Mass Effect: The Future. What We Know and What We Want.

Mass Effect has to be one of the best RPG series out there ever. The franchise has gone through a lot of changes from a close to RPG Game in Mass Effect to a more Shooter type game in Mass Effect 3. The ending of the series has disappointed many of the fans but the past is the past and its time for the future.

Now, we know that the next Mass Effect is in development. We also know that it will be running on the Frostbite 3 engine the same engine used in Battlefield 4. The engine is more than capable of running next-gen graphics but could use a few updates and tweaks to make it bug free. Or closer to bug free at least. For more information on the FrostBite Engine click here.

Another thing that has been confirmed by BioWare itself is that the game will not be related to Shepard and the events that took place in Mass Effect 1,2 and 3. So you might here about the events or about Shepard but the game will not be affected by the original trilogy. I would say this is a good thing because it gives the developers more room to work with and gives old gamers a fresh start and be awed again by the world of Mass Effect.

Looking around the internet some rumors are being circulated which might be appealing. Again I'm not saying these are true but they have been coming up here and there on the internet. Some of the rumors are:

• • BioWare had a secret event for fans at PAX.
  • New Species will be added to the new game.
  • Some older species might get a cut.

• You might have a choice to start the game with different races.
• Customizing will be increased(Armor, weapons, etc.)

Though these rumors are quite vague but can very easily be true(or not). Time will tell. The concept of having a choice of which race to start with will be new for the franchise and a welcomed change. New species was quite an obvious change as having the same aliens around you would have become boring. I don't know whether some races will be cut and why? But if its true, damn!

Some members of BioWare have also stated that the new Mass Effect will go back to its roots of Mass Effect 1 and have you be a new comer exploring the galaxy. Sounds good to me, but BioWare better not have annoying MAKO levels again! :P

All the above information is just speculation and can be completely incorrect but until Bioware themselves don't give us any information, we will have to rely on this only.

Now for what I want from the next game. I want the new mass effect to be closer to the RPG elements of Mass Effect 1 and have the game-play closer to Mass Effect 3. I would love to see a new side of the galaxy hopefully in the future of the Mass Effect world not before the Reaper attack.

What would you like to see from the next-gen Mass Effect? Let me know in the comments.

*All images used are not owned by me but by their respective owners.

To be honest, I actually liked the Mako missions in ME1. They were pretty repetitive after a while, but they had a certain charm to them. With a bit more refinement they could've been a good selling point for the series; shame it was never revisited by BioWare. The planet scanning in ME2/3 didn't do it for me.

I'm not sure what I'd want to see in a new game. ME3 was good, but was easily the worst in the series IMO due to how rushed it felt, so I'm actually not very hyped at all for a new one. If they can re-emphasize the exploration, customization, decision-making, and dialogue then maybe I'll be on board.

There are much better third person shooters out there and I do not care about dialog, and moral picks. Unless they make the RPG elements more important then I do not care. ME1 is still the best balance of a shooter and RPG. ME2 changes did more to hurt the game play than it did to help and ME3 did not do much.

Yeah I didn't think the Mako missions were that bad either. If they can improve on it abit, I'd be happy to have it back.

But yeah, the next ME game is probably my most anticipated next-gen game!

I'll be the first to say that the MAKO thing in Mass Effect 1 I Disliked at the time, But boy did I miss it when Mass Effect 2 had the planet scanner and I even missed that in the third one when you just had to move to a planet to get stuff.

I'd also like the side missions to be aquired through inquiry rather then evesdropping only.

I will be happy if they follow the balanced formula of the first game. Other than that, I'd welcome more customization options and a greater incentive to explore remote planets. It'd be nice to see something like the MAKO back(yes I'm a fan of it).

