouts "Assume control of this, bitch!"

[Kyran O'Hurn]

I know nothing of programming, especially DLC over a full game, but during the whole "we'll listen to the fans" thing that Bioware has been saying they would do, I couldn't help but wondering if that was even possible... like to completely change the ending via DLC, would that be days, weeks, months, years? I mean if in reality it takes a while to do the programming than the indoctrination idea really has legs since it would mean that Bioware has been working on the DLC already and known what they were going to do.

[Crusader]

Changing the ending is actually easy from a technical point of view but the costs are massiv! You would need all those voice actors again and planing voice acting session takes around 3 months alone. So if they have a different ending anoounced around june or july we got punked.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Therefore, I think it more likely that things have been well planned out by Bioware knowing full well what kind of outcry was going to come...

That is, if their DLC is post-ending added content (like Arrival was for ME2), if it's just in campaign added content then it obviously won't make any difference to the game.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Mass Effect... metal? :partyhard

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NjpvUQ53IcE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NjpvUQ53IcE?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Crusader]

MASS EFFECT 3 weekend is going to start any minute! Join us on Xbox Live for helping Admiral Hackett.

This week is all about promotion!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Just promoted my first character on multiplayer so that's 50% of Operation Raptor done for me.

I wasn't enjoying multiplayer that much until I tried out playing as an Asari Vanguard, now I'm kicking ass. FOR THESSIA!

[Vek Vek]

Yeah the Asari vanguard is a lot of fun. Just stay away from Banshees

[Dasquian Belargic]

5 reasons Mass Effect is Better than Star Wars: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/341999/features/5-reasons-mass-effect-is-better-than-star-wars/

[Vek Vek]

Mass Effect might not have Jar Jar, but they do have Conrad Verner and the "Reapers" Turian councilor asshole.

EDIT: Wait I forgot the proper offensive analogue: Diana Allers. UGH.

[Dasquian Belargic]

:airquotes

At least you can completely ignore Battle-Tits if you want to.

[Vek Vek]

She was the only one that even attempted to romance me in ME3. Her and her greasy skin and middle-parted WASPY brunette crap hair, and her voice graaaghhhh

[Dasquian Belargic]

Operation Raptor was a success: http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/02/operation-raptor-update/

Next up: Operation Beachhead "is scheduled to deploy next weekend, April 6th- 8th and will require expert trained soldiers to complete. Stay tuned for more information on Operation Beachhead later this week."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Woot! Glad I'll get two rewards then

[Crusader]

Operation Raptor was a success: http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/02/operation-raptor-update/

Next up: Operation Beachhead "is scheduled to deploy next weekend, April 6th- 8th and will require expert trained soldiers to complete. Stay tuned for more information on Operation Beachhead later this week."

Expert trained soldiers? This smells like gold.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Please no!!

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Actually made it to wave 8 in a gold match yesterday... Cerberus if I remember correctly. Hardest part was the damned Phantoms. Just from having played it once, I think Geth is probably the easiest gold since the top end enemy is a Prime, versus a Banshee or Phantom in the other two.

Biggest issue for me, and I'm sure others, is that I just promoted my two level 20 characters, so I'll have to build up a couple new big hitters to even think about running in a gold match.

But, I'm staying here for the weekend, and apparently he issues that I was first having with multiplayer when I got back is now solved, so I'll be around to fight with anyone who wants to give it a go.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Oh I mean I can level up again just fine. I just suck is all

[Dasquian Belargic]

Time to power level another Asari Vanguard!

[Crusader]

^^Have you faced an Asari commando unit before? Few humans have...

[Dasquian Belargic]

Asari going commando sounds like a good time to me.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

^^Have you faced an Asari commando unit before? Few humans have...

...thus begins one of the hardest fights in the whole trilogy

[Sanya Tagge]

^ and the Shadow Broker DLC!


But yeah, I remember dying a bunch of times when Benezia sets the commandos loose on you.

[Crusader]

This fight and the ambush on the "disabled" collector ship are in my opinion the hardest battles in the entire series.

Oh and there was this one time in Mass Effect 1 where I tried to kill a Thresher Maw on foot since I knew that killing things inside the Mako gives less Xp so I figured killing a Thresher Maw on foot would give massive XP!!!

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Haha how'd that work out

[Crusader]

Well other people did it too and 690 XP for one kill sounds awesome!

<object width="640" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vn0Qcy3AZ-U?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vn0Qcy3AZ-U?version=3&amp;hl=de_DE" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Dasquian Belargic]

Continuing my trend of throwing money at this franchise... I have bought two ME lithographs to hang up on my wall.

First, one which is still on sale at the moment is of the ME2 team: http://biowarestore.com/art/mini-lithos/me2-the-team-litho

..and then this:

http://i44.tinypic.com/72f4ow.jpg
(not my picture since I literally just won the auction, someone elses shot of their print)

Only its a limited edition, run of 500 prints, signed by the artist. I also grabbed a collectors edition of the 'Invasion' comic series (http://biowarestore.com/media/mass-effect-invasion-collectors-edition) in hardback.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

I fucking hate you. I want that so bad

[Dasquian Belargic]

Space racists goin up my wall

[Dasquian Belargic]

We are getting an :airquotes 'Extended Cut DLC' to wrap up some of the loose ends of the trilogy - and it's free.

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/05/mass-effect-3-extended-cut/


An official press release went out today announcing how we are re-prioritizing the Mass Effect 3 post release content schedule to provide a more fleshed out experience for our fans. For many of you the “Extended Cut” will help answer some questions and give closure to this chapter of the Mass Effect story. Oh and it’s at no cost to you – the fan.

Here is a mini FAQ to help you understand what the Mass Effect 3: Extended Cut is and isn’t:

What can fans expect from the Extended Cut DLC?

For fans who want more closure in Mass Effect 3, the DLC will offer extended scenes that provide additional context and deeper insight to the conclusion of Commander Shepard’s journey.

Are there going to be more/different endings or ending DLCs in the future?

No. BioWare strongly believes in the team’s artistic vision for the end of this arc of the Mass Effect franchise. The extended cut DLC will expand on the existing endings, but no further ending DLC is planned.

What is BioWare adding to the ending with the Extended Cut DLC?

BioWare will expanding on the ending to Mass Effect 3 by creating additional cinematics and epilogue scenes to the existing ending sequences. The goal of these new scenes is to provide additional clarity and closure to Mass Effect 3.

When will the Extended Cut DLC be available?

Currently the Extended Cut DLC is planned for this summer, no specific date has been announced at this point.

Why are you releasing the Extended Cut DLC?

Though we remain committed and are proud of the artistic choices we made in the main game, we are aware that there are some fans who would like more closure to Mass Effect 3. The goal of the DLC is not to provide a new ending to the game, rather to offer fans additional context and answers to the end of Commander Shepard’s story.

So there you have it. Are we proud of the game we made and the team that made it? Hell yes. Are we going to change the ending of the game? No. Do we appreciate the passion and listen to the feedback delivered to us by our fans? Very much so and we are responding.

Summer is coming…

[Taataani Meorrrei]

I am down with that. Already said the ending is okay in theory, just wanted to see more

[Emelie Shadowstar]

So that's what that scream of rage that echoed across the mountainsides was...

:p

I'm sure some people are pretty mad they've now come out and said no change will happen. I'm with Charley though... More closure is good and really all I wanted.

Now to just figure out if I want to change my "final choice" :uhoh

[Salem Ave]

Red magic is the only choice. Anything else is a lie!


...although given my new sig with this account, I should be championing the blue magic :uhoh

[Crusader]

I hope they add some Fallout like clips that show you how your other choices affected the galaxy and please remove the Joker flys the crew to an abandoned planet clips since those just look terrible.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Just logged on to play a bit and the Operation Beachhead mission brief was already up.

It's nothing big. A +25% EXP weekend. Though my guess is that it means that the following weekend will probably be something harder.

[Dasquian Belargic]

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r7dUTY04B_M?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r7dUTY04B_M?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Emelie Shadowstar]

Krogan Vanguard!? GIMME!!!!!!!

Also... Geth! :3

[Zem Vymes]

I am going to be a Geth from now on.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

nice. and love the fact that it's going to be free... since I have no budget for anything at the moment.

And I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of Geth running around when that first comes out.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Gonna have to make a pink geth to avoid friendly fire on Geth missions

[Dasquian Belargic]

Damn, being the last man alive in a multiplayer game and managing to save the mission from a clusterfuck feels good :smokin

[Xavier Synik]

Yeah that happened to me the other day, though I didn't make it...

