23455 réponses à ce sujet

[Paradox711]

But seriously, don't you think that it is a sad state of affairs that people are THINIKING of Bethesda when thinking of "brilliant RPG" games? 

Here's something that is coming from Bethesda though, and yes.... it looks to be fracking awesome.
Dishonored Debut Trailer

Gives you food for thought.

[/quote]

I think it would be a fairly arrogant presumption to assume that only one company could make good games or to not place credit where its due.

Yes, i made quite a slip. Apologies, but the rest of my sentiment remains honest.

I like the post though, looks like a cross between Fable 3 graphics/world, and assasins creed gameplay, and a Deus Ex type twist thrown in.

Modifié par Paradox711, 10 mai 2012 - 01:04 .

[3DandBeyond]

daveyeisley wrote...

I think the more I try to analze the Catalyst character, the more I come to the conclusion that he/it is a moron. Not in the sense of being unable to process things at a high-level, but in the sense of arriving at invalid conclusions after analyzing a scenario for hundred or thousands of millennia.

He had all the time in the cosmos to get it right, even after the initial mistake.... but just went with it. Never tried to change direction or find a better way. Settled on one solution that even he must have recognized as temporary (bring order to chaos through violence)... and refused or declined to revise the solution in the face of evidence suggesting its flaws and failure to properly account for all possible outcomes.

The depressing and insulting bit.... is after such amazing, incredible stories through the trilogy.... to have the whole immaculate space epic undermined by having its origin in the pathetic nonsense of this moronic character.

Well you are right of course.  No amount of explanation for what this kid is or isn't can rehabilitate him.  He is insulting.  And to turn the game into always having been "his" game is to really launch a nuclear device right up the endzone of all players.

Because what has always haunted Shepard is the reapers and the kid is reaper baby daddy, the story has always been about the kid and what the brat wants.  Let me say that yes, this will sound hostile, probably more hostile than I wish.  And it truly becomes psychotic because if the kid is the Catalyst and the Catalyst is the solution, then why not just yell out the window, "hey, you stop doing that!" 

The kid says he can't change things and needs Shepard to do that.  Oh wait, but you control those reaper things.  Or don't you?  Control.  What's the definition again?  Ok and while we're at it, what's the definition of Catalyst again?  Is the kid or isn't the kid the Catalyst?  He says he is.  That would mean that he's the thing that gets things going.  I know what a catalyst is in chemistry.

From dictionary.com:
"something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected"


From thefreedictionary.com:

"One that precipitates a process or event, especially without being involved in or changed by the consequences."

What the heck kind of catalyst is this kid?

----------------------------

And it's wrong to say the star kid can't find another way.  He found 3 other ways.  Problem is they basically are meaningless, useless, insane.  He just can't find any rational way.  Stupid smart guy.

Modifié par 3DandBeyond, 10 mai 2012 - 01:10 .

[Moribundman]

I found out what the Catalyst is.

Catalyst = Midichlorians.

[Voodoo-j]

Paradox711 wrote...

But seriously, don't you think that it is a sad state of affairs that people are THINIKING of Bethesda when thinking of "brilliant RPG" games? 

Here's something that is coming from Bethesda though, and yes.... it looks to be fracking awesome.
Dishonored Debut Trailer

Gives you food for thought.



I think it would be a fairly arrogant presumption to assume that only one company could make good games or to not place credit where its due.

Yes, i made quite a slip. Apologies, but the rest of my sentiment remains honest.

I like the post though, looks like a cross between Fable 3 graphics/world, and assasins creed gameplay, and a Deus Ex type twist thrown in.

The first time I seen the add, I thought it was in reference to ME 3

Modifié par Voodoo-j, 10 mai 2012 - 01:31 .

