One Mass Effect image

ManThatYouFear

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:22:59

Is this one of them dodgy released images ? cause on my moniter it is to dark to see :(

In reply to

dcdelgado

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:25:45

Posted back in march..

Posted by dcdelgado

Chris Priestly - BIOWARE
Community Coordinator

Posted: Friday, 30 March 2007 11:07PM

The other day, we released 3 new screenshots in an article over on Gamespy. The thread discussing them can be seen here: Click Here .

In that thread a few people posted comments about how the art in Mass Effect was "dumbed down" and wasn't looking very good. And I took exception to the comment and posted my feelings. The problem was, the screenshots they were criticising DIDN'T look very good.

The whole truth of the matter is that the person at BioWare who took those screenshots made a mistake. People in our industry don't admit this much, but we do make mistakes. The person took those screens at the last minute as they were needed for the article. He did take them in game from areas of the game that worked and then he sent them off to Gamespy. He didn't clear them with Casey and the ME team though. Once they showed up, there was "a few people" upset about them going out when they obviously looked so poor. It was our mistake for releasing 3 screenshots that don't accurately reflect the quality that is going into Mass Effect.

Now, in the thread I did explain how the game wasn't optimized yet (which is true) and how things are not finally rendered yet (also true), but this doesn't really do anything to prove to the doubters that the art is Mass Effect isn't dumbed down and does look amazing. So what I did was go and take another screenshot. This one is also directly from the game, but is from an area that is optimized and is almost final. It much more accurately shows the true quality of the art that you'll see in Mass Effect.

It isn't a particularly exciting screenshot. It doesn't have geth shooting at you or a new alien or anything, but it does acurately show how cool the art is. I just wanted everyone to see this, especially those who had some concerns about the final quality, so they would have a better idea of what the game will really be like.

In reply to

Posted back in march..

[quote=dcdelgado][img]http://masseffect.bioware.com/_commonext/images/me/screenshots/2007/masseffect_12_745x440.jpg[/img]

Chris Priestly - BIOWARE 
Community Coordinator

Posted: Friday, 30 March 2007 11:07PM

The other day, we released 3 new screenshots in an article over on Gamespy. The thread discussing them can be seen here: Click Here .

In that thread a few people posted comments about how the art in Mass Effect was "dumbed down" and wasn't looking very good. And I took exception to the comment and posted my feelings. The problem was, the screenshots they were criticising DIDN'T look very good.

The whole truth of the matter is that the person at BioWare who took those screenshots made a mistake. People in our industry don't admit this much, but we do make mistakes. The person took those screens at the last minute as they were needed for the article. He did take them in game from areas of the game that worked and then he sent them off to Gamespy. He didn't clear them with Casey and the ME team though. Once they showed up, there was "a few people" upset about them going out when they obviously looked so poor. It was our mistake for releasing 3 screenshots that don't accurately reflect the quality that is going into Mass Effect.

Now, in the thread I did explain how the game wasn't optimized yet (which is true) and how things are not finally rendered yet (also true), but this doesn't really do anything to prove to the doubters that the art is Mass Effect isn't dumbed down and does look amazing. So what I did was go and take another screenshot. This one is also directly from the game, but is from an area that is optimized and is [b]almost final.[/b] It much more accurately shows the true quality of the art that you'll see in Mass Effect.

[b]It isn't a particularly exciting screenshot. It doesn't have geth shooting at you or a new alien or anything, but it does acurately show how cool the art is.[/b] I just wanted everyone to see this, especially those who had some concerns about the final quality, so they would have a better idea of what the game will really be like.[/quote]

mkk316

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:31:07

Never doubted them for a second. But its good to see them react so quickly.

In reply to

dcdelgado

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:31:49 In reply to ManThatYouFear

Posted by ManThatYouFear

Is this one of them dodgy released images ? cause on my moniter it is to dark to see :(

No its an ALOMOST finished one, but its in a very dark setting, and he has some sort of dark maybe biotic friendly suite on, not the normal shiny silver one we are use to..

