Mass Effect 2 Thread

[The Fake Shemp]

To be fair, the universe has Elcor, Hanar, etc. You do see species are that not humanoid or bipedal. I think the theory is that evolution of life forms is not only cyclical, but kind of set - in that bipedal, carbon based life forms would be the first to reach and use the Mass Relay technology.

As for the for the first question, who knows? Why does Subject Zero only use a breathing mask attachment in sections with different atmosphere?

[cool breeze]

The funniest part of the game for me has to be the first Hanar spectre radio message.

Interesting. You have to stick with your class if you do a new game +

I thought you might be able to switch classes but just bring your total number of ability points over to re-assign.

I'm almost tempted to just start a regular new game with a new class so I can try it out but I guess I'll stick with my adept and in Mass Effect 3, I'll try a new class again like I did in this one.

New Game+ is harder than a regular new game, so if you play on the highest difficulty, it will be even harder.  If you do decide to create a new character, you get bonuses at the start like funds, resources, a loyalty power, and a 25% experience rate boost.

My plan is to finish up my evil female shepard playthrough, then maybe go through against as another new infiltrator character.  I'm saving the new game+ for my main vanguard until ME3 is closer to release as refresher.

In total I've maybe spent 50 hours playing this game and it's still so much fun.

[The Fake Shemp]

Oh, the radio advertisement for the movie about the first Elcor Spectre? That is so great.

I also enjoyed the all-Elcor cast of Hamlet.

There's a lot of humor littered throughout. The GameStop on the Citadel was pretty funny too.

[cool breeze]

Why does Subject Zero only use a breathing mask attachment in sections with different atmosphere?

I know 

I didn't use her in my first playthrough and was curious about what she would wear.  She ends up just wearing something over her mouth THAT ISN'T HOW SPACE WORKS.  I think it would have been really cool if she had a biotic barrier around her to act as her space suit. 

also, I submit.  Collector laser is pretty good.  Mordin and Miranda are both my party members.  Beasting now.

[The Fake Shemp]

Yeah, I read elsewhere that her and Samara use breathing apparatuses because they use biotic barriers to protect their bodies.

[BamYouHaveAids]

Yeah, I read elsewhere that her and Samara use breathing apparatuses because they use biotic barriers to protect their bodies.

mordin also only use a plexiglas mouth-guard, wonder how he gets away with it

[Himu]

Miranda just wears a mask as well. It is loco.

Anyways, great game. Beat it last night, got best ending, hacked the game to give me every mineral because scanning is homo and turrible. Whoever came up with that, end yourself. Wouldn't be what I classify an rpg at all, but I'm okay with Dragon Age being Bioware's hardcore pre-2000's-esque rpg series and Mass Effect being their dumbed down for CoD sluts action adventure series with rpg elements.

Mordin is the best written character Bioware has done since Minsc.

Game is beautiful with AA enabled through nhancer, dawg.

















Also Willco, you complaint about Dragon Age and DLC makes no sense considering Dragon Age has more content than ME2 and can last you 50-60 if or more if you want to do everything. I did just about everything in ME2 and it took me 37 hours.

[Third]

It would be cool to see flying aliens.(collector's cheat with jetpacks) Or aliens that are huge or tiny. The whole Mass Effect universe is just pretty safe design-wise. All aliens are basically the same length too. Except for Volar. Asari's even have boobs.

And Hanar's are awesome. But they didn't have any input in ME2. The aliens with four eyes and vorcha's were pretty distinguished mentally-challenged. I liked Thane's design. And the quarian's are still intruiging.

[cool breeze]

It would be cool to see flying aliens.(collector's cheat with jetpacks) Or aliens that are huge or tiny. The whole Mass Effect universe is just pretty safe design-wise. All aliens are basically the same length too. Except for Volar. Asari's even have boobs.

And Hanar's are awesome. But they didn't have any input in ME2. The aliens with four eyes and vorcha's were pretty distinguished mentally-challenged. I liked Thane's design. And the quarian's are still intruiging.

