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Mass Effect: Andromeda

TaintedSquirrel said:
Does anyone have the Prima guide here? Curious if it has an objective map for each planet. Hunting down all the "Additional Tasks" is a pain.
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I picked up the guide. Truly I've not looked into it ultra deeply yet as I've not really started the single player campaign, but it does seem to be quite comprehensive and has varying lists of missions, both in terms of a main "completionist" walkthrough and independently going over secondary missions and the like. For what its worth, buy from Amazon - they're selling the guides for a LOT cheaper than most other places. Also, if its in stock, the hardcover Collector's Edition (the version I have) was only about $23 on Amazon (which was like $5 more than the softcover version) and it comes with a code for a multiplayer booster pack. Both versions (I think) come with a code for a free digital version of the guide too, redeemed on Prima's site, for those who prefer to keep it on your phone/tablet.

Overall it seems pretty well put together and does help you understand the choices and collect everything, apparently.
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
I hope it's a big changelog and not more PR bullshit. I think this game is being abandoned, but that's just my take on the situation.
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It has literally been 9 days since release... It had a day 1 patch 1.04 as in there were patches 1.01-1.03 internally. Historically me2 and me3 got a lot of additional content and patches... What i can't understand is why they did not make paid dlc casual clothing options.

They will milk this franchise for all it is worth they won't abandon it they may try a different story but it seems like they want this to do well enough to spin 3 more.

Also i don't hate the game unlike some i don't find it boring i just wish some things were more like the older versions like i would have liked the car to be an upgrade rather than a broken mako with 2 more wheels. Hover car from 2 was an upgrade...
 
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Frraksurred said:
I'm doing my first run on Normal also (tradition with this series). Once you get up to level 50 the enemies start to take more strategy. You have to plan your skills and Squad more around being able to quickly strip Shields, then fire combo Armor. My character is mainly a biotic Adept, but I had to replace a skill with a fully upgraded Incinerate that can both prime and detonate. This has made some of the armor heavy bosses more manageable, plus it adds an extra primer + detonator to all my other combos (Singularity / Push / Incinerate / Weapon augmented to strip shields faster).

That said, I'm eager to try out NG+ on Insanity... if I don't get consumed with the MP and forget about the SP completely. I'll be ready for a break after this run for sure, but I'll likely wait until the game is patched into better shape before I try another SP run.
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NoOther said:
Yeah, to tag onto what Frraksurred said, the game seems to really prefer characters that aren't dedicated to just one branch. Many combos work best when you are stacking attacks from different groups. I am using Adept/Tech combos that work pretty effectively. I think it probably is better to focus on some shield or armor breaking stuff early with higher damage. I started off with all defensive upgrades for myself and my squad and it just ends up taking longer to kill people that way. Which gives them more time to reinforce.

Some great things to go for early though are the basic health from the soldier tree, then you want to get a good early power combo like energy drain + incinerate, or energy drain + shockwave. Look for things that detonate on combos, should say in the powers description. Be sure to create a couple power loadouts that have your combos put together. I have a defense loadout, and then 3 combo loadouts that I can switch between.
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Thanks for your insights, I've just realized I'm only 33% complete through the game and lvl 30. I was under the impression I was half-way through. Also, huh, a NG+ mode. Nice of them to do that.
 
SighTurtle said:
Also, huh, a NG+ mode. Nice of them to do that.
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I haven't confirmed there is one yet, but there has been in all their previous games. Some were added after release, usually alongside the "Insanity" difficulty (and Platinum in MP). I'm just assuming that will take place here as well.
 
Wasn't familiar with the 'NG+' notation, but I've used this in all three games- this is where upping the difficulty really makes sense. I made it to level 60 during my first playthrough on Normal, so hitting 100 shouldn't be that hard.

Course, when I start a second playthrough, I'll have to actually pay attention to my selected powers, equipment, and squadmates. I have a feeling that not being able to control squadmate power usage is going to be frustrating.
 
