[hateradio]

The color choices.

Nothing more? I just wanted to see it from the perspective of someone who hadn't finished the game.

[Flunkie]

Nothing more?

Is there more to get?

Oh. Well yeah, I didn't really understand what it meant until I saw the ending and just now came back in here for my post and realized the title. Before I had beaten the game I just kinda brushed it off as the titles of many JRPG OTs (for example) that I don't understand.

[MuseManMike]

Nothing more? I just wanted to see it from the perspective of someone who hadn't finished the game.

Nothing more? Is there more? I just assumed it referred to the colors and moved on.

[dmg04]

Bungie knew the ending of mass effect 3 would be this color scheme:



This happened on my first playthrough of Halo 3 -- Just found it when digging through an old photobucket. Made me lol.

(notice the pure horror of the grunt -- and yes, i'm flying through the air in a transport hog up top)

[SilentProtagonist]

So if the Reapers are the cream of the crop when it comes to tech and artificial beings, why is it whenever they try to adapt/transform organic life they just mash it up into a pulpy lumbering beast?

[HadesGigas]

So if the Reapers are the cream of the crop when it comes to tech and artificial beings, why is it whenever they try to adapt/transform organic life they just mash it up into a pulpy lumbering beast?

Added psychological effect of seeing your friends turned into grotesque mutant zombies.

Remember they don't turn them all into husks/marauders/etc, they round most people up to turn them into people juice. So they want those people to be freaked out and submissive so they don't have to kill them all before they get to the giant blender.

[Crewnh]

Just beat the game... LOL. I bring Garrus and Tali with me at the final battle, I'm the only one who survives. Final scenes: those two I brought to the final battle who I thought got wiped by the Reaper beam, are now with Joker and the Normandy as they crash-land on another planet? WTF? And I'm still confused about the stupid Star Child. Is he omni-potent? VI?

There was a scene cut from the game where Joker comes in and saves them. There's also a scene cut from the game showing them being obliterated. So with the final game we have your squad mates teleporting to the Normandy with no explanation.

The Catalyst is some kind of super advanced AI/VI/whatever that controls the reapers and for some reason has been on the Citadel this whole time (LOL Sovereign what are you doing). He's not omnipotent seeing as he can't just end this imaginary war with organics and synthetics by himself, but he is apparently capable of reading minds (appearing as the child to Shepard). He's capable of destroying, controlling and some how fusing organics and synthetics together when the crucible is around. He's also an idiot.

[MuseManMike]

There was a scene cut from the game where Joker comes in and saves them. There's also a scene cut from the game showing them being obliterated. So with the final game we have your squad mates teleporting to the Normandy with no explanation. The Catalyst is some kind of super advanced AI/VI/whatever that controls the reapers and for some reason has been on the Citadel this whole time (LOL Sovereign what are you doing). He's not omnipotent seeing as he can't just end this imaginary war with organics and synthetics by himself, but he is apparently capable of reading minds (appearing as the child to Shepard). He's capable of destroying, controlling and some how fusing organics and synthetics together when the crucible is around. He's also an idiot.

Lol. I love this thread.

[Dilly]

I could actually see Bioware just putting back in the scenes where Squad dies or gets saved by Joker and saying they fixed the ending.

[earvcunanan]

Yeah, I'm just going to accept everything at face value, but I do have to say that the Star Child and his "solutions" are nonsensical. BioWare really screwed this up. And I took 10 minutes to read this:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...ilebasic?pli=1

Very interesting.

[MuseManMike]

Yeah, I'm just going to accept everything at face value, but I do have to say that the Star Child and his "solutions" are nonsensical. BioWare really screwed this up. And I took 10 minutes to read this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...ilebasic?pli=1 Very interesting.

There have been so many great videos and parodies that have been posted in the pages and that haven't been added to the OP. Try looking for hyperlinks while filtering through the last -- I don't know -- 130 pages or so. Lol.

[MotionBlue]

Space magic is everywhere in Mass Effect. Not sure why you're focusing on a hologram that may well just be an anthropomorphized AI that shows itself in that form for any number of reasons (i.e. indoctrination...an image that haunted Shepard, something familiar and non-threatening that he trusts and is willing to let his guard down when around).

Elephant in the room; If Star Child takes a form that haunts Shepard, how does he know to take the childs form?

The exact same child he dreams of. The exact same child he watched die. Is Star Child psychic? Omnipotent?

[hateradio]

There have been so many great videos and parodies that have been posted in the pages and that haven't been added to the OP. Try looking for hyperlinks while filtering through the last -- I don't know -- 130 pages or so. .

I've also gathered some random stuff here.

Elephant in the room; If Star Child takes a form that haunts Shepard, how does he know to take the childs form? The exact same child he dreams of. The exact same child he watched die, like for indoctrination. Is Star Child psychic? Omnipotent?

