****MASS EFFECT : ANDROMEDA****

Keep trying to have long sessions on this and I just can't usual last an hour maybe 2 max as majority of quests are a snore and most of the crew are just uninteresting characters. :/
 
I'm not sure on that mark - but each their own; I tend to do about 20-30 minute let's play videos when I'm play Andromeda ...... almost finished up lets play modded me3.....lets just say that was a lot of rage and holy crap I forgot how good these parts are.....:D and with MHME ending - literally no stupid arse starchild.......at all.......and the game makes even more sense....without him :D
 
Well I seem to have solved my crashing issue by turning off Temporal Anti Aliasing.

However, 2 new bugs now.

1) The game got stuck on some sort of loading loop after my vehicle went out of bounds
2) Now the game doesn't let me extract to or enter the Tempest whilst I am on EOS, so I am completely stuck.

Can't believe the state of it still!
 
Finished this now, I rate it 4/10, There is an okayish game buried under all the pointless crap e.g. scan this, same quests just on a different planet etc, lack of character building with the crew, the crew is also mostly dull as ****, Peebee,Drack only two i liked by the end. Its had many patches but the animation is beyond fixing its just going to stay broken and ruin any scene that is supposed to convey emotion and reaction which is a shame really.

Most disappointing game of the year :( ill erase this from mass effect history as 1-3 really were amazing for me, this just meh
 
Mark1989 said:
Keep trying to have long sessions on this and I just can't usual last an hour maybe 2 max as majority of quests are a snore and most of the crew are just uninteresting characters. :/
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Sadly that's what happens when you hire extremely mediocre devs and writers for maximum profit, With the exception of The Witcher 3, Gone are the days of a game that has got good story, Characters, Voice acting, Gameplay and graphics all in 1 package.
 
Dicehunter said:
Sadly that's what happens when you hire extremely mediocre devs and writers for maximum profit, With the exception of The Witcher 3, Gone are the days of a game that has got good story, Characters, Voice acting, Gameplay and graphics all in 1 package.
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I managed to battle through and finish it see above, was a struggle though. I won't be revisiting it again even if they did good dlc. Shame they ruined what was one of my favourite franchise
 
Some questions:
Why didn't they use the proven Unreal 4 engine instead of their flawed Frostbite engine?
How much did ME: A cost to develop precisely?
Why was the Nexus so unrealistically massive in size compared to the arks?
How is terraforming planets remotely difficult compared possessing technology capable of travelling the 2.54 million light-years between galaxies?
 
PanMaster said:
Some questions:

Why didn't they use the proven Unreal 4 engine instead of their flawed Frostbite engine?
I’ve not read anything that states exactly why, the development team had poor and inexperienced leadership from the start and influence from EA to use their engine would have probably had an effect on the decision.

Frostbite may not have been the ideal engine for ME:A in its current state but it is not at fault for many of the issues present in the finished game. The constant change in scope and direction left an inexperienced and from all reports under staffed development team little time to properly utilize it. Dragon Age Inquisition, an RPG, used frostbite…

How much did ME: A cost to develop precisely?
About 40 million is reported. While certainly not a small budget it won’t even come in the top 50 most expensive games ever made, GTAV was close to 140 million.


Why was the Nexus so unrealistically massive in size compared to the arks?
Not sure I understand the question... from a 'in game POV' the Nexus was meant to be similar to the Citadel which dwarfed even the largest fleet ships.


How is terraforming planets remotely difficult compared possessing technology capable of travelling the 2.54 million light-years between galaxies?
The technology used was not invented by any of the species currently ‘active’ it in the Milky Way. Without going into the lore none of the current spacefaring races would have even left their own systems where it not for information left behind (either intentionally or otherwise) by MUCH older races.

Even the Asari, who have had access to the information for the longest, have a very limited understanding of how to fully use the tech compared to the original creators, plus I would assume strapping an engine to a ship and pointing it in a certain direction would be much easier then terraforming a network of planets when someone’s already told you how to make the engine.
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Hope that helps.


Like others I'm currently trying to get into a second play through of the game but I just can't, knowing what's around every corner really highlights the poorest aspects of the game.

I hope the 'real' Bioware take note because unless Anthem or the next Dragon Age are a resounding success I fear we may not see a proper Mass Effect game again.
 