SighTurtle said:
Squad AI could use some bugfixes. I've noticed my squadmates not really shooting alot sometimes. :<
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Make sure to use 'Z' and 'C' to give them targets. I typically only use this for boss-level fights on Normal difficulty, but I can see needing to really micro-manage their targets at higher difficulty levels. Also check their positioning and bring them closer and possibly behind cover using the same keys.
 
diableri said:
Nope. I am aware of it but never felt the need to test it. Simple enough to avoid once it was posted a dozen times.
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I have never saved or loaded a save from inside the Nomad. I save after I've completed a quest line conversation or before I start something. I don't run around in the Mako and save my game as I go. I fast travel around a lot so I don't feel the need I guess. I agree this issue needs to be fixed but I haven't run into it once because I don't do it.

Lunas said:
It has literally been 9 days since release... It had a day 1 patch 1.04 as in there were patches 1.01-1.03 internally. Historically me2 and me3 got a lot of additional content and patches... What i can't understand is why they did not make paid dlc casual clothing options.

They will milk this franchise for all it is worth they won't abandon it they may try a different story but it seems like they want this to do well enough to spin 3 more.

Also i don't hate the game unlike some i don't find it boring i just wish some things were more like the older versions like i would have liked the car to be an upgrade rather than a broken mako with 2 more wheels. Hover car from 2 was an upgrade...
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Mass Effect 2 only had one DLC clothing option and that was from Kasumi's DLC. DLC armors were common, but not casual outfits. The Mako also had six wheels, not four.

SighTurtle said:
Thanks for your insights, I've just realized I'm only 33% complete through the game and lvl 30. I was under the impression I was half-way through. Also, huh, a NG+ mode. Nice of them to do that.
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Because you can obtain XP bonuses in the game or from gear that came with the pre-order and super deluxe editions, you can't use your level as a benchmark for game completion. I'm at the 50% mark and I'm level 49. A friend of mine is actually farther in the game than I am and he's not as high level as me.

The "New Game Plus" mode has been in all three previous Mass Effect games. One of the reviews I read on the game mentioned the NG+ mode as well. It's basically been a known quantity from day one.
 
Spells vs guns in this game seems to suffer the same problem as vanilla skyrim. Spell damage doesn't scale enough to keep up with guns as you progress. With the proper build you can stack a bunch of %weapon damage boosting skills in the Combat/Tech trees so your guns do flat out more damage than any other abilities w/ detonators. It gets to the point where using any other attack besides your gun is a huge damage loss.

Bio-converter aug + Life Support skill with any hard hitting sniper pretty much breaks the game. Stack it with the damage boosting tech spells (Cloak + Offensive Tech) plus the sniper skill line and you can 1-shot enemies on Insanity.

Offensive Tech tree:
Increases gun damage for a short period after using a tech power.
Weapon Damage Bonus: 30%
Weapon Damage Bonus Duration: 5

Sniper:
Improves rate of fire, stability, and reload time for 5 sec after killing an enemy with a sniper rifle.
On-Kill Rate of Fire Boost: 30%
On-Kill Stability Boost: 40%
On-Kill Reload Speed Boost: 25%

Cloak:
+40% Gun Damage Bonus, +50% Power Damage Bonus, +50% Melee Damage Bonus

And of course the ridiculous Fusion Mod.

zZ3CcBL.png
 
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There are some definite balance issues that need to be addressed in both single and multiplayer modes. The assault rifle class is relatively week and only has an advantage in an encounter where you are boxed in with lots of enemies and you need the ability to sustain fire with fast target switching and little reload time. Shotguns are overpowered. I can use incinerate, biotic charge and then a couple of shotgun blasts from something like the N7 Piranha will kill almost anything regardless of its defenses. The Piranha holds a few rounds and fires very quickly. While other shotguns are more powerful, it holds more and reloads faster than most if not all other shotguns. I've had great success getting in everything's face, filling that face with buckshot and then using Biotic charge on cool down to keep my shields up. I almost can't die doing this.

I've found it quite a bit of fun to change up my play style from time to time. Sometimes I use tactical cloak + a heavy hitting shotgun like the Dhan to destroy enemies. Sometimes I head shot everything without needing to take any real fire at all. Other times I use the Revenant with the vintage heat sink mod, turbocharge and throw in incinerate plus concussive shot on cool down. That too shreds enemies and is decent for groups when your skills are placed wisely.

