So, I've beaten Mass Effect 3 yesterday for the first time with imported save games from ME 1&2 on Xbox. Vanilla, without any DLC

I have to say, I understand why people was disappointed with the ending in this state. What I would have changed:

I'm sure people have already suggested these.

Now you can move onto Andromeda and be further underwhelmed! I hope you like "young people coolly quipping at each other" in place of actual, meaningful dialogue because that's all you'll get.

I am playing through Mafia 3 at the moment. I've done 1 and 2 a million times but kept bouncing off 3 on account of it being crap. I'm determined to plough through it (and the paid-now-free DLC that came with it) so that I can say I am a Mafia fan, but without the asterisk.

RandomStranger wrote on 2021-09-29, 06:01:

I hear this part was fixed in the free DLC.

It's been a loong while, but I don't remember that being the case. They did try to improve things with the ending, but that was like a dingy bandage on a gaping wound.

I think the fact that this still gets brought up even a decade later speaks for itself how much potential they managed to flush down the toilet with ME3 😁

Sombrero wrote on 2021-09-29, 06:25:

RandomStranger wrote on 2021-09-29, 06:01:

I hear this part was fixed in the free DLC.

It's been a loong while, but I don't remember that being the case. They did try to improve things with the ending, but that was like a dingy bandage on a gaping wound.

I think the fact that this still gets brought up even a decade later speaks for itself how much potential they managed to flush down the toilet with ME3 😁

To be fair, it isn't a decade later for me. It's been 9 hours and 10 minutes since I've beaten the game in it's original 2012 state 😁

Joakim wrote on 2021-09-29, 05:09:

I played gothic 1 and 2 (and maybe 3) a few years after launch. I have fond memories of them. But I did not have the hardware for Risen at the time and never played it.

Risen 1 is like the best parts of Gothic 1&2 put together and it's well worth playing. One caveat: about 3/4 of the game are exceptionally good. The last 1/4 (final dungeon) is a bit tedious and the last boss battle is.... unconventional, but the rest of the game is truly superb. It also has an amazing soundtrack which fits perfectly with the game world.

Lastly, for people who understand German, I would recommend playing the game in that language (GOG and Steam versions allow this) since the voice acting is much better compared to English. That goes for the entire Gothic/Risen series too.

Risen 1 is a cracker I agree, it could be renamed to Gothic 4 😂 I've never finished it due to that horrendous ending but there's countless hours of fun to be had before that kicks in.

Here's my Risen 1 update notes too if anyone's interested 😊

1-- Install game
2
3-- Patch with official patch (1.10)
4
5-- DELETE the tagesclient files (2) from the bin folder (copy protection trash)
6
7-- apply NO-CD crack
8
9-- copy the unofficial patch (risenup13.zip) into the game dir
10
11-- install the RMDS Mod manager thingo (suggest putting it in the game dir folder)
12
13	-- click the 'Internet DB' menu item to load possible mods:
14	
15		- PlayerHouse mod
16	
17		- Modesty mod
18	
19		- R.E.T pack
20
21		- Liade's new hero mod
22
23		- Ambient animation mod
24	
25		- Risen grass mod
26	
27		- Ambient sound fix
28	
29		- Risen Balance Mod V1.1
30
31		- High res Texture-Pack (Stones and Walls) V1.0
32
33		- LowPolyTexturmod V1.0 (8192 x 8192 version)	
34
35	-- download the mods, the mod manager will restart and then you have to select all mods.
36
37	-- click 'Integerate mods'	
38
39-- Update main game .exe with 4GB patch
40
41-- if you're seeing a 'side by side' error then reinstall VC from the resdist folder
42
43-- use nvidea profile inspector and import 'Risen AA.nip' for AA
44
45-- copy ConfigDefault.xml to <<gamedir>>\data\ini
46
47-- copy ConfigUser.xml to C:\Users\<<username>>\AppData\Local\Risen

Files:

Is that instruction for a digital release or physical?

