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[FrontalMonk]

Did anyone even care just why the reapers reaped?

I did. The questions I kept asking were things like "why do the reapers do this 50k cycle?" I mean, originally after ME1 I thought maybe it was because they relied on organics as an energy source (a la Matrix) and needed to recharge their batteries every now and again. Then after ME2 I found that they use the harvest to reproduce, but it shed no light on why they do it when they do it. The excuse they gave in ME3 was kinda shitty, especially with the extra hinting that there would be a payoff from the reaper you fight on Rannoch.

 

[Rokam]

The whole Indoctrination debate nonsense must really be stroking Walters's ego, then.

It's, in essence, confirming his actual vision for the ending.

Except when Bioware never releases a true ending. The hate will be strong with these ones.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Okay, as much as I disagree and hate their choice, I can at least understand why they did it now. If their entire goal was just to fuel fan speculation and not actually deliver a proper ending then they did a good job doing that. I hate that they decided to hijack the conclusion just to build 'brand hype', but that's business I guess.

EDIT: Agreed on the Reapers being enigmatic. Everything you knew about them in ME 1 was all you ever needed to know. "You exist because we allow it, and you will end because we demand it". Nothing more needed to be said, and fans can still speculate on why they do it.

That line still shakes me up

 

[DTKT]

I need to punch something.

What they did was so basic, so dumb and so comical that I'm ashamed that it's how ME3 ended.

You are a bad person and you should feel ashamed!

 

[HarryHengst]

ahaha, fuck you Bioware. If i had a TOR account i would cancel it with the reason 'because of the ME3 ending'.

 

[Sotha Sil]

It really is telling who is writing the shitty main plot (the kernels) and who is writing the small character stories (the satellites).

Walters probably thought it was a good idea to have that shitty kid in the beginning to evoke emotion, as well as glossing over the entire trial of Shepard.

Well, when he explains it, it really makes a lot of sense:

In that sense, even in the opening sequence, we see the [human] child rather than seeing somewhere else in the galaxy and seeing an Asari child. To me it has more impact to see a human child because, I'm a human, as opposed to seeing an alien child.

Mass Effect 3's story was definitely in good hands.

 

[Derrick01]

That line still shakes me up

yeah that line is still really good today. Made me shiver a bit when I first heard it.

sogood.gif

 

[FrontalMonk]

That line still shakes me up

ditto. so good.

 

[ElFly]

I like the indoctrination theory, but doesn't really gel with the stargazer and the kid asking for another story of the shepard, cause that scene happens no matter what you choose.

 

[EatChildren]

There didn't necessarily need to be an explanation for the Reapers, but even if they intended to have one the problem is what they have is awful and not convincing in the slightest. They didn't leave any mystery there, instead giving us a shitful excuse.

They followed this up with God using space magic to put the entire galaxy in a state that is completely unexplainable and unprecedented, with seemingly no intentions of following it up with any answers at all. It's one thing to say "Okay, the relays were destroyed, a necessary casuality to stop the Reapers. How will the species react?", but they decided to throw in (if you chose the specific ending) "ALSO EVERYONE IS MERGED WITH ROBOTS AND YOUR CREW IS STANDARD ON A MYSTERY PLANET FOR SOME REASON".

They didn't need to give full, air tight closure. They didn't need to explain away everything. They should have left some wonder and mystery to the future of the franchise. They just happened to do the worst possible job of it.

bu bu bu emotion and feeling and mystery the kid cries SHEEEPPPAAAAAARDDDDD

 

[LightofRohan]

Great vid about the indoctrination theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbghjn7_Byc&feature=g-u-u&context=G296b84aFUAAAAAAABAA

13 min long.

Ooook, I'm glad Bioware ended it the way they did. It keeps my passion for the game alive, if it was just some happy Ewok ending, I probably would have moved on by now. They kind of give the hardcore a little of what they want, more reason to look into/study the lore ect. And if they do indeed go back and add to the end, it only lengthens this experience for me.

