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I'll wait for the inevitable trilogy to finish this time before I think about playing any of them, that way if they change writers halfway through and it turns from high-concept sci-fi to SPEHSS MARINZ SHOOTIN DA BADDEES HURR with random French-surrealist ending again, I can just not bother getting invested.

New things...

"The Andromeda Initiative is currently seeking recruits"

http://www.polygon.com/2016/11/1/13491298/mass-effect-andromeda-teaser-newsletter

What, you couldn't post the video?

Any idea what it actually is though?

It's a clever way of linking to their newsletter.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

The Andromeda Initiative is currently seeking recruits. Registered recruits will be among the first contacted to receive critical mission information, special training opportunities, and will also be eligible for reward upon program completion. Orientation begins Nov. 7.

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So yay is basically Mass Effect: Atlantis then

 Compel wrote:
So yay is basically Mass Effect: Atlantis then

If Atlantis were set 600 years later...

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Compel wrote:
So yay is basically Mass Effect: Atlantis then

If Atlantis were set 600 years later...

I believe the reference to '600 years later' is meant as a '600 years after 1969', or at least that's what I took from the video.

From the various videos and spoilers I've seen it doesn't look like it's THAT far removed from the future of the ME trilogy - but, then again, I've been wrong before.

 Frankenberry wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Compel wrote:
So yay is basically Mass Effect: Atlantis then

If Atlantis were set 600 years later...

I believe the reference to '600 years later' is meant as a '600 years after 1969', or at least that's what I took from the video.

From the various videos and spoilers I've seen it doesn't look like it's THAT far removed from the future of the ME trilogy - but, then again, I've been wrong before.

They had a Shepard (specifically, FemShep) providing the voice over for the earlier trailer. So I strongly doubt that the colony ship/fleet/whatever launches after ME3. And the tech looks more or less appropriate for the ME trilogy games, suggesting that the galaxy had access to a similar tech level when the expedition left.

It'd be nice if they gave us some actual info on the game's story besides "Andromeda!", though. It's not like they'd reveal massive plot spoilers by doing so since this would be information that the player should have access to literally the moment that the game starts.

 Frankenberry wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Compel wrote:
So yay is basically Mass Effect: Atlantis then

If Atlantis were set 600 years later...

I believe the reference to '600 years later' is meant as a '600 years after 1969', or at least that's what I took from the video.

From the various videos and spoilers I've seen it doesn't look like it's THAT far removed from the future of the ME trilogy - but, then again, I've been wrong before.

The exact quote is at 0:30, but here's a transcript.

This path began a long time ago, a course paved through human history that took us across continents, oceans, and ultimately to the stars. For us this planet is home; it's protected us, challenged us, and provided us the foundation to become galactic citizens. But the time has come to prepare ourselves for a future beyond the Milky Way, a future that begins 600 years from where we stand in a time and a place among unknown stars and unseen dangers.

And so we issue this call to the brave, the inquisitive, the trailblazers of the human race as an invitation to stand on the shoulders of those who came before and challenge yourself to go further. Begin your journey. Join the Andromeda Initiative today.

It's not meant to be 600 years after 1969.


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Eumerin wrote:

It'd be nice if they gave us some actual info on the game's story besides "Andromeda!", though. It's not like they'd reveal massive plot spoilers by doing so since this would be information that the player should have access to literally the moment that the game starts.

One thing we do know is that there isn't a femshep/broshep. Instead they've gone for twins or brother/sister as the main characters. Two distinctive characters rather than just the same character as girl or boy.

Calling it now, your twin either dies or turns evil!

I reckon the best thing they could do with the twin you don't choose is have them as an active character (maybe even a party member) that acts as a foil to you, make them the game's avatar to comment on your choices and force you to question the decisions you make. Basically, a complement to the Paragon and Renegade system that exists beyond just Good Guy/Bad Guy points.

Even better, it could work both ways; as well as them judging you, there could come a point where you start corrupting or inspiring them depending on which way your character is leaning on the scale. It would add a lot more weight to the choices you make when it's not just affecting the world at large but someone your character has a personal connection to.

Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

I know there's little in the way of anything approaching solid information about the storyline, but this trailer just seemed to raise more questions, which I guess it was meant to do.

I think the answer is simply:

"We ****ed up the plot and universe so badly at the end of Mass Effect 3 that the only way we can continue the franchise is from doing a blank slate and maybe, just maybe, have a reference or two to the original setting during the game to pretend that we answer some questions but don't really."

In other words, the exact same thing done with:

Knights of the Old Republic and Knights of the Old Republic 2
Neverwinter Nights and Shadows of Undrentide.

Not that Bethesda and Obsidian are much better...

At least they seem to have avoided the issue with the Dragon Age franchise, purely by having a situation where: "There's always going to be some jerk doing jerky things somewhere."

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

I know there's little in the way of anything approaching solid information about the storyline, but this trailer just seemed to raise more questions, which I guess it was meant to do.

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

 Kanluwen wrote:

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

I know there's little in the way of anything approaching solid information about the storyline, but this trailer just seemed to raise more questions, which I guess it was meant to do.

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

Alternately, a group of people who believe Shepard's warnings about the Reapers decide that the best way to avoid getting massacred is to flee to another galaxy. That also fits with the expedition launching between ME2 and ME3, since after ME3 there wouldn't be any need to leave.

It also avoids having to worry about whether your colonists were affected by one of Shepard's colors picks at the end of ME3.

So they're the PHR.

I think between 1 and 2 is more sensible - Shepard is still respected and not in jail. Plus noone is panicking too much yet.

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

Because it's there.

