kmv_007's forum posts

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#1 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

I've finished a second playthrough of Mass Effect 3. That should show that I have gotten over the ending enough that I could play it again, and (thank goodness) this time I wasn't completely crushed by the ending. Maybe because I made sure to get the "BEST" ending (Shepard may have lived?!) and my romance from ME1 (Ashley) took me back even after I boned genetically-perfect Miranda in ME2 (too bad Miranda died this time). Anyway, I have 2 problems that I'd like to address, and one of them requires some input from the community.

Minor point to start - the soundtrack is AWESOME. Like, wow. Really epic music, very well done. Period.

After completing a second playthrough, and reading explanations from various sources (Rock Paper Shotgun has a few excellent articles that their various authors have penned regarding the endings, I highly recommend them) I have slowly come around to an understanding of the endings. I'm not a fan of deep convoluted endings to begin with anyway (Matrix, 2001, etc), so throwing an all-knowing Star Child into the mix at the end was a big bummer anyway. However, I accept that BioWare told a story, and while the finale was a letdown, the buildup to the final battle was nothing short of breathtaking. Even on the second playthrough, and even after seeing several different outcomes on YouTube, I was still drawn in on a couple outcomes (Mordin and Thane still tug on my tear ducts; Miranda and Legion were bittersweet as well), and Liara's good-bye was touching, even though I wasn't her love interest (this time). My point is, the journey was just wonderful, but I feel the destination didn't live up to expectations, and that did sour the entire experience a bit.

Be that as it may... filing a complaint with the FTC is WAAAAAAY beyond extreme. In a way, EA and BioWare should use that as a selling point. I want it known that, while I'm disappointed in the ending, and would've liked something different, I'm not insisting on a change. While the Child's Play charity drive is a great way to display your displeasure, I believe that BioWare told a story, and that story had a conclusion. I also want to give a thumbs up to Penny Arcade's comic regarding the brouhaha.

My second problem is one that I'd really like feedback on. I cannot deny that the Mass Effect trilogy was a wonderful use of my time. I am so drawn into the world that I would love to introduce my wife to the series. She plays some games, but she has a fairly short window of introduction. My problem is Mass Effect 1 - I didn't think it was that good, at least gameplay-wise (especially compared to ME2). No matter what EA/BioWare says, I don't think it's fair to introduce someone to the ME universe with ME2, let alone ME3. And while I feel that ME3 was the best GAME of the series, I cannot ignore the story arc that spans the trilogy.

But that's my opinion. Can anyone help me with this choice? Should I force her through ME1, or just try to start her with ME2 and say "good luck"?

#2 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

I was banging any female thing I could. First Ashley, then Miranda, then ended with Liara. Tried to continue with Ashley in ME3 but she was being bitchy about Miranda and didn't want to talk again. And I did try to continue with both Ashley and Miranda, but I guess they talked or something because I couldn't continue a romance with either one. Liara was cool with sloppy seconds (or thirds in this case) though.

I think that Liara is supposed to be THE ONE, since she could be romanced in all 3, and the payout at the end of ME3 with her as the LI... I don't think in can be matched by the other characters. Garrus was definitely a bromance - I expected a fist-bump or bro-hug with that good-bye.

#3 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

@EToaster: my GOD, that's cold-blooded.

I played Paragon and was saddened by his sacrifice, but this is so much more powerful. I didn't know (I suspected, but he never admitted in a Paragon playthrough) that Mordin felt guilt over his genophage work and NEEDED to make it right. And how Shep throws her gun as she walks away... that is some powerful writing right there. Wow.

#4 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

Amen, Captain. The anger and vitriol at the ending(s) has to be amplified by the fact that a lot of fans have been invested in this story for 5 years. So many different branches and scenarios, to have it all end up as a "pallet swap" is... heartbreaking. The things that are common amongst the endings are all things that I wish I could change - I don't want the mass relays destroyed, and I don't want my crew (probably) isolated on an uncharted world. I wanted to make my own sacrifice in order to preserve the known galaxy.

Be that as it may, I've definitely moved into the acceptance phase. I will be starting a NG+ sometime today. I was definitely off (physically and mentally) the day after playing through the ending, though.

#5 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

I finished Mass Effect 3 a few days ago, and it's taken me this long to make my thoughts coherent enough to put to paper. It's taken me some time, but I've finally completed the 5 stages of grieving - not really over the conclusion of this story, but the ending.

I'd like to start that 99% of the game is a BLAST! I really enjoyed ME2, and the combat in ME3 is similar but improved. I liked that, as a soldier, you can carry any and as many types of weapons as you wish, but with the power cooldown bonus there's encouragement to reduce your inventory. While it may seem weird that your previous friends and squadmates just happen to be where you have to go, I really liked how the story flowed. The story covered a lot of people, and I think BioWare did an excellent job with bringing together all the species' treads. There were even moments when I teared up. I had really high expectations going into this game, and for 99.9% of the time ME3 met or exceeded my expectations. Considering what the ending turned into, my expectations may have been unfair to the game. Also, I'm glad I was able to bang a different chick in each game - awesome.

Before I drop into the ending, I'd like to take a second and go over a couple things - ground rules, if you will.

1) I do NOT believe that BioWare sold out to EA or some other ridiculous shit.

2) I am NOT insisting on a new ending as DLC - it's BioWare's creation, they can do what they want to it. I can also have the opinion that that ending was not anywhere near what I was expecting.

3) I am NOT upset about the fact that Shepard dies (usually) - I was expecting that, no matter the choices I had made or how good/evil I was, Shepard was probably gonna die. I could live with that.

