What's New for the Rebellion Pack

Rebellion comes out today, Tuesday May 29th, and offers new exciting content adding to the multiplayer feature of Mass Effect 3:

New Objective Type:

Retrieve
Retrieve is a new objective added to Multiplayer through the Rebellion DLC. Valuable supplies are in the field and Operatives need to secure and bring the supplies to key locations on the map. Teamwork is very important in this objective because the supply carrier will be slowed down and unable to evade, covering the supply carrier and working as a team will ensure your success in this new objective type.

Two new maps:

Firebase Jade
Surrounded by huge waterfalls, Firebase Jade overlooks an ancient reservoir built by the salarians centuries ago. Set up strategic chokepoints inside the base's main buildings to get the jump on your enemy, and work with your team to meticulously clear each room to achieve victory.

Firebase Goddess
Firebase Goddess, nestled in the epicenter of a Thessian metropolis, is one of the last strongholds of asari resistance against the Reapers. With its circular layout, Firebase Goddess is a tough location to control. This arena combines heavy cover and elevated firing positions, so stay light on your feet.

Three new playable characters covering six new classes:

Vorcha Soldier/Sentinel
Vorcha are considered vermin by other species inhabiting Citadel space, but their unique physiology and innate aggressiveness make them shockingly durable combatants. A Vorcha's resilience and malleable DNA allow them to evolve and adapt to any situation, making them formidable opponents on the battlefield. Their lightning-quick pounce is a direct result of their socially ingrained bloodlust.
· Shields 250/250
· Bloodlust/Melee
· Increased Mobility
· Regeneration

Male Quarian Infiltrator/Engineer
Quarians have spent centuries at perpetual salvage and ship repair; the survival of their species depends on this technical expertise. Quarians are an elite support specialist with a talent for setting up ambushes and providing cover fire through the use of turrets. Their technical wizardry makes them crucial contributors on the battlefield.
· Shields 600/600
· Combat Leap
· Disruptor Omni-Blade

Phoenix Vanguard/Adept
A result of the Illusive Man's early experiments in enhanced human physiology, Project Phoenix subjects are highly skilled combat and biotics specialists. When the Illusive Man turned to indoctrination in order to ensure the loyalty of his troops, many Phoenix operatives defected and joined the Alliance in order to stop the Reapers. Phoenix operatives are highly skilled combat and biotic specialists. Their ability to manipulate Cerberus lash and stasis technology, backed up by their powerful skills, make them invaluable assets on the battlefield.
· Barrier 500/500
· Combat Roll
· Cerberus Lash

Three new exciting weapons:

Reegar Carbine
The Reegar Carbine is an Electrical weapon, best used at close range. Named for the Quarian Reegar family, whose marines have served valiantly against the Geth, this electrical weapon improves upon the arc pistol's design by generating a sustained current to its target.

Krysae Sniper Rifle
The Krysae is a Heavy turian sniper rifle with explosive rounds and an automatic scope for all-range fighting. This turian anti-materiel rifle is modified to kill Reaper enemies. The Krysae's scope uses a rangefinder that adjusts to keep the target in proper proportion to the shooter, which comes in useful when the sniper is forced into close range. Its specialized ammunition is both armor-piercing and explosive. In a desperate move, the turians released its specifications over the extranet so that nearly anyone with a fabricator could manufacture this weapon to help the war effort.

Harrier Assault Rifle
Full-auto heavy rifle, low recoil but high heat generation. These Cerberus-modified Mattock rifles are fully automatic. Cerberus gunsmiths refined the recoil issues, resulting in a gun that stays on target but delivers slightly less punch per round than a standard Mattock. As such, the weapon is typically utilized by Cerberus's elite troops, who train constantly to make every burst count.

Gear System:
Operatives will now be able equip a series of elite gear that will upgrade their abilities for as long as it remains equipped. Operatives have the option to switch gear items out between missions to make sure they are using the most appropriate upgrades. Each piece of gear can be upgraded up to 4 times through the reinforcement system. Nineteen pieces of gear will be shipping with the Rebellion multiplayer pack.

Interview with Programmer Fernando Secco

"Afterlife Ambient" by DeviantArt user Hidrico. See the original image at http://Hidrico.deviantart.com/art/Mass-Effect-Afterlife-Ambient-295700254

Who are you and what is your role at BioWare?
Hello, my name is Fernando Secco and I am a programmer at BioWare Montreal. I am currently working as the architect for our next great game. That basically means that I am responsible for taking a problem and writing a program to solve it. Let's say the artist wanted the camera to shake when the main character receives damage. The problem is the artist wanted to shake the camera but he can't so I get a task to write, or update, a tool so he can control the camera and the amount it will shake. Most times, it can get a lot more complex than that J.

What is the best part about your job?
This is hard to say. I love coding, I love puzzles and I love games. When I get to work a big part of our job is finding solutions and think out-of-the-box, I can spend hours and lose track of time when coding. Another thing I love is when I have to interact with the artists about their vision, their needs and how we could improve our tools to deliver a better experience. It's priceless to work with such group of talented people that, when explained their ideas, you can see what they are talking about, you can live that experience, right there.

What does an average day look like for you?
In the morning, I catch up with emails. We have teams working on different time zones and morning is always full of surprises. At lunch time we have our team scrum meeting and we head for lunch. We usually have a big table filled with programmers at our cafeteria. I keep coding in the afternoon and in the end of the day, we do a synch with our lead programmer to make sure we don't have any blockings.

Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in game development?
Probably playing my first game was something I enjoyed a lot but I think the proudest moment was when my nephew, he is 11 years old, called me one night and he said he had an idea for a game. He spend 30 minutes on the phone explaining to me and giving me the details about his idea and when he was finished, he asked me if I could make that game, because he liked a lot the last game I 'made' and he thought I could really make a cool game with his idea. That was super fun.

