If a DLC providing an alternate or otherwise 'enhanced' ending is released for anything but free, please DO NOT buy it.
I know it's your money and you can do whatever you want with it, but please hear me out...
if you are truly dissatisfied with the ending of ME3 as many other gamers are, then paying extra for a proper ending to the game and trilogy is the worst thing possible that you could do. Paying for such DLC is basically telling developers like Bioware, EA, et all, that it's perfectly okay to really screw up certain parts of their games, so long as they release DLC later on to fix those parts
In other words, if you were to purchase DLC that improves ME3s ending, you would be encouraging Bioware and other game developers to repeat what happened with ME3. Why sell a complete game for $60, when you can sell a game with a major piece missing for $60, and then sell the 'completed experience' for an additional cost?
For those who are having trouble understanding why we hate the endings, heres a breakdown -
None of your choices in over 100+ hours of gaming in the 3 games have any impact on the ending.
In 10 minutes the ending creates about 15 different plot holes.
The 16 endings promised are actually 3 endings.
The quote of you not just picking A, B, or C is false and thats exactly what you do.
No matter if you pick A, B, or C the ending cut scene is nearly exactly the same, its just a different color.
There is 0 information about what happens to anyone from the game after you make your decision.
Based on what was told in the Arrival DLC in ME2, the ME relays exploding is the same as a super nova, which means you just exterminated all life in the galaxy anyways.
Shepard is alive at the end of one of the choices despite being told you WILL die if you chose that one.
Theres more but this is why we are upset. Not because its dark, or because we don't get it but because its terrible writing that makes no sense what so ever to anyone who has paid attention to the series for the past five years.
In the best interests of the game, it would be nice if any 'alternative ending' type DLC would be offered to customers for free. But, even if it's not, I'll buy it because I am THAT dissatisfied with the lack of closure and the lack of even a minute chance of a happy ending for Shepard. A 10-20 purchase price would be OK with me for the gigantic number of hours and replays that the series has brought to me over the years.
Thank you for proving my point and continuing to make this industry a worse place Suzie.
At some point its time for us gamers to admit to ourselves that we will buy anything to get our fix, even if the cocaine is cut with flour and costs twice as much as last week.
In your opinion it's bad but not everyone necessarily feels that way. That's the beauty of differing opinions.
We all have ways that we want to spend our money. For those who don't give a rip about the 'tragic' ending or who are satisfied with the way it all played out, there's no reason to buy the alternate ending DLC. According to a vast majority of gaming websites, we who are unhappy are disaffected whiners anyway and a sizeable minority so Bioware won't make much anyway, right?
Call me wrong all you wish. Doesn't make me believe it. I want my Shepard to have a chance at the happy life that she's lived through impossible odds for 7 years or so to attain for the universe.
I guess I'm a cheaper date. I don't need a "happy" ending. Just give me an ending that makes sense.
Now pay for it? 5 to 10 bucks is a maybe. Anything more, nope. At that point, the dope really is just cut with flour, and I'm a sophisticated customer.
As far as DLC endings for ME3, it doesn't matter what they charge, I'll be attaining it for free regardless. Between DA2, SWTOR, and now ME3, EAware can kiss my wallet goodbye.
Well guess you won't be hearing Hawke's story afterall!
Will they finally admit that DA2 was a massive screwup? What did they realize? Not enough people are playing DA2 to justify a DLC. Oh, but it sold so well! Maybe. But the people who bought it stopped playing after 50 hours. (Like myself, 2 playthroughs, nothing more.)
Now DA:O, I played well over 150 hours. Enough to do all Origin stories the way through. (Just took a nostalgia trip recently to do the dwarven noble and slum ones.)
Maybe it's just me being dense here but what is so hard to understand about the ending? I have watched so many videos of the ending my eyes hurt, just to see what the fuss was about, and had no trouble understanding why each of the ending is the way they are.
I am not trying to be a troll, I really want to know what's not to understand about the end of this game?
All of us "understand" what goes on in the ending. Why does that occur though? That is the real question. Knowing what we know about the ME3 lore, the current endings are impossible. Okay, evolving canon and all. But why the change?
"We did bad job on an ending ,but dont worry you can pay us to make it better. Also we'll do same thing in next games cause that's great revenue stream and brilliant business strategy. Screw game ending and make people pay for better ones! Suckers"
So Far Bioware has Stated again and again as recent as Sunday night (yesterday) they would not change the ending.
And that person almost certainly got fired, because almost instantly Bioware was in overdrive disavowing what the person said, specifically stating "we have not yet decided what to do in regards to the ending." And then they went further pointing out the person who stated that lacked the knowledge and authority to state such.
Bioware doesn't know what they want to do. They didn't think this ending would be so poorly received. They thought if they played the right music, and left a lot of cliffhangers, they could pull a Sopranos style ending. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, imitation is also the sincerest indicator you are just flat out lazy.
