Obadiah wrote...
Some people also see it as taking away freedom because the effect of Synthesis is very similar to the change that can be done to the Heretics in Legion's loyalty mission - the Heretics can be made to choose to return to the Geth.
I see it more like the effect on the Catalyst of attaching of the Crucible to the Citadel - not mind control, but altering the circumstances (the Catalyst's variables) under which decisions are made.
Of course, people may not see that as a much of a difference.
Yep. Those who played all the games (and maybe other DLC and media) will understand this.
Organics in MEU think in a certain, though broad, way.
Synthetics (Geth, EDI, somewhat Catalyst) in MEU think in a certain, though broad, way.
Transcendant beings in MEU (Reapers, Leviathans) in MEU think in a certain, though broad, way.
*Yes I see the Reaper controller as different from its creations, though kin to them
If someone plugged a Crucible into an organic, uh yeah that's monsturous. It's brainwashing.
If someone plugged a Crucibile into a synthetic, well then whatever, that's how they decide things.
In someone plugged a Crucible into a Reaper or Leviathan, an organic might see it as an abomination, a synthetic might see it as a changing of variables, but the Reaper/Leviathan might instead see themselves as outright rising into a new evolutionary state.
This should explain why the 'Catayst' views Synthesis the way it does. Not with neutrality (pure Synthetic view), or with disgust (pure Organic view), but with a neutrality mixed in with aspiration (Synthetic with Transcendant connections).
The player has to make the choice to:
-stick fully to Organic roots
-or endeavor for a Transorganic state
-or suddenly aspire (and yes, this is a 'leap' to make for the player; pun intended) for a Postorganic state
It, Synthesis, disgusts so many (forget even about the post-choice content, and EC) because it is a whole other world view, and one that doesn't really contain much empathy for individual choice (other than their own). Even other Synthetics aren't necessarily in support of it.
I am 100% sure that a fully-talked-to EDI would NOT pick Synthesis, regardless of what we see after it. She would block imput of new information from the Reapers and pick Destroy.
"Looks like you found a little humanity, EDI. Is it worth defending?" "To the Death."
Geth, I'm not so sure about. Possibly Control. At least if it was the Geth alone, especially with GethVI's code involved. A Geth with Legion's code? Possibly more Destroy. A Geth at peace with Quarians and with Legion's code involved? Possibly more Synthesis or Destroy (imo more likely Destroy, but Synthesis would tempt).
The Leviathans? Probably Control, as they have left their 'purely organic' mental bonds long ago... (like I put them in Transcendant category for a reason)
And the Catalyst (which I'm just gonna say isSovereignimo...)? Well we know what it likes. Synthesis.
~~~
When we make the Heratic choice, it's a smaller version of what we make with the Crucible. Do you save who you can, even against their current will? Or do you let them die as they are, and reduce the complications?
People have said that Bioware favors Paragons and I'm not so sure about that. They might favor how Paragons regard their friends, but the real test of the Paragon is how they regard their enemies. Some enemies (especially early on) can even just be talked to and made into friends. But the full Paragon (like 100%) mentality will make those friends *no matter what*. The series tests that resolve as it heads towards the conclusion.
Synthesis has elements of both Renegade and Paragon (but also its own new details). The Paragon element is about advancement and saving as many as possible, even the enemy, despite moral objections from our own organic minds
. The Renegade element is the dominating factor. Instead of just utilizing *some* entities to do *some* things, we want to effectively kill off *all* objections from *all* things. It is that finality in certain ways that makes it akin to Destroy, whereas Control in itself leaves things more up in the air when it comes to the fate of the larger galaxy's relationship with the Reapers.
In Synthesis, we know what people think of the Reapers, and it has been totally changed. Javik? Seems to be no objections there. EDI? "To the death?" Pfft, I guess she meant Shepard's death!
That makes it 'ideal' to players, in certain ways. You save as many as you can, while killing off what appears to be the chaos that the Catalyst describes.
But I don't think we should make the mistake of viewing it as humanistic. It has shades of eugenical philosophy, utopianism, and elimination (passively or actively) of attachment to mankind and its individual freedom of thought.
In Synthesis, we become something beyond the core human and biological evolution, beyond even the utilitarian and robotic evolution, and we at least morally for something else entirely. That, like all else, comes with its goods and its bads.
~~~
Mass Effect isn't going to judge it for us. That's up to the players to decide, debate, and speculate on.
But I do think Mass Effect will change gears once in a while. IMO ME1-3 is more overwhelmingly Renegade in tone, even as they give Paragons MUCH to enjoy. It also tosses a bone towards those who want to aim more for Transcendance instead of the other two roles.
In the future, I think it'll be more about Paragons in tone, but try to give Renegades MUCH to enjoy. It may also make Synthesizers quite happy in certain ways too
And if I were to make a total guess projection, I think after that, they'll make it more about Transcendant-oriented players, toss a bone to Renegades, and still make Paragons have MUCH to enjoy. It also may explore even more moral ideas!
Just a total guess though!
Modifié par SwobyJ, 28 janvier 2014 - 05:59 .
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I simply don't think we're ready.
