[Megathread] Mass Effect 3

[Spaceshaman]

https://twitter.com/#!/RaphaelSbarge...79598638469121

I take this as a good sign.

Thankfully in my game Kaiden is dead since ME1. ^^

[Oerba Yun Fang]

Thankfully in my game Kaiden is dead since ME1. ^^

Why don't you drive a knife through my heart? It would be less painful!

[Spaceshaman]

Why don't you drive a knife through my heart? It would be less painful!

Here's one to cheer you up: Ashley is alive.

Anyway, anyway, I'm very glad they are back at studio!

[Oerba Yun Fang]

Here's one to cheer you up: Ashley is alive.

FUUUUUUUUUUUUU you mean thing...

[Myobi]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=CpeRk1YFn8s

we'll bang, ok ?

[Oerba Yun Fang]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=CpeRk1YFn8s

we'll bang, ok ?

I nearly sprayed water all over my monitors and keyboard at 1:43. XD

[Nerraw]

I fcuking love steak. Also that video.

[rhorle]

If you watch the destroy or synthesize ending again, the "middle of the Citadel" is destroyed, but that's not the Citadel at all. That's the Crucible you see exploding. Are there explosion on the arms of the Citadel? Yes, there are, but definitely not on a scale that I would say the whole Citadel is gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...lM2hwhJA#t=60s

The explosions start a few seconds after the time the link starts at. You can clearly see the explosions are happening on the actually citadel and not just the crucible. The central ring of the citadel that all the arms attack to has giant explosions. While it might not be "vaporized" its pretty much junked. That doesn't mean it couldn't be rebuilt, but I'd call it as destroyed as a car having half its body blown up.

---------- Post added 2012-05-04 at 11:02 PM ----------

One of the big problems i have with the ME 3 ending is the fact that all the relays are destroyed which basically says to me "that's it no more ME" or at least continuing the story from there. Now, what they're probably going to do is do what everyone else does; they'll make a few prequels then they'll make an MMO (and knowing EA they'll make it subscription based) If they kept the mass relays from being destroyed it would've made the ending 10 times better. But the way they did it's just like "nope everything is destroyed, Shepard's dead, the end"

The relays are only destroyed in 2 of the 3 endings. There is also the possibility of smaller scale relays being rebuilt. There might not be hundreds of them like their currently are. But they could likely salvage and rebuild them. There could have easily been plans for the mass relays hidden in the Crucible data that provides a way to rebuild them if the curcibles plan worked. Or left over Reaper data on the Citadel.

Also we don't know if ALL relays were destroyed or if only the Active ones were. There were still gates that were left inactive so as not to expose another race like the krogan or rachni to the universe. There are plenty of options still left open for Bioware to explore given the way the Red and Green endings show the Relays being destroyed.

---------- Post added 2012-05-04 at 11:04 PM ----------

Oooh, a very good sign indeed. If they're bringing back voice actors of major characters, then I'd say there's some interesting epilogues in store indeed. Now if only Mark Meer and/or Jennifer Hale would let slip that they're recording more lines!

Well it doesn't mean it has to do with the Free DLC. It could very well be part of planned Paid DLC that they are developing as well.

[Oerba Yun Fang]

Well it doesn't mean it has to do with the Free DLC. It could very well be part of planned Paid DLC that they are developing as well.

Maybe, but that doesn't mean it's not for the Extended Cut DLC as well. They could be having him record lines for the Extended Cut, a different DLC, or both. In any scenario, it's a good thing.

[Windry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...lM2hwhJA#t=60s

The explosions start a few seconds after the time the link starts at. You can clearly see the explosions are happening on the actually citadel and not just the crucible. The central ring of the citadel that all the arms attack to has giant explosions. While it might not be "vaporized" its pretty much junked. That doesn't mean it couldn't be rebuilt, but I'd call it as destroyed as a car having half its body blown up.[COLOR="red"]

The relays are only destroyed in 2 of the 3 endings. There is also the possibility of smaller scale relays being rebuilt. There might not be hundreds of them like their currently are. But they could likely salvage and rebuild them. There could have easily been plans for the mass relays hidden in the Crucible data that provides a way to rebuild them if the curcibles plan worked. Or left over Reaper data on the Citadel.

All the shops, stores, housing are in the arms. The ring in the center is just a dock for ships. Again, while there were some explosions on the arms, I think it certainly didn't look like it was enough to think that the Citadel was destroyed. I wouldn't even think half the buildings were gone.

We only see 1 mass relay (in the Sol system) destroyed, but that mass relay is destroyed in EVERY ending. Rewatch the link you posted. There isn't a follow up blue explosion, but the mass relay was clearly destroyed.

