Players can decide to invest either time or money in exchange for weapons and gear

Nov 22, 2012 16:01 GMT  ·  By

The random loot system in Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode provides a balanced field for all players, according to developer BioWare, as they can opt to invest either time or real-life money in the experience in exchange for better weapons and upgrades.

Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode has been a runaway success, with BioWare delivering a great cooperative experience that’s been constantly updated with new content and balance fixes.

One thing that won’t change, however, is the random loot system, as the Lead Designer for the multiplayer mode, Preston Watamaniuk, confirmed to Games.on.net that the system is made to deliver a balanced experience.

“I think it comes down to keeping a level playing field and keeping the game accessible,” he said. “Random loot creates an even playing field between the people that want to spend time and the people that want to spend money, and it keeps our store simple for everybody. It means no one is directly buying power, and invariably you will try out kits and weapons that may not be exactly what you were after, but turn out to be really good.”

Watamaniuk also said that the recent addition of the Collectors was a complex endeavor, as many of the characters from Mass Effect 2 needed to be tweaked to fit the new mechanics in Mass Effect 3.

“We used each creature from Mass Effect 2 as a starting point for what they needed to feel like within the multiplayer context. For multiplayer, each creature was redesigned from scratch and given an art upgrade,” he said.

“A major consideration in bringing them over was accounting for difference in play style between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3; the upgraded characters are a lot more agile and capable. We also had metrics that told us the strengths of our player base, so we worked that into the design as well.”

The multiplayer designer also confirmed that BioWare would continue supporting the online mode for as long as it makes financial sense.