BioWare Asks Fans About Showing Tali's Face in Mass Effect 3

[Yossarian1507]

Personally, I don't care. I'm probably the last guy on Earth in that department, but I didn't find Tali all that interesting as a character. If I had to pick an option though, it would be - yes, but only for people who are romancing her, and even then, leave that option to Shepard.

 

[Stabby Joe]

I'm not entirely sure. I mean on one hand I liked her the most of the female character and did the romance option but after two games, anything else would just seem... different in the negative sense.

I mean does anyone care what a Volus looks like?

 

[infohippie]

I'm not entirely sure. I mean on one hand I liked her the most of the female character and did the romance option but after two games, anything else would just seem... different in the negative sense.

I mean does anyone care what a Volus looks like?

I do. I've wondered what both the Volus and the Quarians looked like ever since ME1.

 

[Shymer]

Well, at last check on FB, the numbers were as follows

19965 (86%) in favor of, 3276 (14%) against.

Now, I don't know the twitter response, but this isn't "predictably mixed" in my opinion. This gives a decent response from the community, but that's just my take on it.

Every serial writer knows that as soon as the tension of the unknown is gone, the show ends. Alred Hitchcock is frequently referenced when discussing the difference between surprise and suspense [http://www.doctorsyntax.net/2010/09/alfred-hitchcocks-bomb-suspense.html]. I think it's relevant here.

People enjoy stories for suspense. The whole point is that you care enough to want to know the answer to a question posed by the story. The way a Quarian looks is one element of ME's dramatic tension. It has worked - clearly people WANT to know if they have engaged in the story. However as soon as Bioware decide to show us - suspense over, the surprise won't last - and everyone walks off somewhere else.

My view - I like the ME story and want elements of suspense to continue. Don't reveal unless it means the conclusion of the Quarian story - or the creation of additional mystery.

 

[Ren3004]

I do think they should leave her mask on. It's simply impossible to please everyone so this way nobody is annoyed.

Well, this is my opinion as well. If they don't show her face, they piss off the people who want to see her face. If they show her face, they piss off the people who didn't want to see her face and the people who were imagining something completely different.

But if the numbers are what shadowmagnus posted, then I guess there aren't that many people who don't want to see her face.

 

[T-Bone24]

If they do show her face, I want it to be weird. Go more Turian than Asari. Not just a human face dipped in paint, thanks. Her eyes seem to glow as well, so that'd be real neat.

 

[wooty]

I still think using the voice actresses face as a guide would be a nice way to go. Just then need to add some colour or......weird alien (mass)effects to the overall template.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

It's too late to show what Tali looks like. If they were going to do it they shouold have done it at the end of the Romance arc in ME2. Now the hype has been built up too much and whatever she looks like will be a disappointment.

However, a nice way around it would be to show another quarian unmasked. You still won't know exactly what Tali looks like, but it would give you some idea. But then the 'mandibles and tentacles' crowd would be disappointed, but I reckon they're in the minority.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

What amazes me about the whole 'what do Quarians look like' situation, is that you'd fucking think there'd be photos lying around, since, you know, they do occassionally take their suits off.

We should know what Qurians look like in general, but what Tali looks like? I'm not sure...

One of the Asari characters (I think it's the one behind the bar on Illium) said something about "...back when people could still remember what the Quarians looked like," in reference to something completely different. It was a throw away line but it gave the impression that it was such a long time ago that it's just been accepted that Quarians live in those suits and no one remembers it otherwise.

Besides, when you ramance Tali, she tells Shepard that to share the same environment with another is a gesture of extreme trust and respect. I expect that within the Quarian culture, to reveal their appearance has simply become something they just don't do, considering the implications it would entail on a social level.

Personally, I'm not fussed about seeing Tali's face. Part of the reason I like her so much is the mystery and complexity of the character and her race's culture and the suit is all part of that. Besides, there's just no way of doing the reveal without it being a "I want to show you my face before I die" kind of scene, just like someone already said.

Hmm, that's a reasonable explanation. Perhaps it's very much a social issue to not reveal their appearance unless in very specific circumstances. I still think there would be photos though. I'd like to think of Shepard sitting down at his computer and opening up an image search on Google: Supreme future version.

Yes, you do raise a good point. I mean the Quarians were driven from their planet by the Geth, a sentient robot race created by the Quarians themselves... therefore, if they created a whole new race, it is likely that they at least had the tech available to take photographs of sorts. Curious. Then again the Quarians are all about keeping data from the Geth so maybe they purged all records before any other races made contact with them?

*Quick look on the wiki*

1895 CE - The year the Geth took the Quarian's homeworlds from them.
2157 CE - Humanity makes first contact with the Turians.

