[Kobrar44]

I think "Cerberus Network" anger refers to EA's "We have to check your game every single damn time you turn it on to make sure it's legit." douchebaggery.

Yep, that's more or less what I meant. I haven't investigated it really.

So... you're complaining that BioWare lets you set your own priorities?

My own priority is when I can order the fleet to help save the council or go straight for Sovereign. When the choice is going on time sensitive mission which is the only thing that may still save the galaxy or going on other supposedly time sensitive mission which may be the only thing which may save like a houndred people, that's virtually no choice. Logically you just have to do the former. The game says you can do either and that's kinda dumb. I could understand when they throw five urgent side quests at you, but they really could do better with the main story arch. I mean, the moment you leave citadel after being grounded, the side quests just should stop coming or being available.

[Nakura]

Katawa Shoujo. My first visual novel and I really like it so far, it's very touching.

[MP-Ryan]

So... you're complaining that BioWare lets you set your own priorities?

Cerberus shows up in something like 20 percent of the side-quests, it feels like.  Just because you don't encounter them doesn't mean they're not there.

Indeed, Cerberus is related to most of the major sidequests in Mass Effect (and part of the main story too) - but if Kobrar intentionally skipped sidequests pretty much entirely I can understand why he's lost.

Yes, Mass Effect (all three games) had pacing difficulties regarding urgency of main quest compared to ability to run sidequests, but if you don't do the sidequests you shortchange the experience immensely.  The Mass Effect games are quite well done in general, and that pacing incongruity is a minor nitpick - in short, don't be a nitpicky purist and do the bloody sidequests if you want to enjoy the games.  The consequences of sidequests also carry from game to game - and certain ones becoming increasingly more important in ME2 and ME3.

[Mongoose]

I think just about every sandboxey/RPG/non-linear game ever has suffered from this syndrome to some extent.  ("Put the world-saving on hold, I need to level up my baking skills!")  It's mostly unavoidable, too: if you give the main quest an actual timing precedence, that prevents the player from being able to explore or side-quest as they please, and being forced to miss content sucks.  I feel like you just have to take it as part of the whole suspension of disbelief, in the same way that you can't get around the fact that your hands are on a mouse or controller and not actually holding a gun.

(About the only game I can think of that did produce an external time pressure like this was Majora's Mask, but that only worked because Link kept repeating the same three days, so you were able to keep going back in time and working through all the side-quests.)

[deathfun]

External time pressure?

Fallout 1 comes to mind

[The E]

I think just about every sandboxey/RPG/non-linear game ever has suffered from this syndrome to some extent.  ("Put the world-saving on hold, I need to level up my baking skills!")  It's mostly unavoidable, too: if you give the main quest an actual timing precedence, that prevents the player from being able to explore or side-quest as they please, and being forced to miss content sucks.  I feel like you just have to take it as part of the whole suspension of disbelief, in the same way that you can't get around the fact that your hands are on a mouse or controller and not actually holding a gun.

(About the only game I can think of that did produce an external time pressure like this was Majora's Mask, but that only worked because Link kept repeating the same three days, so you were able to keep going back in time and working through all the side-quests.)

Lightning Returns (The next Final Fantasy) will have a hard time constraint as well, which by all accounts works pretty well for that game.

[Mongoose]

External time pressure?

Fallout 1 comes to mind

Heh, of course I forget the one legendary title that I haven't played.  To be honest though, knowing that in advance (among other things) has made me somewhat unwilling to do so.

[MatthTheGeek]

On different styles, you also have FTL with a pretty basic but effective "time limit" (keep going or the fleet catches you), and of course XCOM (difficulty just ramps up time goes).

[Scotty]

Speaking of XCOM:

**** Sectopods.  **** them.  Forever.  Two ten damage splash attacks per turn, and then automatic overwatch, on top of 30 health and a **** ton of damage resistance.  What the ****.

[MatthTheGeek]

Speaking of XCOM:







I seem to always get into this kind of situations.

[BritishShivans]

Aww, they just want to give you a hug 

Also, I have been playing Starbound, and I am a Aztec bird that runs around shooting at people and loots their houses. 

