Will Ryder Default to Soldier in Cutscenes? Do you want them to?

They better introduce class-specific cutscenes and interrupts, if not I'm gonna be pissed.

AFAIK, there was only one class-specific interrupt in the entire trilogy (the Engineer one in Omega).

I think that they should at least follow DA:I's example on this: unique dialogue, dialogue choices, and world interaction for each class (did I forget something else?), then add unique interrupts as well.

There's a letter from the Venatori in Inquisition in the Hissing Wastes where they mention the Inquisitor and their class with different writing in the letter depending on the class. I can't remember the exact words but I always thought that was a nice little detail.

I doubt it'll be full-on ME1/2 bad--as you point out, they'd already started to factor Shepard's class into dialogue, cutscenes and interrupts in Mass Effect 3, and particularly the DLCs. Having a little biotic slam-off with the clone was fun, in particular. I'm sure they'll make at least minor changes for the sake of our classes.

I doubt they'll follow-through on it as much as you'd like, though; irritating as it might be, I doubt I'll ever get to see my Vanguard Ryder biotic charge into someone in a cutscene--it'd just be too difficult to adapt the scenario to each class properly.

... Or, well... Maybe. Take that basic template--you're in a cutscene, and Ryder has to catch up to someone she's chasing:

Vanguards: Ryder charges, knocking the chasee to the ground.

Infiltrators: The chasee thinks he's lost her and stops for breath; Ryder decloaks behind him, putting an arm around his throat.

Engineers: Ryder throws out a drone, which then stuns the chasee.

Adepts: Take your pick, really. Ryder suspends the chasee in mid-air, Ryder holds the chasee in a stasis field, Ryder pulls the chasee back towards her...

Sentinels: Tech armour! (Nah, realistically, probably one of the Adept options.)

Soldiers: Ryder shoots the chasee in the leg. Soldiers are boring.


It's something they'd probably have to do sparingly, though--animating so many different variations on the cutscene would, I imagine, suck up a fair few resources.

I definitely agree! Although I've only actually played through as a Soldier so far (boring, I know), in hindsight it is rather disappointing how little reactivity there is. If I played again, it would probably be as an Engineer, since I like smart characters and because of that one interrupt in Omega.

However, I will nitpick at something. It's not so much that Shep "defaulted to Soldier" as it was "defaulted to non-class". Why? Well, because there is more to a Soldier than guns; they have powers too, but they weren't used in cutscenes either. So what I'd like to see in ME:A is Ryder using elements of all class powers when appropriate, especially to avoid utterly stupid "I forgot about my powers!" moments   Also, non-combat reactivity as mentioned below.

Yeah, that's the issue with the weapons  Yes, it would be awesome if the ones that were equipped showed up in cutscenes, but because they all function so differently, odd things happen. I'm not saying it would be impossible to account for that, but it would make for a lot of variation. It would be awesome. And I agree about armour, not sure why a character would wear different armour than what you equipped in cutscenes.

It was! "The Inquisitor has no magic besides the Anchor, yet that damnable rogue has evaded death more times than can be natural!" "Trevelyan/Levellan/Adaar is powerful for a southern mage" (paraphrase) I hope they add small things like this, some text-based since they're easy, and some verbal reactivity from characters based on class as well would be great. I only really remember one acknowledgement in ME.

I want more things like the engineer interupt in omega. I do understand not making alot of different cutscenes for different classes. BUt it would be nice for some of them to change

Soldiers: Ryder shoots the chasee with Concussive Shot. That's what it's for.

Fixed that for you I feel compelled to defend the poor Soldier While they may seem a bit bland in SP, if they added all of the powers they made for MP into SP for Andromeda... wow (that goes for all classes, of course). There are soooo many awesome powers/melees there that I can't help but fear ME:A's SP will be boring in comparison since I doubt they'll make them all available I want to use homing/arc/multi-frag grenades in SP. I want to use a sword or Biotic Smash for melees. I want to have Shep yell "DEVASTATOR MODE EMPLOYED" and use Hawk missiles At least they added the turian Armiger Legion's jump packs though. I just happened across this video where someone modded in MP powers to SP. Annihilation Field on a Vanguard? Just look at the beautiful carnage!


Oh, and while Sentinels could reuse biotic powers in the chase scenario, they could also use something cool like Submission Net. You're right that it is a lot of animation and would probably be infrequent, but I think it would be worth the effort.

Okay. Default to non-class then, and yeah, the right weapons in cutscenes too. There were a few bits of dialogue that alluded to Shepard's biotics in ME3 and one in ME1. I think Kaidan mentions Shepard being a biotic at some point in the game. That said I would have loved it had my Vanguard Shepard had give Kai Leng a biotic punch to the face at the end of Cerberus base mission. A snippet of dialog "I can hear you" as Leng tried to sneak up on her, grunting a huffing all the way would have been nice too, but oh well.

If a cutscene has to default to something (to save on computing resources), I would rather it default to an individual using a pistol that all classes would carry by default.  I would find it more jarring for a cutscene to default to a biotic using a power that my Ryder doesn't have; and I found it also jarring when an assault rifle appeared in a cutscene when my Shepard wasn't even carrying one.  I'm sure they could conjure up a great pistol that every class could carry concealed on their person at all times.

That said, I'm sure also that they could afford to insert a cutscene or two or three that could be class specific for each class and triggered by that class, but to make all of them able to adapt to each class just seems like overkill to me.

So yes and no? I don't think any specific powers should be used in the cutscenes. I definitely think it would be nice if your an Engineer/Infiltrator you should have some kinda hacky/fire-poof thing in situations it makes sense. Though everyone uses a gun so in many cases I think a pistol just makes sense (I also think everyone should just have an actual pistol, not the grenade pistol shit that should get moved to another slot).

Anyway main reason I say no to specific powers like biotic charge or whatever? Theres to many powers and not all will fit into the same situation across classes. Doing something 'basic' like use some non-descripte biotic power or tech hacking or whatever lets that flavor show with out it being to specific.

If they get TO specific then your dealing with an absurd amount of possibilities and you'll have people wondering why they used this one power instead of this one. Or why did they use that? I don't even HAVE that power, never wanted to use it meh. Once you get specific you start saying 'this is how your build should be' for it to make sense. Same issue with everyone always getting Assault Rifles when only like 1 class HAD assault rifles in ME2 lol.

Seriously 1 class outa 6 had access to Assault Rifles but it always defaults to this weapon almost no one can use. ME1 did a better job with that in that case since everyone always had everything. Least you could be like 'yeah my guy has that gun on him, rarely uses it but he has it'. I'd often setup my AR/Shotgun and take sniper bonus skill power too in ME1 cause AR/Shotgun where still very useable with out any skill points. Sniper became useless with out it, and everyone could use a pistol.

TL;DR : Yes but nothing specific, keep it simple so it doesn't seem like they're dictating your specific classes build.

I'm more concerned about whether or not they show the actual weapon we're using in the cutscenes instead of the stock M-8 avenger all the time.

This, just a generic tech/biotic power when needed & mentions in dialogue to the class you're playing as.