Mass Effect - Interview @ RPG Codex

[Dhruin]

RPG Codex has departed from their usual coverage to bring an interview with BioWare's Casey Hudson (http://www.rpgcodex.com/content.php?id=141) on Mass Effect. Here's one of the questions, delivered with some tongue-in-cheek parody:
Bioware is known for creating simply amazing, mind-boggling stories. What does Mass Effect have in store for us?

"Among those who study ancient ruins, a horrific legend is told: every 50,000 years a race of machines returns to harvest all organic civilizations. Few believe this ancient legend. Commander Shepard, however, knows it to be true. The fight to stop this extinction event has become his most important mission in the galaxy."

As you can see from this snippet, Bioware employs many talented and amazingly creative writers who surprise us all every time yet another storyline is created. In Mass Effect you discover information about an ancient race of mostly evil robots that was responsible for destroying galactic civilization roughly 50,000 years ago in a horrific cycle that resembles a "harvest" of organic life - and they're about to return! This storyline creates many questions like "evil robots?", "horrific cycle?", "harvest of organic life?", "return?" which, hopefully, will be answered in the third game.

It makes sense that Commander Shepard is the only person who's seen this evidence - and being the only one important and special enough to do something about it - he begins scouring the galaxy to destroy the agents of the machines and prevent the cycle from happening again. The president counts on Commander Shepard as the only man he can trust to find the robots and to stop the destruction of everything we hold dear.
More information. (http://www.rpgwatch.com/show/newsbit?newsbit=3729)

[Cormac]

Let's use the example I gave in the previous interview: you're running through an open area but up ahead you can see a character that looks like their purpose in life is that they will stop you and talk to you when you get close.

This bit is funny, but the whole fake interview is idiotic and pathetic.

[Moriendor]

...but the whole fake interview is idiotic and pathetic.

100% seconded.

[Dyne]

I chuckled at the screenshot "Nobody gives ORDERS to Commander Shepherd!", mainly due to how extreme and awesome it is to refer to yourself in the third person. Capitalisation helps too.

Makes a change from my usual Codex experience - developing a desire to hang myself due to all the negativity over there :)

[VDweller]

Excuse me, am I interrupting a holier-than-thou anonymous meeting?

[Moriendor]

Oooohh... Mr. i-r-the-funniehh!!! Himself... shouldn't you be busy dealing with BioWare's legal dep't or something? Well, anyway, if you're looking for applause, look at your own forums maybe? There's plenty of lol-ing asskissers just waiting for you to tell them how you pwned Bio's legal dep't and how you totally deleted the mail asking for withdrawal of the fake Q&A. Respect. u r teh man!!11

[VDweller]

Himself... shouldn't you be busy dealing with BioWare's legal dep't or something?
My legal team will handle it:
http://www.somethingawful.com/legal/

Well, anyway, if you're looking for applause, look at your own forums maybe?
What's with the assumptions?

There's plenty of lol-ing asskissers just waiting for you to tell them how you pwned Bio's legal dep't and how you totally deleted the mail asking for withdrawal of the fake Q&A. Respect. u r teh man!!11
My, my. Quite an imagination.

[Fez]

You know, it's not like VD's charging people for it, unlike Mass Effect. Tell me, if it was all so "idiotic", then why did the moderator over at the developer boards even fall for it? :rolleyes:

The interview is a commentary on how the game has been portrayed so far and if you've read what is on IGN and elsewhere you'd have seen that it was not far off the truth in spirit and that is why there were/are fans falling for it.

[Cormac]

But why does the Codex care about ME at all ? It's a console action game with some rpg elements. Everybody already knows that Bio are masters of bullshit PR, from the good doctors themselves to the developers, and who takes IGN and similar sites seriously, anyway ? Why give a fuck ? Just post that ME is coming out in 2007 or 2008 (for the closet console codexers who'll actually run out and buy it) and move on. It just astonishes me that the Codex and VD spend so much time and energy 'covering' the game, especially since you all pretend so forcefully that such products are the exact examples of what you think is wrong about gaming. It strikes me therefore as pathetic and idiotic. Some at the codex have also expressed negative views and yes, I know your answer: there's no real rpg coming out anymore, so what's left to post about ? Well that's not entirely true, and if you do believe it why dont you just call it quits ?

[txa1265]

I thought it was a cute read - nice to break up all of the oh-so-serious stuff streaming out lately.

Between that and the stuff coming out of Sony I've been red-faced from laughing all day!

[Role-Player]

But why does the Codex care about ME at all ? It's a console action game with some rpg elements.

