Mass Effect - Gen. Discussion & Info - Pinnacle Station DLC Now Available 400pts

Ya, Infiltrator is a hybrid, he gets all but the 2 the above poster said, but does have Sniper Rifle/Pistol if you don't have those yet.
 
[quote name='Suraph']No, Infiltrator doesn't have two of the electronics skills (AI Hacking and Neural Shock). You can get the weapon ones with any class, you'll just have a harder time of it if you're using an untrained weapon due to the lack of accuracy/efficiency -- but it's perfectly doable (I did Shotgun and Assault Rifle with an Infiltrator).

If you want to do all the electronics one on a single character you'll need to make an Engineer class.[/QUOTE]

Bah... I'm sure shotgun could be done untrained (but I probably have 1000 kills with that using my biotic hybrid - forget what he is called), but I tried the Assault Rifle and couldn't kill squat. I'll just do the full-up Engineer class and play long enough to get those achievements then do the same with Adept and Soldier I guess. But except for the Liara achievement I won't need to finish any more playthroughs. I might as well save one of those classes for the DLC though so I have something new to do.
 
[quote name='io']So with the infiltrator I can get sniper as well, but not assault rifle?[/quote]

You can get the assault rifle unlock with any class, it'll just be a real pain. :D

[quote name='Callandor']WTF? I just finished a playthough on Hardcore without changing the difficulty, and it didn't give me the achievement...

Dur, I was on Veteran, not Hardcore. Whoopie. :bomb: Oh well.[/quote]

That really sucks. At least the Hardcore/Insanity achievements are indifferent about how many sidequests you do. I was able to speed through Insanity in about 10 hours without doing many at all.
 
[quote name='metaly']That really sucks. At least the Hardcore/Insanity achievements are indifferent about how many sidequests you do. I was able to speed through Insanity in about 10 hours without doing many at all.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that's my goal. My current plan:
- 1 full playthrough on Hardcore with my lvl50 soldier, with Kaiden and Tali (this finishes my ally achievements)
- 1 non-sidequest playthrough on Insanity with that soldier (also to get to level 60, if I can't finish it on the hardcore game)
- 1 partial game with an adept to pick up those biotic achievements

I might do the adept playthrough on Insanity if I hit level 60 with the soldier, but I'd rather use a powered team for that challenge than start over one last time. Besides, my soldier is a tank. :D Wasted some points on Charm, but he can still obliterate anything in front of him, if he has a good tech user to debuff enemies.

Also, a misc. question about Virmire:
Is it actually possible to save both Kaiden and Ashley? If so, how?
 
[quote name='Callandor']Yeah, that's my goal. My current plan:
Also, a misc. question about Virmire:
Is it actually possible to save both Kaiden and Ashley? If so, how?
[/quote]

Nope, gotta pick one
 
They give you skill points up the ass in this game. I wasted a lot on charm and intimidate. Both are fully upgraded. And I have still maxed out almost every other skill tree there.

AR, Combat Armour, Spectre training, and 1 more cant remember.

I dont know what I am going to do yet.....trying to pick up as many cheesements as I can on this first play through though.
 
Also can some explain the importance of getting surveying the debris, anomalies, gas, and all the rest of that shit? This is the only thing about mass effect I dont like.....I dont want to collect dog tags around the universe.

Is there a cheesement? Or is it just something to do?


One more thing. Does holding down the A button make you run faster? It seems like it does but I cant tell.

What the hell do I have to do for the use charm on a situation cheesement? I have used charm a ton in a lot of things and I still havent gotten it.
 
If you beat the game once, then start a new game WITH A NEW character, can you start a new game after you have gone through two playthroughs with the character you used on your first playthrough?
 
[quote name='Soodmeg']Also can some explain the importance of getting surveying the debris, anomalies, gas, and all the rest of that shit? This is the only thing about mass effect I dont like.....I dont want to collect dog tags around the universe.

Is there a cheesement? Or is it just something to do?

One more thing. Does holding down the A button make you run faster? It seems like it does but I cant tell.

