Ben-DutkaThe fans have grabbed their torches and pitchforks…look out, Bioware.
After the backlash concerning the ending(s) in Mass Effect 3 (in that nobody seems to like any of the endings very much, and your decisions don't seem to have a big impact), the annoyed fans have "taken to the streets," so-to-speak.
But only in the virtual sense; the irked followers have come together and started an online petition , which perhaps was inevitable: utilizing sites like Facebook and Twitter, the fans are asking BioWare to either update the game or toss in some new downloadable content to alter the conclusion. There are already over 16,000 votes, 87% of which say they want a new ending. A few people have differing views on the subject at hand, but they're definitely in the minority.
So although ME3 is a great game, the fans just aren't satisfied with the way this trilogy drew to a close, and the developers are gonna hear about it. It's too bad that after all their hard work they may leave this series with a bitter taste in their mouths, but…gotta please the fans, right?
Related Game(s): Mass Effect 3
*facepalm*
I haven't beaten it yet, but I imagine one of two scenarios–save the galaxy, or fail miserably. Pretty much the only ways it CAN play out. What the heck did these whiners expect?
Seriously, can we not just enjoy the freaking game?
Haven't started it yet but this was supposed to have finality to it, in that all your choices from all 3 games were taken into account in the ending and a huge amount of variables would be on offer for you to shape your personal end. This was supposed to give them freedom to go all out in terms of shaping many different endings and variations as there was no need to think of a sequel for Shepard.
That's what Bioware talked about ages ago and was the concept. Understandable if this is what nothing like has happened then with fans (and me when I reach the end) upset. Mass Effect 3 deserved more of a personal journey for us all to just have that lame choice you put up there.
It IS a personal journey. It gives you closure for everything you've done throughout the series. Every major decision you ever made (and several minor) plays out for you in Mass Effect 3. The entire game is the ending of the series, not the final 10 minutes of the final game. That's what I've loved about Mass Effect 3. Every character I've loved or hated has had his/her/its time in the spotlight. I've even been moved to tears on a couple of occasions. To hear people complain about the game because they disagree with the last 5-10 minutes not being more varied just irritates the crap out of me.
Seriously, can you imagine a third or fourth ending scenario beyond save the galaxy, or fail to save the galaxy?
I enjoyed most of the game but hated the endings. I don't even mind how dark they were (I expected them to be) but, in the end, the choices you made through the three games pretty much didn't amount to a hill of beans. It was a complete let-down. No, I've not written nastygrams to BW or plan on signing on any petition but I'm still irked about how the trilogy ended.
Up until the last 5 minutes of the game, I was just as optimistic as you. Yeah, I wish there were only 2 choices, and that was it. That would have made WAY more sense. Just wait dude. Just wait. You'll see what all the "whiners" didn't expect.
If they give me more options than that, I'll be thrilled!
If my decisions in the course of three (or 2 games actually) would hardly matter in the outcome of the game, then I could see why fans would be crying foul over it. However, I cannot say anything about the controversy yet since I just started playing the game two days ago and I'm really enjoying it.
Man, all this talk about the "supposedly terrible" ending is already putting ideas in my head that I'd rather not entertain this early in my playthrough.
This reminds me of The Sopranos ending backlash, but on a much smaller scale. I remember reading how it was awful and one of the worst endings in history.
It actually put me off investing time into the series. When i eventually thought, whatever, i'm going to watch it as i'm sure what's in between is amazing as is said.
Watched it, thought the series was a benchmark for American TV shows and then the ending came…..One of the most intelligent, cliché free, astounding, thought provoking endings in TV show history.
When i looked online after being speechless for about 3 hours, i was happy to find out there were others that thought so too and were dissecting it's meaning.
Point is, i will never listen to this type of stuff because you never know what you may miss if you follow. You have to remember that mainstream audiences want traditional methods, not a thinking game.
I have no idea how ME3 ends nor am i saying it's going to be as profound as something like The Sopranos ending, but it's food for thought.
Then again, one's a TV show, the other a game.
Last edited by Lotusflow3r on 3/11/2012 10:46:25 PM
Agreed, found this too with L.A. Noire. It has a beautifully constructed ending in terms of noir narrative. Sorry if I offend some people but most people who complained about the ending probably didn't know a thing about noir and just was expecting it to pan out like any other game which it wasn't right from the beginning.
Thanks, Lotus! I kinda needed to read that. 🙂 Gave me motivation and strength to continue avoiding reading into what this is all about.
