toblix

Mass Effect 3

Recommended Posts

Isn't it likely the game will require Origin as well?

It's not likely, it's definite. All EA games will henceforth require Origin to play, you can quote me on that.

Deal with it or stop playing EA games.

(Neither angry, nor directed at anybody in particular.)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bah, the demo. First I downloaded it (2.1GB) and then it crashed every time I tried to run it. I clicked the "check files" option and it proceeded to download a 1.9GB patch.

Origin's awesome. :shifty:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Ok, just cancelled my preorder of the collector's edition. Not going to buy this game at full price when they shove origin down my throat.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I downloaded Origins just for this demo and was surprised that it didn't wipe my hard drive, fax threatening messages to me, then lock me out of my house.

Origins has such a bad rep, but in my experience, it's pretty slick and totally just ok. It downloaded the demo, and ran the demo fine, it wasn't intrusive at all.

As an average user Origins was no different from Steam (except possibly more pleasing to the eye).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

They're both like warnings on DVDs. A nuisance to get through before you can be entertained. Steam is a nuisance that comes with the promise if cheap games, though, so it's tolerable.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think that Origin has a bad reputation because it's owned by EA, and EA's really the only major publisher who has essentially waged open war on Steam. As an entrenched user of Steam with over 300 games in my library, I'd rather not have to divide my attention between two clients. Essentially, I don't like that EA is putting their very specific business interests miles ahead of my convenience as a customer (which is not something I expect, rather something that I appreciate from other companies that publish on Steam).

So, I'll probably just be playing Mass Effect 3 on Xbox 360. Obviously not an ideal situation, but that's how I'll "deal with it".

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I downloaded the demo on my Microsoft XBOX 360 Electronical Media Entertainment Device, and have had a pretty good time with it. My only real complaint is that a character's race and power loadout are linked, so if you want to play anything other than a human, you have to unlock it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well, I downloaded the demo on my Microsoft XBOX 360 Electronical Media Entertainment Device, and have had a pretty good time with it. My only real complaint is that a character's race and power loadout are linked, so if you want to play anything other than a human, you have to unlock it.

I can't wait for the next-gen XBOX360EMED.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I think that Origin has a bad reputation because it's owned by EA, and EA's really the only major publisher who has essentially waged open war on Steam. As an entrenched user of Steam with over 300 games in my library, I'd rather not have to divide my attention between two clients. Essentially, I don't like that EA is putting their very specific business interests miles ahead of my convenience as a customer (which is not something I expect, rather something that I appreciate from other companies that publish on Steam).

Exactly. I honestly wouldn't even mind (that much) if Origin ran with all of the games that used it, but those games were still launchable via Steam and just launched a small Origin component with them when you started them (a la GFWL). It's not ideal and more clutter than you need, but my problem with Origin isn't Origin itself so much as it means that I can't get the games on Steam, which is my go-to launcher for all things PC. If they could work that out, I'd stop caring. As it is, I have an Origin client and linked a bunch of the EA games that I had CD keys from Steam to it, but then have not bothered to launch it again. Hard to care.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Ok, just cancelled my preorder of the collector's edition. Not going to buy this game at full price when they shove origin down my throat.

Um.. you only found out now that Mass Effect 3 requires Origin to play?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So, Origin no longer scans your system and send various info to EA? And it won't prevent me from playing games when my connection to is less than optimal (like steamcloud games that are pretty much unplayable when that happens)?

Um.. you only found out now that Mass Effect 3 requires Origin to play?

Well yeah. I'm pretty much not following any new around mass effect 3, and I forgot to check up on the DRM they used.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I decided not to buy ME3 as well when I found out about it a few weeks ago on RPS.

It's not even about it being EA, or it being a crap system. It's just that I don't want to install, like, 10 game managers in the future. I like to keep my games in a central library and that library is Steam.

The only way I would switch would be if Origin somehow got a larger library than Steam, and if I could register my Steam games on Origin as well. In other words: When pigs fly.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I started playing the -effects on the Xbox, so I don't have to worry about these issues.

Though, this weekend I installed ME2 and downloaded a renegade lady shepard save.

Holy crap the game looks good on my PC. I kinda wish I had started on PC. At least with the 360, you don't have to worry about origin. (my ID is already tied to an EA account)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I started playing the -effects on the Xbox, so I don't have to worry about these issues.

Though, this weekend I installed ME2 and downloaded a renegade lady shepard save.

