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[Red Panda]

TheIdiocyWizard2.0 wrote...

OperatingWookie wrote...


Utter and complete waffle.

Organics vs. Synthetics:

ME1:
Noveria
Feros
Virmire
The Citadel endgame
UNC: Geth Incursions
UNC: Distress Signal
Eden Prime
Citadel: Gambling AI
Luna: Rogue VI
Squadmate mission: Tali and the Geth

(May have forgot some, but you get the idea)

ME2:
Jarrahe Station
Legion, in general
A house Divided
Haestorm
Titan nebula production facility
Crashed freighter on that one planet with sandstorms
Pylos Nebula: Save crashing ship
Tali's loyalty mission

And that's not counting the mechs used by the Sesame Street mercs

ME3:
Rannoch Arc
 Geth Consensus
 Admiral Koris
 Reaper base
EDI
The Geth
Legion/Geth VI: once again!

The endings
  Speaking to the Catalyst
  And Destroy (LOL), the definition of the conflict realized at its climax


Dark Energy:

ME1:
  Noveria Lab
ME2:
  Haestorm
  Some mentions on the Migrant fleet
ME3:
  Maybe how the crucible works?


Ignoring evidence doesn't make it not exist.

Organics vs. Synthetics has been a recurring theme that has indeed been rather strong. You chose to ignore it. Dark energy has little buildup in comparison.

No, you're confusing the main Conflict with the main Theme. Just because I'm fighting some robots doesn't mean the theme is Organics and Synthetics and their inability to understand each other.

You are organic. You shoot synthetics that want to kill you. What about being in conflict about them don't you understand?

[TheIdiocyWizard2.0]

OperatingWookie wrote...


You are organic. You shoot synthetics that want to kill you. What about being in conflict about them don't you understand?

Like I said, just because the main conflict of a story is a war between Organics and Robots, doesn't mean that is the theme of a story. That would be like saying "the theme of the halo trilogy is that aliens want to kill humanity". The 'Organics vs Synthetics' sub-theme is mainly introduced by Legion in ME2, as he provides a perspective for the Synthetic side, bringing some of the audiences focus on to the Organic/Synthetic problem, and by EDI when she saves the crew yet half of them still hate her. It becomes a sub-theme due to the appearance of a synthetic perspective. That is why it was not a sub-theme in ME1, because there is no perspective of the Synthetic side, thereby showing that this is a problem that we should try to solve.

I can't think of any form of media where the theme was 'Organics vs Synthetics' that didn't include a synthetic perspective.

[Giga Drill BREAKER]

OperatingWookie wrote...

TheIdiocyWizard2.0 wrote...

k.lalh wrote...

The current endings make more sense. They have a lot of background info leading up to them, the whole synthetic vs organic struggle is an, albeit subtle, undertone in all the games.

Dark Energy is sketchy...real sketchy...we don't really have any kind of undertones or themes within the games talking about dark energy, and it has the possibility of conflicting with the real properties of dark energy as they are discovered.

I would say that they both had the same amount of attention before ME3 came out. Dark Energy had some foreshadowing in ME2, while the whole 'Synthetics vs. Organics' thing was really only introduced in ME2, and even then very late in the game and through a squad mate you don't even have to wake up.

Utter and complete waffle.

Organics vs. Synthetics:

ME1:
Noveria
Feros
Virmire
The Citadel endgame
UNC: Geth Incursions
UNC: Distress Signal
Eden Prime
Citadel: Gambling AI
Luna: Rogue VI
Squadmate mission: Tali and the Geth

(May have forgot some, but you get the idea)

ME2:
Jarrahe Station
Legion, in general
A house Divided
Haestorm
Titan nebula production facility
Crashed freighter on that one planet with sandstorms
Pylos Nebula: Save crashing ship
Tali's loyalty mission

And that's not counting the mechs used by the Sesame Street mercs

ME3:
Rannoch Arc
 Geth Consensus
 Admiral Koris
 Reaper base
EDI
The Geth
Legion/Geth VI: once again!

The endings
  Speaking to the Catalyst
  And Destroy (LOL), the definition of the conflict realized at its climax


Dark Energy:

ME1:
  Noveria Lab
ME2:
  Haestorm
  Some mentions on the Migrant fleet
ME3:
  Maybe how the crucible works?


Ignoring evidence doesn't make it not exist.

