Mass Effect 3

[Teggy]

Is there a way to get Kinect to use the headset as the voice input? I thought it would do it automatically, but it didn't.

[metallicorphan]

Is there a way to get Kinect to use the headset as the voice input? I thought it would do it automatically, but it didn't.

it would of been good to have headset support without Kinect....or at least i would of given it a go

[hepcat]

Should I drop the 10 bucks on the Ashes DLC?  Is it worth it?

[Asharak]

Should I drop the 10 bucks on the Ashes DLC?  Is it worth it?

Depends how much you like your $10.

Serious answer: the mission itself is nothing special. It's a bland 30-minute shoot-up-the-Cerberus-flunkies with some fall-of-the-Protheans cutscenes spliced in (which are kind of cool, but still). I wouldn't pay $10 for that.

The main sell is probably the extra character, the appeal of which depends on your character class / how many times you're planning to play the game. The Prothean squadmate is a combat biotic (I want to say a Vanguard, but he appears to use an assault rifle primarily), so he's primarily an alternative to Liara. If you're an Adept yourself and/or really like Liara -- and don't intend to play through multiple times to try different classes -- then he's not really very useful.

His assault rifle is a pretty neat thing itself, though, as it goes in your Armory for anyone to use and works on the ME1 no-thermal-clip-but-overheats principle. Also, one thing I just realized recently is that the alternate appearances for your squadmates in ME3 aren't just cosmetic; they now work like armor sets for Shepard and confer a different bonus for each set, so you get a little more flexibility there as well.

Personal bottom line: I don't feel in any way ripped off by the DLC (but then, I only bought the standard edition to begin with and, let's face it, I would have paid $100 easily just to get to play the conclusion of this story) but it's hardly the most value-packed $10 I've ever spent, either.

- Ash

[wonderpug]

Are there restrictions on what weapons each class is allowed to use?  Or is it just a matter of whether or not your levelled up abilities will give you bonuses to certain weapons?

I haven't read the fucking manual yet, but I distinctly remember not being allowed to use assault rifles as an Infiltrator.

[Purge]

I had to disable the Kinect for the game.  Really wanted to try the voice commands in combat, but since my wife often spectates this kind of game, just our chatting about which dialogue choice to go for would trigger a selection.

no chit chat on the battlefield noob!

Also if you have time to chat about a command before you use it... you might be playing in slow motion. 

The unintended chat triggers were in the game dialogue sections. 

Choice 1: "I will save them all"
Choice 2: "I will destroy all humans"

wife: "destroy all humans?  that's a weird--"

COMMAND ACKNOWLEDGED - DESTROYING ALL HUMANS

*sorry* ... cant. stop. laughing.

[hepcat]

Are there restrictions on what weapons each class is allowed to use?  Or is it just a matter of whether or not your levelled up abilities will give you bonuses to certain weapons?

I haven't read the fucking manual yet, but I distinctly remember not being allowed to use assault rifles as an Infiltrator.

I'm pretty sure I'm using an Assault rifle and I'm playing as an infiltrator.  I'll double check tonight though.

[Teggy]

Are there restrictions on what weapons each class is allowed to use?  Or is it just a matter of whether or not your levelled up abilities will give you bonuses to certain weapons?

I haven't read the fucking manual yet, but I distinctly remember not being allowed to use assault rifles as an Infiltrator.

I think that was only a restriction in the first game where you had to unlock the ability to use weapon types. There are penalties for having too much weight in the form of weapons and armor and then there are bonuses for using certain weapon types for certain classes (sniper and pistol for Infiltrator, for example).

[CeeKay]

Are there restrictions on what weapons each class is allowed to use?  Or is it just a matter of whether or not your levelled up abilities will give you bonuses to certain weapons?

I haven't read the fucking manual yet, but I distinctly remember not being allowed to use assault rifles as an Infiltrator.

I think that was only a restriction in the first game where you had to unlock the ability to use weapon types. There are penalties for having too much weight in the form of weapons and armor and then there are bonuses for using certain weapon types for certain classes (sniper and pistol for Infiltrator, for example).

