Mass Effect 3 Discussion thread!

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**Aldarionn**

So I'm expecting word of a new DLC next week, possibly involving the Collectors considering the photos that have been surfacing lately, but there's no guarantee. Still, getting the Collectors as an enemy in Multiplayer would be very nice indeed. Some fresh enemies to rekindle peoples desire to play. Even I have been flagging lately, since I've been on a painting binge that doesn't look like it will end any time soon.

**Kanluwen**

That photo had nothing to do with the Collectors, Ald. It's the underbelly of a human freighter, like the Strontium Mule.

That said, it likely is for an Omega SP DLC as the MP DLC has not had "photo previews" only SP has.

For those who are unaware:

This has fired up the "COLLECTORS IN MP WOO" fanbase.

For myself, it looks nothing like a Collector vessel or a Geth vessel or any of the various bits of speculation that has come out.

It looks like a view from the underside and fore of this, a Kowloon class freighter.

**Aldarionn**

Possibly, but it's so small that it's hard to tell. I think there is still a case to be made for any kind of ship, including a collector ship.

It's probably wishful thinking, but it's by no means impossible. I would very much like to see the Collectors included, because there have got to be a number of Collector ships isolated outside the galactic core since the destruction of their base. Also, we need new enemies in multiplayer or it's going to go static soon. Borderlands 2 is going to take a big toll on the ME3MP player base and a strictly single player DLC won't do much to help that.

**Kanluwen**

I think, if we're going to see Collectors introduced, they are going to be part of the Reaper faction as "alternate" enemies replacing things like the Marauders with Collector Assassins, the Cannibals with Drones, Brutes with Praetorians, etc.

Not as their own standalone faction.

**Aldarionn**

Even that would be cool.

**KamikazeCanuck**

I definately noticed a lack of Collectors to shoot in ME3. Not to mention Krogan and Vorcha. I guess they're good guys now but they still could of worked in some rogue groups of them.

**Revenent Reiko**

I didnt miss the collectors (i got the impression that there wasnt as many of them as people thought, and they all, or nearly all, died on the base....) but i definitely missed Krogan and Vorcha in ME3, good shout KC

**Aldarionn**

The problem is that they wrote themselves into a corner with the mercs, eliminating them as a possibility for a multiplayer enemy. The quest that brought them all under Aria's control set up the likely Omega DLC we will get in the future, but now there is no reason to fight them because they are on your side. That was a potential enemy faction that could have been added to multiplayer later on, and they made them an ally instead.

Personally I think the problem is that the Multiplayer and the Single Player don't have a whole lot of synergy even though they try to make them connect. The Multiplayer follows cannon, and since the cannon is that Shepard wants to bring everyone together to fight the Reapers, the enemies we are stuck with are factions that the Reapers control, the extent of which are the Reapers themselves, Cerberus, and Heretic Geth. Unless they bring back the Collectors, there really are not a whole lot of options for adding enemies to the game.

It would be a ton of work, but I would love to see a story mode in multiplayer, where a team of N7 operatives are given a mission and must clear a "level" in a similar pattern to the Single Player. That gives BioWare so many options for making it harder, since the level is linear and spawns are not random. It's much harder to exploit the spawning system in a linear level, and adding more enemies or an ambush by a different faction would actually make things more interesting rather than just annoying. It would definitely help rekindle interest in this game.

**Compel**

Sorta like a Mass Effect-does-Left-4-Dead?

**Aldarionn**

Compel wrote:
Sorta like a Mass Effect-does-Left-4-Dead?

If you are talking about L4D1 then perhaps, to some degree. If you are talking about L4D2 then no.

More like a Mass Effect does World of Warcraft Instanced Dungeons. IE, you get into a lobby of 4 people, like it is now, and you select character, weapons, etc...and you select one of a dozen or so "Missions" which take place on a linear map where you move from point A to point B, completing objectives at set points along the way. In other words, Trash Groups> Boss Fight>Trash Groups>Boss Fight>Trash Groups>Final Boss. The "Boss Fights" could be objectives, like secure the area against attackers, or destroy X number of gun emplacements, or protect one player against attack while he fires missiles at a Reaper Destroyer/Geth Colossus/Etc...Those kinds of things. Things that encourage teamwork and provide a challenge to overcome, the difficulty of which can be increased easily by adding more enemies, increasing their health and damage, and improving their AI to take advantage of map layout.