In about 60-70 gaming hours into the future I'll be able to find out by myself. 🙂
Last edited by Beamboom on 3/12/2012 2:21:39 AM
@Smokey
It wasn't even necessarily "Noir" that they needed to expect either. (Although, I'm not disagreeing with you even a little bit!) People are almost expectant of the traditional melodramatic ending. Anything else is "bad".
Yeah, I would agree with that too Underdog. I'm looking at it from a fan of the genre conventions but your completely right from that perspective too.
It's "out of the comfort zone" so I immediately don't like it. 🙁
I actually am the type of person who wants one ending. I don't mind multiple endings if they don't differ to much, because I like conclusions in the way I choose to play when I have choices. Normally I won't play through a game again to see a different ending. I do like choice in games, but I also like when a developer can deliver on the premise of the story they are trying to tell.
At this point I would rather Bioware not listen to those who want a different ending, because this is the way they wanted to tell the story! If Bioware changes that well then the whole game falls victim to what everyone is saying they hate anyways, and that's DLC, and further more, changing part of the original game. Just leave it good or bad!
"this is the way they wanted to tell the story!"
Exactly!
These fans that are upset about the ending should go and right a fan fiction on the way they wanted it to end, lol.
Its pretty funny, i mean i can see why fans would be upset over gameplay changes (like with FF, or RE), but to be upset over the ending? seriously?
Story is one area where i don't want to see fan input. (There maybe exceptions to that though)
Last edited by Fox hounder on 3/12/2012 12:13:09 AM
It's not our place to say "this is how the ending should be", or "change the ending because we didn't like it".
They told the story, not us. This is probably how they envisioned it ending for quite a long time. I'm actually more upset that there is multiple endings in such a story driven franchise. But I've heard it's more based on choice, and doesnt actually vary that much, and so I'm ok it. 😉
I agree.
I try to view it from the perspective of the director, i wouldn't want to change my vision for the ending because a group of fans (as you mentioned) had their own idea of how it should end.
Folks, think of some of the great video game endings, (i think ben had a list sometime back, probably still on the site) i'm pretty sure those endings weren't shaped by fan opinions.
Just something to think about 🙂
Last edited by Fox hounder on 3/12/2012 2:47:48 AM
Or to simplify it,
I just want the ending (and story in general) to be what the director wants it to be,
As I've mentioned, I didn't like any of the endings. However, I don't want them to patch in new endings, either. You're right. It is their story to tell and, for whatever reason, they decided to end it the way they did. Doesn't mean I have to like it.
Umm this game was built on and around the premise the players control what happens and the programmers failed at that. so ya they should listen to the fans, if this was a book or tv show sure we would not complain we would just stop reading or watching and never buy from those authors or producers again. But BW has a chance to keep our business and deliver what was the bases for many of us picking up the game in the 1st place
Childs-
I'm sorry but these games were never built that way. They are not Heavy Rain where everything you do completely affects how something will turn out. Don't think that Bioware has accomplished that with any of these games. Regardless the player has control of his or her choice but never had control of the ending. You dont know what's going to happen no matter what choices you make, and those choices were never really had a huge impact. The developers had a story to tell and whatever you did do, it would still be played out the way they had planned, just maybe in a different circumstance.
Jesus Christ, may the lord have mercy on their souls.
urs too?
They should remember that they'll more than likely have to pony up $$ for their endings.
Bioware shaped ME2 based on what fans wanted.
They shaped ME3 gameplay on fan feedback.
When fans complained how a book conflicted with the game background fluff, Bioware issued an apology stating the book was not canon.
They listen.
People are sad. Really sad.
A bad ending is bad PR. It's best if we can just say hey the game provided me with lots of great moments but I sympathize with them for wanting perfection. Bioware should take their licks and do better next time, but it's just plain silly for them to provide a different ending because people got mad.
So what am I to make of this? Is it a game for exclusively non-gamers? Or am I to conclude that most gamers are dim witted idiots that are incapable of understanding what Mass Effect is about.
I say so because in my opinion Mass Effect 3's ending makes it one of the greatest stories ever told and the greatest science fiction story ever. It exceeded my expectations and is a monumental achievement in the world of entertainment.
It is for such thoughts that I don't understand why such high percentage will want the game to be changed. The game shattered my expectations and achieved something I could never have imagined in my wildest dreams.
Then why are so many people so disappointed with it? Anything other ending would probably cause the same people to shout that it is very unimaginative ending and make a petition to change that.
Bioware are known to listen to fans but regarding this petition I hope that Bioware will make an exception. I'd like to know what number makes up that 87%
My dislike of the endings isn't really with the actual endings themselves (I've run through the ones I had access to to see how different they were) but with all of the questions that remain, questions that, in my opinion, shouldn't have been asked by the way they ended the game.
