Mass Effect (Yes, I'm just playing it now...)

[Darkmatter]

I'm off the Citidel and roaming free being an errand boy for the old Earth Admirals who keep reminding me that I'm still human. :)

My main question is about items. I have 150 and need to get rid of some stuff. The low stuff doesn't sell for any real cash so I have been omni-gel'ing it but what about the higher stuff I don't need 4 of? Should I sell to a vendor anything that goes for more then a few thousand credits? I should also point out that I don't have much problems with the decryption game and almost never need to use gel to open stuff.

Thanks!


PS, if you guys have any other useful tips I'd love to hear them!

[muddi900]

Omni-gel them. I never really bought anything in my first playthrough!

[Food Nipple]

Unless you're doing a ton of shopping or really messing up the hacking minigame, you shouldn't run out of either credits or gel. You can beat the game without ever using the shops, so err on the side of gel. Vendor stuff when you can, but don't hesitate to gel things if you need inventory room.

[Codicier]

The economy in ME is very broken, you can basically gel anything and sell nothing, as eventually you will level high enough that the weakest Geth will drop more coin than a broken slot machine. Also, most good items can be found. The only exception being the best stuff: The Spectre gear. That you can buy in citadel but with all the change you'll be making killing guys it won't be a big deal.

I've got my almost level 60 guy now and I've completely maxed out my money counter with 9's. I think almost everyone on my crew has Spectre gear now.

So yeah, just do whatever you want with the good stuff. It won't matter.

[Food Nipple]

I remember GigaFuzz posted a good tip:

Enemies are worth much more XP if you kill them on foot, than if you kill them in the Mako. So if you really want to be anal about your XP, knock everything down to 5% health in the mako, then pop out and finish them off on foot.

[GigaFuzz]

I remember GigaFuzz posted a good tip:

Enemies are worth much more XP if you kill them on foot, than if you kill them in the Mako. So if you really want to be anal about your XP, knock everything down to 5% health in the mako, then pop out and finish them off on foot.

In in turn picked that up from someone else on EvAv. Can't remember who. :(

My first run through I killed everything apart from Thresher Maws on foot. Subsequent times I took the Threshers down to low health then hopped and finished them off on foot.

You get A LOT more XP that way. I don't have numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was twice as much or more.

[Krispy]

Don't listen to these people, sell! If you get a million credits (? I don't remember the currency) you unlock an achievement that allows you to buy Spectre gear that is the best gear in the game.

[n00bian]

im not really sure the achievment unlocks the gear but yeah - if you are an achievement whore go for it

i never bought anything besides the specter gear during my first playthrough nor did i use omni gel

this game is really much more about xp than anything else

[Knightsaber]

No no no! The Spectre gear goes by level, you start getting better Spectre stuff the higher your level. It has nothing to do with money or achievements.

[Darkmatter]

Thanks everyone. I did remember the "get out of the mako" tip from EvAv so I have been weaking the enemies and then finnishing them off on foot.

I noticed that not all raw ore is shown on the map and that you can accidently find it which is great money. Anyone remember a good system to get resources/cash?

Thanks! :)

[carnage11]

Sell everything untill you get 999999999 money. At that point omni gel everything. I've got somewhere around 500 omni gel and it comes in handy when you need to repair the mako. I have yet to reach the max cap for omni gel. The little decryption mini game might be fun, but it's a waste of time. Just use omni gel.

Once you get all the Spectre X gear, use omni gel on everything and then turn what ever is in there to omni gel. The only thing you should worry about keeping are weapons/armor upgrades and good armor. You won't ever have to buy weapons once you get the spectre x gear. If you want to sell stuff sell to the vendor on your ship. He gives you the best prices. Also, the only thing you should buy from other vendors are the licenses. That way you can get whatever they have from the guy on your ship as well.