The "Missions" don't have to have anything to do with the main story. They could be off the front-lines, dealing with things Shepard doesn't have time for, but making a difference in the grand scheme of things. Attacking a Server of heretic Geth operating under Reaper control in a system that cannot defend themselves. Taking down a Reaper Destroyer that's attacking a colony or industrial planet that is doing research or making weapons for the front lines. Liberating a Cerberus base in order to secure some scientists that want to defect. Each of these types of mission parameters are VERY easy to come up with, and the maps can be generated with existing texture models to keep production costs to a minimum. I'm not saying it's a small project, but it would not take much effort on the design front to come up with this kind of thing. It would be a departure from the current paradigm of "Here's a random map with a random enemy and random spawn points. Kill them for 10 waves and every few waves, complete one of 5 random objectives for credits."

**Goliath**

Big News.
The Bioware team allegedly "has plans" for another Mass Effect game, and the new DLC has been named as "Omega"

Linky

IGN wrote:BioWare has hinted at a new game in the Mass Effect franchise, plus provided a name for Mass Effect 3’s next single player downloadable content. The news comes in the wake of the announcement that BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck have retired from the company. In a blog post from BioWare Edmonton and Montreal general manager Aaryn Flynn, Mass Effect is mentioned as part of the company’s plans looking forward.

“Executive Producer Casey Hudson and his team are coming off an amazing eight-year run with the Mass Effect trilogy. But they’re not done yet,” Flynn wrote. “We are releasing more multiplayer content and we have more single-player stories coming throughout the next six months, including Omega which is coming in the Fall. But the Mass Effect universe is vast, and Casey and our teams have plans for another full game. ‘Where to go next?’ with such a project has been a question a lot of us have been asking, and we’d all love to hear your ideas.”

In talking about the future, Flynn also hinted at a new fictional universe in development at BioWare, mentioning alongside it that “Casey [Hudson] continues to oversee the development of our new Mass Effect project.”

BioWare has said in the past that the Mass Effect franchise could continue but that it won’t revolve around Shepard. As for Omega, this marks the first time that BioWare has released a name for the content, which it teased during Montreal Comic-Con last weekend.

For now, no additional information about a new Mass Effect project has been revealed, but check out five ideas for a new Mass Effect game for where we think the series should go next, and why no more Shepard could be a good thing.

**KamikazeCanuck**

Interesting. Knew Omega had to be up next. Probably would have been first but got shuffled around due to ending furor. I'm up for some Non-Shepard related ME games.

**Aldarionn**

So we can expect about another 6 months of support for ME3, which is good to hear. Wonder if the Multiplayer team will continue making content past that.

The news that the next DLC is Omega does not surprise me. We knew they had set that scenario up for a DLC pack from the get-go, and hearing that it will come in the "fall" likely means middle to end of October at the earliest. I also suppose this means Kanluwen was right about the ship in that teaser photo, though I am not surprised. It really could have been anything.

I look forward to hearing more about this Omega DLC, though a friend of mine brought up an interesting point in conversation the other night. Why does Aria deserve to have Omega back, or Shepards help in getting it? She's a pretty boring character. A badass gangster is hardly original and she seems a bit unhinged at times, willing to do anything for her own profit or survival. Shepard owes her no favors, since he gave her the mercs in exchange for their use in the war. If anything, SHE owes HIM a favor. What could Shepard possibly gain by liberating Omega for Aria, other than a re-affirmation that she owes him a favor? I'm curious what this DLC will entail, and how it will play out. If it's just a straightforward liberation of the station back into Aria's control, I think I will be a little disappointed.

**warboss**

Aldarionn wrote:
So we can expect about another 6 months of support for ME3, which is good to hear. Wonder if the Multiplayer team will continue making content past that.

The news that the next DLC is Omega does not surprise me. We knew they had set that scenario up for a DLC pack from the get-go, and hearing that it will come in the "fall" likely means middle to end of October at the earliest. I also suppose this means Kanluwen was right about the ship in that teaser photo, though I am not surprised. It really could have been anything.

