Mass Effect 2 replay

[Chaz]

Okay, so I reinstalled.  Is there a way to see which DLCs you have installed? I have no idea if the collector's edition or early Cerberus network stuff got saved when I uninstalled, or if I need to re-download everything.

Also annoying that after I get the three DLC packs I want, I'm going to wind up with some piddly amount of Bioware Bux left over.  I don't mind it so much with MS points, since those can get used for anything on the marketplace, but I doubt I'll be buying anything else through Bioware, so those points are wasted money to me.

[Daehawk]

Can we use MS points on the PC version? I'd rather not buy Bioware points either.

You can view them this way....Start the game just so the menu comes up...click Downloadable Content....on left side menu click profile/your registered game promotions.......you can re download them from there. that's what I did.

[Chaz]

I just went and bought them, and it turns out that if you don't have enough points, it seems to let you purchase the exact amount that you need.  The only downside is that you can't put all three items in your cart, so you have to do three separate transactions, but I wound up with no extra points.  Good job, Bioware!

Thanks for the tip about the in-game option.  Since I was on my account page anyway, I just queued up everything to download.  These files are pretty beefy.

[CeeKay]

Also annoying that after I get the three DLC packs I want, I'm going to wind up with some piddly amount of Bioware Bux left over.  I don't mind it so much with MS points, since those can get used for anything on the marketplace, but I doubt I'll be buying anything else through Bioware, so those points are wasted money to me.

There's supposed to be more on the way.

[CeeKay]

Thanks for the tip about the in-game option.  Since I was on my account page anyway, I just queued up everything to download.  These files are pretty beefy.

yeah, I was surprised at how big they were.

[Daehawk]

You would think they could have gone that extra little step on certain planets. Like there's the one with the largest message ever written by a human hat says a miner carved a 208 km message into the planet using a giant laser that can be easily seen from space. yet you can't see it. then another one that has the largest rift ever found on it that was made by a mass accelerator round of unimaginable power...and yet you can't see that one either. I'd like to see that stuff. Another I recall os a huge aqua colored desert in the southern hemisphere..nope not there.

Also planets where 'nothing is there for miners' yet i scan it and it's RICH.   My minerals now read 45k / 500k / 400k / 450k off these so called empty planets.

[Daehawk]

Geez I was listening to the advertisement for Elcor Shakespeare and fell asleep. Head was headed down when I jerked awake. LOL.

EDIT: HAHAHAHAHA! I got totally wasted in the Dark Star bar on Citadel. "Put some more in that thing that drinks uhhh go in there"..GLUG..passed out..woke up in the bathroom.

[Atheist]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

[CeeKay]

Also annoying that after I get the three DLC packs I want, I'm going to wind up with some piddly amount of Bioware Bux left over.  I don't mind it so much with MS points, since those can get used for anything on the marketplace, but I doubt I'll be buying anything else through Bioware, so those points are wasted money to me.

There's supposed to be more on the way.

and at how slow the download was.  must have been a lto fo ME2 gifts this season.

[CeeKay]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

haven't done it yet but I hear it's the best of the lot.

[Greggy_D]

I just went and bought them, and it turns out that if you don't have enough points, it seems to let you purchase the exact amount that you need. 

I do not see this option at all.  I have 80 Bioware points.  Shadow Broker is 800.  Bioware's webpage is not giving me the option to purchase 720 points.  They want me to purchase 800 points.

[Chaz]

It probably just gives you the option to buy the exact amount of points that the item costs, not factoring in any points already in your account.  I was starting with 0 points every time.  If they don't factor in existing points, then the system is back to "suck". 

[Atheist]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

haven't done it yet but I hear it's the best of the lot.

I tried to bring myself to do it with the ME1 but it really didn't hold my attention - the rover missions drove me nuts.

[NetGuy]

I think I'm actually considering going all the way back and replaying ME1 before I jump into 2.  I didn't really *like* ME1 and as a result I missed a lot of the story and side quests because for the first 8 hours or so of that game I was just playing to move the plot along.

The last 4-5 hours really picked up and I started enjoying the game a lot more... so I'm wondering if it might be worth giving it another shot so I can get a better sense of the universe and story now that I'm more familiar with the game and know what to expect...

Or should I just forget it and jump into (the vastly superior) ME2?

[Daehawk]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

haven't done it yet but I hear it's the best of the lot.

