So, should I even try Multi Player?

So I've played a few matches in MP, do mind it's just a few matches but I consider it my first impression. This is what I experienced/learned:

I was apparently lucky enough to not run into cheaters.

I didn't experience rubber banding but there was definitely some lag. Some of my shots didn't land till a second or two later.

My female human tech user with cloak comes with a combination of skills I don't really like. Looking at all the choices that are out there, I actually don't really like any of them, except one of the ultra-rare classes.

I certainly will never spend actual cash on it.

Bronze level is what I played. Most of the waves felt right for bronze level, but the final extraction wave was a lot harder by comparison. That doesn't feel balanced at all compared to the rest of the waves.

The map design is not my favourite and some enemies do move very fast and seem to come out of nowhere sometimes. It's manageable but doesn't quite feel right.

Unlocking classes randomly and not being able to create your own builds are big downside in this game. Only 3 skills that are fixed skills is just not interesting to me.

I recognise the complaint about the weapons vs hitpoints of enemies. Also because you acquiring new weapons being random just means it will take longer before I can have a set up that I'm happy with.

In the end I only played a few matches because I didn't feel like playing another match. From my viewpoint ME3 has a much more enjoyable MP experience. I like the maps better, it's easier to get a set up I enjoy playing and it felt more varied with the different objectives.

So, for me, the MP experience in ME:A is not a step forward and when I want to do MP, I will go back to ME3. I think the major issue for me is the skill system because I feel 3 active skills is very little and uninspiring and as this is a MP without any story or other things happening it stands out more than in the SP experience.

I may give it another try at some point but right now after playing a few matches I have to say that I already got bored with it.

Curious, I find the Extraction waves really easy on any difficulty.

Kite the enemies around the map for 100 seconds then run for extraction... 🤓

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@adrest4 wrote:

Curious, I find the Extraction waves really easy on any difficulty.

Kite the enemies around the map for 100 seconds then run for extraction... 🤓

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I thought about it and I think I know why. I had team mates that instantly went to the extraction zone drawing all the enemies in. In ME3 people knew not to do that, but here it seems we have some new people who don't do this, so as a consequence all the enemies are group together and then it's a big group that dishes out a lot of damage. So that's probably what made that harder.

I would not bother with the multi player.  its just shooting stuff which you can do in SP by just driving around.

Also you are forced to play in a party so sometimes you have to wait for others to load into games, wait for others to hit ready, deal with others disconnecting, deal with others with bad internet connection, deal with others who are experts at MP and know the missions very well and just rush them - they are also stupidly fast paced.

There is no dialogue or cut scenes or computer terminals to read - nothing that adds to the games story - they put up adds for things like a mission called archons remnant forces which would make you think its game relevant but its just more hack and slah - survive waves and waves.

Totally pointless addition - with all the effort into these maps we could have had new SP location and dialogue by now - or even just single player fixes and updates!!

I think that this multi is to have fun, add some content or activities, but it is so poorly developped that it loses a lot of interest.

Cons :

- no chat (sad for a 2017 game, I was just flabbergasted)

- lags can totally destroy a game (you can't even move if the host has a poor connection, don't even hope to kill someone too)

- abusive grind randomly rewarded (I mean that as it is very poorly developped and too highly repetitive, why does it require several hundreds of game to get decent stuff ?...)

- Almost not linked the campaign

- The only customization is the random rewards

This multi concept seems a very bad choice to me : it is supposed to be a little add to this solo game, but as it is not linked to the solo game, while beeing poorly developped, it becomes very deceiving.

And only I find the NPC AI very weird ?

I am always shot at sight by every ennemis, while when I was dead I have seen some NPC ennemies who just move around my team mates without to shot them for something like 30 seconds...

I play almost completely on Multiplayer now, after beating the single player game at the end of April, whilst I have started a second single player game, i find it difficult not to click on the multiplayer when I launch ME:A 🙂  I love multiplayer.  It can be frustrating if things go wrong, but with a good team you will have a great game!!

If you have completed the single player campaign, then you know only too well that 'well what now?' feeling you have at the end.

So there is no reason why you should not try and give multiplayer a go.    Firstly lets shatter some illusions.. some people do not like PvP in games.. and their first worry is that they will play multiplayer and suddenly they are getting steamrollered by someone who is much better geared than them and then they die a lot.   Well ME:A multiplayer, much like ME3 multiplayer is a team game against AI controlled enemies :  Kett, Remnant and Outlaw.    You will be matched against one of these enemy types, and on one of the various multiplayer maps that are on offer. So no matter how good your team mates are compared to you, if they are a bit pro, then this can only make things easier for you.  Granted you may find they kill alot of the enemies you were going for generally you'll get to shoot/kill your fair share as they can't be everywhere on the map 🙂


Map Selection:
Currently as of today:  there is  7 maps available for general map selection or they will select randomly if this is the map setting.

Firebase Zero, Firebase Sandstorm, Firebase  Icebreaker, Firebase Derelict, Firebase  Magma, Firebase Paradox, Firebase Aqua

Character:

You start off with a basic character, and just like every other character of the 30 (currently) available in total, you will have 3 signature skills for that character class.  These signature skills are your cookie cutter skills to use alongside your use of a weapon or melee attacks and should not be ignored.  As well as your skills you have 4 consumable packs that you can take into the game with you too.  These are:

Consumable items:

First Aid Pack - To instantly heal yourself up to full health and shields
Revive Pack - This is used to revive yourself if you die in combat.  Whilst other players CAN revive you if they are nice people and are able, quite a number of times they may not.. and if you are on the ground long enough an enemy can and often will come along and end you with a snap of your neck 🙂  If you revive other players you do not use a revive pack for that.. its only when you self-revive that a pack is used.