It might sound stupid but A LOT of people miss the fact that you can zoom 3 times with your mako cannon. Click the left thumb stick (not sure about PC). Snipe stuff from afar and whittle it down until it's almost dead and then get close, get out, and kill it on foot. It's something crazy like 3 times the amount of xp. Seriously, the Geth Colossi are worth like 1000 xp a piece on foot and I think you only get like 300 in the mako.

You can no longer do this on Insane difficulty however. It's nuts, Krogan Battlemasters take 3-4 cannon shots in the mako. If you're on foot, it's difficult because they heal faster than you can kill them, so it takes forever. The Geth Colossi take 12+ cannon blasts in the mako on insane difficulty. If you want to get to level 60 be ready to play through the game 3 times with the same character. It takes that long. I think I'm level 57 and I'm almost done with my second playthrough with my adept. I've played through the game at least 5 times with other characters though.

oh yeah, and make sure to do the UNC: Rogue VI mission as soon as you get it at level 20. Don't put it off, because you get your specialization skill after completing it. Which gives you some pretty good stats depending one what you choose.

[Darkmatter]

Thanks for the info!

I did the VI yesterday. I think I took Commando. The one that gives you more damage output.

BTW What are your thoughts on changing my class? I'm still a soldier.

Thanks

[Johan]

I played through twice, got to level 59, started a new game and then quit. I love the game, but twice was enough. I doubt I'll go back, because 60 is a helluva long way away in xp...close, I am sure, to a complete third playthrough.

Great game. I really want a sequel.

[Darkmatter]

Needs a better system for organizing items.

[Johan]

Needs a better system for organizing items.

Yes, it does. I believe it has one, however...on the pc.

I actually omni-gelled virtually everything I wasn't equipping on my characters, and continually checked the new armor and stuff against what they already had. The rest got gelled. After two playthroughs, man do I have some gear. Can't get any better stuff after two times through.

[Darkmatter]

Does the game allow for a lot of free roaming of the galaxy to explore? Or is that part kinda limited? So far my exploration seem somewhat "forced" down small linear paths.

[carnage11]

Thanks for the info!

I did the VI yesterday. I think I took Commando. The one that gives you more damage output.

BTW What are your thoughts on changing my class? I'm still a soldier.

Thanks

I've played to level 50 as Adept, Soldier, and Engineer. I am currently on my 4th playthrough as my Adept which I'm trying to get to 60. I don't think I'll make it this time through though. Anyways, I personally enjoy playing as the Adept. It all really depends on what you like to do. Do you like destroying everything in your way? Do you like to play crowd control and let your team mates do the killing? Do you like to do a mix of both? The Adept is good for crowd control. Lift, Singularity, Push, stuff like that, but isn't real strong with weapons. The soldier is fun, you can pretty much just mow down everything quickly, but it gets old after a while, it starts to feel like a shooter instead of an action rpg.

I'll also tell you that it pays off to play through a second time with the same character because you keep your level and all of your weapons and stuff. So you can start the game with the spectre x gear and a level 50 whatever. You also get to add a stat to that character based on the achievements you got the last time. So for example, my Adept has the assault rifle stat, so I can now be an Adept with an assault rifle and destroy everything. Pretty sweet. Or you can be a Soldier with singularity or lift. That's a lot of fun.:D

[Vanifae]

Mass Effect is a quality game, I really want to get my hands on part 2.

My only advice is that I found playing through as a Sniper was super easy.

[astranoir]

Mass Effect is a quality game, I really want to get my hands on part 2.

My only advice is that I found playing through as a Sniper was super easy.

Really? Even with a soldier character on my second playthrough, I found using the sniper rifle to be hard, no matter how nice of a gun I got with stabilizing add-ons. :(

[Vanifae]

I really enjoyed the playstyle, allowed me a better view of the combat situation and I mastered keeping the camera steady; so I never had a problem. The worst problem for me was getting assaulted by the big rhino alien guys whose name I now forget.

