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[Lime]

I think it starts going off the rails a little earlier than that but with that ending, I really have no desire to go back. I'm not the type to demand a different ending but if they do end up coming up with something that isn't universe destroying, I'd take a look.

Also, the indoctrination theory is possibly even worse than the ending taken at face value. How could you build up a 90+ hour trilogy and end it with the protagonist unconscious, dreaming without an ounce of closure? There is no way to salvage the ending; if they want to fix it, they would have to start from scratch.

Oh I agree - after the arrival of Harbinger everything turns to shit. But the complete nonsense started as soon as Space Jesus were lifted by the Space Elevator. If Bioware are looking into revising the ending, they need to remove that shit entirely. I can live with Illusive Man appearing out of nowhere or Anderson somehow arriving at the Citadel before Shepard, but I will not accept seeing Vent God appear again.

I especially do not ever want some fucking kid tell Shepard: "NO YOU CAN'T." when it concerns matters that affect the entire galaxy.

Or what Emceegamer and Y2Kev mentioned last thread:

"Catalyssssst, if you don't tell me show me your grades then I'm taking away your new Nintendo."

"NO! You CAN'T!"

"Can we just keep our own bodies?"

"No, you can't."

"Why not?"

"If you do, you will be harvested by synthetics."

"You mean like now?"

"That you are standing here is proof my solution no longer works."

"Why?"

"...I need a new solution."

"Why?"

"Please pick your favorite color."

"Can I please speak to the manager?"

 

[ElFly]

The biggest complaint I have with the ending is that the synthesis ending is pretty much locked for those who do not wish to partake in multiplayer.

My partner, for example, earned almost every in-game War Asset, and didn't get the option, which really spoiled the whole experience after so much investment. She said it wwas shitty of EA to pretty much lock 'the best option' down, especially as the online pass is not registered to a console, but an account (in this case, mine).

I agree with her. That was bad form, and should be a default choice.

I did a bunch of side quests, never touched the multiplayer/facebook/ios games so I was stuck with 50% readiness, and synthesis was available to me.

Dunno what to tell you.

e:maybe it helped that I had a ME2 save with all my bros alive, converted the geth heretics and saved maelon's research, since these choices open the best resolutions to the genophage/geth conflicts.

e2: checked and converting the heretics doesn't actually help you in me3, but I still could broker peace between the geth and the quarians; this only means getting synthesis is easier than I thought

 

[Arjen]

Mass Defect 10:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisHcuBzTCM

:lol

This is amazing

 

[LiK]

I did a bunch of side quests, never touched the multiplayer/facebook/ios games so I was stuck with 50% readiness, and synthesis was available to me.

Dunno what to tell you.

e:maybe it helped that I had a ME2 save with all my bros alive, converted the geth heretics and saved maelon's research, since these choices open the best resolutions to the genophage/geth conflicts.

ditto here, I could care less about the readiness. still got the options since my Paragon meter was maxed.

 

[Riggs]

This is amazing

Wow it really is amazing

 

[Doodis]

Just finished the game. I cannot believe Bioware just did that. Five years of amazing choice-driven, action-oriented, universe building, all pissed away with the worst ending imaginable.

I didn't think there was any way the ending could be as bad as everyone was saying, but it was all true. Nice job, Bioware. Thumbs up. Great success.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

ditto here, I could care less about the readiness. still got the options since my Paragon meter was maxed.

That's some Bioware level writing.

 

[LiK]

Just finished the game. I cannot believe Bioware just did that. Five years of amazing choice-driven, action-oriented, universe building, all pissed away with the worst ending imaginable.

I didn't think there was any way the ending could be as bad as everyone was saying, but it was all true. Nice job, Bioware. Thumbs up. Great success.

your avatar is pretty apt lol

 

[Karl2177]

Mass Defect 10:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisHcuBzTCM

:lol

No, no, no, no BWAAAAAAAAAAAAM.

So. Good.

 

[Blue Ninja]

This is amazing

Awesome. :lol

 

[Skidd]

Liara calling EDI "blabbermouth" is amusing.

