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[Metroidvania]

If indoctrination theory isn't true then I'll be blown away. e.

Bioware has flat out said that the EC will not confirm whether or not IT is true, but that if you already believe in IT, the EC won't change your mind, or something to that nature.

So basically, it's an additional level of copping out of their ending mess.

 

[Replicant]

I can't believe people still think Indoctrination Theory will be validated by Bioware via this DLC. It's obvious they're going for the simplest, easiest way to justify their RGB ending. There's no way they'd go out of their way to introduce new concept to the storyline.

 

[Pie Lord]

Hold on a second, there's a three hour documentary on the Indoctrination Theory?

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

Will this DLC fix ME3's biggest problem, will the Extended Cut show Tali's face rendered in 3D?! I hope I'm happy in a few hours.

 

[HitCtrlAltDel]

you realize this is only adding 7 minutes of clarification to the current ending, right?

7 minutes can say a lot.

Bioware has flat out said that the EC will not confirm whether or not IT is true, but that if you already believe in IT, the EC won't change your mind, or something to that nature.

So basically, it's an additional level of copping out of their ending mess.

*EDIT: misread your comment*
Even if they say "nope, not IT," you're right, it won't change my mind. Something in the EC would have to actively disprove it for me to move on; it just fits too well right now. At least IT provides a logical continuity to the events that happen, while taking them at face value the plot seems like a jumbled mess. Needless to say I'm VERY curious to find out what they do for this DLC.

 

[Ventrue]

OK, so I just finished watching The Indoctrination Theory - A Documentary part 2 (here is part 1 if you haven't seen it) and I actually have high hopes for the Extended Cut DLC now. If indoctrination theory isn't true then I'll be blown away. I believed it before, but now I think it's the only thing that makes sense and must be what was intended. Not much time left now till we finally have more clues as to what actually happened at the end of ME3 and why nothing about the ending makes any sense.

This is akin to believing that the mothership will be arriving on Earth shortly to take you to your new life on Xlorbu.

 

[Psychoward]

you realize this is only adding 7 minutes of clarification to the current ending, right?

They ruined a trilogy in like 5 minutes, this might be enough.

 

[ironcreed]

Bioware has flat out said that the EC will not confirm whether or not IT is true, but that if you already believe in IT, the EC won't change your mind, or something to that nature.

So basically, it's an additional level of copping out of their ending mess.

Yeah, they did not put that much thought into it. They cut corners and half-assed it just like they did with the stock photo they grabbed off the net and shopped for Tali's face, lol. That takes the cake right there.

 

[rozay]

7 minutes can say a lot.



Everyone has said that they confirmed it not true, but I haven't seen these statements. Who said them and what exactly did they say?

And even if they say "nope, not IT," you're right, it won't change my mind. Something in the EC would have to actively disprove it for me to move on; it just fits too well right now. At least IT provides a logical continuity to the events that happen, while taking them at face value the plot seems like a jumbled mess. Needless to say I'm VERY curious to find out what they do for this DLC.

you're absolutely right, the true intention of the extended cut was to *actually* remove the ending from the game and leave shepard accomplishing nothing but wanking off on the ground in the debris of harbringer's lasers on earth while imagining doing big things

us entitled customers can't talk shit about the ending if it doesn't exist anymore!

seriously though, there's a reason the plot seems like a jumbled mess:

I can also guarantee you that if it was true and Bioware intended to release the ending later, they would not have waited until june when most people would have already sold the game.

 

[RedAssedApe]

Please update OP with Youtube links once its up. Sold this game a long long time ago.

 

[hateradio]

Will this DLC fix ME3's biggest problem, will the Extended Cut show Tali's face rendered in 3D?! I hope I'm happy in a few hours.

It'll probably end up like this.

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

you realize this is only adding 7 minutes of clarification to the current ending, right?

Do you have a source on this? I'm dying to have a better idea on what to expect from the length of DLC.

 

[HitCtrlAltDel]

you're absolutely right, the true intention of the extended cut was to *actually* remove the ending from the game and leave shepard accomplishing nothing but wanking off on the ground in the debris of harbringer's lasers on earth while imagining doing big things

us entitled customers can't talk shit about the ending if it doesn't exist anymore!

seriously though, there's a reason the plot seems like a jumbled mess:

I can also guarantee you that if it was true and Bioware intended to release the ending later, they would not have waited until june when most people would have already sold the game.