The same argument could be made about other titles that were eventually released for the PC and covered across several gaming sites.

Everybody already knows that Bio are masters of bullshit PR, from the good doctors themselves to the developers, and who takes IGN and similar sites seriously, anyway ? Why give a fuck ?

Why care about the dichotomies between the perception a high-profile CRPG developer creates and the final result? I don't know. I thought it may have some relevance to those interested in the CRPG industry, but maybe I'm looking too much into it.

It just astonishes me that the Codex and VD spend so much time and energy 'covering' the game

I hardly think one parody and a handful of news items about design elements which may be seen as an improvement to the genre took that much time and energy.

especially since you all pretend so forcefully that such products are the exact examples of what you think is wrong about gaming.

I always thought I had legitimate concerns about mainstream CRPGs and how they may affect several aspects of gaming - turns out I was faking it all the time! Why thank you random internet poster with a Simpsons avatar!

It strikes me therefore as pathetic and idiotic.

Thanks for sharing. You'll find we welcome all opinions - including Chris Prestly, who found it amusing.

Some at the codex have also expressed negative views and yes, I know your answer: there's no real rpg coming out anymore, so what's left to post about ? Well that's not entirely true, and if you do believe it why dont you just call it quits ?

You tell me, since you seem to be able to divine everything we're thinking and are an authority on everything we say over there.

[Fez]

^Exactly, just take it as a bit of light-hearted fun in an editorial, folks. You'd only complain anyway if we took it all too seriously and just made grumpy complaints!

But why does the Codex care about ME at all ? It's a console action game with some rpg elements. Everybody already knows that Bio are masters of bullshit PR, from the good doctors themselves to the developers, and who takes IGN and similar sites seriously, anyway ? Why give a fuck ? Just post that ME is coming out in 2007 or 2008 (for the closet console codexers who'll actually run out and buy it) and move on. It just astonishes me that the Codex and VD spend so much time and energy 'covering' the game, especially since you all pretend so forcefully that such products are the exact examples of what you think is wrong about gaming. It strikes me therefore as pathetic and idiotic. Some at the codex have also expressed negative views and yes, I know your answer: there's no real rpg coming out anymore, so what's left to post about ? Well that's not entirely true, and if you do believe it why dont you just call it quits ?

Your avatar is bizarrely appropriate. Am I missing that you post as a/in character? If VD was kicking your door down and writing this on your bedroom wall with magic markers I'd agree with all the hate, but come on, that's a bit of a grudge you're harboring there. They cover the game for many reasons. One of those is to comment on the state of the industry and what titles there are out there in release state or development. There are loads of places that do a great job of getting news links and keeping it straight - the old Dot (RIP) and this shiny new place for instance - and there's no reason to make a plain copy of that if it works so well. The Codex was always more about putting commentary and a personal spin on things and having fun along the way instead, rather than just getting news when someone else is already doing that job. You might not like it, others do. The main thing to realise is that they do it and keep going there because they do like games, especially RPGs and many have liked them before a lot of the kiddies playing them now were even born. They are passionate about games and the medium (or art form if you like). Passions are strong feelings that can sway one way or the other. If they didn't care about the games, they wouldn't be there. We all express our love and passion in different ways and the internet lets us all do that in our own ways. ;)

It's worth remembering that Fable and KotOR were also announced as "Xbox exclusive" games, but were later released for the PC anyway. I wouldn't totally dismiss it just yet.

[aries100]

About from the fact that Bioware's copyright and trademark clearly is being violated, the rpg codex has (yet) again proven (to me...) that most of the
codex is just - shall we say --- some guys who long to the play the games of
yesteryear such as ultima 5 or the original bard's tale or some of the older games form their youths in the 1980's.

Of course, not all codexers are like that, but most of the codex seems to favour
--- shall we say ----- the more traditional approach to rpgs....

and so they do not like amost actions rpgs such as Bioware's Mass Effect...

[Cormac]

Roleplayer and Fez:
You're being disingenuous. Light hearted fun ? You guys not taking it seriously ? That's exactly what's wrong about the thing: you are very serious. The codex's concern about ME, a console game, is beyond me. You're telling me that your concern about the future of gaming (and the place ME will have in it -- as an influence to the countless CRPGs being developed) -- is not serious at all ? What are you saying ?

And what do you guys have against Comic Book Guy ? He's funny shit. He takes important things seriously.

[Role-Player]

Roleplayer and Fez:

What are you saying ?

