Lord_Kefka
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[quote name='dualedge2']They did a wholesale rejection of the Indoctrination Hypothesis (Yes, it's "hypothesis", not theory because a theory has to be backed up by something called "evidence" and be a little something else called "repeatable") months ago. Remember that whole panel BioWare had? Not once did they address, discuss, or even acknowledge its existence.
The Indoctrination Hypothesis was out LONG ago. It was just that some refused to accept it.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I realize that Bioware pretty much snubbed the theory some time ago with their statements of "artistic vision". But as JasonTerminator eloquently stated, while it was far from perfect it had less plot holes and answered more questions than the original vision. The arguments made for it in the well-put together Youtube video had items that led more towards evidence than "magic star-child controls Reapers and the cycle". That was at no point foreshadowed. Sure, it may be "beyond comprehension", but then why try to explain all of your motivations and ask the player to make the decision on the ending?
[quote name='Spokker']It tells me they failed to stick to their artistic vision, but that shit was happening long before they decided to release The Extended Cut.
But that's sort of what the ending DLC was all about, continuing with the futile plan of trying to please everyone. Fans are inherently fickle, and you will never please anyone, but if you have a vision and stick to it, even the most cynical fan will respect you deep down.[/QUOTE]
Good point. It did smack of trying to literally add in community wishes instead of clarifying their vision. I did appreciate the additional exposition (for the most part), but a lot of it felt like "here you go, we're putting in what you want." And to be clear, that's not what we were most upset about. I didn't want "my" ending in the sense of exactly what I wanted to happen. A lot of people, including myself are happy to be told a story, but the original was like getting to the end and forgetting what happens. So you make general broad statements and end up painting yourself into a corner. Which leads to......
[quote name='Anexanhume']I wish they would have pandered on the ending. Despite all their accommodations, the story of most of the game was still great. It actually seems the opposite is true. One person had too much control over the end and no one told him he's retarded.[/QUOTE]
Yep. The story was magnificent through-out and it seems like one person's vision over-rode all of the themes and storytelling.
General additional ending thoughts:
The Indoctrination Hypothesis was out LONG ago. It was just that some refused to accept it.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I realize that Bioware pretty much snubbed the theory some time ago with their statements of "artistic vision". But as JasonTerminator eloquently stated, while it was far from perfect it had less plot holes and answered more questions than the original vision. The arguments made for it in the well-put together Youtube video had items that led more towards evidence than "magic star-child controls Reapers and the cycle". That was at no point foreshadowed. Sure, it may be "beyond comprehension", but then why try to explain all of your motivations and ask the player to make the decision on the ending?
[quote name='Spokker']It tells me they failed to stick to their artistic vision, but that shit was happening long before they decided to release The Extended Cut.
But that's sort of what the ending DLC was all about, continuing with the futile plan of trying to please everyone. Fans are inherently fickle, and you will never please anyone, but if you have a vision and stick to it, even the most cynical fan will respect you deep down.[/QUOTE]
Good point. It did smack of trying to literally add in community wishes instead of clarifying their vision. I did appreciate the additional exposition (for the most part), but a lot of it felt like "here you go, we're putting in what you want." And to be clear, that's not what we were most upset about. I didn't want "my" ending in the sense of exactly what I wanted to happen. A lot of people, including myself are happy to be told a story, but the original was like getting to the end and forgetting what happens. So you make general broad statements and end up painting yourself into a corner. Which leads to......
[quote name='Anexanhume']I wish they would have pandered on the ending. Despite all their accommodations, the story of most of the game was still great. It actually seems the opposite is true. One person had too much control over the end and no one told him he's retarded.[/QUOTE]
Yep. The story was magnificent through-out and it seems like one person's vision over-rode all of the themes and storytelling.
The new Control ending just flies in the face of the other 99% of the story, and it has the least downside. You don't kill synthetic life like in destroy, and you leave the rest of the galaxy free unlike the forced evolution of synthesis.
General additional ending thoughts:
The rejection ending actually felt like the ending that made the most sense with the story as told. If Shepard says "I won't make this choice for the galaxy", then the Crucible never fires and that cycle is wiped out. Sad, but left with hope that the Reapers will be defeated. Destroy was the closest after that, with unintended consequences of destroying all synthetic life. It's an imperfect ending, and fits the renegade Shepard most. A very "the ends justify the means" type scenario, where your synthetic buddies are offered up for sacrifice. Something a Paragon Shepard wouldn't choose lightly. Interestingly, the Renegade Shepard is the "default" canon Shepard for those late-comers to the game. Which felt like a punishment at the time, since it leads to more death and difficulty. Example: Wrex being dead from ME1, leaving Wreav to unite the Krogan and likely seek revenge against the other races.
