Now that makes sense. However that's not really "preserving" in the strict sense is it? Everyone has been altered, then preserved. Noe one is really who they were before as they all share an overriding directive -- being "one with the reapers". Yet, I can now see this as being a flaw that Shep might point out (If only they didn't make him a gullible idiot in ME3 's ending), so I'm kinda not bothered by it anymore.
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Mass Effect 3 Spoiler Thread |OT2| Taste the Rainbow
- Thread starter Patryn
- Start date
Now that makes sense. However that's not really "preserving" in the strict sense is it? Everyone has been altered, then preserved. Noe one is really who they were before as they all share an overriding directive -- being "one with the reapers". Yet, I can now see this as being a flaw that Shep might point out (If only they didn't make him a gullible idiot in ME3 's ending), so I'm kinda not bothered by it anymore.
infinityBCRT
Member
I just beat the game. My first thought when fishing the game was that at some level, Shepard had to be indoctrinated for him to shoot Anderson. The possibility that the whole thing was in his head hadn't crossed my mind at that point. That being said, earlier I did notice it was odd when Shepard gets up from the Reaper blast and the voices on the radio were making it sound like everyone died, including Shepard. There was a moment there where I thought Shepard was dead and this was just a dream.
After seeing the indoctrination theory videos around the net, its even more obvious that at the very least, at some level Shepard was indoctrinated: the black tendrils around the screen, the oily shadows that he dreams about, the fact that Shepard was straight up knocked out by the Reaper artifact in the Arrival DLC.
Now I can see how some stuff in the ending could have been a flat out mistake. I think the part where the crew gets out of the Normandy could be error prone. For example, I chose "destroy" and Joker came out with Ash, and then Javik also appeared. I could see how Joker and Ash were on the ship, but theres almost no way that Javik was on the ship (he was running to the beam with me). Maybe thats implying that the scene is not real, but honestly I think it was probably just a mess up.
That being said my own thoughts on the ending don't line up exactly with the "indoctrination theory" video on youtube. In my own head, the way I see it, is that since Shepard has been indoctrinated, he mind must be intertwined with Harbinger's. Remember how Sovereign's death was influenced by Saren's death? I think Harbinger was in a battle with Shepard's mind.
Moreover, I think that Harbinger/The Reapers themselves were presented by a new situation (the crucible in the citadel) and all of a sudden were stumped by what to do with it, and were open to input from Shepard. The combination of those factors lead to Shepard (while still knocked out on Earth) influencing the Reapers to do one of the three options at the end. The Reapers realize that their solution has finally stopped working and need a new one.
HollovVpo1nt
Banned
^Well yeah Shepard was indoctrinated at some point by TIM.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Yeah, it's basically a documentary that plays a lot like Loose Change (ie, "look at these images that must be planned by the game designers! Indoc theory confirmed!")
I'd be happy if they killed indoctrination for good.
Exactly!
It wasn't by the reapers, he wasn't dreaming after the blast, it was TIM that was controlling him with those new gained powers!
utsavinheaven
Member
What abt the trees that appear before the beam
About a month after beating the game, I'm now really irritated by that ending. At first I was really impressed because I absolutely loved the star child. I love super powerful beings dropping grandiose speeches on main characters (example: conversation between Sovereign and Shep on Virmire). I didn't like that the star child had the same voice and model as that stupid kid, ugh, but just the idea of him being omniscient was exciting to me. I think I made a similar post saying the ending wasn't that bad because of this!
But now I'm getting really frustrated about three things: 1) How vague and abrupt the ending was, 2) how each of the endings are the same, and 3) that the mass relays are destroyed no matter what ending you choose.
But now I'm getting really frustrated about three things: 1) How vague and abrupt the ending was, 2) how each of the endings are the same, and 3) that the mass relays are destroyed no matter what ending you choose.
You've come to the wrong place if you are looking for closure but you are most welcome.
The answer to your questions are:
1) they ran out of time
2) Paid dlc
3) because ............... speculation
Darkmakaimura
Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
How they did 'run out of a time'? The game was delayed so they could properly finish it and then near the release date it was ahead of schedule. There's no excuse for "running out of time" here.
There's no excuse, but they did in fact run out of time and tried to balance that out by going with a less ambitious idea. That's basically the reason for all of this, including why all the endings are the same (not "paid DLC", no idea what that was supposed to mean).
The game was obviously not ready to launch, the number of bugs should be enough of a proof for that. Why was it delayed? For the Prothean DLC? Because the ending wasn't already done(and was still rushed anyway)?
Darkmakaimura
Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
It was about a month ahead of schedule. They couldn't use a week to check for bugs? Meh.
it will be ok you know. the first cut is the deepest.
Considering they still havent fixed all the bugs 2½ months later... yes, a week wasn't going to be enough. Sure there is some weird bugs that only happen if you do certain things(like my asari justicar doing a 25 meters jump after a Cerberus dude jumped over the cover where i was hiding) that i can understand how it could be easily missed, but stuff like getting easily stuck in the Normandy where Joker and EDI are? No.
