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Mass Effect 3 Spoiler Thread |OT2| Taste the Rainbow

Pie Lord

Member
I honestly didn't even realize the neutral option was gone for most of the game; which is odd because I used it quite a bit in ME 1 and 2.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
On another note, the more I think, the more I can say that Chobot's Aller characters is just so wacky on so many different levels.

"In other news, the Reapers have attacked this extremely important location and killed so many people. What would happen next? Find out in the next Battlestation!"

I don't know about you, but if I am a character in the Mass Effect universe I would be extremely pissed that information about people getting killed in the millions are treated with the "next episode" thing. I mean, holy shit.
 
On another note, the more I think, the more I can say that Chobot's Aller characters is just so wacky on so many different levels.

"In other news, the Reapers have attacked this extremely important location and killed so many people. What would happen next? Find out in the next Battlestation!"

I don't know about you, but if I am a character in the Mass Effect universe I would be extremely pissed that information about people getting killed in the millions are treated with the "next episode" thing. I mean, holy shit.

Well her show seemed pretty tasteless in general. Like that bit where she is going to do an editorial about how many colonies they should leave to be destroyed to buy the military more time. Like... ok, that might be something people in power have to decide, but that's a horrible thing for some random reporter to speculate about.
 
On another note, the more I think, the more I can say that Chobot's Aller characters is just so wacky on so many different levels.

"In other news, the Reapers have attacked this extremely important location and killed so many people. What would happen next? Find out in the next Battlestation!"

I don't know about you, but if I am a character in the Mass Effect universe I would be extremely pissed that information about people getting killed in the millions are treated with the "next episode" thing. I mean, holy shit.

"you're all going to die, but first, a word from our advertisers:

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!"

"and we're back."
 

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
"you're all going to die, but first, a word from our advertisers:

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! an all new InterAction Earth RPG where your choices don't matter. 10/10 says IGN: It's the most surreal expressionism we've ever experienced in our existential, fatalistic life."

"and we're back."
Fixed.
 
I'm sure these questions are answered elsewhere, but it's just too much to look through. I just finished the game and I'm confused. I didn't really understand what my three options were, as they all sounded pretty much the same. Questions:

1) Why was I never given an option to increase galactic readiness past 50%? I had the green bar filled up all the way, but my readiness stayed at 50% the entire game.

2) I chose to control the reapers at the end. Is there any reason for me to choose the other options? As in, will I get different cut scenes at the end of the game?

3) Please explain the ending with the Stargazer.
 

DTKT

Member
I'm sure these questions are answered elsewhere, but it's just too much to look through. I just finished the game and I'm confused. I didn't really understand what my three options were, as they all sounded pretty much the same. Questions:

1) Why was I never given an option to increase galactic readiness past 50%? I had the green bar filled up all the way, but my readiness stayed at 50% the entire game.

2) I chose to control the reapers at the end. Is there any reason for me to choose the other options? As in, will I get different cut scenes at the end of the game?

3) Please explain the ending with the Stargazer.

1) Galactic Readiness can only be increased through the MP and the iOS games. Combining the War Assets with the Galactic Readiness creates your "Effective Strength". That's what it used when you the game checks for the different endings.

2) No, the only difference is a change in color. Blue = control, red = destroy, green = synthesis. If you picked destroy, you also killed all the Geths and EDI.

3) Do you mean the sequence where Buzz Aldrin and the kid speak? It's dumb, don't look too much into it. If you mean the Space kid, it's also dumb and not worth looking into.
 

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
  1. EMS is raised through multi-player or iOS apps.
  2. It's just your personal choice.
  3. In the game's notes, the Stargazer is 10,000 years in the future. The point is that "The Shepard" is now revered throughout the galaxy, or at least that planet, as being the savior Space Jesus.

Beaten.
 
I'm sure these questions are answered elsewhere, but it's just too much to look through. I just finished the game and I'm confused. I didn't really understand what my three options were, as they all sounded pretty much the same. Questions:

1) Why was I never given an option to increase galactic readiness past 50%? I had the green bar filled up all the way, but my readiness stayed at 50% the entire game.