Something about 2 Geth Primes, 4 or 5 Pyro's and at least 1 Rocket Trooper... Trooper got me in the end.... was too focused on the others and got flanked...

[Daria Nytherciria]

I was up against Geth as well. I had a spare missile launcher to hand, so I managed to lure a bunch of them into a group then blast em all :D

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Geth Primes, while much less scary than the Reaper Heavies, are probably the most balanced heavy enemy in MP. I don't really have a super great strategy for them other than to hope I'm rolling an engineer because I play random enemy maps.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Best success against the Primes that I've found are headshots from a sniper rifle.

But yes an engineer is the best character against them if your lucky enough to be rolling one.

I think I was rolling my Vanguard when I got messed up.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Vanguards in general are great for thinning the herd and crap at heavies.

If you can play with discipline, you can do really well, just don't grow an ego and gun for the big guys. Let your friends with bigger guns and more clever powers do this, and keep their flanks clear.

[Xavier Synik]

Yeah well I'm admittedly not great at rolling biotics. My tactics are better suited to the non-biotics. Though getting better.

[MARCUS]

I've actually rather enjoyed being a soldier lately. Basically holding down an area with an unsubtle spray of automatic weapon fire and concussive shots that spam every second. You can keep heavies locked up really well with this strategy.

[Basie Moten]

I've enjoyed being an engineer. "I'm helping! I'm helping!"

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

I'm so glad I finally got my quarian engineer. Cryo, Incinerate, AND turret? Yeah I love spamming cans of harm at everyone and running away.

[Karl Valten]

Vanguards in general are great for thinning the herd and crap at heavies.

My Geth Shotgun begs to differ.

[MARCUS]

I hope you meant to type Asari shotgun, because...cooldown

[Dasquian Belargic]

You mean http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Geth_Plasma_Shotgun ?

[Karl Valten]

You mean http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Geth_Plasma_Shotgun ?

That's the one. With Incendiary or AP rounds, it can even do decent damage to armored targets.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Another day, another multiplayer clusterfuck salvaged by my engineer Betsy.

What the fuck would the Alliance do without me?

Also!

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/crgEIhI3y_o?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/crgEIhI3y_o?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Dasquian Belargic]

This weekend is Operation Resurgence: http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/11/operation-resurgence/#more-4321


Anyone who has the Resurgence Pack multiplayer DLC operational during this weekend will be granted a Reserves Pack. A Reserves Pack unlocks one of the new random alien classes guaranteed.

All participating squads will earn +10% additional experience when playing on the Resurgence expansion’s new maps, Firebase: Condor and Firebase: Hydra.

If anyone else plays the Infiltrator iOS game, there's been an update which has unlocked a new character/storyline: http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/12/mass-effect-infiltrator-update/#more-4334

[Dasquian Belargic]

Did anyone else get the Resurgence pack? I finally unlocked Asari Justicar :3

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/04/19/n7-operations-update/

Operation Exorcist this weekend, April 20-22. Something about the name makes me think it will involve banshees :uhoh

Also!

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XNnoSPdfnv8?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XNnoSPdfnv8?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Dasquian Belargic]

Update on Operation Exorcist which is actually THIS weekend


When it comes to retrieving classified data, Cerberus has been beating the allied forces to the punch. New intelligence has tipped us off to one of their offensives, and it is time to give the N7 teams the payback they want.

Allied Goal: Kill 1,000,000 Cerberus Phantoms.
Squad Goal: Survive until extraction on any map and any enemy on Gold difficulty.

Successful completion of the Allied Goal will grant all players a Victory Pack.
Successful completion of the squad goal awards a Commendation Pack to all squadmates.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

GOLD FFFFFFUUUUUUU

I can't even extract on silver yet.

Anyhoo I'll get on this for the allied goal and maybe get good at things. I've been buffing my Geth Infiltrator like crazy and snipecloak + hunter mode + Widow V with damage and maxcap is fucking ridiculous. Oh look a group of geth hiding behind this wall. *fires*

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Mass effect 3 soundtrack on amazon and iTunes FINALLY

[Dasquian Belargic]

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pSawGT5bgdM?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pSawGT5bgdM?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

I'm Garrus Vakarian and THIS IS MY RECTUM

[Crusader]

https://twitter.com/#!/RaphaelSbarge/status/198479598638469121

So the voice actor for Kaiden twittered that he is back at Bioware for recording new samples for Mass Effect 3. It is not clear if those are for DLC or the extended cut but if Bioware stays true to their word the later is the most possible.

This basicly means that the scripting is done now and so should be most of the levels and setpieces. The next step is polish and testing.

I am excited to see how the extended cut will wrap it up.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Ohhhh :ohno come on Ali Hillis, tweet more.

When Jennifer Hale gets back in the studio, then we can start going crazy.

[Sanya Tagge]

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/09/operation-silencer/

Operation Silencer, Friday, May 11 at 6:00PM PST until Monday, May 14 at 5:00PM PST


Cerberus defectors have verified key intel on Reaper banshees to help provide us a vulnerability to exploit. Banshees are created from a specific kind of asari that cannot be replaced quickly, so we are diverting forces to focus on an all-out banshee extermination effort.

This task is an onerous one, and many of you are right to dread contact with these particular foes, but rest assured that we are prepared to reinforce your battalion with reserves. The vorcha want in, and as soon as they complete combined-arms training with our technically-skilled personnel, we will let them loose.

It’s time to make our enemies scream.

Allied Goal: Kill 3,000,000 banshees
Squad Goal: Survive until a full extraction on any map against any enemy on gold difficulty.

Successful completion of the allied goal will grant all players a Victory Pack.
Successful completion of the squad goal will grant all squadmates a Commendation Pack.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Gonna do this. Depending on how comfortable I am on silver I might even try gold

[Kyran O'Hurn]

I'm in on this for sure.

And I'll probably try a gold. Completed the gold in the last one against Cerberus which I'll probably try to get again in this one.

I think I remember the squad that we went in with and it worked really well in terms of character types.

edit:

Thought about it for a few minutes. Definitely had 2 Asari adpts as the stasis is great at holding off Phantoms. I think it was 1 infiltrator and 1 engineer but not 100% which type. And it was on Hydra.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

I just re-read what Jen posted above... I didn't notice the comment about the Vorcha previously. Wonder if they will be adding them as a playable character in multiplayer in the future.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Sounds like it. The vorcha are dumb and I hate them but COMPLETIONIST ;_____;

[Dasquian Belargic]

Got to wave 10 in a gold match today before we all bled out :(


Also got to play some bronze with Brian! Yay :D

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Just got in with a team and completed 2 Reaper missions on gold.

Things I've learned...

1) Play on Firebase White.

2) Use lvl 20 Geth Engineers outfitted with turrets with flamethrowers

3) Don't roll with sniper rifles, you're better off with a shotgun or heavy assault rifle.


basically so far the strategy that I've seen work in both missions, is to set up a killzone in the bottom base where the enemy usually spawns, take that area right away and don't move out of there unless you have to for one of the waves where you have to run around activating things.

Use throw the turret down in the middle of where all the paths meet and use overload to bring down the banshee's barriers. After that keep hitting them, but the flamethrower will do a LOT of damage.

Also learned that Ravagers do not like turrets and will target them before a team member so you can use that, but also know that your turret might get taken out over and over again when Ravagers are on the field.

Anyway. I'm going to keep playing today on and off to see if I can pick up some tips for other maps. If someone wants to play hit me up.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Re: Operation SILENCER

Confidentiality Classification: XB-PRIME

Distribution: N7 Forces Only

Soldiers of the Milky Way –

It is with great regret that I must announce the withdrawal of forces from several colonies in asari space. Reinforcing them proved untenable. While Operation SILENCER inflicted substantial casualties, the Reapers learned from our victories against the brutes, and they now know how to protect their own.

Rest assured that we too are learning from this conflict. Already, we are implementing plans to supply our forces with a better arsenal so that, when we next meet the enemy, they are ours. Until your next deployment, keep calm and carry on. We will pay the Reapers back soon enough.

–Admiral Hackett

Withdrawing forces from Asari colonies? :ohno I think this must be the first time that an N7 Operation has failed?

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

It's the first failed mission I can remember. Probably because I didn't play any

[Dasquian Belargic]

I was trying for the gold extraction so most of my games were against Cerberus, since I tend to find them to be the easiest enemy to deal with.

