Mass Effect 3

[Skywalker]

TheGodBen wrote:

---

I think you guys are missing the upside of all this: We'll finally be able to play as Garrus. Garrus! We'll be able to shoot sniper rifles and be badass and everything.

I can already do all of that with my Infiltrator Shepard. And she can turn invisible, so that makes her even more badass than Garrus.

[Jeff O'Connor]

So, I'm a member of Bioware Social Network and bring you extensive details on the multiplayer system. Chris Priestly and Jesse Houston managed to get some early details for us to quell the shitstorm a bit.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to...ndex/8481789/1

4 player co-op multiplayer

Join your friends in the all-out galactic war to take Earth back. The universe of Mass Effect expands with the addition of new co-op multiplayer missions, playable over Xbox Live, PSN and PC internet. Players can choose from a variety of classes and races, form an elite Special Forces squad, and combine their weapons, powers and abilities to devastating effect as they fight together to liberate key territories from enemy control. Success in multi-player will have a direct impact on the outcome of the single player campaign, giving players an alternative method of achieving ultimate victory against the greatest threat mankind – and the entire galaxy – has ever faced.

Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War

As a bonus to the campaign, BioWare is introducing the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, a new way for players to manage and experience the galactic war from multiple fronts, including a new 4-player co-op mode. The key to saving the galaxy is the “Galactic Readiness” level, measured by Commander Shepard’s ability to apply
every possible asset – people, weapons, resources, armies, fleets – in the final battle against the Reapers. Players can impact their game’s Galactic Readiness level in multiple ways via the Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system, including multiplayer. Other platforms and interfaces will be announced in the coming months. It is important to note that the system is entirely optional and just another way players can have control over your game experience – it is still possible to achieve the optimal, complete ending of the game in Mass Effect 3 through single-player alone.


F.A.Q.

Why include 4 player Co-op multiplayer in Mass Effect 3?
Being able to explore and fight alongside your friends in the Mass Effect universe has always been something we thought would be fun and compelling, and many players have asked for it for a long time as well. Mass Effect 3 is the best place for us to introduce multiplayer through co-op because of the premise of the game – all out galactic war.


Why only 4 player co-op? What not a versus mode?
We have always maintained that we would only add multiplayer into the Mass Effect series if it made sense and did not compromise the power of the single player campaign. Fighting together against a common threat was the multiplayer experience that made the most sense for Mass Effect 3. The way we have designed co-op as a wayto take control of key conflict zones in the galaxy is a natural extension of the premise of Mass Effect 3.


Why did you decide not to include it as a part of the main campaign?
Our priority and focus with Mass Effect 3 has and always will be to deliver a complete and satisfying single player experience.


Does the addition of co-op multiplayer missions impact the scope or quality of the single-player experience?
No. A dedicated team from our recently formed BioWare Montreal studio has been focused on creating the multiplayer game features while the main game continued to be developed by the team in BioWare Edmonton. Both teams are integrated under the same leadership group that produced Mass Effect 1 and 2, led by Casey Hudson. BioWare remains dedicated to delivering one of the most amazing single-player campaigns gamers have ever experienced.


How did developing multiplayer impact the single player game?
BioWare is dedicated and focused on delivering an engaging, fun, and action-packed experience for Mass Effect 3, one that lives up the BioWare standard. To reach that level of quality, last year BioWare opened a studio in Montreal that is home to designers, programmers, engineers, and other developers. Both studios work together as partners, lead by the core Mass Effect team, unified in a single vision. Under the direction of Casey Hudson and other team veterans, both studios make contributions to both the single player and multiplayer modes in Mass Effect 3. Rest assured that no compromises were made to either of these modes in the development of Mass Effect 3.


Which characters can I play in co-op multiplayer? Can I play as Commander Shepard?
Commander Shepard’s part in the war will take place in the single-player campaign, as will that of other beloved characters in the franchise such as Garrus, Ashley, and Liara…these characters do not appear in the multiplayer missions. In multiplayer, players will create custom characters to fight on different and unique fronts in the war. This will include the ability to play as favorites like Turians, Krogans, Asari and more… each with their own unique set of abilities.


What if I don’t like multiplayer – will my experience be negatively impacted?
Mass Effect 3 is a complete, standalone game that will deliver a satisfying story experience, even if you choose not to try multiplayer. The Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War system and all of the individual components are meant to complement that amazing game and can be enjoyed on their own or as part of the Galaxy at War experience.


