Home Gaming Here’s how Bioware’s making Mass effect: Andromeda a better game

Here’s how Bioware’s making Mass effect: Andromeda a better game

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Mass_Effect_Andromeda_9

Mass Effect: Andromeda is a good game, but it could certainly be better. The occasionally sophomoric writing will probably never be fixed, but there are a few things that could be tweaked to make it a more engaging game for those put off by its characters soulless eyes.

As we told you last week, Bioware has plans to “build and improve” on the game.

“We’ve received quite a bit of feedback, some of it positive and some of it critical. That feedback is an important part of our ongoing support of the game, and we can’t wait to share more of our immediate plans with you on Tuesday, April 4.”

April 4 has come and gone – but Bioware did leave behind a message on how it intends to shape Mass Effect: Andromeda in the future. Plans for its immediate future include finally skipping the interplanetary travel scenes, more romance options for the male Ryder (who couldn’t have any homosexual trysts with non-humans) and fixing those damned eyes. A patch is coming tomorrow to fix most of the current issues – but there’ll be more on the way.

Mass Effect: Andromeda Patch 1.05 Notes

  • Added option to skip autopilot sequences in the galaxy map
  • Increasing the inventory limits
  • Improving the appearance of eyes for humans and asari characters
  • Decreasing the cost of remnant decryption keys and making them more accessible at merchants
  • Improved lip-sync and facial acting during conversations, including localized VO
  • Fixing Ryder’s movements when running in a zig zag pattern
  • Improving matchmaking and latency in multiplayer
  • Improved tutorial placement
  • Single player balance changes: Ammo crates, armor, weapons, nomad, profiles, attacks, and progression
  • Multiplayer balance changes: Weapons, cover, and enemies (check back for detailed notes on balance changes)
  • Improved logic, timing, and continuity for relationships and story arcs
  • Fixed various collision issues
  • Fixed bugs where music or VO wouldn’t play or wasn’t correct
  • Fixed issue where global squad mate banter sometimes wasn’t firing on UNCs
  • Fixed issue where player was unable to access the Remnant Console Interface after failing decryption multiple times
  • Fixed issue where fast travel is sometimes disabled after recruiting Drack until the player reloads a save
  • Fixed issue where Ryder can become stuck in the start of Biotic Charge Pose
  • Fixes issues related to some saves
  • Fixed issue where objective sometimes becomes un-interactable for players in multiplayer
  • Streaming and stability improvements

Says Bioware:

“This is just a taste of what’s in store as we continue to support Mass Effect: Andromeda. And as always, you all play an important role in that. We want to hear from you about your experiences, both what you love about the game and what you’d like to see changed. We’re listening, and we’re committed to partnering with you as we continue to explore the Andromeda galaxy together.”

Of course, some of these changes – and the ones coming in the future – suggest that those who’ve held off on the game will end with a superior experience. That’s a bit of a slap in the face to those who’ve already sunk dozens of hours in to Bioware’s space opera.

Last Updated: April 5, 2017

58 Comments

  1. TJames47

    April 5, 2017 at 08:25

    Glad I didn’t get it on launch day. Will wait for a sale and hopefully by then all the issues have been patched.

    Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      April 5, 2017 at 10:01

      If you’re going to wait for a price drop, you may as well wait a year / 18 months for the GOTY edition to come out.
      Looks like theyr going the use the same DLC model as dragon age, so the only reasonable price drop will be getting the game with all the DLC when the GOTY edition is released.

      bought DA:I day one for R450, in the end, the DLC packs cost more than the game itself. I bought the first DLC when it was released, forgot about the game when that was done, then when I went back, it was still cheaper to buy the whole GOTY game again than it was to buy the DLC individually.
      So I have 2 copies of DA:I on my origin, lol.

      Reply

      • TJames47

        April 5, 2017 at 10:27

        Thanks for the tip man. This would have been my first Bioware game so I am not really clued up as to how they release their DLC’S and the pricing.

        Definitely waiting until the GOTY releases then.
        On a side note is DA:I worth it? Looking to get it as I see it sometimes go for R150 on PSN.

