MovieBob's thoughts on the ME3 ending controversy

[Fox242]

By the way, Bob posted more on Twitter: "The "commissioned art" argument is a new wrinkle - they realize in that analogy EA is the "commissioner," right? Not them?"

He's got it wrong again. EA might have requested that Bioware make Mass Effect 3 to certain guidelines, but the entity that's paying for the game is the PLAYER. Game design is about making the player HAVE FUN. Hell, the #1 design motto for a video game is almost always "How do we make the players have fun?".

In an RPG, the ending is one of the primary factors in whether the game is fun or not. You're striving towards a goal, and when the resolution of that goal is so poorly written and inflexible as ME3, you can be sure that people aren't having fun. The fact that so many fans are petitioning Bioware to change the game PROVES that it wasn't fun. Worse, unlike a FPS or RTS, the final ending of an RPG echoes along the entire length of the gameplay from start to finish. This is why RPGs with incredible endings but mediocre gameplay can be regarded so positively in hindsight, and it's why players go back again and again to play them.

Arthur Conan Doyle didn't bring Holmes back to life because his publishers told him to. He did it because his fans wanted him to. The books were always designed to please his readers, not his editors.

TLDR: Good artistic vision and appealing to your target demographic aren't mutually exclusive, and Bob doesn't get this.

P.S. Can't wait to see his Game Overthinker video. If he can't explain his position using sound logic then I'm done with him.

You might as well be done with him ahead of time cuz here's what you're gonna get: I'm right because I'm a highly eduacted East Coast guy and you're unwashed scum who wouldn't know art if it hit you in the face, you all should be rounded up on an island to keep society safe. You're dragging gaming down by making demands of developers and publishers, now we can't make Roger Ebert happy. You all suck, no excuse me while I go down my tenth hot dog of the day.

 

[anthony87]

You all suck, no excuse me while I go down my tenth hot dog of the day.

A fat joke dude?

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally not helping things.

 

[dreadedcandiru99]

Congratulations, "Mass Effect" crybabies. You've officially set the entire medium back a DECADE as an art form

I'll just leave this here.

 

[Comrade_Beric]

more stuff

People keep attacking my first paragraph like they couldn't be bothered to read past that. I went on to explicitly detail why his criticism doesn't apply to Mass Effect 3...

 

[Thammuz]

Wow..That's the picture they used?

Would it have been so difficult to snap a picture of the model without a helmet?

At least they bothered to delete the fourth finger. Sloppily, but still.

 

[dreadedcandiru99]

Wow..That's the picture they used?

Would it have been so difficult to snap a picture of the model without a helmet?

At least they bothered to delete the fourth finger. Sloppily, but still.

I've used Photoshop twice in my life, and I bet that even I could've done a better job. Also, the final image we see in the game, during the Stargazer dialogue? They apparently stole that from somebody's Deviantart page. And the final Destroy/Control/Merge choice? It bears, shall we say, an uncanny similarity to the final choice from the original Deus Ex.

In other words: "Ah, yes, 'artistic integrity.' We have dismissed that claim."

 

[Fox242]

You all suck, no excuse me while I go down my tenth hot dog of the day.

A fat joke dude?

Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally not helping things.

Don't care. After all the uncalled for insults he's hurled at various fanbases, a fat joke is miniscule.

 

[Fusioncode9]

I don't see why people care so much about Bob's opinion. This is the same guy who thinks PC gaming is dead and Mario is the greatest thing since Jesus.

 

[him over there]

I don't see why people care so much about Bob's opinion. This is the same guy who thinks PC gaming is dead and Mario is the greatest thing since Jesus.

Don't forget thinks anyone who says Other M is sexist and that Piranha 3D is an amazing movie because it has boobies.

 

[Iszfury]

Only relatively linear logic is needed to explain the popular consensus on the issue:

Fanbase Develops Creepy Emotional Attachment to Game ->
Fanbase Begins to perceive work of art as their own->
Fanbase is pissed by an ending that doesn't indulge their every expectation->

Lulz are made.

 

[Tono Makt]

Only relatively linear logic is needed to explain the popular consensus on the issue:

Fanbase Develops Creepy Emotional Attachment to Game ->
Fanbase Begins to perceive work of art as their own->
Fanbase is pissed by an ending that doesn't indulge their every expectation->

Lulz are made.

*pinches Iszfury's cheeks* You are just too precious! And you remind me of my younger days, before I learned how to truly troll. Ah, those were the days... wow, those were the days when Netscape was the cutting edge of internet browsing, and my computer (a Macintosh PowerPC, I think) was just barely powerful enough to run it. Had a 28.8 modem, and had to dial into my university's remote access line just to access their text based usegroups!

