Language
Country/Area
No result found
The secret technology of Mass Effect: How did BioWare create this classic game?
When it was released in November 2007, Mass Effect quickly became a milestone in the gaming world. This action role-playing game developed by BioWare not only brings players into a complex sci-fi world, but also carefully designs immersive storylines and character interactions. The game is set in the year 2183. Facing the threat of the Reapers—a highly advanced machine race—the player controls Commander Shepard, a human soldier tasked with preventing a galactic invasion.
"We want to give players a real role-playing experience, not just a blank protagonist."
Mass Effect's development spanned three and a half years, using Unreal Engine 3 as its foundation. The development team hopes to design a system that allows players to make important choices and influence the direction of the story. This design not only makes every choice crucial, but also greatly increases the replay value of the game.
Gameplay
In the game, players will control Commander Shepard from a third-person perspective and customize his gender, appearance, and background before starting the game. The game provides six different character professions, each with different skills. These traits provide players with a rich combat experience: for example, the Soldier class focuses on weapon use and health improvement, while the Caregiver focuses on protecting and healing teammates. As the player progresses through the story, six teammates will be gradually unlocked, each with their own unique abilities.
"We wanted to create a feeling where players could freely explore the entire galaxy."
In Mass Effect, combat is squad-based, with the player directly controlling Shepard while the rest of the team is controlled by the AI. Players can pause operations and choose skills and strategies during tense battles. The game contains a wide variety of weapons, from pistols to sniper rifles, and all weapons have unlimited ammunition, but the overheating mechanism will affect the use effect.
Dialogue and Moral Choices
The dialogue system in the game uses a dial menu (Dialogue Wheel). Depending on the choices made, the player's moral indicators will change accordingly, and the player can choose to show different degrees of charm or deterrence. This design not only adds depth to the dialogue, but also allows the player's choices to have a real impact.
Plot and Characters
The game's plot is set in a galaxy full of various alien races, and players contact and manage different characters through different missions. Each character has his or her own unique background and is closely linked to Shepard's fate during the course of the plot. At the end of the game, players are faced with the choice of whether humanity can join the C flagship or become the new benchmark, which also reflects BioWare's focus on decision-making and consequences.
"Every conversation and transaction is a new adventure that determines the fate of the character."
Development Process
BioWare had ambitious plans for Mass Effect, with the goal of creating an open, non-linear game world. Committed to creating a rich narrative experience, the development team referred to many classic science fiction movies and literary works, such as "Star Wars" and "Alien". In addition, the development team focused on technological innovation and carefully constructed a dialogue system for digital characters to make character expressions more natural.
"We built a galaxy that players can freely explore, which is our main goal."
This exploration experience also includes developing the M35 Mako vehicle for random planet exploration and survey missions for each planet. This not only increases the depth of the game, but also increases the player's interaction with the game world. BioWare has also invested heavily in music in particular, blending electronic and organic elements to enhance the game's atmosphere on an emotional level.
Marketing and Distribution
After its release on the market, Mass Effect received widespread acclaim and enthusiastic response. The game won multiple awards and was also a commercial success, selling over 1.5 million copies in January 2008 alone. BioWare's superb technology combined with good story design make Mass Effect hailed as one of the best games in history.
What is it about games that are so successful that they are so addictive and have such lasting appeal?
