[QUOTE="majinstrings"]

I think I would've been a lot more amazed by it if I hadn't watched the leaked footage first...

Well, I noticed nobody is talking about the Kinect features so I guess I will...

...Um...kind of useless...most of it, anyway...

First off, it works best when you mute the TV...:?

The sounds from the game sometimes interfere and make the Kinect have trouble picking up on your voice amidst the gunfire and explosions...

When the Kinect thinks it hears someone making a voice command, a small red microphone icon appears in the upper left corner of the screen. That icon appears a lot whenever Anderson is speaking to Shepard during the first 'mission'...thinking that Anderson is the player trying to make a voice command...

In conversations, there's a bit of a delay when speaking your dialogue choice...the game figures out your choice around one second after you stop talking...too long, I think...the conversations should keep moving; using the Kinect slows that down...

Opening doors or picking up items with the Kinect is almost completely pointless...as many people have said: "It's just one button." Pressing A is, of course, faster than using the Kinect...although it is possible to say "Open" before reaching a door and (due to the slight delay) the door will open as you walk to it...but that can be tricky to do...so pressing A is still faster and easier...

What the Kinect features are good for is to act as extra hot keys...

Since you can only hot-key 3 of Shepard's abilities to the RB, LB and Y buttons and one ability from both squadmates to left and right on the D-pad, using your voice to activate those extra abilities can actually be easier (or at least faster) than opening the power wheel and pausing the action...

However, this can become frustrating if the Kinect fails to hear your commands over the fighting...

Also, having to say the character's name and then the power you want them to use can be difficult if you tend to stumble over your words as I often do...I don't know how many times I messed up the lines - "Liara, Singularity" "Liara, Warp" "Garrus, Overload" ...the 'stress' of being in a firefight probably doesn't help when trying to produce a coherent sentence...:P

Though, I think you only need to say their name if no one else has the power you want them to use...not certain about that...

Another thing the Kinect can be used for is to switch weapons. Again, this can be faster than opening the radial menu and doesn't stop the action. Just say the type of gun you want to switch to. You can also say "Switch weapons" to switch to your previously equipped weapon...but holding the X button will do the same thing just as quickly...

You can also tell you sqadmates to attack seperate targets...

Previously, you could press Up on the D-pad to have both squadmates focus their attacks on one target...with the Kinect, you can tell one squaddie to focus on one target and tell the other squaddie to focus on a seperate target...I thought that was kind of cool...but don't really see a whole lot of situations where it would be too useful...

And lastly, if I'm not forgetting anything, you can tell your squaddies to move into cover. Aim at the spot you want them to move to, say their name and say "Move"and they will move to the area you designated. This can also be accomplished by aiming at the area and pressing the D-pad but that can also accidentally cause your squadmate to use their hot-keyed power when you didn't want them to...

...And...um...I think I'm done typing...:|

Falcon084

Darn I had high hopes for Kinect. Hopefully they can fix some of the problems before launch.

Ok, I'm done "going dark" for a bit. Maj, very good review of the Kinect features. I've been very curious about how that feature was going to work.

Listen, I'm not sayin' that I'm going to run off and never be heard from again. I'll be back long before my face turns up on the side of a milk carton (a reference that might only make sense to those who live in the States). But I do think that it's a good idea for my personal sanity/happiness that I step away from this fantastic forum and other Mass Effect info resources until I'm able to join all of you in the multiplayer madness. It will drive me nuts if I continue to read/watch/participate when I'm not able to play myself.

Until I see you all later and I will, kick a$$ and have fun doin it!

lewfa

Oh boy, do I hate to do this but with me still not having a game system and the demo already out it's time for me to step back. If I keep looking in forums and on game sites I feel I'll ruin much of the surprise and experience of Mass Effect 3 for myself. Hopefully I'll be able to resolve my lack of gaming ability soon and return here in time to join in the MEU special forces group extravaganza team assemble go! smackdown (still the best name for a thread - EVER) while you're all still there and having fun with it. If this means that I need to relinquish my Officer position during a time when I'm confident that the Union will see increased activity, I fully understand and can think of and recommend a couple Union members that would be excellent in my place.

I would like to say with absolutely no understatement that I've thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Mass Effect Universe and I feel as though I've made good friends. I want to wish you all the very best and l'll be glad to know that you'll all be out there kickin' some Reaper a$$ and savin' a galaxy that's not too far, far away.

