Mass Effect 3

[Gipetto0812]

Hey guys, what body do you think would be good for a Commander Shepard figure?

I'm thinking either the HT TT Muscle body, the Kaustic Plastic muscle body (lean one not the big one) or the forthcoming Sideshow Muscle body that's being used for the new GI Joes like Zartan and Rock n Roll?

https://youtu.be/4H_A7SeawU4

yea totally agree with everything said in that video.

So, I started playing the first game again, and holy ____, compared to playing 2 and 3 it's like pulling teeth.

the story is still the best in the first one by a wide margin
...but the game mechanics and inventory feel like a few generations ago

I agree, I also feel that ME1 story is the best. I feel like there's so much material in the first game that the other 2 are lacking

Running around in the Mako is tedious as hell.
You spend all your time in the inventory menu comparing items if your wanting to keep your team in the best gear.
Thresher Maws are about as stupid a gameplay element as they come.

Man that Mako was just terrible! i hated when I you had to drive around in that thing!
and weapons Inventory
I prefer how it is in ME3 where it has a mixture of ME1 and ME2, not so tedious as ME1 but not as bland as ME2

All of this. Taking out the Macko was one of the best improvements between 1 and 2.

That was something I worried about when it came to getting ME2, would I have to drive around in that Mako again!? glad they got rid of it

Game informer:
BioWare issued a statement this morning saying it has made no decision regarding requests to change the endings of Mass Effect 3.

The studio published an update on its Facebook page explaining it is taking all player feedback into consideration. Below is BioWare's full statement.

We are aware that there are concerns about a recent post from this account regarding the ending of the game. In this post it was stated that at this time we do not have plans to change the ending.

We would like to clarify that we are actively and seriously taking all player feedback into consideration and have ruled nothing out. At this time we are still collecting and considering your feedback and have not made a decision regarding requests to change the ending. Your feedback and opinions are of the utmost importance to us. We apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Our top priority regarding this discussion is to keep communication with you, our loyal fans, open and productive.

On Friday, executive producer Casey Hudson published a letter online saying, "This is not the last you’ll hear of Commander Shepard." Numerous online petitions from fans asking BioWare to change Mass Effect 3's endings have surfaced since the game's release earlier this month. One fan claims he filed a complaint with the FTC.

hmmm that line in bold is what gets me out of this entire thing.

Spoiler

So you kill Shepard, but wait it's not the last we'll hear of him?? Man come on Bioware that's basically saying that we didn't get the real ending right there!

"Don't worry kids he didn't really die. we just wanted you to get so mad at the crap ending we initially made so that you'll be so desperate for a good ending that you'll spend even more money on DLCs just to get the real ending that we really intended for you to have"

There better be one hell of a DLC(s) coming out for this!

 

[Sithlord1975]

It ended. It's done. Move on to another game now lol
I killed the game over March Break. Awesome game.

Maybe I don't care about the ending as much because I never really got into the first two games. Just started with 3, and killed it, loved it, learned alot, and now moving on.
I have lots of backtracking to do as far as PC games, so that's why.
Witcher 2 next for me. Before Diablo 3 comes out!

 

[Platty]

Hey guys, what body do you think would be good for a Commander Shepard figure?

I'm thinking either the HT TT Muscle body, the Kaustic Plastic muscle body (lean one not the big one) or the forthcoming Sideshow Muscle body that's being used for the new GI Joes like Zartan and Rock n Roll?

Which look are you going for mate? Casual or armoured? If casual a muscle body would be the best bet, his arms are ripped! If the armoured look probably the narrow.

I'm interested in seeing what you have lined up for the headsculpt too mate? Or are you not going for the default look? Well i'm interested in the whole figure really!

 

[Gipetto0812]

Which look are you going for mate? Casual or armoured? If casual a muscle body would be the best bet, his arms are ripped! If the armoured look probably the narrow.

I'm interested in seeing what you have lined up for the headsculpt too mate? Or are you not going for the default look? Well i'm interested in the whole figure really!

Thanks for the reply buddy!

Yea I'm going for the ME3 armored look. Wish HT would release the TT Advanced again b/c I think that would've worked best. But he looks freqking huge in the "Take Earth Back" cinematic trailer that I'm not sure a Narrow would be big enough. I migh try to just hunt down a TTA hopefully for a good price.

For sculpt I'm thinking of the Generic head. I originally thought of doing my Shepard's head but for something on display, I think the Mark Vanderloo look would be best and most recognizable.

But I've got Shepard, Miranda, Liara and Garrus in the pipeline. Going to have to heavily modify a body for Garrus but Ive already started worki that out.

 

[Platty]

Thanks for the reply buddy!