2) I chose to control the reapers at the end. Is there any reason for me to choose the other options? As in, will I get different cut scenes at the end of the game?

3) Please explain the ending with the Stargazer.

1) Galactic Readiness is based off of multiplayer and iOS apps

2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPelM2hwhJA&feature=youtu.be
 

Metroidvania

People called Romanes they go the house?
1) Why was I never given an option to increase galactic readiness past 50%? I had the green bar filled up all the way, but my readiness stayed at 50% the entire game.

You have to either play the iOS game or multiplayer to raise your readiness percentage. Otherwise, it's stuck at 50.

2) I chose to control the reapers at the end. Is there any reason for me to choose the other options? As in, will I get different cut scenes at the end of the game?

Same cutscene, different colors. Only differences in cutscene occur with abysmally low/really really high EMS scores.

Also, if you pick destroy, supposedly, EDI doesn't come out of the Normandy, though I've heard of people who did pick Red and still got her, so who knows.

3) Please explain the ending with the Stargazer.

Unfortunately, this one boils down to: The starchild created the reapers as a solution to the organic/synthetic creation, which states that synthetics will eventually reach a technological singularity and try to kill all organics.

To prevent this, the starchild has the reapers go through space every 50,000 years and consume/destroy all organic and synthetic life that is space-capable.

Any other details of the ending are left to speculation at the (allegedly) direct writing and producing by Casey Hudson and Mac Walters, who excluded the rest of the team.

Edit: Holy shit beaten, and editted to switch to Stargazer.

No one knows who the Stargazer is, it's only a rough allusion to life continuing on deep in the future of the ME universe, implying that no matter what you did, human life somehow survived.
 
I'm sure these questions are answered elsewhere, but it's just too much to look through. I just finished the game and I'm confused. I didn't really understand what my three options were, as they all sounded pretty much the same. Questions:

2) I chose to control the reapers at the end. Is there any reason for me to choose the other options? As in, will I get different cut scenes at the end of the game?

3) Please explain the ending with the Stargazer.

2) What's your favorite color?

3) Best I can figure Joker fucked whatever humans were still alive on the Normandy after it crashed on the jungle planet and Stargazer is one of his descendants thousands of years in the future where they never figured out how to fix the Normandy or build a new ship despite the Normandy being full of people who did nothing but study and maintain spaceship parts.
 
So only humans survived? That's not really any better than letting the reapers do their thing.

Man...first Lost now Mass Effect. George R R Martin, my life is in your hands.
 
So only humans survived? That's not really any better than letting the reapers do their thing.

Nah, the other places survived too, but what the ending implies is they are mostly stranded by the relays exploding. Which would likely mean lots of death, especially around Earth.

Though Bioware has now said the relays can and will be repaired. So everything will get back to somewhat normal, except your Normandy crew are stuck on some undiscovered planet forever.
 
Nah, the other places survived too, but what the ending implies is they are mostly stranded by the relays exploding. Which would likely mean lots of death, especially around Earth.

Though Bioware has now said the relays can and will be repaired. So everything will get back to somewhat normal, except your Normandy crew are stuck on some undiscovered planet forever.

Okay. I guess the ending of "the technology the reapers made is wiped out and each civilization has to rebuild" is a fine ending. I just wish it was clearer and that my choices at the end mattered.
 
So only humans survived? That's not really any better than letting the reapers do their thing.

Man...first Lost now Mass Effect. George R R Martin, my life is in your hands.

barely a Game of Thrones spoiler:
Considering he has two (?) books to wrap up a gazillion plots and character arcs, i wouldn't hold on that hope too much :)
 
Question about the Illusive Man-

He was supposed to be indoctrinated, so why did the reapers attack his lab on Horizon? If he was indoctrinated, couldn't they make him do whatever they wanted?
 
Question about the Illusive Man-

He was supposed to be indoctrinated, so why did the reapers attack his lab on Horizon? If he was indoctrinated, couldn't they make him do whatever they wanted?


