Old Mass Effect Megathread: Original Camera Angles

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Gumball Gumption: Jan 7, 2012

So I've hated all the Mass Effect games but then a bunch of friends said they were getting this for the multiplayer so I thought I'd check it out. The stuff at the PAX panel looked good. But this thread, what is it about bioware that attracts broke brains?

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:22

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# ? May 31, 2024 01:34

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

I'm a paid protester and paid Bioware forums shill. These are real jobs

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:23

Lt. Danger: Dec 22, 2006; jolly good chaps we sure showed the hun

Cowcaster posted:

pulp isn't exclusively a sci fi thing though, it's an adjective. john grisham novels are pulpy. victorian romance novels are pulpy. marvel cinematic universe movies are pulpy. this magazine cover, which you may note contains no robots or aliens, is pulpy:

mass effect, without a doubt, is straight up trash pulp and always has been since the beginning

on the other hand, raygun gothic is an aesthetic style with tin can robots, fishbowl space helmets, and space rays that go "zwee". mass effect is not raygun gothic.

Reposted without permission.

Dan Didio posted:

What are you talking about? What is the connection to these and pulp fiction that ascribes 'pulp' characteristics to them? What are the characteristsics of 'pulp' as you see them? I've already posted about this in this very thread. Just saying 'it's pulp, these things are pulp' doesn't mean anything.

I must have missed the issues of The Shadow and Doc Savage that featured ancient space robots coming back from the dark, outer galactic space to kill all civilizations. There's nothing inherently pulp about cosmic, robotic genocide. Is Battlestar Galactica (2004) pulp? It has robots attempting to destroy civilization and even human extremist terrorist groups, why those are two of the pulpiest (not a word) concepts (is a word) there are!

fig. 1: The Reapers land on Earth and begin devestating London, Big Ben and the London skyline can be seen burning in the background.

You've made up a word and somehow not realized that the word already exists. Pulp isn't a buzzword to denote stories without intellectual consequence or to denote optimistic thematic content and imagery. That's now what pulp was or is, as a rule. So what do you mean? What is 'pulp' about the concepts you brought up?

I honestly don't know.

'Happy go lucky' isn't a feature of pulp, either.

Is pulp a word that denotes something infantile or simple in writing? Because a lot of very well regarded and respected writers wrote pulp stories. Is it the explotative slant that a lot of the pulp works took on? I can certainly understand the Asari falling under that banner, but Cerberus? How is a parable about the dangers of intolerance and xenophobia exploitative?

Buck Rogers and John Carter (Of Mars, no, really, he is) are both science fiction pulp heroes of some renown and popularity and there's a lot of similarities in the broad strokes of their 'origin' stories. Both are veterans of 'great' wars (World War 1 and the Civil War, specfically) protracted, gruelling conflicts which were defining for the societies at the time and both are rendered unconcious or helpless in an underground terrain and wake up in a fantastical, extreme society which is both advanced technologically and visually and particularly low-tech (Rogers' post apocalyptic America which contains the evil Mongol hordes invading and Carter on Mars, which has many similarly asian inspired barbarian tribes.)

Commander Shepard is a soldier who can either have fought in a pointless, awful, brutal and short conflict by a highly advanced society against a less proficient one which ended with the less proficient one being hunted down in caves. Sounds eerily familiar, but not to many pulp stories I've ever read. Advanced technology is common place, routine and largely Apple-inspired with a focus on realism over the psuedo-science of Carter or Rogers' worlds. Visually, thematically, structurally, none of these worlds or stories have that many similarities to the Mass Effect series.

I don't see the common thread that you do, clearly.

And on the note of the Asari, even the The Art of Mass Effect readily admits that they were created to fill the preconcieved and popularized notion of the 'green alien women' made famous by Star Trek. They're pretty obviously not the enlightened warrior women or distressed damsels of the Pulp 'era'. Their focus on gender and sexuality politics makes them pretty blatantly evocative of Roddenberry's works, regardless of their shameless exploitative nature.

You'd be hard pressed to find a pulp-era science fiction novel that held the premise of allowing you to romance a lesbian alien.

The centrepiece of Mass Effect is Sovereign offering a postmodernist perspective on galactic civilisation and the mass effect relays. Pulp!

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:22

Kavak: Aug 23, 2009

The Polygon stream showed a game written and animated like trash and the gameplay is marred by poo poo AI on both sides. Seriously, why am I not able to manually call companion powers? That requires -less- work on AI and would improve combat immensely.

Maybe the multiplayer isn't poo poo but I'm not much of a multiplayer man except for Verdun, so I'll leave that to others to judge..

