1294 réponses à ce sujet

[Lyvef1re]

didymos1120 wrote...Well, see I thought there'd actually be something else going on, like about the Reapers, that would end up giving the novel its relevance to ME3. But no. It's not like Revelation, where Sovereign was this object lurking in background that set off the actual events of the book. Not like Ascension either, where the whole "chase after Gillian" thing was a way to introduce TIM and give us an idea of what Cerberus was really like.  But there's nary a hint of that sort of thing at all. Just a bunch of randomness with characters hopping from one place to another just because, and Kai Leng stealing Anderson's Eezo Flakes.  Bastard probably drank directly from the Space Cow Milk carton too.

This is what I find to be the most saddening. Theres no progression in this novel, the only things I could see making it into Mass Effect 3 are minor plot points (Prothean egg is the only one off the top of my head), the whole thing reeks off trying to make as much money as possible. The fact absolutely no attention seems to have been paid to editing it only makes this seem ever more likely.

I gotta admit though; the idea of a reference to Kai's ravenous hunger for cereal in ME3 would probably make the game for me. I know its damn late but surely something like a single datapad or one more line to his codex entry wouldn't be that hard?

Modifié par Lyvef1re, 25 janvier 2012 - 02:33 .

[Hamziz Vakarian]

Deception is just further proof that we're entering into the 'exploitative' phase of EA IP management:

1. ME2, while critically praised, didn't push the numbers Bioware/EA expected.  To them, this meant that quality =/= sales.

2. Riccitiello came out to calm investors during ME3 development, talking about addressing a "larger market opportunity", i.e., multiplayer, more human characters, etc. because at this point they're doing anything they can think of to boost numbers.  Development had their chance to change design to bring in the fans, now more authority has been given to marketing data and focus group-led development.

3. ME3 will not be as highly regarded as 2, and will probably sell about the same, somewhere between 2-3 million, and that's not what Bioware/EA have in mind.  They want 10 million, no less.

The decision to bring in Dietz was probably because marketing saw that novels by Karpyshyn were much more expensive and didn't do anything to boost sales.  It's a cynical equation, but a simple one.

[didymos1120]

How would Karpyshyn be "much more expensive"?

[Eski.Moe]

Yeah, it seems pretty apparent that the main purpose of the book is to benefit of the hype created from the game and net some dollah dollah bills rather than expanding the lore/series in a meaningful way. That's definitely a shame as it makes the tale soulless. Many of the narrative issues would have been avoided had the previous two books been read and notes/plot points listed (this is of course ignoring the issues that are present because of the misinterpretation of events that occurred in game).

[CroGamer002]

@Hamziz Vakarian

With all do respect, you're full of it.


Also, have you read Mass Effect Invasion comics?

Comic series that was decided to be made much after Mass Effect Deception, but was released before?

Modifié par Mesina2, 25 janvier 2012 - 02:54 .

[Hamziz Vakarian]

didymos1120 wrote...

How would Karpyshyn be "much more expensive"?

He is an author who has broken the NYTimes bestseller list, for one.  For two, he has mentioned that he writes for a significant up-front advance for his franchise tie-ins.

[Hamziz Vakarian]

Mesina2 wrote...

@Hamziz Vakarian

With all do respect, you're full of it.


Also, have you read Mass Effect Invasion comics?

Comic series that was decided to be made much after Mass Effect Deception, but was released before?

Truth hurts, [afgncaap], I don't know what to tell you.

Yes, I read the invasion comics, why do you ask?


edit: changed pronoun for inclusivity

Modifié par Hamziz Vakarian, 25 janvier 2012 - 03:12 .

[Hamziz Vakarian]

@didymos1120:

Also, of all the mass effect novels released thus far, this is the only one not to be given an audio-book production by Tantor.  Whether that is reflective of the low quality they expected from Dietz, or the fact that they didn't want to spend the additional money, the message is the same: they don't give a ****.

Modifié par Hamziz Vakarian, 25 janvier 2012 - 03:08 .

[Hamziz Vakarian]

The PLC wrote...

So, what will I have to ignore/correct in my mind as I read, to be able to enjoy this book? Could someone perhaps make a list?

The book, and all the words in it.

[JeffZero]

If there is a kernel of truth in the alleged preorder numbers for ME3, it will outsell ME2.

[Lyvef1re]

The PLC wrote...

So, what will I have to ignore/correct in my mind as I read, to be able to enjoy this book? Could someone perhaps make a list?

You do realise just how long that list will be right?

Well if someone does decide to help you out I'm happy to supply a name:

Confirmed failures in Mass Effect: Deception.

