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Inefficient use of install space. Some games go so much as double in size while installing due to incompetent code design.

For example, Tera Online goes over 56 gigabytes while installing. Its final install space is closer to 25, IIRC.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
I can understand the advantages of download as games become bigger and more complex, but at the same time a multi-CD format used to pretty much be the standard for PC games that over-reached one disc. Indeed Mass Effect 3 on Xbox 360 came with two discs and it worked smoothly enough - you just pop in either disc when it asked to access certain missions which was little bother. I recall recently installing Halo 5 recently onto my Xbox One (Which I had to partially download) and the download came to 7GB. How is it Halo 5 requires a partial download for 7GB, when Empire: Total War gave me the full game of 9GB on one disc?

How "recently" did you install Halo 5?

Game released in October of 2015. A large chunk of that 7GB is updates for the game. When it launched, there was nothing like a 7GB download.
The install took awhile, but I think the initial update file was something like half a gig?

@Kanluwen - I pre-ordered it, so it would be day one that I installed/partially downloaded. That said, I may be getting it confused with the downloads for Multiplayer and Forge which weren't included on disc and which I only downloaded later on - some of that could have been later updates as you say. I suppose the point I was trying to get at is that regardless of what it is that I'm downloading (Excluding patches/updates if I'm being fair) they are features that could still have been included on a second CD. Certainly Halo 5's multiplayer required me to download it later on. It wasn't included on the game disc. However, I guess that's not really too much of a problem because if your internet has a sufficiently high bandwidth cap and low latency to play multiplayer, then you aren't fussed by a download. However, for offline single-player, I still feel that having download only versions or lack of physical options (Probably unintentionally) discriminates against people with poor internet services.

 Warpig1815 wrote:
@Kanluwen - I pre-ordered it, so it would be day one that I installed/partially downloaded. That said, I may be getting it confused with the downloads for Multiplayer and Forge which weren't included on disc and which I only downloaded later on - some of that could have been later updates as you say. I suppose the point I was trying to get at is that regardless of what it is that I'm downloading (Excluding patches/updates if I'm being fair) they are features that could still have been included on a second CD. Certainly Halo 5's multiplayer required me to download it later on. It wasn't included on the game disc. However, I guess that's not really too much of a problem because if your internet has a sufficiently high bandwidth cap and low latency to play multiplayer, then you aren't fussed by a download. However, for offline single-player, I still feel that having download only versions or lack of physical options (Probably unintentionally) discriminates against people with poor internet services.

Downloads can still take a while. I have enough bandwidth to play online without any problems. But I can only download about one GB an hour. A seven GB download pretty much means that I'm not going to be playing on launch day.

I assume most of you have seen the new trailer? Adds a bit more to the story, fleshes out a few things (sort of), and as I squealed happily during the initial viewing, A KROGAN SQUADMATE.

Yeah, I think I've watched that trailer about 7 times now. It all just looks so epic.

Seems like the Quarians are definitely out now, we'd have seen some of them by now if they were in, But still, good to see at least the Krogan,, Turians and Asari on the squad and the Salarian on the bridge crew. Still only 5 Squadmates shown, I expect they're keeping one as a surprise (probably an Andromeda species) and there is a trend of DLC companions in 2 and 3.

Also, heads up for anyone we EA Origin/Access, in case you missed it, you can get a 10-hour trial starting on the 16th of March, so a week before the game releases.

Nice. At the very least, that'll be good for a pre-load if I can get the money for the game beforehand.

So looks like PC wise the sound track edition is unique to origin?

 Compel wrote:
So looks like PC wise the sound track edition is unique to origin?

I was under the impression that's how it usually went (for soundtracks at least), console versions don't generally get them.

Unless you meant just in general.

I used to be able to get a 'Collectors Edition' pack for the other Mass Effect games which had the soundtracks etc in them.

 Compel wrote:
I used to be able to get a 'Collectors Edition' pack for the other Mass Effect games which had the soundtracks etc in them.

There's one listed on the Xbox Store, but it's in the standard preorder packages as a digital thing.

Dunno if the physical copies will have it.

