Mass Effect = Dragon Age

[Saviordd1]

*Head desk*

Just because they changed the way you level up slightly and took away some useless skills doesn't mean the game was "dumbed down" and made way more action oriented. Practically the only difference is the maps were better designed and they took away weapon specialization (How they hell are you a trained soldier and don't know how to use a shotgun anyway)

They also changed the individual ability cooldowns, the infinite ammo weapons that were only improve in the case of the sniper rifle, Shepard being plot integral by way of his Prothean mind, the Normandy that actually looks like a stealth ship (white with logos all over it? It's the perfect disguise!) and the open worlds. the game was dumbed down, but not in the way that makes it more accessible. Though you're right that ME2's linear corridors looked better than the large open areas of the first game.

Open as in exactly the same?

Almost every non-plot integral combat zone was a clone

 

[Assassin Xaero]

So then if I hated Dragon Age Origins, I'll probably hate Mass Effect too? Well, that saves me some time, too bad I already wasted the money.

 

[X10J]

[sub]Mass Effect came first, you should probably reverse the title.[/sub]



[sub][sub]If possible.[/sub][/sub]

 

[kuyo]

*Head desk*

Just because they changed the way you level up slightly and took away some useless skills doesn't mean the game was "dumbed down" and made way more action oriented. Practically the only difference is the maps were better designed and they took away weapon specialization (How they hell are you a trained soldier and don't know how to use a shotgun anyway)

They also changed the individual ability cooldowns, the infinite ammo weapons that were only improve in the case of the sniper rifle, Shepard being plot integral by way of his Prothean mind, the Normandy that actually looks like a stealth ship (white with logos all over it? It's the perfect disguise!) and the open worlds. the game was dumbed down, but not in the way that makes it more accessible. Though you're right that ME2's linear corridors looked better than the large open areas of the first game.

Open as in exactly the same?

Almost every non-plot integral combat zone was a clone

And all the battles of ME2 played out the same, especially as a biotic since they made it so the powers hardly ever work. Anyway, I just meant to illustrate how much they changed between games.

 

[Xenomorph42Q]

The title of the thread is wrong.

It should be "Mass Effect = Dragon Age IN SPACE".

or possibly, "Dragon Age = Ye Olde Masse Effect"

 

[withouthorns]

Actually Assassin Xaero that's not necessarily the case, dispute the fact that me1 is more tactical then me2 its still more Way more like (if you'll excuse the loose comparisons) halo and just *barely* has a smige of dragon ages WOW like game-play.

 

[Anah'ya]

Simplifying things is awesome.

1- Both ME1 and DA:O are heavily story based, revolving mainly around the protagonist having to defeat a huge threat( Saren and the Archdemon) with special priveliges(spelling?) due to their position (SPECTRE and Grey Warden).

Heroic Space Opera vs. Heroic Fantasy. I give you that, however incorrect if looked up on greater detail.

Shepard is a hero already by the time the events of Mass Effect involve him/her. A decorated soldier with status, who is given the resources necessary to investigate a threat; which eventually leads to him/her being pitted against Saren. By no means is it a "huge" threat in comparison to Dragon Age. In fact, Mass Effect 3 would be more akin to Dragon Age, as we have not yet actually encountered anything in Mass Effect that would be comparable to the advance of the Blight.

And I am trying to find the special privileges of the Gray Wardens vs. the SPECTRE. The SPECTRE are a government sanctioned organisation more akin to the US Marshalls with independence tacked on. The Gray Warden are an independent body meant to be disconnected from government structure, and there to battle a specific threat: The Darkspawn.

Yes, you can draw parallels, but if I was to compare the Gray to anything, then its the "Black" in Song of Ice and Fire.

As for the Hero of Fereldren being like Shepard, privileged and all? My Cousland certainly felt anything but privileged. "Entitled", yes. Privileged? Her family was murdered and she was conscripted to go along on a foolhardy errand--that she is one of the last Gray Warden in Fereldren and it rests on her shoulders to gather more forces again (Because Alistair would rather follow than lead at that point) is hardly something she would have called a privilege. She did feel entitled to her revenge though.

