*** Mass Effect 3 ***

[Matmulder]

So true, if adding ways to attract more players and therefore more money without ruining the core of the game then i'm all for it.

Ditto.

I think its a very good idea - if means nerds like me get closer to a proper RPG experience while still pleasing the action players, then I'm all for it. Rather this that the muddy middle-ground that most are going for.

Still...I'm sceptical about ME3. The vids I saw look too much like they're moving toward Gears of War with leaping about.

 

[Daveman23]

Still...I'm sceptical about ME3. The vids I saw look too much like they're moving toward Gears of War with leaping about.

Well, Mass Effect 2 did have the waist-high walls everywhere.

 

[Curunen]

The story/action/RPG choice is great - I might actually play story mode the first time, so as not to get too caught up on the combat, and also to complete it before the chance of spoilers.

And action mode will come into it's own for the nth playthrough, where you just want to test a strategy and build/squad on a particular mission.

 

[Vern1961]

Re Origin, I actually refused to install (or rather uninstalled) BF3, to avoid having this malware on the PC. Do we reckon ME3 will need to have Origin installed or will it not be required? I already cancelled my pre-order on the basis I'm no longer interested if it uses Origin DRM, even if it means missing out on a good game (and I really enjoyed ME 1 & ME2).

 

[Aedus]

Re Origin, I actually refused to install (or rather uninstalled) BF3, to avoid having this malware on the PC. Do we reckon ME3 will need to have Origin installed or will it not be required? I already cancelled my pre-order on the basis I'm no longer interested if it uses Origin DRM, even if it means missing out on a good game (and I really enjoyed ME 1 & ME2).

It's pretty much been said that ME3 will have MP, so you can guarantee it'll be tied to Origin.

 

[eggyoke]

After Dragon Age 2 I have very very low expectations for this game. I hope it's great though.

Same here. What worries me more is that shortly after the rage backlash of DA2, they delayed MA3 to March. I can only imagine the horrors they afflicted on the game.

Bioware need to get back to what made their games great and stop fooling around with nonsense direction short cuts and miscellaneous "bits-on-the-side" crap like Kinect and online mode.

If they mess this game up I'll be royally ****** at Bioware and I'll never look at them the same. Still can't get over what they did with DA2, it made me cancel my pre-order of MA3. I'll wait for reviews before blindly buying it.

 

[DisrupTor75]

Ill probably end up buying it just to complete the set with already haviing the 1st and 2nd but im dubious if they can live up to the expectations.

 

[unwashed potato!]

i'm sceptical with ME3 too. ME1 was great, ME2 improved some stuff, story was of course brilliant, but the fighting was pure pants. just duck and shoot that's all it was. i fear me3 will be even more of this style.

 

[Pighardia]

I am still massively looking forward to it, and will definitely get it on day one. However, I am worried about all the crap they seem to be adding which seems to be adding nothing to the actual games. I will not touch multiplayer and would not use Kinect if I had it! Seriouysly, who wants multiplayer in ME?

The only thing that I think might work in our favour is that DA2 was so bad that they will want to make up for it.

 

[Redman]

Ill probably end up buying it just to complete the set with already haviing the 1st and 2nd but im dubious if they can live up to the expectations.

Yeah I'll definitely get it, but I'm fully expecting this to be almost completely brainless & sanitised. I'm genuinely surprised that more people don't see the addition of an 'action' mode as a problem, it's yet another step away from what created the series in the first place, hell what created the developers in the first place. Aim to attract everyone & you'll please no-one, and whatever 'extras' are added to the game always shifts focus from the core, regardless of intention.

Yes I know I don't have to play that mode, but the fact it's there means there's now a 'canon' list of decisions, and even less reason to flesh out the non-canon routes & choices.

Maybe I'm just cynical, I fully expect the next DA or ME to install & play itself while I watch and then tell me how amazing I am whilst giving me xbox achievements & posting to bookface about how fantastic I, EA, and the game is.

 

[Tombo]

Re Origin, I actually refused to install (or rather uninstalled) BF3, to avoid having this malware on the PC. Do we reckon ME3 will need to have Origin installed or will it not be required? I already cancelled my pre-order on the basis I'm no longer interested if it uses Origin DRM, even if it means missing out on a good game (and I really enjoyed ME 1 & ME2).