What's a geeky thing about you?
I am not sure' I like videogames and table top RPGs since I was very young. I used to play a lot of Atari, Nes, Genesis, and Snes' then I got a PC. The PC drove me away from table top RPGs and consoles for some years (mainly because of Ultima, MUD and Baldur's Gate) but in college I've found some good friends and we started to play Shadowrun and D&D 3.0. I also love reading H.P. Lovecraft, Willian Gibson and comic books and I have a podcast about games with some Brazilian friends (www.thepodquest.com)

Do you have any advice for those wishing to get into the video game industry?
I think a good advice is always to say that playing games is very different than working with games. One can love and know a lot about games. But videogame is not only about making games, is about working in team, building a vision, dealing with costumer, studying, learning and finding out that your ideas may be not as good as you thought. I think the most important thing is make sure that is what you want. Not many people want to mix their hobby with their work. If you are sure what you want then pick an area you like, try to understand what a professional on that area does, which are his responsibilities, what he has to deliver, which tools he needs to know and start practicing.

If you weren't working in the industry, what would you be doing?
Nice question. I think I probably would be a cook. I found it amazing how much cooking is similar to videogame programming; once you know the basics, you can explore and try new things, use patterns to resolve simple problems and, the most importantly, create something that people enjoy. Sometimes they enjoy it so much that they may want buy DLC!

What are you currently playing, reading, or listening to?
I am currently playing: Mass Effect 3 multiplayer and Sonic Generations on Xbox360 and Legends of Grimrock on PC. I am always listening to heavy metal from 80's and early 90's and I am revisiting HP Lovecraft stories.

Operation SHIELDWALL

The Reapers are targeting our training centers, and your mission is to draw their fire and attention. Put them on the defensive! Buy us time, and the reinforcements in training will soon back you up.

Allied Goal: Promote 50,000 characters.
Squad Goal: Promote 3 characters.
Special Circumstance: Due to the failure of Operation SILENCER, more banshees will spawn with Reaper enemies and might also spawn with other enemies.

Squad Goal Success: Squad members awarded a Commendation Pack.
Allied Goal Success: All players awarded a Victory Pack (high chance of containing a Rare weapon).

---

Welcome to the next N7 Weekend Operation, Operation SHIELDWALL, beginning this Friday, May 25 at 6:00PM PT until Sunday, May 27 at 5:00PM PT, on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Please remember to set the 'Upload Gameplay Feedback' setting to 'On' in the online options to be able to participate in this N7 Operation.

Please note that due to a known issue, PlayStation 3 users will not see the promotion screen but they will be participating in Operation SHIELDWALL and will be rewarded.

Keep up the pressure, troopers. As you can see, N7 efforts to date have been bringing the fight right to the front door of our enemy. Our enemy is fierce, but we've got the might of the entire galaxy on our side.

Good luck and see you on the battlefield.

Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack

Reinforcements are being deployed to all N7 forces, bringing out some heavy hitters thanks to the new Mass Effect 3 Rebellion DLC Pack! Arriving on Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network and PC on Tuesday, May 29 (Wednesday, May 30 on the PSN in Europe), the Mass Effect 3 Rebellion Pack will be bringing you more gear, more weapons, more maps, and more kits, available at no additional cost for anyone who redeemed an Online Pass for Mass Effect 3 on PC, PS3 or Xbox 360.

The Rebellion Multiplayer Expansion opens two new fronts against the Reapers: Firebase Jade's jungle reservoir and Firebase Goddess on Thessia. In-game reinforcement packs now include three new weapons (Reegar Carbine, Krysae Sniper Rifle, Cerberus Harrier) as well as equipment, consumables, and six new characters from species that have lost lives or whole planets to the Reapers: Quarian Engineer and Infiltrator, Vorcha Soldier and Sentinel, Ex-Cerberus Adept and Vanguard. The battle continues!

NEW CHARACTERS
Vorcha Soldier

• Thanks to their unique physiology and their Bloodlust ability, the Vorcha are joining the fight and are perfectly suited for the utilitarian soldier kit.

Vorcha Sentinel

• The innate aggressiveness found within the Vorcha make them shockingly durable combatants, and when coupled with their Flamer skill, the Vorcha sentinel is a force to be reckoned with.

Male Quarian Engineer

• Quarians have spent centuries at perpetual salvage and ship repair; the survival of their species depends on this technical expertise. When bringing the new Arc Grenade to the fray, the Quarians prove their prowess as effective engineers on the battlefield.

Male Quarian Infiltrator

• The Male Quarian Infiltrator must actively rely on stealth while in the heat of battle, and when they make use of their Tactical Scan ability, they quickly prove their mettle while continuously dishing out the pain.

Ex-Cerberus Vanguard

• When the Illusive Man turned to indoctrination in order to ensure the loyalty of his troops, many Cerberus operatives defected and joined the Alliance in order to stop the Reapers. Now that we're on the same team, Ex-Cerberus Vanguards (along with their new Lash attack) are quickly proving their worth.

Ex-Cerberus Adept

• A result of the Illusive Man's early experiments in enhanced human physiology, Ex-Cerberus subjects are highly skilled combat and biotics specialists. As a result, Ex-Cerberus Adepts can lay waste to the enemy with their Smash and Singularity powers.

NEW MAPS

• Firebase Jade ' Surrounded by huge waterfalls, Firebase Jade overlooks an ancient reservoir built by the salarians centuries ago. Set up strategic chokepoints inside the base's main buildings to get the jump on your enemy, and work with your team to meticulously clear each room to achieve victory.

