Poll: ME3 EC didn't fix anything

[medv4380]

Why are so many people happy with this? Did you all forget that the existence of starchild practically turns the entire plot of Mass Effect 1 into one giant plot hole? Why did Sovereign need Saren to fix the Citadel signal if starchild was always there? How did the protheans manage to sabotage the Citadel if the starchild has the ability to get into your head? Should we simply assume that a bunch of protheans were able to do all that and there was nothing the starchild could have done to stop them? We shouldn't assume that, because most people know by now what the original plot was supposed to be. And there was never any starchild in it.

We're happy, or I'm happy, because it actually solves the plot holes. The plot holes that you're mentioning aren't actually problems with the ending to some people. Skipping how your team isn't with you at the end and why your team was fleeing were more important plot holes.

As for your other issues. The Protheans and the Star Childs creators fall under "The Ancients" plot device. With that particular plot device who and what they Ancients are and what they did are always left for the reader to assume. It's not so much a plot hole but rather a plot device. What ever the Protheans did it was very clear that they pulled one over on the star child because he basically admits that he knew about the Crucible in the past but thought he had eradicated the concept. One thing the Protheans could have done is discovered the Star Child, but not in time to destroy him. Then they induce some bad code into him to make him believe the Crucible is no longer a threat, and force Sovereign to need to come over and fix the code once the issue is discovered. However, the explanation is not necessarily.

Who created the starchild? Organics? Then why doesn't he simply protect the organics against the synthetics? Why don't the Reapers simply destroy the synthetics? Why are they waiting in dark space? Wouldn't it be easier for them to just roam around the galaxy making sure we don't create A.I.? Seems like an easier solution. And a more logical one.

You should really watch 2001 a Space Odyssey and 2010. In that story HAL is given an instruction that breaks him. In ME the "Ancients" created an AI and gave it one simple instruction. Negotiate a truce/peace between synthetics and organics. The problem with that instruction is that Organics need conflict in order to evolve, and ultimately synthetics need it as well to evolve. From that the only solution he was able to devise was to Harvest advanced civilizations that were about to create the conflict between synthetics and organics and "preserve" them similar to how Braniac did originally in the DC universe. In that Braniac would "preserve" one city and then blow up the civilization/planet so it wouldn't change anymore so he wouldn't have to collect it again.

It's the simple "we created a super AI and it went mad" plot. The Creators of the Star Child were the first victims, and he admits that they objected to being made the first reaper.

Edit
You might be more familur with the Sentinels in X-Men. They were also a Super AI given the instruction to "Protect Humans from Mutants". The AI ultimately concludes that all humans are mutants, and that humans must be protected from themselves. Then they concluded that the Sun was the source of all mutation and therefore they must destroy the Sun. That last part didn't work out too well for the Sentinals. I believe it ended only when they discovered that they were also mutating.

 

[HellRaid]

The ending was a lot better than it was, but I can't help but feel that the EC is how it should have been in the first place. That said, they're still not great and not quite the masterpiece ITheory was.

How I would have fixed the endings [minor spoilers]:
- Keep everything the same as they are in EC, HOWEVER:
- On Refusal, starchild shouts "so be it!", as he currently does, then...
- Shepard then wakes up in the room where TIM and Anderson died. Their bodies are not there though.
- Hackett messages Shepard: "Nothing's happening, must be a problem on your end lol" as he did previously (before the magical space lift), but this time Shepard actually gets up and presses stuff the command console and the crucible starts.
- Destruction ending happens, but only reaper tech is destroyed.

This way one of the endings is still IT, but they don't have to go to a lot of effort to prove it, and everyone is happy because this (truer?) Destroy ending doesn't kill the Geth and EDI.

 

[Stormpigeon]

I liked it. I picked control originally and was annoyed that it wouldn't tell me how that went at all. I thought the indoctrination ending would have been stupid, essentially invalidating two of the options. Starchild thing... odd, not what I would have picked, but not terrible. As for people complaining about space-magic... was your explanation of Mass Effect really better than a flimsy excuse for space magic in the first place?

I'm now satisfied that the ending I assumed control would bring turned out to be correct, and that it didn't just feel like a rubbish cop-out money saving way of getting three endings for the price of one.

