Mass Effect 3 SPOILER THREAD: LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE
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"My faith in Bioware has been shaken."
Fucking really dudes? It wasn't shaken after KotOR and the first Mass Effect dropping d20? And then DA2 being the "bail out! EVERYBODY TO THE LIFEBOATS! (to bring TORtanic into the discussion)" horn? REALLY!? This shitty ending is what finally got you to wake up?
Ugh.
LowParry
Member
It's been 3 days and I'm still irked about how this game concluded. And yet somehow I have this sneaky suspicious BW is going to spring out some DLC for the "here's what really happened. Here's the aftermath" nonsense. Mehhhh. And I'll end up buying it too. Dammit BW! Such a great game till the final moments.
I mean hell, I was expecting things to go down as kicking Cerberus's ass, chasing Elusive Man into the war itself, fighting more on Earth, then have some final showdown with a desperate Reaper on the Citadel itself or whatever. So many things could of gone so different.
Edit: Harbringer, now that I think of it, would of made a great final boss.
I mean hell, I was expecting things to go down as kicking Cerberus's ass, chasing Elusive Man into the war itself, fighting more on Earth, then have some final showdown with a desperate Reaper on the Citadel itself or whatever. So many things could of gone so different.
Edit: Harbringer, now that I think of it, would of made a great final boss.
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
People not satisfied with no happy ending the most?
Overwhelming support to BUY a different ending?
Urgh, fuck those people.
Psychoward
Banned
I gave them a chance after DA2 because it was a different team, but now that ME is over, and the ending sucked massively, I'm done for good.
I guess it's time to hope that CD Projekt Red makes a sci-fi game.
>=2800 effective war strength.
I dunno if I'd call it "support" to buy a different ending, as much as I'd call it desperation on part of the fans. I can't say I blame em, their desperation for something better than what we got I can understand.
I've been in love with this series since the first ME, and really enjoyed ME2. Thought it was one of my favorite new series this generation. The trilogy feels ruined for me now. Other games that have sequels, if they fuck up one of the games, you can usually just ignore it and still enjoy the other games because they're not usually so closely connected in terms of story and choices.
I had played ME2 so many different times, and different ways excited to see how those choices would reflect on the outcome of ME3. I was staying loyal to Liara for all 3 games with my main character, avoiding temptation whenever possible. I imprinted my personality onto Shepard with my choices in these games, I became invested in the universe and characters, and for it to be wrapped up in that way was just a tragedy.
A tragic end for the game in itself would not have been a bad thing, but the way it was done here was not acceptable. It was filled with huge plot holes. The bull shit that the Catalyst was talking about made me want to scream at the TV how we just brought peace between the Geth and the Quarians, what the hell is this bull crap about synthetics always about to destroy organics?! You just proved him wrong! Not to mention Joker, and EDI...an organic and synthetic able to fall in love.
It really is like the people who wrote the ending did not read the script for the rest of the fucking game, nor have any of the investment in the world or characters that the people who played the game did.
smh
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
I'd never buy a different ending. Bioware dropped the ball and that will forever be the ending for me, regardless of what they do.
It's just hilarious that nobody at Bioware stopped and said "hey, guys, should we ditch this shit and just write a good ending?"
My mind boggles.
It's just hilarious that nobody at Bioware stopped and said "hey, guys, should we ditch this shit and just write a good ending?"
My mind boggles.
Been hoping for that for a long time and I think it will eventually happen, they've been droping hints here and there in some of their interviews. And it's even more probable now, seeing how Mass Effect franchise basically suicided.
Everyone's got different limits or priorities. Dumping d20 isn't a big deal if it isn't a fit for that type of game and everything else I liked is there, I've been used to JRPGs dynamically changing mechanics between installments, and this was a new series period anyway. Still, it does come off as them progressively stepping over more and more lines until seemingly everyone that liked them before this generation is fully put off. And honestly, it's mainly JUST the ending that sucks, the rest are largely nitpicks of mine.
Thinking about it, it would've made sense if they used those two conditions as THE way to get a more ideal ending (Reapers are proven wrong, and leave or whatever WITHOUT blowing up the mass relay network), as under other circumstances there's no way to disprove it, or reason to assume it could be better (especially if the Geth destroyed the Quarian fleet).
