177 réponses à ce sujet

[AlanC9]

chemiclord wrote...

Tron Mega wrote...

seems weird less then half of ME3 playes even finished the game. how much more casual can biowares brain trust go forward with "hey bors, only half the players even finished the game, so that means we dont even need an anding. and also more planet scanning. look how smart i am!"

Believe it or not, 40% of your customers actually completing the game is a very HIGH percentage (usual completion rate is roughly 25-30% depending on the survey), and ME3's completion rate is also pretty much right on par with the other two (If I remember the data correctly, ME1 is actually the LOWEST completion rate among the three).

You remember right. And Dragon:Age Origins is the worst of all.

Modifié par AlanC9, 30 juillet 2013 - 12:24 .

[AlanC9]

KENNY4753 wrote...

I dont trust any completion percentage number. too many variables like...

What tests did the do to reach that 42%?
Did the tests include offline players?
Do these tests include mulitiple playthroughs with some uncompletd games?
Do these tests include EC equip/not equip games?
...etc

That 42% could have just been made up for all we know.

It's from the tracking data. So players who opt out aren't counted. Is there any reason to think that would complete at a different percentage from playes who don't?

As for multiple playthroughs, Bio typically talks about such data in terms of individual accounts. See David Gaider's post from here concerning DA:O telemetry.

As for the figures we have, our telemetry is able to break down unique accounts that play the game more than once or restart-- and the figures I quoted for DAO are the number of unique accounts that ever played an origin, whether it was all the way to the end or not. I'm not going to start rattling off figures (since I don't have them in front of me, and wouldn't be at liberty to start handing them out even if they were) but I do recall the dwarven origins being 5% of the total (3% dwarf noble, 2% dwarf commoner). The elven figure was higher, but still a fair distance from the human noble and human mage.

[Cainhurst Crow]

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

[CptData]

Darth Brotarian wrote...

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

Depends on the scale. When it comes to your life, the journey is more important than the destination since you're going to die, regardless of how you spent your time. However, to be happy with the life you had at its end, you better had a good journey, or you'll might regret it.

However, on a smaller scale, when destination isn't death, the destination itself can be as important (or even more important) than the journey.

As a rule of thumb: the shorter the journey is, the more important the destination becomes.

In ME series, the journey is important. But so is also the destination (which means: defeating the Reapers at all cost). Without a proper destination, the entire journey would feel incomplete. And with a bad resolution of the story and the character plots at the point called "destination", the entire journey might suffer as well, since you can't go down that same path again without a bad feeling, knowing you can't change the destination at all.

[Cainhurst Crow]

That is a good rule of thumb to have, and it makes sense.

Just for that, I won't give you a massively sarcastic rebuke.

[ShepnTali]

If the journey is fun, but the destination sucks, the reasonable thing to do is take a fun trip somewhere else and hope for a better outcome. Or do it again and prepare for another crash and burn, if it's worth it.

[CptData]

Darth Brotarian wrote...

That is a good rule of thumb to have, and it makes sense.

Just for that, I won't give you a massively sarcastic rebuke.

I guess that's a positive sign then.

[Massa FX]

I only read the OP. I agree with 3DandBeyond. Completely agree. To me, the ending most fails not with the glowy kid, but with the lack of acknowledgment of Shepards history. The kid says Shepard is the first to find his location. That's all well and good, but... the most amazing things about Shepard were:

- Defeated a Reaper and delayed Reaper Army arrival (ME1)
- Brought back to life (ME2)
- Defeated the Collectors and Destroyed a human Reaper zygote (ME2)
- United Krogan and Turians (ME3)
- Cured Genophage (ME3)
- United Quarians and Geth (ME3)
- Defeated an Indoctrinated Leader - TIM (ME3)
- United the Galaxy against the Reapers (ME3)
- Became a friend to an AI - EDI and Legion (ME3)
- Became a Legend (ME1 - ME3)

After all of that, its astounding to me that none of it mattered. Nothing made an impact to the Reaper AI child. All its logical computations about synthetics vs organics were still true in its view.  The AI's data still determines that all organics wish to destroy synthetics and all synthetics will destroy organics. But Shepard had just proven its conclusions incorrect.

The greatest peacekeeper in the history of the galaxy (not perfect by any stretch) must make a select decision that will affect the galaxies future from a seemingly flawed analysis. Why? Was the crucible incomplete or broken? Was the AI wrong, demonic, or flawed?

