Mass Effect 3

[Gracinfields]

Well the reason for the experation is tie to the fact EA like to keep DLC active only so long, after a set time it gets moved over to a secondary low priority download servers and also most of these free DLCs will be wrapped up in game updates later on. Example of which is the Battlefield 2 DLCs Armored Fury and Euroforce are both free when you update your copy of Battlefield 2 to the latest version.

 

As for why they decided to make this MP DLC for free is likely two fold:

1 Most of this content is already on the disk and is just reused content, look at the characters you play in MP already their just the default models from single player. As for the maps the new maps seemed to be pull from single player areas. Condor being the Palvin moon area, Hydra looks like part of it is from Sactuary. Only the weapons seem to be new maybe with the exception of the Striker which kind of looks like the Argus.

 

2. In Peer to Peer MP games new content really divides the player base as people with the content would have issue playing with those with out it. Example You do a random Bronze lobby and dropped into a lobby where the host has the new content and you don't the map type is set to random you and the two other people don't have this content, what happens when the hosts computer random selects one of the new maps? The three users with out the content would then be booted on load as they don't have the map leaving the host utterly alone. Another Peer to Peer game on the PC that had a small player base was Space Marine, when they released the MP content for the game the player based was broken up into those that didn't have it and those that did. This caused a faster loss in the player base as more and more people had issue finding a game for the game mode they wanted and could play.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

All of the existing MP maps are drawn directly from SP areas, too. They're one for one copies of the N7 mission maps... remember all those times Hackett told Shepard "I'm sending in a team to secure the area"?

 

As far as the game checking to see who's got the content and who doesn't... it shouldn't be that hard for the server to run a check on the players who've joined and remove the DLC maps from the playlist for random selection if one or more don't have them. If they make it so that the server boots players instead... eh, that'd be sloppy work but not unforgivable considering that anyone who gets booted could go get the free maps and not get booted anymore. I just can't see much reason to complain about this one.

[gingersnapples]

I don't care about where it came from. that trailer made it look awesome. and that is why its gonna be on my hdd come the tenth.

 

its actually possible to make it so all of your squadmates--bar the virmire sacrifice and legion-- survive to the end

for mordin you have to choose not to reveal the sabatoge when prompted, and stop him with a charm/intimidate option

for thane, captian kirrahe has to survive virmire, and he will die in thane's place

for miranda, she must be loyal in ME 2 and be warned about kai leng, and lawson must be either persuaded or shot by shepard

 

Edited April 8, 2012 by gingersnapples

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Not entirely accurate...

 

 

Mordin's survival hinges on your betrayal of the Krogan- it is not possible to save Mordin and cure the genophage. If you opt to save Mordin, then Wrex will die- he is clever enough to know that the cure didn't work, and turns on Shepard for revenge (which also loses Shepard most of the Krogan War Assets). Wreav, however, is not as smart as his brother and will be fooled (thus Wrex has to have died on Virmire in order for the player to acquire both the Krogan and Salarian War Assets). It is not possible for both Mordin and Wrex to be alive after the end of the Priority: Tuchanka mission.

 

Thane is a tricky one- he will survive if and only if you haven't talked to him before the coup attempt and Kirrahe is also alive; in that case Kirrahe will be killed by Kai Leng. If you have talked to Thane in the hospital lobby, regardless of whether Kirrahe is alive or dead, Thane will be killed. Thereafter Kirrahe, if alive, becomes a War Asset (Thane, IIRC, does not transfer to War Assets even if he does survive). If both Thane and Kirrahe are dead or if Kirrahe is dead and you fail to talk to Thane before the coup, the Salarian councilor will be assassinated. While Kirrahe is not a former squadmate, you're still trading one character for another; both cannot survive.

 

Edited April 9, 2012 by Wrath_Of_Deadguy01

[marharth]

Wait thane can live?

 

I can't find a video anywhere for that.

