Mass Effect 3 (Seriously, Use Spoilers People!)

[Ghostbear]

Saren's shown on a small "Bridge" of sorts in ME1, and he tore up one of the consoles near his chair in a rage and threw it at Benezia when she informed him about Shepard possibly having used the Prothean beacon. Now whether that bridge actually -does- anything meaningful (except inform Sovereign what commands Saren -thinks- he's telling the ship to do), probably not.

I remember that scene, but are we given any reason to think it's a command area? My memory is a bit fuzzy, but if it's just the presence of input consoles, those could just as easily make it nothing more than a glorified cubical.

[Kulantan]

I think it could be more than a need to transport the indoctrinated. As seen with Saren, indoctrination can be broken by sufficiently convincing evidence and rhetoric. The ship-like internals of a reaper might be designed to be stage dressing for the indoctrination of the "we can control the Reapers faction" which seems to be a feature of the cycle.

[Ghostbear]

It could be, but I still think of it as Saren's place to get his plans in, to analyze the data given to him. He wasn't indoctrinated to the point of being incapable of individual thought intentionally (or so we're told, and given little-no reason to doubt). I don't think it's far fetched at all for him to have an area to work on his plans, just the plans for what being dictated by Sovereign. Basically a bit of what you said -- he wouldn't need anything from the reaper itself to do any of that, but it gives him an excuse to stay on the ship and feel like he's still independent.

[Vaniver]

You technically can't know which way its moving if its nice and uniform.

Um, red/blue shift and/or just watching it for a second and comparing the locations?

[Dauric]

You technically can't know which way its moving if its nice and uniform.

Um, red/blue shift and/or just watching it for a second and comparing the locations?

At best spheroid ships are going to conceal which direction your weapon ports are facing, unless it's a giant circle on your gigantic Death-Star. Spheres would actually be detrimental when it comes to heat dissipation. They're a great form for insulating the core from say re-entry or the near absolute zero of deep-space, but when you fire those capital energy batteries it also means that it's going to take forever to bleed off the waste heat without cooking your crew.

Also organizationally spheres are a great way to optimize homogeneous solids with minimal surface area, however a starship isn't a homogeneous solid. You probably want to keep reactors away from your habitation areas, and weapons systems away from both (they're attractive targets) Your bridge has to be close enough to habitation for crew to get to command/combat positions quickly, while far enough away (or buried so deeply it's difficult to hit) that a single hit to habitation (generally an easy-to-hit but low-priority target) doesn't also destroy your command capabilities.

Even if we assume a Geth ship that wouldn't need formalized habitation or command crewstations you still want to avoid 1) overheating from weapons fire or just turning on the main drives for that matter and 2) keeping the data servers away from things that are prone to go catastrophically -Boom- like primary powerplants and the massive capacitor banks that power the weapons.

Edit: Also spheres present uniform cross-sections regardless of direction. On one hand this means you don't have any less advantageous quarters of attack, but it also means that you have no control over how much of a signature you present.

Take a spindle-shaped craft orientated along a spinal-mount weapon, then organize main and secondary batteries along the flanks, you approach a target presenting the smallest profile making you harder to hit while firing the biggest weapon that you probably don't want to be anywhere near whatever it hits (secondary explosions are a bitch). As you close you lose some of the control over where your opponents are relative to your own orientation and they're likely to maneuver in to positions to take advantage of a larger silhouette (bigger target, easier to hit) as well as stay clear of the spinal-weapon, but that also means they fall in to your broadside firing arcs where you can hammer them with everything on the longer flanks. Main thrust remains vulnerable, there's little risk of counter-attack except from the rear-most turret-mounted batteries, but again attacking from the rear minimizes the silhouette making it hard to hit again, and the target vessel's priority is to get the attacker back in either a broadside or forward firing arc.