That's a very good question, just like "why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems," "why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets," and, "why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel when they moved it there to protect it, and why didn't they turn that beam off."
 
Question about the Illusive Man-

He was supposed to be indoctrinated, so why did the reapers attack his lab on Horizon? If he was indoctrinated, couldn't they make him do whatever they wanted?

The kind of slow indoctrination that Illusive Man was under does not give them full control over his actions, it just sort of leads them towards ideas that were already in their head somewhat.

"Rapid indoctrination" that gives them full control over the body is said to turn the victim into a husk in a matter of hours or days, Illusive Man has been fighting indoctrination since before ME2 even.

The reapers wanted him to distract the galactic community with infighting about what to do about the reapers. I guess the problem was that Illusive Man was actually succeeding somewhat in his research to control reapers, so they wanted to cut their losses before he got any further.

Their plan wasn't to let him actually succeed in controlling any reapers, they just wanted him to think he could be able to so that he would have Cerberus fight anyone who wants to destroy the reapers outright.
 

Metroidvania

People called Romanes they go the house?
That's a very good question, just like "why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems," "why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets," and, "why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel when they moved it there to protect it, and why didn't they turn that beam off."

Technically, the first one could be answered by the keepers sidequest in ME1. I think it makes reference to the keepers being disabled in some regard? Can't remember for certain.

The other two are just...shrug.

On that same path, why is Harby running away, why doesn't his damn near direct beam hit kill Shepard when being grazed by the smaller Destroyer Reaper on Rannoch is instant game-over, why do the reapers literally not just camp Mass Relays waiting for any ships to try and pass by, etc.

Question about the Illusive Man-

He was supposed to be indoctrinated, so why did the reapers attack his lab on Horizon? If he was indoctrinated, couldn't they make him do whatever they wanted?

I'm guessing Bioware's answer will be something along the lines of "He wasn't fully indoctrinated, and was getting too close to being able to control the reapers directly before they could fully exert their control over him"
 

HK-47

Oh, bitch bitch bitch.
Technically, the first one could be answered by the keepers sidequest in ME1. I think it makes reference to the keepers being disabled in some regard? Can't remember for certain.

The other two are just...shrug.

On that same path, why is Harby running away, why doesn't his damn near direct beam hit kill Shepard when being grazed by the smaller Destroyer Reaper on Rannoch is instant game-over, why do the reapers literally not just camp Mass Relays waiting for any ships to try and pass by, etc.



I'm guessing Bioware's answer will be something along the lines of "He wasn't fully indoctrinated, and was getting too close to being able to control the reapers directly before they could fully exert their control over him"

Which is why Saren was on the citadel in one. Also I like how taking over the hub of galactic commerce and politics was just a sort of off hand mention in 3. Thats fucking bigger than Earth.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Question about the Illusive Man-

He was supposed to be indoctrinated, so why did the reapers attack his lab on Horizon? If he was indoctrinated, couldn't they make him do whatever they wanted?

That's a very good question, just like "why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems," "why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets," and, "why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel when they moved it there to protect it, and why didn't they turn that beam off."

Hmm. For the Horizon lab thing, maybe to prevent Illusive Man making reaper forces as their own? I mean, that's the whole purpose of the entire facility, yes? Maybe at that time Illusive Man is viewed by the Reapers as someone who has not yet fully committed under their indoctrination power, and thus they see it fit to attack Horizon "just in case".

"Why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems,"
Probably since the Keepers are doing something to prevent it from happening.

"Why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets,"
Well, probably since the mass relay on the Citadel has been disabled? I don't know, maybe they fear they will get rear ended by various forces if they do not dismantle the outer forces first before zoning in into Citadel territories or something.

"Why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel..."
Wait. I am under the assumption that the beam machine thingy is not there because of the Reaper--rather, it's the Alliance force that brought it there? I am under the impression that that device is the Conduit, and maybe they transferred it from Ilos, I don't know. Since the Reapers have the Citadel clamped shut, the only way in is to use the Conduit, right?
 
