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Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: Tpek on March 21, 2017, 05:54:05 PM

Title: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 21, 2017, 05:54:05 PM
Is anyone here playing the PC version?

I've been able to start playing early (Tuesday rather than Thursday), and so far it took me hours until I could reach a point to make a proper save game.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on March 21, 2017, 06:57:16 PM
Quote from: Tpek on March 21, 2017, 05:54:05 PM
Is anyone here playing the PC version?

I've been able to start playing early (Tuesday rather than Thursday), and so far it took me hours until I could reach a point to make a proper save game.

Starting games out has never really been Bioware's strong point. Nothing as bad as Metal Gear Solid 5, though. The beginning of that game was sheer tortue for me.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 21, 2017, 07:15:08 PM
I was tempted but the game is really getting panned in reviews. Even Gamespot gave it a 6/10. Rock, Paper, shotgun said aside from bugs the game's writing is terrible, the characters uninteresting and the quests are boring. Holding a 75% on metacritic so take that for what it's worth. Bioware is getting bombarded in complaints and even some women who claimed to be lead facial animator on was getting attacked as well.

There's a clip showing how awful they are as well.

http://www.polygon.com/2017/3/18/14969390/mass-effect-andromeda-lead-animator-harassment

Kind of a shame as Mass effect is my favorite Bioware franchise and i was looking forward to it but i just can't see paying full price for what looks at best mediocre.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: GibbyG on March 21, 2017, 07:48:19 PM
It came put today so everyone can start playing :)

I have about 8 hours in and so far it is OK.  I saw someone say that it is "Dragon Age:Inquisition in Space".  I would be happy with that.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 21, 2017, 08:13:41 PM
For purposes of full disclosure...

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=19128.0 (http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=19128.0)
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Staggerwing on March 21, 2017, 08:37:53 PM
Sheesh. Maybe I'll get something else.  :(
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 22, 2017, 03:51:20 AM
Lead designer hates white people and lead animator hates men. This could be the production crew of MSNBC  :uglystupid2:
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 22, 2017, 04:51:05 AM
This explains why all the presets for Ryder are either Black or Japanese looking,
And it's nearly impossible to create a somewhat normal looking Ryder if you try to go for another ethnicity.

However it seems he hates women more than men.
The male characters still look normal.
For the female ones, good luck with trying to get/find an average looking character.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: jomni on March 22, 2017, 04:59:23 AM
You guys are now feeling what minorities have been feeling for a long  time.  But it shouldn't matter as one should be open enough to play any race, gender, creature.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: bbmike on March 22, 2017, 05:36:11 AM
Quote from: jomni on March 22, 2017, 04:59:23 AM
You guys are now feeling what minorities have been feeling for a long  time.

This argument gets used quite a bit and he uses it in his tirades against white people. And it's wrong. The goal isn't to re-direct racism, it's to eliminate it completely.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 22, 2017, 06:50:07 AM
Having worked on animation I can say for me it isn't easy. however barring engine limitations there are so many tools available that good animation as well as facial expressions really requires work and even someone with mediocre talents can get good results. Prior Mass Effect games used the Unreal engine so good results are hard to obtain but Andromeda uses the Frostbite engine and good results should be expected. So all in all what it really amounts to is 'work' that has yet to be done.

However results will still be limited because of cross platform limitations. They'll likely be aimed at the lowest common demoninator of a Xbox and PS4 and not use the power of the PC. You have to keep in mind the xbox can't even manage 1080p let alone the underpinnings of lighting, culling and a whole host of stuff that make animation stand out.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Pete Dero on March 22, 2017, 09:33:52 AM
Copy from Console Gaming





Bottom line of the video :

If you want more Mass Effect you probably will be OK.  If you want something that outshines the original trilogy you could have a bad time.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: airboy on March 22, 2017, 11:30:10 AM
Quote from: jomni on March 22, 2017, 04:59:23 AM
You guys are now feeling what minorities have been feeling for a long  time.  But it shouldn't matter as one should be open enough to play any race, gender, creature.

Jomni - don't most modern RPGs allow the player to craft about any look they want (male/female/hair/skin tone/ect......)?  Is it strange that a major racial category is difficult/impossible to model?

The major funding RPGs that I have played that were developed in the last six years all allowed your avatar(s) to be most any race or sex.  Skyrim, Fallout, Pillars of Eternity, etc......
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 22, 2017, 12:30:34 PM
Quote from: jomni on March 22, 2017, 04:59:23 AM
You guys are now feeling what minorities have been feeling for a long  time.  But it shouldn't matter as one should be open enough to play any race, gender, creature.

I am an ethnic minority, and this thing is an even greater insult than the usual old-school "only white, blonde, blue-eyed christian heroes".

Plus, the whole "It's okay for me to be racist, because the people I hate have racists too", is such a cliche by now, I'm not sure if even pure dumb racists take it seriously.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 22, 2017, 01:21:26 PM
Quote from: Tpek on March 22, 2017, 12:30:34 PM
Quote from: jomni on March 22, 2017, 04:59:23 AM
You guys are now feeling what minorities have been feeling for a long  time.  But it shouldn't matter as one should be open enough to play any race, gender, creature.

I am an ethnic minority, and this thing is an even greater insult than the usual old-school "only white, blonde, blue-eyed christian heroes".

Plus, the whole "It's okay for me to be racist, because the people I hate have racists too", is such a cliche by now, I'm not sure if even pure dumb racists take it seriously.

Didn't you know Tpek, as a Jew, and an Israeli Jew no less, you are the root of the problem of white privilege. That's right...college intellectuals in the US believe that ending white privilege must begin with ending Jewish privilege.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/post/31745/ (https://www.thecollegefix.com/post/31745/)
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on March 22, 2017, 01:26:16 PM
I guess I have to stop using bundles of twenty dollar bills as kindling in my fireplace.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: jamus34 on March 22, 2017, 01:27:01 PM
Not to pee in anyone's pool, but can this side discussion be moved to the entry in the politico forum?

I'd rather not see this thread closed as I am interested in what the other members think about the game itself.

