Ben-DutkaYesterday, BioWare said the new Mass Effect would definitely appeal to both long-time fans and newcomers .
Now, they're talking more about the development progress of the new installment. It sounds like things are moving along nicely, as evidenced by various Tweets from the team.
For instance, cinematic director Ken Thain posted :
"New #MassEffect story and main character reviews today. This sh**'s gettin' real! I think the fans will be really excited to play this story."
Producer Mike Gamble added :
"Lots of great @masseffect meetings today. Things are really moving forward. It's great to be involved in the universe again."
For most RPG fans, this is great news. While it's true that the third entry seemed to embrace more action-oriented traits, that's a common trend and one we just have to accept. More action, less thought; when it comes to blockbuster franchises designed for the mass market, anyway. And if EA wants to sell a truckload of the new Mass Effect , you have to assume it'll have some flash to go along with the depth.
Gotta make an eye-catching trailer, after all.
If it's a prequel of any kind I will crap my pants and not bother with it.
Count me on the "no prequel" roster.
Of course, to go forward they would have to make a decision about which ending is canon. They may not want to do that.
Or they could set it in an alternate SF universe setting. Hmm.
A prequel to the first trilogy? Won't happen. But if they are to use the same universe they need to place the story *somewhere* on the timeline, either before or after. But it will be a completely new story, new characters, new setting. Of that I am certain.
Some new characters, anyway. Some of these races live a long time. I would bet on Liara showing up at the very least.
I mean if it happens before the other ME's even by a hundred years I will be turned off.
… But why, if it's an entirely new story? What does it matter?
@Beanboom,
I would never say "never" to a game set earlier in the timeline, but I would take a lot of convincing.
Part of it is simply the desire to move forward rather than backwards in a story.
A big part of it is that one appeal of Mass Effect is that you feel like your actions are making important changes in the fate of the galaxy. In a prequel, you would already know the fate of the galaxy, so your actions would always be steering events towards a known outcome. Not as exciting, and certainly not fitting with the theme of choice that is so big a part of the Mass Effect series.
Prequels often feel like the creator is just milking a franchise rather than coming up with new ideas.
I just don't like it, you start out always knowing what the future holds.
If the stories are in any way related then I agree.
But what if this story is about something entirely different?
Like what if we get to know the background as to why some of the races distrust each other (who we then see examples of in the first trilogy), or how certain species ended up with the social structure they have, or even an entirely different, new race, and how you save (or alternatively exterminate) them?
I mean, the options are quite literary endless!
@Beanboom,
Sorry, but those suggestions just leave me cold. I know as much as I care to know about why the Turians hate the Krogans or the Quarian/Geth war. Those topics were covered very well in the other games.
Same thing with the social structures of other races. Great to get in context of a bigger plot, not something that's compelling as the main focus of the game.
And if you're discovering a new race, that would be a game in a future continuity, not a prequel. We already know about the major races… introducing a new one in a prequel setting (even one that's gone extinct–which again, would be a pre-ordained outcome) is retconning. Blech.
Last edited by Comic Shaman on 7/17/2013 1:46:36 PM
There's plenty races found around on the Citadel we know *nothing* (or extremely little) about, and many locations we hear in random conversations that we never get to see. There's more to this universe than what is covered in the first three games.
Last edited by Beamboom on 7/17/2013 1:57:28 PM
It's just my personal taste, maybe it WAS interesting to see how Darth Vader became a monster for some but since I always knew he would it wasn't fun to explore.
The possibilities are frankly completely limited, if there is distrust and grudges then I can't very well carve a path to peace if I choose to now can I? No matter what I do the state of things in the galaxy will turn out the way they were in the current games, whether 10 years later or 100.
… But now you talk like there *is* a connection between the two series. 😀 I ask what if NOT!
What if you work out or choose not to carve a path to peace between races you see or hear NOTHING about in the first trilogy. That's what I mean.
Events that is not related in any way to any of the other stories.
Personally, this is what matters to me. I don't care when in time we will be as long as it is an entirely new storyline, completely unabridged to the first trilogy.
Cause I experienced that trilogy in MY way, so chances are that whatever connection there is between the two stories will not feel right for me. Even references to the first trilogy (if set after) will probably feel wrong.
I'd rather start completely from scratch. And *then* (and only then) it doesn't matter to me when in time it is.
Last edited by Beamboom on 7/17/2013 3:12:10 PM
I see… so you're talking about an alternate timeline. Kind of like the Abrams Star Trek movies.
It could work, I suppose.
I wouldnt mind a prequel so ling as the plot is different. But what I would really like to see is is a game in the future displaying how the outcome of the events in ME3 played out. Not focusing on the outcome but rather seeing races and the universes and how they were affected. We know what it was like during the trilogy but it would be neat to see how things have adapted without focusing on those events. Completely new characters, plot, and timline, but to see the future knowing the outcome of ME3 would be neat.
@Comic: No not an alternate timeline, just a different story! lol omg I guess I should just let this discussion be by now. 🙂
But oh well, let me try and make a real world comparison:
Let's say we in the first trilogy covered the rise and fall of Steve Jobs and Apple. Now, in the next trilogy we get the story of the creation of the hippie movement in the late 60s, and how it survived (or did it?) the seventies. Same world, same timeline, just two entirely different stories, with the second trilogy just happen to take place before the first.
@Big:
I could perhaps be interesting to see. I'll give you that. At least as a backdrop.
Either way: Can't wait to get more Mass Effect!!
Last edited by Beamboom on 7/17/2013 4:13:23 PM
Beam-
The more I think about it anything different would be frustrating. They dont have to make it stand out like "hey see how the events of ME3 affected the Turians" but to make it subtle yet relevent would be enough.
Bioware has said repeatedly that there was no official canon: Your story is your story. A sequel would have to take one sequence of events and definitively say that "this is the one". They could do a separate story around the time of the existing games or maybe even the fight for Shanxi-they've referenced it enough times. The Mass Effect: Evolution comics covered this and the origins if the Illusive Man; it might be worth exploring.
It's really beside the point though. EA forced Bioware to rush Mass Effect 3 out and I don't trust them to allow enough time for the devs to do their best work. Not only that but the "broader appeal" mania and the fact that it's being done by the team in Montreal and not Edmonton isn't a good sign either. I loved the series, but I have no faith that anything good will come from this.
Last edited by Kryten1029a on 7/17/2013 10:15:14 PM
Hmmm, I never played any Mass Effect games, just the demos, every game out there can't please every gamer. I'll keep my out and see what this takes place and see if it's interests me.