Mass Effect 3 (Seriously, Use Spoilers People!)

[ArgonV]

Well, I unlocked the Batarian (and Krogan!) Soldier, along with the Harpoon gun, in my first two packs, so that'll be my first exploration in the new set, I think.

What kind of packs? Spectre? All I got in my Veteran packs were useless SMG upgrades.

[VectorZero]

2xPremium spectre and 1x spectre

[Belial]

Still haven't found a great way to take out banshees without stasis in the party. Gold Cerberus can become a giant revive-fest on waves 9-10 if you don't have a way to deal with them.

I can usually nail down phantoms with a sniper rifle on silver, at least, as long as I notice them a fair distance away. They have this really polite habit of running forward in a perfectly straight line unlike the rest of the cerberus soldiers. Makes it really easy to squeeze a bullet or two into their face, then track about 3 degrees left or right as they try to acro-flip away, and nail them again while they're cloaking.

[ArgonV]

Concussive shot also seems to work, since my heavy concussive shot decimates barriers, makes phantoms flinch ans also leaches their health. Machine gun fire from a Pheaston with extended mags and damage upgrades does the rest. On Silver at least and provided there aren't lots of other things trying to kill me.
Heavy overload that can take away their barrier is also very useful against them.

[Chen]

Been running around with a Salarian Infiltrator and damn they seem OP. Being able to Cloak->Energy Drain->Shoot something (with cloak bonuses still up) results in most things dead in that or the next shot. For the enemies with only armor (Brutes/Ravagers) throwing a proximity mine directly at them and then firing tends to do A TON of damage. Especially if they're close and I can wait for the mine to explode (giving +20% damage taken to the target) before I shoot while still cloaked. Having cloak and energy drain as emergency buttons makes this char pretty damn survivable too. I love it. Now I just need to get some upgrades to my widow so I can start using it instead of my Mantis. Seems that cooldown time is completely irrelevant if you're just doing the whole cloak->ED/Mine->shoot routine since the cooldown on cloak seems to be ~3 sec regardless of the % you have, if you don't let the cloak expire naturally.

[Yakk]

Phantoms are easy at range, as are most melee enemies.

The problem with Phantoms is when you are doing a "defend this location" mission (hack/upload/download/etc), and while you are dealing with an Atlas or a similar troop pulse in one direction, a squad of Phantoms enters the zone from a blind angle. 4 Phantoms in a small room with no place to retreat to is pretty dangerous without Stasis.

[An Enraged Platypus]

So I just got the Geth SMG. That thing is brutal with the extended clips/heat sink, on bronze you can keep the trigger down for over a minute straight between reloads and mow down basic mobs.

[Eheu]

Does anybody else find that their multiplayer connection is tremendously unreliable? Of the last seven games I've played, four have disconnected -- and a couple of those at the last wave. Considering that you get zero credit for the mission if you disconnect, this is pretty damn annoying.

The weird thing is that my Internet connection's entirely stable for other games and general use; it's just ME3 that keeps falling over and wasting my time.

[Yakk]

As far as I can tell, they actually use one of the players as a host. So host to host disconnect = you get disconnected...

Then again, if the host disconnects from the server, in theory there should be migration (and replacement of the host). But in practice, everyone clicks on the "exit" button.

[An Enraged Platypus]

Does anybody else find that their multiplayer connection is tremendously unreliable? Of the last seven games I've played, four have disconnected -- and a couple of those at the last wave. Considering that you get zero credit for the mission if you disconnect, this is pretty damn annoying.

The weird thing is that my Internet connection's entirely stable for other games and general use; it's just ME3 that keeps falling over and wasting my time.

If you have a solid connection, always host yourself/ create your games. One player is the actual server.