And the same can be said about the other Origin stories. The city elf and dalish do not appear to be very privileged in their race to save themselves (from execution due to Loghain outlawing the Wardens) and the crumbling world around them.

Shepard on the other hand is a soldier. Duty above all.

2- Both ME2 and DA2 are more personal stories, with the protagonist being special because of who they are rather than a specific title (Shepard because he is a famous space zombie who saved the Citadel, and Hawke because he is the Champion of Kirkwall).

Again, wrong. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Mass Effect was more like Dragon Age 2, if you are really looking for parallels. Mass Effect 2 has a more urgent and "epic" feel to it than its predecessor. Humanity is in actual, acute danger and you are gathering your forces to combat whatever is tearing into the population of your fellow humans. The threat is there. The threat is tangible.

Dragon Age 2? You are no one. You are a refugee making it to someone. You are not the Champion of Kirkwall until the end of Act 2. There is no urgency, no threat. It's just you and the people who you have met making a living and unwittingly bringing the world around you down.

Thank you BioWare for not forcing me to play another Hero.

3- Their is also a huge emphasis on fleshing out the individual members of your team, down the both games having "loyalty mission" that unlock alternate outfits for the specific team member.

Very good. Wouldn't want it any other way. Good of them to find something from ME2 that works. And then going the extra mile to improve it with the Friendship and Rivalry system instead of "You don't agree with me, I AM LEAVING!"

4- Both ME1 and DA:O were more about tactical RPG combat, while ME2 and DA2 both were geared more twoards actiony type combat.

ME1 was tactical? DA:O was more traditional, and I am glad they made away with the shuffling towards the enemy. Otherwise, I agree. More action, less shuffling. Still tactical enough if played on higher difficulty.

5- DA2 stole ME's radial speech thing, though thats less of a similarity than Bioware just wanting to make Hawke more personable by giving him a voice.

Stole? How do you steal from your own stuff? Yes. Agreed. Good on them. Blank stares while talking to my fellow team mates were getting awkward. That, and folks looked at me funny when I was speaking out aloud while playing!

6- Both sequels reduced the amount of NPC companion customization.

Yap. Good that too. Improvement, in my book. The companions have personalities. I would suppose telling someone with a mind of their own to "Go put on that dress." wouldn't go down that well.

7- Both sequels have an import functions that affect the story and missions based on your actions from the previous games.

Thumbsup!

8- The Geth and shades have the same faces, if you're not sure please just google them I don't know how to embed pics.

Uh. No. The Shades have actual faces. The only similarity they might have is the neck.

Spoiler

9- The "order a drink" animation in DA2 is copy-pasted from ME2

I give you that one And it is not the only one. I loved punching the *spoiler* like I did the *spoiler*. HOWEVER, why not. Reuse your motion captures where necessary.

10- Biotics and mages are both seen as misunderstood down trodden minorities that are either trying to reach out to people to not be bigots or doing crazy things and murdering people.

No. No. No. And no. I am going to be very harsh here and say: You have not paid enough attention of you are making a claim like this.

Biotics are not misunderstood and not a down trodden minority. They are not suppressed, collared or otherwise "tranquiled" or executed any more than any other criminal would be in the Mass Effect universe. They are not haunted by demons stalking them in their dreams and searching them out for gateways into the waking world. They don't even have a Circle and they are not blamed for the fall of any Golden City.

Biotics are respected, feared maybe, and while the human biotics get the shorter end of the stick (artificial creation of their talents, headaches due to implants) still cannot be compared to the mages across Thedas. Whether that be the ones under the Circles heel or the ones regulated by the Qun.
[/quote]

 

[LarenzoAOG]

Simplifying things is awesome.

Spoiler

1- Both ME1 and DA:O are heavily story based, revolving mainly around the protagonist having to defeat a huge threat( Saren and the Archdemon) with special priveliges(spelling?) due to their position (SPECTRE and Grey Warden).

