Mass Effect

[prinnysquad]

Beginning to get a tad cheesed off with this.

My character seems to get twatted very quickly, going from almost full health to nothing far too quickly, and randomly. The weapons are underpowered, the mako doesn't fire where the crosshair is pointing to, and the lack of a run button to dash through tedium is a jarring oversight. The load times are a ****, and the auto save system wank. I played for 15 minutes in one section, got distracted, then picked the pad up and played for five minutes before getting spanked (in above wussbag fashion). The game threw me back ages, absolutely ages, seemingly much further back than 20 mins, through a section that can only be described as a crusted ringpiece. I didn't think 'oh good, I enjoyed that, I don't mind doing it again'. I thought, 'FFS, not this tedious **** again.' No wonder it felt like more than 20 mins. This better get good, and quick.

[Spatial]

You do need to stick with it - the problems you're describing there are two of the major things they refined with the second one so you aren't the only one who's had the problem.

You will get twatted and fall over a lot at lower levels. And you will get tossed back ages if you don't remember to save often because the autosave sure as hell won't.

[prinnysquad]

I'll stick with it. I want to play the sequel, so I'd better get this out of the way, unpolished turds and all.

I've rarely known combat so unsatisfying. You're supposed to be some elite hardnut, yet you get humped like a whore. Bloody mako is weak as piss too. You never feel like you've powered to an earnt victory, just survived it. The assualt rifle feels like a pea shooter. Your allies are useless, they get creamed so easily, and after playing Dragon Age, I dislike the fact that if your character gets nailed, you can't take over an ally for the rest of the battle; it's just game over.

[cavalcade]

Beginning to get a tad cheesed off with this.

My character seems to get twatted very quickly, going from almost full health to nothing far too quickly, and randomly. The weapons are underpowered, the mako doesn't fire where the crosshair is pointing to, and the lack of a run button to dash through tedium is a jarring oversight. The load times are a ****, and the auto save system wank. I played for 15 minutes in one section, got distracted, then picked the pad up and played for five minutes before getting spanked (in above wussbag fashion). The game threw me back ages, absolutely ages, seemingly much further back than 20 mins, through a section that can only be described as a crusted ringpiece. I didn't think 'oh good, I enjoyed that, I don't mind doing it again'. I thought, 'FFS, not this tedious **** again.' No wonder it felt like more than 20 mins. This better get good, and quick.

There is a run button. It doesn't work for long, and it isn't very effective, but there is an option.
The Mako will shoot where you point the guns on max zoom. On mid zoom the machine gun does fire out of sync. It's irritating, but not game breaking.
There is an Auto Save, but also a save anywhere system. Saving takes seconds. Just save more.

If you're playing Mass Effect as a shooter, then you'll be disappointed. It's a crap shooter, but it has some of the best moral dilemmas, environments, story and characters ever featured in a videogame. If you're not interested in the universe then you'll get nothing out of the game as the combat is simply something that facilitates the telling of a story in a traditional videogame framework. Mass Effect 2 "fixes" a lot of the "problems" with Mass Effect 1, but Mass Effect 1 remains a benchmark title which demands more of an appraisal than the usual stuff about how the combat and framerate is a bit iffy. I'd say for anyone playing Mass Effect for the first time, pick a soldier, slap it on Casual, and concentrate on the main plot missions - that way the good bits of the game a quicker to arrive, and the combat seems less irritating and protracted. Indeed, by the time you've levelled up a bit you'll be mowing down geth with ease, and in a far more entertaining fashion than the, admittedly, tough opening segment on Eden Prime.

I defy anyone who plays Mass Effect through to the end to be anything less than impressed with how the game and story plays out - and it's essential IMHO to get the most out of ME2.

[sj33]

Just want to emphasise the fact that ME2 fixes pretty much all of the complaints you're having with the game. It's worth persevering (though the original will grow on you).

[prinnysquad]

I appreciate you taking the time to try and sort some of the issues I'm having, but I'm afraid I remain unconvinced at the moment.

I'm doing the Peak 15 bit, and I'm about 10 hours through the game. I'd say that I've spent most time chatting to people and exploring, getting used to the universe. I don't have any problems with it in this respect, I've enjoyed it. I'm definitely not playing it as a shooter. Since they are a part of story progression, however, I'm finding the shooty bits quite awful. They needed to be better than this. I've also deviated very little from the main story, nor intend to for quite a while.

There is a run button. It doesn't work for long, and it isn't very effective, but there is an option.
The Mako will shoot where you point the guns on max zoom. On mid zoom the machine gun does fire out of sync. It's irritating, but not game breaking.
There is an Auto Save, but also a save anywhere system. Saving takes seconds. Just save more.

The run button only works in battle.
The mako - well, I've tried the zoom, and it does make things better, but on one section driving up the snowy road towards Peak 15, I tried to take out the heavy turret guarding a tunnel, and even on full zoom, the gun was just not hitting it. Some kind of glitch maybe, because it worked the next time.
The auto save is too infrequent for my liking. Maybe I'm too used to games saving more frequently, but I was shocked when this game threw me back ages. I'd completed puzzles, chatted to folk, cleaned out rooms and travelled down/up a few elevators by that point, and I truly couldn't believe it hadn't autosaved once down that stretch. The save system is quick enough to use, but shouldn't need to be used as frequently as you do (especially on the Peak 15 section, where my underpowered character gets thrashed in the blink of an eye) as it breaks the pacing of the game. The autosave should be stricter. I'll try to save more

It's annoying that they've created this universe and neglected simple things. However, yourself, Jamie and Shakey have all said the combat gets better, so I hold out a lot of hope in that respect. It's a shame that at the moment I'm meant to feel like an ace soldier, yet he gets pwnd so easily. It shatters the roleplaying illusion somewhat. Roll on the higher levels.