It's not just mass effect, it's pretty much every sci-fi show, game or movie out there.  Look at Star Trek or Star Wars.  It's all people wearing costumes.

One thing I like about Doctor Who is that occasionally they have aliens that seem really alien, even if it sometime gets hokey.  Futurama also had some cool aliens in it.

[Stoney Mason]

Not even sure what Dragon Age talk is doing in here pro or con unless someone is using a direct comparison to highlight an element they liked or disliked (which I'll probably do myself when I post my thoughts on Mass Effect 2).


The games are pretty different from each other outside of being in the broad umbrella of "RPG".

[demi]

Oh hey Himuro, nice to see you again 

[The Fake Shemp]

Also Willco, you complaint about Dragon Age and DLC makes no sense considering Dragon Age has more content than ME2 and can last you 50-60 if or more if you want to do everything. I did just about everything in ME2 and it took me 37 hours.

I beat both in about 30 hours. Longer game doesn't necessarily translate to a complete game experience. Dragon Age feels fragmented in comparison. So, yes my complaint is still completely valid. And it's the reason why we're getting a $40 expansion less than six months after the game's release. When I beat Dragon Age, I got a half-assed conclusion to a game that felt like it was withholding content and even threw it in our face. There are no lingering feelings that content has been omitted from Mass Effect 2, although I have no doubt that BioWare will put the Cerberus Network to good use.

This stuff should have been in the game at launch. No excuses. Sorry, bro.

[Third]

I didn't like DA because of the boring medieval setting and ugly character design.

The only wrpg's I basically like are the ones with a future setting. Be it space (KOTOR, Mass Effect) or post apocalyptic (Fallout 3, STALKER)
I really hated Oblivion, too.

[The Fake Shemp]

I also hated Oblivion, because the game was barren and boring. Dragon Age is not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but is the definition of a rental. Fun experience, feels incomplete. Lack of polish. Presentation is about a generation behind.

If you're a medieval junkie, it's easy to see the appeal. That particular aesthetic hasn't had much in the way of quality RPG gaming in awhile.

[Draft]

All of my remaining upgrades need 25k platinum  :'(

Mining  Feels like something you'd do in an MMO. Not fun at all, the only positive feedback is lining your coffers.

[cool breeze]

I only know of two DLC for ME2 so far.  One is Kasumi as party member; you hear them talking about her on Illium.  She's a thief and assuming it's like Zaeed, that's at least one loyalty mission, but hopefully there is also a recruitment mission for her.  The other is supposed to involve using the new Mako.

[Draft]

It would be cool to see flying aliens.(collector's cheat with jetpacks) Or aliens that are huge or tiny. The whole Mass Effect universe is just pretty safe design-wise. All aliens are basically the same length too. Except for Volar. Asari's even have boobs.

And Hanar's are awesome. But they didn't have any input in ME2. The aliens with four eyes and vorcha's were pretty distinguished mentally-challenged. I liked Thane's design. And the quarian's are still intruiging.

Not really the point of sci-fi like Mass Effect (or Star Wars, Star Trek, most popular space opera stuff.) It's the old west and/or medieval Europe, but in space. No need to gum up the works with aliens made out of gas or who evolved with 2 dozen legs when sexy blue women and awesome toad men will do.

[demi]

All of my remaining upgrades need 25k platinum  :'(

Mining  Feels like something you'd do in an MMO. Not fun at all, the only positive feedback is lining your coffers.

Yeah, surprisingly Platinum is the rarest element considering what you buy in the game. Zero is all miniscule amounts.

[The Fake Shemp]

I don't find the mining abysmal, but I wish BioWare could figure out a different way to gather resources for upgrades. I guess because mining is pretty much completely optional, they didn't care. I'd prefer a Borderlands-style bounty board be setup and let us do random missions for resources.

[cool breeze]

The mining is dumb because you already spend money on the pods and fuel to go to these planets, so the extra work of scanning and dropping pods is unnecessary.

