Mass Effect 3... Happy Ending mod?

[GabeZhul]

Okay, this took me by surprise. Apparently there is a mod on the Nexus (right here, in case you are curious [http://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect3/mods/66/?]) which claims to change the infamous ME3 ending into something much less bittersweet and straightforward (not to mention removing the damn magical AI kid). Not only that, there is apparently another compatible mod that modifies the Citadel DLC by removing all references to the upcoming final battle and moves it to the end of the game as an extended epilogue to the entire game, allowing the player to beat the reapers, have Shepard survive and then have a party without any star-children or magical explosions getting in the way.

Now, the question is this: have any of you tried this? I am asking because learning about this made me want to try it out, but I have lost all my saves a while ago so I would need to start a new game and go through the entire thing, which would not be much of a problem under normal circumstances, but I am a bit short on free time at the moment and thus I would not want to waste a good chunk of it by replaying a game (however fun it was aside the ending) for nothing.

So, any opinions?

 

[Doom972]

You can always download a savegame, like the one found here [http://www.savemygame.fr/en/pc/m/pc-mass-effect-3-savegame.html] and see how it works. You can probably also find a YouTube video of it.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with it. Then again, I was satisfied with the Extended Cut.

 

[GloatingSwine]

Does it contain a five minute loop of Kai Leng being repeatedly kicked in the crotch?

Because if it doesn't it's not happy enough.

 

[Auron225]

I watched how it played out on Youtube - included an extended conversation with Anderson at the end (which I did love) and then the heavily modded ending itself. I find it difficult to praise it much though...

1) It's too hard for me to try and make myself believe it's a real ending. There was a scene of a shuttle leaving the Normandy to go get Shepard with nothing in the background. There's supposed to be what is literally the biggest space battle the galaxy has ever seen... but no, big empty void of space. It broke the immersion for me instantly.

2) It just seems like awkward storytelling. Shepard & Anderson succeed, then Shepard blacks out, then Joker gets some random backup to help get Shepard, then you only really hear random unknown rescuers go get Shepard (you don't see ANY of it), until hearing that yes they got him - and they all fly away safely and live happily ever after, amen. In my opinion, it's far TOO happy an ending after the rest of the game - especially after Thessia and Horizon.

3) Aria T'Loak and Bailey are alive - because we were all gonna break down and cry if either of them died. We really cannot let even one more person die than has to, right? I can kinda understand modding so that EDI and the geth survive (assuming you picked Destroy - this ending is along those lines), but ensuring that Aria T'Loak and Bailey make it out ok seems like one step away from "and then the Reapers exploded like piñatas, releasing sunshine, rainbows and candy for the all little boys and girls".

It all seems like it was made by someone who just cannot fathom even a bitter-sweet ending.

EDIT: Found the video if anyone is curious;

 

[DataSnake]

I looked at it on YouTube and I actually think the Extended Cut "Control" ending is a happier one. Shepard not only survives[footnote]You can even look at giving up her human form to take over the Catalyst as a coming-of-age metaphor; she loses the ability to spend all day playing with her friends on the Normandy, but gains a tremendous amount of power and responsibility.[/footnote] but becomes the most powerful being in the galaxy, everyone else survives, and the Reapers are available as a defensive force if future generations do accidentally build Skynet, or if the Leviathans get any bright ideas about enslaving all the "lesser races" again. And then it drops you off at a save from right before the assault on Cerberus, so you can still jet back to the
Citadel for a post-victory party.

 

[MirenBainesUSMC]

Its just the fact it forced people to make MODS to the ending should give someone a clue of how sloppy and badly handled it was ---

At least they tried to fix it, its more than what Casey and the gang did when the fans asked them --- instead they claimed " Art!" and then the wonderful pundits began to ridicule and bad mouth those whom protested.

Good for them I say.

Having said that --- that was the beauty of ME2. If you wanted a sad ending with many deaths? You could very well end up as so. You wanted a So-So ending with good and bad things to walk away from? You had that option. If you wanted a rubber stamp, Hero Saves All? No problem, you could have that ending to. That is what was promised and that is not what ME3 produced.

I believe if some one wanted a happy, overly gushing conclusion they were entitled to it. If you wanted a extremely dark and foreboding ending, you were also entitled. If you wanted many deaths or no deaths --- that should have been a choice as well.

I just don't see why it only had to be X or Y when before you had W,X,Y, or Z.

 

[MirenBainesUSMC]

P.S -- Aaaaand might I add... the Extended Cut was made because of the result of their blunder. They had to have their feet pressed to the coals and even then they attempted to sweat it out before relenting so its not like they wanted to do so, they were forced to do so.

 

[TaboriHK]

I've played it. It wasn't bad, although them trying to awkwardly make Shepard's rescue make sense with bad CG and lines cribbed from ME1 really wasn't necessary. Everything after that moment though was pretty much what the game needed: a healing Shepard solemnly saluting Anderson's name on the plaque wall, and absolutely ZERO star child.

 

[MirenBainesUSMC]

Yeah screw that star child sh---. It wasn't supposed to be Mass Effect: 2001 A Re-Hashed Space Odyssey.