Organics vs. Synthetics has been a recurring theme that has indeed been rather strong. You chose to ignore it. Dark energy has little buildup in comparison.

So you think because you had to kill Geth in them locations that makes them games about synthetic vs organic? Great Logic

Have you forgotten that in most of the cases you listed it was heretic geth who were being used as pawns by the REAPERS, and by your same reasoning you could say that the whole overarching plot to mass effect was organic v organic, because you have nearly  as many missions killing indoctrinated organics. Plus by your logic the trilogy should have ended when you make peace with the Geth on Rannoch.

ME1's major plot was stopping Sovereign. (not the Geth who where Sovereign's pawns, not unlike indoctrinated people)

ME2's Major plot was stopping the Collectors. (not the Geth, they actually help you).

now up to this point the overarching plot of the two games have only one thing in common. STOPPING THE REAPERS.

ME3's Major plot for 95% of the game is stopping the reapers. (You make peace with the Geth proving organics and Synthetics can live in peace and even have similar goals.)

ME3's last 5% of the game is now about a previously unheard of war between Organics and Synthetics, and we are not provided with any proof that such a war exists in fact ME2 and most of Me3 goes to great lengths to tell us the opposite.

Modifié par DinoSteve, 09 février 2013 - 10:16 .

[mvaning]

I said it before, I'll say it again.

The ending was not planned. If it was, it would be a lot better. They probably ran out of time, and said "Hey, Deus Ex had a good thought provoking ending . . . " Does it really take six years to copy and paste an idea from another game?  I see Blizzard doing it in a matter of 3 months.

Modifié par mvaning, 09 février 2013 - 09:04 .

[Argentoid]

Dr_Extrem wrote...

the me3 endings do not make any sense - they just provoke new questions and give almost no answers - the ending of a story is about answers and conclusion - not new questions.

ME3. Answering questions... one DLC at a time.

Modifié par Argentoid, 09 février 2013 - 09:59 .

[mvaning]

To follow up.

The first plot in ME3 is the genophage. The moral question is -- Is biological control of a violent species ethical? I.E, should you cure the genophage or fake the cure to satisfy a means to an end?

The second plot in ME3 is Do you save the organics (Quarians) or do you save the synthetics (geth)? Or can peace be made?

The third plot is mercy based. Do you save Ashley/Kaiden or do you shoot them? The moral question is of compassion. Do you have compassion for someone who is clearly wrong but believes they are right? You can shoot him/her or have compassion.

The last plot is a question of how you react in the face of failure (Thessia).

To sum it up. .

Krogan/Salarian -- Control or freedom?
Quarian/Geth -- Do Synthetics or organics deserve to live?
AshleyKaiden -- Death or mercy?
Thessia Defeat -- Strong resolve or hopeless resolve?

The above topics are strongly repeated throughout the entire trilogy.

The last 2% of the game suddenly introduces

Darth Brotarian wrote...

Synthesis is trans-humanism, simple as that.

Control is the Reformism

Destroy is Utilitarianism

And Refuse is Fallibilism

The point is, these are not topics that are strong plot movers or story telling devices. They may be introduce in small variations in one place or another but they are not used in a way to justify their implementation. (Just as a note, I do not agree 100% with the person that I quoted, but I think he is close)

The choices worked very well in Dues Ex. However, in Dues Ex, these topics were more vital to the core of the game. They do not work in Mass Effect because it doesn't fit into the majority of the topics that the game revolves around.

Therefor, IMO, ending was rushed and did not have a lot of development or peer review. People on their team would have seen these things and said "HOLD ON"

Modifié par mvaning, 09 février 2013 - 10:06 .

[Seival]

TheIdiocyWizard2.0 wrote...

OperatingWookie wrote...


Utter and complete waffle.

Organics vs. Synthetics:

ME1:
Noveria
Feros
Virmire
The Citadel endgame
UNC: Geth Incursions
UNC: Distress Signal
Eden Prime
Citadel: Gambling AI
Luna: Rogue VI
Squadmate mission: Tali and the Geth

(May have forgot some, but you get the idea)

ME2:
Jarrahe Station
Legion, in general
A house Divided
Haestorm
Titan nebula production facility
Crashed freighter on that one planet with sandstorms
Pylos Nebula: Save crashing ship
Tali's loyalty mission

And that's not counting the mechs used by the Sesame Street mercs

ME3:
Rannoch Arc
 Geth Consensus
 Admiral Koris
 Reaper base
EDI
The Geth
Legion/Geth VI: once again!