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Well I tried the trial on Saturday morning, played four hours straight until I hit the cut-off point for the single-player and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I had to do a few other things until early afternoon but felt the itch to return to the game so decided to buy it. I'm now 16 hours in and although I recognise some flaws, they really aren't keeping me from enjoying it immensely. My replay of the original trilogy was my favourite gaming experience of 2015 and I'm really enjoying playing another game in that universe, and it does feel like a Mass Effect game to me at least. Maybe it'll start to wear on me as I continue but I currently don't understand the amount of hate it's been receiving (outside of the early technical problems) and hope that I keep enjoying it!

Just for some context on games that it is usually compared to:

I was definitely more attached to the original trilogy's characters by the end, but probably not by the 16-hour mark.
I loved Witcher 3 but Andromeda feels better to control and play (W3 combat never really clicked for me.) Witcher certainly has better writing but only about 3 lines of dialogue have bothered me at all so far in MEA.
I played Dragon Age Inquisition after Witcher 3 and loved it, although wished it had been balanced more towards story than grindy quests.

After playing and really enjoying AC Unity and Arkham Knight after waiting for them to be "fully" patched up, and now enjoying Andromeda so much, I think there must be at least something about a game having an awful first impression due to technical issues that can make people less forgiving when they get around to it, even if the technical state of the game isn't the only negative feedback MEA is getting.

It's a shame that it's been such a disappointment for so many people, but at least some players have been able to get some enjoyment out of it :)
 
PayneUK said:
Hope that helps.
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The $40m figure is almost certainly made-up and seems far too low compared to Battlefield 4 ($100m) given ME is EA's most popular franchise and was the most popular game at Computex.

The Nexus is too large as in far too much mass to have been believable with no plausible explanation how it magically appeared with no propulsion systems or shielding to survive the intergalactic trip. If they could send so much material then why not make the arks bigger? It doesn't make any sense especially when it requires the arks to power it.
 
PanMaster said:
The $40m figure is almost certainly made-up and seems far too low compared to Battlefield 4 ($100m) given ME is EA's most popular franchise and was the most popular game at Computex.

The Nexus is too large as in far too much mass to have been believable with no plausible explanation how it magically appeared with no propulsion systems or shielding to survive the intergalactic trip. If they could send so much material then why not make the arks bigger? It doesn't make any sense especially when it requires the arks to power it.
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Maybe so but even if Mass Effect was EA's most popular franchise (it's not) then why would they have given it to Bioware's B (closer to C) team while they allowed their more prominent and experienced studio's to work on Anthem (and it seems Dragon Age)?. Plus a 40 million development budget is far from low, the reported numbers don't include marketing costs so I find the it quite believable, especially considering how badly treated the IP was.

I didn't really put much thought into how the Nexus got there, I guess you don't technically need a propulsion system to get from A to B in space and as long as it's not making any manoeuvres mass has little impact. As long as they pointed it in the right direction and they gave it a big enough push it would get there... stopping on the other hand :D

But your touching on one of the biggest gripes with the game, it's not the animations, bugs, crashes and such that are the biggest problem, its the below average writing that does the biggest injustice.

edited as the first post was a little more aggressive then intended, I've now eaten and feel much better :)
 
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Mark1989 said:
Finished this now, I rate it 4/10, There is an okayish game buried under all the pointless crap e.g. scan this, same quests just on a different planet etc, lack of character building with the crew, the crew is also mostly dull as ****, Peebee,Drack only two i liked by the end. Its had many patches but the animation is beyond fixing its just going to stay broken and ruin any scene that is supposed to convey emotion and reaction which is a shame really.

Most disappointing game of the year :( ill erase this from mass effect history as 1-3 really were amazing for me, this just meh
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Pretty much my thoughts as well. So much potential was wasted.
 
Spot of musical chairs going on at Bioware.

Casey Hudson returns. Source

From Casey Hudson, Incoming General Manager of BioWare

Almost twenty years ago, I decided to apply for a job as a technical artist at a local video game company in Edmonton. Young, and fresh out of University, I’m not sure what I expected it to lead to. But it was the beginning of a career full of experiences and shared accomplishments I never could have dreamed of. So when I left BioWare three years ago, it was the most difficult decision of my career. I needed some time off, needed a bit of change, and wanted to get involved in the new wave of disruptive technologies that were emerging.

