Mass Effect 3 controversial endings: Oh OK, I see where you're coming from...genius!

I couldn't resist, I had to watch Mass Effect 3's endings to see what the was fuss about and at first I was confused but after watching hypothesis videos from the fans I am left impressed. It was ingenious of Bioware to conjure such a masterful mind fuck ending and only those who'd paid attention to the series' narrative would truly appreciate it.

Basically, the Reapers--main protagonist in the game and the entire series--have the ability to coerce minds through "indoctrination" or brainwash.  Through out the series key characters were brainwashed or indoctrinated by the Reapers, most notably Saren--one of the main villains in Mass Effect--he thought he was in control of his actions but he was coerced by a Reaper.

If I had played through Mass Effect 3 I probably would have figure this out because the game gave many cues, through the last segments of the game, that you're the process of being indoctrinated.  The ending of Mass Effect 3, although not much of an ending by traditional standards, is Shepard's struggles of overcoming indoctrination. However, what is confusing is no matter which path you chose--although there is a correct path, because with that path Shepard lives to the end--everyone dies. In the Mass Effect universe, the Mass Relays--a method of space travel used to travel between galaxies and solar systems within the speed of light--plays a vital role game's story. Once the Mass Relays are destroyed countless of planets and races with inevitably be doomed. Destroying the Mass Relays to stop the Reapers is not an option but a counterproductive tactic that makes your efforts of saving all walks of life pointless. You would be a savior to all races but a catalyst to their demise.

Many were offended by the game's endings and I understood why but here is the ingenious hook by the masterminds of Bioware. Everything that happened in that segment--sequences of choice building up towards the ending, everything--was all a hallucination. Fucking Brilliant!

Bioware my hats off to you, sir, but fuck you at the same time.  Bioware has created an overwhelmingly demand by the community for an improved ending, to be more precise, a real ending to the Mass Effect story. If this was premeditated then they are some smart fuckers. From a business perspective, they are geniuses for manipulating the market to create demand. On the other hand, many are confused and have yet to figure out that everything that was a mere hallucination, and when the complete closure finally because available only then they will appreciate the narrative.

On the other hand, once again companies like Bioware are fucking with their fan base by milking the franchise. I don't know if the ending will be an all out sequel and an epilogue DLC expansion but if is DLC then why should we pay a premium to get a complete experience, it is disgusting. I don't think there is going to be a Mass Effect 4 because there is not much weight in the story to carry over but there is enough story left for DLC.

I am against these practices of cutting out major segments of the game and I am against this. Not everyone has access to the internet or a wired gaming platform, so those people will miss out. Mass Effect could have been one of the greatest games of all time if the real ending was included in the game.  The current ending is not much of an ending but an "intricate" cliffhanger where only the few will decipher.

Update: This is a fascinated analysis thesis written by the community and it does make tons of sense, please read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QT4IUepvrU1pfv_B95oQj0H84DlCTUmzQ_uQh1voTUs/preview?pli=1&sle=true

Mass Effect 3, Disc Locked Content, and random nonsense..

The consensuses of the Mass Effect community and the gaming community are angered with companies shady business practices. I think I talked about this earlier with Street X Tekken in respects of the content being locked on the disc but with Mass Effect 3 it seems the "true ending" of the game will be downloadable content in the near future. I don't think its is locked on the disc because if it was it would have been out hacked and issued to the world already. It is comical and sad that my predictions are coming true. I once wrote and said that if we don't stop this practice now by expressing our concerns by not buying the game then one day special moves and real endings are going to be locked away from the game and we have pay a premium for the content experience.  I wish I was wrong but my projections have finally come true with Mass Effect 3. Note, although this is an allegation made by myself and fans of the series, it may be probable due the alluded remakes made by the game's producer, Casey Hudson. Additionally, the fans are demanding an alternative ending and they even have a donation drive going with the petition, so far they have raised over $50,000.

This is utterly ridiculous. I tried my best not to spoil the ending for me but so far it seems that the ending was quite ambiguous without any clear conclusion. In other words, it left many room for DLC than probably room for another sequel, hence this explains why there is a chance we might have to pay extra for the real ending.

Anyway, if this is companies attempt to fight piracy and secondhand market by fucking up the fan base with this DLC nonsense approach then the gaming industry is going down a dark hole. This practice is basically undermining the legitimately paying consumers whilst illegitimate users, users that get the game through illegitimate means, are consuming the complete experience for free minus the payment model hurdles imposed by companies such as Bioware and Capcom.

Personally, I haven't bought Mass Effect 3 and I don't know if I will ever because I don't won't that ill ending taint my enjoyment of the series. However, knowing the existence of such an ending, have me curious so I may play the game out of sheer curiosity.