I look forward to hearing more about this Omega DLC, though a friend of mine brought up an interesting point in conversation the other night. Why does Aria deserve to have Omega back, or Shepards help in getting it? She's a pretty boring character. A badass gangster is hardly original and she seems a bit unhinged at times, willing to do anything for her own profit or survival. Shepard owes her no favors, since he gave her the mercs in exchange for their use in the war. If anything, SHE owes HIM a favor. What could Shepard possibly gain by liberating Omega for Aria, other than a re-affirmation that she owes him a favor? I'm curious what this DLC will entail, and how it will play out. If it's just a straightforward liberation of the station back into Aria's control, I think I will be a little disappointed.

I guess you could say that if you don't think Aria deserves Omega back that you could simply just opt to keep her tight blue butt on the couch @ purgatory by simply not buying the DLC.

Mass Effect DLC has been entertaining but frankly missed alot of the point (IMO) of Mass Effect for me in that the choices should matter in the end. Bring down the sky had some tie in for ME3 but ultimately what you chose in LOTSB and Arrival didn't mean much of anything. Leviathan had even less choice in that you only chose whether one very minor character (in the grand ME3 universe scheme) lived or died... nothing else. My hope is that you get a choice between screwing over Aria by turning over omega to the people (to hopefully remake for the better) or to help out the person who helped you out in ME3. I suspect that you'll just get to do the later.

**KamikazeCanuck**

As for why Shepard would help her Omega is in Cerberus hands is it not? Sounds like a good enough reason to me.

**Compel**

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/09/19/operation-patriot/

Squad Goal: Extraction on any difficulty with all squad members as the same non-human race. Requires 2 or more players in squad.

Allied Goal: Kill 600,000 Atlas Mechs on any map at any difficulty.

Special Circumstances: Escort Drones travel speed reduced.

Squad Goal Success: All squad members awarded a Commendation Pack.
Allied Goal Success: All players awarded a Victory Pack.

-----------------------------------------------------

This looks flipping hard for a random group

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

A level ten escort could hurt.

Will probably try and get in, have to try and be aware on what races folks are playing in the lobby.

Asari or Krogan seems a good bet with that one.

**Aldarionn**

Compel wrote:
http://blog.bioware.com/2012/09/19/operation-patriot/

Squad Goal: Extraction on any difficulty with all squad members as the same non-human race. Requires 2 or more players in squad.

Allied Goal: Kill 600,000 Atlas Mechs on any map at any difficulty.

Special Circumstances: Escort Drones travel speed reduced.

Squad Goal Success: All squad members awarded a Commendation Pack.
Allied Goal Success: All players awarded a Victory Pack.

-----------------------------------------------------

This looks flipping hard for a random group

That's slightly annoying, but I can just duo it with a friend on Bronze or Silver. The allied goal looks nearly impossible though.

**Kanluwen**

Killing 600k Atlas mechs looks nearly impossible?

Heh...

Also, I'd be glad to duo it with ya for us using whatever.

**Compel**

Have they made the operation easier?

"Extract Squad on any difficulty. Squad must have 2+ players of the same any non-human race."

Or, are they just as bad as GW as getting their meaning across?

**Aldarionn**

I assume it means full extraction with every member of the squad playing the exact same non-human race. I'm going to take it a step further and make sure it's the same race AND class, just in case there is some hidden requirement they forgot to mention.

**Kanluwen**

Aldarionn wrote:
I assume it means full extraction with every member of the squad playing the exact same non-human race. I'm going to take it a step further and make sure it's the same race AND class, just in case there is some hidden requirement they forgot to mention.

Double Vorcha Sentinel grenadier spam?

**Aldarionn**

HAHA!

That's just cheating.

**Kanluwen**

Aldarionn wrote:
HAHA!

That's just cheating.

AND set it to Bronze!

We would be Gods amongst Men, Ald.

Gods amongst Men.

It would only get better if we could get Mackey involved.

