Sunday, March 18, 2012

Random Shots: Thumbing My Nose At Bioware

  • Despite the fact that I really need to be sleeping, I've been staying up to play Mass Effect 3 for several nights now. I put in a couple hours a night, scanning planets, running around the Citadel, and shooting dudes. Oh yeah, and I'm never going to play the multiplayer. So there.

  • I've had a couple offers (and several insistent ones from my brother) to try out the multiplayer with them. By all accounts, it's supposed to be a lot of fun. In any other circumstance, I would probably try it at least once.

  • But here is the thing. We all know the Bioware collects statistics about how we play their games. And when they look at the percentage of players who try the multiplayer, I want to show up in the "no" column.

  • It might be petty. I might be avoiding something I might like just to prove a point. But this is the line that I'm not willing to cross. I want to show them that I think this was a mistake.

© 2012 Marty Runyon. All rights reserved.

6 comments:

  1. I have no opinion about the multiplayer one way or another. However, I think it's admirable that you are sticking to your guns :-)

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  2. I have a strong dislike for the multiplayer scheme... but that message gets lost in my overall message of "I'm not buying any M-rated games even though I heard Mass Effect is good and it's the sort of sci-fi RPG I'd probably enjoy". *shrug*

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    1. @ Tesh - So what you're trying to tell me is not to expect mature content in Zomblobs? :)

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    2. Well, I figure "Mature" is a misnomer the way the ESRB uses it... so... "mature" maybe?

      ...nah, who am I kidding? Zomblobs? How is that a deep, serious theme to start with? :)

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  3. While it's good to stand by your principles, I think you're making a mistake by not at least trying it. I wasn't a fan of the idea of multiplayer myself, and yet I've put about 30 hours into it so far. Doesn't it make more of a statement to Bioware if you actually try the multiplayer for a match or two and then stop?

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    1. @ Blue Kae - It was all of your tweets that has given me the greatest reservations about my choice. If you like it so much, why should I be so against it?

      On the other hand, I would not be parsing the statistics as you propose if I were Bioware. Giving up after a round or two could signify a dislike of the mode, but also could be disatification with the quality of the experience or problems with other players. Of course, not playing at all could be interpreted as a protest, as a disregard for the mode, or as a failure of the design to make players aware that there is multiplayer in the game!

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