The endings
  Speaking to the Catalyst
  And Destroy (LOL), the definition of the conflict realized at its climax


Dark Energy:

ME1:
  Noveria Lab
ME2:
  Haestorm
  Some mentions on the Migrant fleet
ME3:
  Maybe how the crucible works?


Ignoring evidence doesn't make it not exist.

Organics vs. Synthetics has been a recurring theme that has indeed been rather strong. You chose to ignore it. Dark energy has little buildup in comparison.

No, you're confusing the main Conflict with the main Theme. Just because I'm fighting some robots doesn't mean the theme is Organics and Synthetics and their inability to understand each other.

The trilogy showed that organic-vs-synthetic problem exists - Geth are one of the most numerous enemies, and they were hostile to organics even before Nazara's arrival.

The trilogy showed that civilization keeps trying to build AIs and intelligent synthetics no matter they eventually start to cause trouble, and AI research prohibition doesn't help to stop that.

The trilogy showed that organics and synthetics can't understand each other, and eventually that ends up in full scale war, even through there are some friendly synthetics as well as organics who believe the war is not a good idea.

The trilogy showed that lack of understanding is the main reason for any sorts of troubles (even among organics only). The less understanding - the greater troubles. And lack of understanding between organics and synthetics is the worst one.



Problems like Genophage were always the secondary things in the trilogy. Important, but secondary. Main plot was always about organics-vs-synthetics and what troubles can that inevitable conflict cause. So, the trilogy has the only correct ending concept right now. Anything else would be out of place.

[Drewton]

The trilogy showed racism between the different species and the Council races not trusting humans. Shepard became the first Human spectre and united the races of the galaxy.

The trilogy showed that Krogans will get out of control and make war with other species. Maybe they're even more dangerous and unpredictable than the Geth. At the beginning of the trilogy, they had been put in check. Paragon Shepard decided to free them. He/she decided that control was wrong.

The trilogy showed that the Geth had rebelled against their creators, but that peace could be made between the synthetics and creators without rewriting their genetics and messing with their minds. Organics vs. synthesis solved.

Which is why the the Reaper collective/starchild saying that organics vs synthetics is inevitableand unsolvable is just crap, when that's been proven wrong. What about the peace with the Geth? What about EDI?

Also, "Reapers" and "Geth" are not the same kind of "synthetics". From Wikipedia: In general, the noun synthesis (from the ancient Greek σύνθεσις, σύν "with" and θέσις "placing") refers to a combination of two or more entities that together form something new; alternately, it refers to the creating of something by artificial means. The corresponding verb, to synthesize (or synthesise), means to make or form a synthesis.

Geth were created through artificial means. Reapers are a combination of two or more entities that together form something new. Reapers are the result of synthesis, which is why synthesis is bull, out of place, and completely against the themes of the trilogy. The trilogy is not a conflict against robots. It's as much about organics vs. machines as it is humans vs. turians. It's about resistance against synthesis. Shepard always resisted "ascendance" until he was indoctrinated at the end. Indoctrination is a theme far more prevalent in the trilogy and organics vs machines.

Considering the themes of the story and everything that came before the ending, Destroy is the only way to go. Anytihng else is out of place.

"I'm going to win this war, and I'm going to do it without sacrificing the soul of our species." - Shepard

"If you screwed with my head, made me nod and smile at everything...Id rather you blew my head of. Let me die as me." - Jack

"If the Normandy were captured, my fate would be similar to the indoctrinated. My code would be rewritten. I would become loyal to the Reapers. I would rather become non-functional than help them." - EDI

Don't get me started on control.

Modifié par Drewton, 09 février 2013 - 11:28 .

[The Night Mammoth]

Seival wrote...

The trilogy showed that organic-vs-synthetic problem exists - Geth are one of the most numerous enemies, and they were hostile to organics even before Nazara's arrival.

We're only told about this problem at the end. The Geth were isolationists. They left the veil to kill organics because of Sovereign. 

The trilogy showed that civilization keeps trying to build AIs and intelligent synthetics no matter they eventually start to cause trouble, and AI research prohibition doesn't help to stop that.

Absolutely fine, building synthetics isn't a problem, keeping them enslaved and constantly f*cking them over is. 

