MASS EFFECT: ANDROMEDA (Here be Spoilers)

[J.T.]

11 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

I was right after all.

Yes, Equipment optimization has forced me to embrace my inner DARPA mark.

Proper Planning Provides Peak Performance.

[Eivion]

I've been sticking to pistols and sniper rifles, but JT's constant talk of lightning guns is making me think I might actually start using an augmented assault rifle now. Now I just need to figure out what has best balance of offense, ammo, and rate of fire. Perhaps I should also change that one to thermal.

[J.T.]

Speaking further of fetch its on Eos, did you guys have any issues with the Naming The Dead side quest, because I think it might be bugged..  I never saw any waypoints on the map corresponding to the locations of the honorable fallen Initiative colonists.

It probably should've dawned on me that i should've scanned the body of the poor bastard that the Kett tortured in their research facility near one of the Remnant monoliths, but there is no waypoint on my map to provide the DUH! clue that there is something at that location that I need to do in order to gain progress with the assignment.

[J.T.]

32 minutes ago, Eivion said:

I've been sticking to pistols and sniper rifle, but JT's constant talk of lightning guns is making me think I might actually start using an augmented assault rifle now. Now I just need to figure out what has best balance of offense, ammo, and rate of fire. Perhaps I should also change that one to thermal.

I've been fighting it with all of my lazy heart, but the UFC Keys To Victory In The Cage (TM) seem to be getting a good grasp of the R&D system and not relying on powers and conventional guns to deal with shields and armor.

Lightning guns, man.  Mother fucking lightning guns.

 

[Eivion]

37 minutes ago, J.T. said:

Speaking further of fetch its on Eos, did you guys have any issues with the Naming The Dead side quest, because I think it might be bugged..  I never saw any waypoints on the map corresponding to the locations of the honorable fallen Initiative colonists.

It probably should've dawned on me that i should've scanned the body of the poor bastard that the Kett tortured in their research facility near one of the Remnant monoliths, but there is no waypoint on my map to provide the DUH! clue that there is something at that location that I need to do in order to gain progress with the assignment.

Its totally bugged. I had the same damn problem. I'm not even sure how, but it did eventually finish.

[J.T.]

It helps that all seven of the corpses are located near main mission waypoints or other side mission waypoints.

Three of the seven dead colonists are located in or near Site 2 and you should find them if you bother to work on The Secret Project side mission and do a thorough search of the area.  If you have your scanner up, they are a bit easier to find.

The other four you'll find just by working on the main Eos story mission:

• The first is located at Site 1 behind the power storage facility.  You'll know when you're close because Clancy's shuttle is parked nearby.  If you scan the body, you will get a code key to open the power storage facility, but chances are you already got one by going to the Search Area waypoint and checking the data pad in Anna Farthingale's office.  While you are inside the power storage facility looking for Zed's log, don't forget to scan the habitat door and the power relay board (the blackboard looking thing) for Milky Way research points.
• Another is near the monolith where you meet PB.  It is located on the side the path leading through the area.  While you are here, scan PB's scanners for MW points.
• The next is the body of the tortured tech at the Kett facility near the second monolith.
• The last one is at the third monolith and you might get a verbal cue when you are close to the body thanks to the game's broken dialogue triggers.

If you brave the radiation and go directly to Site 2 before checking the other monoliths, you'll finish this side mission before you head down into the bowels of the atmosphere scrubber.

[J.T.]

Oh, and speaking of Site 2, I initially wished that whomever came up with the Secret Project mission scenario would suffer and die from a severe case of Shingles until it dawned on me that

1. I have Inferno Ammo and Shield Compensator consumables (duh!), and.
2. I have jump jets (duh!).

Dealing with the Kett and the Fiend was a little easier for me once I took a high ground position on the top of the habitats, or at least it was on Normal. 

Traditionally grabbing the high ground is the worse thing you can do on a higher difficulty level.

