Colonist Sole Survivor is my favourite. I used to like Spacer, but ... I dunno, I've changed since I started playing ME1 4 years ago, I guess.
What's the best Shepard back story and why?
Débuté par
CaptainZaysh
, févr. 17 2011 02:03
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#102
Posté 21 février 2011 - 01:26
LordJeyl
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Spacer War Hero. I like the fact that the mother is a more key figure than the father for once.
#103
Posté 21 février 2011 - 01:42
TridentWhisper
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Earthborn/Sole Survivor - I like to imagine that it's Shepard's survival-instinct that makes him always overcome whatever the universe throws at him.
#104
Posté 21 février 2011 - 02:04
Undertone
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Earthborn/Ruthless. Because his background is similar to mine. Ruthless because the Butcher of Torfan sounds like the best resume out of all three and the most impressive. I can go for a long explanation, but I suppose that will suffice.
#105
Posté 21 février 2011 - 02:19
YamiSnuffles
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Earthborn/War Hero. A tough start helps Shep know how to survive against the odds and then he/she goes on to flourish.
#106
Posté 21 février 2011 - 03:40
Blze001
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This is an extremely subjective question, and it depends on the Shep I'm roleplaying:
The Paragon, hero of humanity: Spacer/War Hero. (Jon, my maxed Paragon character)
The Renegade, epic b*tch: Earthborn/Ruthless. (Krystal, my maxed Renegade character)
The middle-ground: Colonist/War Hero. (Damara, goes on instinct, leans towards Paragon)
The Paragon, hero of humanity: Spacer/War Hero. (Jon, my maxed Paragon character)
The Renegade, epic b*tch: Earthborn/Ruthless. (Krystal, my maxed Renegade character)
The middle-ground: Colonist/War Hero. (Damara, goes on instinct, leans towards Paragon)
#107
Posté 21 février 2011 - 07:10
BWBamboo
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The backstory I found most appealing is Spacer/Sole Survivor.
Spacer for one because, as someone already mentioned, it is the only background without major drama.
It also provides more substance to the Sole Survivor story imo. I never thought about it before, but Dean_the_Young made a good point about how realistic the stories are, and Sole Survivor really doesn't give a good explanation to why Shepard is as successful or special as portrayed in the game. Being the child of high-ranking military types (at least Mother Shepard has her own ship) makes it more believable for Shepard to succeed in the military, either because of an education provided to spacer kids by the military, through skill that runs in the family, or just because the parents pulled some strings.
If you don't take the Akuze incident as the whole explanation for Shepard's status, it is actually less cartoonish than War Hero or Butcher of Torfan.
Spacer for one because, as someone already mentioned, it is the only background without major drama.
It also provides more substance to the Sole Survivor story imo. I never thought about it before, but Dean_the_Young made a good point about how realistic the stories are, and Sole Survivor really doesn't give a good explanation to why Shepard is as successful or special as portrayed in the game. Being the child of high-ranking military types (at least Mother Shepard has her own ship) makes it more believable for Shepard to succeed in the military, either because of an education provided to spacer kids by the military, through skill that runs in the family, or just because the parents pulled some strings.
If you don't take the Akuze incident as the whole explanation for Shepard's status, it is actually less cartoonish than War Hero or Butcher of Torfan.
#108
Posté 22 février 2011 - 06:36
Aedan_Cousland
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Sentox6 wrote...
Aedan_Cousland wrote...
The Sole Survivor background isn't unique in that Shepard emerged the sole survivor of a disaster, with his or her mental health intact. Impressive or admirable sure, but not necessarily unique or unusual.
I don't really want starting writing paragraphs on the matter, but let me ask you this: do you think War Hero Shepard is the only soldier in the Alliance who has a moment of impressive heroism in his/her service record?
Shepard probably wouldn't have been the only person to have won a Star of Terra during the conflict, but the circumstances in which he won it are fairly unique. It is doubtful that any other recepients earned their medals by rallying a massively outnumbered and outgunned force that included colonial civilians to save a large colony from being destroyed.
