I'm posting this here because I don't currently afford to buy the game yet. (played the demo and through the beginning of the full in an IT shop... however, I know the story in every detail - Youtube, Internet - can't fight curiosity). And even when I will afford, I'd prefer it to be a different game than it is now, I mean the complete game that should be.
So here is what I want to say, an appeal to everybody who feels the same about the game:
Mass Effect fans. I address those of you who are dedicated to the
series, and feel that Mass Effect 3 leaves a lot to be desired still,
even after the DLC-s.
I ask
from all of you, fellow players and Mass Effect series true fans, to
show any support you can for the following plea. Let's make this a
petition, maybe something will come out of our effort. (Personally
I'm not sure how to deal with a petition, never made one; anyone who
wants to make this an official petition is most welcome to do so).
I hope
Bioware gets to read this, and ponder on it.
I also
ask from those who spit useless attacks (ex: futile non-constructive criticism not sustained
by valid points/arguments, aka posting for the sake of posting, or
out of boredom...) to refrain from posting. I wonder whose interests
do such people represent? Definitely not those of the majority of
fans.
To remind
you: ME3 as a solitary game is not that bad of a game. But as a
sequel to ME 1 and 2 - is a catastrophic game.
Much has
been criticized about ME3's ending, but it's the beginning also that
needs serious scrutiny...
...
Most of
us know the series hasn't quite delivered what it promised, hasn't
properly directed the ripples they initially created. Lots of
important choices made in the prequels (ME 1 and 2) made very little
or no impact in ME3:
In ME3 we
were forced to join the Alliance, although many of us felt
otherwise...
In ME 3,
the fate of too many of our beloved companions from the prequels was
too poorly designed and rushedly dealt with, romances included...
ME3's
endings are not entirely convincing...
Even
after the current DLC-s, the game still looks like an unfinished
product, because it doesn't care for a vast number of fans who might
have:
- preferred
to join Cerberus - gone
freelancer, like Jack hinted in ME 2 (no Alliance, nor Cerberus, and
both organizations against Shepard! Harder to survive, but
interesting playthrough nonetheless.) - even
if convinced Alliance fans, definitely been interested to play a
different faction, at least out of mere curiosity (considerable
different story/dialogues and outcomes)
To be
noted that many of us don't buy the imposed on the fans idea that the
Illusive Man is evil (selfish yes, evil no). Even if the Reapers
controlled him, they would still prefer him to, in turn, control a
powerful group, thus making their job easier, rather than having him
give up so many valuable assets, like Shepard, Miranda, Jacob, Kelly
etc. and facing battle on more fronts than necessary.
Therefore,
assuming Shepard agrees with Cerberus's ideals and methods (player
choice), these are the reasons why the Illusive Man would prefer to
have Shepard by his side (again, assuming Shepard saved the Collector
base):
- he
invested a lot in Shepard's resurrection (Project Lazarus) and in
Shepard's ME2 quest: top class ship, personnel (Miranda, Jacob,
Kelly etc.), resources etc. Losing such assets would be a huge blow
for Cerberus, especially in a galaxy with not that easy to form
alliances - Shepard
is the only person who understands Prothean language - Shepard
is a great leader and could gather even more allies and resources
for Cerberus, thus improving the organization's status and influence - Shepard
is the only person that makes the real difference in the galaxy on a
large scale, making his/her group win, fact proved twice – first
with Saren and Sovereign, second with the Collectors; that alone
makes Shepard most valuable ally
- Shepard
would be a too powerful enemy to face - which
way there would be a greater chance to deal with (either control or
- if control not possible - destroy) the Reapers: with or without
Shepard by one's side???...
...
Any good
rpg should respect the players by offering them choices (choices mean
replay value!) to join one of 3 factions:
- the
first faction being the officially “good” guys (however, not all
of them are good, corruption is still present)
- a
second faction, opposed to the first: the officially “bad” guys
(however, not all of them are evil, compassion is still present,
there are more complex/grey morals) - a
third, usually freelancer/indie path (somewhat harder to play,
either good, bad or grey, as the player prefers)
...
Let's
hereby propose to Bioware that they remake (Not from the scratch!! More, like a super-mod of the already existing game)/reshape Mass
Effect 3 by implementing the following:
1. In the
beginning of Mass Effect 3, Shepard should be offered with a choice:
to join the Alliance/Council, or Cerberus, or going freelancer.
- Alliance
– no condition, simple choice
- Cerberus
- condition: Collector base saved - Freelancer
- conditions: high persuasion (needed for convincing others to join
your own cause); save Rachni queen; complete Legion's quest either
way; save Maelon data; helped Liara become SB; enough collected
resources from planets in ME2 (ex: a certain number of Platinum)
Also, in
the end, more options, and different endings per faction...