In reply to

rezehnder

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:33:52

his face does even look more detailed than in the shots released before (not the 3 ugly ones).

looking forward to see another actual screen of the game with a little more light in it ;)

regards,
ScarJack

In reply to

Sath

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:36:11

Damn it, I thought it was a NEW one, I saw this days ago.

In reply to

dcdelgado

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:37:22 In reply to mkk316

Posted by mkk316

Never doubted them for a second. But its good to see them react so quickly.

Actually this comment and screen were for another 3 screenshots that were released on gamespy a few weeks ago that were equally as terrible as this weeks ones, its just that other websites are just now getting ahold of this new screenshot and comment from Bioware dev on the Mass Effect web site..

See the 3 screens that caused the dev to release this new shot here:

Posted by dcdelgado

There is somthing off about these screenshoots?

Q&A:

http://uk.xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/mass-effect...

In reply to

Gamefan1980

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:51:23

Yeah, those screens the other day were terrible. I can breathe a sigh of relief.

In reply to

Dangerous

Commented on 2007-04-04 18:59:33

wall textures on that screen look horrible

In reply to

lukasblue

Commented on 2007-04-04 19:00:30

old :(

In reply to

Phaethon360

Commented on 2007-04-04 19:35:06

Eesh. Guess there were six bad screens. But the ones they're apologizing for look better than the ones they just released.

In reply to

Optimusv2

Commented on 2007-04-04 20:55:41

Why the sudden drop in the quality of screenshots? This is a significant drop from what they've been showing us prior.

In reply to

thextreme1

Commented on 2007-04-04 20:55:47

So, what is he saying? That the screen above had time to be staged and cleaned up to look better, whereas the screens released on Gamespot didnt? And, how the hell did the screenshots get past management on such a big project? I think he may have dug the hole deeper by responding to the negativity, because now it sounds like they are faking screenshots to make the game look better for public opinion.

I have high hopes for this game, but I think they may have hit a wall graphically, given the vastness of the landscape and memory constraints and are toning the graphics down to meet framerate requirements(Hopefully 30fps).

I also read in the new OXM that the shots you fire from your guns are not area specific. Meaning that head shots or other body part specific shots mean nothing. So much for trying to take the legs out from the big walkers they have shown.

Truthfully, it sounds as if this game is suffering from Fable disease. Overhyped without meeting all of the promises. I hope not, but I fear it is true.

In reply to

So, what is he saying? That the screen above had time to be staged and cleaned up to look better, whereas the screens released on Gamespot didnt? And, how the hell did the screenshots get past management on such a big project? I think he may have dug the hole deeper by responding to the negativity, because now it sounds like they are faking screenshots to make the game look better for public opinion.

I have high hopes for this game, but I think they may have hit a wall graphically, given the vastness of the landscape and memory constraints and are toning the graphics down to meet framerate requirements(Hopefully 30fps).

I also read in the new OXM that the shots you fire from your guns are not area specific. Meaning that head shots or other body part specific shots mean nothing. So much for trying to take the legs out from the big walkers they have shown.

Truthfully, it sounds as if this game is suffering from Fable disease. Overhyped without meeting all of the promises. I hope not, but I fear it is true.

privatejohn

Commented on 2007-04-04 22:48:39

Why is the sudden downgrade of the visual quality?

In reply to

mustacio

Commented on 2007-04-04 23:43:51

that screenshot they released doesnt look as good as the other screenshots i seen. i seriously hope this game looks better then wat we expected it to be cause so far there screenshots dont look so good.

In reply to

DirtPipeMilkShake

Commented on 2007-04-05 00:46:28

OK so it won't look as good as Gears. No game does. The gameplay will still be amazing (if it's like KOTOR 1 and not Jade Empire. I hated Jade Empire, personally).

But it is kind of funny that THIS is their new screenshot. I mean, their answer to criticism is to release the darkest screenshot ever unleashed upon the gaming public in the history of gaming? It looks like he purposefully lowered the brightness AND contrast to hide something. Just bump it up in Photoshop yourself. It looks horrible.

Mass Effect PR is on a downward spiral. They need to release some new video footage... Oh and they also still need to turn off self-shadowing, cuz it still looks horrible on their faces, up-close, thanks to UE3's shadow system.

