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[sTeLioSco]

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Mass Effect · 670,457 like this
6 hours ago

We are aware that there are concerns about a recent post from this account regarding the ending of the game. In this post it was stated that at this time we do not have plans to change the ending.

We would like to clarify that we are actively and seriously taking all player feedback into consideration and have ruled nothing out. At this time we are still collecting and considering your feedback and have not made a decision regarding requests to change the ending.

Your feedback and opinions are of the utmost importance to us. We apologize for any confusion this has caused. Our top priority regarding this discussion is to keep communication with you, our loyal fans, open and productive.

https://www.facebook.com/masseffect/posts/275243029217754

 

[EatChildren]

I've been seriously contemplating ME:I but right now I can't justify the price given the amount I've already spent on the Digital Deluxe edition, lithograph prints, and other random merchandise. I was pretty interested in how the game ties into War Assets and Galactic Readiness though.

Some enemies drop intel you can pick up. Intel can be uploaded to the Galaxy at War to increase your galactic readiness percentage (not sure by how much, as I'm already at 100%), or can be churned into credits to buy/upgrade new equipment/powers.

Every time you finish the game you also upload one 'Cerberus Escapee', which I'm pretty sure is a war asset worth 40 points. To earn more war assets, you need to play beat the game over and over.

That's about it in terms of integration with Mass Effect 3. No new weapons or anything.

 

[derFeef]

Don't change it, explain what the hell happened and what's going on with everyone... an Epilogue.

 

[sTeLioSco]

And definite proof the Bioware lost it...!
They didn't know what to do for an ending,they just go with something,they cant do it or don't care about the franchise,while everyone was worrying that decisions in me1 will shape the galaxy lololol!


Mass Effect 3 ending: BioWare admits fans needed "more closure"

By Tom Phillips Published 19 March, 2012

"You don't need to know the answers to the Mass Effect universe."

Mass Effect 3 executive producer Casey Hudson has responded to players upset about the game's ending, admitting fans needed more closure and answers.

The statement comes days after the release of Mass Effect 3: Final Hours, a behind-the-scenes app/documentary. This revealed how Mass Effect 3's ending was once supposed to offer detailed information about the universe's origin, through a dialogue sequence at the very end of the game.

Casey Hudson, following ending backlash, said he and the development team now "recognise that some of our most passionate fans needed more closure, more answers and more time to say goodbye to their stories".

"Your feedback has always mattered," he stressed. "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," Hudson said.

In a Mass Effect 3: Final Hours interview (posted on BioWare's forums), Hudson revealed that forthcoming DLC "would likely happen before or during the events of Mass Effect 3 - not after".

Mass Effect writer Mac Walters explained what the information-imparting ending once was, and why it was decided against.

"You get to ask a bunch of questions and you get your questions answered," he revealed.

"But then me and Casey talked and decided, let's keep the conversation 'High level' - give you the details that you need to know, but don't get into the stuff that you don't need to know. Like, 'How long have [the Reapers] been reaping?' You don't need to know the answers to the Mass Effect universe. So we intentionally left those out."

The ending of the game was not finalised until extremely late in the game's development, Casey Hudson revealed - "right up until the end of 2011".

"One night [Mac] Walters scribbled down some thought on various ways the game could end," Hudson shared, "with the line, 'Lots of speculation for everyone,' at the bottom of the page.

"In truth, the final bits of dialogue were debated right up until the end of 2011. Martin Sheen's voice-over session for The Illusive Man, originally scheduled for August, was delayed until mid-November so the writers would have more time to finesse the ending.

"And even in November, the gameplay team was still experimenting with an end-game sequence where players would suddenly lose control of Shepard's movement and fall under full Reaper control. (This sequence was dropped because the gameplay mechanic proved too troublesome to implement alongside dialogue choices)."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...nding-bioware-admits-fans-needed-more-closure

 

[Zomba13]

I quite liked ME:I for what it was. Was a bit clunky with the changing weapons and powers and it did suffer some slowdown for me in places but it was entertaining enough. It also had an ending which kinda made sense and wasn't stupid.

 

[kurahador]

Don't change it, explain what the hell happened and what's going on with everyone... an Epilogue.

yep.

 

[EatChildren]

I know development can be so rocky and shit often doesn't get finalised until very late, due to stuff that gets cut and the general bipolar nature of game development (meeting deadlines, unexpected delays, technical issues, etc), but not having your ending mapped out until literally the last minute is completely insane.