I guess my hope is that with such an outcry from the fans Walters will not be the only writer working on the DLC. There have been some amazing moments throughout the trilogy and I'm hoping this can be one more. Just have to wait and see, but for right now my hopes are high that this will be good. (Although I'm fully prepared for it to be a complete disaster)

 

[MisterNugNug]

The cynical part of me believes Indoctrination Theory will only be further hinted at but you need 20,000 effective readiness or something that requires absolute perfection in a playthrough of all three titles to max readiness.

This needs to be said. Everytime Kai Leng appeared in the game I burst out laughing...all because of you're comic. No matter the context, boss fight, cutscene, whatever. Even a character referring to him, I laughed.

 

[Tookay]

Hold on a second, there's a three hour documentary on the Indoctrination Theory?

Pretty much. Stupidest fan speculation ever.

 

[Prologue]

Not expecting much. ME series was my favorite this generation. Such a pity. How the hell was Casey Hudson a director of KOTOR and then allow ME3 to end the way it did? People would have been perfectly fine with a KOTOR like ending(s).

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

This needs to be said. Everytime Kai Leng appeared in the game I burst out laughing...all because of you're comic. No matter the context, boss fight, cutscene, whatever. Even a character referring to him, I laughed.

Ditto. Didnt help that he was also a joke in the game.

 

[HitCtrlAltDel]

Pretty much. Stupidest fan speculation ever.

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

 

[TheYanger]

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

The latter. People who take it at face value have been all but confirmed to be 'right' by Bioware's reactions at pax and other avenues. Is it really easier to believe that Mac is a total hack, or that they implemented some genius level trollface on everyone?

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Hold on a second, there's a three hour documentary on the Indoctrination Theory?

Seriously. I was going to post the Brony doc, but this.... this is something else.

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

Stupidest: making a fucking three hour documentary on the topic of one singular section of a video game.

Come on, dude.

I thought the ending was decent, but come the fuck on.

 

[brianmcdoogle]

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

Occam's razor. Simplest explanation is that they wrote a stupid ending by including a needless twist.

 

[MormaPope]

Did anyone else save at the last point possible?

I was going to replay all the Mass Effects in celebration for either something that adds cohesion or weakens it further, but I didn't know this epilogue was coming so soon.

Bioware has sorta one more chance to send-off this Mass Effect trilogy, and this is it, excitement is in the air.

 

[Anticitizen One]

I'm almost willing to bet the new extended ending with explanations is gonna make things worse not better

 

[Karak]

I'm almost willing to bet the new extended ending with explanations is gonna make things worse not better

Yellow piss poor choice incoming.

 

[Attackthebase]

Hold on a second, there's a three hour documentary on the Indoctrination Theory?

I'm not sure what's more pathetic: someone creating a three hour documentary on a theory for a video game, someone investing three hours to watch a theory on a game, or if they are on the same level of sadness. Yeah, I'm going with the last option.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Occam's razor. Simplest explanation is that they wrote a stupid ending by including a needless twist.

I don't actually think the head writer and bossman going into a room and coming up with an ending at the end of the production cycle in which they pre-meditatively threw out every single other writers input thus far is Occam's Razor.

 

[AwakenedCloud]

What if their original creative design was directly in opposition with fan satisfaction?

For example,

Spoiler

what if everything we did in the game was in vain. What if the EC only consisted of scenes showing the troops we spent all game gathering putting up a slightly better fight before being slaughtered? Seeing all of Shepard's squadmates wiped out even if they are loyal. What if the galaxy went the way of the Prothean system regardless of our actions?

Would you still be upset? I feel like unless Shepard 'wins' somehow, most players won't be happy simply because we're so conditioned to getting good results for hard work.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

The second one. Definitely stupider.

 

[Metroidvania]

Would you still be upset? I feel like unless Shepard 'wins' somehow, most players won't be happy simply because we're so conditioned to getting good results for hard work.