[Draft]

Pfft, it's barely optional. You need to do it if you want upgrades.

I don't see how anyone can defend the mining outside of going game crazy and deciding to defend the honor of even the shittiest parts of ME2. Mining is the only shitty part, btw. But it's truly shitty. You drag a cursor slowly for 10 minutes, hit R 15 times, and then you're done. It's fucking terrible.

[cool breeze]

But you can buy something to speed up the process...it just cost more minerals to buy

Is it really bad on 360? it takes at most 40 seconds to completely scan a planet by fanning the mouse around quickly.

[The Fake Shemp]

Dragon Age wasn't perfect, but It didnt feel incomplete at all a 60 hours. There was a nice arc and conclusion. What do you mean the expansion stuff should have been in the game? The game is huge as is and the story arc ended.

There was a nice arc and conclusion? Really? The end content was pretty lame, and I can't imagine how folks squeezed sixty hours out of the game. I think I beat it in under 40 hours, and I pretty much did everything. It's actually not that big, it's just long. Tedious and long. The pacing is horrific. Just because an experience is drawn out and tedious doesn't mean it's epic and fulfilling.

Don't get me started on the characterization and silly script.

The presentation wasn't bad at all for a game of its scope, it has some nice locales and scenes. Sure it wasnt as good as ME2 but it still looked good on my PC no doubt.

I'm not talking solely about visuals, although it was behind the curve there as well.

I really hope there will be a Dragon Age 2 instead of an endless stream of mini expansions.

I really hope they make similar leaps in terms of fixing the game that the Mass Effect team did with their sequel. I'd be behind a Dragon Age game that cleans up the flaws from the original.

The mining is a really strange addition by Bioware, they streamlined the entire experience yet added something that is such a chore. Doesn't add up.

It is odd, but I stand by my guess that it was a throwaway segment feeling that most players wouldn't even bother upgrading their shit. It is weird.

[The Fake Shemp]

Pfft, it's barely optional. You need to do it if you want upgrades.

I guarantee you the majority of players will just buy upgrades and won't bother with that stuff at all. I'm talking outside the forum crowd, which is where this game is selling to.

[Third]

Yes, mining was pretty boring. Make sure you get the upgrade so you can mine faster. But it's still so slow.

And the game didn't have many planet anomalies. The planets you could explore had very short missions, too.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

there was this distinguished mentally-challenged mission where I just had to reactivate a solar protection beacon. The loading to get to the planet took longer than finishing the mission

[close]

[The Fake Shemp]

 

Mass Effect 3 to have non-stop planet anomalies and mining will be axed (yay!)... to be replaced by using the Mako to physically mine on a planet's surface (boo!).

[BamYouHaveAids]

But you can buy something to speed up the process...it just cost more minerals to buy

Is it really bad on 360? it takes at most 40 seconds to completely scan a planet by fanning the mouse around quickly.

even with the upgrade it moves ridiculously slow. assuming you scan the entire planet in scan mode, it takes about 3 to 5 minutes

[demi]

For mining, I just held the right stick, and combed the planet while tapping the R button, probing when I get a huge spike. When I did a loop of the planet, I quit.

[Third]

I miss the Mako.  :'(

Hope well's see it in future DLC. There should be anomalies that let me explore the planet with the Mako. I really loved doing that in ME1.
But the planets should be more interesting and diverse this time around.

And I saw a few planets with a huge population during my galaxy trip. A DLC could open them up for exploration and missions.

[The Fake Shemp]

That was my strategy as well, but that's because demi and I are smart gamers. We don't have time to scan entire planets on account of saving the entire fucking galaxy.

Who needs upgrades? We're that good.

[AdmiralViscen]

How do I get mining upgrades?

[The Fake Shemp]

I thought it was there pretty early on.

