Mass Effect: Andromeda - Interview @ VG247

[HiddenX]

VG247 asked Bioware about the open world design and RPG mechanics of Mass Effect: Andromeda:

We asked Bioware about Mass Effect Andromeda’s biggest challenge: going open world but remaining true to its roots

Bioware General Manager Aaryn Flynn talks a little about the challenge of Mass Effect’s latest.

[...]

How does the more open play style fit in with the choice-driven nature of Mass Effect? It seems like meshing those two things together properly would make things quite a bit more difficult.

Yeah, it does, oh yeah. It’s one of those things where we didn’t estimate properly I think… [laughs] It’s a lot of work.

I think one of the great things for us is that we’re learning how to still provide a really special narrative experience – one that is beautiful, and polished, and full of choice and consequence all at the same time as having this experience that is still more self-directed and lets you feel like you’re really in the environment and in the space and truly in control of things.

Where do you think Andromeda stands in terms of RPG mechanics? Each of the Mass Effect games has a different balance between the action game and the RPG…

Yeah, they do, definitely. So… we talk about Andromeda as the spiritual successor to Mass Effect 1. To us this means that we think about y’know… really, Andromeda is our chance to do a lot of things that were ideas that we couldn’t really do on Mass Effect 1, but now we have a chance to do them because our own experience is greater, the hardware is greater, so many other things have been pinned down for us.

That really allows us to do that, to return to some of those ideas from the first game and do right by them, and so that’s the way we think about it. Hopefully you feel the same way about the game when you play it.

More information.

 

[Morrandir]

So their PR campaign slowly starts. Finally it's the time for our utopian hopes and dreams to slowly get back on the floor of facts.

I just realized that that N7 day is my birthday. Perfect for a ME fanboy like me.
I wonder why I haven't noticed this before.

The interview is really shallow. It reminds me of interviews of most european-football players after games where you can clearly recognize that their shallow and streamlined answers are a product of their media training having the goal to keep conflict and stir to a minimum.
Especially the bland answer to the question on RPG mechanics concerns me. I fear we won't get anythging meaty here.

 

[azarhal]

I don't blame him for acting like he is walking on eggshells. Anything that just mention BioWare cause overreactions these days.

Especially the bland answer to the question on RPG mechanics concerns me. I fear we won't get anythging meaty here.

Isn't Mass Effect 1 considered the most "RPG" of the three games, despite everything just being +X% better at Y with a few actives thrown in?

 

[rjshae]

Jet pack = open world? Mmm, I guess. It'll probably run out of fuel right when you try to go somewhere you're not allowed.

 

[Ripper]

TBH, if it's really like ME1, only bigger, with open world planets to explore, I'll be happy enough. Just a half-decent bit of space opera baloney to tie it all together, and it should be a good bit of fun.

 

[JDR13]

Indeed. Please let it be more like ME1 and not like the sequels.

 

[BoboTheMighty]

I don't blame him for acting like he is walking on eggshells. Anything that just mention BioWare cause overreactions these days.



Isn't Mass Effect 1 considered the most "RPG" of the three games, despite everything just being +X% better at Y with a few actives thrown in?

There is more to it than simple skill trees...Mass Effect I took it's time with quests and worldbuilding, offered more dialogue and reactivity to player's background.
And while the exploration and planet design was not good, it still offered a strong sense of "scope" to story/setting.
Plus it had more 80's sci-fi feel to it, which was more unique than the more "grim" tone to ME II/III.

 

[azarhal]

There is more to it than simple skill trees…Mass Effect I took it's time with quests and worldbuilding, offered more dialogue and reactivity to player's background.

The article question that Morrandir was referencing was about RPG mechanics. Also, Mass Effect 1 had the less recorded dialogue lines of all the ME games.

 

[Morrandir]

I don't blame him for acting like he is walking on eggshells.

I do. Not him personally but Bioweare's marketing strategy. Nobody forces them to do theses interviews.
Of course they somehow want to start getting attention now. But for me as a reader this is more or less wasted time.

Isn't Mass Effect 1 considered the most "RPG" of the three games, despite everything just being +X% better at Y with a few actives thrown in?

Yep, but he could easily have dropped a little information about the actual mechanics in Andromeda. In best case he just didn't have permission to talk about it. In worst case there's nothing to talk about at all.

 

[Ashbery76]

Interesting talking about Me1.To me even with the poor shooting was the best of the trilogy.More exploration,better story.It was sad they did not expand on the mako.

 

[Farflame]

The interview is really shallow.
Especially the bland answer to the question on RPG mechanics concerns me.

The answer HAD to be bland, for obvious reason. Producers and co. knows they should adjust their talk according to interests of the interviewer. They shouldnt clearly dismiss RPG elements in PR campaign if they notice interest towards RPGs and ME1.

In older article (on Polygon?) some Bioware guy mentioned that Andromeda is going to be action game. I think it was more sincere and believable answer than this shallow PR crap talk about ME1.

 

[BoboTheMighty]

The article question that Morrandir was referencing was about RPG mechanics. Also, Mass Effect 1 had the less recorded dialogue lines of all the ME games.

I didn't count them, specifically, but ME III definitely had a lot of "holes", when it comes to player interaction. Too many times where there were options was now auto dialogue and the middle option was cut off entirely.
That latest video played out entirely without it.

 

[azarhal]

In older article (on Polygon?) there was one note from some Bioware guy that Andromeda is going to be action game. I think it was more sincere and believable answer than this shallow PR crap talk about ME1.

You do realize that every shooter added character progression and classes now, right? Mass Effect was special back in 2007, now it's just the norm of action games.

 

[ChienAboyeur]

ME has many unfinished, aborted features. It makes it hard to go into detail when claiming that Andromeda will fill what ME did not complete.