I have my own issues with EA, to the point I refuse to pay full price for their games but still like to hear others thoughts on them.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 22, 2017, 01:36:21 PM
Quote from: jamus34 on March 22, 2017, 01:27:01 PM
Not to pee in anyone's pool, but can this side discussion be moved to the entry in the politico forum?

I'd rather not see this thread closed as I am interested in what the other members think about the game itself.

I have my own issues with EA, to the point I refuse to pay full price for their games but still like to hear others thoughts on them.

What if someone's impression is that the gameplay is racist?  :crazy2:
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 22, 2017, 01:41:58 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 22, 2017, 01:36:21 PM
Quote from: jamus34 on March 22, 2017, 01:27:01 PM
Not to pee in anyone's pool, but can this side discussion be moved to the entry in the politico forum?

I'd rather not see this thread closed as I am interested in what the other members think about the game itself.

I have my own issues with EA, to the point I refuse to pay full price for their games but still like to hear others thoughts on them.

What if someone's impression is that the gameplay is racist?  :crazy2:

The Blue Alien privilege is noticeable.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 22, 2017, 01:52:01 PM
But bashing the game for it's boring gameplay and plethora of bugs is getting too old.
We need new avenues of criticism. :(
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 22, 2017, 03:08:29 PM
Well, Amazon just issued me a $5 credit on the game as part of some pre-order price guarantee. Knocks what I paid for the Deluxe Edition down to $50.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on March 22, 2017, 04:15:55 PM
Quote from: mirth on March 22, 2017, 03:08:29 PM
Well, Amazon just issued me a $5 credit on the game as part of some pre-order price guarantee. Knocks what I paid for the Deluxe Edition down to $50.

I got it for $44.09 from cdkeys.com.

I'd hate to mention actual gameplay, but I had some fun with it last night. Combat is more fluid than prior ME combat, which was mostly about pranging away at each other from behind cover.

The start of the game is pretty much on rails, as in a traditional Bioware game, but supposedly it is much more open-world, go-in-any-order later on. I did the first world, which only takes an hour or so, and it is similar to a traditional good Bioware game, with good cinematic elements and a tidy story line that sets the player up early on as someone who will play a significant role in a bigger narrative. 

Didn't get far enough in to have much to say about leveling and loot. There isn't an actual tutorial, but there's a menu item called "Tutorials" which is actually a bunch of illustrated pages about gameplay. I didn't bother to read those yet, but they look to be well worth reading and may actually add up to a decent online manual as there are a fair number of them.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: W8taminute on March 22, 2017, 07:42:38 PM
still hopeful for this game.  so any of you that do have it my question is as follows:  have you come across any 'kill the white people' statements?  when playing the game do you have the slightest feeling that the message of the story is white people bad everyone else good?

i can't even believe i'm asking that question and i resent we live in a world situation now that is filled with this sort of nonsense.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 22, 2017, 09:10:59 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on March 22, 2017, 07:42:38 PM
still hopeful for this game.  so any of you that do have it my question is as follows:  have you come across any 'kill the white people' statements?  when playing the game do you have the slightest feeling that the message of the story is white people bad everyone else good?

i can't even believe i'm asking that question and i resent we live in a world situation now that is filled with this sort of nonsense.

My hunch is that it is much more subtle than anything like that.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 22, 2017, 09:25:34 PM
You're all overlooking the most important facet of any Mass Effect game - lesbian sex with a blue alien. If that's in Andromeda, it's all good.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: jamus34 on March 22, 2017, 09:36:47 PM
Quote from: mirth on March 22, 2017, 09:25:34 PM
You're all overlooking the most important facet of any Mass Effect game - lesbian sex with a blue alien. If that's in Andromeda, it's all good.

scissoring just got real...
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 23, 2017, 12:17:59 AM
What concerns me more than the political stuff is the two things Bioware are known for. Stellar voice acting and story.

I absolutely fell in love with Mass effect 2. It was like sheppard had been thrown in with the dirty dozen. Almost all companion characters shined. Thane shined as an assassin and you got drawn into his 'humanity' on how it effected him. Some of the most potent cut scenes revolved around him. Jack was the black sheep that doesn't expect to be liked and pretends she doesn't care when in fact her underpinning truth is the opposite. Tali is the hesitant sweet farm girl type hidden by the helmet. It takes work to reach her emotions as she's good at hidding them- Miranda is the high school drama queen with a silver spoon up her ass that you love to hate. The elusive man played by martin sheen - yeah rl left wing nut but that doesn't distract from his acting abilities.

Here I fear Andromeda has none of that.

Despite the extraordinary opportunity of a fresh start, fresh characters, and even a fresh galaxy to set it in, this feels like a lengthy rehash of what came before. It is bad in many ways, from its madcap AI, poor character faces, dated design and most of all, horrible writing, but its biggest crime is just how unavoidably, all-encompassingly dull it is for so, so many hours. - RPS


Think about a new galaxy, a whole new potential of life forms, of evolutionary exoticism, of astounding new ideas. Now discard them all and think of intensely familiar bipedal people living in ordinary cities with ordinary thoughts, relationships, educations, jobs, and would you believe it, technology exactly on a par with what you just happened to bring with you. Floating octopuses that think in cascading colours? Societies based on amorphous interaction? Ideas better than the ones I'm throwing out? Nope, not a single thing.

Companion AI is a disaster, most distinctly because it's so incessantly noticeable. You want your buddies to just be there, trotting behind you until fighting starts. Instead they are bonkers, darting back and forth as if chased by wasps, and have the most wonderful/ridiculous need to climb on top of things. Just stand in a room looking at a computer terminal and your buddies will jump up onto cupboards, beds, desks, whatever they can find. More than anything, they take this most difficult path on offer. Why run down some stairs when they can jump over a railing behind some crates, then have to run in an enormous circle around a building to find you again?! It's definitely amusing, but bloody stupid.

But get into battle and it's much more serious. I cannot tell you how often they just run in front of you and stand still, screwing up shots, bumping you out the way, not shifting out of cover you need, or ignoring enemies immediately in front of them. They can be a help, and when it works it's fun to see them using their abilities to kill off enemies, but they're just as likely not to.