Then you are not paying attention to whats going on with the story or what is on the screen, maybe you have a short term memory and things escape you. look at the ending again if you don't have questions why certain things happened then it simple you like pretty pictures not for things to make sense at the end. the ending was pieced in like some mix matched puzzle it i'm trying to to spoil anything by giving example but email me i will point them out for you. Think about ME2 the simple fact you bought ship upgrades that determined who would survive in the end was amazing now look a ME3 they had one story about an upgrade that would save someone incase… but did getting that ship upgrade matter at the end of ME3?
I'm all for multiple endings, but as a whole if there was even just one ending, people should just accept that this is the ending to the game how the Devs saw it fit. i just feel that we shouldn't feel its our right to change this.
would you change the ending of any long series of films? hey.. Darth vader shouldn't die.. noooooo. how about ico or sotc? should we change that because we don't agree with the way those master pieces played out?
i haven't finished me3 yet, but what ever ending i get, il just be happy with, i figure il either be disappointed because it was sloppy, rushed and left untidy or i will appreciate it because the game its truly magnificent and the devs wanted these endings…what ever they are.
if people want a blank sheet ending then maybe they should write Games rather than make petitions.
on a last note, the reviews that actually finished the game, i don't recall them knocking off points for a sloppy ending, so i say accept it and move on.
Adding Hayden Christenson to the ending of the original Star Wars was sad.
Yeah, I feel bad for that dude that got cut out.
again the game was built and developed as a player controls the ending and all decisions made in 1, 2 and 2 would effect 3 but they didn't so people have the right to be angry and demand the change. If you spent ours playing the game to get the perfect response to each mission in dialogue in the game you would be upset too. i think you played the game made a choice in the dialogue and stuck with it but the rest of us said nope i don't like the response reset and do the dialogue again.
I'm all for multiple endings, but as a whole if there was even just one ending, people should just accept that this is the ending to the game how the Devs saw it fit. i just feel that we shouldn't feel its our right to change this.
would you change the ending of any long series of films? hey.. Darth vader shouldn't die.. noooooo. how about ico or sotc? should we change that because we don't agree with the way those master pieces played out?
i haven't finished me3 yet, but what ever ending i get, il just be happy with, i figure il either be disappointed because it was sloppy, rushed and left untidy or i will appreciate it because the game its truly magnificent and the devs wanted these endings…what ever they are.
if people want a blank sheet ending then maybe they should write Games rather than make petitions.
on a last note, the reviews that actually finished the game, i don't recall them knocking off points for a sloppy ending, so i say accept it and move on.
It's different because with the Star Wars endings they at least have closure. You know what happens to all the major characters. Mass Effect didn't.
I was like you guys at one point.
I thought, 'Hey, they have multiple endings, one of them oughta be good.' Then I got to the end. Now I see where they come from.
It doesn't even feel like Mass Effect. It feels like Bioware just called up the Wachowski brothers and told them to make an ending, because each and every ending is basically the same thing with a different colored background. And none of them make sense.
Endings are about closing a story. And to close a trilogy like Mass Effect, you should have an ending that closes it properly. Instead of closing it, they left so many holes it feels more like a B movie than a AAA title.
Fans feel betrayed because Mass Effect had always been about everyone uniting under one banner, putting aside old hatreds to face a conflict together. In the all endings, no matter what you did in the previous games, nor how you played in this game
SPOILER! SPOILER!DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILER!
Shepard dies. Alone.
Either you control the Reapers, and the Normandy crew crash land somewhere. Or you destroy all Synthetics, including Geth and EDI, and Normandy crash lands somewhere.
And at no point do they explain what happens to anyone. What about the other crew members. What about the other races that were part of the war? How will everyone get back home when all the Mass Relays are destroyed? If the catalyst built the Reapers, who built the catalyst? The endings answer none of this!
crap, I had to scroll up from the bottom and now there's no point in buying the game.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/12/2012 1:11:33 AM
I managed to not read MUCH of it but this comment should not be here. What is the point of giving us specifics.
wings.. you're an idiot for spoiling it for everyone. that said, i read what you spoilt and i STILL don't have a problem with it.
maybe people like you want things in a particular way and can't handle 'change'? anyway, i feel that there probably will be a follow up in the from of dlc to perhaps to explain a few things because they planned to, and not cater for whiney gamers.
I'm hoping Ben or a mod here will delete that portion of your last post, again, you are an idiot and i refuse to read anything more that you have to say.
To be honest, I don't mind the text in there, it won't stop me enjoying the game. I agree that they should have maybe given more detail about what happens in the years after the game ends.
For example, What happens with the Rachni depending on the action you took in ME1? Is it explained? It should be.
