PainfulPriapism

No, it's not. You don't understand. The mouth movements are controlled by the engine by way of the vocal tracks themselves. Lip syncing is when you try to match mouth movements with sound. But in this case, the sound is actually moving the mouth.

justhesh

The characters and (generally) their animations look so good, it makes the poor lip sync'ing stand out that much more.

Abulia

Candlejack

It's not lip sync. Facial movements are run by the engine.

And I swear to god if one more person bitches about the combat without knowing anything about the game, I will go fucking apeshit.

justhesh

Plus somebody mentioned they have an auto-aim option. Already this game looks to have FAR better gameplay than most of the RPGs I've ever played so I don't have any worries.

Xiedo

arrrggg, why?

quyrean

But what was up with the 1Up "editors"? I hope they got to towel down after each take. I mean, was this a preview or an infomercial?

Whenever they talked I felt all ooky inside.
Anyone else?

Abulia

But what was up with the 1Up "editors". I hope they got a chance to towel off between takes given how much they were gushing. They pushed this piece past preview into the realm of the infomercial. Whenever they talked, I felt all ooky inside.

Anyone else?

Abulia

keyransolo

ビッグ ボス

Actually, it's more like a galaxy or two, not a whole universe. But even still, there are non-planetary things that you can explore, like abandoned ships and the like. Even after the main storyline, there are still plenty of side quests, as well as the promise of DLC.

@Calavera302:

I'm glad someone is actually taking the time out to learn about the thing before they start trashing on it nonsensically. Not only does it have an aiming system in place, but there are also stats that affect a shots strength and accuracy. So it's hardly a run-and-gun affair. Besides, you don't even have to shoot, you can play support for your two squad members.

justhesh

Can't wait for November. This will definitely tide me over until they get around to releasing GTA4.

offrampoffmap

D&D isn't very good for video games. The 'logic' falls apart in places, and can even become contradictory. Trust me when I say this. Maybe Storyteller will work out better, but since it's being adapted for an MMO maybe not. ^^

Mongoosekun

FreddyGlitter

Doomstink

MadMinstrel

Candlejack

FhnuZoag

Toasticus

I for one hate JRPGs, and much prefer western RPGs such as KotOR, Oblivion, and Jade Empire. I preordered this one months ago, and unlike some games where the media I see in the final stages before release makes me re-evaluate my purchase, everything I've seen about ME makes me more and more jazzed.

Oh, and to those comments in the beginning... You CAN play as a female character. In fact, the voice work for the player's lines was recorded twice, once with male voice acting and once with female.

My biggest concern is: how the hell do you fit all of this on a DVD? I mean, did you *see* that galactic map?!

Calavera302

Dimipapa

Gimme! ;(

Candlejack

There's a gameplay on Gamespot where the developer is not in god-mode. It's about half an hour long demo/interview

cyhborg

bnpederson

bnpederson

Again, another person that doesn't understand a single thing about this game.

@CastorKrieg:

Brand recognition. That Shepard has been the face of Mass Effect so far, along with Garus the Turian and the other human, Ashley. The image of the game is based around that face with that voice, though they remain adamant about the choice to be whomever you wish. As to why they're not showing it in the creation menu: they're not showing much of anything else, either.

justhesh

Fusionboxer

ShadowsofHeat

silentbob343

Reuptake

Evo

CastorKrieg

"Yes. KotOR WAS Star Wars, and the lightsabers made a game that used a tired, boring, and not-fun-at-all D&D combat system a bit more tolerable."

So what you're saying is that the new style Mass Effect uses is bad because it's not like the old style...which was bad. Riiight.

"As for Mass Effect, it just doesn't sit well with me that the game is a real-time RPG (I've always been a turn-based fan) with a focus on guns, and no stylish special moves or super attacks"

And more proof that you don't have a clue. The game is filled with special abilities and attacks.

And you use the term limit breaks?! Just come out and say what you really mean: that the only games you like are Final Fantasy VII and other JRPGs that all use the same system they've been using for 20 years. And yet you don't like RPG systems that are "old" and "tired". Give me a freaking break.

justhesh

kotor is one of my fav games ever, but the only attempts at action sequences absolutely suck, in fact they mention that attempt in the video itself, manning the turrets in the space missions...

I don't know... the teammate command system will hopefully be nothing like rainbow six vegas, where the best strategy always revolved around sending allies into certain death again and again in order to bait out enemies...

I... i am so scared. i love you kotor.

slapme7times7

Elohim

Hardly any...Tell that to my knife wound.

vongarr

Nexus6

AspergerSyndrome

Also for a free form non-linear RPG, the system rocks since you can auto-level monsters to still be a challenge which allows your characters to be able to visit every locale. Sure they auto-scale bosses in most non-western rpgs but most of that is just by using formulas based on player character stats (IE your strongest party member has X amout of HP so the boss scales itself to have 4X HP and this continues for attack, defence, ect...) With level system of D&D there is no need for those formulas since you can scale monsters AND bosses based on character level and not their stats. Granted I'm biased since I was a dungeon master in college and I do love to play Japanese RPGS but I stand by the D&D combat system as being extremely flexible and adaptable in both monsters and character customization.