If they don't rush it like 3 I'm sure it'll be just fine. Kinda disappointed it's running on frostbite3 i mean it looks good but I want to see something new and better...

a big part of the appeal of the original trilogy was learning about the universe and how mass effect technology changed everything. introducing a new technology that revolutionizes civilization would bring back that feeling. if bioware sets the game long after ME3, they could introduce new races that have risen to prominence too.

i've heard casey hudson mention wanting to create a feeling of just being in a location in previous ME games (i assume that's why there were small misc. actions like drinking or dancing and various useless baubles in shops). i think it would be pretty cool if they expanded on this idea even more. i always liked just walking around illium and the citadel in ME2, checking out ads and listening to comm announcements. it's just that the locations were very linearly designed and i always had a very obvious objective so i rarely had an excuse to just wander.

this last one is a pipe dream, but whatever. i'd like a more organic system for death. i really liked the sequence at the end of ME2, but character deaths in the rest of the series were largely scripted moments rather than the results of my own failures. i'd really like it if deaths were the result of normal combat instead. like maybe a squadmate bleeds out if they lose all their HP and don't get omnigel after a minute or 2.

I want there to be more control for the character. The other Mass Effect games were fine, but they always felt a little stiff and restricted as far as movement goes. I'd like to have more freedom with the gameplay. Maybe something in the vain of Uncharted or MGS (4 and GZ).

I want more weapons!

If Mass Effect has taught me anything its that Gameplay is not a factor of determining the quality of an RPG.... After all, the genre predates the video gaming medium itself way back when all you needed to role play was rules and imagination.

Since EA has hopped on board, the Gameplay has improved Drastically (its true and you know it). But thats not important.

If theres one issue thats been consistantly broken in all three games its the Dialogue/Choice System. Its a long, complicated issue but in short each system is counterintuitive, its even more illusory than most people are aware of.

@Lulu_Lulu: Mass Effect is a game where gameplay is as important as when you are fighting as well as when you are not. Some people find it boring going around talking and not doing anything, but you have to realize that in such a game when you arent in active combat you have so much to do that can influence your next fight and the story as a whole. I find the dialogue system in mass effect to be epic. The choices you make can really affect how you play, plus Im a huge fan of RPGs so Im used to all the talking in games.

@Lulu_Lulu: ME2 improvement to the game play was not enough to overcome the downgrade that also happen to the game play.

@ranbir_flame: I love RPG but I hate dialog system in video and too much dialog in a table top RPG. I want to role play in the game play and ME2 took that out. There was only two choices and one was not that big. FPS can have more choices that affect the game play than that.

mass1 barely qualifies as a rpg.

mass2 is NOT a rpg: it is a 3rd person team-based shooter with upgrades.

The worse part is that ME1 still have best balanced game play between shooter and RPG and I want it to improve both and not downgrade the RPG game play elements and the slight improvement in shooter game play.

@wiouds: agreed. I want mass effect to be an rpg like it was meant to be and not a 3rd person shooter with a few rpg elements.

@wiouds:

absolutely. mass2 is high up on my "most disappointed" list. mass1 gave it so much potential, but, alas....

you know, I've actually read many comments from many people who thought mass1 was too complicated with too much customization and micromanagement, lol.

@udubdawgz1: hehehe. Complicated? I thought that it wasn't complex enough. I wanted more options. Yes compared to the later games it was more complex but the other two could be played by almost anyone even a monkey. :p

@ranbir_flame: @ranbir_flame:

lol, yep. in fact, I have fun with idiot (I mean, complicated and mature) choices in games and often let my young children make the choices for me and we'll talk about some of the basic concepts.

@udubdawgz1: hehehe. I hope bioware doesn't mess the 4th game and go back to its roots which is being hinted by some staff members.

@ wiouds

What Downgrade ? Theres a whole lot more variety and depth in Mass Effect 2 than in Mass Effect.

@ ranbir_flame

The Problem with Mass Effect's Dialog System is the "Stat Check" The Most Important Decisions in the game have a hidden system that determines the outcome of the choices you make. On the surface all 3 games's dialogue system looks the same but pop the hood and each one is different. Mass Effect 1 being the least flawed and Mass Effect 2 being the worst.

