63 réponses à ce sujet

[jtav]

I've been trying to pick the best ending for my current Shep, so I reloaded and watched all three endings back to back. It was a mostly Paragon playthrough, with a Miranda romance and over 3100 EMS. Some random thoughts in no particular order.

 

• All three endings are good endings. No, really. They're all meant to be inspiring and uplifting. I never felt like any ending was a loss.
• Destroy is noticeably more violent. Well, duh. But I'd forgotten that the light explodes around Big Ben. The husks seem more savage as well. It's as if the game is affirming Shepard's belief that Reapers are abominations that can only be destroyed.
• Both Destroy and Synthesis struck me as idealistic in completely opposite ways. Destroy affirms that no, humanity is not broken. We can come together and we can thrive without a god enforcing it or a fundamental change in our natures. Synthesis promises a shiny, utopian world and former enemies turned allies. It very much reminded me of traditional ideas of heaven.
• Shepard's death or survival had very little impact for me since my LI was off the Normandy. Though Kaidan has very sad puppy dog eyes. I think I'd be more likely to choose Destroy with a shipboard LI. Miranda's romance slide was unexpectedly moving because the Shepard I'm picking for is a colonist and I always imagined them retiring to a farm world. So it's a feeling of them having the life they ought rather than the frustrated wistfulness I expected.
• Control strikes me as the practical choice. Keep the machinery of civilization running. It's also very cynical, with peace maintained only through the will of the machine god. The Reapers and geth exist, but it's a stalemate instead of peace.
• The Shepalyst seems harder and colder than the real Shepard, but Meer's voice seems warmer as the monologue goes on. How much of Shepard is retained is definitely an open question. I think it'd be suited to a more ruthless Shepard, whether Paragon or Renegade.
• Synthesis is really pretty, especially if you did everything right before hand. Shepard's life has bought a glorious new world. Since I had Wrex and peace, this really was "the lives we wished for" with Tuchanka and Rannoch thriving. I've chosen it as a more Renegade Shepard, but Shepard definitely has to aspire to certain things for it to fit.
• My favorite moment is when the transformed husk looks up. We have the seemingly impossible: the Reapers transformed and redeemed. Synthesis means real peace. The integration it offers is more the technological; it's the integration of enemies into the larger society.

[Animositisomina]

Why didn't you do a Refuse ending as well? Just curious.

[Ieldra]

Nice summary. A few comments:

(1) Completely agree here. I've always said all three (high EMS variants of the) main endings are good endings. The presentation actually doesn't leave any doubt about it, only the story that came before casts some doubts. The in-world perspective and the meta-perspective definitely clash here, but the intention is clear.

(2) Interesting. I hadn't noticed that. Odd....once Bioware manages to be subtle about something, and then it's so that I don't notice it, but then, I've never paid much attention to Destroy.

(3) I guess you can see it that way, but I don't agree. I see Destroy as rather cynical and Synthesis, while certainly idealistic, doesn't evoke this image of utopia for me. I can see why it does for many players, but I just don't have those associations.

(4) Control isn't cynical unless you assume this solution is forever. I've always seen it as "we are as children and need a parent until we've grown up."

(5) There may be some ambiguity, but I think this is meant to convey that enough of Shepard is retained in order to guide civilization as they'd have done.

(6) Agreed. I don't like the implementation, but the outcome is everything I would want.

(7) Indeed. I've always found this aspect interesting. How would meaningful communicatiion with entities like the (ex-)Reapers be possible? Lots of things to think about, how such a civilization would look.

[jtav]

Why didn't you do a Refuse ending as well? Just curious.

Too lazy. I was working off an autosave after the Catalyst presents its choices and there's no hologram to shoot if you load that save. I knew I wouldn't pick Refuse, so it seemed like too much effort. I can do it if you want.

[Animositisomina]

Too lazy. I was working off an autosave after the Catalyst presents its choices and there's no hologram to shoot if you load that save. I knew I wouldn't pick Refuse, so it seemed like too much effort. I can do it if you want.

