Mass Effect 3: "Lets milk this for every penny" Edition

DarkED · Feb 17, 2012

As if $10,000 worth of DLC and collectables weren't enough, we now have cross-platform play factoring into Mass Effect 3.

From today's Penny Arcade news post, and quoted from a Mass Effect 3 dev on the subject of multiplayer working in a mostly-singleplayer game:

As you know, Mass Effect 3 is all about the galactic war with the Reapers. We have designed a system to give players a status update on the state of their personal war as they progress through the game and accumulate war assets so they can take the fight back to the Reapers. The more you succeed in the game, the more war assets you earn and the more prepared you are to enter the final stages of the game.

An addition to this system is the Galaxy at War, which shows the player who controls which territories on the Galaxy Map and gives players an opportunity to enhance the total military strength of the galaxy by participating in optional things like Multiplayer, the iPhone app and the iPad game. You can get best possible outcome in the game by just playing single player if you want, as long as you are willing to do a lot of the side missions and content. However, maybe you only want to do a critical path run of the single player. Well, by playing multiplayer you also increase your galactic readiness rating can affect the final outcome. Using the iPhone Datapad app and the iPad Infiltrator game will also tie into Galaxy at War and update this final rating.

As a result, you can play the game how you want and not be negatively punished if you don’t want to play multiplayer or don’t own any iOS devices. You can do a little bit of all the four pieces and be able to get the best possible outcome. Or you can play a ton of multiplayer and just the critical single player stuff. Or just single player and all the side missions. We designed the system to give players choices, but also tie all the products together in a meaningful way beyond ‘unlock a new gun in single player.’ Galaxy at War is a really fun, interesting meta-game that is part of Mass Effect 3 and we think players will love it when they get the final game.

It seems they really are going all-out to make a buck on this one, folks.

M.A.D.X.W · Feb 17, 2012

DarkED said:
It seems they really are going all-out to make a buck on this one, folks.

How strange

Jacks:Revenge · Feb 17, 2012

DarkED said:
$10,000 worth of DLC and collectables

wut?

Sir_Brizz · Feb 17, 2012

This sounds dumb.

DarkED · Feb 17, 2012

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
wut?

It's called sarcasm.

Sir_Brizz said:
This sounds dumb.

What part?

Darkdrium · Feb 17, 2012

Why is this in OT? Not that I care much, jw.

dragonfliet · Feb 17, 2012

Eh, it makes sense to me. Some people REALLY don't want to do all of the side missions in their games (heathens, I know), but don't want to be punished for it (ie: don't do all of the character missions in me2=people will die), so they are allowing the other games to sub in for the sidemissions. Sure, if you HATE that they allow you to sub in other things, this won't please you, but to me it sounds pretty awesome. For instance, let's say I've played the game and done everything, played the multiplayer (which is apparently good? whodathunkit?) and wanted to do another runthrough. This would now count for something and I could avoid the side missions. On the one hand, it's completely ridiculous, on the other, it seems pretty clever--it's a smart way to acknowledge that people don't always want to do all of the things all of the time, sometimes they would like their other work (ie: multiplayer, handheld game) to count for something.

Sir_Brizz · Feb 17, 2012

All of this fluff they do with the games just ruins the plot. The same thing happened in ME2 to a much smaller level. I want to play Mass Effect because I want to see how the plot is worked out, I don't want to have ten games across ten different platforms that are the only way to get "the whole picture" and I want the series to end. I'm just living in a pipe dream, I know, as they are going to milk this sucker for all it's worth. But it still drives me nuts.

Jacks:Revenge · Feb 17, 2012

DarkED said:
What part?

all of it.

I don't really see what exactly you're complaining about.

DarkED · Feb 18, 2012

Darkdrium said:
Why is this in OT? Not that I care much, jw.

No, that's a good point. Could a mod please move this to Games? Thanks.

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
all of it.

I don't really see what exactly you're complaining about.

What he said:

Sir_Brizz said:
All of this fluff they do with the games just ruins the plot. The same thing happened in ME2 to a much smaller level. I want to play Mass Effect because I want to see how the plot is worked out, I don't want to have ten games across ten different platforms that are the only way to get "the whole picture" and I want the series to end. I'm just living in a pipe dream, I know, as they are going to milk this sucker for all it's worth. But it still drives me nuts.

dragonfliet · Feb 18, 2012

Sir_Brizz said:
The same thing happened in ME2 to a much smaller level.

What did they do in ME2 that was similar?

Jacks:Revenge · Feb 18, 2012

DarkED said:
What he said:

but does it really "ruin the plot" ??

seems like they tried to make it clear that no matter how you go about playing the game you won't actually miss out on anything; whether you mess around with the additional multiplayer/social integration or not. wasn't that the whole point of the piece of the article you quoted?

they're trying to make sure that people who don't bother with the frills will still get to experience the entirety of the storyline, etc.
right?

unless I'm just missing something.
I'll admit that I'm probably not following the details of ME3's production as closely as it appears you are.

xMurphyx · Feb 18, 2012

This game is awesome! You don't have to play the fights if you don't want to, you don't have to play the conversation bits if you don't want to, you don't have to do the side missions if you don't want to, you don't have to play multiplayer if you don't want to...