[cavalcade]

IIRC you can run out of combat, but it doesn't seem like you're running much faster than normal walking pace.

Have you put it on Casual? If you haven't just pop into the options and turn it down. It's neither here nor there for the achievements, and it'll stop you getting accidentally killed. If you're anything other than a Soldier, I'd do this ASAP. Also, make sure you turn off the irritating graphical filter that nobody likes when you're there.

10 hours is probably the tipping point where you can start to make progress towards making peace with the combat. Start concentrating on whapping points into the Assault Rifle skill. It's a decent all purpose weapon. Concentrate on getting your skills to the point that you can look at something, shoot it, and it dies quickly. If you're not a soldier, pump the points into Pistol. But be aware, even with a smattering of Biotic powers, and the ability to wreak havok on the enemies the combat will never elevate to even the level of Ghost Recon 1. What should happen is you begin to adapt to it, and tolerate it as a means to an end. So long as you keep saving after every major encounter and slap it on Casual you should avoid replaying any sections. Peak 15 has some bad autosaves, other areas are better, but never rely on the autosave. Also, didyou do Peak 15 first out of the three planets you're offered after the Citadel? I'd say you've picked the most difficult, the longest, and possibly the least rewarding to do first, as it is the least self-contained in terms of plot....

What may happen is you'll barrel towards one of the 4 or 5 truly memorable moral dilemmas the game puts before you in a haze of bitterness and hatred towards the game, but once you play through these sections you'll go through a period of acquiescence, and eventually mutual understanding, and possibly respect. Mass Effect 1 is a bit like a difficult album. It's not the Scouting For Girls format for most games these days. It will reward you. But to get to the rewards you need to work. But waiting for you are some fantastic moments which you'll be able to share with your fellow gamers, and an entire sequel where virtually every problem you have with the first game is ironed out. Grit your teeth, and push on soldier.

[prinnysquad]

Yeah running out of combat flings the camera over your shoulder slightly, and the camera bobs around in a Gears-lite manner, but it doesn't seem any faster. I'm a soldier on the default difficulty (whatever that was) and, you guessed it right, went to the Peak 15 world first. Curses. I'll stick with the assault rifle and level it up like billy-ho.

Pushin' on Cap't!

[cavalcade]

Drop it to Casual man. You can always turn it up again later. You and I both know you're a highly skilled gaming god, but for the sake of enjoyment, and getting through this, drop it (and give me 20 Soldier).

Peak 15 is pretty good after the insidey bit, which is dull, and the long trudge to the other insidey bit, which is also dull. But if you do it before you have.... erm.... someone else.... with you it might not make a lot of sense and seem rather melodramatic for so soon in the game. I tend to think while Bioware offered the choice, they probably might as well have laid out all the main planets in a linear fashion.

[prinnysquad]

*sob*

Really hating this matriarch fight bit. I can barely muster the energy to write about my dislike, it's pissed me off so much.

The fact that you have to go through the big Saren speech every time before you fight her is loathesome game design.

I need to take five. 12 deaths and counting, several on casual. Also, Garrus is a useless ****. If he doesn't cop a bullet off an enemy he'll get one from me.

[prinnysquad]

Done it, hated it; hated, hated, hated it.

That has got to be the low point.

Maybe I'm playing this at the wrong time. After trudging through Dragon Age, I feel like every BioFlaw is exacerbated x10.

[cavalcade]

That's the worst bit over with. From now on you'll find combat easy on Casual. Deep breath. Keep going. 8 more hours tops. If you were Famidude you'd be finished it by now and playing Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs for some cheap points.

But you're not him prinnysquad.

You can do this. You just need to fight through the pain.

[prinnysquad]

lol.

I'm going to switch it on tomorrow night and pretend that I'm starting a brand new game. Then all memories of Garrus the twadge and the nightmares of Peak 15 will be pushed aside.

I may have got a skanking tonight. But DODDy has received the biggest skanking of all!
Serves him right!

[prinnysquad]

Enjoying it a lot more now.

Onto Virmire, having completed the first three destinations after the Citadel. Getting the hang of upgrades and stuff, which can help out a lot. Loads of assignments mounting up on the backlog.

Liked the

->Open Spoiler<-

plant story sequence a great deal. It was like an old Star Trek episode, but with a topless fat Shatner screaming 'Sssspppppooocccckkkkk'

Also been doing some pottering about on a couple of planets with the Mako. It's good, except in combat, where it's so piss weak you have to do the reverse-me-do dance every few seconds.

There's some good dialogue sequences knocking about and I'm becoming increasingly aware of the potential consequences of my decisions.

The combat all of a sudden seems more robust. Must be the armour and guns.

[nonny]

Im up to that matriarch fight as well and I havent gone back to it since... that was about a month ago. I have ME2 sitting here un-opened but I just havent been able to bring myself to go back as yet... I guess I should man up and get it over with.

So from that point onwards you guys reckon theres about 8 hours left in the game? I might have to clear an evening to get through it.