[astranoir]

I really enjoyed the playstyle, allowed me a better view of the combat situation and I mastered keeping the camera steady; so I never had a problem. The worst problem for me was getting assaulted by the big rhino alien guys whose name I now forget.

Haha, the Krogan Battlemasters, perchance? Rhinos? I guess I saw them more as lizards/awesome scaly guys ::shrug::

[Vanifae]

Haha, the Krogan Battlemasters, perchance? Rhinos? I guess I saw them more as lizards/awesome scaly guys ::shrug::
Yeah you are right, it has been about 5 months since I fired the game up :(

I just remember getting charged and then dying in short order.

[KamaItachi]

Really? Even with a soldier character on my second playthrough, I found using the sniper rifle to be hard, no matter how nice of a gun I got with stabilizing add-ons. :(

It's not the gun per se, but the skill you put into it. I went the tech/sniper route first time and by about half way through I was pretty lethal at long distance.

Outside environments were an absolute breeze and my mad pistol skills took out anyone close range.

[carnage11]

Yeah you are right, it has been about 5 months since I fired the game up :(

I just remember getting charged and then dying in short order.

Yes, Krogan Battlemasters can one hit kill you no matter what level you are on Insanity. The best thing to do with them is throw stasis on them and leave them for last. Then lift, warp and carnage. Boom! haha. That's if you're an adept with shotgun skills anyways.

[Darkmatter]

I can't believe nobody meantioned to look for blinking lights in asteroid fields. I just now noticed a blinking light in an asteroid belt that turned out to be a large asteroid that was full of metals. I bet I've missed a bunch of them in the other systems because I didn't know to look for them.

Any other things in the star map that I should watch for? Secret planets? Star systems that don't have blue circles around them, etc? :)

[Vanifae]

It's not the gun per se, but the skill you put into it. I went the tech/sniper route first time and by about half way through I was pretty lethal at long distance.

Outside environments were an absolute breeze and my mad pistol skills took out anyone close range.
Yeah got to max out that skill for maximum effect.

[muddi900]

Yes, it does. I believe it has one, however...on the pc.



Hell No! I've not played the 360 version much, but the management system can not be called "good" in any sense!

[n00bian]

I can't believe nobody meantioned to look for blinking lights in asteroid fields. I just now noticed a blinking light in an asteroid belt that turned out to be a large asteroid that was full of metals. I bet I've missed a bunch of them in the other systems because I didn't know to look for them.

Any other things in the star map that I should watch for? Secret planets? Star systems that don't have blue circles around them, etc? :)

nope - just the blinking lights in the systems

i do believe there is one in nearly every system and except for one or two systems its always one at max

update: btw - vanguard is a pretty fun class to play - biotics + shotgun == win :D
and teamwise - i would always take wrex for his comments alone
and if we had told you before - where would have been the fun in finding them ;)

[carnage11]

I can't believe nobody meantioned to look for blinking lights in asteroid fields. I just now noticed a blinking light in an asteroid belt that turned out to be a large asteroid that was full of metals. I bet I've missed a bunch of them in the other systems because I didn't know to look for them.

Any other things in the star map that I should watch for? Secret planets? Star systems that don't have blue circles around them, etc? :)

Well at some point in the game it's impossible to miss the blinking lights, because a few of the side quests require you to find those blinking lights. They are not always asteroids either. Some times they are space ships that you can board. ;)

edit: oh yeah, and if you haven't noticed yet, some planets have moons you can land on.

[KamaItachi]

Well at some point in the game it's impossible to miss the blinking lights, because a few of the side quests require you to find those blinking lights. They are not always asteroids either. Some times they are space ships that you can board. ;)

edit: oh yeah, and if you haven't noticed yet, some planets have moons you can land on.

Eh?

I've found ships and asteroids on the map, but they were never blinking. I just got into the habit of following all the orbit paths to see if I could highlight any 'dead space'

[carnage11]

Eh?