What the hell do I have to do for the use charm on a situation cheesement? I have used charm a ton in a lot of things and I still havent gotten it.[/quote]

The debris, metals/gases, etc. make up about four of the sidequests. They're the ones that say UNC. There's no achievement just for doing them, although they count towards Completionist and the ally ones.

Holding A makes you go slightly faster.

Th charm/intimidate thing isn't until pretty late in the game. Just make sure you have one or the other maxed out, and then always pick it when it comes up in conversation and you'll be fine. If you want to know specifically:
One is when you talk to Wrex on Virmire, the other is in a conversation with Saren on the Citadel. You can do either one to get the achievement.

[quote name='Spades22']If you beat the game once, then start a new game WITH A NEW character, can you start a new game after you have gone through two playthroughs with the character you used on your first playthrough?[/quote]

Yes, you can always start a new game with an old character. Just pick "select existing ID" during login. Also remember that you only get about 10 save slots per character, regardless of whether it's a second playthrough or not.
 
After making the choice of which one of your team members has to die...I saved Ashley by the way.....did anyone else thing of saying this


......Damn it......


KKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!
 
I'm going for Noveria tonight. I had some friends over last night and all they wanted to do was play Rock Band and then check out the graphics from a bunch of other games... so no Mass Effect progress
 
Anyone else surprised as hell when the mako actually gets flipped over at the end of the game? I tried the entire time to flip it.
 
[quote name='Soodmeg']Anyone else surprised as hell when the mako actually gets flipped over at the end of the game? I tried the entire time to flip it.[/quote]

Its not too hard to flip...I flipped it 2-3 times so far just while driving lol. You just keep pressing the jump or hover button in succession and eventually you start weaving and can do some weird flips
 
Just completed my first play through. Damn good game, damn good story.

I am going to wait a long while before starting another play through. I clocked in at around 30 or so hours and this is the only game I have played since I got it.

A game like this makes me glad I am a gamer. One of the few games that gives you a good sense of achievements after playing through. Cant wait for Mass effect 2 and 3.

Also need to get my hands on the sound track...the ending song is nice.
 
[quote name='Spades22']Its not too hard to flip...I flipped it 2-3 times so far just while driving lol. You just keep pressing the jump or hover button in succession and eventually you start weaving and can do some weird flips[/quote]

I meant flip it entire on its back. I kept trying and some how always landed on the wheels.

Yeah the mako is horrid to drive. Sometimes just driving straight would cause it to do a back flip for me sometimes. Its a really strange control system. The mako itself is so lose, it flails all over the place like it has no weight to it at all. I ran over a geth trooper and managed to do a front flip.
 
I'm on Novaria and I'm supposed to go talk to Captain Ventralis but when I get to him he is trying to kill me and I can't seem to talk to him. What am I doing wrong?
 
[quote name='Soodmeg']I meant flip it entire on its back. I kept trying and some how always landed on the wheels.

[/quote]

Ya thats what I was talking about lol. When you do that, the Mako stays on its back for a few seconds then it just kinda pops up.
I don't find driving it tedious at all though...I like climbing the mountains to their peak then jumping off :p
 
[quote name='Spades22']Ya thats what I was talking about lol. When you do that, the Mako stays on its back for a few seconds then it just kinda pops up.
I don't find driving it tedious at all though...I like climbing the mountains to their peak then jumping off :p[/quote]

Has anyone else ever driven forward but the car is actually backwards? I didn't notice why I was going so slow, until I saw that.

The Mako missions, I find tedious. I just drive through everything.
 
[quote name='javeryh']I'm on Novaria and I'm supposed to go talk to Captain Ventralis but when I get to him he is trying to kill me and I can't seem to talk to him. What am I doing wrong?[/QUOTE]

Noveria is kind of weird; the storyline can play out in a few different ways. Have you cleared out the rachni in the hot labs yet? If so, you find out Ventralis was being controlled by Benezia and they try to kill you afterwards. Then you go after Benezia.

Otherwise, be nice to the doctor in the med lab. He'll start a quest for a cure for the sick scientists, which will lead you to Benezia (and a traitor other than Ventralis) before completing the hot labs, and Ventralis will never even attack you.

I didn't even discover that second option until my second playthrough.