ME1 you could use any weapon but only got bonuses for certain ones depending on your class.  ME2 you couldn't use certain weapons at all.

[Asharak]

Are there restrictions on what weapons each class is allowed to use?  Or is it just a matter of whether or not your levelled up abilities will give you bonuses to certain weapons?

This is a significant change from ME2: every class can use every weapon now.

What they've done is add a Weight mechanic: the more (or heavier) weapons that you are carrying, the slower your powers recharge. You can choose to carry just one weapon, if you like, or lightweight versions of several, or just say to hell with powers, take the biggest guns and shoot everything (probably viable, given how much ammo is scattered around).

This also interacts with the increased selection of weapons (I've got about six options for different assault rifles so far, each with a different balance between weight / damage / accuracy / firing rate) and the new weapon modification system, where one of the mods is for "Lightweight materials" that can make a heavier weapon much more manageable (I think even the lowest tier of that mod gives -60% to the weapon's weight). I think the Soldier does get a bonus to maximum carry weight (i.e., can carry heavier stuff before power recharge slows down) from the start, and my Adept also an optional power upgrade that boosts carry capacity, as well.

Note that this doesn't apply to squadmates: they don't have weight measured and they still only get to use a couple different classes of weapons -- although you can pick which weapon within the class and apply mods as you see fit.

- Ash

[hepcat]

Damn, looks like I need to do some reading tonight.  I had no idea that weapon weight played into power cooldown times.

[Asharak]

Damn, looks like I need to do some reading tonight.  I had no idea that weapon weight played into power cooldown times.

It's right there in a big bar on the middle of the loadout screen (the one that is a picture of Shepard's back): "Power recharge +/- X%". The more/heavier weapons you equip, the smaller that number gets. The bar even turns red, IIRC, when you hit the negative side. It's basically a giant tramp stamp.

- Ash

[Harkonis]

Ash beat me to it, but I was going to give a snarky comment as well

You don't have to read further than the giant % cooldown reduction value that changes whenever you equip or unequip a weapon.  How you could see this and (if you didn't already know how cooldown reduction works) not wonder 'hmm, I wonder what cooldown reduction is?' I don't get.

Cats don't play video games, but if they did, their curiosity would make sure they figured that out. 

[hepcat]

I expect no less from the internet when asking for help or expressing any sign of human error.   

[Asharak]

I expect no less from the internet when asking for help or expressing any sign of human error.   

And we would hate to disappoint you.

You know, like you disappoint us. Constantly.



- Ash

[hepcat]

I was more referring to Hark's reply.  It was actually somewhat funny.

[Harkonis]

I was more referring to Hark's reply.  It was actually somewhat funny.

you know I'm always willing to point out your shortcomings Hep!  CK pays me to do so.

[USMC Kato]

I was more referring to Hark's reply.  It was actually somewhat funny.

you know I'm always willing to point out your shortcomings Hep!  CK pays me to do so.

Does anyone even have any Hark points left?

[Harkonis]

I was more referring to Hark's reply.  It was actually somewhat funny.

you know I'm always willing to point out your shortcomings Hep!  CK pays me to do so.

Does anyone even have any Hark points left?

everyone started with zero, and you can only lose them... so no.

[metallicorphan]

what 'mode' has everybody started on?

Story,Action or RPG

[Razgon]

RPG here - I can't imagine playing in any other way.

The game isn't a good enough shooter that I can see people just playing it for those parts.

[hepcat]

I would be surprised if anyone here chose anything but RPG.

[Harkonis]

I chose story mode, because I'm just terrible at shooters and LOVE the story experience! 

[Teggy]

Do you even get an option if you import a character? I got the option when I played the demo, but I don't remember seeing the option when I started the full game.

[Dreamshadow]

Do you even get an option if you import a character? I got the option when I played the demo, but I don't remember seeing the option when I started the full game.

I did not get the Story/Normal/FPS choices when I imported my ME2 character.

[Gratch]

I chose story mode, because I'm just terrible at shooters and LOVE the story experience!  