That's a big gap between Quarians being outed from their planets and Humanity finally making contact with its first alien race.

 

[Robert Ewing]

I think that they should make it an option. If you play the story right, saaay get into a romance with Tali, then she reveals her face.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

What amazes me about the whole 'what do Quarians look like' situation, is that you'd fucking think there'd be photos lying around, since, you know, they do occassionally take their suits off.

We should know what Qurians look like in general, but what Tali looks like? I'm not sure...

One of the Asari characters (I think it's the one behind the bar on Illium) said something about "...back when people could still remember what the Quarians looked like," in reference to something completely different. It was a throw away line but it gave the impression that it was such a long time ago that it's just been accepted that Quarians live in those suits and no one remembers it otherwise.

Besides, when you ramance Tali, she tells Shepard that to share the same environment with another is a gesture of extreme trust and respect. I expect that within the Quarian culture, to reveal their appearance has simply become something they just don't do, considering the implications it would entail on a social level.

Personally, I'm not fussed about seeing Tali's face. Part of the reason I like her so much is the mystery and complexity of the character and her race's culture and the suit is all part of that. Besides, there's just no way of doing the reveal without it being a "I want to show you my face before I die" kind of scene, just like someone already said.

Hmm, that's a reasonable explanation. Perhaps it's very much a social issue to not reveal their appearance unless in very specific circumstances. I still think there would be photos though. I'd like to think of Shepard sitting down at his computer and opening up an image search on Google: Supreme future version.

Yes, you do raise a good point. I mean the Quarians were driven from their planet by the Geth, a sentient robot race created by the Quarians themselves... therefore, if they created a whole new race, it is likely that they at least had the tech available to take photographs of sorts. Curious. Then again the Quarians are all about keeping data from the Geth so maybe they purged all records before any other races made contact with them?

*Quick look on the wiki*

1895 CE - The year the Geth took the Quarian's homeworlds from them.
2157 CE - Humanity makes first contact with the Turians.

That's a big gap between Quarians being outed from their planets and Humanity finally making contact with its first alien race.

I suppose, in the grand scheme of things, humans seem to be the only ones are curious, since we're the new guys on the Citadel. Everybody else got over it hundreds of years prior to that, and that kind of thing might not even be archived.

Ahh, well, no point overanalysing it, I can hold my suspension of disbelief about that sort of thing anyway.

 

[Xaositect]

I dont care as long as her and Garrus roles are not as important as Liara, Ashley/Kaidan and Wrex. I think after the blatant fanservice treatment they got in ME2, squadmate or no, the furry/anthro romance options can be afforded a place more on the back burner. I mean, besides Liaras DLC, the roles for the above characters in ME2 was a brief appearance saying to ME1 fans "remember me, Im busy, and cant join you".

We know Garrus is going to be a squadmate, and Ive heard Tali will be too, but I imagine its the same kind of role they occupied in ME2 where they really dont impact the main plot at all, they are just side characters (which pretty much 90% of the squad was). Well, I can imagine they might impact their respective races stories slightly, like Tali and the fleet, but its the kind where if shes dead a stand in character takes up the role ala Wreav.

Since both Tali and Garrus can die, maybe its pretty likely.

Personally though, if Tali is a squadmate and gets her face shown, I hope her fans keep their mouths shut if they dont like it. Theyve been pandered to enough in this series with their petitions of "I want to screw chicken feet girl/grasshopper boy".

 

[inFAMOUSCowZ]

I want to see her for the sake of knowing her species as a whole.

 

[Android2137]

Just because she has humanoid features from the nose up doesn't mean she still can't have Zoidberg's mouth, right?

All joking aside, I'm all for keeping her mask on. Mystery is her appeal. Revealing her face will only disappoint everyone.

 

[Arehexes]

What made her sexy was the fact you couldn't know what her face looked like.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

No I really don't think they should show her face I also didn't think they should have done a proper romance scene with Tali where she removes her suit you know given that she has no immune system and has a different base make up to humans.

 

[CrashBang]

I don't really get all the "naaaoooaaargh! Keep her a mystery!" stuff. I wanna see her face and I wanna see it now! I don't see the enigma regarding her face as a mystery to be respected, I see it as an annoying tease so I wanna see it!

 

[Casual Shinji]

She'll probably turn out to be somekind of big lizard.

...Something with fish lips atleast.

 

[octafish]

If they do show her face, I want it to be weird. Go more Turian than Asari. Not just a human face dipped in paint, thanks. Her eyes seem to glow as well, so that'd be real neat.

Tali is Herobrine? Cool.

I'm in the don't want camp. As long as I don't have to see it I'm OK with I guess.