Games with a lot of weapons frequently need rebalancing multiple times after launch. ME3 had weekly or bi-weekly updates for this for a long time. Battlefield and other shooters frequently need this too.
 
I've gone tech all the way and so far I can rely on my powers but it can be slow waiting for cooldowns. I am only level 13 or 14. I have Overload and Incinerate fully upgraded with Cryo Blast half upgraded. Hurricane rank 3 as my weapon, no secondary to keep cooldowns low. As I progress I will probably dump points into combat so I can activate the soldier and infiltrator profiles. I do not doubt that a straight up guns build would be more effective but in single player the powers and combos are passable, unlike in multiplayer.

In general I think most of the complaining is overblown and exaggerated. The vast majority of the game looks fantastic and my experience has been relatively bug free. The most glaring problems I have seen are related to the quest log and quest markers, similar to Dan (who by the way very much helped convince me to give this game a shot with his early posts around release).

I'd like to rant about multiplayer because for me that is where the real problems lies. Sound cuts out completely at times, voice chat however will still work. Restarting the game after the match is over is the only fix I know. The rest of my problems are balance issues.

There is seriously something wrong in multiplayer. After playing enough to get to an Apex rating of 6000 I've almost decided to give up until balancing takes place. Most guns are underperforming. Snipers rule the battlefield, most notably the Vanquisher. Melee is more often better than any shotgun if you are in close range. All power combos are weak to the point where most would now recommend take a fucking Asari Adept and making it a melee build. Mass Effect multiplayer is all about grinding the highest difficulty you can extract on so you can get credits and buy packs to unlock weapons and fill out your manifest. What is the point if most weapons are garbage? Where is the fun in switching up classes if most classes are gimped? I loved ME3:MP for the variety. So many classes to choose from, and so many different playstyles. With this game I have a Krogan Vanguard and a Human Infiltrator, no point right now using anything else.

I'll continue to play the campaign with only sporadic trips into multiplayer until more classes and weapons are viable on higher difficulties.
 
Q-BZ said:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikka...ss-effect-andromeda-badly-needs/#2a0bac595551

Likely a list many if not most agree on.

I can't say I really agree with the closing statement however.
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I don't really agree with point one and I only half agree with point 2. I like the cover system in this game. I hated it in the rest of the series. Crouching missing is odd but I font think it would add anything to the game as it wasn't designed in any way for crouching to be an advantage.

The closing statement is nonsense. There are far more games based on universes that aren't nearly as detailed, imaginative or as much fun as Mass Effect is.
 
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The game is interesting. there are a ton of flaws. the ui could be much better. and yeah, scanning is tedious, it is a sucky mechanic in this game. witcher does work much better. But for the most part it works pretty well. I have never experimented with different build types in the other games (soldierish) so expanding has been interesting. Also the multiplayer, just seems very hard, even with bronze, and very grindy. To complete the initial loadout - (Characters (27) + weapons (5)) x 10 = 320 / 2 = ~160 bronze matches, assuming you get something new each time
 
M76 said:
A page may earn the privilege of me turning off adblock on it, but if you try to blackmail me into doing it then I'll just walk out. Let's be clear, the page needs the viewer, the viewer doesn't need the page.

Sorry for the rant, but this kind of attitude makes me mad.
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Yeah, I don't like it, either. I've run into a lot more of it, too, as of late.


I linked that despite myself.
 
M76 said:
A page may earn the privilege of me turning off adblock on it, but if you try to blackmail me into doing it then I'll just walk out. Let's be clear, the page needs the viewer, the viewer doesn't need the page.

Sorry for the rant, but this kind of attitude makes me mad.
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A LOT of formerly-print news outlets are doing this now. I understand why they do it but I'm with you - strongarm tactics are going to cause me to look elsewhere.
 
Addison is one of the most screwed up and dislikable NPCs in gaming history, I think. Everything is just wrong about her from her physical design to the character itself.
 