What unites all these different features is the most unrelentingly dull writing, cliches and aphorisms pouring out like the waterfalls they'd use as an analogy in this sentence. Every chat lasts three times longer than it needs to, and they're achingly boring from casual encounters to the deepest moments in relationships.

Perhaps most significantly, they made the bold decision to remove good/evil responses that have been a mainstay of the developers' RPGs, but they've failed to replace them with anything close to as meaningful. As a result, they've essentially removed the majority of choice at all. At one point you're offered an extremely significant deal that contains an element that's tantamount to extortion. In any other BioWare game before you'd argue this, perhaps choose it as the lesser of two evils, or reject it based on principle. Here you get two choices: to accept it, or accept it while making a joke. It's quite bizarre how far they've gone in removing the illusion of autonomy, while still seeming to think they're offering dialogue choice.

I've never before played a BioWare game where I wasn't torn about who to take with me in a landing party. Those moments of, "Oh no, but I have to take X on this trip because it's his home planet, but that means I will miss Y! There's not even a glimmer of it. I resentfully take two along, not caring what either will add. It's so, so odd.


I mentioned in my last article about how atrocious is the UI, and it bears repeating. It's awful in every imaginable way, bewilderingly so. Menus are miserable to navigate, and often barely functioning.

There's nothing I've found that redeems its crappy writing, threadbare companions, moribund story, and ghastly UI. But, well, the best I can say is it occupies time.


Pretty horrid review from RPS and it seems the game gets nothing right. I'm just confounded with "I can't believe it" as Bioware never does story or voice acting bad--but here it's awful? In order to gut a team's strength like that you'd have to look at upper management and I think I found a nibbit on that. Whenever I apply for a job I research the company. the web is full of reviews from previous employees of most companies of any size. One such site to obtain them is glassdoor. This anonymous individual's review paints an alarming and disturbing development cycle for MEA.


https://www.glassdoor.ca/Reviews/BioWare-Reviews-E22998.htm#rmvd

take a look at some excerpts from below from the review. The link above has the full review.

For example.

"Bioware Edmonton and Montreal symbiosis is broken. Lots of conflicts and bro culture."

"Lost over 13 leads (game design, art, audio, prog, senior core leads, etc) in 5 years at Bioware Montreal on Mass Effect. Edmonton lost only 3. It is clear that Edmonton has the bigger part of the stick when it comes to purge Leads and Producers who are not aligned with their leadership style."

"Putting people on performance improvement program (PIP Program) is the new tactics to get rid of people. Once again more than 10 people in Montreal got slammed with this bureaucratic uppercut to let go people that are not bending to Edmonton leadership styles in the last revision cycle. This approach is used by the Montreal Leadership to purge the mess from the lack of vision cause by upper management in the last 4 years (throwing people under the bus to protect bad core management)"

"Renaming crunch to Finaling mode. Which means company pays for your lunch but you have only 30 minutes to eat and then getting back on the keyboard. Was lasting for over 2 months and was a real catastrophy."

"Retaliation and harassment is sadly a reality. If you talk and ask questions you will be tag as a trouble maker and end up in a bad position."

"HR won't help you out. They will deny the current harassment from Monreal management by ignoring and not documenting the facts. In other words if you leave don't talk. Just let it go..."

"Many benifits got cut due to too much time extension to get the game done."

This is just one review but scrooling down many others mirror it. Throw bad management in the mix and the best teams will produce crap. Pure speculation on my part of course but it makes one wonder.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Nefaro on March 23, 2017, 12:51:42 AM
Quote from: Tpek on March 22, 2017, 01:52:01 PM
But bashing the game for it's boring gameplay and plethora of bugs is getting too old.
We need new avenues of criticism. :(


Ooo! Ooo! ME! ME!


(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.giphy.com%2Fmedia%2FDtMNbBu2KT1kY%2Fgiphy.gif&hash=b4980b0527e2139832ef452df77ecbe4ec65343e)




I caught a few seconds of the game's advert.

The slow weepy pop song playing in the foreground made me wanna [vomit emote].  What the heurkin feuks?  A game about mass killing IN SPAAACE, and they have that shitpie playing as the theme music?   L:-)

Shoot the alien "I have cancer and decided to tell you just now" theme music first.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on March 27, 2017, 08:12:25 PM
I've played enough for a quickie mini-review-in-progress. I think it's probably cruising toward a B at this point.

Combat is excellent. Probably the best combat in any RPG I played. You get jet packs, so it's 3-dimensional, enemies flank you and drive you to new positions frequently, and you get some very different ways to handle things depending on which character class you play. There is a lot of fluidity in your class spec, as you get to change "profiles" that give you class-type bonuses for each mission or during the mission if you go to the right spot, so it's possible in this big game to fully investigate all those different ways of handling combat in a single game. Also, you can completely re-spec your character on a fairly standard plan of cheap to start with, then increasingly expensive - but the curve toward expensive is not as steep as in some games, so you can re-spec several times without breaking the bank. Combat is a bit more difficult, as well (although there are still an abundance of difficulty options, so never fear). You can no longer pause and give orders in combat, although you do have some key commands to give your squad go there/hit that/come here-type orders. Squad AI is rather lacking, but I think some of the reviews exaggerate the problems. Just like other Mass Effect games, you have to do most of the work but not all of it. Concentrate on keeping your squaddies alive, and they'll keep the bads from ganging up on you to some extent. That's what they're there for.

There are more hybrid classes than there were previously, so I think there are as many different level-up options as you had in ME 2, i.e., more than in ME 3.

I haven't noticed any of these infamous facial animation problems. Maybe I'm just not looking for it. There are some great-looking environments in the game. It's not open-world, but it's open-ish, more so than in any previous Bioware(/EA-Bioware) game. Really looking forward to seeing more planets.

Bioware has never quite gotten interfaces right, and this one is quite clunky. You have to drill through multiple menus for most stuff, expecially checking quests. Crafting is rather difficult to understand, but isn't really a vital part of the game. I've crafted a few useful weapons and armor pieces without fully knowing what I was doing.