LordNova

Berek

Archaotic

LordNova

Hagglegaggle

As for Mass Effect, it just doesn't sit well with me that the game is a real-time RPG (I've always been a turn-based fan) with a focus on guns, and no stylish special moves or super attacks a la limit breaks. Yes, the story may be great. We're not really sure, nobody's played it yet, so making judgments on THAT this early is a little presumptuous.

But the point I'm trying to make is that for someone like me, who does not like shooting games and doesn't like guns, there's really no motivation to SEE the story if you have to slog through dungeon after dungeon of shooting people. Regardless of what you may think, the combat system DOES matter in the end, because in RPGs, all of the gaps between story are filled with combat.

Archaotic

Why spend so much time to develop beautiful looking faces, if they're [i]barely[/i] able to get away from the "ma ma ma" lip flap? Half Life 2's character performances are still more convincing despite, perhaps, less details in the faces. All throughout this video, it looks like the main character's face is just able to "keep up" with what's being said, when in reality, the face forms the vowels and consonants before the sound is ever projected.

It looks amazing to be sure, but the expressiveness of the characters wouldn't be the best selling point, considering what's come before.

2cents

Earendil

While I'm not particularly fond of BlizzCon or QuakeCon, I can, as an aspiring games writer, appreciate their complete importance in this industry. They are events completely emerged in this culture of ours, and, as Jeff Green says, "it feels like home." Their coverage of these events was excellent, and made me interested in games I didn't think I would be (Rage) and reminded me of ones I was already looking forward to (Left 4 Dead.)

The Mass Effect segment was likewise well put together, and honestly, my favorite segment on a 1up Show ever. Now, a lot of that has to with the product that the Doctors have brought to the table, but I do think that the team at 1up put together a video preview truly for the fans of Mass Effect - showing us things like the origin and character history options, as well as some more extensive combat footage, specifically the new and improved party control system. They even threw in a bit of the non-human romance plot that people on the Bioware Forums have been begging to know about.

Finally, John Davison managed to be in two consecutive amazing segments, first with Mass Effect, and then Everyday Shooter. For those of you who watched Brian Crecente play Everyday Shooter on JustinTV the other day, you may remember me in the chat explaining that if you could hear more than the bass in the game, you'd hear how beautiful it could sound. 1up Yours really highlights that well (FYI - my favorite level is the one with the "black ravens", cloud cover, and red barons; that music is super Pablo Honey era Radiohead.) For those of you not yet interested in Everyday Shooter, you really should watch this, and know immediately why you should be: Great, innovative design choices by Jonathan Mak. Their discussion of the differing point and combo rules really brought to mind Ian Bogost's procedural rhetoric (and the arguments of Jonathan Blow on Stephen Totilo's Multiplayer blog recently) - that a game can and does make arguments through the mechanics, rules, and systems that it operates under. I really can't wait to get this under my microscope. Ryan's excitement is really infectious.

Give it a watch if you guys haven't, it's good stuff.

WreckTheLaw

Maybe DO WANT helps.

RageKage

AnonUserAnonymous

"GETZ DA HEADSHOT" "I just don't like shooters, that's all."

Yeah, and it's clear from your stereotypical reaction that you're plenty certified to talk about shooting games at all, let alone a game that isn't even out yet. It's amazing how you can categorize the combat elements of a game you've never played as painfully bad, especially when you have such a limited understanding of the system or even basic plot and setting that corresponds to it. And besides that, you completely ignore the fact that the vast majority of combat shown for the game is done in close quarters with not even an inkling of sniping you so love to quote.

I mean, you talk about KotOR having "beam sabers" like it's wasn't the entire basis of the story. It was Star Wars, for god's sake, it was based completely around an item that was an archaic weapon by definition of the plot itself. To expect or even to wish for melee elements in Mass Effect, with complete disregard for the plot, is ridiculous, and especially so when based on the presence of them in a game that didn't even have real time combat.

justhesh

WTF does that have to do with being interested in this game? Because he doesn't want the game means he's a Sony fanboy?

Anywho, November will be a busy month for me. So many great looking game coming out. 1st day purchase for me.

phalanges

I just don't like shooters, that's all. And I don't think BioWare's going to let you talk your way through the entire game without fighting anything. :P

Archaotic

No, Street Fighter has too much backstory.

justhesh

Mediocre shooter?

WTF?

Do you not see the scope of exploration, and the enthralling and deep story? You sound like you would rather play Street Fighter, than an RPG.

EnigmaNemesis

Calandrind

For those of us who don't like shooters...what is our incentive to play it? The character creation and stat screens keep basically confirming there is no melee or close-range combat in the game, which just kills it."

It seems to me that you know very little about the game you've decided to talk about. They're a military unit. If you're a military unit, you're not supposed to run around shanking and clubbing people. And why should you wait to be swarmed? That's asinine.

