Comments on: A 2012 Preview http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/ The Adrenaline Vault is an independent site providing uninfluenced and unbiased video game information. Tue, 14 May 2013 10:40:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Vapus http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112318 Vapus Sun, 04 Mar 2012 05:28:09 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112318 You touch on quite a few other things that bother me about this latest iteration of What i hope Is still really a Bioware game. I still dont need any other reasons than the ones ive already stated to wait , get it cheap and "fix it" so i dont have to deal with publisher menutia You touch on quite a few other things that bother me about this latest iteration of What i hope Is still really a Bioware game. I still dont need any other reasons than the ones ive already stated to wait , get it cheap and “fix it” so i dont have to deal with publisher menutia

]]> By: Argos http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112307 Argos Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:41:55 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112307 @Vapus and Ian Davis I am a fan of the Mass Effect series to. I did buy the collectors/special editions of the first two games. I even bought beautifully illustrated gameguides because I loved immersing myself in this SciFi experience, and I read the novels and comics. ME filled a gap after the Star Wars gaming franchise went down hill. But I will not buy ME3. It is not because of Origin. It is because of the way Bioware destroys a perfectly good game with their treatment of DLC. First we had the free DLC. These were gifts to appease us before grabbing the money out of our wallets. The worst of these was obviously the hammerhead. The vehicle was thrown in as an afterthought without even considering integrating it in the game in a useful manner. The missions that accompanied it were a joke. Second. Compared to ME1 it is clear that weapon and armor options were left out of ME2. We had to buy them back later. Third. It also was obvious that certain companion characters were left out on purpose, only to sell them to us later. The biggest problem is not that you have to buy these companions, but the fact that you get them after you already played through the game at least once or twice. This destroys the gameplay experience and immersion in a very, very bad way. It breaks up the game in little pieces. I think this is very bad practice and very unprofessional. What good is an new squadmate months after I already played the game twice and finished the main quest twice? Do I have to replay the game each and every time Bioware decides to release a new piece of DLC schrapnel? This is not the way games should be played and enjoyed at all. Rockstar did a much better job with its DLC for GTA4. These large DLC, although depending on the same setting and events, could be played completely separate from the original game. And they still were smartly connected to the main story. Bethesda has also realized the problem of little tidbits of DLC. They stated that they will no longer release shrapnel DLC for Skyrim. They will make 2 or three, large, expansion-like DLC and release some free DLC gifts for their fans in between. Fourth. The last DLC connects ME2 to ME3. It is apparently an important part of the story. Therefore it is despicable to sell it to us separately. It should have been in the main game already or given away for free to all the ME2 owners. I am a huge fan of Mass Effect. I love it. I even bought the books and the collectors editions, and the game guides etc. But I have not bought a single DLC and I will not buy this last one. I also am not going to buy ME3. I will wait until they release the complete game with all the content, even if I have to wait 5 years or more. Or perhaps I will never buy it at all. The way Bioware handles DLC is wrong, terribly wrong. I am prepared to buy DLC, but only if they do not break up the game (like the excellent GTA4 DLC). I refuse to buy little chunks of torn up and shredded game, that are obviously to expensive in comparison to the original game And I certainly won't pay Bioware for destroying my gaming experience. Sorry for the long reaction, but I feel very strongly about this and had to get this off my chest. :) @Vapus and Ian Davis

I am a fan of the Mass Effect series to. I did buy the collectors/special editions of the first two games. I even bought beautifully illustrated gameguides because I loved immersing myself in this SciFi experience, and I read the novels and comics. ME filled a gap after the Star Wars gaming franchise went down hill.

But I will not buy ME3. It is not because of Origin.
It is because of the way Bioware destroys a perfectly good game with their treatment of DLC.

First we had the free DLC. These were gifts to appease us before grabbing the money out of our wallets.
The worst of these was obviously the hammerhead. The vehicle was thrown in as an afterthought without even considering integrating it in the game in a useful manner. The missions that accompanied it were a joke.

Second. Compared to ME1 it is clear that weapon and armor options were left out of ME2. We had to buy them back later.