Legion describing EDI's body as 'top heavy' gave me a good laugh.

 

[clockpunk]

I did a bunch of side quests, never touched the multiplayer/facebook/ios games so I was stuck with 50% readiness, and synthesis was available to me.

Dunno what to tell you.

e:maybe it helped that I had a ME2 save with all my bros alive, converted the geth heretics and saved maelon's research, since these choices open the best resolutions to the genophage/geth conflicts.

e2: checked and converting the heretics doesn't actually help you in me3, but I still could broker peace between the geth and the quarians; this only means getting synthesis is easier than I thought

Ah, she never played ME2 - only watched me, and started a new character with default options. In that case, the issue seems to be that in this instance, the most interesting option is locked/held hostage outside of experiencing the game standalone. Which is still pretty shitty, the more I think about it.

 

[LiK]

Legion describing EDI's body as 'top heavy' gave me a good laugh.

that was good lol

 

[Blue Ninja]

By the way, listening to the soundtrack just reminded me of the monastery part of the game. In ME2, Samara explicitly states her two remaining daughters are the only two Ardat-Yakshi left in existence. Yet when we find them in ME3, they're in a monastery that was apparently filled with Ardat-Yakshi before the Reapers hit.

Come on, BioWare.

 

[winstano]

Ah, she never played ME2 - only watched me, and started a new character with default options. In that case, the issue seems to be that in this instance, the most interesting option is locked/held hostage outside of experiencing the game standalone. Which is still pretty shitty, the more I think about it.

Especially given the "DA GAEM IS FINE FOR NU PLAYERS!" attitude that Bioware were pushing out before release!

 

[Bazza]

By the way, listening to the soundtrack just reminded me of the monastery part of the game. In ME2, Samara explicitly states her two remaining daughters are the only two Ardat-Yakshi left in existence. Yet when we find them in ME3, they're in a monastery that was apparently filled with Ardat-Yakshi before the Reapers hit.

Come on, BioWare.

I don't recall her ever saying that during ME2, i may be wrong but i did play it through about 5 times.

 

[EatChildren]

Especially given the "DA GAEM IS FINE FOR NU PLAYERS!" attitude that Bioware were pushing out before release!

This was EA's call, not BioWare's.

 

[a secret-boss]

Just finished the game. I only got the "good" ending (destruction without Shepard cutscene because of my 50% readiness)

I really didn't mind it, but just the BS that u have to play multi or iOS games to effect a single player gameplay.

Also Javick as dlc, I'm glad I always have him especially during Liara and the artifact mission.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I don't recall her ever saying that during ME2, i may be wrong but i did play it through about 5 times.

I'm pretty confident she says "All my daughters are Ardat-Yakshi. And there are three Ardat-Yakshi in existence today. It is as it sounds."

I replayed it only a short while before ME3, too, so I'm quite certain.

 

[HarryHengst]

By the way, listening to the soundtrack just reminded me of the monastery part of the game. In ME2, Samara explicitly states her two remaining daughters are the only two Ardat-Yakshi left in existence. Yet when we find them in ME3, they're in a monastery that was apparently filled with Ardat-Yakshi before the Reapers hit.

Come on, BioWare.

I dont think this is correct. The codex says "Ardat-Yakshi are neither extremely rare (around one per cent of asari dwell on the AY spectrum)".

*edit* or i guess the slip up was in Samara's dialogue. Perhaps those three are the only ones who actively murder people?

 

[Interfectum]

Just finished the game. I only got the "good" ending (destruction without Shepard cutscene because of my 50% readiness)

I really didn't mind it, but just the BS that u have to play multi or iOS games to effect a single player gameplay.

Also Javick as dlc, I'm glad I always have him especially during Liara and the artifact mission.

Give it time to sink in.

 

[Arjen]

By the way, listening to the soundtrack just reminded me of the monastery part of the game. In ME2, Samara explicitly states her two remaining daughters are the only two Ardat-Yakshi left in existence. Yet when we find them in ME3, they're in a monastery that was apparently filled with Ardat-Yakshi before the Reapers hit.

