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[Digoman]

So...what can bioware do? They are 'looking at feedback' What can come from the feedback that can change peoples reactions towards bioware and Mass Effect 3? Retcon, epilogue, totally not mention and ignore it in DLC?

There hasn't been any indication that they will actually do anything. Most of things they have done are just PR reacting to a shit storm way bigger then what they were expecting.

If you want, you can read a little analysis of the PR response in this thread at BSN.

Basically, it appears they just trying to keep their fans "waiting for something" until it blows over. We will possible find out more at the PAX panel happening soon (in two weeks? I'm not sure of the date).

I'm not getting my hopes up. Any DLC to retcon the ending would cost money and take time, and we all know how EA is generous with these things. Also, it would require Bioware to flat out admit they screw-up, something I don't think they ever did.

 

[rdrr gnr]

I know the ending is difficult to ignore, but I didn't think the game was without fault otherwise. There were plenty of decisions I disagreed with, but most of those become tolerable in comparison.

I don't have Moon's soundtrack. I should acquire it sometime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCpttsZiys

 

[Bowdz]

I don't think a lot of people believe Bioware intentionally planned out indoctrination. Many just believe that the theory that the fans came up with is more satisfying and that Bioware should run with it.

 

[rdrr gnr]

I know it transitioned to the violin part during the clothes-on sex scene with Ashley just before the Cerberus base in my game.

Oh, nice catch. I was probably too busy considering whether or not I would get a boner. That deep musing was soon followed by whether or not I would actually have sex with an Asari. The answer to both those questions is an emphatic yes.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

I know the ending is difficult to ignore, but I didn't think the game was without fault otherwise. There were plenty of decisions I disagreed with, but most of those become tolerable in comparison.

Agreed. Even without the last 10-20 minutes, there still the journal, the "Nosy Shep" sidequest system, the lazy N7 missions, the toy reapers on the galaxy map which added nothing but an opportunity to die in between 5 loading screens to finish fetch quests, etc. etc. It was a good game, but still didn't stack up to when I played ME1 for the first time. Too many little annoyances. With that said, the character interaction is all time high for this franchise and is what carries the game. The genophage stuff, Geth vs. Quarians, on-ship character chatter, etc. are all great.

And it's funny seeing people "buy in" to the indoctrination theory as if it's any good. Just because it seems to fit pieces together doesn't mean it actually FITS as an ending to this series in the slightest. That's like a twist for twist's sake. And fans having to build the theory themselves means, if it's even true, that's some baaaad execution on Bioware's part.

 

[Dany]

There hasn't been any indication that they will actually do anything. Most of things they have done are just PR reacting to a shit storm way bigger then what they were expecting.

If you want, you can read a little analysis of the PR response in this thread at BSN.

Basically, it appears they just trying to keep their fans "waiting for something" until it blows over. We will possible find out more at the PAX panel happening soon (in two weeks? I'm not sure of the date).

Oh, that will be awkward/uncomfortable.

 

[Dresden]

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety* are the two biggest problems with the game.

*which is tied to general encounter design, I suppose. Both are things that could be improved.

 

[Jarmel]

The ending was absolutely amazing. I applaud Walters for his artistic vision creating this contemporary masterpiece.

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety are the two biggest problems with the game.

I definitely agree on that. The side missions are pretty horrible. No sense of exploration or even depth.

 

[hateradio]

Oh, that will be awkward/uncomfortable.

They'll just let everyone who gave them an 100 ask questions.

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety are the two biggest problems with the game.

It was the most linear ME to date. D:

 

[Dresden]

The ending was absolutely amazing. I applaud Walters for his artistic vision creating this contemporary masterpiece.

typical anime fan

 

[hateradio]

typical anime fan

I'm an anime fan. >:|

Spoiler

Well, sometimes.

 

[Dany]

They'll just let everyone who gave them an 100 ask questions.

I think anyone who'd parse out an angry question 'in real life' about the ending, would sound like a maniac.

 

[Jarmel]

typical anime fan

It's amazing people aren't able to understand what a great masterpiece this is. I mean this was his Ender's Game.

 

[DTKT]

Hey! What are you talking aboot?