Third. It also was obvious that certain companion characters were left out on purpose, only to sell them to us later. The biggest problem is not that you have to buy these companions, but the fact that you get them after you already played through the game at least once or twice. This destroys the gameplay experience and immersion in a very, very bad way. It breaks up the game in little pieces. I think this is very bad practice and very unprofessional.
What good is an new squadmate months after I already played the game twice and finished the main quest twice? Do I have to replay the game each and every time Bioware decides to release a new piece of DLC schrapnel? This is not the way games should be played and enjoyed at all.

Rockstar did a much better job with its DLC for GTA4. These large DLC, although depending on the same setting and events, could be played completely separate from the original game. And they still were smartly connected to the main story.
Bethesda has also realized the problem of little tidbits of DLC. They stated that they will no longer release shrapnel DLC for Skyrim. They will make 2 or three, large, expansion-like DLC and release some free DLC gifts for their fans in between.

Fourth. The last DLC connects ME2 to ME3. It is apparently an important part of the story. Therefore it is despicable to sell it to us separately. It should have been in the main game already or given away for free to all the ME2 owners.

I am a huge fan of Mass Effect. I love it. I even bought the books and the collectors editions, and the game guides etc. But I have not bought a single DLC and I will not buy this last one. I also am not going to buy ME3. I will wait until they release the complete game with all the content, even if I have to wait 5 years or more. Or perhaps I will never buy it at all.

The way Bioware handles DLC is wrong, terribly wrong. I am prepared to buy DLC, but only if they do not break up the game (like the excellent GTA4 DLC). I refuse to buy little chunks of torn up and shredded game, that are obviously to expensive in comparison to the original game And I certainly won’t pay Bioware for destroying my gaming experience.

Sorry for the long reaction, but I feel very strongly about this and had to get this off my chest. :)

]]> By: Ian Davis http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112306 Ian Davis Fri, 02 Mar 2012 04:23:54 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112306 I really don't have a problem with it. While I definitely prefer Steam, Origin isn't bad, and it certainly won't keep me from Mass Effect 3. I'd crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass to see that game through the end. Perhaps I am the problem. I really don’t have a problem with it. While I definitely prefer Steam, Origin isn’t bad, and it certainly won’t keep me from Mass Effect 3. I’d crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass to see that game through the end.

Perhaps I am the problem.

]]> By: Vapus http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112305 Vapus Fri, 02 Mar 2012 03:52:41 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112305 Origin is literally by design, EA's version of steam. While i can understand a companys desire to compete in the online content arena , EA has failed utterly, Origin is a terrible piece of software and at this moment is still in beta, yet a requirement to install and run say, ME 3 next week. Not only that , but EA has pulled all thier AAA titles from steam and pushed them onto this terribad platform . As much as I wanted to see the end of the story with ME 3, Ill be waiting a year or so before i bother with it. Ill buy it on the cheap, and use "the laymans solution" to enjoy the experiance i want. Origin is literally by design, EA’s version of steam.
While i can understand a companys desire to compete in the online content arena , EA has failed utterly, Origin is a terrible piece of software and at this moment is still in beta, yet a requirement to install and run say, ME 3 next week.
Not only that , but EA has pulled all thier AAA titles from steam and pushed them onto this terribad platform .

As much as I wanted to see the end of the story with ME 3, Ill be waiting a year or so before i bother with it. Ill buy it on the cheap, and use “the laymans solution” to enjoy the experiance i want.

]]> By: Argos http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112286 Argos Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:29:52 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112286 Although I do agree with your concerns about Ubisoft, I don't know what to think about Origin. I have no personal experience with Origin. If it is something like Steam and offers good service, I am not really against it. But I am concerned about the ridiculous excessive DRM schemes Ubisoft used in other games. An always-on DRM will make me skip any game. But I have to say that I am very eager to play an single player open world game like Far Cry 3. Stuff like that is so rare these days. It seems everyone wants to do another online multiplayer or another MMO. I am sick of that. Although I do agree with your concerns about Ubisoft, I don’t know what to think about Origin. I have no personal experience with Origin. If it is something like Steam and offers good service, I am not really against it.
But I am concerned about the ridiculous excessive DRM schemes Ubisoft used in other games. An always-on DRM will make me skip any game.
But I have to say that I am very eager to play an single player open world game like Far Cry 3. Stuff like that is so rare these days. It seems everyone wants to do another online multiplayer or another MMO. I am sick of that.