Come on, BioWare.

I remember her saying there are other ardat yakshi but that they chose a life of exile.

 

[Karl2177]

I'm pretty confident she says "All my daughters are Ardat-Yakshi. And there are three Ardat-Yakshi in existence today. It is as it sounds."

According to the wiki, it says that Samara's 3 daughters are the only fatal ones left in existence. I would assume that means there are less severe conditions that don't kill their partners, but wound or cripple them, while still being an Ardat Yakshi.

 

[Walshicus]

I really didn't mind it, but just the BS that u have to play multi or iOS games to effect a single player gameplay.

Play the co-op on Bronze and I'm pretty sure most people could solo it either to the end or to a wave that generates Galactic Readiness.

 

[Ruuppa]

Finished it a few days ago, and heard a lot of hoopla about the endings, but didn't want to believe them. I just thought that the writers would have a really good reason at the end, Chaos and Order and all that.

Then I got to to the blue spacekid.

Now I'm just thinking: If the Nameless One was there, he wouldn't have taken that with a straight face like Shepard did, who accepts what the blue superAI tells her at face value. He would have talked the thing to commit suicide.

 

[Basileus777]

I dont think this is correct. The codex says "Ardat-Yakshi are neither extremely rare (around one per cent of asari dwell on the AY spectrum)".

Is that the ME2 codex?

 

[Lothars]

I'm pretty confident she says "All my daughters are Ardat-Yakshi. And there are three Ardat-Yakshi in existence today. It is as it sounds."

I replayed it only a short while before ME3, too, so I'm quite certain.

Hmm I don't remember that at all, From how I took it is that all she was refering to is that all three of her daughters were Ardat-Yakshi but It didn't mean that there was not other Ardat-Yakshi in the universe.

 

[Blue Ninja]

I remember her saying there are other ardat yakshi but that they chose a life of exile.

Yeah, her other two daughters.

Here's the line I was referring to. It was bugging me the entire time I was playing through the monastery.

 

[Interfectum]

Given how the game ended I don't believe the Ardat-Yakshi really matter at this point. Perhaps space goats caused more Ardat-Yakshi to exist in the universe. I'm sure Bioware can patch that in some codex via DLC.

 

[Galactic Fork]

beat the game over the weekend.

It's funny, while playing the game and hearing the initial backlash about the ending I was thinking to myself "man this game is so much fun I don't see how 10 minutes could potentially ruin an entire game." I had the biggest game boner going into the last 10 minutes of ME3. When Shepard and Anderson were sitting there dying watching the galaxy's last ditch effort to save itself from annihilation I was sold. Bioware is back baby.

Then.... the child showed up. "what"

Then... the rainbow of 'choice' was presented to me. "what"

Then.... the Normandy crashed on a random jungle planet and Liara was there (uh she was with me). I guess her and joker are going to have a bunch of space babies now? "what"

Then.... "tell me another story about the Shepard papa pedo" "fuck you bioware"

You forgot going back to see what the other choices brought and seeing almost the exact same thing in a different color. "Seriously Bioware... FUCK YOU!"

 

[Arjen]

Yeah, her other two daughters.

Here's the line I was referring to. It was bugging me the entire time I was playing through the monastery.

Wel what a suprise, another plothole then.

 

[Jake Tower]

Blue Ninja, I never realized until now the significance of your avatar.

Where did you get that photo of Mac Walters working on the ME3 script?

 

[EatChildren]

Yeah, her other two daughters.

Here's the line I was referring to. It was bugging me the entire time I was playing through the monastery.

Yeah, it's a lore inconsistency. My leap of logic is that Samara's "as far as I know" coupled with how the Asari treat Ardat-Yakshi implies that they're kept very secret from the Asari populous, including people like Samara, who is only aware of those Ardat-Yakshi as they are her own. For privacy reasons, other Ardat-Yakshi are effectively wiped from the record and kept at the Monastery.