Not too long ago I finished reading a book called The Last Stand of Fox Company by Tom Drury and Bob Clavin, about a company of US Marines during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. During the battle the approximately 250 men of Fox Company were tasked with holding a strategic hill, later dubbed Fox Hill, from being overrun to prevent the mountain pass it overlooked from being cut by the enemy. If the enemy managed to cut the pass it would have prevented the breakout of the entire 1st Marine Divsion, which was cut off and surrounded by 8 Chinese divisions. If the 1st Marine Division was destroyed, the Communist Chinese & North Koreans may have been able to drive down the entire Korean penisula, roll up the UN Forces one by one and drive the rest into the sea. Fox Company held the hill for several days against repeated assaults from 10,000 of the enemy, and despite the staggering 40:1 odds and most of the company being killed or wounded, it successfully held the pass open and mauled the attacking force.
The authors said of Fox Company, " No Marine unit — or any other unit — fighting in Korea in 1950 held a more strategic piece of land against more crushing odds."
From what we know of Shepard's defense of Elysium, an author writing about it afterwards could probably borrow the same quote. The consequences of Shepard's 'unit' being defeated are the capture and possible destruction of humanity's most important colony in the Skyllian Verge, and the Batarians succeeding in capturing what would have been their main objective in the blitz. Like the Marines of Fox Company, Shepard's 'unit' would have been holding the most strategic piece of ground within the Verge, and we are told he successfully held it against 'impossible' odds.
Modifié par Aedan_Cousland, 23 février 2011 - 05:04 .
#109
Posté 22 février 2011 - 06:53
jamesp81
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My preference is Colonist/Sole Survivor. Basically he's a country boy from a country world/town. And as old Hank told us, country boys can survive. They can whip some ass too 
ETA: this background is also a really harsh one, and I like to play a mostly Paragon Shepard with it. Or, rather, he's a Paragon with his friends and crew; he'd do anything for them. Mainly because he can't bear the idea of losing his people again. But he's a real hard ass with his enemies. It shows that he's strong and didn't let his previous life turn him bitter or cynical. He's still a good man inside, but it takes a lot of effort for him to hold it all together. At the same time, he's seen some serious crap in his life, and he knows sometimes you need to shoot a guy in the face because he deserves it.
Another ETA: this background also adds flavor to the possible romances. Paragon Sole Survivor Colonist Shepard has been through hell, and you so badly want him to have a little happiness.
ETA: this background is also a really harsh one, and I like to play a mostly Paragon Shepard with it. Or, rather, he's a Paragon with his friends and crew; he'd do anything for them. Mainly because he can't bear the idea of losing his people again. But he's a real hard ass with his enemies. It shows that he's strong and didn't let his previous life turn him bitter or cynical. He's still a good man inside, but it takes a lot of effort for him to hold it all together. At the same time, he's seen some serious crap in his life, and he knows sometimes you need to shoot a guy in the face because he deserves it.
Another ETA: this background also adds flavor to the possible romances. Paragon Sole Survivor Colonist Shepard has been through hell, and you so badly want him to have a little happiness.
Modifié par jamesp81, 22 février 2011 - 07:09 .
#110
Posté 22 février 2011 - 06:58
jamesp81
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BobSmith101 wrote...
Dean_the_Young wrote...
It's a game mechanic on an RPG, and nothing else but. It's not even related to lore, so it's not like you can actually claim Shepard sucks compared to anyone. The alternative to progressively strengthening/better characters is a character who starts out at the best... which cripples the RPG gameplay allure.
And since I imported my ME1 Shepard to ME1 before starting my 'real' playthrough, I started ME1 at level... 59? About right.
Ah, your one of those people who thinks that plot and gameplay exist independently of each other.
By the fact he can't aim down a sniper scope and hit something while the enemy can practicaly hit me from out of visual range. Yep he sucks badly.
Have you ever fired a rifle equipped with a telescopic sight from the standing position? It ain't like the games, pal, where the crosshair holds steady. ME1 is one of the few games that accurately reflects this. Maybe not the best idea for gameplay, but it is realistic.
#111
Posté 22 février 2011 - 07:04
Aedan_Cousland
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Have you ever fired a rifle equipped with a telescopic sight from the standing position? It ain't like the games, pal, where the crosshair holds steady. ME1 is one of the few games that accurately reflects this. Maybe not the best idea for gameplay, but it is realistic.
This.
The offhand postion (standing) is the least stable and accurate position to shoot from, because by it's very nature you have the least amount of bone support compared to the other shooting positions, and your muscles the least relaxed.
