Mass Effect Interview
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GB: Will players be able to directly control any of their squad members on the fly? If so, what options will players have for the AI of the other two squad members that are not under direct control? Casey: Yes, players will be able switch over to control either of the other two squad members in real-time. We're not talking in much detail about squad control yet, but you'll be able to set the weapons and tactics of your squad members so that they can fight on their own while you press the battle.
GB: Tell us about the game's planets. How will we travel to them and what sort of landscapes, environments, and species can we expect to encounter while exploring them?
Casey: Mass Effect is an IP of tremendous scope. Each planet or quest is, in a sense, an (episode) of Mass Effect with a surprising and original theme. Over the course of the entire game, you will have experienced a wide range of strange and exciting locations and experiences. You'll travel around the galaxy in a state-of-the-art starship. Inside, you'll be able to explore several different decks and talk with crewmembers about your mission.
The locations for the main story are actually set within an even larger exploreable part of the galaxy. We were looking forward to creating our own IP for a number of reasons, one of them being the possibility to expand the scope of player experience beyond what we've been able to do previously. In Mass Effect, one of the most exciting new features is the ability to truly explore the galaxy that surrounds the main story. Without going into too much detail (yet!), you'll be able to navigate through deep space to a large number of star systems, then orbit uncharted planets and even explore their surfaces on foot. This is a completely non-linear exploration experience for the player, which ties into the main story in some really fun and rewarding ways.
GB: You've stated that the game will allow for planetary exploration that is not directly related to the main quest. How many gameplay hours can players expect from Mass Effect when strictly following the main quest as opposed to exploring every side quest and facet of the game?
Casey: It's difficult to give specific numbers for gameplay length until a game is complete. At this point though, we would estimate that the main story could be done faster than in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but to complete all sub-quests, and explore the Uncharted Worlds, would undoubtedly take much longer. In addition, we plan on extending the main story and the exploreable worlds through downloadable content after the game is released.
GB: Since you're already planning to create a trilogy of Mass Effect games, will it be difficult to provide players with a sense of closure at the end of the first two? How much development time do you anticipate will be between each game in the series?
Casey: A deeply satisfying, emotionally powerful ending is extremely important to a great game experience especially when our focus is on a really enjoyable story. Since that's an absolute requirement for us in each game, it's something we won't consider compromising. Instead, our challenge in creating a great trilogy has more to do with how each subsequent game starts off in a way that has satisfying continuity with the player's achievements in the previous game. Part of our solution to that is in creating downloadable adventures in between games that set up a compelling situation for the start of the following game. Without giving away too many details, our goal is to allow a player to create a character for Mass Effect and play that same character across three major titles and additional downloadable adventures over the entire lifetime of Xbox 360, through the most epic science fiction adventure ever told!
Thanks for answering our questions, guys! We look forward to hearing more about the game as development continues.