I think they simply don´t care. Bioware has reached the CoD threshold... i.e gamers will buy any shit you make regardless if it´s good or not.
Millions sold justifies (in their mind) every decision bioware has made. Whats next? a yearly release schedule on bioware games... wait for it, it will happen.
HarryHengst
Member
That would be great. Mass Effect proves there is a market for big budget space RPG's.
I fucking love not hitting an enemy who is two feet away from me because the computer decided i rolled a 1 and thus blew up my pistol!
HarryHengst
Member
double post
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
They MUST care about the story because everything else in 3 was so brilliant. They got every story point right for me until the ending where they just couldn't end it normally and tried to write a clever ending. The problem is it's no more clever than what your average 14 year old would write after watching The Matrix Reloaded.
I wonder how much feedback they got on the ending before it shipped, outside of those who were maybe too close to realise it was shit. I honestly can't fathom how "professional" writers even toyed with the idea that it was a decent ending, though.
Fudgepuppy
Banned
I've never been the one to criticise Bioware, I've always thought that no matter the fan-rage, they've always pulled through and engaged me one way or another.
But this time, something just feels wrong. A company where everyone are friends and have respect for eachother, someone would've stood up and said that the ending will be a massive disappointment. Of all the hundreds of workers on Bioware, there's got to be people who didn't like the ending, and who would've stood up and say something, that is if the working environment was better.
Just look at how little of "Mass Effect" there is in the ending. Three same cutscenes that could've been outsourced, no voice-acting by the main-cast and music made by a band and an outside composer.
Somethings fishy here.
But this time, something just feels wrong. A company where everyone are friends and have respect for eachother, someone would've stood up and said that the ending will be a massive disappointment. Of all the hundreds of workers on Bioware, there's got to be people who didn't like the ending, and who would've stood up and say something, that is if the working environment was better.
Just look at how little of "Mass Effect" there is in the ending. Three same cutscenes that could've been outsourced, no voice-acting by the main-cast and music made by a band and an outside composer.
Somethings fishy here.
The massive outcry still says a lot in how invested people are in these games, so bioware has at least done something right. With that said, the ending IS really bad, on many levels.
Makes me sad, because i really liked the mass effect series and me3. The ending was good enough until that conveniently placed elevator lifted shepard to the space child and the crucible.
Call it lame, but i really enjoy happy endings to stories and characters ive become invested in, simply because i want things to work out, and then i can go on, happier.
Makes me sad, because i really liked the mass effect series and me3. The ending was good enough until that conveniently placed elevator lifted shepard to the space child and the crucible.
Call it lame, but i really enjoy happy endings to stories and characters ive become invested in, simply because i want things to work out, and then i can go on, happier.
I would expect the DLC ending to be free since what we got barely counts as one in the first place. Someone somewhere put it nicely: "we didn't get an ending; we got a cliffhanger filled with plot holes."
http://neogaf.net/forum/showpost.php?p=35794331&postcount=253
I would have respected Bioware a lot more if they at least made 1 happy ending that you had to truly earn. For example, beat the game at maximum readiness level, and it must be done on at least hard or above difficulty level. If you can pull that off, then so be it, you have earned humanity's salvation. Have the fleet obliterate the Reaper's with some unexpected and exciting surprises or cameos thrown in as well deserved fan service.
It just seems to me like someone had to be smart enough to think of this shit if fans like myself can.
It just seems to me like someone had to be smart enough to think of this shit if fans like myself can.
I really don't think this is comparable. CoD sells because a lot of people just want the latest popular multiplayer game with a popular theme, and only Battlefield 3 has seriously challenged that. People got in with ME1 here, and wanted to follow it to its conclusion, it's why I stuck with ME2/ME3 pre-orders despite any hesitation (well, and having the CE when it was sold out) and why DAII I had few qualms dropping when the poor initial impression really did seem justified. This is probably more like why someone may follow a book series despite some misgivings about recent installments (but still enjoying them I presume) versus a sporting event that has gotten progressively poorer treatment when televised.
