95 replies to this topic

[Catharsis]

Hades Serpent, on 24 March 2012 - 12:31 PM, said:

Even IF indoc theory is true (and I have my doubts; I'm far too cynical already...it's far more likely they just completely frelled the story), it's still a dick move. They promised an ending. They did not deliver an ending. That's the situation, and it's rather black and white from my perspective. They simply didn't deliver on their promises.

The whole situation is insane. If indoc was right, BW and EA should've announced their plans already to put-out this media wildfire. Washington Post, Forbes, and BBC have already reported on this, and they're updating their stories. Forbes' readers aren't exactly there for the video games, they're there for the business news. And this...this is just bad, bad treatment of your customers, and thus, very, very bad business.

Very true. I want to believe that the indoctrination theory is at least close to being correct... but you are right in suggesting that if Bioware and EA actually did have a plan about the ending they probably would have announced SOMETHING to put out this wildfire. Their lack of response is a bit worrisome. And I do think that regardless of what happens, Bioware fans will be bitter for a long while.

Because I suppose they did indeed lie. They made promises that they did not come through on. Not at least in the way we deserved.

The ideal situation in my mind is that Bioware does have a clever idea like this indoctrination theory and is just using the extra time after release to make it perfect. They will then release it as a free content update, signed with love and apologies, and it will tie up the game in a fashion that does the series and its fans justice.

Of course, that would be an ideal world. As hopeful as I can be about this, the pessimists are probably closer to the truth.

[Catharsis]

Sesambrot, on 24 March 2012 - 04:59 PM, said:

C. they release a new/extended ending DLC for free, everything is ponies and rainbows and everybody is happy!

I think you have just figured out the true ending to Mass Effect. Shepard kills the Reapers and their destruction causes rainbows and flying ponies to explode from the Mass Relays and cleanse the universe of BAD!

The only difference between Paragon and Renegade Shep will be that Renegade watches the show with a trolling-grin and Paragon Shepard watches with tears in his/her eyes.

The End

[Dataman]

so, you prefer 'this is just a dream' ending?

no, I'm definitely not buying this

[Sesambrot]

Dataman, on 25 March 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

so, you prefer 'this is just a dream' ending?

no, I'm definitely not buying this

so, you prefer 'the ending is crap, just deal with it' approach?

I'm definitely not buying that either!

[Coralld]

Dataman, on 25 March 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

so, you prefer 'this is just a dream' ending?

no, I'm definitely not buying this

I like awesome games that are loved by thousands of people to have their endings... Gee, I don't know, not suck.

[Catharsis]

Dataman, on 25 March 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

so, you prefer 'this is just a dream' ending?

no, I'm definitely not buying this

But the thing is, it is not "just a dream"!
It is a battle taking place in Shepard's subconscious; between his own willpower, the Reapers' indoctrination, and his human conscience. That is what makes this theory such a good idea and such a wonderful take on some rather bad plot issues. If Shepard ever wakes up and retains his sanity and humanity, there surely will be more story to tell after that. Perhaps the Reapers' gambit for Shepard's mind is their last attempt to defeat the organics of the galaxy. A victory inside Shepard's own mind could seal the Reapers' end and turn the final battle in life's favor... while just the same, if Shepard succumbs to Indoctrination (Synthesis) or he falls for the false sense of control the "Illusive Man" offers, that choice could give the Reapers the power they need to end life once and for all.

[Sesambrot]

Catharsis, on 25 March 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:

But the thing is, it is not "just a dream"!
It is a battle taking place in Shepard's subconscious; between his own willpower, the Reapers' indoctrination, and his human conscience. That is what makes this theory such a good idea and such a wonderful take on some rather bad plot issues. If Shepard ever wakes up and retains his sanity and humanity, there surely will be more story to tell after that. Perhaps the Reapers' gambit for Shepard's mind is their last attempt to defeat the organics of the galaxy. A victory inside Shepard's own mind could seal the Reapers' end and turn the final battle in life's favor... while just the same, if Shepard succumbs to Indoctrination (Synthesis) or he falls for the false sense of control the "Illusive Man" offers, that choice could give the Reapers the power they need to end life once and for all.

I agree, with the Indoctrination theory at the back of my mind, the current ending seems almost ingenuin! However it also means there has to be more to come, and we can only wait to see what this whole mess turns into...

[Hades Serpent]

Dataman, on 25 March 2012 - 09:44 AM, said:

so, you prefer 'this is just a dream' ending?

no, I'm definitely not buying this

Indeed. Crazy days they are when fans of a story prefer the idea that the ending was all just a dream (which is already a hideously over-used trope) than the "actual" ending that's there. O.o

[Catamount]

The "it was really all just a dream" ending is the most cliched copout for a storyline (and such a blatant deus ex machina since you can use that to nullify anything), that it would almost be a worse explanation than the ending just sucking and making no sense.

[Lorcan Lladd]

In truth, I just want to see Shepard's blue children.
And Wrex's kids, whichever color the whole thousand of them would be.