[Chen]

I've seen a lot of posts on various forums but I've never had a problem with disconnecting in multiplayer. I've seen the host disconnect two times I think. I'm not sure how the searching algorithm goes though. I've clicked search and waited for a good 2-3 min sometimes and find nothing. I immediately click search again and bam game right away (changing no parameters). I've noticed that sometimes if the search starts taking long clicking cancel->re-search generally finds a game very quickly. Not sure if sometimes the connection actually times out or something without telling you but its somewhat annoying.

[maybeagnostic]

I regularly get disconnected from the server, it's even happened once or twice when I was hosting a game (which I do very rarely). The message specifically says I have been disconnected from the ME server and it is different than the one I get when I lose connection to the hosting player.

I also notice that if searching for a game takes more than 10 seconds, I can restart the search and find a game almost immediately but if I just wait I can spend minutes staring at the 'Searching for a game...' popup and never actually get into one.

[Ryom]

The game almost certainly does some weighting when the host leaves and it migrates. I have a pretty awesome internet connection and I have NEVER failed to be selected as host during a migration (probably 20+ times so far). But most of the time I'll host, so far I haven't had any disconnect issues while hosting nor do my players since mostly people stick around for several games... probably not wanting to leave one of the few servers they don't get noticeable lag on.

[Yakk]

I'm wondering if the "long time" searching is it trying to slot you into an existing game as a sub. Those games that don't end end up with an infiltrator running around and finishing off the wave very, very slowly. So it says "you are a candidate", and then it waits for the wave to complete...

[Xanthir]

PAX East had a panel with the ME team, where they talked a little bit about the new ending content: http://penny-arcade.com/report/editorial-article/mass-effect-retaken-bioware-described-extra-ending-content-at-surprisingly-

I'll take what they're giving, but this seems to definitely confirm that they're calling the current ending gospel, and aren't acknowledging the problems with it. Instead, they're just addressing the part of the complaints that they can fix without retconning (that there's absolutely no indication of what actually *happens* to the rest of the galaxy after the end of the game).

[Yakk]

Is there a Star Child? Does a brand new conflict show up in the climax that is quite unrelated to the central conflict in the rest of the game? Is the military preparedness connection to the structure of the endgame disconnected from what happens and what choices you get in the endgame?

What will you give or destroy up for the survival and strength of humanity? Do you treat other forms of life as being of equal value to humanity -- AI, Geth and Aliens? Will you murder one innocent person, to prevent the murder (by someone else) of thousands? What if what you did inadvertently caused that death of thousands? Do you follow the rules and system to get things done, or destroy anything in your way because it just isn't important enough to slow down?

[Vaniver]

The panel pointed out that this content wasn’t in the game because they didn’t know fans wanted it.

What. I think that's worse than a "we were going to but we decided it would put us past schedule," because it's clearly a "we were asleep at the wheel."

Wasn't it like 5 years ago when Bungie started recording test players playing through the game, seeing where they get stuck? How many years has Valve had its policy of bringing in new testers every week or two to get fresh eyes on the game?

[Lucrece]

That's why small beta tests of select applicants from the fanbase with NDA is still useful to single player, even though they're pretty much only used for MMO's. You can't do an in-house test that's not particularly representative of the fanbase and expect it to suffice.

[ArgonV]

Bought my first Premium Spectre pack, it contained +5 medigel, Phalanx VII, +1 medigel capacity (as if I don't go through the stuff fast enough already), Graal spike thrower I and Carnifex I. 3/5 rare, not bad, but I was hoping for some rares I'll actually use. Carnifex I is worse than the Phalanx VII.

[VectorZero]

The panel pointed out that this content wasn’t in the game because they didn’t know fans wanted it.

What. I think that's worse than a "we were going to but we decided it would put us past schedule," because it's clearly a "we were asleep at the wheel."

...yeah. This smacks of PR. There's a fan Q&A with Patrick Weekes (one of the writers) floating around, suggests that not everyone in Bioware was happy with the ending as is.