My point is that their marketing and game mechanics have been steadily progressing towards a more cinematic set piece type of game than ever before. And those big explosions/big PR games are those that sell.
Having a formula that words (sells copies) just justifies their decisions to continue as if the fan outcry is just something they can ignore.
It would be interesting to see data on how many people imported savegame´s and how many are new to the franchise, although i think many "veterans" started fresh do to either importing bugs or simply not having savegames.
Ugh these Polls for a new ending are all wrong. People want a happier one. Whilst that would be nice - I'd like an ending that slows the fuck down and doesn't rush through the key dialogue of massive series in 5 minutes. Give me a good twenty minute fmv explaining
I'm a game developer, I work for a pretty big studio. The stock image and space winter stuff I can forgive. They must have been under huge pressure to get this out in time and 99% of Mass Effects art is highly original. I can imagine some writer adding in the post credits event a week before shipping date and sending it off to a small team to add it in. I'd be panicking and doing a lot of googling as well. No matter the size of the team, to do this in a 2 year stretch and keep the consistency is pretty astonishing. I also don't get the controversy around Ashley being modeled after a transvestite? So what. It's coming close to transphobia.
- The race/catalytic event that caused the reapers to happen and why
- The Reapers themselves
- Shepard's options in detail (I don't want to know the consequences, I want to know why it thought these were the best options)
- Get rid of the option to control the Reapers. Humans are made out to be "primal" compared to the Protheans and previous races. The fact that one (relatively small) terrorist organisation manages to work out how to control an UNSTOPPABLE race of machines that beings far more advanced than ourselves haven't been able to control just turns them into something far less scary and horrific. Yes you could argue that other races weren't as evil as to test on their own and turn them into husks, but that's a lame excuse.
I'm a game developer, I work for a pretty big studio. The stock image and space winter stuff I can forgive. They must have been under huge pressure to get this out in time and 99% of Mass Effects art is highly original. I can imagine some writer adding in the post credits event a week before shipping date and sending it off to a small team to add it in. I'd be panicking and doing a lot of googling as well. No matter the size of the team, to do this in a 2 year stretch and keep the consistency is pretty astonishing. I also don't get the controversy around Ashley being modeled after a transvestite? So what. It's coming close to transphobia.
Diprosalic
Banned
sorry that i didn't read all 33 pages but is there a (short summary) of the story for people that want to know what the fuss is all about? i won't touch those games with a stick but i'm kinda curious. i've read the leaked ending but i didn't know what reapers where or what actually happened.
I'm not sure if a 20 min FMV would be a good system, but a much larger dialogue tree with the boy/thing would have been good for players who wanted more (GAF).
This is something that the first ME did pretty well with some of the VIs towards the end. Allowed you to dig in and get more info if you wanted it.
Man, you're really not going to get what all the fuss is about if you don't actually play the game or experience it. Summarising is not going to cut it.
Diprosalic
Banned
just some basic plot points, i heard something about jesus shepherd? like this race attacked that race and got betrayed by that guy and in the end everyone dies.
i can summarize Star Wars in a paragraph.
WrenchNinja
Member
Space Jesus kills himself (maybe) and spreads space magic across the universe to stop the bad guys and you get to pick what coloured explosion the space magic looks like. Then space Jesus' friends who were supposed to be fighting in the war around earth are magically flying from the explosion and end up on another planet.
And then buzz aldrin comes in and tells you lol I made it up.
What I don't get.
I played video games for over 20 years now and I was never this angry about a game before. I was never in this console war thing, a little bit of trolling ok, but I never felt so negative before about a game or gaming.
It still makes me angry even thinking about the ending.
I played video games for over 20 years now and I was never this angry about a game before. I was never in this console war thing, a little bit of trolling ok, but I never felt so negative before about a game or gaming.
It still makes me angry even thinking about the ending.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
My happy ending is where...MY choices fucking mattered
If they give out DLC pay/free.... FUCK YOU
lazorexplosion
Member
Confirms what I already thought since ME1, that the strongest aspect of Mass Effect was exploring an interesting universe and meeting interesting characters. The main plot itself never really rose above the cliche of fighting the magic ultimate evil with the magic ultimate mcguffin, and nowhere is that more evident than the conclusion of the series.