[Voodoo-j]

I really think whats missing is reference to the mayan calendar 

Long Count[n 6]
Gregorian date

GMT (584283) correlation


13.0.0.0.0
August 11, 3114 BCE


1.0.0.0.0
November 13, 2720 BCE


2.0.0.0.0
February 16, 2325 BCE


3.0.0.0.0
May 21, 1931 BCE


4.0.0.0.0
August 23, 1537 BCE


5.0.0.0.0
November 26, 1143 BCE


6.0.0.0.0
February 28, 748 BCE


7.0.0.0.0
June 3, 354 BCE


8.0.0.0.0
September 5, 41 CE


9.0.0.0.0
December 9, 435


10.0.0.0.0
March 13, 830


11.0.0.0.0
June 15, 1224


12.0.0.0.0
September 18, 1618


13.0.0.0.0
December 21, 2012


14.0.0.0.0
March 26, 2407


15.0.0.0.0
June 28, 2801


16.0.0.0.0
October 1, 3195


17.0.0.0.0
January 3, 3590


18.0.0.0.0
April 7, 3984


19.0.0.0.0
July 11, 4378


1.0.0.0.0.0
October 13, 4772

[3DandBeyond]

Moribundman wrote...

I found out what the Catalyst is.

Catalyst = Midichlorians.

Huge annoying one in ME3, if so.

Actually you could of course make the connection between the force and biotic powers and midichlorians and eezo.  So, if this is Star Wars by another name, why not go all the way?  The Citadel/Crucible as Good Death Star.  Luke/Shepard, Han/Garrus, Chewie/Grunt, Princess Leia/Liara, C3PO/Mordin, R2D2/EDI maybe or EDI and Joker.  The Normandy is the Millennium Falcon.  And so on.  The Reapers are the Empire.  But, where'd they go with Darth Vader, TIM, maybe the reapers are really Vader.  I don't know.  Anderson is obviously Obi Wan Kenobi.

I can see similarities.  And since the game is so like a bit grittier Star Wars game, then it deserved an equally amazing ending.  Sure, the ending of Star Wars was a little bit over sweet, but the movie was released in 1977.  And at the time, nothing like it existed and it made you feel really good.  The ending fit the movie and it just worked.

[LazyTechGuy]

Moribundman wrote...

I found out what the Catalyst is.

Catalyst = Midichlorians.

He does look like that little Anakin punk from Episode I, doesn't he?

[3DandBeyond]

The big problem now (looking at Dishonored trailer) is I used to like to see some gameplay for a game before buying. Some games I'd pre-order if they were in a series and I liked the series, but a lot of times I'd wait and see what playing a game is like.

Now, I'm re-evaluating any of this. You may get some goodies for pre-ordering, but I'm really feeling burned. The goodies aren't worth it, if the game is bad so I doubt I will pre-order anymore. And it goes even further. I'm reluctant to rely on gameplay or any reviews at all.

You can't trust "reviewers" who are really merely advertising fronts for game companies and gameplay will not erase an awful ending. I look at replay value as part of what I am paying for. MP is a minor part of replay value in my estimation.

The things that devs hype in advertising are the things I must consider when buying a game, but I don't rely on their ads to decide any of this for me.

Game value hinges first and foremost on the gameplay and/or story line. But, it's also about hours of play and replayability. I could accept the artificial exaggeration of hours of play for the ME games-they each had elements within them that made things take way longer than they had to. ME1 has the Mako and searches for artifacts and resources. ME2 has planet scanning. And ME3 has Reaper Tag.

All were fun enough to do a few times, but became tedious in my opinion. They were used to artificially pump up the hours of play numbers. But, I was ok with that. The rest of the story was that good. I overlooked pimples and warts and saw the beauty underneath.

Replayability, well that's really important. It's also what can get me to buy DLC and to buy the next game after and the next game after that. I get something for my money. ME had that, but that was then and this is now.

Now, I am seriously going to have to wait and see before I buy games. Not only wait to see what the gameplay is like when real people play game (because I've so often been disappointed), but I will have to wait and see what the ending will be like. Games are not cheap. And I just don't feel anymore like putting up with bugs and gaffs and artificially extended scenes and gameplay if a game ultimately fails to deliver. Especially if the replay value is gutted.

