New Screens from the DLC!
That planet looks too close for comfort.
BATARIANS. Hate those guys.
There it is again! AND IT'S CLOSER!
BATARIANS!!!
Mass Effect: Bring Down the Sky Interview
New details and screenshots of the first downloadable add-on.
February 25, 2008 - On March 10 at 2AM PST, the universe of Mass Effects gets bigger. That's when the first piece of downloadable content, Bring Down the Sky, becomes available on Xbox Live for 400 Microsoft Points (US $5). The pack contains 90 minutes of gameplay, a brand new alien race and offers up 50 achievement points. For those of us that can't wait a couple of weeks to find out more, we went to Casey Hudson, Project Director for Mass Effect at BioWare.
IGN: Can you clarify what 90 minutes of gameplay means for this download? Does that mean 90 minutes as paragon and then another 90 as renegade? Is it 90 minutes of story elements and action similar to the main quests?
Casey Hudson: The Batarian pack includes 90 minutes of gameplay for any particular character which includes a main story plot (the mission to stop the Batarians from crashing an asteroid into an inhabited planet) and some additional side-quest content. This does include a mix of story and action. Players can choose to play this content as a paragon or a renegade, which will result in different outcomes. The two paths are not completely separate bundles of content, however.
IGN: Is there a specific point in the game that you have to be at to play the DLC?
Hudson: The only stipulation is your character must be onboard (or able to get to) the Normandy, because your character will actually obtain the mission and fly to the asteroid via the Galaxy Map interface.
IGN: What can we expect from the new planet in terms of visual style?
Hudson: You'll be able to explore the asteroid surface with the Mako, which is streaking towards an Earth-like planet which looms large on the horizon. There are large mining torches being used as thrusters to propel the asteroid toward the planet, and you'll be able to enter control stations and facilities where you'll unravel the plot set forth by the Batarians.
IGN: Do any of the other party members on the Normandy have a particular vested interest in this additional quest?
Hudson: The mission certainly strikes home for Ashley, Shepard and Kaiden due to the historical animosity between the human race and the Batarians. In the early days of human colonization of space, the Batarians were responsible for many attacks against mankind.
IGN: This download introduces the Batarian race into the game. Does that mean we'll be able to run into them in places like the Citadel or will they be confined to the new planet the download focuses on?
Hudson: The Batarians' status as one of the galaxy's most aggressive and hostile races means that encounters with them are very rare. For that reason they aren't found in other plots throughout Mass Effect, whereas situations such as the one in "Bring Down the Sky" can arise where you may confront them. We can expect to see more of them in the future however, as Commander Shepard digs deeper to expose the forces that threaten the security of the galaxy.
IGN: What's the story with the Batarians? Why didn't they make it onto the disc? What kind of personality do they have?
Hudson: In the Mass Effect universe there is a wide range of species types, from ones that are very common and familiar to ones that you might hear about but may never see. The Batarians were written into the rich backstory of Mass Effect, but we weren't sure if we'd ever bring the player face-to-face with one of them. As we fleshed out opportunities for adventures in downloadable content, we found a way to introduce the Batarians through a very compelling storyline.
Batarian society is based on a very isolationist government, which strictly controls the movements of its citizens and information flow to and from their home planet. Although not true of all Batarians, the few that have been encountered abroad have proven to be brutal and aggressive representatives of their species.
IGN: Will the download introduce any new items, skills or other content aside from the Batarians into the game we haven't yet seen?
Hudson: Changes to the main game experience will be along the lines of opportunities to gain more experience, paragon / renegade points, and levels, as well as finding things to use or sell to make money, and an achievement that contributes to your Gamerscore. You'll also find that enemies within the new adventure have some different behaviors that put some twists on the combat you'll find there.
As far as future content goes, BioWare is not ready to talk just yet. Regarding questions on future downloads extending the main story, the upcoming PC release containing the Bring Down the Sky content on the disc, and future plans for patches to the main game, BioWare answered either that it has not yet determined or is not ready to release those details.