Mass Effect 1 - Thorian (Cult) Wins!

by **DirtyDishSoap** on Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:45 am

strike wolf wrote:
Skoffin wrote: I actually enjoyed Andromeda, I don't know why so many people seem to hate it.

Overreaction to small problems with it.

That's the thing for me. There were so many small problems it amounted to being one giant problem. I finished Andromeda not too long ago, but here's why I didn't enjoy it.

1. The faces. Some of the creepiest looking facial construction I've ever seen. I tried to ignore this as best I could, but during some cut scenes, a lot of it was just odd, especially the full body motions now that I think about it. Everyone just seems so damn robotic on the way they move. It was annoying for myself.

2. Gameplay. Definitely action packed, but a lot of it was filler. The re-introduction to the land rover was something I didn't miss at all. Very few games where I do enjoy the open world scene, Witcher 3 being amongst the best. But this feels like your typical cookie cutter "drive to point A to B, pick up resources to build stuff, enjoy large gaps of nothing with pockets of enemies". Don't get me wrong, some of the landscape is beautifully done, but I can argue you that you can still achieve this masterfully through linear gameplay as well. Open worlds usually suck, I don't get the hype behind it, get rid of the rover and open world. If it's an MMO, pass. But it isn't so I'm throwing this into the trash can. Other than that, the shooting was fluent, typically fun, enjoyed the hell out of it. Probably the best aspect of the game.

3. The most unlikable/forgettable characters, ever. Maybe not even unlikeable, but f*ck are they boring. We went from having Legion, Grunt, Liara, Garrus, to a group of poorly developed characters. Ryder (Male, haven't played female), is probably the worst offender of them all. Forced humor, sounds kind of like an idiot, is just unlikeable for me. I loved Shepard, and some of the goofy renegade options that came with him, like punching a reporter, but I feel like I'm playing a pussy. The others, I didn't really feel the need to get to know, or care for their back stories. None of them seemed interesting from the get go, nor did their banter of getting to point A to B really make me want to know them any better either.

4. Lack of a renegade/paragon system. What happened to this? This system was awesome to have, why the sudden removal? Where is my evil smart ass character that doesn't take shit from anyone? Take this line for example: "I'll relinquish one bullet. Where do you want it?". How bad ass does that get?!
I have no idea why they thought removing this would be a great idea, but this just made me cry a little inside.

5. The story. Compared to a massive reaper invasion, assembling a team of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, fighting against impossible odds to...Beating off a crappy version of the collectors. Ugh...It definitely fell short of my expectations for a phenomenal story into the unknown.

I think my biggest issue is, is that I bought into the hype. I felt like this game could have been so much more than what it could have been but it just kept missing and missing and missing the marks. I feel like EA forced rushed this as they're known to do to their subsidiary companies, because this felt underdeveloped for a loved franchise that is usually carefully detailed.

Did I hate the game? No, it's not horrible by any means. It's just...Woefully average. Meh, forgettable, bland, boring. Average Joe.

Anwho, sorry for derailing. Hopefully we can get two more before No Theme ends.

by **Skoffin** on Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:22 pm

I can play, though hopefully no theme ends soon or I die XD
Tailhunner joined too, so it looks like you have enough?

by **DirtyDishSoap** on Sat Jun 17, 2017 12:16 am

Oh I didn't see him. Lol. Thanks Skoff!

by **Thorthoth** on Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:21 am

So is this game about to start? Like I said before, I am a noob. Will we get a PM with an intro or do we just check here every day?

by **strike wolf** on Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:46 am

I believe he stated he wanted it to start after one of the others ended.

In response

1. Funny thing is, I always found the animations in the original trilogy funky. Like in Mass Effect 3, I would occasionally be talking to Liara except she looked like her neck had been snapped and was talking to the wall. They fixed a lot of the facial one's and the Liam one I actually found hilarious.

2. I agree that open world has gotten a bit open world in a lot of cases. I guess game designers get so caught up in how much they can do and it doesn't always translate into well made games. I'd prefer smaller world with a bit of openness but more focus on the different ways the game could turn out. That said, k liked the Nomad. It took a minute to get used to but I enjoyed getting to a bump or divot and hitting the accelerator at the last second. The different modes also broke up the monotony. As far as the fighting game play, I thought a lot of the mapping was really well done to create layers in how the fight would go.

3. With the exception of Wrex and legion (I'm actually not a big grunt fan sorry) A lot of those characters you mention start out pretty boring. They grew on us with time. I find most of these characters fairly likeable. There's no Garrus, Wrex or Legion yet but I found Drax amusing as what a mellowed old Brogan is like. Reyes was kind of cool. There's also no character as boring as Kaidan or as unlikable as Miranda/Ashley. As far as the humor. It was meh for the most part (with the exception of movie night side mission) but I felt it was okay enough to keep the game from dragging and the voice actor for Ryder (male or female) was much better than male Shep's horrible voice acting. Of course, FemShep is actually one of my favorite voice acting performances in video games. So...its kinda like you get a 10 with FemShep and a 3 with male Shep while both Ryders are 6s but Shep still wins with basic addition.

