Active abilities in ME:A (Updated)

I can't remember the last time I ordered a teammate around outside of ME1.

You didn't need to pause, but it was far easier and offered more precision.  It was also the only way to direct them to use an ability other than the one which was hot-keyed.

If you couldn't direct them, there'd be no point in bringing them along and there'd be no point in having a party in the first place.




Then pause with the weapon wheel and utilize your precision there.

Doesn't matter if there's more targets or not; if you can't direct them to take cover or attack specific enemies, then there's literally no reason for them to be on screen.

Lol if you go back and look at the weapon wheel in the Dec 1 trailer you'll see that it isn't going to be particularly useful for anything but selecting weapons and ammo. It's basically opaque. Plus you obviously won't be able to use it to direct your squadmates' powers.

I'm all for keeping an open mind but it's clear that we won't have the same level of control as before, even if they've still put together a solid system.

The controller limiting design space doesn't make sense...

You have 2 triggers, 2 bumpers, 6 buttons (Including start/select), 4 directionals via dpad, and 2 sticks. 

Layout example with more than 3 mapped powers:

LT: Aim
RT: Shoot
LB: Melee
RB: Reload
X: Power 1/4
Y: Power 2/5
B: Power 3/6
A: Cover/Roll
Dpad Up: Switch Powers
Dpad Left: Squad Command
Dpad Right: Squad Command
Dpad Down: Holster/Un-Holster Weapon
LStick: Move
RStick: Look/Zoom
Start: Pause/Menu
Select: Grenade?

Actually that power is assault turret, not drone.

If you go to the official powers and profiles thread (should be sitting on about page 2 of this sub forum) there is a list of all powers that we have seen/are confirmed, including a few speculative ones. Lots of screenshots there.

You'll need to figure out how to fit jump, jet pack and sprint in there but yeah, they could have come up with a controller scheme for 4+ powers if they really wanted to. This is a deliberate gameplay design choice.

Having said that, it's still possible that the d-pad does something related to powers or profiles.

I bring up the power wheel to view the mini-map at least as much as I bring it up to access some other function.

Peripheral vision is very limited on a standard 16:9 screen, and of course if you ever use a scope, your field-of-view is narrowed even more during the time you're scoping, so you can't track other character movements during that time. Some combat zones have obstructions, and I sometimes find a squaddie on the other side of an obstruction that's in deep doo, and the mini-map alerts me to that situation so I can rescue them.

Of course, it also doesn't help that adds can spawn from most anywhere in MET.



I find the combat enjoyable enough, though it's not my primary reason for playing the games.

My concern is not whether MEA's combat will be fun, but whether I'll be able to manage it.  The only "shooters" I've ever played are MET & Fallout 3 - not because they're shooters, but because they're RPGs.  I'm looking at a couple of possible approaches to see if I think the MEA combat will be tenable for me: 1) Run some rounds in Armax Arsenal Arena while keeping my finger off the power wheel button, and 2) Try some ME2 on PC to see if adapting to m/k controls could work better for me.  Either way, it's pushing me to try playing in a way that I'm not accustomed to - whether that turns out to be a boom or a bust remains to be seen.

Yep, I was thinking about this earlier and the following setup for powers might have worked as a sort of partial DAI configuration (using the PS controller layout):

R1 = signature/profile power

While holding L1 as a 'toggle' button:
R1 = power 2
Square = power 3
Trialngle = power 4
Circle = power 5

That way square, triangle and circle would still be free for action buttons when not holding L1, plus you've still got the d-pad for squad controls and/or consumables.

All a moot point now tho, I guess.

Don't know about the moot.
I mean, we have demonstrated multiple times in this thread why a 3 powers limits (if really confirmed) is bad for single player (in the sense that is an unnecessary limitation for players, and absurd) and many ways to circumvent it even on console. It is something and I think it will matter.

I agree, I just meant that it won't change anything for MEA. The control scheme will be finalised by now.