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:23

frajaq: Jan 30, 2009; #acolyte GM of 2014

Gumball Gumption posted:

So I've hated all the Mass Effect games but then a bunch of friends said they were getting this for the multiplayer so I thought I'd check it out. The stuff at the PAX panel looked good. But this thread, what is it about bioware that attracts broke brains?

you could ask that for most games tbh

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:23

Sarmhan: Nov 1, 2011

orcane posted:

These are dumb arguments from all of you. People can read what Mr. Walker wrote and you can compare that to DAI and to MEA pre-release footage to see how much of what he says is likely and true. It's not like he made up the things he didn't like. It's up to everyone to decide how important what part of the game is going to be.

Just because fanboys write "generally positive" impressions isn't going to make the game great for someone whose preferences are more aligned with the impressions basically saying "it's okay I guess", or even with Walker's. And vice versa, obviously.

It's funny because you ruin the generally OK first paragraph with a second one that dismisses other writeups as being from 'fanboys'.
The point isn't that Walker is necessarily wrong. It's just that his opinion is currently an outlier from someone who is known for having strong, contrarian opinions.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:25

Kurtofan: Feb 16, 2011; hon hon hon

Gumball Gumption posted:

So I've hated all the Mass Effect games but then a bunch of friends said they were getting this for the multiplayer so I thought I'd check it out. The stuff at the PAX panel looked good. But this thread, what is it about bioware that attracts broke brains?

this is the sa branch of the sex addicts anonymous

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:25

Cowcaster: Aug 7, 2002

"star trek is not pulp" -an idiot

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:26

Utnayan: Sep 26, 2002; PROUD MEMBER OF THE RAPIST DEFENSE BRIGADE! DO NOT BE MEAN TO RAPISTS, OR I WILL VOTE FOR THEM WITH EVER INCREASING VIGOR!

Kavak posted:

The Polygon stream showed a game written and animated like trash and the gameplay is marred by poo poo AI on both sides. Seriously, why am I not able to manually call companion powers? That requires -less- work on AI and would improve combat immensely.

Maybe the multiplayer isn't poo poo but I'm not much of a multiplayer man except for Verdun, so I'll leave that to others to judge..

Yeah it's a Trainwreck in every way. I am sure the multiplayer is also poo poo, unless they cancelled the beta due to not wanting people to see how horrid their animations and combat systems are before launch. Either way, all it is is a low effort horde mode for multiplayer. You know, effort and all that in the land of the dead developers.

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. For $4.99 you can play the first 10 hours and see this pile of trash first hand, then cancel your purchase decision and go buy a real game with substance, writing, and fun - Either Horizon Zero Dawn or Zelda BOTW. Hell, even Nier at this point.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:27

Lt. Danger: Dec 22, 2006; jolly good chaps we sure showed the hun

Well, Star Trek is a TV show, it's kinda hard to print those in paperback magazines. Especially with 1930s technology.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:29

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

They could literally copy paste the MP from 3 and it would still be good.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:29

Buck Wildman: Mar 30, 2010; I am Metango, Galactic Governor

Lt. Danger posted:

Reposted without permission.

The centrepiece of Mass Effect is Sovereign offering a postmodernist perspective on galactic civilisation and the mass effect relays. Pulp!

I think we're getting bogged down in genre pedantry when this post has illustrated the difficult question we really need to be focusing on: can women justify their need for extra-marital relations?

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:29

frajaq: Jan 30, 2009; #acolyte GM of 2014

prepare to get cucked hard in Mass Effect: Andromeda

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:30

Cowcaster: Aug 7, 2002

Lt. Danger posted:

Well, Star Trek is a TV show, it's kinda hard to print those in paperback magazines. Especially with 1930s technology.

also, the word "decimate" means to reduce by a tenth you're all using it wrong

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:30

tooterfish: Jul 13, 2013

Norns posted:

They could literally copy paste the MP from 3 and it would still be good.

Not empty quoting.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:31

Shard: Jul 30, 2005

Big Bowie Bonanza posted:

Also since Mass Effect 3 the series has been about fun TPS gameplay for me also I am an adult in a relationship so I no longer need to buy Bioware games to pretend like I have meaning in life or know what it's like to have girls talk to me

Since ME 1 came out I've gotten married and had 2 kids. So now I'm just looking for some fun gameplay and hopefully funny moments when talking to other characters. I have high hopes.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:35

Avalerion: Oct 19, 2012

Norns posted:

So the ending was A okay and everyone should have just shut the gently caress up?