[Xanthir]

Reproduction of the fan Q&A

[SlyReaper]

I just got a Geth Engineer in a spectre premium pack. Ohhohohohoho, it's nice. It has "hunter mode" which lets you see enemies through walls, kind of like infrared vision, and it's quite long range too. It also renders the cloaks of geth hunters and the gas grenades of cerberus legions useless because I can see through them as clear as day. And of course you get the standard engineer goodies like a turret and overload. Plus, the geth seems to be as agile as a quarian (which makes sense).

Hilarity ensues when playing a game where the enemy is geth, and my teammates see my geth-shaped character running towards them. Good thing friendly fire doesn't cause damage.

[Yakk]

That is why my characters are all a garish green colour (with red secondary colour, yellow highlight, white lights, and purple pattern lines).

It looks the least like any bad guy colour scheme I could find.

[ArgonV]

Hilarity ensues when playing a game where the enemy is geth, and my teammates see my geth-shaped character running towards them. Good thing friendly fire doesn't cause damage.

Yeah, that's annoying. If there's a geth on my team and I'm fighting geth.. Well let's just say it's a good thing they're invisible half the time or have a green/blue/other totally ungeth color scheme. Except the one guy in red, but he was too small for a prime.

[SlyReaper]

Hilarity ensues when playing a game where the enemy is geth, and my teammates see my geth-shaped character running towards them. Good thing friendly fire doesn't cause damage.

Yeah, that's annoying. If there's a geth on my team and I'm fighting geth.. Well let's just say it's a good thing they're invisible half the time or have a green/blue/other totally ungeth color scheme. Except the one guy in red, but he was too small for a prime.

My geth character is grey with grey highlights.

[Belial]

From the bioware forums:

1. I'm sorry about shooting you.
2. I'm sorry about alpha-striking your drones with every button I can press.
3. I'm sorry about shooting you again.
4. You look funny reviving me.
5. No, really, I'm sorry about shooting you again.
6. If I just randomly and slowly turn to face you, apologies in advance for shooting you again.

Apology acknowledged.

Restoring your kinetic barriers.

We suggest you check your optical acuity, akula51-commander. This platform is bright pink.

[An Enraged Platypus]

This is why I am a pretty pink platform.

I have a Geth Infiltrator. There's a wierd bug for me where Hunter Vision is double vision on some maps. Bah.

[skeptical scientist]

It's entirely possible that they could make money through add-on multiplayer content without forcing anyone to pay for it, using the same item pack mechanic that's already in the game. People who don't spend cash are happy as they get the new content eventually, people who do spend cash are happy as they get the new content right away, and bioware is happy as they get paid.

Called it.

I'm enjoying the new content. Just unlocked the geth engineer, looking forward to giving it a try.

Edit: I really like the geth engineer.

[An Enraged Platypus]

Geth Hunter is unexpectedly awesome now that I've figured out how to use it. Had the most brilliant Gold match earlier where the Phantom we needed to kill for credit was hiding behind a low wall with two turrets, other phantoms, and an Atlas guarding it. The team was awkwardly pinned down, being in places that were safe to get to before the turrets went up. Trying to take down the turrets resulted in shields being pinged and a couple bars of health taken out within a tenth of a moment. So I popped cloak, walked to the adjacent building, and shot her in the head through the wall with a Piercing Mod - equipped Widow. It was glorious.

[VectorZero]

Reproduction of the fan Q&A

There's also earlier, more controversial comments here, allegedly from the same source.

[ArgonV]

Brutes: Take a heavy gun (Mattock, any heavy pistol, I think any sniper rifle), shoot the armor on the belly, watch it fall off, shoot the exposed wires for maximum damage

Ravager: Shoot the center sac, shoot the exposed fleshy bits for maximum damage.

It's not that hard people!

Also, I noticed that if you get killed by something else in the process of being lifted and impaled by a Banshee, you can be revived normally

[SlyReaper]

I somehow got free from a banshee yesterday without dying, and without the banshee dying. Maybe one of my team mates used a concussive shot or something that caused it to drop me.

