BioWare defines mass effect
by Ross Miller 
{ Aug 11th 2006 at 1:55PM }
"Mass Effect isn't plural (we wouldn't say "Mass Effects"). Instead it's a single phenomenon that you would use like "gravity" or "heat." So we also wouldn't say 'What's a Mass Effect' -- it would be 'What is mass effect?' Again, its use is like the term 'gravity,' where you would say 'what's gravity?' instead of 'what's a gravity?'"
Got that? Good. The plot of Mass Effect revolves around newly-discovered mass effect that some people can control and gives them telekinetic powers. Sounds a bit like the Force, doesn't it? Don't tell that to Hudson, who denies any similarities to the Star Wars mystical energy. While it is true that mass effect is a phenomenon and the Force is derived from internal midi-chlorians, the end-result is strikingly similar. Still, we're convinced that BioWare can make a great Star Wars-esque game.
Mass Effect should be out on the Xbox 360 in April 2007. Just be careful how you use it in a sentence.
See Also:
Video of E3 Mass Effect demo hits XBLM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Blink @ Aug 11th 2006 2:09PM
We can still say "The mass effect" though, like "the gravity of a planet", right? "The universe's mass effect"? I just thought it meant chain reactions originally, leading to one man having a total and whole influence on the future of the universe, he is the cause that leads to the mass effect.
WedgeTalon @ Aug 11th 2006 2:11PM
Wait, so what's a mass effect again?
>:D
mojo @ Aug 11th 2006 2:11PM
looks like eve-online meets oblivion.
Nate @ Aug 11th 2006 2:17PM
CANNOT wait for this one. Halo 3 and Mass Effect 2007! Goodbye, outside world.
Ben Roe @ Aug 11th 2006 2:18PM
What a lot of words to say "it's an uncountable noun".
Babylonian @ Aug 11th 2006 2:25PM
I heard the term 'Mass Effect' mentioned in an episode of House a couple days ago and wondered what the term itself generally means. I doubt it had anything to do with Telekinesis that time.
Nightowl @ Aug 11th 2006 2:25PM
My take on this is that the very popular "HL2" use of gravity oriented physics (instead of gravity gun, think gravity "powers") will be implemented as a major part of the gameplay.
While it may not be innovative (especially if you look past the elegant "Mass Effect" mystical energy speak) I think that combining fun gravity powers with Bioware's penchant for excellent story integration give this the potential to be quite the landmark franchise.
Animus @ Aug 11th 2006 2:51PM
Mass Effect: The bulge in my pants.
Dracula Jones @ Aug 11th 2006 2:55PM
And at the end, it turns out YOU were the bad guy the whole time!
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 3:08PM
I was excited about this game...until I heard the quality of the voice acting.
Perhaps, next time, they should get someone to run the VO sessions who speaks English as a first language. And, perhaps, some decent writing.
Why, why, why should I care about better graphics and more natural faces when the quality of the dialogue is so POOR, and voiced acted with no FEELING.
Amatuers.
Mike @ Aug 11th 2006 3:30PM
Since, of course, the voice acting in the short demo that they created to show the press over a year before the release of the game must be what's going to wind up in the final product.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 3:38PM
Well, I feel better. It was all just PR's fault, eh?
Again...the writing will be fixed too?
Why don't developers get REAL WRITERS, instead of thinking they can do it themselves. (They can't.)
Canadian Geese @ Aug 11th 2006 3:40PM
"Why, why, why should I care about better graphics and more natural faces when the quality of the dialogue is so POOR, and voiced acted with no FEELING."
Are you blind?
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 3:52PM
Ill-advised PR video VO: "Conversations are fluid and realistic. Creating an emotionally charged experience."
...game scene follows:
"I'm sick of your games. It's time you started giving me some real answers."
"...you make it sound like I've been lying to you, Commander."
"You haven't told me everything."
"Careful, Commander. There are people on this station who don't want you investigating this. Powerful people."
Fluid. Realistic. Truly, an emotionally charged experience.
Nope. Not blind. Just want better for my money, thanks.
D-6 @ Aug 11th 2006 3:55PM
I love BioWare games. However, they all seem to have two things in common (And I assume this game will be no different):
Brilliant storytelling and a boatload of glitches/bugs.
VampireHunter Z @ Aug 11th 2006 4:05PM
@The Hague
What do you consider to be an emotionally charged conversation? And what game have you seen it in? Name one game that has better NPC conversations than this.
*sigh* You just can't please everybody can you. Technology has grown multiple folds but peoples' expectations seem to be infinite.
AK @ Aug 11th 2006 4:08PM
I'm pretty sure when they mention "emotionally charged expierence", they are talking about the whole game, not just one scene.
I don't think its fair to judge all of the voice acting/dialogue from just one scene in a preview.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 4:14PM
...uh...Riddick.
"Technology has grown multiple folds but peoples' expectations seem to be infinite."
Yes, it all looks great (if you like Star Trek *yawn* and still buy into Baby Boomer sci-fi metaphors) but, sadly, the talent stops when it comes time to show emotion, or individuality.
It's not that Mass Effect looks like a horrible game. It doesn't. Just don't talk about creating new conversation experiences, then show up with a 1985 sensibility.
I'm well into my 30s here. Been gaming MY WHOLE LIFE.
Where are the mature, textured experiences in gaming? I'll brain an alien from a 100 yards away anyday...but I still need to watch films and TV to learn something about all of us.
My point is...developers are kidding themselves if they think they are becoming more "cinematic". They are becoming great at "2nd Unit" work, but not at "scenes".
Of course, I'm here to piss you off, as well.
