[Amy Siebenhaar]

http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1363453-mass-effect-thread-67/

For those who are looking for Multiplayer teammates, here are the submitted names from our users:

Profile name from here followed by online name:
XBL

Spoiler

born2beagator - born2beagator
Ledgend1221 - Ledgend1221
ol MISAKA lo - ol MISAKA lo
Riverstyx - Fireblade197
Undead Fiend - An Undead Lord

PSN

Origin

Spoiler

Emz - EmiW
Expresate - Expresate
SimpsonFly - SimpsonFly

Please keep in mind that this is to be a civil discussion about the Mass effect series, not a crucifixion of Bioware's development team.

With spoilers very much rampant make sure to put them in a spoiler to not ruin the game for people. The spoiler tags can be used like so [spoiler r] and the matching tag would be [ / spoiler] with no spaces and removing the extra r in the first tag. Below is an example spoiler.

ALSO - In respect to povuholo, as well as the players who are reading thorough our thread, trying to avoid the details of the ending, a thread specifically for the endings has been created. Here is the link to that very thread. In light of this, it would be greatly appreciated that you do not post discussion of the ending to Mass Effect 3's ending here.

Thread Rules:

• This is an ongoing topic for discussion about Mass Effect series, so keep the discussion on the games.
  
• It is understandable if you don't like Mass Effect games. We have no problem with you sharing this, but this is an ongoing topic. As such, it is primarily based on the positive aspects of the games, so if you don't like them don't post.
  
• This is an ongoing discussion and some people don't like Mass Effect games. If you try to provoke them it is just as bad. If you do disagree with someone, please don't drag it into a fight. This topic is primarily for what we like about the games and our ongoing experiences.
  
• Respect forum rules. If you are unclear review them here.
  
• Respect for other forum members is perhaps the most important. We all have opinions and we are all human beings. Treat each other with respect.

[Silvia Gil]

Regarding Jessica Merizan, I'm not sure how knowledgeable she is; saw a few of her comments on BSN where she claimed to be only speaking for herself, so I'm not sure whether or not she's PR. It would be nice if they'd stop routing quite as much of their communication past the PR team though, which I think is responsible for some of the fuss that's blown up lately.

[suniti]

PAX is going to be a disastor for Bioware and even worse when they aren't going to talk about the DLC.

[Lavender Brown]

Operation Beachhead FTW

[kasia]

Operation Beachhead FTW

Whats it about?

[adam holden]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/122/1222475p1.html

Double XP starts in just under an hour.

[Sheila Esmailka]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/122/1222475p1.html

Double XP starts in just under an hour.

Oh, another 25% exp weekend?
I need credits, not exp!

[Robyn Lena]

I don't see how clarification can fix the problems I have with the ending. Can clarification really fix

Spoiler

the impossibility of your squad mates on Earth teleporting to the Normandy without a scratch on them for no other reason than to appear in the crash cutscene?

You can't fix bad writing with more bad writing. The way to fix bad writing is to chuck it in the bin and replace it with good writing.

At least the DLC will be free. I honestly don't care that much about the ending. I still enjoyed the game.

[roxxii lenaghan]

What's your N7? Have they done a bonus credits event yet?

[Nicholas]

What's your N7? Have they done a bonus credits event yet?

N7's like 130.
I wish they had done a bonus creds weekend, but sadly they have not.

[ashleigh bryden]

I don't see how clarification can fix the problems I have with the ending. Can clarification really fix

Spoiler

the impossibility of your squad mates on Earth teleporting to the Normandy without a scratch on them for no other reason than to appear in the crash cutscene?

You can't fix bad writing with more bad writing. The way to fix bad writing is to chuck it in the bin and replace it with good writing.

At least the DLC will be free. I honestly don't care that much about the ending. I still enjoyed the game.

Some people are still holding out for indoctrination theory, which I guess could explain most of it, but unless there's already a proper ending waiting in the wings, I'm not sure how it'd be possible with no new voice acting. I'm not sure what to think any longer; I think I'll go back to enjoying ME1 for the first time in ages which I feel is suitably removed from the events of ME3 that I won't be too affected by it. Hopefully.

[Esther Fernandez]

Some people are still holding out for indoctrination theory, which I guess could explain most of it, but unless there's already a proper ending waiting in the wings, I'm not sure how it'd be possible with no new voice acting. I'm not sure what to think any longer; I think I'll go back to enjoying ME1 for the first time in ages which I feel is suitably removed from the events of ME3 that I won't be too affected by it. Hopefully.

