Mass Effect 3 Fans Will Find Closure June 26th

[EXos]

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All those things you mention are just issues (or, in several cases, outright problems) that are prevalent in the entire gaming business right now, but have little to do with storytelling. My point was that Bioware's response should've just been "This is the way we decided to end the Mass Effect story. While we understand that, to many, it was controversial and/or disappointing, we stand by our team and believe in what they put forth." You do that, you let the chips fall where they may, and you retain a little self-respect -- maybe even earn some respect from those of us who liked the ending.

The way they've gone about it, they just come off as little boys trying to impress some fickle teenage girl who can never really be pleased.

That's one way of looking at it.

The other way is that they should be grateful that this media allows them to safe face.

If an painter suddenly changes his technique and dismisses any critique without further thought than he will lose admirers. Sure he will gain some but most likely he will lose more.

Same with the relaunch of the Jagged Alliance franchise. The developers turned their back on the fans and they've suffered greatly by not listening to them.

As for me personally; I think Bioware screwed the pooch so hard the poor animal is more asshole than dog ATM.
The ending is so badly written and out of character.
Allow me to spin some things that I think fans would have liked a bit more:

The little holo-child being more of an asshole offering only 1 option: Resetting, controlling the reapers and suck them back into dark space through giant wormhole by detonating the crucible and sucking the other reapers through the mass relays. This will destroy the relay system and destroying the earth too.

That releases sheppard to walk around the crucible and think up more options:

1. Communicating with the elusive man (still on the citadel and still alive he's a tough bastard but now free of the indoc he realizes his mistakes (Anderson dead)) about linking the energy surge through the eezo core of the normandy (Normandy linking up like Sovereign did in ME1) controlling the energy surge into the citadel preventing the destruction of the relays. Though this still destroys the earth, the normandy and most of the fleets.

2. Same start as nr.1 but in this one EDI uploads herself to the crucible and controls the reapers (using all the computers and stuff on the citadel and crucible amplifying her strength) And activating the supper relay sending them back into dark space before destroying the citadel (Anderson and Sheppard Survive depending on battle ready perhaps). But EDI herself is unable to return to the normandy or her body sacrificing herself.

3. (Citadel Wormhole) Sheppard is able to change the priorities of the reapers, through the control matrix of the crucible making them focus solely on the normandy. Making all the reapers in the universe storm towards the earth and attack the normandy. And then by sacrificing the normandy by going trough the wormhole and luring all the others behind them.
Sadly though they didn't have time to evacuate the crew, leaving sheppard a broken wreck.

4. EDI and the Priority/control matrix. EDI uploaded to the crucible but because she has reaper tech she can activate a self destruct in the reapers.
Afterwards she becomes the citadel unlocking more reaper tech making it possible to make more relays.

And there you go 5 options that would have been a hell of a lot better than Green, Blue and Red. Not adding anything new like the synthesis BS.
And it only took me about half an hour on my own.

And this is exactly the reason why I'm so pissed at Bioware. Sloppy and uninspired writing. Just a quick BS ending scratched onto a post-it.

 

[votemarvel]

This is very called for:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/03/16

Unfortunately that was just another of the gaming media who completely missed the point of what people were complaining about.

From most of what I read the flaw came from the "yo dawg" logic of the Star-Child and the fact that we had to chance to refute it.

After all the only Geth that were actively hostile toward organics throughout the trilogy were those who were following the instructions of the Reapers. They were bringing about the very act they claim they were there to prevent with the harvest.

The vast majority of people who said they wanted a happy ending in there were also saying that they would have liked one where the Reapers could win. Yet the gaming media, Penny Arcade included, never seemed to mention that part.

Only the sections which supported "fans are entitled whiners" were used.

 

[chiefohara]

Wow in the next 4 days eh? Man I gotta finish ME3 then. After the firestorm over the ending I couldn't bring myself to play the final mission.

don't, according to one of their recent tweets if you start from just before the attack on the illusive man's base you'll experience the "full ending"

Really? Well thanks for the info because I was just about to go and play it. But I already am past the illusive man's base, I'm just before going back to earth so I guess I will have missed a few things.

