[Megathread] Mass Effect 3

[Leonard McCoy]

I mean it could also be that the star child probed his brain, found the memory of the kid to be intense and figured it would get his attention and snap him out of his beat up haze.

[Orangemoon]

Looks like Bioware updated their Citadel post with some clarification on what to expect from the single player DLC:

Source: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/to...094/1#15961094

We've been reading your questions and the Dev team has some answers for the more commonly asked ones.
Note: This FAQ Includes Spoilers for the Mass Effect 3 Main Game Experience

When Can I Play the Citadel DLC?
You can play the Citadel DLC any time after stopping the Cerberus coup attempt on the Citadel and before beginning your attack on Cronos Station. (Note, I had previously said London, but was mistaken).

Will (CHARACTER NAME) be present in the DLC?
We would prefer not to spoil which characters will be present, or in what context, beyond what we’ve said: the DLC offers a chance to adventure with your ME3 squad, along with Urdnot Wrex, and to connect with old friends, including romances.

Will (CHARACTER NAME) be present only after a certain mission?
After completing the adventure portion of the Citadel DLC, you will have the chance to reconnect with old friends. Your friends will only appear once you have completed their content from the main game. For example, you will only be able to meet up with Jack after both completing Grissom Academy and talking to Jack in the bar at Purgatory.

Should I Have Everything Else in the Game Done Before Playing Citadel?
There is no right or wrong time to play the Citadel DLC, once it’s unlocked. If you play the Citadel DLC with everything else unlocked (just before attacking Cronos Station), the new DLC content will all be unlocked. If you play the Citadel DLC right after stopping the Cerberus coup attempt, the DLC content will unlock naturally over the course of the main game.

Does the Citadel DLC Affect the Ending?
No, not beyond the possibility of adding new war assets to increase your Galactic Readiness score. You may of course continue on to play the endgame after completing the Citadel DLC, but there is also a natural “stopping point” that should make it clear where the DLC content ends and your return to the main game begins.

I'm getting the feeling that only certain major characters (like Wrex, Miranda, etc.) may be around during the adventure part of the DLC. Somehow I doubt they'll even be squadmates and will only appear in cutscenes. (I hope I am wrong.)

The Citadel hub portion sounds like what I expected... kind of like a DA:O campfire setting where the characters will show up once you've completed their portion of the game.

[rhorle]

Exactly what I said with just more words.

No it isn't, because the Citadel isn't required for the Crucible to fire. The Citadel is required for the crucible to be an effective weapon against the Reapers because the only way the energy from the Crucible can reach the entire galaxy is through the Citadel. Otherwise you would have to take out the Reapers system by system. A war of attrition wouldn't be won and thats what it would turn into if they had to go system by system. Eventually the Reapers would destroy the Crucible by sheer force of numbers.

They had one shot to take out the Reapers and they needed to make it a big one.

[leafs43]

Incorrect. The Crucible is always a weapon and not just a battery. The Reapers didn't plan the choices from the start because the Crucible exploits the ability and function of the Citadel. Remember the Citadel is a giant Mass Relay and controls all the other Relays in the Galaxy. You don't have to plan something from the start for someone to find a way to use your own tools against you.

Nobody knows what the crucible is. I have said this before. Just because everybody thinks its a weapon doesn't make it so. Hackett says constantly throughout the game, "We don;t know what it is but its big/complex/etc...." Even from google searching, the Leviathans don't even know what the crucible is.


For the final time, nobody knows what the crucible is.


The only explanation we got for the crucible was from the kid. And the kid says its a battery. And that is the only explanation we have and that can turn out to be false as well.

[Statix]

Somehow I suspect that if the developers had allowed you to talk to a giant space station instead of his avatar representation as a child it wouldn't have pissed as many people off.

The Citadel was created by the Reapers. The StarChild said that their creators became the first Reapers (and they did not approve). Which is funny, the Reapers were created to prevent synthetics from destroying their creators, but the Reapers themselves destroyed their creators. Even weirder is that the race that created this would have known it would happen. They basically created something that would eventually kill them all. Also, organics versus synthetics not being the central plot in the games as someone said couldn't be more wrong. It's all about organics versus synthetics. Reapers were created to prevent synthetics from eventually destroying all organics, but they themselves are synthetics.

Anyway, what I was going to say was: the creators of the Reapers were the first true Reaper and the Reapers build the Citadel; what if the Citadel is in fact that first true Reaper. What if the StarChild (who has the collective knowledge of all the Reapers) is simply the biggest Reaper of them all?

Or is that truly insane?

[Elim Garak]

The Star child states that he is the Citadel. The Citadel is his body, and the AI is the brains of that body. Much like EDI is the brains of the Normandy and the ship is her body. Until she gets an avatar and then she has two bodies. Just because they are all the same thing doesn't mean you need the Avatar in order to fire the crucible. Which is why the Avatar (Star Child) isn't a DEM. He is only there to explain things to Shepard at the end. He is there pretty much for the benefit of the player.

He was always there on the Citadel because he is the Citadel. It's just easier to talk to an Avatar then it is a giant space station.