• Firebase Goddess ' Nestled in the epicenter of a Thessian metropolis, Firebase Goddess is one of the last strongholds of asari resistance against the Reapers. With its circular layout, Firebase Goddess is a tough location to control. This arena combines heavy cover and elevated firing positions, so stay light on your feet.

NEW WEAPONS

• Cerberus Harrier Assault Rifle ' These Cerberus-modified Mattock rifles are fully automatic. Cerberus gunsmiths reined in the recoil issues, resulting in a gun that stay on target, but delivers slightly less punch per round than a standard Mattock. As such, the weapon is typically utilized by Cerberus' elite troopers, who train constantly to make every burst count.
• Reegar Carbine Shotgun ' This electrical weapon improves upon the arc pistol's design by generating a sustained current on its target. This weapon is named for the Quarian Reegar family, whose marines have served valiantly against the Geth.
• Krysae Sniper Rifle ' This Turian antimaterial rifle is modified to kill Reaper enemies. The Krysae's scope uses a rangefinder that adjusts to keep the target in proper proportion to the shooter, which comes in useful when the sniper is forced into close range. Its specialized ammunition is both armor-piercing and explosive. In a desperate move, the Turians released its specifications over the extranet so that nearly anyone with a fabricator could manufacture this weapon to help the war effort.

FAQ
When is the Rebellion Pack available?

• The Rebellion Pack is available on May 29 for PlayStation 3 in North America, Xbox 360 and PC worldwide. The pack will be available on May 30 for PlayStation 3 in Europe..

What is included with the Rebellion Pack?

• Firebase Jade and Firebase Goddess are available to play on as soon as the Rebellion Pack is downloaded. The new weapons, characters, and equipment are available as rewards inside Reinforcement Packs.

Does each new character come with new abilities?

• Yes the new characters will have their own unique abilities and loadouts.

How much does the Rebellion Pack cost to download?

• The Rebellion Pack is available at no additional cost to download.

How do I get new characters and weapons from the Rebellion Pack?

• The new items in the Rebellion Pack will be available as rewards inside existing Reinforcement Packs. Make sure to look out for promotional packs and weekend challenges for other ways to unlock the content.

Mass Effect Infiltrates Android

It's with great pleasure that EA and BioWare are able to announce Mass Effect Infiltrator is now available for Android mobile devices! From the makers of Dead Space for mobile, Mass Effect Infiltrator includes all the content seen in the iOS version that launched earlier this year!

Mass Effect Infiltrator for Android allows players to explore a fully-realized Cerberus base and unleash a full suite of gear, weapons, and biotic powers to tear your enemies to shreds, all while gathering valuable intel for the Galaxy at War to boost your overall Galactic Readiness rating in Mass Effect 3! All that, along with the recent 1.0.3 content update which features an all-new mission and character, giving players a great reason to log in and have some fun in the Mass Effect universe, even while on the go!

Mass Effect Infiltrator is available for Android devices now! Be sure to download and play today to ensure Commander Shepard's mission is a success!

Download Mass Effect Infiltrator for Android right here!

Interview with Producer Michael Gamble

"The Cycle" by DeviantArt user 0evilangel0. See the original piece at http://0evilangel0.deviantart.com/#/d50ltql

Who are you and what is your role at BioWare?
Michael Gamble: My name is Michael Gamble and I'm a Producer at BioWare. I've been with BioWare since Mass Effect 2, and was at EA Canada before that.

Currently, I am focusing on downloadable content for Mass Effect 3. For this, I have to ensure that the plan for the numerous pieces of DLC content we are creating is in place, and work with the teams to get it done on time and at quality. I also work with the various departments to help determine the content for each of these DLC packs, as well as making sure the teams have everything they need to do a great job.

What is the best part about your job?
MG: I get to work with many extremely talented people across all disciplines. Being exposed to a huge cross section of developers allows me to see and understand all the moving pieces which go into making a game. I also get to work closely with a number of visionaries who know how to get things done. Plus ' I get to travel and meet many of the amazing fans!

What does an average day look like for you?
MG: I wake up. I drink a Coke Zero or three. I drive my snowplow. Normally my entire day is full of various meetings. These meetings are usually about product timelines, vision, capacity, staffing ' all the things that go into a great piece of content. At the end of the day, I live in Excel land where I update costs and tracking for each of the items I'm working on. After work I play games, lately a lot of ME3 multi-player, and I spend time catching up with fans online. I try not to sleep.

Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in game development?
MG: Releasing Lair of the Shadow Broker! Our goal for LotSB was to create one of the biggest and best pieces of single-player DLC that anyone has seen.

The team's development practices had greatly improved through working on ME2 and LotSB was an opportunity to be able to try out some exciting new things narrative and level design wise. For example, the showdown with a vanguard spectre, battling on top of a ship inside an atmospheric storm, unveiling the look of a brand new species, and, of course, the car chase level. These were all things that the team was able to pull off by taking some risks and being extremely creative. Not to mention, LotSB was also critically acclaimed and we were thrilled to see that the fans loved it.

What's a geeky thing about you?
MG: Besides living and breathing video games since I was a kid? I have a thing for German power metal bands. Blind Guardian are my idols.

Do you have any advice for those wishing to get into the video game industry?
MG: Work on a lot of mods and finish them. This shows that you have the rigor to complete something you have started, and gets you working in a team environment. Developing mods will also show you what it's like to pour your heart into a creative work, and to expect nothing in return!

If you weren't working in the industry, what would you be doing?
MG: I'd probably be practicing Law somewhere. I hear lawyers also have no social life and work all the time. It would fit.