So I thought the Level 30 crafted gear was the max rank, since that's all the Research terminal shows, but it turns out there's a whole new set up to at least 80. O_O

This makes Research Points even more problematic. If you research an entire set of gear (spend 1000+ points or more) and then decide you want to try a different spec, you're totally screwed. The higher level you are, the more expensive it is to switch. At a certain point your upgrades will be so far behind you'll never catch up... Could be a HUGE problem on New Game+ at higher difficulties. In my case, I spent all my points on Tech Damage gear (Kett Research) and now I have zero upgrades in Weapon Damage gear which makes it really difficult to change over.

Is there a way to farm Research Points? Multiplayer maybe.

EDIT: Okay, weapons cap at rank 5. Only armor goes higher. That's helpful.
 
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I think I am about level 27, have not researched anything. have only ever crafted a couple of the guns and mission related stuff. am I missing out? :D
 
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That may vary based on difficulty. My first run was on Normal, and I was still using skills quite a lot during the final fight- actually only used the guns for the boss, in addition to skills, and for the the adds I mostly relied on teammates following up me running around with the cryogauntlet.
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
So I thought the Level 30 crafted gear was the max rank, since that's all the Research terminal shows, but it turns out there's a whole new set up to at least 80. O_O

This makes Research Points even more problematic. If you research an entire set of gear (spend 1000+ points or more) and then decide you want to try a different spec, you're totally screwed. The higher level you are, the more expensive it is to switch. At a certain point your upgrades will be so far behind you'll never catch up... Could be a HUGE problem on New Game+ at higher difficulties. In my case, I spent all my points on Tech Damage gear (Kett Research) and now I have zero upgrades in Weapon Damage gear which makes it really difficult to change over.

Is there a way to farm Research Points? Multiplayer maybe.

EDIT: Okay, weapons cap at rank 5. Only armor goes higher. That's helpful.
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Weapons go to rank 10, at least. I just spent a bunch of Milky Way research points on the 5 blueprints for the N7 sniper rifle rank 5 and the rank 5 Sidewinder pistol. If you spend an AVP point on the Lab Technicians skill you won't have a problem with Milky Way points. I'm hoarding my others in case there's something I really want that's not Milky Way, but I've only done a couple of planets and I already have a good supply of points. I personally like crafting my own weapons, lots more options with Augments and more Mod slots on them.
 
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TaintedSquirrel said:
So I thought the Level 30 crafted gear was the max rank, since that's all the Research terminal shows, but it turns out there's a whole new set up to at least 80. O_O

This makes Research Points even more problematic. If you research an entire set of gear (spend 1000+ points or more) and then decide you want to try a different spec, you're totally screwed. The higher level you are, the more expensive it is to switch. At a certain point your upgrades will be so far behind you'll never catch up... Could be a HUGE problem on New Game+ at higher difficulties. In my case, I spent all my points on Tech Damage gear (Kett Research) and now I have zero upgrades in Weapon Damage gear which makes it really difficult to change over.

Is there a way to farm Research Points? Multiplayer maybe.

EDIT: Okay, weapons cap at rank 5. Only armor goes higher. That's helpful.
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no they cap at 10 as well and yes there is a way to farm it...

Also soft cap is 80 but you keep leveling after that... you will theoretically be able to do all 3 paths biotic combat and tech to completion. Game enemies level with you so they are supposed to be harder as you level the only thing that changes this is the difficulty setting...
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
So I thought the Level 30 crafted gear was the max rank, since that's all the Research terminal shows, but it turns out there's a whole new set up to at least 80. O_O

This makes Research Points even more problematic. If you research an entire set of gear (spend 1000+ points or more) and then decide you want to try a different spec, you're totally screwed. The higher level you are, the more expensive it is to switch. At a certain point your upgrades will be so far behind you'll never catch up... Could be a HUGE problem on New Game+ at higher difficulties. In my case, I spent all my points on Tech Damage gear (Kett Research) and now I have zero upgrades in Weapon Damage gear which makes it really difficult to change over.

Is there a way to farm Research Points? Multiplayer maybe.