Maybe if you weren't such a paranoid girl you wouldn't have uninstalled Origin?

Malware, ***** please.

 

[Vern1961]

Maybe if you weren't such a paranoid girl you wouldn't have uninstalled Origin?

Malware, ***** please.

Ignoring your personal comment, possibly bordering on breach of the forum CoC, unless you work for EA, what possible benefit do you accrue to cluttering players' PC's up with garbage like Origin when a simple online unlock of the key code would do?

You just have to read the reviews of BF3 on a well known Internet retailer to see I'm not the only one concerned about the potential invasion of privacy these "jackets" represent. I already have Steam, Rockstar Social Club and various iterations of Securom on my PC, I can well live without another one nosing around my files.

Ultimately, my choice, hopefully if enough people boycott games that enforce this type of DRM, the publishers might change their minds? I am resigned to unlocking the install code on-line, that's here to stay, but persistent copy protection and having to play via a web server is a joke - especially for the SP game.

 

[Cliste]

Well I wouldn't go as far as calling it malware, but some of the things I've read about Origin snooping around your hard drives seems a bit crappy alright.

 

[ic1male]

It has been confirmed that ME3 will require a one-time activation via Origin for both digital and retail versions. Multiplayer will require a constant connection via Origin.

Will Origin be a requirement to play all versions of Mass Effect 3? (Digital and/or from a retail brick and mortar store)

Yes, Origin is required for all PC editions of Mass Effect 3, physical or digital.

Is constant Origin connection required or is it a single one off authentication when the game is first installed. Is there also a limit to the number of installations available?

Mass Effect 3 will require a one time, single authorization for the single player game. There is no limit to the number of installs. Playing Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer will require a constant connection.

Is Origin required for the retail versions of the game?

Origin is required for the PC versions of Mass Effect 3, both physical and digital.

Will ME3 be available on Steam?

During initial release Mass Effect 3 will be available on Origin and a number of other 3rd party digital retailers, but not on Steam at this time. Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content. We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game, and are happy to partner with any download service that does not restrict our ability to connect directly with our consumers.

Is there an opt in or opt out clause for data collection?

Users will be allowed to opt-out of Mass Effect 3 data collection from inside the game.

I’ve seen reports that Origin is spyware. Is this true?

Origin is not spyware, and does not use or install spyware on user’s machines. In order to allow Origin to install games and their patches for everyone to use, Origin implements a permission change that results in Windows, not Origin, reviewing the filenames in the ProgramData/Origin folder. This is an ordinary Windows function, not an information-gathering process.

 

[Vern1961]

One off activation I could probably live with then, as I'm not interested in the MP application. Let's just hope it doesn't try downloading a 4Gb patch straight off as was the case with BF3 = 10% of my monthly bandwidth!

 

[ic1male]

I still don't understand what Steam's beef with EA is.

I recently bought TDU2 from Steam and on startup it downloads a mahoosive patch at an incredible slow speed (approx 100kb/sec). Now why wasn't this integrated into Steam? What about Games for Windows Live titles? You have to log in to a separate client there and it handles patches and DLC, too. So why are Steam up in arms about Origin when it does the same thing?

 

[Deific]

Steam up in arms about origin?

Please direct me to anywhere that steam is 'up in arms' about it.

EA want to capitalize on the money their games make without a third party distributer taking a cut, which is why they aren't putting their games on steam. How is that steams fault?

 

[ic1male]

EA want to capitalize on the money their games make without a third party distributer taking a cut, which is why they aren't putting their games on steam. How is that steams fault?

Well EA make it sound like they won't put their games on Steam because Valve wants to approve all DLC and patches going through its system.

As the EA mouthpiece speaks - "Steam has adopted a set of restrictive terms of service which limit how developers interact with customers to deliver patches and other downloadable content."

 

[Angst]

We are intent on providing Mass Effect to players with the best possible experience no matter where they purchase or play their game

Obviously not if its directly linked to origin

 

[Deific]

Just an excuse, and all steam are doing is trying to protect customers who purchase on steam, so that they get the same experience as anyone else. However the real reason, is EA wants in on what steam has.