And the Mako needs work if they're keeping it in ME2. It's tolerable to use as long as you're not climbing mountains in search of minerals. Also needs faster shield regeneration.
 
[quote name='ph33r m3']Has anyone else ever driven forward but the car is actually backwards? I didn't notice why I was going so slow, until I saw that.

The Mako missions, I find tedious. I just drive through everything.[/quote]
Movement is determined by the direction the camera is facing (instead of the car like every other game ever made)

I found it very annoying and sometimes dangerous (I already suck at driving games) :(
 
I love this game... already dumped around 13 hours in, can't wait to dump even more into it. I hate the Mako though... it is just horribly obnoxious to have to drive around in it, looking for stupid minerals. Definitely the worst part of the game. That and the inventory system both suck. But everything else is absolutely amazing. Few games have pulled me in as much as this one. I'm loving it. This thread has been helpful too in answering random questions I have.
 
[quote name='Callandor']
Noveria is kind of weird; the storyline can play out in a few different ways. Have you cleared out the rachni in the hot labs yet? If so, you find out Ventralis was being controlled by Benezia and they try to kill you afterwards. Then you go after Benezia.

Otherwise, be nice to the doctor in the med lab. He'll start a quest for a cure for the sick scientists, which will lead you to Benezia (and a traitor other than Ventralis) before completing the hot labs, and Ventralis will never even attack you.

I didn't even discover that second option until my second playthrough.

And the Mako needs work if they're keeping it in ME2. It's tolerable to use as long as you're not climbing mountains in search of minerals. Also needs faster shield regeneration.[/quote]

I don't think I cleared out the Hot Labs yet but I have to check. Ventralis definitely wants me dead and unless I want to go back about 2 hours to an earlier save I guess I'm going to have to live with it. It's annoying that I won't be able to complete all the missions (but I better be able to do enough to get the ally achievements and completionist).
 
[quote name='javeryh']god damn benezia is a bitch[/quote]

Really? Once you figure out what to do it's a peace of cake. Once it starts, run to the right, hide behind those crates. Then, I used that decrease shield technique and just shot the crap outta her minions with a pistol. Then another wave comes, run back to where you started. Hide behind crate and shoot. Then another wave, run to another corner, hide behind crates and shoot. Then you'll get to Benezia. Once, she ends talkin', SHOOT THE SHIT OUTTA THAT BITCH.

I was a level like 18? or 20?, I went their 2nd after getting Benezia's daughter. My teammates really didn't help, so just focus on yourself.
 
Yeah, just concentrate on her minions. Depending on your class, you may have better luck getting right in their faces instead of attacking from behind cover. Just storm across the catwalks so you don't get hit with one of those biotic energy balls. I died a couple times because those things would knock me down and drain my energy, and I couldn't use any medigel because I was still stunned. Frustrating.
 
[quote name='javeryh']god damn benezia is a bitch[/QUOTE]

I got to her at like level 10 or 11 and couldn't beat her. Had to backtrack all the way back to the ship, go level up, did noveria last, and she was cake.

Lesson: Do Noveria last.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']I got to her at like level 10 or 11 and couldn't beat her. Had to backtrack all the way back to the ship, go level up, did noveria last, and she was cake.

Lesson: Do Noveria last.[/quote]

I wouldn't say do Noveria last, per se. Maybe you could do level 10 or 11, that'd probably be pushing it.

This game gets relatively easy, once you figure out each bosses techniques. Benezia's was just to be patient, and knock out the minions. I
 
Yeah, I just always did every completeable side quest before going onto the next story mission. Made the game a snap after the first 10 hours or so of learning how to play and getting leveled up, better weapons etc.
 
I beat her. The problem I was having was that as soon as the fight started an Asari soldier would be running down the stairs firing her gun and killing me almost instantly. The times I managed to get away to the right Benezia would hit me with an energy ball and then I'd get shot and killed. Once I managed to get behind cover the battle became a lot easier but I probably died 8-10 times before getting a single shot off. During the fight Tali would die instantly as usual but Wrex was actually helpful. I ended up killing the last few Asaris with grenades...