[JeffZero]

@didymos (missed your reply earlier) Oh yeah, fair enough. You hit the nail on the head regarding more of what I wanted as well.

[Hamziz Vakarian]

JeffZero wrote...

If there is a kernel of truth in the alleged preorder numbers for ME3, it will outsell ME2.

Well, all preorders really do is crunch the sales curve more with regard to time, not result in more copeis ultimately sold.  i.e., the game could take 3 weeks to reach 1.2 million copies sold, or 3 days, but the net result is the same.  Look at DA2 sales compared to DA:O for a good illustration, or ME1 to ME2.  Companies want to sell as many copies as possible before those pesky non-exclusive reviews come out, and selling x number of copies on day 1 also sounds good to investors.  Ironically, it's the games with slow, steady sales growth that are the real indicator of quality, as word-of-mouth leads to ever increasing numbers.

Modifié par Hamziz Vakarian, 25 janvier 2012 - 03:26 .

[StephanieBengal]

Lets hope Nick isn't alive by the end, he's such an annoying brat.

[didymos1120]

OK, well, whatever: this thread is about Deception being completely batsh*t, not the economics of preorders and tie-in material.

[JeffZero]

True enough. Word-of-mouth regarding ME2 on other, less rabid sorts of sites has been more positive than that seen with ME1 though, at least in my humble experience. IGN, GameFAQs, Joystiq, Kotaku. Say what you will of the sites' individual qualities but their user bases have often praised ME2 at its predecessor's expense, at least in my experience.

[didymos1120]

StephanieBengal wrote...

Lets hope Nick isn't alive by the end, he's such an annoying brat.

Are you basing that on this book?  Because nothing in this book counts.  Nobody acts like they should.

[JeffZero]

didymos1120 wrote...

OK, well, whatever: this thread is about Deception being completely batsh*t, not the economics of preorders and tie-in material.

As you know, the batsh*tiness of "Deception" 'ties in' with all walks of life at their worst.

[Hamziz Vakarian]

JeffZero wrote...

didymos1120 wrote...

OK, well, whatever: this thread is about Deception being completely batsh*t, not the economics of preorders and tie-in material.

As you know, the batsh*tiness of "Deception" 'ties in' with all walks of life at their worst.

I really didn't mean to derail anything, but there has to be a rational explanation for the sh*tiness, and I thought I had found it.  Trainwrecks like this involving a very valuable IP don't just HAPPEN, they have to involve the complicitness of many people within the company along the way.

[Uezurii]

didymos1120 wrote...

StephanieBengal wrote...

Lets hope Nick isn't alive by the end, he's such an annoying brat.

Are you basing that on this book?  Because nothing in this book counts.  Nobody acts like they should.

Nick was a brat in the previous books too.

[didymos1120]

Uezurii wrote...

didymos1120 wrote...

StephanieBengal wrote...

Lets hope Nick isn't alive by the end, he's such an annoying brat.

Are you basing that on this book?  Because nothing in this book counts.  Nobody acts like they should.

Nick was a brat in the previous books too.

In Ascension, yes.  His behavior was much improved in Retribution.

[JeffZero]

Hamziz Vakarian wrote...

JeffZero wrote...

didymos1120 wrote...

OK, well, whatever: this thread is about Deception being completely batsh*t, not the economics of preorders and tie-in material.

As you know, the batsh*tiness of "Deception" 'ties in' with all walks of life at their worst.

I really didn't mean to derail anything, but there has to be a rational explanation for the sh*tiness, and I thought I had found it.  Trainwrecks like this involving a very valuable IP don't just HAPPEN, they have to involve the complicitness of many people within the company along the way.

As I understand it, Dietz himself rather slaughtered Halo with his novelization of the game's events. This seems a recurring venture to him. Twice now at the least he's gotten past numerous people and been allowed to do this.

[didymos1120]

Anyone read his Resistance tie-ins? Don't play those games. Kinda curious if he mangled that setting too.

[Hamziz Vakarian]

JeffZero wrote...
As I understand it, Dietz himself rather slaughtered Halo with his novelization of the game's events. This seems a recurring venture to him. Twice now at the least he's gotten past numerous people and been allowed to do this.

That's my whole point, really: Mass Effect is now HALO to EA, and they are going to treat it as such.  Take Jesse Houston - one of the main producers decided to leave on his own terms before the game even hits shelves rather than be let go when the game fails to live up to sales expectations.

I guess what I'm saying is that the horribleness of this book would be funny if it wasn't symptomatic of deeper problems in the company.  I assume that being on these forums means that people in this thread care about the series, so I just wanted to point that out.