The trilogy showed that organics and synthetics can't understand each other, and eventually that ends up in full scale war, even through there are some friendly synthetics as well as organics who believe the war is not a good idea.

Must imagined what happened at the end of the Rannoch arc. 

The trilogy showed that lack of understanding is the main reason for any sorts of troubles (even among organics only). The less understanding - the greater troubles. And lack of understanding between organics and synthetics is the worst one.

Sure.

Except a lack of understanding between synthetics and organics did not cause the worst problems in this cycle, organics messing with each other, and possible Reaper or Leviathan influence did, resulting in the Krogan Rebellions and the Rachni Wars respectively. 

Problems like Genophage were always the secondary things in the trilogy. Important, but secondary. Main plot was always about organics-vs-synthetics and what troubles can that inevitable conflict cause. So, the trilogy has the only correct ending concept right now. Anything else would be out of place.

It was not the thing driving the plot, so no, absolutely not. 

[Seival]

The Night Mammoth wrote...

Seival wrote...

The trilogy showed that organic-vs-synthetic problem exists - Geth are one of the most numerous enemies, and they were hostile to organics even before Nazara's arrival.

We're only told about this problem at the end. The Geth were isolationists. They left the veil to kill organics because of Sovereign. 

The trilogy showed that civilization keeps trying to build AIs and intelligent synthetics no matter they eventually start to cause trouble, and AI research prohibition doesn't help to stop that.

Absolutely fine, building synthetics isn't a problem, keeping them enslaved and constantly f*cking them over is. 

The trilogy showed that organics and synthetics can't understand each other, and eventually that ends up in full scale war, even through there are some friendly synthetics as well as organics who believe the war is not a good idea.

Must imagined what happened at the end of the Rannoch arc. 

The trilogy showed that lack of understanding is the main reason for any sorts of troubles (even among organics only). The less understanding - the greater troubles. And lack of understanding between organics and synthetics is the worst one.

Sure.

Except a lack of understanding between synthetics and organics did not cause the worst problems in this cycle, organics messing with each other, and possible Reaper or Leviathan influence did, resulting in the Krogan Rebellions and the Rachni Wars respectively. 

Problems like Genophage were always the secondary things in the trilogy. Important, but secondary. Main plot was always about organics-vs-synthetics and what troubles can that inevitable conflict cause. So, the trilogy has the only correct ending concept right now. Anything else would be out of place.

It was not the thing driving the plot, so no, absolutely not. 

You are trying to accuse apex creatures in causing trouble that lesser creatures create for themselves by themselves. "Because of Nazara", "because of the Catalyst", "Because of Leviathans"... Such accusations make no sence, because galactic civilization is on its own till the Reapers arrival.

Each galactic civilization follows the same development pattern, which eventually cause the same troubles at the same key points. And this happens not because of apex creatures, but because of lesser creatures' primitiveness. Because of lack of understanding each peace is temporary, and each war is inevitable... It's obvious that Geth would attack even without Nazara eventually (if not Geth, then Quarians, which was proved in ME3). Rannoch victory means nothing in fact. It only delays the inevitable.

[Giga Drill BREAKER]

Ugh! I think its a statement on its own and not a good one that this argument is happening.

Modifié par DinoSteve, 09 février 2013 - 11:58 .

[Red Panda]

Seival wrote...

TheIdiocyWizard2.0 wrote...

OperatingWookie wrote...


Utter and complete waffle.

Organics vs. Synthetics:

ME1:
Noveria
Feros
Virmire
The Citadel endgame
UNC: Geth Incursions
UNC: Distress Signal
Eden Prime
Citadel: Gambling AI
Luna: Rogue VI
Squadmate mission: Tali and the Geth

(May have forgot some, but you get the idea)

ME2:
Jarrahe Station
Legion, in general
A house Divided
Haestorm
Titan nebula production facility
Crashed freighter on that one planet with sandstorms
Pylos Nebula: Save crashing ship
Tali's loyalty mission

And that's not counting the mechs used by the Sesame Street mercs

ME3:
Rannoch Arc
 Geth Consensus
 Admiral Koris
 Reaper base
EDI
The Geth
Legion/Geth VI: once again!

The endings
  Speaking to the Catalyst
  And Destroy (LOL), the definition of the conflict realized at its climax


Dark Energy:

ME1:
  Noveria Lab
ME2:
  Haestorm
  Some mentions on the Migrant fleet
ME3:
  Maybe how the crucible works?