If you shoot at the sky or parts of the Citadel hanging above, this also triggers the Refuse ending... no idea why, though. So I don't think you need ghostboy to be there. It might only work before you've walked up to your choice, haven't tried it after walking.

[SporkFu]

Interesting post, good read. I liked your perspective on synthesis, but the one thing that gets me down about synthesis is if everyone is doing a "hands across the galaxy" thing, then where is the conflict for the next game?

 

One idea I had is combining the reaper mentality of "each of us is a nation." and maybe also the geth hive-mind behavior to forge species separation and everyone becomes xenophobic. In one great summit on the citadel the galaxy gets divided amongst the species. For awhile things are peaceful, but tensions rise and diplomacy becomes tricky. I dunno, I'm rambling off-topic here.

[Excella Gionne]

If you did sabotage the cure, EDI will have different lines throughout most of Synthesis, but eventually the genophage is cured through synthesis. :-D But no Wrex is depressing for me.

[ImaginaryMatter]

I even found the Refuse ending scene with Liara to be pretty hopeful sounding.

[von uber]

Synthesis is only a eutopia if you ignore all the self aware abominations. Still would make new reality TV shows fun:

"Husk Steve returns to visit his long lost family.. with hilarious results!"

"Praetorian Bob is in sixteen minds over everything - we watch Aveya, Banshee Career Advisor, help him out!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

See what happened in the next cycle was that they found Liara in a cryo pod in one of the Archives. And she said "I am surrounded by primitives!" Then she showed them what they needed to do.

[CrutchCricket]

Miranda's romance slide was unexpectedly moving

 

Never thought I'd hear you say this.

[CrutchCricket]

Synthesis is only a eutopia if you ignore all the self aware abominations. Still would make new reality TV shows fun:

"Husk Steve returns to visit his long lost family.. with hilarious results!"

"Praetorian Bob is in sixteen minds over everything - we watch Aveya, Banshee Career Advisor, help him out!"

 

Ending of Shaun of the Dead anyone?

 

See what happened in the next cycle was that they found Liara in a cryo pod in one of the Archives. And she said "I am surrounded by primitives!" Then she showed them what they needed to do.

 

That would be amusing. I don't think she can pull it off though.

[jtav]

Never thought I'd hear you say this.

Honestly don't think it would have worked if it wasn't my Colonist Shep I was planning. So my association was Miranda being home, rather than staring up at the sky in hope. I blame a lot of my negative reaction to Control on the Shepalyst not sounding much like him either.

[CrutchCricket]

Honestly don't think it would have worked if it wasn't my Colonist Shep I was planning. So my association was Miranda being home, rather than staring up at the sky in hope. I blame a lot of my negative reaction to Control on the Shepalyst not sounding much like him either.

 

There's nothing wrong with staring up at the sky in hope. I think the idea is to make the exact interpretation your own.

 

As for Control I actually like it better when Shepard sounds more like a Reaper.  He's not human anymore. He's something more. Now if only they'd lay off the babysitting angle it'd be perfect.

[Ieldra]

There's nothing wrong with staring up at the sky in hope. I think the idea is to make the exact interpretation your own.
 
As for Control I actually like it better when Shepard sounds more like a Reaper.  He's not human anymore. He's something more. Now if only they'd lay off the babysitting angle it'd be perfect.

I've always thought Ascended!Shepard would bring civilization on its way and eventually go their own way to....whichever unfathomable-to-mere-humans place super-intelligent beings might be interested in.

[jtav]

This would explain why Control is going over like a lead balloon for me. I view the ascension as no ascension at all, but a sacrifice made for the benefit of mankind. Especially since this Shep has connections he has no interest in giving up.

[CrutchCricket]

I've always thought Ascended!Shepard would bring civilization on its way and eventually go their own way to....whichever unfathomable-to-mere-humans place super-intelligent beings might be interested in.

 

Meh... I think at best it'd leave a few programs around to make sure we didn't blow ourselves up or do something else equally dumb.