Haven't checked out the other endings yet, but put me on the happy side

 

[Ham Blitz]

In my ending shephed slaps the star child and tells him to get the hell out of our universe!!!!

Actually, in the Extended cut you can. If you shoot him he just says "The cycle continues" and disappears, deactivating the crucible. Of course, everyone then dies and a beacon is left for the next generation of advanced life to warn them about the reapers.

 

[gutterball17]

The extended cut didn't fix anything because it CAN'T. The problem is fundamental in the entire ME3 game, in the fact that none of your previous actions have any affect on the ultimate outcome.

This was exactly my problem with ME3 too.

 

[skywolfblue]

You're kidding right? They didn't have a frigging clue on what they were building. There's no way Hackett could've known that it was a wide spread energy burst. Even we didn't know until the last minute. Logic dictates you get to a reasonable distance, you don't stand in front of it nor you stand next to it but you don't leave the area.

It was like an alien that could work out with pure intuition on how to place and detonate dynamite in real life.

They weren't completely clueless. They knew it was an energy weapon (a strong enough battery IS an energy weapon, you just need to focus it and direct it AKA the catalyst).

You don't always need to understand the grand purpose of a device in order to check whether it is turned on. In electrical terms, if it's got current flowing it's probably working (so long as you built the device right). Especially in something modular.

Think of it as a computer missing the CPU. The CPU is a black box, so the computer's true purpose is unknown, but it's easy to check and see if the rest of the computers components are powered up.

 

[Eisenfaust]

I saw EC endings on YouTube, and now I'm here to vent.
Who created the starchild? Organics? Then why doesn't he simply protect the organics against the synthetics? Why don't the Reapers simply destroy the synthetics? Why are they waiting in dark space? Wouldn't it be easier for them to just roam around the galaxy making sure we don't create A.I.? Seems like an easier solution. And a more logical one.
What if synthetics created the Catalyst? That's even dumber. Synthetics created an A.I in order to protect the organics against the synthetics by killing organics.

What about the Crucible? It's still space magic. It still doesn't make any god damn sense.

Can't you see? As long as the starchild exists, the entire plot of Mass Effect makes no sense. And it's not like Bioware didn't have the easy way out. Jesus fuckin' Christ what a mess.

Yeah I agree with quite a bit, but most about the star child is explained during the optional dialogue you can have... It was an organic race that created the catalyst (the star child) to "oversee relations between synthetics and organics [hence being a catalyst]... to establish a connection" but it realised that any relationship always ended in conflict, so came up with the "new solution" of just killing everyone off before they could create AI's - the reaper's weren't used just to destroy the synthetics because the organics were at the level where they could just create more... so the creators of the catalyst became the "first true reaper" against their will, putting off the creation of synthetics for a while... to what end? I dunno... the system doesn't really seems to be changing, so it would have to depend on the reaper's wanting to "give organic life a chance" or whatever, but who knows... and they can't simply roam around the galaxy destroying synthetics because they'd ultimately face rebellion and/or be too thinly spread, AND he states that he was looking for other solutions than just pure harvesting...

As for the crucible, that was explained too (though possibly only in the EC) - It worked like a huge battery that gave the citadel/catalyst the energy it needed for the "other options" - Synthesis, Destroy, Control - they were previously unavailable because the citadel didn't have to power to spread them around the galaxy - the crucible made that possible. Admittedly, this was bugging me too until I saw the dialogue, but it's run through here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czKq9H0tSCo) if you'd like to take a look...

Of course, that still doesn't resolve whatever the space magiced result of the synthesis ending was, but whatever. At least this resolves some of the stupidity/tom-foolery

 

[Jayse]

This ending was so bloody good.(Edit; By this one I meant the refusal ending, for some reason quoting decided to fail on me)

I actually teared up and almost cried.

 

[boag]

Christ you people are bitter about nothing.

It's cool that you love the Mass Effect series and all, but in actuality, it's not all that important to throw a fit over.

Just make up your own ending for your Shepard if it bothers you that much.

Ok, I did that.
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6376514/1/Mass_Effect_New_Origins_V2

The thing is, I shouldn't have had to. I didn't pay 80$ for a game where I have to make my own ending.

im just happy that the backlash was harsh enough that they even went and changed the screen at the end.

It no longers asks people to buy more DLC.