What are you currently playing, reading, or listening to?
MG: Playing RAAMs Shadow DLC, Lumines Electronic Symphony for my Vita, and really getting into Max Payne 3.

Ferelden Rhapsody

Are you a fan of music supergroup Queen? Have you always wondered what it would be like if the heroes of Ferelden took notice of these brilliant artists? Lucky day ' we've got something right up your alley!

Tumblr user OneLastAuthor must have had the same curiosity, because this generous blogger put together a Dragon Age-themed song, set to the tune of Queen's classic Bohemian Rhapsody. Take a look at the full song lyrics for Ferelden Rhapsody at onelastauthor.tumblr.com.

Ferelden Rhapsody

All:
Is this the real life?
Is this just dark fantasy?
Caught in a Blight,
No escape from the Wardens
Open your eyes,
Look up to the skies and see

(Mahariel, Surana and Tabris in unison)
I'm just a poor elf, I get lots of sympathy,
Because I'm easily oppressed, easily sold,
Little elves, little dwarves,
Anywhere that dragon goes doesn't really matter to
Me, to me

Aeducan:
Papa,
I just killed my brother,
Put an axe against his head, chopped it off
Now he's dead

Amell:
Jowan! Life had just begun,
But now I've gone and thrown it all away
Jowaaaaan oooh,
Didn't mean to make you cry,

Mahariel:
If I'm not back again this time tomorrow,
Carry on, carry on as if nothing really matters
Too late, the Taint has come,
Sends shivers down my spine, body's aching all
The time

Surana:
Goodbye, ev'ryody, I've got to go,
Got to leave the Circle behind and face the world

Amell:
Jowaaaaan oooh,

Jowan:
I don't want to die,
I sometime wish I'd never been born at all

(Leliana lute solo)

All:
I see a little silhouetto of a man,
Alistair! Alistair! Will you dance the
Remigold?!

Morrigan:
Friendship and romance, very, very frightening
Me!

All:
Ignacio, Ignacio
Ignacio, Ignacio
Ignacio, Nuncio; magnifico

Brosca:
I'm just a poor dwarf, nobody loves me

All:
He's just a poor dwarf, from a casteless family,

Brosca:
Spare me my life from this monstrosity!

Howe:
Easy come, easy go, will you let live?

Cousland:
Bastard! No, I will not let you live
(let him die!) Bastard! I will not let you live
(let him die!) Bastard! I will not let you live
(Let me live) Will not let you live
(Let me live)(Never) Never let you live
(Let me live) Never let you live (Let me live) Ah

Sten:
No

Zevran:
Oh mama mia, mama mia, mama mia, let me go
The writer has put me next to, next to;

Isolde:
TEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHAN!

Cousland:
Howe! You think you can attack me and kill my
Family?!?!

Tabris:
So you think you take my cousin and sell my father to
Slavery?!?!

Mahariel:
Oh, Tamlen, don't touch that mirror, Tamlen,
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta
There!

(Leliana lute solo)

Flemeth:
Nothing really matters, Anyone can see,
Nothing really matters,
Nothing really matters, but me;

All:
Anywhere that dragon goes'

---

Do you have any favorite songs that were modified for Dragon Age? Be sure to let us know on our Twitter and Facebook pages!

Twitter.com/DragonAge
Facebook.com/DragonAge

Operation SILENCER Update

Re: Operation SILENCER

Confidentiality Classification: XB-PRIME

Distribution: N7 Forces Only

Soldiers of the Milky Way '

It is with great regret that I must announce the withdrawal of forces from several colonies in asari space. Reinforcing them proved untenable. While Operation SILENCER inflicted substantial casualties, the Reapers learned from our victories against the brutes, and they now know how to protect their own.

Rest assured that we too are learning from this conflict. Already, we are implementing plans to supply our forces with a better arsenal so that, when we next meet the enemy, they are ours. Until your next deployment, keep calm and carry on. We will pay the Reapers back soon enough.

'Admiral Hackett

Dragon Age: Question of the Month (Discovery & Learning)

"Morrigan" by DeviantArt user AlexiusSana. The original piece can be found at: http://alexiussana.deviantart.com/art/Morrigan-263475038

Last month, Dragon Age Executive Producer Mark Darrah announced that the team is shifting from DA2 to the 'next phase of Dragon Age's future.' As Mark stated, 'the next thing for the Dragon Age team members and I to do is hear from you' what does Dragon Age mean to you, and where would you like to see it go? We're excited to hear what you have to say!'

We recently had the opportunity to attend PAX East, meet fans, and host a packed panel about hypotheticals in Ferelden, Kirkwall and beyond. Getting out and talking to fans is one of our main priorities but we aren't stopping at conventions. We would love to open the dialogue online with more of our loyal consumers to foster the spirit of community.

Beginning today, we'll do a series of questions and discussions around Dragon Age. Consider this a conversation between fans, the community team, and the developers. Everyone at BioWare is incredibly excited about the future of the franchise but we're interested in what you have to say. Every month, we will discuss a topic or question about Dragon Age and game development. You will have one week to post your thoughts, desires, and hopes before we close the thread for review. Moderators and developers will pop into the thread to chat every now and again, so keep an eye out.

These questions and discussions are not only for future games, but other potential products like novels, animated features, pen and paper RPGs, and comics ' all of which offer us opportunities to expand on parts of the world.

However, it's worth reminding that we're not making promises, we're talking about ideas. We won't guarantee that things we discuss will materialize and we're not showing anything until we're ready. And as a last bit of housekeeping, the purpose of these exercises isn't crowd sourcing or soliciting your game dev concepts (keep those close in case you want to make a game someday!). This should remain a discussion between BioWare and fans about what you loved about Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2'what this franchise means to you.

BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka has mentioned that we'd like to open up more in future Dragon Age titles, so now we turn to you: What kinds of things would you like to learn more about? Antivan weddings? Orlesian balls? The remnants of the Tevinter empire? Burial customs among the Chaisind?

What kinds of things would you like to discover and learn about the Dragon Age world?

Let us know your answer here!

Interview with Level Designer Kaelin Lavallee

"Moira The Rebel Queen" by DeviantArt user radiant-suzuka. See the original piece at http://radiant-suzuka.deviantart.com/art/Moira-The-Rebel-Queen-Dragon-Age-301205317

Who are you and what is your role at BioWare?
KL: My name is Kaelin Lavallee, and I'm a Level Designer. I've worked on both of the Dragon Age games, and I'm currently working on' HAH, bet you thought I would tell you.

What is the best part about your job?
KL: How do I pick one awesome thing about being a designer? I guess if I HAD to pick something, it would be the people I work with (which I suppose technically isn't just one thing). Everyone is here for the same reason, because we love making great games. There is so much unadulterated creativity on my team, from every team really, that it makes my job that much more fun.

What does an average day look like for you?
KL: I spent a lot of time deciding how to answer this question. Then I realized, I don't think that an average day here is average at all. Sure, I have meetings and paperwork to do. But my meetings usually involve what kind of creatures to make, or which way to make the door open. The thing is, depending on what stage of development we're on, I do a lot of different things.

A the beginning of a project there is a lot of documentation, meetings and brainstorming. After that, we try to make everything on paper come to life. There's a lot of back and forth, since what looks good on paper, doesn't always translate well to gameplay. And at the end of the day, I brush my teeth and go to bed. Although, I'm not sure how that's related to the rest of the answer.

Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in game development?
KL: Does the day I got hired count? I'm proud to have worked on both DA games. A lot of hard work from a lot of talented people went into those games, and I was glad to be a part of it.

What's a geeky thing about you?
KL: I used to play a lot of D&D. Not so much anymore though. So I guess the geekiest thing about me now would be'I have a collection of old consoles. Nintendo, Playstation, Xbox. I even have my old Commodore 64 lying around somewhere.

Do you have any advice for those wishing to get into the video game industry?
KL: Make your own games! With all the free tools out there these days (XNA, Unreal, Unity) it's easy to get started creating them. Hone your skills (I can't believe I just said that). Just don't be lazy! You can't have an awesome job and be lazy.

If you weren't working in the industry, what would you be doing?
KL: I would be feeling sorry for myself.

What are you currently playing, reading, or listening to?
KL: Would you believe that I STILL haven't finished ME3? I know, shameful. I have played a lot of the multi-player though. The ME team did a fantastic job!

As for reading, I'm just finishing up The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and after that will be A Confederacy of Dunces. Oh, and I still need to get around to A Dance with Dragons. I had to look at my iPhone to see what I was last listening to. Apparently, it was 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough' by Michael Jackson. Don't judge me.

Operation SILENCER

Cerberus defectors have verified key intel on Reaper banshees to help provide us a vulnerability to exploit. Banshees are created from a specific kind of asari that cannot be replaced quickly, so we are diverting forces to focus on an all-out banshee extermination effort.

This task is an onerous one, and many of you are right to dread contact with these particular foes, but rest assured that we are prepared to reinforce your battalion with reserves. The vorcha want in, and as soon as they complete combined-arms training with our technically-skilled personnel, we will let them loose.

It's time to make our enemies scream.

Allied Goal: Kill 3,000,000 banshees
Squad Goal: Survive until a full extraction on any map against any enemy on gold difficulty.

Successful completion of the allied goal will grant all players a Victory Pack.
Successful completion of the squad goal will grant all squadmates a Commendation Pack.

---

Welcome to the next N7 Weekend Operation, Operation SILENCER, beginning this Friday, May 11 at 6:00PM PST until Monday, May 14 at 5:00PM PST, on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. Please remember to set the 'Upload Gameplay Feedback' setting to 'On' in the online options to be able to participate in this N7 Operation.

Please note that due to a known issue, PlayStation 3 users will not see the promotion screen but they will be participating in Operation SILENCER and will be rewarded.

Keep up the pressure, troopers. As you can see, N7 efforts to date have been bringing the fight right to the front door of our enemy. Our enemy is fierce, but we've got the might of the entire galaxy on our side.

Good luck and see you on the battlefield.

N7 Operations Status Update

Attention PlayStation 3 soldiers, we have some great news. After working closely with Sony we are now able to offer you the multiplayer Commendation Packs for Operation Goliath and Operation Raptor, held previously this year. On Wednesday, May 9, please login and check the in-game store for your Goliath and Raptor packs, free of charge.

This weekend is Operation Silencer, and you will need all the firepower you can get your hands on. Rally your squad, prepare your arsenal, and get ready to give the Reapers hell.

*Please note that pack delivery times may vary.

Interview With Associate Art Director David Lam

Original art found at http://km245.deviantart.com/gallery/?catpath=/#/d4r9ynn

Who are you and what is your role at BioWare?
Well, I'm a husband, father of three, and an artist. So essentially I'm extremely handsome, talented and adored by my wife. My role here at Bioware is Associate Art Director for External Development. I oversee our art effort with our external partners around the globe. I've been with EA now almost 11 years and I still really enjoy it.

What is the best part about your job?
Number one would be seeing the culmination of all your hard work represented in the game and having people appreciate and recognize that effort. An added bonus is working with so many great friends and learning from them over the years.

