7052 réponses à ce sujet

[daisekihan]

If the endings are real, here are some things that would make them more palatable.

1) Let us question the Catalyst. One of the defining features of the series is the ability to use dialogue to achieve your aims, or at least to uncover information. Throwing it away and making Shepard not only blindly accept the what the Catalyst says but do so without the option for questions is out of step with the tone of the rest of the series. In this, I'd like to know and/or say

• What is the Catalyst itself (VI, AI, etc) and why is it taking the form of this kid?
• How does it account for the peace between the Quarians and Geth?
• Why didn't the first galactic civilization just tell future lifeforms about the dangers of AI? Or did it try that and found it didn't work?
• Does it not realize that sentient lifeforms are less concerned about the survival of their genes than their actual sentience, which they lose when the become husks or other Reaper parts?
• How certain can they be that synthetics will destroy organics? Especially when it seems that all synthetics like the Geth care about is self-preservation. Beside the reapers, there hasn't been a single AI in the game that attacked first.

Also, I'd like to be able to persuade the Catalyst of the error of its ways. For all those trumpeting that the ending is straight out of classic scifi, I think Harlan Ellison, as depressing a scifi writer as I know of, allowed something similar in the game version of I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream.

2) Explain why my supposedly dead crew members came back to life. And likewise, why Joker fled the battle.

3) Tell us whether or not the various civilizations were or were not destroyed by the explosions of the relays. This is absolutely non-negotiable, because considering what happened in The Arrival, even the endings we already have are all essentially the same ending of "The explosion of the relays destroyed all sentient life along with the Reapers, The End." If this isn't the case, it needs to be spelled out.

4) If they weren't all killed by the relay, give us some indication of whether or not Earth ever made a comeback after being nearly destroyed and forced to play host to several fleets worth of alien races who will be stuck there indefinately. Did they all manage to get coexist, or did they destroy themselves in a resource war eventually, which seems the most likely scenario. This could even be told with a single image --- either a cold, dead Earth or one that looks like a fantasy game world with the different species comingling in a marketplace or something.

5) Outside the ending, I remember there were a lot of people on the Citadel and various other places I gave advice to but never found out how it turned out. Like the woman and the in-law fighting over whether to screen for some kind of genetic disorder in a dead guys child, but the screening process had some minor danger. I want to know whether I made the right call or not.

Modifié par daisekihan, 17 mars 2012 - 06:33 .

[Doug M]

The development team just needs another swing at the ending. Their work on 98% of the game was amazing and they created one of the greatest pieces of entertainment ever made. Now they just need to go back and finish what they started. Bad judgement with the ending aside, I trust in their ability to deliver.

[daigakuinsei]

I guess I just want an ending where if I try REALLY REALLY REALLY hard, I can ride off into the sunset with my LI, friends and crew, and help rebuild the galaxy.

I also want the opportunity to challenge the Catalyst's racist thinking on AI, especially if you've made peace with Geth and Quarians and befriended Edi. Just didn't seem right that I could accept the Catalyst at face value. Why should I trust the leader of the Reapers?

[Stonesoundjam]

This is what I would have done for the ending sequence. It doesn't deviate that much from what the actual endings did, but it offered endings which were more palatable. 

The key point is that it's not about whether or not Shepard dies. But if Shepard has to, it's got to MEAN something. It's not got to be for naught or something so futile it negates the entire thrust of the narrative 3 games in.

Shepard embodies the struggle against adversity and the triumph of that through struggle. The endings fail right now because they simply don't address that. As a character, Shepard isn't overtly powerful, or super smart or anything like that. What Shepard embodies most is a sense of empathy, or barring that the ability to view a situation from more than one viewpoint. So here is where I roughly sketched up what I thought would be better tailored ends.

Potential TLDR warning..

I'm quite happy with the game up to the point they stormed the reaper/citadel/thing and got zapped 

What I would have changed would have been the content in Shepard's dream sequence, and consequently what The Crucible actually does. What I chose ties in more with the concept of choice and that no matter how varies our Shepards are, they have a bearing on one another..

Instead of space Casper dream chases in the woods, I'd have dream sequences on the Normandy where Shepard would meet Ashley or Kaiden (whoever died on Virmire) and have conversations with them as if they hadn't died. Then have Shepard waking up all panicked.

In another dream I'd have Shepard's love interest conversing with Shep. Except it wouldn't be the love interest you chose but one of the other options. And it would be in the Normandy but in a slightly different colour scheme. Shep would wake up then bewildered.

Another dream sequence would have Shepard wake up in the dream, but in a slightly different again looking Normandy. And instead of your choice of gender Shep, it would be the opposite gender Shep. Then our Shepard would wake up confused..

Fast forward to the end bits. And the slow shambling 15 minute death walk.

So by the end, the reveal would be that the Crucible instead of being the lovably pointless thing it is now, would rather be a weapon capable of destroying the Reapers but requiring a huge expense of energy to do so. 

How it gains that energy is by absorbing realities. 

Shepard then learns from starchild, or a piece of toast, whichever is less silly, that actually there is a host of realities out there, all suffering the fate of the Reaper invasion every 50000 years. 

Through a portal mirror, the toast shows Shepard the different realities. Some Shepards male, some female, some black, white, long hair, bearded etc. Each with their own love interests etc.. The point being the multitude of alternate worlds, with alternate Shepards, all living under the Reaper countdown in their own respective realities.

So then our Shepard is given a decision to make. Kind of like what we're put through at the end. Only with less suckage.

Option 1: Shepard destroys the reapers at the energy expense of negating all the other realities. Shepard's reality becomes the only one left. The reapers explode like baby prawns in District 9. In the portal mirror Shepard sees as the other Shepard's in their respective worlds holding loved ones, friends while their universes fold in on themselves out of existance. (Then to the epilogue of the choice 1)

Option 2: Shepard chooses to destroy the reapers but assigns the energy cost to her own reality, destroying her own timeline/reality but saving all the other universes for the other Shepards from the Reapers. If this choice is made then Shepard is given the opportunity to address all other realities through the portal mirror before her universe ends. (Option 2: epilogue)   

Option 3: Shepard decides to keep all the universes alive, including her own and resultingly the lack of sufficient energy only results in postponing the reapers this cycle and not destroying them completely. (epilogue of this choice)  

Option 4: Kinect colour code dance fight with Harbinger. (if u win you get a space hamster outfit unlock then you are made to choose again from the other options)

Option 5: Control the reapers. Nah kidding. That's just silly. I mean that would just violate the narrative thrust established since the very beginning, and contradict everything that Shepard is about. Aren't you glad I'm no pro unlike the quality guys in Bioware? Control the reapers... El oh el.

And so to the respective epilogues. Needless to say they would also be supplemented by Dragon Age style text bits like "Admiral Anderson retired and moved to Maine where he started a small fishing tackle business. He is currently dating an unnamed ex-N7 employee" etc... But each option would have a unique closing sequence like these..

Option 1 epilogue: (fade in from black) Shepard wakes up in bed. But not on the Normandy. Bird sounds.

In a house somewhere on Earth. Love interest beside Shepard. Shep wakes and goes to the kitchen. Makes coffee. Walks out the front door. Beautiful scenery and the sun is about to break. Shep sips coffee looking to the horizon.

Shep V.O: I think about what I've done. What it has cost. What it has taken everyone and everything to get to right now. Here. This moment. Mordin, Thane, Pressly. And all those others out there to which I had to do what I did. There are not enough words and I could talk forever about it. So what I'll say is this...

