Octopus Overlords

Damn sat down to play and it's doing a pretty damned big update. Even with gigabit download speed it sounds like I will have to wait an hour at least. Jeez....

Huh, ME 1 is much shorter than I remember. Credits rolled tonight at just over 16 hours. I wasn't speed running it or anything, and did quite a few of the side quests. Left lots unfinished though, and didn't really bother with any of the collection stuff (badges, minerals, writings, etc.).

Played through the first couple hours of ME2. It's such a remarkable upgrade from ME 1 in every single way. The combat feels much smoother. The graphics are hugely improved. The character animations and lip synching are way better. The characters move better, and you don't feel like Shepard is running through mud anymore. The cinematic camera angles give everything a much more epic feel. I haven't run into any framerate dips or stuttering, even when there's a lot going on.

While I think they did a good job updating a very dated game in ME 1, the improvement to ME 2 is just night and day. Guess I'm glad that ME1 was so short. It's also nice to be able to jump right into the next story while the first one is still fresh in my mind. Waiting a few years between releases tends to dull the memory of events a bit, and it's very cool having a continuous narrative.

Well, of course if you are going to skip sidequests ME1 is going to be short It's actually a pretty decent size game. As I remembered it (and one of the things I liked about it) was there were a lot of smaller missions to outposts, space stations, etc. that broke things up and provided variety. There's a whole chain of Cereberus missions as I recall for example. I really enjoyed that and wish the other games had had more missions like that.

https://attackofthefanboy.com/guides/ma ... ach-title/

Mass Effect 1

The first game of the series is the shortest of the three in regards to its base single-player campaign, sitting at around 18 hours to complete. If you want to clear every side mission and DLC content as well, you are looking at around 30 hours of game time, and for any Achievement hunters out there, you may reach the 45 hour mark easily.

Mass Effect 2

While Mass Effect 2 has a longer story, resulting to more hours put for the campaign itself, the DLC and side content in general for this game are far shorter. That said, expect to spend around 25 hours to complete the main game, 36 hours or so for all the side content and a little bit more than 50 hours if you are trying to go for 100% completion, Achievements and Trophies included.

Mass Effect 3

This is extremely odd, and weirdly satisfying as well, but the third and final game of the original trilogy requires almost the exact same amount of playtime as Mass Effect 2. Its base story has approximately 25 hours of content, every side mission and DLC expansions can be completed into the 35 hour mark, and perfectionists will need 50 hours for everything.

Excellent article on the space police aspect of Mass Effect .

Glamorizing cops has real world consequences and needs to stop. That's the only comment I'll make on this as it's very close to R&P.

Never thought of Mass Effect/Shepard as the 'space police'

Military/special ops...yes.

WYBaugh wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:19 pm Never thought of Mass Effect/Shepard as the 'space police'

Military/special ops...yes.

If you read the article they are saying it's basically the same as cops.

Some people just live to suck the fun out of life.
We are not all impressionable, feeble minded idiots.

Some of us DO have the ability to separate fiction from non-fiction and right from wrong.

Stop painting with such broad strokes.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:30 pm

WYBaugh wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:19 pm Never thought of Mass Effect/Shepard as the 'space police'

Military/special ops...yes.

If you read the article they are saying it's basically the same as cops.

Do you feel that violent video games are responsible for mass shootings?

I really don't want this to follow that Stimpy post, but so be it.

I read the article. I don't agree. I agree with the principle behind defunding the police, and I agree with questioning how cops are portrayed in media. But I think they stretch too far and try to hard to prove the parallels, and it results in definitions and justifications that would also wipe the likes of Star Trek off of television. Like the point about Shepard having all of the agency - in a roleplaying game where Shepard is the PC. Remove his agency and you have have a Mass Effect visual novel, not a game.

Now, if they wanted to argue about games and the glorification of war, there might be an argument. Or about Western culture's attitude about trying to be the world's saviors (which Mass Effect reflects.) Or about the military using their power justly (this is where some of their criticisms really belong.) Or about how our culture can only seem to define an exciting 'hero' in conjunction with extreme violence.

I would argue that Star Trek would be presented differently if it were written differently.

Sorry to actually post a thoughtful article.

I would argue that Star Trek would be presented differently if it were written differently.

Sorry to actually post a thoughtful article.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:59 pm I really don't want this to follow that Stimpy post, but so be it.