What does an average day look like for you?
7am: A child runs into our bedroom and yells 'wake up, I'm hungry'. Get up and get them fed. I jump into the shower, drop my son off at school.
9am: Get into work. Reply to emails from the previous day. Send new emails. Give art feedback.
Noon: Have lunch.
1pm: Attend a meeting. Check the email. Give art feedback. Gather information and talk to coworkers. Provide art feedback.Attend a video conference.
6pm: Drive home. Enter house and jumped on my children. Fight with children to eat their dinner.
7:30pm: Fight with children to get ready for bed (bath, pajamas, brush teeth). Read bedtime stories. Fight with children to go to sleep.
8:30pm: Spend quality time with my wife.
11pm: Go to bed.
Repeat.

Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in game development?
Early on in my career, I joined an extremely talented character art team. I was pretty green and the lead and senior staff were producing some amazing art. I was highly intimated. However, I worked my butt off and by the end of the project I was making game assets on par with the team. It's great to put the work in and really see yourself improve in a tangible way.

What's a geeky thing about you?
Hmmm' I'm a Trekkie, went to many conventions when I was a kid. I love Joss Whedon. I've watched all Buffy, Angel and Firefly episodes (Didn't really get into Dollhouse). My Dad bought me my first computer (256k ibm clone with monochrome screen) when I was 8 years old, been hooked with games ever since.

Do you have any advice for those wishing to get into the video game industry?
Like anything in this world, if you want to achieve anything it takes hard work and commitment. Our field is highly competitive, so you have to know your stuff and be able to show it. If you want to be an artist, draw! If you want to be a programmer, code! Never underestimate the power of ideas. Creativity and good ideas are what drives our business. If someone asks you what makes you better than somebody else, have an answer.

If you weren't working in the industry, what would you be doing?
I'd probably be a chef or a full time Dad. I love to eat and I love to cook. I day dream about owning a restaurant someday but I think that notion will remain a dream because the reality of restaurants is that it takes an insane amount of work to be succesful. I love my kids and would like to spend more time with them.

What are you currently playing, reading, or listening to?
Playing: Mass Effect 3.Reading: Alla Prima, Everything I know about painting. Listening: Radiohead, Matthew Good, Pearl Jam' and Yo Gabba Gabba with the kids.

Same-Sex Relationships in Mass Effect 3

Same-sex romances have been part of previous BioWare games, but until now, these romance-option characters could be attracted to a player character of either gender. Mass Effect 3 characters Samatha Traynor and Steve Cortez represent the first time BioWare has written full romances that are exclusively for same-sex characters. Patrick Weekes and Dusty Everman wrote these relationships and talk about their experiences here.

What past relationship writing have you done?
Patrick Weekes: On Mass Effect 2, I had the chance to write the Tali and Garrus romances, and to contribute to Miranda's romance as well. In Lair of the Shadow Broker, I handled the Liara arc, from her initial coldness to her reconciliation and the post-mission talk in the Normandy cabin.

Dusty Everman: Though I am primarily a level designer, I got the opportunity to write for Mass Effect 2 under some excellent old-school-BioWare mentorship. I wrote the Normandy's 'light' characters, including Yeoman Kelly Chambers. While she had a much smaller scope than any full squad member, her character could be a light, flirty romance for Shepard.

PW: Dusty is being a little too modest. He's the reason we even have Donnelly, Daniels, Gardner, and legendary Serrice Ice connoisseur, Dr. Chakwas, in addition to Kelly.

How did you approach writing a gay character in Mass Effect 3?
PW: Liara's relationship in Lair of the Shadow Broker can be with players of either gender, so I was familiar with writing dialog that needed to work for a same-sex romance. Nevertheless, I'm a straight white male ' pretty much the living embodiment of the Patriarchy ' and I really wanted to avoid writing something that people saw and went, 'That's a straight guy writing lesbians for other straight guys to look at.'

I also really wanted the romance with Traynor to be positive. One of my gay friends has this kind of sad hobby in which she watches every lesbian movie she can find, trying to find ones that actually end up with the women not either dying or breaking up. I think the most positive one she's found is 'D.E.B.S.' I wanted to avoid any kind of tragic heartbreak, to make this a fundamentally life-affirming relationship' at least, as much as possible within Mass Effect 3's grim war story.

DE: I shared the concerns Patrick had about writing something that felt real. I've never been romantic with another guy, so I couldn't write from personal experience. Also, there seemed to be extra pitfalls associated with a male same-sex romance. Some players have concerns over being 'ninja romanced' ' where a relationship shifts from friendly to romantic to the player's surprise ' and those concerns seem greater for same-sex romances.

PW: I remember hearing someone complain about getting 'ambushed' by the same-sex romance with Sky in Jade Empire. Really, though, if you gay-romanced Sky, I'm pretty sure you did it on purpose. You had to dig for that one.

DE: I wanted to make sure that my writing fit into the Mass Effect universe and supported the themes of Mass Effect 3. Keeping Cortez grounded and focusing on the journey shared with Shepard is a foundation that I hope leads to a real attraction.

PW: I worked hard to create a character who addressed her lesbian identity in a positive and intelligent way. My first draft of Traynor's pitch was all about how her character arc would be about identifying and overcoming the challenges of being gay' and my friends and managers called me on it. I'd been so focused on writing something positive that I hadn't made a real-enough character. So in the next draft (closer to how she shipped), the focus was on her as a mostly lighthearted fish out of water, a very smart lab tech trying to adjust to life on the front lines, with her identity as a lesbian present but not shouted from the rooftops.

DE: I believe that by the 22nd century, declaring your gender preference will be about as profound as saying, 'I like blondes.' It will just be an accepted part of who we are. So I tried to write a meaningful human relationship that just happens to be between two men.

