Mass Effect - PC

Lucid

Lucid

The Freeman
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Is coming out in 11 days.

Having not yet played it but watched a few videos, I'm totally psyched... it comes out a day before my birthday too.
I'll probably get it with my birthday cash.

PC homepage. It has some cool videos and stuff.

I'm a little surprised at the PC reqs
Minimum System Requirements for Mass Effect on the PC
Operating System:
Windows XP or Vista
Processor:
2.4+GHZ Intel or 2.0+GHZ AMD
Memory:
1 Gigabyte Ram (XP)
2 Gigabyte Ram (Vista)
Video Card:
NVIDIA GeForce 6 series(6800GT or better)
ATI 1300XT or better (X1550, X1600 Pro and HD2400 are below minimum system requirements)
Hard Drive Space:
12 Gigabytes or 14 Gigabytes for French, German, Italian or Spanish versions.
Sound Card:
DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card and drivers
Internet Connection
----------

Recommended System Requirements for Mass Effect on the PC
Operating System:
Windows XP or Vista
Processor:
2.6+GHZ Intel or 2.4+GHZ AMD
Memory:
2 Gigabyte Ram
Video Card:
NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX or higher.
ATI X1800 XL series or higher
Hard Drive Space:
12 Gigabytes or 14 Gigabytes for French, German, Italian or Spanish versions.
Sound Card:
DirectX 9.0c compatible sound card and drivers ? 5.1 sound card recommended
Internet Connection
Click to expand...

12 gigs is insane, but to be expected with a game with so much content.
 
Awwwww yeah! I cannot wait, and it's in Unreal III so I expect perfect performance from this =D

Also because uses Unreal III the textures are going to be enormous, likely where that 12 gigs comes from.

I sure feel sorry for the people playing this on 360...
 
Cant wait for it either!!! However im currently stunned at the website, didnt know flash had those kind of abilities.
 
Already played through the XB360 version doing every mission etc, any reason for me to get the PC vers? Alot of new content etc or what?
 
I know very little about this game. Saw a few 360 screenshots and that is it. I think I'm going to get it though, because I hear its real sweet
 
Gargantou said:
Already played through the XB360 version doing every mission etc, any reason for me to get the PC vers? Alot of new content etc or what?
Click to expand...
You can now give specific commands to each of your team mates, the HUD and inventory are vastly improved, the performance issues are fixed, it looks better and you get mouse and keyboard controls.

TheAntipop said:
Mass whatnow? Oh, that game. Old hat.
Click to expand...
I didn't know games had a use-by date.
 
They don't, it's just not even those ''improvements'' (you're squad are next to useless, the HUD felt fine for me and you probably won't use the inventory that much because all the weapon add ons feel similar and the body armour never helped me that much/I saw no difference) can't fix how linear and 2D Mass Effect actually is.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the game but it's really not the game it was said to be. Outside of the story, it's basically just a lot of cardboard cut out props that look good from a distance but when you get close, you wish there was more story to progress with. Be warned at how dissapointing the game is outside of it's 10/12 hour main quest. Hell, even that felt lackluster at times.

It's brilliant, but flawed, so don't expect those PC add-on's will make it much better.
 
TheAntipop said:
They don't, it's just not even those ''improvements'' (you're squad are next to useless, the HUD felt fine for me and you probably won't use the inventory that much because all the weapon add ons feel similar and the body armour never helped me that much/I saw no difference) can't fix how linear and 2D Mass Effect actually is.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the game but it's really not the game it was said to be. Outside of the story, it's basically just a lot of cardboard cut out props that look good from a distance but when you get close, you wish there was more story to progress with. Be warned at how dissapointing the game is outside of it's 10/12 hour main quest. Hell, even that felt lackluster at times.

It's brilliant, but flawed, so don't expect those PC add-on's will make it much better.
Click to expand...

This.

If it wasnt for the awsome storyline and brilliant character recognitions and developments, it would have been a VERY average game. The side missions are pretty all the same thing just in different envoiroments and the combat system was very frustrating.
 
EDIT: Eejit; I guess. I mean, theres plenty of bare, empty planets to mod but it'd take a long time and a lot of effort to turn it into something... well, I don't know really. When I went into Mass Effect I was hoping for an Oblivion in space - as in, loads of free but detailed places to explore, cities and towns with life (though Oblivions life is questionable, but it's there in form) and tons of interesting stuff to do, but what I got was a bunch of empty barran planets with a few enemies littered about under the moniker of cool sounding quests. Huge dissapointments all around when outside of the main quest everything was really boring or half-arsed. Well, a few were good, but most of the good stuff was at the main city, and even that was linear as hell for a city.

I don't know what modders will be able to do with Mass Effect. I mean, I look at the PC mod community these days and see about 2% worth of mods with a good writing team actually developing a plot and not just sticking down a bunch of enemy spawn points and making a shoot out. A lot of people use modding as an excuse for a better game but honestly, I look at, say, HL2, and see about three or four good mods that have actually had the time put into them and then a boat load of others that haven;t the heart at all.
 
