Mass Effect 3 - Twice the dialogue of the first two games?

VG247 picks up on a tweet from an audio designer that says Mass Effect 3 has 40,000 lines of dialogue. After digging back, the original game reportedly had 20,000 lines and ME2 around 25,000 lines for comparison:

A fan tweeted concerns about the level of Shepherd’s voice volume at an audio designer on the game who replied, “We do our best to keep consistency but it’s tough with 40,000 lines!”

More information.

maybe resource mining will now take place during a dialouge minigame with lively and inert minerals?

That was a misinterpretation/miscommunication:

http://twitter.com/#!/VectorWarrior/…90461261225984

("40,000 lines of dialogue in #ME3?! Wow that's awesome!!"
"Arg, not sure how many lines there are. There was around 40k in ME2 with DLC.")

Twice the dialogue in a shooter with RPG elements… Bah.
If they wanted to impress the targetted audience, twice the boobs would do the trick.

Twice the dialogue and…half the gameplay?

Yep.. uninterested at this point… moving on.

Aw, with the complainers again. I loved the dialogue in ME and ME2. I spent more than half of the game talking with characters, so more of it would be good news were if true. It's a huge part of the game.

Okay, so we're not getting Baldur's Gate 3. Boohoo!

Originally Posted by Thaurin
Aw, with the complainers again. I loved the dialogue in ME and ME2. I spent more than half of the game talking with characters, so more of it would be good news were if true. It's a huge part of the game.
Okay, so we're not getting Baldur's Gate 3. Boohoo!

Well, I surmise you're being facetious… but even if you aren't, we probably have that coming. However, our boohoo'ing is legit. It's like you've been going to this restaurant for years… and they serve your favorite dish (let's call it: D&D Gumbo!) and then, for some reason, they drop it from the menu and replace it with something that doesn't have near as much flavor (a lot less spicey, and you just LOVE spicey food). They changed the recipe to bring in more tourists and are considering turning the restaurant into a global franchise. Eventually, you start seeing canned versions of their "gumbo" in the supermarket….

Basically, I loved Bioware before… and not just for Baldur's Gate. I loved KOTOR, as well, and Neverwinter Nights (especially w/Hordes installed). My point is: they were once my favorite restaurant, but I don't choose to eat there anymore, because the management has changed. If that's complain' and boohoo-in' then, yes, I'm guilty… but isn't that what the Interwebs are for?

Wow, I love RPGWatch, but you guys are pricks.

Two things:

1. The Mass Effect series has always been upfront about the fact that the battles involve shooting. Sure, maybe Bioware was known for more typical RPG romps, but I don't see why that precludes them from doing another variation on the same genre.

2. Why does the fact that Mass Effect depends on shooting mean it "isn't an RPG"? There is a LOT of variance between RPGs in terms of battle systems. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that there ISN'T a standard RPG battle system. Turn-based, real-time, first person, third person, isometic over the top, true blue over the top, action based, strategy based, automatic, instantaneous, random, etc. etc. etc. - there is a classic RPG for basically every genre. The Elder Scrolls games are first person and action based? THEY CAN'T BE RPGS! Divinity II doesn't have a party?! And it's action based! NOT AN RPG! Pool of Radiance is more turn based strategy than typical turn based RPG? MUST NOT BE AN RPG!

RPGs are about two things: 1. Progression - you get stronger as you play, you get better equipment, you get more allies, you get more abilities, etc. 2. Living in the world - talking with people, making important decisions, recruiting allies and friends, doing quests for allies and friends, etc. etc.

Mass Effect 1 AND 2 have both of these elements. I wish that the progression elements in Mass Effect 2 were a bit more important, but you spend more time talking to people than shooting.

Listen, just because you aren't a big fan of a game, doesn't mean that it isn't an RPG and doesn't mean that it is a "bad game."

Well there's really no official rule about what makes a RPG so people are welcome to their personal opinions as long as they don't try to claim them as absolute fact. I was a big ME2 fan myself (although I would have liked to have seen a lot more character customization) but if someone wants to consider it a shooter with RPG elements then I have no problem with that. It all depends on what a RPG is to to you, and that's different for each person.