Now I'm going to finish as many sidequests as I can before going to Virmire. I haven't been keeping track of systems/clusters I've been to so I might have to do some backtracking. Also, I noticed for the first time last night that there are some "uncharted" places that you can scan which lead you to another planet or something.... I found a spaceship that "trailed off" to a neighboring planet (that I wasn't otherwise able to land on) so that's something to do for now... I also maxed out my assault rifle so I think the 150 achievement will be coming soon.
 
[quote name='Callandor']
Noveria is kind of weird; the storyline can play out in a few different ways. Have you cleared out the rachni in the hot labs yet? If so, you find out Ventralis was being controlled by Benezia and they try to kill you afterwards. Then you go after Benezia.

Otherwise, be nice to the doctor in the med lab. He'll start a quest for a cure for the sick scientists, which will lead you to Benezia (and a traitor other than Ventralis) before completing the hot labs, and Ventralis will never even attack you.

I didn't even discover that second option until my second playthrough.
[/QUOTE]

WTF? How do you get him to attack you? Every time I go in there (3 times so far) he talks to me and you help fight off the Rachni and then move on to the doctor, etc... I did notice that once I was IN the lab area I could sneak behind into the restricted area and "good guys" were attacking me. I thought that was very wierd and I backed out because at the time I was trying for Paragon points. But that is after you first meet Ventralis. Is that what you did javeryh?

And the Benezia fight is a major pain in the ass on Insanity difficulty - not because it is so hard, necessarily, but because it takes so long to kill the waves off that the game has plenty of opportunity to glitch on you. I had 3 consecutive glitches there where I had to go to the dashboard and restart the game (either blasting enemies through walls with my shotgun such that it never ends or the one where benezia hits you with an energy ball just as you finish off a wave and then you get stuck on the floor getting more and more twisted and deformed looking - I have some pics I'll post some time).
 
I wish I knew what I did... when I first went through his area (right after getting off the tram) he wasn't there or in his office in the next room over. I did some exploring and someone told me to go talk to him and a mission appeared in my journal. When I started traveling back to him all of the "good guys" were attacking me so I was taking them out along the way and when I got to Ventralis he tried to kill me. The orange exclamation point was in the room but there was nothing to trigger like a conversation or anything. I ended up reloading an earlier save (so as not to kill him) and made my way to Benezia. After that fight Ventralis was no longer on Noveria as far as I could tell and the mission was no longer in my journal to complete.

I did not go to the Hot Labs or complete the smuggling assignment until AFTER I killed Benezia - I'm not sure if that makes a difference with things... it seemed like there were about 10 different ways things could play out on Noveria...
 
Ok, here are the ways Noveria has played out for me. Since no one else is using spoilers anymore, neither will I. :D

1) Meet Ventralis and save his crew from the small Rachni attack. Go to the labs/barracks/med lab and talk to all of the scientists, etc. Go back to the elevator and enter the hot labs using the key Ventralis give you. Initiate the neutron purge to destroy the rachni, escape, and return to the labs. Ventralis and his crew meet you in the main area and attack, after mentioning this was Benezia's plan if you didn't die in the hot labs. Kill Ventralis and his crew, go down the elevator and save Barla Von, then proceed on to defeat Benezia and leave Noveria.

2) Meet Ventralis and save his crew from the small Rachni attack. Go to the labs/barracks/med lab and talk to all of the scientists, etc. Go to the med lab and offer to help the doctor with the toxic cure for the sick scientists (might require a small amount of paragon; not sure, just try being nice to the doctor). Talk to Ventralis to get access to the quarantine lab. Go to the lab, make the cure, and that meditating asari scientist will attack you. Defeat her and take the cure to the doctor; he will give you the key for the back access to where Benezia is (the icy cave with the one Rachni soldier). Defeat Benezia, and the Rachni queen will ask you to kill all the remaining Rachni in the hot labs. Go to the hot labs to initiate the neutron purge, escape, and then leave Noveria.
 
Ah, interesting - I never realized there was any other way to do it besides getting rid of the Rachni at the very end - the purge is always the very last thing I do on Noveria. Since I always talk to every person I see in an area I have always generated the doctor/cure storyline I guess.

