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The backlash may be enough for them to try some 'special DLC ending!' crap, but I won't buy. I mentioned earlier that I think this is the last Bioware game I'm buying, and the crazy DLC abuse is a big part of it. The gently caress that I pay 70 bucks for a goddamn video game and then have to shell out more for things that they keep chopping out of it? Not too keen on that. The ludicrously unsatisfying endings that amount to a color change in an explosion cutscene are definitely another factor. It's almost baffling how they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:07 |
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| # ? May 25, 2013 00:01 |
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Bongo Bill posted:Did you play the same game as I did? There were an awful lot of different ways things can turn out. Specifically, you've got: is Wrex or Wreav in charge of the Krogans? Is Eve alive? Is the genophage cured? Did the Geth get wiped out? How about the Quarians? Or the dozen characters who can die along the way? Also the fact that at the end of this trilogy you're forced to suddenly accept a proposition with no meaningful prior buildup, and give one of three answers that by their very nature render many of those major choices utterly moot by radically changing the status quo. Why does it matter now if the genophage was cured or not or who was in charge of the krogan if galactic travel is crippled? Oh boy I picked the Council (the group that Runs The Galaxy) at the end of Mass Effect 1. Oh wait, the "galaxy" as a culture no longer exists as we know it, and in 2/3 of the endings the Citadel is falling apart and exploding. Quarians, geth? Who cares? Rannoch is on the other side of the Milky Way now, and in 2/3 of the endings the geth are either destroyed or there's no difference between them anyway since everyone's part synthetic now which causes peace for some reason. All my squadmates' hopes and aspirations ended with their getting stuck on Gilligan's Isle. It'd be like a Fallout game only giving you the option to either nuke the world or force everyone back into Vaults and thus making all those choices meaningless except for Karma or loot. (or something stupid like poisoning a river for no reason but that's a bit too crazy to even consider) Note that I don't think a DLC ending would be any more than putting an insulting bandaid on a bullet wound, and asking for one is pointless. Also on the subject of The Mass Effect Animes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQvPFNjxxU0
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:07 |
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I don't think anyone's trying to win. Everyone's just bashing opinions against one another.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:07 |
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Psyker posted:This thread. The 50,000 post cycle continues.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:07 |
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ImpAtom posted:This isn't really true, unless you are arguing no game is reactive. ME3 has a lot of relatively unimportant callbacks but it has a lot of fairly significant ones as well. There are limited possible outcomes but that is going to be the same for any game. Sorry, I was trying to speak of the Mass Effect series specifically not all games. Still, the overall narrative cannot really deviate if you're trying to make a highly scripted "cinematic" game in a timely matter.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:08 |
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I would go so far as to say the less reactive a game is the less of a game it is.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:08 |
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QUEEN CAUCUS posted:It's almost baffling how they managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory here. After Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and Mass Effect it's going to take a hell of a lot more than 10 minutes to erase 16 years of incredible gameplay experience. At least for me anyway. It makes me sad that people would really never buy incredibly well-made games again because of this.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:09 |
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I forget who it was, but I recall some plea by someone in the industry about how game writing needs to be tailored for an interactive medium, and not just movie, TV, and literary authors getting paid to write "a story for a game."