It wasnt linear at all, you could explore systems and scan planets. :|

 

[Rodney McKay]

And it's funny seeing people "buy in" to the indoctrination theory as if it's any good. Just because it seems to fit pieces together doesn't mean it actually FITS as an ending to this series in the slightest. That's like a twist for twist's sake. And fans having to build the theory themselves means, if it's even true, that's some baaaad execution on Bioware's part.

LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE.

Pretty sure they WANTED this to happen.
Just like the stupid top at the end of inception or the chess piece at the end of X-Men 3, they just want to give the hardest-core fans a nugget to drool over after the series has wrapped up.

OR Bioware wanted to give themselves an out in case everyone hated the endings and decide to make post-ending DLC ala Fallout 3.

 

[Jarmel]

Hey! What are you talking aboot?

It wasnt linear at all, you could explore systems and scan planets. :|

I mean it's astounding they simplified an already simplified system.

 

[rozay]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDWpd9nCKws listening to this made me upset about the ending all over again lol

 

[rdrr gnr]

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety are the two biggest problems with the game.

Since we are listing some of our other grievances: James Vegas was an absolute waste of squadmate and his dialogue was cringe-worthy; Cortez was another terribly written character; the Kaidan/Ashley dialogue is so very clearly written for Ashley (it added unwarranted homoerotic undertones to Shepard's interactions); anything titled "Citadel:" was destined to be a terrible mission; war asset mini-game and the "new" planet scanning; enemy variety; still needed fuel; loading screens made traversing the Citadel a chore; killing ME2 squadmates for an emotional reaction felt cheap as did the death of the child; running animations and all other animations; and I could list more if I thought about it really hard.

Edit: Oh, and Jessica Chobot.

.

Your username is God-tier, Meredith.

 

[SCHUEY F1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDWpd9nCKws listening to this made me upset about the ending all over again lol

Yep...

 

[Moaradin]

killing ME2 squadmates for an emotional reaction felt cheap

WTF. Those were the best moments in the series.

 

[Rodney McKay]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDWpd9nCKws listening to this made me upset about the ending all over again lol

So glad they cut this down in the main game.

It just goes on and on and on. "ISN'T IT SUPER DUPER SAD THAT WE'RE DYING?!?! Better list off all of our regrets before we go!"

Your username is God-tier, Meredith.

Why thank you. Even managed to snag it as my XBL username.

Boy, imagine if they had gone the Stargate route with Mass Effect 3's ending. D:
Catalyst was a time dilation device that gave us enough time to figure out how to ACTUALLY kill the Reapers!

 

[hateradio]

the Kaidan/Ashley dialogue is so very clearly written for Ashley (it added unwarranted homoerotic undertones to Shepard's interactions)

That's intentional. Their dialogues are different I believe, but I haven't seen both.

 

[rdrr gnr]

That's intentional. Their dialogues are different I believe, but I haven't seen both.

Even if you didn't do anything with him previously and made that clear? I wish I had the foresight to not invite him upon my ship -- what a boring mope.

 

[Dresden]

Only went through Mars with a Kaidan-still-alive save, the dialogue is different (and you have some choices missing in the chatter with Kaidan that you'd have with Ashley) but they're both pretty bland.

I guess Kaidan wins for not looking like a Bioware female, though.

 

[Bowdz]

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety* are the two biggest problems with the game.

*which is tied to general encounter design, I suppose. Both are things that could be improved.

I would say the animations are the most distracting aspect of the game outside of the ending. I honestly cringed the first time I looked up the femshep non-combat run (although it is not much worse than gorilla Sheploos run). I would have loved to see Uncharted quality animations in ME.

 

[hateradio]

The running animations are definitely a downgrade in this game. They're laughably awkward.

Even if you didn't do anything with him previously and made that clear? I wish I had the foresight to not invite him upon my ship -- what a boring mope.

I'm not sure, but you know how it is. If you're nice to any of the characters, they soon fall into your lap. They're loved starved. Just like the people who play the game. Or write them.

 

[inky]

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety* are the two biggest problems with the game.