The last few years have been transformative for me, from having time to reflect on what I most want to do, to working with new technologies at platform scale. And now, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to return to lead BioWare – a studio that I think of as home.

I’d also like to wish my good friend Aaryn Flynn the very best in the future. Aaryn and I have worked together from the earliest days of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, to setting the foundation for Anthem. We’ve been through a lot together, and we’re all going to miss his presence at the studio.

I think I speak for everyone who has worked with Aaryn – and our fans – when I say thank you for everything. BioWare continues to hold a special magic – full of profoundly talented people, and an inspiring creative energy. When I look at the stunning progress Aaryn and the team has made with Anthem, and the other projects in the works, I truly believe our best is yet to come.
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And Aaryn Flynn leaves. Source

From Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare

After 17 years with BioWare, today I announced that I’ll be leaving the studio at the end of July, and that Casey Hudson is returning to Edmonton to take on the role of General Manager for BioWare.

I joined BioWare in Edmonton right out of University. I was privileged to get a chance to join a group of people working on the coolest, most creative things I could imagine. Growing up at BioWare, the events in my life are intimately intertwined with events at the studio. I got married just after we finished Neverwinter Nights. My first son was born while we were wrapping up Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, while my second son was born right after Jade Empire.

From my first day until now, I have learned much, met great colleagues and friends, and got the chance to help give players some truly incredible experiences. Every time I think I’ve found a favourite game making experience, we start something new and somehow find fun and satisfaction in the new challenges.

I have been contemplating changes in my own life for some time, but when I heard that Casey had confirmed he was up for the task, I realized the opportunities before us. I will be working with him over the next couple of weeks to help catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be.

In closing, let me thank our players for everything they’ve given us over these many years, and to say from the bottom of my heart how important you are to me and the rest of BioWare. I have gone to work every day knowing that I am fortunate to have all of the opportunities I have had at BioWare because of you. Doing whatever I could to help our developers create some of the best games in the industry for you all has been the most humbling experience of my life. Now, I’ll be playing BioWare’s games in the future from an exciting new perspective – yours

Aaryn
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tomd96 said:
Well I tried the trial on Saturday morning, played four hours straight until I hit the cut-off point for the single-player and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I had to do a few other things until early afternoon but felt the itch to return to the game so decided to buy it. I'm now 16 hours in and although I recognise some flaws, they really aren't keeping me from enjoying it immensely. My replay of the original trilogy was my favourite gaming experience of 2015 and I'm really enjoying playing another game in that universe, and it does feel like a Mass Effect game to me at least. Maybe it'll start to wear on me as I continue but I currently don't understand the amount of hate it's been receiving (outside of the early technical problems) and hope that I keep enjoying it!

Just for some context on games that it is usually compared to:

I was definitely more attached to the original trilogy's characters by the end, but probably not by the 16-hour mark.
I loved Witcher 3 but Andromeda feels better to control and play (W3 combat never really clicked for me.) Witcher certainly has better writing but only about 3 lines of dialogue have bothered me at all so far in MEA.
I played Dragon Age Inquisition after Witcher 3 and loved it, although wished it had been balanced more towards story than grindy quests.

After playing and really enjoying AC Unity and Arkham Knight after waiting for them to be "fully" patched up, and now enjoying Andromeda so much, I think there must be at least something about a game having an awful first impression due to technical issues that can make people less forgiving when they get around to it, even if the technical state of the game isn't the only negative feedback MEA is getting.

It's a shame that it's been such a disappointment for so many people, but at least some players have been able to get some enjoyment out of it :)
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I only finished it recently and really loved it overall and this was playing straight after ME1 and ME2 (just playing ME3 now). It loses that tight mission, story, mission story element of the originals but I enjoyed the openness of it. I didn't even miss the original cast at all really when using Drack, Peebee and Vetra for example (the humans are awful though).

It was enlightening playing them all at the same time as many of the criticisms leveled at MEA are also blatantly abundant in the original games. The awkward pauses in conversations that shouldn't be there, really bad facial issues, conversations where the camera throws a fit and you can't see anyone who is talking, the writing being really no better etc. MEA is a newer game using better tech but it's funny how these problems only seem to become a problem in Andromeda but didn't put people off of the originals.

I think we now almost seem programmed to hate something that is a new game/film etc rebooting an older much loved franchise because many of the issues in MEA are also obvious in the originals.
 
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