I can't obviously speak for everyone disappointed in the ending, but for me at least, it's not the fact that Shepard "loses", because he/she doesn't. Shepard accomplishes the task

Spoiler

of taking on the reapers and defeating them

. The major problem most of us have is how the current ending decisions are implemented out of nowhere in terms of the overarching story and universe.

Besides, depending on your choice and EMS, Shep wins anyways, at least.... (Spoilers)

Spoiler

in the Destroy breath scene as long as you don't mind killing EDI/Geth.

I don't actually think the head writer and bossman going into a room and coming up with an ending at the end of the production cycle in which they pre-meditatively threw out every single other writers input thus far is Occam's Razor.

I still laugh when I see Weekes' saying that he didn't post that Penny Arcade article. Yeah, he has to say it, but that with other stuff that's been talked about really makes me wonder why Hudson and Walters doing their own thing was even thought to be acceptable.

 

[ctrayne]

.

 

[Mindlog]

What if their original creative design was directly in opposition with fan satisfaction?

For example,

Spoiler

what if everything we did in the game was in vain. What if the EC only consisted of scenes showing the troops we spent all game gathering putting up a slightly better fight before being slaughtered? Seeing all of Shepard's squadmates wiped out even if they are loyal. What if the galaxy went the way of the Prothean system regardless of our actions?

Would you still be upset? I feel like unless Shepard 'wins' somehow, most players won't be happy simply because we're so conditioned to getting good results for hard work.

We talked about it earlier. I would have a lot of fun playing Javik's role in ME4. My Renegade Turian Spectre would be racist and bitter as hell.

Evidence: Reaper victory was planned all along. The council has prepared a small squad of Specters for long term stasis to aid the next cycle.
boom, that's the hammer coming down

 

[big_z]

Fans aren't angry because they want a happy ending. It's the crappiness of the ending that is the problem.

actually in the "what we want list" that people were rallying behind the first or second demand was a heroic happy ending along with an animal house montage to show every choice they made and where the characters end up.

 

[Bowdz]

My predictions on the EC:

Spoiler

- Hackett will formally call the fleet away from Earth as the Crucible is discharging. This will "explain" why your ground team was picked up and why Joker was fleeing.
- They will have post credit montage of races rebuilding, your team in full, celebrations, etc.
- Clarify that the relays were not destroyed in the blast.

I doubt they will explain the Starchild any more, nor show Tali's face, or address the multitude of issues people had, but it will probably be somewhat better than the current ending.

 

[AwakenedCloud]

I see you guys saying that, but I feel as though if the ending was really

Spoiler

all a dream and Shepard loses no matter his decisions

just as many people, possibly more, would be upset.

Maybe not too many people on GAF share this sentiment, but people have come so attached to Shepard that they might take his failure as their own.

 

[big_z]

I see you guys saying that, but I feel as though if the ending was really

Spoiler

all a dream and Shepard loses no matter his decisions

just as many people, possibly more, would be upset.

if you have 100% readiness and enough war assests and pick the red light theres a bonus clip that isnt shown in the other endings. this would allow for post game dlc or mass effect 4 or whatever.

 

[CrazyDude]

My predictions on the EC:

Spoiler

- Hackett will formally call the fleet away from Earth as the Crucible is discharging. This will "explain" why your ground team was picked up and why Joker was fleeing.
- They will have post credit montage of races rebuilding, your team in full, celebrations, etc.
- Clarify that the relays were not destroyed in the blast.

I doubt they will explain the Starchild any more, nor show Tali's face, or address the multitude of issues people had, but it will probably be somewhat better than the current ending.

Spoiler

Apparently they took out dialogue with the starchild, so it's possible they added it back in.

 

[Bowdz]

Spoiler

Apparently they took out dialogue with the starchild, so it's possible they added it back in.

Really? Very interesting. I was under the impression that it was strictly cutscenes and no added gameplay/in-game dialogue, but I'll take any attempt at their explanation I can get.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

Really? Very interesting. I was under the impression that it was strictly cutscenes and no added gameplay/in-game dialogue, but I'll take any attempt at their explanation I can get.

No, yeah, originally, you could talk to the Child.

But Walters took it out because he has a hard-on for being a rock star.

 

[Kurtofan]

When does it come out?It's already Tuesday here.

