Wow guys, gotta wade into almost 60 pages of posts.
You know, I am starting to worry, the problem with the previous thread, and apparently this one from all indication is that the thread grows faster than rabbits in heat hump. Averaging about 100 to 120pages or more of posts a day now.
That’s both awesome and scary in a many ways.
It also makes it very hard to carry any real discussions as anything posted will probably get buried in a hurry in a matter of minutes from “white noise” postings. Now, please don’t get me wrong, I support the idea of Tali coming back and not just giving a “bit” part in ME3 like what they did to Ashley and Liarra, but I have been thinking about how Bioware is going to implement what we want and I have to tell you, I am hoping for the best, but expecting the worse.
Allow me to explain.
It all comes back to how Bioware is going to bring Shepard back onto the stage for ME3. IF ME3 starts *immediately right after* ME2 ends, then I do believe that we can bring everyone who survived into ME3’s story and play it out as is ME2 never ended and its off to fight the reapers. This would mean all our LI’s, Miranda, Jack, Tali, Garrus, Thane, Jacob and Kelly, will carry over with your LI choices intact. Also, any surviving crew will still be with you so you have no reason to run around “collecting” /recruiting henchmen to help you battle the reapers and can get right to the heart of the next instalment of ME. Personally I think that this is the ideal “game plan” but who knows what Bioware has in store for us.
Now assuming that this is what happens, we Talimancers should really be encouraging Bioware to also include all the other LIs as let’s be honest here, Bioware cannot give Tali “favourable” treatment giving her all their attention and making her the *only* viable LI choice while making the other LI choices seem like a thrown bone to “everyone-else”. It is in my opinion that everyone’s LI’s choice in ME2 including Liarra, Kaiden, Ashley, Morrinth/Samara and yes, even Mordin if that is your bent should be given as much spit and shine making them equals at least in those who would choose anyone other than Tali. I feel that it is the only way Tali will get her house on Rannoch. By supporting the other LI’s we are really in the long run making sure Tali comes back as a squad mate.
That of course is assuming Bioware will bring back the whole group in ME2.
If however they do what they did in ME2, allow time to pass after the attack on the collector’s base. Then it is possible to throw everything out the window. This is the more likely scenario I think Bioware will use because it allows for new squad mates, repaired refitted and improved Normandy +EDI. I can’t believe that they will crash and burn her the second time.
Now here is where it gets really sticky.
Chances are that at least another two to three years need to to pass to for Shepard and crew in ME2 to bring the Council races, The Systems Alliance and Cerberus around and this means sending out envoys. Tali to the Migrant Fleet, Grunt to Thuchanka, Samara/Morrinth to Thessia , Mirranda to Cerberus HQ, and so on. This would allow for the re-recuiting of either Ashley / Kaiden / Liarra as the final push against the reapers begin. The story then could force or negate any party previous party members in favour for new ones. I really, really sincerely hope this will not be the case.
For Bioware to actually allow everything previously in both ME1, ME2 and possible ME3 companion relationships to outshine anything that came before, they really need to put in a lot of work and create scenes for characters that might never be used.
Then you also have to consider those who carry over saved games where Shepard dies. How will these companions react to this new and essentially all but a “stranger” spectre that is supposed to step into Shepard’s shoes. If Bioware does a cop out and make anyone who had teamed up with Shepard in ME1 and ME2, act like nothing’s happen and if the LIs especially Tali goes and warm his bed, that is just so wrong. But if they made it so that every member makes “the new guy” feels like he has more than just shoes to fill, and maybe even give this “new buy” a chance to find love in one of the “new” LIs ..that’s fine with me.
So, bring back not just Tali, but everyone who has ever been a part of Shepard’s team and give the game a true sense of continuity.
All this means that ME3 if it is to have everything that every ME fan wants, and meet expectations, is going to be so huge an undertaking that I am not sure if they can do it. I can only hope and it’s a very faint hope at most, that by posting this, on the rare chance someone in Bioware with decision making ability read this and stops for a moment to consider its merits.
Sadly, this post will probably be buried and left unread by the surely massive postings that will come after this but, it’s something that I wanted and had to say.