Weblogs Inc : Tag mass-effect http://www.weblogsinc.com Post tagged mass-effect on the Weblogs Inc Network http://www.weblogsinc.com/media/feedlogo.gif Weblogs Inc : Tag mass-effect http://www.weblogsinc.com en-us Copyright 2006 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Mass Effect price dropped to $10 on Steam this weekendhttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/mass-effect-price-dropped-to-10-on-steam-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/mass-effect-price-dropped-to-10-on-steam-this-weekend/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/mass-effect-price-dropped-to-10-on-steam-this-weekend/#comments Were you one of the seven people on the planet who managed to resist Mass Effect's "possible alien nudity" siren call? Prepare for your steely resolve to buckle: The game's only $9.99 this weekend on Steam. Despite any qualms we may have had with the game's completely broken inventory system, or the frequent appearance of three-toed sloth-powered elevators, we find it hard not to suggest dropping a Hammy to add this to your collection.

It might even help you decide whether you want to drop six Hammies on the upcoming sequel. Or a Grant and a Hammy, we guess, though that sounds like Denny's menu item. (Great, now we want some Denny's. Thanks for nothing, Valve!)]]>mass-effect Nine straight minutes of Mass Effect 2 gameplayhttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/nine-straight-minutes-of-mass-effect-2-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/nine-straight-minutes-of-mass-effect-2-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/nine-straight-minutes-of-mass-effect-2-gameplay/#comments We get the feeling someone at BioWare has proclaimed this "Epic Week," what with the release of its fantasy RPG stunner Dragon Age: Origins and now an epic new video from its next big game, Mass Effect 2. This isn't a trailer or developer diary -- you're in for nine minutes of unedited, uninterrupted gameplay footage from the most recent build of ME2. In fact, it's the same mission -- set inside Omega's "Inferno" nightclub -- that we ourselves got to play earlier this week. (And yes, we can confirm it looks that good.)

You'll get a sense of the sequel's leap in environmental detail, character modeling and dialog scene camerawork in this clip, along with loads of intense combat. There's even an appearance by returning character (and total badass) Garrus from the first Mass Effect, plus a joke that manages to poke fun at rumors of Commander Shepard's death and the fact players can make him/her look like anyone they choose. Again -- nine minutes.]]>mass-effect Hands-on: Mass Effect 2http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/06/hands-on-mass-effect-2/#comments
click to make more MASSive
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than Mass Effect 2's newly revealed world, Omega. (Well, apart from the Mos Eisley spaceport, that is.) This is where our latest grubby-mitts-on-the-gamepad outing with BioWare's upcoming RPG shooter role-playing shooter took place -- or, rather, inside its favorite hangout for galactic riffraff, the Inferno nightclub.

It turns out there was a purpose in showcasing this location beyond the throbbing music and exotic alien dancers -- it happens to be the same sort of locale that one of the original Mass Effect's earliest combat encounters played out in, and we got this point before our tour guide even had to make it: The environments in Mass Effect 2 are leaps and bounds better the first game's. In fact, this place seemed alive. Oh yeah -- and there just so happened to be a firefight waiting for us as we ventured further into this seedy sin palace.
%Gallery-77544%
]]>mass-effect The Collectors, and the enemies of Mass Effect 2http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/the-collectors-and-the-enemies-of-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/the-collectors-and-the-enemies-of-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/11/05/the-collectors-and-the-enemies-of-mass-effect-2/#comments Here are some of the creatures that will be wiping out humanity in Mass Effect 2:
  • Collectors – an insect-like race, controlled by a single leader, that has access to the technology that "no one else in the galaxy" has. They can paralyze humans, and according to the video dev diary above, can abduct entire colonies. Oh, and they have beam weapons.
  • Abominations – Husks from the first Mass Effect, but now on fire and 100-percent more suicide bomber-y.
  • Scions – Three transformed human beings that have been grafted together onto a weapon. Essentially, super-zombies. With guns.
  • Batorians – A "flying suit of armor" apparently made of thirty Husks that can "obliterate everything."
The Geth will also make a return in Mass Effect 2. Legion, a Geth that has gained sentience, will hunt the player through the adventure, and it'll be up to you to figure out why. Provided your Commander Shepard, um, doesn't die first.]]>mass-effect Shepard shoots stuff in this Mass Effect 2 gameplay footagehttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/shepard-shoots-stuff-in-this-mass-effect-2-gameplay-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/shepard-shoots-stuff-in-this-mass-effect-2-gameplay-footage/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/shepard-shoots-stuff-in-this-mass-effect-2-gameplay-footage/#comments G4 has a fresh new video of Mass Effect 2 goodness straight outta the space oven showing our good pal Shephard doing what he does best: shooting everything in sight. Your Shepard may be different, but for the sake of this post, Shepard is a man with a very itchy trigger finger, a lot of Renegade points and ... a very dirty space suit. It's dirty from all of the space blood!