Off the top of my head:

- Boring multiplayer maps re-purposed as regular missions...
- ... while more important (or at least interesting) locations are only mentioned in passing (elcor homeworld)
- Useless fetch quests
- Useless map navigation, scanning and fuel management mechanics
- Little to no care put into some important details, for example Tali's face resolution or Jacob's reaction to you if he was previously a love interest.
- Inexplicably lazy reuse of assets. Some main characters have a different appearance (best case, Jack with a new haircut + clothes) while other returning characters from ME2 don't change at all (worst case: Miranda with the same default outfit only sans Cerberus logo).
- Meanwhile a useless character like Chobot gets a model and dozens of lines of flat and boring dialogue, including sub plot about fucking Shepard to get the "exclusive" but done in secret in order to maintain her credibility (WTF! it's like the perfect allegory for vg journalism or something...)
- Looping dialogue from stationary characters that doesn't change/stop after you've heard it all

It might sound like nitpicking but I think it's really not, most of these are serious "WTF were they thinking, those lazy sobs" issues.

 

[Replicant]

SCortez was another terribly written character; the Kaidan/Ashley dialogue is so very clearly written for Ashley (it added unwarranted homoerotic undertones to Shepard's interactions);

I don't like Cortez but other people on BSN have argued that they love his dialogues and interactions with Shepard.

Kaidan's dialogues are quite different from Ashley. It has less anger in his confrontation with Shepard. When it comes to attraction to to male Shep, it was written as long-hidden crush (something that does not applicable to Ashley since she's a LI in ME1). It's absolutely warranted and makes sense given that even in ME2, some of his conversation with MaleShep had a somewhat sexually charged tone to it if your Shepard was single and unattached ("I thought we had something together").

Also BS, about being ninjamance by Kaidan. If you didn't bring him Whiskey, he wouldn't initiate the flirting in the hospital. Also, you don't have to go to his date if you don't want to and even if you do, you can actually reject him.

 

[Nert]

Outside of the ending, I think the lackluster (and the lack of) side missions along with the very limited enemy variety* are the two biggest problems with the game.

*which is tied to general encounter design, I suppose. Both are things that could be improved.

While it is unfortunate that you only really encounter three enemy groups (Reapers, Geth, Cerberus), I actually think that they are pretty varied from a gameplay perspective. Husks, Guardians, Banshees, Ravagers, Combat Engineers and Geth Rocket Troopers all made me approach encounters a little differently.

The lack of interesting side quests definitely stings. It would have been fun to see more Volus/Hanar/Elcor stuff, even if it wouldn't really fit in the main story sequences.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

LOTS OF SPECULATION FROM EVERYONE.

Pretty sure they WANTED this to happen.
Just like the stupid top at the end of inception or the chess piece at the end of X-Men 3, they just want to give the hardest-core fans a nugget to drool over after the series has wrapped up.

OR Bioware wanted to give themselves an out in case everyone hated the endings and decide to make post-ending DLC ala Fallout 3.

The Inception totem, and X-Men chess piece things were healthy discussion though. Concepts that were mentioned and brought into play throughout the respective movies so that when something happens at the end, no matter which side of the fence you sit on, it isn't out of nowhere. Shepard being indoctrinated, the Star Child, space magic, willpower vs. Reapers playing out INSIDE YOUR HEAD with Anderson personifying your Paragon side and TIM the Renegade, the Reapers tricking you, THE PLAYER, by messing with the Paragon/Renegade color choices, etc. etc. These are concepts executed in a way that I never saw happening with this series.

ME always seemed to be a pulpy, "soft sci-fi" action-adventure story. All of a sudden Shepard is indoctrinated without any glaring winks to the player to the point where the Catalyst becomes a holographic child as a visual stimulant to trigger guilt, and they're breaking the fourth wall by flipping the Paragon/Renegade colors? Nahhhhhhh, son.

 

[rdrr gnr]

Why thank you. Even managed to snag it as my XBL username.

Boy, imagine if they had gone the Stargate route with Mass Effect 3's ending. D:
Catalyst was a time dilation device that gave us enough time to figure out how to ACTUALLY kill the Reapers!

Haha! The Catalyst is actually the container for the ultimate truth. When released, all species stop believing in the power of the reapers and then they just hover away. The Catalyst actually instigates well-timed solar flares which interfere with the Mass Relays, sending the reapers millions of years into the future. So many options.

 

[Hero]

Nothing. They fucked up their own trilogy and that's it.

Yup, I actually DON'T want them to fix it through a patch or DLC (even if it's free). I want this shit to be a stain on the industry forever.

Well, they can always stick this on masseffect3.com or bioware.com. I'm sure that'll make them feel better.

