Blue Rose of Illium

[Char-Nobyl]

Read that comic again. This time, connect eyes to brain.

Also..

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9476-Mass-Effect-3-The-Process

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9611-Wise-Counsel

Ah, I got it. Now I understand that even while being immensely disappointed with the endings, Carter still somehow found reason to call supporters of Retake ME entitled, crybaby wusses.

And in a way? That seems a lot worse.

The rest can basically be said to come down to "Waaaaaah! In the absence of any concrete information I filled in a bunch of stuff which was really sad and now I'm really depressed because it's ruined the series for me!"

Dude.. I am sympathetic.

When you're doing exactly the same thing that Carter was (ie, performing a mocking rendition of what you think the other side is doing), it really doesn't ring of sincerity.

I agree that the endings sucked and left a really bad taste in the mouth, but your argument here is exactly why everyone takes the piss out of Retake Mass Effect. Especially when you say things like.

But then there's that same problem: none of it matters. ME3's ending took my ability to care.

Sorry, but writing a side of A4 on a completely unrelated thread 3 months down the line, after the person responsible specifically took the time to deal with the ending just so this thread wouldn't turn into yet another episode of group therapy for you people. What about that is meant to illustrate that you no longer care?

*sigh*

You're failing to distinguish between failing to care about the events of the story and failing to care that the ending took away the aforementioned ability to care about the story. I really like Mass Effect. I doubt I'll play any of the existing games again, even though I enjoyed the living hell out of them. I'm pissed because I know exactly why I won't be doing that.

If you don't care, then move on and let those of us who still care enjoy an awesome webcomic without having to hear about how sad you are about stuff you made up.

I have literally no idea what you mean by "stuff made up."

And for the record, Charr always dies. He always dies in the tunnels fighting Ravagers.

Erm...yeah. I know. You find his corpse. You never find him alive, and you never have any opportunity to stage events so that he might live. When I said "Even if he survived," I was speaking hypothetically.

There is no possibility for him to even survive to the end of the game. There doesn't always have to be the possibility for a happy ending for a story to be meaningful.

lulz. I love this argument, and it's been a while since I saw it broken out.

One of my favorite films of all time is Saving Private Ryan, and that ended with all but three of the main characters dead. My favorite film of all time is Casablanca, and that ended with the hero actively giving up his chance at the girl and knowing that the quiet life of seclusion he'd built was ruined. I know that meaningful endings don't have to be happy. Don't pretend that that's the issue here.

If you'd bothered to read what I'd written instead of skimming enough to come up with a mocking rendition of it, you'd remember this bit:

Because no matter how I finished the game, it didn't matter if Charr survived the battle, or even if Ereba somehow survived the Reapers taking over the Citadel. No matter which choice I made, they will never see each other again. I blew up the mass relays, and I blew up the Citadel. If I didn't blow up Ereba, I made damn sure that her true love will never be able to each her before they're both dead and buried.

Get my point yet? The most pointlessly tragic ending possible is a foregone conclusion. Probably a few hours after the end of this strip, Ereba gets the privilege of being butchered and turned into scenery for the dramatic conclusion. Charr's death would've had meaning if things worked out in the end. Not perfectly, of course, because billions of sentient beings died to bring the end of the war. The fact that he was one of them was tragic...but it became pointlessly tragic when he died so that Shepard could all but annihilate the galaxy as we know it.

This guy puts it well [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs#t=32m46s]. I've linked it at the point to watch, so just watch a minute or two of it. And if you want to, watch the whole thing. It's kinda awesome, if rather long.

 

[Trekkie]

Very nicely done lads.

 

[XMark]

Too bad Charr's Asari wife probably died when the reapers took the citadel.

 

[4173]

Very well done.

When I first came across the events in game I was really angry (probably owing in part to my problems with the rest of the game). Maybe not completely, but this comic goes a long way to redeeming the moment(s) in my eyes.

 

[Max_imus]

That was just one of many beautiful little moments in the game that made me feel like I'd been making a difference in that universe.

Very well done, guys!

 

[Byrn Stuff]

I loved this, and I'd love you take more of those "five and six sentence" allusions and delve into them. Keep producing excellent work, guys.

 

[cacman83]

You owe me a new keyboard this one's all wet.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Too bad Charr's Asari wife probably died when the reapers took the citadel.

Why you gotta be that way?

OT: Good stuff guys, hope you'll be putting out more of this stuff.

 

[Terminal Blue]

Ah, I got it.

No, you didn't.

The joke which you're not getting is based on comic irony. It establishes a preposition and then reveals it to be false, deriving comic effect from the breaking of expectation between what the viewer initially perceived and reality.

In this case, the comic opens with the aforementioned accusation, which is then revealed to be part of a cynical (and fictional) marketing campaign to sell T-shirts. It's a satire on how a collective outpouring of emotion, like RME, can be exploited for financial gain.

Seriously, there is nothing worse than explaining a joke, and this joke should not require me to explain it.