I don't play games to be demoralized or to be given some view of the futility of life itself or to be smacked in the face with what writers and devs imply is my own ignorance. I play them for fun. I play them as my go-to entertainment. I play them to play.

Movies that fail to make a lasting impression because of horridly depressing endings are best exemplified in "Pay It Forward"-kid comes up with awesome plan that gets other people to start thinking about others and try to make some small difference. Could have mattered way more than it does-but it doesn't because I never want to watch that movie again.

Movies that get it right and make you want to see them again and again and yes, they may be cheesy or simplistic or any word you want to come up with that says they are dumbed down in the opinion of some are::
Star Wars: A New Hope
Independence Day
Any Bruce Willis Blockbuster movie
Terminator
Predator
And there are many more that get it right.

These are movies that are about the indomitability of the human spirit. And that was what ME the series was also about until ME3's ending. And these movies became blockbusters because people went to see them repeatedly. Their art was in the way they drew you in and got you involved emotionally. ME had that up until the end.

Why couldn't ME3 have gone with this "formula". I know some people think it's distasteful to have a formulaic ending, but they are there because they work. And they make replay not only possible, but probable.

There could have been alternates that were worse than that type, of course. I just wish Bioware would talk about this and have a real conversation with us.

[Voodoo-j]

Going off what 3DandBeyond just stated -

I've been seeing a trend where players are waiting for the "gold" or "anniversary" release, where they can get the game and the add ons for good price.

If it's not a core multiplayer game, they are not loosing out, but getting a bundle at a discount.

[MtOMajorCat0311]

3DandBeyond wrote...

The big problem now (looking at Dishonored trailer) is I used to like to see some gameplay for a game before buying. Some games I'd pre-order if they were in a series and I liked the series, but a lot of times I'd wait and see what playing a game is like.

Now, I'm re-evaluating any of this. You may get some goodies for pre-ordering, but I'm really feeling burned. The goodies aren't worth it, if the game is bad so I doubt I will pre-order anymore. And it goes even further. I'm reluctant to rely on gameplay or any reviews at all.

You can't trust "reviewers" who are really merely advertising fronts for game companies and gameplay will not erase an awful ending. I look at replay value as part of what I am paying for. MP is a minor part of replay value in my estimation.

The things that devs hype in advertising are the things I must consider when buying a game, but I don't rely on their ads to decide any of this for me.

Game value hinges first and foremost on the gameplay and/or story line. But, it's also about hours of play and replayability. I could accept the artificial exaggeration of hours of play for the ME games-they each had elements within them that made things take way longer than they had to. ME1 has the Mako and searches for artifacts and resources. ME2 has planet scanning. And ME3 has Reaper Tag.

All were fun enough to do a few times, but became tedious in my opinion. They were used to artificially pump up the hours of play numbers. But, I was ok with that. The rest of the story was that good. I overlooked pimples and warts and saw the beauty underneath.

Replayability, well that's really important. It's also what can get me to buy DLC and to buy the next game after and the next game after that. I get something for my money. ME had that, but that was then and this is now.

Now, I am seriously going to have to wait and see before I buy games. Not only wait to see what the gameplay is like when real people play game (because I've so often been disappointed), but I will have to wait and see what the ending will be like. Games are not cheap. And I just don't feel anymore like putting up with bugs and gaffs and artificially extended scenes and gameplay if a game ultimately fails to deliver. Especially if the replay value is gutted.

I don't play games to be demoralized or to be given some view of the futility of life itself or to be smacked in the face with what writers and devs imply is my own ignorance. I play them for fun. I play them as my go-to entertainment. I play them to play.

Movies that fail to make a lasting impression because of horridly depressing endings are best exemplified in "Pay It Forward"-kid comes up with awesome plan that gets other people to start thinking about others and try to make some small difference. Could have mattered way more than it does-but it doesn't because I never want to watch that movie again.