Joakim wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:24:

Is that instruction for a digital release or physical?

I'd say physical since patch 1.10 is integrated into the digital releases and the GOG version is DRM-free.

For your very first play through, I would advise not using any mods. In fact, I don't use any when I'm replaying the game either, but to each their own.

RandomStranger wrote on 2021-09-29, 06:01:

So, I've beaten Mass Effect 3 yesterday for the first time with imported save games from ME 1&2 on Xbox. Vanilla, without any DL […]
Show full quote

So, I've beaten Mass Effect 3 yesterday for the first time with imported save games from ME 1&2 on Xbox. Vanilla, without any DLC

I have to say, I understand why people was disappointed with the ending in this state. What I would have changed:

Spoiler

• Shepherd/the player shouldn't make a choice at that point on the Citadel. Shepherd should have already made up his mind. There should have been a point system where storyline decisions award points to 1 or 2 endings throughout the 3 games. Something like if you let go of the Rachni or destroy them (synthesis/destruction), saved the council or let them die (synthesis/control), in the second game activating legion or handing him over to the cerberus (synthesis/control), in his loyalty mission reprogramming the heretics or destroying them (control/destruction), in the third game curing the genophage or not (synthesis/control) etc. and the choice at the end should be automatic based on these.
• The presentation lacked any impact. I chose synthesis, all I've seen Shepherd being dismantled, the Reapers leaving, the Mass Relay system being destroyed, the Normady dropping out of FTL and crashlanding on a jungle planet, Joker, EDI and Tali getting out, then credits, then an old fart telling the legend of "The shepherd" to a child. I wanted to see more of the result of my actions/decisions I hear this part was fixed in the free DLC.
  
  And the thing is, Bioware used a point system similar to this on certain points of the game.

I'm sure people have already suggested these.

You have the free Extended Cut DLC to fix most of it, even on Xbox. I highly recommend it. No jungle planet in it.

I got the original ending at release, I was so pissed and disappointed. It took a lot of angry people like me on the Bioware forums (RIP) to get the Extended Cut more than 6 months later.

To this day, this is why I won't buy anything EA, not even the remaster.

For me, it's the Happy Ending Mod or nothing. And even with that, ME3 is really awful overall. It layed a huge steaming pile of shit on ME's legacy and potential, and on my shoes at the same time.

I had ALL the DLC (even for the two DLCs for ME1), all the Collector Editions, all the comic books, all the artbooks, ANYTHING I could get my hands on. And this was my reward. All my effort, all my different Shepards, all my (spare) money over 5 FREAKIN' YEARS, to get a third game that was written by a team of emos without any supervision by a single adult. Thanks for nothing, Bioware !

Joakim wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:24:

Is that instruction for a digital release or physical?

Yep physical, I was an early adopter 😋

I don't usually use mods that alter gameplay - I notice I have a balancing mod in there, can't remember why I chose to use that. I suspect that I was looking to alter the experience a bit having played it so much but yes, each to their own with mods.

badmojo wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:37:

Yep physical, I was an early adopter 😋

Same here. But now I own both the physical and the digital (GOG) releases of all the Gothic/Risen games. They go on sale frequently on GOG and can be acquired quite cheaply.

As mentioned earlier, for me, the main draw of the digital version was the ability to switch to German language. You also get the soundtracks and some other goodies for free on GOG which is nice.

clueless1 wrote on 2021-09-24, 18:37:

Time for a 20 hour FPS or two to take a break from 100 hour RPGs. Probably Metro: Last Light or Bioshock 2, or both (I've beate […]
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Time for a 20 hour FPS or two to take a break from 100 hour RPGs. Probably Metro: Last Light or Bioshock 2, or both (I've beaten Metro 2033 and Bioshock 1). Looking ahead to my next RPG, I'm also considering several sequels to games I've already beaten:
Realms of Arkania 3
Legend of Grimrock 2
Might & Magic 6
as well as Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.