EDIT: Okay, weapons cap at rank 5. Only armor goes higher. That's helpful.
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The weapons cap at level 10. All of them cap at level 10. Once you hit level V, you'll see a blueprint apepar for an "Advanced" version of that gun. You will only be able to craft versions of it based on your level. I'm 53 or something like that and just got access to the level VII versions.

jiminator said:
I think I am about level 27, have not researched anything. have only ever crafted a couple of the guns and mission related stuff. am I missing out? :D
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Yes.

TaintedSquirrel said:
Wow yeah, some of them do go up to 80. Serious balancing issue there... By the time you get to 50+ I would think Skills become useless.

Here's my Reddit post about scaling issues.
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All of the Mass Effect games turn everything into an endurance test on Insanity. You ended up using powers for crowd control more than anything and using weapons that carried a lot of ammunition. Before the M7 Lancer came along I had to use the M76 Revenant and the Avenger exclusively in the assault rifle class. There were a few other choices that worked but I didn't necessarily like them.

IdiotInCharge said:
That may vary based on difficulty. My first run was on Normal, and I was still using skills quite a lot during the final fight- actually only used the guns for the boss, in addition to skills, and for the the adds I mostly relied on teammates following up me running around with the cryogauntlet.
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With combo detonations and powers evolved correctly I haven't felt as though powers were useless at all. I'm only on Normal though. I'll do Insanity or something ona new game plus. I never do it during the first run.
 
Well, combos are what I'm talking about- I'm using them similarly to how I used them in ME3, where on Insanity you basically needed to detonate an Incinerate to take down armored baddies. And in Andromeda, these turn into AOE and CC effects as well.

I can see making prodigious use of these mechanics to survive the game on higher difficulty levels.
 
IdiotInCharge said:
Well, combos are what I'm talking about- I'm using them similarly to how I used them in ME3, where on Insanity you basically needed to detonate an Incinerate to take down armored baddies. And in Andromeda, these turn into AOE and CC effects as well.

I can see making prodigious use of these mechanics to survive the game on higher difficulty levels.
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In previous games you have to manually manage your squad to survive. Now you have to do your own crowd control.
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
Wow yeah, some of them do go up to 80. Serious balancing issue there... By the time you get to 50+ I would think Skills become useless.

Here's my Reddit post about scaling issues.
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I don't get it. Can you explain in plain non-hardcore gamer terms what is the problem? And why does it make NG+ problematic?

I'd think skills were only ever there to augment your weapons not to replace them. I only use skills to soften enemies then go in for the kill with weapons, then if the clip runs out maybe use skills again if they're ready.
 
M76 said:
I don't get it. Can you explain in plain non-hardcore gamer terms what is the problem? And why does it make NG+ problematic?

I'd think skills were only ever there to augment your weapons not to replace them. I only use skills to soften enemies then go in for the kill with weapons, then if the clip runs out maybe use skills again if they're ready.
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All of your damage is separated into two categories, weapons and skills. Well actually I think Combo Damage uses it's own value as well but you have less control over those.
Anyway, once you max out your skill ranks, its damage stops increasing. You can still increase it with gear and passive skills, but weapon damage has access to the same bonuses, so it's not an unfair advantage to one or the other.

On the other hand, your weapon damage increases every 10 levels all the way up to Level 80, or potentially even higher according to some people in this thread. Which means as you get to higher levels, maybe Level 50+, your weapon damage starts to vastly out-pace your skill damage. The problem could be solved if your skill damage scaled based on your level (or the level of your weapon). At the moment all of your skill attacks hit damage cap at Rank 6.

It would be like if you stopped upgrading your guns at Level 30 or 40 even though you're Level 80.

btw someone who is level 75 posted in the Reddit thread and claims his skills still do the same amount of relative damage, which means the game might use a scaled value. It's the obvious solution but this game is such a mess I wouldn't be surprised if Bioware overlooked it.
 
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I've got a couple of AVP points I haven't spent yet. So far I've got Reconnaissance, Trade Capacity and Lab Technicians. Any suggestions for spending another 3?
 
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