Low expectations for Mass Effect 3

I read somewhere when the buzz about ME3 was picking up that some of the aspects that had been neglected in the second game where making a come back to enhance the rpg aspect of the franchise. Inventory, attributes and weapon mods were to be less constricting and would give the player more freedom to modify their gameplay experience.

That was before but soon after those reports I read somewhere ( I think it was on these forums) that the ME3 release had been pushed back to "tweak it" but tweak it in a way to make it simpler. I was hoping the the simplification was just an ugly rumour but today I came across this:

""[Mass Effect 3 will] essentially address a much larger market opportunity than Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 began to approach," the head of EA said recently. "We're huge believers in the IP and are purposefully shifting it to address a larger market opportunity."

With the release of the Witcher 2 we now have proof that game developers don't have to make any comprimises between gameplay, graphics and story when it comes to RPG's but it seems bioware doesn't get that.

I have low expectations for ME3. Anyone here in the same boat? Can anyone give me any hope this franchise won't be toasted by lust for commercial success?

I wouldn't say that I have low expectations for the game, but at the same time, I wouldn't say that I'm really looking forward to it as a RPG. I love Bioware, but I really think that they're overdoing it with the "larger audience" approach.

You missed the important bit of that quote and that is where the quote was actually said. The quote was not aimed at "gamers" it was aimed at "investors". It is purely investor speak and designed to get people with money to invest in EA. When you talk to investors you quite literally say any bull to get them to part with their money, you will practically announce the Earth is flat if that will encourage people to invest in your company.

So with that in mind I will wait and see, I am very much looking forward to Mass Effect 3. I cannot wait to see the conclusion of Shepard's story and I am not going to let a bit of "investor" talk dampen my enthusiasm.

I also wouldn't say that "The Witcher 2" is a good example of a deep RPG selling well. There is no way "The Witcher 2" will ever match the same sales targets that they are aiming for with Mass Effect 3. At the end of the day enjoy the hype and the info, stop looking for "OMGZ I didn't like the sound of that" things.

I don't give a **** about how many RPG bulletpoints in nails. I have very high expectations after ME2, but I'm concerned that Bioware thinks setting the game on Earth will make it more emotionally involving. I don't want to visit Earth.

will wait steam sales for any bioware game from now on incl. me3

Yeah Mass Effect was never really that "RPG-ish" for me. Great dialogue, great characters, great story and the like is what Im looking for. I dont care if it turns into an on rails FPS tbh, the gameplay mechanics were never the selling point for me.

That said, I am somewhat concerned after some of the things I saw in DA2. DONT FAIL BIOWARE PL0X.

Not at all. Mass Effect 2 was a blast, and they even said they're well aware of it's limitations as an RPG. What is there to be worried about? Mass Effect 3 will be epic

Think bioware is slowly loosing touch what makes great rpgs..Some one is pointing them in the wrong direction..Ever since they went to ea.Seams to me that ea took control..Shame ont he drs for letting this happen to a great company that was bioware..Im sceptical about there games now..Dragon age 2 was such a let down for me ..It almost makes one cry about what they did to it..Yet the devs dont see it this way..Why because it sold 2 million where it couldve sold more...Shame on them..Unfortunately they will never understand what the market really wants..Bioware im slowly loosing hope with you guys..Dont make da3 an me3 a disaster...Im giving you one more shot to make up for dao and thats it..Sorry thats how i feel..Stop wattering down your crap..Stop taking the fun out of rpgs...Man wish i had the cash like curt shcilling to make my own company i would..

I love ME depsite my problems with the game, especially 2. I am looking forward to ME 3 but mostly it will be nice when it's over so I can start ignoring Bioware.

Not at all. Mass Effect 2 was a blast, and they even said they're well aware of it's limitations as an RPG. What is there to be worried about? Mass Effect 3 will be epic

airshocker

Think bioware is slowly loosing touch what makes great rpgs..Some one is pointing them in the wrong direction..Ever since they went to ea.Seams to me that ea took control..Shame ont he drs for letting this happen to a great company that was bioware..Im sceptical about there games now..Dragon age 2 was such a let down for me ..It almost makes one cry about what they did to it..Yet the devs dont see it this way..Why because it sold 2 million where it couldve sold more...Shame on them..Unfortunately they will never understand what the market really wants..Bioware im slowly loosing hope with you guys..Dont make da3 an me3 a disaster...Im giving you one more shot to make up for dao and thats it..Sorry thats how i feel..Stop wattering down your crap..Stop taking the fun out of rpgs...Man wish i had the cash like curt shcilling to make my own company i would..

Gladestone1

DA2 was loads of fun. So was ME2.

I don't see how they're making their RPGs less fun. Simplifying something doesn't inherently make it bad, especially when there was cause to do it. DA:O NEEDED to be simplified, and ME2's combat was MUCH more fun than the first ME.

I think the writing and dialog in Bioware games, and the moral decisions, are over stated. ME is still great but it's not all that.