[ArgonV]

Reapers, Silver, Firebase Reactor. Or, as I like to call it, HELL

[An Enraged Platypus]

Reapers, Silver, Firebase Reactor. Or, as I like to call it, HELL

Wave 10: "This site is a hub of enemy intel. Get to a terminal and upload the data."

(You look at the waypoint, only to notice it's in the reactor itself)

FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Belial]

Reapers on silver are hell anyway. You have no idea how many times I had to play through to get the Project: Goliath goal.

[maybeagnostic]

What's Project Goliath?

I got curb stomped by Cerberus on silver yesterday. Pretty embarrassing. A few assault troopers snuck up behind me and heavy melee'd me to death while I was trying to snipe. My allies didn't try to revive me but I decided not to waste a medi-gel on wave 3. Three people can take care of Cerberus, right? They got picked off one by one and no one ever got revived. Some teams just don't work.

Then I discovered how fun it is to play a quarian infiltrator with a shotgun. It's like a much weaker vanguard that requires a little more tactical thinking. Next game we had a vanguard on the team and I couldn't kill anything because the vanguard always beat me to the enemies.

It seems biotic classes are overpowered. Individually their abilities are better than anything tech classes have and combos make them even better- two asari adepts can breeze through Reapers on silver with a biotic explosion every ~2.3 seconds. It seems 90% of the time the best allies are vanguards, adepts, and snipers.

[Belial]

Project Goliath was a multiplayer event last weekend. In-character it was supposed to be a big concerted push to eliminate Brutes. OOC it was basically "any squad that achieves extraction on Reapers at Silver Difficulty gets a pack of neat shit, and if the whole community manages to kill 1 million brutes, every player gets another different pack of neat shit."

If you got a "victory pack" in your store for free, that's what that came from.

[Chen]

I've been playing my Asari Vanguard now that my Human Sentinel is level 20. Still trying to max out my base weapons before I start building up to Veteran and Spectre packs. The Asari teleport dodge seems amazing for a vanguard. Charge and immediately hit back and dodge and you get a pretty good distance away from whatever you just charged. Shoot it a few times and just charge again and its pure win. The only issues is when you mis-charge and end up with a wall at your back. Then you need to either shoot well or heavy melee and hope everything dies. The Asari adept does suck vs reapers though. Can't stasis the main threats due to armor and those also tend to be the things you don't want to charge into.

[Yakk]

I've seen Infiltrators win entire waves because everyone got dropped early on.

I suspect some of the problem is that the refresh mechanic is broken. When you can reach +200% refresh via carrying only a pistol, you are pumping out abilities ridiculously fast. For a tech class to keep up, they need a heavy weapon -- which makes their powers really slow.

Overload/Ignite is pretty good as a 1-2 punch.

There are apparently tech combos. Ignite and freeze? But I'm not aware of a class that can pull that off themselves.

[ArgonV]

I know. I started playing Adept (which is pretty much polar opposite of a Soldier, right?) and now I seem to be spamming Singularity/Warp or Warp/Shockwave wherever possible. Taking along more than one weapon seems to be pointless as well, since that will just slow down the cool down too much.

[Yakk]

Become an Asari. Warp/Lift/Stasis let you biotic explode anything from range (as opposed to singularity, which works only on unprotected targets, and shockwave, which is short ranged), and Stasis is much better CC than singularity (it works on anything without armor).

Asari Adepts are gross. The only huge problem is you can't afford to buy up Fitness if you want to 6 all of the useful tracks.

[skeptical scientist]

There are apparently tech combos. Ignite and freeze? But I'm not aware of a class that can pull that off themselves.

Any class with two different direct damage powers, one of which is fire-, electricity-, or cryo-based, can pull off a tech combo. That includes every engineer, the krogan soldier (inferno grenade/carnage), every infiltrator (assuming grenades will set off the combo, which I'm not 100% sure of), and every sentinel except for the human sentinel (who gets warp/throw, so can use biotic combos instead). So every class can pull off either a tech combo or a biotic combo except for human/turian soldiers.