Head past the break to check out the gameplay clip.]]>mass-effect Check out new preview of Mass Effect comic's first issuehttp://news.bigdownload.com/2009/10/13/check-out-new-preview-of-mass-effect-comics-first-issue/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/10/13/check-out-new-preview-of-mass-effect-comics-first-issue/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/10/13/check-out-new-preview-of-mass-effect-comics-first-issue/#comments
Last summer Dark Horse Comics announced plans to release Mass Effect: Redemption, a four-issue comic based on BioWare's sci-fi RPG series. Now the Comic Book Resources web site has secured the first six pages of the first issue for everyone to check out.

Co-written by BioWare's own Mac Walters, the first issue of the monthly four issue mini-series ships to stores in January 2010 As we reported on earlier this month, BioWare's other big RPG game, Dragon Age: Origins, will also be getting a comic book series in January via IDW Publishing. The regular monthly comic is scheduled to be written by Orson Scott Card.
%Gallery-64696%
]]>mass-effect EA Russia lists Mass Effect 2 for PS3 [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/ea-russia-lists-mass-effect-2-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/ea-russia-lists-mass-effect-2-for-ps3/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/11/ea-russia-lists-mass-effect-2-for-ps3/#comments The confusion over whether or not BioWare's second space opera, Mass Effect 2, is coming to the PlayStation 3 has been a fiasco of epic proportions. We've heard plenty of rumor and speculation supporting both sides of the heated debate, but as the game's release draws nearer, more savory indications of the game's possible Sony-bound trajectory have surfaced -- namely, a listing on the EA Russia site for a PS3 version of the upcoming RPG.

Gaming news site Just Push Start also noticed the PS3 installment on the site of an Australian game retailer called, appropriately, GAME. We put more stock in the EA Russia listing, though we suppose the publishing giant is no stranger to sending mixed signals when speaking about the exclusivity of the Mass Effect series. We've contacted EA and BioWare to find out what the deal is.

Update: As some of you already guessed, the "deal" is that the EA Russia listing was, in fact, erroneous. The PS3 listing for Mass Effect 2 (and Left 4 Dead 2, which we didn't notice) has been removed from the site.]]>mass-effect Avatar Marketplace update: Mass Effect dress shirt, Mako RChttp://xbox.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/avatar-marketplace-update-mass-effect-dress-shirt-mako-rc/http://xbox.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/avatar-marketplace-update-mass-effect-dress-shirt-mako-rc/http://xbox.joystiq.com/2009/09/30/avatar-marketplace-update-mass-effect-dress-shirt-mako-rc/#comments
Click image for massive size
We thought we had a grasp on this month's Avatar Marketplace content, but some late arrivals have just popped up, namely the two Mass Effect items listed in the title of this very post! If you're playing catch-up on what's in the Avatar Marketplace, check out our extensive look at its launch on Xbox Live.
  • Mass Effect Alliance Dress Uniform - 160 ($2)
  • Mass Effect Mako RC - 240 ($3)
[Thanks, James!]]]>mass-effect Mass Effect 2's Subject Zero looks awfully unfriendlyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/mass-effect-2s-subject-zero-looks-awfully-unfriendly/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/mass-effect-2s-subject-zero-looks-awfully-unfriendly/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/27/mass-effect-2s-subject-zero-looks-awfully-unfriendly/#comments Man, if you thought Mass Effect's Urdnot Wrex was an uncongenial companion, get a load of the most recently revealed cast member of Mass Effect 2: The skin-headed, sailor-mouthed Biotic known as Subject Zero. Though she may lack social graces, she more than makes for it with combat adroitness and, for lack of a better word, assertiveness. She's what Destiny's child might call an "independent woman."

