47 réponses à ce sujet

[Reedirector]

Everyone plays the games differently, and that's great. Most people Headcanon a "main Shepard" but some people don't.

 

I'm just wondering if anyone does what I do, once they've found a character and story for Shepard that fits thematically, physically, and vocally in to the games, they never play a different Shepard again. 

 

I played ME1 as a Paragon BroShep who romanced Ashley, but his face... didn't work... and I couldn't continue that story.

 

I replayed as a Renegade FemShep who romanced Kaidan, but the story that developed with her just didn't feel right, so I couldn't continue that story.

 

Then I spent about three hours writing and creating another Paragon BroShep (who is blond! I never thought it would work, but there you go) that romanced Liara, and it just completely fit. 

 

Now, whenever I replay the series, I always use the exact same ME1 save and play what is basically the same story. I can't imagine the game any other way. I think it comes down to the fact that once I've found a character that I can empathise with so well, it's like I'm in the story myself, and I don't want to lose that connection.

 

What do you think? am I missing out on an essential part of the games? How many different Shepards have you played with over the years? Does anyone else play like this?

[God]

I have one canon Shepard too. The rest are just romps to troll people.

[von uber]

I thought I had a canon, but the more I think about it (and after other playthroughs) I'm not so sure.

[Kynare]

Cate Shepard is the true Queen of the Girl Scouts in my story. Full Paragon Soldier who romanced Kaidan.

 

I made her in ME1 after playing as "Jane Shepard" for a while. I must've spent hours in the character creation. I've just never done another playthrough since I beat the game with her. It's been a while since I beat ME3 with her and I'm only just now starting on my first MaleShep who's been mostly Renegade so far.

 

I did the same thing on DA now that I think about it... I played as a "good" character, female, got my heart broken (Alistair broke up with her) and then did another playthrough as a male who just said "f*ck it all" and romanced every chick I could get. So when the ME3 ending came around and she had to leave Kaidan behind... I think it's a coping method. 

[themikefest]

My main Shepard is the one in my signature. 

 

I have numerous others that I play with each one making different decisions

[God]

Commander John Shepard: Earthborn, Sole Survivor, Soldier, Miranda romancer, Cerberus supporter, true neutral byronic unfettered practical man who has an unclouded judgement of amorality and does what needs to be done, whatever it is. He doesn't fetter himself to rules or principles, but to goals and results. As well, he's a very rational, logical person. He looks at things as objectively as he can and doesn't look at morality as something to constrict himself too if gets in the way. The job is there, and he'll do what he needs to complete it. He's a clever a diplomat, a charming rogue, a logical strategist, a taciturn philosopher, and a brutal enforcer, all in one. As he'd put it, he has many hats, and he'll put on whatever hat he needs to win.

[NeroonWilliams]

I'd say you've found something that works for you.  Personally, I really like to explore being in someone else's skin when I play ME, so each of my Shepards has been someone unique with many coming to the same conclusions, but via different reasonings.  For example, I think it's funny that I personally think that the "best" ending for the galaxy is Paragon Control, but only 3 of my 15+ Shepards have come to the same conclusion.

[cap and gown]

I am the puppet master, the Zwingali, of many different Shepards. None of them are me. Each is a unique and precious snowflake (though some of them are jerks).

 

Actually, the replay value in the series, for me, lies in trying out different classes, genders, backgrounds, personalities, and choices. Couldn't see ever playing the same Shepard more than once.

[God]

My canon is me, to the best extent possible. 

 

I don't really have much interests in playing anything else. 

 

I like being the ubermensch.

[Fixers0]

I all the years i played Mass Effect I honestly never really bothered with making a canon Shepard, I just went with whatever I felt good with at the moment.

 

That being said, I do have somewhat of "flagship" character: His name is Casimir, he's a Spacer, Ruthless, Infiltrator (ME1) and Adept (ME2/ME3). He's well educated and clever, but not very patient or particularly insightfull. Generally speaking, he's a fairly cool guy when everything is going as expected but tends to start making quenstionable decisions when things are starting to get messed up.

[Han Shot First]

I only have one canon as well.

 

I've messed around and had other playthroughs where I made different choices, but I don't view those characters as being canon in a separate universe. There's only one version of Shepard as far as I'm concerned.

 

In a nutshell for me that's paragade Spacer War Hero Sheploo, pro Alliance/Council, Liara as the LI in ME1, LotSb, and ME3, Miranda as the LI in ME2, and Destroy.

[Orikon]

I have one canon as well (I bet everybody who plays ME at one point has a canon Shepard).