Less "My body is My soul" mumbo jumbo please. Citadel is Starchild the same way my PC is Windows 7. Starchild is needed only for Synthesis (only one subroutine of Starchild though). Control - Shepard becomes Starchild (replaces all his subroutines) - so it is not needed. Destroy - self-explanatory.

In the original game (and EC too, really) Starchild explains nothing. I screamed at Vigil "I don't have time, make it quick!". But I yelled at Stachlid "that's it?".

If Starchild was just an automated computer (prerecorded) voice explaining Conduits upon Shepard's inspection - that would've sufficed.

---------- Post added 2013-02-26 at 04:43 AM ----------

Anyway, what I was going to say was: the creators of the Reapers were the first true Reaper and the Reapers build the Citadel; what if the Citadel is in fact that first true Reaper. What if the StarChild (who has the collective knowledge of all the Reapers) is simply the biggest Reaper of them all?

Or is that truly insane?

Harbinger is the first Reaper

[Leonard McCoy]

The Citadel was created by the Reapers. The StarChild said that their creators became the first Reapers (and they did not approve). Which is funny, the Reapers were created to prevent synthetics from destroying their creators, but the Reapers themselves destroyed their creators. Even weirder is that the race that created this would have known it would happen. They basically created something that would eventually kill them all. Also, organics versus synthetics not being the central plot in the games as someone said couldn't be more wrong. It's all about organics versus synthetics. Reapers were created to prevent synthetics from eventually destroying all organics, but they themselves are synthetics.

Anyway, what I was going to say was: the creators of the Reapers were the first true Reaper and the Reapers build the Citadel; what if the Citadel is in fact that first true Reaper. What if the StarChild (who has the collective knowledge of all the Reapers) is simply the biggest Reaper of them all?

Or is that truly insane?

If you watch the leviathan dlc you meet the original reapers before they became reapers. They created the starchild, what they call an "intellegence" to solve the problem of technological singularity. The childs solution was to turn them into reapers. Really the entire thing is just a case of bad programming and lack of proper beta testing. Likely the star child was published by EA who rushed it out to market without proper testing or patching.

[Statix]

If you watch the leviathan dlc you meet the original reapers before they became reapers. They created the starchild, what they call an "intellegence" to solve the problem of technological singularity. The childs solution was to turn them into reapers. Really the entire thing is just a case of bad programming and lack of proper beta testing. Likely the star child was published by EA who rushed it out to market without proper testing or patching.

Yea, I haven't experienced any DLC yet, aside from the EC. That's why I still believe in the IT. Now I know people here don't like it, but I don't care. It completely destroys any problems the ME3 endings create and allows me to create my own ending that actually makes sense: the Reapers are destroyed and there's no bullsh*t that comes with it (no snythetics dying for example).

[rhorle]

Vigil is a VI as well. That's the point. Vigil doesn;t walk around. He doesn't appear out of no where. He has his own projector thingy.....the same tech as Vendetta and Victory in ME3.

Victory can turn into a drone which is capable of moving on his own, and besides which the drones used for military operation and as character powers are limited VI's that can move on their own. VI's aren't restricted to stationary spots.

You do realize that the Citadel is a substantive exterior, so the Star Kid doesn't have to be a Reaper projection. But could be that of an AI in the Citadel.

[Leonard McCoy]

Yea, I haven't experienced any DLC yet, aside from the EC.

My bad bro. That was a spoiler. Well you should still check out levi, it's the best DLC for ME3 IMHO.

[Elim Garak]

No no I don't say it's automatic. That is one POSSIBLE answer, as is the star child. I'm arguing that just because some people have limited imaginations doesn't make it bad or the make the star child a deus ex. Just because you can't figure out the science doesn't make it magic. In fact I think that was precisely the intent of the writers. To leave much of it with ambiguity and open as they could so that we could have conversations about this and so that people would dream about it. To some extent all great myth does this. Why does valhalla burn at the end of the ring cycle? We've gone through and had every possible act of wagnerian redemption we could and still the gods die.

Automatic infers intent of Citadel builders to build it there and be activated on precise TIMING.
Starchild's involvement is more apparent. Inventing other explanations? suffer the Occam's razor.

[/COLOR]

Not really. It's called having an imagination. Yes I understand why you hate the ending. It doesn't spoon feed enough. I should go rewrite it with every answer you want just floating in the air like pop up video.

You calling THAT imagination? My "God's intervention" is way MORE imaginative.
I don't hate the resolve of the Trilogy. I hate the ending that is Starchild.
I also do not need to be spoon fed - as I already said - "autofiring Crucible" would've sufficed for me instead of Starchild, who explains nothing, instead creates more questions. You see? I was following the plot and expected the Crucible to fire on it's own after connection. that' would've sufficed for me, but instead everything I knew was invalidated.

[shimargh]

The one choice not to trust him, refuse, ends up being a middle finger to the entire fanbase who despises the endings.