In the best interests of the game, it would be nice if any 'alternative ending' type DLC would be offered to customers for free. But, even if it's not, I'll buy it because I am THAT dissatisfied with the lack of closure and the lack of even a minute chance of a happy ending for Shepard. A 10-20 purchase price would be OK with me for the gigantic number of hours and replays that the series has brought to me over the years.
Thank you for proving my point and continuing to make this industry a worse place Suzie.
At some point its time for us gamers to admit to ourselves that we will buy anything to get our fix, even if the cocaine is cut with flour and costs twice as much as last week.
In your opinion it's bad but not everyone necessarily feels that way. That's the beauty of differing opinions.
We all have ways that we want to spend our money. For those who don't give a rip about the 'tragic' ending or who are satisfied with the way it all played out, there's no reason to buy the alternate ending DLC. According to a vast majority of gaming websites, we who are unhappy are disaffected whiners anyway and a sizeable minority so Bioware won't make much anyway, right?
Call me wrong all you wish. Doesn't make me believe it. I want my Shepard to have a chance at the happy life that she's lived through impossible odds for 7 years or so to attain for the universe.
I guess I'm a cheaper date. I don't need a "happy" ending. Just give me an ending that makes sense.
Now pay for it? 5 to 10 bucks is a maybe. Anything more, nope. At that point, the dope really is just cut with flour, and I'm a sophisticated customer.
Cheap date? When ya wanna go out? Err NM....Homie dont swing that way.
Seriously....I fully expect them to hit us with a 10 dollar DLC, and I will be there to grab it on the first day. In over 30 yrs of gaming, nothing has ever grabbed me like ME. That said, it was silly to go with things as is.
Which is a total slap in the face to the rest of the game. Minus that 10 mins, ME 3 stands strong with the prior 2.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
I loved ME3 (except for a few minor things, like the terrible journal) except for the ending of course. Now I haven't got all worked up like a lot of fans have as I did really like the rest of the game. But today I read the Indoctrination Theory that has been going around since yesterday. Some links here if some would like to read it, it goes without saying that there are huge spoilers here.
I loved ME3 (except for a few minor things, like the terrible journal) except for the ending of course. Now I haven't got all worked up like a lot of fans have as I did really like the rest of the game. But today I read the Indoctrination Theory that has been going around since yesterday. Some links here if some would like to read it, it goes without saying that there are huge spoilers here.
AngryJoe also had one but took it down for re-editing.
Anyway, they make a lot of sense in there and if it is indeed true, man I would laugh at all of the reaction to it.
If EAware goes with the "indoctrination theory", it's because of this:
EAware Doctors: "Fuck, they're slamming us! Bunch of ingrates should be happy we even bothered to give them any sort of ending to our gloriuos masterpiece!"
EAware dev: "It's not all bad. Look, Biodrones are defending us, making up excuses and saying Shepard is indoctrinated and only the smart players, like the Biodrones, recognize it as a worthy ending."
EAware Doctors: "Perfect! Steal that idea and get it rolling as DLC! It's better than having to pay for a real lead designer to replace Brent Knowles."
EAware dev: "We'll get on it right now."
EAware Doctors: "And make sure you charge at least $20. Fucking ingrates will pay for questioning our genius."
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.- -And on the 8th day, man created God.-
As more and more gamers complete Mass Effect 3, the amount of internet rage directed against the RPG's controversial ending is quickly reaching boiling point. In an attempt to sooth this increasingly rabid fan anger, executive producer Casey Hudson has written a lengthy post on the official BioWare forums. While he doesn't go so far as to promise the studio will change the ending, he does hint that BioWare is developing new DLC and that players' "insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be." Hmm... interesting.
The full, spoiler-free post can be viewed here, but this is the part that grabbed my attention:
"We've had some incredibly positive reactions to Mass Effect 3... But we also recognize that some of our most passionate fans needed more closure, more answers, and more time to say goodbye to their stories — and these comments are equally valid. Player feedback such as this has always been an essential ingredient in the development of the series.
I am extremely proud of what this team has accomplished, from the first art concepts for the Mass Effect universe to the final moments of Mass Effect 3. But we didn't do it on our own. Over the course of the series, Mass Effect has been a shared experience between the development team and our fans — not just a shared experience in playing the games, but in designing and developing them. An outpouring of love for Garrus and Tali led to their inclusion as love interests in Mass Effect 2. A request for deeper RPG systems led to key design changes in Mass Effect 3. our feedback has always mattered. Mass Effect is a collaboration between developers and players, and we continue to listen.
So where do we go from here? Throughout the next year, we will support Mass Effect 3 by working on new content. And we'll keep listening, because your insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be. This is not the last you'll hear of Commander Shepard."
So... what does that all mean? We can only speculate, but it seems BioWare might just be open to altering the ending with DLC after all. All we can do is wait and see, but it does sound like a promising indication.
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
i'm just curious, because i am a huge fan of storyline, and as someone who only watched the games being played (by my roomate) i am in the dark as to why the ending was so bad. all i have seen are answers like, it sucked, everyone died, and , they did not answer everything.
to that i say-
'sucks' - is opinion.
