BioWare 'already thinking about' the future of Mass Effect

benedictm on 14 Apr '11 said:

i have a question - i played part way through Mass Effect but didn't finish but i then got and finished Mass Effect 2. They say decisions from first game effect the third a lot so how does that work if i didn't finish the first?

KMakawa on 14 Apr '11 said:

There are points within Mass Effect 1 at which are like 'if this user chose this result, then we will then give them 'x' result in Mass Effect 2.' Im not sure how many of those moments existed, but they did exist -- essentially if you go over those points, those choices are placed in the next title.

Depends on if you got to those points or not. But thats how the "your decisions carry over" system works.

Mewtant on 14 Apr '11 said:

There will be some decisions which are just default and others which you will have "made" by answering questions near the beginning of the game. If you get the chance I would go back to ME:1 though and complete a play through - it's a lot more satisfying seeing the decisions you made from the first crop up in the 2nd game.

budge on 14 Apr '11 said:

What BioWare have created (unoriginally some might argue) in the Mass Effect universe is massive, it would just be stupid to wrap it all up at the end of Shepard's story. Some of the various stories happening in the Cerberus bulletins were brilliant., it could go on for ever!

The_KFD_Case on 14 Apr '11 said:

i have a question - i played part way through Mass Effect but didn't finish but i then got and finished Mass Effect 2. They say decisions from first game effect the third a lot so how does that work if i didn't finish the first?

If you didn't transfer a completed game save from ME1, then BioWare's pre-determined list of decisions of Shepard, along with the few multiple choice questions your Shepard answered early on in ME2, will determine the outcomes.

Note: BioWare's pre-determined list of decisions assumes Shepard was a hardcore Renegade who basically got everyone killed who could be killed in ME1 and still complete it, *SPOILERS WARNING!* (Ex. Wrex is dead, the Council was not saved on the dreadnought at the end of ME1, etc.)

_Marty_ on 14 Apr '11 said:

i have a question - i played part way through Mass Effect but didn't finish but i then got and finished Mass Effect 2. They say decisions from first game effect the third a lot so how does that work if i didn't finish the first?

If you didn't transfer a completed game save from ME1, then BioWare's pre-determined list of decisions of Shepard, along with the few multiple choice questions your Shepard answered early on in ME2, will determine the outcomes.

Note: BioWare's pre-determined list of decisions assumes Shepard was a hardcore Renegade who basically got everyone killed who could be killed in ME1 and still complete it, *SPOILERS WARNING!* (Ex. Wrex is dead, the Council was not saved on the dreadnought at the end of ME1, etc.)

Why would you NOT complete Mass Effect though, eh? I'm currently on my 3rd playthrough just because I want to play ME2 again and it just seems crazy not finishing the first off again and carrying the character through.
It's kinda like watching The Two Towers without watching Fellowship of the Ring first (IMO)...

BenThomasFoster on 14 Apr '11 said:

Mass Effect universe is a game of posibility. The main character doesn't have to be human therefore realeasing the whole history of the universe to explore from anything like the protheans with maybe some first contact war or even some made up future stuff. I feel that Commander Shepard does need to retire but certainly not the universe or wrex

Moribundman on 14 Apr '11 said:

I'd love to see the franchise go on and on. My only concern is that unlike say, Fallout, the ME universe established by the Shepard trilogy encompasses some pretty key people in the galactic community, and even establishes and defines the balance of power and state of play between humans and other races - including who makes up the galactic government and even whether certain places exist any more...

With Fallout, one state seems like a different world to another with global communications broken down, and because NV focuses on a completely different location detatched from the previous one from FO3 you don't have to account for the various different endings.

With the Mass Effect trilogy the people from your games would be pretty central to the universe and may be alive or dead... They are also voiced by expensive voice actors...

I think the way to go with ME games would be to try and import your universe (from an EA online/Bioware account which all registered copies are tied to). This seems to fit in with what EA want to do with their sports games (carry over bonuses to 2012 if you caned Madden or FIFA last year and got major achievements or trophies).

If they could figure out some way of making "your" Mass Effect universe carry across to future games, if only in a token way by scanning your saves, this would be truly revolutionary and awesome.

One of the things Dragon Age 2 *did* do well was to transfer your very different universe and include meaningful but not over-done cameos from your companions from the first game, where applicable. Alistair in DA2 was dealt with very well - could have been a visiting king, a Grey Warden or a drunk in a tavern, and these cameos weren't just a set piece event where he appeared in one form or another. Shame more of the internal 10 year arc didn't work that way...

It's also the reason a Mass Effect MMO would be a disappointment, since playthroughs will never all leave the universe in exactly the same state, and the decisions made in the Shepard campaign aren't just about which squadmates and minor NPCs would be around to make cameos...

veato on 14 Apr '11 said:

I want to play though both again, hopfully saving everyone in ME2. Unfortunately I dont have the time or games anymore. I cant actually remember who I lost. I'll just have to go into 3 with what I have (although I guess that's the point really).

MattyR95 on 14 Apr '11 said:

I really doubt they would ever just 'drop it'. But it was said that Cerberus goes against Shepard, and i gave them that base so i will do another me2 playthrough and rectify my mistakes.

KMakawa on 14 Apr '11 said:

I really doubt they would ever just 'drop it'. But it was said that Cerberus goes against Shepard, and i gave them that base so i will do another me2 playthrough and rectify my mistakes.

Yep, cerberus targets shepard. So effectively I have to replay it all again too, to get that extra savefile incase i dont like how my "original playthrough" is going.

I knew that guy was dodgey, i just knew it.

@Mori, if anyone is to do crossover savefile stuff. It would be Bioware that excell in it. So I wouldnt worry about that, if it is on the cards for the future.

kmcroc on 15 Apr '11 said:

Am playing 1 & 2 all over just to refresh the story for when 3 is released.read GI review & blew a hole in my pants.

Moribundman on 15 Apr '11 said:

I really doubt they would ever just 'drop it'. But it was said that Cerberus goes against Shepard, and i gave them that base so i will do another me2 playthrough and rectify my mistakes.

The Game Informer article mentions the Normandy is back in Alliance hands. Even if you gave Illusive Man the base, you're probably not going to get on his good side by nicking his ship and two of his top agents! EDI also mentioned that the amount Cerberus paid to rebuild Shepard was almost their entire bank account!

budge on 15 Apr '11 said:

Another possible reason for Cerberus wanting Shepard dead is when she stole a load of Cerberus data in one of the side missions and EDI said it would take years to decript, that is if you didn't choose to upload it to the Illusive man of course.