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Mass Effect as a Board Game?

For starters, I think that Mass Effect would really suck as a board game because it is so dependent on watching conversations and the story. Most boardgames don't really have stories. So I would probably cut back on this aspect and turn the game into a boring galaxy exploration thing, like Space Quest. Ironically, this is the least interesting part of Mass Effect but it is best suited to the board game style. What does that tell you about board games?

Naturally all close combat and interactive conversations would have to be removed because the only way to fight on a piece of cardboard is through turn-based strategy. Perhaps there would be space combat based on the RISK format. Characters could compete for star systems through fortification and attacking. Certain aspects of the video game could be brought in such as species and politics. Players could choose whether they want to play as a human, an asari, a salarian, or a turian and each faction would have different bonuses. Alliances could be formed as well, but the carefully-crafted history would be entirely meaningless because the only players in these politics would hold no grudges like the real turians and humans do against each other. It would just be friends versus friends and probably lack in tension.

The key to this game would be to copy off of RISK because that form, while slow, works well for a strategy game. There would be three types of units (based on the three classes of ship from the video game): fighters (weakest unit), cruisers, and dreadnoughts (strongest unit). Each unit would be worth more attack/defense points and combat would be carried out through rolling dice.

If a story were to be incorporated, it would be set in the midst of turmoil after the events of Mass Effect 1. Each species tries desperately to take hold of the galaxy and eradicate the other species. Economic elements could be added as well. Perhaps each planet or solar system could be enriched with a certain metals and that provide bonuses to your units or even allow players to add extra units to the board.

But really, this game would be a failure, like the Halo board game because it takes the universe of Mass Effect and uses it to make a buck while cutting out what is fun in the game. It would be nothing like the dramatic and evocative story that the video game is, but instead a cash in on a popular franchise and a rip-off of RISK. I don't believe the simultaneously cinematic and fast-paced Mass Effect could be successfully turned into a board game. It wouldn't be worth the effort.

Things Mass Effect should have done better...

Audio - While the voice acting and music are top notch, the other diegetic audio in Mass Effect is merely adequate. The weapons sound effects do the job but they aren't memorable. Many of the creatures make the same cries over and over again. Also, dialogue outside of the cinematic conversations is often too quiet, overshadowed by the music. Most problematic is the lack of ambiance, though. The world seems very quiet, which does not strike me as realistic for an environment teeming with life.
Downloadable Content - Fans were probably hoping for more downloadable content from Mass Effect. We got one item so far, and to its credit, it's pretty well done, however one DLC mission in over a year is not very impressive. Apparently they're planning to release one more package to tie Mass Effect 1 and 2 together though it will focus mostly on combat, which is another part of the game that needs work. Combat - The shooting gets repetitive pretty quickly. It brings nothing new to standard shooters though it does not control as well as most of them. The enemies all walk forward in the same stiff stances and are not inflicted with wounds when they are shot, making the weapons seem ineffective. It would be nice if I could blow chunks out of a geth's torso or blow a batarian's head off. The game is rated Mature, so they may as well make the most of it. NPCs - These are one of the many well-done things in Mass Effect, however, improvements could be made. More animations would make their actions more unique and realistic. Also, their eyes often appear to be staring in multiple directions, even though they look real and have character. Exploration and Environments - I'm tired of riding the elevator. The dialogue is good but I'd rather see it in an interactive conversation than while standing stiffly in a slowly moving elevator. Off of the Citadel, there are not even conversations or news reports to keep you interested while you slowly make your way between floors. It may be a necessary evil to disguise loading times but if the designers are creative, I bet they can think of a few other ways to mix things up a bit. Next, driving the Mako around uncharted worlds is just a pain in the ass. Often times it will move forward without you telling it to and end up off a cliff or in lava. It's a tedious way of getting to your objective. What's worse is the terrain you traverse. It's all so similar and all so mountainous. It's like they just made a bit of random relief and just pasted a different texture on it for each world and added a different weather effect. Personally, it makes the game less immersive by making me well aware that I am playing a video game and not walking on the surface of the moon. Side Quests - The biggest problem for me in Mass Effect are the side quests. They don't serve much purpose other than helping Shepard gain experience, level up, and do some more shooting. Very few of them have interesting plots to them and they don't really help develop any of the characters like those in KotOR did. They also seem to be less important than stopping Saren and Sovereign from destroying the galaxy. After all, would Commander Shepard really bother to hunt down a murderous geneticist when the fate of trillions hangs in the balance? Perhaps if the main plot wasn't so imminent, he would be justified in doing so or better yet, if the side quests were more tied in with the main plot or if the player would gain something by doing this besides boring equipment, they wouldn't be so bad. Ultimately, they just don't feel relevant to the core story.

