Mass Effect

[CharlesPhipps]

The next option is "100 years later" in the Milky Way.

Recent enough you could have the world still resemble itself but late enough to paper over all the problems.

[Fixer]

The idea solution would have been to fix the ME3 ending but as you said, the Extended Cut just papered over the cracks and that was really their only chance to do that.

The indoctrination theory was kinda cool. Still remember that there was anger over the theory that BioWare was going to sell the "Real ending" DLC before the Extended Cut was announced.

We're 6 years past the point of no return with the trilogy. Any attempt to continue the story or make a new Mass Effect game is going to have problems because of that.

[CharlesPhipps]

The issue there was the ending is what the writers wanted and they asked: A definitive end to the franchise.

The problem was someone stupidly should have told them that's not what they wanted.

But the thing is....geeks accept retcons.

We're all aware this is fantasy.

[Admiral X]

Really the only solution is to go back into time and prevent EA from buying BioWare.

[SlackerinDeNile]

Really the only solution is to go back into time and prevent EA from buying BioWare.

I wonder how Mass Effect 2 would have turned out if that happened. Would there even be a Mass Effect 3?

If Bioware had turned to 2K games things might have turned out better, but what if they went to an equally bad publisher like Ubisoft or Activision?

[Steve]

Would changing their publisher really alter the internal decision to, say, transfer Karpyshyn to writing the big upcoming "WoW-killing" Star Wars MMORPG (which utilized his prior work on KOTOR) instead of having him stay on board to finish Mass Effect? Would it change Bioware handing the reins to Casey Hudson and Mac Walters, the two most responsible for the Mass Effect 3 ending we got?

[Karha of Honor]

The issue there was the ending is what the writers wanted and they asked: A definitive end to the franchise.

The problem was someone stupidly should have told them that's not what they wanted.

But the thing is....geeks accept retcons.

We're all aware this is fantasy.

The concept of the new game is perfectly fine. Shepard needed a break.

[Fixer]

Would changing their publisher really alter the internal decision to, say, transfer Karpyshyn to writing the big upcoming "WoW-killing" Star Wars MMORPG (which utilized his prior work on KOTOR) instead of having him stay on board to finish Mass Effect? Would it change Bioware handing the reins to Casey Hudson and Mac Walters, the two most responsible for the Mass Effect 3 ending we got?

If he had been able to convince those two to re-write the entire ending. Apparently they decided on that without any input from the writing staff involved with the rest of the game.

There was a good video covering the main problem with the production which appear to be a lack of development time.

youtu.be/zlDyol1hs4g

ME3 had an extremely short production cycle for such an ambitious project. Lots of mechanics were barely updated from ME2 to ME3 including the scanning minigame. Side missions were extremely basic and had you overhearing something and then giving them a random thing.

An e-book which also covered the production included a lot of information about how material was cut to reach a deadline.
https://www.reddit.com/r/masseffect/com ... velopment/

Original material that was cut included Javik and Omega, both turned into DLC. Palaven was also cut entirely, ending up with the moon mission only.

I'd argue that whoever planned out the production failed in that they didn't work back from the ending like the did with ME2.
The suicide mission had several resources in the way of team specialists that were required to achieve goals. ME3's ending was rushed and not impacted by your resources at all.

Looking back though, considering the pressures and time constraints it's surprising that ME3 didn't end up worse.

[excalibur]

This guy also did a good video on all the Mass Effect and then later a new vid on Andromeda


youtu.be/hct5WeBmsUM




youtu.be/Ma0VKHnwArQ

[SlackerinDeNile]

I love how he calls Mass Effect Andromeda "the Blues Brothers 2000 of the Mass Effect franchise." That's so blunt and harsh it's hilarious.