 

[Blue Ninja]

Given how the game ended I don't believe the Ardat-Yakshi really matter at this point. Perhaps space goats caused more Ardat-Yakshi to exist in the universe. I'm sure Bioware can patch that in some codex via DLC.

Not a goat, but fuck it. In that case, we can just stop discussing the lore altogether, since none of it apparently matters at the end anymore.

Yeah, it's a lore inconsistency. My leap of logic is that Samara's "as far as I know" coupled with how the Asari treat Ardat-Yakshi implies that they're kept very secret from the Asari populous, including people like Samara, who is only aware of those Ardat-Yakshi as they are her own. For privacy reasons, other Ardat-Yakshi are effectively wiped from the record and kept at the Monastery.

That's a reasonable explanation. I'm sticking with "Goddamn BioWare" on this one, though. Finding out there was a whole monastery filled with blue space mind-vampires was just weird after coming from ME2. :lol

Blue Ninja, I never realized until now the significance of your avatar.

Where did you get that photo of Mac Walters working on the ME3 script?

I have connections.

 

[Ephemeris]

Mass Defect 10:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wisHcuBzTCM

:lol

"I'M DONE ARGUING WITH YOU." "BUZZZZZ"

Glorious.

 

[Galactic Fork]

I remember her saying there are other ardat yakshi but that they chose a life of exile.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYPbnY1s-Po#t=2m00s


They have a way out because she says "As far as I know, only 3 exist today."

edit: beaten, though it seems to be a different scene.

 

[Doublesith]

The Ardat-Yakshi stuff has always been inconsistent. In spite of Samara's line, the ME2 codex also claimed this:

Contrary to popular belief, Ardat-Yakshi are neither extremely rare (around one per cent of asari dwell on the AY spectrum), nor are they all murderers. Most cultivate and discard countless exploitative or abusive relationships during their legally marginal lives. Despite rumors of Ardat-Yakshi syndicates, by nature Ardat-Yakshi are incapable of long-term cooperation.

As a disproportionately wealthy species, asari employ their economic reach and media ownership to hide the AY pathology from the galactic community, placing most Ardat-Yakshi in monitored work programs or seclusion. Only the most aggressive cases are sentenced to sanitaria and prisons or to the execution lists of justicars.

I guess ME3's writers went with the codex.

 

[Moaradin]

Sounds pretty consistent. Codex said that the popular belief is they are rare, which is why Samara only thinks her daughters are the only 3.

 

[Rufus]

http://threepanelsoul.com/2012/03/25/on-storytelling/

 

[Karl2177]

What happens if an Ardat Yakshi mates with another Ardat Yakshi? What happens if we send a mass relay through a mass relay? Hmmmmmm...

 

[Interfectum]

What happens if an Ardat Yakshi mates with another Ardat Yakshi? What happens if we send a mass relay through a mass relay? Hmmmmmm...

What happens if a Ardat Yakshi mates with the Joker/EDI love child while going through a mass relay?

 

[Dilly]

What happens if a Ardat Yakshi mates with the Joker/EDI love child while going through a mass relay?

Bone disease.

 

[winstano]

This was EA's call, not BioWare's.

Fair point

 

[Zomba13]

What happens if a Ardat Yakshi mates with the Joker/EDI love child while going through a mass relay?

The Normandy crash lands on a jungle planet and 1000 years later Buzz Aldrin tells stories about space Jesus to a kid he calls his sweet.

 

[heliosRAzi]

It's brave because stepping outside of the norm takes guts. They knew it would kick up a shit storm and be attacked yet they did it anyway. It's brave because it deals with broader themes rather than intricate plot points which isn't usual.
What you want is something that fits together like clockwork. Bioware are asking you to use your imagination to fill in the gaps, it's an ancient storytelling device that is used by writers to get the audience to think more deeply about the themes in the story. It's intentional and not a mis-step. They know exactly what they are doing.