Play it anyway, When you beat the game it gives you a continuation point from just before the illusive mans base regardless. Beat the final mission, form your own opinion of the ending and then download and play it again and see what they improved

 

[tmande2nd]

I hate that Penny Arcade strip.
Actually I just hate Penny Arcade.
A lot.

The Extended Cut was written by Hack Walters, and Clueless Hudson, or at least with them on board. So its going to be shit, since its BASED on shit.

At least its free.
But I am 1000 times as excited for Dawnguard as I am for this. At least I know I am getting quality. And not a polished turd.

 

[Erttheking]

This whole thing continues to baffle me. Bioware should've just stuck by its team and the creative decisions it took, as opposed to giving in to the completely insane reaction by the gaming public. Whoever was disappointed by the first ending will surely be disappointed by this "extended version" as well, and all the developer will accomplish is to prove that they care more about consumer pressure than about artistic integrity.

Ah yes "artistic integrity" the thing that bioware apparently still has despite the day one dlc, shamelessly milking marketing, there being confirmed cut content, and horrible PR, and evidence that suggests that casey hudson released the ending eithout checking it sith the writing team, we have dismissed that claim.

On a side note, does that mean that the makers of Fallout 3 have no artistic integrity for making Broken Steel

All those things you mention are just issues (or, in several cases, outright problems) that are prevalent in the entire gaming business right now, but have little to do with storytelling. My point was that Bioware's response should've just been "This is the way we decided to end the Mass Effect story. While we understand that, to many, it was controversial and/or disappointing, we stand by our team and believe in what they put forth." You do that, you let the chips fall where they may, and you retain a little self-respect -- maybe even earn some respect from those of us who liked the ending.

The way they've gone about it, they just come off as little boys trying to impress some fickle teenage girl who can never really be pleased.

I...I just...I don't have time to go into a rant as to why the ending fails on every level so just watch this if you have the time

Also yeah the day one DLC has to do with story telling on account of introducing Javik, a freaking BIG character who gives a lot of insight into the Prothean empire, and he also says why they fell, because they were too static, because they tried to make everyone the same and that the galactic now stood a better chance because of its diversity...guess the writers forgot that when they wrote the ending "What's that? You beat the reapers because you brought the combined forces of all the species in the galaxy down on them? pft, nah, you beat them because some little star brat let you." Also didn't I say that there was evidence to suggest that Casey Hudson went off on his own for the ending? Therefor their team didn't "put forth" this ending. Also I remind you again, this happened with Fallout 3. Fans didn't like the ending, Bethesda made Broken Steel, and the fans liked it and Bethesda didn't "come off as little boys trying to impress some fickle teenage girl who can never really be pleased," in fact doing that really helped their public image, and the outcry against the Fallout 3 ending was minuscule compared to this. But then again, Bethesda didn't have their heads up their asses so maybe that's why. Bioware has clearly been giving upset fans the middle finger with the "we got 75 perfect scores" and the "it's not the destination it's the journey" ad, making it clear they don't give a fuck about self respect. Besides, if they cared about self respect they would not have, they WOULD NOT HAVE ENDED ON THIS PIECE OF SHIT!
http://enclave.team-damage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mass-effect-dlc-message-2.jpg

So yeah, don't look at that and then feed me that "artistic integrity" bullshit. Bethesda didn't do it, I don't know why people think that Bioware is so special.

 

[pandorum]

Whats with this BS? 4th July, PS3 Europe, whats Britain becoming the new ghetto for gaming behind Australia?

 

[pandorum]

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1. Communicating with the elusive man (still on the citadel and still alive he's a tough bastard but now free of the indoc he realizes his mistakes (Anderson dead)) about linking the energy surge through the eezo core of the normandy (Normandy linking up like Sovereign did in ME1) controlling the energy surge into the citadel preventing the destruction of the relays. Though this still destroys the earth, the normandy and most of the fleets.