Movies that get it right and make you want to see them again and again and yes, they may be cheesy or simplistic or any word you want to come up with that says they are dumbed down in the opinion of some are::
Star Wars: A New Hope
Independence Day
Any Bruce Willis Blockbuster movie
Terminator
Predator
And there are many more that get it right.

These are movies that are about the indomitability of the human spirit. And that was what ME the series was also about until ME3's ending. And these movies became blockbusters because people went to see them repeatedly. Their art was in the way they drew you in and got you involved emotionally. ME had that up until the end.

Why couldn't ME3 have gone with this "formula". I know some people think it's distasteful to have a formulaic ending, but they are there because they work. And they make replay not only possible, but probable.

There could have been alternates that were worse than that type, of course. I just wish Bioware would talk about this and have a real conversation with us.

^^^what she said!

[Benchpress610]

@3DandBeyond,
Again you are right on point. I couldn’t have written my own thoughts any better. It’s like you were reading my mind. Nevertheless, I’ll give it shot  
 
A few people here keep poop-pooing on the happy ending, or the Hollywood ending, or the Disney ending….I’ve got news for you fellas: It’s done over and over because it works, it sells. Most people go to the movies or play games to get entertained, to get uplifted and get some satisfaction out of it, not to get all depressed and thinking that life is utterly meaningless.
 
That’s why when flipping channels and coming across one of those old and worn Die Hard, or Terminator, or Star Wars movies, I keep watching even though I’ve watch it a thousand times already…Oh wait…isn’t that art? …A piece of work that keeps people interested for generations…What a concept!!!!
 
On a side note, those movies you listed are in my all time top favorites list.

[3DandBeyond]

I am going out on a limb here and say that often times the best stories/movies/games are those that appeal to your heart and not your head. ME appealed to both in decent measure. Endings in terms of the great space scifi opera tend to need to appeal to the heart and leave with your heart feeling full. It is what it is. You can look back at stories and movies and all that may succeed on a moral, intellectual level, but that flop flat on their face on an emotional and even gut level. You lead with emotions and you leave with them.

Alien-it had you from the very beginning and it did not let up until the end and you felt the movie, you felt that thing bust out of a chest. And at the end you were with Ripley all the way as she was slowly hurrying to get out. Your emotions were there all along. That is great story-telling.  And you didn't ever feel the need to get caught up in the Alien's motivations or the whys and wherefores of the badass that wants to puncture your brain.  It was pure, raw emotion and it too was a blockbuster.

And actually going back to Terminator-ME3 borrows some early words of Shepard's from what John Connor says-that the Terminator will not stop.  Amazing that they couldn't also borrow more.

Modifié par 3DandBeyond, 10 mai 2012 - 04:56 .

[sdinc009]

@3DandBeyond,
Couldn't have said it better myself. I would like to add 1 point and that is that ME3 is a game. As such there must be some sort of winability involved or it is a bad game. Really think about that. If you're going to play a game, any game, (board game, card game, video game) it doesn't matter what kind. If that game is a no-win scenerio with no real reward when beaten, would anyone want to play it? No, you wouldn't. I don't always win when I play monopoly or poker, but the fact that I can is why I play. If I new that no matter what I did I would always go bankrupt or the house ALWAYS wins I would not play because those would be bad games. ME3 has no win options presented. No matter what is chosen you lose, the only choice given is to what extent and then forced to use your imagination to fill the multitude of gaps. Oh, and don't forget to buy more DLC!

[Eryri]

Benchpress610 wrote...
 
A few people here keep poop-pooing on the happy ending, or the Hollywood ending, or the Disney ending….I’ve got news for you fellas: It’s done over and over because it works, it sells. Most people go to the movies or play games to get entertained, to get uplifted and get some satisfaction out of it, not to get all depressed and thinking that life is utterly meaningless.
 

