Mass Effect 3: How can we modify our character at the beginning?

[The_General]

So, inspired by the thread about how companions from ME2 will be worked into ME3, i came to think of another thing:

How will Bioware rationalise modding the look and class of your character in ME3?
In ME2, Shepard died and was resurrected, which provided quite a convenient and plausible explanation, but i find it unlikely they'll pull such a stunt again. Any ideas, ladies and gentlemen?

 

[Galliam]

"Hey Shepherd, did you get a haircut or something? You look a little different..."

"YEAH, I've been getting that a lot lately."

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Hey, we have plastic surgery now, what's to say the Mass Effect world won't have it then?

 

[The_General]

What's more important to me is class change, though.

 

[Jayjay21]

Barbers of the future are pretty amazing.

I'm sure they'll figure something out

 

[Frotality]

hopefully theyll decide to just let you change it instead of contriving some plot excuse that goes nowhere like with ME2.

 

[StBishop]

There was a movie somewhere in the mid-late nineties about how they put people in cryostasis and to keep their brain from degrading, taught them skills. Stallone was in it, he was taught needlework. Was quite funny.

This could be it. But (haven't even finished ME1 yet so dunno much about the story) I assume that putting Shepherd in cryostasis for a year or two is out of the question due to some impending doom?

 

[snagli]

"commander, we need you to infiltrate a reaper, but everyone knows how you look!"

"well, nothing plastic surgery won't fix! and while you're at it, i want to suddenly be able to use biotics, even though it's not possible"

that exuse silly enough for you?

 

[LaughingAtlas]

Oh, that crazy Shepard, you know he/she will find some way to get fucked up enough for a "we're taking the bandages off, Commander..."
My guess: EDI will be involved.

 

[BlackSuit]

Don't know if they've used it before but they could always go to the "it's magic" excuse

 

[Lawnmooer]

Well didn't they have that machine that could heal up your scars if you bothered to get enough materials for it? (Or had completed the game and started off with enough)

That could probably be re-jiggered to allow a new face and hair?

 

[Azanode]

I don't think it'll matter. There's no need to force an explanation into the story. Even in Mass Effect 2, returning characters were able to identify Shepard by appearance alone. Consider it a retroactive retcon on the player's part, taking the player as author of his or her own narrative.

 

[JediMB]

You didn't need an excuse for customizing Shepard's appearance in the original Mass Effect, so it's really nonsense that you'd need one for any of the sequels.

ME2's way of doing things was utterly frustrating. "Oh, no, I'm unhappy with how my character actually looks in-game, so I'll have to replay/rewatch 10 minutes of intro. Again."

Thank the Bio-Gods for the console and the mirror of face-changing in DA2.

 

[Rayne870]

Battery acid from the Hammerhead to the face.

Or EDI really developed her sense of humor and pulled a prank on you when you used the scar healing machine.

 

[Rayne870]

There was a movie somewhere in the mid-late nineties about how they put people in cryostasis and to keep their brain from degrading, taught them skills. Stallone was in it, he was taught needlework. Was quite funny.

If he swore a lot to get toilet paper from the fine dispenser after discovering what shells were used for it was Demolition Man.

 

[Lawyer105]

There was a movie somewhere in the mid-late nineties about how they put people in cryostasis and to keep their brain from degrading, taught them skills. Stallone was in it, he was taught needlework. Was quite funny.

Demolition Man.

Personally, I just hope they'll include some mod tools this time. Their excuse about continuity etc. isn't going to hold water this time around given that the story is over.

And DAMN if the idea of a ME2/3 total conversion mod into a Dark Heresy W40K Inquisition type game isn't just awesome.......

If he swore a lot to get toilet paper from the fine dispenser after discovering what shells were used for it was Demolition Man.

Aargh... ninja'd

 

[Mr Thin]

You didn't need an excuse for customizing Shepard's appearance in the original Mass Effect, so it's really nonsense that you'd need one for any of the sequels.

ME2's way of doing things was utterly frustrating. "Oh, no, I'm unhappy with how my character actually looks in-game, so I'll have to replay/rewatch 10 minutes of intro. Again."

Thank the Bio-Gods for the console and the mirror of face-changing in DA2.

Well of course you don't, it was a fresh character you'd never seen before.

But if you played Mass Effect 2 after the first one, it would make no sense to have a completely different looking person. Like if Laurence Fishburne wasn't Morpheus in the Matrix Sequels. It would be weird.

I liked the intro sequence in Mass Effect 2, though I imagine it would indeed get quite tedious if you didn't like how your character looked once you got him out and about in the world.

 

[Zenode]

Well an imported character I dont see a reason you would change the class or appearance, i used Engineer in both ME1 and 2 and used the default look FOR ME there is no reason to give me a reason to change. Maybe if its not an imported character?

 

[JediMB]

But if you played Mass Effect 2 after the first one, it would make no sense to have a completely different looking person. Like if Laurence Fishburne wasn't Morpheus in the Matrix Sequels. It would be weird.

Difference being that there's only one Matrix Reloaded and one Matrix Revolutions. Watching the movies multiple times won't let you switch out Laurence Fishburne for another actor, as you are able to in Mass Effect and most other western RPGs.

As mentioned earlier, no one in Mass Effect 2 even acknowledges that Shepard looks different if you chose to customize his/her appearance again (unlike The Oracle in The Matrix), so what's the point in making up an excuse for bringing in the character creator?

Not letting you customize the character also forces you to replay the earlier games if you want a new appearance for your Shepard, even if all choices you make within the games are going to be identical to those in your already finished characters.