Thanks for all the good times, good times,

Lew/lewfa1

Kasumi Goto- "I'm going silent!"

I'm guessing it's really nothing important but I thought it was a little weird that she's not allowed to die...

majinstrings

I know, right? People are already dying left and right so why is this one Quarian so important that the whole story of stopping the Reapers cannot continue if she dies. Very weird and I want answers.

One thing that I would very much like to see in the next game is for all of the minor characters that Shepard interacted with and/or helped such as the Quarian, Forzan vas Idenna to reappear at some point and have a real impact on the overall plot. Take Rana Thanoptis for example, she is that Asari neurospecialist whose life Shepard can choose to spare on Virmire. If she is forgiven for her works as Saren's lab assistant she then reappears under equally shady circumstances on planet Korlus working for Dr. Okeer and released again. In Mass Effect 3 I want all of this forgiveness and goodwill to have a dynamic payoff. Noveria Internal Affairs agent Gianna Parasini is another person who is due to give Shepard some payback and there are many more, Shiala who was saved from the Thorian, the Batarian who was helped get to Mordin's Clinic, the construction workers who were helped to escape the Dantius Towers. But I want the "critical mission failure" Quarian to have an extra special reappearance.

I just watched some of the latest BioWare videos on their YouTube channel ..........

SPOILER ALERT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJu-u3zFMyk&list=PLACDF6F08A70F9316&index=1&feature=plpp_video

and they made me moist!! Better have some paper towels or baby wipes handy.

[QUOTE="lewfa1"]For me all of this pre-order/ tie-in with this game/extra in-game item if you buy this merchandise build-up to the release is beginning to feel like a bit much. BioWare/EA is starting to feel overly slick, too tied in with this company or that promotion. I fully expect to see a set of Mass Effect Limited Edition Collector Glasses from McDonalds soon. "Each glass features a Mass Effect 3 crew member and comes with a code number segment on the bottom and if you collect all eight you'll unlock the code and receive an exclusive in-game item!! Supplies are limited, get yours now!!"

Which I will want to buy of course.

Says the man who still hasn't bought a new 360.

majinstrings

:lol: I would totally buy those, too!

BTW...

Gamespot acting weird for anyone else?

I keep seeing topics that have new post and when I click on them, the new posts don't show up...have to keep trying over and over again until GS decides to show them...

I was going to say something too. It has been happening for the past three days for me. I see a new post or worse I make a new post and then I look but it's not there. I have to refresh the page once or twice before it appears. Wassup with that?

They were also saying that FemShep would also be featured on the cover of the N7 Collector's Edition too. What do you guys think of the DLC weapons were are getting with pre-order of ME3?IndianaJones414

They seem fine by their description but I really need to play them to know if I like them.

I always picked up the Widow on the Collector's ship.

IndianaJones414

Even if you're playing an Adept?

[QUOTE="rallydrifter"]

Ya, I've heard about this. I think it might just be the secret character from the CE though. Bioware did say that they would sell the secret character by itself. If it ends up being something a little different, then I will be quite upset with this.

Hirasugi

Yeah I thought around the same lines. Only this seems to undercut the profit (and consumer incentive) of pre-ordering the Collector's Edition if they can simply get the content via download the same day the game comes out. But stranger things have happened in this industry. I honestly hope this is just the case, but I foresee a dark looming tempest over the horizon. And it stinks of footballs and medic packs

For me all of this pre-order/ tie-in with this game/extra in-game item if you buy this merchandise build-up to the release is beginning to feel like a bit much. BioWare/EA is starting to feel overly slick, too tied in with this company or that promotion. I fully expect to see a set of Mass Effect Limited Edition Collector Glasses from McDonalds soon. "Each glass features a Mass Effect 3 crew member and comes with a code number segment on the bottom and if you collect all eight you'll unlock the code and receive an exclusive in-game item!! Supplies are limited, get yours now!!"

Which I will want to buy of course.

Says the man who still hasn't bought a new 360.

Well dang consider my question answered, I was just making sure there wasn't a better version than the CEfor ME3.

This is gonna be the longest month of my life!!!!!

Emac44

As far as different pre-order editions and whats available take a look at this page,

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Mass_Effect_3

There may be more still. Who knows how many pre-rder editions there are? I'm not asking that retorically, I mean can someone list them.