What you are criticising is the surface of the story, not what the story is actually about. If you were brave yourself then you would trust your imagination to fill in the gaps. Instead you would rather be spoon fed.
The story all makes sense, you just need to figure it out. It's existential and has nothing to do with the soap opera antics of the characters -- Who lives, who dies, how excited you were at the end, or any of that.

Uhh, I perfectly understand what the games were about. I perfectly understand what the ending was about. The problem is that the two contradict each other and there is no reconciliation.

beat the game over the weekend.

It's funny, while playing the game and hearing the initial backlash about the ending I was thinking to myself "man this game is so much fun I don't see how 10 minutes could potentially ruin an entire game." I had the biggest game boner going into the last 10 minutes of ME3. When Shepard and Anderson were sitting there dying watching the galaxy's last ditch effort to save itself from annihilation I was sold. Bioware is back baby.

Then.... the child showed up. "what"

Then... the rainbow of 'choice' was presented to me. "what"

Then.... the Normandy crashed on a random jungle planet and Liara was there (uh she was with me). I guess her and joker are going to have a bunch of space babies now? "what"

Then.... "tell me another story about the Shepard papa pedo" "fuck you bioware"

Just finished the game. I cannot believe Bioware just did that. Five years of amazing choice-driven, action-oriented, universe building, all pissed away with the worst ending imaginable.

I didn't think there was any way the ending could be as bad as everyone was saying, but it was all true. Nice job, Bioware. Thumbs up. Great success.

Welcome to the group support thread.

 

[PinkCrayon]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but if the space magic blast basically destroys the Normandy, then it destroys the fleets above earth as well right? So even if the relay doesn't go nova ala arrival, everyone is dead.

so no matter what, everyone is dead. except for those happy CG soldiers on earth.

 

[embalm]

Strange, I never got the cut scene of here telling it all before going to hunt her daughter. I always assumed there were more and even knew that they were kept in Monasteries. There was some stuff between Samara and her daughter on the Shadow Broker terminal, maybe that's where I got my information.


Am I the only one that enjoys inconsistent lore? As long as it's clearly from different perspectives I think it makes everything much more interesting. Finding out the "truth" and knowing it all can sometimes be a letdown.

 

[Menelaus]

Pretty clear to me that the ending is only a dream/hallucination. Besides the litany of things that just don't make sense, the bad dreams Shep has throughout the game only serve as a reasonable method in which to manifest Vent God at the end.

Shep will wake up on the ground and battle Harbinger in the DLC. Take it to the bank.

 

[Felix Lighter]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but if the space magic blast basically destroys the Normandy, then it destroys the fleets above earth as well right? So even if the relay doesn't go nova ala arrival, everyone is dead.

so no matter what, everyone is dead. except for those happy CG soldiers on earth.

Better off dieing in a massive explosion than fighting for survival on a decimated Earth until you starve to death.

 

[Zomba13]

So correct me if I'm wrong, but if the space magic blast basically destroys the Normandy, then it destroys the fleets above earth as well right? So even if the relay doesn't go nova ala arrival, everyone is dead.

so no matter what, everyone is dead. except for those happy CG soldiers on earth.

Unless it's veeeerrrrry specific space magic. None of the Normandy crashing makes any form of sense at all. It's like they accidentally put that bit there. Like it was supposed to be from another game or something.

Am I the only one that enjoys inconsistent lore? As long as it's clearly from different perspectives I think it makes everything much more interesting. Finding out the "truth" and knowing it all can sometimes be a letdown.

I don't mind inconsistent lore if the game/book/movie/whatever tries to explain why it's inconsistent. Like the thermal clip stuff. It was explained so I'm not too annoyed by it. Same with the omni-blade thing. I thought that the Omnitool was all holographic but the codex explains it has a fabricator and cane assemble small objects so the blade thing is alright. The Ardat-Yakshi stuff is a bit odd but you were told that as far as Samara knows there were only three and the Asari seem super ashamed of them and want to hid them so I can buy that the monasteries aren't that well known and no one really knows how many there are.