Im playing totally evil this time through. There has been one place it bothered me...when you help Zaeed. The first time through i saved those poor workers...this time I passed on them to get the bad guy..and the whole mission I could hear them screaming as they burned. EEEEgads that rubbed me bad.  

I tried to bring myself to do it with the ME1 but it really didn't hold my attention - the rover missions drove me nuts.

hmm I loved those missions. I really miss having my rover in ME2. Was Star Control 2 like to me. At least i got a few Hammerhead tank missions to do.

NETGUY: Yes play ME1 first. It's a great game! Plus if you don't find it all that great you'll appreciate ME2 all the more

[CeeKay]

It probably just gives you the option to buy the exact amount of points that the item costs, not factoring in any points already in your account.  I was starting with 0 points every time.  If they don't factor in existing points, then the system is back to "suck". 

somehow I managed to do it without having any points left.

[Daehawk]

[CeeKay]

I think I'm actually considering going all the way back and replaying ME1 before I jump into 2.  I didn't really *like* ME1 and as a result I missed a lot of the story and side quests because for the first 8 hours or so of that game I was just playing to move the plot along.

that'll be my summer project.

[Daehawk]

I was thinking engineers got to use a shotgun but it seems I was wrong. I think as my soldier I was even able to use Grunt's Claymore shotgun.

[CeeKay]

Or should I just forget it and jump into (the vastly superior) ME2?

I'd say give the first it's fair chance, there's some references in the 2nd that you might appreciate more.

[Turtle]

I would agree. If you can stomach the gameplay, the story is about on par with ME2, probably a bit tighter too.

And since so many things carry over from ME1 to ME2, it really helps make the world feel more alive.

Quite literally, there are hundreds of things carried over. I think a developer said around 300+ choices that are carried into ME2 alone, and more will be carried from ME1 to ME3. Sure, most of the stuff carried over are as small as little news blurbs that show what's happened to some little aspect of an ME1 side mission, but those major things that carry over are pretty interesting, with some things clearly hinted at in ME2 that chocies in ME1 carry over to ME3 in big, big ways.

[Chaz]

In case anyone was wondering, it looks frigging amazing when played on the PC hooked up to a 46" TV.  A-maze-ing.

[Daehawk]

Found another one of those planets where something should have been programmed in but wasn't. A planet named Preying Mouth. A place where ships disappear never to return. I of course see nothing  and have no problem. There should be an anomaly to find...a old derelict ships in orbit, a space station crumbling, SOMETHING....they really missed the boat on so much extra content that it could have had. I miss out because of it.

[CeeKay]

In case anyone was wondering, it looks frigging amazing when played on the PC hooked up to a 46" TV.  A-maze-ing.

I imagine it does 

[Daehawk]

*Eyes HD lcd tv at foot of bed*...NAHhhhhhhh.....I could never go back to my 26" monitor if I did.

[CeeKay]

Quite literally, there are hundreds of things carried over. I think a developer said around 300+ choices that are carried into ME2 alone, and more will be carried from ME1 to ME3. Sure, most of the stuff carried over are as small as little news blurbs that show what's happened to some little aspect of an ME1 side mission, but those major things that carry over are pretty interesting, with some things clearly hinted at in ME2 that chocies in ME1 carry over to ME3 in big, big ways.

just wait til 3 where they don't have to worry about figuring out where stuff might lead so they can go hog wild.

[Kevin Grey]

Found another one of those planets where something should have been programmed in but wasn't. A planet named Preying Mouth. A place where ships disappear never to return. I of course see nothing  and have no problem. There should be an anomaly to find...a old derelict ships in orbit, a space station crumbling, SOMETHING....they really missed the boat on so much extra content that it could have had. I miss out because of it.

Seriously?  The game is plenty long, as-is. 

[Turtle]

That's one of my main complaints of ME2. ME1 had planets with just small text blurbs describing some interesting finds, but nothing that important.

In ME2 they abandon that even though these little things would have been perfect for the planet scanning. It would have made scanning for minerals so much more interesting if there were little interesting bits of story or background info scattered around, instead of there just being anomalies that are blatantly displayed and always lead to landing missions.

[Daehawk]

I'm now taking a break from mining planets. I have about 600k+ in the 3 main minerals and in EEZO I have at least 70k. I've started writing down the map names of all the places I go and don't mine. I still explore each system and planet to look for anomalies to visit but i skip mining. i had to start writing the names down because it changes the status percentage when you visit. So visit all planets in a system and it reads 100%..even if I don't mine anything. I hope they add a second value for mining in ME3.