You're failing to distinguish between failing to care about the events of the story and failing to care that the ending took away the aforementioned ability to care about the story. I really like Mass Effect. I doubt I'll play any of the existing games again, even though I enjoyed the living hell out of them. I'm pissed because I know exactly why I won't be doing that.

Alright, so maybe you're still really hurt. But that's not an excuse, is it?

I can understand all the rant threads. But dude.. this is 3 months down the line, it's totally unrelated, the guy even specifically addressed your position within the piece itself. Do you still have to throw this shit at people when it's not related? Are you that self absorbed that it honestly makes you feel better?

One more time, since you clearly have trouble believing this. I did not like the ending. What happened is that I got over it. I found that I didn't have to writhe around on the floor three months down the line still screaming at everyone who dares to bring up mass effect. I found that I could put my feelings about the ending to one side and appreciate the fun which I had had without abrogating either experience.

And thus, when Grey here goes to the trouble to co-produce a really excellent piece of art and distribute it free for my entertainment, I find I have the basic decency to do as is specifically requested and leave my issues with the ending at the door long enough to appreciate it. That it not too much to ask.

It is not about being for or against your "side", whatever the fuck your "side" is even complaining about now. It's about behaving like a fucking adult. Even on the internet, that is not impossible.

I have literally no idea what you mean by "stuff made up."

Well, let me explain.

Because no matter how I finished the game, it didn't matter if Charr survived the battle, or even if Ereba somehow survived the Reapers taking over the Citadel. No matter which choice I made, they will never see each other again. I blew up the mass relays, and I blew up the Citadel. If I didn't blow up Ereba, I made damn sure that her true love will never be able to each her before they're both dead and buried.

This is making stuff up.

See, what's actually bad about the ending is that it tells us almost nothing. It doesn't explain whether the galaxy adapts to the loss of all the reaper tech. It doesn't explain the fate of the population, or indeed any individual characters within the population.

But no, that simple ignorance can't possibly do justice to quite how awful this whole experience is for you people, so instead you simply insert your own version of events based on imagination.

However, what you have conveniently forgotten is that you are not a writer. Your youtube buddies are not writers. The actual writers employed by Bioware could systematically wipe out every little theory and piece of speculation you have about the setting by simply saying that something different happens. They may well do so in about a weeks time.

That wouldn't mean you have to accept it. It may be that suspension of disbelief has been permanently ruined for you, and fair enough. But the point is that noone is obligated to care about what you think, no theory you produce or idea you come up with has any bearing whatsoever on Mass Effect, and it never will.

This is why your argument has not been taken seriously (beyond your utter failure to realize what is and isn't an appropriate forum for your bitching) because it's not a real argument. A real argument would be to point out that the ending is inadequate because it is not conclusive, because it doesn't provide any detail, because it is full of plot holes. But that wouldn't be enough for you, so you have to insert events which weren't even mentioned in the ending and then you honestly expect anyone to take you seriously when you've clearly based your opinion on things you have imagined.

But I'm aware I'm feeding the trolls here and probably making it worse, so unless the response is mindblowing I suspect this will be my last word on the subject. Maybe give it some thought though, you might earn more sympathy.

 

[bluerocker]

*Falls over*

Right in the emotions!

 

[Ed130 The Vanguard]

The comic was beautiful and honestly touching. And yes, I wholly agree with your thoughts on the game, especially on how irritating it is when people declare the game an abysmal failure because of the last five minutes. Yes, the ending sucked. No, that does not mean the rest of the game is not among the greatest ever made.

Unfortunately it's the ending people will remember, not the small touches like this.

It's sad how a slip up (admittedly a pretty big one) can end a amazing series on a brown note and invalidate much of the story and its impact.

 

[Warachia]

Blue Rose of Illium

The writer of Critical Miss brings you an unofficial tale from the Mass Effect universe.

Read Full Article

*sigh*

Well, someone has to be the Devil's Advocate.

Let's start off by saying this: After this insulting display [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/comics/critical-miss/9541-Mass-Effect-3-Retake-This], I'm astonished that Carter thinks that he can bring up ME3's ending as though he's been in the 'disappointed' camp the whole time. Remember the exact quote he gave? Let me refresh your memory:

If you support Retake Mass Effect, you are an entitled, crybaby wuss.

There isn't much room for subtlety there. Sure, plenty of the responses to the ending were...inarticulate, to put it mildly. That's the same with any outrage over something. But after such amazing pieces like the Tasteful, Understated Nerdrage [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MlatxLP-xs&noredirect=1] on why the conclusion of ME3 was an outright betrayal of the fanbase...nope. Those don't deserve things like 'dignified responses.' They get a chibi drawing of a weeping gamer with "Entitled, crybaby wuss" in block capitals printed over it. I'm not sure if I'm more insulted by the comic itself, or the fact that you're so plainly ignoring it when making statements like this.

It might be beating a dead horse, but I fucking wanted to be moved by this comic. If I hadn't finished ME3 and somehow been stopped during the battle on Earth, it would've brought me to tears. But do you know why it didn't? Because no matter how I finished the game, it didn't matter if Charr survived the battle, or even if Ereba somehow survived the Reapers taking over the Citadel. No matter which choice I made, they will never see each other again. I blew up the mass relays, and I blew up the Citadel. If I didn't blow up Ereba, I made damn sure that her true love will never be able to each her before they're both dead and buried.