[NGTM-1R]

Speaking of XCOM:

**** Sectopods.  **** them.  Forever.  Two ten damage splash attacks per turn, and then automatic overwatch, on top of 30 health and a **** ton of damage resistance.  What the ****.

They got Hardened Armor in Enemy Within, so you can't nuke them for more than 33% of their health. They also got one of the three special Kinetic Strike Module animations, and frankly I'm terrified of finding out what it is.

[deathfun]

I'm impressed on the UFO screenshot, but the Council mission with the boat? Na, being surrounded in that is common practice. I had the unfortunate time of getting that council mission with a group of five soldiers and conventional weaponry

It was a sad day. I of course, played out that damned mission for hours just trying to ensure my people got out alive because god damn I wasn't about to lose an entire squad

I know better now

Speaking of XCOM:

**** Sectopods.  **** them.  Forever.  Two ten damage splash attacks per turn, and then automatic overwatch, on top of 30 health and a **** ton of damage resistance.  What the ****.

They're a ***** ain't they
I'm currently not liking the idea myself to come into contact against these things

Heh, of course I forget the one legendary title that I haven't played.  To be honest though, knowing that in advance (among other things) has made me somewhat unwilling to do so.

There was a patch which basically made the secondary time limit non-existent if I recall (water chip retrieval was never changed)

Aww, they just want to give you a hug 

Also, I have been playing Starbound, and I am a Aztec bird that runs around shooting at people and loots their houses. 

The new patch they came out which wiped the accounts is definitely an improvement. However, dat Cool Broadsword damage. 3750? Holy hell

I imagine a rework of the numbers coming soon

[StarSlayer]

Speaking of XCOM:

**** Sectopods.  **** them.  Forever.  Two ten damage splash attacks per turn, and then automatic overwatch, on top of 30 health and a **** ton of damage resistance.  What the ****.

They got Hardened Armor in Enemy Within, so you can't nuke them for more than 33% of their health. They also got one of the three special Kinetic Strike Module animations, and frankly I'm terrified of finding out what it is.

I think the best way to deal with them is having an LR Assault to draw off the overwatch, a plasma sniper to draw down its health and two MECs to tank damage and deal the killing blow.

[MatthTheGeek]

You need a MEC Paladin with EMP to disable them. Two if possible, but if you focus your fire on it you should be able to use the spare turn given by one EMP to take it down.

If you're lucky, EMP will take down the two drones or other enemies while you're at it.

And be sure to always pick HEAT on your heavies.

[Mito [PL]]

Heh, of course I forget the one legendary title that I haven't played.  To be honest though, knowing that in advance (among other things) has made me somewhat unwilling to do so.

There was a patch which basically made the secondary time limit non-existent if I recall (water chip retrieval was never changed)

If i remember well, after returning the water chip none of the side quests changed or were made "untakeable".

[Akalabeth Angel]

I think just about every sandboxey/RPG/non-linear game ever has suffered from this syndrome to some extent.  ("Put the world-saving on hold, I need to level up my baking skills!")  It's mostly unavoidable, too: if you give the main quest an actual timing precedence, that prevents the player from being able to explore or side-quest as they please, and being forced to miss content sucks.  I feel like you just have to take it as part of the whole suspension of disbelief, in the same way that you can't get around the fact that your hands are on a mouse or controller and not actually holding a gun.

(About the only game I can think of that did produce an external time pressure like this was Majora's Mask, but that only worked because Link kept repeating the same three days, so you were able to keep going back in time and working through all the side-quests.)

Star Control 2 had a time limit and the freedom to approach the overall mission in whatever order you wanted to. There was of course also the ability to increase the time limit by triggering certain events.
Though arguably there weren't many "side quests" as most of the stuff tied into the overall story. Unless you consider resource gathering and rainbow world hunting to be side quests.

[FlamingCobra]

[Hobbie]

I'm competing with my dad for license times. We're both getting all golds, but he's quicker than I am. I'll catch him eventually!

[headdie]

I'm trying to get into MWT but with my system being so slooooowwwww its hard