I'm appeased.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Vent kid DIDN'T have any emotional connection.

 

[Hypertrooper]

"The Truth" DLC rumor sounds too awesome to be true.

 

[Veelk]

I will say this much, if people seriously want an explanation of the reapers motivations while still asking that they remain incomprehensible and godlike...well, you can't have it both ways. If they can be understood, they have to relate to something we know in some way. If that happens, they are comprehensible, thus, no longer godlike. They're human.

Though I personally always thought that the Reapers were full of hot air. Soverign boasted about how utterly unstoppable he was, and while it took our ENTIRE fleet all firing on him at once, he went down hard.

 

[Patryn]

Why do you design an ending sequence that leads to speculation when you will NEVER provide the answers.

What a shitty and cop out design. Why didn't anyone say so? Why didn't anyone propose something more refined or interesting?

Probably fear on Walters part. It's easier to write an ambiguous ending and then say things like "And what do YOU think?" than it is to write one that gives actual closure.

Also probably cheaper, as they wouldn't have to spend time creating drastically different endings.

But it definitely sounds like they're rethinking all this. I think the debates about redoing the ending has passed the idle cubicle chatter and moved into real meetings about whether it can actually be done, based on Priestly's message.

 

[hateradio]

In that sense, even in the opening sequence, we see the [human] child rather than seeing somewhere else in the galaxy and seeing an Asari child. To me it has more impact to see a human child because, I'm a human, as opposed to seeing an alien child.

The hate for the kid will now rise a thousand fold.

"The Truth" DLC rumor sounds too awesome to be true.

It's from 4chan.

Does anyone have the image to the post? I need to add it to the collection.

 

[Rokam]

Vent kid DIDN'T have any emotional connection.

Not true. I hated him with a passion and wanted to put a bullet into his head.

 

[Jinjo]

Well, it did indeed seem Bioware fucked up on the ending hard. Thankfully, we've (as in the fans) have conveniently created an entirely different (and proper) plotline for them to save themselves out of this gigantic shithole they've created. Since Mass Effect 3 basicly already was massive fanservice, can't see why they should stop now.

In other words: Last. Bioware. Game. Ever.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

now i'm conflicted

Mass Effect 3 SPOILER THREAD: stop reading if u don't a SPOILER

~or~

Mass Effect 3 SPOILER THREAD: LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE

 

[Cagey]

Vent kid DIDN'T have any emotional connection.

Hell, I wanted vent kid to die because of how blatantly obvious the message was. "YOU FEEL SAD AND BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING, REMEMBER THIS KID".

Truth, etc.

 

[hateradio]

now i'm conflicted

Mass Effect 3 SPOILER THREAD: stop reading if u don't a SPOILER

~or~

Mass Effect 3 SPOILER THREAD: LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE

Let's Extrapolate This Bitch!

 

[Alucrid]

So it's official, Bioware just gave us all a big fuck you.

 

[Digoman]

So... does this pretty much confirm there was no "hidden" meanings in the endings and it's just the higher ups trying to be clever?

"Lots of speculation from everyone"

Yup, back to the anger phase over here.

 

[FrontalMonk]

I will say this much, if people seriously want an explanation of the reapers motivations while still asking that they remain incomprehensible and godlike...well, you can't have it both ways. If they can be understood, they have to relate to something we know in some way. If that happens, they are comprehensible, thus, no longer godlike. They're human.

Though I personally always thought that the Reapers were full of hot air. Soverign boasted about how utterly unstoppable he was, and while it took our ENTIRE fleet all firing on him at once, he went down hard.

I pretty much completely agree here. The payoff I was looking for was for the Reapers to explain themselves a little and be like "but we're gods" and for Shepard to be like "yeah? well then I guess gods can die too" and murder the shit out of them with the combined might of the allied fleet.

 

[Dresden]

It'd be pretty cool if they do a new ending and it's (somehow) even worse than the old ending.

 

[Broder Salsa]

Not true. I hated him with a passion and wanted to put a bullet into his head.