But what is the deal with that "restricted area" where people attack you if you enter? I poked myself in there once and got attacked and then backed out. I wasn't being attacked by Ventralis et al at that point, just security within that area. So that little area has always gone unexplored in my games. The first time through I figured I'd end up there later but it never happens.
 
I think the restricted area is just another way to get to Benezia, but I could be wrong. I stumbled in there too, but can't remember if I fought my way through or backed out.
 
io, that area is basically the "renegade path" to Benezia. Paragon helps out the doctor, gets the key, and gets in alarm free. Renegade goes right through the restricted area and says "fuck you if you think you can stop me."
 
[quote name='emdub']io, that area is basically the "renegade path" to Benezia. Paragon helps out the doctor, gets the key, and gets in alarm free. Renegade goes right through the restricted area and yays "fuck you if you think you can stop me."[/QUOTE]

Huh, OK... Well, I played as renegade the second time and still did the doctor path. Of course you rack up massive renegage points with the "evil" choice on the Rachni Queen that more than makes up for that :lol:.
 
For the Ally achievements - do they unlock as you play or do they unlock once you finish? I just got the "Completionist" achievement last night but I still don't have any Ally achievements and I'm getting worried I might never get them. I've been playing exclusively with Wrex and Tali except in the beginning on the Citadel when I didn't know what I was doing. I have been using them from the first time I left the Citadel (and a bit before) until now. I still have a few assignments to finish though and places to explore (I haven't finished any of the collect-a-thon assignments). I also haven't tried Virmire yet...
 
[quote name='javeryh']For the Ally achievements - do they unlock as you play or do they unlock once you finish? I just got the "Completionist" achievement last night but I still don't have any Ally achievements and I'm getting worried I might never get them. I've been playing exclusively with Wrex and Tali except in the beginning on the Citadel when I didn't know what I was doing. I have been using them from the first time I left the Citadel (and a bit before) until now. I still have a few assignments to finish though and places to explore (I haven't finished any of the collect-a-thon assignments). I also haven't tried Virmire yet...[/quote]

They unlock as soon as you finish the X number of missions/assignments required. I think I got both of mine around Virmire, so don't worry. As long as you didn't do a lot of Citadel sidequests before getting Wrex and Tali, you should be OK.
 
I've gotten Garrus after Virmire, Ashley after Noveria & Feros, and Wrex/Liara on Ilos. Should get Kaiden after Noveria/Feros and Tali on Ilos or Virmire, if all goes as planned.

You need to complete a total of 15 missions and 35 assignments (side quests) with a character to get the ally achievements (I keep seeing 45 everywhere, but I've gotten both Garrus and Ashley at 35, so whatever...).
 
[quote name='javeryh']god damn benezia is a bitch[/quote]
Maybe I'm biased because I was level 28 at the time, but that was the easiest boss battle I've ever faced. Just take a lot of cover and your golden.

I just cleared Virmire and headed back to the citadel to do some side quests. I want the Ashley and Tali achievements...

I'm level 35 right now.
 
I did all the sidequests and for the Asari Ally it unlocked at:

When you open the gate where the MAKO landed on Ilos (to go down the long hallway)
 
I was in the 30s for my level - I couldn't get out of the way of the first Asari soldier. I was seriously getting killed less than 3 seconds in from the save point and there wasn't time to find cover. It seemed like poor design rather than me sucking (which I do) when it was all said and done.

Speaking of poor design... I don't know why this game rates so high. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying it so far but it seems like it could have used another year of development. It's glitchy as hell, the framerate is atrocious, the missions aren't that varied, the cover system is busted, combat is frustrating, elevators all over the place, there is no point to money, the weapon/omni-gel system seems pointless, the Mako controls are terrible, etc. I could go on. This game is definitely greater than the individual parts but I'd rate it somewhere between an 8 and 8.5 at best unless something seriously cool happens in the last few hours. I really feel like they are on to something because the game does a lot of things right but I can't escape the feeling that they released a beta version due to time/budget constraints or something.
 
[quote name='Callandor']I've gotten Garrus after Virmire, Ashley after Noveria & Feros, and Wrex/Liara on Ilos. Should get Kaiden after Noveria/Feros and Tali on Ilos or Virmire, if all goes as planned.