#112
Posté 22 février 2011 - 07:18
jamesp81
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Lizardviking wrote...
AdmiralCheez wrote...
@Lizardviking: Whoa. You actually roleplay it like that?
Awesome.
Yeah. My canon-Shepard to be exactly.
I was even gonna write a small fanfic about it, then I suffered writers-block half-a-page through then I have given up all hope of ever completing it.
That happens every time I try to write....well....anything. I did get 30,000 words written on a novel, but I got blocked so bad I never finished it. Last thing I finished was a Starcraft 2 fanfic which I submitted to Blizzard's writing contest.
#113
Posté 22 février 2011 - 07:21
jamesp81
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Sentox6 wrote...
Hey, I'll totally admit to being a massive sucker for wangst. Moar!Lizardviking wrote...
And not to troll anyone who likes it. But I cannot stand colonist -/- sole-survivor. Too must wangst for me!
Me too. MOAR
:lol:
#114
Posté 22 février 2011 - 09:52
In Exile
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War Hero is basically Shepard: The Audie Murphy story (read: the man whose military exploits had to be toned down to be believable in film). Ridiculous killing sprees of that sort do happen historically.
#115
Posté 22 février 2011 - 10:45
KenKenpachi
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LordJeyl wrote...
Spacer War Hero. I like the fact that the mother is a more key figure than the father for once.
I normally go this way, though I think best is Earthborn War Hero, as I mean here he goes from criminal life and the slums into a war hero that saved a planet for the most part. From a Zero and what most would hate, to a hero and one who's actions are an example to all.
#116
Posté 23 février 2011 - 12:50
PrinceLionheart
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I like both the Earthborn/War Hero and Colonist/Ruthless.
Modifié par PrinceLionheart, 23 février 2011 - 03:21 .
#117
Posté 23 février 2011 - 02:21
Labrev
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Not knowing his real backstory is like a big running joke played on Shepard all game, IMO. He goes and talks to everyone to get to know them. But... nobody cares about him at all it seems like.
I get that there's kind of a "fine line" of sorts. You want the player to paint Shepard's character, not have a set story in place. But still, I really wish that his past would come up a lot more than it does. And when it does come up - that the player decides what he did and what he thinks about it today.
All I really know about my Earthborn Shepard is that he ran with a gang for some time. I got a chance to confront it with Finch in ME1 (at which point I told him "those days are over" or something). I kind of give him a bit of a John Marston mystique. But that's where it ended. And it's also a little lame when I talk to the likes of Jack, who is young and lived a life of crime, but nobody thought of an Earthborn Shepard getting special dialogue in that case to get a feel for what he thinks since he can relate.
I get that there is only so much content they can put in the game, but I would have personally liked to see more character development in that way.
I get that there's kind of a "fine line" of sorts. You want the player to paint Shepard's character, not have a set story in place. But still, I really wish that his past would come up a lot more than it does. And when it does come up - that the player decides what he did and what he thinks about it today.
All I really know about my Earthborn Shepard is that he ran with a gang for some time. I got a chance to confront it with Finch in ME1 (at which point I told him "those days are over" or something). I kind of give him a bit of a John Marston mystique. But that's where it ended. And it's also a little lame when I talk to the likes of Jack, who is young and lived a life of crime, but nobody thought of an Earthborn Shepard getting special dialogue in that case to get a feel for what he thinks since he can relate.
I get that there is only so much content they can put in the game, but I would have personally liked to see more character development in that way.
#118
Guest_Saphra Deden_*
Posté 23 février 2011 - 02:32
Guest_Saphra Deden_*
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I think all of the possible combinations each tell a good story. It really depends on how you are approaching your Shepard.
For my part I wanted a backstory that got rid of Shepard's parents and family but wasn't too sappy and dramatic. Thus I went with Earthborn. It makes Shepard tough but not wounded, and it suggests he is a redeemable person. I then went with Ruthless because to me it was the most impressive and the most likely to draw the attention of the Spectres.
Spectres are expected to get the job done at any cost, always. This is their most important trait. Thus I think that Torfan is what would really qualify Shepard for job. Not to dis the other reputations, but while they are heroic and impressive, they don't really signify the Spectres most important traits.