[demi]

You talk to the party

[Third]

Mining with a controller should be more comfortable than mining with a mouse. All you have to do is push the stick to the direction that you want and the object will go that way forever.
The mouse doesn't have that luxury. You always have to reposition the mouse before it reaches the end of the table. And that's pretty shitty.

I think Miranda gives you the mining upgrade.

[AdmiralViscen]

I think the only one I have is the medical bay one to heal my scars. If it's from chatting with crewmates then I guess it will happen soon enough.

[Third]

I think the only one I have is the medical bay one to heal my scars. If it's from chatting with crewmates then I guess it will happen soon enough.

Yeah, just talk to a crewmember and choose [UPGRADES] during the conversation. I think all the recruits offer unique upgrades.

[fistfulofmetal]

I swear I better get to see Tali's face in ME3. FFS

[cool breeze]

The combat is so much fun.   I wish Bioware would make a Mass Effect loot game with this stuff.  That would probably be the end of other games for me.

Mining with a controller should be more comfortable than mining with a mouse. All you have to do is push the stick to the direction that you want and the object will go that way forever.
The mouse doesn't have that luxury. You always have to reposition the mouse before it reaches the end of the table. And that's pretty shitty.

I think Miranda gives you the mining upgrade.

When I do the mining I just turn the mouse speed to max.  But yeah, good point.

[Ichirou]

Dragon Age is great. Don't listen to weakass gamers who hate on it. I hope you're playing it on PC though Ichirou.

All I own is a netbook, so I ordered the 360 version.  I just ordered it this morning so I can still cancel it if it's a horrid experience on 360.  Is it?

[demi]

Both versions are ugly to shit, you wont be missing out by playing on either.

I would cancel anyway, its just not a good game

[Ichirou]

Cancel Dragon Age, replace with Mass Effect 2?

[Stoney Mason]

The combat is so much fun.   I wish Bioware would make a Mass Effect loot game with this stuff.  That would probably be the end of other games for me.

The best compliment I can give the combat is that I found myself wondering (and slightly hoping for) why hasn't anybody made a good competitive multiplayer game that sort of feels like this.

It's not perfect. There are still some issues with it where the movement can feel janky, improving the enemy AI a bit, and the close up weapon combat leaves something to be desired but this game can be legit played as solely a shooter and enjoyed on that level. For a company that has always struggled mightily when introducting any bit of action into their game (See the abysmal combat of Jade Empire) that is damn impressive.
 

[Stoney Mason]

Cancel Dragon Age, replace with Mass Effect 2?

Sigh.

Play both of them. If you have to pick one first just play whichever one interests you more. They are both legit great games and I don't say that lightly since I think there are relatively few great games. Ignore everybody else except me on this recommendation and you'll be enjoying two great games if you like a shooter/rpg hybrid or a tradition WRPG. They are both top notch executions. Don't get caught up in game wars.

[GilloD]

I swear I better get to see Tali's face in ME3. FFS

[demi]

Cancel Dragon Age, replace with Mass Effect 2?

YES

[Ichirou]

I swear I better get to see Tali's face in ME3. FFS

http://www.frogview.com/uploadimages3/48ea4cac300bd3.62577383frogview-gallery.jpg

JESUS CHRIST JESUS CHRIST

[Hitler Stole My Potato]

Loving the shit out of the game so far but the mining of minerals....holy fucking god make it stop.  Bioware replacing the monotonous Mako side missions from the first ME with an almost equally mind numbing scanning "game" is like replacing a shit sandwich the a diareah milkshake. It's especially frustrating because you're basically forced to go through it if you want to upgrade.  At least the side missions in the first game were completely option and unnecessary.....not so much here. 

And fuck Element Zero, probably the most appropriate name for an item in any game.  There's zero of it out there.

But all that aside, I'm still really digging it.  The Asari home world is about the best damn thing ever.

[AdmiralViscen]

I got about 8000 Element Zero from one planet. it was a big one near a sun lol. I think it's the planet right next to the convict ship.

[Stoney Mason]

I'm relatively neutral on the mining.


