First time in Andromeda

The only time a writer's vision doesn't matter is when you're playing a tabletop RPG.

Some wiggle room is not the same as the devs' allowing total freedom. There are always going to be restrictions to push the narrative forward. And Bioware is actually on the more restrictive side because that's the trade off for an engaging plot and charismatic hero.

Said wiggle room can make all the difference though. So it's a fine line to walk.

I agree if i'm understanding this properly. There can truly be no real freedom because the character himself has to have restrictions based on the narrative and story. I'm sure there have been plenty of times where we see games or movies where we say "damn...why didn't so-in-so just do this?".....but in thinking that and in some poorly written games or movies, if the character did do such an action, the said movie or game would practically be over....so characters do and say things for a reason and they are restricted to certain actions to compliment the story or narrative.


Now i have seen scenarios where characters are basically locked out from pursuing further quests or storylines due to a particular action...a character may pick a decision that immediately closes a side mission and for the rest of the game you cannot pursue anything regarding that path....what would be interesting is that if somehow in making that decision somehow affects the game and your storyline later on in the game.


I just say that to generally say that nothing is really engulfed in total freedom as there are design mechanics set from the jump that implement restrictions on the characters in some compacity to compliment the story.   

highly reminiscent of B5 actually.

Your response suggests you think I'm asking for limitless freedom, which is nothing like what I said.

It's okay that the writers limit us to a narrow range. I'm saying it's important that we get to choose within that narrow range.

For example, in ME1 we have to tell Udina about Tali (this wasn't at all clear from the paraphrases). I would like the game to allow us to choose how we do that, rather than surprising is with it.

The player's character should NEVER surprise the player.

particularly for my Sole Survivor Shepard who met Toombs in ME1...

Or maybe come up with a more logical reason for Shepard and Cerberus to team up than 

*KABOOOM!*
"What happened?"
"You've been dead for two years"
"Cool!"

It's not entirely the Alliance's fault. Liara did steal Shepard's corpse after all because she's a deranged stalker whose probably secretly a necrophiliac. 

Simple. Have Shepard survive instead of dying after the SR1 is destroyed. For the next two years, he/she uses a shuttle to get around to try and find a way to stop the reapers. Eventually Shepard meets Miranda, who represents Cerberus, who tells Shepard that there have been reports of human colonists that are being kidnapped and the Alliance refuses to do anything.  Miranda mentions that  Shepard would be provided with a new ship and all the resources needed to find out what has happened to the colonists. Shepard confronts the Alliance. They give some pathetic excuse, or more like deflect the question. Realizing the Alliance doesn't want to help their own, or rather not make any effort to find out what's going on, Shepard flips them the bird and takes Miranda's offer to find out what's going on.  The Alliance will make a fuss, but Shepard will tell them that at least Cerberus is willing to do something about the abductions. My Shepard wouldn't have a problem with dumping the Alliance to work with Cerberus.

"I finally wanted you all to myself, Shepard. Besides, it's not as if dead girls/boys can say no."

And then Shepard would proceed to shoot sick freak in her head. 

See, was that so hard?

Or, as another option, have Shepard (with Hackett and/or Anderson's under-the-table tacit approval) join them with the intention of finding out what they know, and perhaps form a temporary alliance.  An example of Teeth-Clenched Teamwork  
I have no problem with Shepard having he option to leap into bed with Cerberus.  But there should have been options for those who look upon them with suspicion to do so.





It's not the idea of having to work with Cerberus that was the problem, it was the rushed, railroaded manner in which we found ourselves in that situation.