Mass Effect 3 Spoiler Thread [Spoiler tag free, beware]

[goishen]

K, so how would you have ended it?

From the Citadel on up. 

You have control.   End the story for me.

[rk47]

AHAHAHAHAAHHHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAAHAH

you gotta pay us to make the DLC first, jack ass.

[goishen]

After the discussion with the illusive man, Shepard goes up to the top of the Citadel.   There he meets a StarChild, but it's really Harbinger.  They have a brief conversation.  Harbinger electrocutes Shepard, not before Shepard yells, "Because we are people!  WE HAVE FREE WILL!"

That's all I'm asking for.

[rk47]

then enters anderson, who picks up harbinger and throws him off the balcony.

'son....take..take of my mask...'
'but you'll die...'
'*wheeze*'

beneath the brown face of anderson, lies a volus piloting a human body

[Lakov_Sanite]

2. The Reapers make no sense without a puppet master pulling strings behind the curtains. The fact that the Reapers have worked for billions of years in such unison, never disagreeing on their path, never questioning themselves, screams that they have a leader/master.

I do feel sorry for you and your tiny human brain.

[Ratman_tf]

Perfect ending:

Shepard ascends on the magical space platform to a room with 3 different doors. Each has an ending behind it, but the player must purchase them with ReaperPoints. Only 15.00 for 350 points in the Origin store.

[PalmTrees]

then enters anderson, who picks up harbinger and throws him off the balcony.

'son....take..take of my mask...'
'but you'll die...'
'*wheeze*'

beneath the brown face of anderson, lies a volus piloting a human body

For all the what do quarians look like musings, hardly ever saw anyone ask about the volus.

Also, the ending sucked. Took six different sheps thru 1&2, only took 1 through 3.

[rk47]

"Shep-shepard....I was your father..."
"WHAT?"
"I...they took a sample of the first human Spectre trainee...and put it in your mother's womb...to...create...you...son."
"Anders- DAD! DON'T DIE!"
"I'm proud of you...son..."
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

 

[Stormwaltz]

The HIGHLY SEKRIT original ending to Mass Effect 3.


For reals, srsly.

[rk47]

Stop trolling this serious and positive discussion.

[BLUND]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9HM3-5rWYo

This is one of the worst things I have ever witnessed. And I regularly contribute to the NSFW pic thread here.

Also "Who doesn't love a good cross-species romance?". Bioware writers confirmed as bestiality enthusiasts.

[Fabricated]

Wait is the subtitle in the keyframe I see before I start playing actual dialog? Because I ain't clicking if that's the case. Ooooof.

[BLUND]

Wait is the subtitle in the keyframe I see before I start playing actual dialog? Because I ain't clicking if that's the case. Ooooof.

If you're seeing "Now unmasked, I feel your skin on miiiiiine", then yes.

I'm so sorry you had to see that.

[Nayr]

The HIGHLY SEKRIT original ending to Mass Effect 3.


For reals, srsly.

Funny thing, I've almost always seen parallels between Mass Effect and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

The explanation for the Reapers, uploading the minds of organics into a single construct for preservation/ascension is fundamentally the same as the Human Instrumentality Project from Evangelion.(Were you guys watching Evangelion when planning ME2's ending? lol)

Fans hated Evangelion's ending too but the series was critically acclaimed.

Only difference is that Evangelion's creator copped out and changed the ending. Revealing that the anime's last two episodes were happening in Shinji Ikari's mind while a lot of other shit was going on(Indoctrination Theory, anyone?)

[Lantyssa]

Have you considered spending some of this free time and energy you seem to possess devoted to reducing the problems facing humanity?

[Fabricated]

Wait is the subtitle in the keyframe I see before I start playing actual dialog? Because I ain't clicking if that's the case. Ooooof.

If you're seeing "Now unmasked, I feel your skin on miiiiiine", then yes.

I'm so sorry you had to see that.

[jakonovski]

What a voice. 