I read the article. I don't agree. I agree with the principle behind defunding the police, and I agree with questioning how cops are portrayed in media. But I think they stretch too far and try to hard to prove the parallels, and it results in definitions and justifications that would also wipe the likes of Star Trek off of television. Like the point about Shepard having all of the agency - in a roleplaying game where Shepard is the PC. Remove his agency and you have have a Mass Effect visual novel, not a game.

Now, if they wanted to argue about games and the glorification of war, there might be an argument. Or about Western culture's attitude about trying to be the world's saviors (which Mass Effect reflects.) Or about the military using their power justly (this is where some of their criticisms really belong.) Or about how our culture can only seem to define an exciting 'hero' in conjunction with extreme violence.

Totally agree with you.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:59 pm I really don't want this to follow that Stimpy post, but so be it.

There is a post in R&P. Go post there then.
I dont know why we have a R&P forum if stuff like this is going to be posted in the video game forum.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 11:27 am Excellent article on the space police aspect of Mass Effect .

Glamorizing cops has real world consequences and needs to stop. That's the only comment I'll make on this as it's very close to R&P.

This is so bogus (spoilers ahead);

1) They say Shepard is unaccountable. Except that he reports to the Council and they are quite critical of some of his decisions. Indeed he does face serious repercussions for his decision to allow an asteroid to destroy a Batarian colony.

2) Another problem is this - you can play Shepard as an uncaring, totally mission focused renegade. Or you can play him as soldier who has a mission and yet who can see both sides and sympathizes with others. You can defend religious freedom for a Hannar, you can decide to help preserve the previously dangerous Rachni and preserve/save a cure for the Krogan genophage. He can make peace between the Geth and their former masters, the Quarians. On numerous occasions Shepard can make "good" decisions that try to minimize losses during missions. Shepard is not near the totally "semi-fascist" power hungry cop, uncaring about the plight of others that they try to make of him.

3) They say Shepard has ultimate agency over his companion decisions. That's true but only in real life sense. The companions do come to Shepard for advice, but in the game, they make the final decision. Shepard never forces on them a decision that they are opposed to in game. They are blaming Shepard for decisions that we the gamer make, and thus the NPC's are "forced" to accept (because it's a game, duh).

4) They complain that outside of "civilized' space there are threats - pirates, slavers, etc. Sure, and who is going to protect against them? Force is required sometimes - that's just life. Talk is not the answer with some people.

5) Shepard has an extremely diverse crew across all 3 games, made up of a variety of races from across the galaxy. Yet that doesn't seem to count for much here.

The whole premise of the article is based upon the idea that any/all "policing" is bad. That's why is can totally ignore that how you play Shepard can have a tremendous impact of the story and characters. Because if all policing is bad, then what Shepard does is irrelevant, our choices as gamers is irrelevant.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:16 pm I would argue that Star Trek would be presented differently if it were written differently.

Sorry to actually post a thoughtful article.

No one is saying that you shouldn't have posted the article, but if you post something, don't expect everyone to agree with it. I will totally defend your right to post it, even though I strongly disagree with it.

stimpy wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:17 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:59 pm I really don't want this to follow that Stimpy post, but so be it.

There is a post in R&P. Go post there then.
I dont know why we have a R&P forum if stuff like this is going to be posted in the video game forum.

It seems like a reasonable place, as it is entirely on-topic (although the chances of it not going R&P are roughly zero.)

I just don't like following a disagreeing, openly antagonistic, even trollish post if I'm also disagreeing. It makes me seem like I'm agreeing with the bullshit.

Grifman wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:23 pm

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:16 pm I would argue that Star Trek would be presented differently if it were written differently.

Sorry to actually post a thoughtful article.

No one is saying that you shouldn't have posted the article, but if you post something, don't expect everyone to agree with it. I will totally defend your right to post it, even though I strongly disagree with it.

Thank you. I don't mind the disagreement, but I'm sad about it.

If I post it in R&P will you folks follow it?

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:24 pm

stimpy wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:17 pm

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 12:59 pm I really don't want this to follow that Stimpy post, but so be it.

There is a post in R&P. Go post there then.
I dont know why we have a R&P forum if stuff like this is going to be posted in the video game forum.