[Korax]

Agree with you on Cerberus being easier to deal with. Hack dat turret

I haven't had much luck with groups and getting things done on Gold but, for the most part I've been pretty happy with MP. Surprising to me, how much I enjoy it

[Sanis Prent]

Geth always seem easier to me, just because fuck phantoms

[Dasquian Belargic]

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wCWBi_7lqp4?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wCWBi_7lqp4?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Sheldon Esalis]

hahahaha Garrus

[Dasquian Belargic]

New multiplayer DLC pack incoming!! http://blog.bioware.com/2012/05/24/mass-effect-3-rebellion-pack/

2 new maps
3 new weapons
6 new character types (including Vorcha, Male Quarians and former Cerberus members)

Available at no cost, next Wednesday

[Crusader]

Male Quarians? I hope they are voiced by Adam Baldwin!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Rebellion is out today

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/EmJfr5CT0-Q?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/EmJfr5CT0-Q?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

There's something new that I didn't notice, a new objective type:


New Objective Type:

Retrieve

Retrieve is a new objective added to Multiplayer through the Rebellion DLC. Valuable supplies are in the field and Operatives need to secure and bring the supplies to key locations on the map. Teamwork is very important in this objective because the supply carrier will be slowed down and unable to evade, covering the supply carrier and working as a team will ensure your success in this new objective type.

Catch the flag, I guess?

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/06/06/operation-mastiff/


Operation MASTIFF (June 8th-10th)
We are dropping the new reinforcements onto occupied worlds to supplement resistance movements. Retrieving data of how the Reapers conquered those worlds is of paramount importance.

Allied Goal: Complete 100K retrieval missions.
Personal Goal: Extraction on Silver difficulty with one squad member of the Rebellion Pack classes: Vorcha, Phoenix Project Defectors, or Quarian Male.
Special Circumstance: None.

Completion of the personal goal awards that player a Commendation Pack.
Completion of the Allied goal awards all players a Victory Pack that has a guaranteed N7 weapon.

Operation Mastiff begins at 6pm PST Friday June 8th and ends at 4am PST Monday June 11th.
Packs will be distributed Tuesday evening if the mission is successful.

[Dasquian Belargic]

June 26th... :ohno don't tease me, Bioware. Don't promise much and deliver little.

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3y7xk1_x8ko?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3y7xk1_x8ko?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Emelie Shadowstar]

I'm just... so... not sure. :ohno I'm going to play it for sure... but just... ugh... I don't want to expect so much and end up with that weird "mourning" feeling again. lol

I do like that apparently they'll fix that big issue of the "Everyone got the same damn ending. Your choices didn't mean dick" so... yay?

I can say one thing in particular though... I am SO not looking forward to having to play through the wave upon wave of DOOM on Earth. I thought I'd never have to experience Banshee-gedon ever again ;___;

Oh... and getting my galactic readiness back to 100%. Fuck.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Twitter tells me that the DLC is dropping in the 1-2 hours... :cry

<object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kVLiw8kvBRg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kVLiw8kvBRg?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Crusader]

I guess this is the sign I needed to leave work early today.

[Dasquian Belargic]

It's not out on PC until later this evening (about 9pm GMT apparently) :( that sucks.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

So you can watch vid of the endings all 4 Anyone else not realize that there was a 4th ending by shooting the kid? Or maybe that ones new

http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/725324/mass-effect-3-extended-ending-videos-all-four-new-endings

I've watched them all. Honestly I never had a big problem with the original endings except for the "How did the Normandy end up in hyperspace all of a sudden?" question, which I wonder if they just cut out of the original ending, cause what they put in looks like it should have been there the first time...

Anyway, from what I've read, it's not really worth downloading and loading the DLC if you are more interested in the changes because it doesn't add any gameplay, it's just video, and apparently the DLC is like 2 gigs.

Oh and if you do watch the videos, just remember that of course it only reflects the choices that whoever made them made...

Enjoy.

[Dasquian Belargic]

^ Shooting the Starchild is definitely a new choice. It was the first thing I did, couldn't help myself :lol You get a pretty short ending for going down that route, though. It seems to be presented as the only :airquotes 'bad' ending, as you forego using the Crucible and try to defeat the Reapers with just your fleets/armies. Also how did 'Synthesis' become a good ending? That's the Saren ending, dammit!! :shakefist

You do get something other than a different ending, though not much as far as I could see. The ending choices all still use the same cut-scenes and artwork for the most part, just with a few visual tweaks. There's an explanation of why/how your squad members ended up on a mystery planet, and why the Normandy fled the battle (you call in an emergency evac to pick up an injured squad-mate during the march towards the beam). It's not actual game-play I guess, but it does make me feel less frustrated and confused about that aspect of the game. Though I still refuse to believe that Garrus and Liara would have let Shepard go into the beam alone :(

I think they also tweaked the textures on board the Citadel, as it looked much more like everywhere was heaped with distinctly human remains, instead of the weird vaguely human but possibly not human mounds of... stuff that was originally littered all over the tunnel you appear in after being spat out of the beam.

Honestly, one of the best bits (aside from the sad sad moment when when your squad leaves you behind at the beam, potentially with one last goodbye to your love interest if you brought them along with you :cry noooo LIARA DON'T GO) was a line said by Admiral Hackett: "Holy shit. She made it."

[Crusader]

OK let's bring galactic readyness back to 100%

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Yeah I will be playing multi tonight to buff my GR if anyone wants to join.

[Crusader]

OK I finally saw my synthesis ending and I must admit it was truly rewarding in the end.


I think they really sold this ending wrong in the original cut. Seeing all the little things that you have achieved is truly rewarding. I lost poor Mordin, Legion and Thane on the way but they brought sacrifices for the greater good.
I think I regreted only one choice in the end and that was letting the students from the academy fight but it felt wrong to send Jack and these other powerfull biotics to maintenance squads.
Even my DLC choices from ME2 impacted the slide show in the end. Katsumi is allowed relive the stolen memories of her dead loved one over and over again :) This made me happy (Sara TM).

I must admit this game really pulled on many of my heart strings in the end. Wrex and his wife holding little Baby Mordin in their hands being one of the best.

And then the ceremony at the Normandy. The look that EDI and Liara share after Liara has put your name on the wall. Somehow they totaly nailed this hug between those two strong women.

All in all the extended cut was a really good experience not only has it reminded me how much fun multiplayer* is in this game. The whole path that leads you there is and was good as well and now with the additional cut scenes it is even more epic. I can't get enough of those space battles. There is still no epic boss fight at the end like in the lair of the shadow broker but I guess you can't have it all.


So all in all I am really happy with the game now although it has not changed from a gameplay perspective it feels a lot more rewarding now.

Next step Bioware: Make us a great multiplayer RPG with the dialog quality from ME2, the scale of Dragon Age Origins, the gameplay and epicness from ME3 and a dialog system similar to SWTOR. Make it between 10 and 15 hours long but add enough branching story arcs so that we have got replayability for at least 50 hours.

*side note: I needed the 95%+ Galactic readyness rating for synthesis

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Finished my Renegade ending properly this time, instead of goofing my last play-through and walking down the paragon pathway and finding out later that I can't suddenly turn and walk back the other way :mad

Thoughts?

This is pretty much what I wanted the ending to be. I wanted exposition for the story, and the choices as they were presented to me, and I got exactly that. Some of the things I wish they went into depth on (I would have liked to see the consequences for choosing to annihilate the Geth race and EDI, for one), but overall I was glad they managed to explain the endgame. I never had a problem with the ending, just the amount of information given to us. Now, I feel a lot better about the game overall

Non-spoilery review: It finally makes the game wrap up, and my questions are all addressed. I am a happy fan :)

Renegade spoilery addendum: So.....about Sheperd still breathing at the end?!?!

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Renegade spoilery addendum: So.....about Sheperd still breathing at the end?!?!

I had a thought about this when I saw it...

Everyone assumes that it's Shep. We actually don't see that it's our Shep, but rather that it's a soldier with an N7 dog tag. N7 is a program for alliance soldiers, so it could be another N7 soldier.

Not sure if I believe that, not sure if I believe that it's Shep either. Just seems odd to me that 3 out of the 4 endings there is no way to tie Shep into anything in the future, but there is for 1 of the 4. Not that I expect any connection to the ending to any DLC or any future games.

Kinda hope that it is Shep, but not sure if I believe that it is or not.

Though question for anyone who has done the renegade ending with a FemShep... is the "Shep" who breaths at the end a female?

[Dasquian Belargic]

Though question for anyone who has done the renegade ending with a FemShep... is the "Shep" who breaths at the end a female?