The incentive to play is that it's a massively story and character driven RPG. If all you care about in video games is combat, then you can have just as much fun going outside and stick fighting with your friends.

justhesh

Axel_Silver

Yes, they confirmed that...many, many months ago. I'm surprised at how much basic information about this game is still unkown by so many. It's almost criminal.

Even on the Mass Effect site itself there are countless posts asking the most basic things imaginable, like if it's a third person game or if there's multiplayer. I mean, they've only given out this information in every media piece they've done for a year. I don't know if it's people just being lazy, or if they've been living under rocks, but it upsets me more than you can imagine. It's as if Bioware has dressed their daughter up in a pink dress and people keep asking if it's a boy or a girl.

justhesh

All I'm saying is that it really sucks that BioWare is turning what could be an awesome RPG into a mediocre shooter by sealing off the option to fight up close. Pistol-whips don't cut it. If I can't get a vibroblade, I should at least get the ability to beat the hell out of people with my bare hands, since I'm just not interested in "OMGZ SNIPERZ".

Archaotic

Maleficence

EnigmaNemesis

jihadjoe343

silentbob343

golemnist

golemnist

As for this video...I like the character interaction system, and if it were in more games it would probably redefine the RPG genre, but again...the combat just seems painfully uninteresting with the lack of melee and the focus on "shoot them before they swarm you".

For those of us who don't like shooters...what is our incentive to play it? The character creation and stat screens keep basically confirming there is no melee or close-range combat in the game, which just kills it.

Archaotic

Excalibur

I didn't want this game until I saw this video. Damnit, if this keeps on going I'm going to go bankrupt.

Spiderbait

Why?!?

klausvalka

darvos

jihadjoe343

cadekun

Carroceiro

Didn't KOTOR II and III come and go? They weren't made by Bioware though. So as far as I'm concerned, Mass Effect is the next true KOTOR.

Xiedo

But with this game, they're always showing off something new.

Also, i can't wait to see what this game looks like in person. Cause from all the vids and trailers, it's visuals look SICK!! And does anyone else get excited thinking that if they were to make a new KOTOR, how awesome it would be?

Desfunk

Xiedo

If so: Sounds pretty freaking limiting to me.
You guys ranting against the Oblivion character creation and hailing this thing need to realize that the range offered by Oblivion totally crushes what this (admittedly sweet) system offers, including facial expression for freaking cat and lizard people. The end results in Oblivion were awkward, but their ambition smashes this to little tiny bits.

If not: Can't wait to see the rest of the options

Sunjammer

Lot Krotan

Alan Wake looks really good to me too, but I'll wait for reviews to come out before I decide to buy. :)

spork

lilibat

They're done for every scene because they're run by the vocal tracks themselves, not animators.

justhesh

Granted, the 360 has been out for longer, but overall... sans RRoD reports though I've not gotten one myself (which may, under the new HDMI machines, be a thing of the past... maybe...), I've been quite impressed with the machine overall. Considering how much MicroSoft is getting right this generation as opposed to last, it's actually making more sense to own all three.

The Wii is a major niche console in that it's got broad, mass market appeal.

But the PS3 and 360 are going to be battlegrounds for exclusive IP... and I'm absolutely loving the exclusive IPs on both so far.

Just give in and be a consumer whore. You only live once and you can't take it with you.

dv8godd

Mongoosekun

Citan359

as702ecs

The_Foo

Wow. What a witty and thoughtful quip.

You must feel smart being able to underscore the most obvious, banally semantic point you could possibly make.

Regardless of system, application, or intended use, a character generator is a character generator. Comparing one from a game on the 360 to the character gen system for the entire PS3 online infrastructure isn't merely valid; it's completely necessary and as far as gaming goes, the very purpose of the press.

Maybe if there is some merit to Davison's comments, Sony will rachet up their Home offering to better serve you, the gamer.

Heaven forbid that ever happens!

stranger

as702ecs

I used to feel the same way about BioShock. I didn't think it looked all that great, and that it would be a disappointment once released. I'm starting to reconsider it after the two great reviews that came out. If this game can keep up the pace with more reviews then it's a buy for me.

romBox

TheHun

sure is. they're also entirely different applications. 10/10, Sherlock. :D

as702ecs

jip100

The fact i own a 360 shows how little you know, personally i just can't convince myself to buy these.

Just because im not convinced by a major title doesn't make me a fanboy you know.

my gamertag is resistance100 if you don't believe me.

Gears of War sold the 360 for me along with halo3 and crackdown. Also alan wake looks great. Mass effect and bioshock just don't cut it for me

jip100

Zim

sinny

Bluespruce

Noks415

Maleficence

I attended and still fail to get that reference.

Anyways, absolutely gorgeous and cannot wait to own it.

i_9

Uh Oh, dont let homeland security hear that

yashichi8bit

MasterOfPastures

Do you own an Xbox360? Cause then maybe you just don't want to spend $350 to play them. If you can't think of any other reason than I can't either, truthfully.

Xiedo

That doesn't even get to the level of how much of an improvement this is compared to other character editors.

Dr.Chocobo

badramen

Barbara

atma

yashichi8bit

jip100

VileMethoD

VileMethoD

Kemuri