**Aldarionn**

It's not even difficult on Bronze with a Vorcha fully speced for regeneration. I completed a wave 10 hack against Geth with all of my teammates dead by just standing in the circle for the duration of the timer and meleeing everything that got in range. Once I had a 3 stack of Bloodlust going I literally stood there and took a beating from the entire wave. They gave me their best shot, and I found them......lacking.

**Kanluwen**

Announcement:

Today we are excited to announce Mass Effect 3: Retaliation, a new expansion to the critically-acclaimed Mass Effect 3 multiplayer mode, and our largest upgrade to date! The Retaliation begins on October 9th (October 10th for PS3 in Europe), and will be free to download for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Watch the Mass Effect 3: Retaliation trailer now.

What’s Included in the Retaliation Pack?

New Enemy Faction

Prepare to face off against the Collector Praetorian, Scion, Abomination, Trooper, and Captain. Reports have also come in that Cerberus has enlisted the Dragoon to their ranks and the Geth are deploying new Drones to the battlefield.

New Class Kits to Unlock

A host of new characters have joined the war to fight this new threat, including the Turian Havoc Soldier, Turian Ghost Infiltrator, with many more being added on a regular basis.

New “Hazard” Versions of Existing Maps

Wage war across six maps, featuring new environmental hazards and traps. A regular rotation of Firebases will be introduced to different hazards as they come under attack. Survive the onslaught of Acid, Lightening, Meltdowns, Sandstorms, Swarms and Whiteouts!

New Unlockable Weapons

The Collectors have also brought deadly new weapons to the fight: the Collector Assault Rifle, Sub-Machine Gun, and Sniper Rifle. Unlock these weapons and new equipment upgrades to build to your arsenal.

New Powerful Upgrades

Outfit your weapons with new ammo modifications and fortify your gear with unique upgrades to defeat even the toughest foes.

New Multiplayer Challenge Feature

Think you are the best soldier in the Alliance? Make sure to track your progress in the new “Challenges” database. Complete various multiplayer assignments and feats of strength to unlock titles and banners to display in-game, and then compare your progress against your friend.

How does it work?

The “Challenges” database tracks various in-game statistics, such as your N7 Typhoon usage. To earn challenge points, you’ll need to complete mini-goals. For example, accumulate 140,000 points while using the Typhoon in multiplayer and you’ll be rewarded with 10 challenge points.

What Can You Do With Challenge Points?

Challenge points are used to unlock cool in-game multiplayer bonuses, such as new titles and banners. Want other players to know that you’re a Council Operative? You can do that. Want to be the envy of your friends with a flashy new banner to display in the player lobby? You can do that, too!

Challenge points lead to unlocks, and unlocks allow you to personalize your multiplayer experience. Now, you’ve got some work to do, Soldier!

AND the long awaited patch dropped today.

Chris Priestly wrote:New Multiplayer kits including:

Turian Havoc Soldier

Turian Ghost Infiltrator

and more

6 maps with new environmental hazards and traps including:

Firebase Ghost

Firebase Dagger

Firebase Giant

Three new weapons

Collector Assault Rifle

Collector Sniper Rifle

Collector SMG

Three new Ammo types

Explosive rounds

Phasic Rounds

Drill Rounds

Five new Gear Items

Medi-Gel Transmitter

Armored Compartments

Responder Loadout

Survivor Loadout

Assault Loadout

The Medi-Gel Transmitter sounds like we'll be able to mass revive our teammates.

Flippin' sweet.

**FM Ninja 048**

TURIANS!

WITH HELMETS!

I love this update already

**warboss**

DLC definitely sounds cool. The initial post in the forums said that 16!!! new classes (or kits as they call them now) would be released but that has since been edited out (along with mention of the asari huntress and krogan shaman adept). I don't know if the loss of those from the announcement means they found a bug and that they won't be available (like the missing weapon mods and gear from the Earth DLC) or if they're trying to slowly release detailed class info at a steady pace.

**Kanluwen**

I think that some of the new classes might actually be tied into the "Challenge" feature being implemented.

Call it a hunch.

**warboss**

They've since posted that only 4 classes will be available next week and the rest will be drip fed released over the coming months/weeks similar to how the argus rifle just appeared one week followed by the batarian shotgun this week (can't recall the name).