Yup, there's a definite difference between the gasps you hear. I could swear it's Jennifer Hale when you play FemShep.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Though question for anyone who has done the renegade ending with a FemShep... is the "Shep" who breaths at the end a female?

Yup, there's a definite difference between the gasps you hear. I could swear it's Jennifer Hale when you play FemShep.

Okay then that seems to make it seem more like it's Shep. Still not really sure why they would leave a cliffhanger in one that they could hook on to, but not in any of the other choices... but that's why they get the big bucks.

[Dasquian Belargic]

***SPOILERS IN THIS LINK***

http://kotaku.com/5922726/bioware-confirms-what-you-want-to-know-about-the-red-ending-of-mass-effect-3

omgomgomgomgomg

[Emelie Shadowstar]

Just finished and all I can say is... wow. What a difference those small things make. I am pretty much completely content now. BABY KROGANS!!!! :3

[Crusader]

***SPOILERS IN THIS LINK***

http://kotaku.com/5922726/bioware-confirms-what-you-want-to-know-about-the-red-ending-of-mass-effect-3

omgomgomgomgomg

Sorry Joker...

[Dasquian Belargic]

I knew that was the one true ending.

BLUE BABIES :3: :swoon: :eee

[Korax]

Or...mask wearing babies? maybe even crazy tattooed babies? :whaa

[Karl Valten]

See, now these are the endings that do it for me! The biggest gripes I had are resolved just by adding this much more.

[Dasquian Belargic]

If I have one gripe with the Extended Cut, it's that the Normandy is able to land so close to Harbinger without looking like it's taken a single hit. Even when Joker is taking off again, to evac your squadmates, the forces on the ground get shot and exploded at but the Normandy is almost ponderously slow as it rises into the air.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

That would gripe me too if Normandy didn't do the same thing evacuating Vancouver in the beginning of the game

[Dasquian Belargic]

Huh. Did it land right in front of a Reaper at the beginning of the game? I know there were Reapers attacking the city... but I didn't think the Normandy basically parked up directly in the line of fire.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Yes because Sheperd has line of sight to where those cars get shot up

[Kyran O'Hurn]

If I was to guess at something the game devs would say for the reason why the Normandy can land in front of a Reaper and not get shot to hell, my guess would be that it would be due to the stealth drive.

In that the Normandy can park itself right next to a Geth ship, it's the same with the Reapers, where there isn't anyone to "look out a window".

[Dasquian Belargic]

a new DLC? :ohno

http://segmentnext.com/2012/07/10/mass-effect-3-leviathan-dlc-confirmed/


A couple of weeks ago files were uncovered in Mass Effect 3′s Extended Cut update that pointed towards another DLC. The script elements were titled Leviathan and today it has been revealed that it’s all true.

The confirmation came from the voice actor Anthony Skordi himself who said that he will be lending his voice to the Reaper named Leviathan. Expect Bioware to officially announce the DLC at Comic-Con this Saturday.

[Crusader]

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-12270-Mass-Effect-3--Earth-Multiplayer-DLC-Pack-Details-Leaked.html

When did EA become the company that gives us so many updates for free?

And why do I everytime they release another map pack feel the urge to play multiplayer again but do not give in to it.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Well, I think with a lot of this content the maps are already at least half made, since most of the levels are familiar settings from the singleplayer game - so maybe it feels like we're getting more than we actually are.

But hey, you can basically play as Kai Leng now.

[Crusader]

It is free so I wont complain about level recycling but they added a lot more character models, skills and animations to the game post launch and those 3 things are not cheap since they require animators, 3D and 2D artists and software engineers.

Most likely all this content has been done since march but I like their release strategy instead of handing out the full package at game launch they give you steady content that keeps people curious and the multiplayer lobby full.

This is much better compared to the standard approach where you get more than you need at launch. Then the game is popular for 2 months on PSN and Xbox Live and after that only the hardcore fans keep on playing. Now some more single player love would be great.

My MS points want to be spent on something!

[Dasquian Belargic]

http://biowarestore.com/me3-thessia-lithograph.html

Thessia lithograph.. do want

[Captain Untouchable]

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd259/o6untouchable/ME3.png

Guess what I'm doing on Monday... :mischief

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Awesome. Should be done just in time to fly over here and tell us how it was :D

[Glen Fiddich]

Pssh. If my track record with the previous games is anything to go by, I'll be finished by next weekend. :uhoh

[Captain Untouchable]

I can finally post relevant things here now! :dance

There are a whole ton of little combat tweaks that I like - weapons mods, weapons loadout, carry capacity, cover, grenades, getting experience instead of credits from first aid boxes when your medigel is full.

I like that the NPCs have a lot more character, dialogue, and personality, and that they really went to town with the background conversations. I like that I earned Vega's "loyalty power" through a cinematic conversation rather than having to take time out from my quest to save the galaxy in order to satiate his personal grievances, as in ME2. Everything feels a lot more focused on the main story, with less distractions/delays.

There are two things I don't like so far, though.

Unless I'm being totally noobish, there is no way to look in your Journal and find out what your objectives are. I started doing that "help out the Salarian Spectre" quest with the Hanar and Kasumi... but after interacting with the first terminal, I had absolutely no idea of what to do or where to go. The Journal continued to tell me "look for evidence in the Embassies", when in fact what I needed to do was go and look for terminals in other areas of the Citadel.

The second thing built onto the first. After the awesomeness that was the Earth escape and the Mars mission, Priority: Palavan was a bit sucky. Again, the lack of information in the Journal made it hard to know what I was going on, and it felt like a string of disconnected tasks. Sure, it gave me a cool insight into the turians and some nice loot, but it felt like filler... almost like an MMO quest, rather than an FPS/RPG mission.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Palaven does lack a little of the epic feel that you get with some of the other Priority missions. I'm not sure whether it's to do with the layout of the map, or the fact that there isn't a lot of really urgency to what you're doing... I know that Palaven is being effectively firebombed by the Reapers, but there isn't (to my memory) any point in that mission where you feel like your life or the lives of your crew are on the line in as serious a way as you do in other missions. Compare it to the pacing and set pieces of Priority: Mars, for instance.

A warning - before you do Priority: Tuchanka you should wrap up all the side-missions that you can. A few of them get locked out after you return from Tuchanka.

[Captain Untouchable]

Holy crap, I get EDI as a squad member?!?! :ohno

[Dasquian Belargic]

What's your favored squad line-up at the minute? You don't have as much freedom and variety as you do in ME2, but you can still mix it up a fair bit.

EDIT: Also, Leviathan DLC releases August 28th - http://www.computerandvideogames.com/363362/mass-effect-3-leviathan-dlc-release-date-confirmed/

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SQWdfgqbHJc?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SQWdfgqbHJc?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Emelie Shadowstar]

So... We're all going to mob Charley's Xbox to play it...? lol

[Dasquian Belargic]

I'm not sure... I don't know if I want to play it with a Shepard that isn't my Shepard :ohno

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

We could probably make a Shepard from scratch and group power game it or something heh

[Captain Untouchable]

So far I've only got EDI, Liara, Garrus and Vega to play with. I have yet to try EDI in the field: for the handful of missions I've done so far, I used Vega and Garrus. I'll probably end up with Garrus and Kaidan (I assume he gets better? :ohno) since that was my ME squad. That's the most in character for my Shepard: keeping it military.

That said, I played most of Mass Effect 2 with Mordin and Garrus - the Overload + Incinerate combo was pretty devastating once I maxed them out. <s>Will I get any squadmates with the Incinerate ability this time around</s>?

Edit:

EDI does. Yay!

I haven't even started the fighting part of Priority: Sur'Kesh yet, and I already know that it's going to be good. Wrex, Mordin, AND Kirrahe? :eee

Oh, and I did Priority: Eden Prime. Much better than Palavan. I'm impressed with Bioware's level design, and the squadmate AI as well - being able to climb up ladders and snipe from the rooftops adds a whole extra level of strategy, and the AIs are smart enough for your squadmates to take advantage of that even if you don't tell them to.

Don't like the Prothean (yet) though, so I left him in his room and gave Garrus his gun. :3:

Edit 2:

Wrex: I like what you've done with the Normandy: I got tired of standing around in the cargo bay all the time. I still don't have a window like Liara does, but maybe that's because I don't kiss as well.

:lol

All the call-backs and references in this are awesome.

[Glen Fiddich]

So... let me get this straight.

