The Official Mass Effect Thread

[Thundercrack85]

I just want to be able to play as different races. Please Bioware, if you're listening.

An alien protagonist would be pretty cool.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I am hoping they avoid the Dragone Age thing when it comes to a main character. If they want to go alien, that is fine. But pick a specific race like the first series of Mass Effect. I also wouldn't be against them picking a sex. I'd probably prefer it.

 

[Iceman]

Female alien

 

[Thundercrack85]

I prefer that as well.

I'd rather have a single very detailed setting, with a single alien protagonist, than be able to choose, and have a vague backstory, with a bunch of underdeveloped interchangeable worlds.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Female alien

A female Quarian or an Asari would be great imo.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I prefer that as well.

I'd rather have a single very detailed setting, with a single alien protagonist, than be able to choose, and have a vague backstory, with a bunch of underdeveloped interchangeable worlds.

Oh lord yes. It is one of my major problems getting into Dragon Age. I enjoy it, but I just don't feel connected. I was always connected to my Shepard.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

I guess I'm in the minority for wanting a human protagonist, then.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I think you could let sex be optional.

I have no clue what they're planning with this game, but I really enjoyed Halo 2, where it just showed us a completely different alien perspective. And even that didn't go too into detail, like showing the alien's cultures, home planets, etc. Which a series like this could do.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I guess I'm in the minority for wanting a human protagonist, then.

Could have more than one always.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I guess I'm in the minority for wanting a human protagonist, then.

I'd prefer a human protagonist, but it is not a deal breaker to me. If they want to go alien, I just hope they make that decision outright, and not go wishy washy with it.

 

[Brother Jack]

I prefer that as well.

I'd rather have a single very detailed setting, with a single alien protagonist, than be able to choose, and have a vague backstory, with a bunch of underdeveloped interchangeable worlds.

That's Bioware's MO though, is it not? The ability to customize your character so such a minute degree falls in line with the choice-driven narratives their games adhere to. Your own Shepherd or Inquisitor is uniquely "yours" not just in player choice but in appearance as well.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think you could let sex be optional.

I have no clue what they're planning with this game, but I really enjoyed Halo 2, where it just showed us a completely different alien perspective. And even that didn't go too into detail, like showing the alien's cultures, home planets, etc. Which a series like this could do.

Halo 2 is like Sons of Liberty to me. No likey.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

That's Bioware's MO though, is it not? The ability to customize your character so such a minute degree falls in line with the choice-driven narratives their games adhere to. Your own Shepherd or Inquisitor is uniquely "yours" not just in player choice but in appearance as well.

Shepherd has a base though. It is one of the reasons why the fight for Earth was so anticipated. It was why they could run with the "first human spectre" idea. Now imagine if your Shepard could be any of the other prominent races in Mass Effect. The game loses a lot of its gusto.

 

[Thundercrack85]

But not simply because of the Arbiter being playable presumably.

 

[Thundercrack85]

That's Bioware's MO though, is it not? The ability to customize your character so such a minute degree falls in line with the choice-driven narratives their games adhere to. Your own Shepherd or Inquisitor is uniquely "yours" not just in player choice but in appearance as well.

Yes. But, I wouldn't mind them trying something new.

Honestly, wouldn't a story be more compelling if you had a character with real tangible investment in things? Like imagine if Shepherd actually had family on Earth (I recall an offhand mention of him having a mother).

A lot of these (Bioware) characters feel like they have no real personal history prior to the start of whatever game they're in. I'm not a fan of that.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

But not simply because of the Arbiter being playable presumably.

That is part of it, but it had a lot more problems. However, shifting the games focus during what should have been the pivotal protection of Earth never sat right with me. Especially with the truncated no ending.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Isn't it Shepard, not Shepherd?

 

[Thundercrack85]

That is part of it, but it had a lot more problems. However, shifting the games focus during what should have been the pivotal protection of Earth never sat right with me. Especially with the truncated no ending.

Yeah... only then to return to Earth for Halo 3... to leave it again. That was an odd writing choice.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Isn't it Shepard, not Shepherd?

Yes, yes it is. I saw Shepherd, so I just wrote Shepherd. One of those names I'm never sure how to spell. Like Hilary and Hillary.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah... only then to return to Earth for Halo 3... to leave it again. That was an odd writing choice.

Halo 2 was a clear a rush job, saved by the majestic MP. The writing was second draft stuff.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yes, yes it is. I saw Shepherd, so I just wrote Shepherd. One of those names I'm never sure how to spell. Like Hilary and Hillary.

Oh, I have a few of those myself. I just saw you both spelling it that way, and I thought I had lost my mind a bit.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Nah, but if the next game inexplicably spells it Shepherd... then maybe.

But let me ask you guys something, since Brother Jack made me wonder. Do you ever feel like any of these characters are uniquely yours? Because I don't.

 

[Brother Jack]

Shepherd has a base though. It is one of the reasons why the fight for Earth was so anticipated. It was why they could run with the "first human spectre" idea. Now imagine if your Shepard could be any of the other prominent races in Mass Effect. The game loses a lot of its gusto.

Yeah, that is true. But that was due to what that particular story was doing. Now that they've done Shepherd/Shepard's story, who needed to be a human, I think the next batch of games would do well to expand the character selection. The universe is too rich in Mass Effect for it all to be contained to a single perspective. At least that's how I see it. And as far as the protagonist being a blank slate, for me that's just the trade off for having such robust customization. It would be nice if the backstory was more concrete but I find that the personality and depth comes through due to the actual gameplay, i.e. the choices you make. The character's a true avatar in that sense; more a representation of the player than anything else.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Nah, but if the next game inexplicably spells it Shepherd... then maybe.

But let me ask you guys something, since Brother Jack made me wonder. Do you ever feel like any of these characters are uniquely yours? Because I don't.

Uniquely mine? I guess I would say not even with what I said earlier. But with Shepard, I always felt there was a legit character. I have never got that with other Bioware characters, and that includes Revan.

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

Nah, but if the next game inexplicably spells it Shepherd... then maybe.

But let me ask you guys something, since Brother Jack made me wonder. Do you ever feel like any of these characters are uniquely yours? Because I don't.

i named my first male shepard german or jermin, somethin like that.