'too many people died' - makes for good epic sagas. most eastern tales end in death, which is much more profound than a cheesy happy ending (suited for children).
'unanswered questions' - has always been a part of sci-fi/fantasy. sometimes, it can even be the best part, because it is the part that you as a fan truly own. those unawnswered questions are all yours, and it is up to your imagination to play with. that should be one of the best parts. that is... unless you have ZERO imagination.
oh wait... the kid...
the kid was not real. he was a psycological manifesation projected on Shepard by a sentient creator being (god). if you didn't pick up on that, go ahead and give up on stories. they are not for you if you require everything to have a bold-faced sign pointing at it.
'The Book of the Art' was a series by Clive Barker. the 2nd book (published in 1995) ended with a pretty big cliffhanger. a third book has never been made (or at least published or spoken of). the writer eventually (years later) admitted that he will never write it. the third book is our lives. the awesome thing about this is, before he ever said that, a friend and i agreed that the conclusion WAS our own lives, and that he would never write it. we were right. i mention this series because, stories are usually more profound than the imagination-lacking crybabies that don't understand them.
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
i'm just curious, because i am a huge fan of storyline, and as someone who only watched the games being played (by my roomate) i am in the dark as to why the ending was so bad. all i have seen are answers like, it sucked, everyone died, and , they did not answer everything.
to that i say-
'sucks' - is opinion.
'too many people died' - makes for good epic sagas. most eastern tales end in death, which is much more profound than a cheesy happy ending (suited for children).
'unanswered questions' - has always been a part ofdsci-fi/fantasy
oh wait... the kid...
the kid was not real. he was a psycological manifesation projected on Shepard by GOD. if you didn't pick up on that, go ahead and give up on stories. they are not for you...
Firstly, it didn't gel right, it was like they had one writer through all 3 games then at the end they hired a completely different writer who only knew the basics of the ME universe. The ending was like watching Starship Troopers and then getting a 2001: A Space Odyssey ending to it. It just didn't fit.
Secondly, the complete lack of anything else you've done through the games playing any part in the ending. After uniting warring factions, bringing the galaxy together, fighting through a suicide mission and defeating multiple Reapers to get to this point, it all comes down to, "Select A, B or C.". Everything you've done previous doesn't matter. The biggest problem with that is it makes the other two games pointless as, once you've completed ME3, you realise that your choices ultimately don't matter, that you're always going to end up standing in a weird place in the Citadel and choosing A, B or C.
Thirdly, plot holes so big planets get sucked into them.
The endings were fine. I would have love to see more information how everyone ended up based on your decisions and so on...even if they were not happy conclusions (like they usually have done in Bioware games).
Essentially, the story in Mass Effect was all about journey and not the destination. It was a good ending for the series as a whole.
"The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in."
As more and more gamers complete Mass Effect 3, the amount of internet rage directed against the RPG's controversial ending is quickly reaching boiling point. In an attempt to sooth this increasingly rabid fan anger, executive producer Casey Hudson has written a lengthy post on the official BioWare forums. While he doesn't go so far as to promise the studio will change the ending, he does hint that BioWare is developing new DLC and that players' "insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be." Hmm... interesting.
It better be FREE damn DLC. That's all i have to say about it. IF they indeed acknowledge that their endings blew chunks, and try to charge us for it, they'll lose many customers. They have already lost me, i won't be looking at anything with biowares name on it anymore, just off the fact they TRIED to stick us with these shit endings.
Firstly, it didn't gel right, it was like they had one writer through all 3 games then at the end they hired a completely different writer who only knew the basics of the ME universe. The ending was like watching Starship Troopers and then getting a 2001: A Space Odyssey ending to it. It just didn't fit.
Secondly, the complete lack of anything else you've done through the games playing any part in the ending. After uniting warring factions, bringing the galaxy together, fighting through a suicide mission and defeating multiple Reapers to get to this point, it all comes down to, "Select A, B or C.". Everything you've done previous doesn't matter. The biggest problem with that is it makes the other two games pointless as, once you've completed ME3, you realise that your choices ultimately don't matter, that you're always going to end up standing in a weird place in the Citadel and choosing A, B or C.
Thirdly, plot holes so big planets get sucked into them.
maybe i just see all the parables in the overall plot so thats why i liked what i saw. again, i never played any ME games, but i plan to get into them eventually. still. i have heard a lot of talk about 'plot gaps'. i am curious to what they are. genuinely. fill me in please.
kid- projection of god
reapers- angels. read a bit of revelations and this makes sense.
shepard - messiah. they even call him.... shepard... it seems pretty laid out to me. it was never his name. it was what he was later known as, because he gathered the entire galaxy, and led them into battle against god's archangels, a battle that he can not win, but he must do to prove to god that they are worthy to live, and not wiped out by the repeating cycle of the universe.
note - i am not religious, however i am fascinated by all myths. i'm not really picky when it comes to mythology.
are you still pissed because you don't know where the reapers came from? they are angels. seriously, this theme has actually been way overdone in japanese cartoons. huge, powerful, sentient space machines are angels in many stories. and angels come from heaven. are the people mad that they did not get to see heaven? well... many stories don't ever actually give you heaven, they just hint that it is there
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
i'm just curious, because i am a huge fan of storyline, and as someone who only watched the games being played (by my roomate) i am in the dark as to why the ending was so bad. all i have seen are answers like, it sucked, everyone died, and , they did not answer everything.
to that i say-
'sucks' - is opinion.