(sunlight breaks over the earth)

Shep V.O: I thank you all. I'll never forget you. Any of you. And for what it's worth. What it's taken to get here to right now. This moment... 

(we see the golden sun wash over Shepard's face and smile)

Shep v.o: ...Is completely beautiful. (Mass Effect credits) 

Option 2 epilogue: the scene cuts to different Shepards on different universes on different Normandys all being hailed by our Shepard. On screen our Shep then tells them through convo wheel choices about whats been chosen and done and the sacrifice that's about to be made

Shep: "I came into this like every one of you the same way. I've been beat up, put down, tired, scared and more than once been left there with nothing left to give."

"All I've really had to cling to is hope. So as I do this, for all of us. I say to all of you out there."

"Live. Live out the rest of your lives without fear and live those lives as hard as you can. Make it all worth it
Live them for you. Live them for us. Live them for me."

Shepard pushes the button on the crucible. Reapers pop like Pop rocks. Things explode. Fade to white

A child runs out with a toy Normandy. Whizzing and running through a throng of people. She's on the Citadel. And there's a congregation. And a podium. A voice speaks.

Alt universe reverse gender Shep: "A world has gone. A universe. A galaxy of it's own. A choice was made to sacrifice their own fates to better ours. So we're here to show our gratitude. And to remember we owe this peace to them. And so this  statue in the heart of the Citadel, will stand as a marker of that unselfish love."

A statue unveils of Shepard. Then to another statue. And another. Across different universes. A statue in each citadel across every one of the adjacent universes. Each one being addressed by a different look Shepard. 

Beneath a plaque reads "Live. Live out the rest of your lives without fear and live those lives as hard as you can. Make it all worth it. Live them for you. Live them for us. Live them for me. - Shepard. 

The Shepard in that universe closes his/her eyes. Reaches out and touches the plaque. And mouths the words, "Thank you." (end credits)

Option 3 epilogue: Shepard makes the choice. The reapers sound that massive thing they do and the ships vanish one by one. As if sucked down a vortex. Against their will.

Reapers v.o: "All you have bought is time, Shepard. We will return. And the fate of your galaxy remains inevitable."

There is tremendous reverberation as  space flushes the Reapers elsewhere. Everyones fat on the Normandy jiggles. Ships shake violently. Even on Earth. Tremors. Shepard and Anderson are thrown around and fall out of the craft onto the ground. Shepard hits her head and passes out. Fade to black.

Scene - Huerta Memorial.

Shepard awakes bruised, battered and bandaged. Light streams in through lourves. The Love interest is there. Or not, EDI.

"Commander you okay?"
"God, I feel awful."
"You've been out for days."
"The Reapers. What happened?"
"Gone, I think. At least for now."
"Well, then I gotta get up. We need to find these bastards before they get a.."
"Maybe you should just rest awhile Commander. Just take a rest, I don't think the Reapers are coming back today."

They take a moment. Shepard looks out the window.. Then speaks.

"I think I've failed. The Reapers are still out there. Waiting for their moment. They'll be back the bastards"

The Love Interest or EDI sits by the bed. Rests a hand on Shepard's shoulder.

"Then I guess you can't in good conscience retire can you?"
"I was looking forward to it."

A ladybug flies out over the citadel. Lands on a panel. It's the wing of the Normandy. Gleaming in the sun.

"Well you know Shepard. This job has it's perks. I think you'll miss them."
"Getting shot at. Thrown around. Military food?", smiles Shepard.
"Friends. Compatriots. Making a difference."
"You really don't see me getting out of this, do you?"
"No Shepard. I do not. I think you'd be bored out your mind. I think you'd be fat and hooked on Quasar 3 months onto retirement'"
Shepard laughs. They both laugh. Shepard then gets serious.

"You do know they'll return eventually. Someday, some time."
"Yes. And you'll be there."
"I'll be there. Always."

The crew of the Normandy do their thing. Fire up engines. Looking busy.. Etc.

"Anyway Commander, when you're ready, Admiral Hackett sent us something he'd like you to have a look at."
"Sure send it to me. I guess there's always something in the galaxy that needs saving."
"Theres nothing to it really. Not when the galaxy has you, Commander."

They salute. Shepard salutes back and grins. 

The Normandy tears through the sky with victory music playing. (end credits)


  



 



   

[IncendiarySheep]

Thank you, Bioware people, for listening and offering us this chance to give some feedback.  I am a massive fan of your games and consider your willingness to listen one of the reasons why they are so fantastic.  

I loved 99% of ME3, and my only complaint lies with the ending. 

I think it's important to say upfront that I don’t need my Shepard to have a happy ending.  I don’t need her to live happily every after with Garrus (or another LI). I don’t even need her to survive at all.  But I do want to walk away from the game knowing that the ME galaxy is a better place because of Shepard and her companions, and that their work and sacrifice was not in vain. I do not get that with the current ending.

My personal preference is that Bioware embrace the indoctrination theory.  Even if it was never originally intended, it’s awesome, and quite nicely fits with the story to date.  Indeed, it is really quite remarkable how well all the evidence does fit - from the odd, dreamy feel of the end sequence, through the gun with unlimited ammo, to the fact many of the crew talk about retiring someplace warm and tropical and so Shepard imagines that it where they are.  I love the idea of indoctrination even though, having agonised for ages, and then chosen ‘synthesis’ in the  hope of peace, my Shepard would have fallen for the reapers trick!

However, I also appreciate that the indoctrination theory a big change to the ending.  Cost and other practical issues may interfere with so dramatic a change.  So, what’s the minimum I would want?  Let’s see:

• A longer conversation with the spirit of the citadel/godchild/ghost thingy.  I can live with the destruction/control/synthesis options (in some ways, they are actually pretty cool), but, not with the circumstances under which Shepard makes the decision between them.  Serious concussion and bloodloss or not, my paragon Shepard would have needed a lot more convincing before choosing any of those options.  My paragade Shepard would have simply started blasting the place.  Please explain more, or at least come up with some device that explains why Shepard is suddenly listening to this thing without question (eg. Earlier foreshadowing so that when the Godchild emerges, suddenly everything makes sense).
• Some way for the quarians, turians, geth, krogan, rachni, elcor and everyone else to get home, rather than being stranded over Earth, with little option but to battle each other for the few remaining resources on earth (most of which are not useful to the quarians and turians anyway...).  Leaving the mass relays operational is one option.  But perhaps the crucible is a new form of mass relay? One that allows a new galactic civilisation based on technology that isn’t tainted by the reaper god?  Or maybe there is some way of showing that the Sol Cluster has many habitable worlds that were devastated by the reapers and need repopulating (not that that would help the Krogan, who'd be back to having no fertile females...).
• An epilogue that explains what happens to my crew.  At the moment, it seems they are trapped on some undeveloped planet with no technology, the apparent implication being that they start a new hippy-feral commune or something (maybe they’ll join the remainder of the twelve colonies from Battlestar Galactica?).  Could that be retconned as just the Normandy crash-landing – safely – somewhere they can be rescued? If not, well an epilogue that explains what happens on the planet is still better than nothing.
• Ideally, a means by which the preparations can have a real, tangible effect on Earth or the galaxy.  Completed every side mission, have the largest fleet possible and great morale?  Fantastic, the damage to earth is kept to a minimum because of the sheer size of the armada.  Rushed through, did priority missions only?  Well, maybe the armada is not as strong and Earth gets trashed in the fighting, but possibly there has been less time to process people or fewer worlds have fallen. 
• Images of a fracking big space battle wouldn't go astray either.

Maybe not the most well-developed thoughts, but I'm just very grateful and happy to have the opportunity to offer them up. 