Yea I'm going for the ME3 armored look. Wish HT would release the TT Advanced again b/c I think that would've worked best. But he looks freqking huge in the "Take Earth Back" cinematic trailer that I'm sure a Narrow would be big enough. I migh try to just hunt down a TTA hopefully for a good price.

For sculpt I'm thinking of the Generic head. I originally thought of doing my Shepard's head but for something on display, I think the Mark Vanderloo look would be best and most recognizable.

But I've got Shepard, Miranda, Liara and Garrus in the pipeline. Going to have to heavily modify a body for Garrus but Ive already started worki that out.

Armoured look! Awesome mate. Have you got any parts lined up already for the armour?

Cool, glad you're going for the default shepard head. Any ideas on which you are going to use? Or are you going to sculpt one?

 

[Gipetto0812]

Armoured look! Awesome mate. Have you got any parts lined up already for the armour?

Cool, glad you're going for the default shepard head. Any ideas on which you are going to use? Or are you going to sculpt one?

The armor is all going to be from scratch the hands and boots may or may not be from scratch. If not from scratch, they'll be reworked existing hands/boots to be game accurate.

For the head, I haven't fully decided if I'm going to nab a sculpt for a base (possibly headplays Jarhead Jake G) and resculpt it or do it from scratch. I'm leaning towards doing it from scratch so I don't have any limitations and also am going to be using some different sculpting clay than the kind I've been using if I do it from scratch. I want to try the skin texture technique an the clay I normally use is just too soft for it.

I've also got some weapons in mind, the N7 M8 assault rifle, heavy pistol, omni tool and blade. But those will come after I've got the armor and sculpt all sorted out.

 

[IrishJedi]

I'm getting a kick out of all of the whining and nerd-rage over the ending. How dare BioWare create a trilogy of amazing games and have an overall cohesive plot/story and definitive ending in service of a big theme like the very nature of conscious life itself!

These games are better than many geeks deserve.

 

[IrishJedi]

And, well, basically this: https://badassdigest.com/2012/03/14...e-annie-wilkes-is-the-patron-saint-of-fandom/

 

[The Josh]

Haven't played any of the series but have talked with people who have and they were disappointed a bit by the ending. That sucks for them since they've put time and money into it and makes me glad I've skipped the series. I would have hated it if the gears series would have ended in a really ____ty way.

Thus but from that article could totally be turned towards star wars fans. I had a good laugh reading it thinking of some of the crap I've read over the years.

Here's the cold, hard reality: Mass Effect doesn't belong to you. It belongs to the writers and the designers at BioWare. If you don't like what they did with this story, then feel free to stop consuming their product. But you don't have the right to demand that they bend to your whims and change the story they wanted to tell because it didn't make you happy. That's the ultimate sort of entitled childishness that gives fan communities a bad name.

 

[IrishJedi]

But the the thing is most are not _____ing about the artistic quality of the ending... they're _____ing because they don't have full control over the end of the story.

Like that article also says, for something be art it must have a vision. And that vision is the creator's, not yours.

Using the recent Star Wars example... I think everyone is in agreement that the prequels were George Lucas' vision and thus his right to do the movies the way he wanted. Where we differ is that some of us think that the PT movies are lame. That's not what most of these people mad at ME3 are saying. Incidentally, most would probably agree that the game is great overall. They're just put out over the fact that at the end of the day BioWare had control over certain aspects of the ending. And what I and others are saying is that if you even remotely want games to be art, you have to let go.

Certainly a big draw of BioWare's games is that the player can create his/her own main character and make very important decisions along the way through the game and grow/change the character and his/her relationships. But I think some people forgot that the overall plot/story is rather linear. That's the way BioWare wants it. You can play in the sandbox, but ultimately they want to tell you something and it's their story.

Besides, most of the fun is in the journey not the destination.

 

[The Josh]

Well, I would think in a game where you control many of the actions and how the story plays out would allow you control the end more.

Yes, some do and that's their right to feel this way. However you know as well as I do many star wars fans act the same way these me3 fans are.

Anyways that's my two cents ans since I really have no dog in the fight I'm out.

 

[Nuka Cola Kidd]

But the the thing is most are not _____ing about the artistic quality of the ending... they're _____ing because they don't have full control over the end of the story.

Sorry but there is very little artistic quality in an ending that doesn't even make sense.

 

[SAB]

Here's the cold, hard reality: Mass Effect doesn't belong to you. It belongs to the writers and the designers at BioWare. If you don't like what they did with this story, then feel free to stop consuming their product. But you don't have the right to demand that they bend to your whims and change the story they wanted to tell because it didn't make you happy. That's the ultimate sort of entitled childishness that gives fan communities a bad name.

As someone who didn't mind the ending, I still find this statement amazingly ignorant.