Ammo Pack - self explanatory.  It refills your ammo supplies.  Handy if you run out while defendng a position or things get nasty.

Cobra RPG - Explosive rocket with high damage and Area of Effect.  Very nice for taking down the big mechs and ascendent. (you may need to use more than one if you ever do silver or gold difficulty missions)

Waves 1-7:

The game is made up of 7 waves increasing in difficulty each time.  Waves 1,2,4,5 are pure survival rounds which have a set number of enemies that spawn for the wave.  When the wave gets down to the last 3 mobs you will be informed of this and the last 3 mobs should also be visible as they will be marked in a red outline and can then be seen through walls.   Waves 3 and 6 are the objectives rounds, you may be asked to either upload data from a single designated position, or upload from 3 designated A/BC positions.. there is also a disable 4 devices objective and a retrieve 4 packages objective aswell as also an objective for assassination of 4 designated main targets  for these waves.   WAVE 7, the final wave is called the extraction wave and you should not really do precisely what the announcer says to do and rush to the extraction area marked on you hud.  Instead, try to keep the action away from the extraction area by having the team fight mobs in other parts of the map (ideally furthest away).  By doing this the enemies focus is away from the extraction circle.. and only in the last 15-30 seconds should you really want to be making a hasty retreat to the evac circle.  If you walk or just run then you'll use valuable time up.. so use your evade button to move quicker in bursts as you can.  You don't want to be travelling the same speed that the enemy can, so using this buys you more easy time in the evac circle.

Once you get to the Evac circle the enemy mobs will still follow you, but it will be a lot more staggered and manageable than the experience you would have had if you all instantly rushed to the evac circle at the start of the game.  I've seen so much carnage go on in that evac circle, so observing the tip about evaccing is the best thing you'll remember.

MP Credits:

When you complete games, you will earn MP credits, and you can spend these on Multiplayer packs which can contain cards for new weapons, character classes, and mods.  If you already have the card that you get in the pack for lets say a character class then you will get the next rank up for that class, so its not like you are getting a swap of a collector card.   If its a weapon card that is being upgraded then you'll get  the next rank up of that too, which means more damage etc.

Packs:
These are your bread and butter for getting upgrades for weapons and characters (or even new characters)

Supply Pack - Cost 2000 - Cobra RPG, First Aid Pack, Ammo Pack, Revive Pack and 1 random booster.

Basic Pack - Cost 5000 - Contains 5 random items or characters with a small chance that 1 will be uncommon

Jumbo Supply Pack - Cost 10000 - 5 each of  Cobra RPG, First Aid Pack, Ammo Pack, Revive Pack and 5 random boosters

Advanced Pack - Cost 20000 - Contains 5 random items or characters with at least 1 uncommon with a small chance for a Rare.

Expert Pack - Cost 50000 - Contains 5 Random items or character with at least 1 Rare and a small chance for an Ultra Rare
Premium Pack - Cost 100000 - Contains 5 Random items or character with at least 2 that are Rare and a higher chance for at least 1 Ultra Rare

Reserves Pack - Cost 100000 - Contains 5 Random items or character with at least 2 that are Rare or better with a higher chance for characters.

Arsenal Pack - Cost 100000 - Contains 5 Random items or character with at least 2 that are Rare or better with a higher chance for weapons

You can win a free 'Advanced Pack' if you complete the Tutorial Challenge, so make sure you do the tutorial challenge which includes these objectives:
Complete the tutorial mission

Claim a pack reward - Claim the tutorial reward pac from the rewards screen

First Blood - Earn points playing in a match
Equip a new weapon

Equip a new mod
Buy a pack with credits (MP credits).  Just buy the cheapest one if you wish.

Buy an item from the item store:  This uses Mission funds not MP credits.  You get Mission funds from using Strike Teams or from running successful Apex Missions in multiplayer

But i am new?

Don't worry about being new to multiplayer, don't worry about not being very good at first either, we all start somewhere.. just make sure you start on Bronze level missions and when you've advanced in skill, levels and gear.. then and only then try the increased difficulty silver level.. and much much later on... gold.

Well i could write a very long how to document on multiplayer, but not for this reply as i want to get back to some gaming.  See you in multiplayer.. (yes i still play bronze now and again when i'm getting used to a character class again)

On your feet soldier!

MEA MP seems pretty hard at first, even on bronze.  But after a short while, you will find yourself consistently extracting on gold.  

It's not bad, but ME3 MP is still better.

it also seems hard at first as you have basic common weapons with no upgrades.  once you start getting better weapons or upgrades to the ones you start with, your damage increases and enemies go down quicker.

I was an MP hater with Mass Effect as I felt it getting "tagged on" to an established single player title was at the expense of single player content.

However for MEA I have to say the MP is excellent. The fact its only PvE is what makes me come back for more, as I have a plethora of PvP games but very few that allow for co-op PvE. MEA is the best of those co-op PvE titles so Im playing it rather a lot. In fact I think around 60% of my total 600hr playtime is MP mode exclusively.

I dont play SP at all now, the only time I go on is to empty my rewards.