Mass Effect 3 Release Date Dilemma !

[Always_Remain]

So I've been lounging around the ME2 forums and I've been hearing what has frightened me since I finished ME2. Bioware is supposedly releasing ME3 faster then ME2. Now as an avid fan of the series you'd probably expect me to jump around, twirling my hair around my fingers and screaming, right?

Wrong. Very Wrong

I'm concerned about the writing. I KNOW if anyone has seen my argument here:http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.178260-Out-of-Sight-Out-of-Mind-Mass-Effect-2?page=3#5204961, they probably would think "wow he's just gonna rip on Bioware". But no. I just hope that they have everything tight and make sure to leave few loose ends UNLESS then are going to keep making games in this universe and need the loose ends for possible plots. Rushed products are almost never good so I'm just really concerned. Now if they already have a good portion of plot work out awesome but if not if they rush it there is potential that it won't be as good as if they work on it longer. A reasonable release date for me is mid-late/late 2012 or early 2013. I know, long time, but it would totally be worth it. (partial quote? xD)

Thoughts? Think it's bad or good that it *MIGHT* be coming faster? 2013 way too long? Things I can write on the ME2 forums?

 

[ButtonedDownParadox]

I would imagine most of the story work is done. Playing through Mass Effect 2 it's apparent that there is a rich resource of conflict pooling for Mass Effect 3 thus it could be assumed most of the story is either thoroughly plotted out. Casey Hudson was even dropping teasers on the Bioware forums for the third game such as how important your love interest will be.

If there are any issues with getting everything set up in time they can always just push it back as they did with the first two. This is Bioware, not Obsidian.

 

[carpathic]

I think it is a good thing. There is now an established audience, we have a better idea of who the characters are and because of that Bioware can spend less time developing the characters and more time creating an engrossing story.

Now if they can just get rid of scanning...

As for my concern with your opinion. I assure you, I am not in the slightest concerned that you might rip on bioware. ME2 was, in my opinion, an excellent game with relatable characters and a fun story that drew me in. If anything, I feel slightly sorry for you that your need to nitpick ruined what could otherwise have been a highly enjoyable gaming experience.

The other thing is, I remember reading that the development cycle would be of comparable length to the gap between ME1 and ME2. If they use that time as well as they did to improve the game mechanics between ME1 and ME2 then we will surely have one of the greatest treats gaming has ever provided. (Especially given the high calibre of both ME1 and ME2 - not even Yahtzee could be that negative in his review!)

 

[StriderShinryu]

I wouldn't be shocked if it did come out sooner than later. In fact, there's even an interview with the Bioware heads up on G4's site where they discuss the process. They have most of the tech they need in place because of ME2, which they are planning on adding to here and there but not significantly changing, so there's not a ton of work needed there. They have also had the entire storyline plotted out from before they even finished ME1, so there's not a ton of work needed there either. It's really just a case of assembling a complete game from the bits and pieces they already have as opposed to starting something completely from scratch.

 

[Always_Remain]

As for my concern with your opinion. I assure you, I am not in the slightest concerned that you might rip on bioware. ME2 was, in my opinion, an excellent game with relatable characters and a fun story that drew me in. If anything, I feel slightly sorry for you that your need to nitpick ruined what could otherwise have been a highly enjoyable gaming experience.

Now see I was pretty much contradicting myself because actually I loved ME2 to pieces but I didn't realize that until I watched my friend play it and complain about it. I was just like "Wow. He really has no idea how great it really is." I kinda had the same probably with ME1. I guess I need time to love things. lol

 

[Radelaide]

Well considering Valve came out with L4D2 quicker than Ep3, I can honestly say that ME3 will be just as horrible as the last two.

Sorry

 

[richasr]

I like to believe the entire story was written months maybe years ago and is just open for tweaking as per feedback from the public or reviews etc.

My problem is that Mass Effect 2 was very short in terms of the main story, and spent more time giving background info on your squad mates than anything about fighting the Collectors, who I did like as an enemy but thought were under-developed. You rarely fight them, you fight more mercs than Collectors.

This leads me to think that the 3rd game will be like that of a final film in a trilogy: jam-packed full of plot lines and loose-end tie-ups, not to mention action packed, the sort of stuff that would normally be too much for a 2 to 3 hour film, but perfect for an RPG like Mass Effect.

I think it's a good thing, suggests Bioware are confident about development of ME3, and that they are well prepared.

We'll see though.

 

[carpathic]

Well considering Valve came out with L4D2 quicker than Ep3, I can honestly say that ME3 will be just as horrible as the last two.

Sorry

Hey, I am all for groundless speculation, but let us call it what it is. Groundless. If past performance is in any indicator of future accomplishment, then ME3 has a decent probability of being a good game.

Demondave-> Glad to hear that you did enjoy the game. I have issues with ME2. It doesn't feel as big as the other one. I felt like I was just in a bunch of rooms, for all that exploring empty planets was boring as hell, I also LOVED exploring the empty planets because it gave you that feeling of hugeness. The star map, I just love also.

My last peeve was the change in music. I miss the 80's B Movie electrosynth music. The orchestral music really didn't fit the game.

 

[Avaholic03]

I think you're overreacting too much.

The slow part of the writing (introducing the characters, plot, universe, etc.) is over. With the exception of a few side stories, I think the main plot is cruising forward pretty nicely, so there's less work to put in to get a compelling story.

Also, with the success of the first 2 games, perhaps they've hired on more help to make development go faster?

 

[Always_Remain]

I think you're overreacting too much.