John Harker
Definitely doesn't make things up as he goes along.
I hope we don't have to "beat" the game again to trigger the extended ending DLC... the thought of doing that gauntlet of fights again on Earth does not please me
I hope we don't have to "beat" the game again to trigger the extended ending DLC... the thought of doing that gauntlet of fights again on Earth does not please me
Who knows how much they will change on Earth with the DLC... then again, i'm 90% sure it will be only what follows after Marauder Shields.
The only thing they're going to change is at the end of the final cutscene write the following text
SHEPARD WAS SLEEPING BECAUSE HE WAS INDOCTRINATED (please enjoy the legacy left by shepard's dream by purchasing future DLC)
Monolith Gui will you be my bride?
That will also be in the new ending
They will make a chibi of the character you romanced. He/she will show up with sparkly eyes and say " *Gamertag* will you be my waifuuuuuuuuu? "
I'm just pretending you didn't actually ask that but now I really want this in the ending. I can imagine my chibi liara already. Yes I'll be your waifu!
Speaking of the "buy DLC" pop-up, I found a parallel in Dragon Age - if you save the game after you beat it, this is what the blurb about your location says in the save file menu (censored to remove potential spoilers):
Pretty much the exact same thing as the ME3 message only this doesn't actually pop up naturally. Dragon Age certainly had DLC available at launch though, and ME3 only had From Ashes which isn't really some epic mission pack you get into after having already beaten the game.
Pretty much the exact same thing as the ME3 message only this doesn't actually pop up naturally. Dragon Age certainly had DLC available at launch though, and ME3 only had From Ashes which isn't really some epic mission pack you get into after having already beaten the game.
It might have been a month ahead of schedule but that doesn't mean a lot of content was cut to reach that deadline-example being Javik, which Casey Hudson said had to be cut from the game in order to reach the march date. The utter blandness of the earth mission is another good example, as there's tons of dialogue on disk regarding the races you recruited helping out that wasn't implemented.
I hope we don't have to "beat" the game again to trigger the extended ending DLC... the thought of doing that gauntlet of fights again on Earth does not please me
But all the emotion during that turret sequence.
Don't you want to feel all that good stuff again?
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Games are big. They take time and money. Mass Effect is a big story. EA pulls the strings. EA prioritised Mass Effect 3 being an 'entry point' in the series. ME3's ending wasn't properly penned until late last year. They may not have been given adequate time and financing for the level of production that they wanted, especially if it did not fit EA's vision for the project. There's also the factor that they probably poorly planned their script, leaving too many important variables until too late.
But the most important factor is that Walters is a shitty fucking narrative writer. Him and Hudson locking themselves away to pen this garbage killed the game. They wrote a bad story and it will forever be remembered as bad. Forever and ever and ever and ever.
Don't forget that random dude at your campsite that gives you a quest, and when you try to start it his response is "Great to hear it! Now just buy the DLC to begin it!"
That is the launch DLC, yes.
that was Warden's Keep, no? Fucking travesty making you buy a storage chest for your party's items.
Blue Ninja
Member
EatChildren, you are absolutely correct, and I applaud you for saying so. Good show, sir, good show.
Darkmakaimura
Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
Really comes down to shitty writing more than probably time constraints then I guess, but yeah I hear ya.
riceandbeans
Member
Shepard wasn't indoctrinated. The Indoctrination Theory takes bits of information out of context and is seeing things that aren't really there or simply a part of game design. At some point, Shepard was suppose to be indoctrinated in ME3, but it was cut out from the game.
Could there bits that were left over? Sure. But he wasn't and the space brat even points it out in the ending when he tells Shepard only someone who hasn't been indoctrinated can control them.
aparisi2274
Member
So I just finished the game.
I went with Synthesis ending and thought it was a decent ending.
Can someone explain to me what all the fuss was from the internet community when the game first came out, and everyone wanted a new ending...
I just dont see the issue.
I went with Synthesis ending and thought it was a decent ending.
Can someone explain to me what all the fuss was from the internet community when the game first came out, and everyone wanted a new ending...
I just dont see the issue.
CharmingCharlie
Member
It has been explained to death more times than I care to mention. Pop to the first post of this topic and check out some of the links, they give a pretty detailed idea of why a huge number find the endings utter crap.
Whilst I am here Lance Henrikson has confirmed he is recorded new dialogue for the EC :-
Lance Henrikson said:
http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723925/admiral-hackett-and-edi-wil-be-back-in-mass-effect-3-ending-content/
People are naturally wondering what he meant by "when a guy loses the game, the game shuts down: it's over. It's done. The players don't like that". Also pretty much tells us Bioware haven't got a bloody clue why people didn't like their "artistic" ending.