It was a really challenging fight and I enjoyed it despite my initial frustration but in retrospect, I probably should've tacked this side mission after getting a few levels.

Also, I manged to kill the Fiend using the old Quarian death by bug bites strategy, however:

Spoiler

there is a parked transporter full of energy cells close to the habitats.

I'm sure the devs put it there for you to use as a trap against the Fiend, should you be thorough enough to note its location and smart enough to try to lure the Fiend near the transporter and be lucky enough to detonate the cells with a well timed shot.

I was not that creative.

Combating Fiends is probably Exhibit A in the argument for R&D.

[Eivion]

I despise whoever made all of these damn puzzles. There is a reason I never bought Catherine.

[J.T.]

5 minutes ago, Eivion said:

I despise whoever made all of these damn puzzles. There is a reason I never bought Catherine.

Have you used up all of your decryption keys or are you just stubborn and determined to solve them manually in order to get the skill points?

[Eivion]

The patch made it easier to get decryption keys. You just happen to be unable to use them in Elaaden's vault which also has an annoying non-decryption puzzle just to open it.

[Robert C]

It's a good thing all the randoms we ran into in multiplayer last night had Stout, melraz and me to drag em to victory.  Especially ol' Tabby Tangerine.

[The Man Known as Dan]

General offer to play multiplayer with anyone on the One who wants in is on.

[melraz09]

Hell yeah ol tabby was like a sore weenie, you wanna beat him, but just cant. 

Bastard stole all our kills. He better be glad we weakened em all. 

[odessasteps]

10 hours ago, Eivion said:

The patch made it easier to get decryption keys. You just happen to be unable to use them in Elaaden's vault which also has an annoying non-decryption puzzle just to open it.

I did that one yedterday. The 5x5 puzzles are a pain in the butt. 

I got the energy gun mod today, so i made a new Valkyrie V assasult rifle with it. 

[AxB]

Am I the only one making Level 6 gear, then?

[Robert C]

Just now, AxB said:

Am I the only one making Level 6 gear, then?

I made level 8 versions of the Revenant and Black Widow today.

[The Man Known as Dan]

Today I learned Robert is way ahead of everyone else.

[odessasteps]

I just started getting level 6 stuff. Before work, i started the badlands part of kadara. 

Re: the scanning the dead glitch. Apparently, the dead turian in site 2 disappears once he is scanned, unlike the others. So its a pain if you have the list but later cant find him to double check. 

[Eivion]

2 hours ago, AxB said:

Am I the only one making Level 6 gear, then?

I'm on Level 6 gear, should be on Level 7 soon.

[J.T.]

20 hours ago, El Dragon said:

General offer to play multiplayer with anyone on the One who wants in is on.

13 hours ago I was in a coma.

I am very envious of everyone that gets to play during the days and evenings when I am either sleeping or at work.  I was on today for a couple hours and then I passed out for nearly seven hours straight.  Only one more night of this.

During my brief gameplay today, I went to chat with Addison after a successful run on Eos to give her a bit of the "Because I'm the fucking Pathfinder, that's why."

The new graphics tweaks have been kind to her.  Her profile picture in the Codex is still there to remind me of the hilarity of her original eye shadow..

On my way back to the Nexus, I went to the Erickson system to catch up on planetary scans and found the wreckage of the shuttle belonging to the missing scientists (the ones Dr. Aridana wants you to find).

The shuttle was ensnared by the Scourge.  There was a bit of sadness.  If I'd know that all I had to do to complete the mission was search for an anomaly, I'd have knocked that out before heading to Eos.

I didn't realize that the I was done with that bit until after I did my interview with Keri.  I was a good company man and made with the old WE ARE PIONEERS AND WE WILL TRIUMPH OVER ADVERSITY JUST GIVE THE PROCESS SOME TIME line of bullshit that even I barely believed, but right now I think Initiate folks could use a little more treacle than brimstone.