I loved that ending!
it was a subtle, very subtle, middle finger to all the whiners.

i've just replayed ME1 and still wondering were the focks does everybody base those dumb theories.

the first time I played ME1 i thought: -oh this game's gonna end like "this".- and so did, logically there wasn't another way, so those "so called" happy endings in the minds of fanfics'ers are just that fanfics. pls, i'm not bashing anyone.

You calling THAT imagination? My "God's intervention" is way MORE imaginative.
I don't hate the resolve of the Trilogy. I hate the ending that is Starchild.
I also do not need to be spoon fed - as I already said - "autofiring Crucible" would've sufficed for me instead of Starchild, who explains nothing, instead creates more questions. You see? I was following the plot and expected the Crucible to fire on it's own after connection. that' would've sufficed for me, but instead everything I knew was invalidated.

you know? ussually good answers just spawns more questions...

[Leonard McCoy]

[QUOTE=ag666;20342279]

No no I don't say it's automatic. That is one POSSIBLE answer, as is the star child. I'm arguing that just because some people have limited imaginations doesn't make it bad or the make the star child a deus ex. Just because you can't figure out the science doesn't make it magic. In fact I think that was precisely the intent of the writers. To leave much of it with ambiguity and open as they could so that we could have conversations about this and so that people would dream about it. To some extent all great myth does this. Why does valhalla burn at the end of the ring cycle? We've gone through and had every possible act of wagnerian redemption we could and still the gods die.

---------- Post added 2013-02-26 at 12:33 AM ----------



You calling THAT imagination? My "God's intervention" is way MORE imaginative.
I don't hate the resolve of the Trilogy. I hate the ending that is Starchild.
I also do not need to be spoon fed - as I already said - "autofiring Crucible" would've sufficed for me instead of Starchild, who explains nothing, instead creates more questions. You see? I was following the plot and expected the Crucible to fire on it's own after connection. that' would've sufficed for me, but instead everything I knew was invalidated.

Yea it is. See it requires some critical thought and not just running to forums to argue that space magic came and took over my game. The easiest conclusion is usually the most reactionary one. Apparently you people rushed to judgement that it had to be divinely inspired instead of spending the extra 2 seconds to figure it's automated.

As for everything you knew being "invalidated" please by all means feel free to illuminate how this one maybe 5 minute scene managed to rock your world so much? Really we don't give the writers enough credit. They managed to shake you people up so much that it "invalidated everything you knew" in a 5 minute fucking cut scene. Genius. I wish I could write that well and effect people that much. I'd be rolling in dough.

[rhorle]

For the final time, nobody knows what the crucible is.

Lets not be stupid. We the player know full well what the crucible is and what the crucible does.

[Statix]

My bad bro. That was a spoiler. Well you should still check out levi, it's the best DLC for ME3 IMHO.

Oh, it's not your fault. You couldn't have known. My choice to risk spoilers by reading this thread.

I most certainly will check out the Leviathan DLC, as I will every DLC. Once the Citadel DLC is released, I will start my second ME3 playthrough experiencing all DLCs (aside from EC) for the first time, most likely on Insanity.

[leafs43]

Lets not be stupid. We the player know full well what the crucible is and what the crucible does.

A big ole machine to fires off nonsensical space magic when combined with the citadel.


That's all we know if the ending is to be taken literally.

[Elim Garak]

No it isn't, because the Citadel isn't required for the Crucible to fire.

I said, and I quote myself "Citadel is required for Crucible to fire properly"

[rhorle]

Less "My body is My soul" mumbo jumbo please.

It isn't mumbo jumbo. Its a fact of the game that you have to acknowledge if you want to discuss the game. The Catalyst, Citadel, and Star Child are all the same thing. If they Star Child never explained anything how did you know what Blue, Red, and Green meant? Just because he didn't explain what you wanted him to doesn't mean he didn't explain stuff.

---------- Post added 2013-02-25 at 07:56 PM ----------

I said, and I quote myself "Citadel is required for Crucible to fire properly"

The Crucible can fire properly without the Catalyst. It just can't effect the entire galaxy.

[Elim Garak]

It isn't mumbo jumbo. Its a fact of the game that you have to acknowledge if you want to discuss the game. The Catalyst, Citadel, and Star Child are all the same thing.

It's not a fact, it's a stretch. The fact is - the Citadel is the Catalyst. Star child is just an AI that "lives" in it. Who fires Crucible? Shepard or Starchild? Shepard. Process is automatic after choosing the one of 3 options. If Shepard would've just told Starchild what he wanted to do and Starchild had fired the Crucible in the way Shepard asked - then and only then it would've been The Catalyst. But no Shepard needed to get physical.

If they Star Child never explained anything how did you know what Blue, Red, and Green meant? Just because he didn't explain what you wanted him to doesn't mean he didn't explain stuff.

I don't know - labels? There are so many ways to convey THAT information.

The Crucible can fire properly without the Catalyst. It just can't effect the entire galaxy.

Are you arguing my use of the word "properly" while ignoring the context it was used in?
Stop.

[Leonard McCoy]

I don't know - labels? There are so many ways to convey THAT information.

Pop up video. Handing you answers with as little thought along the way.