Flaw in Mass Effect Movie

[RYjet911]

You should note that only the three main games of the so far incomplete trilogy series relate to Shepard's story. That's why the side games and the books focus on other characters. The movie is likely to be similar in this respect to reflect the fact that Shepard is a different character for each player experience.

 

[King Kupofried]

I really can't say I see this as a problem. 'If' the movie does set a solid canon series of events through the events that occur in the games, why does it matter?
Unless Bioware is planning on going in and forcibly changing my past actions when I jump to the third game I can't imagine how a set canon would affect me in the slightest. If I felt like my actions would be rendered pointless by straying away from an official path then I wouldn't bother playing a game where I get to chose my own path to begin with. If anything it'll make for an interesting framing device to see how differently the universe I affected ended up.

Of course, the movie actually being of quality is a complete separate issue all together. I'd say we should perhaps wait and see if this is the case before holding it up to impossible to reach standards and deciding it will be bad before we even know anything beyond the title.

 

[Sephychu]

Well, I see where you're coming from, and that certainly would be a big problem... but not the biggest by a long shot.

The biggest problem is going to be condensing 20-odd hours of gameplay into 2-odd hours of screentime.

Why they went for a movie, and not an ongoing TV series, I don't know. I don't expect much.

They probably went for a movie because by the time you've realised a movie sucks, you've already paid to see it.

But a TV series would suit the Mass Effect games perfectly. You could fit in the more interesting sidequests, lots of nice character development, and the overarching plotline of Saren and the Reapers. It would also allow the directors (are they called that for a TV series?) to properly explore Mass Effect's excellently fleshed-out background.

A movie does not suit the games at all. The ycould make a movie of the First Contact War or something, I guess, but there's no way in hell a movie based directly on the game could possibly succeed.

It'll succeed, it'll just suck.
Sadly, the two are not as linked as they should be.

Granted, it won't make that much money, but it'll probably succeed.

 

[JeanLuc761]

Mass Effect, like TES, is so far up its own ass in boring lore that I can't stand the backdrop to the series at all, and so although the gameplay is pretty fun, and some of the characters are quite well done (but fuck off with cheesy lesbians please), I really don't want to see a film of this.

So...basically you're complaining that the Mass Effect universe has too much depth? Give me a break.

 

[repeating integers]

Well, I see where you're coming from, and that certainly would be a big problem... but not the biggest by a long shot.

The biggest problem is going to be condensing 20-odd hours of gameplay into 2-odd hours of screentime.

Why they went for a movie, and not an ongoing TV series, I don't know. I don't expect much.

They probably went for a movie because by the time you've realised a movie sucks, you've already paid to see it.

But a TV series would suit the Mass Effect games perfectly. You could fit in the more interesting sidequests, lots of nice character development, and the overarching plotline of Saren and the Reapers. It would also allow the directors (are they called that for a TV series?) to properly explore Mass Effect's excellently fleshed-out background.

A movie does not suit the games at all. The ycould make a movie of the First Contact War or something, I guess, but there's no way in hell a movie based directly on the game could possibly succeed.

It'll succeed, it'll just suck.
Sadly, the two are not as linked as they should be.

Granted, it won't make that much money, but it'll probably succeed.

Well, no. If it sucks, nobody will go and see it after they read the reviews. I predict it will neither succeed, nor be any good - if it's based on the game directly, which I doubt.

 

[Sephychu]

Well, I see where you're coming from, and that certainly would be a big problem... but not the biggest by a long shot.

The biggest problem is going to be condensing 20-odd hours of gameplay into 2-odd hours of screentime.

Why they went for a movie, and not an ongoing TV series, I don't know. I don't expect much.

They probably went for a movie because by the time you've realised a movie sucks, you've already paid to see it.

But a TV series would suit the Mass Effect games perfectly. You could fit in the more interesting sidequests, lots of nice character development, and the overarching plotline of Saren and the Reapers. It would also allow the directors (are they called that for a TV series?) to properly explore Mass Effect's excellently fleshed-out background.

A movie does not suit the games at all. The ycould make a movie of the First Contact War or something, I guess, but there's no way in hell a movie based directly on the game could possibly succeed.

It'll succeed, it'll just suck.
Sadly, the two are not as linked as they should be.

Granted, it won't make that much money, but it'll probably succeed.

Well, no. If it sucks, nobody will go and see it after they read the reviews. I predict it will neither succeed, nor be any good - if it's based on the game directly, which I doubt.

Fair assumption.
Only time will tell.

 

[T-Bone24]

I think that it would be a good film if it were to cover the First Contact War, or something that is a fixed point in the Mass Effect canon. As it stands, covering the games would be lazy and stupid, frankly. Go for the side story.

 

[Dr. Paine]

Second one, right? -has just read it- Just mentioned 'Shepard was on all the vids' or something... perfectly, utterly neutral XD

That, and the third one actually. Shepard is mentioned by both the Illusive Man and Anderson on a couple of occasions, however it is just as neutral as in the second book and is compatible with 'your' story no matter how you played the games.

Ah. Haven't gotten the third book yet (god willing, that'll change tomorrow ), so I didn't know.

And if the movie Shep is male... eh. So's the Shep my brother/a ton of other people have made. Valve will release a game on their first projected date before Bioware removes the option for FemShep/etc, so I'm not too concerned.

The movie will likely be 'meh', I may watch it simply out of fandom, I may not, I don't care so much.

@Ultratwinkie: Love the Futurama reference xD

 

[Romblen]

There's a simple explanation for that, make a few hundred Mass Effect movies to cover all the possible choices. Do I have to think of everything?

I think they should just cover the most common choices. Shepard is a male paragon with a few renegade traits mixed in. At least I think that's the average.

 

[Confidingtripod]

I'll make and continue my own story with Sheppard if you don't mind, but I wouldn't hate a prequel of some sort! First contact, or maybe even the uhm... The thing where humans learned how to use Bio powers A movie about those would be cool.

I agree a first contact film would be better.

But thats just the problem, both with this one and game films, (this one) mass effect has too many variations on what could be said or happen to make a comprehensive film, (in genral) why wont they realise that games dont work as films, games convey a sense of interaction, of the player being able to affect the outcome, films you see the story unfolding and a good film maker makes you wish you could affect the story in some way, prince of persia came close as the film was BASED on the game not a replica, a halo film would work BASED on the story but not directly following it, the best game-film possible would be one set in the universe but not following the game...

sorry about the rant, I have been thinking about it for a while now...

 

[Vivace-Vivian]

To be honest I just plain hope it doesn't happen.

 

[Slangeveld]

I agree a first contact film would be better.

[rant]

sorry about the rant, I have been thinking about it for a while now...

You're right. Though the only ones that will truly be interested in the movie as in "WATCH IT IN LAUNCH DAY" Will be those who know and have played Mass Effect themselves. Because of this, it's in my opinion an option to assume that everyone watching knows something or all about Mass Effect, making a side story a much better option; You won't have to explain things most already know and can focus on this.

The latter would be cool. Even if they only take us there long enough to see Kaiden snap his Turian instructors neck with a Biotic-powered kick to the jaw... I've always wondered how that would look on screen.

That was my thought exactly xD


I'll keep my vote at "Not at all" though. Which about sums up my faith in Hollywood making a good Mass Effect movie. None at all.