Both LoG 2and M&M6 are great fun games but honestly LoG2 is a lot less memorable than its prequel and M&M6 is in a league of its own entirely among all RPGs ever so that gets my vote.

xcomcmdr wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:34:

You have the free Extended Cut DLC to fix most of it, even on Xbox. I highly recommend it. No jungle planet in it.

I played the game without the extended cut DLC intentionally, because I wanted to experiece the game as it was originally meant to be. I prefer to play all games vanilla the first time, even if they are borderline broken.

Over all the game I think wasn't that bad. Most of my issues with it carried over from the previous games (for example the dialogue wheel where the short version doesn't represent correctly what and how Shep will say something, black-and-white morality).

A lot of people claimed ME (mostly the first 2) is an improvement over the KOTOR series, but I still think KOTOR 2 is superior. ME had the potential to be an actual improvement, but fell short.

RandomStranger wrote on 2021-09-29, 08:15:

A lot of people claimed ME (mostly the first 2) is an improvement over the KOTOR series, but I still think KOTOR 2 is superior. ME had the potential to be an actual improvement, but fell short.

People give KOTOR2 more credit than it deserves I think. While it does novel things with its setting and source material it also does most of it very sloppily and its ending is an even worse clusterfuck than ME3.

As for the ME trilogy, the first one is the best and as much as I liked ME2 and from what I have read of ME3 (I have yet to play ME3 myself) I can't help but feel like it is kind of like The Matrix, or The Force Awakens, ie. it is a well contained great execution and presentation that is ill-served by attempts at developing it further. The series started with a big bang and had good focus, but as sequels came the story devolved into inconsequential tangents and it ended on a whimper.

I also did not like the course the story took, or where the player's quest fit into it. I mean, I liked ME2 as a game, but I just did not like where they took the story and what the game wanted me to do. It could be just me, but I feel I'm not alone in this.

xcomcmdr wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:34:

For me, it's the Happy Ending Mod or nothing. And even with that, ME3 is really awful overall. It layed a huge steaming pile of shit on ME's legacy and potential, and on my shoes at the same time.
e that was written by a team of emos without any supervision by a single adult. Thanks for nothing, Bioware !

Ok, so I think this needs to be linked at this point: https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect3/mods/66/

I did not know this existed, but now I know I actually want to play ME3 as soon as I finish Pillars of Eternity II.

appiah4 wrote on 2021-09-29, 08:17:

People give KOTOR2 more credit than it deserves I think. While it does novel things with its setting and source material it also does most of it very sloppily and its ending is an even worse clusterfuck than ME3.

I disagree. KOTOR2 deserves all the praise it gets. Yes, it does some things sloppily, but it's development time was less than a year so it's to be expected. The ending is much more organic to the story than in ME3, you also had to work more to earn the trust of your companions than in ME2 (you literally speak once with a new crew mate and one mission later their loyalty mission unlocks). And over all it offered better role playing options. The inventory was crap though, but it was just as bad in ME1 and Bioware gave up on trying from ME2.

appiah4 wrote on 2021-09-29, 08:30:

xcomcmdr wrote on 2021-09-29, 07:34:

For me, it's the Happy Ending Mod or nothing. And even with that, ME3 is really awful overall. It layed a huge steaming pile of shit on ME's legacy and potential, and on my shoes at the same time.
e that was written by a team of emos without any supervision by a single adult. Thanks for nothing, Bioware !

Ok, so I think this needs to be linked at this point: https://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect3/mods/66/

I did not know this existed, but now I know I actually want to play ME3 as soon as I finish Pillars of Eternity II.

😀
Make sure to *not* install the awful custom music. Uncheck it in the installer.

