Mass Effect for PC release date May 6

CptStern

CptStern

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The Mass Effect PC release date has been set - roll on May 6th!

Leading video game developer BioWare, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., has announced that the award-winning space epic Mass Effect will be released for the PC on May 6, 2008 in North America. Re-designed for the PC, Mass Effect invites players to take the role of Commander Shepard as they set out on an adventure to save the galaxy from imminent destruction. Wrought with treachery, heroism, difficult decisions and a universe filled with unique and colorful species, Mass Effect delivers a truly compelling storyline.

Mass Effect for the PC introduces the following features:

# New squad control interface ? Players can now issue commands to individual squad members, providing a new level of depth to the tactical combat.
# Hot-key functionality ? Biotic powers and abilities can be mapped to individual keys, allowing a faster ?run and gun? style of gameplay.
# Re-designed Mako controls ? Players can explore alien planets and engage in vehicular combat with an intuitive and fully camera independent control system for the Mako, their all-terrain vehicle.
# New Quick-save button and increased number of save slots.
# New decryption mini-game ? A new decryption mini-game invites players to test their skills as they avoid obstacles and move their icon to the center of the digital mechanism.
# New inventory screen GUI and functionality ? The enhanced inventory system makes it easier for players to equip and modify their weapons and armor.
Click to expand...

i've put off buying the xbox version due to not having enough time to play what I already have ..but now I just might wait for the pc version ..depending on review of course

http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/37016/Mass-Effect-PC-Releasing-May-6th
 
I trust Bioware to do a good job. They always do.
 
Glad Dragon Age is PC first and foremost--hopefully they can get things right the first time. They certainly did back in the day....
 
I hope the system requirements are not too high.
 
I hope the system requirements are much too high.
 
I may get this for PC, I did thoroughly enjoy Mass Effect. I'm pretty pissed off that the inventory is only now being redone, when it was so obviously needing a clean up before they released it on the 360.
 
sea said:
It's Unreal Engine 3, so you should be fine if you can play BioShock and Unreal Tournament 3.

Can't wait to buy this.
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Wha..? Really? Didn't think it used UE3.
 
The new control and inventory things sound good. That was perhaps the primary downside of mass effect.
 
I wonder whether the new DLC will be included as standard?
 
Right. I'm gonna upgrade my mother-****ing computer.
 
Mass Effect is an amazing game. I've already played through it once and will wait to go again when the PC version is released. I can't recommend it enough.
 
Cormeh said:
I may get this for PC, I did thoroughly enjoy Mass Effect. I'm pretty pissed off that the inventory is only now being redone, when it was so obviously needing a clean up before they released it on the 360.
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They probably figure console monkeys dont appreciate such things, look what they did to Bioshock, that was sad to see
 
So what's your explanation of Bioshock being dumbed down compared to System Shock (2)?

Just look at the hacking minigame. I was playing Bioshock on my PC and flying through it no problem, my flatmate who played it on the xbox came in, saw me doing this and said "What the hell, that's SOO much easier on PC!".
 
Eejit said:
So what's your explanation of Bioshock being dumbed down compared to System Shock (2)?
Click to expand...
It's not System Shock 2. Simple as that.

I'm not 100% on the development background of Bioshock, but if 2K wanted Bioshock to be the same, I'm sure they would have made it so.

Dumbed down is an incredibly lacking phrase, because there's no indication that Bioshock was intended to be as complex as its predecessors. Going straight for the throat of the console market is a fairly weak way to avoid criticising the company.

Bioshock's hacking minigame is absolutely piss-poor anyway.
 
Cormeh said:
It's not System Shock 2. Simple as that.

I'm not 100% on the development background of Bioshock, but if 2K wanted Bioshock to be the same, I'm sure they would have made it so.
Click to expand...
Yet it has every single gameplay element from SS2, but simplified.
 
It's a spiritual successor, not a sequel. That doesn't mean it has to be exactly the same down to the last mechanic.

Bioshock is definitely more action orientated than RPG orientated, so if anything it's the fault of the publishers for advertising that so strongly.
 
EDIT: I won't bother, actually. I haven't got time for singular platform fanboys to go about spouting console hate anymore.

I had no problems with Mass Effects inventory screen, though. :p
 
Cormeh said:
It's a spiritual successor, not a sequel. That doesn't mean it has to be exactly the same down to the last mechanic.
Click to expand...

You're missing the point. I'm not saying it's exactly the same.

I'm saying it's remarkably similar, but simplified - and I'm putting forward the hypothesis that this is due to it being made for consoles as well as PC.
Consoles have simpler controllers than PCs, thus making more complex implementations of Bioshock - similar to the SS games - unfeasible due to the difficulty of managing them with a controller.