Then again, she's also what Rick James might call a very kinky girl -- the kind you don't take home to family gatherings where your mother is in attendance. Check out the very NSFW, Subject Zero-centric Mass Effect 2 trailer after the jump.
]]>mass-effect Interview: Mac Walters, lead writer for Mass Effect 2http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/interview-mac-walters-lead-writer-for-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/interview-mac-walters-lead-writer-for-mass-effect-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/interview-mac-walters-lead-writer-for-mass-effect-2/#comments
 At PAX, we had a chance to catch up with Mac Walters, the lead writer for Mass Effect 2 at BioWare. We discussed everything from the difficulties of penning a story for a game tons of choices to where BioWare currently stands on the portrayal of sweet, alien love-making.

Joystiq: All right. So. Biggest question. We sent around email to everyone saying, "What should we ask BioWare?"

Mac Walters: Right.

The big question we had is, "How do you write a story where all the characters from the first game, or a lot of them, could be dead when you start out the second game?"

You mean other than pulling out my hair and weeping at night, sort of, "Oh my god, how am I going to do this?" It takes a lot of planning, obviously, but essentially what we did is we looked at it and said, "Yeah we know that some of these guys are going to be dead. How do we account for that?" And the big thing was -- let's take Wrex for example -- we had to limit to some degree the roles that those characters are going to play because we have to say, "OK well they're coming back or they're not." And then we had to say, "Well what are their alternates?" So a lot of times there's characters that will fill their spot. But they don't just come in and go, you know, "I'm Wrex alternate," or something like that. It's a new character who has his own back story, who has his own role in the game and whatnot.]]>mass-effect Rumor: The Old Republic to have player housing?http://www.massively.com/2009/08/27/rumor-the-old-republic-to-have-player-housing/http://www.massively.com/2009/08/27/rumor-the-old-republic-to-have-player-housing/http://www.massively.com/2009/08/27/rumor-the-old-republic-to-have-player-housing/#comments
Player housing seems to be an oft requested feature for generally any MMO, but the last place we expected to hear rumors about it was for Star Wars: The Old Republic. Granted, this rumor stems from a BioWare employee at Gamescom being a little too tired and letting "housing" slip as one of the many features of the game. Of course, it's also just as likely that said person was so tired they simply misspoke.

Rumors have a way of digging into the brain, though, and this one is no different. If you think back to KOTOR and Mass Effect, both games had a kind of home base for the game's main characters. Wouldn't housing be pretty much the same thing? Yeah, we just went there.]]>mass-effect Steam users report issues with new Mass Effect DLC installshttp://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/26/steam-users-report-issues-with-new-mass-effect-dlc-installs/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/26/steam-users-report-issues-with-new-mass-effect-dlc-installs/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/26/steam-users-report-issues-with-new-mass-effect-dlc-installs/#comments
If you own the PC version of Mass Effect and downloaded the game via Valve's Steam service you might have encountered some problems installing the new Pinnacle Station paid DLC content that BioWare released earlier this week. Reports from BioWare's message board states that Steam owners get a "Mass Effect CD key not found" error when trying to install Pinnacle Station.

