Mass Affection (Mass Effect Series)

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 11:24 AM

Destroy = "CONGRATS YOU WON!!!"
Control = "CONGRATS YOU WON!!!"
Synthesis = "CONGRATS YOU WON!!!"

They turned the Reapers into ice cream cones. Everybody wins, everybody gets a cake. At least there was a possibility you might have fucked up in the original endings (mostly because they were vague as fuck, thereby leaving room for interpretation).

The world needs more downer endings.

**Mighty Hatman** · 08-06-2012, 12:09 PM

Don't be stupid. They weren't intentionally vague, they were lazy. Just because they didn't consider the problems of the original ending doesn't mean they were trying to give it an edgy and dark ending. On that note making a dark and edgy ending for the sake of it is silly. You can't justify that the original endings were better just because they decided to cut a lot of corners with writing and basic storytelling.

The destroy ending focusses on the positive because that's the message of the game (if you chose that ending). If you get past your differences with other people and work together to complete a goal then you can succeed. It's not out of place for them to focus on that notion.

The control ending is the most abstract with Shepard turning into some sort of god. The ending to that depends on your morality and whether you want a happy or dark ending is up to you.

The synthesis ending is exactly the same except they explained it more. They didn't change anything.

You're wrong if you think the original ending was better. You have your opinion but it terms of mechanics to writing, storytelling, presentation and design the extended cut is far superior. It leaves less to the imagination so desperate fans who want their ending are going to be disappointed. That's a shitty reason to dislike it though. Mass Effect is more about choices and results. You get the choices but you don't get the space to imagine the results. I think the compromise is expecting a well written result though with no major plotholes which the original ending had.

The world only needs more darker endings if they story fits it. Trying to be more adult by adding darker themes is immature. Just like how pretending to be an adult is childish.

To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence.

One of my favourite quotes by C.S Lewis.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 12:37 PM

You're calling me stupid when you couldn't properly comprehend a post consisting of 59 words?

That rant is great and all, but let me know when you find the word "intentional" or "adult" in any of those 59 words -- I'll wait. You're crusading against points that were never made. They are vague. There is room for interpretation. Whether that is due to design or incompetence is irrelevant (nor was it my point) -- there is still room left due to a lack of definition.

I did not enjoy the new endings because they filled that room with only varying shades of success and no possibility for failure (unless you question or resist the choices at hand, which is what Shepard spent the last three games doing -- questioning and resisting the odds and possibilities whenever somebody told him that whatever he was doing was impossible). Why you find that so personally contemptible--that some person didn't like something--is beyond me.

Originally Posted by Mighty Hatman

You're wrong if you think the original ending was better. You have your OPINION but it terms of mechanics to writing, storytelling, presentation and design the extended cut is far superior.

Tell me more about using made-up objective criteria for subjective thoughts. I mean you really can't be calling somebody stupid and then accuse them of having a wrong opinion. There is no way somebody can be that ironic. I refuse to believe it's possible.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 12:49 PM

And here's a jaunty little quote that I favor myself:

To be concerned that people have different opinions, to shit a metric ton of bricks when they differ in thought, to quote pretentious quotes of childhood with no relevance to a single fucking word uttered; these things are the marks of a twat.

Spoiler!

**State Lemming** · 08-06-2012, 01:02 PM

I like the original endings by comparison as well. The extended ones kind of screwed with the parts of the originals I actually liked, mainly the Mass Relays being destroyed. I appreciated the vagueness (intentional, lazy, or otherwise) because what happens after Shepard's story is the province of future games.

Sure things are still FUBAR, but the galaxy lives on, and for once they forge their own destiny, free of the reaper cycle, even if they have to start from rubble.

The extended cuts (and granted I haven't seen the synthesis one) kind of screw with that for me by making the reconstruction look pretty effortless, all in all, not much changes.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 01:16 PM

Plus the Catalyst seems a lot more helpful and genuine in his tone and answers the second time around. In the original endings, he's much shadier. I wasn't sure if I should have trusted the little bastard, especially since so much of what he was saying seemed to be full of shit. I liked that ambiguity.

Also: I found it rather absurd how they suddenly have time to chat about every single damn thing in the universe during the extended endings. Shepard's just standing around asking so many god damn questions that don't matter while there are literally thousands of people dying all around him.

**Sir Legendhead** · 08-06-2012, 07:54 PM

I finished the first Mass Effect again this morning, and did it in just over seven hours. Goes much quicker once you realize that none of the story elements really matter.

Feros - Didn't bother helping them, let Shiala live just to see if she'd still show up in 2

Therum - took like ten minutes. Exaggerating of course, but it can go fast if you know what you're doing.

Noveria - Rolled through security like a baller, didn't bother with all that proper access shit because they're all working for the bad guy anyway. Skippped Hot Labs because LOL WTF is the point of that part anyway.