On topic: I can't wait for another Bioware game to play on my pc :D
 
I'm not sure if you've noticed Krynn but sometimes during coversations the subject under discussion gradually changes.
The same applies to forum threads.
 
Eejit said:
You're missing the point. I'm not saying it's exactly the same.

I'm saying it's remarkably similar, but simplified - and I'm putting forward the hypothesis that this is due to it being made for consoles as well as PC.
Consoles have simpler controllers than PCs, thus making more complex implementations of Bioshock - similar to the SS games - unfeasible due to the difficulty of managing them with a controller.
Click to expand...
I understand, so I think we'll have to agree to disagree. My point is still that consoles shouldn't be blamed for overly simplified elements, just bad design.

Hopefully Bioware will crack inot KoTOR III now. :p
 
I never even implied it was anything to do with intelligence of the owners, just the controls.

Fair enough about Bioshock though, but there are other examples. Look at how the console version of Civ is being developed. Far simpler than it's PC counterparts.
 
Eejit said:
I'm not sure if you've noticed Krynn but sometimes during coversations the subject under discussion gradually changes.
The same applies to forum threads.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but usually its after several pages of on-topic discussion. This turned into a Bioshock thread on the first page.
 
Cormeh said:
Stop blaming consoles for these issues.
Click to expand...

More blaming developers opinion of consoles when you look closely.

And about them appearing action oriented, I think that is exactly the problem. Looking at other Xbox games that were originally going to PC, like Gears, it appears they only had interest in emphasizing the style of combat and making all depth and variety secondary. The style for Gears was fresh and so damn fun i still play it, but there were other enjoyable aspects to the game they never developed, such as night puzzles such as the ones in the second act appearing clipped and barely thrown in, like the car on fire down the road. Such things made that act the best by far, yet all that is left is the same combat type every area.

All that was really left of Bioshock was the mechanic of many ways to kill enemies with several weapons and various plasmids, inventory was gone but the three button design for picking items up( like the Mass Effect dialog system) was still there but not used. All the items lying around show an attempt at making a vibrant setting that ended up a corridor shooter with slightly more open areas, and a large array of weapons. Like i saw in Gears, there are very few types of enemies and lots of them. And why would there be so many damn wine bottles if at one point there wasnt an inventory to make molotov cocktails, they dont do a lot.

All console companies have input on what is developed for that console, so i see some stupidity that is bothersome
 
Picking up useless knick-knacks doesn't make a vibrant setting... just being there is enough. No inventory is a good thing! Now an inventory for just useful items is just fine... something like Deus Ex has... but that obviously wasn't really needed for Bioshock... too bad they weren't so wise with that awful hacking "minigame". I play PC almost exclusively except for some Wii stuff here and there... playing with those damn pipes must be a nightmare on Xbox. Hey that's something else Deus Ex got right too! Hacking is actually fun and not something to avoid at all costs in that game. :p

Anyway, Mass Effect... good news! I'll look forward to trying it out... I'm still a little sore about Jade Empire from Bioware though. God that game sucked... don't bite me again Bioware! Baldur's Gate II might be the best game ever but I can only take so much!
 
Letters said:
I'm still a little sore about Jade Empire from Bioware though. God that game sucked... don't bite me again Bioware!
Click to expand...

WUT



and yeah even though I have it for my 360, I might get it again for the PC.
 
Cool looking forward to it. It's good to see a quick turnaround in the whole console to PC dept. I believe GTA4 is also heading for PC this year as well (Aug -Oct). Sweet news.
 
Letters said:
Picking up useless knick-knacks doesn't make a vibrant setting... just being there is enough. No inventory is a good thing! Now an inventory for just useful items is just fine... something like Deus Ex has... but that obviously wasn't really needed for Bioshock... too bad they weren't so wise with that awful hacking "minigame". I play PC almost exclusively except for some Wii stuff here and there... playing with those damn pipes must be a nightmare on Xbox. Hey that's something else Deus Ex got right too! Hacking is actually fun and not something to avoid at all costs in that game. :p

Anyway, Mass Effect... good news! I'll look forward to trying it out... I'm still a little sore about Jade Empire from Bioware though. God that game sucked... don't bite me again Bioware! Baldur's Gate II might be the best game ever but I can only take so much!
Click to expand...

Inventory is a necessary thing, especially to enhance the already myriad depth elements it has like story and exploration. Picking up items would be neat also.

Baldurs Gate was absolutely excellent, as was Planescape but this is different. Looks fine and with effort
 
Wow I didn't think they'd port it to the PC so soon. :D Awesome!
 
Anyone know the System Requirements for it?
Will it support SM2 like Gears of War? or not like Bioshock.
 
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