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:10 |
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Slim Killington posted:After Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and Mass Effect it's going to take a hell of a lot more than 10 minutes to erase 16 years of incredible gameplay experience. At least for me anyway. It makes me sad that people would really never buy incredibly well-made games again because of this. Oh, well if we're including them we can also include the
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:11 |
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Problem with that is they would need to pay a lot differently for that to happen, when it's always going to be cheaper in the long run to just contract a script. If I can sell a screenplay to a producer for $20k versus having to participate in a "development team" with poo poo hours and poo poo pay, I'm going to sell the script and move on to another job. I've worked on sets that have purchased the scripts I've penned as a consultant and it's a nightmare, I usually just want to be as far away from the thing as humanly possible unless I have executive control (which you never do, if you sell a script). There's no way anyone could pay me enough to become a team writer for a project that lasted as long as a game dev cycle.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:14 |
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Merry Magpie posted:Sorry, I was trying to speak of the Mass Effect series specifically not all games. Still, the overall narrative cannot really deviate if you're trying to make a highly scripted "cinematic" game in a timely matter. I'm talking about pretty much every game ever though. I mean, Alpha Protocol is generally held up as a big example of reactive gameplay, but it follows a pretty basic framework. You can pick the places you go and alter the details there but it ends up very largely the same no matter what you do. As I said earlier, the devil is in the details. The overall narrative (Thorton joins Alpha Protocol, is betrayed, goes to (x) places, encounters (y) people, gets captured, interviewed, ect) is pretty much the same. There's certainly more reactivity in AP, especially if looked at as a single game to each single ME game, but there is still a fair amount of reactivity in ME as a whole, especially once you get to 3. A lot of it is relatively minor but relatively minor can still be meaningful if done well. Dr. Conrad is quite literally the most unimportant thing imaginable but it sure as hell is memorable to players as a direct result of stuff they did.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:15 |
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CrushedB posted:Also on the subject of The Mass Effect Animes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQvPFNjxxU0 That video was entirely worth it for the screencap of Kaidan propping up Ashley's corpse.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:16 |
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computer parts posted:Oh, well if we're including them we can also include the Jade Empire was also a super lovely game all around. Not Dragon Age 2 levels sure, but still bad.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:16 |
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CrushedB posted:Also on the subject of The Mass Effect Animes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQvPFNjxxU0 oh, wow I just noticed it was made way before people knew the ending was so bad also.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:16 |
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Merry Magpie posted:That video was entirely worth it for the screencap of Kaidan propping up Ashley's corpse. Where was Kelly and Indian Kelly?
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:17 |
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The worst part was the epilogue. If everyone had just died and gone to poo poo I could at least pretend that Dead Space was set in the same universe but hundreds of thousands of years later and the Necromorphs were leftover reapers or something.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:17 |
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Edge Zero posted:The worst part was the epilogue. If everyone had just died and gone to poo poo I could at least pretend that Dead Space was set in the same universe but hundreds of thousands of years later and the Necromorphs were leftover reapers or something. The "everything you did was just a story being told by an old man" thing is a huge slap in the face.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:19 |
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CaptainCarrot posted:As has been mentioned here before, Shepard gets put in a stasis pod. 50,000 years later: Goddamnit, I want that dialogue implemented.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:19 |
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Javik was the previous cycle's version of Space Racist Shepard.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:20 |
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ImpAtom posted:I'm talking about pretty much every game ever though. You raise a good point about Alpha Protocol. I think Mass Effect has made me jaded about Bioware. When all too often the only reaction from a given choice is an email, it begins to color one's perception of the series. Once in a while though, they'll come up with something like betraying Wrex in 3. I still feel like a bastard, but I really didn't want Mordin to die.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:20 |
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Slim Killington posted:After Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire, Neverwinter Nights, and Mass Effect it's going to take a hell of a lot more than 10 minutes to erase 16 years of incredible gameplay experience. At least for me anyway. It makes me sad that people would really never buy incredibly well-made games again because of this. I have personally only played the Mass Effect and Dragon Age lines. Dragon Age 2 was such a steaming turd of a game I regretted my boyfriend wasting his money on it as a birthday present. But I thought 'Naaah, not Mass Effect. They've got a whole different team on that puppy. It's their baby.' And you know something, I did and do enjoy Mass Effect 3. It was fun. I enjoy the gameplay and the characters and the story. Some things made me roll my eyes. EDI in a robot body complete with mechanical cameltoe? Ugh. Whatever. But to have something as important as the penultimate ending to a near decade-long game franchise be so amazingly hosed up, that just leaves a sour and unsatisfied taste in my mouth. Add that to the dlc crap and other factors, and I just don't have as much faith in Bioware as I used to. And that's a shame. Here is some fan art I did of the ME2 gang. Spilling drinks and gettin' loud with Jacob and the gang. Good times. 