 

[AwakenedCloud]

if you have 100% readiness and enough war assests and pick the red light theres a bonus clip that isnt shown in the other endings. this would allow for post game dlc or mass effect 4 or whatever.

Are you talking about the scene with

Spoiler

Shepard taking a breath?
When I saw it, Shepard more or less looked done for and burnt to a crisp, but he was able to die with the satisfaction of not being a slave of the reapers?

I mean, they could rebuild Shepard.. again, but considering the gravity of what's happening in that scene it's very unlikely and unrealistic that they'd take the time to track down and revive Shepard's body, creating a retcon just as bad as the other ones the ending has already made.

 

[Rufus]

No, yeah, originally, you could talk to the Child.

But Walters took it out because he has a hard-on for being a rock star.

Hudson came to Walters wanting to keep the conversation "high level". Now it's not even a conversation any more. I can understand how changing lead writers can change the direction of a series, but Hudson was director on all three games. How did it not occur to him that this was a stupid idea?

 

[rakhir]

This is akin to believing that the mothership will be arriving on Earth shortly to take you to your new life on Xlorbu.

There's a Scientology joke somewhere here.

What's stupider: taking the events of the ending as is with all their inconsistencies, plot holes and oddities, or use evidence within the games and their lore to speculate there was more there than originally believed?

Second one, absolutely.

I will be dissapointed if they show galaxy all happy and cheerfull, rebuilding planets and relays - it will deflate the importance of the ending for me and the whole motion of changing toe fate of the galaxy because of Shepard's decision.

 

[xKilltheMx]

Depending on how good this EC is I'll sell this to GSTOP/ best buy or keep it forever.

So I'll most likely be selling this.

 

[EatChildren]

No, yeah, originally, you could talk to the Child.

But Walters took it out because he has a hard-on for being a rock star.

If I recall correctly, it was mostly Hudson who pulled the extended dialogue with the star child.

 

[Replicant]

From what I can gather from the official PR, these are just pure cut scenes, right? No tree-branching dialogues or anything like that? Not even QTEs?

 

[Franklinator]

Just finished the game a couple of days ago, looking forward to seeing if this helps the ending.

 

[Conflict NZ]

The latter. People who take it at face value have been all but confirmed to be 'right' by Bioware's reactions at pax and other avenues. Is it really easier to believe that Mac is a total hack, or that they implemented some genius level trollface on everyone?

Mac is a total hack and this ending is real and bad. However I find it pretty funny that Bioware managed to make enough lucky lazy decisions to make it look like they had some genius level shit going on.

 

[Franklinator]

Mac is a total hack and this ending is real and bad. However I find it pretty funny that Bioware managed to make enough lucky lazy decisions to make it look like they had some genius level shit going on.

Haha, that's my exact sentiment toward the ending. If the indoctrination theory were real the ending could have indeed been genius. But sadly we were left with the trash that is the real ending.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

If I recall correctly, it was mostly Hudson who pulled the extended dialogue with the star child.

Hudson sounds like a douche, too.

"A deep BioWare story."

 

[TheYanger]

Mac is a total hack and this ending is real and bad. However I find it pretty funny that Bioware managed to make enough lucky lazy decisions to make it look like they had some genius level shit going on.

I just can't understand indoctrination theorists. In any other media that kind of 'twist' ending would reward the player by letting you reflect and go 'oh yeah that makes sense!' or give you some sense of depth on a repeat playthrough. Circumstantial 'evidence' that you still cannot believe unless you ACTIVELY reject what is shown to you, is not quality writing. It would still not be genius. The IDEA is smart, but if it were intended...THEY STILL WROTE IT LIKE SHIT. At the very minimum, it should be clear that something isn't 'right' with Shep and the world. If they haven't communicated that to 100% of players they've failed to implement indoctrination correctly already, it's ok if there's some ambiguity as to how that plays out, if there's a trail of clues to follow and enough to put people on the scent because the ending is so clearly amiss.

Instead, we get an ending that is certainly 'amiss' but in all the wrong ways. I HIGHLY doubt that anyone on the entire planet who didn't already know about Indoctrination, watched the ending and thought anything other than 'that was hack writing'. At that point, even if it were true, it's a failure of an ending and it's a failure in the writing. Period.