[johnny_ultimate]

Originally Posted by Eggy Baby!

But of course, people who buy EA-published used games and have to fork out the cash for online passes might disagree with me.

Frankly, the people who buy used games deserve any costs (and hardly hidden costs at that) they incur While I fully understand the arguments for a used game's market... actually that's a can of worms I don't want to open again. In short: online pass = AOK.

And I was very satisfied with ME3. Hopefully they can turn this ending thing around because the game is perfect up to that point.

Apart from the repetitive level design, hilariously awful sex scenes, redundant / pointless N7 missions, lack of variety in multiplayer, the story's odd lack of urgency in everything but the opening and closing stretches, a dialogue system distinctly lacking in subtlety or surprise, the face import glitch, the simplistic moral dichotomy... sure!

My friend has Dead Space 2 and although he found the singleplayer great, he believes that the multiplayer felt tacked-on and is convinced EA had something to do with it. Although everyone decried the prospect of multi in Mass Effect 3, it is bloody great fun (although I disagree with some design decisions, like the randomized unlock packs).

No need to convince your friend, because he's right! It should be noted that Dead Space 2 sold several million more copies at launch than its predecessor, so that kind of blurs the argument, and probably can't really begrudge EA on that one (heck, I never even played the MP as I fully expected it to be awful). And also that in almost every respect Dead Space 2 is a disappointing sequel lacking in invention: which I put down entirely to Visceral Games' failing to expand the scope and the quality rather than EA... After all, it's the gamers who have frequently proven themselves unwilling to invest in predominantly single-player games that have the cheek to be short, compact and efficient.

In conclusion: everyone is to blame for everything, and we're all assholes.

[Ian7]

Originally Posted by johnny_ultimate

In conclusion: everyone is to blame for everything, and we're all assholes.

baaahhhhahahah. I leave for a few hours and come back to find we're 3 pages further and this is the conclusion?

bahahahaha. oh you guys.

[Ian7]

now, on to more pressing issues...... anyone understand what Liara's mind meld vision was supposed to represent in the middle of the earth mission or was it supposed to just look.....nice?

[degrassinoel]

isnt that similar to how asari procreate?

[J. Marston]

Finished it earlier and while the game is brilliant and far longer than I thought it would be, the ending is....I dunno, just doesn't satisfy me really.

Do I need spoiler tags? I mean if you don't want to be spoiled, don't be in a thread about the ending.

Anyway, is it really too much to ask for just a good, nice ending? It may be simple but just an ending where ya know, The Reapers get their arses kicked by The Crucible, Shepard gets busted up but survives and the galaxy starts rebuilding? No, fair enough.

When I got to the stage where I had the 3 choices (Control, Synthesis, Destroy), I was genuinely flummoxed. I actually said to myself ''What do I do?'' Not that I didn't understand, I just didn't know how I wanted to approach it.

I eventually started walking down the synthesis path, got half way down that and then thought ''No, I've been saying for the whole game that The Reapers must be destroyed and I'm not going to change now.'' So I turned around and then I got a game over screen, apparently I took too long and The Crucible was destroyed so it reloaded and went to the path to destroy.

What followed then: flashes of Joker, Anderson and Liara, big red electric sphere kills The Reapers on Earth (yay!) Mass Relays get destroyed (The fleets of Krogans, Asari, Turians, Quarians etc. are trapped now, I assume?)
Joker tries to outrun the big red sphere (felt bad during that ) The Normandy crashes lands on some jungle planet, out comes Joker and Ashley and then Garrus, they stare off into the distance and this where I get confused. For the final mission, I brought Garrus and Liara with me. Now, when we were running towards the beam and Harbinger lasered the crap out of everyone, I'm assuming Garrus and Liara would have died. But even if they didn't how the hell did Garrus get back on The Normandy?

Also, once the credits rolled and the Stargazer speech was over, I'm back on the Normandy just before the ''Attack The Cerberus Base'' mission, is it worth playing through two more times to see the Control and Synthesis endings? Don't want to Youtube it, feels like cheating.

Anyway, just wanted to vent/release a bit after completing it. Great game, ending a little meh.

[muff03]

Originally Posted by J. Marston

Also, once the credits rolled and the Stargazer speech was over, I'm back on the Normandy just before the ''Attack The Cerberus Base'' mission, is it worth playing through two more times to see the Control and Synthesis endings? Don't want to Youtube it, feels like cheating.

Load game, there should be an auto save right at the choices.

I enjoyed the whole thing to be honest, once the extended endings fill the gaps of how the team was back on the Normandy and why they were using a Relay I won't see any other reason to alter them. I always had a feeling Earth was screwed since the game takes place while Earth is getting hammered. I got the perfect ending so the whole taking a breath was fine, but even if Shep died in cannon it would be, in my view, a good end as I always felt the 'Ultimate Sacrifice' card was on the table from the off. I miss Mass Effect already.

[Ian7]

Originally Posted by degrassinoel

isnt that similar to how asari procreate?

uh oh. My Shepard is in a long term relationship with Miss Williams. Does this mean she violated Shepard or does it mean he is a dirty dog??

[Potential-Monke]

I blame the Nazis... [/thread]

[Eggy Baby!]

Apart from the repetitive level design, hilariously awful sex scenes, redundant / pointless N7 missions, lack of variety in multiplayer, the story's odd lack of urgency in everything but the opening and closing stretches, a dialogue system distinctly lacking in subtlety or surprise, the face import glitch, the simplistic moral dichotomy... sure!