I'm well aware of Mass Effect's flaws, but it's the storyline I'm going into it for. Though the PC version may not appeal to you, seeing as you've already played it, it is (most likely) the better version and the fact it was released prior on the 360 doesn't make a difference to me.

Also, is there even mod support in Mass Effect? I can't remember this ever being confirmed.
 
The storyline hasn't changed from the 360 version to the PC version, so therefore, it is not the better version as the most important feature does not change. :p

/nitpick

If you go for the story you won't be put down as it is a really good singleplayer game, but in no way does fixes for things like the HUD or the graphics improve the game (or any game) so the line is erased.
 
What's all this about the combat being bad? I thought that was one of the things is applauded for?
 
So improvements don't improve the game? Your logic is very flawed. If there improvements, no matter how big or small, the version with improvements is the better version. And while HUD and graphics are not large changes, being able to command your comrades individually, and additions such as hotkeys have a large effect on the way the game is played. I can totally understand why someone who's played through the game before wouldn't play the PC version, but for those who haven't the improvements are very welcome.
 
I guess I won't get it after all this.

I heard it was like KOTOR. That kind of put me off right there. Not that that game was bad, but it's not my kind of game. It's been a while, but I just remember clunky combat or something.

No doubt I'd probably pick it up towards the end of the year when it's $20. Just to play it for a little while and see if I can't have some fun.
 
GreatBlackthorn said:
So improvements don't improve the game? Your logic is very flawed. If there improvements, no matter how big or small, the version with improvements is the better version. And while HUD and graphics are not large changes, being able to command your comrades individually, and additions such as hotkeys have a large effect on the way the game is played. I can totally understand why someone who's played through the game before wouldn't play the PC version, but for those who haven't the improvements are very welcome.
Click to expand...

No-o, you misunderstood. I already stated why those minor ''improvements'' won't do anything for Mass Effect (HUD, controlling squad mates) because they were never elements of the game that were actually important and they won't be even so if they become a little flashier or ''easier'', whereas what I said about graphics is for any game. I enjoyed HL2 in a low form, but I enjoyed it less for the 360 in a better graphical form. Why? Simple - I enjoyed the game more on my first time around because it was fresh. The graphics meant nothing to my enjoyment of the game. Basically, I hate it when people use it as a important factor in gameplay when it's not.

Until you have played Mass Effect, don't talk like these tiny things added will improve it, because if you're really playing for the story then they won't (and to me, the things like HUD, inventory and squad mates didn't) help your experience at all.

I'm not saying people won't enjoy them because we're all different and we have our prefrences. I'm just saying is that those minor add-ons aren't even going to scratch the surface of the game because they were never a) that bad, to me, to begin with or b) important to bother improving. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
Not to be a PC-monger, but the texture details on the PC (according to website screenshots) put the X360 to shame. I thought it looked pretty good on my friend's 42" HDTV, but this takes the cake. :D
 
I love Mass Effect, I completed it a good few times, the storyline is fantastic and the characters, it is a story driven rpg though, don't expect Oblivion or something. The sidequests are indeed crap and while they will give you choices between being a dick or a good guy they aren't really worth it.

I can't wait for the sequel tbh.
 
I mean, as a PC gamer, it's nice that they improve some of these games. It's the least they can do after makin us wait so long.

I just don't see the big deal bothering about what game is better for what system. I mean, if you have more than one system, and you have a choice, then yeah, you are going to want to pick up the version that you think is better.

All I've got is a PC, so if I want the game, I buy the PC version, and if it's got some improvements, that's great.

A PC version of a game has traditionally and usually been the best version. (If it plays without crashing all the time :p) That's half the point of gaming on a PC. It's a non-static system where in 5 years, I might be playing this game with super high rez texture packs, and new/modified weapons and enemies and new levels and cool sound effect mods, etc, and play it in Double HD if my system allows. This just helps freshen up the game.

But if you are a console gamer, you probably won't care about the game several months after it comes out, mostly for the reason that it's on a static system. The game will never change unless the developer decides to have download-able content. But again, you probably won't care, because by that time you will have gone through several other games, possibly even the sequel to this.

TL;DR
There are just so many games for consoles. They get boring faster because they don't have much in the way of mods. For these two reasons, the games are more disposable.
 
See, to me, I take a game for merit at it's core - the game itself. Adding fancier new graphics don't mean squat to me, and the modding community doesn't either simply because I don't think it's all what it's said to be. I can understand what you mean about the console gamer getting the game and thats it but I don't mind that - if the game has truely had the work put into it I'll be able to see it, and for Mass Effect, the only improvement I would say they could do it would be to just add some depth to it, which they won't do simply because it would basically mean sitting out for a good long time when they should be doing the real improvements to Mas Effect 2.

I dispise the line between the two crowds and for this particular matter I strongly believe no game is better. Why? Because at the foundations of it, both versions of Mass Effect have the same story, plot and gameplay. The way people seem to overlook these and try to count details that really don't make a good game is beyond me, but fair enough.

