Contenu de Obadiah

#20427925 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur aujourd’hui, 03:37 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

Were the scientists on Sanctuary implanting themselves with Reaper tech? I wouln't have assumed that, but entirely possible.

#20427776 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur aujourd’hui, 01:56 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

But Reapers can't control people mechanically, they only affect their brain. While TIM's powers looked closer to biotics than to indoctrination.

Well, isn't there a the researcher's recording on Horizon/Sanctuary where she says she can't move when the test signal is switched on?

There's also the Harbinger Collector boss from ME2, but that's more possession. Still, it does show "direct control".

#20427717 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur aujourd’hui, 01:05 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

...
However, I would like to know how TIM suddenly being able to Control two people's bodies is not weird. With your question of consistency in mind, where was that ability set up beforehand? How is he doing that?

Well I can't speak against the "weird" part (some of the strangeness was probably on purpose by the devs to create a unique experience), but as far as consistency goes TIM's ability to control people seemed like an extension of the indoctrination properties already demonstrated and described throughout he trilogy, and gained from the procedure he underwent on Horizon. His Reaper-like nature was also described by his changed appearance.

#20427703 Ancient 'Queen of Heaven' Mythos & Shepard

Posté par Obadiah sur aujourd’hui, 12:55 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

I am not familiar with this specific myth, but I very much agree with the whole mythical/religious aspect of Shepard's story, and that Control is more, for Shepard at least, a sacrifice and descent rather than an ascent to godhood.

He's basically a resurrected outcast warrior, on a quest to unite his people against gods. Made a goofy summary of it a long time ago (http://social.biowar...34/blog/242093/). The end of that story would naturally be mythical.

#20426560 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur hier, 11:01 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

@Natureguy85 Is that really so much better?

The conversation is described by you as "weird" and the pacing is described as "slams to a halt" - both are equally fuzzy and subjective descriptions, which even if true are not really a basis for any criticism of the story. Plot pacings change, and, well, you and some others apparently need more exposition in the conversation, whereas it isn't a strict requirement for some of us.

At this rate, these rules appear to be more contingent on what a critical mass of consumers think of the story, rather than the some rule that was broken - you just don't like the pacing and the conversation.

#20426162 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur hier, 08:24 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

@Natureguy85 Your argument right now is that you don't like the pacing and flow because its "weird", and the fictional world is inconsistent because it didn't provide an explicit explanation for something which you require, which is in fact not the definition of an inconsistency, but the definition of a mystery.

Compelling stuff.

#20425445 Catalyst Conversation About Differences between Synthetics and Organics (Spoi...

Posté par Obadiah sur hier, 02:50 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

The Catalyst says:

...
Organics seek perfections through technology. Synthetics seek perfection through understanding.
...

This appears to be a continuation of an earlier statement:

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Organics create Synthetics to improve their own existence. But those improvements have limits. To exceed those limits, Synthetics must be allowed to evolve.
...

However, new technology (methods, tools, and devices) is created by studying existing systems, research, or at the very least trial and error. If we don't understand how something works, we at least try to understand what does work, and then use that knowledge to create new technology. If not on an individual level (example, I don't understand exactly how micro circuitry is manufactured) then at a species level, someone had to understand it and propagate that knowledge. The idea of using technology, necessarily includes some understanding.

Our system of education is one in the service of understanding. Our news media is one we consume in the interest of understanding the happenings in the world around us (what has happened and why).

Additionally, Synthetics use new technology to improve themselves. Tali mentions that the Geth have "evolved" since the rebellion, the Geth built a Dyson Bubble in ME3, and the Leviathan mentions that indoctrination is a Reaper perfection of its ability to influence organics. Surely, these can all be seen as perfections through technology.

So, the distinction between how organics and synthetics seek perfection seems to be one without a material difference.

#20425259 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur hier, 01:08 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

With the conversations in this thread, the title seems a little bit sarcastic.

#20423972 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 01 août 2016 - 09:52 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

For all anyone knows Anderson woke up after the blast, couldn't hear anything, and stumbled towards the beam because he saw Shep going that way.

#20421695 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 01 août 2016 - 02:50 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

No, that conversation had to do with Angol's comment that we had to analyze the story only from outside it. I disagreed saying the story had to remain internally consistent.
...

I think you're actually agreeing with Angol.

A story's internal consistency would almost necessarily have to be judged from outside of its experience, objectively, rather than while reading and experiencing it. I can easily see situations where one would enjoy a piece of literature because of the characters or some other aspect, but upon reflection find it isn't internally consistent. So, as far as it being a "rule", that's debatable.

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The Catalyst more breaks the "rules" of story telling.

The primary problem is the plot hole it creates regarding Mass Effect 1. Everything that happens becomes silly once it is revealed that the Reaper Mother Brain is onboard the Citadel already.
...

The lack of an explanation for the Catalyst's behavior isn't a plot hole. The Catalyst could have simply been dormant, or content to act as an observer so as not to give itself away. It was dormant for most of Mass Effect 3, so its behavior doesn't exactly break the story's internal consistency.

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Another problem is that it is only foreshadowed with a few lines of dialogue which are quickly passed over and never brought up again, even when facing the Catalyst. It would have been cool to mention the idea of the Reapers having a master to TIM when discussing if Conrol would work or not.
...