PW: Yeah. If I've done my job right, I've made Traynor a character that people in the LGBT community will like not because we happened to put a gay character in the game, but because she's a great character even if you never romance her.

DE: My approach was to have the majority of the relationship be about building a friendship. Everyone, straight and gay alike, can get to know the character, and romantic feelings only surface towards the end of the arc. Like I said before, I wanted to support the ME3 theme of a massive war, where everyone is dealing with loss. Normally, I don't like stories about prior lost loves, but here it makes sense. When Cortez says 'I lost my husband', every player knows his sexuality, so precious word budgets aren't spent to establish that fact. Instead, the time is spent bonding over past losses and future hopes.

How do you feel your relationship turned out?
PW: I'm fortunate to have gay and lesbian friends at BioWare who were willing to take a look at Traynor for me and help me edit a few bad lines that played into negative stereotypes. As for the fans, the reaction has been very positive so far ' I think the nicest thing I've heard was, 'I think I've actually had that conversation in real life.' The largest concern I've heard in feedback about Traynor is that people want more conversations with her ' which I think holds true for just about every romance in the game.

Traynor's shower scene has also raised some eyebrows. I liked it, but for a while we were on the fence about whether to have that scene or just do a fade to black as Shepard stood up. We put it in because this scene was Traynor's biggest romance moment from a cinematic perspective (her endgame love scene is very short and simple), and I didn't want to say, 'Romancing Ash? You get a big cutscene. Romancing Traynor? Fade to black.' And also because I think it's a lovely, funny scene from Guillherme Ramos (who also brought you the Liara cabin scene in Lair of the Shadow Broker).

DE: Though I was a bit out of my element here, I'm very happy with how Cortez turned out. Given the nature of the relationship, I expected that my work here would be scrutinized more than anything I've ever done, so not one word was written lightly. The early feedback I've seen has been encouraging, and I'm eager to hear everything players have to say about him, both positive and negative.

Is there anything else you'd like to say?
PW: I'm really proud of Traynor's relationship. I think that it came together really well ' the artists did a wonderful job, Alix Wilton Regan did an amazing job voicing her, and the cinematic designers really made her come to life.

It's also entirely possible that, writing a same-sex conversation for the first time, I still created something that plays into stereotypes. Everyone I showed the scenes to knows me, and knowing me might have caused them to give some scenes the benefit of the doubt. That feedback ' places where I can improve in writing a character, places where I broke immersion ' is what helps me do a better job next time I'm writing a romance character who isn't a white male game designer.

DE: I'll echo Patrick: the artists, cinematic designers, and voice actors all did amazing jobs. I love Matthew Del Negro's voice for Cortez, and thought Leo Lucien-Bay, the cinematic designer for the Purgatory dance scene, did a fantastic job with such a challenging scene under immense time constraints. It's great to see how players are receiving Cortez. I'm taking notes on every bit of a feedback I see.

The 4th Annual CMPUT 250 Game Development Awards

For years, BioWare has helped to inspire and educate game design students at the University of Alberta. Numerous BioWare staff participate in lectures, Q&A sessions, and panels for students interested in the gaming industry.

We recently visited the CMPUT 250 class, a multidisciplinary course that brings student teams together to create a video game using BioWare's Neverwinter Nights engine. Each semester, groups of six students from different backgrounds (art, writing, programming, audio) produce an original game design.

Neil Thompson

On April 25, 2012, the class celebrated their achievements at the 4th Annual Computing Science 250 Game Development Awards. The teams showcased their products to a panel of judges who chose winners for various categories: Excellence in Art and Design, Excellence in Writing and Story, Audio Achievement, Technical Achievement, and finally, Game of the Year. Neil Thompson, BioWare Edmonton's Director of Art and Animation, gave an inspirational speech about the creative environment and passionate people who work in the gaming industry. He also made mention of the many interns BioWare brings in from the university.

Milestone Productions

Milestone Productions, pictured above, won the prestigious Game of the Year award with their game 'Dawn.' The team took home collector's editions of Mass Effect 3 signed by the game's developers. Milestones Productions also earned the awards for Excellence in Art and Design as well as Audio Achievement.

Mass Effect 3 Collector's Edition

BioWare would like to thank the students of Computing Science 250 for all their hard work and enthusiasm for the discipline of game design, and congratulate them on everything they have achieved this year.

Operation EXORCIST Update

From: Admiral Steven Hackett
Re: Operation EXORCIST
Confidentiality Classification: XB-PRIME
Distribution: N7 Forces Only

Soldiers of the Milky Way '

It is with great pride that I announce that we stopped a galaxy-wide Cerberus offensive. They expected surprise and speed to be on their side. They had neither, and they quickly discovered who had the superior force. You thinned their ranks and made our command and control structures safer. Since no small number of my colleagues were their targets, I offer my personal thanks.

When an assassin dies, his target lives. When thousands of assassins die, their leadership loses a major strategic option. That is the blow you have dealt. It will take Cerberus time to recover from losing their elite Phantom soldiers, time we do not intend to give them. Captured Phantoms are being interrogated to help us crack down on more Cerberus cells and sleeper agents. The intelligence we won today will be critical in the battles we face tomorrow.

Regrettably, we cannot stomp Cerberus out all at once, not yet. Our primary focus must be on the Reapers. But had we not won today, we would be hard-pressed to defend our colonies and homeworlds. That means everything to the friends, families, and fellow citizens for whom we are fighting.

Good work.

'Admiral Hackett

---

Congratulations on another successful N7 Operation!

Victory Packs and Commendation Packs will arrive no later than Thursday, May 3rd. Make sure to redeem them and prepare for battle. We're currently planning our course of action for the next N7 operation ' stay tuned to the comms for more information on the next N7 operation.