Reapers have the ability to seep into people's minds. It wouldn't be too hard to assume that the Catalyst has the same abilities.

[Metroidvania]

Yeah, I'm just going to accept everything at face value, but I do have to say that the Star Child and his "solutions" are nonsensical. BioWare really screwed this up. And I took 10 minutes to read this: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...ilebasic?pli=1 Very interesting.

That's definitely been added to since I first saw it, it does a good job of pointing out the many inconsistencies.

Take a look at this if you haven't seen it yet. It's a redletter style video of the thematic problems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs

Elephant in the room; If Star Child takes a form that haunts Shepard, how does he know to take the childs form? The exact same child he dreams of. The exact same child he watched die. Is Star Child psychic? Omnipotent?

Theoretically, the reaper that blew up the kid could be transmitting its data to the reaper collective, or the reaper internet, or whatever, and the catalyst could have picked up on it.

Or Bioware could just be re-using the one kid model it ever made throughout the series to set the player at ease.

Lots of speculation for everyone.

[Zomba13]

That's definitely been added to since I first saw it, it does a good job of pointing out the many inconsistencies. Take a look at this if you haven't seen it yet. It's a redletter style video of the thematic problems. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs Theoretically, the reaper that blew up the kid could be transmitting its data to the reaper collective, or the reaper internet, or whatever, and the catalyst could have picked up on it. Or Bioware could just be re-using the one kid model it ever made throughout the series to set the player at ease. Lots of speculation for everyone.

I bet the reaper internet is full of reaper porn...

[StalkerUKCG]

That's definitely been added to since I first saw it, it does a good job of pointing out the many inconsistencies. Take a look at this if you haven't seen it yet. It's a redletter style video of the thematic problems. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs Theoretically, the reaper that blew up the kid could be transmitting its data to the reaper collective, or the reaper internet, or whatever, and the catalyst could have picked up on it. Or Bioware could just be re-using the one kid model it ever made throughout the series to set the player at ease. Lots of speculation for everyone.

In the art book they sketches of the kid end with the child in a ... Tech/transparent/VI looking form however the starchild is not exactly shown but alluded to deffinitavly

[SilentProtagonist]

I bet the reaper internet is full of reaper porn...

They all just use it to figure out what Tali's sweat smells like.
That's actually been their goal all along.

[earvcunanan]

They all just use it to figure out what Tali's sweat smells like. That's actually been their goal all along.

All they have to do is sniff around the emergency induction port while she's drunk.

[EatChildren]

Goddamn those cupcakes look tasty.

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Goddamn those cupcakes look tasty.

No, they don't.

[EatChildren]

No, they don't.

Yes, they do.

[Minion101]

[Lime]

^ Maybe some new game. I just saw this. I guess they did just create the end sometime last winter in a rush, as if we hadn't speculated on that. You did it mega64 . . .

This basically explains why the beginning and end are so fucking atrocious. Doing the start and ending of a multi-million game in November 3 months before gold release? Holy fucking shit.

[Dresden]

Shameless.

[Zomba13]

Not as funny as the original. I hate Twitter photoshops :(

[IvanI]

yep. this is shopped. this doesn't exist on his twitter feed. ... but it's still awesome. xD

[Ghost]

why would someone fake that?

[Hero]

Goddamn those cupcakes look tasty.

They may look different but they all taste the same. I heard instead of using water they used the tears of the most hardcore Mass Effect fans.

[earvcunanan]

Man, I really am bugged about the Child. What bugs me is that BioWare decided to introduce a new major character at the very final act of this trilogy. I've never seen that happen in any form of media that is a trilogy. And the kicker is that the Child spouts nonsensical crap, after your conversations with the Reapers in the previous games. "Our existence and purpose is beyond human comprehension. We have no beginning, we have no end."

Then the Child just completely craps all over that and goes, "Oh hai there Shep, I made the Reapers to destroy civilization every 50,000 years, but I'm bored now so you can destroy us or synthesize us."

I'm still lol'ing about all this. Sheesh.

[randomwab]

Out of interest, was the beginning changed at some point? I seem to remember reading that the start of the game would deal with Shepard's trial on Earth for destroying the mass relay during the Arrival DLC. Was that ever true or am I imagining that?

[HP_Wuvcraft]

why would someone fake that?

People like being indignant towards things they feel are bad. They actively seek out justification for their feelings.

[Clint Beastwood]

Out of interest, was the beginning changed at some point? I seem to remember reading that the start of the game would deal with Shepard's trial on Earth for destroying the mass relay during the Arrival DLC. Was that ever true or am I imagining that?

Same here.

They probably changed it for the dudebros who would be like "what is this shit! i dont wanna play phoenix wright!"

