Talking Meme: Day #2
From 
dorinda: What about some tips for beginners to the Mass Effect games, and giving your thoughts on them etc.
First of all, my most important advice for newbies to Mass Effect is this: seriously, it doesn't matter what skill level you have when it comes to video games. Don't feel like you have to play the game on Hardcore for it to count. If you want to? That's fine. But if you need to play on Casual? Play on Casual. If you need to download a trainer or any other "cheats" in order to get through the fighting so that you can enjoy the story? There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. (As long as you're playing single-player, that is.)
Do what you have to do in order to enjoy the game. Some people love the action scenes, fighting through bases and shooting bad guys. Personally? I find that the most boring and annoying part of the game. Everyone has different preferences. What one person loves, another hates.
If you want to install mods? Feel free! There are some awesome ones out there, especially for ME3 although there are some for ME1 and ME2 as well. They can range from the relatively minor (give Shepard a different hairstyle! give Shepard more clothes to wear!), to the more extensive (make ME1's textures prettier and more hi-def! make ME3 Ashley and Kaidan's appearances look more like ME1 Ashley and Kaidan's appearances!), to the really major (change actual plot points! significantly!).
(Speaking of which: would anyone be interested in recs? I can totally type up recs for various mods if anyone wants to know my favorites.)
Seriously. There's no right or wrong way to play Mass Effect. Unless you hate Wrex. Then you're just wrong and we can no longer be friends. :-P
If you're new to the games, take your time. Go on the five billion side missions that Hackett sends you on. Talk to people. Hang up on the Council. (Or don't. It's your call.) Read the information about all of the various planets you visit. There's an amazing amount of worldbuilding. Thousands, no millions, years' worth of history, at least by the time you get to the third game and start finding out some long-hidden secrets. Have a relationship. Or two. Or five. Take the time to get to know your Shepard as well as the universe that s/he lives in.
Seriously, enjoy the ride. And if by some miracle you're unspoiled? Try to stay that way. Don't worry about making the "right" choices, at least not during your first playthrough. Make the choices that you think that your Shepard would make.
If all of your friends end up dead or hating you? If you really regret romancing that character/not punching that person in the face/not saving that character when you had the chance/being way too paragon or renegade/choosing that particular background or class? If you end up dying and condemning the universe to its fate? You can always start a new playthrough, with a new Shepard. Or with the same Shepard, if you want. S/he can get a second chance to do things right this time.
And that's the beauty of Mass Effect. Right now, so far, I have 28 different Shepards. Every single one of them is different. Different backgrounds. Different abilities. Different experiences. Some of them make good decisions. Some of them make bad decisions. Some of them make the worst decisions possible, oh my gods Gio Shepard how are you even still alive? But they're all amazing people who I love (or possibly love to hate; yes, Gio, I'm looking at you).
Believe me when I say that you'd be surprised just how different the game can feel if you switch things up. Decisions you make in ME1 can and will come back to bite you/make your day/possibly both at once in ME2 and ME3. If you do just one or two things differently, there can be some serious ripples.
Above all else? Enjoy the experience. You're in for one hell of a ride.
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replies there. Comment on whichever site you prefer.
dorinda: What about some tips for beginners to the Mass Effect games, and giving your thoughts on them etc.
First of all, my most important advice for newbies to Mass Effect is this: seriously, it doesn't matter what skill level you have when it comes to video games. Don't feel like you have to play the game on Hardcore for it to count. If you want to? That's fine. But if you need to play on Casual? Play on Casual. If you need to download a trainer or any other "cheats" in order to get through the fighting so that you can enjoy the story? There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. (As long as you're playing single-player, that is.)
Do what you have to do in order to enjoy the game. Some people love the action scenes, fighting through bases and shooting bad guys. Personally? I find that the most boring and annoying part of the game. Everyone has different preferences. What one person loves, another hates.
If you want to install mods? Feel free! There are some awesome ones out there, especially for ME3 although there are some for ME1 and ME2 as well. They can range from the relatively minor (give Shepard a different hairstyle! give Shepard more clothes to wear!), to the more extensive (make ME1's textures prettier and more hi-def! make ME3 Ashley and Kaidan's appearances look more like ME1 Ashley and Kaidan's appearances!), to the really major (change actual plot points! significantly!).
(Speaking of which: would anyone be interested in recs? I can totally type up recs for various mods if anyone wants to know my favorites.)
Seriously. There's no right or wrong way to play Mass Effect. Unless you hate Wrex. Then you're just wrong and we can no longer be friends. :-P
If you're new to the games, take your time. Go on the five billion side missions that Hackett sends you on. Talk to people. Hang up on the Council. (Or don't. It's your call.) Read the information about all of the various planets you visit. There's an amazing amount of worldbuilding. Thousands, no millions, years' worth of history, at least by the time you get to the third game and start finding out some long-hidden secrets. Have a relationship. Or two. Or five. Take the time to get to know your Shepard as well as the universe that s/he lives in.
Seriously, enjoy the ride. And if by some miracle you're unspoiled? Try to stay that way. Don't worry about making the "right" choices, at least not during your first playthrough. Make the choices that you think that your Shepard would make.
If all of your friends end up dead or hating you? If you really regret romancing that character/not punching that person in the face/not saving that character when you had the chance/being way too paragon or renegade/choosing that particular background or class? If you end up dying and condemning the universe to its fate? You can always start a new playthrough, with a new Shepard. Or with the same Shepard, if you want. S/he can get a second chance to do things right this time.
And that's the beauty of Mass Effect. Right now, so far, I have 28 different Shepards. Every single one of them is different. Different backgrounds. Different abilities. Different experiences. Some of them make good decisions. Some of them make bad decisions. Some of them make the worst decisions possible, oh my gods Gio Shepard how are you even still alive? But they're all amazing people who I love (or possibly love to hate; yes, Gio, I'm looking at you).
Believe me when I say that you'd be surprised just how different the game can feel if you switch things up. Decisions you make in ME1 can and will come back to bite you/make your day/possibly both at once in ME2 and ME3. If you do just one or two things differently, there can be some serious ripples.
Above all else? Enjoy the experience. You're in for one hell of a ride.
This entry has been crossposted to Dreamwidth, and it currently has
replies there. Comment on whichever site you prefer.