371 replies to this topic

[Archmage Silver]

This thread is for any ME3 related information you might come across on the web. I think we'll have to wait a while for anything significant, but let's gather up any crumbs we have so far - Mass Effect 3 is in development after all.

I'll start with a tidbit from IGN - Christina Norman apparently has begun on work on a possible 3rd ammo system for the series' third installment:

Lead gameplay designer Christina Norman recently teased on her personal Twitter account she's starting working on something new for the third game. "Today I started work on 'Project Wombat' for Mass Effect 3," she wrote. By comparison "The ammo system in Mass Effect 2 was originally called 'Project Sasquatch,'" she added.

But fans shouldn't expect to be zipping through the galaxy on an Australian marsupial. Norman said the name implies nothing about what to expect in Mass Effect 3. "Wow a lot of speculation on what Project Wombat is," she said. "Sorry I can't say! I can say the name has nothing to do with the project."

Edit: The official announcement and trailer revealing took place at Spike Video Game Awards on December 11th 2010.

Continue Commander Shepard’s Epic Journey When BioWare’s Universally Acclaimed Action RPG Franchise Returns Holiday 2011

It’s humanity’s last stand and only Shepard can save us. On Saturday, leading video game developer BioWare, a division of EA, unveiled Mass Effect 3, one of the most highly anticipated games of 2011. After weeks of rumor across dozens of gaming websites and blogs, the speculation finally came to an end as the world witnessed, "Earth", the game’s spectacular premier trailer, broadcast exclusively on the Spike Video Game Awards (VGAs). Mass Effect 3 is the pinnacle of Commander Shepard’s emotionally charged journey. Mass Effect 3 is set to launch globally in holiday 2011 on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system, the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and the PC -- this marks the first time the Mass Effect franchise will launch on all three major platforms simultaneously. Also at the Spike VGAs, the game’s predecessor, Mass Effect 2 was awarded with the "Best RPG" and "Best Xbox 360 Game" of the year awards and BioWare was named "Studio of the Year".

"At BioWare, we are always driving ourselves to improve and I firmly believe our best work is still ahead of us," said Dr. Ray Muzyka, Group General Manager and Co-Founder of BioWare. "We could not be prouder of the team’s accomplishments with Mass Effect 2, and are excited and humbled by all of the recognition the game has received so far. We can’t wait to show you what the team is doing to make Mass Effect 3 an even bigger success."

The Mass Effect franchise is set in an epic science fiction universe, filled with dangerous alien life and mysterious, uncharted planets. Featuring intense action, a rich, futuristic storyline, space exploration and emotionally engaging character interaction, the franchise delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience. Mass Effect 2 is the highest rated videogame of 2010 on Xbox 360, the PC and one of the highest rated pieces of entertainment overall according to Metacritic.com. The three awards picked up at the Spike VGAs are the latest in an ongoing series of global recognition that includes "Ultimate Game of the Year" honors from The Golden Joysticks and over 35 other awards and over 70 other perfect review scores.

Mass Effect 2 is available now for the Xbox 360 and PC. The Mass Effect franchise will make its first appearance on the PlayStation 3 console when Mass Effect 2 ships to retailers on January 18, 2011 in North America and January 21, 2011 in Europe. The PlayStation 3 demo of Mass Effect 2 will be available on PlayStation Network starting December 21, 2010 in North America and December 22, 2010 in Europe.

For more information on Mass Effect, please visit the Official Website or the newly redesigned BioWare website. You can also follow the game on Twitter at masseffect2 or "Like" Mass Effect on Facebook.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 14 December 2010 - 10:18 AM.

[Bluenose]

This thread is for any ME3 related information you might come across on the web. I think we'll have to wait a while for anything significant, but let's gather up any crumbs we have so far - Mass Effect 3 is in development after all.

I'll start with a tidbit from IGN - Christina Norman apparently has begun on work on a possible 3rd ammo system for the series' third installment:

Lead gameplay designer Christina Norman recently teased on her personal Twitter account she's starting working on something new for the third game. "Today I started work on 'Project Wombat' for Mass Effect 3," she wrote. By comparison "The ammo system in Mass Effect 2 was originally called 'Project Sasquatch,'" she added.

But fans shouldn't expect to be zipping through the galaxy on an Australian marsupial. Norman said the name implies nothing about what to expect in Mass Effect 3. "Wow a lot of speculation on what Project Wombat is," she said. "Sorry I can't say! I can say the name has nothing to do with the project."