See http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/343/index/9629730&lf=8.

And I *really* want an asari adept. In the meantime, my favorite class is the asari vanguard.

[Yakk]

Fire and Cryo, because you have to get a kill, seem much less useful.

Grenade based combos are junk, because you only get a limited number of uses.

But Overload, Energy Drain -> Boom sounds useful. Overload and Energy drain are, as far as I know, not target-restricted.

Turian Sentials can Warp -> Overload spam.
Human Engineer: Overload->Incinerate. (overload target restrictions?)
Salarian Engineer: Energy Drain->Incinerate (does energy drain have a target restriction?)
Drell Vanguard: Pull->Biotic Charge (pull target restrictions?)
Human Vanguard: Shockwave (L6 lift)->Biotic Charge (shockwave lift restrictions?)
Drell Adept: Pull->Reave (faster than opposite) (pull target restrictions?)
Human Adept: Singularity->Warp (health only?), Shockwave(L6 lift)->Warp (health only?)
Asari Adept: Stasis->Throw, Warp->Throw (warp has no target restrictions, stasis is unarmored only)
Salarian Infiltrator: Possibly Energy Drain->Prox mine?

I think that is a complete list of "spammable" does not require killing combo detonations?

[skeptical scientist]

Sentials can Warp -> Overload spam.

Other way around.

Drell Adept: Pull->Reave (faster than opposite) (pull target restrictions?)

The opposite doesn't work, because pull is a setup, not a detonator.

Human Adept: Singularity->Warp (health only?), Shockwave(L6 lift)->Warp (health only?)

Those are both health only, but warp -> shockwave might work against armor/barriers. Singularity -> shockwave is also fun at close range, because you get two aoe damage abilities, plus the explosion.

Asari Adept: Stasis->Throw, Warp->Throw (warp has no target restrictions, stasis is unarmored only)

Stasis -> warp is the one I'm really looking forward to.

I bet you missed a bunch more, e.g. Vanguard's shockwave -> nova, but I'm on an iPad at the moment so it's hard to check them all.

It's also worth noting that you can setup tech explosions with incendiary/cryo/disruptor ammo, which makes it very easy to get the fire/cryo explosions. Just shoot them until they are low, then use a power to finish them off.

[Xeio]

I'll just leave this here, because, wow.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/retake-mass-effect-childs-play-fundraiser-stopped-6367778

[maybeagnostic]

I'll just leave this here, because, wow.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/retake-mass-effect-childs-play-fundraiser-stopped-6367778

This actually makes a lot of sense. It took me a while to realize what that the donation drive wasn't for a new ending and that only happened because I already knew about Child's Play; if I hadn't heard about it before I would have assumed people are gathering money for a new ending. Even with the understanding that you aren't paying for a new ending, the whole setup is weird. 'Ha, Bioware, we are so angry at you that we just donated $80,000 to a good cause! What do you think now, eh?' Not to mention that associating donations with negative emotions is probably not a good long term plan.

I bet you missed a bunch more, e.g. Vanguard's shockwave -> nova, but I'm on an iPad at the moment so it's hard to check them all.

It's also worth noting that you can setup tech explosions with incendiary/cryo/disruptor ammo, which makes it very easy to get the fire/cryo explosions. Just shoot them until they are low, then use a power to finish them off.

Vanguards can detonate combos with charge or shockwave but can't set them up. Nova doesn't set up or detonate combos. Oh, and the points for a biotic combo do go to the one that sets it up but only if the combo kills the enemy and not the power that sets it off.

So how do tech explosions work exactly? I have to hit an enemy with one power and then kill him with a second to... explode the corpse?

[skeptical scientist]

This actually makes a lot of sense. It took me a while to realize what that the donation drive wasn't for a new ending and that only happened because I already knew about Child's Play; if I hadn't heard about it before I would have assumed people are gathering money for a new ending. Even with the understanding that you aren't paying for a new ending, the whole setup is weird. 'Ha, Bioware, we are so angry at you that we just donated $80,000 to a good cause! What do you think now, eh?' Not to mention that associating donations with negative emotions is probably not a good long term plan.