4. This is admittedly my biggest disappointment with the game.

5. It's not a great start but I like to think the story has a lot of potential.

Yeah. It's difficult not to compare games with the same title and this game isn't ME 1 or 2 good by any means. It's not even first half of ME3 good but it was still imo a good game.

by **HotShot53** on Sun Jun 18, 2017 2:12 am

Thorthoth wrote:So is this game about to start? Like I said before, I am a noob. Will we get a PM with an intro or do we just check here every day?

You will get a PM with your role when the game starts. After that, you should check the game often to keep up/participate in the conversation

by **DirtyDishSoap** on Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:33 am

Game starts after No Theme ends. Everyone's roles are already selected, have the day scene ready to go.

by **Thorthoth** on Mon Jun 19, 2017 4:23 am

Okay, sounds good...

by **Ragian** on Tue Jun 20, 2017 4:09 pm

I'm away till July 4. I can check in, but if it's a problem, I understand.

by **iAmCaffeine** on Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:50 am

Nah, stay. Anyone that doesn't constantly use red text is welcome here.

by **Skoffin** on Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:22 am

Oh you sassy thing

by **strike wolf** on Mon Jul 03, 2017 1:34 pm

*Idly throws warp fields at DDS.*

by **Samlen** on Mon Jul 03, 2017 11:08 pm

Thoughts on starting before no theme ends? Cause that game is one cluster of goodness-knows-what'll-happen.

by **DirtyDishSoap** on Tue Jul 04, 2017 3:28 am

Samlen wrote:Thoughts on starting before no theme ends? Cause that game is one cluster of goodness-knows-what'll-happen.

Yeah we can start it. I'm a little butt hurt with Skittles for adding new players (myself included but I was in a f*ck it phase).

I'll PM roles first, once I post the day scene, the game officially starts.

by **lord voldemort** on Tue Jul 04, 2017 3:42 am

confirm

by **DirtyDishSoap** on Tue Jul 04, 2017 3:53 am

In the year 2148, explorers on Mars discovered the remains of an ancient spacefaring civilization. In the decades that followed, these mysterious artifacts revealed startling new technologies, enabling travel to the furthest stars. The basis for this incredible technology was a force that controlled the very fabric of space and time.

They called it the greatest discovery in human history.

The civilizations of the galaxy call it...

MASS EFFECT

The scene opens aboard the SSV Normandy, before they make a FTL jump to the Eden Prime system. Commander Shepard makes his way to the bridge and is greeted by Nihlus, a Turian Spectre and Captain Anderson. Anderson and Nihlus both brief Shepard on the situation. An attack on the Eden Prime colony from an unknown force. Last known video transmission is shown of brief combat, and a disturbing image of an unknown ship. Shepards mission is to secure the Prothean beacon and to save any colonists that he finds. Nihlus will go ahead and scout the area whilst evaluating Shepards candidacy for becoming a Spectre.

Shepard and his team land on Eden Prime and make their way to the main colony, to where they discover the attackers identity. The Geth. Synthetic AI created by the Quarians, whom went rogue and kill any organic life. Shepard and his crew continue fighting their way to the beacon when suddenly the massive capital ship starts leaving orbit.

With the departure of the ship, Shepard finds Nihlus' body, with evidence of foul play and Saren, a fellow Spectre, being recently present before Nihlus is killed. Shepard pushes forward and fights off the Geth assault. Finding the beacon at last, Shepard approaches it as it emits something similar to a data transfer. Shepard is lifted off the grown and then thrown, he is injured during the mission, but the mission itself is considered a success despite the setbacks.

Click image to enlarge.

Shepard awakens after seeing disturbing images akin to nightmares, however, the crew concludes that it was likely a warning of some kind and perhaps, along their journey, they will know what the warning actually is. Shepard also learns that the beacon was destroyed shortly after he lost consciousness. Ill fortune for the crew needed that beacon to prove what had happened.

Captain Anderson approaches shortly afterwards, wanting to present the Eden Prime mission to the Council on the Citadel, the central hub of galactic power and civilization. The crew agrees and sets out shortly afterwards to bring forth the disturbing news, despite any concrete evidence.

Click image to enlarge.

Captain Anderson, Ambassador Uhle and Commander Shepard approach the Council with the news of the mission on Eden Prime, and the evidence. Nihlus is murdered, the Geth attacked a colony, an alien warning, and a massive capital ship that dwarfs anything in the known galaxy, next to the Citadel.
After much deliberation, and heated discussion, the Council concludes that Shepard will be appointed Spectre, and his first mission, to stop Saren and his plans by any means necessary...

Many decisions lie ahead, none of them easy.

Quick Note - I'll start the day when I see the joke phase has ended. Reminder - The 1st day will last 5 days real time. After that, the deadline will be set two weeks. Good luck, and have fun guys.