That's like saying you're glad that someone you knew realized he should take his hand off of a lit stove. It's not much to write home about.

Hey I will take whatever wins I can get, and that was definitely a win, the rest, im still on the judge panel mulling it over.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

According to what they've done regarding the endings,shoving us Deus Ex Machina down our throats in the last 10 minutes,it was the only possible way to "polish the turd" let's say and give some closure at least,which in fact they managed to pull off even with the few remaining plot holes.

They definitely added to that and I'm relatively happy about it(I chose the Destroy ending) because I got to find out what happened in the world after my actions.

No reunion with your LI however which made me very sad.

 

[boag]

snip

Then post me the news that used exactly that kind of language in this context.

Im sorry, do you not know how to read?

"compilation" there is no exact quote with all these elements, I just picked up and added to it whenever a new element came up.

If they had not been complete and utter dicks to the fans by calling the people disatisfied with the original ending, and I quote "Whiny, homophobic entitled brats", then Yes i would have been satisfied with the EC.

As it stands, I cant wait for Bioware to burn down and join the likes of Bullfrog and Westwood in the graveyard of companies EA has raped to death.

Mind showing me a link to prove that?

It seems consistent with their general attitude through all of this, but... I'd still like to see where you're getting that from.

Also, I think I have a somewhat legitimate reason to be resentful of how badly the star-child botches things. Because I staked my grade in a university course on this series. I wrote a 20-page paper on this series and got an A that helped me earn my English degree that I recently completed. But now, thanks to these craptacular endings and how thoroughly they destroy the logic of the series, and betray the running themes of the series... now I'll always end up feeling that some part of earning my degree was unearned... or at least... that I should have gotten a lower grade on that paper for obviously reading far too much into this series, and giving its writers far too much credit.

Though I phrase it differently in the paper so as to help it fit the class better... the main running theme I'm referring to here is: "being victorious by uniting in spite of differences." This theme is utterly betrayed in every ending in some way. I'll spare you the somewhat lengthy analysis of each ending I could offer on this point (unless you want me to)... but here's the paper I wrote: http://social.bioware.com/project/8242/#details

While this paper is obstensibly about the entire series... only the first 2 games were out at the time... and I focused primarily on the first one. But thanks to the starchild's bullshit, large chunks of my paper, if not the whole thing, are either irrelevant or flat-out wrong now.

Thanks for that Bioware.

And if you're right, they think I'm a homophobe for not liking their bloody stupid endings.

I would just love to see them try to explain the massive leap of logic from 'I find your ending disappointing and well... a bit stupid' to 'you're a homophobe!'

please read the other posts ive made on the matter.

As for the homophobe thing, its a neat little story.

During the month that was leading up to PAX, EA received the Golden Poo Award, making them worst company in America.
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116653-EA-Wins-Title-of-Worst-Company-in-America


A dozen hours after receiving the award, several gaming news sites started running a story about EA getting flooded with Anti-Gay mail
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/116660-Anti-Gay-Email-Campaign-Floods-Electronic-Arts


This is fully detailed in a forbes article.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/04/05/ea-in-full-damage-control-mode-points-to-anti-gay-hate-mail/

add to that spambots were used to inflate a pro EA petition
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/04/10/ea-anti-boycott-petition-flooded-by-spambots/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/04/11/allout-org-director-andre-banks-on-the-ea-anti-boycott-petition-and-spambot-attack/

Which rumor has it was being run by the EA origin program

http://www.maxconsole.com/maxcon_forums/showthread.php?187806-Is-EA-using-Origin-to-illegally-sign-anti-gay-bullying-petition


and you start to get a not so pretty picture

 

[endtherapture]

I think we may be giving Bioware too much credit. Writing the quintessential happy ending is not where their strengths lay. They (Bio) don't think along the lines of; Kill the Dragon, save the Princess and live happily ever after.

What about Dragon Age then...

Kill the Dragon...marry the Queen...live happily ever after, that's one of the endings you can get.

You can marry Anora? I had no idea.

I think you can if you're a Human non-Mage Warden, I'm not sure. King-Consort or something?

But you can definitely marry Alistair I think.

 

[AbstractStream]

If you have a love interest you say your final good byes and it is quite a sad scene.

"Sad" is an understatement. Saying goodbye to your LI is more heartwrenching that all of the 4 endings combined. The voice acting sells it so well.