As for the pther elements of the ending, I'm fairly happy with them. Looks like they just needed to expand on the detail.
Last edited by Gabriel013 on 3/12/2012 7:39:10 AM
*Sigh*
Most people can read silently quite efficiently… spoiler alerts only work if you can somehow hide the text, either with some pop-down thing or white text…
I saw the spoiler and tried to skip it, but my eyes still caught what you wrote inadvertently.
Freakin' moron…..
Just like the time my cousin spoiled what happened to Aeris….
Well… ok, so it isn't as bad as that.
Last edited by Underdog15 on 3/12/2012 9:10:24 AM
Calm down guys. He did put a spoiler alert there, so it's more your fault than his if you read it. He can't really conceal it any better…
That said, I read it too xD Only because I seem to be the only person who doesn't even like ME3. The demo was AWFUL. I thought the ME2 was ALOT better. I mean, the framerate was just appaulingly bad, the cutscenes were so drawn-out and the writing was so…average. Not to mention the gunplay was flat out boring. Maybe I really aren't an RPG person – be it 'PRG lite' or hardcore RPG's. Oh well. There's always uncharted! xD
@ludicrous
You don't put spoilers in even with alerts unless it can be hidden. When I read, I'm constantly slowly scrolling. I don't read silently the way I read out loud. Most people don't, I wouldn't think. It's not like you can see SPOILER and instantly stop… The words were directly beneath the warning, and my eyes caught it… Who read's word-by-word, anyways?
I dunno about you, but my brain doesn't work that way. There was literally nothing I could have done to have not seen that aside from not looking at the comments.
what really pisses me off about it is that he's not even a regular here. its like he just made an account here to do that lame man totally lame.
Well I read each comment very carefully, sometimes if you don't you just skim over things when you shouldn't really (I've done it before; in doing so I just repeat exactly what someone else had said before-hand. Whoops xD). But honestly, there was like 4 or 5 lines between the spoiler alert and the spoiler itself.
Kinda predictable too. I mean how many times does that happen in games that spans 3+ games (that are story-heavy)? Like
(Spoiler alert for you normal people who read top-to-bottom)
SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER
…in MGS4. For like half an hour anyway.
SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILERSPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER
(Spoiler alert for you strange people who read bottom-to-top)
YEAH – thats how you do a spoiler alert. xD
Awww. I was gunna add an improvement to my spoiler alert but the stupid scroller screwed up when I tried to edit it (Ben you should really switch the defaults, so scroller is an option). It would've looked like this:
SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER-SPOILER
S S
P P
O O
I I
L L
E E
R R
SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER–SPOILER
I would've done like a criss-cross too…but I don't have THAT much time to waste xD
EDIT: RAWR. The spaces between the two spoilers get deleted. Just use your goddam imagination. I'm going't bed. :L
Last edited by Ludicrous_Liam on 3/12/2012 5:28:23 PM
damn L calm down take a breather your gonna blow a bloodvessel there mate xD
… I think I'm probably just better at my reading comprehension skills, then Liam.
I'm not talking about skimming things over…
It's how I read notes, books, textbooks, study…. I get all the info and I see the complete sentence. I only slow down when I hit a complex or poorly constructed sentence.
There's a huge difference between skimming and reading. In a narrow thread like this when you don't need to stretch your eyes across the entire screen and just in a narrow box like this… I'm probably reading 3 lines at the same time.
I'm definitely not skimming over something as narrowly constructed as this thread on this site. I'm obviously not the only one that reads like that either, based on the other folks that had it spoiled. (It was more than commented here. People have mentioned it in later threads, too)
I think -most- decent readers probably would read the same way… assuming they went to their classes and read what they were supposed to read and read for enjoyment on the side.
It's not a special skill… it's normal.
EDIT: That's not how you do a spoiler alert. People need to know there's a spoiler either before they navigate to a page, or they need to do something specific, like highlight white text or click a box that will drop down the hidden text.
I thought everyone knew that……
Last edited by Underdog15 on 3/14/2012 9:39:57 AM
yea dog thats pretty much how i am to.
generally speaking though i've made it a habit to just stay away from comment thread involving story driven games i plan to play. for instance when heavy rain came out i just totally stayed away from websites until i finished it (but i did it in like 2 days xD)
what gets me is how he just put.
********* dies alone
separately like that it just arrr so obvious if he put in in the middle of a sentence people probably would have stoped. but having it separated like just no way you could avoid it. totally lame
I liked the ending. It was complete. I believe that all those fans wanted an happy enidng not some philosophical ending, whe you need to choose. Bioware might add an 4th ending.