The few times that Mass Effect has made it to the Codex's news pages were due to gameplay aspects that in general seemed to be generally well accepted by the various gaming sites that got any hands-on experience with the title, gameplay aspects which were being considered superior and preferable to what had been previously established in the genre. We don't cover console games but cover everything we can regarding roleplaying games, and the kind of embracing these features were getting - in this case, the dialogue system - was deemed important enough to report and to (hopefully) generate discussion on the boards.

We didn't cover Mass Effect because we suddenly started doing console games or because of some fixation with Bioware; we covered some design aspects of Mass Effect that may have an impact on how CRPGs will be developed in the future, if they become widely accepted.

And no, the parody was meant as a lighthearted look at the whole hype and spin doctoring usually surrounding Bioware, even if you prefer to think otherwise. We could have written any other such article about any other company. We could've tackled Bethesda for instance, were it not the fact we recently had an Oblivion review, covered several other Oblivion reviews in our news, and were pretty much burned out on the game after countless debates on the site. We could have done something in this vein with Obsidian but we're working on some other (serious) content with them.

By contrast, Bioware was "available".

[Kraszu]

Cormac use to much energy to discuss about what other people are discussing about, and that he says he don't want to be part of. Therefore I found Cormac posts pathetic and idiotic.

[Acleacius]

I found it a very funny parody, sort of poking a stick at the soft belly of a giant console box. :)

Clearly PC gamers have a bone to pick with the m$ console subsidizing machina as it destroys one (our) industry to create another for a few extra bucks in their accounts.
Not to mention m$'s own projections failed beyond the original 4(?) year money dump, to more than 6 years now of grinding the PC industry into the dust.

None of us like seeing great devs getting pulled into this nonsense, but in the end of the day it defiantly made me laugh. :)

[PatrickWeekes]

We could have done something in this vein with Obsidian but we're working on some other (serious) content with them.

By contrast, Bioware was "available".

"Available" in this case meaning "not giving you money".

[Cormac]

words

Yes, you sure burnt out on Oblivion, but you still have the Knights of the Nine stuff which has just been released, and there's the expansion coming out this year. So it's not over for you guys, take heart. The codex still has meaning.

[Role-Player]

"Available" in this case meaning "not giving you money".

I think the only money Bioware would ever pay us would be to leave them alone ;)

By the way, how are things going with your project? I have your blog on my Bookmarks folder but don't always have the time to check it out.

[Greatatlantic]

"Available" in this case meaning "not giving you money".

You're nuts if you think Codex gets money from any of the big developers. And Bioware actually has Dragon Age going for it, which the Codex is sort of kinda of looking forward to (barring more revelations). I actually remember reading some preview which claimed Dragon Age would use a "modified" version of the Mass Effect dialogue system. Dave Gaider posted in the forums and refuted that, but can you see now why some Codexers are keeping in eye on Mass Effect?

[aries100]

Generally, to me ME is the big seller that hopefully will help to pay for the
development of more traditional RPGs like Dragon Age.

I certainly understand why the Codex are worried about the dialoque system in
ME (as it, taken at face value, looks equal to the dialoque wheel used in Oblivion).

I think it was either David Gaider (or Patrick from Bioware) that answered me, when I asked him if, in ME, you couldn't ask some questions if you hadn't go
points enough on Intelligence or Wisdom or Speechcraft or abilities similar to these.
And from what I seem to recall, the answer was an 'astounding yes.' This means, that you won't be able to get all information if you don't have high INT or WIS
(or whatever is equivalent to these in ME).

I also feel compelled to say that just because something looks equal or similar doesn't mean that it (necessarily) works the same way in other games.
In Oblivion, there is sort of a mine-game, you need to play. In ME, it seems,
at least to me, that you will get to choose what you're going to say from a list of about 4-8 or even more options.

The only difference between this dialoque system and the written skill tree dialoque is that you use the headline of what you're going to say, and then
the game's character(s) acts your preferred choice out before your very eyes.

I sincerely hope that this will do away with the D&D dialoque system where you just had three basic options, 1)good, 2) bad and 3) evil. I hope that ME's dialoque system will provide gamers access to more complex choices than just the options, used in D&D.

I also think that the whole uproar boils down to the fact that we only have seen the 'gung ho' commander Shephard in action in the gameplay vids. This appeals to
a certain type of gamer; the kind of kids, i.e. young boys from 16-20, that I teach.

[Corwin]

Well, I thought it was immediately obvious that the interview was a fake. While I have no problem with humorous fake interviews, I do see that VD is treading a very thin line by doing so without making it clear that it's not a genuine interview!! Bit like the old, famous, War of the Worlds radio play!! I hope Bioware sees it as just a bit of fun (and free publicity), but I don't think I would ever take the risk with a company that has the potential to create top quality games for a long time.

