Mass Effect 2

[Upset Spideyfan]

Sorry if this has been discussed already, but did anyone notice the new trophies for dlc called "the arrival" after the last patch? Im guessing if they already added the trophies for it, it can't be too far away right?

I suspect Arrival to be released in anywhere from 2-4 months. I'm just really happy that Bioware came through this time around on their promise of post-release DLC. I wonder if we're going to see any content set after the end of ME3.

 

[El Bastardo]

Do you guys found yourself running out of ammo for a particular weapon early in the game? In the Archangel mission, I ran out of assault rifle ammo when Shepard was in the basement, and had to make do with the pistol and shotgun until they returned to the top. As someone who is accustomed of never running out of ammo in ME1, it is rather frustrating to be forced into using another weapon. Also, after I picked up a new assault rifle later in the mission, I was forced to use that one even after acquiring more ammo but I could not switch it back because there was no weapon rack nearby. Just some of the things that I still can't get used to in ME2.

Well, the assault rifle Shepard was using came from the DLC, so I assumed it was at least decent. Kinda disappointed to discover that it'd be replaced so quickly.

I just find this weapon locker to be extremely inconvenient, since we used to be able to swap weapons on the fly and not having to rely on the locker to do so. And this is also why I haven't used the Arc Reactor yet, because I always picked the rocket launcher due to its range.

As was already applied, there really is a giant surplus of heat sinks in that level - in pretty much every level, to be honest. Since you're using an assault rifle at that early mission, I'm assuming you're playing a Soldier. You might prefer to use the AR, but as a Soldier, you're giving up powers for the ability to make use of every weapon but a sub-machine gun. And the Archangel mission is a good example of strategic use of the different weapons - in the basement, for example, you should probably want to use the shotgun and/or pistol because everything's coming at you and it's relatively close-quarters.

There is/was a weapons locker right before you head down to the first basement door, so you could have swapped out the Vindicator (AR you picked up) for your old AR, had you wanted to. Alternatively, you should learn to use the Vindicator well, which is to say, learn to squeeze off head-shots. Adrenaline Rush + Vindicator headshot = dead everything.

If you're running out of ammo that quickly, you probably just need some practice shooting straight. You'll get better at it.

Regarding heavy weapons, ha, I barely even use them on my Soldier. I remember making judicious use of the Cain during my Insanity playthrough, but that was really just to nuke the two Praetorians in the game.

 

[Raiden]

As was already applied, there really is a giant surplus of heat sinks in that level - in pretty much every level, to be honest. Since you're using an assault rifle at that early mission, I'm assuming you're playing a Soldier. You might prefer to use the AR, but as a Soldier, you're giving up powers for the ability to make use of every weapon but a sub-machine gun. And the Archangel mission is a good example of strategic use of the different weapons - in the basement, for example, you should probably want to use the shotgun and/or pistol because everything's coming at you and it's relatively close-quarters.

There is/was a weapons locker right before you head down to the first basement door, so you could have swapped out the Vindicator (AR you picked up) for your old AR, had you wanted to. Alternatively, you should learn to use the Vindicator well, which is to say, learn to squeeze off head-shots. Adrenaline Rush + Vindicator headshot = dead everything.

If you're running out of ammo that quickly, you probably just need some practice shooting straight. You'll get better at it.

Regarding heavy weapons, ha, I barely even use them on my Soldier. I remember making judicious use of the Cain during my Insanity playthrough, but that was really just to nuke the two Praetorians in the game.

Yes, I'm playing my Soldier (import from ME1). The reason why I couldn't swap out the AR is because I found the new weapon near the end, after I returned to the top of the apartment to see Garrus. The locker was at the basement, and the waves were about to start, so I didn't go down there. It just seems mighty inconvenient since we can switch weapons freely in ME1, but not in the sequel.

In fact, there are many changes that occurred in ME2 and made it vastly different than its predecessor. Here are some things on top of my head:

New skill system
Required to use weapon locker to change weapons
New upgrade system
New body part targeting system
No overheat/need to reload ammo
Cannot view stat on weapons
Ability to customize the color scheme of armor
No mini-map without holding of button
No access to map in the menu
No Marko
Less abilities to use per character
New ammo system
New abilities tied to loyalty

etc etc.

There are some changes that I love (body part target system, can customize armor appearance, new ammo system), some that I'm ambiguous about (new upgrade system, new skill system), and some that I really hate (can't swap weapons, less abilities, no map). Look, I've brought almost all the DLC except Overload and Equalizer Pack, and the alt. appearance packs, and overall it's been alot of fun, but part of me wonder why they made so many drastic changes. I do believe the old saying of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I'm not saying that Bioware should've kept everything's the same, but it seems like they weren't happy with ME1 and wanted to change the game fundamentally.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

It seems to me that BioWare has been attempting to streamline their games so they're less about RPG minutiae like managing various skills and items and stuff and more about action and sucking players into the story. That's the impression I get from the ME 2 and now DA 2 changes we've seen.

 

[Raiden]

It seems to me that BioWare has been attempting to streamline their games so they're less about RPG minutiae like managing various skills and items and stuff and more about action and sucking players into the story. That's the impression I get from the ME 2 and now DA 2 changes we've seen.

