MASS EFFECT 3 |PC/360/PS3| Discussion Thread

[Ether]

All and any ME3 news and discussion post here, please.

The game's director, Casey Hudson, commented that Mass Effect 3 "will be easier [to develop] because we don't have to worry about continuity into the next one," and that the game's development will follow a time frame similar to that of Mass Effect 2. Decisions will still be imported from the two previous titles to Mass Effect 3, as to keep continuity within the series. Hudson also said in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show that BioWare is already at work on Mass Effect 3. Mass Effect 3 will complete the story arc of Commander Shepard, and will pull in over 1,000 variables from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 to shape how players experience the final chapter.

Film Composer Clint Mansell to Score Mass Effect 3
The famous composer for films such as 'Requiem For a Dream' and 'Moon' reveals that he and BioWare are BFFs.


Clint Mansell, composer of such classic motion picture scores as 'The Fountain' and 'Requiem For a Dream' dropped the news that he is writing the musical score for the last chapter in BioWare's epic Mass Effect trilogy in an interview with The Quietus about his latest film, 'Black Swan'.

The website Badass Digest picked up on the news of Mansell's involvement in Mass Effect 3, which saw the composer asked about whether he does much work for other outlets like computer games. Mansell responded by saying: "I'm doing a video game this year actually. Mass Effect 3".

When describing what it's like to score a video game, Mansell said: "As I was saying about Public Enemy and re-working old hip-hop tunes for Requiem, and kind of re-working old ballet tunes for Black Swan, with something like Mass Effect you're more like a DJ, with all these elements. You've got the holding pattern, then the big explosion where you need the score to kick in. Then you need to take it off on a tangent. You've got all these different elements that change depending on what the player does. You have to figure out an overall symphony, but be able to break it down into component parts. You can bring the pain when required".

This is incredible news as Mansell is regarded by many as one of the most gifted composers working in the film industry today. His music is famous for being as epic as it is haunting. His involvement in Mass Effect 3 gives us good reason to believe we might be in for the most emotionally devastating game in BioWare's space opera franchise yet.

ign

[Dorian]

Such a geeky nerd Ether.

[Ether]

Reported for trying to ruin the GOTY thread. Puss.

[Grand Champ]

Remember reading on Bioware's forum that a ME movie is planned.

Don't know how they'll pull it off but it's planned and Bioware have given their permission.

[Move BRICKS]

I can't say enough about Mass Effect. ATG series, it's one of the few universes created that jocks off of Star Wars without jocking, if you catch my drift. It's a truly original sci-fi atmosphere, but at the same time it's close to what we know and adore. The gameplay is great, it's enough of a third person shooter for shooting fans to get into and it's enough of an RPG for RPG fans to get into. It's a unique game.. The only way I can describe it is if you turned KOTOR into a third person shooter, but that doesn't do Mass Effect justice at all.

I'll be picking up Mass Effect 3.

Remember reading on Bioware's forum that a ME movie is planned.

Don't know how they'll pull it off but it's planned and Bioware have given their permission.

Peter Jackson is the only director that should be able to do video game movies.

[Ether]

Commander Shepard graces the cover of the ‘Mass Effect 3′ issue of Game Informer which includes a 12-page exclusive preview.

News about a Mass Effect novel and anime movie is good and fine, but what everyone’s really interested in is the core franchise. You know, the games that make our most anticipated lists and win our game of the year awards.

We’ve waited quite some time since BioWare’s official announcement at the ****e VGAs and now the first real look into the story, characters and gameplay of Mass Effect 3 comes later this month. And as such, our hero Commander Shepard is gracing the cover of the latest issue of Game Informer.

Shepard is sporting his standard N7 armor from the series. Remember the days when you could pick up and upgrade a variety of armor sets for you and your team? Mass Effect 2 destroyed that RPG element so here’s hope for more details like that brought back for the third go.

We don’t know what information this preview will unveil, but we do know that like Mass Effect 2 (for the Xbox 360 players, anyway), it will draw from your previous actions and decisions using your save files, making use of at least 1000 different variables. We also know that Mass Effect 3 is scored by Clint Mansell (Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream).

If you’re a fan eager for this game, read our guide on everything we know about Mass Effect 3 and share your thoughts, desires and expectations.

