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Post by Tillian Panthesis on Aug 31, 2009 12:47:15 GMT 1
Those are the guys who helped BioWare ported the ME game over to the PC version and let me tell you bluntly that the PC version is better one one way... unfortunately it has more serious issues and bugs that 360 doesn't...
Hmmm... sounds like that studio is best to stick to conventional FPS. really that I've get the vibe in the DLC. Doesn't feel like an actual BioWare signature there...
EDIT: Read the forum thread a bit... feels like a shit storm going on in the ME forums atm... I'll be avoiding the forums for a while. Not in the mood to read ppl's complaint. We're done the complaining work so we don't need another buttload of depressing crap from other people.
And while we're on the topic... I suspect there's more to this behind it. sounds like coperate meddling going around in there...
DOUBLE EDIT: We know the DLC is a let down but I'm so sick of people being over the top about it... Thought some of them have a point. And as I've said before I'm avoiding the forums for a while. I'm just glad I'm not in their shoes nor an employee at BioWare at the moment, otherwise there will be no place to hide at the moment.
Triple edit:
Read all, I've found this gem that actually deconstuct why we felt burnt by it. He does make a good point:
Ok, here goes my $0.02 (or $0.98)...
First: Bioware is responsible for all ME DLC. Why? Because it's their IP. While I'm not privy to any contracts they had w/Demierge but I'm sure there are nice little clauses that ensure BioWare has all the rights to the finished product. So someone else may have been delegated to do the work but the responsibility still falls on Bioware's shoulders.
Second: I see a lot of criticism about the second DLC but little constructive input about what should have been different. I've played both DLC. Yes, Bring Down the Sky was a really interesting little story with some real genuine heartfelt moments. It presented the Batarians for the first time up close & personal & fit really well with ME1 as a whole. I found that DLC to be simply outstanding. The second DLC, The Peregrine Station (or whatever it's called) is definitely not a story-driven DLC. It's strictly for combat & having some diversionary fun. It's in the same vein as the Yavin [sic] Station was for KOTOR. It's a small addition that does little in the way of storytelling. Was this second ME1 DLC outstanding? No, but it did what it was intended to do: allow you to fight/test your character as soon as you become a Spectre & allow you to get some of the better items more easily (via apartment) if you have the $$. I didn't purchase the DLC expecting to have a great story. It did what it was advertised to do on XBL: Provide a combat simulation of 13 missions. Nothing more. So it would appear that all this outrage boils down to: We want story-based content in DLC.
Ok that seems constructive & hopefully that is what is gleemed out of this experience by Bioware's employees that frequent these forums. On the other hand, if they didn't try something different once in a while, they would rarely get such a clear picture of how much the BW community loves their storytelling games & want more of it vs. "me too" types of games.
best regards, Pedal2Metal
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Post by Zarsthor on Aug 31, 2009 19:37:23 GMT 1
I played a serious amount of mass effect last night. I mean SERIOUS!!! I was there from 9pm - 8am. Daniel has confiscated the xbox for the rest of the day which is why I'm bored right now. That 2nd DLC is really good. i don't see why people don't like it. It was just a cheap little fighter sim to add to the game. I'm happy with it. The game needed some battling because I get bored of mako missions and having to scourer the galaxy for some geth to shoot. Maybe it could of done with a few more missions in it but overall I'm giving it a 9 out of 10. The little personal story you come across at the station is amusing as well. Made me laugh pissing that turian off. I think he's going to have to make an appearance in a fan fiction.
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Post by Knightfall on Aug 31, 2009 21:10:29 GMT 1
That guy, Pedal2Metal, makes some pretty good points, but I don't think he was as constructive as he claimed.
See, I just hold DLC up to a certain standard, since at some times you're paying a healthy chunk o' change for them at times. I don't expect them to be their own self-contained game, but I expect the things that made the original game so great to expand out into what these DLC's eventually become.
Obviously, I can't attest to how good or bad the DLC for Mass Effect is, since I haven't downloaded either of them (anyone I've ever talked to about them only give them a rating of "Okay"). I can only go by the reviews that I've read and the public opinion I've skimmed. On all accounts, I think it's safe to say that neither downloads have been "stellar" (pun).
"Bring Down the Sky" sounded like a short sidequest, and Pinnacle Station sounded like every arena ever. In neither case is Bioware demonstrating the extreme/amazing DLC content they promised before the game's release.
This "constructive" input that this guy wants, I can give it right now: they never should have made either of these downloads. Bioware promised the moon, but turned out a moonrock that turned out to be just a...regular rock. I would have been far less distressed by all this if there would have been no DLC at all, but now this calls into question the company's integrity as well as future projects.
Again, I hate to keep comparing Mass Effect to Fallout 3, but I genuinely believe that Bethesda took all the conventions that Bioware created and improved upon them, in my own opinion. ME is a beautiful game with a great story, but I still don't feel like I'm having an impact on the universe. That feeling that I had with KotOR and Oblivion was completely absent from ME: No matter what you do, no matter who you push up against a wall, Anderson is on the Council and that's that. In Fallout 3, you can completely screw everyone over in a variety of ways. There's something like 9 or 10 different endings to it.
The point I'm making is that ME's story made the game. The moral decisions may not have bit at me, but the story itself was wonderful and the characters that progressed it were engaging, which is why I'm still a very dedicated fan. But the DLC is really just an echo of that. I think the entire engine and the focus needs to be redone so that the scope of the game can be realized, and so the DLC can properly expand off of it. It's hard to fit any sort of respectable story into a $5 piece of a game, so why even try if story-driven gameplay has been your strongsuit so far? And why even try if you're going to completely disregard that strength and make a tacked-on arena that Oblivion did better?