[rk47]

Have you considered spending some of this free time and energy you seem to possess devoted to reducing the problems facing humanity?

Like fighting Reapers? 

[Teleku]

The HIGHLY SEKRIT original ending to Mass Effect 3.


For reals, srsly.

Fans hated Evangelion's ending too but the series was critically acclaimed.

Only difference is that Evangelion's creator copped out and changed the ending. Revealing that the anime's last two episodes were happening in Shinji Ikari's mind while a lot of other shit was going on(Indoctrination Theory, anyone?)

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm going on memory from stuff I read years ago.  But, Evangelion had a horrible ending because Gainax was on a tight schedule to produce by the network, and they fell way the fuck behind.  They were basically told they needed all episodes finished by the deadline, or the network would air a clip rerun episode as the ending instead.  So you got the wierd ass fucked up non-ending ending.  The movie was their attempt to write out the actual ending now that they had time and weren't having a company wide breakdown due to stress (though it still sort of sucked).

So bad management lead to a horrible ending.  I guess your right, they do parralell!   

[Fabricated]

Well that and Evangelion was pretty terrible. IMO.

[Bunk]

So I picked up Citadel last night. My quick spoiler free review, is that its the type of DLC I wanted from them.

It's 4GB in size, seems to have brought back every major character from the series in some manner, and really just seems to be built on the idea of giving the fans all the little things. It focuses on the characters, the fun, and the humor. It's full of little one liners and references that make fun of some of the series's criticisms over the years.

I remember when the DLC for ME1 came out that gave you that arena to fight in. The big payoff of the DLC, was that Shepard wins her own little house to retire in. It was a box, with a window, and a terminal you could buy upgrades from. Whee!

Citadel takes the complete opposite approach. Everything about the DLC is a little silly and over the top. The apartment on the citadel is comically huge and ostentatious. You can walk out, explore the street, visit the arena or the arcade... Yea, its all pointless in the grand scheme of the game, but it works.

The actual plot is really quite silly, and the twists pretty obvious, but the combat sequences were fun enough. Oh, and I really feel bad for anyone who let Wrex die in ME1 - he still has by far the best combat lines in the game. Yes, you get to use Wrex as a squad mate again. I went with Wrex and Tali, the mates I used in ME1, and they pick up the same protective father figure based banter they had in the first game.

A few of my favorite bits, spoilered for those who want to be suprised:

[pants]

The HIGHLY SEKRIT original ending to Mass Effect 3.


For reals, srsly.

Dear GOD that fucked with my head when it came out...

[goishen]

Hmmmm, wonder if Garrus and Tali pick up their banter like they did in ME2?   "Tell me again about your environmental suits..."  "You know, I do have a shotgun."

Hmmm, might have to replay the DLC.

[Nayr]

Hmmmm, wonder if Garrus and Tali pick up their banter like they did in ME2?   "Tell me again about your environmental suits..."  "You know, I do have a shotgun."

Hmmm, might have to replay the DLC.

Garrus does make another remark about the elevator chats and is like "Am I the only one who misses the talks we used to have in the elevator?"

[Jeff Kelly]

First impression of Citadel is actually quite nice. Apart from the "the galaxy is under a dire threat, so you are ordered on shore leave to have some fun" intro. Also IKEA catalog.

By god xbox live is slow though. I went on a buying spree and bought Leviathan and Omega in addition to Citadel and also downloaded all of the free multiplayer add ons. The approx 10 GB took 5 hours over a 50 MBit/s link. That's unacceptable coming from Microsoft who right now are taking some pot shots at EA with "you know you could rent additional server capacity through Microsoft Azure for example" recommendations due to the SIm City fiasco.

Oh I also couldn't play anything eIse since the XBOX suspends all downloads once you start any game. I wanted to play yesterday evening but by the time everthing had downloaded it was 1 a.m. Makes Sony's background download and download booster feature seem even more reasonable by comparison.