This^

You and 3DandBeyond are so right about this. Life can be grim enough. There's nothing wrong with a little escapism, it's healthy.

[sdinc009]

Since the very start Forbes has been covering this whole debacle and has been in agreement with our objections. Here's a link to the latest articel they've written that talks about the Operation Letter Tsunami

http://www.forbes.co.../?feed=rss_home

[Benchpress610]

3DandBeyond wrote...
......snip.......*
And actually going back to Terminator-ME3 borrows some early words of Shepard's from what John Connor says-that the Terminator will not stop.  Amazing that they couldn't also borrow more.

That is actually one of my favorite lines all time: "That terminator is out there. It can't be reson with, it can't be bargain with. It absolutely won't stop until you are dead" Why can't the Reapers be like that? They don't need to be explained away.

[3DandBeyond]

I think the Forbes' point is well taken. At this juncture, we may not have any real impact upon what EC will be, maybe we never did have, but it is certain that if it's just a dropped issue, it becomes a non-issue.

And one commenter said or implied that we don't understand that it's not as important as other things and I say, "so what?" I've faced down some really important things in my life and I know this is not at those levels, but it is something that matters or should matter just the same.

It is a consumer issue. Our money and use or abuse of our money does matter. I have to use an oxymoron to say that I take my gaming seriously. It is one main avenue of entertainment for me and so it matters. And just as music and therefore symphonies and live rock concerts are an important part of life and whatever makes people tick, so too are video games and gaming in general.

They matter because they make that other stuff we have to deal with possible. Sometimes, things in real life do hurt and the things you count on do let you down and people have always sought outlets for such times. Music, art, books, movies, entertainment whether you participate or just observe, helps you just plain "get things out" or feel better. I need and want entertainment.

Who knows how long is the appropriate amount of time to continue complaining or explaining the problems. We know the EC will either encourage or discourage us and then we may well move on. But until then, both hope and discouragement are here.

[LiarasShield]

Holger1405 wrote...

daveyeisley wrote...

@holger

I think either you have not done enough reading on this topic, or maybe you are willfully ignoring facts in an effort to gain attention or to instigate disagreement.

ROFL "to instigate disagreement"? In a Thread about a highly controversial matter? Are you serious?

It seems you are mad at me, because I have a different opinion.
Well, sorry then, but that is your Problem.

Furthermore, what you call "facts" is in truths just your opinion, and my opinion is as good as yours.

daveyeisley wrote...
I'm not going to recap all the data that scuttled your thinking, but rather, I will direct your attention to the fact you have stated the Catalysts logic is wrong. The catalysts logic is revealed to be the premise for not only the final choice, but the whole Mass Effect universe. Due to the catalysts introduction and dialogue, the entire story is derived from the consequence of his logic.

No, you are not going to, because you are not able to, since your "data" is also just a matter of opinion.

True, on the other hand is that Star Child's logic is the starting point of the Mass Effect storyline.
But it is completely irrelevant that his logic is flawed, it just doesn't matter, neither for the beginning, nor for the ending, and also not for Shepard's whole Story.

The only thing that is relevant is that you, as the Player, accepts that Star Child beliefs in his logic. If you are able to do so, the endings, and everything else in the Mass Effect universe, (ok, almost everything else) make sense, if not, well than you are pretty much screwed, because Star Child and his logic are not going away.

daveyeisley wrote...
Neither the player nor Shepard has any power to refute this premise, or to actually fix it. The final choice is a railroad to one of three negative outcomes. There is no actual win condition. That is a bad ending. I hope one day you become able to see that.

First, the Game in itself refute this premise with Edi and the Geth.
Second, for me personally it is also complete irrelevant because I do consider Star Child's logic as wrong, and therefore the premise as flawed.  But that didn't take the logic out of the Mass Effect storyline. For the overall sense it is only significant, to say it again, that you accept that star Child beliefs his own logic. 
 