I'm willing to bet they'll put ME3 on Steam to sell it. I bet they're kicking themselves now, since unlike Amazon, Steam doesn't do refunds so easily.

It's seeing all those perfect scores that make me wonder how many of those reviewers actually beat the game.

The scores are fine...the poor ending doesn't completely destroy the game to me, its just a big letdown.

Maybe for you it doesn't but when you tout a trilogy ahead of time and emphasize the importance of your choices and the consequences of your actions throughout three games and in the last 5 minutes just take a giant shit over everything you've done in a story-based game then it pisses a of people off.

 

[rdrr gnr]

Holy shit at that G4 excerpt. It's like the reviewer discovered a thesaurus and ran rampant with it.

What is so unique in this game is how the presence of its conclusion feels like the existential dread that infuses the characters that make up its universe. The paradox of the game becomes painfully prescient as it draws inexorably towards its conclusion.

THIS MEANS NOTHING.

 

[Pachinko]

I actually really enjoyed that ending. Failing to see what the negative fuss is about, did people not want shepard to end up dead ? Were they not happy with the amount of closure ? I mean.. I'm not sure, maybe I'd be more disappointed had I not chosen the 3rd option ? Ending all synthetic life would lead to shepards death, the reapers death, edi's death, the geths death and so on. Controlling them , well who knows, I guess that might have been interesting to watch.

Or does the dissapointment stem from the ending I actually got where synthetic and natural life is combined and the normandy crash lands somewhere after getting hit with the pulse ? I'm not sure what people are actually pissed off about here.

 

[Omega]

That's why I hate the Indoctrination Theory it give Bioware too much fucking credit. They fucked up, they tried to get too clever, and it blew up in their face. I hate that some people seem to be trying their hardest to give Bioware a way out. A way where they can just say "Yeah. That's it. We planned that all along."

I believe in the indoctrination theory because I get some closure I guess..

At least it's better than the shit they gave us. Everything we've been told is a lie and nothing matters.

Believing in indoctrination actually makes the first two games matter. Then I just assume with Shepard (the last hope of organics) becoming indoctrinated, the Reapers win. Doesn't explain why the Normandy whose supposed to have your back is fleeing, but neither does the default ending so I just try to pretend that scene doesn't exist.

 

[rozay]

I never saw this posted here, but for anyone who obtained the CE soundtrack without tags, there's actual coverart from bioware:

Just in case there was someone here without it

 

[Jarmel]

I never saw this posted here, but for anyone who obtained the CE soundtrack without tags, there's actual coverart from bioware:


Just in case there was someone here without it

That is the best coverart I think I've ever seen for anything.

 

[Bruiserk]

I actually really enjoyed that ending. Failing to see what the negative fuss is about, did people not want shepard to end up dead ? Were they not happy with the amount of closure ? I mean.. I'm not sure, maybe I'd be more disappointed had I not chosen the 3rd option ? Ending all synthetic life would lead to shepards death, the reapers death, edi's death, the geths death and so on. Controlling them , well who knows, I guess that might have been interesting to watch.

Or does the dissapointment stem from the ending I actually got where synthetic and natural life is combined and the normandy crash lands somewhere after getting hit with the pulse ? I'm not sure what people are actually pissed off about here.

Notice how you used the word ending in its singular form? That's why. Your choices throughout all three games didn't factor in. Hell, you could go full Paragon throughout the entire series then end up choosing the Renegade ending at the last second.

Of course there are other things, why don't you check out the videos in the OP?

 

[Jarmel]

Notice how you used the word ending in its singular form? That's why. Your choices throughout all three games didn't factor in. Hell, you could go full Paragon throughout the entire series then end up choosing the Renegade ending at the last second.

There is no Renegade in the ending. That's the beautiful thing about it.

 

[Sober]

Notice how you used the word ending in its singular form? That's why. Your choices throughout all three games didn't factor in. Hell, you could go full Paragon throughout the entire series then end up choosing the Renegade ending at the last second.

Of course there are other things, why don't you check out the videos in the OP?

Someone needs to link him the YT video with all 8 endings running at the same time.