You could still of saved earth and fleets if you kept the collector base in mass effect 2 similar to the destroy ending but better outcome and like you you said nothing much is changed.

 

[Chronologist]

You know what, I'm not on a tight schedule here. I think I'll replay Mass Effect 3 (porting in my level 54-56 Sentinel), do all of the missions that are available this time, then finish the game. Rather than just play the final collector base mission, I will play the entire game through, just like when I first played the game, and I will see how I feel about the ending.

I will do a fair and honest redo of Mass Effect 3. I think I owe Bioware at least that much, after all of their good games like Jade Empire and KOTOR.

If the DLC gives a satisfying ending, I'll still be angry at them because of the original, broken ending, but they will definitely regain my respect and I will purchase future Bioware games.

If it is not satisfying, then at least I got to revisit the fun 95% of the game without dreading the inevitable conclusion. As it is, I can't stand to replay the game knowing how it all ends. I look forward to having hope for a good ending again.

 

[Crais]

Wow, this is astounding.

The fans are getting something for free that BioWare only made because they could tell that they upset the fanbase and all most of you can do is ***** and moan when you haven't even seen the product. All you've seen is one blog post and one screenshot and you think you know everything about this.

It really is telling when fanbases of kid's shows (i.e., My Little Pony and Legend of Korra) act more mature than the fanbase of a "Rated M for Mature" game...

 

[theriddlen]

Mass Effect 3 has destroyed the franchise for me, and I don't think there's going back now. It lost it's charm, and it lost everything that I loved in this game, that used to make it the best SF story ever told.

BioWare'll have to remake the whole game, if they want the story to make sense again. And we know that won't happen. It's over, Bio. You don't make good games anymore, and it seems that EA is partially responsible for that, as you games quality was falling since they took over.

 

[putowtin]

I'm willing to give bioware and the ME3 team the benefit of the doubt until I have played this "Extended Cut".
Even if it sucks and does nothing to either improve or make sense of the pile of dung the last 15 minutes the game currently is, I will still love ME3 (except for the formentioned 15 minutes). I will however continue to end the game during the final boss battle (ahh Marauder Shields) and will have truly lost faith in a games company I have followed for the last 14 years.

That is the true shame and shocking revelation that this game has brought about, the amount of Bioware fans that feel that strongly, not only about the ending of a superb game series, but how they have been treated by said company, that they have lost faith in a company that previously they wouldn't have thought twice about buying their new products.

 

[pandorum]

I still think it burns the most, knowing there was no epic boss battle just some little shitty kid that renegade Shepard would not give two shits about? I mean you can shoot Mordin in the back but not tell a space hologram kid to Fcuk off?

 

[gphjr14]

Can't wait... To see in on youtube.

My thoughts exactly. They might as well put it on YouTube if you're not actually playing anything just watching.

 

[Dangit2019]

This is very called for:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/03/16

Unfortunately that was just another of the gaming media who completely missed the point of what people were complaining about.

From most of what I read the flaw came from the "yo dawg" logic of the Star-Child and the fact that we had to chance to refute it.

After all the only Geth that were actively hostile toward organics throughout the trilogy were those who were following the instructions of the Reapers. They were bringing about the very act they claim they were there to prevent with the harvest.

The vast majority of people who said they wanted a happy ending in there were also saying that they would have liked one where the Reapers could win. Yet the gaming media, Penny Arcade included, never seemed to mention that part.

Only the sections which supported "fans are entitled whiners" were used.

Or it was just a joke. It's nice that you're rejecting the notion that ME3 fans are too whiny by writing a paragraph-sized rebuttal to a silly comic.

 

[everythingbeeps]

It's funny, when the "ending controversy" first started happening, I was one of the game's biggest defenders. Now I see that it was mostly reactionary. I was so disgusted by the behavior of the people whining about the ending that I just went ahead and took the opposite viewpoint.

And while I'm still thoroughly disgusted by the behavior of many of those people, I have enough distance from the game's ending now to realize it truly was a bad ending.