What if I am not good at / do not like multiplayer? Will my readiness rating go down?
ME3 is a story about a war against overwhelming force where the most you can hope for us survival. The more you do to fight that war, the more you can change that story into a more optimistic one. You can reach the highest levels of success in the single player experience alone, but Galaxy at War gives you alternative ways to get there. It’s about choice, and allowing players to find their own ways to stay immersed in the Mass Effect universe.


Will you be adding any additional maps or modes through DLC?
We can’t comment on specifics right now, but can confirm that we are planning on having DLC for Mass Effect 3.

Do save games from ME1 or ME2 impact the co-op multiplayer missions?
No.


Do characters level up in co-op multiplayer? What is the progression system?
Character progression, weapon upgrading and leveling up is present in co-op. We’ll release more information on this topic in the months leading up to launch.


Is there more info about the other platforms of Mass Effect 3: Galaxy at War?
We are not going into details about the other components of the Galaxy at War at this time except to say we are designing each to make sense for that platform. Each component will be able to affect a player’s “Galactic Readiness” level in a different way. Again, participation in any or all ME3:GaW elements is entirely optional.

[HotRod]

Hate to say it but I'm now oddly intrigued. Damn you Bioware!

[Skywalker]

Success in multi-player will have a direct impact on the outcome of the single player campaign

[Jeff O'Connor]

Lord Vader wrote:

---

Man, I've been watching people scream about that for over an hour.

Note that it has only optional bearing on achieving things in the main game. That's a very important issue right there. It can help or it can be completely ignored and that perfect ending can be found without booting it up even just once.

Chris Priestly was very careful to point this out, even going so far as to comment that he himself is all about the single-player, insinuating he may ignore it.

[Skywalker]

Yeah, yeah, I saw that. They say that you can have a complete and optimal ending without it, but for a completionist like me it's going to be a pain in the neck because I won't consider my game to be complete if I don't do this stupid co-op thing.

[Jeff O'Connor]

Lord Vader wrote:

---

Yeah, yeah, I saw that. They say that you can have a complete and optimal ending without it, but for a completionist like me it's going to be a pain in the neck because I won't consider my game to be complete if I don't do this stupid co-op thing.

Ah, I see.

[Skywalker]

I'm not a huge multiplayer fan, but I'll get over it if it turns out to be fun.

They must be going crazy over at BSN (and probably not in a good way). I'm registered there, too, but I don't visit very often lately because some of the community there just annoys the heck out of me.

[HotRod]

You would get better conversation from a cage full of Chimps then you would from the BSN.

[Jeff O'Connor]

I'm not a multiplayer guy either but it's Bioware and it's Mass Effect so I'm much more willing to give it a spin. If I still dislike it, then... ah well, the main game should still be fun.

HotRod wrote:

---

You would get better conversation from a cage full of Chimps then you would from the BSN.

I cannot deny this.

[Reverend]

HotRod wrote:

---

You would get better conversation from a cage full of Chimps then you would from the BSN.

I think it's fair to say that's the case on just about any kind of official forum. It has it's uses though.


As for the multi-player mode: The fact that they've opened another separate studio to work on that side of the game basically allays any concerns I had. The system of using MP matches to impact your single player campaign just sounds like a way for players to get the "optimum" ending without having to do every last assignment and just stick to the core story missions. One assumes you can tie this MP score to specific Sheps, otherwise it'll make the final chapter of my loserShep playthrough a bit odd.

Just had an interesting thought...wouldn't it be interesting if references to the MP missions you've completed showed up in the SP game via Galactic News bulletins?

[bullethead]

Edit: video embed didn't work for some reason.

[Reverend]

^All I'm seeing there is an empty white box. On the off chance it's not just my browser playing silly buggers, is this what it was supposed to link to?

Anyone else spot the first glimpse at the turian husk? Also, still not clear on how they'll apply the MP to multiple imported saves.

[Skywalker]

Are YouTube videos loading really slowly for anyone else lately? Opened that link Reverend posted (all I saw in bullethead's post was a white box, too) and the video's taking much longer than usual to load.

[bullethead]

Reverend wrote:

---

^All I'm seeing there is an empty white box.

Yeah, I thought it was just me, because I used the youtube video tag and it worked on another VBulletin forum I frequent.