On another note here is something on the cute side of things. A re-imagining of the ME 3 Earth CGI trailer in minecraft form :-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mMXUUsIXLfs
Darkmakaimura
Can You Imagine What SureAI Is Going To Do With Garfield?
So we know Bishop is going to be part of the epilogue, EC, or whatever they're doing along with EDI.
Wow, Henrikson is getting up there in age. That hair is quite white, indeed.
Like I should be talking *has graying hair*
HP_Wuvcraft
Banned
Speaking of the "buy DLC" pop-up, I found a parallel in Dragon Age - if you save the game after you beat it, this is what the blurb about your location says in the save file menu (censored to remove potential spoilers):
Pretty much the exact same thing as the ME3 message only this doesn't actually pop up naturally. Dragon Age certainly had DLC available at launch though, and ME3 only had From Ashes which isn't really some epic mission pack you get into after having already beaten the game.
This was the start of BioWare's DLC troubles, since playing the game after you beat it caused a corrupt save file.
Blue Ninja
Member
Wait, she can?
PinkCrayon
Member
Yeah, most likely a glitch though, like Tali coming to have ghost sex.
Shepard-kun, I've come back to forgive you for killing me. Please, take me. Only you can send me to Quarian heaven. Won't you do it! Won't you! :3
Sir Ilpalazzo
Member
That one writer who gave an interview at PAX said it was intentional.
Believe me, when your first exposure to the ending is seeing EDI live in the Destroy ending, the issues just start snowballing.
I never heard of that. Seriously?
Blue Ninja
Member
For fuck's sake, BioWare. I can imagine it going something like this.
"Well, we obviously wanted players to choose the geth, which is why we portrayed them the way we did. However, though, so many of our fans wanted to make steamy, dangerous love to Tali again, so even though she dies... You can! Because we're totally considerate and player-oriented and all that shit. Also, some people tried setting fire to our offices when they read the leaked script, which is why ultimately the ending is what it is. Casey and Mac were caught in a small room which
Oh...Oh my. This is just becoming a joke. ME3 is a joke. Bioware has achieved a hyper c-c-combo of failure.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Mostly, yes, but you also have to look at what fans probably expected from the final entry of a trilogy, based on BioWare's promises and marketing of the franchise. I think most people didn't just want something well written, they expected to see the fruits of their labour come to fruition. All their choices, decisions, and actions representing something in the final game.
Bad writing can factor BioWare's idiocy in specifically negating these choices. Not ignoring them, but rendering them pointless. The actual content that is there, the lack of any substance and closure: that is bad, dumb writing of which there can be no excuse. Bad planning can also factor into this.
But think about the hypothetical best the ending could be. I think a lot of people wanted slides, or scenes, reflecting on all their decisions. Doing this isn't as simple as writing such things. It has to be built. It requires people making assets, and recording voice where necessary. Scripting, cinema, testing, and so on. Staff required to do this would be unable to work on other aspects of the project. This would also have to be budgeted. And, creating all these scenes would factor into just how long the game would take to make.
Now, if EA didn't really give a shit about any of this, and prioritised getting an 'entry point' Mass Effect 3 out the door, how do you think they'd respond to BioWare hypothetically saying "we want more time to make more endings"? It's not their vision of the project, and expanding the ending might delay the game a month or two past the target date. After the game had already been delayed once.
There's a whole bunch of variables involved in this. I firmly believe awful writing is the number one factor, but I don't doubt that publisher meddling and poor planning also contributed.
Guys, I think I'm arriving at the anger stage. . . . months later.
Why did they do that? That was so misguided. Ripping off Deus Ex, destroying the universe, not committing to a single ending, going after technological singularity, leaving everything on a brain fart that would create speculation. Holy hell.
Who are these people? What the fuck. What the fuck.
edit: Sigh. I got that out of my system. I feel better now.
Why did they do that? That was so misguided. Ripping off Deus Ex, destroying the universe, not committing to a single ending, going after technological singularity, leaving everything on a brain fart that would create speculation. Holy hell.
Who are these people? What the fuck. What the fuck.
edit: Sigh. I got that out of my system. I feel better now.
betty swollocks
Banned
Finished this over the weekend.
I'm pretty sad. I don't think I'll leave that stage.
When 3 was released I decided to play through them all again, all DLC everything. Which is why its taken me so long. I'm sad that after all that, all that world and character building, all those relationships. The whole experience, this is the conclusion I've been given.
No amount of patching or extended cuts can fix this mess. It'll never be fixed. And that makes me sad. Those characters deserved better.
I'm pretty sad. I don't think I'll leave that stage.
When 3 was released I decided to play through them all again, all DLC everything. Which is why its taken me so long. I'm sad that after all that, all that world and character building, all those relationships. The whole experience, this is the conclusion I've been given.
No amount of patching or extended cuts can fix this mess. It'll never be fixed. And that makes me sad. Those characters deserved better.