This is why ME2 is best ME.
This is why ME2 is best ME.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Genuinely can't wait for his reaction.. if anything, its soothing for me listening to other people's criticism.
It's why ME2 is probably the safest from the blowback, the main plot was just an excuse to meet characters and solve their problems, almost akin to Dragon Quest in a way. Though I think you could reasonably pretend ME1 is stand alone and that the Reapers were so drastically set back by losing their shortcut that it'd take centuries to come back, not years (or months, given it seemed like they didn't move until the Collector base was nuked.)
You know, they probably could've made it less bullshitty simply by having no MacGuffin whatsoever: they needed that teleport in order to not drain themselves too much traveling back, but since they had to take the long way they're significantly drained and now a well prepared army actually CAN defeat them.
EmCeeGramr
Member
aw man i'm leaving for the next few days and might not be able to have internet access for a while, i won't be able to see his reaction
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
Heh, I've been there. It's awesome. The ending was horrible and Bioware really dropped the ball, but they're taking it to a whole new level over there.
I consider the synthesis ending metaphysical. It's waving a wand and suddenly everyone is synthetic somehow! Wow, aren't we deep?
Let's not consider how you just spend an entire game resolving long-standing conflicts and all that, but none of that matters, because your decision makes all those things moot!
God dammit, Bioware. Mass Effect is a popcorn sci-fi franchise, like it or not. It needed a popcorn ending.
Also: How the fuck does your readiness rating relate to ANY of those endings? Why do I need to have more ships to get the synthesis ending?
I really feel like Bioware ran the ball to the 99-yard line, then said fuck it, turned left and ran out of the stadium simply because they probably figured that people would EXPECT them to run it into the end zone, because that's the logical conclusion and they wanted to surprise people.
Guess what people? If you write your work effectively people can predict an ending BECAUSE IT MAKES FUCKING SENSE. IT FOLLOWS FROM WHAT HAS COME BEFORE.
Yes, ME3 had other problems.
1.) The lack of a clear and strong antagonist.
Kai Leng is shitty Kai Leng who gets a tonguebath from everyone, but barely shows up and when you do fight him he's a fucking a joke. Also: SPACE NINJA, ISN'T THAT BADASS? Take your toothbrush and go home, jerk.
The Illusive Man could have worked, if he didn't go offstage for most of the game.
Remember ME1? Remember how we kept getting peeks at Saren? Yeah.
2.) The Reapers were more set dressing than threat.
For the great big evil villains of the series, they sure do jack and shit in this game. Shepard needed to have more interaction with them. It's kind of sad that Shepard talks with them more in the game in which they don't really appear than she does in the game where they're wreaking havoc.
3.) Complete dropping of the plot threads of the Vaults with the Beings of Light and the whole Sun suddenly dying thing.
So... what was the point of all the ominous hinting in Tali's recruitment mission then? Why have that hint in the ME1 planet description (Ok, that's a little of a reach)?
But you know what? I liked the character and racial stuff that the game did. Overall, it worked for me. I know others will really disagree with me, but I felt that this game respected my decisions far more than ME2 did. I appreciated that Bioware had mutliple mea culpas about how shitty it was to force the player to work with Cerberus in ME2 (although they had Shepard act as the apologist when that came up).
And honestly, given how much of a non-factor the Reapers were in the foreground of this game, I was ready to accept a Deus Ex Machina ending where you magically kill all of them.
But, nooooo....... Bioware, you had to go ahead and burn your franchise to the ground and then salt the Earth.
Because I honestly do not see how they can salvage something for a Mass Effect 4. I wouldn't be surprised if there are meetings going on at high levels in EA where they're asking Bioware what the hell they're thinking.
The sad thing is that I still like the game. The ending is terrible, but I really did love most of everything that came before. I guess I'll just have my own personal ending where Shepard crawls to the console, hits the button, the Reapers magically die, and Shepard dies watching her victory. Everyone else then celebrates.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
Those fucking bannshes(sp) were alot fucking harder then kai lang...His boss fight(would you even call it that?) was so damn laughable.... I didn't need to take cover at all to defeat him.
