Exactly. This isn't even me criticizing the story or structure of Mass Effect, I love it for what it is.
For change to Mass Effect, I'm on Divinity Original Sin 2, and it's also the same
My "God" (helpless and weak) announces to me that the voidwoken are coming (almost already here) and that they will completely destroy Rivellon (the end of all what we known). That I am the only one who can stop them, that I must become the new divine as fast as possible and by all means (even the worsts if I have to). It seem to me, it could hardly be "more" urgent.
But whatever, I have time to search for an egg lost by a hen and take the chick to see his father. Or search in a witch house, a potion for two infortunate dude who were changed in cows by this witch. Or even to lift the curse of eternally burning pigs
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There are two different things going on and to defend your argument you are combining the two.
1. Motivation to do a thing: how powerful a reason to act is
2. Urgency: Speed at which the thing needs to be done
Loc 1: Therum, Shepard rescues Benezia's daughter Liara T'Soni, who joins Shepard's squad; she provides Shepard with better understanding of the vision from the beacon.
Loc 2: Feros, Shepard acquires the ability to comprehend and interpret the images seen in the vision from a former subordinate of Benezia, and learns that Saren's flagship, Sovereign, possesses unique mind-control capabilities.
Loc 3: On the world of Noveria, Shepard tracks down and defeats Benezia, who reveals that she and Saren are being indoctrinated by Sovereign.
Loc 4: Meanwhile, the Council informs Shepard that a salarian infiltration unit has uncovered Saren's main base on Virmire. Sovereign reveals that the Reapers remain outside the galaxy waiting for organic life to develop and discover the Mass Relays
Loc 5: On the Normandy, Liara pinpoints the Conduit's location: a Prothean world known as Ilos. ((massively important ticking clock starts))
Beginning: MC knows there is a potential vague threat (something wiped out protheans) - very bad. Big motivator. Saren somehow wants this information and has gone rogue. Motivation: High. Clock: N/A as no idea when events occur or what is really goign on. Sheppard barely understands the threat or even what a reaper is.
Counterpoint: Saren believed to be working with Geth. Powerful species and powerful ally. Sheppard has big MOTIVATOR to power up ship and get allies as he's going against someone who kicked butt one of the major races.
Step 2: sheppard understands a little better. vision plus sarens ship a little more (MC learns the cycle of destruction period and could be comming up on it again ((but not exact numbers)) still no idea where to go to resolve issue, just places to go for.. maybe.. more info
Step 3: MC learns saren is being controlled by the ship (clock still not ticking fast) MC still doent know where to go
Step 4: Has NOTHING to do with reapers.... but there you happen yto learn more information on the nature of the threat.. ship is a reaper and not a ship , what reapers do. Motivation increases. BUT - reapers are outside of the galaxy and would need to fly into galaxy ((space travel takes time))
Step 5: Motivation plus the danger being imminent and its nature is revealed. HUGE motivator (what happens if dont, plus must do this NOW kicks in))
A VERY WELL DONE ticking clock.
There is a motivator to do thing.. but the clock doesn't truly kick in until near the end. Allowing other things to occur (assembling your fragging CREW for example..!!!!!!))
"Shepard would be a complete idiot if he'd spend one minute doing anything but going after Saren."
Well.. if sheppard didnt take some time to assemble a crew he would not have learned about the threat (stage 2 - lliara), and would have been strongly hindered in other things.. no Garris.. no Rex.. no Tali (sheppard is an idiot conformed??)
The sun burning out/nova is a HUGE deal..... when it goes out makes it urgent/not urgent
asteroid hitting earth.. big deal.... when it might hit puts things into how urgent it is
I just LOVE people trying to tear down GREAT RPGs of the past in an attempt to make everything a binary ((everything is either linear or every game ignores a ticking clock))
Has ANYONE notices they ignored EVERY OTHER example I raised previously.... RDR2 for example? Decently done open world game in many eyes.. fallout games... W3... and time and again claim either you have a ticking clock you must ignore.. or be completely linear.
to make excuses for the three weeks and you're dead ticking clock but never mind sleep 365 days straight in your room and there is... NO CHANGE!!
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SSV Normandy already has a full crew. All of Shepard's companions (except Liara) are already recruited before he/she got the Spectre status. You can clearly see Garrus, Wrex and Tali in that video.
1) He/she is aware of the magnitude of the Reaper threat and who's working on bringing them back. Knowing about how Reaper indoctrination works doesn't make the threat any more imminent than it already is.
2) Therum (where you get Liara), Noveria, Feros and Virmire are part of the main quest. All new knowledge that you claim is vital for stopping Saren and Sovereign is gained by proceeding through the main questline. Not by exploring the uncharted worlds and doing side missions.