I lost all hope about it a loooong time ago.The second one was a disaster. I will not be buying Mass Effect 3. IMO The series ended with Mass Effect 1. tratyu92

I agree. I can't think of a modern "RPG" that I found worse than ME2. Granted, I am pretty picky about what I play so the pool's not that big, but ME2 has the distinction of being one of the only games I've never, and probably will never, finish. I can only handle so many immersion breaking cinematic before I just get bored. I gave ME2 a solid 8+ hours and, like a bad laxative, it never moved me. I can't see myself ever going back and finishing it.

After ME2 and the inane DA2 demo, I think I am pretty much through with Bioware's glorified, semi-interactive, dating sims.

The ME series are the only third-person shooters I really enjoy. I personally have high expectation for ME3; what with the return of the inventory system, a new skill tree system as opposed to the linear upgrades, the ability to pick up enemies' weapons and customize them, and no new LIs, it would take a massive faux pas to make me not get the game.

I hated ME2 at first because it was even less of an RPG than ME1, but then I realized that if I wanted to play a hardcore RPG I could try out any of the zillions of excellent ones I've never played and know I would enjoy, and think of ME2 as a really good 3rd-person shooter with a decent story and the best voice acting I've ever heard in a game.

ME3 is supposed to be more difficult, the AI is being completely revamped, and I don't think they're about to DA2 it to death. That won't stop me from not buying it until it's $15 or so and then picking up the Ultimate Edition down the line, but I won't be avoiding it like the plague or anything :)

I read somewhere when the buzz about ME3 was picking up that some of the aspects that had been neglected in the second game where making a come back to enhance the rpg aspect of the franchise. Inventory, attributes and weapon mods were to be less constricting and would give the player more freedom to modify their gameplay experience.

That was before but soon after those reports I read somewhere ( I think it was on these forums) that the ME3 release had been pushed back to "tweak it" but tweak it in a way to make it simpler. I was hoping the the simplification was just an ugly rumour but today I came across this:

""[Mass Effect 3 will] essentially address a much larger market opportunity than Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 began to approach," the head of EA said recently. "We're huge believers in the IP and are purposefully shifting it to address a larger market opportunity."

With the release of the Witcher 2 we now have proof that game developers don't have to make any comprimises between gameplay, graphics and story when it comes to RPG's but it seems bioware doesn't get that.

I have low expectations for ME3. Anyone here in the same boat? Can anyone give me any hope this franchise won't be toasted by lust for commercial success?

frankopanklaric

Well, the first Mass Effect had an extremely dull plot and semi-broken combat. The second one was leg-shackled by the first game's plot, but had a better narrative and better combat... I'm not jumping up and down for the third simply because it will again be leg-shackled by the first two games. I really hate this recent save game carry-over/continuity fad.jedinat

[QUOTE="jedinat"]Well, the first Mass Effect had an extremely dull plot and semi-broken combat. The second one was leg-shackled by the first game's plot, but had a better narrative and better combat... I'm not jumping up and down for the third simply because it will again be leg-shackled by the first two games. I really hate this recent save game carry-over/continuity fad.Roland123_basic

[QUOTE="Roland123_basic"][QUOTE="jedinat"]Well, the first Mass Effect had an extremely dull plot and semi-broken combat. The second one was leg-shackled by the first game's plot, but had a better narrative and better combat... I'm not jumping up and down for the third simply because it will again be leg-shackled by the first two games. I really hate this recent save game carry-over/continuity fad.TruedUp

[QUOTE="TruedUp"][QUOTE="Roland123_basic"] im going to go ahead and guess you just arent a fan of the games.... considering the first and second mass effects have an excellent story and combat.Roland123_basic

Didn't like the first but, really like the second. The combat and graphics are decent enough for me especially in 2. The only thing I need them to do is NOT over use the same area over and over again like DA2. They also need to keep the side quest to a minimum or at least have them be some what related to the main plot. This shouldn't be too hard as the story is already clearly laid out unlike DA2 where you spent hours upon hours running around grabbing crap for people for no reason.

If you are looking for RPG classic features, the ME series isn't for you. Mass Effect 1 wasn't really more of an RPG than ME2. They are designed as action RPGs, unlike Dragon Age Origins. All this "ME is no longer an RPG" stuff is getting annoying :? Both types of games have their place

I think ME was pretty good, ME2 was a little worse in RPG elements, compared to ME but had better combat in return.

ME3 will either be a game with the RPG elements from ME and the Combat system from ME2, and be a truly epic game - or - it will get the dumbing down hammer/dragon age 2 hammer and be playable by an 8 year old.

I just hope Bioware, still has a little respect for the gamers that have been with them for many years, and focus on their mature fanbase, instead of going the dragon age 2 way and court the widest possible audience.

If we think a lil about it, they cannot even satisfy a wide audience with a game, because people are different and prefer different aspects of different games. This is why they shouldfocus on some of the parts of gaming they are very good at, such as rpgs and immersion factor.

If they go into the "lets do it all with a single play button" they will probably loose audience/customers because they won't be able to satisfy all classes of gamers, because the different classes of gamers have different demands.

enough with the rambling thou, I hope for a good ME3 game, mixME and ME2 and I will be a happy fat little dorf:)

I am very excited of this game, cant wait to play this...