Video detailing the combat system. Alleviates my one worry about the game, that cover was gone entirely, and it looks like there's going to be a ridiculous amount of customisation options.



With the new-look biotics that actually seem to match what the original trilogy's cutscenes promised, and the option to take melee weapons, I think I'm going to need a lot of willpower to resist going for a pure biotic/melee 'Jedi' build...

Oh ye of little faith...

I hate videogames but I love Mass Effect, I played 6 complete careers, always at 100% and without skipping a single dialogue. And I still want to play it again from the beginning.

I don't care about the gameplay, the vehicle or the allied partners, I'm only interested in the story and its dialogues.

I hope they don't mess things up, I'm a bit scared about the new Mass Effect to be honest.

Any chance this would be cross plaform, gears of war where you can play on xbox or a pc? I have a pretty fancy pc and the game will look so much better on it, but for long adventure games and RPGs I usually prefer the sofa. Would be cool if I could switch back and forth.

New gameplay video goes into more detail about how you choose powers and specialisations, and also confirms all 6 squadmates in a piece at the end:

Meesa so happy to be in dis game!

>.> the model looks so much like grimdarkified Jar-Jar. Haven't clicked the vid, mind you.

CNet has a bit of a preview article up now, where they got to play the game for a few hours.
https://www.cnet.com/news/mass-effect-andromeda-hands-on-preview/
Short version: a few hours wasn't enough for them to decide if it's going to be best game ever or not.

A review from the same event I saw on Youtube earlier said it 'felt like an improved Dragon Age Inquisition'. While the reviewer went on to say that that wasn't necessarily what he wanted or expected from a ME game, as someone who absolutely loves just about everything about DAI, that's exactly what I wanted to hear.

3 weeks today until the EA Access free trial starts, I cannot wait!

Have they shown or explicitly said whether you can customize your squadmates appearance either with equipment like in ME1 or variant costumes like in ME2/3? I didn't see an option for that in the video segment above.

I'd be amazed if you couldn't, given that there's now a crafting system and stuff, that'd be a bit wasted if only the player character could make use of whatever it is you're making. If I had to guess, they'd take the DAI formula and just have a shared party inventory of weapons and armour and unless race/class blocks it, anyone can equip anything.

I hope you're right. I'm a big fan of Krogans



but L.L.Cool Drack's sleeveless left arm bothers me. If anyone here is on twitter, feel free to ask bioware as they seem to answer questions there.

Surprised no one posted this:




I thought the comment she made about who's voicing the AI was pretty comical, also, I wonder if the doctor will be a romance possibility? Because who doesn't want to romance the Asari version of Natalie Dormer?

Screenshot one of the Mass Effect devs posted, showcasing the MP "home screen".

Characters, weapons, and equipment are still sorted into rarities. They didn't go into too much detail re: customization options but they are there.

Hopefully. Thanks for the pic. The class 19 helmets krogan is likely the vanguard we saw in the 5 sec snippet of video last month who also has biotic charge and nova. It's interesting to see transparent faceplates on the helmets.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I forgot to mention that the multiplayer beta/test they had folks sign up for in November has been cancelled.

 warboss wrote:

I forgot to mention that the multiplayer beta/test they had folks sign up for in November has been cancelled.

They've actually explained that fairly well.

Long story short?
They did a lot of internal/alpha testing. The concern was and always would have been server stresses. They cancelled the MP stress test because they feel they have it under control.

They will be at PAX East showcasing the MP. They're at GDC right now doing so too I think.

 Kanluwen wrote:

Long story short?
They did a lot of internal/alpha testing. The concern was and always would have been server stresses. They cancelled the MP stress test because they feel they have it under control.

They will be at PAX East showcasing the MP. They're at GDC right now doing so too I think.

So says almost every company that experiences day one multiplayer connectivity issues. Eh, it's relatively low risk though as they've unfortunately decided to go with peer to peer again instead of dedicated servers. Hopefully this time they won't automatically assign the server to whoever starts the room but rather test the connections and choose the best for all involved.

Another new preview.

So much yes. Tactical scarf.

i like it and thx for posting, What is the source?

One of the devs' Twitter.