Things Mass Effect does well...

Mass Effect is mostly good and all the complaints I've made over the past few months have the hope of being improved in the two upcoming sequels. Still, I won't forget what a great game the original is. First of all, Mass Effect's story is quite compelling, as mysteries usually are. It is made even more so by its imaginative setting that (while borrowing a lot from decades of science fiction) brings a lot of original ideas to the table. Most impressive, the world is presented as though it could actually exist, and scientific explanations are given for every piece of technology, life form, and phenomenon (except for sound traveling through a vacuum). This adds credibility to the Mass Effect universe. Another thing done brilliantly in Mass Effect is the characterization of your party members, aids, and antagonists. Originally, I complained about Saren's lack of villainy, though this really does create a dramatic moment at the end. Your crew is exceptionally emotive and perfectly voiced. They are all very well animated (except for a weird glitch that makes Ashley look cross-eyed) and given well planned backgrounds that create character arcs for some of them. The individual relationships between Shepard and each one of his crew are fairly meaningful. It's as though he need the support of each one to continue with the mission. Another kick-ass element of this game is the music. It fits the mysterious, otherworldly setting well and superbly guides the gamer's emotions through the story. There is a slow and sad piano tune after someone dies a hero, majestic minor keys for Saren's evil appearance, and a heroic ending tune for Shepard's victory. During the battle on Virmire, the music really sets the suspenseful mood. Time is of the essence and the longer you delay, the more good soldiers will die. Of course this is only implied, so the music is very essential to creating the exciting atmosphere and making your actions seem meaningful. For the most part, the visuals are fantastic too. While there isn't much variety, what is shown looks great, especially the NPCs. The people all have expressive faces that work with the VOs to make believable emotions in the characters. Even the aliens have maleable faces. When a player can tell how a species they've never encountered before is feeling based on their appearance, then I'd say he or she is playing a successfully crafted game. Overall, the textures and animation really stand out on the technical side of Mass Effect. I've mentioned it several times before, but the conversation system is great in Mass Effect. It allows dialogue to flow so much more smoothly than previous RPGs like KotOR. Even better are the accompanying animations and expressions. The voice work in KotOR was just as good as in Mass Effect but the way the characters interact with each other, their surroundings, and themselves entirely changes from a stiff, repetitive style to a realistic one.

Win Conditions

As I discussed earlier, ultimately winning Mass Effect is simply reaching the end of the story by defeating all the bad guys and protecting the good guys. Commander Shepard must return to the Citadel and prevent Saren from unleashing the Reapers on the galaxy. There are a few ways to do this though combat is a must. To get to the top of the Citadel Tower, Shepard and his crew must fight through a horde of geth and krogan mercenaries. When the player reaches Citadel control Saren confronts him/her and prepares for the "final confrontation." Here is where the player can make his/her first choice on how to finish the game. If he/she is persuasive enough, he/she can convince the heavily indoctrinated Saren that there is enough good left in him to change his ways. It reminds me strongly of Darth Vader's transformation in Return of the Jedi except instead of the destroying the real bad guy, Saren kills himself and allows Shepard access to Citadel control. After taking control of the hub of the galaxy, Shepard has another option available to him. The Counsel is under heavy siege in their ship and Shepard can give the order to the humans to move in and save them or to let them die. This is one of the character defining moments for Commander Shepard. If he is a racist and cruel fellow he will likely allow them to be vaporized, but a paragon Shepard, concerned with the well being of all the galaxy rather than just humanity should probably rescue the Counsel. After making this decision, the fleet will attack the giant Reaper when Shepard and company are ambushed by a reanimated Saren, with all organic material melted away to reveal a robotic shell. This creature is controlled by the Reaper and must be fought by Shepard and his friends in a death match. If Shepard dies, the player loses, but killing the droid will result in victory. The game is virtually over. A cinematic of the Reaper being blown up and the heroes being placed in peril by flying debris sets up gamers to think Shepard is dead. But of course, he/she strides heroically out of the wreckage to fight another day (or maybe not; see Mass Effect 2 teaser). A final interactive conversation between your mentor and the ambassador (includes the Counsel if they survive) decides who will take charge of humanity and then the game ends and the credits roll. Victory is yours! Rewards throughout the game that count as minor winning conditions take the form of solving the problems of each planet you visit. Shepard travels to many planets but must visit at least five and take care of some scripted business there. The reactions of the characters there as well as your Journal tell you when to move on because the planet has been "won." There are also achievements that can be earned to increase your Gamerscore, something that is meaningful to some players. Achievements include "Pistol Expert" (register 150 Pistol Kills: +10 gamerscore), "Tactician" (complete playthrough with shield damage greater than health damage: +25 gamerscore), "Geth Hunter" (register 250 Synthetic enemy kills: +25 gamerscore), and other such goals. I really like that it is up to the player to judge their actions as "wins" or "losses." If you want to be a bastard and ignore pleas for aid and kill those that annoy you the game does not call you a loser, whether you are or not. You can win any way you want. I generally try to win like a hero though this is not always realistic. Even though it may be the "nice guy" choice to save a few hostages now, it makes more logical sense (to me, at least) to take down the terrorist leader and prevent him from killing millions more in other plots. I've never tried completing the game as a balance between two extremes but by the way Shepard justifies his actions, this would seem to make him an inconsistent character. How can a person say, "[I'm not like the Batarians, I wouldn't let those people die]" and then try to defend a sacrifice for the greater on another world with "[Sometimes you have to make tough choices. Better to let a few die so that many more could live]." The game is good at defining a specific character based on either a Renegade or a Paragon but a mixture of the two wouldn't be very congruous.

