Do you like Open Endings?

[Jordi]

Spoiler boxes are kinda redundant when you don't say what show/game/whatever you're actually spoiling until people open them up.

How do you say what show it is on the spoiler box?

Common sense answer that you can apply anywhere:
Say what you will be spoiling (i.e. the Sopranos) and then put the actual spoilers in the box. Like so:

For instance, in the Sopranos:

Spoiler

EVERYBODY DIES IN THE END!

Escapist specific answer:
You can put a description in the spoiler tag by putting this in brackets: spoiler="Sopranos ending spoiler"

Spoiler: Sopranos ending spoiler

EVERYBODY DIES IN THE END!

OT: I absolutely hate open endings.

 

[Jonluw]

They can be nice once in a while, but they can just be annoying as well.

 

[Gigatoast]

Even if you die they'll give you sandbox (depending on if the death was ment by Bioware, otherwise better start a new game+). But Shepard dying? Could be kinda cool..

I understand the need to insure the Shep trilogy ends, but I HATE when the main character is killed off in an game where your choices mean everything. I'd much rather have an ending with many different outcomes, like maybe retiring to go settle down with his romantic partner, or becoming a space-pirate. Having a thousand decisions leading to one single ending is just disappointing.

 

[amucha98]

.

 

[nuba km]

I like it only if the ending is an ending not if it is 'the end?' but when it finishes all the story arches but leaves it open to be continued if person/people making it feel like making a sequel.

 

[tzimize]

Its BAAAAAAAAAAAAD.

Not finishing a story is a rude move toward everyone interested enough to follow your creation to the end. It is cheap and imo often a sign of poor craftsmanship from the writer. He is effectively making the audience imagine an ending. If I wanted to create my own story I wouldnt read other peoples stories.

 

[Dr Jones]

Its BAAAAAAAAAAAAD.

Not finishing a story is a rude move toward everyone interested enough to follow your creation to the end. It is cheap and imo often a sign of poor craftsmanship from the writer. He is effectively making the audience imagine an ending. If I wanted to create my own story I wouldnt read other peoples stories.

You mention all the people tuning in wanting an ending, but what if they all want a different ending? You can't please em all son, no matter how hard you try. You can however give them an ending that let's them continue the story themselves, not necessarily making it canon, but atleast valid.

David Chase understands this, and i don't feel he is a bad writer by any means.

 

[eggmiester]

love it baby! well, not all the time- i agree that it can be annoying, epics like lord of the rings and star wars would suck if they had open endings. but, when used correctly, it's cool, and i love to use my imagination.

i mean look at the road,inception,shadow of the colossus: all of them benefit from having an open ending: they certainly won't have sequels, but they work.it's all down to whether an open ending can make a good film, game, ANYTHING,better.

plus, the thing about open endings is that they can make something that's unbelievably depressing less depressing: imagine how depressed you'd feel if the road ended with everyone dead. likewise, think about a film or game which might of been less sad with an open endingersona 4, for example, wouldn't be as heartbreaking if they had ended with an open ending:could the MC come back?

no, says the canon ending. do ye see how it could benefit it if it had an open ending?

 

[Joccaren]

Some stories I don't mind open endings in, and I end up wasting literal days just imagining what might be happening in that world. I do, however, absolutely hate the 'wait for the sequel, this ending is basically just an add for it' type of open ending. AKA: Pretty much every movie I have seen (I will admit a few exceptions).
Other Stories, I enjoy having 'tidied'. The story of the main characters is told in an epilogue, much like Dragon Age Origins, however the end of everything (Life, the Universe and Everything) is not told, allowing me to imagine other adventures in that land.
There are also a rare few stories who actually end their worlds at the end of the series, and the ones that I have read (Haven't watched or played any) have been reasonably satisfying (Probably because I didn't spend days imagining what might be happening in the world). One of these is

Spoiler

The Chronicles of Narnia

It really all depends on how it is done.

 

[Condor219]

Hmm. Inception was the first thing that came to mind. That was a very well done, thought-provoking ending.

Otherwise Open Endings make me think "AUUUGHHH!!! TIE UP YOUR LOOSE ENDS YOU LAZY WRITERS!!!"

 

[zelda2fanboy]

I love love love open endings when they're done right. The last couple Coen Bros movies were like that (not True Grit, the other ones). I remember seeing them coming and being like "Yes, do it, yes. Brilliant!" Sometimes they bother me when they exclude information crucial to the plot and don't wrap anything up thematically or emotionally. Or if I disagree with the message they are conveying in that the solution doesn't matter when I still feel like it does. But if I'm wrapped up in the movie and I see the point they're making, it's my favorite way to end a flick.

 

[Exterminas]

Are we talking American Psycho-open end or Bulletstorm-To-Be-Continued-open end? Because there is a difference.

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

I don't mind it if there will be another instalmnet.

Neverwinter Nights 2, Mask of the Betrayer

Spoiler

In 3/4 endings, including the "Good" ending, you get told "That tale is yet to be told." Yeh, right. You won't let me START an RPG with the Silver Sword of Gith, and badass action powers that make me more powerful than some of the gods..

Fallout 3

Spoiler

I liked the "Sacrifice yourself" ending to the game. I have yet to beat Broken Steel, so I will have to see

 

[AbstractStream]

Open endings? No dammit! I like closure!

 

[Section Crow]

i don't mind them as long as it isn't the cause of writers getting lazy, a actual genuine decision made by them that fits the open ending.

also if an open ending does fit the story then i want it summed up to the best of their ability

 

[Casual Shinji]

Depends.

The Matrix had a fantastic open ending, but then they had to fuck it up with the sequels.

 

[Wicky_42]

I like suggestive endings, that leave potential in the world or for the characters futures, but that wraps up the story elements nicely. Leaving on a tantalising note can be great if done well and not as a hook for a sequel, though it can just frustrate if it's not built up right.

One that pops into my mind (for some reason) is Titan AE, which wraps up the story and leaves the heroes at the start of a different sort of adventure. Inception did the tantalising ending really well. The third Pirates of the Caribbean brought things beautifully full circle, with Jack adrift in a dingy much like the start of the first - despite the loose plot point of the map, it was a beautiful ending that the next film kinda undermines.

Completely batshit insane endings, like many Anime, are generally disappointing as the writes evidently couldn't think of a decent conclusion and resort to half-assed meta imagery to pass for some spiritual solution or some such random crap that shouldn't conclude shows about mecha or mysterious omnipotent alien spheres.

On the flip side, I was quite satisfied by the Lost and BSG spiritual endings as they ran the full physical gauntlet and it became not about the actions but about the people and their journeys coming to an end. Just having them physically get home would be only a partial conclusion if their souls were still 'lost'. Maybe that's what the animes generally aim for, but are hampered by poor translations and the culture barrier? We may never know...

 

[game-lover]

I HATE them oh so much!!! You know why? Because they're pretty much cliff hangers.

And cliff hangers fucking suck.

I want to stab a person who gives me those things. *yells a number of obscenities*

 

[Scarim Coral]

No I don't since it feel like they will never achiece the goal they were aiming for so they are wandering forever. I prefer the much needed ending.