Maybe I'd be wrong in doing this, given I'm not a developing, but for the third and final entry in a very popular trilogy, which a loyal fanbase of fans with huge demands, demands built on expectations set by developers, I'd have wanted the ending goal mapped out pretty fucking early on. That would be the big thing for the game that under no condition could be fucked up. If anything was to be cut, changed or left to the last minute, it would be something in between. Not the end.

I quite liked ME:I for what it was. Was a bit clunky with the changing weapons and powers and it did suffer some slowdown for me in places but it was entertaining enough. It also had an ending which kinda made sense and wasn't stupid.

I didn't like how a few of the encounters threw enemies at you from behind, or in weird spawns, and how some of the touch controls didn't seem as responsive as I'd liked. I actually think they had a good foundation of simplicity and streamlining of the Mass Effect combat system to better suit a touch screen, but didn't match it with level design. Some of the boss fights and encounters played like a straight up Mass Effect game, demanding something more like dual analogue controls, and that sucks on a touch pad.

That's how I felt, anyway. But I enjoyed it regardless.

 

[Minion101]

Listening to the cut dialog with Joker, it seemed they just ran out of time.

 

[codhand]

ME Infiltrator's graphics are on the new iPad are really impressive. The game itself is schlocky, but I'm happy with it for 7 bucks. Hey @eatchildren, how long is ME:I?

 

[Petrichor]

Thanks

dammit only 40 seconds...

This track is sooo good. I think I'm a little softer on the ending than others just because I loved this piece so much.

 

[rocK`]

What's the joke around marauder shields? I didn't have a problem with them in single player, because I had energy drain..

 

[ScreenSplitter]

What's the joke around marauder shields? I didn't have a problem with them in single player, because I had energy drain..

Technically the last enemy you fight, and people theorise he is trying to euthanise Shepard in order to save him/her from the painfully bad ending.

 

[EatChildren]

ME Infiltrator's graphics are on the new iPad are really impressive. The game itself is schlocky, but I'm happy with it for 7 bucks. Hey @eatchildren, how long is ME:I?

The graphics are amazing, I agree. Very authentic Mass Effect.

It's pretty short. Um. I finished it in...two and a half hours, maybe? I started just as my housemates put on a movie, they finished it, and I had a cup of tea so yeah, two hours or so.

I died a handful of times though, and generally take my time in games, so you could finish it quicker.

 

[Rubezh]

And definite proof the Bioware lost it...!
They didn't know what to do for an ending,they just go with something,they cant do it or don't care about the franchise,while everyone was worrying that decisions in me1 will shape the galaxy lololol!

I get the impression that Casey is washing his hands clean and laying the blame squarely on Walters.

 

[Zomba13]

I didn't like how a few of the encounters threw enemies at you from behind, or in weird spawns, and how some of the touch controls didn't seem as responsive as I'd liked. I actually think they had a good foundation of simplicity and streamlining of the Mass Effect combat system to better suit a touch screen, but didn't match it with level design. Some of the boss fights and encounters played like a straight up Mass Effect game, demanding something more like dual analogue controls, and that sucks on a touch pad.

That's how I felt, anyway. But I enjoyed it regardless.

Yeah, the boss fights weren't that great and would have been better if you had more traditional controls.

 

[alysonwheel]

Casey Hudson, following ending backlash, said he and the development team now "recognise that some of our most passionate fans needed more closure, more answers and more time to say goodbye to their stories".

Still doesn't get it. Fans want more closure and more answers, definitely. But we also want an ending that makes even the slightest amount of sense. I don't see how what's shown on-screen at the end of ME3 can be manhandled into anything that makes sense without scrapping the whole lot and starting again.

I'm not particularly interested in knowing what happens after space magic.

 

[Nibel]

This is exactly the first thing that came to mind (if this picture means LOST).

 

[sTeLioSco]

I know development can be so rocky and shit often doesn't get finalised until very late, due to stuff that gets cut and the general bipolar nature of game development (meeting deadlines, unexpected delays, technical issues, etc), but not having your ending mapped out until literally the last minute is completely insane.