'too many people died' - makes for good epic sagas. most eastern tales end in death, which is much more profound than a cheesy happy ending (suited for children).
'unanswered questions' - has always been a part ofdsci-fi/fantasy
oh wait... the kid...
the kid was not real. he was a psycological manifesation projected on Shepard by GOD. if you didn't pick up on that, go ahead and give up on stories. they are not for you...
Firstly, it didn't gel right, it was like they had one writer through all 3 games then at the end they hired a completely different writer who only knew the basics of the ME universe. The ending was like watching Starship Troopers and then getting a 2001: A Space Odyssey ending to it. It just didn't fit.
Secondly, the complete lack of anything else you've done through the games playing any part in the ending. After uniting warring factions, bringing the galaxy together, fighting through a suicide mission and defeating multiple Reapers to get to this point, it all comes down to, "Select A, B or C.". Everything you've done previous doesn't matter. The biggest problem with that is it makes the other two games pointless as, once you've completed ME3, you realise that your choices ultimately don't matter, that you're always going to end up standing in a weird place in the Citadel and choosing A, B or C.
Thirdly, plot holes so big planets get sucked into them.
Per the highlighted, that's not exactly what happened, but it was close...
Writer ME1: Drew Karpyshyn
Writers ME2: Drew Karpyshyn & Mac Walters
Writers ME3: Mac Walters (Lead) & Neil Pollner (Senior)
Had Drew continued on as the lead writer and had the same creative control, per what was leaked as his intended ending and reasoning for the Reapers to do what they do... his ending would have made a hell of a lot more sense and concluded the series properly.
As more and more gamers complete Mass Effect 3, the amount of internet rage directed against the RPG's controversial ending is quickly reaching boiling point. In an attempt to sooth this increasingly rabid fan anger, executive producer Casey Hudson has written a lengthy post on the official BioWare forums. While he doesn't go so far as to promise the studio will change the ending, he does hint that BioWare is developing new DLC and that players' "insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be." Hmm... interesting.
The full, spoiler-free post can be viewed here, but this is the part that grabbed my attention:
"We've had some incredibly positive reactions to Mass Effect 3... But we also recognize that some of our most passionate fans needed more closure, more answers, and more time to say goodbye to their stories — and these comments are equally valid. Player feedback such as this has always been an essential ingredient in the development of the series.
I am extremely proud of what this team has accomplished, from the first art concepts for the Mass Effect universe to the final moments of Mass Effect 3. But we didn't do it on our own. Over the course of the series, Mass Effect has been a shared experience between the development team and our fans — not just a shared experience in playing the games, but in designing and developing them. An outpouring of love for Garrus and Tali led to their inclusion as love interests in Mass Effect 2. A request for deeper RPG systems led to key design changes in Mass Effect 3. our feedback has always mattered. Mass Effect is a collaboration between developers and players, and we continue to listen.
So where do we go from here? Throughout the next year, we will support Mass Effect 3 by working on new content. And we'll keep listening, because your insights and constructive feedback will help determine what that content should be. This is not the last you'll hear of Commander Shepard."
So... what does that all mean? We can only speculate, but it seems BioWare might just be open to altering the ending with DLC after all. All we can do is wait and see, but it does sound like a promising indication.
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
This is personally for me the straw that borke the camels back
Also SPOILERS:
In "The Arrival" DLC for ME2 we saw a Mass Effect Relay (MER) get destroyed and go Supernova (taking out the whole solar system including the sun). Additionally we had that fact sprinkled thorugh all of the DLC and other games. This is a continuity fact.
In all the endings of ME3 the Mass Effect Relay-network gets destroyed (afaik you see them blow up in all endings) taking out every star-system that a Mass Effect Relay was in.
But we also know that MER are almost exclusively in systems where life is because a. it makes the job of the reapers easier and b. you cant reach star-systems via ME-universe FTL in reasonable times, so colonies do not get established outside the MER-network.
Given these facts, all endings erradicate all sapient life in the galaxy, no matter if its by the reapers or all MERs going supernova. Ergo no matter what you choose, it does not change the end-result and actually -accomplishes- the goal of the reapers (erradicating all life in the galaxy).
The only consolation-prize (in 100% completion mode) is the Normandy that got forced out of a jump and crashes on a planet, making the crew of the normandy the -only- surivors of the galaxy (which will not continue to survive due to civilization-bottle-necking, inbreeding and a too small population-size).