How about you make a game I WANT to play instead of graciously allowing me to skip things you think I won't like?

Also:

As a result, you can play the game how you want and not be negatively punished if you don’t want to play multiplayer or don’t own any iOS devices.

Oh gee, thanks. What a genius system! I won't be punished if I don't want to play multiplayer or don't own any iOS devices? Why, isn't that just fantastic!

Selerox · Feb 18, 2012

Why do we have to jump through hoops?

To be honest, I do the side missions anyway, so it's not really an issue.

What is an issue with me is being forced to use Origin if I get the PC version as far as I can tell. If You can just install and play without that crap, then great. But I doubt EA will let us do that. The only other option is the 360 version, but I hate the lack of mouse control in it.

DarkED · Feb 18, 2012

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
but does it really "ruin the plot" ??

I felt ME2's plot was pretty bad for a game of it's expectations. The whole 'We have the technology, we can rebuild him' bit for Shepard was pretty retarded, as was the 'Everyone on your team dies if you didn't do their stupid fucking sidequest' bit. It was a far cry from Mass Effect, which was realistic (albeit science fiction) and far less depressing. Additionally, I (the gamer) should not be punished if the game does not require me to do everything to finish it and I don't do everything.

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
seems like they tried to make it clear that no matter how you go about playing the game you won't actually miss out on anything; whether you mess around with the additional multiplayer/social integration or not. wasn't that the whole point of the piece of the article you quoted?

Maybe so, but I took it as "you need to play everything to experience everything" whether it's designed that way or not. I don't necessarily trust what was in the article; they WANT you to buy all the crap you can possibly afford to buy. What's the incentive to buy the extras if you don't have to buy them to experience everything? It doesn't add up.

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
they're trying to make sure that people who don't bother with the frills will still get to experience the entirety of the storyline, etc.
right?

Again, maybe. I'm not entirely convinced. I do know they're trying to make sure they reap as much money off the end of this trilogy as they possibly can.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I also understand Bioware and EA are in business to make money. Being a business owner myself I can understand their play at maximizing profit potential. Diversity is key. But I also feel that there's a line in the sand. It's a careful balance of creating a great and expansive product line without pissing off your user base in the process by asking them to buy all of it for the full experience. Horse armor crossed that line and now I think Mass Effect 3 might cross that line as well.

Jacks:SmirkingRevenge said:
unless I'm just missing something.
I'll admit that I'm probably not following the details of ME3's production as closely as it appears you are.

I'm not following it that closely. I saw the other thread about there being tons of DLC packs (notably the ones you have to buy to get back your old team members) and stumbled upon this on PA.

Sjosz · Feb 18, 2012

DarkED said:
I'm not following it that closely. I saw the other thread about there being tons of DLC packs (notably the ones you have to buy to get back your old team members) and stumbled upon this on PA.

Let me correct you on this point. There is no such thing as DLC for ME3 that gives you back old team members, or that have anything to do with old team members in any way. Any source that has led you to believe that exists is flat-out wrong.

Additionally, the extras added to the rest of the Mass Effect branded products that are out there, such as all that Razer stuff, are called extras because they are extras. Just a little freebie for those who are picking up that sort of stuff anyway, not because people have to get it to get a full experience. Believe it or not, those were very much intended to be extras for people who buy that stuff, and as far as I can tell nothing of it is in fact exclusive.

FuLLBLeeD · Feb 18, 2012

Please don't buy this game, Bioware is a terrible company that makes terrible games and they need to stop!

SlayerDragon · Feb 18, 2012

FuLLBLeeD said:
Please don't buy this game, Bioware is a terrible company that makes terrible games and they need to stop!

Please don't read this quoted post, FuLLBLeeD is a terrible poster that makes terrible posts and they need to stop.

[VaLkyR]Anubis · Feb 18, 2012

I love the Mass Effect series!!! One of the best or probably the best series I have ever played and I love the Mass Effect 3 demo! When I played the demo, I kinda cried, because it is beautiful! Can't wait for the CE!!!

I don't give a damn about Origin, because my brother and me don't have any trouble with it! Everything works perfectly.

Sir_Brizz · Feb 18, 2012

dragonfliet said:
What did they do in ME2 that was similar?

I should note that I'm not talking specifically about weird "side products" as in this case, but just adding "fluff" to the series that is unnecessary and messes with the "openness" of the game and series and fouls up the plot. Given that, I'm primarily talking about how there were only 6 or so plot missions in ME2 and all the rest of the game was side missions, some of which were incredibly boring (but, to be fair, most weren't). Also the fact that without the side missions your team members die because somehow you need to be loyal to have the will to survive in a combat situation.

On a side note, the way I see it, you don't have "the whole game" if there is content that you don't own. I know this isn't exclusive to Bioware or Mass Effect but the preorder bonuses along with all the "cash in" DLC makes it virtually impossible to "own the whole game" in this case and that is just lame. They are competing with Railworks here on the cost of buying all DLC

Mass Effect 3: "Lets milk this for every penny" Edition

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