That's disinformation. I have it on good authority that we'll defeat the Reapers in ME3 by firing Australian marsupials at them through our torpedo tubes. If you can't defeat the Australian cricket team in a 20-20 match (played through QTEs) the galaxy will be doomed.

Spoiler

Only you use Koalas, not Wombats

[Vicen]

So if we had to take a stab and what year ME3 will be released...which one do you think it will be? I doubt it will be 2011...but you never know it could late in the year...Most likely 2012 or (gasp) 2013...

[Eleima]

Actually, we might not have to wait that long. From what I've gathered here and there on the internet, it would seem that there's a projected release date in 2011. I've seen it on Wikipedia, and it's been hinted at in the forums. Casey Hudson, the game director, also stated in an interview that there wouldn't be any break, that the team at BioWare would just keep going and get right on ME3. At least, that's what been said. We can only wait and see... and hope!

[Eleima]

I never said it was right around the corner, I was simply remarking that it might come sooner than what Vicen expected (2012, 2013). But of course, you are right, there are sometimes delay. Besides, all of this is pure speculation at this point.

[Archmage Silver]

Based on the previous release dates, I think it's going to be Christmas 2011 - failing that, I'd say February-March axis in 2012 would be the other most likely time. Also, here's what Mass Effect wiki has on ME3:

The final game in the proposed Mass Effect trilogy. Few details have yet been announced, mostly in connection with following-on from Mass Effect 2. However, Casey Hudson has stated that Mass Effect 3 will complete the story arc of Commander Shepard.

When asked about the possibility of Commander Shepard dying during Mass Effect 2, Casey Hudson has stated: "Dead is dead. Mass Effect 3, as with the rest of the trilogy, is Shepard?s story. If you have a dead Shepard at the end of Mass Effect 2, that saved game won?t import into Mass Effect 3. You can play Mass Effect 3 if you died in Mass Effect 2 of course, but you?ll have to create a new Shepard. Harsh? Yes. But we wouldn?t be serious about the concept of a suicide mission if you couldn?t die and your death didn?t have serious consequences."

[vilkacis]

I never said it was right around the corner, I was simply remarking that it might come sooner than what Vicen expected (2012, 2013). But of course, you are right, there are sometimes delay. Besides, all of this is pure speculation at this point.

I never said you did. All I said was that "2011" is not necessarily as close as some people think it sounds.

Casey Hudson has stated that Mass Effect 3 will complete the story arc of Commander Shepard.

And thank ¤?§# for that. After those hints that ME3 wouldn't be the end of Mass Effect, I was starting to get these rather unpleasant visions of *another* never-ending series where the ending is just left hanging and eventually just never happens because all the people involved have gone off to companies that suck less.

More games in the 'verse is fine, but yeah, endings.

[Eleima]

I never said it was right around the corner, I was simply remarking that it might come sooner than what Vicen expected (2012, 2013). But of course, you are right, there are sometimes delay. Besides, all of this is pure speculation at this point.

I never said you did. All I said was that "2011" is not necessarily as close as some people think it sounds.

I never said that!... Hehe, just kidding. I see what you mean. End of 2011 is still more than 18 months away, that's almost two years between ME2 & ME3 releases (in theory), and you're right, it's still a while to wait (although I'm hoping StarCraft 2 keeps me busy most of the summer, so I should be good until fall). Of course, it could also be "early 2012", just like ME2 was released "early in 2010", but it's till better than 2013, I say!

Casey Hudson has stated that Mass Effect 3 will complete the story arc of Commander Shepard.

And thank ¤?§# for that. After those hints that ME3 wouldn't be the end of Mass Effect, I was starting to get these rather unpleasant visions of *another* never-ending series where the ending is just left hanging and eventually just never happens because all the people involved have gone off to companies that suck less.
More games in the 'verse is fine, but yeah, endings.

I'm counting on them to complete Shepard's story in ME3, and that's what's been promised so far in the interviews, press releases, whatever. They did say that Mass Effect was designed as a trilogy from the start, and that they would end Shepard's story arc, and I certainly hope they do. Maybe Mass Effect 4 will be about Blasto, the first Hanar Spectre...

[Archmage Silver]

The release date might be sooner than I anticipated, at least according to Casey Hudson's comments at IGN UK:

"We always wanted to make sure that we got the entire trilogy of games done within the console?s life cycle," Hudson told IGN. "We didn?t want to take forever with it."

"So we definitely want to make Mass Effect 3 a fairly short turnaround, but also being that it needs to be a tremendous and epic conclusion to the trilogy," he said

[Vicen]

I like the sound of a 2011 release even if it is near the end of the year...Certainly better then mid or late 2012 or yet again *gasp* 2013 if things really got crummy

[Archmage Silver]

My prediction is that 2013 will never even enter the conversation.