@ "negative outcomes," Let's see. My Shepard is alive, my Squad, Joker (imho also Edi) and the crew of the Normandy are alive. I destroyed the Reapers and saved Earth plus the rest of the Galaxy.
I wouldn't call that "negative outcomes", actually I would call it a win condition. 

BTW,    "That is a bad ending. I hope one day you become able to see that."
So basically you say I should leave my state of almost complete satisfaction with the ME franchise and become an ungratified hater? Thanks, but no Thanks.

daveyeisley wrote...
The choices are all derived from flawed logic, and offered by the enemy. None of them are true to shepards intent. In a trilogy all about choice, you get railroaded into nonsense at the end. Rubbish.

To your Sheppard's intend, there are Millions of Players out there with lots of different intensions.
And the choices are not derived from Star Childs flawed logic, two of them clearly contradicts his logic.

daveyeisley wrote...
As for majority versus minority... If you actually think folks who enjoyed the ending are as numerous or more numerous than those who did not, who am I to attempt to relieve you of the illusion?

Reading my post accurately would help. I didn't referred to People who enjoyed the endings. I said that there is no way of knowing if People like you, who completely reject the endings, are the majority, or the People who only have problems with the delivery.        

daveyeisley wrote...
Have a stellar day

Have a stellar live. :-)

Again half a second cut to credits didn't mean shepard lives just means he or she could've died on earth and hiting the relays or going ftl whille the relays are destroyed and your loyal crew just abandoning you
and the fleets to rot in space essentially leaving you during the most important battle because if we don't win the reapers will destroy all advanced civilazation anyway joker picking up your squadmates magically some how and then fleeing during the final battle and having all the races stuck near our devastated solar system is not a win where in hells glorious earth do you keep thinking that this is a win in anyway?

[LiarasShield]

I'm trying to figure out how some where in your mind how that is a victory in any form or like I have been saying are you in denial because until the extended dlc that is pretty much where you are most rational people can not see this as a victory

[leto_II]

I'm not going to add to the speculation on what the endings mean or don't mean, but I will say this:

After playing the previous two games in the series, I was as excited as anyone to play the 3rd installment and see this amazing story to its epic conclusion. As I ignored the real world for hours at a time and dove back into the Mass Effect universe, it certainly seemed like Bioware had delivered the goods. This was a video game that practically transcended its medium to become something more - a truly engrossing experience that took hold of my mind and refused to let go. Tuchanka, Rannoch, all the other "wow!" moments, and even just the little touches like the banter between squadmates (especially EDI, damn did I love hearing her comment on things from her unique AI perspective), truly showed how much love the development team had poured into this game.

...then I got to the end. Regardless of how you interpret it, it feels lackluster, incomplete, and fake. What should be an epic final confrontation for the fate of the galaxy is reduced to a King of the Hill gameplay section, followed by a deus ex machina that breaks the coherence the series had built up so carefully up to that point.

I felt cheated, tricked, even mildly depressed. After finishing the game late this Sunday night, I've since spent the majority of my free time (and a good chunk of my work time) lurking these forums, reading articles and watching videos about the ending (Indoctrination Theory or otherwise), and seeking out anything and everything Mass Effect-related in an attempt to fill the void that the endgame has left.

No other entertainment experience has affected me in this way before. Bioware, I'm sure you realize the reason that this ending debacle is such a big deal is because you have created something bigger than yourselves - perhaps one of the defining entertainment experiences of this generation. In doing so, you've created one of the most passionate fanbases in history.

Do right by us, please. We know you can. But will you?

Like Shepard, I won't give up hope until it's over.

EDIT: At least there's THE MASS EFFECT LOLS THREAD. It's made me at least a hundred times happier than the endings did.

Modifié par leto_II, 10 mai 2012 - 07:26 .

[sdinc009]

leto_II wrote...