They do have merit though and can tell a good story.
A Shepard who was raised no Mindoir and lost his unit on Akuze is a tortured soul. Perhaps he was only the "next best hope" for humanity and the Alliance. It is then exciting to see him overcome his horrific past and triumph as a Spectre. Nobody expected him to succeed, but he did it anyway.
Spacer/War Hero is a little more traditional. Shepard had a solid upbringing, a peaceful one. Motivate by a lifetime of service he enlisted. As a natural leader he rallied the civilians of Elysium and saved the colony. Shepard is a celebrity, a modern hero. However is journey has only just started...
For my part I wanted a backstory that got rid of Shepard's parents and family but wasn't too sappy and dramatic. Thus I went with Earthborn. It makes Shepard tough but not wounded, and it suggests he is a redeemable person. I then went with Ruthless because to me it was the most impressive and the most likely to draw the attention of the Spectres.
Spectres are expected to get the job done at any cost, always. This is their most important trait. Thus I think that Torfan is what would really qualify Shepard for job. Not to dis the other reputations, but while they are heroic and impressive, they don't really signify the Spectres most important traits.
They do have merit though and can tell a good story.
A Shepard who was raised no Mindoir and lost his unit on Akuze is a tortured soul. Perhaps he was only the "next best hope" for humanity and the Alliance. It is then exciting to see him overcome his horrific past and triumph as a Spectre. Nobody expected him to succeed, but he did it anyway.
Spacer/War Hero is a little more traditional. Shepard had a solid upbringing, a peaceful one. Motivate by a lifetime of service he enlisted. As a natural leader he rallied the civilians of Elysium and saved the colony. Shepard is a celebrity, a modern hero. However is journey has only just started...
#119
Posté 23 février 2011 - 02:37
Pwener2313
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Earthborn (emotional moment in Earth homecoming) Warhero (shows how badass he is).
Funny thing is, my Shepard (and only Shepard, the true Shepard) doesn't think the Skylian Blitz was a big deal. He saw raiders, he saw bad people, he shot them and ended up a hero with a medal and the reputation of the most dangerous soldier in the Alliance, and soon the whole galaxy. Funny how things work out.
Funny thing is, my Shepard (and only Shepard, the true Shepard) doesn't think the Skylian Blitz was a big deal. He saw raiders, he saw bad people, he shot them and ended up a hero with a medal and the reputation of the most dangerous soldier in the Alliance, and soon the whole galaxy. Funny how things work out.
Modifié par Pwener2313, 23 février 2011 - 02:43 .
#120
Posté 23 février 2011 - 03:24
PrinceLionheart
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Aedan_Cousland wrote...
Sentox6 wrote...
Aedan_Cousland wrote...
The Sole Survivor background isn't unique in that Shepard emerged the sole survivor of a disaster, with his or her mental health intact. Impressive or admirable sure, but not necessarily unique or unusual.
I don't really want starting writing paragraphs on the matter, but let me ask you this: do you think War Hero Shepard is the only soldier in the Alliance who has a moment of impressive heroism in his/her service record?
Shepard probably wouldn't have been the only person to have won a Star of Terra during the conflict, but the circumstances in which he won it are fairly unique. It is doubtful that any other recepients earned their medals by rallying a massively outnumbered and outgunned force that included colonial civilians to save a large colony from being destroyed.
Not too long ago I finished reading a book called The Last Stand of Fox Company by Tom Drury and Bob Clavin, about a company of US Marines during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. During the battle the approximately 250 men of Fox Company were tasked with holding a strategic hill, later dubbed Fox Hill, from being overrun to prevent the mountain pass it overlooked from being cut by the enemy. If the enemy managed to cut the pass it would have prevented the breakout of the entire 1st Marine Divsion, which was cut off and surrounded by 8 Chinese divisions. If the 1st Marine Division was destroyed, the Communist Chinese & North Koreans may have been able to drive down the entire Korean penisula, roll up the UN Forces one by one and drive the rest into the sea. Fox Company held the hill for several days against repeated assaults from 10,000 of the enemy, and despite the staggering 40:1 odds and most of the company being killed or wounded, it successfully held the pass open and mauled the attacking force.
The authors said of Fox Company, " No Marine unit — or any other unit — fighting in Korea in 1950 held a more strategic piece of land against more crushing odds."