[stabbykitteh]

Wait thane can live?

 

I can't find a video anywhere for that.

 

Also unaware he could live.

 

 

The Keprel's will still kill him, no? And you lose Kirrahe as a war asset and miss out on Thane's prayer for Shepard. That's one of the most touching scenes in the game imho.

 

[62firelight]

It's pretty much what you said, one of the most touching scenes in the game, and you miss out on it.

 

 

BTW, about Mordin living. You need to sabotage the cure, destroyed Maelon's data so Eve will die and Wrex dead. That way with enough Renegade/Paragon points you can persuade him to fake his death (from what I've heard) and he'll be a war asset. However, you'll be forced to shoot him or let him go if you fail to Charm/Intimidate him. This may not be that accurate because I've never tried it and the only time I've seen that Charm/Intimidate option is when my friend came over. I saw two grayed out options on the left that he didn't unlock, so he was forced to betray Mordin because he was a Renegade. Note that he did not import from ME2.

 

[SuperAxilla]

Just completed ME1. That was pretty good considering I ran into a few frustrating glitches. Nothing too bad though.

 

So, I get up this morning and an e-newsletter from Gamespot (http://www.gamespot.com/news/mass-effect-3-falsely-advertised-says-bbb-6371157) says the Better Business Bureau slammed ME3 for false advertising. Pretty wild. I think they've suffered enough. Maybe I'm biased. But I got ME3 and I liked it so much within the first few hours, I stopped to get 1 & 2. And I can't emphasize enough how much I really hate futuristic space-like games (I'm more of a real-time or retro medieval fantasy player). So for me to like Mass Effect is pretty scary, like saying the world is now a triangular shape instead of a sphere.

 

First the cupcakes (after Dr. Muzyk publicly announced a new/more complex ending will be released, then the homosexual content bashing from that group in Florida (honestly, look at where we are today and tell me 100 years from now, that nothing will advance for the G/L community, thus making this content in the game pretty normal/realistic and regardless of prejudice, Bioware took a bold step to cater to and allow our fellow gamers who live in a generation where lifestyle choices are more accepted, to enjoy this game) = one long run-on sentence. TES V & The Witcher 2 are basically the same way to an extent.

 

I don't get it and I kind of do. But reading the article, Stephens (the blogger for the BBB) takes the quotes from the ads "experience the beginning, middle, and end of an emotional story unlike any other, where the decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome." and deems them to be false, as these are "absolute statements" as she words it. After playing all three, the ad statement rings a bit true. But I can see where she gets it out of ME3. The RPG factor is limited to an extent in just ME3. Then the ad quote: "Along the way, your choices drive powerful outcomes, including relationships with key characters, the fate of entire civilizations, and even radically different ending scenarios." debunked by Stephens saying the outcome is not "wholly determined determined by one's choices." I'm thinking that basically is a statement on the Mass Effect trilogy in its entirety. But the endings are quite the same still, even though the players previous choices made, are factored in to the ending, so in my opinion, Biowares statement rings with some truth. Building on ME2 and 3, they made the decisions an important factor when playing 3, but they had to be limited to an extent in order to complete the "trilogy".

 

When are ad statements ever completely true for the most part? Tons of companies advertise claims that are not "absolute". It's advertising. But I hate to see such a great game get so beat up like it has. It's already filling the "#1 Game of the Year" slots for 2012 so far. In the past 3 weeks, I've played ME1 once, ME2 three times, and about to play through 3 a second time. So I'm having really getting more than my money's worth out of them. While it does have its issues, (and Bioware is actually listening to the fans and doing something about it) I just feel like it's getting too much negativity for such a great game. I'm sure many disagree with my opinions on this, and I completely respect that. So, now I'll step down from my "virtual soapbox".

[stabbykitteh]

Just completed ME1. That was pretty good considering I ran into a few frustrating glitches. Nothing too bad though.