[Nayr]

First impression of Citadel is actually quite nice. Apart from the "the galaxy is under a dire threat, so you are ordered on shore leave to have some fun" intro. Also IKEA catalog.

By god xbox live is slow though. I went on a buying spree and bought Leviathan and Omega in addition to Citadel and also downloaded all of the free multiplayer add ons. The approx 10 GB took 5 hours over a 50 MBit/s link. That's unacceptable coming from Microsoft who right now are taking some pot shots at EA with "you know you could rent additional server capacity through Microsoft Azure for example" recommendations due to the SIm City fiasco.

Oh I also couldn't play anything eIse since the XBOX suspends all downloads once you start any game. I wanted to play yesterday evening but by the time everthing had downloaded it was 1 a.m. Makes Sony's background download and download booster feature seem even more reasonable by comparison.

To be fair, even if the galaxy is under "dire threat" people have to take some time to rest and recuperate. Otherwise they're just easier for the Reapers to kill. Shepard has the heaviest burden of all, so it's only fair that he be allowed some shore leave. He certainly sees enough soldiers partying and unwinding at Purgatory.

[Morat20]

To be fair, even if the galaxy is under "dire threat" people have to take some time to rest and recuperate. Otherwise they're just easier for the Reapers to kill. Shepard has the heaviest burden of all, so it's only fair that he be allowed some shore leave. He certainly sees enough soldiers partying and unwinding at Purgatory.

Half the fun of wandering around is listening to all the conversations going on around (the random ones, not the quest starters or notifiers). It's the sort of little touch that's easy to get lost in a game.

So far I've noticed that a sorta couple (widowed wife and her dead husband's brother) from the first Mass Effect, whom you interfered when they were discussing genetic therapy for her unborn son -- has been in all three games, discussing and arguing over that kid.

In Purgatory, there's one place where one female marine is happily oblivious to the fact that her fellow marines wanted a 'guys night out' and eagerly horning in.

[Nayr]

To be fair, even if the galaxy is under "dire threat" people have to take some time to rest and recuperate. Otherwise they're just easier for the Reapers to kill. Shepard has the heaviest burden of all, so it's only fair that he be allowed some shore leave. He certainly sees enough soldiers partying and unwinding at Purgatory.

Half the fun of wandering around is listening to all the conversations going on around (the random ones, not the quest starters or notifiers). It's the sort of little touch that's easy to get lost in a game.

So far I've noticed that a sorta couple (widowed wife and her dead husband's brother) from the first Mass Effect, whom you interfered when they were discussing genetic therapy for her unborn son -- has been in all three games, discussing and arguing over that kid.

In Purgatory, there's one place where one female marine is happily oblivious to the fact that her fellow marines wanted a 'guys night out' and eagerly horning in.

Ah, Michael and Rebekah Petrovsky. They shouldn't have changed Rebekah's voice after ME1. Leigh-Allyn Baker's voice was perfect for her.

'Nother topic: While I may be an ardent supporter of the ME3 ending, vanilla and extended, I've come to enjoy reading that Marauder Shields fancomic series. Best thing that ever came from the hate over the ending and something I'd happily consider to be an alternate-universe continuity, even if it does use the blasted indoctrination theory. :p

[Sir T]

I can recommend some good anti-psychotic pills Nayr. 

Anyway, I started playing ME 1 again the last few days, and I have to admit the one thing that irritates the heck out of me is the Paragon renegade thing. Its better than it was in KOTOR, but its still "NO DON'T SHOOT BECAUSE A KITTEN MIGHT GET HURT HALF A MILE AWAY" or "Be sure to get those baby corpses! Them's good eat'n!" It just seems pretty damn contrived with no real middle ground unless you take the "whatever" dialogues which are pretty boring or just land you in trouble because you cant talk your way out of things. But then the romances seem silly to me as well so whatever.

[Maledict]

They did tone down the good / evil aspect of paragon & renegade from ME2 onwards. In the original game it really was just good and evil, but in the sequels they tried to make it more 'makes moral choices regardless of outcomes' versus 'gets the mission done above all'.