Heroic Space Opera vs. Heroic Fantasy. I give you that, however incorrect if looked up on greater detail.

Shepard is a hero already by the time the events of Mass Effect involve him/her. A decorated soldier with status, who is given the resources necessary to investigate a threat; which eventually leads to him/her being pitted against Saren. By no means is it a "huge" threat in comparison to Dragon Age. In fact, Mass Effect 3 would be more akin to Dragon Age, as we have not yet actually encountered anything in Mass Effect that would be comparable to the advance of the Blight.

And I am trying to find the special privileges of the Gray Wardens vs. the SPECTRE. The SPECTRE are a government sanctioned organisation more akin to the US Marshalls with independence tacked on. The Gray Warden are an independent body meant to be disconnected from government structure, and there to battle a specific threat: The Darkspawn.

Yes, you can draw parallels, but if I was to compare the Gray to anything, then its the "Black" in Song of Ice and Fire.

As for the Hero of Fereldren being like Shepard, privileged and all? My Cousland certainly felt anything but privileged. "Entitled", yes. Privileged? Her family was murdered and she was conscripted to go along on a foolhardy errand--that she is one of the last Gray Warden in Fereldren and it rests on her shoulders to gather more forces again (Because Alistair would rather follow than lead at that point) is hardly something she would have called a privilege. She did feel entitled to her revenge though.

And the same can be said about the other Origin stories. The city elf and dalish do not appear to be very privileged in their race to save themselves (from execution due to Loghain outlawing the Wardens) and the crumbling world around them.

Shepard on the other hand is a soldier. Duty above all.

2- Both ME2 and DA2 are more personal stories, with the protagonist being special because of who they are rather than a specific title (Shepard because he is a famous space zombie who saved the Citadel, and Hawke because he is the Champion of Kirkwall).

Again, wrong. In fact, I would go so far as to say that Mass Effect was more like Dragon Age 2, if you are really looking for parallels. Mass Effect 2 has a more urgent and "epic" feel to it than its predecessor. Humanity is in actual, acute danger and you are gathering your forces to combat whatever is tearing into the population of your fellow humans. The threat is there. The threat is tangible.

Dragon Age 2? You are no one. You are a refugee making it to someone. You are not the Champion of Kirkwall until the end of Act 2. There is no urgency, no threat. It's just you and the people who you have met making a living and unwittingly bringing the world around you down.

Thank you BioWare for not forcing me to play another Hero.

3- Their is also a huge emphasis on fleshing out the individual members of your team, down the both games having "loyalty mission" that unlock alternate outfits for the specific team member.

Very good. Wouldn't want it any other way. Good of them to find something from ME2 that works. And then going the extra mile to improve it with the Friendship and Rivalry system instead of "You don't agree with me, I AM LEAVING!"

4- Both ME1 and DA:O were more about tactical RPG combat, while ME2 and DA2 both were geared more twoards actiony type combat.

ME1 was tactical? DA:O was more traditional, and I am glad they made away with the shuffling towards the enemy. Otherwise, I agree. More action, less shuffling. Still tactical enough if played on higher difficulty.

5- DA2 stole ME's radial speech thing, though thats less of a similarity than Bioware just wanting to make Hawke more personable by giving him a voice.

Stole? How do you steal from your own stuff? Yes. Agreed. Good on them. Blank stares while talking to my fellow team mates were getting awkward. That, and folks looked at me funny when I was speaking out aloud while playing!

6- Both sequels reduced the amount of NPC companion customization.

Yap. Good that too. Improvement, in my book. The companions have personalities. I would suppose telling someone with a mind of their own to "Go put on that dress." wouldn't go down that well.

7- Both sequels have an import functions that affect the story and missions based on your actions from the previous games.

Thumbsup!

8- The Geth and shades have the same faces, if you're not sure please just google them I don't know how to embed pics.

Uh. No. The Shades have actual faces. The only similarity they might have is the neck.