Non-Player Characters

The NPCs of Mass Effect, meaning the characters controlled by the game's AI, all fit into the "Fantasy" character type. Since I've already covered the personalities and story elements of the main co-protagonists and antagonists, I'll look at the characters of various species that populate the galaxy and do not have scripted reactions to your actions. Instead, they need to adapt to everything that happens immediately. In combat, the co-protagonists become this kind of NPC and assist you to the best of their ability. Often, this assistance includes running into your line of fire like secret service agents for your enemies or standing in the open and absorbing plasma when they should be taking cover. There is a squad command system which is pretty easy to use but it would be nice if you didn't have to worry about your allies so much. However, if you allow them to freely use their powers, carefully build up their skills, and properly manage their gear, they can really be quite helpful. It's always cool to be a millimeter from death only to be saved by a biotic throw from one of your teammates that sends your assailant tumbling away. Another type of NPCs are the friendly or neutral characters that just stand around as window dressing or heralds for sidequests. Depending on what planet you're on, about 15%-50% of these characters will be eligible for conversation and a handful of them will have quests, such as: "smuggle this merchandise for me" or "assassinate my competitors." These kinds of duties can be gained from the undercover criminal types and will lead Shepard down the path of a renegade. Other characters, like Admiral Hackett (only heard, never seen, and voiced by Lance Henriksen) will give you more noble goals, like: "take down the extremists while making sure not to hit the civilians." These talking NPCs have their dialogue scripted to respond to Shepard's queries the same way every time. They will not vary depending on the circumstances. The window dressing NPCs do not change either, eternally waving their arms like they're conducting an invisible orchestra and nodding their heads in silent conversation with their fellow NPCs. These quiet, nameless beings make the environments seem a little less dead but it's quite rare to find any that move and they provide no cacophony of noise to supplement their presence. There also seems to be only one gender of every species other than human. For the mono-gendered asari, this makes sense but why are there no turian chicks? Your enemies are all NPCs as well. They engage you more intelligently than your allies engage them but often aren't too sharp either. Fighting them would be more fun if they were a bit more varied. Basically, all you do is shoot and shoot until they fall down dead. There is no option to merely disable enemies and no more strategy involved in killing them. I would especially like to see some creativity implemented in the boss fights. All you do is hold down the trigger as Saren floats around firing missiles. For the most part, you fight geth, a robotic enemy. They make neat sounds when communicating to each other during combat and sometimes will make decisions that surprise you (I wish that all the enemies would be damaged by your gunfire, though; blood may fly out of them but there is no wound to indicate where it came from. I hate it when games do this, even though most of them do). Overall, the enemy AI is perfectly acceptable. I don't play the game for the combat. Concept art for the lead villain can be seen below. Notice the spines on the side of his head and robotic arm that make him clearly distinguishable from other members of his species. Other strategies Mass Effect uses to make NPCs stand out are unique colors, voices, and animations. One HUGE benefit that Mass Effect has is that all of the NPCs look great. It is a breath of fresh air after the sloppy and hideous characters from Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I'm not suggesting that every character needs to be attractive (half the aliens would have to be cut from the game), but they need to look "good," which is a vague way of saying they should fit their roles. If a character is to be respected (like the comical elves of Oblivion were) they shouldn't look like clowns. Furthermore, they can't be stiff, stoic, and expressionless. Mass Effect's NPCs emote and gesture realistically, even if it is sometimes repetitive.