*toodles off, lost in the memories of usegroup trolling. such happy, happy days.*

 

[AstylahAthrys]

ME3 set gaming back 10 years? Sweet, some of my favorite games came out in 2002, games that I still play today.

Also his opinion means nothing to me. I've never liked what he's had to say, this is no exception. I am among the group that thought the ending was poorly executed, and I have the right to ***** about that. Bioware was in no way obligated to listen to my bitching, they chose to. If keeping artistic integrity was important to them... well, they wouldn't have used that ending, BUT they certainly did not have to change it. I never had any intention to scream at Bioware that they MUST do something or I will kill their families or... something like that. I just had an opinion. Is that so wrong?

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

I'm so happy to see this thread isn't locked...
Last time I called Bob out for his bullshit I got yelled at by a mod.
Bob's a loudmouth who gets butthurt anytime someone challenges his perfect little worldview, and He's a lousy film critic to boot. Ever since I saw Sucker Punch on his recommendation, he lost he reviewer credibility, and this twitter debacle is just the latest in a long line of embarrassing and disappointing outbursts from a man who has confused moderate internet notoriety with importance.

 

[Iszfury]

Y'know what?
I think it's perfectly reasonable to DISLIKE the ending, but a full-scale internet fundraiser and organized webhate specifically targeted at Bioware is something of an embarrassment to the community. Not only is the effort futile and it would reflect poorly on EA in a business sense to commit to the changes, ME3 IS art. Bob makes a point. Although being sold as a product, is there really any other way to acquire art but in the form of a product? Paintings; music are also "products", acknowledging the means by which we acquire them. Some of the most catastrophic compromises in regards to artistic integrity have been made when artists cave in to common demand. It's silly and childish. I was kind of put off by the ending myself, and can understand the arguments objecting to its quality, but the arguments for its modification or total revamping are lunacy. Art is too multifaceted and subjective for people to qualify a certain aspect of it as being inadequate and deserving of a refund. It just DOESN'T serve a straightforward enough utility. It satisfied you as a whole, did it not? I figure most people here loved the game until the end - so much so that it pissed them off all the worse. For all those complaining, suck it up, and get on with your lives.

And, @ Toko Makt:
Thanks for addressing the topic as opposed to committing ugly ad hominem. Yeah, I was being callous, but you could of at least put me off respectably.

 

[Iszfury]

Double Post, Sorry!

 

[Artemicion]

I will no longer support Moviebob in any way for his continued inability to perceive any point of view not his own as holding merit. His continued pompous attitude has lost any notions of respect I had for him. I will no longer watch his videos or read his articles.

Good day.

 

[Iszfury]

That's disarmingly thoughtful of you to say.
Since when on the internet does disagreeing with somebody instantly connote to scathing hate?
You're all just pissed because he objects to the greater body of your perspectives on the issue. When has that ever not been the case for our demographic? Stop being so haughty and, frankly, assholish, and leave him alone - none of this warrants any kind of personal attack.

 

[userwhoquitthesite]

bob's also a hypocrite, because he came down (mostly) positive on this EXACT SAME THING in his video's about Green Lantern

 

[Vankraken]

If a movie has a shitty ending and the viewing audience doesn't like it then they have the right to voice there dislike about it. Same standard goes for video games. The thing about video games is that you pay way more, invest more time, and are actively involved in the progression of the story of the game so the blow that a horrible ending has on the player after investing ~30 hours into the game (maybe ~90 hours from ME1 to ME3) is going to be much more impactful and create a much bigger backlash.

People have the right to voice there dislike of something as loud as they want to so people take notice. Bob being upset at the ME "fanboys" is ass backwards when we are consumers of the medium. Again if a movie has a horrible ending we voice our opinion so people don't go see the movie and it doesn't sell well, no sequels are made, and the people who made the undesired media are less likely to continue to make more media as it shows people are unhappy with the results of there work (in theory anyway).

Be mad at EA for changing there ending if you want but being upset at people for voicing there opinion is completely toxic to the growth of the industry. The player payed money for the game (in theory), was unhappy with the end results, and can't normally get a refunds. Under these circumstances the best course of action to express your opinion in a way that can impact the future "products" or "works of art" that the industry produces is to be vocal about how you felt. If we are silent then only money talks and the money is going to say "keep doing more of this"

Capcha "know your rights" strangely appropriate.

Personal note: I don't want EA to change the ending but I do want them to know it sucked horribly and will result in them less likely getting my business.