I'm not going to add to the speculation on what the endings mean or not mean, but I will say this:

After playing the previous two games in the series, I was as excited as anyone to play the 3rd installment and see this amazing story to its epic conclusion. As I ignored the real world for hours at a time and dove back into the Mass Effect universe, it certainly seemed like Bioware had delivered the goods. This was a video game that practically transcended its medium to become something more - a truly engrossing experience that took hold of my mind and refused to let go. Tuchanka, Rannoch, all the other "wow!" moments, and even just the little touches like the banter between squadmates (especially EDI, damn did I love hearing her comment on things from her unique AI perspective), truly showed how much love the development team had poured into this game.

...then I got to the end. Regardless of how you interpret it, it feels lackluster, incomplete, and fake. What should be an epic final confrontation for the fate of the galaxy is reduced to a King of the Hill gameplay section, followed by a deus ex machina that breaks the coherence the series had built up so carefully up to that point.

I felt cheated, tricked, even mildly depressed. After finishing the game late this Sunday night, I've since spent the majority of my free time (and a good chunk of my work time) lurking these forums, reading articles and watching videos about the ending (Indoctrination Theory or otherwise), and seeking out anything and everything Mass Effect-related in an attempt to fill the void that the endgame has left.

No other entertainment experience has affected me in this way before. Bioware, I'm sure you realize the reason that this ending debacle is such a big deal is because you have created something bigger than yourselves - perhaps one of the defining entertainment experiences of this generation. In doing so, you've created one of the most passionate fanbases in history.

Do right by us, please. We know you can. But will you?

Like Shepard, I won't give up hope until it's over.

EDIT: At least there's THE MASS EFFECT LOLS THREAD. It's made me at least a hundred times happier than the endings did.

Unfortunately, this is the exact same feelings and reactions that 99% of the people who play ME3 experience. It's been over a month and a half since I was where you're at now and still I'm here refusing to give up hope that the terrible excuse for an ending will be fixed.

[Chesus]

I understand and respect the idea that you guys at Bioware want to respect the integrity of the art. You created something and you want to stand by it. So many people have pointed out "where you went wrong" and I agree with most of them. I've read the disappointingly few comments that Bioware reps have made regarding the ending and their plans for the DLC and I go into this knowing that you'll be disregarding nearly everything in the almost 800 pages of angry posts in this thread alone.

All that said, I'm going to echo the crowd and rail off things that bother me:

*No positive ending. I can understand that this was a very dark game. Stuff is hitting the fan, life as we know it is facing extinction. But I'd expect at least a small chance of a happy ending if I played all my cards just right.

*Everything I did for three games is completely disregarded. Rachni's salvation, nope. Geth and Quarian reunification: nope. Curing the genophage, didn't matter one bit. Whichever path you take to get to the end, it doesn't matter. It's A, B or C and not a single one of those choices is even remotely savory.

*The Normandy. What? What? When did all my people get on the Normandy. Pretty sure they were on Earth. Liara and EDI were with me when Harbinger (more on his disappearance later) nuked us. Somehow the Normandy left the battle for Earth, and what? Went through a Mass Relay before they blew up? Where did they land? Is EDI still alive? The "Destroy" option was supposed to kill all synthetics, but it was also supposed to kill me. I lived. Did she?

*Destroy is the only option of A, B and C that even makes any sense. My character has been striving for years to destroy the Reapers. He's been working all this time to prove that the ideas of Control (The Illusive Man's plan) and Synthesis (Sovereign and Saren's plan) are batstuff crazy. Why in the hell would he do an about face at the last minute and choose either of those options? Then we're told that allegedly the Destroy option will kill all synthetics. That means that the "right" option, the one that Shepard, Anderson, Hackett, and all our friends and lovers have been striving for requires us to murder a friend, EDI, and commit genocide against the geth. Really? After I just spent a good portion of the last two Mass Effects trying to win their freedom and independence?