I also want to take this opportunity to say that I don’t have a problem paying for DLC, either generally, or to get a better ending in this particular case.  The whole game was about $100 Aussie dollars – and that is for dozens of hours of play, so it’s much better value than 3-4 movies or boxed DVD collection.   Paying $15 or $20 for hours more of supplementary fun is fine by me.  I would be concerned if the proliferation of DLC means that games are marketed when half complete, or in a very minimalist fashion with an excessive focus on paying more for the ‘real thing’, but I don’t think Bioware is near crossing that line at the moment.

Modifié par IncendiarySheep, 17 mars 2012 - 06:40 .

[Shepard needs a Vacation]

Paragon Auducan wrote...

1. Different endings based on choices throughout the series. Range from
Good-Bad where you can live and be with your friends or end up dead and
the Reapers win.
2. Run with the Indoctrination Theory even if it
wasn't planned. When Shepard wakes up give us the REAL Reaper battle.
War Assets that can be called in for backup etc.
3. Closure, works into issue 1. We want to know what happens and why, that includes status of squad and the galaxy as a whole.
4. No plot holes, again use the Indoctrination Theory and continue from the Shepard lives easter egg.
5. Free, this is a trilogy 5 years in the making. 100's of hours invested, don't make us pay to see the ending.

This + Rachni in the final battle, and being able to unequip a weapon, more hub worlds

[Killer3000ad]

Suggested changes? We need better endings! They are so awful now as to make me want to NOT do anymore playthroughs!

Why do the relays need to be always destroyed?
Why does Shep have to listen passively to a goddamn Starchild lecture him about synthetics always fighting with organics when Shep has proved him wrong if he/she made the Quarians and Geth play nice and gave EDI more humanity?
Why does Joker and the Normandy suddenly appear to be fleeing a damn fireball?
Why do my squadmates I picked for the final battle mysteriously teleport to him?
What is the galaxy gonna do now that everyone is stranded all over the place, especially the massive multicultural fleet above Earth?
Why don't my choices matter more in the end instead of just adding to some EMS score that decides whether I get an equally similiar third option or a special cutscene in one ending?
Why do you keep asking what we enjoyed most when YOU KNOW WHAT WE HATED MOST?

Modifié par Killer3000ad, 17 mars 2012 - 06:34 .

[Lord_Nikon]

The game was amazing, but the ending as all have posted was quite terrible.


We were promised an ending that was not a A, B or C ending. and that is what we received..we want to know what the aftermath is.

It doesn't have to have flowers and rainbows... but that would be a sweet easter egg ending.

Just a satisfying conclusion to events... What happens? Sure i did this this and this... but did earth barly suffer a scratch cause I am so cool. or did i fail utterly? Sweet the genophage was cured... but the turians recreated it days after the reapers were gone... the galaxy fell into all out war because the rachni decided to take over.

What... Happened... why the heck did Joker run. Why did the LI that was with us in the final run to the beam suddenly end up on the normandy? I thought they were dead?

Also I want a full statement of apology from Bioware EA, Hudson and Priestly, and you. Oh and any DLC to fix the ending better be free.

i have purchased every Bioware game that I could run on my system. From Baldurs gate to ME3. now... I will not buy one. until this is fixed.

[ediskrad327]

this guy has the right idea

[bwFex]

Since people are already starting to quote my post from the previous ending feedback thread (which still makes me feel awesome ), I just want to emphasize that the purpose of this thread isn't to express why we're disappointed (we've already done that for almost 200 pages!), but to suggest things we could do to fix it.

[WvStolzing]

The Mass Relays need not be destroyed. Here, is my reason:

The argument in favor of their destruction runs as follows: The relay network and the Citadel constrain galactic species into paths of development laid out by the Reapers. To rely on relay technology is to willingly go under their tutelage. With their destruction, the galactic species can finally make their own paths.

'Developing along predetermined paths' vs. 'making one's own path'----that's a recurrent theme of the series, and not just about the reapers. Practically every civilization in the galaxy believes it alone really knows what's best for everyone else: they try to 'engineer' entire species in what they think is the 'right direction' (the genophage; even the Protheans 'teaching' the Asari); or they try to suppress the slightest claim to self-determination that they don't know how to deal with (Quarians-the Geth).

You could say that the relationship between Miranda and her father is just a variation on this theme, on the individual scale. (The name 'Miranda' can't be arbitrary; it's from Shakespeare's 'the Tempest', where you have her father Prospero the 'magician' creating a dreamlike world for his daughter, so that she grows up 'in the right way')

Yet the mass relays, and the Citadel open up unlimited possibilities for the civilizations of the galaxy----I really don't see why m. relay-travel should 'constrain' a civilization to a strictly pre-determined path, turning it into a puppet of the reapers. The Protheans use the technology for conquest, and imperial 'unity'; in 'our cycle', at least the Paragon Shepard goes to show that inter-species understanding, and peace is possible. I do not see artificial constraint in any of this; to the contrary, the relays open up each species' horizons. Nothing is set in stone, by the sheer existence of the relays, as to how each species proceeds to shape that horizon.

And, why shouldn't we master the technology of the relays, and make it our own? Are the present-day French puppets of the Romans, and should they forget their language and adopt whatever celtic dialects were spoken in the region before the 'romanization', if they want to be 'free'? Furthermore, we are already told that the Protheans, and later the Asari, came very close to deciphering the technology. 

Modifié par WvStolzing, 17 mars 2012 - 06:39 .

[Desteron]

Alrighty lets give this a go!

1. How did Shepard survive the blast from Harbinger at the beginning? It seemed obvious that a hit like that which was able to shatter his shields and armor was more then capable of killing him, even if didn't wouldn't the material melt onto his skin causing great pain and death after only moments? Just curious.

2. How did the Illusive man get onto the Citadel and why was his conversation and dialogue parallel to Saren? A quick explanation would do for that.

3. Why when you talk to the Catalyst is there no option to tell him no or just to shut down the reapers?

4.Why was there no dialogue with Harbinger?

5. Why was Joker running away from the fight?

6. Why did the mass relays explode and not go super nova? Are all the mass relays gone now too?

7. Why didn't you show Tali's face? Why did you use a poor stock image in place of an actual artist design? I'm sure if you looked on websites such as Devientart or even opened a competition on the Bioware website many people would have jumped at the oppertunity to create their own concept of what the Quarians looked like and you would have got a bunch of positive feed back from the costumers! Just my two cents.

8. The dialogue with the Catalyst contradicts the dialogue with Sovereign in the first game as well as Harbinger. Where they just lying trying to make themselves look cooler to the player? I don't understand. Why would they create synthetics to kill organics so synthetics wouldn't kill them? Is it because when the reapers kill a civilization they create them into reapers so that they will persevere in another form? Clarification would be nice.

9. What happened to everyone in the galaxy? How did my squad mates get onto the Normandy after Harbinger blasted us? Are all the people who fought in the battle for earth going to starve to death because of lack of room?

10. Is the catalyst a Harbinger/Sovereign trick? I say Sovereign because he was blown up on the Citadel and it has been stated that several pieces of him were never found so is it possible that the catalyst is the reminiscence of Sovereign now living within the Citadel? This would explain why he is able to project from Shepard's mind the image of the child (because he is aware that Shepard has looked into prothean artifacts and has said he stumbles ignorantly in their mind so the artifacts are connected to reaper mind)

11. Why didn't everyone got to IIos where the connection to the Citadel was from the first game? Seems like it would have been a lot easier..