The nerdy part of me likes that I go to these planets and see lots of different art and planet data and descriptions. I know that's lame but then I am also the sort of nerd that read every single description of them which I know makes me even lamer.

The best part of the mining is of course finding the occasional mission anamoly while doing it. On my second playthrough I plan to hit every planet in the game so I don't miss any.


I agree it is tedious and a time sync but then the crafting portion of most RPG games generally are like in Neverwinter Nights or Dragon's Age or even crafting in mmo's. I enjoyed/tolerated this one no more or no less. I see why some would be highly annoyed by it though. I sort of just viewed it as a necessary evil I guess.   

[fistfulofmetal]

I'm trying to figure out how to hack the coalesced ini file so I can add free fly cam mode. but i look at the ini file and my eyes just glass over.

[demi]

This video shows why Erect 2 is so great. There's so much flavor and variety and flexibility.

[Vizzys]

This video shows why Erect 2 is so great. There's so much flavor and variety and flexibility.

i was full paragon, but even I couldn't resist kicking that one guy out the window

[cool breeze]

playing as renegade (whoops) shepard is awesome

my favorite two moments so far

spoiler (click to show/hide)

shooting Conrad in the leg and punching the reporter

[close]

I play as paragon for my main game since those are the choices I would naturally choose, but it is fun to be so ruthless.  The scars and red eyes are a bit much, though.  I don't feel like mining enough resources to afford the medical upgrade.

[fistfulofmetal]

Even on my second run I can't bring myself to be evil. I'm such a tool

I could never be cruel to Tali.

[Stoney Mason]

Insanity difficulty level is... pretty insane.  :'(


They just rip through your shields and they have a ton of shielding themselves. Maybe I should have done hardcore for the 2nd playthrough...

[demi]

Maybe you should start from Level 1 (or 3 or 5 depending on transfer) as Infiltrator instead

Hang with the gods up here in gaming-god-ville

[cool breeze]

are you doing a fresh insanity run or new game plus?

anyway, you'll grow into it.  Don't forget that by the end of your first run you most likely had all the health and weapon upgrades.  I'm late game in my second playthrough and it's pretty easy again (only hardcore...geth rifle is awesome, btw).

also, is overload that useful? warp seems to be just as good and serve more purposes.  I keep seeing that respec sounding option at the upgrade booth and might take away overload in favor of maxing out throw, warp, and warp ammo.

[GilloD]

are you doing a fresh insanity run or new game plus?

anyway, you'll grow into it.  Don't forget that by the end of your first run you most likely had all the health and weapon upgrades.  I'm late game in my second playthrough and it's pretty easy again (only hardcore...geth rifle is awesome, btw).

also, is overload that useful? warp seems to be just as good and serve more purposes.  I keep seeing that respec sounding option at the upgrade booth and might take away overload in favor of maxing out throw, warp, and warp ammo.

Overload is awesome Vs. Robots. Also, you can use it on Blood Pack Pyros and make them INSTANTLY BLOW UP. It rules.

[GilloD]

This video shows why Erect 2 is so great. There's so much flavor and variety and flexibility.

"I have nothing to say to say to you!"
"What about... goodbye?" <sunglasses>

[Stoney Mason]

are you doing a fresh insanity run or new game plus?

anyway, you'll grow into it.  Don't forget that by the end of your first run you most likely had all the health and weapon upgrades.  I'm late game in my second playthrough and it's pretty easy again (only hardcore...geth rifle is awesome, btw).

also, is overload that useful? warp seems to be just as good and serve more purposes.  I keep seeing that respec sounding option at the upgrade booth and might take away overload in favor of maxing out throw, warp, and warp ammo.

New Game +

It's legit hard even all powered up. I might restart and just switch to hardcore but I'll give the insanity level a little more time. I wanted a higher challenge but I don't necessarily want to be banging my head against a wall.

Part of it is that I need to change my playstyle and my biotic setup also. The playstyle that worked on veteran clearly isn't going to cut it here.