Why I think the ME3 fans are actually mad

[Fappy]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

 

[Eddie the head]

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

That is all kinds of wrong.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

 

[boag]

To start with, I am a big Mass Effect fan, but since I lost my saves and need to replay the first two to get my Shepard back I did not buy ME3 at the beginning, and then I started hearing the news, as all of us have.

I think this issue comes down to more than just the ending, even though most people admit that the ending is terrible. I think the reason this has been so bad, and gone on for so long, is a sense of a lack of respect.

There's a sense of a lack of respect from Bioware itself, that it rushed a bad ending in its game and that it may very well try to sell DLC to make it better. This impression is not improved from Bioware statements that they would not do exactly what they did, or by putting out day 1 DLC.

But that's not the reason this flame war has gone on since the game has come out. This has continued, in my mind, because fans legitimate critiques have been openly derided by the gaming media, in what some have called a conspiracy and what I think is more likely to be just an emotional disconnect with fans.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/03/22/gaming-journalisms-problem-isnt-being-beholden-to-companies/

Instead of getting statements along the lines of "yes, the ending was bad for reasons X,Y, and Z" fans got called entitled and derided as immature children. Yes, some of them have acted like that but in characterizing the entire group as acting like that gaming journalism has gone too far. And if fans are getting disrespected by the mainstream media, gaming companies, AND gaming media, why shouldn't they be mad about that?

There are many people who say the attacks against Bioware threaten gaming as an art form, all the while claiming that we as gamers should seek no validation from non-gamers. I don't think validation from non-gamers is necessarily all that important, but I think respect from within the gaming community in general IS. Because if game companies are going to just treat us like walking wallets, then why should we treat them as artists? And if game journalism doesn't watch out for consumers against the exploitations of the companies, why shouldn't we think that the two are in league together?

Was I disappointed by the ending? yes

Was I mad? yes and then the feeling passed.

Am I still mad? Yes but not because of the ending, because I got called an whiny douchebag for complaining about it.

so in conclusion I agree with your entire analysis of the situation.

 

[Fappy]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

I don't know... sexual favors?

"Is prostitution not preferable to extortion?"

I may be misquoting Shepard there... my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

[boag]

game journalists

I have yet to meet one of these so called things, I know there are interviewers, reviewers and internet celebrities.

But Journalists, i haven't seen those in more than a Decade.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

I don't know... sexual favors?

"Is prostitution not preferable to extortion?"

I may be misquoting Shepard there... my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Sounds like something Shepard would say.

Followed by a statement of preference for such things in an advertised format.

 

[Fappy]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

I don't know... sexual favors?

"Is prostitution not preferable to extortion?"

I may be misquoting Shepard there... my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Sounds like something Shepard would say.

Followed by a statement of preference for such things in an advertised format.

"My name is Commander Shepard and this is my favorite derailed thread on the internet."

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I have yet to meet one of these so called things, I know there are interviewers, reviewers and internet celebrities.

But Journalists, i haven't seen those in more than a Decade.

Nonsense!

1. Write down some thoughts about a recently released AAA game.
2. Remove, minimize or hand-wave all but the most positive ones to get the word count down to a reasonable level.
3. Choose a number between 9 and 10.
4. Ta-da! You're a games journalist.

FOR BONUS RELEVANCE: Use the word "entitled" in a sentence.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

I don't know... sexual favors?

"Is prostitution not preferable to extortion?"

I may be misquoting Shepard there... my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Sounds like something Shepard would say.

Followed by a statement of preference for such things in an advertised format.

"My name is Commander Shepard and this is my favorite derailed thread on the internet."

Nobody derails a thread quite like us

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Snip

That was a great first post, and I really don't think your assessment of the situation is all that far off from the truth. I know that I for one, as a gamer, feel like I'm not being respected whatsoever. I thoroughly hated the ending of ME3, but I don't feel like I've been childish about it at all. I've expressed my displeasure a few times on the forums here, but I've never pestered Bioware or EA, I've never contacted the FTC or Better Business Bureau, I've never pitched in money to buy multi-colored cupcakes, I did donate to Child's Play (although I didn't do it expecting anything in return, and certainly didn't request my money back), and I think I've treated people who disagree with me on the endings with the same respect that I would personally like in return. Yet Bioware/EA, the media, and apparently everyone else in the gaming community, are trying to treat me like a spoiled child? I'm sorry, but that really doesn't sit well with me.