Gameplay

The "choices, challenges, and consequences that players face while navigating a virtual environment" mentioned in the text book are apt descriptors of Mass Effect's gameplay. It can be broken into two basic categories: free roaming and cinematic. The free roaming gameplay is where the navigation and combat of the game take place. It is consistently played from the third person perspective in which the camera can be rotated around Commander Shepard in three dimensions but is usually at a fixed distance. The player runs about various environments, bound by the game's rules, and either shoots enemies or interacts with objects or NPCs with the A button, which frequently leads to the cinematic gameplay of Mass Effect. This second plane of gameplay involves the "choices" while the combat embodies the "challenges." The cinematic gameplay mainly consists of interactive conversations that Shepard has with NPC characters. The player chooses what to say using the previously discussed interface. While surviving the free roaming gameplay can be difficult at times (especially on "Insane" difficulty), it is quite easy to get what you want through conversation, perhaps too easy. The game tries to balance the free choice experienced in the cinematic gameplay with the challenge of physical conflict. These battles primarily test the player's Spatial Awareness and Reaction Time. Defeating your immediate enemies and surviving the firefights triggered by the primary quest is an explicit challenge while implicit challenges can be set by the player for him/herself. For example, perhaps I will set the goal to be mean to the NPCs in all of my conversations. This is difficult for me to do (and possibly affects my real world behavior) but as it is not a direct objective set by the game, it is implicit. Victory Conditions can be based on individual encounters but ultimately, winning in Mass Effect is playing through the entire story. Loss Conditions are simple; every time you die, you lose, though you can keep playing by reloading a game. On a smaller scale the conditions may change. For example, in the altercation with Wrex on Virmire, the player might consider it a loss if they are unable to reason with the krogan verbally and he must be killed. On the other hand, they may feel it is a victory to be able convince him to remain on Shepard's side. These feelings the player has could be seen as "implicit" victory or loss, while completing the game or dying in the attempt are "explicit" victory or loss. Sometimes, a Trade-Off must be made. For example, you might implicitly lose a little to implicitly gain a lot. Letting a few hostages die on the hijacked asteroid might have you feeling bad about yourself, but at least the evil terrorist leader isn't free to run around the galaxy killing hundreds more. Much of what counts as positive or negative feedback depends on what the player wants out of Mass Effect. Intrinsic Knowledge, or knowledge given to the player by the game, is very important to Mass Effect because it allows him/her to understand the plot and figure out what he/she has to do. Also, as is true with most games, the Time of Mass Effect is "limited" to the player's location. The sun never sets and the weather never changes. This is because the scale of the levels (or planets/space stations) is not great enough that the player will spend days there. By contrast, in open-world games like Grand Theft Auto 4, the player spends all of their time in one city and to make it feel authentic, it must go through the expected daily transformations. Extrinsic knowledge the player might want to bring with him/her are basic assumptions about the world of sci-fi. For example, if one makes contact with fast-moving, glowing beams of energy, one will die. It is also helpful to understand the rules of the universe such as physics. This will help you pilot the Mako. Speaking of the Mako, there are also minigames and vehicle sections in Mass Effect but the minigames do not advance the story and driving the Mako is similar to running around on foot but with more firepower and a greater chance of falling into a pit of lava or off a cliff. The Interactivity Mode of Mass Effect is Player-to-Game. There is no multiplayer and the player is confined to the environment of the game. While it does not involve other human players, the NPC antagonist and his followers have an opposing goal to the protagonist. Therefore, within the story, the game could be considered "Zero-sum." It is quite impossible for these two opposing forces to work together. If anything, the dynamic of Mass Effect is Restorative because the static balance is upset in the beginning and Shepard is working to make things "orderly" once more.