This should have been a option. I wanted to do it as well, fuck that kid and all the same sequences with him.

 

[Derrick01]

Same here. I am really angry and I feel rippe off of the closure I feel I deserve for putting in so many hours with this stupid series. This really taints my experience.

Yeah I wanted to learn pretty much everything about them, and I understand when you do that you risk taking a lot of the myth and fear around them away but...they pretty much did that anyway with what we ended up getting, and yet I received next to no answers.

So no one really won here.

 

[Easy_D]

I pretty much completely agree here. The payoff I was looking for was for the Reapers to explain themselves a little and be like "but we're gods" and for Shepard to be like "yeah? well then I guess gods can die too" and murder the shit out of them with the combined might of the allied fleet.

Seriously, just finding some hidden awesome Prothean weapon or some shit. Like have the god damn moon transform into a giant Reaper murdering death ray shooting moon of imminent reaper death.

 

[hateradio]

This should have been a option. I wanted to do it as well, fuck that kid and all the same sequences with him.

You can shoot the catalyst, but nothing happens. :/

It'd be pretty cool if they do a new ending and it's (somehow) even worse than the old ending.

It's already be awful because it's based on a premise of speculation.

 

[Rokam]

It'd be pretty cool if they do a new ending and it's (somehow) even worse than the old ending.

Shepard dies, Jacob & Kaidan save the world.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Hell, I wanted vent kid to die because of how blatantly obvious the message was. "YOU FEEL SAD AND BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING, REMEMBER THIS KID".

[im g]http://i.imgur.com/Z3m2e.gif[/img]

Truth, etc.

The thing that got me is that it is basically the exact same thing Modern Warfare 3 did (trying to use a child's death to humanize the war) except somehow fucking Activision handled it with less ham and more deftness.

 

[Barack Lesnar]

Great vid about the indoctrination theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbghjn7_Byc&feature=g-u-u&context=G296b84aFUAAAAAAABAA

13 min long.

Holy crap, mind blown.

That video was such an appeal to emotion it's not even worth taking it seriously

This is a ridiculous post. A one-liner like that doesn't disregard that 13 minute video. I can't stand when people do that. Try to refute it instead of derping out a one liner.

 

[Pandaman]

so... if shepard isnt indoctrinated, why does the VI look like the vent kid?

I mean, if the reapers mindraped him to get the kids appearance, why wouldnt they just... you know, indoctrinate him then.

 

[aku08]

"LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE" is the true ending? are you fucking kidding me!?

 

[Ciastek3214]

There is nothing indicating DLC in Priestly post.

Stop grasping at straws.

Emergency. Induction. Ports.

 

[Hypertrooper]

Hell, I wanted vent kid to die because of how blatantly obvious the message was. "YOU FEEL SAD AND BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING, REMEMBER THIS KID".

Truth, etc.

Still don't get it why the Reaper isn't attacking the Normandy...

 

[EmCeeGramr]

Holy crap, mind blown.



This is a ridiculous post. A one-liner like that doesn't disregard that 13 minute video. I can't stand when people do that. Try to refute it instead of derping out a one liner.

Okay.

We just got a documentary about the end of the game that practically confirms that it was all real.

 

[rozay]

Well folks, time to let go of the indoctrination theories.

Never ever purchasing anything Mac Walters has involvement with in the future.

 

[cluxdeluxe]

Hell, I wanted vent kid to die because of how blatantly obvious the message was. "YOU FEEL SAD AND BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING, REMEMBER THIS KID".

Truth, etc.

I was happy to see that kid die at the beginning but then his annoying little boy ghost body kept haunting till the very end.

 

[Lime]

Have you read that 1UP interview? Walters gets hit with some tough questions about why players should especially care about Earth or one kid, and he seems totally unprepared for the idea that people wouldn't instinctively care about an Earth setting or wouldn't only have a real emotional response to a human child dying.

Well, when he explains it, it really makes a lot of sense:



Mass Effect 3's story was definitely in good hands.

