Mass Effect 3 (no spoilers)

[Felon]

Okay, I think I know what you're talking about, but I didn't have any missions aborted due to this...unless that's not what you're talking about....

Speciically, what we're talking about is

Spoiler

concluding the Priority: Tuchanda mission effectively wipes out most pre-existing Citadel missions as well as Grissom Academy

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I tended to play the 'must do all side quests before main quest' route. Which actually TERRIBLY hurt me in the 2nd game. Worst timing to start doing DL stuff in ME2: After your crew gets taken and before you go to rescue them. Everything else in the game seemed time sensitive but wasn't. How am I supposed to know this one thing that seems time sensitive actually is? I went through the DLC in order to get money to buy upgrades to prepare myself for the final area. Apparently that was a terrible idea and my crew died for that. Glad that didn't happen in ME3.

In RPG's (or evena a game like GTA, Red Dead, or Saints Row), deciding whether to do main missions or side missions is kind of a balancing act. Side missions might provide some quicker and easier rewards that better prepare you for the big battles, but then again, the main missions provide you with major assets (like party members).

I forget what event triggers the collector attack on the Normandy in ME2, but it's unlikely that you could both save your captured crew and complete the suicide mission without casualties. To accomplish the latter goal, you have to keep to doing loyalty missions, and you have to upgrade the ship's shilelds, engine, and weapons, which means taking your time. Heck, you don't even get Legion until the same mission where the relay becomes accessible (Ios, IIRC), and then you still gotta do his loyalty mission.

Spoiler

So far, the old crew's demise doesn't seem to have amounted to much more than a monument on the crew deck.

 

[Dog Moon]

I forget what event triggers the collector attack on the Normandy in ME2, but it's unlikely that you could both save your captured crew and complete the suicide mission without casualties. To accomplish the latter goal, you have to keep to doing loyalty missions, and you have to upgrade the ship's shilelds, engine, and weapons, which means taking your time. Heck, you don't even get Legion until the same mission where the relay becomes accessible (Ios, IIRC), and then you still gotta do his loyalty mission.

IIRC, I read that there's a way so that when the crew gets taken you have time ONLY to do Legions Loyalty quest before going to save the crew and actually being able to save your crew.

Spoiler

So far, the old crew's demise doesn't seem to have amounted to much more than a monument on the crew deck.

Spoiler

True, but their survival does have some impacts in the new game in a few minor points. Or so I hear... my crew died...

 

[Kzach]

IIRC, I read that there's a way so that when the crew gets taken you have time ONLY to do Legions Loyalty quest before going to save the crew and actually being able to save your crew.

I'm glad you sought out my expert advice on this matter!

As a general play-through guide for ME2, I heartily recommend the following strategy:

Spoiler

1) Do NOT do any side-missions. Even ones that are conveniently in your path at the time. Completely ignore anything other than the recruitment missions (with the exception of Legion).

2) Continue ignoring all other missions (including ones of opportunity like those found when scanning planets) as you complete all loyalty missions (again, with the exception of Legion).

3) Do NOT go to retrieve the IFF until all loyalty missions have been completed (again, except for Legion). Once you've completed all loyalty missions, NOW go back around the entire galaxy and do every tiny little tidbit of questing, resource gathering, upgrading, equipping, restatting your crew (if you've done Lair of the Shadow Broker which is highly recommended anyway) you possibly can.

4) NOW go to retrieve the IFF. This is where you also recruit Legion. Do NOT go anywhere after recruiting Legion. Talk to him multiple times (this is the confusing part where most people become unstuck because you have to initiate dialogue with him two or three times in order to get to his loyalty mission) until you get his loyalty mission. Do NOT go ANYWHERE or do ANYTHING other than go directly to his loyalty mission. The game literally inserts his loyalty mission in-between a scripted event that is supposed to happen directly after coming back on board the Normandy. Even if you access the galaxy map before talking to Legion and getting his loyalty mission, you'll have lost the chance to save your crew AND get his loyalty.

Essentially, once you go to retrieve the IFF, that's it. Game over. From that point on the game is scripted to start the Normandy attack the very next time you access the galaxy map UNLESS you talk to Legion first and gain his loyalty mission.