 

[Moonloop]

I was at GameStop today and overheard an employee discussing the ending of the game with some customers, none of them were too fond of it either.

 

[Jen]

While I agree with some of what Irish Jedi said - it is Bioware's vision to do whatever they want with the game. I also think that it shouldn't be too surprising the amount of backlash they are getting over the ending...though some people are going a little overboard. I mean filing a complaint with the FTC...really?

As I have stated before, I LOVE Mass Effect. My favorite game series ever. I have put in at least 500 hours playing these games numerous times. I have already played ME3 twice and will be playing it again with a new character shortly. And as much as I love the game, I really feel cheated with the ending they gave us. And it surprises me - they created such an amazing world - had us create relationships throughout 3 games with our crew....and to have an ending without any closure is kinda a crappy way to tie things off. I guess I expected ME to end with a bang...that's the impression Bioware gave in interviews before the games release.

And what's this about us seeing more of Sheperd? That would have to mean that the ending they gave us was not the "real" ending. There was only one way to save Sheperd..and that wasn't a very reassuring ending. The other options had you sacrificing Sheperd - so I'm not sure how we will be seeing more of him/her unless it's a prequel or some missions before the final missions. OR - they want us to pay more $$ to get a final ending. Which is kinda crappy on their part, if that is true, imo. Can you imagine if that is how games become. Here's a game but you get a disappointing ending so you will pay more to get the closure and finality you really want in a DLC. Shady, I think.

I think many would have been more than satisfied with the ending if Sheperd died saving the galaxy...and then it showed the crew who lived years later...rebuilding their homeworlds, continuing relationships...different alien species coming together to help eachother out. That would have been fantastic and would have only required maybe 5 minutes of cut scene at the end.

For anyone who has loved this game and let themselves become submersed in the ME world - I think it's more than puzzling that Bioware would end such a ground breaking series the way they did. It just seems like something out of left field and doesn't mesh well with the universe and characters they created. I think this series isn't over yet...which if they had stated that from the get go...many people wouldn't be left scratching their heads on this ending. That whole indoctrination ending makes the most sense to me and ties in with the visuals, choices and dialogue we were presented with.

 

[Nuka Cola Kidd]

And what's this about us seeing more of Sheperd? That would have to mean that the ending they gave us was not the "real" ending.

I would assume he meant DLC.

As for continuing the series I would like to see a similar play style and look but you can choose which race you want to play as.

 

[Shadowscythe85]

When they continue the series, I'd like a similar style but without so many choices because its been made clear that they can't handle them and they way they affect the game.

 

[Spartan Rex]

IGN:
Earlier this month, BioWare responded to Mass Effect 3's "polarizing" ending and later confirmed that it was considering making changes. Now, BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka has confirmed that new content is in the works to provide additional closure.

In a post on the company's official site, Muzyka said that the team has been carefully following the reactions of fans and has made the decision to respond.

"I believe passionately that games are an art form, and that the power of our medium flows from our audience, who are deeply involved in how the story unfolds," Muzyka wrote, "and who have the uncontested right to provide constructive criticism. At the same time, I also believe in and support the artistic choices made by the development team. The team and I have been thinking hard about how to best address the comments on ME3's endings from players, while still maintaining the artistic integrity of the game."

"Since the game launched, the team has been poring over everything they can find about reactions to the game – industry press, forums, Facebook, and Twitter, just to name a few," he added. "The Mass Effect team, like other teams across the BioWare Label within EA, consists of passionate people who work hard for the love of creating experiences that excite and delight our fans. I'm honored to work with them because they have the courage and strength to respond to constructive feedback."

"Building on their research, Exec Producer Casey Hudson and the team are hard at work on a number of game content initiatives that will help answer the questions, providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey," Muzyka continued. "You'll hear more on this in April. We're working hard to maintain the right balance between the artistic integrity of the original story while addressing the fan feedback we've received. This is in addition to our existing plan to continue providing new Mass Effect content and new full games, so rest assured that your journey in the Mass Effect universe can, and will, continue."




He added that "the reaction to the release of Mass Effect 3 has been unprecedented. On one hand, some of our loyal fans are passionately expressing their displeasure about how their game concluded; we care about this feedback, and we're planning to directly address it."

Finally, Muzyka addressed the nature of recent fan responses, commenting that "some of the criticism that has been delivered in the heat of passion by our most ardent fans, even if founded on valid principles, such as seeking more clarity to questions or looking for more closure, for example – has unfortunately become destructive rather than constructive. We listen and will respond to constructive criticism, but much as we will not tolerate individual attacks on our team members, we will not support or respond to destructive commentary."

Muzyka concluded by reminding fans that BioWare is listening, and that fans should "trust that we are doing our damndest, as always, to address your feedback."

