Mass effect 3 + Kinect = :(

fieldy · 9 Jun 2011 at 13:43

Just looking over the footage from M$'s E3 press briefing and specifically the ME3 gameplay. Now I'll start by saying I love Mass effect (DA for that matter too) but I'm not a 'fanboy' I loved the first two games and i'm really looking forward to 3.

But am I alone in being pretty dissapointed that Bioware have had to shoe horn in kinect features? I mean the in battle commands looked ok but the speech thing just seemed completely pointless to me - saying one thing in order to select one of the options on the selection wheel and having Capt. Shepard say something completely different but meaning the same thing :confused:

It just seems to me that M$ have put the squeeze on BW to include Kinect features in order to try and get more people using kinect meaning that they have now had to delay the game from Oct to March and that they now run the risk of alienating ultra hard-core fans of the series. I'm sure you will be able to play it with standard controller just like ME 1 and 2 but TBH it was perfectly fine that way in the first place!

I'm a firm believer of the saying 'if it aint broke dont fix it' anyone else feel like this?

Mark1989 · 9 Jun 2011 at 13:48

Dont see any need for it either seems pretty pointless addition.

Ygg · 9 Jun 2011 at 13:53

I seriously doubt the delay is because of Kinect features...and they never gave the game a release date before anyway

fieldy · 9 Jun 2011 at 13:56

hmmm maybe but tbh the game looked finished when they showed the demo at E3 it just seems the delay would be for testing these new features and enhancing them.

As for realese date BW confirmed a Q4 2011 date which a lot of people made out to be Oct - I believe a number of online retailers were putting the 21st of oct as a realese date, but even if that was not accurate theres a big difference between q4 2011 and q2 2012

iamtheoneneo · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:39

well you dont have to use it so i dont see the problem?

Teaf · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:44

iamtheoneneo said:
well you dont have to use it so i dont see the problem?

This.

I don't get everyones hate towards it, you're not as far as I'm aware forced to use it, it just allows people who have Kinect to utilise those features if they wish.

Wyrdo · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:45

fieldy said:
saying one thing in order to select one of the options on the selection wheel and having Capt. Shepard say something completely different but meaning the same thing

Well that's exactly what happened in 1 and 2 just by selecting the options manually anyway. I have Kinect at home but won't be using it for Mass Effect 3 or any other games as I'd rather just use the controller for these types of games.

I am glad they're pushing this tech though, just think what it's going to be like in years to come?

Nymins · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:47

Yea the speech thing is stupid, more so because the speech options that appear in the game aren't actually what Shepard says.

But you don't need to use it, so there isn't a problem really.

RDM · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:48

fieldy said:
hmmm maybe but tbh the game looked finished when they showed the demo at E3 it just seems the delay would be for testing these new features and enhancing them.

As for realese date BW confirmed a Q4 2011 date which a lot of people made out to be Oct - I believe a number of online retailers were putting the 21st of oct as a realese date, but even if that was not accurate theres a big difference between q4 2011 and q2 2012

Q4 would suggest to me Jan-Mar 2012 as most companies tend to use fiscal years. Not to mention seeing what is being released in November this year saving something for the new year would probably be quite a good idea.

As an aside to the OP using M$ makes you look like you are 12...

Wyrdo · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:48

Nymins said:
Yea the speech thing is stupid, more so because the speech options that appear in the game aren't actually what Shepard says.

It's like that in 1 and 2 as well!

you want to read out word for word some length dialogue? It's just a means of selecting an on screen option.

Nymins · 9 Jun 2011 at 14:52

Wyrdo said:
It's like that in 1 and 2 as well!

you want to read out word for word some length dialogue? It's just a means of selecting an on screen option.

Yea I know, I have played and finished 1 and 2. But it seems odd actually talking out loud and something else being said on screen.

I have no problem just selecting the option, but other games which have similar speech interactions have the entire sentence (albeit shorter than ME sentences).

That type of interaction just doesn't seem to work with Kinect imo. Orders are fine, like "go there", "fire" etc.

fieldy · 9 Jun 2011 at 15:02

RDM said:
As an aside to the OP using M$ makes you look like you are 12...

O RLY! lol sorry 'll be sure to avoid that particular abbreviation in future!

I'm not against kinect at all in fact I loved what they did with Ghost recon and the whole 'gunsmith' thing its just seems with regards to ME3 its a gimmick. None of the new features really require kinect all of it could be done using a headset.

With the delay it just seems rather funny that ME3 was at least placed for a late 2011 release all of the sudden kinect functionality is included and we have to wait until March 2012 :confused:

maxilive · 9 Jun 2011 at 15:06

Kinect wouldn't of delayed it that much

I bet the Kinect features they showed probably took a few of the coders 2 weeks to implement due to Microsoft's API doing all of the hard work for developers.