[HP_Wuvcraft]

They probably changed it for the dudebros who would be like "what is this shit! i dont wanna play phoenix wright!"

You do realize that your taste in video games is no more superior than anyone else's, right?

[HadesGigas]

Out of interest, was the beginning changed at some point? I seem to remember reading that the start of the game would deal with Shepard's trial on Earth for destroying the mass relay during the Arrival DLC. Was that ever true or am I imagining that?

I think it was just something everyone assumed would happen because WHY THE HELL WOULD THEY SKIP IT?

Then they skipped it and you're there on earth, already stripped of your alliance military ranking (guess the trial didn't go so well?), hanging out with some dude name James you're supposed to already know.

[EatChildren]

You do realize that your taste in video games is no more superior than anyone else's, right?

To be fair, the intro probably was tailored to an action heavy premise that spent less time dawdling over semantics and slow burn thematics and instead just got to the point. I assume it's a product of EA's goal to make ME3 the best 'entry point' to the series.

[lastplayed]

The start of DA2 and ME2 were very similar though. Someone attacks, character has to team up with someone to escape etc.

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

You do realize that your taste in video games is no more superior than anyone else's, right?

Nope, some people have terrible taste.

[EatChildren]

The start of DA2 and ME2 were very similar though. Someone attacks, character has to team up with someone to escape etc.

They were. But, for all the hate ME2's intro premise gets (Shepard dying), it's at least punchy and consistent with its narrative. Starts with a bang, by destroying a homage to the original game, and puts Shepard in a mysterious position with a forward moving momentum. Woah, where am I? What's going on?! Lets do this!

ME3 is pretty much "surprise Reapers!" with shitty vent kid thrown in for good measure. I whined about it at length in the demo thread, but BioWare's flaw was trying to make me give a shit about something I've never visited in the game, and spent all of five minutes on at the start of ME3. Earth is a nothing. I care more about the Normandy blowing up at the start of ME2, because I've actually grown an attachment to it.

[Arjen]

The intro is really the dumbest thing ever, how are new players supposed to know why Shepard is on Earth? If you played Arrival Anderson mentions that's the reason, if you didn't play it, he just says "With the shit you pulled" What shit?
Smudboy did a great analysis what's wrong with the intro, can't wait until he covers the ending.

[lastplayed]

If you played Arrival Anderson mentions that's the reason, if you didn't play it, he just says "With the shit you pulled" What shit?

All the shit!

[Clint Beastwood]

You do realize that your taste in video games is no more superior than anyone else's, right?

Never said it was.

Are you denying they would say that? They don't care about story. They just wanna shoot shit. I used to be a "dudebro" myself so there's nothing wrong with that.

[PinkCrayon]

Yeah, the intro isn't very good. As a scene where the Reapers invade and you leave earth, it is fine, but it's just not a good intro.

Shepard should start on the Normandy, (like she does in the last 2 games) get a call from Hackett telling her to come in for the trial. So maybe you stop at the Citadel to drop off people who don't want to go to earth, (anyone working for Cerberus might not want to go near the alliance.) and hit the Relay for earth. This would be a nice galaxy map tutorial for all those new players they were trying to get.

Once on earth, you have a small hub that lasts about 30 minutes, you meet Vega, maybe go to the firing range, (another tutorial opportunity) and do some small quests. If Bioware really wanted to shove the kid down our throat, maybe we help him find his mom or something.

Then we hit the trial, just a 5-10 minute cutscene with lots of dialogue choices. No matter what happens, you are stripped of your rank and you lose the Normandy. Fade to black and "Five months later" appears on the screen, and it fades back up to the intro we got.

A slow intro can go a long way to set up a "shit hits the fan" scene later on. But I'm sure you guys don't want my fanfiction.

[Dilly]

Yeah, the intro isn't very good. As a scene where the Reapers invade and you leave earth, it is fine, but it's just not a good intro. Shepard should start on the Normandy, (like she does in the last 2 games) get a call from Hackett telling her to come in for the trial. So maybe you stop at the Citadel to drop off people who don't want to go to earth, (anyone working for Cerberus might not want to go near the alliance.) and hit the Relay for earth. This would be a nice galaxy map tutorial for all those new players they were trying to get. Once on earth, you have a small hub that lasts about 30 minutes, you meet Vega, maybe go to the firing range, (another tutorial opportunity) and do some small quests. If Bioware really wanted to shove the kid down our throat, maybe we help him find his mom or something. Then we hit the trial, just a 5-10 minute cutscene with lots of dialogue choices. No matter what happens, you are stripped of your rank and you lose the Normandy. Fade to black and "Five months later" appears on the screen, and it fades back up to the intro we got. A slow intro can go a long way to set up a "shit hits the fan" scene later on. But I'm sure you guys don't want my fanfiction.