 

I actually envision a Guardian (later Watcher) program running out of the old Citadel (or its dark space equivalent) that monitors civilization and sort of "nudges" it away from bigger disasters. After certain things happen it stops doing even that, and is repurposed to merely observe and record everything of note about each species, as well as obtaining DNA samples (non-lethally). In this way it technically fullfills a "preservation" role.

 

Wasn't sure if you were still around. Where are you posting these days? The old Miranda thread is open. I know there's not much new to say but it's something at least. The tyranny of Priestly is over at last.

 

This would explain why Control is going over like a lead balloon for me. I view the ascension as no ascension at all, but a sacrifice made for the benefit of mankind. Especially since this Shep has connections he has no interest in giving up.

 

It's still an ascension. Both literally and in terms of the responsability you want to place on him. One can argue that a king ascending to a throne is still sacrificing the freedom of a personal care-free life.

[Darks1d3]

 

 

jtav, on 24 Mar 2014 - 7:00 PM, said:

 

This would explain why Control is going over like a lead balloon for me. I view the ascension as no ascension at all, but a sacrifice made for the benefit of mankind. Especially since this Shep has connections he has no interest in giving up.

 

It's still an ascension. Both literally and in terms of the responsability you want to place on him. One can argue that a king ascending to a throne is still sacrificing the freedom of a personal care-free life.

While I'm not a proponent of Control(I don't like the idea of anyone having that much power, and I remain skeptical of the idea that the Sheplyst is still actually Shepard), taking a leadership role certainly means accepting greater responsibility, sometimes at the price of an insignificant or nonexistent personal life. I'm reminded of something George Washington stated in his diary on his way to New York  for his inauguration as the first president  "I bade adieu to Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity, and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations than I have words to express, set out for New York . . . with the best disposition to render service to my country in obedience to its call, but with less hope of answering it's expectations." Now obviously, the challenges that Washington faced paled in comparison to what the Sheplyst faces, and Washington's general disposition probably doesn't match Shepard's either(depending on the Shepard being role-played). In fact, I'll also say the loss of any chance of being normal again that also dissuades me from choosing control(and I also acknowledge it's a rather selfish reason).

 

Now, before someone thinks I'm smoking something for posting this(dafug does George Washington have to do with the control ending?), my purpose of posting this was to help me internalize what I'm reading in my History book. In other words, I learn better by relating and somehow integrating what I am supposed to learn with my own life. Still, this probably doesn't completely help my case here. Whatever, I'm in a state of **** it right now anyways.

 

EDIT: Hey ho, I successfully made a multi-quote.

[Han Shot First]

See what happened in the next cycle was that they found Liara in a cryo pod in one of the Archives. And she said "I am surrounded by primitives!" Then she showed them what they needed to do.

 

I'm imagining a Yahg being the first one to crack the pod open...

 

[jtav]

A few additional notes after loading a save with the cure sabotaged and geth dead. Only Synth and Destroy this time.

 

• Destroy really doesn't vary enough based on Shepard's decisions, but "remember what it took to win" does take on an added resonance because it occurs over a shot of a ruined Tuchanka. This was the price of victory.
• Synthesis seems a bit less hopeful and utopian. It's more medicine for a sick society. I definitely didn't get the same vibe of integration and happiness.

 

Right now I'm leaning toward either Destroy with sabotage or Synthesis with the cure.

[Lawrence0294]

I even found the Refuse ending scene with Liara to be pretty hopeful sounding.

Really ?

 

I don't know. It is indeed hopeful for the next civilization but keep in mind everyone in this cycle, all your friends, allies and squadies got killed, indoctrinated or huskified. 

[Obadiah]

Synthesis is only a eutopia if you ignore all the self aware abominations. Still would make new reality TV shows fun:

"Husk Steve returns to visit his long lost family.. with hilarious results!"

"Praetorian Bob is in sixteen minds over everything - we watch Aveya, Banshee Career Advisor, help him out!"

 

[Han Shot First]

 

 

[DeinonSlayer]

Too bad they can't shoot worth a s***.

[Han Shot First]

Too bad they can't shoot worth a s***.

 

Probably because only the one on the far right is aiming. The rest are all rambo'ing it from the hip.