In reply to

Kaioken20

Commented on 2007-04-05 00:52:56 In reply to thextreme1

Posted by thextreme1

So, what is he saying? That the screen above had time to be staged and cleaned up to look better, whereas the screens released on Gamespot didnt?

Kinda.

They've always said screens released are from latest builds, and that sometimes these builds will have a unforeseen glitch (or something) that has occurred due to optimization. So the shots which they release are a truer depiction of what they feel the game will look like upon release than one with the glitch.

Posted by thextreme1

And, how the hell did the screenshots get past management on such a big project? I think he may have dug the hole deeper by responding to the negativity, because now it sounds like they are faking screenshots to make the game look better for public opinion.

How the hell did someone manage to steal code for Half Life 2? Shit happens. People make mistakes.

The only problem I have is how have they let it happen again and soon (with the shots released yesterday)? Crazy.

And when people say the screens don't looks as good...what do you mean exactly? From a technical stand point? Or are you upset that BioWare are showing you screens where all you see are people being stood about? The game isn't going to be all balls out action, y'know? You are going to be stood about just talking, and sometimes the surroundings may not be all that snazzy. But rather than the game being dumbed down I think it's intentional (in other words if your character visited a hovel you wouldn't expect that hovel to have spectacular lighting and what not...it be intentionally drab looking).

In reply to

[quote=thextreme1]So, what is he saying? That the screen above had time to be staged and cleaned up to look better, whereas the screens released on Gamespot didnt?[/quote]

Kinda.

They've always said screens released are from latest builds, and that sometimes these builds will have a unforeseen glitch (or something) that has occurred due to optimization. So the shots which they release are a truer depiction of what they feel the game will look like upon release than one with the glitch.

[quote=thextreme1]And, how the hell did the screenshots get past management on such a big project? I think he may have dug the hole deeper by responding to the negativity, because now it sounds like they are faking screenshots to make the game look better for public opinion.[/quote]

How the hell did someone manage to steal code for Half Life 2? Shit happens. People make mistakes.

The only problem I have is how have they let it happen again and soon (with the shots released yesterday)? Crazy.

And when people say the screens don't looks as good...what do you mean exactly? From a technical stand point? Or are you upset that BioWare are showing you screens where all you see are people being stood about? The game isn't going to be all balls out action, y'know? You are going to be stood about just talking, and sometimes the surroundings may not be all that snazzy. But rather than the game being dumbed down I think it's intentional (in other words if your character visited a hovel you wouldn't expect that hovel to have spectacular lighting and what not...it be intentionally drab looking).

Kaioken20

Commented on 2007-04-05 00:56:35 In reply to DirtPipeMilkShake

Posted by DirtPipeMilkShake

But it is kind of funny that THIS is their new screenshot. I mean, their answer to criticism is to release the darkest screenshot ever unleashed upon the gaming public in the history of gaming? It looks like he purposefully lowered the brightness AND contrast to hide something. Just bump it up in Photoshop yourself. It looks horrible.

:/

You guys have your monitors set to some crazy low settings , or what? I can clearly see the image. The background is ****ing awful but the character detail looks super sweet.

In reply to

Heretic

Commented on 2007-04-05 01:33:11 In reply to dcdelgado

Posted by dcdelgado

Posted back in march..

spin it baby! spin it like its never been spun before!!!

we need a release date damnit!

In reply to

GrimThorne

Commented on 2007-04-05 03:28:21

Here we go again lol!

You people need to take a deep breath, relax and try not to press the panic button every time you see a screenshot..............or in some cases the graphics conspiracy button. lol!

But I do have to ask just how many of you actually own an Xbox 360? I really think there are some major posers here. As many of us recall, NONE of the Gears of War screenshots looked anything as dynamic as the game playing live on your HDTV.

NONE

You will never be able to judge the graphic fidelity of any of these games by just looking at screenshots. Those days are over. I mean who here that actually owns a 360 doesn't know this by now?

btw, dcdelgado is correct. we've known about these pics on the ME forums for nearly 2 weeks now. Priestly's statement regarding this predates the build that he says that he's playing now.