The biggest problem, and the reason this game isn't cruising toward A territory, is the same problem from Star Wars: The Old Republic. It's a VERY big playable world/universe and there are lots of quests and lots of quest-givers. Just as in SWTOR, the makers seem to think that they have to give you story, they have to give you voice-over for every little bit of everything, plus lots of background info and voice files lying around here and there to be clicked on. And - while some of it is quite good - a lot of it is just committee writing en masse, cranked out on a production line. Lazy, cookie-cutter stuff, not up to par with some of the fine story-telling from games like KOTOR, Jade Empire and ME 2. And - especially early in the game - there's SO MUCH of it.

Also, although they cut the number of characters back from ME 3, there are still too many. Why not let your squaddies re-spec and change profiles, too, so you can get by with less of them? The more squadmates you have, the more background you have to wade through in order to get to know them. Exposition overkill, part 2.

They seriously need to either scale back the exposition, or put a lot more TLC into crafting it. A ton of cookie-cutter crap to wade through is just not a plus.

Reviews I've read indicate the game opens out and becomes more fun as you go along. I'm hoping that the gameplay to yakking ratio increases significantly. If so, I might eventually come back with an A after all.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 04:41:40 AM
Thanks Glen. This is on my radar, though I haven't finished the first one yet and not even started the second one  :crazy2:
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 28, 2017, 06:34:56 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 04:41:40 AM
Thanks Glen. This is on my radar, though I haven't finished the first one yet and not even started the second one  :crazy2:

What about the third one?
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 28, 2017, 06:50:38 AM
The rocket boosted jump mechanic is problematic. I've jumped multiple times into spots that I cannot get out of without randomly moving/jumping until I break free. Very frustrating.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 28, 2017, 07:13:44 AM
^I've walked normally into spots that I couldn't get out of at all.
The game really suffers from poor design and plenty of bugs.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 28, 2017, 07:56:46 AM
Quote from: Tpek on March 28, 2017, 07:13:44 AM
^I've walked normally into spots that I couldn't get out of at all.
The game really suffers from poor design and plenty of bugs.

I'm beginning to notice. It really sucks in an exploration game where you're supposed to walk around and check out all the areas on the map.

I've only been playing a few hours and I've ran into more of these issues than I recall seeing in all the previous games combined.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 28, 2017, 08:00:25 AM
And the lack of a mini map is a terrible design decision.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on March 28, 2017, 08:37:08 AM
Not to mention that while pressing M opens the map window, the only way to exit it is to press ESC twice.

Same goes for the inventory.
And there is no hotkey for the journal.
???
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 09:06:14 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 28, 2017, 06:34:56 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 04:41:40 AM
Thanks Glen. This is on my radar, though I haven't finished the first one yet and not even started the second one  :crazy2:

What about the third one?
Really? sheesh.  :tickedoff:

I wonder if I didn't buy because it was only on Origin? Or - perhaps I was being sensible because I hadn't played the others?  :uglystupid2:

Anyway, I think I'll leave this and 3 until I play 1 and 2...why not.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on March 28, 2017, 09:46:40 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 09:06:14 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on March 28, 2017, 06:34:56 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on March 28, 2017, 04:41:40 AM
Thanks Glen. This is on my radar, though I haven't finished the first one yet and not even started the second one  :crazy2:

What about the third one?
Really? sheesh.  :tickedoff:

I wonder if I didn't buy because it was only on Origin? Or - perhaps I was being sensible because I hadn't played the others?  :uglystupid2:

Anyway, I think I'll leave this and 3 until I play 1 and 2...why not.

2 is the best. Remind yourself of the plot of 1 before you play it.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Effect_(video_game) has a synopsis of 1.

I thought J brings up the journal. That's the easy part. The hard part is drilling through the folders and sub-folders to get to the quests for your location.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 28, 2017, 01:34:14 PM
I agree. Mass effect 2 is just done so well done--if you forget the end boss -which is complete cheeseball stuff.. Every character has excellent voice acting...etc. I have 3 but really haven't played it much. Starting out it just didn't grab me and I really did not like the GUI combat changes. once your used to a certain setup---and it works--it just bugs me they have to screw with it and give you something not as intuitive. I'll eventually play it but I doubt I'll get this one until it's fixed and comes way down in price.

And i have no doubt it is fixable. As I mentioned above the animation is really not bad...it's unfinished. It looks to me from my experience with animation no animation at all has taken place on the faces. The only thing that moves is the eyes and the mouth-and that is likely automatically controlled by the lip synch app in Frostbite. cheekbone, chin . forehead and everything outside of that doesn't budge a bit. Par that with the position of the eye iris and the predominant appearance of the pupils and there's no way I can believe any animator even touched these models.

For one, no animator is going to center the eye with the iris being fully round. A natural eye is where the top of the iris is being covered by the eyelid in a half moon. Seeing the full iris naturally only occurs with a shocked or surprised expression. All iris's here are like that and is why they appear so wanky and they all look like crazed phycho killers from some B movie horror movie.

Secondly the pupils are are too apparent and do not blend in with the color of the eye as they naturally do. It gives a creepy alien appearance.

Thirdly the eyes themselves are far far too large. Cartoon large.

Pair that with the rest of the face being static and the results are just awful.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on March 28, 2017, 01:48:48 PM
I actually loved the fight against the last boss in 2, despite the fact that I would be in total agreement with applying the term "total cheeseball" to it.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 28, 2017, 01:50:30 PM
Quote from: glen55 on March 28, 2017, 01:48:48 PM
I actually loved the fight against the last boss in 2, despite the fact that I would be in total agreement with applying the term "total cheeseball" to it.

+1 I liked that battle and ending.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 28, 2017, 04:27:50 PM
Francis reviews Mass effect




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_j-pOsn6FY
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 29, 2017, 02:47:47 PM
^ that guy is unwatchable.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Rayfer on March 29, 2017, 06:35:07 PM
Quote from: mirth on March 29, 2017, 02:47:47 PM
^ that guy is unwatchable.