I'm one of those indoctrinated hoping people. Also I would like to know if they ever did anything with that drak energy foreshadowing from ME2.

They possibly already did the "ending" and voice-acting long before and cut it pre-release to get more money through DLC.

[Johnny]

I'm one of those indoctrinated hoping people. Also I would like to know if they ever did anything with that drak energy foreshadowing from ME2.

They possibly already did the "ending" and voice-acting long before and cut it pre-release to get more money through DLC.

It's free.

[Angela Woods]

If there's a proper ending waiting in the wings, they're doing a fantastic job of keeping it secret and leading people to believe otherwise. They stated that there will be no new/additional endings and that the DLC will only provide context and clarification. Of course, this could be consistent with the indoctrination theory from a certain point of view, but if indoctrination turns out to be true, then they would have to provide a "real" ending, which would certainly be "new". Their statements, unfortunately, lead me to believe that the provided ending is unfortunately real, and they are determined not to change it.

It may be misdirection, but at this point, I think it would be in their financial interests to drop the facade.

I'm one of those indoctrinated hoping people. Also I would like to know if they ever did anything with that drak energy foreshadowing from ME2.

As I understand it, dark energy was supposed to provide the original motivation for the Reapers.

Spoiler

Mass Effect technology caused a build up of dark energy which caused stars to go supernova or something, so the Reaper's harvested advanced civilizations to prevent them from destroying the galaxy, basically. It's better than "We kill organics to save them from being killed by other synthetics", I guess, but it still doesn't make a lot of sense. In ME1, Sovereign said, "Your civilizations develops along the paths we desire." So, they leave the mass relays around so organic civilizations would develop mass effect technology, which would then threaten to destroy the galaxy. So, why leave the mass effect technology for the primitive civilizations to discover in the first place? They seem determined to provide some elaborate, circular, and completely irrational motivation for the Reapers.

In my opinion, the Reapers were far more interesting as an enigma. Do we need exposition about why the fox raids the chicken coop? Is the fox trying to save the chickens from being killed by wolves? I was content to believe the Reapers harvested space-faring civilizations because that was how they fed and reproduced. They were predators, the top of the food chain. It really didn't need to be any more complicated than that.

[JUDY FIGHTS]

If there's a proper ending waiting in the wings, they're doing a fantastic job of keeping it secret and leading people to believe otherwise. They stated that there will be no new/additional endings and that the DLC will only provide context and clarification. Of course, this could be consistent with the indoctrination theory from a certain point of view, but if indoctrination turns out to be true, then they would have to provide a "real" ending, which would certainly be "new". Their statements, unfortunately, lead me to believe that the provided ending is unfortunately real, and they are determined not to change it.

It may be misdirection, but at this point, I think it would be in their financial interests to drop the facade.



As I understand it, dark energy was supposed to provide the original motivation for the Reapers.

Spoiler

Mass Effect technology caused a build up of dark energy which caused stars to go supernova or something, so the Reaper's harvested advanced civilizations to prevent them from destroying the galaxy, basically. It's better than "We kill organics to save them from being killed by other synthetics", I guess, but it still doesn't make a lot of sense. In ME1, Sovereign said, "Your civilizations develops along the paths we desire." So, they leave the mass relays around so organic civilizations would develop mass effect technology, which would then threaten to destroy the galaxy. So, why leave the mass effect technology for the primitive civilizations to discover in the first place? They seem determined to provide some elaborate, circular, and completely irrational motivation for the Reapers.

Spoiler

When the Rannoch Reaper said "It is not a thing you can comprehend," I think he really meant "Our illogic is too insane to be comprehended by logical, sane, rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh."

In my opinion, the Reapers were far more interesting as an enigma. Do we need exposition about why the fox raids the chicken coop? Is the fox trying to save the chickens from being killed by wolves? I was content to believe the Reapers harvested space-faring civilizations because that was how they fed and reproduced. They were predators, the top of the food chain. It really didn't need to be any more complicated than that.

I agree, there's a certain beautiful simplicity to the reapers mating with the galaxy via genocide. Personally though, I wish the reapers had some sort of horribly long-term goal and that the galaxy was the petri dish in which they conducted experiments aimed at achieving that goal. Like preventing the Big Rip by completely conquering Dark Energy, or something.

edit: Also, I would like to express my dissapointment that Femshep cannot romance Harbinger or Legion.

[Calum Campbell]

I don't see how clarification can fix the problems I have with the ending. Can clarification really fix

Spoiler

the impossibility of your squad mates on Earth teleporting to the Normandy without a scratch on them for no other reason than to appear in the crash cutscene?