@udubdawgz1: @ranbir_flame: It was less complex and more unpolished. I do not think anyone would defend the inventory system of Mass Effect 1. There was a way to make both parties a bit more happy. You have a RPG for leveling up for those that want to control the character's role in the game play. Then you have a power up system that hold the hands of the players who want to play the game but does not care about role playing. At the start of a game the players pick what system they want.

@ Lulu_Lulu: What variety? They make the class so narrow in what they took out any variety about how you can affect the character in the game play.

@ wiouds

Idealistically and stastically, Mass Effect 1 had more variety, but in Practice You Could do more in Mass Effect 2, Use the Inflitrator to go stealth and cicle around the baddies or using one of the techies to flip synthetics or summon a kamekazi drone to occupy baddies while you plan your next attack. In Mass Effect you got alot things that change very little, half the engineer skills are in the form of grenades and half of all the special abilities are just various types of damage. In Mass Effect 2 Biotitcs could push and pull more strategically, making baddies fly off edges and you could even move explosive cannisters. Theres just too much redundancy in the 1st. Not too mention the cover system was sort of pointless as you begin to level up, you wind up with so much health and shields you can just run and gun'em. Look stats and options are nice but Develolers can't always use this as a get out trouble free card.

You know what the problem is.... People are still treating Role Playing as genre.... It isn't. Literally all forms of role playing is just a formula layered on top of a specific genre. Mass Effect, Fallout, The Elder's Scroll, The Wither, Final Fantasy, etc. In essence these games have an underlying genre underneath the surface, stretching from shooter to action to strategy, then have The Role Playing Formula applied to them. Its the exact same type of concept as an open world game.

@Lulu_Lulu:

rpg games used to be a genre with well-defined and accepted criteria. it sounds like you are simply trying to blur or eliminate those criteria and make a more "inclusive", lol, definition.

THAT is exactly what I and millions of others do not want. rpg's involve rules and gameplay mechanics. stats, character development and players controlling those aspects. customization of character AND gameplay. micromanagement and detail.

simply, being able to roleplay and make choices is NOT what makes a PROPER rpg.

mass2 has zero classic rpg elements.

@udubdawgz1: I agree. I say that an important part of a RPG is player control character growth. That van be broken down to stats, abilities, and gear. With that control the player can change the character's role in the game play. For example in Mass Effect 1 I had to soldier with the same back ground and make the same moral pick, but I leveled them up differently and that change how game play with that character. The differences that you can do in the second game was so minor and worthless that your character role is the same for each class.

Also did all of the classed in ME2 feel a bit samey when you compare them to the first one? I mean in the first game the bionics was a power focus and you use the powers more often, but then the second game came and they felt like the rest with just a different set of powers.

Thanks for the info , that was great . nice discussion everyone

I just want them to keep the core Mass effect Formula and just make everything longer and bigger with a higher level of Customizing , more stories , a longer story with more Important choices and many different endings. make the world bigger and give a lot of strange Places to explore . the main reason I love Mass effect is it's Sci Fi world . I want to learn new things and explore amazing different worlds .

@ udUbdaWgz1

The Definition and Characteristics of Role Playing are way to vague and Ambiguous. Fallout, Mass Effect, Dark Souls and Final Fantasy. All 4 are RPGs, they all have the Necessary Charactristics and yet these aren't even remotely simular. Its not clear and exact like shooters, Platformers, puzzles, racers, fighters, etc. Role Playing is Too ambiguous and versatile to stand on its own as a genre, just like Open World. Its more of a formula.

I haven't played Table Top RPGs but I'm pretty sure theres an underlying genre underneath the Role Playing in that too, (Table Top Games ? )

You'l also notice the Better the RPG the shittier the gameplay execution the underlying genre will be.