The slow part of the writing (introducing the characters, plot, universe, etc.) is over. With the exception of a few side stories, I think the main plot is cruising forward pretty nicely, so there's less work to put in to get a compelling story.

Also, with the success of the first 2 games, perhaps they've hired on more help to make development go faster?

I'd hope they would hire some help. It never hurts to have a few extra hands. Well it might hurt the profit a little if at all. lol

Demondave-> Glad to hear that you did enjoy the game. I have issues with ME2. It doesn't feel as big as the other one. I felt like I was just in a bunch of rooms, for all that exploring empty planets was boring as hell, I also LOVED exploring the empty planets because it gave you that feeling of hugeness. The star map, I just love also.

My last peeve was the change in music. I miss the 80's B Movie electrosynth music. The orchestral music really didn't fit the game.

Basically the same problems I had. Can't wait for the hovertank!

BioWare has stated that since the success of the original Mass Effect they were determined to make a trilogy. They probably already have much of the story complete, and they definitely know which direction they are going.

In addition, they won't have to do a complete overhaul of the game this time around like ME1 to ME2. It is similar to the development of Left 4 Dead. It took Valve a long time to create the first L4D, and then they had a bunch of ideas left over that they couldn't fit into the game. L4D2 came out sooner than most people hoped, but is a solid sequel even with the short time span between games.

I'm pretty sure BioWare knows what they are doing. After playing ME2, I can honestly say that a 2013 release seems pretty far off. A 2012 release seems much more reasonable.

Yeah 2013 is a little wacky.

 

[OrdinaryGuy]

BioWare has stated that since the success of the original Mass Effect they were determined to make a trilogy. They probably already have much of the story complete, and they definitely know which direction they are going.

In addition, they won't have to do a complete overhaul of the game this time around like ME1 to ME2. It is similar to the development of Left 4 Dead. It took Valve a long time to create the first L4D, and then they had a bunch of ideas left over that they couldn't fit into the game. L4D2 came out sooner than most people hoped, but is a solid sequel even with the short time span between games.

I'm pretty sure BioWare knows what they are doing. After playing ME2, I can honestly say that a 2013 release seems pretty far off. A 2012 release seems much more reasonable.

 

[Phoenixlight]

I haven't played either of the mass effect games but if developers are able to release good games faster then I think that it's a good thing.

 

[Fire Daemon]

A Late 2012, early 2013 release will mean a larger gap between two and three compared to one and two. You guys do realise that, right? Mass Effect was released at the end of May 2008, Mass Effect 2 was released at the end of January 2010. Thats less than two years. A late 2012, early 2013 will make it at least two years in development, possibly three if it does indeed go into 2013. I really wonder why a lot of people get confused with this, even die hard fans. It just doesn't make any sense, check the damn dates before talking about... well... the dates.

Anyway, Bioware don't rush their games and I can't see EA forcing them to release it early considering it is one of their biggest franchises. It'll be done when it's done, now quit your worryin and go read the extended universe novels to tide you over until 3 does come out.

 

[Rararaz]

Something else to take into consideration is the way that ME2 and 3 are made. If they worked on a lot of the 3rd game at the same time then a closer release date wouldn't be that unrealistic. Think Lord of the Rings and how that was filmed as one massive film allowing them to get them out in consecutive years. Also kind of the Matrix. The first one was made and was brilliant but then the second two were written together and filming overlapped allowing them to come out in quick succession allowing the second two films to be of a similar quality (although not of a similar quality to the first).

 

[Uszi]

I'd hope they would hire some help. It never hurts to have a few extra hands. Well it might hurt the profit a little if at all. lol

Meh, movies and games which are written by committees aren't good things, IMO... A lot of times the story becomes what the producers think will sell better than anything else, once you get a bunch of writers fighting over stuff. I would prefer a smaller number of better quality writers anyday.

Then again, if we look at Alien3, the final script is like 5,000x better than all the previous versions. The first version of the film had Ripley crash landing on a planet where the colonist were like Amish who thought it was the Medieval Dark Ages. How cheesy would that have been?

 

[VanityGirl]

Here's my opinion.

ME2 was a great game, but it feels like it was written as part of a greater story, then cut in half. The ending was cool, but it pulled a Halo and left a sort of unnecessary cliff hanger, knowing that peoople will want to buy the third installment.

Furthermore, ME2's loading screen told everyone that there would be a ME3. "Your choices in Mass effect 2 will effect your game in Mass Effect 3". This leads me to believe that the story's pretty much been worked out for Mass Effect 3.

Also, Bioware has SO many people working for them, that they could pump out a well written, great looking game in no time at all.



Personally, I'd rather they hurry up. If they can put out the game later this year and it be as good as ME2, then more power to them.

 

[ExplosionProofTaco]

Why is it that whenever a sequel to a blockbuster game is released someone always asks 'When is the next one coming out?' They sound like they can't play games with even numbers at the end of them.

 

[Always_Remain]

A Late 2012, early 2013 release will mean a larger gap between two and three compared to one and two. You guys do realise that, right? Mass Effect was released at the end of May 2008, Mass Effect 2 was released at the end of January 2010. Thats less than two years. A late 2012, early 2013 will make it at least two years in development, possibly three if it does indeed go into 2013. I really wonder why a lot of people get confused with this, even die hard fans. It just doesn't make any sense, check the damn dates before talking about... well... the dates.

Anyway, Bioware don't rush their games and I can't see EA forcing them to release it early considering it is one of their biggest franchises. It'll be done when it's done, now quit your worryin and go read the extended universe novels to tide you over until 3 does come out.

You win the this topic. *pulls party poppers* lol
I had no ideas about the dates. I should have researched that. Thank you.