[Kraszu]

Generally, to me ME is the big seller that hopefully will help to pay for the
development of more traditional RPGs like Dragon Age.

The better they sold ME the less they will care about different games (I mean game play wise).

I also feel compelled to say that just because something looks equal or similar doesn't mean that it (necessarily) works the same way in other games.
In Oblivion, there is sort of a mine-game, you need to play. In ME, it seems,
at least to me, that you will get to choose what you're going to say from a list of about 4-8 or even more options.

From what we had seen there will be about 3 options usually one of them to end conversation. I don't have impression that it will be mini game like Oblivion and I never heard that.

The only difference between this dialoque system and the written skill tree dialoque is that you use the headline of what you're going to say, and then
the game's character(s) acts your preferred choice out before your very eyes.

I want to know what my character is going to say/do when I choose option.

I sincerely hope that this will do away with the D&D dialoque system where you just had three basic options, 1)good, 2) bad and 3) evil. I hope that ME's dialoque system will provide gamers access to more complex choices than just the options, used in D&D.

Haw does it allow more complex choices then traditional dialog tree? Even in theory I don't see it.

I also think that the whole uproar boils down to the fact that we only have seen the 'gung ho' commander Shephard in action in the gameplay vids. This appeals to
a certain type of gamer; the kind of kids, i.e. young boys from 16-20, that I teach.

Actually there was some footage whit dialogs, looked shallow.

[the_oracles_cave]

i actually go out of my way to try out (and often enjoy) games that RPG Codex doesn't like. simply because i would hate to think that my opinions align with people who have so much time and energy to spend on not liking a bunch of computer games (of all things!).

[bjon045]

I like to think of the codex crew as being like those kids in high school who hanged out in the library and played role-playing games(not cRPGs) and talked in high pitched over dramatised voices in order to attract attention to themselves meanwhile my friends and I would hang out at one of the benches outside and trade pirated c64 floppies like Ultima 5.

Best just to ignore them and get on with the real business - playing games.

[Acleacius]

aries100 or anyone out of courisity what's the problem with good, neutral and evil choices?
Iirc it's been awhile didn't PT do this and with higher Int and Wis you were able to gleem addtional info or options, like if someone was lying?
.

[Archfluke]

"i actually go out of my way to try out (and often enjoy) games that RPG Codex doesn't like. simply because i would hate to think that my opinions align with people who have so much time and energy to spend on not liking a bunch of computer games (of all things!)."

Yes seeking out games that the codex objects purely to spite them is a MUCH more intelligent use of time and effort

[aries100]

There is nothing wrong with the good, bad or neutral of the D&D games. However, in the PnP D&D games, the DM can throw in a little more depth and some harder choices which kind of greys thie choices more out. It is not so blatantly obvious (imo) what is the good, the bad, and the neutral responsein PnP games as it seems to be in Crpgs. (At least not in in the crpgs games I've played).

In the long run, at least to me, this is getting a little tiresome. I know, just from looking at the start in the sentence I'm choosing what will be the evil, good or neutral response. Lately, I'll just pick the option I want, and then scroll or click my way through the text. Maybe this is a function of the journal, since everything of value that I need to know is getting stored in my journal.

There seems to be no real consequence for me or my party if I choose the evil response over the good response. The game just seems to progress either way.
I hear they have changed this in NWN2, but I'm not that into NWN2, so I haven't yet experienced this.

And, yes, Planescape:Torment, did this stuff, afaik, if you had a hig INT or WIS, which meant that you would gain insigt as to whether people were lying to you
or not. Some conversation lines were also closed, if you didn't a high enough
INT or WIS.

However, as I see it, this has nothing do with choosing neutral, good or bad responses, but has everything to do with gaining a consequence for putting
ability points into WIS or INT, which means that what you choose to has an
actual bearing on how the game unfolds or plays out during the game.

Iirc, if you choose the evil response in say BG1, you don't get a different ending than if you choose the good response. The same goes for IWD 1+IWD2 +
KOTOR1 (I think) + NWN1. As I said above, no real consequence, there seems to be...

[Role-Player]

I like to think of the codex crew as being like those kids in high school who hanged out in the library and played role-playing games(not cRPGs) and talked in high pitched over dramatised voices in order to attract attention to themselves meanwhile my friends and I would hang out at one of the benches outside and trade pirated c64 floppies like Ultima 5.

Unfortunately, what you like to imagine of us has no bearing on who we really are.

Best just to ignore them and get on with the real business - playing games.