@Lulu_Lulu: I believe that in our current gen of gaming the power that can be utilised is enough to make an amazing rpg as well as have brilliant gameplay. It's not tough to do. Plus the makers have had a long enough a break to make that happen. I hope.

actuall even last gen couldve done that. But its never gona happen. Not because the Concepts are too different to blend together but because theres not enough gamers who want both. Everybody is either on the gameplay side or the Role Playing side of the spectrum. Its rare to find somebody or a game that is smack in the middle.

Previous BioWare games had a good amount of focus on role-playing. Mass Effect 1 had that, but with the increase of action in 2 & 3, there was less in them. I would like more role-playing to balance the action. Mass Effect 2 is an excellent example of the balance I hope for, but it is 2014. It is time for something new.

I found that ME2 had no balance between the RPG and shooter elements. You pick a soldier and they have the entire soldier predefined for you. I could not change the characters role in the game play in any meaningful way in the game so why do you think it had the best balance?

@Lulu_Lulu: I find the more a game adds in 2D side scrolling the shitter the game play but just because I hate 2D side scrollers and not because the game play is worse.

Not to ruffle any feathers but I hope the new Mass Effect doesn't go the forced homosexuality route like Dragon Age 2 did. I notice Bioware has become very vocal lately in wanting to appeal to the gay community. This is cool but they emphasize this so much, it makes me wonder if they will chose appealing to one group of fans over telling a good story that can be enjoyed by any Mass Effect fan period.

Also I'm hoping for more consequences for your choices like in Mass Effect 2's epic Suicide Mission. Mass Effect 2's squad missions were pretty cool too and I hope they include more of those instead of boring fetch quests for strangers you could care less for. Combined with Mass Effect 3's gameplay, the new Mass Effect could be epic. Useless handicaps like weapon weight limit in Mass Effect 3 should be scrapped. I like the rpg elements of Mass Effect 1, but from a gameplay perspective, Mass Effect 1 was the worst of the series.

I hope they keep the main character human with more detailed customization options. I know many fans would like to be able to chose other species but I feel this would take away from the feel of Mass Effect. Especially since we always played as a human throughout the trilogy. It would be different if it was Dragon Age where playing as different species was available since Origins. Like when people refer to their character as 'my Shepard would do this, my Shepard did this' they're speaking from a more, human perspective instead of 'my krogan Shepard' or 'my salarian Shepard'.

They should take it back to Mass Effect 1 when it comes to dialog choices. I wasn't feeling the auto dialog convos in Mass Effect 3. It felt like more convo and less choices. The main thing I'm hoping for is a complete ending that doesn't end on a cliff hanger. It would be great to able to replay the game seeing consequences of different actions.

The multiplayer should be a free DLC or something they work on after the single player is released. Granted Mass Effect 3's multiplayer was cool, I still felt they could have used those resources to improve the campaign. Also, no Day One DLC bullshit like with Javik.

@HipHopBeats: I do not think anyone would claim that ME1 shooting elements of the game play was the best. I want more ways to make a character within one class.

I would love a mission where you pick a sniper for covering fire and depending on who you pick they will act differently. Like one sniper is about high damage while another is about high hits.

I would like more gear and abilities to use the gear. Not just weapons but other like rappelling tools, demo charges and a bit more. Also a way to limit what you can carry.

I would love it if they allow any character to use any weapon but bring in a meaningful weapon stats.

Bioware is becoming a bit insensitive to some.

@ wiouds

Yeah. I also believe more dimensions means better potential.

That is odd of you to say considering that every time an enemy is defeated, XP is gained. Also, most RPGs have classes predefined. The task of maxing them out is for the player to do. Mass Effect 2 has the best balance out of the three because of the pacing of the action. Mass Effect 1 was a bit too slow (as a vanguard) because of the the focus on stat building in free control firefights and Mass Effect 3 was almost an action adventure game (again, as a vanguard) because of the emphasis on taking part in a war. Another reason why ME2 is my favorite of the series is because of the plot. That drove me as a player to immerse myself with a certain amount of intensity. Had it been a weaker one, I might have not cared about the gameplay so much.