Maybe I'd be wrong in doing this, given I'm not a developing, but for the third and final entry in a very popular trilogy, which a loyal fanbase of fans with huge demands, demands built on expectations set by developers, I'd have wanted the ending goal mapped out pretty fucking early on. That would be the big thing for the game that under no condition could be fucked up. If anything was to be cut, changed or left to the last minute, it would be something in between. Not the end.

this is all.
in this kind of game you don't decide the ending 2 months before finishing it.
many thought the ending was in stone years ago,and it was multi-leveled epilogue with various branches that only by replaying the whole trilogy you could reshape it again.......

 

[hamchan]

This is exactly the first thing that came to mind (if this picture means LOST).

Crap, i thought it was Band of Brothers but LOST makes more sense.

 

[Minion101]

What's the joke around marauder shields? I didn't have a problem with them in single player, because I had energy drain..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=467pmIX-oZo

 

[derFeef]

this is all.
in this kind of game you don't decide the ending 2 months before finishing it.
many thought the ending was in stone years ago,and it was multi-leveled epilogue with various branches that only by replaying the whole trilogy you could reshape it again.......

The problem is if they cut, change and edit stuff, the ending may not fit again. I am really no developer/writer, but I guess working towards an ending you already know would be contraproductive too because the story can get too predictable.

I would not be surprised if changing endings is pretty common in all media.

 

[Digoman]

Maybe I'd be wrong in doing this, given I'm not a developing, but for the third and final entry in a very popular trilogy, which a loyal fanbase of fans with huge demands, demands built on expectations set by developers, I'd have wanted the ending goal mapped out pretty fucking early on. That would be the big thing for the game that under no condition could be fucked up. If anything was to be cut, changed or left to the last minute, it would be something in between. Not the end.

I can understand the logistics in a general sense since several times we were told that so few people actually finish games, but in this case, it is pretty absurd, specially if you're going to try to have a "controversial" one. It's also funny how Bioware goes from "It was planned from the start" to "we were finishing three months before the game shipped".

And man, that Final Hours App really screw up their PR machine, and the fact that it was allowed at all shows how convinced they were that the ending was "clever".

 

[RSP]

Every bit?

You're right, the part where I need to go through a scanner every fucking time I was needed in the vidcom room was a bit tedious.

 

[Minion101]

I think they should been given the same amount of time in ME3 as they were ME2. Like Jeff Gerstmann said, this is a series where they should pull out all the stops.

 

[EDarkness]

I know development can be so rocky and shit often doesn't get finalised until very late, due to stuff that gets cut and the general bipolar nature of game development (meeting deadlines, unexpected delays, technical issues, etc), but not having your ending mapped out until literally the last minute is completely insane.

Maybe I'd be wrong in doing this, given I'm not a developing, but for the third and final entry in a very popular trilogy, which a loyal fanbase of fans with huge demands, demands built on expectations set by developers, I'd have wanted the ending goal mapped out pretty fucking early on. That would be the big thing for the game that under no condition could be fucked up. If anything was to be cut, changed or left to the last minute, it would be something in between. Not the end.

When I'm writing something, the ending is always planned way in advance. This way I can try to reach that goal in a way that works. It just doesn't make any sense to not have that part decided before ME3 was even worked on. The overall story should have been laid out during the development of ME1...not in the final days of development of ME3. It's just crazy to think that these guys didn't have it together before then, or that they didn't expect people to be upset about it after the fact. I'm simply baffled by it, man.

 

[Sojgat]

Ok just finished my 3rd playthrough. I have to say it really bugs me how the whole prothean beacon plotline is resolved in the "from the ashes" DLC. Paying extra cash for key story resolution is kind of bullshit. If you are a fan of the first two games it isn't optional at all (lies Bioware). Even more convinced that Bioware will charge for some kind of ending DLC at this point. Oh, and on further reflection the Geth Tron level where you are shooting minecraft blocks with an electric super soaker is also fucking awful.

 

[AB12]

Just found out where the thread title "LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE" came from. Oh fuck.

 

[Rezbit]

I know development can be so rocky and shit often doesn't get finalised until very late, due to stuff that gets cut and the general bipolar nature of game development (meeting deadlines, unexpected delays, technical issues, etc), but not having your ending mapped out until literally the last minute is completely insane.

Maybe I'd be wrong in doing this, given I'm not a developing, but for the third and final entry in a very popular trilogy, which a loyal fanbase of fans with huge demands, demands built on expectations set by developers, I'd have wanted the ending goal mapped out pretty fucking early on. That would be the big thing for the game that under no condition could be fucked up. If anything was to be cut, changed or left to the last minute, it would be something in between. Not the end.