The reason for doing all recruitment and loyalty missions BEFORE going to the IFF is because of the way paragon/renegade works. Since the difficulty of success is based on level, you literally want to level-up as slowly as possible whilst recruiting and doing loyalty missions so that you'll always get paragon/renegade dialogue options that aren't greyed out and inaccessible.

But once you've completed all those recruitment and loyalty missions, the side missions are done to boost your level as high as it can go before the suicide run starts. Doing it this way you can easily get all achievements, have everyone survive the suicide mission, and save Kelly Chambers before she's melted in the Collector base and also gain the maximum (30th) level.

 

[Felon]

Spoiler

3) Do NOT go to retrieve the IFF until all loyalty missions have been completed (again, except for Legion). Once you've completed all loyalty missions, NOW go back around the entire galaxy and do every tiny little tidbit of questing, resource gathering, upgrading, equipping, restatting your crew (if you've done Lair of the Shadow Broker which is highly recommended anyway) you possibly can.

4) NOW go to retrieve the IFF. This is where you also recruit Legion. Do NOT go anywhere after recruiting Legion. Talk to him multiple times (this is the confusing part where most people become unstuck because you have to initiate dialogue with him two or three times in order to get to his loyalty mission) until you get his loyalty mission. Do NOT go ANYWHERE or do ANYTHING other than go directly to his loyalty mission.

Thing is, it's doing missions that opens up the additional dialogues. Have a dialogue, do a mission, seek new dialgoues, rinse & repeat. Much the same in ME3. IIRC, you have to do at least one side mission between IFF and Legion's loyalty mish.

Of course, it's pretty unlikely anyone has this all sussed out during their playhtrough without consulting a guide.

 

[Kzach]

Thing is, it's doing missions that opens up the additional dialogues. Have a dialogue, do a mission, seek new dialgoues, rinse & repeat. Much the same in ME3.

Sure, so you just leave those options until later. In ME1 and 2 you can go back to places, unlike in ME3.

IIRC, you have to do at least one side mission between IFF and Legion's loyalty mish.

Nope. IFF gets you Legion, Legion comes on board, you speak to him, get his loyalty mission, go do his loyalty mission, speak to him again if you want to resolve a conflict between him and Tali. But as soon as you access the galaxy map after either getting Legion onboard after the IFF mission and NOT speaking to him to get his loyalty mission, or after his loyalty mission, the scripted attack on Normandy begins.

If you do anything other than going straight to the suicide mission, after reclaiming the Normandy, then you'll lose Kelly Chambers (and by default, the rest of the crew except for Chakwas).

Of course, it's pretty unlikely anyone has this all sussed out during their playhtrough without consulting a guide.

Yah, hence why I offered the advice since I've played through it a dozen or so times.

 

[Agamon]

I've only played through ME2 once and got everyone's loyalty up and the ship maxed out, and didn't lose any crew of consequence. And I didn't consult a guide. Just got lucky maybe? Didn't seem like a problem at the time.

 

[Felon]

I've only played through ME2 once and got everyone's loyalty up and the ship maxed out, and didn't lose any crew of consequence. And I didn't consult a guide. Just got lucky maybe? Didn't seem like a problem at the time.

It's not so much luck, but rather more like what I was saying before about the balancing act between doing side missions and story missions. You saved the IFF mission for last, which ultimately had the benefit of saving the Normandy crew, but you also basically miissed out on chances to play around with Legion on missions, because he didn't join your party until the game was almost over.

 

[Agamon]

It's not so much luck, but rather more like what I was saying before about the balancing act between doing side missions and story missions. You saved the IFF mission for last, which ultimately had the benefit of saving the Normandy crew, but you also basically miissed out on chances to play around with Legion on missions, because he didn't join your party until the game was almost over.

Ah, yeah, I see what you mean now. This is true.

 

[Dragonwriter]

Anyone else excited for the Resurgence Pack tomorrow? Free maps, characters and weapons... Gimme gimme gimme!

I've been saving my credits all week for a spending spree. I'm hoping for the Krogan Vanguard.

Next hope - a new set of enemies. Or perhaps a "shuffled" enemy type, where it can bounce between Cerberus, Reaper and Geth. More variety (and XP bonus?).

 

[Dog Moon]

I am definitely excited. Wooh!