Maybe this was the best we could get from them. You sacrifice, make all the Paragon choices, and the perfect ending just doesn't exist in this story. You aren't owed a happy ending in any sense. No one says just because you play by the hero's rules, that a somewhat bittersweet, imperfect human ending choice isn't the best that fate could deliver. I'm sorry, but I just have to reject Control and Synthesis. Those are just TOO "and they lived happily ever after". It doesn't fit. Say what you will about the theory, but it's proven that Saren was indoctrinated and desired synthesis. It only led to his manipulation and downfall as a puppet to a Reaper extinction event. The Illusive Man was also indoctrinated and sought control. The only difference between them and Shepard is that Shepard resisted them all the way through the end. Or maybe that was really the reason why Shepard could make the choice and change the laws of things. Because he/she did so of free will. I don't know. Maybe I was expecting more drawbacks from those choices because they did conflict with everything my Shepard stood for. It's almost insulting to just turn around and say "duh, we had to draw you map on what this ending means" when it is in such direct conflict with your central themes.
On that note, the Normandy picking up injured crew members and being forced to retreat, great. The Normandy crash was way different, I don't see how that isn't a change instead of clarification. The ship isn't as damaged and the escape isn't as frenzied. If it "could be easily repaired" like starchild said, I still think supplies and replacement parts might be hard to find on a non-industrialized garden world. But that's nitpicking I suppose. The idea is that they can repair and move on, but that feels more like a change. Same with the Mass Relays. Again, nitpicking says "how long does it take to repair them, especially since no one understood how to create them? They were all existing structures, the current cycle didn't make them." But the size of the explosion and damage is without a doubt reduced. I don't see how Bioware could possibly say we interpreted that wrong. A much bigger explosion + my comment about "who knows HOW to fix them?" = bad times. The slideshow was ok, big time pandering on seeing Zaeed with his feet up, sitting on a dock. Generally, getting the idea across that everyone goes home including Krogan and Quarians.
On a funny note, I noted on Youtube it always seemed to be Shepard's LI who tearily puts up his/her name on the memorial wall of the Normandy. In my game, it was Kaiden. I had pissed off Liara by hooking up with Miranda while keeping her on the line. Didn't romance Tali, so they decided Kaiden would be the one. I was just trying to be Paragon, didn't mean for so much homo-erotic subtext. I turned him down at the Citadel. Guess he was still carrying a torch.
Overall, I guess this did it's job. I still want to see low EMS results, and how the slideshow can differ. All the ones I saw were Genophage cured, Quarians alive kind of thing. I want to know how it's different if you screwed over the Krogan or chose the Geth over the Quarians type of thing. Generally, I don't know if I like the endings any better know, but I think I'm ready to move on from this game. It hung over me like a bad breakup. Now I got a little closure, some stuff doesn't make sense, I have some questions unanswered. Just like a real life breakup.
Maybe this was the best we could get from them. You sacrifice, make all the Paragon choices, and the perfect ending just doesn't exist in this story. You aren't owed a happy ending in any sense. No one says just because you play by the hero's rules, that a somewhat bittersweet, imperfect human ending choice isn't the best that fate could deliver. I'm sorry, but I just have to reject Control and Synthesis. Those are just TOO "and they lived happily ever after". It doesn't fit. Say what you will about the theory, but it's proven that Saren was indoctrinated and desired synthesis. It only led to his manipulation and downfall as a puppet to a Reaper extinction event. The Illusive Man was also indoctrinated and sought control. The only difference between them and Shepard is that Shepard resisted them all the way through the end. Or maybe that was really the reason why Shepard could make the choice and change the laws of things. Because he/she did so of free will. I don't know. Maybe I was expecting more drawbacks from those choices because they did conflict with everything my Shepard stood for. It's almost insulting to just turn around and say "duh, we had to draw you map on what this ending means" when it is in such direct conflict with your central themes.
On that note, the Normandy picking up injured crew members and being forced to retreat, great. The Normandy crash was way different, I don't see how that isn't a change instead of clarification. The ship isn't as damaged and the escape isn't as frenzied. If it "could be easily repaired" like starchild said, I still think supplies and replacement parts might be hard to find on a non-industrialized garden world. But that's nitpicking I suppose. The idea is that they can repair and move on, but that feels more like a change. Same with the Mass Relays. Again, nitpicking says "how long does it take to repair them, especially since no one understood how to create them? They were all existing structures, the current cycle didn't make them." But the size of the explosion and damage is without a doubt reduced. I don't see how Bioware could possibly say we interpreted that wrong. A much bigger explosion + my comment about "who knows HOW to fix them?" = bad times. The slideshow was ok, big time pandering on seeing Zaeed with his feet up, sitting on a dock. Generally, getting the idea across that everyone goes home including Krogan and Quarians.
On a funny note, I noted on Youtube it always seemed to be Shepard's LI who tearily puts up his/her name on the memorial wall of the Normandy. In my game, it was Kaiden. I had pissed off Liara by hooking up with Miranda while keeping her on the line. Didn't romance Tali, so they decided Kaiden would be the one. I was just trying to be Paragon, didn't mean for so much homo-erotic subtext. I turned him down at the Citadel. Guess he was still carrying a torch.
Overall, I guess this did it's job. I still want to see low EMS results, and how the slideshow can differ. All the ones I saw were Genophage cured, Quarians alive kind of thing. I want to know how it's different if you screwed over the Krogan or chose the Geth over the Quarians type of thing. Generally, I don't know if I like the endings any better know, but I think I'm ready to move on from this game. It hung over me like a bad breakup. Now I got a little closure, some stuff doesn't make sense, I have some questions unanswered. Just like a real life breakup.