In other words, the story gave me a reason to play like I did. In free control firefights, that matters.

I want a mass effect game with a good non screw job finish ending.

XP is not gained by defeating an enemy in Mass Effect 2. XP is only gained at the end of the mission, and the optional objectives you complete in the mission do not alter the amount you receive.

Yes, while classes are predefined in most RPG's - they tend to have broader flexability in player creation, Mass Effect 1 hit this mark decently with it's somewhat flawed talent sytem offering up unique playstyles until level 40. Whereas Mass Effect 2 leaves you little wiggle room for a personalized class. yeah, you had optional branches at the end of a power, but this only solidified the severe lack of flexability as it highlighted the two playstyles which class's offered - attempts to mix it up would be foolish on any "strategic" part. Mass Effect 2 was cleaner and woe-fully simple, calling it balanced is no compliment as it had little room to screw up significantly.

Mass Effect 2 has a terrible plot. Just calling it plot, let alone a good one, would be a massive cock-slap in the face of real video-game plots. I'm ok with debating this later, if you're up for it? But right now I'd rather just sum it up with a picture.

However, unlike Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 1 actually had a solid plot, though it was quite derivative of contemporary Space Opera. See 'Revelation Space' or 'The Commonwealth Saga'.

@ ChefPers0n

What good is having more flexability in creation if it has no effect on Execution.

I think we need to stop filling in the blanks in Mass Effect for the developers. I don't want a system that mimicks meaning full choices, I want actual meaningfull choices. In story and gameplay. Mass Effect 1 is just a great idea that didn't follow through. All Stats and No Sauce. As for the Story... Well its a video game. Its suppose to suck.

@ChefPers0n said:

@BranKetra said:

@wiouds said:

@BranKetra said:

Previous BioWare games had a good amount of focus on role-playing. Mass Effect 1 had that, but with the increase of action in 2 & 3, there was less in them. I would like more role-playing to balance the action. Mass Effect 2 is an excellent example of the balance I hope for, but it is 2014. It is time for something new.

I found that ME2 had no balance between the RPG and shooter elements. You pick a soldier and they have the entire soldier predefined for you. I could not change the characters role in the game play in any meaningful way in the game so why do you think it had the best balance?

That is odd of you to say considering that every time an enemy is defeated, XP is gained. Also, most RPGs have classes predefined. The task of maxing them out is for the player to do. Mass Effect 2 has the best balance out of the three because of the pacing of the action. Mass Effect 1 was a bit too slow (as a vanguard) because of the the focus on stat building in free control firefights and Mass Effect 3 was almost an action adventure game (again, as a vanguard) because of the emphasis on taking part in a war. Another reason why ME2 is my favorite of the series is because of the plot. That drove me as a player to immerse myself with a certain amount of intensity. Had it been a weaker one, I might have not cared about the gameplay so much.

In other words, the story gave me a reason to play like I did. In free control firefights, that matters.

XP is not gained by defeating an enemy in Mass Effect 2. XP is only gained at the end of the mission, and the optional objectives you complete in the mission do not alter the amount you receive.

Yes, while classes are predefined in most RPG's - they tend to have broader flexability in player creation, Mass Effect 1 hit this mark decently with it's somewhat flawed talent sytem offering up unique playstyles until level 40. Whereas Mass Effect 2 leaves you little wiggle room for a personalized class. yeah, you had optional branches at the end of a power, but this only solidified the severe lack of flexability as it highlighted the two playstyles which class's offered - attempts to mix it up would be foolish on any "strategic" part. Mass Effect 2 was cleaner and woe-fully simple, calling it balanced is no compliment as it had little room to screw up significantly.

Mass Effect 2 has a terrible plot. Just calling it plot, let alone a good one, would be a massive cock-slap in the face of real video-game plots. I'm ok with debating this later, if you're up for it? But right now I'd rather just sum it up with a picture.

However, unlike Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 1 actually had a solid plot, though it was quite derivative of contemporary Space Opera. See 'Revelation Space' or 'The Commonwealth Saga'.