 

Other Sheps are mostly Femshep's (I can't stand male Shepard in ME1/2) and Sheps I use to experiment with different classes,choices and ME3 modding.

[Sylvan_Moon]

I also have only one canon Shepard because I hardly ever do a whole playthrough from scratch. I sometimes reload and pick a different option just to see what happens immediately after (like picking Morinth over Samara, or hitting on Joker, or wanting to see Thane's love scene). But obviously, I won't see the long term effects of some decisions (like killing Wrex). I'm lazy and use youtube for those.

 

My canon Shepard is a colonist, paragade, hero of the Blitz, adept, no LI in ME1, stuck to Garrus all the way, made peace with as many races as possible, Destroy.

 

I'm trying to do a second playthrough of DA2 after 3 years in preparation of getting Inquisition. But I can't seem to stay motivated. I think I'll just load my mage Hawke even when most party members left her.

[WizzyWarlock]

Originally my main was a FemShep Infilltrator, but when ME2 came out and they put in the invisibility cloak, I just couldn't get behind it. It didn't work out for me. So I made a Paragon Shep Vanguard, which was a bit awkward in ME1 but so so good to play in ME2. I love that biotic charge, it's easily my favourite ability in the whole series.

[Reedirector]

I only have one canon as well.

 

I've messed around and had other playthroughs where I made different choices, but I don't view those characters as being canon in a separate universe. There's only one version of Shepard as far as I'm concerned.

 

In a nutshell for me that's paragade Spacer War Hero Sheploo, pro Alliance/Council, Liara as the LI in ME1, LotSb, and ME3, Miranda as the LI in ME2, and Destroy.

 

That is... alarmingly close to my own canon, except I used a custom appearance. Clearly you have good taste!

[Reedirector]

 

Actually, the replay value in the series, for me, lies in trying out different classes, genders, backgrounds, personalities, and choices. Couldn't see ever playing the same Shepard more than once.

 

Funny how radically different our playstyles are! I'm glad you enjoy it.

[Reedirector]

My Shepard considers himself a failed - or relaxed - Buddhist, as he is not a pacifist. He doesn't allow religion to affect his work or his reasoning, but he does see a spiritual side to the cosmos. He considers himself more of a scientist or an explorer than a soldier. (which AutoShep sort of ruins because all they talk about is being a soldier but I just gloss over that) He's a Spacer/War Hero paragon who believes in fairness and equality among all life and is generally very open minded. 

 

He is riddled with doubt and burdened with shame for mistakes he's made, constantly worried that his principles are blinding him from the bigger picture, but he understands people, and he loves life. He finds himself equally terrified and fascinated by everything he sees.

[God]

My Shepard considers himself a failed - or relaxed - Buddhist, as he is not a pacifist. He doesn't allow religion to affect his work or his reasoning, but he does see a spiritual side to the cosmos. He considers himself more of a scientist or an explorer than a soldier. (which AutoShep sort of ruins because all they talk about is being a soldier but I just gloss over that) He's a Spacer/War Hero paragon who believes in fairness and equality among all life and is generally very open minded. 

 

He is riddled with doubt and burdened with shame for mistakes he's made, constantly worried that his principles are blinding him from the bigger picture, but he understands people, and he loves life. He finds himself equally terrified and fascinated by everything he sees.

 

Your Shepard (no matter how you characterize it to yourself), is a former top-tier Special Forces, and a senior line officer aboard a military warship designed for military application in ME1.

 

He's a soldier. To get to that level in a career that he has attained, he needs to be a very dedicated one. He may consider himself a man of science and exploration, but those are secondary to what he is.

 

I understand people wanting to headcanon things, but this is one of those attributes that's not up for debate or subjectivity. Canonically, and objectively, Shepard is predominantly a warrior.

[KaiserShep]

I also have one main Shep, a spacer war hero. It's come to the point where her appearance is more distinct to me than the defaults. I only make alternates to screw around with the universe. I use Sheploo as my failShep. He never makes it past ME2.

[Reedirector]

I understand people wanting to headcanon things, but this is one of those attributes that's not up for debate or subjectivity. Canonically, and objectively, Shepard is predominantly a warrior.

 

You're right. It's a shame, though: I would have liked to have had the option to alter his career path as part of his Service History. It's something I should definitely put more thought into the next time I replay the series.

 

Thanks for giving me the sceptical eye! I would never have been motivated to rewrite that inconsistency unless someone else had pointed it out. 