Just a little off topic, several weeks or months ago I had reached out to a small editorial gaming site for a job, which is nonpaying but submitting content in a medium I am passionate about is better than money. I love gaming. I've been gaming since I was 7 or 8 years old. My father gave me my first gaming console which was a Nintendo Entertainment system. My first game and gaming experience was Super Mario and Duck Hunt for the NES. However, I may be wrong since my first gaming experience was Pac-Man for the Atari console over at my mother's friend house.  Anyway, I always loved gaming and the gaming industry and one of my biggest fantasies was to work for a gaming company. Sadly, all of the big major gaming companies, venues, conventions, and jobs are mostly in the state of California. Trying to get in, especially the concurrent state of the economy and the fact that I don't live there, is not as easy as I thought. I don't want to make games per se as a programmer but I would like to be a Community Manager or a Public Relations Representative; basically I want to be involved with the business side of game/product development.

I saw an opportunity with a small gaming website--sadly I can't remember its name to give my story more weight--and I had email conversations with the founder/CEO/editor-in-chief  and he promised to get back with me once he discusses it with his peers, but he hasn't. Sadly, I guess window, at least for that particular company, has been closed or never open to begin with. He's from New York so I can't blame him...:)

My dreams of being more active in the gaming industry have not been broken. The fighting game community scene is growing rapidly and since Florida is going to be more new home and it is a venue for a major tournament that happens every year. I may go to it for the kicks and the experience and I may partake in local tournaments once I have disposable income. Basically, once disposable income is more common in my life then I would partake in more ventures that cater to my passion.

At least I have an active personal blog of my own where I can write about anything to keep my writing skills sharp and maybe one day I would be commissioned for it.

Anyway before I end this Capcom has finally released the official pricing scheme for their "disc locked content." The prices are as follows: individual alternative costumes cost $1.00 or buy the whole package for either Street Fighter or Tekken for $13.00, and the 12 extra characters DLC will cost $20.00. I had bought the game I would have been only concern with the extra characters so the game would cost me $80.00 plus to get the complete roster, I said "plus" because where I live there is something called tax.

Yeah...um, Capcom can kiss my ass with their nickel-and-dime bullshit because I remembered buying a game called Virtual Fighter 4 and another game called Tekken 5. Those games have tons of content on the disc with  color edit modes, tons of costumes and items to customize your character, and other miscellaneous content for free on a disc for a $50.00 game. Sadly, those days are withering away and shady companies like Capcom are feeding ignorant consumers with disingenuous nonsense to justify their actions.

Elder Scroll's Oblivion IV did it right; they released DLC several months after the game's release with a 30 dollar expansion of the game with tons of content with new narrative, location, armor, weapons, and the works. It wasn't locked on the disc. It wasn't content that was stripped away from the core story of the game and labelled as DLC. It was original content that expanded the experience of the game without undermining legitimate consumers with online passes and other bullshit.

I am hoping one day this will all change but for now this is the shady period of the gaming industry and if we don't vent and rant about it then these shady practices will be the norm.

It ain't about playing no more it is about the paper!!!

Kusoru:

"Being in a foreign country was scary and I don't think I'll do it again, but the team aspect with the other FRB guys was a blast.
If I travel abroad again, I know that everyone will look at me with murderous intent. All I want is to have fun playing the game.
My favorite player was Mihe because I could tell he has fun playing and doesn't take it to seriously. But I guess we won't become pros with that mentality.
I was also told something like "thanks for giving a wake up call to the USA and making us better" but I definitely won't ever be going back, so I hope other Japanese players will be able to do that from now on."

This is very controversial...or maybe not since many are leading towards Kusoru's defense since the FGC's top players are rather getting out of hand  or more or less their true colors are about to shine. Excellent example, Filipino Champ, a notorious top tournament player, has his own stream and although it could be entertaining at times, the constant harassing to viewers for donations is disgusting.  There was this one situation, where he had juicy info about the verbal confrontation between Justin Wong and Wolfkrone, blatantly he refuses to talk unless they donated. Fools as they were, they donated, and Champ disclosed to the viewing public that the reason for the confrontation was because WolfKrone almost did not honor his word of splitting the prize money between him and Justin Wong. Wolfkrone wanted to change his mind because he felt it would taint his honor of winning a tournament, then why make such shady deals to begin with idiot. After constant heckling Wolfkrone reluctantly succumb to Justin Wong and split the proceeds evenly, however this has left a bad taste in Justin Wong's mouth.

The Final Round Tournament was one of the best tournaments I have ever seen since EVO. Wolfkrone finally win a massive major, convincingly defeating Justin Wong with ease. Justin Wong was powerless, and he looked like a novice playing against Wolfkrone. Post tournament and streaming event, the players gathered for their prizes, and according to Filipino Champ, he used his antics to get both competitors talking and his surprised he was amazed of much Justin Wong hated Wolfkrone due to the prior events. Justin Wong obviously is jealous of Wolfkrone's skill and he never seen him as a friend but a treat. Presumably, he only befriended Wolfkrone because he was a stronger appointment and he thought they could of engage in more shady business like splitting the prize money and forfeiting loses, but in J.Wong's favor.

