254 réponses à ce sujet

[Cyruge]

Even though it seems highly unlikely that they will resurrect the franchise with some incredible alternate ending DLC, it still boggles my mind that this extremely well-written game would get such a lazy, contradictory, plot-hole filled, no-sense-making ending.

[devSin]

Casey's response pretty much invalidates any belief that they have some master plan.

He outright defended the ending. He didn't drop hints or try to be clever. He said "We like our ending; sorry you didn't".

That is not the statement from the head of a team that has something up their sleeves.

[ReiCow]

dannati wrote...

The problem with the "It's all a ruse," idea is that they've let it go on too long. At this point, permanent harm has been done to the brand. If they had something ready, but were holding it back (to let the staggered international release complete, for example), they would have said something unambiguous to nip the fan outrage in the bud. If this were deliberate, managing the fan response would have been part of the plan.

The BioWare reaction pretty clearly shows they're circling the wagons while they figure out what to do. They know they've botched it, artistic integrity or not. But all their options are bad and most are costly, either in development or loss of future sales. So they have to analyze what their options are: what do they have the development staff available to do, what will it cost them, and how will that balance against mitigating damage to the brand. It's a tough spot and I don't envy them, but they brought it on themselves.

It has only been 4 days since it was released everywhere (Japan was the 15th).. that isn't terribly long. In addition, the news reports are growing, and to larger instituations. I could definitely believe they want to wait until all countries have had the game for at least a week and for the game to hit the most major news outlets it can, before giving us the reveal. The larger exposure is probably worth the small percentage of fans willing to return their games (most of us enjoyed the rest so much, we couldn't, in good conscience, return it). Fans who may vary well rebuy the game upon the ending reveal, in order t ofinish it. In addition, they made no secret of how they wanted this to be a landmark in gaming history, and a great way to do it would be to fool us all with the indoctrination ending, then release the real ending a little bit later.

As for damage to the brand, if they follow the above release plan, I think they will regain love from the fans (with grumbling), and make their mark in gaming history. Everyone would remember Mass Effect not only for the awesome series it was, but for how they took the story and fooled all of the fans with it in spectacular fashion!

BW's reaction hasn't been "clear" in the slightest; I think their reaction shows them being coy and trying to keep us on the hook until they make the big announcement.

Moo.

[Nykara]

devSin wrote...

Casey's response pretty much invalidates any belief that they have some master plan.

He outright defended the ending. He didn't drop hints or try to be clever. He said "We like our ending; sorry you didn't".

That is not the statement from the head of a team that has something up their sleeves.

Of course they like it. Its the epic part that we haven't seen yet.

[Tamcia]

 I lost hope like that. Now I think best we will get is a black screen with simple text lines after the current ending saying : "Everyone lived ahppily ever after". 

Cheesy is endings are the new FOTM. 

[Lakeshow1986]

kidbd15 wrote...

It would have been epic if the game and ending continued after the credits rolled... That would have been epic.

The way it is now.... Not epic, just annoying

Agreed 100%

Even if it was for another 10-15 minutes to bring closure to Shepard, it would have made the ending epic.  At the moment it feels incomplete.

[Gyroscopic_Trout]

I think most of us were running on an emotional high throughout the last half hour of the game and can be forgiven for not coming to the indoctrination conclusion on our own. Especially since a lot of the theory is based on the logic that "these are either buggy, plot hole ridden cut scenes, or Shepard's dreaming." Also, Final Hours does muddle the issue somewhat.

[Captain Shakespeare]

"...And then Desmond woke up from the Animus".

[Claym0re]

They already made ME legendary with the endings. How about something conventional now?

[Xandurpein]

Claym0re wrote...

They already made ME legendary with the endings. How about something conventional now?

This...

[SamFlagg]

I mean, I'll eat my hat if this was all planned out.

But isn't it far more reasonable to think that they called the play and threw an interception than it is to think they decided to endure at least 2 weeks of bad press?

[Monochrome Wench]

Nykara wrote...

Sparse wrote...

SomeoneStoleMyName wrote...

Isnt it strange:

...that Bioware doesent seem concerned that the ending was so bad that even if 99% of the game was fantastic... the only thing their game will ever be remembered for was its horrible ending?