This is not a bitter-sweet ending, this is the "bad" ending in 3 variations.
Everyone is dead, or soon will be, so what did your choices and your struggles matter? Nothing.
With 10 minutes of cutscenes you invalidated 100+ hours of playtime across three games.
This isn't even LOST, at least there The Island didn't go supernova and explode the Earth and kill everyone.
I have nothing about tragic endings for a protagonist and his companions, but killing off -EVERYONE-? Complete and utter ARMAGEDDON? Ending -ALL LIFE-?
maybe i just see all the parables in the overall plot so thats why i liked what i saw. again, i never played any ME games, but i plan to get into them eventually. still. i have heard a lot of talk about 'plot gaps'. i am curious to what they are. genuinely. fill me in please.
kid- projection of god
reapers- angels. read a bit of revelations and this makes sense.
shepard - messiah. they even call him.... shepard... it seems pretty laid out to me. it was never his name. it was what he was later known as, because he gathered the entire galaxy, and led them into battle against god's archangels, a battle that he can not win, but he must do to prove to god that they are worthy to live, and not wiped out by the repeating cycle of the universe.
note - i am not religious, however i am fascinated by all myths. i'm not really picky when it comes to mythology.
are you still pissed because you don't know where the reapers came from? they are angels. seriously, this theme has actually been way overdone in japanese cartoons. huge, powerful, sentient space machines are angels in many stories. and angels come from heaven. are the people mad that they did not get to see heaven? well... many stories don't ever actually give you heaven, they just hint that it is there
.
My interpretation of the ending is a cliffhanger followed by an advertisement to buy the "ending" at a later date. I firmly believe Bioware pulled a bait and switch on the consumer.
There strategy was to get people talking about the ending to generate hype and to later release DLC that players would line up to pay for.
For me this is the last straw. The Bioware brand in my mind has been tarnished enough that I have went from an "immediate buy", to never spending another dollar on a Bioware product.
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
i'm just curious, because i am a huge fan of storyline, and as someone who only watched the games being played (by my roomate) i am in the dark as to why the ending was so bad. all i have seen are answers like, it sucked, everyone died, and , they did not answer everything.
to that i say-
'sucks' - is opinion.
'too many people died' - makes for good epic sagas. most eastern tales end in death, which is much more profound than a cheesy happy ending (suited for children).
'unanswered questions' - has always been a part ofdsci-fi/fantasy
oh wait... the kid...
the kid was not real. he was a psycological manifesation projected on Shepard by GOD. if you didn't pick up on that, go ahead and give up on stories. they are not for you...
Firstly, it didn't gel right, it was like they had one writer through all 3 games then at the end they hired a completely different writer who only knew the basics of the ME universe. The ending was like watching Starship Troopers and then getting a 2001: A Space Odyssey ending to it. It just didn't fit.
Secondly, the complete lack of anything else you've done through the games playing any part in the ending. After uniting warring factions, bringing the galaxy together, fighting through a suicide mission and defeating multiple Reapers to get to this point, it all comes down to, "Select A, B or C.". Everything you've done previous doesn't matter. The biggest problem with that is it makes the other two games pointless as, once you've completed ME3, you realise that your choices ultimately don't matter, that you're always going to end up standing in a weird place in the Citadel and choosing A, B or C.
Thirdly, plot holes so big planets get sucked into them.
Per the highlighted, that's not exactly what happened, but it was close...
Writer ME1: Drew Karpyshyn
Writers ME2: Drew Karpyshyn & Mac Walters
Writers ME3: Mac Walters (Lead) & Neil Pollner (Senior)
Had Drew continued on as the lead writer and had the same creative control, per what was leaked as his intended ending and reasoning for the Reapers to do what they do... his ending would have made a hell of a lot more sense and concluded the series properly.
so since they made the stupid mistake the change the writer we get this crap? also it make us belive mac walers don't know how to write, since me1 was better then the 2 so.... it explain a lot really, so now bioware reinvite Drew, like please save us and sell a dlc with a new ending, and the best part is we will have people happy to pay then for this ....... thing.
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
To me, that sounds like worthy DLC.
to me its sound like a desperated try to grab more money
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
To me, that sounds like worthy DLC.
to me its sound like a desperated try to grab more money
I agree they want more money. I didn't say that. However, you could say the same thing for each part of the game. Why didn't they just complete the entire series in one game instead of a trilogy? Money? Time? Story?
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
To me, that sounds like worthy DLC.
I call that screwing the customer over and ruining your own name.
Also you are wrong only the ending where you destroy the reapers shows you alive.
They screwed up the ending simple as that. They could have had the exact same end sequence, but instead of choosing a b or c, your choices throughout the game should have determined the outcome of the ending. That in itself would have reduced the negativity about the ending by atleast 50%, since your choices would have mattered.
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
To me, that sounds like worthy DLC.
Also you are wrong only the ending where you destroy the reapers shows you alive.
