OI! [tactical/combat] PAUSE!

You don't see the problem with Bioware implementing a feature to activate powers, and it not working for half the powers? I don't know what to say.

I personally think the pause feature always felt like a hacked on addition so it is difficult for me to argue about why it was OK when we previously had charge weapons with it... but I will. I don't believe Bioware ever envisaged players actually using the pause option to line up weapon shots, they thought it would be for weapon switching, powers and squad commands. And only a small percentage of weapons were chargeable so the fact they don't work isn't a big deal.

Confirmation, btw, that we cannot in any way tell our squad what powers to use in combat, even in real time:



"You can command your squadmates where to go and who to attack, but not their powers."

Man this is so incredibly lame and disappointing for this IP.  Like someone said in the GAF thread a little while ago, the hits keep on coming...

Who needs to tell their squadmates to use powers when you can try to have them be like Garrus?

It doesn't bother me much, tho it would be nice to pause the game to answer the door, drain the vein or some s**t like that. As long as my squadmates are capable (meaning that they take cover appropriately and use their powers...i shouldn't even have to tell them to attack...if they are shooting at you KILL THOSE MUTHATF**kas... .... )


Haha seriously tho....this really isn't an issue for me and i'm assuming this game autosaves so even if you do die and have to answer the door or do something, the game will start you off not far from where you left off.

oh ok....gotcha!...

The git gudders in here are annoying. I can outscore most of them in my sleep.

Pause is part of the Mass Effect experience. Good for you if you didn't use it.

Your point about charging powers is a good one, and obviously we would not be able to use the pause function to fire off charged powers. It could only be used for the non charged version of each power.

However I don't know why you would call the pause function 'hacked on'. It was clearly a fundamental gameplay mechanic of the whole trilogy. On console, you couldn't use all of your powers without it (in ME1 you could only hotkey one solitary power) and on all platforms it was the only way to properly control your squadmates' use of powers.

As a side note, tactical pause has been a staple of all Bioware games up to this point, so is it really surprising that plenty of people are disappointed about its removal?

This is horrible news, best part was tactically using your squad members powers on each engagement. Holding off on preorder until more videos are out of the new systems...

Wait, you're stating that putting the game on easy makes the game tedious but the desire to actively subvert higher difficulties with a pause button doesn't?  If you play on Veteran with the pause it's roughly equivalent to playing on Casual.  So I don't really understand...

I know it's scary to all the pro-pause players...there was a time I would have agreed because of my lack of confidence in my gaming skills.  But to me the lack of pause is not the specific issue in SP, it's the potential lack of control over squadmates that is the bigger concern.  What was particularly fun about ME3's SP combat was priming/detonating combos and seeing how many enemies could be wiped out in a single explosion or how fast you could clear a room.  In retrospect, that was something lacking in the latest combat gameplay trailer.  Companions just kind of ran around the battlefield doing their own thing.  Since Bio in recent years has felt the need to have a single unified UI across all platforms, I don't see how they're going to hotkey movement commands and powers for each companion atop our own.

I'm not really sure what to tell those with "concerns" over the lack of pause other than it's something that will have to be overcome if you're to play the game.  One thing I do know is that plenty of people will be on these forums willing to assist with advice and support.

I see.
It does seem to have a more CoD feel...which I abhor.   
Especially with the squadmates attacking whatever target you set them too however they want.