User blog:The Milkman/How Do You Play?

Warning: this blog is less of a rant and more of a general question to the readers. Mass Effect is a series based on interactive storytelling, where your choices shape the story. It's a game where you can be good, bad, and ugly! What I'm wondering is, how do you play Mass Effect?

Character Creation
Oh, character customisation, how I love thee! How did your custom-made hero/heroine turn out? Did you base your character off of yourself (with more muscles, of course), or did you seek to create a whole new person onto whom you can project yourself?

How did you create your Shepard? I tried to make my Shepard look as much like myself in real life as possible. I based my Shepard's appearance on someone else (i.e. a celebrity) I wanted to make a cool-looking action hero to play as. I made my Shepard as ugly/funny as possible. I just chose whatever options I liked best, with no real plan in mind. I chose the generic Shepard. I chose the generic Shepard, because Vanderloo is a total hunk.

Character Development
Here's another thing. How do you make your choices? With most games that feature moral choices (i.e. InFamous) players often play the "proper" way, by playing as the goody-two-shoes who helps everybody, then playing as a complete jerk the second time around. This often results in two distinct playthroughs, but in my opinion, it ruins the whole point of player choice. Why bother having choices if you've already predetermined what kind of character you are? What is this, Calvinism!?

Mark Meer had a backward way of doing it that sounds interesting to me. In an [interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypOyQrymZbk] he said he liked to play as a villain first, then play the good guy second, so he can right his wrongs and find redemption.

The way I play? Well, I'm glad you asked! I project myself on my protagonist, making choices based on my own moral compass. For example, In Mass Effect 3, I let Qwib Qwib die, just because It felt "wrong" to let the non-combatant crew die. Instead of making a sacrifice for the greater good (which, for gameplay purposes, would have a better benefit, since it would boost my EMS score more), I based my desicion on what I thought was the right thing to do. Maybe this a weakness on my part, but it's that weakness that makes the narrative strong. This is the mark of a good story. I'm so immersed, I make choices based on right and wrong, and not just for fun. After my first playthrough, I play based on a preset character outline. I make choices based not on what I'd do, but what my character would do. For me, this helps make the story come to life, as the storytelling is more consistent, and the characterisation of my hero is more refined. Red, Blue, or Purple? I made mostly Paragon choices. I made mostly Renegade choices. I made the moral decisions based on my own moral compass, with a mix of both. I played a Paragon first, then decided to mess around as a Renegade. I played a Renegade first, then played again as a Paragon to right my wrongs. Eeeny Miney Moe catch a tiger by its toe....

Mass Effect 3
One thing I really loved about Mass Effect 3 (yes, there were good parts) was that the option to play your way was given. Whether, you wanted to jump straight into the action, stick to just the story, or do a little of both, you could choose what type of experience you wanted to play. So I ask: What gameplay mode did you choose? Action Story RPG