 

[Michael Tabbut]

I played with the mod and frankly it isn't that great. Outside of an extended goodbye to Anderson and Shepard at the memorial scene, the rest just looks...off.

 

[Slayer4472]

Okay, this took me by surprise. Apparently there is a mod on the Nexus (right here, in case you are curious [http://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect3/mods/66/?]) which claims to change the infamous ME3 ending into something much less bittersweet and straightforward (not to mention removing the damn magical AI kid). Not only that, there is apparently another compatible mod that modifies the Citadel DLC by removing all references to the upcoming final battle and moves it to the end of the game as an extended epilogue to the entire game, allowing the player to beat the reapers, have Shepard survive and then have a party without any star-children or magical explosions getting in the way.

Now, the question is this: have any of you tried this? I am asking because learning about this made me want to try it out, but I have lost all my saves a while ago so I would need to start a new game and go through the entire thing, which would not be much of a problem under normal circumstances, but I am a bit short on free time at the moment and thus I would not want to waste a good chunk of it by replaying a game (however fun it was aside the ending) for nothing.

So, any opinions?

I purchased ME3 after the Ending Controversy, so I knew about the shit with the Star Child beforehand. My only playthrough of ME3 was with MEHEM installed, and while it is not at AAA quality (graphics in particular are weak) it is much better than the ending Bioware made.

I recommend it without hesitation.

 

[deager]

Hey, I'm Deager, the maker of the Citadel Epilogue Mod and happened on this thread.

MEHEM is certainly not for everyone. Same goes for my mod. If you didn't like the endings of ME3, another mod you might want to consider is JohnP's Alternate MEHEM. It's a somewhat misleading name since it's much more like the original endings. I'll link examples of videos of them. Granted...they can take a while to watch all of 'em.

All these mods can be found at
http://www.nexusmods.com/masseffect3/mods/searchresults/?src_cat=4

EDIT: Obviously big spoiler stuff below. The 2 for the Citadel Epilogue Mod are spoiler free I would say but not MEHEM or JAM.

JAM - more true to the original endings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Q1tBxiD2Y

MEHEM is on version 0.4 and here's a current example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTPQgGfx9HI

I also didn't like the rescue scene on the citadel in MEHEM, as the pacing seemed off so I made a mod to remove that bit and changed some music around.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XEaoS8iSbk

And if you want to see how the Citadel DLC modded with CEM gets from the end to it, there's this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9zYsTY9qig

And these are quick examples of what the Citadel Epilogue Mod actually does
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FLKWeiXccY

Again, these mods are not for everyone, but if people feel a little bummed about the ending, maybe one or some of these mods would be useful. You may look at the videos and say, "Lame!" and just forget it.

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

Its just the fact it forced people to make MODS to the ending should give someone a clue of how sloppy and badly handled it was ---

Or, it just gives a clue how utterly incapable some people are of accepting a creator's take on their own work of art.

As for the mod itself: Mass Effect wasn't exactly designed for modding, so I think it's almost in poor taste. If someone wants a happy ending there's tons of fanfic out there.

 

[Aurion]

If you're gonna pull back the curtain, the reveal had better be damned good. Even the Leviathan DLC (surprisingly good imo) can't salvage ME3's curtain pull.

For that, at least, it's good as it avoids the utter retardation of the Catalyst-AI-thing. Unfortunately, it can't fix the broader plot arcs (notably, the godawful BUT SECRET PROTHEAN (or not) ANTIREAPER WEAPON EXISTED ALL ALONG BUT WE WERE TOO LAZY TO PARSE THE BIGGEST FUCKING DISCOVERY IN HUMAN HISTORY TO FIND IT UNTIL NOW Crucible plot existing at all).

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn about a happy ending. I wanted a well-written ending. I mean. Deus Ex is a classic and all, but...

 

[Nimcha]

I wonder what the reaction would have been if this sort of thing was the actual ending. The Catalyst is a Deus Ex Machina, everybody survives and lives happily ever after no matter what you choose.

 

[clippen05]

I wonder what the reaction would have been if this sort of thing was the actual ending. The Catalyst is a Deus Ex Machina, everybody survives and lives happily ever after no matter what you choose.

Implying that the catalyst isn't already Deus Ex Machina. Hey, that machine that we've been building, wouldn't you know, it actually just turns Shepherd into an omnsicent god, or blows up all the reapers for us.

 

[Nimcha]

I wonder what the reaction would have been if this sort of thing was the actual ending. The Catalyst is a Deus Ex Machina, everybody survives and lives happily ever after no matter what you choose.

Implying that the catalyst isn't already Deus Ex Machina. Hey, that machine that we've been building, wouldn't you know, it actually just turns Shepherd into an omnsicent god, or blows up all the reapers for us.

It's not entirely. Point is, you need to make sacrifices to make it do anything. A regular Deus Ex Machina just solves everything magically.

 

[Darth Rosenberg]

Which is worse: Demanding a better ending or making one for yourself?

How about people just accept what a creator creates, as opposed to whine when it doesn't somehow fit a highly specific and arbitrary desire?

But we've all had these conversations about a hundred times already, so there's not a lot more to say. I never understood the hissyfit people threw over ME3's ending - I was fine with the original (well, pleased and surprised I never predicted where it'd go), and fine with the Extended.