No. It simply was a bad call on the designers. I think the stress of having to throw out the existing ending (for whatever reason) and needing to come up with something new on short notice coupled with looming hard deadlines created a poor ending.

Needless to say, Shepards story has ended and there's no going back. There's no fixing it. There's only the hope that future hero's don't suffer a similar fate.

[V-rcingetorix]

Hey 3D, been a while since I've been in the forums. Good to see you maintain articulate discussion, even if all the people who agree do not.

I agree that the "glowstick of destiny" is waaaaaay worse than it needed to be. While the DLC LotSB did have a car ad extolling the virtues of the journey, the end destination is, after all, why you got in the car initially.

I disagree with what Biowar/EA did with the ME3 ending. No if's, and's or but's. That said, I respect their right to do what they want with the game they spent time, money and creative energy upon. I hope they will respect my right to withold judgement on any future games with which they come out.

The Citadel DLC was fun for me. It was a nostalgic walk down Memory Lane, with all the old people back in the game. Understandably, it isn't the end...but in a sense, it actually is. Just not chronologically. I take it as a gesture from game designers that they would have preferred to have a better ending.

On the other hand, look at what was accomplished! A game megacorp actually had to add content because of quality corruption charges. That's a win in my book, even if Shepard has to lie gasping on the ground. maybe I have to use my imagination, but there are some fantastic fanfic works out there that give a little solace.

ME3 had so much potential. I'll be waiting before I buy another BioWare/EA game. Whats that, DA3 or something? We'll see...we'll see....*ominous rumble of thunder*

[Iakus]

Darth Brotarian wrote...

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

The destination is part of the journey.  Heck it's the entire point of taking the journey.

[FlamingBoy]

I have always enjoyed the titanic metaphor people have been using.
It was very amusing

[Captain Wesker]

iakus wrote...

Darth Brotarian wrote...

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

The destination is part of the journey.  Heck it's the entire point of taking the journey.

But, it's not always the most important in the grand-scheme of the things. However, considering the problem alot of people have with the Mass Effect Triliogy as a whole lies almost solely with it's destination, then it's hard to determine which is of greater importance. Its easy to say the destination is, because it's fresh on our minds and from it we learn a lesson on expectation. That being said, It would be a lie to say we don't all have lots of fond memories of "the journey"  as well.

Modifié par Captain Wesker, 30 juillet 2013 - 03:12 .

[in it for the lolz]

If it's the final chapter in the protagonist's storyline then yes, the ending is always important.

EDIT: And the ending has to be epic.

Modifié par in it for the lolz, 30 juillet 2013 - 02:54 .

[Iakus]

Captain Wesker wrote...

iakus wrote...

Darth Brotarian wrote...

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

The destination is part of the journey.  Heck it's the entire point of taking the journey.

But, it's not always the most important in the grand-scheme of the things. However, considering the problem alot of people have with the Mass Effect Triliogy as a whole lies almost solely with it's destination, then it's hard to determine which is of greater importance. Its easy to say the destination is, because it's fresh on our minds and from it we learn a lesson on expectation. That being said, It would be a lie to say we don't all have lots of fond memories of "the journey"  as well.

Asking if the journey or destination is more important is like asking if the heart or the brain is more important.

You need both.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

With Mass Effect it's the folk you're traveling to the destination with, but it's still that destination. If that destination sucks what's the point. I mean you want to survive it with your friends and look forward to a better tomorrow, right? At least I'd hope you would.

Why hope to be turned into reaper chow to "control the reapers"? Why hope to burn up in a death ray to "synthesize the galaxy"? Don't you want those f****** dead and live to tell about it, then sit back and have a cold one with your friends? I don't know about you, but I do. Yeah, we can mourn the dead sure and we will. Victory + Surviving isn't a flowers and rainbows ending. Not with what every world has been through.

We'll all need new worlds to live on.

[chemiclord]

I really dislike the entire "it's not the destination..." line because it really is misused.

The proverb is meant as wisdom to not judge something solely based on how it ends (your destination); to not let that destination alter everything you had done to get to that point (be it positive OR negative).  It's a warning of sorts... a great destination should not gloss over a poor journey... just as a poor destination should not taint an otherwise wonderful journey.

Human nature is such that the end and the beginning of anything tends to be what stands out most in our memories. That proverb tells us to not to forget everything in the middle in the process.

Modifié par chemiclord, 30 juillet 2013 - 05:06 .

[Cainhurst Crow]

in it for the lolz wrote...