That's a very good question, just like "why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems," "why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets," and, "why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel when they moved it there to protect it, and why didn't they turn that beam off."

Did "What's in London that's so important?" get answered at any point?
 

HK-47

Oh, bitch bitch bitch.
Hmm. For the Horizon lab thing, maybe to prevent Illusive Man making reaper forces as their own? I mean, that's the whole purpose of the entire facility, yes? Maybe at that time Illusive Man is viewed by the Reapers as someone who has not yet fully committed under their indoctrination power, and thus they see it fit to attack Horizon "just in case".

"Why didn't the Reapers use the Citadel to shut off the mass relay systems,"
Probably since the Keepers are doing something to prevent it from happening.

"Why didn't the Reapers attack the Citadel first before any planets,"
Well, probably since the mass relay on the Citadel has been disabled? I don't know, maybe they fear they will get rear ended by various forces if they do not dismantle the outer forces first before zoning in into Citadel territories or something.

"Why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel..."
Wait. I am under the assumption that the beam machine thingy is not there because of the Reaper--rather, it's the Alliance force that brought it there? I am under the impression that that device is the Conduit, and maybe they transferred it from Ilos, I don't know. Since the Reapers have the Citadel clamped shut, the only way in is to use the Conduit, right?

The conduit is from 1. Its the prothean prototype mass relay. It isnt important to 3. You can manually access the relay network from the Citadel if you know how. Thats why Saren was on the Citadel at the end of 1. Also he is asking why they dont just charge through the relay network and capture the single most important place in the galaxy so they can then shut off the relay network. And since it appears from the intro that no one is really prepared for a reaper invasion, a full fleet of reaper would rape any forces guarding the citadel.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
The conduit is from 1. Its the prothean prototype mass relay. It isnt important to 3. You can manually access the relay network from the Citadel if you know how. Thats why Saren was on the Citadel at the end of 1. Also he is asking why they dont just charge through the relay network and capture the single most important place in the galaxy so they can then shut off the relay network. And since it appears from the intro that no one is really prepared for a reaper invasion, a full fleet of reaper would rape any forces guarding the citadel.

I know that the Conduit is from 1. I am saying that it is precisely because the Reapers clamped down the Citadel that the Alliance brought it back from Ilos or something since it is the only real way to enter the Citadel.

As for the other question... uh... space magic(tm)?
 
Nah, the other places survived too, but what the ending implies is they are mostly stranded by the relays exploding. Which would likely mean lots of death, especially around Earth.

Though Bioware has now said the relays can and will be repaired. So everything will get back to somewhat normal, except your Normandy crew are stuck on some undiscovered planet forever.

Then spacekid is not only a douche, but also an asshole. Whats the point of destroying the relays if they can be brought back? That only takes longer for the species to see their homeworld again. This makes the ending even worse.
 

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
"Why did the Reapers have a beam shooting bodies up to the Citadel..."
Wait. I am under the assumption that the beam machine thingy is not there because of the Reaper--rather, it's the Alliance force that brought it there? I am under the impression that that device is the Conduit, and maybe they transferred it from Ilos, I don't know. Since the Reapers have the Citadel clamped shut, the only way in is to use the Conduit, right?
The Reapers took it to Earth. Shepard said that they might be using it as some kind of processing plant when s/he got inside, after the beam.

This is from the old script: CUTSCENE - The Illusive Man appears again on the giant viewscreen. After learning that the Citadel was the Catalyst, the Illusive Man got aboard it. The Reapers have moved the Citadel to Earth now, in preparations for the final stages of humanity's ascension to Reaperhood? and Shepard must act now if he?s going to stop the Illusive Man, and the Reapers.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
The Reapers took it to Earth. Shepard said that they might be using it as some kind of processing plant when s/he got inside, after the beam.

This is from the old script: CUTSCENE - The Illusive Man appears again on the giant viewscreen. After learning that the Citadel was the Catalyst, the Illusive Man got aboard it. The Reapers have moved the Citadel to Earth now, in preparations for the final stages of humanity's ascension to Reaperhood? and Shepard must act now if he?s going to stop the Illusive Man, and the Reapers.