I just don't like following a disagreeing, openly antagonistic, even trollish post if I'm also disagreeing.

No more antagonistic and trolling then posting the article here.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:26 pm If I post it in R&P will you folks follow it?

There's already a post there about this.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:26 pm If I post it in R&P will you folks follow it?

There is already a discussion going on there.

Grifman wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:23 pm

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue May 18, 2021 1:16 pm I would argue that Star Trek would be presented differently if it were written differently.

Sorry to actually post a thoughtful article.

No one is saying that you shouldn't have posted the article, but if you post something, don't expect everyone to agree with it. I will totally defend your right to post it, even though I strongly disagree with it.

Yep. There was nothing wrong with posting the article - and there is nothing wrong, in this day and age, in honestly asking whether there are issues with Mass Effect. Just because I don't agree with one writer's conclusions doesn't mean that they were wrong to ask the question, and it doesn't mean there isn't value in considering it.

The head of C-Sec, who really are cops, didn't like Spectres because they were unaccountable. My character "Bonnie Shepherd" agreed this could be a bad thing. Also Garrus's father didn't want him joining the Spectres because of the same concerns.

Edit: Was on my way out when I posted but I’ll say I don’t necessarily agree with the conclusions they draw in relation to Mass Effect but I appreciated the article being posted. I figured we can be mature enough to read it and agree or disagree as we like.

Back on topic (I'll leave any commentary for the other thread), I'm now 3 hours into ME2 and just spent an hour at lunch running through a mission for . Haven't been this engaged in an RPG in quite a while, and am actually a bit shocked at how much more fun I'm having in this game than ME1. It's so damn good.

I do miss not having to scrounge for ammo and reload my weapon though. That ME1 feature was nice.

I know others have mentioned it, but add me to the group that thinks ME2 was the best of the series - the characters, the stories - everything was just so damn enjoyable. If I were to get the legendary edition it would honestly be to experience ME2 all over again (knowing full well I'd play it exactly the same).

"If they come, we will build it." -- BioWare, 2021

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Project Director Says Mass Effect 3's Multiplayer Could Return

Mass Effect: Legendary Edition project director Mac Walters has confirmed that Mass Effect 3's multiplayer could be added to the collection in the future if the demand is great enough.

In an interview with CNET, Walters said that he would never "say no" to Mass Effect 3's multiplayer making a return after its omission in the Legendary Edition.

"I would never say no to that -- we want to see what kind of reception the Legendary Edition gets and what the demand for the multiplayer is," Walters said. "And then we'll ask ourselves if we have the resources and time to bring it up to the quality level we and fans want."

Tuesday and I have held stong so far. I actually don't remember any of the story so this will be like a whole new game for me. Still have 9 chapters to go in Yakuza 0

I love the fact that each game isn't 100 hours long. Seriously I don't have time for that kind of stuff.

coopasonic wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 2:46 pm

pr0ner wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 12:42 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Mon May 10, 2021 11:45 am Is there where I mention I was happy to see I get to play this on day one on Gamepass along with Biomutant?

I haven't seen anything indicating this game hits Game Pass on Day 1. It'll get there eventually, but EA games generally don't hit Game Pass the day they come out.

Yeah I guess I was getting confused between EA Play and EA Play Pro. The app shows me Pro games but I guess I don't get them.

Apparently I have an EA Play Pro Sub and didn't realize it. Oops. No idea when I signed up for that. I guess maybe I will give this a shot since I am between games.

I wonder if they have a trial, I would definitely want to see how it runs on my new monitor since I'm still running the lowly GTX 760 (which happens to be the bare minimum GPU). I'm loathe, LOATHE to reduce graphics quality in settings, on any game. I'm weird that way. Monitor is 2560x1440.

To clarify, this new enhanced version is not available (yet?) on EA Play, but will be at some point? I see the regular version of ME3 (and I assume ME 1 and 2) IS listed.

1440 P is certainly the sweet spot for PC gaming imho. I got a 32 inch one last week and it's amazing if not a bit ridiculous. I'd have a hard time recommending to go that size unless you sim race like I do.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to grab this over the weekend. I really want to chill and shoot things. And I just don't remember anything about this game so it's like a new series.

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 12:47 pm I'm pretty sure I'm going to grab this over the weekend. I really want to chill and shoot things. And I just don't remember anything about this game so it's like a new series.