In fact, I never start claiming a version is better than the other simply because I find it really ****ing petty to do so. It's not the technical statistics, it's the way people word these claims. It's really disgusting at times how high and mighty people get over entertainment and to me, it's one of the rotten cores that really destroys the social experience of gaming.
 
Right, that's what I'm saying.

There are two kinds of gamers. Console gamers and PC gamers. Both of them could argue until foaming at the mouth which version is better, and they'd both be right for reasons stated. So people shouldn't waste their time arguing about it when they won't sway the other person.


Speaking as a PC gamer, I like the ability to mod games. Nobody knows what I like more than myself. If I start getting annoyed or bored with something in the game, I can change it. That's something that is a lot of fun for me. Sometimes even more fun than playing the game.


In this game, I'm just worried that the combat won't be much fun, because there are only so many times I'm going to want to hear the story. If the story is basically the only good part of the game, then I'd only play through it once probably.

That's why I put good combat above all else. (in games that rely on combat)
 
There's one thing I know I hate.

The stupid dialogue system.

Come on, for a story driven RPG not knowing what your character will say is... stupid.
 
VirusType2 said:
I mean, as a PC gamer, it's nice that they improve some of these games. It's the least they can do after makin us wait so long.
Click to expand...
Maybe more games would come out for PC faster if it wasn't so bloody easy to pirate PC games compared to pirating console games.
 
I wonder, will the bonus content for PC also include mansex?

Come on, if Shephard can be a lesbian he can also be gay.
 
It's a shame they didn't create it for the PC in the first place, I understand the DVD size limitations are at the core of many of Mass Effect's shortcomings.
It's a funny one because I absolutely loved the game, and yet it's so fatally flawed. It captivated me for continuous ten hour stints (unheard of in my case, particularly as I play maybe one or two games a year these days), and made my otherwise miserable cold-and-injured December quite memorable.
But afterwards I couldn't help but be frustrated at how short it was and how rushed the storyline felt, how crap all the sidequests were, and how it felt more like a shallow action adventure game than an RPG with the distinct lack of non-combat focused areas.
The universe and the background was absolutely first-rate though, and the Mass Effect lore has great potential. But the game could have been so much more. With a little effort and a little less console focus, it could have been the best game ever.
 
I like Jade Empire :(

Anyways, played this game months ago, can't be bothered to do it again just because it looks prettier and they added some small shit
 
I will be getting it for PC when it comes out for sure, I had a good blast on this when it came out of 360 at a mates over a couple of days and was reasonably impressed. I actually quite liked the conversation system as a mechanism, but I felt Bioware kind of hamstrung it with a lack of more diverse choices at times. Everything was generally either yes/no or good/bad/neutral. Hopefully they'll add more options in come the sequel.

One thing I also didn't care for though was the whole Paragon/Renegade judgment system. Not because it's a clear play on the whole Dark/light jedi/sith thing from koToR, but more that external judgments as to what's good behaviour and what's evil can get extremely tiresome, and in many ways it's a lazy mechanic. On one planet I accidentally ran over a space monkey and it ended up pushing up my renegade factor. It wasn't like the game waited to see whether I ran over a couple of monkeys to conclude I was being evil (ones an accident, two or more is clearly intent), it was straight off the bat.

Should be a good game (not necessarily great game), but I'd say if your an RPG fan and haven't already played it, you owe it to yourself to hunt down a copy of The Witcher, as that's by far and away the best RPG I've played in a long time. Though it's probably worth holding out until they release the expanded version in a month or so, as that adds new content and polishes up the original release, with more animations, better vocals etc, etc.
 
Javert said:
Not to be a PC-monger, but the texture details on the PC (according to website screenshots) put the X360 to shame. I thought it looked pretty good on my friend's 42" HDTV, but this takes the cake. :D
Click to expand...

They'd be using the originals then. I don't know about their creative processes but generally you go for as much detail as possible and scale it back as performance becomes a problem.
 
Kyorisu said:
They'd be using the originals then. I don't know about their creative processes but generally you go for as much detail as possible and scale it back as performance becomes a problem.
Click to expand...

This is true. With Halflife 2 the original texture files were 2000 x 2000 pixels, but the ones in game were scaled to 512 x 512. Source is capable of significant upscaling apparently though.
 
Perhaps they will use TGA and DDS texture files. (high quality, high compression respectively)

the PC version could include both and be selectable depending on your graphics settings (like Doom3 and many other games).


Any chance I get teh original texture files for HL2, because the ones in game haven't aged well.
 
I doubt there's much of a chance of them handing out the original textures to people outside their company(And the companies they co-operate with), so no.

I know I wouldn't hand out teh original texture files for my game to . anyway.
 
They should put them in in their next episode, as a new graphic option.

Would be sweet way to make everyone want to buy the new episode, if it upgraded the graphics in all of the HL2 games
 
I shiver at the mere thought of the size of all HL2 textures in their original max res uncompressed, and I shiver at the thought of the bandwidth costs for distributing those textures.
 
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