 

[Rodney McKay]

The Inception totem, and X-Men chess piece things were healthy discussion though. Concepts that were mentioned and brought into play throughout the respective movies so that when something happens at the end, no matter which side of the fence you sit on, it isn't out of nowhere. Shepard being indoctrinated, the Star Child, space magic, willpower vs. Reapers playing out INSIDE YOUR HEAD with Anderson personifying your Paragon side and TIM the Renegade, the Reapers tricking you, THE PLAYER, by messing with the Paragon/Renegade color choices, etc. etc. These are concepts executed in a way that I never saw happening with this series.

ME always seemed to be a pulpy, "soft sci-fi" action-adventure story. All of a sudden Shepard is indoctrinated without any glaring winks to the player to the point where the Catalyst becomes a holographic child as a visual stimulant to trigger guilt, and they're breaking the fourth wall by flipping the Paragon/Renegade colors? Nahhhhhhh, son.

Yeeeeeeah, booooooyeeeee!

Watching that 21 minute indoctrination video makes me choose to believe in it because it's actually somewhat satisfying. Better it was all in his head than it actually happened, right? RIGHT!?!? ;_;

 

[Lancehead]

If BioWare had planned that indoctrination theory all along, they'd have made some patronising comments like they did with DA2, that we don't understand.

 

[Bruiserk]

There is no Renegade in the ending. That's the beautiful thing about it.

Right, I meant Renegade ending as the red explosion.

 

[Omega]

I actually really enjoyed that ending. Failing to see what the negative fuss is about, did people not want shepard to end up dead ? Were they not happy with the amount of closure ? I mean.. I'm not sure, maybe I'd be more disappointed had I not chosen the 3rd option ? Ending all synthetic life would lead to shepards death, the reapers death, edi's death, the geths death and so on. Controlling them , well who knows, I guess that might have been interesting to watch.

Or does the dissapointment stem from the ending I actually got where synthetic and natural life is combined and the normandy crash lands somewhere after getting hit with the pulse ? I'm not sure what people are actually pissed off about here.

Closure? What closure?

The problem with the ending is again, nothing we did in the first two games matters. Everything we've been told is a lie. The Reapers were supposed to be badasses but they're just toys.

Oh, and as Bruiserk brought up. There's only one ending. The false illusion of choices makes you think there's more than one, but the only thing different is the color of space magic. For 5 years all you heard was " your choices matter" and before ME3, they kept saying "every decision you make will be huge and have consequences"

Then in the conclusion of the story, you aren't given a choice. What makes it worse is the condescending, elitist excuse Mac Walters/Casey Hudson gave.

 

[Jarmel]

Right, I meant Renegade ending as the red explosion.

Since there's no Paragon or Renegade, people can choose what they think is best instead of being tied to some arbitrary system.

Closure? What closure?

The problem with the ending is again, nothing we did in the first two games matters. Everything we've been told is a lie. The Reapers were supposed to be badasses but they're just toys.

Oh, and as Bruiserk brought up. There's only one ending. The false illusion of choices makes you think there's more than one, but the only thing different is the color of space magic. For 5 years all you heard was " your choices matter" and before ME3, they kept saying "every decision you make will be huge and have consequences"

Then in the conclusion of the story, you aren't given a choice. What makes it worse is the condescending, elitist excuse Mac Walters/Casey Hudson gave.

I thought the ending was pretty closed. They wrapped up most of the remaining plot threads.

 

[rdrr gnr]

Right, I meant Renegade ending as the red explosion.

Just alter your TV's hue setting and you can get whatever ending you want. No transferring of saves necessary!

 

[wsoxfan1214]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDWpd9nCKws listening to this made me upset about the ending all over again lol

I didn't realize how good at VOs she is. Might have to play through as femshep.

Don't get why they'd cut this. Great moment.

 

[Net_Wrecker]

Yeeeeeeah, booooooyeeeee!

Watching that 21 minute indoctrination video makes me choose to believe in it because it's actually somewhat satisfying. Better it was all in his head than it actually happened, right? RIGHT!?!? ;_;

Okay, fine. If this is truly a Support Group, you can go ahead and deal with your ailments how you choose to. If you think Shepard vs. Da Reapahs inside his head, as his willpower goes up against his synthetic demons, and a star child monologues your face off is "satisfying"......well, that's fine by me. We're all here to help each other get through this.

 

[Zeliard]

I love Keith David. He's long been a wonderful voice actor, and a great screen presence as well.

 

[Dresden]

I'm coping by buying JRPGs.