+1
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: MC on March 29, 2017, 09:52:02 PM
Quote from: ghostryder on March 28, 2017, 04:27:50 PM
Francis reviews Mass effect




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_j-pOsn6FY

What the hell was that??!!   :uglystupid2:
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: JudgeDredd on March 30, 2017, 12:43:57 AM
He's the new age. He's popular because he's annoying as fuck. I don't actually know what his other videos are like. Perhaps he does some good ones, but he's so annoying, I can't watch him.

I believe it's put on - but he's cottoned on to what sells hence his 4m (MILLION) subscribers
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 30, 2017, 06:40:01 AM
it's a put on. Like Angry Joe the aim is entertainment. As annoying as he is the Francis act is more watchable than his RL boogie act- which also reviews the game reviews which is entertaining to a degree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM4Rgp1b3U4
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 30, 2017, 06:41:55 AM
Quote from: ghostryder on March 30, 2017, 06:40:01 AM
it's a put on. Like Angry Joe the aim is entertainment.

The key difference being that Angry Joe is entertaining.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: bboyer66 on March 30, 2017, 06:51:30 AM
Angry Joe is actually pretty thoughtfull and thorough in his reviews. Besides the occasional F-Bomb, Angry Joe is not that angry anymore.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on March 30, 2017, 06:53:40 AM
Quote from: bboyer66 on March 30, 2017, 06:51:30 AM
Angry Joe is actually pretty thoughtfull and thorough in his reviews.

Agreed. He brings more than just a rant. He has genuine insight into what makes a game good or bad.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on March 30, 2017, 05:23:21 PM
Angry Joe is on another level for sure. he brings green screen skits with props--etc. Much more work is put into his reviews whereas boogie just sits there and yammers on.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: W8taminute on April 02, 2017, 08:02:30 AM
I stopped watching francis and boogie a long time ago.  Not my cup of tea. 


Ever since Angry Joe got less angry I'm liking him much more and yes he does provide insight into why games are good or not. 
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on April 04, 2017, 05:47:30 AM
and speaking of that here is his review:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJARrs0hrZQ
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Martok on April 06, 2017, 12:40:36 PM

Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Pete Dero on April 06, 2017, 12:48:20 PM
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on April 06, 2017, 01:46:28 PM
They just released a major patch today:
Actual fixes: None.
New bugs: Some.

Yay for Bioware!
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on April 16, 2017, 01:28:10 PM
This game is really buggy.
About a third of the quests are completely bugged for me and I can't complete them.

From googling about it, it seems to be a very common issue.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on April 17, 2017, 11:17:26 AM
I'm completing everything. Enjoying this game more than I thought I would initially. It just has a boggy start.

I'll weigh back in after I have completed the game, but I think I'm going to be playing this a long time.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 19, 2017, 08:55:30 AM
Quote from: Martok on April 06, 2017, 12:40:36 PM


Hits a little too close :P
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: W8taminute on April 23, 2017, 10:44:45 AM
Glad I didn't buy this game.  By the time they finally do fix everything (if they fix everything) no one will really care. 

One advantage of an impatient society is if you can't deliver a product that's near flawless on day one people will long have forgotten you by the time you fix it.  Hey game companies, you want to make a maximum profit, then deliver bug free and complete games on day one.  In the long run you'll make more money than a simple crash and grab.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on April 25, 2017, 09:44:11 AM
I think it doesn't matter if they fix it. If the writing is bad and the quests boring and there's nothing intriguing about the new setting there's little reason to waste one's time with it. Every review says the same thing -- all the above.

It's sort of like the Alien movies. we start out with a strong movie (Alien-Mass Effect1) an even stronger sequel (Alien2-Mass Effect 2) and then things turn wierd (Alien 3- Mass Effect 3) and then quickly go downhill (alien resurrection, Alien vs predator--Mass Effect Andromeda)

They could have gave us a great character to play to replace shepard---they didn't. They could have gave us an interesting new galaxy to learn about and explore--they didn't. They could have up'd the voice acting to make an impact--they didn't - they could have introduced engaging new alien races-they didn't.

It's like watching a mad for TV movie based on a Stephen King Novel.



Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Rayfer on April 25, 2017, 10:55:10 AM
Quote from: ghostryder on April 25, 2017, 09:44:11 AM
I think it doesn't matter if they fix it. If the writing is bad and the quests boring and there's nothing intriguing about the new setting there's little reason to waste one's time with it. Every review says the same thing -- all the above.

It's sort of like the Alien movies. we start out with a strong movie (Alien-Mass Effect1) an even stronger sequel (Alien2-Mass Effect 2) and then things turn wierd (Alien 3- Mass Effect 3) and then quickly go downhill (alien resurrection, Alien vs predator--Mass Effect Andromeda)

They could have gave us a great character to play to replace shepard---they didn't. They could have gave us an interesting new galaxy to learn about and explore--they didn't. They could have up'd the voice acting to make an impact--they didn't - they could have introduced engaging new alien races-they didn't.

It's like watching a mad for TV movie based on a Stephen King Novel.

Your 'Aliens' analogue is strong....except you left off 'Prometheus', which was (IMHO) a very good movie.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on April 25, 2017, 11:08:29 AM
I was undecided about Prometheus and await the next one to see where that trilogy goes. Based on the trailers it looks pretty good but i fear the main plot twist may be a bummer (some speculate the android creates the monster). I kind of already accepted the Engineer's created them to end us---we being a failed experiment of the Engineers. Now we are to accept an android named David programmed by an Evil corporation and thus Evil as well engineered the xenomorph because that's what all corporations do in a Hollywood movie.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Tpek on April 25, 2017, 01:02:22 PM
I (and most other people I know) actually think the 3rd the is the worst.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:26:24 PM
Alien 3 rocks!
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:29:08 PM
Quote from: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:26:24 PM
Alien 3 rocks!

No. No it does not.