Kaidan Alenko - second human Spectre, now promoted to Major (which according to the Codex, outranks Commander)
Garrus Vakarian - special advisor to the Turian government, saluted and called 'sir' by Generals.
Urdnot Wrex - clan leader and de facto king of Tuchanka.
Tali'Zorah - now a prominant advisor and an Admiral in the Quarian Fleet.
Liara T'Soni - the fucking Shadow Broker.

All of my companions from the first game are now galactic big-shots. They're all higher-ranked than me... and most of them probably get paid more than me too. Yet, despite saving the galaxy numerous times at great personal peril and loss, I'm still a Commander, and no one has even bothered to learn my first name.

Justice, wherefore art thou? :grumble

[Crusader]

Well after you destroyed a Mass Relay and helpd a terrorist organization to obtain reaper tech you should be happy that you have a rank at all.

But shouldn't a commander be like a Lieutenant Colonel and outrank a major?

[Captain Untouchable]

Well first off, Kaidan was "Commander Alenko" during Mass Effect 2. He was then promoted to Major, so it stands to reason that Major outranks Commander. ;)

But also, according to the Codex entry from Mass Effect, the System Alliance's ranks are as follows -

Enlisted
Serviceman Third Class (or Private Second Class)
Serviceman Second Class (or Private First Class)
Serviceman First Class (or Corporal)
Service Chief
Gunnery Chief
Operations Chief

Officers
Second Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
Staff Lieutenant
Lieutenant Commander
Staff Commander
Captain (or Major)
Rear Admiral (or General)
Admiral
Fleet Admiral

It kinda makes sense in a way: it means you can have several officers holding the same rank/pay grade (as is the case on a lot of larger navy vessels), while at the same time avoiding the situation where you shout "Captain!" and half a dozen officers turn around. It also means that the leader of small squads has a distinct rank (Corporal) to make it easier to address them over comms / in battle / etc.

Aside from Captain Anderson (and Shepard's mother, if you were a Spacer), I don't think there are actually any speaking parts for a Systems Alliance officer with the rank of Captain. All of the Captains you encounter are either aliens, civilians, mercenaries, or C-Sec.

C-Sec places Commander as being higher than Captain (Captain Bailey promoted to Commander Bailey). The salarians meanwhile seem to place Captain above Commander (Commander Rentola was outranked by Captain Kirrahe), and Major above Captain (Captain Kirrahe promoted to Major Kirrahe).

Similarly, the rank of Sergeant isn't used by the Systems Alliance: the only Sergeants you encounter are C-Sec, turian, mercenaries, or Cerberus.

Why do I notice these things? >_<

[Captain Untouchable]

Oh god damn it, not Legion too. :cry

[Crusader]

I hope you did not have him die in vain.

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Well first off, Kaidan was "Commander Alenko" during Mass Effect 2. He was then promoted to Major, so it stands to reason that Major outranks Commander. ;)


However, Sheppard is also a N7. My understanding is that N7 essentially means a the best of the best of the special forces, but maybe it also holds some sort of rank significance that results in an N7 outranking similar or even some senior ranks.

[Captain Untouchable]

Actually, N7 is just an indicator of what level of training the individual has completed. Someone could go through N7 training at any point in their career: David Anderson did it straight out of the Academy for example, while he was still a Second Lieutenant. Because the N7s are "the best of the best" they're sent on special missions, but an N7 Lieutenant is still a Lieutenant, and slots into the chain of command accordingly. It's like the Navy SEALs, if you're looking for a real-world analogy.

It's most likely that Shepard being a Spectre is what is making people follow her orders. That doesn't seem relevant to Mass Effect 3 though, since she's been asked to do all this stuff on behalf of the Systems Alliance, not the Citadel Council. Hackett is dumping a buttload of responsibility on Shepard, without giving her the rank or authority to back it up. That's made doubly weird if you have a spacer backstory, since you're told that Mama Shepard just got promoted to Rear Admiral. If she gets a battlefield promotion, why doesn't the "tip of the spear" get one too?

I'm sure there's a very good real-life explanation for the non-promotion, that has something to do with name rights or marketing or somesuch. It just seems odd in the context of the story.

And also... technically Kaidan gets paid more than Shepard does, and that just isn't fair. :p



In other news, I may or may not have been singing this aloud during the final part of Priority: Rannoch... :mischief

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dGQwkvtx028?version=3&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dGQwkvtx028?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

...and then I stopped singing, because Legion. :cry

[Crusader]

2 things why you can't promote Shepard:

-First of all promoting a guy that has commited the worst crime in citadel space next to withholding Prothean technolegy and that is destroying it. Do not consider the fact that Shepard is grounded on earth as a punishment, this is keeping Shepard alive and out of the line of fire from the remaining Batarians. Plus working for a terrorist organization is nothing any goverment wants to officially reward under any circumstances.

-You do not have to outrank someone to give him orders. During my draft I automaticly had the right to command everyone in the waiting room for the dentist because as a medic working there this was my resort. In the military there is the rule that expertise beats rank in predefined conditions.

Most of the time Shepard is working as an ambassador and does only coordinate attacks under the command of other people... his approach is just more flexible.

[Captain Untouchable]

First of all promoting a guy that has commited the worst crime in citadel space next to withholding Prothean technolegy and that is destroying it. Do not consider the fact that Shepard is grounded on earth as a punishment, this is keeping Shepard alive and out of the line of fire from the remaining Batarians. Plus working for a terrorist organization is nothing any goverment wants to officially reward under any circumstances.

If they'd promoted Shepard before the Reaper attack then yeah, what you're saying would make sense. But that's not what I'm suggesting. I figured they'd have promoted her after the exodus from Earth, when the galaxy has already gone to shit, when the batarians are too wiped out to kick up a fuss, and when petty things like "oh no, you worked for Cerberus" seem a bit insignificant.

If you're going to look at it in terms of "reward", then Shepard already has her ship back. She's got her commission reinstated. She's been given even more responsibility and authority than she's ever had before. If you're worried about public opinion, surely having the ex-terrorist who blew up a batarian colony serving as your de facto ambassador is worse than promoting her to Captain. They pretty much made Shepard the face of humanity's war efforts. The galactic public isn't going to notice what her rank is - just that they're letting her do important things.

It's a pretty common niggle with scifi, to be honest. In Deep Space Nine, they had Captain Sisko commanding fleets: the writers actually talked about promoting him to Admiral, but they didn't think it would "feel" like Star Trek if they did. In Stargate, the fate of the entire planet (sometimes galaxy) was routinely decided by either a Colonel or a one or two-star General. Maybe writers think that higher-ranked people would seem boring, or old. Maybe they think having lower-ranked people is edgy and cool, or will be more relatable to audiences, or something. Who knows. It happens a lot, though.

Real militaries don't work like that. If you can trust the individual with the responsibility of doing the job, then you give them the rank that goes with it. Sometimes it'll a temporary / brevet / acting rank (they get the title, but not the pay rise for example), but they get the rank none the less. Battlefield commissions are even more important: in a time of war, you want your chain of command to be as clear as possible so there is absolutely no confusion. Think about Starship Troopers - "You're in charge of the Roughnecks? BOOM! You're a Lieutenant now." That's the kind of approach you need: a super-rigid and clearly-defined command structure, so that it won't fall apart when everything else does.

Admiral Shepard, damn it. :shakefist

[Crusader]

I never understood that about Luke Skywalker why the hell would they make a rookie a general for just blowing up one starship.

In Gimili's words: This one still counts as one!


Jace don't read

I just found a terrible plot hole in ME3 ending... Why did they not fly to Ilios in order to recapture the citadel? Shouldn't there still be a Mass Relay that allows them to take a short cut that leads not directly into the REAPER massacre crossfire?
Maybe it was destroied when sovereign died...

[Captain Untouchable]

They didn't - they made him a Commander, numnuts. Luke didn't become a General until the EU. ;)

But anyway.


Oh, hello there Mr Lang.

What's that, you have a sword? And you like to break the floor?

That's nice.

Oh hey, check out my pistol. I got it from a salarian named Kirrahe.

Here, look closer.

Oh. Now you're a smoking pile of meat chunks. Sorry!

[Dasquian Belargic]

Priority: Cerberus HQ?

"That's for Thane, you son of a bitch."

:swoon:

[Captain Untouchable]

Just started Priority: Earth.

"You're going to pay for that, you fuckers!"

Cortez. :(


Priority: Cerberus HQ?

"That's for Thane, you son of a bitch."