Playing games, and not talking about us in a message board. No sir.

[Claw]

Playing games, and not talking about us in a message board. No sir.
Hehe. Why talk about games when you can talk about people talking about games?

[bjon045]

Unfortunately, what you like to imagine of us has no bearing on who we really are.

Unfortunately, I wasn't talking to you :lol: I guess I was right about the attention-seeking bit.

[crpgnut]

I thought the "interview" was fantastic. I'm mostly a lurker at the codex but I don't mind jumping in and acting silly on occasion. I love Oblivion and the codex despises it, but I enjoy bashing Pete Hines and Todd Howard every chance I get and the codex is the perfect place for that. To me, the codex is just a great place to vent. It's chock full of long-time crpgers who have seen everything under the sun and so the old codger aspect is alive and well over there. Irreverence is worshipped at the codex :D

[Acleacius]

aries100
"In the long run, at least to me, this is getting a little tiresome."
Ok thats clear.
For me if there are going to be choices I want them clear, as nothing irritates me more than to be RPing an pick what seems to be a good or neutral response and getting hit with an Evil alinment hit I hate being tricked or mislead, since I was the one intending to speak a line as good or snarky but not in an Evil way sucks to me, though others may feel differently.

"this has nothing do with choosing neutral, good or bad responses,"
Your right of course but I really meant it as a way to provide addtional flexablity in dialogues which seems a possible solution to both problems, having something defined but also addtional options for those looking for more risky/diverse choices, was just a thought. :)

"Iirc, if you choose the evil response in say BG1"
Heh, it's been so long for me I barley even remember the fight but I think your right, basicly you are forced to kill him or defend yourself how ever it's presented, iirc.
Now KotOR did have a differnt evil ending iirc but I never played it.

crpgnut
"a great place to vent."
Venting is good, ummm pizza! :)

[Role-Player]

Unfortunately, I wasn't talking to you :lol: I guess I was right about the attention-seeking bit.

Not me specifically but you were talking - or rather generalizing - about the Codex. Being part of the staff does have its perks, one of them being that talking about the site is talking about me since I'm affiliated with it and in a way represent it.

[Corwin]

While we enjoy some 'friendly' (????) rivalry with the Codex, and while they used to 'insult' the Dot repeatedly, as this is a new site, could I suggest we avoid bashing each other; it's counter-productive!! We both take very different appraoches to game coverage etc, which is a GOOD thing. While I don't particularly care for their approach, they have a right to express it. Sometimes, I even agree with their PoV!! :)

[Lucky Day]

ahh, another "mini-flame war" with another more acerbic group of fellow CRPG players in as many days.

I must contend many of your responses have been well thought out here, and much more than what I've typically read on your own news comments when I used to read there every once in a great while.

I had thought the interview was legit when I first read it. Shows how smart I am. The Bio devs occasionally post on the Codex and they have done one or two interviews so it wasn't out of the realm of possibility to me. The only that left me scratching my head was why it didn't get silly between the two parties with the party of the first knowing they were the Codex and the party of the second part knowing they were talking to someone from the Codex. I was expecting some witty retorts and not the typical fluff you see given to to the more mainstream sites which this interview looked like (see my comments on the IGN "interview" and the upcoming Oblivion expansion).

So it was a farce. It somewhat makes sense now. Can someone like Dhruin or Corwin edit the newpost here to indicate that? Gullible people like myself need help in that regard.

I wonder how long this "interview" will be sited as legit information for what ME will have or Bio promised.

(a good follow up fake newsbit could be the announcement that ME is being ported over the PC and will include 2 new areas rejected by MS so that XBox fans can get a new experience on the game and a preview of features that will be used in the Upcoming (2012) Dragon Age. Also included more options to make it not suck like it does on XBox but suck on a PC because its still a Console game. - man, I should join Codex just to throw in my own cynicism once in awhile).

[cutterjohn]

Body bags, lots of body bags...

:D

Anyways, I find the entire parody review to be extremely humorous with the added benefit of having tweaked one of our more special forumites... :D

Oblivion: You forgot about teh ahwesum shibbering aisles expanshun, more auto-levelled blandness to be had for all... and the eventual arrival of the PS3 kiddies to the ESF, which should also provide months of entertainment value.

Dragon Age: While, I've never been particularly impressed by Bioware as an RPG maker, I do have hopes for Dragon Age, and if nothing else they do support their games very well...

[bbbb]

Nice to see that VD has made so much progress on his vaporware game that he has time to spend making an ass of himself again.

[VDweller]

It's so nice when someone cares.