2. The
following decisions made in the prequels should have significant
impact in ME3:
- Rachni
queen – if saved, rachni are allies for Shepard; if destroyed,
remaining rachni are antagonists (maybe they join the Reapers?...) - Collector
base – condition for joining Cerberus - Geth
– if rewritten, they become possible allies; if destroyed,
quarians become possible allies - Maelon's
data – if saved, krogan are allies; if destroyed, krogan are
antagonists
3. The
following decisions regarding Squad Members (SM) and a few other
special Npcs made in the prequels should have significant impact in
ME3:
- Sidonis
– if saved, possible new SM, access to new resources - Shiala
– if saved, possible new SM and love interest, access to new
resources - Samara
– if survived ME2's suicide mission, possible SM and love
interest: enrich her quests and dialogues - Morinth
- if survived ME2's suicide mission, possible SM and love interest:
enrich her quests and dialogues; make a strong consequence quest
where Shepard finds a cure for her Ardat Yakshi condition (cure
possible only through Morinth's unique anatomy...), and could make
it available to her, thus saving her, but if doing so, having to
lose a team member in the process; if Morinth cured, she regrets the
harm done in the past and tries to atone for it by helping Shepard
(speaking of grey morals: Morinth's redemption would put Samara's
death in a totally different perspective...) - Miranda
– if she loyal to Shepard and quit Cerberus in the end of ME2, she
becomes SM if Shepard goes freelancer, but she wouldn't join Shepard
if s/he chooses Alliance; if she not loyal to Shepard, remains in
Cerberus and Shepard chooses Alliance, she becomes antagonist boss
in ME3; if Shepard chooses Cerberus, she is SM - Jacob
– same/similar as Miranda - Jack
– if survives ME2's suicide mission, is loyal, and Shepard chooses
freelancer, she is possible SM, antagonist if Shepard goes Cerberus
or has Miranda as SM - Ashley/Alenko,
Anderson, Hackett – if Shepard chooses Cerberus or freelancer,
they are antagonists boss/es; if Shepard chooses Alliance, they are
allies or SM - Tali
- SM if you covered for her father; otherwise she possible
antagonist boss - Legion
– SM if loyal - Kelly
Chambers – if she survived, was romanced by Shepard, Shepard
chooses Cerberus, possible SM - Grunt
– if he survives and loyal, possible SM, if not loyal then
possible antagonist boss - Garrus
– if loyal, possible SM
- Kasumi
– if loyal and Shepard freelancer, she is possible SM - others
– depending on loyalty, personality and faction
Point to
mention: some allies or groups may choose Shepard even against their
own race, if: they are more the individualist type, Shepard succeeds
in persuading them (maybe love interests – interesting choice to
betray one's race or group for a LI, isn't it?...), and/or if their
interests see it fit. (ex: Garrus, Grunt, Legion, Mordin...)
4. Races
as allies in ME3 (some are mutually exclusive allies):
- humans
– allies if Alliance, otherwise antagonists - asari
- allies if Alliance, otherwise antagonists - turian
- allies if Alliance, otherwise antagonists - salarian
- allies if Alliance, otherwise antagonists - krogan
– allies if Cerberus or freelancer, saved Maelon's data, and not
aligned with rachni, otherwise antagonists (they cannot forgive
salarians and turians, as for rachni...) - rachni
– allies if the Queen was saved in ME 1, and Shepard not allied
with krogans (obvious reasons), Shepard may be any faction
- geth
– allies if Shepard rewrites them and is not allied with quarians,
otherwise antagonists, Shepard may be any faction
- quarians
- allies if Shepard destroyed geth, otherwise antagonists, Shepard
not in Cerberus
- batarians
and vorcha – always antagonists and screwing things up - other
races – different conditions (may be bought with resources) or
randomly assigned
As one
can see, Shepard can have as allies, either krogan or salarians, not
both. Either krogan or rachni, not both. Either geth or quarians, not
both. Plenty of replay value.
Clearly
most chances of survival are with the Alliance, but it becomes more
of a challenge to play Cerberus, and even more as freelancer.
Question:
if Shepard freelancer, what are his/her options, and what about
chances of gaining allies?
Answer:
Shepard, as Jack hinted in ME2, could be independent, even start a
new faction/organization, which could lead to a new Empire (Javik
would surely agree that the strongest should rule). Shepard would be
the supreme galactic leader, with the New Council having a heavy word
to say in Shepard's decisions. For gaining allies, Shepard would
persuade them by promising them favors and good status in the new
empire, maybe a seat in the New Council...
Question:
Who does Shepard fight during missions if s/he chooses Cerberus?
Answer:
Alliance forces, Reapers and their minions, batarians, vorcha, mercs,
Aria, some Cerberus rogue cells.
Question:
Who does Shepard fight during missions if s/he chooses freelancer?
Answer:
almost everybody...
…
Technical
and financial aspects:
Lot
easier and time saving to remake ME3, than to immediately do ME4.
Reasons:
- The
3D world, concept, characters, animations, gameplay, interface, many
dialogues and quests are already present - Fast
money for Bioware from a less time consuming project - Less
money paid by players for an almost entirely new game. The price of
the fully remade ME3 would be significantly reduced for those who
already purchased the actual ME3
- High
chance for Bioware to redeem its public image and credibility (see
Dragon Age 2 and ME3's initial 3 endings general fan discontent)
I'm not
saying Bioware shouldn't make Mass Effect 4. Just to make it at its
time and place, which is not now, not after such a rushed and
incomplete ME3.
It
wouldn't take Bioware much time to complete a remade ME3 (with good
planning - maybe about a year), and they would have a much better
point of reference (depending on which of the 3 factions prevailed in
the end of ME3) for ME4, thus easing their job with ME4 a lot.
Thank you
for your time and understanding.
P.S. Anyone can use this post freely, move it in another forum zone, start the petition, improve it, add suggestions etc. I hope this will help if not all, at least the majority of fans with even a tiny bit of game(s) improvement, now and/or in the future...
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