So I'm not that excited about this "extended ending" thing, because it's probably not going to make anything better. Shep will still be dead, the relays will still be destroyed, and thus all of civilization will still be separated and cut off from each other.

 

[votemarvel]

Or it was just a joke. It's nice that you're rejecting the notion that ME3 fans are too whiny by writing a paragraph-sized rebuttal to a silly comic.

I just don't believe in posting short pieces of text that don't adequately put across my point of view.

Why settle for one line responses when the forum allows for so much more.

If the strip had been just that, a humour piece, then I wouldn't be so irritated by it. However it was a reflection of the attitude that Penny Arcade was taking as a whole. In that anyone who didn't like the ending(s) were just a bunch of entitled whiners who wanted unicorns and rainbows.

Penny-Arcade is a very powerful voice in the world of video games, for good or ill, and for them to not even look into the reasons people were upset was rather shocking to me.

 

[Heinrich843]

To everyone calling it a "new" ending:

They already said there's not going to be a new ending, it's the current ending with extended cutscenes. (So we can understand it better or something.)

Thus, it's the same ending a lot of people held great disdain for- but 5-10 minutes longer.

Yeah, I guess people are just being complainers and stuff.

Y they not just let it die. Hardly anyone liked your genius ending Bioware. Just let it die. We don't need it explained.

 

[The Heik]

It's 1.9 gigs of extra content?

Must. Not. Form. Unreasonable. Expectations.

Must. Fight. Desire. To. Be. Hyped.

As I am one of the people who actually liked the general concept of the ending, and thought it's failure was more down to shoddy and rushed execution than anything else, I really hope that the extra context this can provide was worth the wait.

Trust me, it won't be. The whole logic behind this mess is so flawed that no amount of context and explaining is going to rectify it. I admit the idea of "the singularity" and the fight between organic and synthetic happening is interesting in and of itself, but in Mass Effect it is in direct contradiction with itself. Even in the ME universe the singularity remains a thought experiment, as had it happened the Reapers (and come to think of it all organic life) wouldn't exist, so the Catalyst has waged an eons long mass genocide over something that has not only never happened, but has never even gotten past being simply an academic notion. It's just ludicrous, especially considering that the Catalyst's logic can be even more eroded by the fact that one of the possible canonical situations has organics and synthetics (Quarians and Geth) working together for a common good, proving that the whole synthetics/organics guaranteed war concept is BS.

Now I'm still going to get the DLC (after all, it's free) to see how EAoware tries to explain this fuck-up, but as it stands I'm not holding my breath for some sort of salvation.

 

[samaugsch]

To everyone calling it a "new" ending:

They already said there's not going to be a new ending, it's the current ending with extended cutscenes. (So we can understand it better or something.)

Thus, it's the same ending a lot of people held great disdain for- but 5-10 minutes longer.

Yeah, I guess people are just being complainers and stuff.

Y they not just let it die. Hardly anyone liked your genius ending Bioware. Just let it die. We don't need it explained.

Because Bioware has suddenly become one of the most successful trolls of our time.

 

[Spoonius]

Wow, this is astounding.

The fans are getting something for free that BioWare only made because they could tell that they upset the fanbase and all most of you can do is ***** and moan when you haven't even seen the product.

It's ridiculous, at least Bioware have moved to address the problem by creating a massive chunk of additional content for FREE, unlike 90% of other developers would. Yet people need to 'prove their worth' by being cynical and pessimistic and generally arseholish to the point of incessant bitching. Not everyone, but too many people (especially in this thread and the Bioware forums).

It's understandable to feel disappointed by the ending, but to pre-emptively decry what you haven't played yet? Come on, seriously.

They might as well put it on YouTube if you're not actually playing anything just watching.

I'm willing to bet there'll be gameplay in there too.

Thus, it's the same ending a lot of people held great disdain for- but 5-10 minutes longer.

The actual game was around 11 gigs I think? So no way is 1.9 gigs of new content only going to last 5-10 minutes. The EC will include content equivalent to over seventeen percent of the main game...