The N7 missions did imo, seem like they were just designed for multiplayer first and then translated into the singleplayer.

The levels actually were quite repetitive, coming to think about it. It was mainly the huge vistas which made them seem unique (for example, the Thessia and Earth levels are very similar. Shoot Reapers, jump over stuff, jump over some more stuff, open doors) but the level design was rather hackneyed. For example, turret sequences are some of my most hated gaming cliches. This game had several.

The face import glitch also pissed me off. I had to jury-rig my Shepard and am only doing a playthrough with my actual Shepard now.

Frankly, the people who buy used games deserve any costs (and hardly hidden costs at that) they incur While I fully understand the arguments for a used game's market... actually that's a can of worms I don't want to open again. In short: online pass = AOK.

But don't people purchase used (and very likely inferior quality) games because they are cheaper? Fro example, I bought Homefront used to see how it was. I had no idea I'd have to fork out a tenner for an online pass. There were no new copies in the shop to buy. My game was subject to crashes, freezes et al but to play the whole thing I had to pay full price? A game which is focused on multiplayer, having an online pass is crazy. I know the companies want to retain revenue, because for every used game sold that's one less new game purchased, but I understand their logic, if I do disagree with it.

Also, once the credits rolled and the Stargazer speech was over, I'm back on the Normandy just before the ''Attack The Cerberus Base'' mission, is it worth playing through two more times to see the Control and Synthesis endings? Don't want to Youtube it, feels like cheating.

Sorry but no it's not. The endings are unfortunately the same in essence. However, if your favourite colours happen to be blue or green, then I would recommend playing through the last stretch to get control/synthesis.

[johnny_ultimate]

Originally Posted by Eggy Baby!

But don't people purchase used (and very likely inferior quality) games because they are cheaper? Fro example, I bought Homefront used to see how it was. I had no idea I'd have to fork out a tenner for an online pass. There were no new copies in the shop to buy. My game was subject to crashes, freezes et al but to play the whole thing I had to pay full price? A game which is focused on multiplayer, having an online pass is crazy. I know the companies want to retain revenue, because for every used game sold that's one less new game purchased, but I understand their logic, if I do disagree with it.

This is an argument that has been had before on this boards, with ever frustrating results, so don't want to drag it into this thread. But in essence: why are you entitled to a service from, say, EA - multiplayer in the case of ME3, which has constant server and maintenance costs attached, not to mention the development and production costs - when you haven't paid them a cent? Only the retailer has gotten your money from the purchase, so in this particular case EA / Bioware owes you absolutely nothing at all as you haven't even had the courtesy to pay them for their game. So yes, I am a wholehearted supporter of online passes: providing you with a luxury good or service in exchange for money. Capitalism huzzah!

[Ian7]

Originally Posted by J. Marston

I eventually started walking down the synthesis path, got half way down that and then thought ''No, I've been saying for the whole game that The Reapers must be destroyed and I'm not going to change now.'' So I turned around and then I got a game over screen, apparently I took too long and The Crucible was destroyed

You've unlocked the secret "forth" ending. The cut scene that follows is pretty short but it makes more sense. I think the extended cut DLC also elaborates more on this option, where you see the star child staring blankly at Shepard's body.

Originally Posted by Eggy Baby!

Sorry but no it's not. The endings are unfortunately the same in essence. However, if your favourite colours happen to be blue or green, then I would recommend playing through the last stretch to get control/synthesis.

I wike wed

[degrassinoel]

Originally Posted by Ian7

uh oh. My Shepard is in a long term relationship with Miss Williams. Does this mean she violated Shepard or does it mean he is a dirty dog??

Yeah my femshep was in a relationship with the Kelly Chambers replacement, who's name i forget..
it just kinda happened lol, anyway, yeah i thought that was how the Asari reproduced. Asarishep DLC!

[J. Marston]

Just figured out that the only way to raise my galactic readiness was to play multiplayer. Shít, I don't play online so it was stuck on 50% for the whole game giving me a military strength of something like 3200.

[degrassinoel]

you can get the "best/worst" endings without ever having played the co-op online J.

Also, on Asari reproduction..

During melding, an asari consciously attunes her nervous system to her partner's, sending and receiving electrical impulses directly through the skin. A common phrase used before melding is "embrace eternity," presumably to help focus the partner's mind. Effectively, the asari and her partner briefly become one unified nervous system. This unique means of reproduction is the reason asari are all talented biotics. Their evolved ability to consciously control nerve impulses is very similar to biotic training. The partner can be another asari, or an alien of any gender. However, since the asari began encountering other sentient species, non-asari mates have become preferred for the diversity they provide. This reproductive process can lead to some confusion among non-asari, who might expect offspring with "mixed" genes. However, the offspring is always 100% asari as no DNA is taken from the partner, but is rather used as a "map" to randomize the genes of the offspring.

An asari's melding ability extends to a mental connection as well, which Liara describes as being the true union between an asari and her partner. It allows the asari to explore her partner's genetic heritage and pass desirable traits on to any offspring. During mating an asari and her partner share memories, thoughts, and feelings. It is also possible for an asari to meld with another for the sole purpose of transferring thoughts, without reproduction. This technique is used by both Liara and Shiala, with varying success; Liara finds the ordeal extremely intense and debilitating.

Source: http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Asari

[Kiith]

Originally Posted by degrassinoel

you can get the "best/worst" endings without ever having played the co-op online J.

I thought the only way to get the 'Sheppard Lives' ending was to play multiplayer?