Thoughts and feedback
First of all I’d like to thank the dev team for making the game. The game does have issues but let’s face it without your work we wouldn’t have a game in the first place.
Now, onto some feedback for future games set in Andromeda.
Crafting:
I like this new crafting system but there were some issues present in the game. One noticeable issue was each set of armour had a very specific types of play. Functionally it’s fine if you’re willing to give up cosmetic appearance. Eg, the N7 armour has great stats for biotics but I don’t use biotics.
My suggestion to improve the system is to split crafting between a core framework and a cosmetic overlay. For example I craft an armour framework that has the stats of the current N7 armour but has the cosmetic appearance of Andromeda initiative gear.
You could also add new cosmetic overlays and frameworks to the game. Eg. Sidewinder pistol with an N7 cosmetic overlay, or a Black Widow with a scavenger Cosmetic Overlay.
Companion customization:
ME:A really shrank down on companion customization compared to the previous games. While I can understand dedication to specific weapons / armour due to character story and background I really didn’t like the fact that I couldn’t make improvements to my team members gear. The ability choices were frankly very lacking.
My suggestion would be to take a route similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition where each companion still has a very unique armour style while allowing for customization. I’d also like to see some freedom for weapon selection and augmentation / improvements to make companions to be even more unique. Companions should also get a wider range of skills to allow for more unique builds.
Story:
Coming off the back of the Reaper War with the previous games having a very linear focus on progression through the story, ME: A quickly throws you into a few open worlds to explore, which is great. Except, everything loses tangibility after the vault is cleared. A common issue in Bioware games is this idea that the story has progressed but the world remains the same or relatively unchanged.
My suggestion is to make doing fetch quests when you’re out exploring have a very real tangible impact on the environment. If I recover the remnant’s data cache on native plant species I want to see botanists trying to grow samples in controlled environments, or at the very least talking about the new discoveries and eventually moving to growing the species as the game progresses. Essentially, side quests and filler should have a very real impact on the environment and story.
Exploration, mining and outposts:
The exploration aspect of ME:A was enjoyable and I am looking forward to more content in the future, however the game really played it safe with the environments. Outposts played a part in progressing the story and helping to get a foothold in the cluster, the problem is they’re pretty small and boring. Mining was also a bit annoying and could use some improvements.
Suggestion for exploration, give us more. Take the planets you’ve given us and build new regions attached to the maps. Even if you have to put loading screens between regions. Also look towards adding new vehicles and types of environments to explore. It would be awesome to explore some lush planets, but also some water worlds with underwater vehicles, and maybe even some gas giants with fighters or shuttles. You could also throw in moons and asteroids.
To follow up my suggestion for exploration with improvements to outposts. Let establish function specific outposts in the new regions to support the creation of cities in the initial colonization site. Using Eos as an example give us four new regions, each region offers the ideal site for the construction of a specialized outposts. The different outpost types could be Trading ports, Mining and processing centres, Military bases, and Research facilities.
Independent outposts built by Nexus exiles or the Angarans could be scattered across the galaxy on different worlds. If you want those outposts under your control you either have to cut a deal with the current leaders, wipe out the current leaders, or bring the current leaders under the wing of your current planetary force.
Each outpost type could provide a benefit locally to the planet, while also providing some benefit to the Pathfinder and progressing the story.
Military outposts provide training to the local population which plays a part in the wider story, while also reducing the risk of a random Kett incursion, (A random planetary event where the goals are to prevent the abduction of the local population) and allow for the construction of fighter craft, tanks and other vehicles. Once built Military outposts act as the main hub for the region.
Research Outposts provide support to the imitative as a while, and also provide additional research points and tech and vehicle upgrades, and new vehicles to the pathfinder.
Mining outposts provide resources necessary for the construction of the city on the planet, with a portion of the resources diverted to the initiative and to the pathfinder. To make mining a little different the pathfinder can survey material by scanning and marking out resource deposits from the vehicle he is driving, instead of dropping mining drones planet side.
The mining mini game can be returned back to space if you wish to keep it around at all. The mining outpost will provide a cache of resources that can be accepted from the Tempest, much like the current AVP system. However, as the pathfinder sets up more mining outposts the quantity of resources provided increases substantially. Mining outposts can be setup on moons, asteroids, and in orbit of gas giants. They may at times be the only outpost that can be established on the planet, moon or asteroid.
Trading outposts are a great place to park your ship, get drink, meet an assari dancer, and make a lot of money. If you want to run your outpost that way, or let someone else run it that way. Trading ports come in a few varieties. Established ports under the control of the exiles or other pirates can be bought off with cash, or promise of a safe return to the initiative. If neither of those options are acceptable then the player can simply purge the pirates. Angaran trading ports can be bought off or have deals negotiated. Alternatively the pathfinder can simply mark out a site for the construction of a new port. In all three cases it’s possible for the pathfinder to invest in the shops and utilities present at the trading ports. You can own the whole port, or just a few shops. Doing so will provide you with a cash inflow that you receive periodically. Though the Angarans and initative may not be so willing to let the Pathfinder own a whole port. Pirates on the other hand might not have the same issue, especially if the pathfinder simply kills them.
Summary:
TL;DR Four new outposts that give you cash, resources, new vehicles to build, and new upgrades to research. Mining nodes are tagged via scanning from a vehicle, building more outposts allows for the construction of cities on some planets, explore underwater, in the clouds of gas giants and on moons and asteroids.
Wall of crazy stuff:
Let us build Tempest class survey ships, Fighters, Transports, Shuttles, and Normandy class Alliance frigates (SR1, SR2) that can be assigned to explore, defend, or transport people and goods. Also let us switch between the Tempest and Normandy SR2 class ship for different missions. Vetra needs to calibrate the thanix cannons.
Consider sending the Reaper Citadel in dark space, the “Dark Citadel” as an ark to the Heleus cluster with a potential plot point of creating a trans-galactic mass relay network. Once we get rid of the scourge of course.
Maybe have Liara embrace eternity with Javik. Assari daughters with Prothean touch sensory ability.