No, I am not. That was my first choice, and I took the breath (I did after each choice). If you didn't live, you screwed up along the path somewhere. I had 100% war assets and 100% galactic readiness going into the final battle.
The other stuff was a matter of opinion. Your actions did effect the game and they were some damned tough choices. Fuck, I had to let Tali die to choose the Geth living? That sucked, but that's what it's all about. It's a game about sacrifices. I thought allying with a fully realized AI was worth sacrificing Shepard's hard on for Tali (Ashley was my choice anyways).
The "ending" is neutral to choices over the series. Your pick is determined by your willpower against indoctrination, not whether you were Paragon or Renegade. Either side of the spectrum you were still against the Reapers taking control. The choices you made throughout the game were about the lives you affected along the way, not how the game ended. Surely people never believed they had a customizable ending.
It's my opinion, and you may not agree with it, but I am hoping there is a DLC for the scenario I proposed above.
Comments
If a DLC providing an alternate or otherwise 'enhanced' ending is released for anything but free, please DO NOT buy it.
I know it's your money and you can do whatever you want with it, but please hear me out...
if you are truly dissatisfied with the ending of ME3 as many other gamers are, then paying extra for a proper ending to the game and trilogy is the worst thing possible that you could do. Paying for such DLC is basically telling developers like Bioware, EA, et all, that it's perfectly okay to really screw up certain parts of their games, so long as they release DLC later on to fix those parts
In other words, if you were to purchase DLC that improves ME3s ending, you would be encouraging Bioware and other game developers to repeat what happened with ME3. Why sell a complete game for $60, when you can sell a game with a major piece missing for $60, and then sell the 'completed experience' for an additional cost?
For those who are having trouble understanding why we hate the endings, heres a breakdown -
None of your choices in over 100+ hours of gaming in the 3 games have any impact on the ending.
In 10 minutes the ending creates about 15 different plot holes.
The 16 endings promised are actually 3 endings.
The quote of you not just picking A, B, or C is false and thats exactly what you do.
No matter if you pick A, B, or C the ending cut scene is nearly exactly the same, its just a different color.
There is 0 information about what happens to anyone from the game after you make your decision.
Based on what was told in the Arrival DLC in ME2, the ME relays exploding is the same as a super nova, which means you just exterminated all life in the galaxy anyways.
Shepard is alive at the end of one of the choices despite being told you WILL die if you chose that one.
Theres more but this is why we are upset. Not because its dark, or because we don't get it but because its terrible writing that makes no sense what so ever to anyone who has paid attention to the series for the past five years.
My Guild Wars 2 Vids
I guess I'm a cheaper date. I don't need a "happy" ending. Just give me an ending that makes sense.
Now pay for it? 5 to 10 bucks is a maybe. Anything more, nope. At that point, the dope really is just cut with flour, and I'm a sophisticated customer.
Well guess you won't be hearing Hawke's story afterall!
Will they finally admit that DA2 was a massive screwup? What did they realize? Not enough people are playing DA2 to justify a DLC. Oh, but it sold so well! Maybe. But the people who bought it stopped playing after 50 hours. (Like myself, 2 playthroughs, nothing more.)
Now DA:O, I played well over 150 hours. Enough to do all Origin stories the way through. (Just took a nostalgia trip recently to do the dwarven noble and slum ones.)
All of us "understand" what goes on in the ending. Why does that occur though? That is the real question. Knowing what we know about the ME3 lore, the current endings are impossible. Okay, evolving canon and all. But why the change?
And that person almost certainly got fired, because almost instantly Bioware was in overdrive disavowing what the person said, specifically stating "we have not yet decided what to do in regards to the ending." And then they went further pointing out the person who stated that lacked the knowledge and authority to state such.
Bioware doesn't know what they want to do. They didn't think this ending would be so poorly received. They thought if they played the right music, and left a lot of cliffhangers, they could pull a Sopranos style ending. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, imitation is also the sincerest indicator you are just flat out lazy.
Cheap date? When ya wanna go out? Err NM....Homie dont swing that way.
Seriously....I fully expect them to hit us with a 10 dollar DLC, and I will be there to grab it on the first day. In over 30 yrs of gaming, nothing has ever grabbed me like ME. That said, it was silly to go with things as is.
Which is a total slap in the face to the rest of the game. Minus that 10 mins, ME 3 stands strong with the prior 2.
Asking Devs to make AAA sandbox titles is like trying to get fine dining on a McDonalds dollar menu budget.
I loved ME3 (except for a few minor things, like the terrible journal) except for the ending of course. Now I haven't got all worked up like a lot of fans have as I did really like the rest of the game. But today I read the Indoctrination Theory that has been going around since yesterday. Some links here if some would like to read it, it goes without saying that there are huge spoilers here.
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/355/index/9727423
some videos that go with it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck
AngryJoe also had one but took it down for re-editing.
Anyway, they make a lot of sense in there and if it is indeed true, man I would laugh at all of the reaction to it.