QUEEN CAUCUS fucked around with this message at Mar 12, 2012 around 05:24 |
| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:21 |
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TheJoker138 posted:The "everything you did was just a story being told by an old man" thing is a huge slap in the face.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:21 |
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TheJoker138 posted:That anime ending keeps getting posted because it's funny, not because people actually want it to be like that, so you're being obtuse here, intentionally or otherwise. Hey now.. I totally want the ending to be like that.  Though I'm not picky I would take any one of the other better endings proposed by anyone. I just find it funny that the simple mention of anything anime drives this guy into a fury. I mean I don't like Sex in the City so clearly I hate every western tv show ever. And for the record I will keep bringing up Gurren Lagann because it is the same drat plot exactly as Mass Effect and whether you like it not doesn't matter. If you find it lovely then fine a lovely anime with galaxy sized robots throwing big bangs at each other had a better understanding of the plot. If you like then rock on it's loving bad rear end and you understand why Shepard should do the impossible. Right down to the old man scene at the end. Only in Gurren Lagann it made sense because it was the main character telling a young kid to never give up on reaching for the stars because that's what happy endings are about.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:21 |
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TheJoker138 posted:The "everything you did was just a story being told by an old man" thing is a huge slap in the face. Some of the details of the story were lost over the years. I wonder what those details were, considering that Buzz goes into excessive detail about everything Shepherd does. That kid will have extensive knowledge of old prefab buildings.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:21 |
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TheJoker138 posted:The "everything you did was just a story being told by an old man" thing is a huge slap in the face. I'm assuming the only reason this scene exists is so BioWare don't have to try and explain any of the blatant plot holes. Plus, it worked so successfully in Dragon Age 2!
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:21 |
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Finally finished Mass Effect 3. I enjoyed it immensely until the final ten minutes. And from scanning over the thread that seems to be a popular sentiment. 
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:23 |
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QUEEN CAUCUS posted:I have personally only played the Mass Effect and Dragon Age lines. Dragon Age 2 was such a steaming turd of a game I regretted my boyfriend wasting his money on it as a birthday present. But I thought 'Naaah, not Mass Effect. They've got a whole different team on that puppy. It's their baby.' I can see why you'd feel that way then. There's a reason I didn't include Dragon Age. That series just doesn't exist to me.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:23 |
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TheJoker138 posted:Jade Empire was also a super lovely game all around. Not Dragon Age 2 levels sure, but still bad. Hey, lets be fair here. They were both awful games produced by Mike Laidlaw.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:23 |
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I liked Jade Empire
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:25 |
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QUEEN CAUCUS posted:You have truly captured the essence of Miranda's character. I applaud your efforts. Edit: I just noticed that Thane was stealing beer from Tali's beer helmet. Any inspiration for that or just for the cute factor?
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:25 |
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I feel obligated to dig out the picture I drew of Tali as an antelope. What ever happened to the OP full of original art? I miss that.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:27 |
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ImpAtom posted:I'm talking about pretty much every game ever though. Dr. Conrad is Conrad Verner, right? The guy who ignores your actions in the first game due to a never patched bug? Not a great example.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:27 |
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Merry Magpie posted:You have truly captured the essence of Miranda's character. I applaud your efforts. She's got her assets down pretty well here for sure. Also my favorite part of the picture, although Jack eating nachos while being very angry about it is also great. And of course Mordin would have a vuvuzela. It also predicted Tali drinking through str...emergency intake valves.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:27 |
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Just remember you'll
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:28 |
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FRAZZLED JOHNSON posted:Dr. Conrad is Conrad Verner, right? The guy who ignores your actions in the first game due to a never patched bug? Not a great example. Fair enough, I was grabbing one off the top of my head and forgot about that.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:28 |
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Amateur Saboteur posted:Just remember you'll I see you and raise.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:30 |
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Amateur Saboteur posted:Just remember you'll Why was this not in the credit roll!
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:31 |
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Wait, I'm watching the other endings on YouTube and thinking about it and...let me get something straight: The post-credits scene where the grandpa is telling his grandson the story of how Shepard saved humanity...is that implying that the whole thing was a fairy tale, or was it simply a future life cycle and the story had become a legend among all of humanity? Because when I beat the game last night, I could have sworn the latter was true. But now, I don't know... If it's actually the former, that's incredibly loving dumb.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:32 |
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TheJoker138 posted:I see you and raise.
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:33 |
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| # ? May 25, 2013 00:01 |
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I felt really let down by how the Illusive Man was treated by the end of the game. You sort of have the notion that he's indoctrinated or whatnot, but seems completely in control the entire time. From the last time you see him in hologram form to when you're on the Citadel at the end, he completely becomes unraveled and undergoes a total transformation to mental instability. Is it because he is finally close to reaching his perceived dream? How'd he get so jacked up by that point? I presume he's already on the Citadel when the Reapers take it. Did the Reapers even really need him to tell them that the Citadel was part of the crucible since they're being controlled by the Citadel itself? How much control does the Catalyst have over the Reapers anyway? Seems like there's a pretty lengthy train of mind control. Catalyst > Reapers > Collectors
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| # ? Mar 12, 2012 05:34 |
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