Mass Effect: Andromeda - Interwining Narrative + Open World

Apart from the narrative discussion, the delay supposition in the linked article is....worrying.

Ahh the 'War Table'. A mechanic I kinda semi-like in concept but fuck-blabraghasd in practice. I think it has more to do with how inconvenient Skyhold is i general as a base (or Haven for that matter). The whole 'home base' idea started with KoTOR, and a ship worked out great for that. Keeps it tight quarters, nothings to out of the way and all that.

Hopefully if they have something like that in MEA (which the leak definitely made it seem like they did) it wont require it's own long load time off in some far away part of the ship you don't start remotely close to. Hell I'd like it to be part of the travel map thing you know? Press a button to swap the map for whatever amounts to the War Table.

Also would be nice if they meant something and where entirely based off stuff we did. I actually like it in the Descent because of that. ALL of it was based off shit you physically did prior, not just a list of crap that have no effect on anything but are just text stories to get you some renounce or gold or whatever.

I think people are misinterpreting the quote. There is a very obvious "but" in there with regards to Andromeda.

"We’ve got lots more learning to do, but I’m really very happy with how the team is doing this with Mass Effect Andromeda." 

To me that sounds like they have more learning to do in the future BUT he's happy with the decisions and narrative style used in Andromeda. I don't see the cause for concern.

Sartoz : Yeah agreed mostly. Though for the Inquisitor it made a lot more sense to be in control of this whole War Table thing (less so at Haven but we can pretend it wasn't really 'us' doing it, as it where). I think a lot of that changes in Andromeda due to 'who' are characters are. They've young, 'unproven'. They're not heros as it where and wouldn't make sense to have control over large amounts of anything.

I do like the idea of having control, to some extent, of the direction of settlements we help get going. But if we're making crazy political decisions on some war table style thing it'll get super weird just on the grounds of who are character is.


Hunter : Yeah that's how I took it. Definitely seems like they mean in general as a company, and that they like the track Andromeda is on. Also I dunno why the article says theres tons of rumors about them being delayed - there used to be rumors of that, and it already happened. Maybe they blanked out for half a year and assume it's still June or something?

Yeah, well you technically never 'send Cullen' but I agree-ish. It makes sense from DAI stand point of your ultimately (eventually) the leader of this organization. You have 3 advisors and each one (for the most part) has a plan for any given table situation. Your ultimately just picking whos plan to go with and then they send there lackies to do whatever that job is. Like I've said earlier I like that idea on paper but ultimately I think because the VAST majority of those have jack shit to do with anything you 'directly' did in game it falls flat.

I mean if they only cropped up because of something we did besides you know, advanced the main narrative (aka, get Skyhold as such buncha shit shows up) then at least there would be some feeling of cause and effect in it. I can understand the need or requirement to have stuff there ahead of time but then you get the whole thing of not seeing that effect in game.

Descent, while simple, I think did a better job at there version of the WT. Everything that cropped up was because of something you physically did in the world, and on completion it had an effect on the immediate world and opened up new areas to explore. If they can expand on that idea for MEA I think we'll be in a better place in general. That is, most stuff crops up because we started a settlement for instance and we're making choices that we can visually see in game. That may open up other things to do IN game.

I think ultimately if are only interact with the WT is the WT and that's it, then it's kinda failed as an engaging mechanic all together. It's like having a black jack or some gambling game in game where your telling someone to play it and then eventually get an outcome of 'yeah I totally won or nah, failed, oops'. We'd all rather just play the mini-game our selves really.

They've done it before. We haven't had quite as dramatic of 'oh god the world ending tomorrow' till more recent years. Where it, frankly, is harder to warrent doing your own thing. For example in BG1 your just thrust out into the world after some traumatic event and you your left with questions - not some overhanging massive threat that dooms the world you have to stop. Eventually it becomes stopping a war and all that but for the bulk of the game it's very much just 'wtf is going on'.

BG2 I'd say they kinda did the same but I still felt like they rush you then immediately put up a wall in front of that goal to try and be like ' no seriously you have time, go do whatever'. koTOR did a pretty good job comparatively. PST did a fantastic job at it. Generally anytime it's more of a 'figuring out answers to questions your not sure of' opens up for a lot more exploration.

I think the important part is side content needs to be it's own thing and actually be content. The fact where mostly just 'finding planets for colonization' is a pretty broad goal. I'm sure theres some other driving force outside of that, but much like the Witcher we have an actual general job to do beyond whatever.

I dunno, I know it can be done in away that wont feel disjointed. They, as a company, have done it before multiple times. They haven't done it in recent years though so, heres hoping?

Ohh, i wonder if this is the answer to people who want their reputations following them as the game progresses. It'll make for a lot of VO hours but if it pans out, i guess it'll compensate for the lack of flowy hair options. Suppose.

But I don't think him talking about "we're just polishing at this point" is just marketing lingo. If you took a look at that pre-alpha gameplay, that shit looked tight. I mean, like Blizzard level tight. I haven't seen a game look that good (that isn't Blizzard) in years, if ever that was in pre-alpha.

I think that they heard us when we said we were tired of of this and that, but what we were most of all tired of was the game constantly crashing in under two minutes and them having to patch it. I think that's their goal. Not to have to do a day one patch, maybe not even a week one patch.

*shrug* We'll have to see. But dayum did that game play look good.

Entire (and original) interview:

www.vg247.com/2016/09/13/mass-effect-andromeda-open-world/

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All I can say is that a woman with flowy hair gives the character "life" and VO hours will never replace that.... imo.