:swoon:

Yup. I totally exploded him during the first wave. Like literally exploded, into a smoking pile of meaty chunks. Somehow he got better though. :uhoh



I just found a terrible plot hole in ME3 ending... Why did they not fly to Ilios in order to recapture the citadel? Shouldn't there still be a Mass Relay that allows them to take a short cut that leads not directly into the REAPER massacre crossfire?
Maybe it was destroied when sovereign died...


I looked. :uhoh

But it's okay, because I've already watched Hackett and Anderson explain the plan. Mass Effect froze and crashed immediately after, but still... >_<

Bear in mind that Saren used the Conduit, and he was working for the Reapers... so they know about it. My guess would be that either a) Ilos is already fortified / destroyed by the Reapers, and/or b) they'll have fortified / destroyed the Conduit on the other side, to stop the humans from doing exactly what you're suggesting.

[Captain Untouchable]

So, it looks like I won't be finishing the game. I've had absolutely no technical issues for the entire game, right up until I got to Priority: Earth. Then all hell broke loose.

The issue seems to be with cutscenes. During the epic arrival of the fleet, right after the Destiny Ascension flies over, the sound cut out and then a minute or so later the whole game crashed. I managed to spacebar my way past that and into the actual fight in London (without any context of what the hell was going on - I had to go onto Youtube to watch what the hell was supposed to have happened in the cutscenes), and it seemed like I was home and dry.

Fought my way through to blowing up the AA tower, and luckily had the foresight to quick-save. Then as I leap into the evac shuttle, the ambient background noises start sounding a bit muted... and then the voices just aren't there, and the graphics on Major Coats' hairline and Anderson's hat and armour are all blurry and fucked up. Whether I leave it to run or try and spacebar through it, it still crashes to a black screen. Having watched the cutscenes on Youtube again, it seems like it's crashing during the transition from "in the shuttle" to the shot of all the Hammer shuttles coming in for a landing.

I have done every suggested fix that I can find for this. I've downloaded the patches, updated drivers, turned off v-sync and anti-aliasing via my graphics card's control panel thing, changing the priority and affinity via the Task Manager, launching from Origin rather than the start menu, and a slew of other things besides. I've spent pretty much the whole day trying to fix it, but to no avail.

My last-ditch effort is going to be a fresh install of the game to see if that helps, but if it doesn't I think I'm just going to have to give up and watch someone else do a playthrough on Youtube. With all the complaining I've heard about the ending, I don't really want to be going through any more hassle for something that is gonna suck. :\

[Crusader]

Dude the ending is fine now with the extended cut so good luck with the fixes.

[Dasquian Belargic]

^ What he said. The EC is great. Don't give up :ohno

[Captain Untouchable]

Trying a full reinstall. Left it running overnight so all I'd need to do this morning was pop in disk 2 and wait for the last 20%.

Forgot about all the DLCs that needed to download.

:shakefist

EDIT:

Ohthankgod I fixed it.

Putting a few pieces of speculation together, it seems like some of the cutscene files were corrupt... but because they were there, the "repair install" didn't realise that anything was wrong.

Apparently it's an issue that other people have been coming across when replaying the game: if you made different choices the cutscene plays out slightly differently, and thus accesses different files. If you don't recruit the Quarians for example, it won't show the bit of cutscene on the Quarian bridge (which was one of the files that was corrupt on my install), so you won't encounter any problems that time through.

So basically... if and when you guys replay the game with your paragon BroShep instead of your renegade FemShep or whatever, keep an eye out for cutscenes going squiffy... and if they do, just uninstall and reinstall straight away, rather than trying everything else first - you could save yourself two days worth of tinkering. :uhoh

EDIT 2:

"There is no Shepard without Vakarian."

The battle hasn't even started and I'm already fighting tears. God damn you Jennifer Hale and your awesome voice acting. :cry

EDIT 3:

Holy shit, I just had to melee a banshee that got too close. I think I need new pants. :ohno

[Dasquian Belargic]

I'm so glad you could fix it!

It's fun reading your reactions :D

[Captain Untouchable]

Hmm. I was expecting an extremely obvious conversation tree where the three ending options were presented to me. I didn't get one, and somehow wound up picking Synthesis - not the ending I wanted. :\

Was I supposed to actually shoot the thing?

[Dasquian Belargic]

Did you have the Extended Cut installed?

[Captain Untouchable]

I did have the extended cut, yeah. It's not a conversation option thing though: for "destroy" or "control", you have to actually carry out the actions that you saw either Anderson or the Illusive Man performing in your little cutscene vision flash thingy.

I do have the option to "Restart the Mission" - it puts you back at the slow motion bit as you walk towards the Conduit. I also have enough readiness points so that if I picked "destroy", Shepard would actually survive.

That said, I'm probably just going to stick with the "synthesis" outcome for this particular Shepard. I painstakingly united the entire galaxy in peace, and while the whole "rewriting people's DNA without their consent" thing doesn't sit right with me, I think the other two are worse. Picking "destroy" would kill EDI (and make Joker sad), and it means that Legion's sacrifice would have been in vain.

On the other hand, while "control" does turn me into a godlike shepherd of the galaxy's future, the extended cut seems to imply that Shepard not only controls the Reapers: he controls the Geth too and - if the absence of EDI in the ending scenes is anything to go by - any other Artificial Intelligences. Again, Legion's sacrifice is in vain, and Joker doesn't get his happily-ever-after with EDI.

Basically, I don't like any of the outcomes. And actually, I really like the fact that I don't like them. As I was playing through, and the glowy Jesus child explained everything, the bottom genuinely fell out of my stomach. I didn't want any of those things. I didn't want to destroy or control all synthetics, just the Reapers. I didn't want to sacrifice myself, or force anyone else to sacrifice their "humanity" (organicty?). There's no "win". There's no triumphant, heroic victory for Shepard this time.

It's like Bioware pulled a Joss Whedon: I desperately don't want Shepard to die, but damn does it make for a good story that she did.


EDIT:

What was everyone else's final casualty list? I lost Thane, Mordin, Legion, Cortez, and Anderson.

I'm surprised that I wasn't upset that Anderson died: it seemed right somehow. He fought his war, won his victory, and now he finally gets to rest. Thane was touching, but it was inevitable: he got to make his noble sacrifice, and he finally redeemed himself for all of his past transgressions. The fact that his dying prayer was for Shepard though? That was one hell of a gut punch.

Mordin and Legion though? Those were absolutely tragic, because I knew I could probably stop them. If I pulled a renegade option out of nowhere, or if I said or did something different... I could have kept two of my favourite characters alive. But I didn't. I couldn't. Them sacrificing themselves was the right thing to do. I don't think I've ever felt as much empathy for a protagonist as I did during those scenes. It managed to recapture the same shock factor that Virmire did when you were presented with that choice for the first time.

Damn you, Bioware. You make good games. :ohno

[Kyran O'Hurn]

Everyone loses Thane, Mordin, and Anderson. I'm not sure about Legion, if other choices can keep him alive, but in my play through he was killed. I lost Miranda too.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I think you always lose Legion, one way or another.

I actually saw on Youtube that when you take out Kai Leng, you can sometimes say "That's for Miranda!" instead of "That's for Thane!"

[Captain Untouchable]

Apparently you can save Mordin, it's just really tricky to do - something about agreeing to lie about the machine being broken, and then renegade optioning him out of doing it or something.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Did anyone play Leviathan yet? :ohno

I just dropped some cash on the BioWare points necessary to get it, so I'm hoping it's worth it.

EDIT: Well, I'm done with Leviathan. It was an interesting couple of hours worth of game-play. Some cool action set pieces (I really enjoyed trying to evade the Harvester) and some new dialogue with your crew-mates, which I was not expecting - the whole voice cast seems to have come back into the studio! Loved a few of the lines.

Liara: "What *is* it with you and rescuing scientists from dig sites that are overrun with Reaper forces? If you decide to help her take down the Shadow Broker, I’m going to be jealous. And concerned."

The downside is that the story of Leviathan feels.. unimportant? Having already completed the game, the information that Leviathan reveals isn't exactly.. a revelation. It would have been useful to have played this DLC before you do the end-game, since you get a pretty extensive info-dump about the origins of the Reapers during the course of the DLC, but aside from picking up some War Assets the DLC doesn't seem to impact on the story as a whole. You do get a little extra dialogue during the chat with the Catalyst, but it's not much.