Now for the ending. I arrived at the end of the journey late on Wednesday night (yeah, I kinda poop-socked it - but that goes to show how the rest of the game was! I was sucked in all the way through the game!), and perhaps exhaustion or alcohol was twisting my opinions and feelings, but I think I felt... unfulfilled. I know when I went to bed that night I really didn't sleep well, and the ending bothered me for most of the next day. It took a while, but I think I've finally figured out what my problem is. It's the fact that, no matter what you do, one of the central tenants of the ME universe (the mass relays) WILL BE GONE. Usually, at the end of a story arc (trilogy, series, whatever) there is a definite endpoint for a character (death, defeat, victory, etc) but the setting remains the same - at least similar enough to create new story threads within the same universe. However, with this conclusion, BioWare has made it so that, WHEN (not if) a new game is made, they could reuse some of the characters but the setting will be so different that it could be unrecognizable.

Then again, even as I typed this out, my feelings continued to evolve - I think the ending is just taking a little time to sink in. Or I'm becoming indoctrinated.

#6 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

I think what's bothering me the most is that, no matter what ending you choose, the mass relays would be destroyed, so modern galactic civilization would cease to exist. Sure some characters live on, but everyone that had gone to Earth to fight were stranded there, and your friends get stranded on some uncharted planet.

I guess I thought, through the previous two games, I was fighting for the galaxy, and while the galaxy was saved, it would be forever altered - either mass relays are destroyed AND you control the Reapers, mass relays are destroyed AND all technology no longer works, OR mass relays are destroyed AND everyone is now a synthetic-enhanced thing.

In the end, I expected a self-sacrificing Shepherd, and maybe my entire crew, but I never even imagined that there is no "returning to normal" within the galaxy. A sequel is still technically possible, but it'll be fetch quests of "Joker's leg is broken again, find some branches to make some splints for him" and "use spears and rocks to fight off pygmies."

#7 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

@Arker101 said:

@Ghostiet said:

@owl_of_minerva said:

It's sad that this is the best they could come up with, for fuck's sake Bioware.

They came up with something else initially. I'll put it in a spoiler:

The original motivation for the Reapers was that they were conquering galaxies because they tried to have a big enough, smart enough consciousness to find a way to stop the spread of the Dark Energy before it consumes the universe. They were running out of time, but they've realized that humanity is more genetically diverse than the other races and raced to synthesize them. The ending would have involved assimilating humanity, so the Reapers could have a chance to stop the energy or destroying them, in hope the whole galaxy will find a way to stop it with what little time they have. The general implication was that the Reapers were too arrogant to seek other ways than their own.

That's why there was so much of the "humans are special and more genetically diverse" in Mass Effect 2 and that's why there was foreshadowing about Dark Energy on Haestrom.

Oh, that's too funny!

#8 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -

I don't understand how it's all because of hardware drivers - texture pop-in is apparent on 360 and PS3. AMD updated the drivers on 9/28, which was after Rage went gold, so I can see the update possibly causing problems; however, it's possible for either id/Bethesda or AMD to issue a day-one fix.

AMD did screw up putting out a borked "fix" earlier in the day, but putting all the blame on video card drivers is rediculous.

#9 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -
@Darkstar_KoP said:

It fucking sucks that one game can destroy a studio. Every fucking time a game bombs now people have to worry about their job. What a fucked up buisness.

Kaos had made Frontlines before Homefront, not to mention that Kaos was formed by some of the guys behind the Desert Combat mod for Battlefield 1942.  It wasn't just Homefront that did in Kaos.  
As others have pointed out, NYC isn't a cheap place to operate, and Kaos wasn't helping their bottom line being located there.  Why not move?  Do you have any idea the difference in operating costs between Kaos (in NYC) & Volition (in Champaign, IL)? 
A lot of pressure was put on them for Homefront to sell huge, but both their games were second-rate shooters at best and mediocre at worst.  Their premises were good but the gameplay was sub-standard.  
That said, I'm sorry to see them go, and I really hope the best for all the personnel involved. 
#10 Posted by kmv_007 (42 posts) -
@crusader8463 said:
I foresee a much worse worst case scenario. One where EB Games uses it's clout with Publishers to demand they use impulse exclusively, or at the very least make them only release it on impulse for X weeks/months before they release it elsewhere. Then have them threaten to not advertise their games in store unless they do it, or to not buy a lot of stock of their games unless they play ball.  Given their already established network of warehouses and shipping system, I could see them finally being the first Digital store to be able to offer to send you a boxed copy of any game you buy with their service. Obviously you would have to pay a bit more for shipping, but that's something big that they could do that Steam wouldn't. At least not without a lot of work and expense on Steams end.  Time will tell. I know I will be keeping an eye out. "
I don't see that happening.  If Gamestop tried to make publishers use Impulse exclusively, they would be laughed out of the room.  Gamestop hardly stocks PC games anyway, so there's little lost there.  Gamestop could threaten to not stock new console games from publishers that don't play ball, but they like getting exclusive add-ons for new games, so they won't threaten publishers that way.  Gamestop doesn't sell as many new (console) games as Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, etc. as well - their margins are in pre-owned games.   Basically, it would be bad for everyone if Gamestop tried to play hardball like that, but it would be worse for Gamestop. 
The boxed copy with a digital copy is interesting, but I think those are 2 different markets.  I like digital distribution because I DON'T have to have a box and disc laying around cluttering up my home.  Others like to have a physical copy as backup, or for the (very rare) booklets; there's also the market that doesn't have access to high-speed internet, and discs are there only option.  There is some overlap - those that like digital for its instant accessibility, but want a physical disc just in case - but that market is very small.  
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