However it appears the bug is with the DLC file and not with Steam. In a response to the issues, BioWare's Jack Lamden states on the message board, "The PRC installer that works with the Steam version of the game should replace what's currently on the EA store tomorrow sometime. You would just need to redownload the PRC and attempt to install again." That post was made on Tuesday night so its possible that the new version that works should be available to download from the EA Store now.
%Gallery-22446%]]>mass-effect BioWare looking into Mass Effect 'Pinnacle Station' DLC glitchhttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/bioware-looking-into-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc-gli/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/bioware-looking-into-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc-gli/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/bioware-looking-into-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc-gli/#comments A recent Mass Effect forum thread has revealed that a sizable snafu has cropped up among the early adopters of the game's recently released (and still unannounced) Pinnacle Station DLC -- while players can download the intergalactic Fight Club scenario problem-free, the content isn't actually showing up in-game for some folks. Posters in this forum thread report that Pinnacle Station conflicts with the Bring Down The Sky DLC content that was bundled with the Platinum Hits version of Mass Effect.

Unfortunately, if you've played through Bring Down the Sky's added areas and missions, you can't load your game without having that DLC on the hard drive. This means that the only way for Platinum Hits players to reach Pinnacle Station is to delete their bundled Bring Down the Sky DLC, purchase it from the Marketplace for 400, and then reinstall it. As you can imagine, this has given rise to some unhappy feelings among afflicted players.

A BioWare rep responded to these complaints by saying the developer is working on a fix for the problem, but couldn't give an ETA as to when the fix would arrive. We certainly hope it shows up before torches and pitchforks get involved.]]>mass-effect New Mass Effect PC DLC available for purchasehttp://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/new-mass-effect-pc-dlc-available-for-purchase/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/new-mass-effect-pc-dlc-available-for-purchase/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/new-mass-effect-pc-dlc-available-for-purchase/#comments
After over a year of waiting, PC games can finally download the second (and presumably last) downloadable content for BioWare's sci-fi RPG Mass Effect. The DLC, titled Pinnacle Station, can be found at Electronic Arts' downloadabe store for $5.

The download gives players of Mass Effect access to training facility at Pinnacle Station where players can test their combat skills in 12 different scenios in a holo-deck style of setting. There's also a final, 13th, mission, where things get real and you and your crew could be in danger. You can earn new weapons and items in the missions that you can take with you in the main game. It adds about two to three more hours of gameplay. Your character has to have achieved Spectre status before checking out the Pinnacle Station missions.
%Gallery-22446%]]>mass-effect Dress up your Avatar with these Mass Effectshttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/dress-up-your-avatar-with-these-mass-effects/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/dress-up-your-avatar-with-these-mass-effects/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/dress-up-your-avatar-with-these-mass-effects/#comments
BioWare's Pinnacle Station DLC for Mass Effect landed this morning on Xbox Live, and along with it came a mess of new Avatar items to play dress up with clothe your virtual self. The 14 items range in price from 80 ($1) to 320 ($4) and encompass everything from regular ol' t-shirts to full-on (and terribly adorable) N7 Armor.

With the sudden appearance of the new DLC on Xbox Live, the premium theme that went up for sale yesterday, and all this new Avatar accoutrement, all we need now is a downloadable Mako in which to drive our virtual friends around.]]>mass-effect Download: Mass Effect v1.02 Patchhttp://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/download-mass-effect-v1-02-patch/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/download-mass-effect-v1-02-patch/http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/25/download-mass-effect-v1-02-patch/#comments
It may seem like this patch is a bit overdue considering Mass Effect released for the PC well over a year ago, but better late than never. If nothing else, it's a sign that this is the opportune time to load up the game again and level up your characters in preparation for Mass Effect 2, due out in 2010. The patch updates all retail versions of Mass Effect (except Eastern Europe) to v1.02 and addresses a number of bugs and gameplay issues. Steam customers are advised to use the auto-updater. A list of changes can be seen after the jump.