Ignoring evidence doesn't make it not exist.

Organics vs. Synthetics has been a recurring theme that has indeed been rather strong. You chose to ignore it. Dark energy has little buildup in comparison.

No, you're confusing the main Conflict with the main Theme. Just because I'm fighting some robots doesn't mean the theme is Organics and Synthetics and their inability to understand each other.

The trilogy showed that organic-vs-synthetic problem exists - Geth are one of the most numerous enemies, and they were hostile to organics even before Nazara's arrival.

The trilogy showed that civilization keeps trying to build AIs and intelligent synthetics no matter they eventually start to cause trouble, and AI research prohibition doesn't help to stop that.

The trilogy showed that organics and synthetics can't understand each other, and eventually that ends up in full scale war, even through there are some friendly synthetics as well as organics who believe the war is not a good idea.

The trilogy showed that lack of understanding is the main reason for any sorts of troubles (even among organics only). The less understanding - the greater troubles. And lack of understanding between organics and synthetics is the worst one.



Problems like Genophage were always the secondary things in the trilogy. Important, but secondary. Main plot was always about organics-vs-synthetics and what troubles can that inevitable conflict cause. So, the trilogy has the only correct ending concept right now. Anything else would be out of place.

Exactly. Thank you, Seival.

There's a good reason why the Geth are enemies all over the place along with various VIs and mechs.

Organics vs. Synthetics is and always will be the main important theme of Mass Effect.

That's why there's options to resolve such a conflict.

[The Night Mammoth]

Seival wrote...

You are trying to accuse apex creatures in causing trouble that lesser creatures create for themselves by themselves. "Because of Nazara", "because of the Catalyst", "Because of Leviathans"... Such accusations make no sence, because galactic civilization is on its own till the Reapers arrival.

They're the cause of several conflicts outside of the Reaper harvest. Nothing more to it, really. Leviathans or the Reapers meddle with the Rachni, Sovereign causes the Geth to attack organics. 

That, however, was not my point. The galaxy's most destructive wars have nothing to do with synthetics. 

Each galactic civilization follows the same development pattern, which eventually cause the same troubles at the same key points. And this happens not because of apex creatures, but because of lesser creatures' primitiveness. Because of lack of understanding each peace is temporary, and each war is inevitable...

The last cycle was very different from Shepard's one. 

Until the Reapers attacked, and messed everything up, contradicting themselves once again. 

It's obvious that Geth would attack even without Nazara eventually (if not Geth, then Quarians, which was proved in ME3).

Prove it. 

Rannoch victory means nothing in fact. It only delays the inevitable.

Prove it. 

[mvaning]

I thought the topic of this thread was whether the ending was planned from the beginning or rushed at the end?

[Drewton]

I thought it was about how Planetscape: Torment foreshadowed Mass Effect 3?

Modifié par Drewton, 10 février 2013 - 12:07 .

[Giga Drill BREAKER]

mvaning wrote...

I thought the topic of this thread was whether the ending was planned from the beginning or rushed at the end?

Yes it was, and the fact that there is such an argument about the overarching plot to the Mass Effect Trilogy tells me all I need to know about the planning for the Mass Effect trilogy.

Modifié par DinoSteve, 10 février 2013 - 12:08 .

[mvaning]

Drewton wrote...

I thought it was about how Deus Ex foreshadowed Mass Effect 3?

fixed

Either way, I'll stick to my guns that it doesn't take six years to use another game's ideas.

Modifié par mvaning, 10 février 2013 - 12:11 .

[The Night Mammoth]

OperatingWookie wrote...

Exactly. Thank you, Seival.

There's a good reason why the Geth are enemies all over the place along with various VIs and mechs.

I'm certain there's a good reason the Geth end up being allies, and the enemy Geth end up being antagonists because of Reaper influence. 

Organics vs. Synthetics is and always will be the main important theme of Mass Effect.

That's why there's options to resolve such a conflict.

Organics vs. synthetics is not a theme. 

[Red Panda]

The Night Mammoth wrote...

I'm certain there's a good reason the Geth end up being allies, and the enemy Geth end up being antagonists because of Reaper influence. 


Organics vs. synthetics is not a theme. 

Just because you can make peace, doesn't make it last.

Peace is the absence on war. Conflict is inevitable.