See here:
I don't need to pretend that the story of ME is something that it isn't in order to love it. Unlike someone.
I can, if you want:
Geralt values CIri's life and safety at least as much as V cares about his/her own life. It makes as much sense for him to ignore the fact the Wild Hunt is on her tail as much as it makes for V to ignore the fact that the Relic is slowly killing him/her.
He's got clear leads to pursue in Velen, Novigard and Skellige. Playing Gwent, doing witcher contracts and helping every minor character he bumps into can't help him in any way in his quest for finding Ciri before the Wild Hunt does.
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Are you claming it's possible to have an open world game with a compelling narrative where a massive conflict between open world and narrative urgency can be avoided or minimized? Blasphemy.
In the main quest line time stops in typical videogame fashion if you dont continue that quest. I played at least 30 hours before 'The ride' and Dex's car waited for me patiently, same with even more hours goes for visiting Vic at his clinic. Not even a where are you text. If you never meet Hanako at Embers, V just keep gliching and coughing sometimes for a couple of second and a relic malfunction message, but nothing else happens.
Turns out ther real cyberpsycho is V, Regina's supposed dangerous cyber psychos are just a warm up for V. Quite ridiculous that Dex and his one noname bodyguard takes V down in the game. Shot in the head with a low cal. pistol is funny too since at that point my V had legendary subdermal plating, which is full body, head included. In the cinematic teaser V ofc mows them down them incuding Tbug.
Yeah, everyone can guess that, but did you actually test it? All it takes is to leave the game for the in-game six months running, right before the point of no return. That is about 31 days of running. Wheeeeee... it should sure cost much electricity to check that.
Cyberpsychos are those who got cyberpsychosis. V doesn't get that, but has the option to become the ultimate asshole in the NC. Mine embraces it.
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And, got to say, no real love for my V.
On the next game ending, she will wake up in an empty bed.
I could def use more available joytoys in the city.
Hi. In my case, I want to experience a positive ending beyond just hoping. And also have fun while at it.
As a bonus, I know EXACTLY what would make me happy.
[Spoiler Alert] About the endings
The endings, to me (and, frankly, it seems very deliberate given that these themes are consistently developed throughout the entire game) are less about whether you die than whether you have lived well. I mean, that is what the game is about! The soul, the purpose of consciousness, etc. So if...
forums.cdprojektred.com
That, with "Follow the White Crow" piece in the background.
I know,.. right?!
I'm so tired of dealing with [...] who cannot see the difference between this game having a 1000+ page thread on the endings.. and near crickets on the W3 forum or the older ME forums (except three.. three had the explosion too) trying to say this game ticking clock is NO DIFFERENT than any other game. It LITERALLY is the same in all games and just as poorly done. and the writing in video games is all the same.. no game has better writing than this one.
because the internet is chock full of complaints on RdR2 story.... (the online version.. absolutely)
the fact that people cannot understand the concept of time or abandon it to white knight this game.
Ciri - no idea where she is. Must find the teleporting adopted daughter.. go looking
and
You have three weeks to live
People who think these are equal probably see no difference between Friday the 13th part 11 and the Shining (because people die and its scary/horror)
or between Reservoir Dogs and The Room (they both mainly take place in a single location!!!)
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It has been tested.. you can literally sleep over and over and have months pass in game time and nothing happens
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Interesting you mentioned the Shining. A film that, while revered, doesn't actually make sense! (I'm kind of with Steven King on that one: Kubrick didn't really understand the story he was telling. But I think people have got lost in all the design details, and even production c***ups, and over time it's become lathered up in these assumptions that every blip is a mark of genius.)
With all the talk of Mass Effect 3's endings, I was going to crack a joke that at least they didn't decide the flavor of your endings based on Shepard's sexuality like CP77 did... but they totally did when they wrote off two of the male love interests entirely lmao
What if my irritation has nothing at all to do with cyberpunk themes or "happy vs unhappy" and everything to do with a noticeable gap in treatment of the demographics of their players?
Every V gets the 6 month plot cancer and railroaded attitude in the endings, but not every V gets to ride off into the sunset with their girlfriend.
What if my irritation has nothing at all to do with cyberpunk themes or "happy vs unhappy" and everything to do with a noticeable gap in treatment of the demographics of their players?
Every V gets the 6 month plot cancer and railroaded attitude in the endings, but not every V gets to ride off into the sunset with their girlfriend.
huh? Do you mean Jacob and Thane? They are not at all related to the endings, though.
Weirdly, while I don't think the ME3 ending is super great, it did not kill my complete love for the games like Cyberpunk did. Probably because all the other main arcs (Krogans, Geth and Quarians, Cerberus etc) as well as the smaller arks are resolved in an absolutely stunning fashion. Replaying the finale on Rannoch or watching Mordin run into that building still gives me goosebumps every time.