I just bought two more expansions for Fallout 3, and I just destroyed an entire enemy base with a satellite-guided nuclear strike. It had an impact on my character. The Brotherhood of Steel talk about me like they want to write songs. In another, I instigated a slave uprising and took back the city of Pittsburgh. Both of those were well worth the money I paid, but I'm still having trouble convincing myself to cough up the $5 for "Bring Down The Sky."
I still probably won't buy either installment for ME, but I sincerely hope Bioware changes their focus so that this won't happen again. So far, it sounds like they're doing just that, so I'm optimistically optimistic. =D
P.S. - The Yavin Station DLC for KotOR was complete bullshit. It was just a room with some random merchant there. Glad I didn't have to pay for that, though. ><
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Post by Mister Buch on Sept 1, 2009 2:57:00 GMT 1
I'm sick of 'Pinnacle Station', so I won't start yeling at you Zars!
But I would like to weigh in on 'Bring Down the Sky'. I thought it was good fun. It was a good sidequest, with a pretty planet, some nice rewards, a decent story and a great Difficult Moral Choice.
I was expecting much more when it was released, but looking back, I like it. It has Batarians, so instantly it's interesting and unusual. It expands the universe, if only to a very small degree.
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Post by Tillian Panthesis on Sept 1, 2009 3:52:54 GMT 1
Yeah same here. I was hoping something along the lines like the arena in Fable 2 or even 1 where the storyline for the arena deathmatch is COMPLETELY relevent. I've thought BdtS is decent. I would give it 8 surviving hostages out of 10 dead ones due to the presentation and execution. Yes it's short but quest content was really good for it's length. Thinking about it. I would be much more happy and forgiving for their mistake if they release some sort of DLC where you have a dance off in Flux and the goal is become the king/queen of the Flux dance floor. (kidding ) And yeah... I've still stand 6/10 for the Pinnacle Station DLC imo. Yes it's senseless fun but it's not something I would recomend to get it with your own cash. Also I've still can't get over having Shepard playing the idiot ball. So much of the OOC idiot ball, I've started to write a 'fix-fic' about the DLC last night. (Yes... I know... I've never thought I would would write fix-fic... but the Pinnacle Station just made me do the impossible.)
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Post by Zarsthor on Sept 1, 2009 3:55:08 GMT 1
I was less impressed with Bring down the sky than Pinnacle station. Bring down the sky threw in some interesting ideas let you try them out but didn't go anywhere past an over dramatic Mako mission. It really did feel like a half assed mission that was really a regular rock in disguise. I did like some of the little interesting bit they added though. The mine field for instance and showing you the Batarians for the first time. I didn't feel they were effectively used however.
I agree on Knights point about Fall out 3 and Mass Effect. Bioware should have given us at least half the level of content available for Fallout 3. I know they're making us sequels, and I still highly suspect ME3 will end up being a first release on the new xbox 780, but they really should have put a little more effort into DLC.
I still stand by Pinnacle station being a good add on. Its not a story mission but it doesn't have to be. It was everything I wanted it to be and had been craving for some time. A place to shoot things. Something ME1 is severely lacking after finishing the main missions. Sometimes I don't want to go on an endless chattaphon walk before getting into the Mako and swearing my head off at the goddamn steering nearly hurtling me off a cliff edge. Somewhere to kill shit is what that game needed. If its generic of every other arena game I don't really care. I like arena's. Its a personal choice thing. If you don't want to kill stuff play Bringing down the sky. Lots of mako driving and chattaphon walking. If you fancy a bit of pent up aggression release, play Pinnacle station until those muscles untense.
Sometimes Bioware's ideas of 'moral choice' and 'renegade paragon' seems a little warped to me. Maybe its an American ideology that confuses me.
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Post by Tillian Panthesis on Sept 1, 2009 4:49:49 GMT 1
Well differnt taste for all people. Some like it while other's don't. That's human nature. If you enjoyed it, then kudos to you. As I've said before, it's not too bad, really... but I'm usually in for the story and character development in ME. Usually if I want some senseless action I'll play UT3 or HoN with my mates. Not dissing you or anything, just that it's my personal taste doesn't seem find it quite right in this DLC.
I'm only writing a fix-fic because I want to flesh out the story more. I see too many plot holes there...
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Post by Zarsthor on Sept 1, 2009 5:40:24 GMT 1
Flux dance off sounds awesome! Send that to Bioware as an idea... I will sign a petition for that as a mini-game. A free one mind you. I'm not paying 400MSpoints for a mini game. lol
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Post by Tillian Panthesis on Sept 1, 2009 7:26:45 GMT 1
Someone in the BioWare forums already yelled out for that mini-game, I was only mucking around.
But yeah, I'll demanding that dancing game to be release. ;D
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Post by Mister Buch on Sept 1, 2009 16:40:55 GMT 1
I would pay at least 400 points for the dance off!
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Post by Zarsthor on Sept 5, 2009 1:38:12 GMT 1
Ok I told everybody on my xbox live party last night and they agree! Flux dance off must happen!
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Post by Mister Buch on Sept 5, 2009 1:54:04 GMT 1
Heck yes.
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Post by Zarsthor on Sept 5, 2009 19:53:59 GMT 1
I can just imagine Wrex break dancing. lol
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Post by Tillian Panthesis on Sept 6, 2009 4:36:01 GMT 1
Lol... you mean litually breaking the dance floor with his weight
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Post by Zarsthor on Sept 8, 2009 2:12:58 GMT 1
Spinning on his hump. Oh my god .... Wrex and Garrus dancing to "My humps" LOL
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