Holy crap the game looks good on my PC. I kinda wish I had started on PC. At least with the 360, you don't have to worry about origin. (my ID is already tied to an EA account)

If you want to convert your 360 saves to PC saves, it can be done. I've done it in preparation for the third game because I actually have a computer that can run it now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I've played the demo on PS3, 360, and finally today I gave the PC version a shot. The best (and smoothest) experience was by far the PC version. For some reason both console versions just seem jittery and unpolished.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Exactly. I honestly wouldn't even mind (that much) if Origin ran with all of the games that used it, but those games were still launchable via Steam and just launched a small Origin component with them when you started them (a la GFWL). It's not ideal and more clutter than you need, but my problem with Origin isn't Origin itself so much as it means that I can't get the games on Steam, which is my go-to launcher for all things PC. If they could work that out, I'd stop caring. As it is, I have an Origin client and linked a bunch of the EA games that I had CD keys from Steam to it, but then have not bothered to launch it again. Hard to care.

I feel the same way. Ideally EA would grow up and offer their games on multiple systems, but they want to draw customers to their new service. I dont think they will win many hearts with those kind of tactics, but whatever.

EA Downloader (/Manager), which Origin grew out of, WAS shit and I think thats where many of the complaints are. Origin actually isnt that bad besides the tiny library and bad UI. It also needs time to work some other issues out, like why do I need to install games after downloading them?

But regardless of its quality I will never use it. I love Steam and have a huge library there, I will not splinter it no matter what. I have yet to buy Battlefield 3 and I wont buy Mass Effect 3 either. EA can either lose the cut Steam takes or lose all of my money.

Which is another interesting topic. Say a PC digital download costs $60, of that money isnt it all potential profit for the company? They dont have licensing fees like they do for consoles (which if I recall is like $10-30), they dont need to manufacture or ship anything. There is no retail markup. It can all go straight toward the publisher/developer. Now of course they have to pay development costs, advertising, etc. But of that $60, they get just about all 60. Whereas with a sale of a physical console copy it seems to be much less.

So why, on the most profitable platform, do they need to be dicks? If Steam takes 30% that still leaves EA with $42. With Origin they obviously get to keep that 30%, but that dosent really seem worth all the negative press and customer ire. Once you count the sales they lose from people who wont use Origin, which I would guess isnt that much (maybe 10%?), it doesnt seem worth it for a few more million dollars.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't see letting Steam have monopoly on all digital video game sales as good business. Would you really just cave and let Valve have that if you were EA?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I don't see letting Steam have monopoly on all digital video game sales as good business. Would you really just cave and let Valve have that if you were EA?

Well that hardly seems like the reason EA is doing this. If i remember correctly, Origin launched with only EA games and they have done little to expand to other publishers since then.

There are competitors to Steam - Direct2Drive, which was probably the biggest one, was just transitioned into a Gamefly service, there is Impulse which was bought by Gamestop, and there are numerous other smaller platforms like Green Man Gaming, Amazon's PC Download service, etc.

A true competitor to Steam would be trying to provide similar services, Origin does not. And why not team up with one of the existing services, like Impulse, and negotiate an exclusive contract with them for EA games?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, the demo shuts off in something like 10 hours and I finally just beat Gold. Gold is the hardest multiplayer difficulty available, and it's a hell of a rush when everyone works together. I still maintain that the ME story and universe are uninspired slop, but the MP alone in the last week made me lay down the money for this game.

Also this:

-A0TRbNEl4s

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Weird thing. I received an email that my copy of Mass Effect 3 has been shipped. I was pretty sure I cancelled my preorder, I even have the confirmation email. Although I never received my money, so probably something went wrong.

Then again, it should have been delivered today at the office. But nothing arrived. So maybe it's an error after all. But tomorrow I will probably be sure if I can let EA scan my drive for naked pictures and credit card numbers.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Played through the first few missions now, combat seems a little more hectic, find myself having to run around more to avoid being flanked or grenaded in the face. Seen one turret section, was thankfully short.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
what happens in the final cut-scene depends on how many War Assets you have accumulated.

That part is kind of cool. But the balance is incredibly harsh: I did every proper quest I could find in Mass Effect 3, made sensible decisions that didn’t conflict with my choices in the previous games, and brought people together. But I still got a gallingly bleak ending.

That’s because I’d never played the multiplayer.

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/03/06/mass-effect-3-war-assets-and-readiness-how-multiplayer-affects-your-ending/

:fart::tdown:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Seen one turret section

Losing Nick Breckon from Idle Thumbs also means we lost one of the best spokesmen about Turret Sequence Awareness.

Please, think of dear, departed F. Nick and remove turret sequences from your games!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now