Changer the Elder wrote...
Well, yes, the Reapers' logic and motivation seems to be genocidal (and pretty much is, since it only contains the essence, erradicating the individuals. At least presumably, otherwise, it must be really crowded in each Reaper...), but in the general design, it makes sense from their standpoint. Their task is to archive old data which could possibly go awry and destroy evolution to make space for the new ones. From the cold, calculating logic standpoint, it makes perfect sense. From emotionally-driven human standpoint, it's cruel and makes little sense, since it discards the concepts of compassion, mercy and other variables math-based calculus doesn't know how to operate.
I hear that, and I was wondering how this problem would be fixed in the end, anyway. What rather bugs me, is not how the issue behind Reaper logic is resolved in the end, but
the way Shepard responds to the options that are presented to him/her: S/he goes along,
not even questioning the explanation the Catalyst gives. You see, Shepard has always been going against the odds and simply going along with what must ring like utter BS in his/her ears seems so out of character. Human emotional thinking aside, s/he has proven a number of times that synthetic and organic life
can coexist peacefully, for instance by playing space cupid with Joker and EDI, and by uniting the quarians and geth. So why Shepard didn't contradict when it mattered most, despite having proven the Catalyst wrong, is what truly boggles my mind.
Yes, the execution of the concept could definitely use a bit more time
and work, it felt a bit too straightforward and copyXpaste, which was
made blatantly obvious by the game itself going out of its boundaries
numerous times before to cover the fact that the path for the player is
given in the grand scheme of things.
Well, sure the player is still bound to the plot, but throughout the game it was the player's decision
how he wanted to get to the end, up until the end itself, that is. Why BioWare didn't keep that line of choice -> repercussion in the end... I don't know.
And well, yes, there's that. No matter what they'd do, they'd always
find a not exactly small group of people complaining along the lines of
"But that's NOT how *I* wanted it!". I believe the very concept of ME is
here to blame. The games were so good in selling the idea of individual
player experience that the fact that the player is still following one
fixed path, with solid start and ending got completely pushed
into background by it. But in the end, it couldn't be avoided to come
back to it. I got lucky, since it fortunately goes along an agreeable
vibe for me. But I do understand how and why people can feel betrayed
because they couldn't custom-tailor their own perfect ending. Still, it
was inevitably coming from the start. Its execution, however, could've
been way better, no argument about that.
While I do agree that there is a great deal of fans out there who will always ****** and moan, no matter what BoWare does, I think the actual problem is not that. The majority of the people who are still dissatisfied (me being one of them) simply wants the ending re-written in order for it to make sense and fit in with Mass Effect lore and values. I know, the DLC has yet to come out and maybe it will provide the answers and closure many are looking for, but the line of thinking here is: Why bother with explaining something that rings like utter garbage in the fans' ears, anyway, instead of re-writing the whole concept which then fits into the ME universe? What people want is a proper conclusion, not their personal, individual, wishes to be fulfilled. That's what fanfic is there for. No one will get "their" way here a 100%, but ultimately, it's not what this hole issue is about.
The problem is, it's a downward spiral from there. People usually complain about Bioware being "stuck with their artistic integrity excuse", but it's not like most of those who complain get any better. Just more violent, due the effect of mass mentality taking place. True, the case might've been handled better if someone from BW stepped up and patiently tried to start a dialogue with those fans, something like Patrick Weekes is doing or even me, to some extent. But then again, quite a number of people out there don't want an alternate explanation, they want their one single truth and if you do anything else than nod to it, you get kicked in the shin quite bad.
No, we're running here in circles, really. BioWare as well as us, the fans. But people continue, anyway, hoping their resistance will achieve something and make the team change the whole ending's concept. Will it be of avail? I cannot say.
And that's exactly what's the problem here: People feel like BioWare's not taking them seriously, not only after announcing the Extended Cut, which obviously doesn't comply to the majority's wishes, but also the way they handled the issue at PAX. Instead of addressing it directly and explaining themselves and their course of action, they deflected the delicate topic toward more pleasant things, like talking about what was good about the game. So in the end, they didn't come clean as they should have and added even more pressure on their shoulders that way. Of course fans are angry, seeing the way BioWare's handling this mess, and we have seen dissatisfied customers in action. This is going to snowball even worse than it already has, if BioWare isn't going to come clean soon. As you see, the internet is a very effective medium to keep up the pressure.
Ce sujet est fermé
Retour en haut
)
