New ME3 Screenshot Shows Ashley in Actual Armor

[shado_temple]

As a reward for winning the VGA's most anticipated game, BioWare posted this photo on their facebook a few minutes ago:

She is described to be wearing her Spectre armor, since she'll be accepting that role in the final installment of this trilogy. Frankly, I'm just glad to see her actually wearing armor, an improvement over earlier depictions for her in this new game. What do you folks think?

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

It is rather...tight fitting.

 

[Kahunaburger]

It is rather...tight fitting.

This. Not resembling any body armor anyone might actually wear IRL. But on the other hand, for Bioware, at least it's a step forward.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

It is rather...tight fitting.

This. Not resembling any body armor anyone might actually wear IRL. But on the other hand, for Bioware, at least it's a step forward.

All armor in the ME-verse is tight fitting, especially the lighter models. Males and females alike. I'm pretty sure it's because shields are considered to be the primary form of defense, while actual armor is valued more for power armor-like functions or for people who just don't give a crap about little things like dodging or cover (aka Krogan).

Its not really all that different than her default armor in ME1, to be honest (minus the stupid helmet). There is more emphasis on the bust, but when you're sharing a love interest with Miranda and Tali you have to do SOMETHING to stand out. At least it's actual armor, not the street clothes that most of the ME2 cast wore.

 

[Kahunaburger]

It is rather...tight fitting.

This. Not resembling any body armor anyone might actually wear IRL. But on the other hand, for Bioware, at least it's a step forward.

All armor in the ME-verse is tight fitting, especially the lighter models. Males and females alike. I'm pretty sure it's because shields are considered to be the primary form of defense, while actual armor is valued more for power armor-like functions or for people who just don't give a crap about little things like dodging or cover (aka Krogan).

Its not really all that different than her default armor in ME1, to be honest (minus the stupid helmet). There is more emphasis on the bust, but when you're sharing a love interest with Miranda and Tali you have to do SOMETHING to stand out. At least it's actual armor, not the street clothes that most of the ME2 cast wore.

Yeah, it seems generally okay in the context of the Mass Effect aesthetic, and miles less stupid* than some of the stuff in ME2.

*Although the boob-contour armor thing is still pretty silly.

 

[DustyDrB]

Gahhh!! Why did I click!? I didn't know (or want to know) she was gonna be a Spectre. Time to buckle down on my "avoiding all ME3 threads" vow. Well...after this one.

Before people start bitching about it being tight, at least she's wearing more than half a string (points at women's armor in fantasy games)

Besides, all of the armor in ME has been tight since the beginning. They all have shields, remember? Which begs the question "wouldn't it be better to have baggier clothes with lots of pockets"? but whatever.

I swear, I've never seen a community made up of mostly males complain so much so quickly about women in skimpy/tight outfits.

However, I would like to complain about how much that doesn't look like Ashley.

Yeah. This is truth. I was gonna dig up images comparing how armor in ME1 hugs the female body just as much as this one does...but then I don't want to be that guy. That road leads to "Tali's Sweat".

But it is sort of like the "reverse racism effect", where people overcompensate and act like there are no cultural differences because we're all humans and exactly the same. Except here it's we're all humans and flat-chested. I swear people in the community will freak out when a woman in a video game has anything over an A cup.

Though I think it does still look like Ashley in the face. Ever had a girlfriend who suddenly changed her hairstyle, and you stare at her forever because she looks like a different person? That's basically whats happening here. If you want to talk about a video game character looking like a totally different person suddenly, look at Desmond in Assassin's Creed: Revelations.

Spoiler: From this...

Spoiler: ...to this.

That second picture looks more like Niko Bellic. Anyway, now I must resume hiding from ME3 spoilers. *Dives into a tumbleweed*

 

[michiehoward]

I don't care what I can or cannot see through Ashley's form fitting armor. I just wanna play the bloody game!

Though it is weird seeing Ashley out of her serious ass kicking armor.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

It's the fact that she's let her hair down that's throwing me. She still looks like Ashley, it's just that without that knot in her hair, it takes me a second to recognize her. So she's going to be a Spectre huh? I wonder what she did to get the honor? Not that I'm undervaluing her accomplishments in Mass Effect, but I can't picture the Council going, "Hm...now that the war has really started, let's make all of Shep's former crew Spectres." Ooooh. Quarian Spectre Tali. I like that idea...