[DoctorDoomkin]

All the shops, stores, housing are in the arms. The ring in the center is just a dock for ships. Again, while there were some explosions on the arms, I think it certainly didn't look like it was enough to think that the Citadel was destroyed. I wouldn't even think half the buildings were gone.

We only see 1 mass relay (in the Sol system) destroyed, but that mass relay is destroyed in EVERY ending. Rewatch the link you posted. There isn't a follow up blue explosion, but the mass relay was clearly destroyed.

Here's the thing though.

In the Arrival DLC, we destroyed a Mass Relay to prevent the Reapers from having access to faster-than-light travel immediately. However, it wiped out the entire system, killing many colonists and severely pissing off the Batarians.

When that Relay exploded, shouldn't that also mean we all died anyway? Or did I completely miss something. :/

[Oerba Yun Fang]

When that Relay exploded, shouldn't that also mean we all died anyway? Or did I completely miss something. :/

Space magic'd. Obviously.

[Windry]

Here's the thing though.

In the Arrival DLC, we destroyed a Mass Relay to prevent the Reapers from having access to faster-than-light travel immediately. However, it wiped out the entire system, killing many colonists and severely pissing off the Batarians.

When that Relay exploded, shouldn't that also mean we all died anyway? Or did I completely miss something. :/

Bioware addressed this question in an interview post release. They said something along the lines of.... "In Arrival DLC, the mass relay was fractured causing the huge explosion. In ME3 they were overloaded causing them to shut down, so no, the galaxy was not destroyed."

It sounds like an excuse for a plot hole, but hey, different things happen when nuclear rods are shot vs cracked vs melted vs smashed right? (at least I think that's right. If my example is actually wrong, then Moontalon is right, and it was clearly just space magic).

[DoctorDoomkin]

Bioware addressed this question in an interview post release. They said something along the lines of.... "In Arrival DLC, the mass relay was fractured causing the huge explosion. In ME3 they were overloaded causing them to shut down, so no, the galaxy was not destroyed."

It sounds like an excuse for a plot hole, but hey, different things happen when nuclear rods are shot vs cracked vs melted vs smashed right? (at least I think that's right. If my example is actually wrong, then Moontalon is right, and it was clearly just space magic).

Yeah...totally sounded like they knew they made a plot hole and made a bad excuse. -_- Goin' with Moontalon on this one.

[Duncanîdaho]

Ok, this relay blowing up taking everything with it talk is really starting to get to me. Why does everyone think that they cause some huge explosion when they go?

Because of what happened on the arrival DLC? NO THAT IS NOT TRUE. The relay in the arrival DLC was a special relay (the first relay ever built) that could be supercharged by dark matter to receive Reapers from dark space and connect to the other main relays of the galaxy. When we allowed that asteroid to hit it, all that supercharged energy was released, and that's what destroyed the solar system. We pretty much did the equivalent of a nuclear meltdown with dark matter for a mass relay. We turned an ME relay into a dark matter bomb. This is the only relay capable of this.

When the relays are blowing up in the destroy and synthetic ending, it is no where even remotely close to the force that was released from the charged alpha relay. First of all, species have been designing this catalyst/crucible system to save us. Yah blowing up every single solar system that has space faring life is a really good way to save everyone. /facepalm That would be worse then what the Reapers are doing, because that would eliminate the best planets for supporting future life as well as the life itself.

What happens to those relays is their hardware fries pretty much from the jolt and they crumble from instability due to the varying mass effect fields this caused. They DO NOT explode in a supernova like explosion. Just a mini-one. Because having all of Earth, Thessia, Tachanka, Palaven and every other major planet completely destroyed, eliminating all space faring species would make zero sense after the events of the game.

Edit: That and what rhorle is saying. It released an energy wave that was harmless to most things except Reapers or in the case of destroy, all synthetics and Reapers. There wasn't a shockwave like with the alpha relay, there's a massive difference. The Sun constantly beams energy waves at us in real life, but were not dead.

[rhorle]

All the shops, stores, housing are in the arms. The ring in the center is just a dock for ships. Again, while there were some explosions on the arms, I think it certainly didn't look like it was enough to think that the Citadel was destroyed. I wouldn't even think half the buildings were gone.

The ring in the center is the Presidium and the arms connect to it. In the video the biggest explosions happen at certain points along the ring which appear to be near the arm connectors. Also a factor is if Reapers are destroyed does that include the master control unit? No one even knows where it is to repair or replace it. While it might not be destroyed it is essentially just a space junk until it is rebuilt or retro-fitted with non-reaper controls.