Agreed on all counts.

Vanguards can detonate combos with charge or shockwave but can't set them up. Nova doesn't set up or detonate combos.

According to the post I linked, shockwave ordinarily only detonates combos, but if you get the lifting shockwave evolution, it can also set them up (because it puts a lasting biotic effect on the targets, presumably). It also says that nova can detonate combos, though I haven't tested it.

Oh, and the points for a biotic combo do go to the one that sets it up but only if the combo kills the enemy and not the power that sets it off.

The points for a biotic explosion goes to whoever sets it up, period. The warp just does its damage first. If three cannibals are in my singularity, and you use warp to kill one of them, you get kill credit for the one you kill, and I get kill credit for the other two. If there was only the one cannibal, the biotic explosion wouldn't actually hit anything.

So how do tech explosions work exactly? I have to hit an enemy with one power and then kill him with a second to... explode the corpse?

Yeah, explode the corpse and hit nearby enemies, doing large damage if it's a fire explosion, and doing less damage but freezing things if it's a cryo explosion. Don't forget that biotic/tech explosions are AoEs.

[Weeks]

I don't think I want to buy this anymore.

Guess I'll just spoil myself the ending.

[SurgicalSteel]

I've just started playing through the first Mass Effect for the first time. So my plan is that by the time I'm near the end of the third one, oh say three or four years from now, I'll have forgotten all the spoilers I've read, and it'll be really cheap (and maybe I'll have a computer that can run it).

[Weeks]

I still remember ME1 fondly.

[skeptical scientist]

I've just started playing through the first Mass Effect for the first time. So my plan is that by the time I'm near the end of the third one, oh say three or four years from now, I'll have forgotten all the spoilers I've read, and it'll be really cheap (and maybe I'll have a computer that can run it).

I redownloaded ME1 today. I had no idea how dated the graphics were. I can't seem to find my copy of ME2, but I seem to recall being forced to register it when I first played it. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? Does having a registered copy allow me to download a new copy like you can with blizzard games, or am I going to be forced to buy a new copy or resort to illegal means of acquiring it?

[VectorZero]

If you can find your cdkey anywhere, you can register with origin and redownload.

Otherwise, you probably only registered with the bioware social forum, to get access to dlc and authentication

[maybeagnostic]

I remember I had to register the games to get DLC for them and part of registering was providing a product code. You can probably look that up and then redeem the product code in orange steam.

[Telchar]

So I've been playing around with some builds that aren't just heavy pistol and nothing else, and my favorite thus far is the Mattock assault rifle. Similar, especially if you can get it scoped (I don't know if that's available in mp or not...) but it also helps the asari vangaurd deal with things like banshees, brutes, and pyros.

[Ghostbear]

Two different thoughts:

1. The distances listed for skill effects seem off. The radii and ranges listed for things like singularity and such. I first noticed this in ME2 but didn't think to complain about it then, and it's still there for ME3. It feels like the engine is doing distances in feet, and the game just mislabels them as meters for the player. When I saw the radius upgrade for something like throw or pull, causing it to affect everything within two meters, I thought that sounded pretty good, but they definitely don't seem to reach out that far in game. Anyone else notice this?

2. The earlier discussion on the dark energy stuff made me notice that within the context of the whole trilogy, the story of ME2 doesn't really fit. I'm not talking about the quality of the story or anything, and as a stand-alone story it works great. Just, it doesn't seem to really work with the overall "Stop the reapers!" story. The first game fits with that -- you have a goal (stop Saren) the goal leads you to discover the reapers exist, you then delay their entry into the galaxy --, and the third one fits in perfectly as well -- you actually begin to face off against the reapers and then defeat them. ME2, on the other hand, doesn't really fit along that path. The collectors were a threat, sure, but nothing on the scale of the reapers, and they were mainly a threat to low population areas. The dire consequences of failure are clear in ME1 and ME3 -- the reapers destroy all advanced sentient organic life --, but what were the consequences for failure with the collectors? A few million colonists die before the alliance starts building defensive turrets and/or posting ships at all of its colonies? The reapers have a better understanding of how to turn humans into reapers? It just feels completely out of place compared to the other two games.