        Reply

        • TJames47

          April 5, 2017 at 10:28

          Haha I just went to check and DA:I GOTY is R 142 on PSN. Yes or No?

          Reply

          • Jim of the Banana

            April 5, 2017 at 10:36

            For that price, sure…. But rather get the witcher it’s the superior rpg. DA:I is a confused mess, that’s unsure if it’s an single player mmo or an education tool for trannie rights.

          • TJames47

            April 5, 2017 at 10:45

            Hahaha well I’ll buy it then.
            I played Witcher and it was glorious.

          • Nikola

            April 5, 2017 at 13:31

            YES look it’s no Witcher 3 but it is still a pretty damn good RPG!

        • Matthew Holliday

          April 5, 2017 at 12:08

          I think its worth it yeah, i quite enjoyed it.
          Its a good 150 hour time sink with all the DLC aswell.

          Although if you’re looking for a good Bioware game to start you off, Mass Effect 1 and 2 are pretty much the ultimate.

          Reply

  2. Ghost In The Rift

    April 5, 2017 at 08:41

    Why is this so similar to the No Mans Sky release?!? I smell a Murray Rat in Bioware.

    Reply

    • Kromas Ryder

      April 5, 2017 at 09:25

      Completely different. No Man’s sky had very little bugs but almost no content. ME has tons of content and just as many bugs.

      Reply

  3. Milesh Bhana

    April 5, 2017 at 08:46

    Great news! Only getting my copy today, so the timing couldn’t be better.

    Reply

    • Kromas Ryder

      April 5, 2017 at 09:26

      I would hold off till tomorrow when the patch goes live.

      Reply

      • Milesh Bhana

        April 5, 2017 at 11:38

        that’s the plan.

        Reply

  4. Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

    April 5, 2017 at 09:08

    Gents, make sure you get the APEX HQ app.

    It helps a shit ton with the Strike Team missions and you get to reap the rewards in the SP a lot.

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      April 5, 2017 at 09:15

      Yeah, I’ve been plugging those when the app isn’t down, which is nearly all the time…

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        April 5, 2017 at 09:15

        Weird, my app hasnt been down at all

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          April 5, 2017 at 09:16

          (Goes to check right now…)

          Reply

        • Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

          April 5, 2017 at 09:16

          Same.
          Mine has been running 99% of the time.

          Reply

        • RinceThis

          April 5, 2017 at 09:18

          I’ve read that quite a few people have issues with the app. Maybe it’s a region thing.

          Reply

    • Matthew Holliday

      April 5, 2017 at 09:15

      only ever used one of the guns that dropped from my strike teams.although the other stuff that you get was kinda worth it i guess. Except credits, credits are useless.
      I progressed faster than my strike teams ever could though, so for those who only play an hour or two a night, sure, much more worth the effort.

      Reply

      • Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

        April 5, 2017 at 09:18

        Yip, that’s me.
        My time with ME:A so far has been limited 🙁

        I’ve clocked about 11 hours so far in the game (SP), but I’m REALLY taking my time, like serious snails pace.

        … also Insanity :3

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          April 5, 2017 at 09:21

          Finished it last night, 97 hours done.
          Never really bothered with higher difficulties on any of the games, might give it a go sometime though, the combat didnt present any sort of challenge on normal, didnt use my consumables at all, which is annoying, disruptor/inferno ammo from ME2+3 is literally the best skill in the game.

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            April 5, 2017 at 09:23

            My boet is on 90+ hours and 95% completion and is loving it.

          • Matthew Holliday

            April 5, 2017 at 09:25

            yeah game is pretty fun, 97 hours, 98% completion, just cant be bothered to finish some of the “search around the map” quests.

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 5, 2017 at 09:27

            Finished the game at 101 hours however 1 quest is bugged (medicinal plants) so 99% completed. 🙂

          • Matthew Holliday

            April 5, 2017 at 09:43

            i got the plants one fine, but Im one baddie short for that mission for the APEX chick and am too lazy to find the last few bodies, find the angaran blablabla, if i have to travel to eos or kadara ONE MORE TIME…

          • Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

            April 5, 2017 at 09:27

            Insanity is crazy 🙁

            Even the smallest of grunts hit you like a truck.
            I literally just got off EOS for the first time now xD

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 5, 2017 at 09:28

            Biotic Shield talent helps a ton.

          • Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

            April 5, 2017 at 09:29

            Thanks man 🙂

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 5, 2017 at 09:31

            AND it is a passive so yay!

          • Matthew Holliday

            April 5, 2017 at 09:49

            Considering how low Ryders stats are without it, totally yeah.

            Any of those passive skills from tech and biotics that are affected by how many points you have in the tree are pretty awesome.

            Although Im still not convinced by the skilltree and profiles. learning everything and being every class just makes it feel so generic. No more being a biotic god, tech genius, or master weapon user, its just too easy to learn everything and use whats needed instead of whats available.

          • Kromas Ryder

            April 5, 2017 at 10:22

            I like profile switching. That is actually quite fun when you get used to is.

        • Kromas Ryder

          April 5, 2017 at 09:24

          What do you mean “also Insanity”?

          Is there another option? 😛

          Reply

          • Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

            April 5, 2017 at 09:26

            This 😛

  5. RinceThis

    April 5, 2017 at 09:14

    Yay! I haven’t started it yet and by the time I clock Horizon the game will be awesome, maybe even have 4 ending options!

    Reply

  6. Alien Emperor Trevor

    April 5, 2017 at 09:16

    Only suckers play day one.

    Reply

    • Kromas Ryder

      April 5, 2017 at 09:23

      This sucker enjoyed all 100 hours of it. Cept maybe the galaxy map. Glad I will be able to skip those scenes in my second playthrough.

      Reply

    • Jim of the Banana

      April 5, 2017 at 22:23

      Someone has to beta test… Let the suckers do the work for us!

      Reply

  7. Matthew Holliday

    April 5, 2017 at 09:17

    Finished the game last night, only things on that list that bothered me were the face animation things and not having a skip button when using the galaxy map.
    Having a skip option would probably have saved me 10 hours though, im quite jealous…
    Finished the game relatively bug free.

    Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      April 5, 2017 at 14:34

      I had close to no issues – but yeah, like you, i would have loved skipping the galaxy map stuff.

      Reply

      • Matthew Holliday

        April 5, 2017 at 18:56

        literally the best thing theyve mentioned.
        I feel like that alone would have saved 5 hours over the course of the game.

        Reply

  8. Original Heretic

    April 5, 2017 at 09:32

    • Matthew Holliday

      April 5, 2017 at 09:57

      most of the stuff on that list is just lip service.
      that whole list can be summarised as “skipping fast travel animation, fix some animations, fix some minor bugs and make the game easier for noobs / insanity players.”

      If you didnt want the game befor this patch, you still wont like it after it.
      and the price wont be going down for a while, so I dont see the benefit in waiting for something you know you want to play.

      Reply

      • Original Heretic

        April 5, 2017 at 10:01

        I want a more stable game.

        I know I’m going to enjoy it, I’ve loved all the ME games.

        Reply

        • Matthew Holliday

          April 5, 2017 at 10:05

          Never really had any issues with stability, framerates were solid and the load times were infinitely better than DA:I.
          And only had to restart my game twice because of random bugs, and the game autosaves so often that I didnt lose any progression.

          Reply

  9. HairyEwok

    April 5, 2017 at 10:19

    Sooooo Andromeda has been cracked. Denuvo showed one tiny crack (heh) on a previous game and its snowballing.

    Reply

  10. Jim of the Banana

    April 5, 2017 at 10:25

    Without a doubt a bargain bin purchase for me, but it’s good to hear that bioware will continue to patch this game. Hopefully when I get it sometime in 2018, it’ll feature aesthetically pleasing female characters, rather than the misshapen goblins that’s currently in the game.

    Reply

  11. Deceased

    April 5, 2017 at 12:00

    Even though I don’t mind consuming raw-ish things, giving this at least 3 more months before buying – because it IS published by EA right?

    Reply

  12. Francois Knoetze

    April 5, 2017 at 14:08

    Picked my copy up yesterday bec of paranoia for the prices shooting up. Finishing up Horizon Zero Dawn. Then I am going to play through the original trilogy and then sink many hours into this

    Reply

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