Ray Muzyka: I mean, it really depends on just how much you want to do on the uncharted worlds. I think it’s going to be about 40 hours or so for the main story, so it’s going to be a good-sized BioWare RPG just for the core part. Off the beaten path, there’s probably another 20 or 30 hours or so of stuff, or more, depending on how much you do and what order you do it in and all of that. It’s this non-linear exploration of uncharted worlds.

This is good news for many Xbox 360 owners. I love long RPGs with a lot of side content.

This game is sounding awesome. I wonder if they will have some downloadable worlds to explore later after the game comes out? I know it is suppose to be part of a trilogy, but if they can give us a few story add ons between the games that would be nice. This game I would buy on the first day, but if I am not done with Oblivion main quests by then I will probably wait to pick it up. Last thing I need is two huge RPG games to work through at the same time.

Cool. I just hope that it is a GOOD 70 hours.

This game looks amazing. I can't wait.

Sweet, is there a solid release date yet? Hopefully this year...

I really hope it doesn't have leveling enemies like Oblivion. That works well for Oblivion, but I want this game to play more like KOTOR.

The game looks amazing, but I am concerned about the basic combat mechanics. I enjoyed Jade Empire only so-so, and never completed it. I just didn't enjoy the combat mechanics.

Bio-Ware did IMHO an exemplary job with the Advanced D&D, turn-based combat mechanics in KOTOR, and after an initial adjustment period, I really enjoyed the nearly endless options and strategies the semi-real time, turn-based mechanic offered. Some fights were easy with me doing nearly nothing but the basics, having my team partners pre-set with the basic options; others I had major troubles with, but I was able to try all kinds of different strategies for them by taking advantage of the turn-based option, and freezing and queuing up mutliple turns for each team member. The depth of that combat system was monumental, in no small part thanks to all the various armor and accessory options, and Jade Empire's combat depth really paled in comparison, embarrassingly so, I thought.

I am very nervous about Bio-Ware's decision to go with a real-time combat system with this game, and only moreso due to the FPS nature of that system. It takes good developers years to fine-tune a good FPS system for a console (controller vs. keyboard/mouse), and I just don't see Bio-Ware coming through with flying colors right off the bat here. Maybe I am missing something, but I'm not sure Bio-Ware has ever made a modern, console FPS or 3rd-person shooter. How can they hope to create combat mechanics that can hold up against other shooters that have no RPG/player stat elements? How can they hope to have a functional, useful and fun 'squad-based' combat system, when games like GRAW and Rainbow6, or GoW have so much trouble with teammate and squad member AI?

This decision to abandon the superbly refined AD&D turn-based system that served them so well with KOTOR was the main reason I did not enjoy Jade Empire despite what seemed like a quality story framework, and if it doesn't work very well, or worse doesn't work well at all, Mass Effect could be nigh unplayable, no matter how incredible the story structure is, how wide open the side quests and exploration aspects are, how in-depth the character interaction and development aspects are, etc. etc. The basic combat mechanic is the main foundation of any RPG, and they have set a very high bar for themselves by choosing to go with a squad-based shooter mechanic, since this combat format has been so well mined by many other developers over the years, and even so continues to demonstrate all kinds of problems, particuarly with teammate AI.

I hope I'm wrong.

I really hope it doesn't have leveling enemies like Oblivion. That works well for Oblivion, but I want this game to play more like KOTOR.

Agreed. Oblivion was too easy in that it was to much of the same challenge. I want to think while I'm playing "I can't beat that guy yet, I have to come back after I find new weapons, items etc." Or, If I do defeat that guy now, WOW, that was really rewarding. I never died in Oblivion and after a short time, I stopped even looking for items because I could already kill anything that came my way. Maybe the key is to have the main quests leveled somehow but the side quests that won't interrupt the storyline based on a risk/reward system. If you want that uber weapon early in the game, you have to kill the uber bad guy which you might not, and should not be able to do.

Mass effect is on my must have list for 07' along with Army of Two, Forza 2, and that Halo 3 game I keep hearing things about.

I'm concerned about Mass Effect not really having "huge" worlds.

Consider KOTOR (both of them), the game is around 40-50 hours, features around 5 planets, but each planet only has a few "zones". They don't even feel like "planets" to me. The scale doesn't make me feel epic.

I hope Mass Effect has MUCH larger "zones" that offer more content. But I was definitely let down by Jade Empire so I'm a bit apprehensive towards it.

This game is sounding awesome. I wonder if they will have some downloadable worlds to explore later after the game comes out? I know it is suppose to be part of a trilogy, but if they can give us a few story add ons between the games that would be nice. This game I would buy on the first day, but if I am not done with Oblivion main quests by then I will probably wait to pick it up. Last thing I need is two huge RPG games to work through at the same time.

In a recent interview they said they intend to add extra playable scenarios inbetween game releases in the series.

bring it on! 70 hrs, if they are good hours, makes game well worth it

game will be running natively at 1080i.

thats longgggggg

thats longgggggg

Meh.... i have 115 hours into oblivion and havent even started the main part of the game :D

The game looks amazing, but I am concerned about the basic combat mechanics.


I couldn't agree more with you. I loved the combat in KOTOR and I'm VERY worried about this new combat system. Like you though, I really hope it's going to be good.

It's like how they changed the battle system for Final Fantasy XII. I love the game but I played it for a while and put it away because the battles aren't very fun to me.

I couldn't agree more with you. I loved the combat in KOTOR and I'm VERY worried about this new combat system. Like you though, I really hope it's going to be good.

It's like how they changed the battle system for Final Fantasy XII. I love the game but I played it for a while and put it away because the battles aren't very fun to me.

i'm kind of the opposite, i was annoyed by the combat in KOTOR (although i still love the games) and i'm thanking god they went real time.

and for those concerned about your moronic teammate AI, there's actually a pause-command mode. you pause the game, switch characters, tell them where to move and what to do, unpause and they carry out your orders. in one of the developer diaries, they show it in action, and you have far more control over your teammates than you ever did in KOTOR.

despite that, it's actually more like KOTOR than you might think. it's just KOTOR without the annoying visible "turn delay" that made combat ridiculous to watch in those games.

I want to think while I'm playing "I can't beat that guy yet, I have to come back after I find new weapons, items etc." Or, If I do defeat that guy now, WOW, that was really rewarding. Maybe the key is to have the main quests leveled somehow but the side quests that won't interrupt the storyline based on a risk/reward system. If you want that uber weapon early in the game, you have to kill the uber bad guy which you might not, and should not be able to do.
This sounds like an excellent balance between the two and I would be tremendously in favor of it. I can understand the level nature for the main quest, so that anyone could do it no matter how much (or little) they worked on the game. It would be very appealing to have side quests that are suitable for say levels 0-10, then 10-20, 20-30, etc., etc.

Meh.... i have 115 hours into oblivion and havent even started the main part of the game :DAgreed. 70+ hours is nothing for an RPG. I put more than 180 hours into Oblivion, and I never downloaded any of the add-on material (except for that sweet horse armor :p ) I am looking forward to the "big" add-on this Spring with more achievement points.

At 70 hours I may actually finish all of it. I don't seem to have the time for the 100+ ones anymore and besides, a new game comes out that takes my interest ;)

I'm not worried about the game, Bioware makes a good product. Can this be pre-ordered yet?