Mass Effect Andromeda Modding

[imogeneA91]

I didn't really play DA:I, so I don't know what the modding scene was like. However both use the frostbite engine, so I'd imagine what could be modded into DA:I will be the same for MEA. During my trial I saw an NPC that actually had good hair. It was a character named Lani, she was the one in the bridge just before you boarded the Nexus (or whatever that large ship is called with all the people still in cryosleep). It was a slicked back low ponytail.

 

I hope that can be available to our femryder, along with some beautifying mods... god knows the characters need them.

Edited March 21, 2017 by imogeneA91

[L3s7ing]

Played the full version now for around 20 hours and at the moment the worst thing for me was the character editor... hoped they would maybe improve some things over the trial version, but meh :sad:

It's so limited with very few choices and it's almost too hard to build a playable character (had to start around 4 times over again).

 

So I definitely hope that modding will change a bit of that (add new options and more variety like in DA:I).

Otherwise, I can't agree with the review critics so far and have to say, that I really like the game. Didn't even had any bugs so far.

 

Edit: At least the tech side is great again (like always with frostbite). Perfect sli support (no stuttering and almost double fps). But what most shocked me, that this game goes wild with my cpu. 80-90% load on 4 cores with additional 50% load on another 3. Other are switching between 20 and 40%.

Edited March 21, 2017 by L3s7ing

[Rethrain]

The only problem I have so far is the character creation...oh god, the character creation...

I never liked char creation in any of the mass effect games by comparison to other games (and never will)...but this is really the only one in which I'll keep my helmet on at all times if possible, lol.

[Ethreon]

This is why I am waiting for the extended weekend to play it. If you were to listen to the internet game's all s#*!, but when you ask them all they can point out is the animation bugs here and there. Given that I played static browser games for years, I think I'll be fine. Just make the action good and the story interesting.

[AHYHAX]

This is why I am waiting for the extended weekend to play it. If you were to listen to the internet game's all s***, but when you ask them all they can point out is the animation bugs here and there. Given that I played static browser games for years, I think I'll be fine. Just make the action good and the story interesting.

The problem is in a weak and banal plot(as same as characters), and hack-work at all.

Edited March 24, 2017 by AHYHAX

[SlickMajestic]

The only problem I have so far is the character creation...oh god, the character creation...

I never liked char creation in any of the mass effect games by comparison to other games (and never will)...but this is really the only one in which I'll keep my helmet on at all times if possible, lol.

 

This isn't just internet hate or chatter, it's a real problem.

 

ME:A is an unfinished product. If you have any general awareness, you will note this from the opening sequence of the game and be subject to it throughout the entire ride. There is no denying this--no developer at BioWare would/could argue this off the record. The game has unfinished characters and environments. Clear as day. Animations are not finished. Audio is not finished. Textures and shadowing are not finished. Some animations actually are missing segments. NPC scripting is not finished. Cut-Scenes suffer from unfinished animations or frame-stutters (often in dialogue) and pop-ins occur throughout, all over the place (also in dialogue sequences).

 

Basically this is a game where all the functionality is finished, but the game has not gone through the typical post-production cycle. Clean-up, detailing, and aesthetic touches, shadows, and UI touches have not been finished. It is the equivalent of Universal Studios releasing a new Transformers movie and CGI only being about 75% finished ... but they release it anyway. That is what ME:A is. You will see this INSTANTLY as the game starts and then be subjected to it the rest of the journey. It's not that only certain things are off, or certain sequences are unfinished --- this is a clear example of a game where NONE of it has undergone any of the final passes.

 

Shortly put, it's an unfinished product rushed for release. Probably Q1 revenue? This late? I don't know. All I do know is the game needs about 8 months or so more in the dev cycle to finish. If it had that time, it would be a solid 8.0-8.5 or so. Nothing overly innovative though, as they just recycled a lot of previous ME mechanics.

 

So what you have is a released product by a AAA studio/publisher for a popular franchise of games which have technically/visually improved with each release. ME3 > ME 2 > ME1 (take note, I'm referencing only visuals/controls/gameplay in that statement--so keep story tastes aside). ME:A pretty much looks and feels (outside of some environmental beauty) like a game between ME1 and ME2. The NPC models and textures look like something from the late 2000's, not something in 2017, especially when we have aesthetically beautiful gems like Horizon come out at the same time.