Download Mass Effect v1.02 Patch (71 MB)
Check out all Mass Effect downloads
%Gallery-22446%]]>mass-effect Unannounced 'Pinnacle Station' Mass Effect DLC now availablehttp://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/unannounced-pinnacle-station-mass-effect-dlc-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/unannounced-pinnacle-station-mass-effect-dlc-now-available/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/unannounced-pinnacle-station-mass-effect-dlc-now-available/#comments
click for more photographic proof!
As we all know, the first and second rules of Fight Club are that you do not talk about Fight Club. Appropriately, Microsoft and BioWare haven't talked much about their Palahniuk-inspired Mass Effect DLC, Pinnacle Station; despite the fact that it hasn't even been formally announced, it's now available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 ($5).

According to the DLC's online description, Pinnacle Station will force you to "test the limits of your combat prowess aboard a remote, top-secret Alliance space station," brawling through 13 new "combat scenarios," and adding 2 to 3 hours of play time to the soon-to-be-sequeled space opera. We plan on picking it up ASAP, if only to see if Meat Loaf and spliced-in images of genitalia make an appearance. (We're thinking no.)

[Thanks to everyone who sent this curious item in!]
%Gallery-70907%
]]>mass-effect Mass Effect's Pinnacle Station DLC now a premium theme, still unannounced [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/mass-effects-pinnacle-station-dlc-now-a-premium-theme-still-un/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/mass-effects-pinnacle-station-dlc-now-a-premium-theme-still-un/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/mass-effects-pinnacle-station-dlc-now-a-premium-theme-still-un/#comments Update: Reader Codemonkey76 points out that the listing is now on the US Xbox.com page right here. Interesting!

So, at this point, one has to wonder if we're looking at a guerrilla marketing campaign. Not only have achievements popped up for Mass Effect DLC "Pinnacle Station," not only has the Swiss Xbox.com priced the thing, but now a Pinnacle Station theme has actually shown up on Xbox Live. ... Oh, didn't we mention? It's still unannounced.

While you wait for someone to actually confirm its existence, check out the gallery below and see if you're able to extrapolate any hints about the content from the images we captured.

[Thanks, TheDarkWayne]
%Gallery-70843%
]]>mass-effect Swiss Xbox.com outs Mass Effect 'Pinnacle Station' DLC [update]http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/swiss-xbox-com-outs-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/swiss-xbox-com-outs-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/swiss-xbox-com-outs-mass-effect-pinnacle-station-dlc/#comments
Update: Reader Codemonkey76 points out that the listing is now on the US Xbox.com page right here. Interesting!

Remember when those Achievements for Mass Effect showed up online -- you know, these ones that mention Pinnacle Station? Well, the Swiss Xbox.com has offered up new details, pricing the DLC at 400 ($5) and billing it as a series of battle scenarios lasting around "2–3 hours." The Swiss Xbox.com listing says the DLC has been available since June 16, an obvious error.

So, Bioware, EA, would you just officially announce Pinnacle Station already?

[Via Eurogamer]]]>mass-effect New Mass Effect Achievements hint at DLC (finally)http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/new-mass-effect-achievements-hint-at-dlc-finally/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/new-mass-effect-achievements-hint-at-dlc-finally/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/20/new-mass-effect-achievements-hint-at-dlc-finally/#comments
It's been quite some time since we've heard about new downloadable content for the original Mass Effect. In fact, the last time we heard about it was when BioWare teased fans that they might hear about DLC soon. That was back in June, and BioWare has said bupkis on the subject since. Thankfully, it looks like the company doesn't have to, as the original Mass Effect has been stealthily updated with new Achievements on Xbox.com.

There are three Achievements, each worth 50 points, bringing the game's total to 1200. The Achievements give us a few details about the DLC's contents. According to the descriptions, Commander Shepard should take part in "Ahern's survival mission" as well as several "combat scenarios on Pinnacle Station." Sounds like we're getting that fight club after all.

We've contacted BioWare in hopes the company might finally drop some details. We'll update this post with any new info.

[Via X360A. Thanks, Jp!]
]]>mass-effect