Neither does Prometheus.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:37:57 PM
There you go again.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Rayfer on April 25, 2017, 01:41:18 PM
Quote from: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:29:08 PM
Quote from: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:26:24 PM
Alien 3 rocks!

No. No it does not.

Neither does Prometheus.

To each his own. I thought Prometheus was excellent.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:41:50 PM
Tell him Rayfer!!
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Barthheart on April 25, 2017, 01:41:58 PM
He's right about 3 and wrong about Prometheus. 50% is not bad...
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:43:42 PM
This is the entire plot of Prometheus

(https://media.giphy.com/media/7x8U2iJV9Heik/giphy.gif)
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:44:12 PM
Quote from: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:41:50 PM
Tell him Rayfer!!

Notice no one is defending Alien 3?
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:45:41 PM
Except me...until the end of time. Stop the Alien 3 hate!
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:47:54 PM
44% on the Tomatometer

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien3/
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:50:38 PM
You really want to bring polls into this? Hahaha
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:51:57 PM
I'm all about data
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:55:13 PM
Listen to your heart, I say.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 01:55:37 PM
My heart says Alien 3 was crap.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 01:56:17 PM
Then listen to the data.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Barthheart on April 25, 2017, 02:15:43 PM
Alien 3 was crap... that's scientific fact.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 02:17:26 PM
If Barth and I agree, it's irrefutable.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Barthheart on April 25, 2017, 02:18:56 PM
Or the universe is coming to an early end....  :o
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 02:19:17 PM
So misguided. The both of you. I blame GR for this whole mess.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 02:20:55 PM
Quote from: Barthheart on April 25, 2017, 02:18:56 PM
Or the universe is coming to an early end....  :o

It is a little worrisome.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 02:24:28 PM
You Sir, are very worrisome.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 25, 2017, 02:29:42 PM
That's a fact.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 25, 2017, 05:03:43 PM
OK so we're good.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: ghostryder on April 28, 2017, 09:49:36 AM
In Alien 3 Ripley finally gets laid, gets infected, dies but yeah dispite ALL that looking great on paper the movie stank. Not really sure about prometheus. Is it trying to be artsy? It's main problem-aside from being confusing- is there really wasn't anyone in the film to root for. You didn't like any of the characters. The ripley replacer had a shit boyfriend--and she wasn't too intelligent for a main hero either--she had no self preserving logic. In fact the whole time I watched the movie I was amazed she lasted so long. "I can't believe she hasn't been killed yet!".  the Android was a stuck up Brit--the CEO was pretty much George Soros crazy and his daughter a Paris hilton wannabe bitch. The supporting actors did not make up for it either. You knew they were red shirts the first scene. The billions such a flight must cost and this is the cream of the crop?

But the most annoying thing about Ridley Scott is his constant plotline where the biggiest danger in the movie is the Evil Corporation everyone works for. Logically it never makes sense-even if the premise were belieavable--logically from a PR perspective loosing an entire crew makes no sense. Why can't there just a be a damn alien doing it's thing and the crew--backed by a corporation that wants the mission to succeed- doing all they can to help? Nah! too believable!
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: JudgeDredd on April 28, 2017, 10:07:15 AM
I'm in the minority when I say I really like Prometheus
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Rayfer on April 28, 2017, 10:08:23 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on April 28, 2017, 10:07:15 AM
I'm in the minority when I say I really like Prometheus

I'm with you JD.....I thought it was outstanding, even saw it twice in the theater.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Greybriar on April 28, 2017, 11:01:25 AM
Quote from: Rayfer on April 28, 2017, 10:08:23 AM
Quote from: JudgeDredd on April 28, 2017, 10:07:15 AM
I'm in the minority when I say I really like Prometheus

I'm with you JD.....I thought it was outstanding, even saw it twice in the theater.

I also liked Prometheus, which was a good thing because I had purchased it on DVD.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 28, 2017, 12:27:35 PM
JD, Rayfer and Greybriar...my Alien brothers in arms. I like Prometheus too. More than Alien 3, even.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on April 28, 2017, 12:31:12 PM
Quote from: Gusington on April 28, 2017, 12:27:35 PM
JD, Rayfer and Greybriar...my Alien brothers in arms. I like Prometheus too. More than Alien 3, even.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aarcentral.com%2Fpics%2Fvomit.gif&hash=f8c0cec79f834c3558ced52ccf681c80fdf7c2e4)
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Gusington on April 28, 2017, 12:32:25 PM
Suck it, hater 💩
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on May 10, 2017, 06:13:18 PM
http://kotaku.com/sources-bioware-montreal-downsized-mass-effect-put-on-1795100285
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: jamus34 on May 10, 2017, 08:07:40 PM
Quote from: mirth on May 10, 2017, 06:13:18 PM
http://kotaku.com/sources-bioware-montreal-downsized-mass-effect-put-on-1795100285

And EA begins the death knell of another great developer.

Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on May 10, 2017, 08:39:41 PM
Quote from: jamus34 on May 10, 2017, 08:07:40 PM
Quote from: mirth on May 10, 2017, 06:13:18 PM
http://kotaku.com/sources-bioware-montreal-downsized-mass-effect-put-on-1795100285

And EA begins the death knell of another great developer.

I think that's a bit of a stretch. They haven't fired anyone, they just shifted them to support upcoming games.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: glen55 on May 12, 2017, 04:30:20 PM
I promised to return to this thread after I had finished the game to give fuller impressions.

Overall: I think this game is seriously underrated. It's way better than SWTOR, and is fully a Bioware-class game. It does depend on what you're looking for, though. If you're looking for a compelling story that swirls you from one event to another, you'll be sorely disappointed. But if you're looking for excellent RPG combat and encounters with lots of meaningful leveling and equipment choices, this is Bioware's best game yet.

I think there are 2 reasons the game is underrated. One is well-deserved: this game starts really slowly (more below), and it's hard to ask people to withhold judgment on a game until after they've put 8-10 hours into it (which is about when it becomes a lot of fun). Less well-deserved is that people had unrealistic expectations of getting swept away in some grand story. Bioware hasn't really hit the mark on that since KOTOR and BG: what they do is excellent cinematography in cut scenes (still true in this game, at least to some extent), but for several games now the story-telling and much of the dialogue has shown severe signs of "writing by committee." If you expected a hot RPG with great combat from ME:Andromeda, you got paid off in spaded. If you expected a sci fi story to blow Star Wars out of the water . . . well, you shouldn't have, and if you did, you will not find it.