Mass Effect 3 releases Q4 2011 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.
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i will try and post the scans asap when the magazine drops.

[Grand Champ]

You're out early Ether ! Bioware better not drop the ball for this third and last installment to an ATG franchise! I feel they kinda dropped it with DA2, they better pull the big guns out now!

[Ether]

Mass Effect 3 details emerge in Game Informer, multiplayer ruled out

Subscribers have gotten their first look at Game Informer's cover story on Mass Effect 3, and while you'll have to read the magazine to get all the details, a reader posting on the GameFAQs forum is providing hints of what's to come -- and sorry, that doesn't include multiplayer.

Expect more RPG elements this time around -- if still not on par with Mass Effect 1 -- with beefier skill trees and more evolution of powers. You can also expect more weapon modification, though, again, likely not as much as we saw in ME1. All weapons will be usable by all classes, though each class (except for the solider) will be limited to a certain number of weapons that can be equipped for a mission.

As far as Mass Effect 3's plot ... well, suffice it to say that Shepard is on Earth due to the events of the "Arrival" DLC. But that's all we'll spill. As for returning characters -- you really don't want to know, do you? ... You sure? ... OK, fine. For now, we know Liara and Garrus (if he survived) will be playable. Favorites like Wrex and Mordin (again, if they're alive) will also make appearances, though whether they'll be full-fledged teammates is unknown.

Sorry, but that's all you're getting from us. You can check out the new issue of Game Informer if you want to spoil more for yourself, but we certainly won't be part of it.

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thank god no multiplayer, they're already turning everything multiplayer as it is, RE, Dead Space, Uncharted. Glad this stays singleplayer.

[Ether]

What's the story?

Piggybacking off of the final DLC available for Mass Effect 2, Arrival, Mass Effect 3 begins with Commander Shepard on trial. In the middle of it, the Reapers show up and start their attack on Earth. If you were concerned that the game would take place entirely on our home turf, don't be. BioWare's Casey Hudson said in the May issue of Game Informer, "The battle for Earth is lost. The only hope is to flee, gather support, and mount a counter-attack to reclaim the planet."

That means that instead of a focus on gathering squad mates, you'll be courting civilizations like the Salarians or Quarians to help ward off the Reapers and save not only Earth, but the entire galaxy.

Another twist revealed in Game Informer is that Cerberus has also decided to turn against Commander Shepard, though the reasoning for that isn't clear yet.

For the unfamiliar, the Reapers are a sentient race of machines who like to wipe out everything in the galaxy every 50,000 years or so. If you're new to the series, be sure to watch our Mass Effect in five minutes video to catch up on part of the storyline.

Will Shepard's powers be reset like they were at the beginning of Mass Effect 2?

BioWare hasn't give specifics yet, but Commander Shepard will not start from scratch the way he did in Mass Effect 2.

What does it play like?
We haven't seen any gameplay footage of Mass Effect 3, but the May issue of Game Informer had quite a few tidbits of juicy info.

Weapons are no longer restricted by class and are customizable with different barrels and scopes, etc. Biotic and tech powers are back of course, and Shepard's skill trees will be more fleshed out than before. Additionally, the cover system has been refined so you no longer need to slide into cover and then hop over objects.

As a whole though, the combat in Mass Effect 3 will play very similarly to Mass Effect 2.

Will it have multiplayer?

The first two titles did not include multiplayer elements, but there have been rumors that it could be incorporated into the third. BioWare's Casey Hudson commented in Game Informer that "we don't have anything to announce at this time" regarding multiplayer.

What characters will return?

So far, BioWare has confirmed the following cast for Mass Effect 3:

* The Illusive Man
* Garrus (if he survived)
* James Sanders (NOT the soldier in the trailer)
* Liara T'Soni
* Kaidan Alenko or Ashley Williams (the Virmire survivor)
* Legion (if he survived)
* Wrex (if he survived)
* Mordin (if he survived)
* Ambassador Udina
* Captain Anderson

ign

[squealpiggy]

Another twist revealed in Game Informer is that Cerberus has also decided to turn against Commander Shepard, though the reasoning for that isn't clear yet.

If you played the second game it should be abundantly clear why. Cerberus is trying to use the Reapers to ensure human dominance.