]]> By: Vapus http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112285 Vapus Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:06:49 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112285 Far Cry 3 is one to skip, Origin and Ubisoft.. no thankyou. Far Cry 3 is one to skip, Origin and Ubisoft.. no thankyou.

]]> By: Argos http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112272 Argos Sun, 26 Feb 2012 11:49:16 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112272 @ psycros "that’s the first mention I’ve seen about Hitman 5." You must be kidding me. I have been watching Hitman 5 Absolution trailers and interviews for months now. I was so surprised at your comment that I even started to doubt myself for a moment. :) As far as Prey 2 is concerned, it is a totally different beast than Prey 1 was. It is not about portal stuff at all. Personally I am much more exited about Prey 2 than I ever was about Prey 1. I love being able to play a bounty hunter in an alien open world city. I hope the game lives up to its promises. @ psycros

“that’s the first mention I’ve seen about Hitman 5.”

You must be kidding me. I have been watching Hitman 5 Absolution trailers and interviews for months now. I was so surprised at your comment that I even started to doubt myself for a moment. :)

As far as Prey 2 is concerned, it is a totally different beast than Prey 1 was. It is not about portal stuff at all.
Personally I am much more exited about Prey 2 than I ever was about Prey 1. I love being able to play a bounty hunter in an alien open world city. I hope the game lives up to its promises.

]]> By: psycros http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112271 psycros Sun, 26 Feb 2012 02:17:37 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112271 Prey was amazing, and one of those games that I had really given up for vaporware. It impressed me with the portal stuff and the AI (and featuring Art Bell was flippin' <i>genius</i>). I eventually hit a puzzle/barrier that was either bugged or I was doing it wrong, and I never could get past it. Also, I remember I kinda wishing it was more open - a little more Halo, a little less Doom 3. Maybe Prey II will be what I was hoping for :) @Argos: that's the first mention I've seen about Hitman 5. Prey was amazing, and one of those games that I had really given up for vaporware. It impressed me with the portal stuff and the AI (and featuring Art Bell was flippin’ genius). I eventually hit a puzzle/barrier that was either bugged or I was doing it wrong, and I never could get past it. Also, I remember I kinda wishing it was more open – a little more Halo, a little less Doom 3. Maybe Prey II will be what I was hoping for :)

@Argos: that’s the first mention I’ve seen about Hitman 5.

]]> By: Argos http://www.avault.com/blogs/davis/2012-preview/comment-page-1/#comment-112270 Argos Sat, 25 Feb 2012 14:29:21 +0000 http://www.avault.com/?p=76050#comment-112270 I think there are a few truly important omissions of PC games that will attract huge attention in 2012: - Hitman 5 : dec 2012 - Prototype 2 : 24-july-2012 - Borderlands 2 : 21-sept-2012 - Dishonored : Q3/Q4-2012 - Tombraider : Q3-2012 - Farcry 3 : 4-sept-2012 - Assassin's Creed 3 : 30-oct-2012 These are not minor, unimportant games mind you. A preview of 2012 should at least mention these I think. 2012 will be an even better PC gaming year than 2011. I think there are a few truly important omissions of PC games that will attract huge attention in 2012:

- Hitman 5 : dec 2012

- Prototype 2 : 24-july-2012

- Borderlands 2 : 21-sept-2012

- Dishonored : Q3/Q4-2012

- Tombraider : Q3-2012

- Farcry 3 : 4-sept-2012

- Assassin’s Creed 3 : 30-oct-2012

These are not minor, unimportant games mind you.
A preview of 2012 should at least mention these I think.
2012 will be an even better PC gaming year than 2011.

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