[Telchar]

Multiplayer Weekend Event: +25% experience and less brutes in Reaper levels. Nice for newer players (like myself) to level some of their less played classes.

[Okita]

Personally, I like to think of ME2 as Ocean's 11 in spaaaaaaaace. And then all those people help set the character backstory for ME3.

[SlyReaper]

Alternate ending:

Spoiler:

[ArgonV]

Multiplayer Weekend Event: +25% experience and less brutes in Reaper levels. Nice for newer players (like myself) to level some of their less played classes.

Less Brutes? I'd rather have less Ravagers/less Banshees.

[SlyReaper]

Agreed; fewer banshees can only be a good thing. I can confirm, by the way, the banshees can instakill you even if you have full shield and health. I did a biotic charge towards one with full shield and health, and before I could backflip away, it grabbed me.

[An Enraged Platypus]

I don't think I want to buy this anymore.

Guess I'll just spoil myself the ending.

I suggest you still play it, in spite of the potential letdown. Just play it three to four years hence when it's available for £20 with a ton of DLC inclusive.

[ArgonV]

Agreed; fewer banshees can only be a good thing. I can confirm, by the way, the banshees can instakill you even if you have full shield and health. I did a biotic charge towards one with full shield and health, and before I could backflip away, it grabbed me.

Yeah, I found that out the hard way as well. Although I've also once managed to stop a team mate from getting instakilled by throwing 2 grenades and a concussive shot in a Banshees' face.

Also, how do you usually assign points on your MP characters? I usually max out 3 skills, build one up to level 5 and another one up to level 3.

[An Enraged Platypus]

maybeagnostic and I just went for a stroll through Geth territory...

[Telchar]

Alternate ending:

Spoiler:

Would've been better with Shatner-style Rocket Man....

[ArgonV]

So ammo-power + kill with concussive shot = area effect ammo power? Now I'm even more bummed none of the soldier classes have ammo powers...

[skeptical scientist]

So ammo-power + kill with concussive shot = area effect ammo power? Now I'm even more bummed none of the soldier classes have ammo powers...

I think they probably felt that with ammo power equipment and only 3 active powers per class, having an ammo power would be kind of redundant.

[maybeagnostic]

So the ME3 server is inaccessible for some reason and I can't play mp. Annoying. Ok, I guess I'll just continue my replay of the sp for a while. Oh, wait, the game couldn't establish the authenticity of my From Ashes for the 900th time so it won't let me play single player either. Thank you for punishing me for giving you money, Bioware.

Replaying ME2 was extremely annoying because every time I opened the main menu I'd have to wait for a minute while the game tried to connect to a server that was no longer there- almost made me give up replaying it. Now I realize a year or two from now when the ME3 authentication server goes the way of its ME2 predecessor I won't be able to play my legally purchased version of the game at all.

P.S. A couple of salarians with energy drain absolutely destroy geth even on gold. I also found out that, somewhat to my surprise, decoy is an extremely useful skill.

After leveling a salarian engineer to 20 in under 10 games, I started playing my newly unlocked drell adept. Tremendous fun and plays quite differently from the human adept- reave, lift, and cluster grenade can clear a room in under 3 seconds. I just wish reave wouldn't constantly make this extremely annoying sound.

Are asari supposed to be extremely hard to unlock? I have almost everyone else (except turian soldier) unlocked to at least 'lights' level of appearance customization but still haven't gotten an asari adept or vanguard. Or does the game just prefer 'randomly' giving you already unlocked classes?