Interview With Development Director Robin Mayne

Who are you and what is your role at BioWare?
Hey everyone! Robin Mayne here. First off, thanks to Jessica and the community team for the chance to do this Q&A (and for just rocking in general, srsly). Hopefully I can share some interesting stuff with you all about making games, which can be an exciting and challenging proposition for sure.

My latest role at BioWare has been on the Mass Effect team, working with the many talented folks who bring the ME universe and storyline to life: the content creators on the Story and Level teams. There is a small (and gifted) army that includes level designers like Raylene Deck, writers such as Sylvia Feketekuty, cinematic animators, level artists, and cinematic designers. These are the folks I work with most directly, though of course there are many, many more disciplines that collaborate on a game like Mass Effect.

I am a Development Director on the franchise' this means my role is to help organize and facilitate these teams so that they can make the best game possible for you, the fans. The teams on games such as Mass Effect 3 are large (often hundreds of people), with many moving and interconnected parts. Bringing ideas to life in such an environment involves coordination with many people. I help to make sense of it all, so that the game comes into existence as smoothly and efficiently as possible, and providing insight that allows us as a team to make intelligent decisions about the best way to build the game. Quality is a huge focus at BioWare, so the processes we use to build our games have to be centered around adding value to the team in ways that increase the quality of the player experience. Iteration is one tool we use a lot in our development cycles. I have had the fortune of seeing every corner of the Mass Effect universe evolve and improve on a daily basis for the last several years. Quite a ride.

I initially started at BioWare about 11 years ago as a web developer, then managing our web and community teams. I worked with a very talented team here who brought forth all the web and community sites for BioWare, including Neverwinter Nights, Kotor, Jade Empire, and the initial sites for Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Releasing and scheduling new community content on Neverwinter Wednesdays (which later became BioWare Wednesdays) was a core part of my job for about 5 years or so. It is neat to think so far back in time regarding our community, to the days before facebook and twitter. Good memories, for sure. That said, I am a *big* fan of where our web and community teams have taken things since.

What is the best part about your job?
Working with passionate, creative people, and seeing amazing game worlds come together. I am a big fan of the games we create.

What does an average day look like for you?
Lots of talking with people, getting things organized, and reacting to new information.

Often each day starts with a bunch of group chats, as each team gets together to discuss what was done the previous day, what the plan of attack is for today, and what's getting in the way of making the game. There is usually a follow-up meeting where reps from each team coordinate on all the items and issues each team brought up. The bulk of the day will then proceed, carrying out all the activities needed to support what was planned first thing in the morning, and following up on the issues reported.

To give you some examples, maybe there are a couple of levels that are ready for some team feedback today. This could be because the latest art pass has been completed, making the level look that much better, or the VO for a character has now been recorded and added to the game, allowing the team to better evaluate the acting animations and camera angles for a dialogue scene. Maybe we need to setup a playtest with a group of team members because a new layout for a multiplayer map is ready, and we want to see how the new cover placement impacts the flow of the map (this is always an enjoyable part of the day).

As we go through the process of taking each section of the game from an idea to a completed area, there is a continued cycle of reviewing the content as a team, and discussing how it could be made better for the player. Those ideas will then get prioritized, implemented, and then it is back for another cycle of review. Part of my job is sorting out and tracking where each bit of the game is at in terms of the overall process, so that we can ensure all of it is moving forward as needed, and when it isn't, calling attention to it so that we can find the best way to deal with the situation and make sure we are creating the best game we can for players.

Can you tell us about one of your proudest moments working in game development?
By far it is witnessing the fan reaction when your game launches. Games are hard to make, and can take a long time. Knowing that what you and your fellow team members have created is now 'out in the wild' for all to see (and hopefully enjoy) is an amazing feeling. Seeing fans with tattoos of your game is also pretty damn cool (I have even seen kids named after our characters).

What's a geeky thing about you?
See the last question in this interview, heh. I also love astronomy. Jupiter is amazing, even in regular binoculars, and is often the first and brightest thing you see in the sky each night (second brightest if Venus is around, as it is now).

Do you have any advice for those wishing to get into the video game industry?
There are three avenues I can think of that are worth looking into: 1) get involved with a modding community. 2) familiarize yourself with the games industry at places like gamasutra.com (or better yet, go to a GDC if you can). 3) Check out the job listings at as many companies as you can (such as http://www.bioware.com/careers ) and look for patterns in what skills are sought after. Find creative ways to obtain those skills.

If you weren't working in the industry, what would you be doing?
Brum brum brum. Riding my motorbike full time, of course! We actually have a bit of a biker gang at BioWare (with flaming 'BioWarrior' biker patches and everything).

What are you currently playing, reading, or listening to?
I am reading the fifth book in the Game of Thrones series, A Dance with Dragons, which is doubly awesome since the TV series is also on atm (Joffrey is such a little *@!) . Game of Thrones is up there on my all time list, probably falling just short of Dune. George R.R. Martin and Frank Herbert have a special place on my bookshelf.

As for gaming' I have a bit of 'shiny object syndrome', so I tend to have a lot on the go. For video games, I really enjoy playing both ME3 multiplayer and SWTOR with my brother, and am also playing Grimrock and League of Legends as well (Ryze ftw!). We have a very active Warhammer/Warmachine miniature wargaming group at work, and I field a couple of different armies when we get to throw down. I have also been on a bit of a boardgame kick lately, playing a lot of Defenders of the Realm, Dominion, Thunderstone Advance, and Puerto Rico. Arkham Horror and the Mage Knight boardgame are also in the mix, and are probably my two favorites overall.