Damn. SO much this. So much.

 

[EatChildren]

I didn't buy the 'planned trilogy' thing from the start, because I can't honestly think of a trilogy, or any long running story arc, that actually was mapped out from the start. Like, even stuff like Lord of the Rings was written without an authority on how it would end. It rarely happens for a lot of reasons.

Mass Effect had warning signs the moment the credits rolled. We talked about it earlier, but the whole game was about stopping the Reaper threat...and you did, but Shepard's still all "THE REAPERS ARE COMING OH GOD WE MUST STOP THEM". Even though the whole game revolved around this near unstoppable Reaper trying desperately to usher in the return of his friends. You stopped it so, in all respects, the Reaper threat should too have been stopped.

Even though they called it a trilogy Mass Effect always seemed to me to be obviously written as a single, compartmentalised story. A story with a introduction, a middle, a climax, and resolution. Then, at the very end, a little hook to lead into possible sequels. I figured this was deliberate because a) as said, the whole trilogy wouldn't have been mapped out, and b) given the fickle nature of game development and publishers, BioWare wanting to make a trilogy doesn't guaranty they'll actually be able to, so Mass Effect worked as a 'once off' in the worst case scenario that it bombed and nobody wanted to fund a new game.

It's a shame though that rather than keep consistent with the lore, promises and design ideology, it all went completely off the rails in the last ten minutes. Brainstorming what to do with the third game, they should have disregarded conventions of a forward moving story and said "this is how it ends, this is what we're doing, and now lets work backwards from here to give it an appropriate build-up". You don't finalise a trilogy only a month or so before the game goes gold.

 

[Y2Kev]

Progression in here:

Either you a) come in here bitching or b) what's so bad I don't get it, what's marauder shields, i didnt see that, wait they did what, and then you start bitching

 

[Eusis]

I didn't buy the 'planned trilogy' thing from the start, because I can't honestly think of a trilogy, or any long running story arc, that actually was mapped out from the start. Like, even stuff like Lord of the Rings was written without an authority on how it would end. It rarely happens for a lot of reasons.

I think the only time it ever works is if you get all written in SOME form before the first release is published, and even then you'd probably be releasing in rapid succession. I know Gene Wolfe's series are generally written that way, and it wouldn't surprise me if this was actually close to how .hack and Digital Devil Saga were handled since their installments came out VERY quickly, not even a full year passing between them as I recall.

 

[RSP]

Mass Effect 4: Featuring an all Hanar, Volus and Elcor crew.

Day 1.

 

[Rebel Leader]

We are aware that there are concerns about a recent post from this account regarding the ending of the game. In this post it was stated that at this time we do not have plans to change the ending.

We would like to clarify that we are actively and seriously taking all player feedback into consideration and have ruled nothing out. At this time we are still collecting and considering your feedback and have not made a decision regarding requests to change the ending.

Yay =D
Indoc theory disproven

 

[Salih]

Tali drunk <3

Shepard: How are you getting drunk?
Tali: veeery carefully. Turian brandy, triple filtered and then introduced into the suit through an emergency induction port.
Shepard: That's a straw, Tali
Tali: emergency induction&#65279; port!

 

[Sojgat]

Progression in here:

Either you a) come in here bitching or b) what's so bad I don't get it, what's marauder shields, i didnt see that, wait they did what, and then you start bitching

I know it's quite fascinating really. I always assume the people who come in and post that they don't see the problem are trolling, but then they get told what the problem is and the rage begins anew.

 

[derFeef]

Tali drunk <3

Shepard: How are you getting drunk?
Tali: veeery carefully. Turian brandy, triple filtered and then introduced into the suit through an emergency induction port.
Shepard: That's a straw, Tali
Tali: emergency induction&#65279; port!

Love Tali, she's so mean! Right Garrus?

 

[Rebel Leader]

Love Tali, she's so mean! Right Garrus?

But we like it

 

[EDarkness]

I didn't buy the 'planned trilogy' thing from the start, because I can't honestly think of a trilogy, or any long running story arc, that actually was mapped out from the start. Like, even stuff like Lord of the Rings was written without an authority on how it would end. It rarely happens for a lot of reasons.