If EAware goes with the "indoctrination theory", it's because of this:
EAware Doctors: "Fuck, they're slamming us! Bunch of ingrates should be happy we even bothered to give them any sort of ending to our gloriuos masterpiece!"
EAware dev: "It's not all bad. Look, Biodrones are defending us, making up excuses and saying Shepard is indoctrinated and only the smart players, like the Biodrones, recognize it as a worthy ending."
EAware Doctors: "Perfect! Steal that idea and get it rolling as DLC! It's better than having to pay for a real lead designer to replace Brent Knowles."
EAware dev: "We'll get on it right now."
EAware Doctors: "And make sure you charge at least $20. Fucking ingrates will pay for questioning our genius."
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
please explain to me in detail the problems with the ending, without words like 'sucked', and the like.
i'm just curious, because i am a huge fan of storyline, and as someone who only watched the games being played (by my roomate) i am in the dark as to why the ending was so bad. all i have seen are answers like, it sucked, everyone died, and , they did not answer everything.
to that i say-
'sucks' - is opinion.
'too many people died' - makes for good epic sagas. most eastern tales end in death, which is much more profound than a cheesy happy ending (suited for children).
'unanswered questions' - has always been a part of sci-fi/fantasy. sometimes, it can even be the best part, because it is the part that you as a fan truly own. those unawnswered questions are all yours, and it is up to your imagination to play with. that should be one of the best parts. that is... unless you have ZERO imagination.
oh wait... the kid...
the kid was not real. he was a psycological manifesation projected on Shepard by a sentient creator being (god). if you didn't pick up on that, go ahead and give up on stories. they are not for you if you require everything to have a bold-faced sign pointing at it.
'The Book of the Art' was a series by Clive Barker. the 2nd book (published in 1995) ended with a pretty big cliffhanger. a third book has never been made (or at least published or spoken of). the writer eventually (years later) admitted that he will never write it. the third book is our lives. the awesome thing about this is, before he ever said that, a friend and i agreed that the conclusion WAS our own lives, and that he would never write it. we were right. i mention this series because, stories are usually more profound than the imagination-lacking crybabies that don't understand them.
Firstly, it didn't gel right, it was like they had one writer through all 3 games then at the end they hired a completely different writer who only knew the basics of the ME universe. The ending was like watching Starship Troopers and then getting a 2001: A Space Odyssey ending to it. It just didn't fit.
Secondly, the complete lack of anything else you've done through the games playing any part in the ending. After uniting warring factions, bringing the galaxy together, fighting through a suicide mission and defeating multiple Reapers to get to this point, it all comes down to, "Select A, B or C.". Everything you've done previous doesn't matter. The biggest problem with that is it makes the other two games pointless as, once you've completed ME3, you realise that your choices ultimately don't matter, that you're always going to end up standing in a weird place in the Citadel and choosing A, B or C.
Thirdly, plot holes so big planets get sucked into them.
The endings were fine. I would have love to see more information how everyone ended up based on your decisions and so on...even if they were not happy conclusions (like they usually have done in Bioware games).
Essentially, the story in Mass Effect was all about journey and not the destination. It was a good ending for the series as a whole.
"The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in."
The Deep Web is sca-ry.
maybe i just see all the parables in the overall plot so thats why i liked what i saw. again, i never played any ME games, but i plan to get into them eventually. still. i have heard a lot of talk about 'plot gaps'. i am curious to what they are. genuinely. fill me in please.
kid- projection of god
reapers- angels. read a bit of revelations and this makes sense.
shepard - messiah. they even call him.... shepard... it seems pretty laid out to me. it was never his name. it was what he was later known as, because he gathered the entire galaxy, and led them into battle against god's archangels, a battle that he can not win, but he must do to prove to god that they are worthy to live, and not wiped out by the repeating cycle of the universe.
note - i am not religious, however i am fascinated by all myths. i'm not really picky when it comes to mythology.
are you still pissed because you don't know where the reapers came from? they are angels. seriously, this theme has actually been way overdone in japanese cartoons. huge, powerful, sentient space machines are angels in many stories. and angels come from heaven. are the people mad that they did not get to see heaven? well... many stories don't ever actually give you heaven, they just hint that it is there
.
Per the highlighted, that's not exactly what happened, but it was close...
Writer ME1: Drew Karpyshyn
Writers ME2: Drew Karpyshyn & Mac Walters
Writers ME3: Mac Walters (Lead) & Neil Pollner (Senior)
Had Drew continued on as the lead writer and had the same creative control, per what was leaked as his intended ending and reasoning for the Reapers to do what they do... his ending would have made a hell of a lot more sense and concluded the series properly.
This is personally for me the straw that borke the camels back
Also SPOILERS:
In "The Arrival" DLC for ME2 we saw a Mass Effect Relay (MER) get destroyed and go Supernova (taking out the whole solar system including the sun). Additionally we had that fact sprinkled thorugh all of the DLC and other games. This is a continuity fact.