Wow. Just read it. Why is he even in such a high position? Does he simply suck up to Casey Hudson or the Bioware owners in order to get where he is? Because I simply cannot comprehend why anyone could be that sincerely ignorant about basic human cognitive functions in relation to doing a proper narrative.

Huge facepalm @ Mac Walters and everyone agreeing with his contributions at Bioware

 

[Brawndo Addict]

He specifically says that because Shepard made it that far it was proof that the old way wouldn't work anymore and that he needed shep to bring about the change he was powerless to do it himself, rewatch the sequence

Old way seemed to be working just fine if the Crucible won't work unless someone makes it into the control center of the Catalyst which only the AI has access too. Plus, apparently the AI had the magical god powers to build the Catalyst in such a way to make 3 reality shifting choices possible. So he could build the entire reality bending machines himself but he designed them in such a way he couldn't ever use them?

 

[Rebel Leader]

Not true. I hated him with a passion and wanted to put a bullet into his head.

Hell, I wanted vent kid to die because of how blatantly obvious the message was. "YOU FEEL SAD AND BAD THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING, REMEMBER THIS KID".

http://i.imgur.com/Z3m2e.gif[/im g]

Truth, etc.[/QUOTE]

When vent kid died... I didn't feel anything...

To have an emotional cobnection... I probaly would have his parents atrempt to save him by locking him behind a door..

Screams begin to be heard moments later blood seeps under the door.. Kid cries hysterically

Husks open the door... about to grab the hysterical cringe kid
Shepard appears

 

[kai3345]

Aside from Kai leng I dont think there was a single unique boss fight.

 

[Empty Space]

so... if shepard isnt indoctrinated, why does the VI look like the vent kid?

I mean, if the reapers mindraped him to get the kids appearance, why wouldnt they just... you know, indoctrinate him then.

SPECULATION AND INTRIGUE

 

[ShockingAlberto]

This is a ridiculous post. A one-liner like that doesn't disregard that 13 minute video. I can't stand when people do that. Try to refute it instead of derping out a one liner.

Yeah, seriously. Instead of using one line to say nothing, use like six lines to say nothing!

 

[CushVA]

Wait, Walters wrote the ending on a napkin while drunk?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...rid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=182#post401585564

The best (worst) part is that Mac Walters wrote the ending on a cocktail napkin while drunk

.

 

[Bowdz]

Did anyone even care just why the reapers reaped?

No. At least IMO, part of the draw of the Reapers was their mystique. As soon as Sovereign said "Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding...We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything" nothing Bioware could have written would have been truly satisfying. The Reapers were far more interesting and imposing when they were a complete mystery and at no point during ME3 did I feel the desire to know their origin.

 

[Patryn]

Aside from Kai leng I dont think there was a single unique boss fight.

Reaper on Rannoch.

No. At least IMO, part of the draw of the Reapers was their mystique. As soon as Sovereign said "Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding...We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything" nothing Bioware could have written would have been truly satisfying. The Reapers were far more interesting and imposing when they were a complete mystery and at no point during ME3 did I feel the desire to know their origin.

Yep. The unknowable evil. But, nooooooo, everything has to be humanized and understood.

What should have been the arc:

ME1: As it was
ME2: Fighting a Cerberus that is destabilizing galactic unity(the enemy within)
ME3: Picking up the pieces and fighting the Reapers (the enemy outside)

 

[ShockingAlberto]

so... if shepard isnt indoctrinated, why does the VI look like the vent kid?

I mean, if the reapers mindraped him to get the kids appearance, why wouldnt they just... you know, indoctrinate him then.

Because children-gods are an easy out for writing and this is a game that photoshopped a stock photo for a character that has been in every game in the series in a major role so reusing a model because it's easy is not exactly absurd.

 

[Rebel Leader]

Wait, Walters wrote the ending on a napkin while drunk?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...rid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=182#post401585564

.

*facepalm* holy shit

(if true)