Mass Effect had warning signs the moment the credits rolled. We talked about it earlier, but the whole game was about stopping the Reaper threat...and you did, but Shepard's still all "THE REAPERS ARE COMING OH GOD WE MUST STOP THEM". Even though the whole game revolved around this near unstoppable Reaper trying desperately to usher in the return of his friends. You stopped it so, in all respects, the Reaper threat should too have been stopped.

Even though they called it a trilogy Mass Effect always seemed to me to be obviously written as a single, compartmentalised story. A story with a introduction, a middle, a climax, and resolution. Then, at the very end, a little hook to lead into possible sequels. I figured this was deliberate because a) as said, the whole trilogy wouldn't have been mapped out, and b) given the fickle nature of game development and publishers, BioWare wanting to make a trilogy doesn't guaranty they'll actually be able to, so Mass Effect worked as a 'once off' in the worst case scenario that it bombed and nobody wanted to fund a new game.

It's a shame though that rather than keep consistent with the lore, promises and design ideology, it all went completely off the rails in the last ten minutes. Brainstorming what to do with the third game, they should have disregarded conventions of a forward moving story and said "this is how it ends, this is what we're doing, and now lets work backwards from here to give it an appropriate build-up". You don't finalise a trilogy only a month or so before the game goes gold.

I totally agree. Looking back it does seem like they didn't really have this thing planned from the beginning. But after the second game where they knew they were going forward with the series, they should have had it mapped out. I'm working on a 6 story saga (book series) and I have the ending already mapped out. It just makes it much easier to focus things and to not make too many mistakes about where this thing is going. Especially in a situation where they have some super badass villian like The Reapers. They're all but unstoppable and have been for thousands of years. How they would be defeated should have been on the table once they decided there would be more than one of them coming to destroy the galaxy. The way the narrative is presented, ME2 didn't need to exist because it didn't add much.

I can understand not having the little details figured out, but the ultimate how and why should have been setup before ME3 even started.

 

[Rebel Leader]

I know it's quite fascinating really. I always assume the people who come in and post that they don't see the problem are trolling, but then they get told what the problem is and the rage begins anew.

It's a cycle that has been repeated more times then we can fathom.

 

[Arjen]

It's a cycle that has been repeated more times then we can fathom.

They have been sent here to destroy us, before we can destroy ourselves.

 

[truly101]

So I picked the "everyone syncs up with the Matrix" choice and thought the ending was essentially FFVII I was half expecting Red XIII and his pups to run past the crashed Normandy

 

[GrandHarrier]

I don't see the series not being road mapped / planned out as a bad thing. It allowed them flexibility in story and design. And say what you will about nit picky gripes, as a whole, the series is great. None of the flaws or issues can change that unless you specifically want to hate it / have an agenda. That being said, it doesn't excuse a poor ending in 3, the one game that deserved a stellar send off.

 

[Splatt]

I've just beaten the game. All of the endings are retarded, but I choose to destroy the Reapers since I've been trying to do that since the 1st game.

 

[Carbonox]

Mass Effect 4? Fuck off. I want a Blasto franchise. PSN/XBLA. Streets of Rage style.

 

[Minion101]

Even a great show like Breaking Bad isn't completely planned out in detail before they start writing. One time they did do it was season 2 were they knew exactly how they were going to end the season and foreshadowed it with those black and white scenes throughout the year. The writers were said to be miserable and banging their head against the wall trying to figure out how they were going to tie in this finial scene with everything.

 

[FrontalMonk]

Mass Effect 4: Featuring an all Hanar, Volus and Elcor crew.

Day 1.

dude, I always thought the Volus and Elcor ambassadors from ME1 needed to be in a buddy cop style game

 

[Rebel Leader]

Mass Effect 4? Fuck off. I want a Blasto franchise. PSN/XBLA. Streets of Rage style.

With marauder sheilds as his sidekick?

 

[Carbonox]

With marauder sheilds as his sidekick?

He will be the main villain.

 

[derFeef]

I don't see the series not being road mapped / planned out as a bad thing. It allowed them flexibility in story and design. And say what you will about nit picky gripes, as a whole, the series is great. None of the flaws or issues can change that unless you specifically want to hate it / have an agenda. That being said, it doesn't excuse a poor ending in 3, the one game that deserved a stellar send off.

I agree with this.

 

[sTeLioSco]

goldmine of pics derived from the ending..........

lol