Count of Monte Sawed-Off
un33dab@dpu$$y
They're thinking: PREQUEL TIME! And first person shooter on the defense of Earth!
Kai Lang was incredibly stupid, both in design and actions (and I guess he was technically the end boss which makes it worse). I'd almost be able to forgive the ending if Thane had managed to kill him.
Rebel Leader
THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS
If this thread is renamed to anything similar to "shit mountain"... There will be little need to
The Incarnation
Member
Spin off game, starring Kai Lang.
doubleplusgood
Member
Oh god, not prequel time. Maybe I'm a bit of a softie, but I don't like playing games where I know that what I do now will mean diddely squat and the world in essence ( mass relays exploding) goes to shit. Especially if space magic is involved.
PastorOfMuppets
Banned
I think Bioware/EA will be slimey enough to release the real ending on DLC.
Reason:
In the perfect endings - except for the Synthesis, Shepard is shown as alive and the Star Gazer epilogue says there's one more story left to tell. Since Bioware has stated that this is the last Mass Effect of this gen, it's reasonable to assume they're doing the real ending on DLC. It's also possible that they could be lying and we'll be seeing Mass Effect 4: Mass Hard or Die Trying next year but there's is still much money to be made on ME3.
The life support room on the Normandy - where Thane was in ME2, is unoccupied for the entirety of ME3 which leads me to believe that there is going to be at least one more DLC character put in there. If you got Mass Effect 2 early, you'll remember that this is how they added Kasumi.
Reason:
In the perfect endings - except for the Synthesis, Shepard is shown as alive and the Star Gazer epilogue says there's one more story left to tell. Since Bioware has stated that this is the last Mass Effect of this gen, it's reasonable to assume they're doing the real ending on DLC. It's also possible that they could be lying and we'll be seeing Mass Effect 4: Mass Hard or Die Trying next year but there's is still much money to be made on ME3.
The life support room on the Normandy - where Thane was in ME2, is unoccupied for the entirety of ME3 which leads me to believe that there is going to be at least one more DLC character put in there. If you got Mass Effect 2 early, you'll remember that this is how they added Kasumi.
So monday morning at work, and I'm STILL thinking about the ending and what the heck the thought process was in thinking that would satisfy the fans of the series.
When I finished Mass Effect 1 and 2, I immediately jumped into a second playthrough. I'm not sure if I'll be doing that with 3, knowing that all these important choices I've made, never really felt like it matters for the climax of this trilogy.
I love science fiction, Mass Effect has been arguably my favourite series this generation, and to have the final payoff be so underwhelming and unsatisfying.... blah.
I'm more depressed than angry really, Mass Effect 3 was so damn awesome for 95% of the game.
edit: During my playthrough I was thinking the twist would be that the Crucible was the weapon that killed everything, they were blindly building it and leading to their own destruction. Knowing the effect it has on so many people, I guess I'm half right.
When I finished Mass Effect 1 and 2, I immediately jumped into a second playthrough. I'm not sure if I'll be doing that with 3, knowing that all these important choices I've made, never really felt like it matters for the climax of this trilogy.
I love science fiction, Mass Effect has been arguably my favourite series this generation, and to have the final payoff be so underwhelming and unsatisfying.... blah.
I'm more depressed than angry really, Mass Effect 3 was so damn awesome for 95% of the game.
edit: During my playthrough I was thinking the twist would be that the Crucible was the weapon that killed everything, they were blindly building it and leading to their own destruction. Knowing the effect it has on so many people, I guess I'm half right.
I took a peek. They're handling this about as well as expected, I think I'll be staying for a while lol
The Incarnation
Member
Even Star-trek: Enterprise ended better.
Well maybe....
Well maybe....
Kabuki Quantum Lover
Member
This thread feels like a sexual assault victims' support group. It's therapeutic to vent these emotions out. I'm starting my FemShep playthrough -- if I can forget the ending and remember the 95% good part, then I can make it through.
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