No additional details about the new content have been revealed. If you'd like to discuss Mass Effect 3's ending, be sure to tune into our live Mass Effect 3 Spoilercast on Friday, March 23rd at Noon PST.

 

[Hamanu]

Yah, Muzyka finally produced a carefully worded produced by a professional PR team after a week or more of fan backlash in which he raves on about "great reviews" (from the likes of IGN that have a walking ad in the game) and criticism from "some" fans. Talk about deflection.

Most gaming sites are scared ____less to post a poll on their page, but check this one out:

https://www.gamestar.de/index.cfm?pid=842&pk=13537

And that's 24 thousand votes.

Talk about "some fans" engaging in "destructive criticism" for wanting more for their money than red, green and blue.


And talking about the ending, here's an awesome video about it. Its a half hour, but very very good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUqAhKW7498&feature=youtu.be

 

[Spartan Rex]

Gameinformer:

A_new letter posted by Bioware co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka addresses the issues and concerns_the team has faced since the game launched earlier this month. Muzyka said the development team is working on a number of game content initiatives that will "help answer the questions, providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey."

Muzyka adds that some of the fan outrage has gone a little too far. "We listen and will respond to constructive criticism, but much as we will not tolerate individual attacks on our team members, we will not support or respond to destructive commentary," he said.

He concluded by saying fans will hear more about BioWare's plans for Mass Effect 3 in April.

Below is Muzyka's letter in full:

To Mass Effect 3 players, from Dr. Ray Muzyka, co-founder of BioWare

As co-founder and GM of BioWare, I’m very proud of the ME3 team; I personally believe Mass Effect 3 is the best work we’ve yet created. So, it’s incredibly painful to receive feedback from our core fans that the game’s endings were not up to their expectations. Our first instinct is to defend our work and point to the high ratings offered by critics – but out of respect to our fans, we need to accept the criticism and feedback with humility.

I believe passionately that games are an art form, and that the power of our medium flows from our audience, who are deeply involved in how the story unfolds, and who have the uncontested right to provide constructive criticism. At the same time, I also believe in and support the artistic choices made by the development team._ The team and I have been thinking hard about how to best address the comments on ME3’s endings from players, while still maintaining the artistic integrity of the game.

Mass Effect 3 concludes a trilogy with so much player control and ownership of the story that it was hard for us to predict the range of emotions players would feel when they finished playing through it._ The journey you undertake in Mass Effect provokes an intense range of highly personal emotions in the player; even so, the passionate reaction of some of our most loyal players to the current endings in Mass Effect 3 is something that has genuinely surprised us. This is an issue we care about deeply, and we will respond to it in a fair and timely way. We’re already working hard to do that.

To that end, since the game launched, the team has been poring over everything they can find about reactions to the game – industry press, forums, Facebook, and Twitter, just to name a few. The Mass Effect team, like other teams across the BioWare Label within EA, consists of passionate people who work hard for the love of creating experiences that excite and delight our fans._ I’m honored to work with them because they have the courage and strength to respond to constructive feedback.

Building on their research, Exec Producer Casey Hudson and the team are hard at work on a number of game content initiatives that will help answer the questions, providing more clarity for those seeking further closure to their journey. You’ll hear more on this in April._ We’re working hard to maintain the right balance between the artistic integrity of the original story while addressing the fan feedback we’ve received._ This is in addition to our existing plan to continue providing new Mass Effect content and new full games, so rest assured that your journey in the Mass Effect universe can, and will, continue.

The reaction to the release of Mass Effect 3 has been unprecedented. On one hand, some of our loyal fans are passionately expressing their displeasure about how their game concluded; we care about this feedback, and we’re planning to directly address it. However, most folks appear to agree that the game as a whole is exceptional, with more than 75 critics giving it a perfect review score and a review average in the mid-90s. Net, I’m proud of the team, but we can and must always strive to do better.

Some of the criticism that has been delivered in the heat of passion by our most ardent fans, even if founded on valid principles, such as seeking more clarity to questions or looking for more closure, for example – has unfortunately become destructive rather than constructive. We listen and will respond to constructive criticism, but much as we will not tolerate individual attacks on our team members, we will not support or respond to destructive commentary.

If you are a Mass Effect fan and have input for the team – we respect your opinion and want to hear it. We’re committed to address your constructive feedback as best we can. In return, I’d ask that you help us do that by supporting what I truly believe is the best game BioWare has yet crafted. I urge you to do your own research: play the game, finish it and tell us what you think. Tell your friends if you feel it’s a good game as a whole. Trust that we are doing our damndest, as always, to address your feedback._ As artists, we care about our fans deeply and we appreciate your support.

Thank you for your feedback – we are listening.

Ray

[Source: Bioware]