Great to see much interest and feedback. Thanks everyone!
Want to quickly respond to elitehunter34's post which makes a couple of very good points.
elitehunter34 wrote...
Before I say anything else, I have to say it's empirical, not empiric. You made this mistake several times in the video. Fix that when you can.
Good catch. It's a typical non-native speaker problem. Should be fixed easily.
I can't say I'd want this ending, but it is definitely interesting. I do agree with TookYoCookies, though, it sounds way too much like the imulsion twist in Gears of War 3. If you haven't played it there's a very similar basically the same twist. Humans use technology fueled by imulsion because its better than other fuels and imulsion turns out to be a parasitic organism that can convert its host into basically monsters. While imulsion doesn't blow up suns, it essentially does the same thing; it kills everyone eventually.
Holy crap, are you serious? I never played GoW.
Honestly I think that the problem with your version is that the problem that you are trying to solve (element zero being a contaminant) is a problem based on a fictional element, by doing that you have to come up with explanations for why it does what it does and since it is a fictional element the explanations become somewhat contrived. The mechanics of fictional technology and elements shouldn't be tied to the plot in any significant way. Sci Fi works because you don't have to explain everything. Sci fi focuses on the sociological implications of new technologies or the new technological civilization are simply used as the setting for a plot. In those cases the mechanics of these new technologies don't have to be explained, but when used like this you have to explain it and you'll simply get caught in pseudo-scientific jargon. At that point it makes me lose interest because you are making the plot about pseudo-scientific solutions to pseudo-scientific problems, and you can just explain away anything doing that. It's why Mass Effect universe is great. It isn't about the technology. The technology is simply a background to a universe with great characters and a (once) mysterious and powerful antagonist. I guess what I'm saying is that in sci-fi, you shouldn't make the central conflict focus on the mechanics of fictional technology, you should make it about interesting characters that are simply using that advanced fictional technology.
Fair enough. I personally like pseudo-scientific explanations for everything that happens in a scifi universe
. It's why I liked the codex so much when ME1 first came out. Back then, they really made an effort to make it cohesive and comprehensive in the context of the game. They dropped that attitude quite a bit in the sequels and this mod tries to bring it back a little (but maybe a bit too much). As for the interaction of these explanations with the plot, BW already started down that road in ME2. This mod goes back to that idea. ME3 on the other hand just discarded any forms of explanations and simply used certain devices to drive the plot without explaining them at all. I guess MEEM and the original ly at two opposite ends of a spectrum and a middle ground might be the "best" solution.
On one thing I totally agree tough. Having a giant info-dump in the last 10 minutes of the game is worse than bad in narrative terms. Working with what we've got constrains the options though.
Not only that, but your ending brings in some new problems. What exactly are the Reapers in your scenario again. Are they the uploaded minds of their creators? Do they have free will? You say that they were created to protect organic life from element zero then you say they were created to destroy the Biotic species that was going to destroy the Creators. Is it both. Also element zero is the problem why don't the Reapers simply annihilate organics right before they get access to element zero technology? Why do the Reapers allow society to advance that far? If all they are doing is trying to solve the problem why are they letting other species rise up to further propagate the problem? It also contradicts the nature of the Reapers given in Mass Effect 1 (which the current ending does too). If eezo is the problem why not warn organics and tell them that it needs to be stopped? You're ending just brings up different plot holes I'm afraid.
Well, some of your questions are answered in the videos annotations. Other are not necessarily contradictions. If you are interested, I am happy to post my personal (inferred) answers to them. That said, a lot is left to the interpretation of the audience. Some might find that good, others bad. I can see it both ways. Also, one point of not should be that the mod intentionally does not solve every single issue in the ME universe. I personally think that was one of the great mistakes of the ME3 EC endings (especially the synthesis one).
Shepard has fulfilled his purpose. One way or another he solved the Reaper problem and ended the cycles of extinction. That was his fight, his story and he finished what he started. However, not even Shepard can solve every problem in the unvierse (and a boring universe it would be if he did).
However, it still does sound interesting, and I'm not doubting that a lot of thought and time went into this. Sorry, if it seems like I sound hostile, but I'm not trying to at all. I'm just giving my thoughts and criticism.
And that is appreciated, nothing more boring than everyone agreeing
. As far as time and effort goes, In the comments on youtube you can read that this project, from the initial concept of the new story to the final implementation as you can see it in the video took about 2 weeks time (that includes figuring out the technical issues of modding the sound). I think that gives hope for future mods.
Modifié par MrFob, 27 juillet 2012 - 04:13 .
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