Huh.

Wonder how can I missed that o_O
 
Then spacekid is not only a douche, but also an asshole. Whats the point of destroying the relays if they can be brought back? That only takes longer for the species to see their homeworld again. This makes the ending even worse.

SpaceMagic may be magic but it still needs to blow up mass relays to work, I guess?

I don't think it's "worse", but it is definitely a lot less of an impactful ending going from "everyone is shit out of luck and is going to die" to "everyone looks like they're SOL, but are actually only mildly inconvenienced cause we said so on twitter". Hopefully the new ending properly conveys the change.
 

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
You mean the Citadel? Yes, they would want to guard the Guardian and the Citadel, but that's a given.

Every time I think about the last section of the game, I think about the kid; and when I think about the kid, I think about the conversation; and when I think about the conversation, I get frustrated and disillusioned all over again.

Why was Shepard's near presence at the Citadel-Crucible crossroad the reason you understood your plan as having failed? All it took was for a human to stumble along and rise up the elevator? Why? Why? WHY?

LOL, how did you get here?
I guess my plan's fucked
Oh well, derp
JUMP INTO THE LAZERS!
 

Metroidvania

People called Romanes they go the house?
Why was Shepard's near presence at the Citadel-Crucible crossroad the reason you understood your plan as having failed? All it took was for a human to stumble along and rise up the elevator? Why? Why? WHY?

The even more silly extrapolation from that is that since the Catalyst admits to controlling the reapers*, he's responsible, at least indirectly, for Harbinger leaving the teleport beam area without blasting Shepard full-on.

He directly allows you access into his sanctum, therefore directly nullifying his theory of 'proving' that his solution doesn't work anymore, since he was the one who allowed you access not only into the citadel, but directly into the crucible section with the elevator.

*(Does he/it flat-out state he controls them, or just that they are his/its solution?)
 

hateradio

The Most Dangerous Yes Man
I think the Catalyst only broadly controls them, and only controls their main purpose. I don't think it has a remote control feature to tell such-and-such Reaper to stop attacking or to do something else. It may or may not have let you get to it, but I don't think BW would have facilitated that plot point.

I believe it says that it created them, and that they are its solution to the problem (of technological singularity, probably).
 

Zen

Banned
I was thinking about this the other day and I was wondering if I had missed something.

Why would Shepard submit herself to the Alliance trial for killing the Batarians? I can understand this on moral grounds, but the Alliance had no hold over Shepard at that point. The S2 Normandy and her crew had all been privately funded and sourced, so they had no means/material to hold over Shepard. Aside from that Shepard is a council Specter, so unless the Alliance got the council to intervene (unlikely?) the council would have Shepards back and there would be nothing the Alliance could do.

All of this is tied together by the fact that Shepard as authority that succeeds Alliance laws and regulations, and it seems highly illogical that Shepard would have willingly sat down and been put under house arrest for years when the Reapers are still 'coming'.

It makes no sense for Shepard to take herself out of the game and be confined to earth, given the circumstances.
 
Yeah, the way I remember it from Arrival, the admiral basically tells her she'll have to submit to Earth justice for her actions, which I remember thinking was a bit funky at the time. I mean, I get that paragon Shep would want to stand trial to show her loyalty to Earth and the Alliance, but I'm certain you're right that she's not obligated to and why the hell would renegade Shep even bother to show up when she could be parked at the Citadel or pirating around the galaxy with Jack?
 

Rapstah

Member
All I remember about that sick bay conversation with Hackett from Arrival was that, as a female Shepard still wearing the civilian clothes from Kasumi's loyalty mission that I had done just before, the whole scene started with a really fucked up revealing upskirt shot. I should probably not be remembering that. :(
 

Arjen

Member
I was thinking about this the other day and I was wondering if I had missed something.