VampireHunter Z @ Aug 11th 2006 4:30PM
You only succeeded in pissing on yourself.
I don't remember Riddick that well since I only played the demo. But I'm sure there were no realtime conversations that could take a turn in emotions and expressions based on what you choose to say. The fact that you speak of Sci-Fi and put Riddick in the same post as Star Trek speaks volumes of you.
Unlike you I don't want developers to make interactive versions of Grey's Anatomy and Desparate Housewives. Regardless Mass Effect successfully captures the atmosphere and tone of what I would expect in Sci-Fi.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 5:00PM
What you expect in Sci-Fi is old, tired and played out. An echo chamber that is shrinking in size and ability. Held up by fan boys who don't know how good Sci Fi could really be, if we weren't stuck in the '70s.
Star Trek, perfect example. Dead metaphors, dead brand. Good riddance.
Personally, I hold up entertainments such as "Samurai Champloo" and "Grayson Hues" as the good, new stuff.
Baboon @ Aug 11th 2006 5:18PM
Uhhhh...
Samurai Champloo is about feudal Japan. Try again.
Were you maybe talking about Cowboy Bebop?
Georg Zoeller @ Aug 11th 2006 5:19PM
"Why don't developers get REAL WRITERS, instead of thinking they can do it themselves. (They can't.)"
Funny you say that.
We're one of the few outfits in the industry that has a dedicated writing staff of professional writers. In fact, the writing for ME is done by a lot of the writers who worked on SW:KotOR as well.
But then again, it's easy to judge the quality of writing from a couple of screenshots or demo movies :p
Deadpool @ Aug 11th 2006 5:30PM
I actually agree with Hague 100%. The writing that was shown in the Mass Effect E3 demo was rather poor. I also don't think that this was their focus for the demo. They wanted to show how the facial expressions and graphics are a step above what everyone else is doing. I'm sure the story will be epic, but I hope they up the dialog to match it.
Oh and for the record, Riddick had great voice acting and dialog.
polly @ Aug 11th 2006 5:39PM
Ah no. Pitch Black was a wonderfully fresh sci-fi movie. Chronicles of Riddick was a lame Vin Diesel movie. That's all there is to say about that.
Grizzly @ Aug 11th 2006 5:43PM
I want this so bad I could puke.
I got a little tired with people whinging about its quality. Even to my jaded eyes, it looks like one of the better titles coming in the next two years.
Bioware are my heroes for the immersive depth of their previous games. Especially for KOTOR 1. I remember sitting around an xbox in twelve hours shifts with 3 friends all waiting for our 3 hour turn. It was that good.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 5:47PM
I mention "Samurai Champloo" (as an "entertainment", not "Sci Fi") because of its use of music, editorial, themes, textures, etc. It's more about the '80s than the Edo period, anyway. So, nice misread on what it's really about, Baboon.
("Cowboy Bebop" is great, but still old skool Sci Fi, ala Blade Runner, etc)
And to Georg at BioWare...let me be clear...your game looks great. But what we've seen so far, concerning the words coming out of character's mouths...cringe-worthy. We understand you have to push press out well before the game is ready, but when you make big promises...you have to deliver. Perhaps you will. Just...make the characters sound different. From each other.
Nothing worse than "eviling" your way through dialogue trees so you can just get back to killing. Know what I mean?
Cage @ Aug 11th 2006 6:57PM
Hague,
This game is going to be $60 like all the other 360 games set to come out. You want it to be a full-feature film with Tom Cruise (bad example) as the voice of the main character? Am I the only one in here that finds this absolutely crazy that this guy can pick apart DIALOGUE like this? OFF OF A DEMO? You have way too much time on your hands, this looks like a great game and a console seller.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 7:07PM
Yes, the blinking and pouting look great.
The nav menus look great.
The action looks great.
What is lacking? What are they pumping up?
Sounds like the problem here is Marketing, pushing to release something into the public before it should be seen. I'm talking demo here, not game.
The interaction between the characters in the demo vid is an embarrassment - COMPARED to the other aspects of the game.
VampireHunter Z @ Aug 11th 2006 7:42PM
@Hague again
How can you say the character interaction is an embarassment? From a cinematic point of view, this is the first time I've seen the Shot Reverse Shot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shot_reverse_shot) technique used in game conversations. This gives it a film-like touch. This is unlike the anime RPG style where you see to big 2D faces on the left and right of your screen chatting.
Vin Diesel isn't all that either. He may be a good action actor but his voice is completely monotone. I can't imagine him playing any characters with depth. NPC interaction? What game have you played where you walk in a club and see a NPC getting a lap dance? How many games have you played where you know the NPC is supposed to do or say something important but everytime you click talk they repeat the same crap? How about you put a gun in their face and they give you your answer now?
Thats interaction. Thats Next-Gen. Stop living in denial.
The Hague @ Aug 11th 2006 7:59PM
I live in Hollywood.
When I see true next-gen, I'll let ya know.
Kudos to BioWare, this game is a great first step.
The E3 Demo Reel...big mistake.
The3rdNuisance @ Aug 12th 2006 2:19AM
Can't we just call "The Force" or "mass effect" simple terms, like telekinesis, telepathy, and internet telephony? Also, his explaination makes no damn sense.
Deadpool @ Aug 12th 2006 11:36PM
"Ah no. Pitch Black was a wonderfully fresh sci-fi movie. Chronicles of Riddick was a lame Vin Diesel movie. That's all there is to say about that."
Whose talking about the movies. We're talking about the voice acting in the Riddick video game. Please read the entire post before you embarass yourself.