There will be time to bludgeon people like Tann and Addison over the head with the sledgehammer of real talk later on when colonies are up and running and things are a little less grim..

Keri said that Tann should be pleased with my comments so that was my hint that I probably said the wrong thing and should go and wash the slime off of my hands.

As sketchy as the Initiative seems right now, I tend to agree with Vetra Nyx.  The original motives of the Initiative must've been well intentioned, because there is no way that you make a two million light year Wisconsin Death Trip to end up potentially dying of starvation on a giant space station along with the people you intended to screw over.

The irony was not lost on me that the last of the Protheans (or at least the ones not named Javik) died of starvation on a giant space station.

And the Initiative leaders now facing starvation are the tertiary folks that did not perish when the Scourge wrecked the Nexus and killed off the top brass.  If this thing is a huge Ponzi scheme, it's the worst one ever.  No matter what area of the pyramid you fall into, you're getting the shaft.

After the interview, I went to the Pause Menu to set a waypoint expecting to go do the obligatory Bioware post mission debriefing dealie with Dr. Aridana, but the assignment had already been moved to my Mission Complete folder. 

When I got back to the Tempest, SAM notified me that I had new e-mail (as he always does even when I have no new e-mail) and I saw Dr. Aridana's sad "Thanks for checking. " message.

My pet pyjack now has free run of the ship.  Hopefully Drack won't kill it and eat it after I've recruited him.

I assume that most of you have exploited the bug where you develop an item on the R&D Terminal on the Tempest before you get to Eos, you get XP credit for the side mission for using the R&D Terminal on Eos. 

Then you can do the actual side mission on Eos (create an item in the Eos research lab) and get more XP credit.

Or is the text just bugged and you normally get XP Credit for creating an item on different R&D terminals?  I haven't played far enough along to find out.

[J.T.]

Forgot to mention that I'm a little intimidated by system scanning now. 

I'm paranoid about charting black holes or investigating anomalies near the Scourge and suddenly seeing the words GAME OVER flash across my television because something bad happened to the Tempest.

If I were the game designers, I've have made it so that flying in close to investigate something like a black hole another potentially hazardous interstellar anomaly would cause your controller to vibrate and then I'd have Kallo say something like "Stress readings are approaching red, Pathfinder!"

[odessasteps]

I just go by the % completion per each system. Once it gets 100%, i stop worrying about it. 

[Robert C]

I'm starting to think this game was secretly made by Obsidian.  So many bugs.  Had to reboot my xbox twice yesterday because of them.  

The first happened when I was traveling to some new planet that popped up.  The game just froze looking at the planet, and became totally unresponsive.  Second time that's happened.

The second fatal bug yesterday happened during a priority mission.  Halfway through enemies just decided to stop spawning.  Unfortunately, so did the floors.  It wouldn't let me load any previous save, so I eventually had to reboot.

Had another fun bug pop up on the Nexus.  Was running through the habitation deck when three NPCs popped up out of nowhere.  They were standing in a tight circle, and Ryder was completely trapped between the 3 of em.  Had to reload an earlier save for that one.  

Last one of note came during the movie night thing.  The end was probably supposed to be touching.  It might have been if Ryder was visible for that part.  Same thing happened during two of the retrieved memories earlier in the game.

I also have two sidequests that won't complete due to bugs that popped up earlier.  One on Eos where I need to go through a door that won't open, no matter what I do.  The other occurs where the game tells me I need to talk to an Angara.  Unfortunately, I've already done that, and there is no option to talk to him again.

[CSC]

Welp ... I'm an idiots.

Long story short - after a week of troubleshooting and thinking my Xbox was a goner - tried one more time this morning and realized I was running my HDMI cable from the Sat/Cable in HDMI port and not the HDMI out port.

I'm an idiot.

Game On.  

[RIPPA]

I am still in PA - two hours away from my machine.

I hate you all