But really any game that's different then what people are used to is going to get trashed by some. Even Baldur's gate got trashed by some for being real time and not turn based.

Did someone say twice the boobs?

Originally Posted by killias2
RPGs are about two things: 1. Progression - you get stronger as you play, you get better equipment, you get more allies, you get more abilities, etc. 2. Living in the world - talking with people, making important decisions, recruiting allies and friends, doing quests for allies and friends, etc. etc.

I do consider ME2 to be an Action RPG (and liked it very much) but, if those were the only criteria, a lot of FPSes should have been classified as RPGs.

Originally Posted by zahratustra
I do consider ME2 to be an Action RPG (and liked it very much) but, if those were the only criteria, a lot of FPSes should have been classified as RPGs.

This is very true and was noticed in various reviews I have seen on FPS games. It seems that the line between genres is getting thinner by the day. If this is a good or bad thing I'll let for everyone to decide.

On ME I do like the action and the conversations. Progressing in feats, skills and getting new gear. Looking forward to part 3.

it's not even close to being a first person shooter….it has way to much character interaction for that. It's an rpg the snobs here like to deride. You get used to it after awhile, it's juvenile, but it's what goes on here.

Originally Posted by KapitanUnterhosen
Did someone say twice the boobs?

I did!

I mean… What is Bioware doing for god's sake… Cut the chatter and bring us more tits!

killias2, yes, I'm prick, so what. I just want a few more pairs in the game to enrich the view and that's it, I'll be happy.
Sex sells, Bioware will be happy too.

i liked mass effect and possibly 2 even better than one though i disliked the lack of mako exploration which was a great element of the first game. this seemed liked a lazy step to save development time. and with dragon age 2 being a much worse game than origins which far less unique exploring and recycled content i think having concerns for mass effect 3 are valid. i enjoy the dialogues with companiions and npcs probably far more than the average person here but if its at the cost of less exploration than i will decry it as for me exploration is a huge part of a good rpg, which bioware has never really been much about i know but still i can hope. bioware has good writing so its not like mass effect 3 will suffer from that, but they should remember that while they try to set the standard for writing and cinimatic gaming experience they can probably go to far find themselves outside of an enjoyable/challenging gaming experience that alients it audience or rather players. still at least they try unlike some devs and franchises.

ME2 = awesome action and cinematic experience but definitely NOT an RPG.

Twice the romance?

Aww, I was hoping there were boobies in this thread. Now I'm disappointed I've never played Mass Effect because I'm more of an exploration, stats, and loot guy. I would think the story-lover rpgers would like this series. Am I wrong? I'm also a big lover of fantasy over sci-fi. I do plan on playing the games someday.

Well it's important to note that the number of people who actually enjoyed the mako were pretty few and far between. At least from my impressions from forums and reviews, it was one of the most universally disliked parts of ME 1. So I kind of doubt that it's removal was just to save development time.

But at the same time I suspect there were alot of people who missed planetary exploration even if they hated the mako. And it's not like anyone liked the mining that took it's place. Hopefully they will come up with something better for 3.

Originally Posted by curious
i liked mass effect and possibly 2 even better than one though i disliked the lack of mako exploration which was a great element of the first game. this seemed liked a lazy step to save development time. and with dragon age 2 being a much worse game than origins which far less unique exploring and recycled content i think having concerns for mass effect 3 are valid. i enjoy the dialogues with companiions and npcs probably far more than the average person here but if its at the cost of less exploration than i will decry it as for me exploration is a huge part of a good rpg, which bioware has never really been much about i know but still i can hope. bioware has good writing so its not like mass effect 3 will suffer from that, but they should remember that while they try to set the standard for writing and cinimatic gaming experience they can probably go to far find themselves outside of an enjoyable/challenging gaming experience that alients it audience or rather players. still at least they try unlike some devs and franchises.