In all the endings of ME3 the Mass Effect Relay-network gets destroyed (afaik you see them blow up in all endings) taking out every star-system that a Mass Effect Relay was in.
But we also know that MER are almost exclusively in systems where life is because a. it makes the job of the reapers easier and b. you cant reach star-systems via ME-universe FTL in reasonable times, so colonies do not get established outside the MER-network.
Given these facts, all endings erradicate all sapient life in the galaxy, no matter if its by the reapers or all MERs going supernova. Ergo no matter what you choose, it does not change the end-result and actually -accomplishes- the goal of the reapers (erradicating all life in the galaxy).
The only consolation-prize (in 100% completion mode) is the Normandy that got forced out of a jump and crashes on a planet, making the crew of the normandy the -only- surivors of the galaxy (which will not continue to survive due to civilization-bottle-necking, inbreeding and a too small population-size).
This is not a bitter-sweet ending, this is the "bad" ending in 3 variations.
Everyone is dead, or soon will be, so what did your choices and your struggles matter? Nothing.
With 10 minutes of cutscenes you invalidated 100+ hours of playtime across three games.
This isn't even LOST, at least there The Island didn't go supernova and explode the Earth and kill everyone.
I have nothing about tragic endings for a protagonist and his companions, but killing off -EVERYONE-? Complete and utter ARMAGEDDON? Ending -ALL LIFE-?
Thats not dark and edgy, its sadistic.
My interpretation of the ending is a cliffhanger followed by an advertisement to buy the "ending" at a later date. I firmly believe Bioware pulled a bait and switch on the consumer.
There strategy was to get people talking about the ending to generate hype and to later release DLC that players would line up to pay for.
For me this is the last straw. The Bioware brand in my mind has been tarnished enough that I have went from an "immediate buy", to never spending another dollar on a Bioware product.
so since they made the stupid mistake the change the writer we get this crap? also it make us belive mac walers don't know how to write, since me1 was better then the 2 so.... it explain a lot really, so now bioware reinvite Drew, like please save us and sell a dlc with a new ending, and the best part is we will have people happy to pay then for this ....... thing.
ah world, the more I know, more I want it to end.
It's ok! That is what $10-$15 DLC is for! And I am also sure that there will be oodles and oodles of it! Lucky you guys!
I am entitled to my opinions, misspellings, and grammatical errors.
As I said above, I didn't have an issue with the ending, I only wanted to know the history of the citadel/reapers.
Starting with Arrival DLC, I thought Shepard was being indoctrinated. You could tell throughout ME3 too. I just read this article and everything listed in it was what I was seeing (video included). So, if you think you were screwed out of an ending, you are wrong.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/03/21/did-the-real-mass-effect-3-ending-go-over-everyones-heads/
Yes, there is probably a DLC to continue the ending. Why? Because you did not actually destroy the Reapers. Yes, all endings you "wake up". You are not dead for choosing control or choosing synthesis. You wake up fully indoctrinated. If you choose to destroy the Reapers, you wake up as Shepard. Take careful notice of where you wake up....you are in the rubble of the conduit with the beam still functioning.
Now, imagine the DLC for this - it has the potential to branch off into two paths - you awaken as a fully indoctrinated Shepard, the baddest mother fucker in the galaxy, now serving as a Reaper agent, or you wake up still able to tell the Reapers to fuck off and continue the path to destroy them.
To me, that sounds like worthy DLC.
to me its sound like a desperated try to grab more money
I agree they want more money. I didn't say that. However, you could say the same thing for each part of the game. Why didn't they just complete the entire series in one game instead of a trilogy? Money? Time? Story?
I call that screwing the customer over and ruining your own name.
Also you are wrong only the ending where you destroy the reapers shows you alive.
They screwed up the ending simple as that. They could have had the exact same end sequence, but instead of choosing a b or c, your choices throughout the game should have determined the outcome of the ending. That in itself would have reduced the negativity about the ending by atleast 50%, since your choices would have mattered.
No, I am not. That was my first choice, and I took the breath (I did after each choice). If you didn't live, you screwed up along the path somewhere. I had 100% war assets and 100% galactic readiness going into the final battle.
The other stuff was a matter of opinion. Your actions did effect the game and they were some damned tough choices. Fuck, I had to let Tali die to choose the Geth living? That sucked, but that's what it's all about. It's a game about sacrifices. I thought allying with a fully realized AI was worth sacrificing Shepard's hard on for Tali (Ashley was my choice anyways).
The "ending" is neutral to choices over the series. Your pick is determined by your willpower against indoctrination, not whether you were Paragon or Renegade. Either side of the spectrum you were still against the Reapers taking control. The choices you made throughout the game were about the lives you affected along the way, not how the game ended. Surely people never believed they had a customizable ending.
It's my opinion, and you may not agree with it, but I am hoping there is a DLC for the scenario I proposed above.
Gotta love EA, $20 for a satisfactory ending yay.