The Grind: Max Manifest Breakdown

800 hours to max out my primary account on ME3 I played another 400 hours afterwards. Plus another 200ish hours on an alt account that got no where near maxing.

I play just for fun getting a new shiny is great but not why I play.

In life in general you can choose what you do and how you want to progress - the journey isn't defined by randomness and chance.

Unlike an MMO there is no end game here. The only thing you can do with a "maxed manifest" is exactly the same thing you did without a maxed manifest. Buying packs and unlocking gear IS a part of this gaming experience, and a strong contribution to the huge success and longevity of the ME3MP.

That's because Bioware chose to design it this way, but it doesn't have to be like this.

As others have said before, the gameplay itself can be (well it already is) the primary hook for players to continue playing which can be supplemented by extensive cosmetic customisation, achievements and quality of life upgrades available through microtransactions.

This could take the form of fancy armour skins, weapon skins, power recolours, auras, transforms etc, and quality of life features could be stuff to enhance the game such as consumables, credit boosts, ability to salvage/craft items, UI enhancements, etc.

The actual core of the gameplay - powers, weapons, mods, gear should all be freely available for everyone to build directly towards and allow all players to have the freedom of finding their own niche.

Of course this isn't possible in MEA, but I hope in MEA2MP or whatever the next game is, Bioware reconsider their microtransaction model.

I feel exactly the same way playing Human Adept while grinding for the Kineticist as you do playing Human Vanguard grinding for the Duelist.

The only thing keeping me grinding is the Human Adept is reasonably fun.

But I'd play more often and enjoy playing more if I had the Kineticist already unlocked.

So that makes about I'd say 1200 given general f***ery of lag, dropped games, scrubs costing you matches, finding a non crap lobby, and people for some reason taking forever to ready up.

The point of the game for me is to be #1 in every match. With powers being almost laughable only the manifest matters. My favorite characters in ME3MP was the Asari Huntress, Drell sniper guy w/ recon mine, and the two asari characters w/ annihilation fields. Three of the top four I could come in #1 with almost any weapon. Played mostly Gold and Silver and had 1100 hours into MP. Played more post manifest than I did before it.

Congrats.

Why? Saved you heeps of time initially.

I know it saved me a lot of time and made the game fun quick, but spending 140$ on microtransactions in a full priced game (got the deluxe) in 3 weeks feels wrong.