Mass Effect Developer Diary 2: Divide and Conquer

So one awesome advantage of working with the PC is that it avoids most of the control constraints one faces when working with a console. You've got a keyboard packed to the gills with keys. Even better, the use of a mouse means that the user interface can be packed with as many additional buttons as the artists are willing to make.

Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 featured the ability to give Squad Commands. You could order your squadmates to move to a location, attack a specific target, hold their current position, or regroup by using the D-Pad. I really enjoy playing the Vanguard class. Throwing the energy attacks is sweet, and I still have the option of just charging into combat. In order to keep my team balanced, I usually bring Wrex and Tali along on missions. Whenever I'm low on health and waiting for my abilities to cool down, I take cover and tell Wrex to handle things. I aim at the far end of the combat area and give the move order.

Wrex charges out across the battlefield guns blazing, taking fire exactly the way a space dinosaur hitman should. Unfortunately, orders are sent to the entire team so Tali goes charging after him, guns blazing, taking fire exactly the way a plucky space mechanic should not. She's inevitably taken out and I'm left with fewer ways to debuff any new enemies that appear. Awkward.

So we took on the task of being able to give commands to your squadmates separately. Mass Effect PC replaces the Power and Weapon wheels of yore with the sleek, elegant Tactics HUD. The Tactics HUD allows the player to pause the action and quickly make tactical decisions for their team. The player can switch weapons and cast abilities with a few quick clicks, and then get on their way. Even better, players can now select orders from each teammate's orders palette. Bam. Ashley's gunning dudes down and Liara's running to safety.

The awesome part is that this really opened up the possiblilities for squad tactics. Squadmates can now flank enemies. You can order them to chip away at two separate targets. Weaker enemies can cast abilities from a safer point. Tougher squadmates can risk danger without having to worry about weaker casters tagging along. Mass Effect has this sweet setup where you can select your squad based on how you want to approach each situation. Players can now fully play to the strengths of each character.

Now, when I play the PC version and I'm vanguard-ing it up and low on health. I can park behind a toppled pillar, and tell Tali to do the same. Wrex can then be ordered to go charging into battle while Tali casts debuffs from a safe place. I do not recommend trying this alone, as you will probably need to high five someone.