In reply to

DirtPipeMilkShake

Commented on 2007-04-05 03:54:48 In reply to GrimThorne

Posted by GrimThorne

Here we go again lol!

You people need to take a deep breath, relax and try not to press the panic button every time you see a screenshot..............or in some cases the graphics conspiracy button. lol!

But I do have to ask just how many of you actually own an Xbox 360? I really think there are some major posers here. As many of us recall, NONE of the Gears of War screenshots looked anything as dynamic as the game playing live on your HDTV.

NONE

You will never be able to judge the graphic fidelity of any of these games by just looking at screenshots. Those days are over. I mean who here that actually owns a 360 doesn't know this by now?

btw, dcdelgado is correct. we've known about these pics on the ME forums for nearly 2 weeks now. Priestly's statement regarding this predates the build that he says that he's playing now.

http://files.xboxic.com/xbox-360/gears-of-war/gear...

This screenshot looks exactly like Gears.

In reply to

privatejohn

Commented on 2007-04-05 04:14:47 In reply to GrimThorne

Posted by GrimThorne

Here we go again lol!

You people need to take a deep breath, relax and try not to press the panic button every time you see a screenshot..............or in some cases the graphics conspiracy button. lol!

But I do have to ask just how many of you actually own an Xbox 360? I really think there are some major posers here. As many of us recall, NONE of the Gears of War screenshots looked anything as dynamic as the game playing live on your HDTV.

NONE

You will never be able to judge the graphic fidelity of any of these games by just looking at screenshots. Those days are over. I mean who here that actually owns a 360 doesn't know this by now?

btw, dcdelgado is correct. we've known about these pics on the ME forums for nearly 2 weeks now. Priestly's statement regarding this predates the build that he says that he's playing now.

I for one is a xb360 owner but for the past few months Bioware has been feeding us AMAZING hi-def screenshots and now when the game almost gone gold, they show us this super-let-down graphics? That's one hella downgrade i see here!!!

I just hope the gameplay has some depth and strong replayability.

BTW, where is this month gamersyde show?

In reply to

[quote=GrimThorne]Here we go again  lol!

You people need to take a deep breath, relax and try not to press the panic button every time you see a screenshot..............or in some cases the graphics conspiracy button. lol!

But I do have to ask just how many of you actually own an Xbox 360? I really think there are some major posers here.  As many of us recall, NONE of the Gears of War screenshots looked anything as dynamic as the game playing live on your HDTV.

NONE

You will never be able to judge the graphic fidelity of any of these games by just looking at screenshots. Those days are over.  I mean who here that actually owns a 360 doesn't know this by now?

btw, dcdelgado is correct.  we've known about these pics on the ME forums for nearly 2 weeks now.  Priestly's statement regarding this predates the build that he says that he's playing now.[/quote]
I for one is a xb360 owner but for the past few months Bioware has been feeding us AMAZING hi-def screenshots and now when the game almost gone gold, they show us this super-let-down graphics? That's one hella downgrade i see here!!!

I just hope the gameplay has some depth and strong replayability.

BTW, where is this month gamersyde show?

mkk316

Commented on 2007-04-05 04:31:01

Bioware needs to release a short video of the latest build. Enough with the pictures already. Video. Footage. NOW! If the video footage looks like crap, then we should be worried.

In reply to

GrimThorne

Commented on 2007-04-05 05:02:53 In reply to mkk316

Posted by mkk316

Bioware needs to release a short video of the latest build. Enough with the pictures already. Video. Footage. NOW! If the video footage looks like crap, then we should be worried.

agreed, but this is Bioware. I have no worries

In reply to

Kaioken20

Commented on 2007-04-05 05:37:22 In reply to mkk316

Posted by mkk316

Bioware needs to release a short video of the latest build. Enough with the pictures already. Video. Footage. NOW! If the video footage looks like crap, then we should be worried.

That isn't going to placate the doubters as they'll just turn around and accuse BioWare of preparing a bullshot in video form.

In reply to

One Mass Effect image

1 image

All comments (47)

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered

P55 Pro HQ video coverage: Day Five

We reviewed LEGO Horizon Adventures

P55 Pro HQ video coverage: Day Four