I do still scan garden type worlds for EEZO.

[CeeKay]

That's one of my main complaints of ME2. ME1 had planets with just small text blurbs describing some interesting finds, but nothing that important.

In ME2 they abandon that even though these little things would have been perfect for the planet scanning. It would have made scanning for minerals so much more interesting if there were little interesting bits of story or background info scattered around, instead of there just being anomalies that are blatantly displayed and always lead to landing missions.

  honestly a lot of descriptions I just skipped over.

[Daehawk]

Weird . I just discovered a planet with my last name..and it's moon has the last name of those I'm related to. 

[CeeKay]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

It'll be interesting to see.

[Greggy_D]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

It'll be interesting to see.

Just finished up my second playthrough as evil last night.  Shepard can be such a prick sometimes.  

Concerning Legion and the IFF....

Spoiler for Hiden:

This part of ME2 pissed me off a bit.  After acquiring Legion (the friendly Geth), you are only allowed to do one or two more missions of your choice before the Omega relay opens.  So....you really CAN'T (or shouldn't) wait to do Legion's loyalty mission.  After signing up Legion, I wanted to go do Overlord and Shadow Broker but then the Normandy was attacked and I was forced to finish up the main story line.

[Teggy]

I just picked up the Lair of the Shadowguy DLC... and I'm going to get my second run through up... I think I'm going to play as evul(tm).  Anyone done that - how is the dialog?

It'll be interesting to see.

Just finished up my second playthrough as evil last night.  Shepard can be such a prick sometimes.  

Concerning Legion and the IFF....

Spoiler for Hiden:

This part of ME2 pissed me off a bit.  After acquiring Legion (the friendly Geth), you are only allowed to do one or two more missions of your choice before the Omega relay opens.  So....you really CAN'T (or shouldn't) wait to do Legion's loyalty mission.  After signing up Legion, I wanted to go do Overlord and Shadow Broker but then the Normandy was attacked and I was forced to finish up the main story line.

Yeah, when that happened, I went back to an older save and immediately did that loyalty mission so I could get the "good" ending at the expense of some optional content. The next time I play I will do everything possible in the universe before going on the mission where you meet that character.

[cheeba]

Regarding that spoiler:

Spoiler for Hiden:

You can wait to go on the suicide mission. If you do, Kelly and your crew all die, except Chakwas I think. She gets all pissed about you being late, though. I saved Tali's loyalty mission to the end so I could bring Legion. Kinda funny bringing a live geth to the flotilla .

[Greggy_D]

Regarding that spoiler:

Spoiler for Hiden:

You can wait to go on the suicide mission. If you do, Kelly and your crew all die, except Chakwas I think. She gets all pissed about you being late, though. I saved Tali's loyalty mission to the end so I could bring Legion. Kinda funny bringing a live geth to the flotilla .

I did this my first playthrough and my crew all died.  I was trying to avoid that again. 

[Chaz]

Regarding that spoiler:

Spoiler for Hiden:

You can wait to go on the suicide mission. If you do, Kelly and your crew all die, except Chakwas I think. She gets all pissed about you being late, though. I saved Tali's loyalty mission to the end so I could bring Legion. Kinda funny bringing a live geth to the flotilla .

I did this my first playthrough and my crew all died.  I was trying to avoid that again. 

Funny, my replay is going to be with the goal of having everyone die. 

[Greggy_D]

Damn....the Overlord DLC is pretty darn spooky!

[Daehawk]

Uh oh..problem. i just bought the 3 downloads i wanted..Overlord, Shadow Broker, and Lost Memories. But as soon as i got back aboard the Illusive Man wanted to talk to me. He sent me to the Collector ship now. As far as i know as soon as you do that mission ytou can only do like 1 or 2 more then you have to go to the Omega relay. And theres my problme. I just got the addons! I've not dont them. Ive not even done Jacob's, Miranda's, Morin's missions yet. I haven't got Tali..ive been saving them.

Can i just ignore the Illusive Man and not go into the communications room? Am i hosed?

EDIT: Ok I can't ignore him. I can't use the starmap till I got talk to him. So Im hosed aren't I?

[jersoc]

can't you keep playing when you finish the game?