If it's the final chapter in the protagonist's storyline then yes, the ending is always important.

EDIT: And the ending has to be epic.

I'm going to **** on a plate and season it with a broken glass garnish and ****** vinaigrette and make you eat is as the main course.

But i'll make sure the desserts the most delicious and epic thing you've ever had, so it's all good.

[Iakus]

Funny, I didn't realize "the ending is important" trivialized the journey.

In the end it's all important.

[Cainhurst Crow]

iakus wrote...

Funny, I didn't realize "the ending is important" trivialized the journey.

In the end it's all important.

Yes it is, which is why I didn't respond to your post.

You got it, this poster did not.

[mopotter]

Tron Mega wrote...

what id like to know:

at what point in the campaign did most people quit their second attempt at a playthrough?

id guess some time durring mars, perhaps.

seems weird less then half of ME3 playes even finished the game. how much more casual can biowares brain trust go forward with "hey bors, only half the players even finished the game, so that means we dont even need an ending! taking that a step further, the people who didnt play our game didnt even need a begining so LETS REMOVE THE BEGINNING TOO! wow, guys, everyone see how big my ego is? i hope so!"

I finished the game twice.  2nd time I restarted the final battle to see all three options.   I started a third game and towards the end I realized the endings didn't have much, if anything, to do with my choices, i could pick the exact same one each time i played. Why bother playing if the options are exactly the same.

ME1  had one end goal, kill Saren.  What order I did things in was my choice and the ending was heroic, with Shepard looking towards the future.  Played it for years.  

Me2  had two end goals, keep or destroy the collector base and see how many of your team lives or dies in the process.  Each game had some variables in who survived and what I did with the base.  Ending Shepard walked by the fallen and prepared for the final battle to destroy the reapers.  Played it for years.

ME3  What?  ignore everything you have done for the last two games.  don't destroy the reapers, become one?  what? don't destroy the reapers just be god and give everyone the same dna?  What? sure destroy the reapers and everyone who helps will be stranded for who knows how long trying to get home how many light years away, or just destroyed ?  Hope for the future?  Not likely.  Charred bodies, even with a smiling friend not putting up the memorial notice, does not give me reason to play the game a lot.  

I am going to try and replay again eventually.  But  not going to pre order anything and will always be disappointed with what they did to a series.  If they had done each game like Dragon age, separate story, separate characters, it would have worked better.    i also believe they got tired of the series and Shepard's story.

[Dubozz]

Thanks 3D, good read as always.

[Iakus]

Tron Mega wrote...

what id like to know:

at what point in the campaign did most people quit their second attempt at a playthrough?

id guess some time durring mars, perhaps.

seems weird less then half of ME3 playes even finished the game. how much more casual can biowares brain trust go forward with "hey bors, only half the players even finished the game, so that means we dont even need an ending! taking that a step further, the people who didnt play our game didnt even need a begining so LETS REMOVE THE BEGINNING TOO! wow, guys, everyone see how big my ego is? i hope so!"

My second attempt I quit shortly after the Citadel coup.  I started Rannoch, and just couldn't go on.  I simply didn't see the point to it.  I knew where the journey ended, and it was nowhere I wanted to be.

So I quit, uninstalled the entire trilogy, and didn't play again for months, unti I learned of MEHEM. 

[mopotter]

Darth Brotarian wrote...

So which is more important, the destination or the journey?

They are both important,  especially in a video game. 

I can take a number of different roads to get to a destination, but if the destination isn't somewhere I want to be, it doesn't matter what the journey is like, I won't go.    

If the destination is great, but the journey boring or just stinky, I'd take a detour go a different way to get there.  

With a video game, if the destination is great and the basic story is enjoyable I can ignore game play I don't care for.  But it doesn't matter how much fun he game play is, for me, if I hate the destination.  

[dorktainian]

www.youtube.com/watch 

The end was always important.  Us ITers have always thought so.  So much so that Magnetite has posted this vid on youtube with the background sounds only (no speech or music - sfx only) from shep getting hit by harbie right to starjar.

Pretty damning evidence if you ask me that us ITers were right all along.   

Reaper horns.  Whispering voices.  Sound effects on the citadel that were on earth.  

Modifié par dorktainian, 30 juillet 2013 - 07:44 .

[Ledgend1221]

A good trip with a ****e ending makes me never want to take the trip again.
This is ME.

A ****e trip with a godly ending doesn't matter, because I'm not going to stick around through all that crap.