That could be the case, but players who love ME1 are probably into the RPG elements from the first game, like managing skill pts, allocating various upgrades between armors and weapons, and pick between the myriad of skills to use during the combat. I like the action in ME2, which felt like it's been amped up somehow, but I also feel more handicapped compared to ME1. And I also get bored of choosing between two abilities for each characters during combat (I haven't done their loyalty missions yet), and having to stick with the weapons you selected prior to the start of the mission. I'll probably try to find out more about ME3 and see if Bioware will keep the changes in ME2, or do another facelift in the last part of the trilogy.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

It seems to me that BioWare has been attempting to streamline their games so they're less about RPG minutiae like managing various skills and items and stuff and more about action and sucking players into the story. That's the impression I get from the ME 2 and now DA 2 changes we've seen.

http://www.psuni.com/bioware-10-million-is-our-target-4195/

It would seem this is sales motivated.
More people play, more money.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Pretty much everything in game development is sales-motivated at this point, so that's not surprising. I'm sure that's why the Old Republic era looks way more like the movies' era, from ships to armor, in The Old Republic than it did in Knights of the Old Republic, too.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Yea, it's why it's more stylized also, run on more machines with less effect on visuals.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

That I'm never against. Stylized art is more memorable to me than going the photorealistic route anyway, so the fact that it's also easier on hardware is just a bonus.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

Ages better as well. I think 2 years from now Team Fortress 2 will probably still look great. While Call Of Duty: Black OP's will look more dated. Another good example would probably be World Of Warcraft and Okami (or whateve it's called, the wolf game).

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Yep. Although, to be fair, technology's at a level now where the games striving for photorealism will still probably look pretty good in another few years too.

 

[socool]

Ages better as well. I think 2 years from now Team Fortress 2 will probably still look great. While Call Of Duty: Black OP's will look more dated. Another good example would probably be World Of Warcraft and Okami (or whateve it's called, the wolf game).

World of Warcraft hasnt looked good since it released.

 

[Benstamania]

I loved ME1 and I think ME2 is about a bajillion times better. I hated the inventory system in ME1.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Only part of ME 1 I hated were the driving segments. Less so when I replayed it, though. Surprising. But I definitely didn't miss the inventory system in ME 2 or anything.

 

[eternalinferno]

I haven't played 1 but I do hope bioware adds some more rpg elements into ME3, I love 2 as it is just think adding that would make a better game

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I loved ME1 and I think ME2 is about a bajillion times better. I hated the inventory system in ME1.

I agree. I think a lot of those things in ME1 are okay the first time you play it, but on replays they just drag and drag the game down.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

World of Warcraft hasnt looked good since it released.

Looks alright to me.

Spoiler

Please don't argue back as it's subjective making any argument pointless.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I really don't like that art style but I think its held up well enough for what it is.

I hold MMO's up to an entirely different standard when judging graphics.

 

[Benstamania]

I've always liked WoW's graphics. The lastest exspansion even made them look a bit better... or so it seems.

 

[The Squirrel]

Please don't argue back as it's subjective making any argument pointless.

And yet you reply/argue back to everything.

WOW looks bad, even with it's cartoon graphics. But TF2 does look pretty good.

 

[Soapy]

World of Warcraft is a really beautiful game in my opinion.

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Note: I had my view distance turned way down in the third shot.

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

And yet you reply/argue back to everything.

I see an opinion, not an argument about who's opinion is right.

World of Warcraft is a really beautiful game in my opinion.

Pretty much every Blizzard game has top notch art direction.

 

[El Bastardo]

That could be the case, but players who love ME1 are probably into the RPG elements from the first game, like managing skill pts, allocating various upgrades between armors and weapons, and pick between the myriad of skills to use during the combat. I like the action in ME2, which felt like it's been amped up somehow, but I also feel more handicapped compared to ME1. And I also get bored of choosing between two abilities for each characters during combat (I haven't done their loyalty missions yet), and having to stick with the weapons you selected prior to the start of the mission. I'll probably try to find out more about ME3 and see if Bioware will keep the changes in ME2, or do another facelift in the last part of the trilogy.

I'm just quoting this so you know the reply is toward you, mostly.

I'm a BioWare fan through and through. Luckily for me, I'm not one of the really whiny BioWare fans who bemoan their existence and literally every change BioWare makes to a game. Also luckily for me, BioWare does not cater toward that brand of fans.

Considering I grew up playing JRPGs, usually powergaming my way through them, I can say I certainly do enjoy all the RPG elements there involved - as Corp puts it, RPG minutiae. And I'm a huge fan of ME1 and all its wonderful little flaws. But let's face facts: the inventory was horrid, lack of variety in terms of weapons/armor for teammates was a drawback, combat was slow and lumpy, you could usually use an individual skill only once per encounter, and level 60 was pretty meaningless and overkill.

So these are the things BioWare addressed for the sequel, done so in such a way that, really, the only people *****ing about it were/are the fans who bemoan any change BioWare might make. ME2 combat is amped up and faster, as you stated yourself, and this primarily stems from the significantly-reduced power times. To that effect, the game and its characters don't need as many skills/powers, which makes for more definitive classes, especially with the introduction of (more) class-specific powers (Charge, Cloak, etc.).

So you picked the Vindicator up late in the mission. So you had to fight off a wave or two of enemies with it. It -is- an obscenely powerful weapon, so how this is a drawback is beyond me. And are you really limited by a smaller number of squadmember skills, or does it just seem that way? Miranda can fire off multiple high-strength Overloads or Warps per encounter at even an early level. What would Kaidan be throwing around in early levels of ME1?

That ME2 was so well-received should speak volumes that the improvements made were actual improvements. This doesn't even need to be considered, however, being that the improvements make the play of the game so much more smooth.

 

[Soapy]

Good points, but to put some folks' worries to rest, it's already been established that ME3 is going to have more or improved RPG elements.

 

[TheCorpulent1]

Multiple use of powers in one encounter is one of the best improvements ME 2 made to the original. Setting up Pull/Warp combos just makes my day. It almost never gets old to me, and on the few occasions it does, I just throw another power out and then switch back to the combo. Much funliness.