Ben-DutkaMass Effect 3 sports multiplayer for the very first time in the franchise's history. But did you know this fresh idea was once very different?
In an illuminating behind-the-scenes feature app called "The Final Hours Of Mass Effect 3," BioWare boss Ray Muzyka and executive producer Casey Hudson spoke about how the team had considered a very different direction for the online multiplayer component.
The experiment was known as "Mass Effect Team Assault" and was most definitely a first-person shooter. Check it out:
"The goal was simple: to create a standalone multiplayer experience in the Mass Effect universe that would mix the play styles of Unreal Tournament and Battlefield 1943–and likely be released as a downloadable game. Played from the first-person perspective, players would battle on foot and drive vehicles like the Mako and Hammerhead hovercraft."
The app in question even includes prototype footage of the game, and it apparently looks a lot like Halo . But eventually, this standalone FPS multiplayer idea was put on the back burner, and "the Montreal team began working on a co-op multiplayer game that would use the same engine, characters, and gameplay style as the single-player game." Well, the fans have been annoyed at the ending…can you imagine how the hardcore fans might've reacted to an online multiplayer FPS in the Mass Effect universe?
Maybe they would've really liked it, though.
Related Game(s): Mass Effect 3
My gut feeling is that Team Assault wouldn't have been very compelling due to Biowares lack of involvement in FPS games in the past.
However, I dont think any ME fan wouldn't at least try the game mode out and decide for themselves. I certainly would!
I would have tried it, but not because it's ME necessarily, but I enjoy the genre, and I enjoy mp.
As a ME fan I'm glad they didn't end uo going through with that only because ME isn't an FPS, but that's the only reason. Otherwise I'm sure they could do some good things with an FPS.
Just further shows how out of touch Bioware is with their fans.
Now let us pray for the future of Dead Space.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/15/2012 10:25:20 PM
What do you mean? They scrapped the plan, didn't they? I'd say that's more a sign of being IN touch?
And if it were a GOOD FPS, I don't know that that's really s**ting on the fans.
Oh look! a new game type! a SHOOTER!!!!
Looks at mountains of FPS games.
Silly Bioware wised up at the last second and aborted the FPS monstrosity.
But they didn't "abort" the TPS idea.
Well since Mass Effect is at the very least a hybrid shooter/RPG, it wouldn't have hurt the game to add an additional first person camera angle.
Would have made the insane gun battles even better. And if you prefer to have your character obstruct your view throughout the entire game then you could just stick with third person.
The Elder Scrolls has tried to do this several times and while it has been a noble idea, the third person was actually the camera angle that was the least popular due to the wonky animations ^_^
Last edited by Palpatations911 on 3/16/2012 3:09:28 AM
Damn, thumbs down for having an idea that could have improved the overall experience of the game without removing what the hardcore fans of ME enjoyed.
Haters Gon Hate 😛
Yeah Palp, if you mention FPS on this site it is an automatic thumbs down from a few people. It really is one of the only drawbacks to the community. I don't mind that people don't like FPSs, but the thumbs down just for using that genre is BS to me.
I actually love that idea! As you pointed out Elder Scrolls has done it and so did MGS4 and I think it really benefits the gamers overall as it gives us CHOICES which is always a good thing.
If they had added a traditional multiplayer pvp in ME3 i would have wanted to just sink through the floor and die, that's how disappointed I would have been.
Like it is now with coop however, now that's awesome.
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/16/2012 3:24:18 AM
same here, this series doesn't need any kind of pvp. it would be hard to balance, with all the powers one can do in a match
That style, no. But a fully fleshed out online cover shooter with RPG elements set in the Mass Effect universe? Something along the lines of EVE Online or DUST 514? Heck yeah I'd give it a shot.
Last edited by TheAgingHipster on 3/16/2012 8:15:37 AM
A different title set in the same universe I'm all for. That'd be cool. In fact it would be cool with several different titles across many genres, set in the same universe.
Agree 100 percent. The Mass Effect universe can and should play host to games in all sorts of genres. It's not like the "traditional" Mass Effect games are being abandoned.
Not sure any Canucks are interested but the regular edition of ME3 is $40.00 on Amazon.ca. Wonder if most fans went for the collectors edition and now Amazon is overstocked. Just an FYI. I am holding on to my money for while until I see some DLC for the single player component.
what a surprise. If you've been paying attention this path of Bioware from RPG->shooter game developer has been painfully obvious for years now…