RDM · 9 Jun 2011 at 15:15

fieldy said:
I'm not against kinect at all in fact I loved what they did with Ghost recon and the whole 'gunsmith' thing its just seems with regards to ME3 its a gimmick. None of the new features really require kinect all of it could be done using a headset.

But the Ghost Recon gunsmith can be done just as quickly (if not quicker) using a controller and so is pretty much a gimmick too.

fieldy said:
With the delay it just seems rather funny that ME3 was at least placed for a late 2011 release all of the sudden kinect functionality is included and we have to wait until March 2012

More likely they looked at the release schedule for Nov and thought "Nah, lets release it when there isn't quite so much competition!".

Nexus · 9 Jun 2011 at 15:34

You also have to remember that Video Games are a huge business now and it's not just about releasing a game the second it's ready.

Firstly, I always thought the release date was a little optimistic given the scale of the game and the delay between the first and second games.

Second and more importantly it's about maximizing profits. If you release at the end of the year, even with a AAA title you are going up against other huge AAA titles. COD, Battlefield, Gears of War 3, Halo Remake and all the other titles....

By releasing Mass Effect 3 in March though, they will have little in the way of competition and can be assured that if anybody buys a new game, that's what they are going to buy. It also falls just before the end of the financial year too. This is very similar to the film industry in assessing what the competition is doing and releasing at a time when you can make the most money. It's what they did with Mass Effect 2 and essentially had the market to themselves.

I actually quite like the look of the Kinect features.
It's nice that they have integrated something into a non-gimmicky game without it solely being about the Kinect. I will give you that the speaking the lines is kind of pointless, but telling your characters what to do is pretty clever. I'm sure they may have more instore by the time it gets released as well.

McDaniel · 10 Jun 2011 at 12:10

IS any one else really bored of being bitching and moaning about Kinect features which are completely optional? I assume the people moaning dont even have the Kinect device either so again... it does not impact the game in any way shape or form... just use the controller as you normally would? It's like moaning about having an Easy mode in a game which makes it less challenging... then dont choose Easy?

Also i highly doubt it's caused the delay in ME3 - essentially the Microsoft API will no doubt do the work understanding the voice command and it's as simple as pointing it to the desired action, in the same way moving the controller and press A will... it's not like they are rerecording speech or anything?

Seriously am I the only one who see's the benefit of this technology, it's a stepping stone to the future; where games will be fully immersive to an almost VR level (sure years and years and years away) - but it's such clever tech I for one love the innovation it's bringing! I agree that the Gunsmith in Ghost recon would be quicker with the controller, doesnt mean it's not a neat little feature...

Wyrdo · 10 Jun 2011 at 12:28

McDaniel said:
IS any one else really bored of being bitching and moaning about Kinect features which are completely optional? I assume the people moaning dont even have the Kinect device either so again... it does not impact the game in any way shape or form... just use the controller as you normally would? It's like moaning about having an Easy mode in a game which makes it less challenging... then dont choose Easy?

Also i highly doubt it's caused the delay in ME3 - essentially the Microsoft API will no doubt do the work understanding the voice command and it's as simple as pointing it to the desired action, in the same way moving the controller and press A will... it's not like they are rerecording speech or anything?

Seriously am I the only one who see's the benefit of this technology, it's a stepping stone to the future; where games will be fully immersive to an almost VR level (sure years and years and years away) - but it's such clever tech I for one love the innovation it's bringing! I agree that the Gunsmith in Ghost recon would be quicker with the controller, doesnt mean it's not a neat little feature...

I'm with you, like I said before - just imagine what games using this technology will be like in the coming years?

If you don't like the 'optional' feature, don't use it. Simple as.

fieldy · 10 Jun 2011 at 13:13

Guess I am the only one lol

McDaniel · 10 Jun 2011 at 13:14

fieldy said:
Guess I am the only one lol

Seems so you miserable git

fieldy · 10 Jun 2011 at 13:38

McDaniel said:
Seems so you miserable git

Thats not the first time someones called me that and probably not the last!

In answer to your post I really like kinect I dont however own one simply beacuse the room were I have my 360 setup is far too small.
I just dont want to see in a few years time a complete shift from controller based games and interfaces as 1. it will mean people who have stupidly small rooms (ME!) wont be able to play and 2. I feel really uncomfortable talking to my TV lol!
It just seems with Microsofts E3 press brief there was a big emphasis on kinect and pushing it to center stage - even the dash is being optimized for kinect control and I just get this feeling that MS are going to be doing away with the traditional controller in nearly all of there games in the near future.

*Sigh* I'll just go back to playing with my marbles - I seem to have lost a lot latley though!