I'd really like to believe that Bioware just dropped the ball and made an honest mistake with the ending... but with the "Hey, wasn't that a great game? BUY THE DLC NOW!" pop-up at the end of the game and all of the PR-speak they've been dishing out lately... I feel like they may have intentionally botched things just to get me to hand over my wallet to them. That really doesn't make me feel like they respect me all that much, and really doesn't make me feel particularly inclined to buy any of that DLC. Maybe if they, and the media surrounding the issue, had handled things with a bit more tact I'd be more inclined to buy it... but right now as things stand... meh. I'll continue to enjoy the game I have now, as it is now, and just be more wary about what I buy from Bioware in the future rather than giving them a free pass to my bank account.

 

[Fappy]

Thanks for the welcomes guys, and the cooling of the sarcasm engine

It is unfortunate that these conversations do become flame wars. I think if we truly feel games are an art form then it should be saddening whenever one fails to live up to its potential, as many feel Mass Effect has done (I for one had initially hoped that ME3 would branch off in so many different directions that there could be no spoilers for my Shepard, and as soon as I heard that it wasn't so I knew that I would be disappointed by it no matter what else happened).

If we are to advance gaming we can't be content with mediocrity and disappointment, and I am disturbed by attacks on fans by the gaming industry stifling that discontent, even though some do take that too far.

Publishers don't like it when we fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines. They prefer us impressionable and aloof.

fight against their marketing campaign hype-machines.

marketing campaign hype-machines.

hype-machines.

Reapers! The Reapers are real!

Nooooooooooooo!

The cycle will continue whether we like it or not

Shit, is this playing out like an accelerated version of Mass Effect?

As the first to discover their motives, that must mean I'm Commander Shep-awwww shit.

I guess that makes me Liara....

Question: can Asari masturbate?

>.>

Don't get any funny ideas.

Where's Garrus? I was promised that there would be a Garrus.

I have Garrus on this disk here.

That will be 10 dollars.

>

Only 10?


I'll take 7.

Dammit! You and your loose pockets!

You are not helping the consumers with your blatant disregard for what should and should not be in the game!

You son-of-a-----

Oh yeah, forgot we were kidding around for a sec :O

But how else will I get the real ending, if not by showing Bioware that I'm willing to pay outrageous prices for DLC

I don't know... sexual favors?

"Is prostitution not preferable to extortion?"

I may be misquoting Shepard there... my memory is a bit fuzzy.

Sounds like something Shepard would say.

Followed by a statement of preference for such things in an advertised format.

"My name is Commander Shepard and this is my favorite derailed thread on the internet."

Nobody derails a thread quite like us

This is fact. I am surprised we haven't gotten some kind of badge for this yet.

 

[boag]

Snip

That was a great first post, and I really don't think your assessment of the situation is all that far off from the truth. I know that I for one, as a gamer, feel like I'm not being respected whatsoever.

Dont even think of it as a gamer, try thinking of it as even a consumer, when is the last time you bought a pair of sneakers and the sales clerk said you were a dumb-ass for asking if there were other colors, or if could have a different style or size?

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Dont even think of it as a gamer, try thinking of it as even a consumer, when is the last time you bought a pair of sneakers and the sales clerk said you were a dumb-ass for asking if there were other colors, or if could have a different style or size?

Good point. I used to work as a sales associate for an electronics store, and if I'd done that to a customer, I probably would have been pretty severely reprimanded at best, fired at worst. Either way, things wouldn't have ended well for me if I'd disrespected the consumers that fund my paychecks. It's bad business, and I wouldn't have gotten away with it.

Yet apparently Bioware, EA, and the industry as a whole do.

 

[Weaver]

I've read a few similar takes on this on 4chan and they mirror my thoughts on the matter. I also heard similar statements regarding that Halper incident.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

That's a really good post OP.

There's something off about this whole thing and I think you just hit the nail on the head. Art or not we have a right to an opinion. The fact some people want the ending changed or clarified shows Bioware how much people loved the IP, they were giving them feedback. Yahtzee used the term 'browbeat' how can it not come across like that when so many are dissatisfied.

The same effect happened with Final Fantasy 13 and Dragon Age 2. Final Fantasy 13-2 certainly fixed those issues to an extent, listening to your consumers isn't a bad thing.

Everyone keeps talking about a 'dangerous precedent' but there is already a relevant precedent...Bethesda changed the ending to Fallout 3 and here we are still playing games.