In conclusion: The current ending left a lot more questions then it gave answers and needs to either be further developed or changed completely adding in several different endings which are with good spirits with what the trilogy is based on, (Your choices matter and what you choose effects everything in the universe, INCLUDING THE ENDING!)

[nupfi]

pomrink wrote...

Indoctrination theory being correct, then showing us what happens afterwards, with the extra bonus that we will never find out the reapers motivations(they  need to stay unknowable, otherwise it cheapens them).

Edit: Also, with an epilogue of sorts, no mass relay explosion (unless you fail), potential failure like promised (i.e. reapers win), and maybe possibly a golden ending with shep living, but very hard to get?

Edit: Golden ending with shep living would hopefully be with LI....

I'd be willing to shell out.


This page has a good list of our problems with the ending.
http://social.biowar...5/index/9851623

[I. C. Wiener]

In addition to the happy ending that I wrote before if you need something for the future, can fit rippers you discover what they did in the Milky Way have done in other galaxies, thus leaving open something new with new races and stories always rippers

They forgot that it would be nice to see you face not only found in photo ... it also takes a scene or gameplay video with a kiss shepard for those who chose her for romance

Keep it up guys I knew there'd disappointed, you're one of the few developers who listen to us and keep your fans

Modifié par I. C. Wiener, 17 mars 2012 - 06:41 .

[NWSmith]

 I'm far enough in to this to probably not be read, but here is my problem with the ending: it took the game from a character driven experience straight into a plot driven ending. It was all about conflicting philosophies and belief systems, and I can see what the writers were shooting for with it, but it goes against the rest of the entire series in terms of player experience. It was not the same experience I have come to associate with Mass Effect games. After spending 3 games and more hours than I wanted to think about with these characters, I wanted a lot more closure as to their fate than a quick shot of a couple of them hopping out of the Normandy at the end, and I think this frustration is what has angered so many people on these forums and others.

When we get to the final choice and the odd star child/reaper avatar, it's a jarring transition, and doesn't seem to fit the overall theme of how I played the game, which was that Shepard refused to accept failure or allow his enemies to dictate the terms of a situation. At the end it felt like I was robbed of choice at the end of a series that was all about them, with my only options being to effectively screw over the galaxy because the reapers told me it was the only way.

Modifié par NWSmith, 17 mars 2012 - 06:38 .

[Borothir]

I will simply re-post what I said on Chris' thread about the endings:

Let me take the first bit of this to thank you for acknowledging us, it really does mean a lot. Anyone who was there during the whole "Skyrim on PS3" ordeal knows horrible it is when a developer won't tell you what's happening with a product you just spent $60 or more on, like those of us (myself included) who actually dropped $150 on the collector's edition for that game. But that's a little different with Mass Effect. It's less about the price of one final game and more about our experiences and journeys within the entire series, which is what hurts fans the most with the current ending. I could go on writing about many little things that didn't sit right with me, and apparently with the majority of the fans, or I could just re-post a summary of a great ending that has gotten some great attention recently, and which many people (again, myself included) are treating as the canon ending. I personally am at the point in my game where (spoilers) I'm just about to go down to London. I'll likely play some more of the game, just up until the Citadel, with the final confrontation with the Illusive man and the who-the-hell-is-this-last-minute-abomination Star Child. Why? Because my Shepard, and the Shepard of many others, would simply not
choose any option given by this "child." My Shepard would refuse, fight, and survive. Here is a link to said alternate ending: http://social.biowar...2&poll_id=29101 and here is a more defined version of basically the same idea, with dialogue: http://arkis.deviant...ILERS-289902125

Time for clarification. I obviously can't speak for the entire community, but I think nearly everyone doesn't have a problem with (spoilers) Shepard dying (which I know doesn't happen in every ending, but most) but rather the fact that all three options disregard everything we've done up to this point. We need to see the hope and dedication of our newly combined galactic force play out. We need to see our choices mean something, especially the outcome of (spoilers) making peace with the Quarians and Geth, which seem to be completely disregarded in the end. In a series that boasted player choice, and an end that promised our choices would mean something, I'm just not seeing it. I would be perfectly content on seeing my Shepard die (which was, coincidentally, my ending for DragonAge: Origins - having my Warden sacrifice himself to save Ferelden) if it would actually mean something,
and if it was a choice my Shepard would actually make, which can be done in only one way: refusing the Child's offers. Refuse, fight, defy, whatever is needed.

You asked what my favorite moment was? It was this one: "The battle is an epic conclusion, as Shepard watches,
broken and bleeding, as everything he has put into this unified force throws itself at the Reapers. The Destiny
Ascension obliterating a Reaper with it's main gun before being swarmed over by Destroyers, the Geth armada pulling along side to save her. The Salarian STG calling in a biotic artillery strike on a cluster of Reaper troops. Wrex and Garrus, on the front sharing a stern moment in cover, before nodding to each other, brothers in arms, before charging over the barricade. Back to back, they face down hordes of husks, Wrex shouting defiantly, "You think you can take our future!? You think YOU CAN TAKE MY CHILDREN?!" The Quarian flotilla scrambling, all
guns blazing, trying desperately to form a battleline, as one of the admirals quietly turns to their crew, signalling his ship all ahead full. "For the homeworld. Keela..." their words cut off as the live-ship rams a Reaper, exploding spectacularly and damaging two others. The Normandy frantically weaving through the wreckage, Joker and
EDI yelling warnings to one another as the fleets explode around them. Tali leading a charge of Geth Primes against a Cannibal gun line. Rachni drones swarming over a Reaper Destroyer by the thousands, pulling it apart from the inside. Grunt wrestling a brute to the ground and unloading his shotgun into his head."

Doesn't sound familiar? It's from the second link, with just a few words taken out here and there to make sense. This IS my ending.

One last thing before I go. Remember Mass Effect: Deception? Yep, everyone does. You (Bioware) are fixing that. You listened to us and have already come out to pledge you'll fix the many errors throughout the book in future printings. You can do this. You can patch the game, offer free DLC, anything. You've done it before, you can do it again. This will assure fan loyalty and insure purchases of future DLC. Please make it right.

[CDHarrisUSF]

Since I don't like my previous list being almost entirely "not this" and "not that" points, I figure I could at least go try to dig up an off-the-cuff alternate ending idea that got buried deep in the threadnaught. I wouldn't expect it to be used, but I suppose it couldn't hurt to bounce our crappy ideas off them. Who knows, maybe something will stick...

CDHarrisUSF wrote...

Max Knight wrote...

... we see a Shep in a hospital room in a coma and your LI ...

I kind of like that idea. A scene like that could be quite a tear-jerker if played right. You would get a very emotional scene of your LI fighting back tears and holding Shepard's hand as she's telling him about all of the great things he is missing out on [can cut to clips of the rebuilding efforts with her words as narration]. After a recap of the important parts, depending on how prepared your fleet was, the scene could then branch off in one of two paths:

1. If you weren't prepared enough, you hear the heart monitor flatline and see her go through various stages of grief. Take Liara, for example. If Shepard promised her in LotSB that she would never lose him again and told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her in ME3, she could comment about that in the anger stage. Then, it transitions to a fancy military funeral. All of your crew are mourning your loss. Some of them say a few words about Shepard, with the last being from your LI. As your LI gives the longest and most emotional eulogy, the camera slowly pans out to reveal a massive crowd of people Shepard helped. Finally, it cuts to black in sync with the first round of a 21 gun salute and the credits roll.