You need to complete a total of 15 missions and 35 assignments (side quests) with a character to get the ally achievements (I keep seeing 45 everywhere, but I've gotten both Garrus and Ashley at 35, so whatever...).[/QUOTE]

Yeah, the only one I really kept track on mission number was for Ashley and it was *exactly* 35 sidequests, which is way better than 45. On my last playthrough I got hers done really early - still on one of Noveria/Feros or so. If you go through Noveria, of course, you get a ton of mission quests done which are actually the bottleneck on the achievement since it is hard to come up with 15 before that. I have to get back to my insanity playthrough before I forget where everything is and finish that up (racking up Wrex and Kaiden - I'll only have Liara left then). I still have Feros left which of course has a lost of assignments in it - ought to have Kaiden by then for sure considering he's been with me since the beginning.

javeryh - Yeah, you pretty much nailed it with the game's issues. I agree with most of that, though I actually don't find the cover system to be that bad and I'm not a shooter game player in general. I mean, I've actually found the cover to be useful at times. It can be annoying other times when it presses you up against a side wall or something that isn't actually providing you cover and you get blasted at while trying to free yourself. But when there's a stack of crates or a doorway it works well enough.
 
The issues didn't really bother me. The frame rate I got used to, and the combat/cover issues didn't bother me as I was comparing it to the boring ass, stand around and watch turn based crap in KOTOR and other RPGS versus comparing it to a 3rd person shooter.

I hate turn based games (will never in my life play another one) so the real time combat was a HUGE plus to me, even if it didn't play as well as Gears or other 100% 3rd person shooter games.

So while I saw the flaws, they didn't bother me much and didn't factor into my score of the game (9.5--nearly 10) or making it my GOTY.
 
[quote name='dmaul1114']The issues didn't really bother me. The frame rate I got used to, and the combat/cover issues didn't bother me as I was comparing it to the boring ass, stand around and watch turn based crap in KOTOR and other RPGS versus comparing it to a 3rd person shooter.

I hate turn based games (will never in my life play another one) so the real time combat was a HUGE plus to me, even if it didn't play as well as Gears or other 100% 3rd person shooter games.

So while I saw the flaws, they didn't bother me much and didn't factor into my score of the game (9.5--nearly 10) or making it my GOTY.[/QUOTE]

Well, that's your personal preference of course. I think Lost Odyssey is a FAR superior game in just about every way (from graphics to combat to story). Yet I still think Mass Effect is very good ;). I can understand liking the real-time combat vs turn-based but one knock on Mass Effect is the utter lack of enemy variety. A typical JRPG will have WAY more enemy variety requiring vastly different strategies to deal with them. Even KOTOR was more like that. The real-time aspect limits the enemy types, I think, as the combat becomes pretty generic. That's not to say it isn't fun (as I'm on my third playthrough!).
 
[quote name='io']Well, that's your personal preference of course. I think Lost Odyssey is a FAR superior game in just about every way (from graphics to combat to story). Yet I still think Mass Effect is very good ;). I can understand liking the real-time combat vs turn-based but one knock on Mass Effect is the utter lack of enemy variety. A typical JRPG will have WAY more enemy variety requiring vastly different strategies to deal with them. Even KOTOR was more like that. The real-time aspect limits the enemy types, I think, as the combat becomes pretty generic. That's not to say it isn't fun (as I'm on my third playthrough!).[/QUOTE]

Yep, definitely just personal preference. I just can't stand selecting "fight" and standing around and watching.

I want to be moving, dodging attacking etc., so turn based games just aren't my bag. I used to play some occasionally, but I think I'm done with them for good. Not that I play many RPGs anyway as 30-40 hour games are hard to stomach on my busy schedule. 10 hours is about the sweet spot for me.

As for the other point, ME could definitely use more enemy variety. Even if the combat is generic, they could still give you more different looking enemies that attack a bit differently etc. Hopefully the sequel will improve on that and the recycled environments for sidequests. Those are the things that take it down to a 9.5 for me. If the sidequets weren't so repetitive in task and identical bases etc. it would have got a 10.
 
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