Completed the game with only Kaiden, Liara, and Tali left. Shot Wrex, let Ash die, and never picked up Garrus in the first place. So yeah, I'm kind of interested in seeing how that last part carries over to 2. I'm sure he still shows up as Archangel, but I will cringe so fucking hard if "GARRUS! HEY OLD BUDDY" is still a dialogue option. No Shep, he is not your friend. We retconned that. He has never been onboard the Normandy.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 07:57 PM

Now I want to play a game without picking up anyone in ME1 (though I doubt it's possible).

**State Lemming** · 08-06-2012, 08:02 PM

I'm pretty sure I've seen youtube videos of meeting Archangel without prior Garrus knowledge. So I think the Garrus ol buddy ol pal thing isn't available.

**Sir Legendhead** · 08-06-2012, 08:08 PM

I tried to avoid picking up both Garrus and Wrex, but you need at least one of them to get the evidence against Saren. So I brought Wrex, knowing I could dispose of him later.

Now I kind of want to just barely survive ME2, with no one left but Shep. Not putting a lot of thought into it though. I mean, it's interesting, but it's not that interesting, ya know what I mean?

The best thing about these games was looking forward to the eventual payoff. How they'd wrap it all up, how the choices would fit together and all that. Now that they've botched it, all we really have left is a futuristic squad shooter. Oh well. It's still fun though.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 08:14 PM

I bet Hackett will still be a drunk asshole.

**Sir Legendhead** · 08-06-2012, 08:16 PM

You mean Harkin?

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 08:17 PM

No, the admiral. The dude is such a douchebag in the multiplayer.

"What's taking so long? Get in there and get the data!"
"...HACKETT, THERE'S LIKE A MILLION THINGS SHOOTING AT US. FUCK OFF."
"Shut up you whiners. Go in there and get me that money. Daddy needs more booze."

When you promote your multiplayer characters and then talk to him in the single player, he's like...

"Yeah. They're not real N7s. We just let them think that."

**Sir Legendhead** · 08-06-2012, 08:20 PM

He's also a vampire. You ever see Near Dark?

**State Lemming** · 08-06-2012, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Legendhead

I tried to avoid picking up both Garrus and Wrex, but you need at least one of them to get the evidence against Saren. So I brought Wrex, knowing I could dispose of him later.

Now I kind of want to just barely survive ME2, with no one left but Shep. Not putting a lot of thought into it though. I mean, it's interesting, but it's not that interesting, ya know what I mean?

The best thing about these games was looking forward to the eventual payoff. How they'd wrap it all up, how the choices would fit together and all that. Now that they've botched it, all we really have left is a futuristic squad shooter. Oh well. It's still fun though.

Haha yeesh man. You are doing a mopey run because of the ending? When I said the choices didn't really matter I didn't mean it as a negative.

And I'm pretty sure you need living ME2 squadmates to pull Shepard into the Normandy, at least one, maybe two to make a squad.

**Revuhlooshun** · 08-06-2012, 08:24 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Legendhead

He's also a vampire. You ever see Near Dark?

I have not. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Hackett was a vampire -- and every other terrible thing one could think of.

**Sir Legendhead** · 08-06-2012, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by State Lemming

Haha yeesh man. You are doing a mopey run because of the ending? When I said the choices didn't really matter I didn't mean it as a negative.

And I'm pretty sure you need living ME2 squadmates to pull Shepard into the Normandy, at least one, maybe two to make a squad.

Oh don't worry. What you said couldn't have affected my decision, because I didn't bother reading it. Also I wouldn't call it a "mopey" run...but whatever. If it makes you have a sad, that's on you.

Also I think you only need Joker to survive the ending. Not sure though, like I said it's not exactly a priority.

Originally Posted by Revuhlooshun

I have not. Although I wouldn't be surprised if Hackett was a vampire -- and every other terrible thing one could think of.

The police chief in Terminator sounds just like him too. That might be like, his great-grandfather or something.

**State Lemming** · 08-06-2012, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sir Legendhead

Oh don't worry. What you said couldn't have affected my decision, because I didn't bother reading it. Also I wouldn't call it a "mopey" run...but whatever. If it makes you have a sad, that's on you.

Also I think you only need Joker to survive the ending. Not sure though, like I said it's not exactly a priority.

Ah okay, I just assumed since you quoted a segment of a post I had on the subject earlier. I just think it would be dreadfully dull to play ME just for the gameplay. I was also referring mostly to your comment that the endings ruined everything about Mass Effect, which just struck me as very dramatic.

I don't know the specifics, but when I saw the "everyone dies" ME2 end, Shepard makes a valiant leap for the Normandy and misses because no one is there to grab his hand (Joker is still blasting away on the assault rifle), Joker than gets killed by a Scion shorty afterwards.

**ZombiePlatypus** · 08-06-2012, 08:35 PM

Joke lives regardless, but you need at least one "real" squad member alive as well or else you don't make it because Joker can't pull you up on his own. I've gotten the dead Shep ending and also redid it so I could port over a save where only the one crew member makes it from ME2.