 

So, I get up this morning and an e-newsletter from Gamespot (http://www.gamespot....ays-bbb-6371157) says the Better Business Bureau slammed ME3 for false advertising. Pretty wild. I think they've suffered enough. Maybe I'm biased. But I got ME3 and I liked it so much within the first few hours, I stopped to get 1 & 2. And I can't emphasize enough how much I really hate futuristic space-like games (I'm more of a real-time or retro medieval fantasy player). So for me to like Mass Effect is pretty scary, like saying the world is now a triangular shape instead of a sphere.

 

First the cupcakes (after Dr. Muzyk publicly announced a new/more complex ending will be released, then the homosexual content bashing from that group in Florida (honestly, look at where we are today and tell me 100 years from now, that nothing will advance for the G/L community, thus making this content in the game pretty normal/realistic and regardless of prejudice, Bioware took a bold step to cater to and allow our fellow gamers who live in a generation where lifestyle choices are more accepted, to enjoy this game) = one long run-on sentence. TES V & The Witcher 2 are basically the same way to an extent.

 

I don't get it and I kind of do. But reading the article, Stephens (the blogger for the BBB) takes the quotes from the ads "experience the beginning, middle, and end of an emotional story unlike any other, where the decisions you make completely shape your experience and outcome." and deems them to be false, as these are "absolute statements" as she words it. After playing all three, the ad statement rings a bit true. But I can see where she gets it out of ME3. The RPG factor is limited to an extent in just ME3. Then the ad quote: "Along the way, your choices drive powerful outcomes, including relationships with key characters, the fate of entire civilizations, and even radically different ending scenarios." debunked by Stephens saying the outcome is not "wholly determined determined by one's choices." I'm thinking that basically is a statement on the Mass Effect trilogy in its entirety. But the endings are quite the same still, even though the players previous choices made, are factored in to the ending, so in my opinion, Biowares statement rings with some truth. Building on ME2 and 3, they made the decisions an important factor when playing 3, but they had to be limited to an extent in order to complete the "trilogy".

 

When are ad statements ever completely true for the most part? Tons of companies advertise claims that are not "absolute". It's advertising. But I hate to see such a great game get so beat up like it has. It's already filling the "#1 Game of the Year" slots for 2012 so far. In the past 3 weeks, I've played ME1 once, ME2 three times, and about to play through 3 a second time. So I'm having really getting more than my money's worth out of them. While it does have its issues, (and Bioware is actually listening to the fans and doing something about it) I just feel like it's getting too much negativity for such a great game. I'm sure many disagree with my opinions on this, and I completely respect that. So, now I'll step down from my "virtual soapbox".

 

So glad you enjoyed ME1, you'll have so much more context for ME3. Not usually a shooter player myself, bought it because I loved DAO and had heard good things about the story (and femshep).

 

I can understand the disappointment with the end and think people definitely had every right to complain about it (just wanted to make that clear). I saw the entire game as an ending - but get that not everyone agrees. However it's gotten way out of hand. The bile, threats, and general nastiness on BSN, FB and twitter toward the devs and anyone who disagreed that the last 10 minutes completely ruined the whole experience have made me appreciate the relative sanity of the Nexus more than ever.

 

The Better Business Bureau thing is another symptom of how overblown it's become. Bioware basically has an "F" rating from the BBB because 48 people complained about the ending... Meanwhile the BBB is not above reproach itself (but hey their blog got some page hits - woot). Pretty meaningless, but still there are those patting themselves on the back over it, and people taking great joy in any evidence that they've hurt ME3's sales, etc. I don't get that stuff, it seems... counterproductive to try to hurt the company before they get a chance to show you their (completely free) solution.

 

So yeah - too much negativity. Lots of people hated ME2 when it was released... It will pass - eventually. Hopefully.

Edited April 13, 2012 by flummox

[moonlightbaaae]

Anyone want to join me in Mass Effect 3? Xbox 360 version.