[Archmage Silver]

MTV's take on Casey Hudson's comments - BioWare: Expect 'Mass Effect 3' In Late 2011/Early 2012; Plenty Of DLC Between Games.

[Archmage Silver]

ME3 Speculation @ GamesRadar
ME3 Confirmed to Run on Unreal Engine 3 @ develop-online.com

Edited by Archmage Silver, 25 April 2010 - 03:06 PM.

[Archmage Silver]

Here are some new revelations related to ME3, brought to you in a handy bullet-point list:

• BioWare plans to tell and progress the story between ME2 and ME3 through DLC
  
• They are still sticking by their plan to release a continued stream of DLC (see 1)
  
• Multiple DLC packs are confirmed to be in development at the current time (see 1)
  
  
• Casey Hudson: We'll start to have packs that'll tell the story between Mass Effect 2 and 3
  
• As previously mentioned, ME3 is confirmed to be in development
  
• Casey Hudson: It probably won't be for quite a few months that we talk about Mass Effect 3
  
  
• EA Chief Operating Officer John Schappert: EA will release "something far reaching from Mass Effect" in the January through March 2011 quarter
  
  
• Source 1 l Source 2 l Source 3

Edited by Archmage Silver, 22 May 2010 - 01:10 PM.

[Philiposophy]

I'll end up buying this stuff but it's a really pathetic ploy from Bioware.

If you're telling a story over a series, you don't need to bridge the gap between the installments. Harry Potter books weren't punctuated by minor add ons to "bridge the gap" even when there were leaps of months. That's just a minor case, there are book and film series with years between each one. Did they need to do this? Of course not, because it's wholly unnecessary.

Low, but it'll work

[Archmage Silver]

So, for the time being there's going to be a continued stream of DLC for people. We'll start to have packs that'll tell the story between Mass Effect 2 and 3. But beyond that we kind of have to see how people are responding to what we have and go from there.

I guess that could mean they won't do it if people don't buy into it. Bah, who am I kidding... who's not going to buy into this, even if we don't exactly find it to be the best way?

[Eleima]

I completely agree with Philosophy, but unfortunately, Archmage Silver is right. Even though I thoroughly disapprove of this method they're employing, I'll probably be first in line to buy the DLC... At least they're working on ME3, but I'd rather have them talk about it, tease us with trailers, and concept art and developer diaries... *sigh* Wait and see I guess.

[Solar's Harper]

Here are some new revelations related to ME3, brought to you in a handy bullet-point list:

• BioWare plans to tell and progress the story between ME2 and ME3 through DLC
  
• They are still sticking by their plan to release a continued stream of DLC (see 1)
  
• Multiple DLC packs are confirmed to be in development at the current time (see 1)
  
  
• Casey Hudson: We'll start to have packs that'll tell the story between Mass Effect 2 and 3
  
• As previously mentioned, ME3 is confirmed to be in development
  
• Casey Hudson: It probably won't be for quite a few months that we talk about Mass Effect 3

Bound to have been said before, but: for the love of god! Where's a desk? I need something to smack my face against, and this keyboard has no keys left from last time!

Call me old-fashioned, but it was actually worth something when they actually covered detail in actual aspects of the game, rather than just handing out pay-for-this DLC all over the place...

[*]EA Chief Operating Officer John Schappert: EA will release "something far reaching from Mass Effect" in the January through March 2011 quarter

Yes, just like the thirty odd other things that barely last an hour. Kinda strange how the Mass Effect series had most of the brain cells of Bioware EA in terms of recent releases, and yet this is how it's all coming undone. Hate to say it, but I'm smelling a trend coming on.

[Kaeloree]

Sorry to say it, but... I'm all for DLC bridging the gap between the games.

Why?

Because I get more of a game that I enjoy. I don't buy DLC I don't think is worth buying; Kasumi can get stuffed. If it's good content, and it's profitable for them to do it, why not?

I'm willing to pay $5 for an hour's worth of good quest content. Geez, I pay $15 to watch a movie at the theatre, which is between 1.5 and 2.5 hours long. If I enjoy that hour, even if I only play through once, it's worth it.

And content that is actually content as opposed to extra outfits/weapons/vehicles would be worth playing, even if it's not quite up to the standard of the rest of the game. My proviso is, as always, the writing: if the writing is good, and I enjoy the plot, then I don't have a problem.