The ending was definitely awful, but people sending dead threats because of it were loony.

frajaq posted:

Don't tell me when you started ME 1 you found that Kaidan and Ashley were a strong and enjoyable cast

Yea, which is why I wrote so far. Good point though, their highlights were in me2 and the good bits of me3, and citadel.

In a way making this a fourth entry in the series rather than a new franchise might be working against them as the first three left some expectations to live up to. I'm just not as excited as they probably want me to be because nothing shown so far is screaming "mass effect sequel" at me.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:35

Torrannor: Apr 27, 2013; ---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE

I wish people would shut up about Breath of the Wild. I have zero interest in it.

On a wholly unrelated note, WHY CAN I NOT PLAY ZELDA ON THE PC? I'M NOT BUYING YOUR CONSOLE, NINTENDO. JUST GIVE ME MY ZELDA GAMES ON A COMPUTER! :cry:

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:35

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

Avalerion posted:

The ending was definitely awful, but people sending dead threats because of it were loony.

People don't need to stop being critical because a few people are loving insane.

Obviously this is overboard. Saying it's a dumpster fire isn't.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:38

Utnayan: Sep 26, 2002; PROUD MEMBER OF THE RAPIST DEFENSE BRIGADE! DO NOT BE MEAN TO RAPISTS, OR I WILL VOTE FOR THEM WITH EVER INCREASING VIGOR!

Norns posted:

I'm a paid protester and paid Bioware forums shill. These are real jobs

Oh it's real alright.

http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Viral-Marketing-Exposed-Big-Buyout-Horizon-40885.html

quote:

His mention of threads relates to "trolling" popular websites and forum boards and aiming to derail bad publicity and "negative" marketing from spreading. Sort of like those people who are on Amazon right now defending Capcom's inclusion of disc-locked content and trying to discredit the reviews who bring this poor business practice to light.

quote:

Anyways, EA actually spent more than $747 million on marketing last year. That's close to $1 billion marketing stuff by paying people to troll; advertising; press events, etc., etc. Can you believe that? consumers are footing bills for marketing campaigns that are just shy of $1 billion. Just imagine how many games could have been made with that money?

And guess which forum is a popular target? You guessed it Goonie. SA itself.

And also guess what? This thread is a target to shout it (Negative) down. I am honestly looking forward to the entertainment this time around since this game has literally no defense. So expect to see a lot of "Wow you are insane!" "Oh look at that guys twitter he is also insane and said "This"." It's absurd. It's unethical. The practice needs to die in a fire, but it is VERY prevalent here.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:38

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

Hot take: breath of the wild will be a better videogame.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:39

Civilized Fishbot: Apr 3, 2011

Lt. Danger posted:

Reposted without permission.

The centrepiece of Mass Effect is Sovereign offering a postmodernist perspective on galactic civilisation and the mass effect relays. Pulp!

the Reapers aren't postmodern, they're the complete defiance of post-modernism they're ultra-rationalists who believe that they've discovered/created the cycles and structures that govern and structure all of organic life/civilization

how do you see a giant machine named "Sovreign" running around with an army of machines, talking about how machines inevitably destroy organic life, and think 'oh this character offers a postmodern perspective'

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:39

Professor Beetus: Apr 12, 2007; They can fight us
But they'll never Beetus

Utnayan posted:

Oh it's real alright.

http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Viral-Marketing-Exposed-Big-Buyout-Horizon-40885.html

And guess which forum is a popular target? You guessed it Goonie. SA itself.

And also guess what? This thread is a target to shout it (Negative) down. I am honestly looking forward to the entertainment this time around since this game has literally no defense. So expect to see a lot of "Wow you are insane!" "Oh look at that guys twitter he is also insane and said "This"." It's absurd. It's unethical. The practice needs to die in a fire, but it is VERY prevalent here.

You've got to be huffing glue to think that EA spent close to a billion dollars on salaries for paid forum posters. I pretty much guarantee that 99% of that was spent on ads.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:42

Cowcaster: Aug 7, 2002

is mass effect literally a serial magazine published in the 1930's? no

is mass effect a narrative devoid of any real intellectual or emotional merit, designed cheaply as possible to titillate its audience with cheap thrills, saucy romance, and shallow "mature and deep" posturing? h*ck yes

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:42

DLC Inc: Jun 1, 2011

Utnayan posted:

Oh it's real alright.

http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Viral-Marketing-Exposed-Big-Buyout-Horizon-40885.html

And guess which forum is a popular target? You guessed it Goonie. SA itself.