Better fanfiction than Walter's fanfiction.

[Basileus777]

Better fanfiction than Walter's fanfiction.

If only what Walters wrote was really fanfiction.

[wienke]

There was a scene cut from the game where Joker comes in and saves them. There's also a scene cut from the game showing them being obliterated. So with the final game we have your squad mates teleporting to the Normandy with no explanation. The Catalyst is some kind of super advanced AI/VI/whatever that controls the reapers and for some reason has been on the Citadel this whole time (LOL Sovereign what are you doing). He's not omnipotent seeing as he can't just end this imaginary war with organics and synthetics by himself, but he is apparently capable of reading minds (appearing as the child to Shepard). He's capable of destroying, controlling and some how fusing organics and synthetics together when the crucible is around. He's also an idiot.

I didn't even think about this!

It's like the ending somehow manages to get worse as more holes are revealed!

[Ultimadrago]

They all just use it to figure out what Tali's sweat smells like. That's actually been their goal all along.

I couldn't let those a-holes get to the gold before me!

ME3 is pretty much "surprise Reapers!" with shitty vent kid thrown in for good measure. I whined about it at length in the demo thread, but BioWare's flaw was trying to make me give a shit about something I've never visited in the game, and spent all of five minutes on at the start of ME3. Earth is a nothing. I care more about the Normandy blowing up at the start of ME2, because I've actually grown an attachment to it.

A decent point, for as much as they try to hit it home that it's your home, it never really felt like it for me. I don't believe I ever had a "shock factor" at any point for the duration of Earth's pummeled that nearly matched the emotions of the Normandy getting wreck-shopped or the crew abduction in ME2.

[Derrick01]

Yeah, the intro isn't very good. As a scene where the Reapers invade and you leave earth, it is fine, but it's just not a good intro. Shepard should start on the Normandy, (like she does in the last 2 games) get a call from Hackett telling her to come in for the trial. So maybe you stop at the Citadel to drop off people who don't want to go to earth, (anyone working for Cerberus might not want to go near the alliance.) and hit the Relay for earth. This would be a nice galaxy map tutorial for all those new players they were trying to get. Once on earth, you have a small hub that lasts about 30 minutes, you meet Vega, maybe go to the firing range, (another tutorial opportunity) and do some small quests. If Bioware really wanted to shove the kid down our throat, maybe we help him find his mom or something. Then we hit the trial, just a 5-10 minute cutscene with lots of dialogue choices. No matter what happens, you are stripped of your rank and you lose the Normandy. Fade to black and "Five months later" appears on the screen, and it fades back up to the intro we got. A slow intro can go a long way to set up a "shit hits the fan" scene later on. But I'm sure you guys don't want my fanfiction.

I like it a lot more than what we got which was just an excuse to keep the bros tiny attention spans going.

[Patryn]

Seriously, why are people dragging Gerstmann into this? To give it more cred?

That's an actual Twitter convo, but it was some random guy and not Jeff Gerstmann.

Gerstmann has even said that he has issues with the ending, but it's more to do with the fact that he hated Vent Kid than with the choices and all that.

Plus, doing shit like that just totally undermines the credibility of those with complaints.

As for links and the OP, I put the stuff that's important in there. It gives people a good idea of what the controversy is, and there's some stuff I found funny. There's no reason to put every single YouTube video in because otherwise it just becomes a mess of links.

[Bowdz]

Out of interest, was the beginning changed at some point? I seem to remember reading that the start of the game would deal with Shepard's trial on Earth for destroying the mass relay during the Arrival DLC. Was that ever true or am I imagining that?

Yes. I think the mods on BSN said that the trial was cut due to design reasons. I still think Bioware should go the expansion pack route with the indoc ending and than just beef up the rest of the game. They could than add the trial back into the game and give the player some time to explore Earth (maybe you could meet/talk to James Vega, talk to various other Alliance figures, do some basic ME1 Citadel-esque quests) so that when the current intro actually happens, there is at least SOME sort of emotional connection to seeing Earth fall to the Reapers.

[Team Vernia]

I like it a lot more than what we got which was just an excuse to keep the bros tiny attention spans going.

Agree. ME2 and ME3 feel like entirely different games than ME1. They aren't bad, but it's obvious they were made to cater to the action loving Gears of War type playerbase. It's sad, because ME1 FEELS like an RPG, where as 2/3 feel like choose-your-own adventure action games. Once again, they aren't bad games and they continue the Mass Effect vibe nicely. They just play like entirely different games. If it wasn't obvious with DA2 and ME2, ME3 shows Bioware has made the full transition from deep PC RPG developer to story-based choice-driven action game developer. Also, SWTOR does nothing new and is a boring WoW clone. So sad. I'll still play their games, though, but just not with as much blind enthusiasm.