You are focusing on a technicality regarding XP. You have to clear areas of enemies before proceeding during many points in gameplay. Anyway, I am entitled to my opinion about the plot of ME2 just like you. Let's not make this an argument about preferences. As far as the role playing elements of ME2 versus the ME1, I expect everyone who played both games to know that the first game offered more ways to customize the team.

@ChefPers0n said:

@BranKetra said:

@wiouds said:

@BranKetra said:

Previous BioWare games had a good amount of focus on role-playing. Mass Effect 1 had that, but with the increase of action in 2 & 3, there was less in them. I would like more role-playing to balance the action. Mass Effect 2 is an excellent example of the balance I hope for, but it is 2014. It is time for something new.

I found that ME2 had no balance between the RPG and shooter elements. You pick a soldier and they have the entire soldier predefined for you. I could not change the characters role in the game play in any meaningful way in the game so why do you think it had the best balance?

That is odd of you to say considering that every time an enemy is defeated, XP is gained. Also, most RPGs have classes predefined. The task of maxing them out is for the player to do. Mass Effect 2 has the best balance out of the three because of the pacing of the action. Mass Effect 1 was a bit too slow (as a vanguard) because of the the focus on stat building in free control firefights and Mass Effect 3 was almost an action adventure game (again, as a vanguard) because of the emphasis on taking part in a war. Another reason why ME2 is my favorite of the series is because of the plot. That drove me as a player to immerse myself with a certain amount of intensity. Had it been a weaker one, I might have not cared about the gameplay so much.

In other words, the story gave me a reason to play like I did. In free control firefights, that matters.

XP is not gained by defeating an enemy in Mass Effect 2. XP is only gained at the end of the mission, and the optional objectives you complete in the mission do not alter the amount you receive.

Yes, while classes are predefined in most RPG's - they tend to have broader flexability in player creation, Mass Effect 1 hit this mark decently with it's somewhat flawed talent sytem offering up unique playstyles until level 40. Whereas Mass Effect 2 leaves you little wiggle room for a personalized class. yeah, you had optional branches at the end of a power, but this only solidified the severe lack of flexability as it highlighted the two playstyles which class's offered - attempts to mix it up would be foolish on any "strategic" part. Mass Effect 2 was cleaner and woe-fully simple, calling it balanced is no compliment as it had little room to screw up significantly.

Mass Effect 2 has a terrible plot. Just calling it plot, let alone a good one, would be a massive cock-slap in the face of real video-game plots. I'm ok with debating this later, if you're up for it? But right now I'd rather just sum it up with a picture.

However, unlike Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 1 actually had a solid plot, though it was quite derivative of contemporary Space Opera. See 'Revelation Space' or 'The Commonwealth Saga'.

True. Anyway, I am entitled to my opinion about the plot of ME2 just like you. Let's not make this an argument about preferences. As far as the role playing elements of ME2 versus the ME1, I expect everyone who played both games to know that the first game offered more ways to customize the team. Mass Effect 2 could have been a game with more customization and potentially less balance. It is possible that the second and third games could have been much different, I think. Anyway, I stated my preferences.

^ And Few ways it actually mattered ^

In Mass Effect 1, I played two soldier characters. I was able to level them up different enough to make the two have different game play.

Mass Effect 2 gave you no real gap to make the character your in a meaningful way to the game play. To me, Mass Effect 2 felt like one of those action games where you can pick from a group of premade character with some special abilities. Once you make that pick, you get only one more choice that affect the character's role in the game play. Games that do not claim to be RPG give you more.

I hate the cast from Mass Effect 2. To me they took the same character type and just have them different backgrounds. Using character types and troops is not bad but many of the characters all felt too much the same is.

ME1: Most RPG Elements, Bad Game Mechanics, Decent Ending

ME2: Least RPG Elements, Better Game Mechanics, Bad Ending

ME3: Less RPG Elements, Best Game Mechanics, Worst Ending