Still, I enjoyed it. If nothing else.. Liara :swoon:

[Crusader]

I still think they should make it so that once you have completed all the single player DLCs and a galactic readyness of 100 it should unlock the "I have enough war assets to destroy you without the catalyst" ending.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Yeah, no kidding. Especially with (Leviathan DLC spoiler) Leviathan itself on your side.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

I am downloading leviathan right now

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

I played it. Eh. It's an interesting take on the origin of the Reapers, I'll give it that much.

Kind of felt short to me. I did enjoy the LA Noire bits at the Citadel though :)

[Dasquian Belargic]

Apparently they are working on more single player DLC content for this game.

I wonder how much more they could really feasibly get out of the story...

[Captain Untouchable]

I haven't bought Leviathan yet, mainly because I'm not sure I want to play it with my FemShep. She saved the galaxy, there was a happily ever after ending, and I sort of have closure in a sense: I don't really want to necromancy my Shepard just for a few random adventures.

All of the DLC stuff had already come out by the time I played Mass Effect 2, so it all integrated nicely into my playthrough. I was planning to save Leviathan for when I did a different playthrough anyway, but if Bioware is planning more stuff, I may hold off until there are a couple more DLCs, just so I've got a meatier experience.

I hope Bioware is working on a Maco DLC. We need a mission where you take out a Reaper by smashing the Maco into it off a ramp or something. :smokin

[Dasquian Belargic]

Welp, looks like we're getting something to do with Omega for the DLC and another full game (:ohno)


MASS EFFECT – Executive Producer Casey Hudson and his team are coming off an amazing eight-year run with the Mass Effect trilogy. But they’re not done yet. We are releasing more multiplayer content and we have more single-player stories coming throughout the next six months, including Omega which is coming in the Fall. But the Mass Effect universe is vast, and Casey and our teams have plans for another full game. “Where to go next?” with such a project has been a question a lot of us have been asking, and we’d all love to hear your ideas.

(from http://blog.bioware.com/2012/09/18/from-aaryn-flynn/)

[Captain Untouchable]

Hmm. Not sure about that, honestly. I love Omega, but with the way that Arya was featured in the story, it could feel a little tenuous.

That said, if they pull a Lair of the Shadow Broker but with Arya as the Liara? I would totally be down for that.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

If they manage to put Zaeed further in the mix, they can't take my money fast enough. I know that's not possible since it's possible he dies in Mass Effect 2 and such, but I want to believe.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I reckon the Omega DLC will be to do with helping Aria take back Omega, after the events of Mass Effect: Invasion (Cerberus takes control of the station)

[Crusader]

It is Omega and Arya two of my favorite things about Mass Effect 2.

I always liked Omega as the anti Citadel version of a space station. No white clean corridors like in Star Trek. Everything looks used and dirty.

Arya is a badass. If she would be a possible party member for this this would be indeed one hell of a ride.

[Captain Untouchable]

Yeah, but they addressed the whole status of Omega thing directly through the main game. Aria has already given you all the military support she can muster... so what's Shepard's motivation to help? Does she threaten to take it away unless you agree to help? Also, since it was Cerberus who took control of Omega, how is that going to mesh with the prominent part they play in the plot? "Excuse me Shepard - could you stop searching for the main Cerberus base so we can help a group of space pirates liberate one of Cerberus' less important bases? Thanks."

Maybe it will have something to do with the Omega Relay rather than Omega itself... but bearing in mind the fact that the Collector Base's fate depends entirely on the player's choices, that could be equally tricky.

Mass Effect 3 felt like it had a much less sprawling storyline than the earlier games: everything seemed to funnel you towards the endgame without all the side missions along the way. I'm not sure they're going to be able to add all that much to the story without it starting to feel like an uncomfortable bolt-on. :(

[Crusader]

I think there are a lot of questions concerning Omega unanswered in ME3. Why does Cerberus need Omege? Obviously Cerberus does not need it for creating their Husk army since most of it's population is alien.
So we have a space station full of Aliens under the control of space racists... This sounds like a good reason fo Shepard to support Aria.

[Dasquian Belargic]

The reason I think it will involve taking back the Omega station is because the comic really sets that up as a potential future story-line to be explored, with TIM predicting that Aria will try to take back the station one day. You helped her unite the gangs under her leadership, so if you can help her drive Cerberus off Omega (which Cerberus want because it gives them access to the Omega relay and Reaper tech), that's a bonus. Paragon points for saving all the people who are currently held hostage there.

Also, I can't think of anything more epic to do with Omega :lol

Aria seems to be a popular character with BioWare (and fans) so if I was them, I'd make content about her.. rather than making up something new about some other part of the Omega Nebula.

[Korax]

Whoa - Aria squadmate?











:dood:

[Crusader]

Haha these spoilerific informations on the Omega DLC will make Charley either happy or sad or both:

The downloadable mission takes place aboard Omega Station, Mass Effect 2's foremost den of scum and villainy. Overlord Aria T'Loak has been ousted by the Illusive Man and Cerberus, and needs Shepard's help to retake the facility. Along the way, you'll meet and possibly kill Mass Effect 2's Zaeed Massani, who has signed up with Cerberus.
<FIGURE class="article-image article-image- article-image-300" itxtNodeId="1143" itxtHarvested="0"></FIGURE>Complete the mission to unlock a supply of Element Zero for the war effort. Here's the plot summary with more specifics.
Aria tells you that Omega is now under a blockade from Cerberus. Since a direct attack didn't work, Cerberus is now trying to starve Omega into submission by blockading supply ships coming in through the regular Omega relay. The level's appearance will change to reflect this - the Afterlife has gone quiet, the music is off, the flashing lights are gone, maybe a soup kitchen has taken over the dance floor. Aria requests that you steal into the blockade and board the command ship. Take down the blockade so Omega can be resupplied.
As punishment for breaking the neutrality pact, Cerberus launches an attack against Omega. The enemy is attempting to destroy Omega's shields, which will allow asteroids and meteors to smash into the station. You must repel the assault and ensure the shield remain operational.

[Captain Untouchable]

Wow. That totally sounds like it will be worth 800 BioWare points. :|


Don't get me wrong - seeing a war-torn Omega sounds pretty cool, and I'm all for more encounters with Zaeed. It just sounds like the kind of side mission that should have been in the game already, not something I want to pay for. All that for a supply of Eezo? I've already got enough war assets for the "Shepard survives" ending, and I didn't even have to bother with multiplayer to get that. Surely they can cook up something more badass-sounding.

I guess maybe I'm comparing everything to stuff like Lair of the Shadow Broker and Arrival, whereas instead I should be thinking "Welp, at least it sounds better than Pinnacle Station." :\

(Edit: Man, why am I so grumpy today? :uhoh)

[Crusader]

^^agreed but it is more Mass Effect so I am cool with it.

I will not play these DLCs until around/after Xmas when most of it is on sale on XBL so till then I have at least a few more hours/days of Mass Effect to look forward to.

If and that is a big IF there is a Mass Effect DLC in the pipeline that will have a true impact on Mass Effect 3's narrative expect it to come out in a year or something like that. It will most likely set up the next Mass Effect game or maybe offer a different ending.

Or they do a Brother's in Arms: Earned in Blood move and tell the story of another hero during ME3. Playing an Asari on Thesia would be neat.

[Dasquian Belargic]

It's going to be tough to release any single player DLC now that has a meaningful impact on the Mass Effect story, now that we know how it ends... but Omega doesn't sound bad to me. I'm more interested in the plot of this than I am/was in Leviathan.

[Captain Untouchable]

If they do carry on doing DLCs, I personally think it'd be cool if they started trying to make them stand-alone, rather than bolting them onto the main game. It would be really cool if you could play through the War Hero / Ruthless / Sole Survivor plot elements.

They play out in that order, so you could potentially play an unnamed character who was present on all three missions. You start out as one of the defenders on Elysium, and then you're picked to be part of the retaliation raid on Torfan. You're then deployed to Akuze, but are killed by the thresher maw along with the rest of your squad. Your Shepard is an NPC at the appropriate point in the story, and there's an appropriate stand-in for the other two stages (after all, that shit still happened even if your Shepard wasn't there, so someone must have done what your Shepard didn't).

On completion, you could get the two stand-ins as war assets if they still want to tie it into the main game. You access it by entering orbit around Akuze and visiting the memorial or whatever.

It will never happen, but something like that would be totally badass.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Those sound like cool ideas for multiplayer missions.

Any new content that revolves around characters who're totally new to the setting would probably be explored in any new, full games that they set in the ME universe.