Spoiler

9- The "order a drink" animation in DA2 is copy-pasted from ME2

I give you that one And it is not the only one. I loved punching the *spoiler* like I did the *spoiler*. HOWEVER, why not. Reuse your motion captures where necessary.

10- Biotics and mages are both seen as misunderstood down trodden minorities that are either trying to reach out to people to not be bigots or doing crazy things and murdering people.

No. No. No. And no. I am going to be very harsh here and say: You have not paid enough attention of you are making a claim like this.

Biotics are not misunderstood and not a down trodden minority. They are not suppressed, collared or otherwise "tranquiled" or executed any more than any other criminal would be in the Mass Effect universe. They are not haunted by demons stalking them in their dreams and searching them out for gateways into the waking world. They don't even have a Circle and they are not blamed for the fall of any Golden City.

Biotics are respected, feared maybe, and while the human biotics get the shorter end of the stick (artificial creation of their talents, headaches due to implants) still cannot be compared to the mages across Thedas. Whether that be the ones under the Circles heel or the ones regulated by the Qun.

[/quote]
What I meant by priveleged(for fuck's sake I can't spell this week) I meant more like they had some kind of authority, the SPECTRE's can do anything they want if it helps their mission and the Grey Wardens have the authority to bring together all the races and mages and all that to help in a Blight plus the Rite of Conscription.

Number 2 I guess we just disagree on what we deem to be more personal stories or story revolving aroung a huge threat so I'll agree to disagree.

I'll give you that ME1 wasn't nearly as tactical as DA:O but compared to ME2 it was more tactical and the gameplay revolved more around building a good charecter through RPG levelling up, ME2 was more about the shooting, and levelling up only really served to upgrade your powers, DA2 to a lesser degree made the gameplay more action oriented, for example, in DA:O in order for a rouge to backstab you need to position him behind the enemy, in DA2 you press a button and he ninjas behind the enemy instantly.

The Geth and the shades have the same neck and the Shades' glowing eyes kind of resemble the Geths' flashlight head. They look similar to me at least.

And I suppose my last point isn't quite accurate, I was going more off the Mass Effect novels rather than the games but the comparison doesn't quite add up, I guess you coud say I'm comparing a Mars Bar to Belgian chocolate.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

Can someone please tell me how ME1, is more tactical than ME2?

ME1 had more of an emphasis on levelling Shepard up to improve is stats, like most RPG's, ME2 what more focused on the shooting, and when you leveled up almost all your points were used to upgrade your powers rather than Shepard's stats. Plus the enemy scaling in ME2 was more prominent than in ME1, near the end of ME1 I was one-shotting Geth from acroos a football fied with my shotgun, near the end of ME2 I was still cowering behind cover waithing for my health to regenerate and my powers to cooldown.

All in all ME2 was more about the combat rather than the RPGness, it was still good just a different kind of good.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

With that logic, DA:O was basically KOTOR...really.

SERIOUSLY! It was basically KOTOR with a reskin.

Someone actually put a pic of a chart with all the Bioware cliches on this thread, I never really noticed how similar alot of their games were until I started playing DA2.

 

[Jaranja]

With that logic, DA:O was basically KOTOR...really.

SERIOUSLY! It was basically KOTOR with a reskin.

Someone actually put a pic of a chart with all the Bioware cliches on this thread, I never really noticed how similar alot of their games were until I started playing DA2.

Read more posts in this thread. People have already said, and been correct in saying, that a lot of those clichés are general genre-wide clichés.

Selective Reading at it's finest.

 

[LarenzoAOG]

With that logic, DA:O was basically KOTOR...really.

SERIOUSLY! It was basically KOTOR with a reskin.

Someone actually put a pic of a chart with all the Bioware cliches on this thread, I never really noticed how similar alot of their games were until I started playing DA2.

Read more posts in this thread. People have already said, and been correct in saying, that a lot of those clichés are general genre-wide clichés.

Selective Reading at it's finest.

I probablly should read all the posts on the thread that I made, but I probably won't. Good bit of advice though. Only the finest selective reading for me.