2. If your forces are strong enough to rescue you in time, the camera is framed so you can see her face and her holding Shepard's hand. You see your LI look up and gasp as Shepard squeezes her hand and you watch her expression turn to one of pure happiness and relief. Shepard sits up with a bit of effort. She momentarily forgets Shepard is badly injured and gives him a big hug with tears streaming down her face. He winces a bit and she apologizes. She says something like, "I thought I lost you again," to which he would respond in a labored voice, "I always keep my promises." After some more touching moments/dialogue, there is a scene in which Shepard and crew are in a big ceremony being presented the highest award in existence and Shepard gives one last inspirational speech, recognizing the magnitude of the toll that had to be paid for their victory but that it wasn't made in vain, etc. It could either end there or you could finish with a short fan-service scene between a retired Shepard and his LI... little blue babies playing on Thessia, building a house on Rannoch, etc.

The people who want a really sad but cathartic ending with Shepard making the ultimate sacrifice get what they want, as do the ones hoping Shepard finally gets the happiness he deserves. Either way, I would be reaching for the tissue box. There are countless more satisfying ways they could have gone about an ending. It's a shame that the trilogy, like Commander Shepard, didn't get the send off it deserved.

I saw several people presenting really good ideas, but I don't remember enough to find theirs by searching.

Modifié par CDHarrisUSF, 17 mars 2012 - 06:38 .

[Joryn01]

Some closure would definitely be welcome. Don't necessarily need to get rid of the current endings but add some more. I definitely like the idea of Shep and his/her LI settling down somewhere. Alternate ending of Shep dying aren't out of the question either. I even had an idea of one where the entire crew parishes and the final scene after the credits is a Normandy memorial in dedication to them. It's the choices that make it awesome. A lot of the plot holes filled would be nice too. Anything else I could mention has already been expressed in the thread. This right here is why I love Bioware.

[hanar05]

I really enjoyed the scenes with my old Mass Effect 1 team, and the chance to get to know them some more.
However, what I felt was lacking was the amount of content for the Mass Effect 2-only characters, especially the romances.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who got really invested in these characters, only to see them sidelined in the third game. In fact, all of my favourite characters had this happen to them.

I would like to see something where these characters are given more spotlight.

I didn't like the direction Jacob's romance took and I think there should be a chance for those who romanced him to reconcile. Even if possible, rewrite the scene for romances so that he hasn't left Shepard after only a few months to have a baby with another woman. I think it was unfair on those who did romance him so changing this would help a lot.

There is also the fact that no one reacts to Thane's death, especially upsetting if your Shepard had romanced him. Also you can not gain the Paramour achievement for continuing the romance. I would like to see more acknowledgement, maybe even a cutscene when a squadmember can comfort Shepard about it, whether friend or romance. And if possible, I would like to see a choice to prolong Thane's life. He is a well-loved character so a mission where you have the option of curing him would be a great addition to the game.

I don't have an issue with Jacob having a baby with someone who is not Shepard or Thane dying, I just have an issue with the fact we get no choice in the matter. That no matter what we do, the result is always the same.
Both have very reasonable ways to fix these problems. It's not like a cure for drell wasn't already in the works, and visiting kahje to gain a cure could give you more opportunity to gain war assets.

Having more of all the ME2 squadmates would be great but I feel those two got it especially rough, considering that they are romances.

There is also the matter of the endgame. I would like the see alternate endings or at least more information as to what the repercussions of my choices were.
The fact that each ending varied only slightly was a big let down when one of the biggest parts of the Mass Effect games has always been that your choices matter.

Thanks

[chibilombax]

I was honestly prepared to have my Shepard die. So having them die isn't exactly an issue with me. You see their hand bloody. You're almost ready to just say goodbye to your character. We said goodbye to all the characters. And yet we didn't really have a moment as a player to say goodbye to the character we've been playing as for years.

If somehow I got the golden ticket of Bioware and it was up to me to change the endings. Well I would've had Shepard die next to Anderson. If War Assets were really really really high they'd live. The relays wouldn't be touched. Nor the Geth/Edi. But maybe I'm just being greedy. I apologize if it comes out that way.

Is talking about other games okay? Well there was Final Fantasy 10-2. The main plot is to save the world and try to find Tidus from the game before it. You only found him however if you got 100 percent. Making the happy ending a result of some very hard work. ( Unless you used a game shark but that's not the point I'm trying to make )

I know some players enjoyed the endings. Perhaps to try and keep them happy you could have those be the "minimum assets" endings. So they could still see them. It honestly just feels like a waste of time to do all the side quests and get the same thing someone could if they breezed through the game. I know copying the ME2 formula might not feel right. But that's what made the finale of ME2 so brilliant. You got to see your hard work pay off in the Suicide Mission.

It's not really asking for cupcakes and rainbows. It just feels if Shepard has to die it'd be nice to know it wasn't in vain. Similar to how it was done in Dragon Age Origins. Mass Effect 3 is still a game. You can try to make it a movie all you want but people don't go buying DLC for movies or books. It's heart breaking to see so much hope happen between the galactic races just to have it diminished in under five minutes. In Origins you had the option to kill your Warden off. But there was a optional way around it so you could continue the story with your original Warden in Awakening. Even if they died you could just play a Orlesian Warden and it would have an effect on the story.

Also I do hate to bring it up. But Mass Effect, while it is a fictional setting. It was always easy to believe the settings techno babble. For me anyway. I honestly cannot think up how a beam from a space station super weapon could change the DNA of everything in the galaxy. If I have to be honest it sounded silly. I can't imagine anybody wanting to continue the story even without Shepard if things are in the Dark Ages. But this is just how I see it. I cannot speak for everybody.

I read you were hoping fans could use their imagination. I say that's okay but it's hurtful if that's all the fans can do to find some sort of comfort in the end. It was similar to how some people say pets or family members go to heaven and that's how they find comfort after they pass away. Okay that might be an extreme comparison. But if you still want imagination. How about listening in on the Indoctrination Theory the fans have thought up? They pointed out a lot of hints to support it. It's quite impressive even if you don't believe it. However again it's sad they had to do this to not feel depressed. If you want imagination you can have Shepard wake up in rubble as hinted in the cinematic after you pick Destroy. Have them charge at the beam and we could be left to think "What happened after the Reapers were destroyed?" But this kind of goes against the "closure on the galaxy" I know people are talking about. I'm just trying to please as many people as possible. Even the ones who were fine with the endings and insulted the hurt fans.

It's just really depressing that fans are willing to accept a theory saying "It was all a dream the whole thing didn't happen!" Ignoring the game as a whole as a dream.

On an emotional standpoint the endings were cruel. Players had to watch characters go through noble endings. Which were done in such a great way that it's just cruel that the emotions you felt don't seem to matter in the end. Fans are okay with sad endings. Mordin, Thane, Legion. There's so much praise for their endings. Shepards however just honestly seems rushed and you're left with way more questions then answers. Such as the Relays possibly exploding and wiping out all life. Like in Arrival. Or how will the fleet get back to their homes? Even just thinking of everybody starving to death in space in the Sol System. That's really just mean and makes Shepard look like a coward for giving up and dying.

I'm sorry if this is a long post. This is 2 weeks of my thoughts now that the Anger stage I was in is gone. I'm sure others will cover anything I forgot.

Okay I'm just going to end this with one question a friend of mine wanted to suggest. How about a fan contest for Tali's face? I've seen a lot of people didn't really care for her look in game. You could have a contest similar to what you did for the default Fem Shep. Fanart being sent in and the best one gets put into the game. It'll be a gift to the fans by the fans.

[Indigo the Cat]

Here are my 4 primary ending suggestions, in order of most important to least important. 