Maybe there's a 3rd reason: it's hip these days to rag on Bioware.

BEGINNING

Several severe problems with the beginning:

(1) Bioware has always sucked at tutorials. No exceptions here. The game doesn't teach you any of the finer points in how to play, and that's a real hindrance to early gameplay. There are a lot of great aids to map navigation that you pretty much need to discover on your own.

(2) You're plopped down into an opening mission that severely limits your abilities and options. You're pretty much on rails, but in a couple of spots where you aren't, it's problematic to figure out which way to go without understanding the nav aids. The mission isn't very hard, but you feel severely underpowered for a lot of it. (It does get fun at the end.)

(3) Worst part is that next you arrive at the opening base (the Nexus), which is cut into 4 instanced areas. There's a LOT of yak-yak-yakking, exploring samey areas, and zoning before you get to go on your next mission (at least if you want to be at all completionist about grabbing all the quests, and you do, don't you)? The game REALLY bogs down here. Also, there's a lot of extraneous explanatory text to read that is non-mission-pertinent, and you aren't clearly signposted with whether you need to read it or not. On my 2nd playthrough I got through this area in about half an hour, but it was a couple of LOOONG hours the first time.

(4) One of the early planets you are sent to is dark and rainy everywhere, and there are a lot of structures/geological features that are serious roadblocks in your ability to get around the map. If you still haven't figured out the nav aids (and I hadn't, on first playthrough) this mission is hellish difficult, and not in a challenging, fun way: in a frustrating way.

Once I got past this planet, the game opened out, and I started having a blast. On 2nd playthrough, when I already knew how to play, the game started becoming a blast as soon as I got out of the Nexus.

STORY-TELLING

KOTOR is my favorite Star Wars story ever, and the scene with the ghost children in Jade Empire gives me the weepin' shivers every time. But Bioware has been coasting on its story-telling reputation for a long time. The Mass Effect series had decent story-telling momentum, but the actual story was pretty much paint-by-numbers, and Dragon Age was the same song, 2nd verse. Dragon Age had some excellent characters, and so did ME 1, but the new characters in ME 2 were all flash/no substance, and the most interesting characters in ME 3 were, without exception, the ME 1 carry-overs: OK, the ME 1 carry-overs plus Jack (an ME 2 carry-over).

SWTOR was maybe the best-looking and best world-integrated MMO that has ever come out, but it was dogged by assembly-line style quest-writing, and it just got OLD after a while. I think Bioware believed its own story-telling hype, and that created a real problem for that game. They felt compelled to chop everything up into story-based quests, but when the quests were continually backed up by really mundane dialogue and voice-acting, it just got to be really routine-feeling and boring to have to sit through cookie-cutter quest set-up after cookie-cutter quest set-up after cookie-cutter quest set-up. Andromeda isn't that bad by any means, but there's a big grunch of the exact same boring crap fairly early on, at the Nexus, and that's a bad time for the problem to crop up. The good news is that, once you wade through the Nexus, it won't be that bad again.

Additionally, Andromeda lacks a compelling plot to tie everything together (there's a PURPOSE - settling the Andromeda galaxy - but not really a PLOT (although you do eventually get a Big Bad to chase around and bring to bay climactically)). But I don't agree that the writing overall is a particular step down for Bioware. Eventually I grew more attached to some of my squadmates than I had since ME 1 and DA 1. Generally, the people (and sentient things) you run into feel like real people and sentient beings.

COMBAT

IMO, Bioware gets far too much credit for story-telling (as mentioned above, a relic of their past), but not nearly enough credit for cutting-edge RPG combat. Darklands may have invented pausable real-time combat, but it was Bioware that polished it and made it a Big Thing. It was Bioware that created very usable and sophisticated combat-tactics programming for NPC buddies in the Dragon Age games. There was something new and fun about combat in every Mass Effect game, and it was always better than the game before.

And this is easily Bioware's most fun combat yet, as it is basically a real-time shooter with jump jets, which makes it really 3D, especially if you have leveled up your jumping skills to improve your (initially rudimentary) hovering ability. This is pretty much the most free-wheeling combat I've enjoyed in any shooter or any RPG.  6 basic weapon types (melee, pistol, SMG (although they characterize it as a pistol type, you can carry a SMG and a pistol if you want), assault rifle, shotgun, sniper rifle), all coming from several different manufacturers with their own flavor, in several different levels, and with your choices of a variety of (crafted or found) attachments). The shooting is leavened with "magic" (your tech or biotic powers), so you have lots of options, terrific mobility, and lots of large, multi-level battlefields strewn with obstacles, especially when you take on elite enemies.

LEVELING

The leveling system is also excellent. There are 3 basic power types: combat, tech and biotics, and you can mix and match freely between all the power types when you spend your level-up points. I'm not sure what the highest level is, but I'm up to level 42 in my first playthrough (which I dumped after I finished the main plot, but plan to go back to eventually, as there is lots of gameplay left - the point of the 2nd playthrough is to play with different skills). 

A nice little twist is "profiles," which are basically character classes, the twist part coming in your ability to change profiles at will. There are straight combat, tech and biotic profiles, but there are also several different hybrid profiles, and which ones you are eligible for are based on where you have spent your level-up points. Each profile gives you different bonuses, so you can tailor your gameplay mode to the mission you are on, or even to the combat you are currently engaged in.

LOOT/CRAFTING

Not so great, but again this is not a letdown for Bioware, just a continuation of their heritage of games with mediocre loot tables. The loot reminds me in many ways of the loot in ME 1: you find tons of it, most of it is worthless except to break down into crafting materials, and the difference between one type of weapon and the next is often subtle. You basically never find the Uber +99 Butt-Whomper of Buttwhomping, but instead you just keep cranking it up by millimeters. I guess the Bioware folks think it's necessary to balance the game to keep you going with a cohesive, scheduled plot, but I really enjoy an excellent loot table as per WOW, Diablo and Torchlight.

