AlanC9 wrote...
3DandBeyond wrote...
What I want is for ME to be itself. It's unique and that's its strength. In the end it tried to be something it isn't. This was a game that basically existed in a defined "world" with rules the devs even said were in a bible they used to keep it all straight.
But what is ME, "itself?" I don't see ME3 trying to be something it isn't; for me it feels like pure concentrated Bioware.
Not that I want you to recap the argument or anything. Just pointing out that the Platonic Ideal of ME is not something that either one of us has privileged access to.
And just to get back to the main topic, for me the important thing about Shep wasn't that she can "do the impossible," since there are plenty of impossible things she can't do. The thing that I found important was that she will face the unpleasant truths that others can't face, and do the things they can't or won't do. So for me, making Refuse work out for the galaxy would be pretty close to an atrocity.
Though if they want to do it as paid DLC, I'm OK with that.
Well we bought our access to the ME world-I know I did by buying the games. The ME "world" was not constructed to be outside the realm of possibility. It stretched that with some things, but it also took some pains to try and make even the incredible plausible. That's not platonic ideal-that's creative writing 101. If I create a story of a family on a farm and the goal is sending a kid to college and the kid does odd jobs to earn money, I don't suddenly in the end have a clown from the planet Gotlotsamoney drop down and buy the kid a car, a new house, and a university. The stage was set in ME1 as the beginning of a series. By virtue of the fact that ME3 has a 3 in its name, it is an implicit promise (creative writing 101) that ME3 will follow within some leeway the "world" and lore of its predecessors. As the purchaser of other content within that "world" I bought ME3 based mostly on that promise-that ME3 would remaind true to its roots, that Shepard would achieve the goal, that I participated in the unfolding of events.
In ME1, you chase Saren who is trying to get to the citadel to set off the signal the protheans stopped the keepers from sending. You don't know why even necessarily that you are chasing Saren but you know he is working to help the reapers and that means he's doing bad things. He must be stopped and then when you find out why, you really know he must be stopped in order to keep the reapers from returning. The goal is impossible, but simple and against all odds it is carried out by people-reapers delayed, Saren dead, Sovereign destroyed, galaxy saved for now.
In ME2, the collectors have arrived as some advance party for the reapers-the reapers have been delayed due to a lot of things and perhaps humans have aroused their curiosity; no other race before has thwarted them in such a way-even destroying Sovereign, their vanguard. We feel that there will at some point (maybe in ME3) some context given for their interest in humans and obsession with Shepard. But one thing is clear-the reapers are coming and they are using the collectors to soften things up for their arrival. The goal is urgent and present-create a team (I hope, I hope these great people will be with me in ME3) and stop the collectors. In ME1, the reapers used the geth and you stopped them. In ME2, the reapers are using the collectors and the geth and you must stop them. Along the way, you learn more about indoctrination and you gain some information on dark energy-seems important (ME3 anyoone?) The goal is impossible but simple and it is achieved by people-collectors defeated, galaxy saved for now, Harbinger says the reapers will find a new way.
In ME3, the reapers are here. They must be stopped. But, it's impossible so let's just hold hands (This isn't about tactics and strategy. We stand together or we die). Ok so where did Shepard go? We can't defeat them so what-we form a chorus line? Uh, ME1 and 2-the goal is impossible. Shepard-nothing's impossible. ME3-the goal is impossible. Shepard-this is impossible. This is the same person that was brought back to life, the very definition of impossible, walking around and breathing. The game had nowhere to go but down from here as far as main plotline and main goal. Main goal: destroy the reapers-not stop them, because that means they still exist and that's not good enough. Solution: Nothing, they can't be destroyed. Enter major magical MacGuffin, the crucible. Well, thank the goddess because otherwise we had nothing. The tangential goal to meet the main goal is the creation of the crucible and the uniting of the galaxy to save Earth, presumably before saving the rest of the galaxy, well hopefully the rest of the galaxy, because the emphasis is on Earth, not the galaxy. But well the writers are human and so, yeah let's save Earth.
Crucible gets completed and finally the goal is in sight, you know the goal of ME1, saving Earth, so let's go take Earth back. Yay!!! Loved kicking Sovereign's butt, and smacking some Collector's behinds, this is going to be good. Impossible my eye, this is Mass Effect and that word does not exist, the fight is on!
Don't believe me read the words of the Bioware boss of Marketing, David Silverman, "I'd love to see this get into as many hands as possible. I think this is definitely the best chance we have in the series to really break out
and go truly blockbuster. It really is a natural entry point for people: giant alien race launches all-out war, you have to rally the forces of the universe to counter and see if you can take them down. That's pretty clear. You don't need to be like: 'Well, what about when I had this love affair?' It's like, who cares? It's all out war!" (There's so much that is so wrong in that one statement, but oh well today we fight).
So, the goal is there (destroy the reapers, strength through unity and diversity in place-we are good to go and have the best chance yet, so says Javik). Let's race and rub Harby's face in some good old-fashioned Earth dirt. Uh oh. Can't move. New gun. No clips. Where did my armor go? Great. I.....can........barely........................move. Big...........fight...........coming..........need...................my.................real.................gun. CRAP.
Ok, blah blah TIM, no won't control them, that's crazy. You look like you tried to become them. Must destroy that's the only way. Goal of 3 games, I mean my goal all along. Oh Anderson what's going on poopie head? Oh I shot you, sorry, now you're dead, double sorry, too bad. Who the hell are you? Oops sorry, bad manners, nice glow.
Original goal: destroy the reapers.
After meeting the lovechild of Shepard and the insane obsession with one poorly written boy, the
new goal: stop the conflict between organics and synthetics.
Old wisdom in all ME games and even throughout ME3: Nothing is impossible even if the writers say it is-they are fooling you and you know that's what ME games are really about, achieving the impossible. This is the redeeming value or moral of the stories and redemption is a core concept throughout.
New wisdom at the end of ME and in relation to the main goal: When we say something is impossible we mean it is impossible. Why wouldn't you believe that idiot (reinforced if you reject or refuse Mr. Happy Glow Boy) when we said it was impossible? Stupid fans, don't understand the meaning of the word, apparently.
Old vision: goals are achieved in keeping with the values and morality of the Shepard you create and by people through perseverance and because of their belief in Shepard.
New vision: original goals well uh not really necessarily achieved. Hopefully, they are, but not if the choices aren't true, but if they are one might achieve the goal and who the hell cares about morals and values and people that believed in Shepard anyway? This is Shepard's choice, not theirs. And, anyway we have a new goal and any choice but reject will achieve that cooler goal, the kid's goal-you know Shepard's new BFF. Coool words, god Shepard. Coool look, green eyed cyborgs. Who cares about EDI and the geth, never were important and they certainly weren't people. What idiot fan ever got the idea that they mattered and why destroy the reapers anyway when it's so cool to see them fixing stuff? What were they expecting, a real ending that met the goals of 3 games? Stupid fans. F off and pick reject if you think you're smarter than us. We made a cool bunch of endings, that look really cool, because that's what the games were always all about-not the story, but looking cool. Oh, you wanna know if you took Earth back, well sure maybe sort of. The galaxy, sure it's out there. Who cares? God Shreaper looks and sounds cool. And green eyed Krogan babies-that is what this series was all about. Go ask your new friends, the reapers to have a look and see if Earth and the galaxy are ok.
Modifié par 3DandBeyond, 19 juillet 2012 - 02:19 .
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