Just a few things:
Larger environments- Every single level in ME2 could be boiled down to corridor and warehouse fights. We don't need any more corridor and warehouse fights. Do any of you remember those huge rolling hillsides that were sometimes filled with Geth, or psychotic L2 biotics? I don't actually care whether or not you bring back vehicle sections, just bring back the larger scale battles. That would be a hell of a lot of fun.
Improved inventory- Everyone knows that the inventory system in ME1 was awful, and given the time constraints, I can see why they cut it out altogether so they could just work on the game. Wouldn't it be better then, to simplify the system? Instead of lots of different types of armor, stick with one suit and lots of modifications. Instead of dozens of each kind of weapon, stick with a few weapons of each type and research upgrades. Give us different attachments. I should get a flogging for this, but we could learn a lot from Modern Warfare's weapon customizations. All of the basics are there.
Resource gathering/Side quests- I didn't buy Mass Effect to play as an SCV (Or, for a more appropriate metaphor, just drop MULEs) Currency should be acquired by side missions, money should buy upgrades. None of this scanning planets or scrounging through enemy equipment nonsense. In fact, why have stores at all? I don't care if you buy it from your government. I am not a PMC (unless ME3 tells me that I am.) I get ISSUED weapons. Why not just BUY the upgrades? EDI is a state of the art AI, and I assume I have the capabilities to design and manufacture arms on a small scale. I mean, where else did those resources go in ME2?
Driving sections- I see you testing out the successor to the Mako, Bioware. The hammerhead is a little bit better, with the ability to jump better and sprint, and feels a bit better than the Mako, but don't make it arbitrary. I don't want to hover back and forth to get through a linear mission. I'd rather have some kind of automatic transport, preferably so I don't get bored and hurl myself off of a cliff. The elevators sucked in ME1, but those or trams could easily be a good excuse to skip off the travel time (which doesn't add to anything.) Here's a simple comprimise: You can use trams and elevators to show off your beautifully rendered environments, and we can have the option to skip them all, and you can use them in place of driving from area to area.
Party members- Let us customize them. So far, all you've let us do is play dress up and choose which guns they get to play with. I want more control over how their guns work, and how their armor is set up.
Actually, you know what would be interesting? A 'take your pick' button. The lets the chosen squad members take whichever weapons and upgrades they want from the unavailable, unused ones. To those of you who watch Extra Credits, I think you know what I'm talking about. Storytelling through gameplay. One of the best ways to show a character is to let them do their own thing. If the upgrades and modifications were to make a somewhat more profound impact on the way the game plays, it would certainly bring out how your characters want to act. Which segues perfectly into the next part of this topic...
Artificial intelligence- Look, AI is hard. We get it. But well-designed AI can make or break a game. As far as I can see, the AI is very very samey. Everyone acts the same. Variation and individuality should always be valued in an NPCs actions. Why does every Krogan or Vorcha act the same? Most of them have no strict military training (Humans/Turians), and are not programmed to all act the same way (Geth, VI Security). Having varied and somewhat randomized encounters is what made the original Halo so memorable, and so much fun to play; even after a few deaths in the same area I could stand to play through it again. That leads me back to a previous point, of larger battles, where the missteps of a few doesn't affect the outcome so gravely.
Personality in your teammates AI is extremely important. Think of how much more reckless and powerful Grunt would have seemed if he had always charged at the strongest adversary, showing his excitement over a challenge, or his apathy for long-term survival. And if thane had fired more rapidly and accurately? What if Jack had more biotic powers, and used them more frequently? Wouldn't these people be more memorable? Wouldn't you immediately get to know them better, just by how they act off-script? Actions speak volumes more than words here.
Larger environments- Every single level in ME2 could be boiled down to corridor and warehouse fights. We don't need any more corridor and warehouse fights. Do any of you remember those huge rolling hillsides that were sometimes filled with Geth, or psychotic L2 biotics? I don't actually care whether or not you bring back vehicle sections, just bring back the larger scale battles. That would be a hell of a lot of fun.
Improved inventory- Everyone knows that the inventory system in ME1 was awful, and given the time constraints, I can see why they cut it out altogether so they could just work on the game. Wouldn't it be better then, to simplify the system? Instead of lots of different types of armor, stick with one suit and lots of modifications. Instead of dozens of each kind of weapon, stick with a few weapons of each type and research upgrades. Give us different attachments. I should get a flogging for this, but we could learn a lot from Modern Warfare's weapon customizations. All of the basics are there.
Resource gathering/Side quests- I didn't buy Mass Effect to play as an SCV (Or, for a more appropriate metaphor, just drop MULEs) Currency should be acquired by side missions, money should buy upgrades. None of this scanning planets or scrounging through enemy equipment nonsense. In fact, why have stores at all? I don't care if you buy it from your government. I am not a PMC (unless ME3 tells me that I am.) I get ISSUED weapons. Why not just BUY the upgrades? EDI is a state of the art AI, and I assume I have the capabilities to design and manufacture arms on a small scale. I mean, where else did those resources go in ME2?
Driving sections- I see you testing out the successor to the Mako, Bioware. The hammerhead is a little bit better, with the ability to jump better and sprint, and feels a bit better than the Mako, but don't make it arbitrary. I don't want to hover back and forth to get through a linear mission. I'd rather have some kind of automatic transport, preferably so I don't get bored and hurl myself off of a cliff. The elevators sucked in ME1, but those or trams could easily be a good excuse to skip off the travel time (which doesn't add to anything.) Here's a simple comprimise: You can use trams and elevators to show off your beautifully rendered environments, and we can have the option to skip them all, and you can use them in place of driving from area to area.
Party members- Let us customize them. So far, all you've let us do is play dress up and choose which guns they get to play with. I want more control over how their guns work, and how their armor is set up.
Actually, you know what would be interesting? A 'take your pick' button. The lets the chosen squad members take whichever weapons and upgrades they want from the unavailable, unused ones. To those of you who watch Extra Credits, I think you know what I'm talking about. Storytelling through gameplay. One of the best ways to show a character is to let them do their own thing. If the upgrades and modifications were to make a somewhat more profound impact on the way the game plays, it would certainly bring out how your characters want to act. Which segues perfectly into the next part of this topic...
Artificial intelligence- Look, AI is hard. We get it. But well-designed AI can make or break a game. As far as I can see, the AI is very very samey. Everyone acts the same. Variation and individuality should always be valued in an NPCs actions. Why does every Krogan or Vorcha act the same? Most of them have no strict military training (Humans/Turians), and are not programmed to all act the same way (Geth, VI Security). Having varied and somewhat randomized encounters is what made the original Halo so memorable, and so much fun to play; even after a few deaths in the same area I could stand to play through it again. That leads me back to a previous point, of larger battles, where the missteps of a few doesn't affect the outcome so gravely.
Personality in your teammates AI is extremely important. Think of how much more reckless and powerful Grunt would have seemed if he had always charged at the strongest adversary, showing his excitement over a challenge, or his apathy for long-term survival. And if thane had fired more rapidly and accurately? What if Jack had more biotic powers, and used them more frequently? Wouldn't these people be more memorable? Wouldn't you immediately get to know them better, just by how they act off-script? Actions speak volumes more than words here.