I've found ships and asteroids on the map, but they were never blinking. I just got into the habit of following all the orbit paths to see if I could highlight any 'dead space'

Sometimes the ships will be in the asteroid belts of certain systems. Like the asteroids, they first only appear as twinkling stars. There are a few UNC missions that take place on these ships. You can get the mission by finding the ship on your own or you can find info about it on computer terminals in other systems.

My favorite of these missions...

...is the one where the guy is on life support and the chick kills the crew trying to save his life. Then you get the choice to leave him alive or pull his plug and fighting her.

[KamaItachi]

Sometimes the ships will be in the asteroid belts of certain systems. Like the asteroids, they first only appear as twinkling stars. There are a few UNC missions that take place on these ships. You can get the mission by finding the ship on your own or you can find info about it on computer terminals in other systems.

My favorite of these missions...

...is the one where the guy is on life support and the chick kills the crew trying to save his life. Then you get the choice to leave him alive or pull his plug and fighting her.

Yeah, I liked that one too. I wish there had been more of those sorts of "ghost ship" missions. I'd love for them to have a mission planet length abandoned freighter or somesuch that you have to investigate in the sequel.

[Vanifae]

Any word on Part 2 yet?

[KamaItachi]

Any word on Part 2 yet?

There was this (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/showthread.php?t=158&highlight=Mass+Effect+2).

But it seemed just a little too good to be true.

[J3DI]

I actually never finished this game, I intend to start from scratch while I'm on vacation. Yet, with Gears 2 coming out... I may never finish any of the 15 games that I need to :(

[Vanifae]

I think I am going to start the game again tonight, I might try a new character or just fire up an old one and finish Insanity.

[Food Nipple]

I actually never finished this game, I intend to start from scratch while I'm on vacation. Yet, with Gears 2 coming out... I may never finish any of the 15 games that I need to :(

That's a shame, the game has a great ending. It's one of the few games that gets better and better the longer you play, and ends when the game is at its peak level of awesomeness.

[J'onn J'onnz]

Working on my 3rd play through, still incredibly fun. That ME2 info does sound to good to be true though.

[DaedricLord]

ME is an awesome game, I am on my second playthrough. The first time, I played as a 'good' guy, who does things mostly by the book, and had Liara and Tali on the team all this time. This time around, i am with Garrus and kaidan, and I am being as bad as possible. This game is immersive, no matter how you play.

My main beef is with the lousy handling of the Mako. (I am playing PC version BTW).

[DaedricLord]

That's a shame, the game has a great ending. It's one of the few games that gets better and better the longer you play, and ends when the game is at its peak level of awesomeness.

+1.
One of the best storylines and endings of any game I've played recently. The last one in my book that was on equal footing was the original Deus Ex.

[mesh]

Have they patched out the drm yet? I'm not buying it till it's dealt with.

[J3DI]

Sadly enough, I still haven't finished this game :( I probably never will if I keep getting new ones (just got PoP).

I think I'm just going to start over and pretend its a new game :)

[Church42]

The general rule of thumb, according to Church, is that any planet you can land the Mako on has 3 mineral spots on the planet...sometimes 2, sometimes 4, but 3 on average...aside from the planets that you just land on and are forced onto a linear path related to a mission quest.

And usually a relic, structure, and probe/ship/etc too.

I've always wondered myself what some of those pyramid buildings are for...no entrance to anything, they're just...there.

[BlackPete]

Holy shit... I thought I was a major nut for Mass Effect and I was on my second playthrough when I got too busy with other games and life in general.

Reading this thread made me realize how much I've forgotten about this game -- including omni-gelling... !

I should get back to this game.

[Narradisall]

I used to sell everything and only omni-gelled when I reached 99999999 credits.

Having everyone stocked out with the top of the range Specter X guns made Insane mode so easy.

Though I am sad enough to have completed mass effect 5 times..... (2 were speed runs though!)