Crafting is basically too complicated for not enough payoff. I'm not saying "don't craft," because you are able to craft lots of stuff throughout the game that is an improvement on what you've got otherwise, but you are certain to make frustrating mistakes because you don't understand what's going on, and I never really understood it in depth and detail. The game has been out long enough by now, though, that if you want to be a master crafter you can probably find excellent guides on the internet. i just haven't bothered.

WORLD

Or worlds, as the case may be. There are certainly some problems with the milieu: (i.e., even though it's a strange galaxy and you encounter strange aliens, they're all speaking bipeds who use tech roughly similar to your own - also you spend a lot of time trying to dig up clues from an ancient alien high-tech race whose highest tech was obviously in seeding every world with a bunch of fairly repetitive puzzles). But the worlds are a blast to jam around in your upgradeable car, they look great, and the nav aids (once you figure them out) make it super-easy to jump from Quest A to somewhere in the rough vicinity of Quest B, at least once you have explored enough to lay down a forward base somewhere in the Quest B neighborhood.

Overall, the play area is absolutely huge. I'm not the kind of guy who zips through RPGs, not by a frickin' long shot, but I've put in a good 60+ hours and I am nowhere near to seeing everything. There are quests scattered everywhere, all over the place, and a lot of them are fun.

CONCLUSION

Obviously, my overall recommendation is to battle through the grind of the first few hours. This game becomes a blast if you like the traditional fight/level/loot RPG, as good as any you have ever played. Don't expect a fantastic story that leaves you weeping, and you won't be disappointed. But you will , if you allow yourself, get the fictional dream of roaming around a real place where you deal with a lot of real-seeming tactical and navigational elements, you will get to level up over and over and over (I love games where you gain lots of levels), and you will have lots and lots of fun, fun combat.

Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: JudgeDredd on May 12, 2017, 04:40:57 PM
^ Excellent write up. Thanks for all the details.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Swatter on May 14, 2017, 11:24:29 PM
Well, it was announced recently that future ME plans are on ice for the time being.

You know, they released a game that had rough edges in areas that reviewers often focus heavily on, graphics and uninspiring early game play. It was a terrible release. Those screenshots of facial animations were too juicy to pass up.

I would bet I would agree with your assessment glen55 and I will keep an open mind about the game in the future. I still haven't played ME 3, but I will get around to it. After that, ME Andromeda.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on December 18, 2017, 07:27:49 AM
I had returned to Mass Effect 3 over the last two weeks after initially being underwhelmed by Andromeda.  However, ME3 started to drag too, so late this weekend, I reinstalled Andromeda after a long hiatus and started to get into it. I've only just pacified the first planet so it is too early to tell how long it will hold me, but I tend to agree with glenn55 that it is a somewhat underrated title. After 10 hours, this much is clear.

Not only underrated, though...this game received so much post release hate that I really think it even influenced my own feelings about the game. The hate and backlash really seems unjustified. It really is not that bad, and it doesn't feel much different from the prior titles in the series when comparing story elements and rpg mechanisms. I know the game was patched in the time I was away from it, but I think it looks very good. Much better than the prior titles in the series. Coming right off of ME3, combat is taking some getting used to, since there is no sticky cover, no active pause for abilities, and evade is a jet pack instead of a roll, but I'm starting to prefer the new system which is much more fluid.

Anyway, we'll see how it goes, but it is definitely satisfying my sci-fi RPG itch. It's sad to know the game has apparently been abandoned. It seems to have deserved better.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on December 18, 2017, 07:31:58 AM
I need to get back into it. It didn't grab me the first time and I absolutely love the ME games/universe.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on December 20, 2017, 11:40:27 AM
I've put another 3 hours in to Andromeda and the more I play, the more bizarre all the hatred for this game gets. Its a very good game and very comparable to the earlier titles in the series. The only conclusion I can come to is that the game was simply judged by a completely unfair standard. Expectations that the game was to be the second coming of Christ were just totally unreasonable and by that standard, no game could possibly succeed. I think the overly negative press that this game received was extremely unfair to Bioware and did a great disservice to players and fans of the series. I know I was influenced by negative reviews, I'm sure many others were, as well.

In any event, it has some of the same issues as the prior games in the ME series, but it is unclear to me how fans of the first three titles could walk away from Andromeda having had an overly negative experience. Just doesn't make any sense to me.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on December 20, 2017, 11:46:25 AM
I'm going to try to put more time into while I'm off for the holidays.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on December 20, 2017, 12:37:42 PM
Quote from: mirth on December 20, 2017, 11:46:25 AM
I'm going to try to put more time into while I'm off for the holidays.

Glen is right about the action picking up after you leave the Nexus in the beginning of the game. Stick with it long enough to start planet hopping and I think it ends up being a really enjoyable experience. 
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: mirth on December 20, 2017, 12:40:10 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on December 20, 2017, 12:37:42 PM
Quote from: mirth on December 20, 2017, 11:46:25 AM
I'm going to try to put more time into while I'm off for the holidays.

Glen is right about the action picking up after you leave the Nexus in the beginning of the game. Stick with it long enough to start planet hopping and I think it ends up being a really enjoyable experience. 

I know you're right. I just need to put in the time to get there.
Title: Re: Mass Effect Andromeda
Post by: Jarhead0331 on December 21, 2017, 07:10:44 AM
Glen...can you give some pointers on using the navigation system? I just finished the main story missions on Havarl and getting around that stupid map was very frustrating. I presume it was the map you were referencing in your post. Obstacles everywhere and those stupid remnant structures break up and block sections of the map that the waypoint system does not make clear. After struggling back and forth for a few hours, I finally figured out that there is a fast travel system. I may have known this, but forgot about it during my sabbatical. Anyway, it helped a lot.

Is there a way to use the nav aids and waypoints to find a clear path to a selected point? Thanks.