Interviews with Aaryn Flynn (January 6, CES 2017)

I'm consistently alienated by how much, and since 2014, they have been bragging about the graphics... I get it, it's Mass Effect for a new generation for the first time, but they make it sound like it's some kind of primary focus and it's not even that impressive. Whether it was Casey, Mac or now Flynn they always bring up the graphics and "the power of frostbite 3" it seems so out of the loop considering I feel like we've sort of moved away from this "graphics arms race" recently and that was more of a thing in 2014.

Least of all, I just don't get what's supposed to be hype about Mass Effect in conjunction with graphics. It was never a selling-point and I fail to see what's supposed to be so special about Andromeda in this regard. I think BioWare is just completely confused as to how they're marketing this product. It's very peculiar.

The problem is that the game doesn't even look that impressive. The explosion effects in particular are very underwhelming. Inquisition had better effects.

They have been bragging about the graphics since 2014? Really? I have been following this games development, kind of off and on, but still, this is the first time they have really bragged about the games graphics, and keep in mind it was at a graphical processing show, same thing with the PS4 pro.  Both events were tailored to show off graphics.  When they move onto other events, asuming there are any, or show different trailers, or that 15 minute gameplay vid I am sure we will get more then just graphic talk as we have at the other events where graphics have hardly gotten a mention. 

And talking with squad mates before leaving the Tempest. Does that mean we might finally get to see Cora and Liam?

That could be a good opportunity to finally show them, though part of me suspects they'll just have us talk to PeeBee, Vetra, or Drack just to troll the players, like how they skipped Cora in the CES presentation. 

So there was something: In the actual video, whichI just finished, they keep on insisiting that you will be able to swap out the profiles 'dynamically'. And thus, hopefully, your abilities. Now nothing in the trailer looked dynamic from what we have seen from the presentation but they have said it so often, in varying ways, and said from multiple sources we will be learning more that I have to assume there is something about the profiles we just don't know yet.

"I think [we hope to] show people that Mass Effect: Andromeda is the kind of game that a lot of people are going to play in a lot of different ways. They’re going to play in their living room, on their console. They’re going to play on their PC, in their office, or wherever they put their PC. And I think that Mass Effect, as a brand and an experience, really is that kind of experience that starts to transcend more traditional gaming. It’s the kind of game that goes front-and-center at a place like CES."

You'd think when he says people are going to play in a lot of different ways, that he was gonna talk about the RPG part of it and the wide range of choices you could make. Instead, he's talking about playing on console, or your pc, on your living room or on your office, eating cheetos or skittles, coke or mountain dew. LMAO. tsk tsk

See, if they were just focusing on selling us a MASS EFFECT game and appealing to RPG fans or people who want to play vanguard with this cool-looking gameplay, then that would be no problem, but they specifically show up with the first ever game-loop demo in a tech-demo for PS4pro to showcase "GRAPHICS wow!" and now they're at NVIDIA to show some more "GRAPHICS wow!". That PS4 "Neo" reveal was even kind of a slap in the face after they had cockteased fans for 3 years in a row at E3 with absolutely nothing but vague promises "we'll have something exciting to tell you!" and then when they finally show real game footage for the first time they do it for Sony and for showcasing graphics technology, and you're just left feeling a little awkward about it.

I mean, what do they think they're doing? They're not even impressing the crowd they're aiming for but their game is plenty impressive or at least appealing to the crowd they won't try to appeal to. They're so confused about what they're trying to sell us.

Yeah, the interviews are good, but it occurs to me that there is some marketing department either at EA or within BioWare that couldn't care less and book appointments in the wrong places to show off the game to the wrong crowds and alienate the fans that are anticipating it.