I'm sure that you have gotten this message hundreds of times by now, either flooded through your Customer Service gateways or on the forums. However, I'd still like to write this message, which concerns the ending. I'd like to be mature and logical in my arguments.
1. Interactive Storytelling is visceral.
Unlike traditional forms of writing and cinema, ME universe was highly interactive. Their voices, appearances and personalities have appealed to us more emotionally because, to an extent, we were able to interact with them. Because of this, we have become very attached. To tell a story and leave us with endings that is largely unexplained and chaotic is irresponsible, and toys with our sympathies of the game. We have come to grieve the losses of those who sacrificed themself for the Mass Effect war effort, but to have collateral in addition to these losses seems sly. Which thus brings me to the next point.
2. Cookie-cutter endings is an irresponsible end to a wonderful franchise.
You have hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of fans following the story from beginning to end. I have played the game about 12 times, making different choices and playing different characters. The games feel polished and thought-out, and it is not only a game, but also a piece of interactive art. Yet today, 5 years later, we are presented with an ending to the game where 3 choices are largely the same with little variance save for color of lights in the final cutscenes. Did the game run out of budget as it finished? Or was it left in such an unifinished state that only 1 cinematic was made and then rendered with a few other colors to cut cost? I do not recall Da Vinci slapping Mona Lisa with a bucket of red paint.
3. Mass Effect was an investment.
Of course, the games combined cost us some cash. But that's not the only thing. Many of us purchased secondary goods on top of the game, including accessories and even entire computers. Many people booked off vacation times to have marathon runs of the game on release day / week. Many of us rather spend time playing your wonderful work of art than do something else. 120 hours later, and several hundred dollars of games and DLCs later, we expect a fulfilling, satisfying payoff. No one wants to spend 2000$ on a computer that doesn't work, just as much as no one wants to spend 2400$ on a computer, 3 games, and 120 hours of time for an ending that toys with you and feels unfinished.
4. We are fans, not just customers.
At this point, as fans, we are powerless. You have already taken our money, and charged our cards. We have no leverage on this issue. But what I can tell you is that we feel angry, hurt, and betrayed. Because as the favorite game developer of many of us, you effectively placed a knife in our backs. It makes us wonder if all these years, you merely used us as cash cows, wanting to milk more from us. It is not just about delivering something that makes everyone happy, but to respect your own professionalism as a game developer.
I, on behalf of many angry, disappointed, and saddened fans, ask that Bioware at least give us the option of a happy ending. One with blue / suited / human / whatever children, celebrated as heroes, and standing ont he ashes of our enemies, united with friends and teammates. Failing that, give us a definitive ending on the fate of the universe, our relationships with teammates, and a peek a the horizons of tomorrow. Don't finish off the most wonderful saga of gaming in the last decade with a knife in the backs of your fans and a giant middle finger as you part with our cash in bags.
If you support this logical line of argument, please keep this post bumped so that Bioware can note. Please do not bombard them with incendiary comments. We could at least respect sanctity of someone who might just make a lot of us very happy.
We're waiting.
Fan from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Modifié par NAWhisperBlade, 09 mars 2012 - 09:47 .
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