From what we know of Shepard's defense of Elysium, an author writing about it afterwards could probably borrow the same quote. The consequences of Shepard's 'unit' being defeated are the capture and possible destruction of humanity's most important colony in the Skyllian Verge, and the Batarians succeeding in capturing what would have been their main objective in the blitz. Like the Marines of Fox Company, Shepard's 'unit' would have been holding the most strategic piece of ground with the Verge, and we are told he successfully held it against 'impossible' odds.
I like the way you wrote that out.
#121
Posté 23 février 2011 - 03:31
NervousCandy
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I prefer the colonist background. Gives some sympathy to Shepard. From you and other characters.
#122
Posté 23 février 2011 - 03:33
Pwener2313
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^I don't want anybody feeling sorry for me. My Shepard is a proffessional through and through. Just like cerberus.
#123
Posté 23 février 2011 - 05:03
Nashiktal
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I just want someone to ask shep about his day. 
#124
Posté 23 février 2011 - 05:13
Pwener2313
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Me too. LotSB did that, but the options weren't that broad.
#125
Posté 23 février 2011 - 10:05
Domar
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I'm thinking like this:
How to account for someone being "ruthless"? Answer: a vengeful reaction to the slaughter on Mindoir, or a gang mentality developped in order to survive on the tough streets of modern mega-cities. The spacer background does not give any particular associations for an effect like that.
How to account for someone being the sole survivor of the Akuze situation? The survival skills developped on the streets of mega-cities could work, as well as the spacer background, the latter from implicating a greater awareness of the dangers in space and a better readiness for them. The colonist would work in the same way, if Mindoir was imagined to be located in a region where thresher maws are common, or if the colony was frequented by space travellers with such experience. If not, the colonist is perhaps the least likely to survive in a situation like that.
What does it take to become a war hero then? Courage, obviously. Ability to remain cool and focused under extreme stress would help a great deal as well. What conditions would be beneficial for such traits to take form or remain in "standby mode"? The gang situation is once again a good candidate. If it's assumed that the spacer recieved a normal upbringing, then there's room for a sound portion of confidence having been developped here, a belief in one's own capacity, which could account for taking brave steps in the war hero situation. The life as a spacer might also be the most intellectually stimulating and demanding in adaptability among the alternatives, which could work as further explaining why the spacer became a war hero, and not the colonist, who lives a more sedentiary type of life. In defending their homes, however, any colonist could become a war hero.
So, to sum it up, the best combos in my opinion are the following:
Colonist/Ruthless
Earthborn/Ruthless
Earthborn/Sole Survivor
Spacer/Sole Survivor
Earthborn/War Hero
Spacer/War Hero
Six careers...
How to account for someone being "ruthless"? Answer: a vengeful reaction to the slaughter on Mindoir, or a gang mentality developped in order to survive on the tough streets of modern mega-cities. The spacer background does not give any particular associations for an effect like that.
How to account for someone being the sole survivor of the Akuze situation? The survival skills developped on the streets of mega-cities could work, as well as the spacer background, the latter from implicating a greater awareness of the dangers in space and a better readiness for them. The colonist would work in the same way, if Mindoir was imagined to be located in a region where thresher maws are common, or if the colony was frequented by space travellers with such experience. If not, the colonist is perhaps the least likely to survive in a situation like that.
What does it take to become a war hero then? Courage, obviously. Ability to remain cool and focused under extreme stress would help a great deal as well. What conditions would be beneficial for such traits to take form or remain in "standby mode"? The gang situation is once again a good candidate. If it's assumed that the spacer recieved a normal upbringing, then there's room for a sound portion of confidence having been developped here, a belief in one's own capacity, which could account for taking brave steps in the war hero situation. The life as a spacer might also be the most intellectually stimulating and demanding in adaptability among the alternatives, which could work as further explaining why the spacer became a war hero, and not the colonist, who lives a more sedentiary type of life. In defending their homes, however, any colonist could become a war hero.
So, to sum it up, the best combos in my opinion are the following:
Colonist/Ruthless
Earthborn/Ruthless
Earthborn/Sole Survivor
Spacer/Sole Survivor
Earthborn/War Hero
Spacer/War Hero
Six careers...