But I agree, one of the worst points of the Cyberpunk endings is that all endings suck, but if you have romanced one of the guys, they suck even more.
Weirdly, while I don't think the ME3 ending is super great, it did not kill my complete love for the games like Cyberpunk did. Probably because all the other main arcs (Krogans, Geth and Quarians, Cerberus etc) as well as the smaller arks are resolved in an absolutely stunning fashion. Replaying the finale on Rannoch or watching Mordin run into that building still gives me goosebumps every time.
But I agree, one of the worst points of the Cyberpunk endings is that all endings suck, but if you have romanced one of the guys, they suck even more.
Fuck happy endings up the arse. We don't have those in the real world, it's only natural that mature fiction follows suit
that was mostly just a little "If I had a nickel for every time they fumbled male love interests, I'd have two nickels. Not a lot but it's weird it happened twice" bitterness seeping through.
It's so frustrating because this point gets lost in all the debate about what a true cyberpunk ending should be. If it's a genre staple to have a "kick you in the teeth, all you walk out of here with is your life" ending, then all of River and Kerry's endings are a better, more authentic cyberpunk experience than Panam/Judy + Star, but I doubt very many are willing to take up that torch.
The endings are bad for so many reasons, but I absolutely cannot stop beating the "River and Kerry got screwed" drum until people stop holding up Star like it's the little placating "happy" ending for people who wanted something more upbeat. Would love to join them in that little optimistic party, but I can't.
Sorry, CDPR decided "mmm, wouldn't it be cool if we locked gay m!V and straight f!V out of anything remotely satisfying in our super sad endings? Wouldn't that be fun? I bet they're gonna love it."that was mostly just a little "If I had a nickel for every time they fumbled male love interests, I'd have two nickels. Not a lot but it's weird it happened twice" bitterness seeping through.
It's so frustrating because this point gets lost in all the debate about what a true cyberpunk ending should be. If it's a genre staple to have a "kick you in the teeth, all you walk out of here with is your life" ending, then all of River and Kerry's endings are a better, more authentic cyberpunk experience than Panam/Judy + Star, but I doubt very many are willing to take up that torch.
The endings are bad for so many reasons, but I absolutely cannot stop beating the "River and Kerry got screwed" drum until people stop holding up Star like it's the little placating "happy" ending for people who wanted something more upbeat. Would love to join them in that little optimistic party, but I can't.
Yeah i don't think the bleakness was fitting but that's long been relegated by just how atrociously designed and limited i find the endings.
Personally my V agreed to leave with Judy but apparently because i didn't want to sacrifice some Nomads that's worthless.
I guess that is one of these cases where you overlook the problem if you aren't directly affected.
Since my otp is mShep/Kaidan, I couldn't care less about those two ditching fShep in ME3, but of course it must suck for players who want to romance these guys. Thane I kind of understand, it's sad but it also sucks if you're simply friends and he dies on you, but Jacob ditching fShep really wasn't necessary....Bakc to CP2077: Love interests shouldn't be tied to endings. Or rather, endings, including if your LIs leaves or stays shouldn't be tied to a semi-arbitrary decision on a rooftop about whom you would like to storm a building with.
I don't really hate that V is doomed to die at the end of this game. Sometimes a tragic ending is the best way to tie the threads of a story together. In fact, my beef with the Aldecaldos ending is that V's impending death wasn't played up more than it was. My complaint in the "lack of choice" department is more around the fact that you're railroaded into this idea that your character's chief motivation is seeking glory... or trying to become a legend. For instance: I played the "secret" ending purely out of a desire not to sacrifice anyone, and it was a fun challenge. However, the devs clearly assumed you would only choose that option for personal aggrandizement, and you wake up in the endgame (if you let V go back to their body) to find you've shunned all of your friends and have become some hotshot asshole. It left me feeling really cheated. Despite all the little bugs and inconsistencies, that was the first time I really lost my immersion in the game. Motivation is the one choice a game maker really should put in the hands of the player, and I think CDPR missed their opportunity, here.
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To me, this has never been about a happy ending. It's been about an ending that makes sense (and a game that does not misbehave *)
And if we don't have them in the real world, why not in a simulation? Why not escape into a world that could potentially give us some hope or happiness? Even if it's all a lie?
Yeah, I'm still around. Still p*ss*d of about the whole thing. The thing that should not be... Dead game.
* For example: If I choose to act friendly towards Johnny, why isn't that an option in the dialogue. I can tell him to sod off OR I can tell him to sod off... (A certain scene outside a motel)