1.  Do NOT destroy the Mass Relays.
2.  Make the Effective Military strength have real consequences on a tier based system (maybe 3 levels), and have it be separate from Shepard's personal story and ending.
3.  Consider using part of the current ending as an indoctrination attempt by the Reapers.
4.  Commander Shepard should be able to meet her/his mother before the final battle.

The next list are issues about the game in general that should be addressed.

5.  Let us spend more time on Thessia and Sur'Kesh.
6.  Add more missions and more things to do in between priority missions.
7.  Develop and richen the paramor achievement, and make Shepard's romances more satisfying. .Add more love interests as well, maybe even starting them in Mass Effect 2.  (Same-sex ones in particular.)
8.  Shorten loading screen times... it's tedious and a lot worse than Mass Effect 2.
9.  Consider adding another one or two factions of enemies to fight. 

I have provided more detailed explanations below.

First off... DON'T destroy the mass relays.  They are waaay too useful of Reaper Technology and resource to just destroy.  Also, it wouldn't be cannon.  If a Mass Relay is destroyed, it creates nearly a Super Nova and destroys the entire Star System, which means you failed to save pretty much every sapient specie's homeworld.

Do NOT destroy the Mass Relays.

Second... actually make some real consequences based off of the
Effective Military Strength that feeds into the ending, and put it on a
tier system.  Like, EMS<3000 can potentially result in the worst
ending, 3000-5000 results in a more balanced ending, and 5000+ results
in the best ending, maybe regardless if Shepard is indoctrinated or
not.  (Nothing says that Shepard's personal ending has to be congruent
with whether or not the Reapers are destroyed.  This game boasts both a
personal and a "public" element.  Where Shepard plays
commander/friend/and lover on the Normandy, but she plays politician to
the galaxy, trying to rally everyone together.)

Third off, I like the idea of playing off the current ending, and saying it was an indoctrination attempt by the Reapers.  It makes a lot of sense.  How BioWare works this into a truly satisfying ending is up to them, but I think a good way to create a "bad" ending would be that Shepard is indoctrinated.

Fourth, let Shepard meet her/his damn mother before the ending.  We've heard a fair chunk of dialogue about Hannah Shepard, but never actually got to see her.

Fifth is related to the sixth, but I would love to spend more time with missions on Sur'Kesh and Thessia.  They sort of were side-lined in the game, whereas Shepard had to spend a great deal of time on Rannoch, Tuchanka, and Palaven.

Sixth, the game's side-quests and missions were almost solely based off of two elements.  Surviving squadmates from Mass Effect 2, and the 5 "theatres of war" from multi-player.  Add more missions and more things Shepard can do in between priority missions.

Seventh, the romance sub-plots felt almost like they were thrown in last second as a side-thought.  Commander Shepard really deserves a more satisfying relationship to her/his lover.  Also, consider pet-names... it's weird when your romantic partner continues to call you by your title or last name (though it makes sense with Garrus, he's a turian), even after you've shared bed and bodies with each other.  Adding a few more same-sex relationship options would also be a good idea, too, and starting them in Mass Effect 2 wouldn't be a bad idea, either.  (Also, why have we not seen any female Batarians or Turians?)

Eighth, fix the loading times, even if it's at the expense of some high-resolution textures.  They make Mass Effect 2's loading screens seem like nothing now. 

And finally nine, there are only 3 factions you ever fight in the entire game.  While
there may be a greater variety of enemies overall, it feels strange to
only fight either Cerberus, the Reapers, or the Geth.  And it makes even
less sense to fight the Geth in multi-player after you ally with
them to thwart the Reapers.

Modifié par Indigo the Cat, 17 mars 2012 - 06:51 .

[RShara]

I hope I'm not repeating too much of what others have said.

1. Please have the decisions we make matter more in the endgame. Currently, they only matter indirectly. That is, they contribute to War Assets, and War Assets determine what ending you get. I think what most of us are looking for is a more direct consequence. If you've consistently destroyed/ignored synthetics, then Destroy is a logical option. But if you've made peace between organics and synthetics, please don't railroad us into an ending that doesn't match this theme.
There doesn't need to be conclusions for every little plot decision that you've ever made, but the big ones, like the squadmate, and other major plot decisions (geth, genophage, rachni, etc) should make a better difference than just a number on the screen. The rest of the ending will be covered after the rest, but the long and short of it is, give us the 16 ACTUAL different endings that you told us about.

2. Treatment of squadmates from ME2. Jacob fans are the ones that I think had the most unfair treatment. They have no way of protesting or convincing Jacob to stay with them. They don't even react to his leaving except by a slightly sad, "I'm happy for you." (or something along those lines). His behavior and treatment of Shepard seems wildly out of character for the "Nice Guy" that actually tells Shepard that he loves her. It's like they were never more than friends.
The second worst treatment of squadmates is Thane. It's like he was written by three completely different sets of people. One set wrote him in ME2 (fantastic). One set who wrote the tiny reunion scene with him on the Citadel (nice but kinda trashy). And another set that wrote his death and (quoted) completely "forgot that he was a friend or lover." Why is that Jacob and Thane fans are the only ones who cannot continue their relationship and get decent dialogue?
I haven't experienced much of the other LI, but from the other fan groups that I have read, few are happy with Jack and Miranda's romances either.
In more general terms, we would like to have some of our ME2 crew as part of our squad again. Many of us formed deeper attachments to those crewmembers than the ME1 ones, and would like our "friends" back.

3. Planet Scanning: A lot of people disliked planet scanning from ME2. Personally, I actually rather enjoyed racking up my resources, but I'm a completionist. However, having the Reapers chase you through a system after just a few pings seems to really put a damper on the Explore aspect of Mass Effect. What I was hoping for, that wouldn't change the game too much, was the ability to upgrade the scanner, so that I could have more pings before the Reapers found me.

4. Plot Armor: I'm sorry but I dislike this a lot. Eva, at the beginning, you get to "chase" her but you in reality can't ever actually catch her. If you ever do (which I did), you bounce off. This is silly. Just have a cutscene instead, like in LotSB. That actually made more sense. Ditto with Kai Leng. Obviously, Shepard has to be winning in order to trigger the various plot armor sequences. Instead of adding plot armor, come up with a reason why Shepard can't defeat him right then, and cutscene it (i.e. the gunship comes in right away or a stun grenade, etc).

5. Dialogue: There were a lot of places where the dialogue that Shepard uttered wasn't close to the option I would have given. Some of the responses were like, auto paragon or renegade. And what's really odd is that there is even that little pause/hitch in the scene that you get when you have a dialogue option and have chosen it before the actor finishes speaking. I also miss the more neutral dialogue options. Sometimes I don't want to have Shepard punch OR hug someone, but just speak. Please let us have more dialogue options in both situations.