The Catalyst's appearance was clearly meant to be a twist ending. I wouldn't say there was much foreshadowing, and what was foreshadowed was just meant to support its appearance upon the player's reflection, which it does. Twist endings that reframe everything that came before happen in stories all the time.

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The other problem I'll mention right now is a gameplay issue. After the tense and climactic beam run, the action is slammed to a halt by Harbinger shooting Shepard. Then you get the slow, weird stumble to the beam, more slow stumble to Anderson, then a weird conversation with TIM, a possible conversation with Anderson, then a one sided "conversation" with a new character whom you can not influence in any way and have to select from one of the choices it offers.

I'm not sure what you expected, but I thought it worked just fine. Marauder Shields is annoying (because I can't aim), but the rest of the sequence works. I really enjoy that standoff with TIM and Anderson. It's one of my favorite sequences of the game. I don't see an internal inconsistency here.

#20420563 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 31 juillet 2016 - 09:17 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

It depends on what you mean by "the rules." Things had been falling apart since ME2 so if you mean things like how Relays work then that damage was largely done well before the ending.

I think it depends on what you mean by "the rules", since that's the basis for the ongoing "bad writing" conversation. Your argument is that Mass Effect 3 broke rules of its fictional world with the Catalyst, and this inconsistency broke immersion of players, and thus "bad writing". What are these rules that you think were broken?

And if its a not a specific rule, then why does the character of the Catalyst not fit with the story?

I thought the Catalyst fit just fine.

#20420404 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 31 juillet 2016 - 08:27 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

I'm just going to say it - the idea that the ending violated the rules of the fictional world that Bioware created for Mass Effect is laughable.

#20419104 It's now official: "This Forum is Dead"!

Posté par Obadiah sur 31 juillet 2016 - 12:46 dans General Discussion

Aw...

#20417509 Bioware 3rd Party Community/Forums

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 11:24 dans BioWare Forum/BSN Help

I'll be honest. One of the big pluses for me with this forum was the moderation. It made discussions WAY less nasty than I've seen elsewhere.

#20416946 Concerning Our Forums

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 08:40 dans BioWare Forum/BSN Help

For some reason this song seems appropriate:

#20416933 Bioware 3rd Party Community/Forums

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 08:38 dans BioWare Forum/BSN Help

Ugh.....

#20413681 A different ascension - the Synthesis compendium (now with EC material integr...

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 02:11 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

I think I'm realty going to miss having this thread around - just as an endless resource on interesting musings about Synthesis.

#20413568 The Mass Effect PUNiverse

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 01:39 dans General Discussion

I know. I might actually have to write down the instructions for installing and fully patching NWN now so I don't lose them (just did it last week and needed help from the forum posts).

#20413547 What did you do today in the Mass Effect trilogy

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 01:35 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

Where the hell am I going to go now to find people still actively playing through some of my favorite games, and connect with the story the way I do?

Yeah, gonna miss these threads....

#20413510 Concerning Our Forums

Posté par Obadiah sur 30 juillet 2016 - 01:28 dans BioWare Forum/BSN Help

Well ****. I joined back in NWN1, and have for the most part really enjoyed the conversations and sense of community I've had on these boards in its, what, maybe three versions for me. It is the only place on the internet to connect with people who have shared in the experience of playing through a Bioware game. I've been trying to find something similar for years (facebook, reddit, etc...), and have not found anything that comes close. That's why I keep returning.

Guess that's done.

Au revoir, adios, and goodbye.

#20410024 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 29 juillet 2016 - 05:11 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

Seems like as the AI became more desperate, they might have turned to more drastic solutions, like launching an attack to wipe out all organic life - as the Council races are close to doing against Synthetics with the Crucible in this cycle.

#20408920 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 29 juillet 2016 - 01:35 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

It seems the Reapers value the whole system of organic life over individual organics or even unique races, and seek to preserve its existence over our own.

Its an interesting evaluation. Certainly we're having that conversation in the real world with respect to climate change and how it affects the environment (should it be maintained in some more perfect state for the benefit of nature) vs our own well-being, or the sacrificed we'll have to make. I suppose it is a perspective that can come with distance and time.

#20405941 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 27 juillet 2016 - 03:25 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

I like that the ending encompasses not just everything we've experienced in game, but also demonstrates the destination of the advances of our civilization - AI can progress from the level of the Geth to become as powerful a Reapers (whose state of existence is difficult to describe or comprehend), and organics can develop tools as powerful as the Crucible, etc...

The decision in the Decision Chamber represents the kind of problem that our advanced knowledge can reveal, problems that we would perhaps rather be blissfully unaware of.

I thought it was profound.

#20403235 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 25 juillet 2016 - 07:23 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

Is that to me? What are you talking about?

I was talking about "advanced civilizations". They're not advanced. They're all scavengers. It's orchestrated advancement.

Those two designations (advanced and scavengers) are not mutually exclusive.

#20403212 Mass Effect 3's ending is absolutely brilliant!

Posté par Obadiah sur 25 juillet 2016 - 07:10 dans Story, Campaign, and Characters

...or you can just continue to deny the fairly obvious an explicit premise of the choice in the Decision Chamber. Enjoy that.