[Dataman]

what I mean is, Bioware should release a FREE DLC at least the fix for the ending

but knowing EA, they won't release something free

[Catharsis]

Dataman, on 26 March 2012 - 04:37 AM, said:

what I mean is, Bioware should release a FREE DLC at least the fix for the ending

but knowing EA, they won't release something free

Remember when EA used to be a decent publisher?

Oh wait.

[forcestormx]

Yeah, with Indoctrination theory, I prefer to think that the disk ending isn't actually an ending.

The problem is that Bioware is defending it as an ending and won't simply go out and tell the world that the real ending was already in the works beforehand.

Hopefully this is the last game to ever go to market with a pseudo-ending to shorten development.

Then again this is EA.

[Catharsis]

forcestormx, on 26 March 2012 - 07:08 AM, said:

Yeah, with Indoctrination theory, I prefer to think that the disk ending isn't actually an ending.

The problem is that Bioware is defending it as an ending and won't simply go out and tell the world that the real ending was already in the works beforehand.

Hopefully this is the last game to ever go to market with a pseudo-ending to shorten development.

Then again this is EA.

I wonder if Bioware even has the freedom to leave EA and go elsewhere...

I have always been a supporter of Valve's "it will be out when it is finished" philosophy. I would have waited half a decade for Mass Effect 3 if the wait would have meant it would be that much better a game. I do not need a sequel every year to satisfy my thirst for a title. I know that, by releasing a title ever year, a publisher will earn far more money... but every now and then that attitude will bite you in the back, just like it is now with Mass Effect 3.

[Lex Peregrine]

Didnt they already announce they're working on it? a DLC to deal with the ending

[Catharsis]

Lex Peregrine, on 26 March 2012 - 07:35 AM, said:

Didnt they already announce they're working on it? a DLC to deal with the ending

Last I read was a post on the Mass Effect Facebook page saying something along the lines of that they "thank the community for their feedback on the ending and are taking it into consideration." or something like that.

It was very official, but I think it had some genuine embarrassment in it.

[Lex Peregrine]

Here:
http://blog.bioware....012/03/21/4108/

[Sesambrot]

Catharsis, on 26 March 2012 - 07:26 AM, said:

I have always been a supporter of Valve's "it will be out when it is finished" philosophy. I would have waited half a decade for Mass Effect 3 if the wait would have meant it would be that much better a game.

Actually, I don't think ME3 could have been a better game, gameplay is admitedly a bit dodgy (what moron had the idea to put "sprint", "use" and "take cover" on the same button?!?), but the whole story and how it's made interactive, is one of the most awesome ones to date, in my oppinion anyway...
For me, the sole problem with ME3 is the ending, it breaks everything established before, in terms of writing, in terms of canon, even in terms of logic. As a standalone, the current ending is at most subpar, even compared to most of what's out there these days, which becomes all the more obvious with the otherwise awesome game that came before it.

This probably sounds like an extreme considering what I said about it earlier with the indoctrinationtheory in mind, but think about it...
As it stands it's just plain bad and stupid, with the indoctrinationtheory in mind, it all starts to make sense somehow, and makes it seem almost ingenuine, with content to expand on it later on.
Whether EA is involved or not, if they actually extend the ending with the rumored "the Truth"-DLC, I'd bet that this was planned all along!

Lex Peregrine, on 26 March 2012 - 07:41 AM, said:

Here:
http://blog.bioware....012/03/21/4108/

I've read that one a few days ago, and it really not that different from the other statements that were already given beforhand.
There's nothing conrete in that post, he's just suggesting a lot of things aside of praising the team behind ME3, all it definetly says is, they're working on something, but hell knows what that is...
Best case, it's the rumored "the Truth", for free, worst case it's just some sort of hackjob in order to calm the fans which people will even have to pay for, oh and everything in between is also possible.
Call me pessimistic, but I'm not getting excited unless I see a concrete hint, like a screenshot of some sort, or an announcement that a new free DLC is actually about to be released.

[SquareSphere]

yeah i read the blog entry as well and it's wrecks of corporate spin. He goes out of his way to avoid the real meet of the issue, if the ending is "real" it's full of holes and is extremely off putting when compared to the rest of the game. That he goes on and on about how "critics" have rated it a perfect game also wrecks of self importance. Fans have no issue with 98% of the game, just the 2% that consist of the crappy ending.

It ending feels a lot like "ok lets phone it in, so Sheperd becomes one with the force/machines while the Nomandy tries to out run the shock wave (with explosions!), BUT they crash land on eden and have to do it animal style to repopulate humanity via adam/eve/various aliens orgy. THE END!

Edited by SquareSphere, 26 March 2012 - 10:18 AM.

[Sesambrot]

SquareSphere, on 26 March 2012 - 10:17 AM, said:

yeah i read the blog entry as well and it's wrecks of corporate spin. He goes out of his way to avoid the real meet of the issue, if the ending is "real" it's full of holes and is extremely off putting when compared to the rest of the game. That he goes on and on about how "critics" have rated it a perfect game also wrecks of self importance. Fans have no issue with 98% of the game, just the 2% that consist of the crappy ending.

... in fact he's pretty much just repeating what Mr. Hudson already did, even though he's a little more clever about it...