 

[Valanthe]

Do people here not play Female Shepard? Ash's armour looks almost exactly like Shepard's N7 armour, except that Ash's designation is S1, and she wears Spectre blue rather than Alliance Marine grey.

pic for reference: http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=female+shepard&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1786&bih=865&tbm=isch&tbnid=grSIrA2Q1HXS_M:&imgrefurl=http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/08/30/mass-effect-3-this-is-female-shepard/&docid=8zDw3q2rnnkxPM&imgurl=http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2011/08/Mass-Effect-3-the-real-female-shepard.jpg&w=1200&h=2050&ei=MUrpTvr6I4myiQLxze34Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1365&vpy=110&dur=2210&hovh=294&hovw=172&tx=84&ty=178&sig=114165279478868223546&page=1&tbnh=158&tbnw=121&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0

 

[Kahunaburger]

But it is sort of like the "reverse racism effect", where people overcompensate and act like there are no cultural differences because we're all humans and exactly the same. Except here it's we're all humans and flat-chested. I swear people in the community will freak out when a woman in a video game has anything over an A cup.

There's a difference between people having boobs and armor having boobs. People having boobs = normal for about half the human race. Armor having boobs = silly.

 

[Erttheking]

You know, considering that in ME2 Miranda was in a catsuit with high heels and Samara had a fucking cleavage window, and also high heels, and Jack had a strap of fucking leather, this is pretty damn practical, in fact, this falls into a very small niche that I love to death, a woman that appears sexy, modest and above all PRACTICAL, all at the same time. As for the armor having boobs, you do know that it won't help to have her breasts being squashed right? I'm a man but I imagine that would be uncomfortable and armor is usually fitted for the individual person, so you can't blame Ashley just because she has...assets. Also I don't recall anyone complaining when Samus or Femshep had "Armor boobs", why is it a big deal with Ashley?

http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2011/08/Mass-Effect-3-the-real-female-shepard.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/21/Metroidprime3_1.png/256px-Metroidprime3_1.png
Can't help but notice that her chest plate juts out noticeably.


...and you know what really pisses me off? I'M STUCK WITH FUCKING KAIDEN!

EDIT:

Wait a fucking moment....

http://i713.photobucket.com/albums/ww135/yana_tsitova/Mass%20Effect/Ashley%20Williams%20and%20Kaidan%20Alenko/MassEffect2010-04-2217-14-42-75.jpg

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/9530/poorash.jpg
....these so called armor boobs...SHE'S HAD THEM THE WHOLE TIME! If you people are honestly calling fowl, you are really REALLY late to the party.

 

[Aircross]

She doesn't tie her hair up in battle.

How impractical.

 

[Kahunaburger]

As for the armor having boobs, you do know that it won't help to have her breasts being squashed right?

Turns out IRL body armor is unisex [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/interceptor.htm] and
to the best of our historical knowledge always has been [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2009/20090406/joan_of_arc.jpg].

If you people are honestly calling fowl, you are really REALLY late to the party.

Well, I don't speak for other people who think this looks silly, but I thought ME1 and ME2 armor looked pretty dumb as well.

 

[AD-Stu]

I know this is a total nerd moment, but Ashley's armour designates her as S1. We don't know what specialisation or career path the S designates (Spectre, maybe, but all 26 letters were already supposed to be in use before there were human Spectres), but the 1 indicates she's at the lowest level... which doesn't make a lot of sense?

 

[Erttheking]

As for the armor having boobs, you do know that it won't help to have her breasts being squashed right?

Turns out IRL body armor is unisex [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/interceptor.htm] and
to the best of our historical knowledge always has been [http://www.strangehorizons.com/2009/20090406/joan_of_arc.jpg].

If you people are honestly calling fowl, you are really REALLY late to the party.

Well, I don't speak for other people who think this looks silly, but I thought ME1 and ME2 armor looked pretty dumb as well.

I might make the argument that the armor is more like a flak jacket then full body armor, but I really don't know that much about that kind of stuff so I'll shut up about it. As for the second image...dude that's a painting, it can't really be used as evidence for the history of the development of armor. Like I said before, full body armor like that must be shaped to fit the person, if even something is off, the arms are to thin, the legs are too thick, it's useless. Besides, while there is SOME fan service here, it is tame and they do it in a way so that Ash still has class.

 

[gigastrike]

I know this is a total nerd moment, but Ashley's armour designates her as S1. We don't know what specialisation or career path the S designates (Spectre, maybe, but all 26 letters were already supposed to be in use before there were human Spectres), but the 1 indicates she's at the lowest level... which doesn't make a lot of sense?

I was thrown by that too. S1 is her rank within the Alliance military, so I don't think they would have a division for Spectres (unless Humanity being at the head of the Council has given them the authority to absorb the Spectres into their own ranks), and if she's level 1 in the soldier division then why would she be made a Spectre in the first place? Connection to Shephard? Plot?