I didn't know a brute's weak point was the belly. I always aimed for the head.

One small problem: all the character classes I actually like playing have reached level 20. Also my galactic readiness is 100% pretty much all the time now. I literally get nothing from a multiplayer game now except credits. I swear as soon as I unlocked a drell vanguard, it was already level 20. My geth engineer took no time at all to reach 20. My turian sentinel has a few more levels to go, but I honestly don't enjoy playing it as often.

[ArgonV]

I somehow got free from a banshee yesterday without dying, and without the banshee dying. Maybe one of my team mates used a concussive shot or something that caused it to drop me.

I didn't know a brute's weak point was the belly. I always aimed for the head.

Yeah, if you deal enough damage to a Banshee while it's lifting someone, she'll drop them. Yeah, the head would seem to be a weak spot as well. But you first need to shoot the armor of the belly, which seems to be only possible with something hard-hitting.

One small problem: all the character classes I actually like playing have reached level 20. Also my galactic readiness is 100% pretty much all the time now. I literally get nothing from a multiplayer game now except credits. I swear as soon as I unlocked a drell vanguard, it was already level 20. My geth engineer took no time at all to reach 20. My turian sentinel has a few more levels to go, but I honestly don't enjoy playing it as often.

You can promote them and start over from level 1 again... Lots of people seem to do that. I don't really care that much about XP any more as well, I just want to make enough cash to buy all the Veteran packs, then move on the Gold league and Spectre packs.

[SlyReaper]

What does promoting do, and how do you do it?

[ArgonV]

What does promoting do, and how do you do it?

Promoting resets the level of all characters of that class back to 1, adds them as war assets in the single player (worth 75 points, I think?) and adds 10 points to your N7 rank. You can do it by clicking on that galaxy-icon-thing next to the class name in the character selection screen.

[Yakk]

I enjoy promoting Vanguards. You get to start off at level 1 and blow through bronze missions. It is amazing how much kill credit a skilled player can get with even a low level vanguard on a bronze.

[An Enraged Platypus]

Unlocked the Krogan Vanguard last night. My thoughts by difficulty of the map:

Bronze: ALL ABOARD THE MURDER TRAIN, NEXT STOP CARNAGE!

Silver: THIS MURDER TRAIN HAS NO BRAKES!

Gold: Mother of God, did I just pop six medigel in one match? And I'm still dead?

[Yakk]

Does your Rage grant damage bonus, or soak bonus?

[Whammy]

Well, I finally finished the game (won't get into stuff on the ending). Meanwhile, also been really enjoying the Multiplayer. I'm happy to have finally gotten a Geth class. The Victory Pack from last weekends event gave me a Batarian Soldier, and I have NEVER used Soldier in any ME game before so I was like -_-. Had to buy a couple Resurgance Packs before getting Geth Infiltrator (I'd rather have Engineer, but whatever). Gonna give it a try tomorrow.

Oddly enough, I find in Multiplayer I don't really like playing the class I play in single. In single, I like the Vanguard; in multiplayer I like Engineer and Infiltrators. Very odd....although it would be a lot better if I could get some better weapons *is jealous of all those with Geth SMGs*.

[skeptical scientist]

Oddly enough, I find in Multiplayer I don't really like playing the class I play in single. In single, I like the Vanguard; in multiplayer I like Engineer and Infiltrators.

Have you tried being host? Vanguards are pretty fragile, so they don't do well with lag, but are pretty much ownage if you have a good connection. The Asari vanguard is my favorite MP class so far, and I really want to try the Krogan vanguard.

Very odd....although it would be a lot better if I could get some better weapons *is jealous of all those with Geth SMGs*.

Imo the Geth SMG is just as crap as all the other SMGs. All of my characters use heavy pistols and/or shotguns.

So far I've gotten 3 Geth Engineer cards, and no cards for any of the other new classes.