[aries323]

HI

From what I understand from the conversation system in Mass Effetct, you may choose between a radial dial. And so you will have 4-6 different options of choosing what you will say; or rather you will get one or two keywords
that you may choose....

Info on this from this site:

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/new...hp?story=10786

And so you maybe will have the choice of say admire, joke, coerce, boast, or maybe 1-2 other options. The NPC (or PC) will then say something in accordance with the keywords you have selected. And then you just select a different keyword next time. And so on and so on...

Maybe it's just me that is old fashioned but I like to feel that it is ME (as the person behind the PC) that is in control of what they are saying, not the developers/publishers. (who, IMHO, they will be - since they get to choose what the PCs and NPCs in Mass Effect will say).

More generally, I must admit that I'm not dwon with the whole 'Let's make the games more photo-realistic so they will finally be more like movies - and then maybe the video gaming industry will be taken seriously'. There are two reasons for me disliking this:

1) I'm not myself very keen on the whole photo-realistic, movie-like feel for games. I'd like to see games that still are a bit cartoony in their expressions. And by that I do not mean like cartoons, but games which you still, as a player, can see is not of this world. And by that I mean that games indeed, imho, is an artistic product in their own right. And that games thus are different from movies - and fulfil other needs than movies do for the consumers/gamers/customers.

2)
The gaming industri, gamers etc. DO not, IMHO, have anything at all of which they should be ashamed. If people do not LIKE other people playing videogames, than it ISN'T the gamers' fault.... And by that I mean that gamers shouldn't be embarrased to say to other people that they enjoy playing video (pc, xbox, ps2 games etc.). This is, IMHO, the only way, gamers can change other peoples' outlook on people playing videogames.
I sometimes feel that some gamers wants to see more photo-realistic games
just to legitimate to other people that they are playing videogames. And my take on this is that is not all necessary...

As for the argument on hich platform is better, I personally like the PC, but understand why people, developers etc. choose the consoles, either for
developing games or playing them.

aries323

[aries323]

HI

I would just like to add that while visuals etc. are nice in a game like Mass Effect they are not crucial to the game. What IS essential, IMHO, is
the story, the character's in the story, how they interact etc. etc.

And sometimes new stuff takes time away from creating the story,quests etc. etc.

aries323

[Kolzig]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

But, whatever happened to Alan Wake?

Alan Wake is coming autumn/winter 2007, at least that's what my gut tells me.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by aries323

HI

I would just like to add that while visuals etc. are nice in a game like Mass Effect they are not crucial to the game. What IS essential, IMHO, is
the story, the character's in the story, how they interact etc. etc.

And sometimes new stuff takes time away from creating the story,quests etc. etc.

With due to respect, I'm not gonna lie to myself. Watching the gameplay movie, I was floored by how the realistic visuals enhanced and enriched the game experience! This is one of those rare games where the graphics really do have an influence in how I experience the game and the gameworld. So in that sense, I disagree with you in terms of Mass Effect.

There are games where using the latest and best graphics make them look pretty but offer little substance and lasting impression. I honestly don't think Mass Effect will be one of those games. Bioware are no lightweights, they KNOW the value of story, characterization, and interaction. That's why my eyes shed a tear at key moments in Knights of The Old Republic, and in Jade Empire. In this case with Mass Effect the graphics look to be in great service to the story, characters, and interaction. And that really has more to do with the art direction, the aesthetics of it all.

When you have technology this good and powerful, and when you use it to tell a good story and give good gameplay, it can be very difficult to simply dismiss graphics as a mere frivolity. Why many gamers believe otherwise is something I can't understand. Perhaps it's because we've seen very few games that actually achieve this, where we can't possible imagine a game like Mass Effect to be so effective using older technology. It's like good graphics is always getting shit just because it's good graphics.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

That's why my eyes shed a tear at key moments in Knights of The Old Republic, and in Jade Empire.

Yeah, but what about YOU? Besides, you're both wrong. What really counts is the VBBC (the virtual boobs and body count).

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Well, I do have to factor in basket size.

[Dasilva]

I should really finish Jade Empire and Kotor as goodie two shoes. I never did finish Kotor 2, my PC had problems and I ended up losing all my saves, I should get it for my xbox like I did with kotor 1.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Get it get it!!!

< remembers C-C-C-Carth and Canderous >

OMG!!!

< faints >

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I used to undress them both just to see them in their underwear.

[samIamsad]

Glad I'm not the only one . Whatsherfacebastilla or so such for me though.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Bitchtila? Yeah, she was hot. She's one of those kinds of females where you just wanna bitch slap her til she cries and then cuddle her after making hot love.

[Dasilva]

Trep, no dont go tot he dark side! Theres warm oils on my side.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Are you kidding? I got Juhani all over my ass and I had to say no. I had to, I couldn't stop thinking about your hot lightsaber.

[Dasilva]

Lol, its a bit red one too.

[Spiwak]

Alas! be no thread sacred to ye gays?

[Intrepid Homoludens]

samsie started it. And he's a breeder.

[samIamsad]

Originally Posted by Trep

samsie started it

Hey!

Originally Posted by the very, very same Trep

I used to undress them both just to see them in their underwear.

I love the term "breeder" very much though. First time I've ever heard it in this context. Anyway, after all of this rather fun name-calling, I'm wondering if somebody could bring this like, you know, back on topic? I'll try!

Google is awesome.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

[stuboy]

Mass Effect's title refers to a mysterious "force" (wink wink) which lets people change the world around them with special powers. Like, I don't know, maybe you can kill people with gestures, or convince guards that these are not the droids they're looking for.

I dunno if it actually features Ewoks, but they're dancing on the rip-off fence.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

IIRC, one of the Bioware guys mentioned that this is the game they had wanted KOTOR to be.