 

This is just a product not yet finished. Simple as that. When EA ships it out at full price and you as a gamer buy it, it's a slap in the face. They won't even admit it, but anyone can see it's true. That is people's issues ... or at least th people that understand video games or how development cycles go for software-based products, to any extent. You are receiving something that looks dated, embarrassing, and quite frankly, outside of the Voice Acting quality, a fan-made product.

 

You'll see what I mean once you start playing. It's really detracting. It's hard to get immersed when the characters look and act so poorly in each and every scene. I mean your human counterparts look like Halo 2 NPCs, literally. Just compare Liam, Kora, and Ryder to Miranda, Ashley, Shepard, or even some of the side-NPCs in ME3. It's a joke. ME3 blows them out of the water aesthetically. When you play games like MGS5, Horizon, Witcher 3 and then you move to this game ... your jaw hangs. This feels so dated and looks so ugly in most spots you can't stop yourself from being distracted. When you are talking to your squadmades (who are good characters and have fine back stories/personalities) you simply get put-off by all of the problems mentioned above.

 

This is more than just typical BioWare notoriety for bad animations. This is truly an unfinished product rushed to the shelves. All it is. Can't fight that argument.

 

I liked ME1 through ME3, more and more with each game. I was thinking this would be a step up over ME3, just as it was over 2 and 2 over 1. But instead we get this half-baked product. That is where much of people's anger is storming from. Sure, you have your small base which criticizes ME:A "just because" or because it's an EA product, or a BioWare product, but I'm not one of those blind fools. I'm a very objective, clear-thinker who has been heavily involved in gaming since 1985, understands software development cycles because I manage in a software company, and has an eye for detail. And who knows how to put aside biased prejudices and impartially review or comment on a game. This is just unfinished. Nothing more to be said.

 

And if anyone would like, I can elaborate on a novel of issues, with details and examples, and even screenshots. I've done so on other forums/reviews. Normally I wouldn't waste my time, but I've yet to play a AAA title of this magnitude that is so clearly not finished.

Edited March 24, 2017 by SlickMajestic

[Ethreon]

Haven't you played F4? :P

 

But yes, it's unfinished. I assume publisher rush, which being EA I'm not even surprised at this point. I've also come to understand the studio creating the game is rather young and unexperienced, and they received no help from the more experienced people. The worst thing I found so far is the lighting.. game me a headache.

[Task2]

Good luck modding pretty much all the dialogue and terrible writing and MMO quests, about as terrible as Fallout 4. In general though, FrostByte almost comes off as purposely being a pain in the ass to mod, where-as Bethesda's game is built with a janky ass engine they haven't changed much with s#*! code constantly piled onto it. I've been watching a full playthrough stream and this Andromeda game is weaksauce, no if-and-or-buts worst game in the franchise. Thanks EA.

 

As SlickMajestic said, it is really is a dogpile of a game - it's not really a 'hyped' hate train causing backlash. For those like myself that need RPG's that have more than crafting or mindless MMO-filler quests, Andromeda just doesn't cut it considering that the original ME was about playing the C&C/Story.

 

Not sure entirely what wrong with this game, but we do know that Andromeda wasn't even made by any of the veterans that worked on ME1-3 and EA entrusted it to BioWare Montreal, which is Bioware's offshoot B or C team that worked on a piece of DLC for ME3 (Omega - which is considered the worst reviewed DLC for ME3). Plus EA just ruins things with the s#*! they enforce on companies they buy up, so I don't blame any of the developers having to probably work in a highly stressful environment but also being forced to work with FrostByte rather than Unreal.

[bobfallouter666]

I beg you talented modders, please find a way to re-introduce in Andromeda the command for "freeze" the time in battle and give us back our tactical full control. This way, I find companions unuseful and powers combo give no satisfaction.

 

And... give us the chance to change the ugly faces we create the first time we start the game. Ugly faces... is just me that made it and wanna kill his own character?

 

 

It's strange, ME1 exit in 2007, after 5 years they made 2 good games as ME2 and ME3. 5 years, 2 good games. Now, 5 years for this...

Many people say is too soon to judge. Is not for gameplay issues (I don't mind about graphics, for the story I will judge later, but gameplay is gameplay).

 

Only modders can save us.

Edited March 25, 2017 by bobfallouter

[Ethreon]

There's a lot of gameplay issues. But I think the cake is taken by that initial sequence, the flashes of light and constant bobble made me sick and gave me a killer headache. So f*#@ whoever thought that out.