[JasonShepard]

I only have one Shepard. I've seen enough  youtube videos, read enough of the wiki and chatted with people on here enough to know what alternative options could lead to, but I've never played them. As far as I'm concerned, Commander Shepard lost his family while young. In response, he surrendered his own first name as a way of escaping the past - he wasn't the boy who grew up on Mindoir anymore.

 

He pushed himself in his training, saved Elysium and became a Spectre.

 

He romanced Ash and, like her, spent a good portion of ME2 pondering whether or not he really was who he thought he was.

 

He developed a friendship with Legion, earned the loyalty of his entire crew, and his stubborn determination not to leave anyone behind got them all through the Suicide Mission (on my first attempt - I have literally never lost a soul on the Collector Base).

 

And in ME3, that determination to save as many people as he could led to a genophage cure, peace on Rannoch, and a self-sacrifice that kept the Geth alive, had the relays quickly repaired, and had the Reapers mysteriously return to Dark Space.

[RVallant]

I have the one "main" paragon male shep Infiltrator.

 

Makes the most sense to me - A war hero, inspirational figure and a special forces (stealth and sniper) skillset. 

 

I've run with renegade, I've run with femshep, different classes and so on but that one is the one I prefer, not knocking any other formula of course.

[von uber]

To expand on my first post, my original canon was a Femshep Liara LI, with pro council and (depsite being fully rnegade throughout) hitting all the big ticket items: Saving the Rachni, everyone survives the SM, Wrex living, geneophage cured, peace between the Geth and Quarians ending up in high EMS destroy.

 

However of late I have been won over by a Wrex dead genophage sabotage playthrough, along with no peace between the Geth and Quarians (with Legion being scrapped). For me that brings the universe more to life and makes it seem more real.

Sabotaging the Genophage (with Mordin living or dying) is one of the more interesting situations where the optimal outcome with Wrex is less satisfying from a story point of view.

[SwobyJ]

Bioware makes Shepard as Shepard, so there's only so much you can manipulate things about him, before the narrative snaps him back into place more than any other Bioware game, perhaps aside from DA2.

 

So there's always the one Shepard to rule them all, and that's the one you're currently playing. Except I guess with game overs and Morinth 'romances' and Suicide Mission Shepard deaths. Maybe.

 

But on the player perspective, I can certainly agree with the concept of having a specific 'canon' Shepard, that overshadows all the rest.

 

I have that one. He is mostly Paragon (but more Paragade the more I play ME3). He is partially an extension of me, but partially an idealization of the kind of person I'd like to be, and the choices I'd like to make in that position.. but I'm not sure I'd make those exact decisions. He is simultaneously a fallible human, yet also a figurehead. What he isn't, to me, is a messiah, the one to solve and fix all problems he encounters. The one to come into an environment and make EVERYTHING better. If he even ends up doing that, it is incidental. My Shepard is not the universe, the be all end all, even as his actions make him look like he is that to others. He won't downplay his actions, but he also won't propose they be the overriding inspiration for people to take action. He believes in freedom and self-determination, but also in others' responses to abuses of freedom and self-determination, at times.

 

Basically, my 'canon' Shepard is a mix of me, and the kind of person I'd like to be. I don't go fully either way, though I do often trend towards a focus on ideals rather than reality. I'm not sure I'd actually let Oleg Petrovsky be alive as an asset to the Alliance if I was there on Omega with Aria, but regardless, a significant part of my thoughts would try to make that happen. In another way, I'm not sure I'd actually choose to Destroy the Reapers if I was at the Crucible myself, but instead I might be highly tempted by Synthesis, but regardless, I chose Destroy and let what happened happened.

 

I don't consider my other Shepards to be entirely 'non-canon' though. While I don't dive headfirst into the concept, I don't mind considering all Shepards to exist in parallel worlds, doing their own things in their own circumstances. They're legit... enough.

[justafan]

Oddly enough, I don't have this problem with Mass Effect, but I do with Dragon Age.  I do have a "canon" Shepard, but I also have a biotic snarker with a heart of gold, a racist/specist/"insert thing"ist and many others that I all enjoy playing.  The only thing I haven't done though is lose someone on the suicide mission, that is the one constant with any Shepard created pre-ME3, I just can't bring myself to purposefully kill off a squadmate.

 

Dragon Age on the other hand I make my character myself and have a hard time diverging from the path I would take. Maybe it's my DA characters are more blank slate (I've only played a little DA:O but a lot of Inquisition, never did pick up 2), or because the decisions are less black and white so I can't just have a pure ruthless character and enjoy their villainy like I can renegade Shepard.  However, when it comes to Mass Effect, I enjoy playing all types of characters.