Justin Wong, although a strong player in his local communities, he is not America's best player as the media proclaims him to be. As the tournament sector is becoming more mainstream with bigger prizes and more sponsors, players from across the globe are competing and on that level of competition, J.Wong is average. J. Wong is desperate and he's doing whatever he can to maintain his image.

Practically, I don't care and I find all of this drama to be entertaining. However, in respect of Kusoru decision of not returning to the U.S because of his bad experience, I can't blame him. American competitors, at least the popularized ones, lost the scope of playing for fun of the competition. They are tainted by greed and the quest of becoming famous. They blatantly expressed their jealously towards other non-fighting game tournaments, such as Star Craft II because in that scene competitor walk away with massive amount of money, sometimes clocking in the six digit figures. They hate when foreign players, mostly the Japanese, come to their soil, and I quote," they taking away our money" well it was not their money to begin with but champion of that competition. The champion could be of any ethnicity, culture, creed, or country and it doesn't matter because the prize is entitled to the champion.

Kusoru matches were entertaining because you he loves playing the game regardless of his wins or lose. It is comical to see him having fun while his opposition is annoyed of his opponent taking the game likely by making jokes and posing happily to the viewers at home. Kusoru obviously had fun, but they didn't and I can only manage the constant money match harassment he gotten from the indignant players that lost to him.

Although I respect their skills, I am disgusted by the top players behavior towards foreigners and their profiteering mindset towards the competition of the game. Major League Gaming's premiere fighting game tournament is conflicting with North Cal Regional's traditional yearly tournament. I won't be surprised when NCR's top players' attendance is on the short side because as of this documenting J.Wong tweeted to MLG's representative if it was OK to register to multiple tournaments. Representative said it was OK. J.Wong is training rigorously at home to increase his chances of winning the $16,000 plus prize money for each of the three fighting games listed.

It ain't about the playing no more, it is about the PAAAPER!!

Street Fighter X Tekken : Capcom don't be shady with that DLC!

I am not surprise, why should be surprised when I saw a leaked video illustrating all of the DLC characters for Street Fighter X Tekken, in which Capcom falsely said the content was incomplete and would be available at a later date.

Days before the game's official release, players already hacked the console version of the game showing to the world all of the content - 12 extra characters, all alternative costumes, and other miscellaneous - on the disc. Capcom and companies with similar shady business practices are just blatantly disgusting with their fraudulent public relations marketing.

Back in the day, goodwill outweighed greed. Companies used to over extra content for free to sustain the game's popularity and build customer loyalty and growth. Today that concept is basically nonexistent. Games are sold incomplete, even worse, buggy with numerous of game breaking issues that have adverse effects on the console's lifespan, extra content is locked.

Today's generation of users are OK with it because they never had the privilege of living the golden age of gaming. There was a time where hidden content could be unlocked for free by finishing the game by certain conditions or extra content was given for free. Tangible content such as posters, miniature/figurines toys, and other merchandise were free just by buying the game. Sadly today everything we had taken granted back then is tripped and only available for premium paying customers.

Personally, I don't care for STXT because it is not a game for me. I see it as Street Fighter IV light with Tekken characters with minor mechanics implemented to appeal to mass market with simpler controls and a system that promotes aggressive play styles. Many, mostly from the elite players of the fighting game community, said this is the greatest SF game of all time. I, on the other hand, will hold my reservations until several months from now.

I really want to pick up KOFXIII because I want to test my execution skills since that game requires good execution to perform the game's flashier combos, but I am in a little predicament so to speak. Anyway, I won't disclose what predicament that is but hopefully before this year ends I will have a blog catered just for that game, but for now stay free Capcom.

Update: is a copy of my post from SRK debating about the issue:

Here is a perfect analogy...Remember when Street Fighter IV came out back 2008 for the arcades and then they announced extra console exclusive characters. Imagine if we had bought the game and found out instead of playing the game and beating the arcade to unlock the extra characters that are on disc, we have to pay a premium to unlock them. If Capcom had use that shady practice back when SFIV first came out then would have done poorly and probably bombarded with poor reviews. 

The point of the story is we were deceived! We thought the 12 extra characters were incomplete and were post game content, but that was far from the truth. We are outraged, but not shocked, when we found out those characters are available and ready to play on the disc.
For those of you who are foolishly defending Capcom and supporting this practice, you are the reason why we being cheated with half arsed games and shady practices. 

There was a time fighting games such as Virtual Fighter IV, Tekken 4, and Soul Caliber 3, for example, have massive amounts of content on the disc for "free" - extra costumes, free character customization shading tools and other miscellaneous - at retail price. The games were complete and content was locked from the consumer and only accessible for extra price. I am ashamed of you all and you should call yourself educated consumers, but brainless tools that doesn't know the difference between good business practices and shady ones. Stay free ignorant FGC, stay free.

Sadly many fans are blindly defending Capcom's business decision but by the end of the day it is not called downloadable content anymore since there is no content to be downloaded, but "disc locked content" is the right terminology for DLC.