A quote from a news article at the time

And all those who finished the game were pretty much disappointed with the final third, which feels rushed and not fully thought through. Well, MTV Multiplayer talked to Todd Howard, the executive producer on Fallout 3, and gave him the possibility to respond to the criticism players had for the ending of his game.

He quickly shot back by saying that "Based on the feedback I've seen, most people are pissed off that it ends, not the 'ending' itself. Maybe that's one and the same, I don't know. That's another thing we're changing in DLC3. We really underestimated how many people would want to keep playing, so that's probably the last time we?ll do something like that."

and lo the world did not end.

 

[Redd the Sock]

I've been thinking this was just a tipping point of something bound to happen eventually. From DRM and onine passes, to removal of system features, to questionable review practices, to a general attitude equating used game buyers as paraiah and theives, the industry has not seemed endearing to gamers for a while. The new "It's my world I'm just letting you play in it for $60" attitude isn't helping much, nor is the conventioal attitude that the only justifiable was to show anger is to deny companies money for future games (punishing yourself as well).

I mean, no, we aren't owed anything, but that fact in itself doesn't jusify being a jerk or taking advantage of our willingness to part with money for video games.

 

[Chris Mosher]

I can understand why people are pissed off about the game's ending. Its not that its sad or that they are entitled ETC. Its that it comes completely out of left field. I personally don;t hate the reason for the Reapers, and from a machine perspective I actually sorta think it makes sense. It would have been a much different ending if there had been some lead up. Also, the star child of exposition; this was just bad story telling. Worst of all was the lack of closure that we were given for our squad mates ( I don't care what people say, Joker and Edi were not in the Normandy in the Relay, how could that happen Joker would never leave earth with Sheppard still there and EDI was helping me fight Reapers????)

What really pisses me off about this though, is what EA will do in the future if Bioware delivers an improved ending and sell it. This will set a horrible precedent that I am sure EA will exploit. If you do not want to open a can of worms, do not buy this dlc. Do not encourage Publishers who are trying to monetize the industry as much as possible another way of gouging the consumer. I will not buy an improved ending, and I suggest anyone who does not enjoy being ripped off in the future do not buy the dlc either.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

What really pisses me off about this though, is what EA will do in the future if Bioware delivers an improved ending and sell it. This will set a horrible precedent that I am sure EA will exploit. If you do not want to open a can of worms, do not buy this dlc. Do not encourage Publishers who are trying to monetize the industry as much as possible another way of gouging the consumer. I will not buy an improved ending, and I suggest anyone who does not enjoy being ripped off in the future do not buy the dlc either.

I don't buy this line of reasoning that says it's a crafty business practice to get everyone hating your game so you can sell them DLC that fixes it. Wouldn't it make more sense to get them LOVING your game so that they're enthusiastic to buy the DLC? As opposed to angry/mutinous/running your IP's name into the mud?

No one is sitting around a board room saying "This horrible publicity and alienated fan base is incredible, how can we bottle this and repeat it in the future?"

 

[Chris Mosher]

What really pisses me off about this though, is what EA will do in the future if Bioware delivers an improved ending and sell it. This will set a horrible precedent that I am sure EA will exploit. If you do not want to open a can of worms, do not buy this dlc. Do not encourage Publishers who are trying to monetize the industry as much as possible another way of gouging the consumer. I will not buy an improved ending, and I suggest anyone who does not enjoy being ripped off in the future do not buy the dlc either.

I don't buy this line of reasoning that says it's a crafty business practice to get everyone hating your game so you can sell them DLC that fixes it. Wouldn't it make more sense to get them LOVING your game so that they're enthusiastic to buy the DLC? As opposed to angry/mutinous/running your IP's name into the mud?

No one is sitting around a board room saying "This horrible publicity and alienated fan base is incredible, how can we bottle this and repeat it in the future?"

I don't think that happened in this case but with the way that publishers have be going on about how they need extra ways of monetizing their games I would not put them past a publisher. Remember that ultimately a publisher's loyalty is not to their customers but to their shareholders and if they think that they can sell more stuff to make profit for the shareholders they will do it. Looking at other industries EA would not be the first to screw up and go to far in the favour of the shareholder and doing something that pisses of a customers base. These are people running the company and people make bad judgement calls and i am not reading any intentional malice into what these people are doing, just bad judgement.
Also, maybe you have more faith in people but I have spent my time in business school where it is drilled into our heads to maximize shareholder value and I seen people go about this in the wrong way. Due to this experience I would put little past executives.