Most boring game ever?

Yesterday, I was able to log about 2 - 3 hours of play into the Mass Effect 2 system.  It was one of the more boring times I've had with a game in recent memory.  I spent the time traversing my own ship trying to tease out research upgrades out of my crewmates Miranda and Jacob (which I failed at). I spent time recovering some crates from some robots.  Heck, I spent fuel traversing the galaxy to get two low-level engineers a more efficient engine piece they wouldn't have to "check as often".  Afterwards, I was playing "Skillian 5" poker with them for a few measly credits.  But most (least?) of all, I spent much of my time hovering in orbit at various planets, scanning their hides for various mineable minerals.  Talk about a rush!  Talk about in-depth character development!

Why did I do this?  I would love to say that I don't know or that I was forced to in order to advance the storyline but alas, I was not.  You might ask where then, precisely, was the motivation to carry out such tasks.

It's not too hard of a question to answer actually.  First, I am so in love with the ME systems that I am motivated to extract as much as is possible from the experience (including Iridium deposits :) ) even if not all of the experiences are gut-wrenching or thought-provoking.  It is only new once, I want it to last as long as it can with as many experiences as possible.  Indeed, I was pausing to stop in various locations in-game so I could listen to the full radio advertisement that was bring broadcasted above.  Imagine a learning system that had students wringing it out like a wet towel.  How could such a system be designed?  What huge effect could it have and what contrast would it have to most of learning systems today?

Second, I am one to try and master the experience and in systems such us these, that often requires a penchant for fetch quests, long conversations, needless transactions, essentially, delayed gratification.  So I do all that for experience points, unlocked conversation options, ship and weapon upgrades, etc etc.  Because at the end of the day, I want to maximize my potential in the system, totally destroy anything that stands in my way, find the most powerful pieces of whatever that's out there.  

So when you see me scanning for platinum that will allow me to construct a faster scanner, don't laugh.  Instead, think of a student as compelled to squeeze every single drop out of chemistry lab or their creative WWII project.

- Controller 22789JK7

(Killer scanner on planet Patseyev)

VMS transcript # 100310: Commander Shepard

I had a team.  They were taken away from me.  Heard most of them got stripped of their life-earned priviledges, slung back behind the red tape again into administrative governmental roles or political idols for their people.  Then life was taken away from me.  

Looking back on it, I didn't need it back, I finished what I was made to do.  But they needed my life again, I guess, new impending threat, new doom.  I'm back, siezing obedience as the most influential most human in the galaxy right now; great.  This time, on the behalf of the Zealots for Humanity Association; great.  So far, these guys seem to be playing for the greater good, but it doesn't stop any and all non-human from being wary when interacting with me, definitely including my new teammates.  Not that I give a damn whether they like me or not, but if we're heading into hell for a suicide mission, I need to know I'm giving my life for the best chance of success, and for that, I need loyalty and trust, not a bunch of androids.

I've started talking to some of these guys while in transit.  The frittering scientist Moldus, the genetically "enhanced" Miranda, heck, I even spent 20 credits the other day for a bottle of brandy to give to the old doctor.  I guess the reason I'm doing it is because I'm started to see the value of exploring these guys a bit.  I feel they're precise, but limited in combat- I don't know, I just feel we haven't harnessed all of their abilities yet.  Maybe they don't trust me or maybe I haven't earned their loyalty.  I feel confident that like Ender and his team in the battleroom, once I have earned their loyalty our range of attacks, our flexibility, and our resilience will increase.  

I know, and they most assuredly know, that I can and will lead them to victory if victory is possible.  That said, these conversations are making this experience better worth living even if it's not yielding weapons, credits, or tangible information on these bastard Collectors.  That's it for now, I think we've reached the Citadel..

(This Controller has discovered that certain teammate abilities are indeed unaccessible until they are fully loyal to Shepard.  There are no specifics to how this loyalty may be attained.)