The cool thing is that you can dial back the difficulty and play it like a basic cover shooter with an awesome story and world (I played through the entire first game without using a single power, for example). Or you can get very detailed in how you approach combat and make that the focus of the game. Or you can land somewhere in the middle. Lots of flexibility there, which I appreciated.

While the combat is an occasionally interesting diversion, I really only care about the story and RPG aspects of the game. The fact that I can cruise through most of the combat without having to really give it much thought was a big plus.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:06 pm The cool thing is that you can dial back the difficulty and play it like a basic cover shooter with an awesome story and world (I played through the entire first game without using a single power, for example). Or you can get very detailed in how you approach combat and make that the focus of the game. Or you can land somewhere in the middle. Lots of flexibility there, which I appreciated.

While the combat is an occasionally interesting diversion, I really only care about the story and RPG aspects of the game. The fact that I can cruise through most of the combat without having to really give it much thought was a big plus.

+1, that's a plus for me if I pick this up.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 1:06 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 12:47 pm I'm pretty sure I'm going to grab this over the weekend. I really want to chill and shoot things. And I just don't remember anything about this game so it's like a new series.

The cool thing is that you can dial back the difficulty and play it like a basic cover shooter with an awesome story and world (I played through the entire first game without using a single power, for example). Or you can get very detailed in how you approach combat and make that the focus of the game. Or you can land somewhere in the middle. Lots of flexibility there, which I appreciated.

Whoaaaaa, now, Nellie, WHAT'S THAT?!?

The one thing that stopped me dead playing this the first time around, was when they introduced tactics, as if I wanted to play a Tom Clancy game instead of an FPS or something. Totally lost me, as I tend to hate that shit. Are you telling me I could have turned that off somehow?

Or maybe that's just now an option on this renewed version?

Just dial the difficulty back to Casual.

I played through the entire first game without using an ability (mine or my squadmates), without ever directing squadmates to a specific location, and I used the Assault Rifle for probably 95% of the game. The full extent of my combat tactics in any scenario was a) find something to duck behind, and b) pop up to shoot (since that's also the full extent of my console shooter skill set, it worked out well).

I thoroughly enjoyed playing that way...far more than if I would have had to struggle through difficult tactical combat scenarios.

Skinypupy wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 3:42 pm Just dial the difficulty back to Casual.

I played through the entire first game without using an ability (mine or my squadmates), without ever directing squadmates to a specific location, and I used the Assault Rifle for probably 95% of the game. The full extent of my combat tactics in any scenario was a) find something to duck behind, and b) pop up to shoot (since that's also the full extent of my console shooter skill set, it worked out well).

I thoroughly enjoyed playing that way...far more than if I would have had to struggle through difficult tactical combat scenarios.

Oh my God. I had no idea.

Ah well, better late than never I guess, and now that it's been so long, I get to play it with a fresh coat of paint, as it were.

Does putting it on casual change anything other than the advanced squad tactics stuff? It just turns it into say, Half-Life 2, for instance? Still difficult, and you can get overwhelmed, in tight spots, etc, but you're not like invincible or something?

Probably depends on your skill level, tbh. I'm terrible at shooters and I found ME1 to be quite easy on Casual (I only died once), but ME 2 to be quite a bit more challenging (I've already died 3-4 times, and I'm only 8 hours in). According to the description in ME 2, Casual makes enemies slower, have less HP, and use their powers less. Doesn't do anything to you or your squad, afaik.

So far, I'd say that ME1 was maybe too easy on Casual (but I prefer that over too hard) and ME2 is just about right.

As I recall the extent of my strategy was: (1) Knock down enemy shields; (2) hit enemy with psychic floating power; (3) shoot floating enemy. Repeat.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Thu May 20, 2021 5:08 pm As I recall the extent of my strategy was: (1) Knock down enemy shields; (2) hit enemy with psychic floating power; (3) shoot floating enemy. Repeat.

On what difficulty level?

My computer is 10 years old. This game would either look the same or run like crap.

Same here, Dae. In fact when I first got the first game, which was years after it had come out, it wasn't enough just turning things down in the game. I had to manually edit some of the ini files in order for it to run acceptably, and even then my framerate was poor. That was one processor ago though and my current PC wouldn't be in the bracket to run this version either, but can run the original just fine.