And credit where it's due: you have a point about the emails, Carter. Stuff like the other survivor from Jack's facility (kills dozens of Husks with biotics alone before being ripped apart, allowing civilians to evacuate) and Kal'Reegar (basically the same thing, but with information instead of civies) was tragic to hear about, and understandable that I couldn't be there to witness each and every death. It's a huge galaxy, and I can't be everywhere at once.

But then there's that same problem: none of it matters. ME3's ending took my ability to care. I finished the game once and then played multiplayer. Didn't touch the singleplayer again. It wasn't out of spite, either, and it was unheard of before now for me to play a Mass Effect game only once. The way ME2 brought so many of your decisions and interactions with your squad into play during the finale was amazing, and it was everything that ME3 isn't. I loved the series, and I was actually shocked to realize that after seeing the finale play out, I didn't care about it anymore. There was no point to care. I spent three games laying the groundwork for what I thought would be one of the most amazing battles in gaming history, and then with mere minutes to go, it all vanished, replaced by a set of railroad tracks that set me through one of the worst endings I've ever seen in a good game.

Not 'worst endings ever,' mind you. A terrible ending is easy to make. An ending so terrible to a series so amazing that it robs me of my investment in that universe? That's so much worse.

Okay, I have just one question, WHY DID YOU WRITE ANY OF THIS? This isn't even remotely related to the ending (the commic, if you want to talk about his comment say so and he never tried to join the supporters to retake mass effect), this is incredibly late as well, why even bother trying to dig up stuff on the guy as opposed to stuff he puts out now, unless they are connected, which these aren't.

Even more confusing, you are not the devils advocate, you are not defending something everyone else is demonizing, you are crying about events that have no relation to this one, and finally, if you don't care, then what is the point of writing a comment saying that you don't care? If you don't care, why would you read this in the first place? Just make another thread if you want to ***** about how you hated the endings, or join one of the 20 that died because people realized it was stupid to rag on for so long about something that everybody already stated their opinion on, DON'T bring this ending crap somewhere completely unrelated.

 

[PoloniumFist]

This is the perfect medium to encapsulate his story and his memory, I must say. Very good work.

 

[praetor_alpha]

though I hate to be a Color Nazi, Grey, but Green is not a primary color.

I'm not sure if you're trying to be facetious or a troll or just incorrect, but green is an additive primary color.

 

[digital warrior]

That was Sweet, real shame in the game that girl is on the citadel and was turned into grey paste at the end of the game.

 

[Jamous]

Wow, I was really quite impressed by that. More please?

 

[RJ 17]

though I hate to be a Color Nazi, Grey, but Green is not a primary color.

I'm not sure if you're trying to be facetious or a troll or just incorrect, but green is an additive primary color.

Then it's not a primary color now is it?

Primary Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow.

Blue + Yellow = Green, I''m guessing that's why you're calling it an "additive" primary color.

However, an "additive" primary color is not a "primary" color. Primary colors are primary because there's no colors you can mix to get them.

I'm amazed that you actually wanted to argue about this.

 

[The Wooster]

though I hate to be a Color Nazi, Grey, but Green is not a primary color.

I'm not sure if you're trying to be facetious or a troll or just incorrect, but green is an additive primary color.

Then it's not a primary color now is it?

Primary Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow.

Blue + Yellow = Green, I''m guessing that's why you're calling it an "additive" primary color.

However, an "additive" primary color is not a "primary" color. Primary colors are primary because there's no colors you can mix to get them.

I'm amazed that you actually wanted to argue about this.

He's right actually. Green is a primary color in the <URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_color>additive colour system..

 

[Fightgarr]

I am fully in support of more projects like this. Whatever gives Henry Huang some more stuff here is okay by me. His style is well suited to projects like these.

EDIT: Just to throw my 2 cents into the additive colour system thing.

Additive colour primaries: RGB.

Actually: red and blue aren't even subtractive primaries. There's a reason we use Cyan, Magenta, Yellow: they are the actual pigment primaries.

 

[praetor_alpha]

Then it's not a primary color now is it?

Primary Colors: Red, Blue, Yellow.

Blue + Yellow = Green, I''m guessing that's why you're calling it an "additive" primary color.

However, an "additive" primary color is not a "primary" color. Primary colors are primary because there's no colors you can mix to get them.

I'm amazed that you actually wanted to argue about this.

You're thinking of subtractive primary colors [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RYB_color_model]. Those are used when you're using pigments or dyes to darken (i.e. subtract light from) a white surface.

Additive primaries are used to light up (i.e. add light to) darkness. Put binoculars or a magnifying glass up to an LCD; you will see red, green, and blue elements. (like this) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fileell_axim_LCD_under_microscope.jpg]

It struck me as add too, the art teacher saying red, yellow, and blue were the primaries, but everything else said red, green, and blue. Then I realized it was adding paint together (subractive) vs. adding light together (additive).