Why would Shepard submit herself to the Alliance trial for killing the Batarians? I can understand this on moral grounds, but the Alliance had no hold over Shepard at that point. The S2 Normandy and her crew had all been privately funded and sourced, so they had no means/material to hold over Shepard. Aside from that Shepard is a council Specter, so unless the Alliance got the council to intervene (unlikely?) the council would have Shepards back and there would be nothing the Alliance could do.

All of this is tied together by the fact that Shepard as authority that succeeds Alliance laws and regulations, and it seems highly illogical that Shepard would have willingly sat down and been put under house arrest for years when the Reapers are still 'coming'.

It makes no sense for Shepard to take herself out of the game and be confined to earth, given the circumstances.

It makes even less sense if you didn't play Arrival, in that case someone from the Aliance blows up the realy.
 

monome

Member
Geez, I love MAss Effect.

Had a great time with ME3, chose the synthesis ending and it ended like blowjob rattled by teeth.

Hardly see how Bioware could be happy with this.
Very sad my Harbinger ass-kicking got turned into babysitting.

How does this all connect to the future of the ME IP.
We know more games are coming (YEAH!) but I'll boycott anything that starts with "before", "unexplored".

I say reboot. before it is too late.
 
Geez, I love MAss Effect.

Had a great time with ME3, chose the synthesis ending and it ended like blowjob rattled by teeth.

Hardly see how Bioware could be happy with this.
Very sad my Harbinger ass-kicking got turned into babysitting.

How does this all connect to the future of the ME IP.
We know more games are coming (YEAH!) but I'll boycott anything that starts with "before", "unexplored".

I say reboot. before it is too late.

I say kill it with fire and start a new franchise.
 

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
I say kill it with fire and start a new franchise.

But i dont wanna say goodbye to asaris, krogans, turians, salarians, quarians, geths, drells, volus, elcors, hanars and batarians. Sorry if i missed anything else.

Vorchas can burn in hell though.
 

Randdalf

Member
I hope the epilogue DLC at least gives some explanation of what the hell happens afterwards. I really wish BioWare didn't pull the "artistic direction" card, because they really need to redo the entire ending sequence - it makes the whole set of games pointless because your choices, in the end, do not matter.

I thought the endings would be more along the lines of:
- Shepard kills the reapers
- The reapers win

Though much more in-depth than that, having little cutscenes based on all the choices you made across the entire series, like ME2's ending sequence. It could be said that the Crucible was cheating in some ways, this massive ultimate superweapon whose blueprints are coincidentally discovered when it matters most, but I liked how it was integrated in general, being the product of multiple cycles.
 

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say

Damn, this is a pretty decent idea for justification for the Reapers... should have done something where you learned that the Reapers were originally an organic race who multiplied rapidly and nearly expunged all the galaxy's resources before reaching a singularity, and now their goals are to make sure this doesn't happen by 'pruning' sufficiently advanced species. Would have been much better than the explanation we got.

Also I'd have loved a scene where you see spirits of a bunch of races from pre-Prothian cycles (the Inusannon for instance) and they urge you forward.
 

CorrisD

badchoiceboobies
Anyone know of a guide or something similar with how to kill as many people off through the three games as possible?

Geez, I love MAss Effect.

Had a great time with ME3, chose the synthesis ending and it ended like blowjob rattled by teeth.

Hardly see how Bioware could be happy with this.
Very sad my Harbinger ass-kicking got turned into babysitting.

How does this all connect to the future of the ME IP.
We know more games are coming (YEAH!) but I'll boycott anything that starts with "before", "unexplored".

I say reboot. before it is too late.

I don't really see why they would need to reboot the series, do a Star Trek from TOS to TNG and just set it a hundred, maybe two hundred, years into the future of the universe, at which time they can throw away a lot of what has happened while giving the universe enough time to advance where a lot of the problems the endings left us wouldn't really matter, notably destruction of Mass Relays, decimation of most Earth and a good chunk of the races being stranded in our system.

Most of the characters would be dead at that point, and if they wanted they could have some cameos from the longer living races like Liara and Wrex.
 
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