Pays to read the documentation. Found a few settings in Shogo that make it a bit smoother on my little Riva 128 that could. If memory serves, and it may not, this was actually the card I played it on at the time. I got the game when it came out, and I don't think I got a Riva TNT until Christmas later that year? In a used Pentium II system? Or was it a PCI version that went in my existing Socket 7 rig? I wish I could remember.

You know it's funny, getting further into this, it's taking me way, way back to the days when once a year, Sci-Fi channel would run a marathon of broadcast premier Anime films. If my sources are correct, in 1993, when I was 10 years old, I was treated to Lensman, Vampire Hunter D and Robot Carnival, which I dutifully recorded on VHS and watched over and over and over again. It was the first time I saw anime outside of the heavily repurposed Robotech or Volton. In the following years Tank Police, Project A-Ko, 8 Man After, Casshan Robot Hunter and Odin Starlight Mutiny put a love of the medium in me that at this point has mostly petered out.

I don't know how into Anime the people who made Shogo were. I don't know if they liked what aired over the last 5 years, or if they were trading bootlet VHS fansubs. But it definitely reminds me of that time when Anime was a bit less cringy. When it wasn't so far up it's own ass it looked like a Klein Bottle.

Also, I am a quicksaving fool in this game. I remember dying constantly in the on foot section. I also remember not being very good at games back then, with no concept of circle strafing or anything. But yeah, those on foot sections are still brutal. Enemies almost always get the first shot on me. Especially when a door won't open unless I'm right up against it, obscuring my vision. As the door rises they start shooting my feet scoring critical hits instantly killing me before I can even see they are there. So that's fun.

I've taken to just coming around every corner guns blazing. It's not like ammo is scarce at all.

I'm a bit stuck. Using some older STB drivers for the card lets me install a version of NV3 Tweak that actually works on Win95, and enjoy proper PCI Texture Heap sizes on the 32 MB of RAM this system is equipped with. The newest Nvidia Reference drivers perform ever so slightly better, and have improved compatibility with some games. But the NV3 Tweak panel is half broken in Win 95, and the PCI Texture Heap for OpenGL size won't go above 3 MB for OpenGL, which is insufficient even for GLQuake to run without severe hitching. Which is odd since the D3D settings have no problem setting it's PCI Texture Heap higher, and in fact defaults to 5 MB on that system.

I fiddled with it some, but all I ended up with was a Win95 with totally broken drivers. At least I'd backed it up.

Namrok wrote on 2021-09-30, 00:34:

Also, I am a quicksaving fool in this game. I remember dying constantly in the on foot section. I also remember not being very good at games back then, with no concept of circle strafing or anything. But yeah, those on foot sections are still brutal. Enemies almost always get the first shot on me. Especially when a door won't open unless I'm right up against it, obscuring my vision. As the door rises they start shooting my feet scoring critical hits instantly killing me before I can even see they are there. So that's fun.

Believe me when I tell you this: There is NO such thing as "being good" in Shogo singleplayer.

The "AI" is literally cheating AI; they have no concept of rotations other than snapping instantaneously in the facing the code wants them to face in. They always have perfect aim as a result of this, even with the "purposefully introduced aim error" the lower difficulties are supposed to be giving them.

Infact, if you go download the source code (this isn't source code to the whole engine, just source code to the client and server runtime libraries, it's the only way to make mods) you'll notice that one of the things the difficulty settings does is apply multipliers to the enemy damage, "Hard" being the only time a multiplier of 1.0 is used, i.e. no change from damage the Player can do!

If you don't mind breaking a game, try going into third person mode in singleplayer and "stick your gun through the wall", it will let you shoot through as many walls as you want as level collision is 1-sided when it comes to projectiles and hitscans.

Also, if your midsection is behind anything, even a crate, the AI cannot "see" you. You might come across this in the "Lost Cat" level.

Yeah, that sounds about right. At least it quick loads off an SD to IDE adapter faster than it ever did off the likely 5400 rpm HDD I was using back in the day.