It's not quite as sad if you pick the Destroy ending for obvious reasons, but the Synthesis and Control endings make this scene more powerful in retrospect.

Control you say you will watch over them from your god-throne in space and synthesis basically implies you are a part of them (and everyone one else in the galaxy). Neither of these two options involve you ever talking to them again (at least in this life).

Thanks, Fappy. I ended up doing the run again to see those goodbyes (both Liara and Garrus) and it was worth it. Short, but worth it.

God, it's so sad D:
I think I might have even let out a whimper lol

 

[Fappy]

If you have a love interest you say your final good byes and it is quite a sad scene.

"Sad" is an understatement. Saying goodbye to your LI is more heartwrenching that all of the 4 endings combined. The voice acting sells it so well.

It's not quite as sad if you pick the Destroy ending for obvious reasons, but the Synthesis and Control endings make this scene more powerful in retrospect.

Control you say you will watch over them from your god-throne in space and synthesis basically implies you are a part of them (and everyone one else in the galaxy). Neither of these two options involve you ever talking to them again (at least in this life).

Thanks, Fappy. I ended up doing the run again to see those goodbyes (both Liara and Garrus) and it was worth it. Short, but worth it.

God, it's so sad D:
I think I might have even let out a whimper lol

I have only seen Liara's. It was so sad

 

[Nobodyman]

Honestly, I'm happy Bioware did this at all. They didn't have to change anything and they said multiple times that they are happy with the way the game ended, even if we are not. I chose the destroy option and I am happy with what I got this time around. Is it the ending I wanted? Not really, but it was atleast better than the old one. If you still don't like it, thats fine. All I know is that I don't have to be dissapointed anymore.

 

[boag]

Im sorry, do you not know how to read?

"compilation" there is no exact quote with all these elements, I just picked up and added to it whenever a new element came up.

So youn are not able to give me sources to the different parts of your compilation where it all adds up to, may I quote, "and I quote "Whiny, homophobic entitled brats""? Then why the fuck do you pull a quote out of your ass if it never was said this way and, when asked for any kind of source, try to talk your ass out with some halfassed excuses?

sigh, it takes a while to get all the sources, Ive seen you in the shitstorm threads in the past, so i know you are familiar with them all, dont pull this "you didnt quote a source so you are full of shit" card.

if you want a source fine ill give them to you.

whiny entitled brats
http://www.ign.com/blogs/fatboomer/2012/03/18/in-response-to-colin-moriartys-mass-effect-3-video
http://www.dualshockers.com/2012/02/29/entitled-gamers-or-greedy-publishers-which-is-it/
http://www.ign.com/blogs/ethangach/2012/03/13/consumer-dissatisfaction-is-for-babies
http://www.gamespot.com/features/the-dangers-of-gamer-entitlement-6350732/
http://kotaku.com/5893119/charitable-donations-dont-give-you-the-right-to-demand-changes-to-mass-effect-3


the homophobic ive already explained so you can go back to the other post i made.

BTW, i will be addding to this post so wait till i fill it up with sources ok precious?

EDIT: there that should be enough right?

 

[Jaeke]

I don't care anymore. The original ending put fixated me into a state of rage so massive I just couldn't shake it off, and now I just don't give a shit anymore about BioWare, rEApers, or Mass Effect. The damage was too costly.

So no. Hell no. DAMN NO! I'm not satisfied.

 

[Nobodyman]

I don't care anymore. The original ending put fixated me into a state of rage so massive I just couldn't shake it off, and now I just don't give a shit anymore about BioWare, rEApers, or Mass Effect. The damage was too costly.

So no. Hell no. DAMN NO! I'm not satisfied.

I'm truely sorry that you feel that way. I get it, I really do, but I'm just happy they at least listened to us a little bit. The endings arn't perfect, but I think they are alot better.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

I'm definitely happier with it, the new scene before charging the beam and the "plaque" sequence after the slideshow provided me with the emotional "closure" I wanted from the game.

Still, the Shepard Dialogue in the "Refusal" Sequence is so priceless I'm sad the rest of it is such a giant "middle finger" to people who wanted that option.

 

[Delsana]

It didn't do much... over 72 major plotholes still exist and my assets still don't matter.