*Multiplayer and Military Strength. The multiplayer system can be fun, but here's where I run into problems. You're almost requiring us to do it in order to get one of your slightly less crappy versions of the same three ABCs. And where are all those friends and allies I recruited, btw? The Geth are practically nowhere to be seen. Turians? Rachni? Krogan? Salarians? Alliance? Aria and her mercs? All the crap I just spent the entire game gathering up? I get a few blurbs over the radio that they're around, but that's about it.

*Mass Relays exploding. I'm actually okay with this. Bring on a kind of dark age of technology, sure. But there are problems that you, the game designers, established. One, everyone who survived the battle (no clue who that is since you didn't bother to show us anything) is now stuck in our solar system. Things are gonna be a bit crowded, am I right? Is there enough food and space for all these people of various species to survive or did I just doom them to starvation/death? And doesn't an exploding Mass Relay tend to wipe out a star system (ie: Arrival)?

Star Kid and Harbinger: Really? Why would Shepard just accept this evil child-being's words on face value? So you preserve us by killing us only to preserve us and kill us again and again? How about a bullet between your starry eyes? How about giving us Options D, E, F, G, H, I, J or K for that matter? You know, how all that stuff we did for three games was supposed to have an impact on the outcome? And Harbinger... where's he been? He's so nice to show up at the end of the battle for London and nuke me. Super. What was the point of building him up as the ultimate villain only to have him disappear? Speaking of that nuking, did it magically warp my crew up to the Normandy. Explosions be crazy and all, dawg.

So yeah, go ahead and ignore all these complaints. M. Night Shamalan would be quite proud of your "twist" ending. Unfortunately, the rest of us aren't buying it. Err... well sadly, we did buy it. We just regret doing so now. Gah, you know what I mean. It's like you painted a masterpiece, then took a dump on it before putting it up on the wall for all to see. The picture underneath the poo sure is pretty, but we can't stand the smell.

[Benchpress610]

leto_II wrote...

I'm not going to add to the speculation on what the endings mean or not mean, but I will say this:

After playing the previous two games in the series, I was as excited as anyone to play the 3rd installment and see this amazing story to its epic conclusion. As I ignored the real world for hours at a time and dove back into the Mass Effect universe, it certainly seemed like Bioware had delivered the goods. This was a video game that practically transcended its medium to become something more - a truly engrossing experience that took hold of my mind and refused to let go. Tuchanka, Rannoch, all the other "wow!" moments, and even just the little touches like the banter between squadmates (especially EDI, damn did I love hearing her comment on things from her unique AI perspective), truly showed how much love the development team had poured into this game.

...then I got to the end. Regardless of how you interpret it, it feels lackluster, incomplete, and fake. What should be an epic final confrontation for the fate of the galaxy is reduced to a King of the Hill gameplay section, followed by a deus ex machina that breaks the coherence the series had built up so carefully up to that point.

I felt cheated, tricked, even mildly depressed. After finishing the game late this Sunday night, I've since spent the majority of my free time (and a good chunk of my work time) lurking these forums, reading articles and watching videos about the ending (Indoctrination Theory or otherwise), and seeking out anything and everything Mass Effect-related in an attempt to fill the void that the endgame has left.

No other entertainment experience has affected me in this way before. Bioware, I'm sure you realize the reason that this ending debacle is such a big deal is because you have created something bigger than yourselves - perhaps one of the defining entertainment experiences of this generation. In doing so, you've created one of the most passionate fanbases in history.

Do right by us, please. We know you can. But will you?

Like Shepard, I won't give up hope until it's over.

EDIT: At least there's THE MASS EFFECT LOLS THREAD. It's made me at least a hundred times happier than the endings did.

Welcome to the club!!

[3DandBeyond]

If they do adhere to their promise this time and do not change the ending so it fits their promises from before, then this may well either turn into a vast unforgettable wasteland or Mass Effect Anonymous.

Modifié par 3DandBeyond, 10 mai 2012 - 06:35 .

[LiarasShield]

3dand didn't you say you had a ps3?