If you were the Creative Director on Andromeda, what would you have done differently?

Practically nothing changes other than flavor. Garrus is not integral to the mission or story. 

Just because Garrus is alive in default doesn't make him integral to the story. There are literally no scenes in the game that require him since every scene involving him in the story has someone else take over, for example Liara or Samantha. What part of the story, other than his personal scenes, require Garrus to be alive? 
Garrus got more effort simply because he is a squadmate. Compared to the other squadmates in ME3, he is the least integral to the story. In fact some of the ME2 squadmates are more integral than him, like for example Jack who if alive offers a new ending to the Grissom Academy mission or Kasumi who offers a new ending to the side quest she is involved with. 

I never said they played a larger role. I said they played a more integral role. There is a difference. They open up new paths in the game, while Garrus does nothing other than occupy a squadmate slot. They do something for the plot, albeit small, while he does nothing for the plot other than add flavor. Again I ask you: What part of the game requires that Garrus be alive to get other than his personal stuff? 
Yes she does.

The fact that Garrus is tied to the main plot and takes up a squadmate slot should be self-explanatory.

I might cause some disagreement here, but I also would've gotten rid of that Liara cameo. I think there's already enough favoritism towards Liara on Bioware's part. I would've replaced it with something like a Garrus or Wrex cameo.

Even better!

I would have chosen the most popular choices and ending to ME3 and made a real sequel based on that. Andromeda could have been a space exploration project in the making or the Angara and Kett can show up in the Milky Way.

Andromeda in its current state removes too much and adds too little in return. Of course DLC can prove me wrong but we may not even get 1.

Had Andromeda not had such a turbulent development cycle (it's a miracle anything was finished), I think the story and the game would have been far more developed. I think there's still hope for the Andromeda galaxy, whenever BioWare decides to give Mass Effect another try (probably after Anthem and DA4 release).

'Most popular' based on what?  That would have been a giant clusterf*** that would only have caused another explosion over their horrible decision on the endings.

Andromeda has potential.  Problem is most of us don't necessarily want to wait to see it realized.

Yeah I once had Garrus killed in suicide mission and nothing really changed in ME3

From the few times they discuss it, it seems pretty detailed. Though it was surprising on the character data... given the internet's obsessions you'd think certain characters would run away with certain categories and yet the glimpses of data out there paint a much different picture. I'd love to see more detail, especially for ME, because I don't think the internet accurately portrays the majority in so many ways.

Wow, what a question. Basically, everything.

For a long time I wasn't sold on the whole going to Andromeda idea because everything we loved about Mass Effect was back in the Milky Way, but now I see what an amazing opportunity it provided that the actual game squandered. I would have made the game focus more on exploration for starters, not meaningless exploration, but the FEELING of exploration. The game would have tied more closely to a Star Trek type of vibe. You'd show up to Andromeda and there would be various civilizations at different technological states. Because this Galaxy evolved outside of the Reapers and their Mass Relays there is no Galactic Government. As a result, some species are highly advanced, other not so much. Some alien species have warred with others, while others have been largely left alone.

I would have had it so that Habitat 7 was a harsh planet but barely livable. The player's Ark would have shown up one year late as opposed to everyone else, other Arks got lost or separated like the finished game but their stories would be more compelling. The player's role would be to make alliances and deals with the various alien species out there in an attempt to improve your home-world and make it livable. This would involve injecting yourself into the socioeconomic and ethical disputes that are a part of this new galaxy. Perhaps two alien species have warred against each other for centuries so taking one species side for aid would impact your relations with the other. Perhaps there is a less technologically enhanced race and you have to choose whether to trade your advanced technology for access to their natural resources or maybe even simply take it by force due to your superior nature. Again, this would have an effect on how the other species viewed you.


With regards to the missing Arks some of them may have learned to create their own life in Andromeda. Say perhaps the Salarian Ark ends up near one of the most advanced races in the Galaxy and are taken in. Eventually, due to their more intelligent nature, they begin to thrive in this new society. But, this creates internal ire within the planet's society as civilians on this alien world feel as though the Salarians, with their superior intellect, are taking all of the best jobs and opportunities from native civilians. Message anyone? Perhaps one of the Arks has their occupants completely enslaved which causes us to have to rescue them, and then what if these enslaved individuals want to stay enslaved? You know, like the slavery conversation on Illum in Mass Effect 2.

These would be the kind of things my version of Andromeda would focus on, ethical and political debates with brand new alien species. A galaxy of limitless exploration and opportunity. You jump into a new system and are greeted with a message from some alien faction, their weapon ports open. Do you open fire or play it cool and see what happens? That's what I wanted.