And also guess what? This thread is a target to shout it (Negative) down. I am honestly looking forward to the entertainment this time around since this game has literally no defense. So expect to see a lot of "Wow you are insane!" "Oh look at that guys twitter he is also insane and said "This"." It's absurd. It's unethical. The practice needs to die in a fire, but it is VERY prevalent here.

this is like Infowars levels of being paranoid and retarded

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:43

Big Bowie Bonanza: Dec 30, 2007; please tell me where i can date this cute boy

next you'll be telling me all this "dad gay so what" stuff doesn't mean dad's just happy!!!

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:43

black.lion: Apr 1, 2004; For if he like a madman lived,
At least he like a wise one died.

Utnayan posted:

Anyways, EA actually spent more than $747 million on marketing last year. That's close to $1 billion marketing stuff by paying people to troll; advertising; press events, etc., etc. Can you believe that? consumers are footing bills for marketing campaigns that are just shy of $1 billion. Just imagine how many games could have been made with that money?

You can't just round up 25% to $1B, $250M is not "just shy of" anything; spending $740M on marketing in totalis =/= $740M on paid shills

About 750 million lovely phone app games could have been made who cares

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:44

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

Utnayan posted:

Oh it's real alright.

http://www.cinemablend.com/games/EA-Viral-Marketing-Exposed-Big-Buyout-Horizon-40885.html

And guess which forum is a popular target? You guessed it Goonie. SA itself.

And also guess what? This thread is a target to shout it (Negative) down. I am honestly looking forward to the entertainment this time around since this game has literally no defense. So expect to see a lot of "Wow you are insane!" "Oh look at that guys twitter he is also insane and said "This"." It's absurd. It's unethical. The practice needs to die in a fire, but it is VERY prevalent here.

What the gently caress is this lmao. :tinfoil:

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:44

Buck Wildman: Mar 30, 2010; I am Metango, Galactic Governor

Cowcaster posted:

is mass effect literally a serial magazine published in the 1930's? no

is mass effect a narrative devoid of any real intellectual or emotional merit, designed cheaply as possible to titillate its audience with cheap thrills, saucy romance, and shallow "mature and deep" posturing? h*ck yes

And it's glorious.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:44

Serf: May 5, 2011

EA clearly highly values this dead gay comedy forum for our critical position as thought influencers.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:44

MotU: Mar 6, 2007; It was like she was evicting walking garbage.; Pillbug

gotta reach those 600 people reading games

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:45

Cowcaster: Aug 7, 2002

FunkMonkey posted:

And it's glorious.

*does that hand waggley eeeeeh more or less thing*

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:46

hopterque: Mar 9, 2007; sup

He's been posting this kind of stuff since like 2010 at least, just roll with it.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:46

Ainsley McTree: Feb 19, 2004

Serf posted:

EA clearly highly values this dead gay comedy forum for our critical position as thought influencers.

nobody on this forum posts real opinions or listens to each other lol

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:46

Turbl: Nov 8, 2007

Controversial opinion: I watched spoiler videos for everything up until you get your ship and I liked most of what I saw!!

Also people keep saying no one good is at bioware anymore but Lukas Kristjanson is writing for Andromeda and has been a writer there since Baldur's Gate and I think he's been a writer for like every game except ME3. John Dombrow is also the co-lead writer and he wrote the good parts of ME3 like the Tuchanka stuff, Garrus, and Javik. I think the story will be good but probably not amazing.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:47

frajaq: Jan 30, 2009; #acolyte GM of 2014

hello EA/Bioware if you're reading this I pirated all your games these past years

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:47

Torrannor: Apr 27, 2013; ---FAGNER---
TEAM-MATE

I don't get the heated discussion. In about 24 hours, a good part of the thread will have played some Andromeda, and can make more accurate reports than any incompetent video games journalists.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:48

Norns: Nov 21, 2011; Senior Shitposting Strategist

Ainsley McTree posted:

nobody on this forum posts real opinions or listens to each other lol

I change my posting style based on location. My posts are all bad. But my opinion is fluid.

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:49

Buck Wildman: Mar 30, 2010; I am Metango, Galactic Governor

Cowcaster posted:

*does that hand waggley eeeeeh more or less thing*

Could use some more squirrely alien goons lighting people on fire, I'll admit.

Really though, stupid low-brow sci-fi shenanigans are enough for me, especially if the core gameplay is fun, and nobody seems to be disputing that part.

Buck Wildman fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Mar 15, 2017

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:49

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# ? May 31, 2024 01:34

Big Bowie Bonanza: Dec 30, 2007; please tell me where i can date this cute boy

one good thing about buying this for ps4 is that i'll be able to trade it in for horizon zero dawn if it's bad

# ? Mar 15, 2017 15:49

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