You can't fix bad writing with more bad writing. The way to fix bad writing is to chuck it in the bin and replace it with good writing.

At least the DLC will be free. I honestly don't care that much about the ending. I still enjoyed the game.

I have to agree, I don't think you can clarify a Plot hole because it's still going to be a Plot Hole, just a little bit better explained.

[adame]

If there's a proper ending waiting in the wings, they're doing a fantastic job of keeping it secret and leading people to believe otherwise. They stated that there will be no new/additional endings and that the DLC will only provide context and clarification. Of course, this could be consistent with the indoctrination theory from a certain point of view, but if indoctrination turns out to be true, then they would have to provide a "real" ending, which would certainly be "new". Their statements, unfortunately, lead me to believe that the provided ending is unfortunately real, and they are determined not to change it.

It may be misdirection, but at this point, I think it would be in their financial interests to drop the facade.



As I understand it, dark energy was supposed to provide the original motivation for the Reapers.

Spoiler

Mass Effect technology caused a build up of dark energy which caused stars to go supernova or something, so the Reaper's harvested advanced civilizations to prevent them from destroying the galaxy, basically. It's better than "We kill organics to save them from being killed by other synthetics", I guess, but it still doesn't make a lot of sense. In ME1, Sovereign said, "Your civilizations develops along the paths we desire." So, they leave the mass relays around so organic civilizations would develop mass effect technology, which would then threaten to destroy the galaxy. So, why leave the mass effect technology for the primitive civilizations to discover in the first place? They seem determined to provide some elaborate, circular, and completely irrational motivation for the Reapers.

In my opinion, the Reapers were far more interesting as an enigma. Do we need exposition about why the fox raids the chicken coop? Is the fox trying to save the chickens from being killed by wolves? I was content to believe the Reapers harvested space-faring civilizations because that was how they fed and reproduced. They were predators, the top of the food chain. It really didn't need to be any more complicated than that.

I agree, the writers explaining their purpose of wiping out all organic life really does bring down the Lovecraftian horror.

[xxLindsAffec]

edit: Also, I would like to express my dissapointment that Femshep cannot romance Harbinger or Legion.

I was hoping for a romanceable Elcor.

"Lustfully: Oh, baby. orgismically: Yes, yes, yes. Apologetically: I appear to have climixed prematurely."

[Samantha Wood]

Damn the Asari for keeping secrets. They are their own worse enemy.
Damn Alliance for keeping secrets.
Damn that Cerberus germ. I wanted to kill that germ. It is possible. Why not the game let me.
Damn you MASS EFFECT!!!

[Damned_Queen]

Damn the Asari for keeping secrets. They are their own worse enemy.
Damn Alliance for keeping secrets.
Damn that Cerberus germ. I wanted to kill that germ. It is possible. Why not the game let me.
Damn you MASS EFFECT!!!

What Alliance secrets? And by Cerberus you mean Kai Leng, right?

[Kerri Lee]

Its not the artifact itself, what was in it. Tim said they were sitting on it and they done nothing about it said for studying and prodding it. They did not understand it that is why they sat on it for 30 years. Could they not get someone outside to study it during that 30 years?

Yes him Kai Leng. The second time we met at the Asari home world. Save I killing him later.

I got angry and typed that down afterwards

[El Khatiri]

I hate Kai Leng. And not in the good way you are supposed to hate a villain. Bioware was trying way too hard to make him appear "cool", and since they are huge nerds, they failed spectacularly. From his ponytail to his black coat to his silly perma-shades. What... a... tosspot...

[Jose ordaz]

I hate Kai Leng. And not in the good way you are supposed to hate a villain. Bioware was trying way too hard to make him appear "cool", and since they are huge nerds, they failed spectacularly. From his ponytail to his black coat to his silly perma-shades. What... a... tosspot...

Aye. He is a total failure of a character. Cyber ninjas are cliché anyway, and that's topped off with how awful he is in combat yet how gloaty he is when you meet again.

[maddison]

Do you still build XP with a level 20 character that'll carry over when you promote?

[Elisabete Gaspar]

I hate Kai Leng. And not in the good way you are supposed to hate a villain. Bioware was trying way too hard to make him appear "cool", and since they are huge nerds, they failed spectacularly. From his ponytail to his black coat to his silly perma-shades. What... a... tosspot...

I didn't realise he was supposed to be cool, I just thought he was just a total knob-end, in which case I'd assumed they'd got the depiction spot on!