EDIT: The inevitable trilogy box-set is here http://masseffect.bioware.com/about/trilogy/

[Captain Untouchable]

I don't think they could implement that sort of thing, with the multiplayer engine they currently have. Because it was developed separately from the main game, purely for multiplayer, it doesn't have any of the storytelling tools you'd need. They could probably create multiplayer stuff where, instead of hanging around in the same location, your objectives are set up along a route... but they wouldn't be able to splice in cut-scenes, interactive conversations, or any of that narrative stuff, because it isn't in the code.

Which sucks, frankly. Fingers crossed they take a leaf out of Halo's book, and add in some kind of co-op feature for ME4.

[Korax]

http://kotaku.com/5951224/mass-effect-3s-best-action-hero-is-getting-his-own-comic


Yes just, Yes

[Dasquian Belargic]

Soldiers of the Milky Way,

Disturbing reports from the Citadel suggest that something big is about to go down. If our Intel is accurate, Aria is on the move. This was anticipated, as we did not expect her to sit idly by while Cerberus ran roughshod over Omega. With her biotic capabilities and well-documented mean streak, what happens next won’t be pretty.

Our informants believe that Aria intends to seek out Commander Shepard for assistance. We are aware of the Commander’s ties to Aria, but are unclear about how deep they run. What we do know is that Aria will be relentless in her fight to take back Omega, and with the Commander at her side, she may very well be unstoppable.

We will be observing this situation closely as it develops. Continue to monitor this channel for further communication.

:ohno

Omega is out Nov 27 or 28th, depending on your platform and location

[Crusader]

So this is how you look like when you have the flexability:
http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-13348-Mass-Effect-3--Omega-New-Female-Turian-Ally-Revealed.html

The first female Turian in a Mass Effect game will appear in the Omega DLC.

Better late than never...

[Dasquian Belargic]

Happy N7 day, people :)

[Sanis Prent]

Who wants to play MP this weekend?

[Ecidae Mandrill]

Would love to, if you weren't going to be playing it on damned xbox. :shakefist

...oh god. If I get an xbox, I have a feeling I'm going to end up owning the Mass Effect titles for that, too. >_<

[Dasquian Belargic]

I wouldn't mind a round or two with the PC players :) Maybe some pre-Banana action?

Also: Mass Effect pick-up lines (http://www.dorkly.com/article/46165/mass-effect-pickup-lines)! So terrible.

[Crusader]

dEJ48aU--sg

[Dasquian Belargic]

Yes YESSSS

[Captain Untouchable]

So, not only do we get FemShep teaming up with Aria... it looks like we get a badass lady Turian as well? Girl power awesomeness overload. :ohno

Maybe it's just some fantastic trailer editing, but this is actually starting to look like it would be a worthwhile chunk of story - something Lair of the Shadowbroker grade.

That Cerberus general's uniform is even more badass than the Systems Alliance ones, though - I'm not sure that's allowed.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Played about an hour of Omega this evening and it's great so far. It feels like it might have an edge on Leviathan, but not quite up to Shadowbroker standards yet.

It's a pity that you don't have the option to bring along any squad-mates with you, but Aria is proving to be as interesting as I thought she'd be.

[Dragon]

V-fRuoMIfpw

[Dasquian Belargic]

a new GAMER POOP appears

azI_RlDHTBE

[Eleven]

Someone modded the end of ME3 to give it a 'happy ending'

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/11/08/mass-effect-3-gets-unofficial-happy-ending-mod/

[Dasquian Belargic]

We have a new single player DLC


All good things must come to an end, and that includes the Commander Shepard trilogy. However, just because it is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean we can’t go out with a bang. Introducing the final Mass Effect 3 single-player DLC: Citadel!

When a sinister conspiracy targets Commander Shepard, you and your team must uncover the truth, through battles and intrigue that range from the glamour of the Citadel’s Wards to the top-secret Council Archives. Uncover the truth and fight alongside your squad – as well as the cast from the original Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.

When the adventure is over, reconnect with your favorite characters from the Mass Effect Trilogy, try your luck at the Citadel’s Silver Coast Casino, blow off steam in the Armax Combat Arena, or explore and furnish Shepard’s own living quarters on the Citadel. With unique content and cinematics featuring your friends and romance interests in the Mass Effect trilogy, Mass Effect 3: Citadel offers one final chance to see the characters you have known for years and rekindle romances.

Mass Effect 3: Citadel will release worldwide on March 5th on Xbox 360, PC and PS3 (on March 6th on PS3 in Europe).

[Emelie Shadowstar]

I want to be excited because well... Wrex.

But part of me really hasn't wanted to play any of the single player DLCs since the extended ending. I said goodbye dammit... stop dragging me back. lol

[Crusader]

I still have to do my Paragon playthrough but I normaly start that once I have all the dlc and I only buy DLC when it is on XBL Gold sale.

[Crusader]

Screenshots:

http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-14190-BioWare-Confirms-Mass-Effect-3-s-Last-Single-Player-DLC--Citadel-%5BUpdated-With-Screens%5D.html

[Dasquian Belargic]

one final chance to see the characters you have known for years and rekindle romances

god damn Bioware you know exactly how to push my buttons :shakefist

[Dasquian Belargic]

Here's an FAQ of what to expect from Citadel:

http://blog.bioware.com/2013/03/02/mass-effect-3-citadel-faq/

Spoiler free for the DLC itself.

Hey, Sarah


We would prefer not to spoil which characters will be present, or in what context, beyond what we’ve said: the DLC offers a chance to adventure with your ME3 squad, along with Urdnot Wrex, and to connect with old friends, including romances.

[Captain Untouchable]

Posting this here, because awesomeness.

FiQRP9PNxng

"The last guy who trash-talked me was a few kilometres taller than you."

Oh, Shep. :love

[Emelie Shadowstar]

FFFffffffff...

Okay trailer, you win. One last romp with team Shep-Garrus-Wrex <3

[Charley]

You had me at Zaeed

[Crusader]

You had me at Deal of the Week... Oh that did only happen in my head... The trailer looks nice but I am not yet in the RPG mood again. I got myself Arkham Asylum the other day and I am playing MGS: Snake Eater right now.

But anyway this looks pretty good. I wonder if there is an option to arrange people on the group picture or if Shepard is able to fuck it up :)

[Dasquian Belargic]

Where is my femshep trailer WHERE IS IT










oh wait the DLC is out now TAKE MY MONEY BIOWARAE

[Captain Untouchable]

In tangentially related stuff, has anyone seen Mass Effect: Paragon Lost?

It's a ninety-minute anime about what James Vega was up to during ME2. It's not Oscar winning or anything, but it's pretty good for geekout novelty value.

[Dasquian Belargic]

"You... get off my ship."

fffffffffffuck yeassssss

EDIT: Did anyone play this yet?

[Charley]

I've downloaded it but haven't touched it yet. Still have to finish Omega lol. May do it later tonight or tomorrow

[Captain Untouchable]

This is the last DLC, right?

I was late to the party with the first two games, so I was lucky enough to have most of the DLCs available right from the get-go. I'd rather be able to do them all in the middle of a playthrough, rather than them being awkwardly bolted on the end.

[Dasquian Belargic]

It's the final single player DLC.

EDIT: seriously someone else play the DLC already I need someone to gush at/with

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Played it finally!

When you are given the choice to kill your clone, I had a feeling they were setting us up for an "Air Force One" line, and that gave my extra incentive to Renegade. I was pleasantly rewarded!"

Also interacting with the crew past & present was crazy awesome. The little asides were fun, but also the big ridiculous party was just too much fun.

And FINALLY the ME writers get me and my drive to create the perfect high functioning sociopath FemShep, and allow me to one-and-done Vega

[Dasquian Belargic]

>_< I watched youtube videos of the FemShep and Vega 'romance' euuuugh so creepy

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

No way it was hilarious. Lambs to the slaughter. That perro talks so big chasing after cars that when one finally chases him back he doesn't know what to do.

Again, high-functioning sociopath here. I romanced Kaidan then sent him to his death, and romanced Jacob and threw him away like trash. There is no emotional investment in any romantic involvement.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Mass Effect retrospective panel from PAX

<object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/f9RGTgb_Fbo?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/f9RGTgb_Fbo?version=3&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

[Dasquian Belargic]

Tb44bBzUMtA

would play




I miss Mass Effect :cry

[Emelie Shadowstar]

BOOOOO. No one wants to play as Kaiden, seriously.

Now... Garrus or Liara... <3

[Morgan Evanar]

I would totally play Badass Shadowbroker Liara on a rampage for her Woman.

[Dasquian Belargic]

Oh no I obv want Liara rampage, not Kaiden whine fest!