... that the now-standing ending is actually so bad that 1% of the game completely overshadows the other 99% combined?

No. it doesn't seem strange at all that they don't care when we've already given them our money.

It will seem strange if in the fullness of time they don't grasp that they can make money out of providing an alternate ending and that they then will be able to sell more of their planned DLC.

You know the Devs don't really care about our money right? Only the people who run the company does.

If screwing up the ending so royaly was NOT planned but just in fact bad writting there would be devs who have left the company by now - there are always a few when something is messed up - and spilled the beans, or at least spilled some of them. There however is nothing like that going on here. Expansions and DLC come under the 'mass effect 3' saga.

Of course the people who run the company care about the money. And they will be fuming that Bioware managed to destroy so much good will they had with the consumer with the ending. Bioware proably largely had free reign over what they did. EA is probably regretting it now. Executive meddling may have stopped things getting this bad (at the expense of other things mind you)

[Phobius9]

I have to say that the ending does seem extremely 'out of character' considering Bioware's pedigree, and 99% of the actual game itself. There's so many little things that just don't make sense, beyond what can realistically be put down to simply 'bad writing'.

[ReiCow]

SamFlagg wrote...

I mean, I'll eat my hat if this was all planned out.

But isn't it far more reasonable to think that they called the play and threw an interception than it is to think they decided to endure at least 2 weeks of bad press?

What is 2 weeks (or even a month.. PAX East announcement?) bad press compared to an all time fantastic ending? One both in-world and out.. with fans fully manipulated to really draw their feelings out? I think the short time of bad press would be worth the years of acclaim.

Moo.

[ticklefist]

The last time I was convinced that Bioware had planned something legendary was March 5th.

[Arthorius]

Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

[Erethrian]

I'm still hoping you're right OP.

[SamFlagg]

ReiCow wrote...

SamFlagg wrote...

I mean, I'll eat my hat if this was all planned out.

But isn't it far more reasonable to think that they called the play and threw an interception than it is to think they decided to endure at least 2 weeks of bad press?

What is 2 weeks (or even a month.. PAX East announcement?) bad press compared to an all time fantastic ending? One both in-world and out.. with fans fully manipulated to really draw their feelings out? I think the short time of bad press would be worth the years of acclaim.

Moo.

I'd suggest that it would be more likely held up of an example of what not to do.  Blatant manipulation of your fan base for your own whims is something that generally resides in the bucket marked "EVIL"

So you're left with the option that either they are "EVIL" or they badly misjudged the ending.  I'd prefer the option that didn't involve handing money to the devil.

[AlexXIV]

Well 'nobody can be that stupid, so they have to be planning something legendary' fails if the first half of the theory is wrong. Meaning that somebody can be that stupid.

Modifié par AlexXIV, 19 mars 2012 - 11:07 .

[pablosplinter]

AlexXIV wrote...

Well 'nobody can be that stupid, so they have to be planning something legendary' fails if the first half of the theory is wrong. Meaning that somebody can be that stupid.

True, but I still have faith, even though I know it is totally crazy

[GizmoKodiak]

I like the Indoctrination Theory. But if it were true, they would have implemented it in-game already and not pull a "gotcha" move like this. Its way too risk. If I'm wrong and they say "gotcha" now, they still screwed up. It's a lousy move that doesen't achieve anything, even if it is legendary.

I want a different ending because they failed. Even if it was intentional. And I don't like it that I want one.

.

[SamFlagg]

pablosplinter wrote...

AlexXIV wrote...

Well 'nobody can be that stupid, so they have to be planning something legendary' fails if the first half of the theory is wrong. Meaning that somebody can be that stupid.

True, but I still have faith, even though I know it is totally crazy

Here's the thing, there still can be something legendary.  I just think it needs to be divorced from the thought that it was always planned ahead of time.

[Wattoes]

Do they have anything planned that's legendary? No. They seemed to think the ending as-is was going to be legendary.

Given the size and scale of this outrage though, I'm a firm believer that they are going to try to make something as amazing as possible.

They will only be in the planning/discussion stages right now though.