It makes sense the ship left before ME3. The galaxy was going to be destroyed by Reapers. I'm pretty sure this is some sort of Noah's Ark spaceship that took 600 years to reach Andromeda.

I'm not certain, but I'm somewhat sure that Bioware have specifically slammed the door shut on the, "the Andromeda Project was made around the time of ME3" due to them saying 'all effort and material was put towards the crucible / preparing for the Reaper attack' and that "there were simply no resources left for a project this size."

Kanluwen wrote:

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

I know there's little in the way of anything approaching solid information about the storyline, but this trailer just seemed to raise more questions, which I guess it was meant to do.

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

While not discounting Cerberus' ability to get gak done, something on a scale this massive doesn't seem like something they'd have a hand in - before ME3 Cerberus is a more clandestine group, operating more in the shadows and behind the scenes - and they're all about human dominance, having showcased different races being apart of this expedition sort of rules Cerberus out as being the driving force.

Melissia wrote:

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

Because it's there.

A fair point. But with Mass Effect, everything has been a reaction, not preventative - which isn't saying that simple exploration isn't enough of a reason.

It feels like, to me at least, that ship is launched AFTER the conclusion of ME3 - perhaps the initiative to leave our galaxy is born during the fight with the Reapers or maybe the destruction brought on by such a massive scale of war depletes our galaxy so much that the only option is to find somewhere else to set up shop. The races of the Mass Effect universe have shown that unless there is some massive driving force behind it, change almost never takes place - hence why I have a hard time accepting simple exploration as a reason for the colony ship/jumping to another galaxy.

Of course, we're probably ALL wrong and BioWare completely rewrote the ME canon so that the Reapers were simply advanced Geth ships. /deadpan

 Frankenberry wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

 Frankenberry wrote:
Well ME1 takes place in 2183, so I guess my assumption about the 1969/600 years from then is wrong.

But it's odd, with what little information we have...this massive undertaking to 'colonize' another galaxy just seems so...unnecessary. I mean, if the ship left before the events of ME3, then we can't use that as a reason...so, why?

I know there's little in the way of anything approaching solid information about the storyline, but this trailer just seemed to raise more questions, which I guess it was meant to do.

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

While not discounting Cerberus' ability to get gak done, something on a scale this massive doesn't seem like something they'd have a hand in - before ME3 Cerberus is a more clandestine group, operating more in the shadows and behind the scenes - and they're all about human dominance, having showcased different races being apart of this expedition sort of rules Cerberus out as being the driving force.

Truthfully, Cerberus were the Alpha Legion of the Mass Effect universe.

They were huge. They were clandestine certainly, but they also had a public front.

Yes, perhaps a little too huge. Like unrealistically huge. They were a bit too powerful for a secret society of extremists. Where are they getting all this money from?

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Yes, perhaps a little too huge. Like unrealistically huge. They were a bit too powerful for a secret society of extremists. Where are they getting all this money from?

An excellent point - I mean how many trillions did it cost for them to revive Shepard? Or build their fleet that could hold off the Alliance? Or the apparent hundreds of city-spanning secret bases and space stations?

Clandestine initially? Sure. By the end of ME3 these guys were as big a player as any individual races army.

 Frankenberry wrote:

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Yes, perhaps a little too huge. Like unrealistically huge. They were a bit too powerful for a secret society of extremists. Where are they getting all this money from?

An excellent point - I mean how many trillions did it cost for them to revive Shepard? Or build their fleet that could hold off the Alliance? Or the apparent hundreds of city-spanning secret bases and space stations?

Clandestine initially? Sure. By the end of ME3 these guys were as big a player as any individual races army.

I believe they built the Normandy 2. Twice as big, fast and stealthy as the SR1. It was more advanced than anything the galactic empires could make.

 Kanluwen wrote:

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

Seems much too competent to be Cerberus.

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Yes, perhaps a little too huge. Like unrealistically huge. They were a bit too powerful for a secret society of extremists. Where are they getting all this money from?

Their many corporate fronts?

I mean, remember that they weren't just a "secret society of extremists". They were also the Illusive Man's brainchild and had a network of corporations that were fronts for his business interests that equipped Cerberus.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Elemental wrote:

 Kanluwen wrote:

So, wild speculation here:

The Andromeda Initiative is something undertaken by members of humanity to try to preserve their culture and race. Seeing as how what we've seen so far is basically just humans, it could be something tied to Cerberus or one of Cerberus' side organizations.

Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

If that's the case? I'd say the Andromeda Initiative launches somewhere between ME2 and ME3, since post-ME2 Cerberus started using Reaper Indoctrination on its troops.

Seems much too competent to be Cerberus.

You played ME2, right?

 Kanluwen wrote:
Remember that Cerberus wasn't just bad guys. There were good people in there, who genuinely believed that humanity was being undermined or just plain mistreated by the Council races. Think about the Blitz and the fact that Batarians basically got off with a wrist slap despite viciously attacking human colonies, the Turians and their first encounters with humanity, etc.

I have a vague recollection that the "Cerberus isn't all bad guys" conversation with your crew members in ME2 implies that while not all of the Cerberus members are bad guys, most of the non-bad guy members are on the Normandy SR2.

Don't need to say anything more. Great to see some concepts realized finally.

 Kanluwen wrote:



Don't need to say anything more. Great to see some concepts realized finally.

What concepts?

Also, it looks like it's legitimately hundreds of years in the future (from the ME trilogy) - that's an interesting choice, since it looks like they decided to keep the same tech, weapons, and overall ship design.

Color me excited though, I'm looking forward to seeing how the Ryder siblings do things.