Did the keepers survive? Did whatever sustain them survive? Can the citadel function/survive without the keepers? The ring was also home to the major space ports. As I said the Citadel might not be physically destroyed but its condition would render it the label derelict

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Presidium
http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Citadel

---------- Post added 2012-05-05 at 01:42 AM ----------

When that Relay exploded, shouldn't that also mean we all died anyway? Or did I completely miss something. :/

Not to mention the citadel is a giant mass relay. Normally activated every 50,000 years to summon the Reapers to the galaxy. The protheans stopped the cycle by changing the Keapers reaction to the signal. That is why Sovereign was trying to get to the Citadel in ME1. If he got there then the Reapers would have arrived then. Since he didn't arrive they had to come through dark space to the alpha relay (which also was destroyed so they couldn't use its extended range).

It just doesn't sound feasible that much of the inner workings and tech of the Citadel would have survived the destruction of the Reaper/relay parts. It is certainly possible that the effect on the Citadel was minimized for whatever reason but I just don't see it as much more then husk in the red ending.

[Duncanîdaho]

The ring in the center is the Presidium and the arms connect to it. In the video the biggest explosions happen at certain points along the ring which appear to be near the arm connectors. Also a factor is if Reapers are destroyed does that include the master control unit? No one even knows where it is to repair or replace it. While it might not be destroyed it is essentially just a space junk until it is rebuilt or retro-fitted with non-reaper controls.

Did the keepers survive? Did whatever sustain them survive? Can the citadel function/survive without the keepers? The ring was also home to the major space ports. As I said the Citadel might not be physically destroyed but its condition would render it the label derelict

http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Presidium
http://masseffect.wikia.com/wiki/Citadel

I personally think the keepers would have a much better chance of surviving then the people on the citadel. We do see one in the ending sequence so we know they are still alive after the Reapers take the citadel. They also don' follow Reaper orders anymore thanks to the Protheans, so they would continue to do what they were doing I would think. Fixing and upkeeping the citadel, while keeping the Reapers locked out.

I honestly think the Reapers still were not in full control of the Citadel even after they kidnapped it thanks to the Keepers. Notice how they never shut down the relays once they got it or have outside control of the arms. Its because the keeper's stopped them. In my opinion anyway. The Keepers have the advantage being on the inside of the Citadel against the Reapers who are unable to enter themselves due to size. Hell we don't even know for sure if keepers need an atmosphere or even air to function. They may not need either. We also know they replicate themselves somewhere deep in the Citadel to replace lost ones. We don't even know how many their are, but there are tons. Quite a problem for the Reapers to deal with because the Reapers also NEED them. They can't just destroy them either.

It was that or the Reapers just drastically underestimated the power of the full galaxies fleet and went with the approach "Let them come and kill themselves for us" Which I think is unlikely because Reapers are very patient, cautious and avoid losses when it comes to the high ranking Reapers. It seems way to risky for them.

Props to the Protheans for finding the Reapers one weakness. The keepers.

[rhorle]

Bioware addressed this question in an interview post release. They said something along the lines of.... "In Arrival DLC, the mass relay was fractured causing the huge explosion. In ME3 they were overloaded causing them to shut down, so no, the galaxy was not destroyed."

It sounds like an excuse for a plot hole, but hey, different things happen when nuclear rods are shot vs cracked vs melted vs smashed right? (at least I think that's right. If my example is actually wrong, then Moontalon is right, and it was clearly just space magic).

I'd say the difference is in the energy. In Arrival it was just the Mass Effects energy being released. In the endings the Energy from the Citadel the "Mother Relay" changed the energy that is released when the relay was destroyed. Different energy types do different things.

[Deleo]

Wasn't the citadel basically a huge mass relay? Its explosion means destruction of what? Every specie in the Soul System?!

[Gravath]

They commented that the mass relays could be rebuilt, so its not a total "you are all stuck in Sol, kthanxbye."

And yes, there is a difference in exploding a mass relay by shoving a asteroid in its face, and having them overload and directing the energy elsewhere.
The key note: the energy was directed elsewhere.
Otherwise, yeah, might had wiped out the entire system if a reaper just decided "oh hell no, im shutting it down!" making the energy explode across Sol.

Wasn't the citadel basically a huge mass relay? Its explosion means destruction of what? Every specie in the Soul System?!

Energy directed elsewhere.
Well, if you have REALLY low EMS and go Destroy, you CAN wipe out every specie in Sol.
That is, as is explained ingame, you dont know how the fuck to use it.
Child with a gun and all that.