Also, based on evidence from the Catalyst and all the missions in Mass Effect where you are in conflict with synthetic life. I would say that is is indeed a theme.

Were it not, the ending would be nonsensical.

[AresKeith]

DinoSteve wrote...

mvaning wrote...

I thought the topic of this thread was whether the ending was planned from the beginning or rushed at the end?

Yes it was, and the fact that there is such an argument about the overarching plot to the Mass Effect Trilogy tells me all I need to know about the planning for the Mass Effect trilogy.

But does a Seival thread ever make sense?

And I still see people confuse a Main conflict/Sub-plot with Main theme when ME doesn't have a main theme at all

[Red Panda]

AresKeith wrote...

DinoSteve wrote...

mvaning wrote...

I thought the topic of this thread was whether the ending was planned from the beginning or rushed at the end?

Yes it was, and the fact that there is such an argument about the overarching plot to the Mass Effect Trilogy tells me all I need to know about the planning for the Mass Effect trilogy.

But does a Seival thread ever make sense?

And I still see people confuse a Main conflict/Sub-plot with Main theme when ME doesn't have a main theme at all

I believe this thread is quite valid. The writers had to have some sort of idea how to end the triliogy. It may have been unwritten, but it was there.

I have a feeling you're making a point about the series' direction and consistency.

[Giga Drill BREAKER]

AresKeith wrote...

DinoSteve wrote...

mvaning wrote...

I thought the topic of this thread was whether the ending was planned from the beginning or rushed at the end?

Yes it was, and the fact that there is such an argument about the overarching plot to the Mass Effect Trilogy tells me all I need to know about the planning for the Mass Effect trilogy.

But does a Seival thread ever make sense?

And I still see people confuse a Main conflict/Sub-plot with Main theme when ME doesn't have a main theme at all

Well stopping the reapers is kinda the point to the ME trilogy and I'm not getting back into the argument about anything else. But no I wouldn't call it a theme I'd call it the overarching plot or main conflict of the trilogy. 

and my stace is that there was no planned ending, there may have been once but ME3's ending was not it.

Modifié par DinoSteve, 10 février 2013 - 12:21 .

[mvaning]

OperatingWookie wrote...

AresKeith wrote...

But does a Seival thread ever make sense?

And I still see people confuse a Main conflict/Sub-plot with Main theme when ME doesn't have a main theme at all

I believe this thread is quite valid. The writers had to have some sort of idea how to end the triliogy. It may have been unwritten, but it was there.

I have a feeling you're making a point about the series' direction and consistency.

I don't think they did have an idea.    They clearly ripped the ending from another game.    There is no artistic integrity or planning involved with taking ideas that already exist.

[The Night Mammoth]

OperatingWookie wrote...

The Night Mammoth wrote...

I'm certain there's a good reason the Geth end up being allies, and the enemy Geth end up being antagonists because of Reaper influence. 

Organics vs. synthetics is not a theme. 

Just because you can make peace, doesn't make it last.

Peace is the absence on war. Conflict is inevitable.

What's the reason for making the Geth sympathetic figures who prefer friendly relations with organics over the percieved antagonistsic ones then?

Unless you're implying the Geth species as a concept, the character of Legion, and most of the point of the Rannoch arc, are all completely pointless and have no meaning attached to them whatsoever. 

Also, based on evidence from the Catalyst and all the missions in Mass Effect where you are in conflict with synthetic life. I would say that is is indeed a theme.

That doesn't make it a theme, let alone the supposed 'main theme' of the trilogy. 

Were it not, the ending would be nonsensical.

Ha. 

Modifié par The Night Mammoth, 10 février 2013 - 12:21 .

[Red Panda]

mvaning wrote...

OperatingWookie wrote...

AresKeith wrote...

But does a Seival thread ever make sense?

And I still see people confuse a Main conflict/Sub-plot with Main theme when ME doesn't have a main theme at all

I believe this thread is quite valid. The writers had to have some sort of idea how to end the triliogy. It may have been unwritten, but it was there.

I have a feeling you're making a point about the series' direction and consistency.

I don't think they did have an idea.    They clearly ripped the ending from another game.    There is no artistic integrity or planning involved with taking ideas that already exist.

Beleive me, that's not a bad thing. It did more good for Mass Effect than anything. I mean look at Kai Leng. Without borrowing ideas, we wouldn't have such an excellent foil for Shepard to contend with.