6. Annnnd here is the rest of the very long one for the endings:
a. The character inconsistency-Shepard has a history of always questioning and fighting the odds. Why do we have to take the Starchild's word that something is true and must happen, with no proof, and certainly no foundation of trust? Why are we believing him about synthetics vs organics when all of our experience thus far contradicts this? Why are the Reapers, who are synthetic or at most synthetic/organic, trying to "preserve" organic life? How does taking away everything's free will constitute "saving them"? Why don't the Reapers just destroy the synthetics then? What DO the Reapers do with synthetics after they are done harvesting them?
Shepard should, at the very least, question all of these pat answers before accepting any of them. And if he or she didn't like the answer, he or she would create a new one This is the stubborn, against-the-odds, survivor, leader, that we have grown attached to.

b. The Lore inconsistency--A Mass Relay releasing all of its energy at once destroys an entire solar system. This means that pretty much everyone that Shepard has known and worked with has died if the Destroy ending is chosen. Even if this is not the case, in the Destroy ending, the Citadel definitely blows up. So how does Shepard survive this? Shepard vs Planet, Shepard loses.
Why does the beam of energy start at the edge of the galaxy instead of the Sol system where the Citadel is? Please make this consistent. Instead of Destroying the Mass Relays, perhaps Shut Them Down would make more sense, and hopscotch over this question?
Although to be honest, having to get rid of the Mass Relays seems like it shouldn't be ncessary. The Reapers are (perhaps) made from the same technology, but shutting them down really shouldn't affect the Mass Relays. It's like saying, "All toasters need to be recalled. This will result in your electricity disappearing forever." I'm sure others have covered the multiple other Lore issues much better than I have, so I will leave it to them.

c. The Ending Cutscenes-These feel like the biggest cop out in the world. We are given exactly one cutscene with very minor changes, no matter what we do. I truly expected better of this out of Bioware. I've seen all of the endings side by side. They are literally identical except for color and a few seconds of difference. I think many of us could do as much in After Effects without much trouble. This is your absolute biggest problem right here. This is the reason that there is so much dislike over the endings.
Also, that cutscene ends up opening up far more questions than it answers, but I'll cover glitches in a moment. If different cutscenes had been provided for the different choices, I think that a lot fewer people would have been upset. For example, Control could have shown the space battle going on, the Reapers suddenly going offline, and getting destroyed by the various fleets. Cheering, celebration ensues. Shepard is mourned and there is a fancy funeral, where your surviving squadmates and crewmates gather and look solemn.
Synergy could have resulted in a few key figures (Hackett? or even better, Tali and some of the Admirals) being affected by the transformative energy. Perhaps the appearance of conflict, depending on the personality involved, then an acceptance of the result. (I still think this choice is morally wrong, but I will stand up for you guys' decision to offer it).
Destroy could show parts of what it does now, but also show how the systems are affected by this giant wave of destructive force (whether or not it destroys other things). And show how Shepard manages to land intact on Earth.

No matter what, the scene with the Normandy should really be cut (imo). It just makes no sense at all, no matter how you look at it. The Normandy was part of the battle. Why is it (and no other) ship fleeing away from an energy wave that no one on board would have known was coming?

d. Glitches--As many many people have mentioned--teleporting squadmates, who are also possibly resurrected. I don't think anything else needs to be said here. This should be extended to glitches in the entire game--more than once I find myself inside or ten feet away from the object I'm interacting with. Considering the backgrounds and the character's body are of set dimensions, there is literally no reason why this should be happening.
Defaulting to Liara as your final thought is considered a glitch, but I honestly do not believe that. There is no reason that a different 2 second clip of your ACTUAL LI couldn't have been inserted here. It's literally calling file B instead of A. Shepard isn't even present, so this is a pre-rendered scene that doesn't need any processing to it.

e. The Epilogue--Again, I apologize, but I do not like the messianic quality of the ending. I literally cringed when the kid said, "Tell me more about The Shepard." I accept this is my opinion and not your vision, but again, this epilogue should be different depending on the choice you made above. Also the background in that epliogue--taken from another stock photo. Again, really really cheap and way below what I expected from Bioware.

f. Conclusions--Give us actual closure. Tell us what happened to Hackett, to the fleet and galaxy Shepard has assembled. If you are Spacer, what happens to your mother? Does Earth rebuild? Does Rannoch? How about the krogans? Do the get make their Dyson Sphere? Or, if these are too much to incorporate, then at least what happens to our squadmates.
I'd like to hearken everyone to the end of Baldur's Gate 2: Throne of Bhaal. We actually got nearly identical cutscene there too. The difference is that it made sense in context of the game (godhood vs mortality), and you got a different narrative based on your character, and you were then given dossiers of what happened to your friends. We can do a LOT better than this now, and this is the type of closure that people were expecting. If you have to go the cheap route of identical cutscenes, can't we at least get static screens of consequences?

g. Things that make you go, "Huh?" Why did Shepard and Anderson end up in different parts of the Citadel? How did Anderson make it anyway, I didn't see him anywhere near me.
How did TIM manage to get to the super secret heart of the Citadel, but NOT make it to the Catalyst first?
Where are all the krogan and elcor in the ground forces?
Why does Shepard go from full body armor (customized), to shredded (default) uniform, then back to (default) armor?
Where did the pistol come from?
Why is Anderson's choice (the "good guy")  the Renegade option and TIM, whose instability has been shown, the Paragon option?   A paragon Shepard is very unlikely to agree with TIM's view of Control.
How exactly would Shepard control the Reapers after he/she is dead?  Dead can't really do much.
Why was Shepard singled out by Harbinger, or humanity in general? The Catalyst barely recognizes Shepard as human, only just "the first organic to make it this far." Yet the entire series implied Shepard was special in some way.

Honestly, what I thought all the way up to the reveal at Cerberus, was that Shepard would be the catalyst. Or rather, someone special, who could assimilate the information that had been left by those who had gone before, who could accomplish enough to get the Catalyst made, and perhaps, who had the unique genetic code to unlock the power in the catalyst (this might be stretching credibility). At the very lease, a sentient and determined mind that possessed the udnerstanding and discernment to be able to choose and direct the energy in the appropriate (to the character) way. Heck, an ending where Shepard completely loses it and destroys EVERYTHING would have been cool to see (Bondari Reloads).

Whew. I think that is the entirety of the feedback that I have. If there's anything else, it's not important enough for me to remember, which means it'd be an absolute nitpick.

I honestly hope that you are listening, Bioware, and that you will address these concerns in a satisfactory manner. I think there are several ways that these problems can be addressed in a cost-effective manner that doesn't involve milking your remaining fans. A snatch-and-grab policy is never a good one for any business that prefers longevity over a quick buck.

Modifié par RShara, 17 mars 2012 - 06:53 .

[Aeyl]

Do these changes only deal with the ending? If not then here's some feedback from me...

Thane Krios.

There were hints of a possible treatment (a good number of hints) after/during ME 2 and before ME 3. It'd be nice if there was some way to follow up on those.

The character development from a romance path in ME 2, which ended in him gaining the desire to live (and feeling frustrated because he did not want to die) was missing in ME 3. Even overlooking that rather large missing piece, we are still left with only 1 conversation tree to pursue with Thane (another disappointment, reminiscent of Garrus' calibrations). And finally, the dialogue between Thane and Shepard is almost exactly the same between those who chose to romance him and those who didn't.

Whether Kepral's Syndrome is or isn't treatable, these would also be excellent changes:
1. More conversation opportunities
2. Paramour achievement.
3. More unique dialogue for a Shepard who has romanced Thane.

Thanks for the thread!

[Lunarwhirlwind]

The biggest issue comes down to NOT getting to actually see the results of our actions. No matter sheps choice, and no matter if the indoctrination theory is true or not, seeing how the choice effected the current world would give the closure nessecary. How do the other races make out, do they survive? Is tuchanka florishing and not rebelling again? Does your LI Miss you? Have they moved on with their life?

The reason that the ending sticks out like a sore thumb is that up until that point the writting is phenomenal. Going from something so well thought out to something that feels as though time ran out and the game stopped at the precursor to the final battle instead of actually GIVING us the ending at all.

I would like to see the indoctrination theory be true because of the various implications. I have stated them in the "were listening" thread but am reposting some of that here.

Shep is repeatedly exposed to reaper tech throughout the franchise. Indeed in two you spend time on a derelict reaper. In the Arrival DLC you are outright exposed to reaper tech that is actively sending an indoctrination signal.