They never managed it completely though a I honestly don't understand why the option of kill Samara and side with Morinth is in the game at all in ME2. It's not renegade, it's insanely evil *and* perplexingly stupid as well.

[Nayr]

I can recommend some good anti-psychotic pills Nayr. 

No, thank you. Those can be a real buzzkill.

But I'd definitely recommend reading the MS comic. http://koobismo.deviantart.com/gallery/

[Venkman]

K, so how would you have ended it?

From the Citadel on up. 

You have control.   End the story for me.

Heh, isn't that why we pay through the noise for these games? 

I would have made the MacGuffin Crucible either central to all your actions (it was a side show statcounter) or I wouldn't have written it into the plot at all. This series really didn't need a Star Wars/One Ring/Borg Queen all-hinges-on-this retread. And from a "realistic" pov, I wouldn't think a galaxy-spanning civilization would sink all its resources into one device they don't even know the function of. I'd have plotted ME3 to end with some type of synthesis as the answer against the Reapers, culminating in some grand final battle. While I wouldn't have written the series to end (because really, why end the business), since they were determined to see ME3 on that promise, I guess some type of cinematic ending would be required.

Shepard was always just a man/woman, not some Neo-like near-immortal waiting for ascendancy.

Then all the choices about alliances and galactic readiness could have played out in a few hours of battle sequences that hinged on the prior choices and the ones you made during.

[goishen]

Heh, isn't that why we pay through the noise for these games?  

I would have made the MacGuffin Crucible either central to all your actions (it was a side show statcounter) or I wouldn't have written it into the plot at all. This series really didn't need a Star Wars/One Ring/Borg Queen all-hinges-on-this retread. And from a "realistic" pov, I wouldn't think a galaxy-spanning civilization would sink all its resources into one device they don't even know the function of. I'd have plotted ME3 to end with some type of synthesis as the answer against the Reapers, culminating in some grand final battle. While I wouldn't have written the series to end (because really, why end the business), since they were determined to see ME3 on that promise, I guess some type of cinematic ending would be required.

Shepard was always just a man/woman, not some Neo-like near-immortal waiting for ascendancy.

Then all the choices about alliances and galactic readiness could have played out in a few hours of battle sequences that hinged on the prior choices and the ones you made during.

Not sure if I should spoiler this or not.  Spoilering in case.


So, I dunno.   I like your ideas, just not the part about ending the series.  Ending the series gives it closure and a little nostalgia.  Kind'a like I had when I finished TWD.  I cared for Clementine.  But it's not her story.  It's mine.   So, I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I can see where it would give you pause to say that the ending felt rushed.    I mean, is it cheese?   Absolutely.  Is it worth throwing the entire series under the bus?   Not in my opinion.

It's either that or I would've given Shepard a chance to blow up the StarChild and give the civilizations a fighting chance.  Or a chance to defeat them with conventional weapons.  Kind'a like cutting the head off'a snake.   And then Shepard could feel guilty because he/she blew up the one thing that he/she had been dreaming about for the entire game.   Given him/her a chance to control Harbinger and the citadel.   Shepard could feel bad in this way because he/she is taking away the thing that he/she values most, free will.  That way you could've set up for ME4 and ended Shepard's story in one fell swoop.  

*shrug*  Guess it's just one of those things.

[Sir T]

But I'd definitely recommend reading the MS comic. http://koobismo.deviantart.com/gallery/

Why?

Why does it take some fan fiction to resolve what should have been resolved to everyone's satisfaction in the original game?

Of course someone can write extra fiction to explain stuff somehow, but that does not mean that's what the original makers of the thing even intended. Its someone else just trying to put their own icing on a cake that arrived wholly made of shit. I'm sure what Koobismo wrote is excellent, but good God man.

[Sjofn]

The DLC is way goofy but if you like chillin' with the squaddies, it is pretty sweet.

Also I got to finally slap Jacob for being a son of a bitch, money well spent.