I know you're being sarcastic, but that's actually the direction I'm leaning...and for those exact reasons.

I don't get the difference between "story" and "RPG" modes.  Can anyone enlighten me?  I was planning on importing my ME2 character, but maybe that's not the best bet if they don't give you the "shooters for dummies" option.

Excited to finally be able to fire this thing up tonight.

[Teggy]

I think if you choose story the combat is super easy.

[Roguetad]

I noticed when I imported my ME2 character that he started at level 28, exactly where he left off, with mostly equivalent powers already selected (because I chose the same class).  I was surprised to see the levels carry over, I thought it would just be the decisions that would carry over, and I'd be back at level 1 again.  It's good, I'm not complaining, I just didn't expect it.  Do new characters, not imported, start at level 1 in the full game?  

[metallicorphan]

In Story mode you also get the responses played out for you,so all conversations would be like cutscenes and no choices for you to make
I have the game but yet to start it so wasn't aware that the choice was only for starting with new character instead of porting your character across

Do new characters, not imported, start at level 1 in the full game? 

That's what I have heard...but its not too bad as they go by quickly

[Gratch]

I noticed when I imported my ME2 character that he started at level 28, exactly where he left off, with mostly equivalent powers already selected (because I chose the same class).  I was surprised to see the levels carry over, I thought it would just be the decisions that would carry over, and I'd be back at level 1 again.  It's good, I'm not complaining, I just didn't expect it.  Do new characters, not imported, start at level 1 in the full game?  

Interesting.  So is "RPG" the default setting for imported characters?

[hepcat]

It must be as I also don't remember being given a choice when importing my ME2 character into ME3.  I have both dialog options and the ability to manually level up, so it must have defaulted to RPG.

[JCC]

I imported and I was given a choice. I did change classes after importing - not sure if that made a difference.

[Kevin Grey]

In Story mode you also get the responses played out for you,so all conversations would be like cutscenes and no choices for you to make

No, that's action mode.  Story gives you full cutscene choices but easy combat.

It's all selectable after the fact anyway from the Narrative tab.  So you can import an ME2 save and just set combat to super easy and you get the same thing as selecting "Story" for a new character.  

[Doopri]

and i dont know if hes interested or not, but for gratchs info do you all know if "story" mode automates levels, equipment and the rpg aspects?

[Azhag]

I feel like those are all gameplay options...

[kathode]

Tried about 30 minutes to recreate my awesome Shepard after the import thing failed me.  No dice.  Looks like I'm waiting for the patch.

[Louis Cypher]

Finished it today, put in about 30 hours. Don't know what to say about the ending, ugh.

[metallicorphan]

30 hrs?,i have about 7-8hrs and i have done sod all


In fact walking around the citadel for hours on end has made me come to the conclusion that the journal is pants,as it never updates when you are doing a mission in there,its always talk to one guy so i search 5 floors of the Citadel to find him and he tells you to talk to another guy which means i have to search 5 floors to find the next guy again,and this is similar to all the citadel missions that don't leave the station....the Journal however will remain the same saying that i have to talk to the original guy...so fucking annoying


as for EA,they are cock knockers as well,it seems they have reset their servers or some such shit has happened so everyones kill stats have reset(that goes the same for melee or overloading shields etc)...so if you were trying to get 5000 kills and had say 800,it was back to zero


oh well,at least i got my

Spoiler for Hiden:

Space Hamster

back

[Azhag]

Yeah. I'm getting close to the end, I love the game, but the journal is definitely annoying. And since Citadel stuff happens throughout you have to walk around the Citadel a LOT if you want to do the side-quests and conversations. Those are my only real complaints though, outside of it being more of the same (which is good and bad). Definitely will replay with a Renegade though, and I don't replay many games.

[Louis Cypher]

30 hrs?,i have about 7-8hrs and i have done sod all

Lol I'm not sure if this means you've done a lot or nothing at all. Anyway a tip for the citadel is look at your map. It tells you where a certain person is. I figured this out a little later trying to remember who I have to bring Prothean Obelisks to, or which Dr needs Turian spear tip medicine.