Given this it's not so odd to think that the ending is a last ditch attempt at FINALLY completely indoctrinating shep. It is also not the first indication we have that Shep is being indoctrinated.

EDIT: Most people cite the VI as not picking up on Shep being indoctrinated. I wonder if thats not because they're ASSUMING that the indoctrinated prescence is Kai Leng although it may not be. It could have been Shep. After the security was removed by cerberus it was allowed to talk to you because it no longer mattered.

In ME3 you find out that Cerberus used Reaper tech to create EDI, which means that they had access to it during project lazarus. It is not unlikely that reaper tech was used to help bring Shep back. Sheps "terminator" 'eyes are the same 3 dot pattern as the illusive man as well as many other eyes relating to reaper tech; including the swarmers that the ravagers drop. This could just be a design decision, but it fits extremely well (Also given that male sheps scars return, and the pattern of them mirrors some of the husk type patterns notable on the side of Saren and the illusive man's face).

During Arrival Shep loses two days time in a facility that is fully indoctrinated and full of technology. There is no telling what was done to Shep while he/she was out cold. At the end of this DLC Harbinger speaks directly to you in a very clear vision.This is something that is mentioned repeatedly with symptoms of indoctrination.

Javik makes the point that indoctrination isn't always a swift obvious thing. Indoctrination can be slow and unobtrusive so that the reaper ideas appear as your own. This in mind; You spend most of Mass effect 3, if you are paragon, inadvertently seeding reaper tech throughout the universe. You use the tech to cure the genophage and seed it all over Tuchanka. You Let the geth upload reaper code.
Little things you do that make reaper tech more prolific.

Javik also points out that the reapers will use your friends against you.

You first encounter legion damaged on a derelict reaper the only non heretic that has crossed the veil. He's wearing a piece of your armor, it instantly makes you curious and sympathetic. However, when you ask legion why he repaired himself so far after the damage and with your armor, he has no data available. Nothing else is ever said about it. His internal wiring is VERY husk like.
You find him in 3 being the BROADCAST platform for a reaper signal. There is little to no way that he is not indoctrinated dispite what he said. Playing off of your want to be idealistic you let him out and may have even uploaded the reaper code and given the reapers a second life in the event that Shep actually succeeds in wiping their current forms out.
You WANT to believe in someone you went through hell with and likely call friend.

In the end, the child gives you the destroy option first, and all but glazes over it. Basically, yeah yeah theres that but you dont want THAT. They point out that it will wipe out all synthetics and that you partly are synthetic. Legion and EDI have made you vrey clearly feel attached to the idea of synthetic life. They're sympathetic characters that, if legion was indoctrinated, makes his purpose more clear.

If you do take the destroy option, its the only option that you have to make a deliberate EFFORT to perform. Reload your gun (in fact the only time you have to in the entire dream sequence) and SHOOT the thing. If you watch after you do this, Shep goes from limping and barely standing, to standing upright, to walking as if nothings wrong & regaining determination do. The child dissapears and the console explodes in his/her face.

Given what the child said, after performing this Shep would be dead, and so would EDI but we see them in the ending, and if you get the ending where Shep lives... well nuff said.

Clearly, the child was lying.

All things considered this ending felt like the precursor to the final battle, rather than an actual ending.
Much like in Castlvania Symphony of the Night.
If you havent played it, you go into Draculas castle, fight through everything until you get to your end boss. You fight and kill him, game over... only it wasn't. Your game could have ended there, if you didnt do something right. In reality the boss was possesed. If you were able to destroy the one posessing him, the whole other half of the game opened up to you.

However, you very well could have never even known.

This is how this ending plays, as an ending that isn't really the ending, but a misdirection.
I sincerely hope that it goes something like that.

[Shallyah]

First of all, as I've stated in other major threads over the course of the last few days, the thing to say is "Thank you". Thank you because you've brought to the world this incredible story filled with life and emotion, a story that had us experience through Shepard's eyes and skin an unique array of emotions as if they were ours, and this no doubt explains why the vast majority of fans are so passionate about Mass Effect.

Because they love this world, this Universe you've given life to, and because they want it to remain in their memories as something eternal, legendary. In my eyes, the trilogy is simply perfect, an artwork in motion from beginning to end. However, we can all agree that there are a small few details that some of us feel like "deserved" more, and to me it's mainly two important points.

1) It's in the boards, and several threads with hundreds of posts speak of it. Fans wish for closure, for the feeling that they mattered in more than alowing the galaxy to continue in one or another way. I have never believed that you would leave your huge fan masses hanging without concrete explanation of what happened. But why not go a little further? Why not Mass Effect 4? Now I do not know if the creative team at Bioware thinks there would be enough material to warrant a new full fledged episode of Mass Effect, so perhaps smaller packs such as DLC filling us on details, even allowing us to live the moments before and after ME3 ending from the eyes of diferent squad members would suffice. That is up to the ones who invest money and create stories at Bioware, but bottom line is: I want more Mass Effect. And if Mass Effect 3 has to be the last of it, let us experience the aftermath in one or another way, and let us know if Garrus and Shepard found each other and spent quality time together, or if Tali got the home she dreamed of, beachfront, with a window open towards the blue skies of Rannoch. We also would have liked to run tests on the seashells.

2) Tali is absolutely my favorite character in the Mass Effect universe. I could go on for hours explaining how is so appealing that mix of vulnerable but powerful, meek and valiant, shy and bold that she is... all topped with the sexiest accent in the history of videogames (I'm sorry Lelliana, it's the truth). And like many other Tali lover, felt a bit... let down with Tali's appearance. Not because it could be seen as lazy, or underdevelopped as a quick solution, but because despite the difficulty of bringing something that would appeal all the fans, we simply received a picture.

Even if that picture will be canon for how quarians, or in this case, Tali look, we would have loved to see her digitalized face, even if for one moment during the game series. It would have been a victory, a salvation and a relief to see Tali just for one moment to turn to the camera and smile at us. Now we have seen what some fans have made out of Tali's face, and I'm sure you have seen those art pieces the same as us, and I can tell that none of them would disappoint Tali's fans. More alien, more human, whatever. Your creative artists know how to create art. Would be asking much if we wanted to see Tali, or quarians out of their masks at some point? You've created a dozen unique races, all beautiful in their own way. As Casey Hudson stated, people fall in love with personalities, not faces. Fans requested being able to romance a turian... while the game itself makes jokes about the first thing to do when treating a turian from a missile on the face injury, is trying to decide which side of their face took the missile. We will be fine with anything you put your incredible talent on, really. Please, let us see your version of Tali's smile through the ingame graphics, and the eyes, hair, nose and lips that are behind that beautiful accent she has. If the job is half as good as what we've seen from some fans, nobody will disappointed, I assure you. I can assure you that, as inconditional Tali lover.


Now, I consider these two points important, not because they make or break Mass Effect. Mass Effect is a brilliant masterwork, and it'll always remain as such in my memory. There is to this date, no modern references for a game or an universe like Mass Effect, and my deepest hope is that the geniouses at Bioware will keep bringing us stories with similar quality in future. As said, it's just that a couple of aspects of Mass Effect fell as if they "deserved" more than they received. I look forward to see what you keep on store about Mass Effect.

Once again, thank you for bringing this story to our lives and giving us a fantastic escape from the routine of our daily lives and work to break into this stunning, unique, beautiful universe that you've created. Thank you, and never stop creating stories, please. You're too damn good at it.

Modifié par Shallyah, 17 mars 2012 - 06:46 .