Monday Musings | Missed Opportunities
A while back, I was involved in a conversation about “missed opportunities” for our beloved Mass Effect characters. Thoughts about how “this” or “that” character could have been written in the final game, so as to make their appearance more impactful, meaningful. A way for their individual story arcs to be wrapped up, and the relationships they had with our Shepards have more substance. Thus a question is born: how would YOU have liked your favorite LI’s and squadmates to have finished out their stay, in the Mass Effect universe?
Go to any number of fan related threads, blogs, tweets, facebook pages and so forth, and you will find posters who have very specific ideas on how they had hoped to interact with their favorite characters, and how their story arcs would conclude. It is also not uncommon to see examples applied, when they are trying to express these ideas. Mordin and Wrex/Wreav’s involvement in the Tuchanka story line, felt fleshed out and complete to most people. This would be a common example of characters that were given great story completions, and how they had hoped the other characters would have been treated as well. To name a few shared ideas, some which we have illustrated in the Quote of the Week section on this blog, stories like more direct involvement with Miranda regarding Cerberus operations and TIM himself. Liara having more power as the Shadowbroker, and highlighting her vast intel. Seeing the VS gaining Spectre status and what that entails for their character, instead of the focus on continued trust issues with Shepard. Helping Thane and the drell population on Kahje, come that much closer to eradicating Kepral’s Syndrome. This is just the tip of the iceberg for these characters, and though many fans have the outlet of fanfiction to express these ideas, it doesn’t change the fact that they believed more could have happened….should have happened.
Alongside these grander story arcs, we have the romance arcs. It is these arcs that many have felt were neglected or ignored, even moreso than their individual character story-lines. It also felt like that was one area that could have easily been contended with, especially since it goes hand-in-hand with the role playing of our Shepards. There isn’t a need for grand cinematics when it comes to these story bits, and most would be satisfied with the little things. During and upon completion of these romance arcs, having the occasional banter with your LI, or another squadmate or crewmember commenting on the relationship, makes the coupling feel more alive, more robust. And of course, giving adequate time and quality to each potential LI, would have made the role player that much more immersed. As for ideas on what would have added to the experience we had with the LI’s of choice, it varies from person to person. I would love to read what changes or added tidbits you all would have wished to see in Mass Effect 3.
So what say you, Cosmic Love readers, any comments?
Posted on February 4, 2013, in monday musings and tagged comments, LIs, ME3, opportunities, romance. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
Figured I’d reply here rather than in an old post!
I completely agree with you w/regards to the VS – the trust issues storyline was old the moment it wasn’t resolved in ME2; you can’t drag it out (based on all of one scene on Horizon) into the next game years later and expect people to want to play along. I’ve ended up headcanoning that my Shepard/Ashley did talk about it and that their distance at the start was due to his house arrest since it’s mildly less facepalm worthy than what we got.
On a more positive side, it would have been nice to see more of Ashley’s playful/teasing side, although some of that seems to have been included in bugged/removed dialogue. A ‘skipper’ outside of the coup scene would have been nice too, as would (as you’ve mentioned) actually doing something with the Spectre thing beyond the coup, or having you meet her family or something if it’s an ME1 romance being continued.
Instead, it felt like
(1) Bioware couldn’t or wouldn’t alter the general trust storyline, so it ended up being really disjointed. That being said, I actually don’t mind the VS standing between Shepard and the Council/Udina, since that’s their job.
(2) Bioware either couldn’t or wouldn’t (Because of time, interest, resources, who knows) devote attention to the details of each relationship. Not just with the VS, but with many of the others (Thane’s is an obvious one, as is Jacob’s).
ME3 is full of missed opportunities but what makes it worse is that we don’t know how Bioware could have missed them. Budget cut? The new writing staff? Trying to rush the game out the door? Perhaps all of the above, but that’s all just a guess.
I can understand a few choices might have been overlooked, but it was a LOT that was not only overlooked but underdeveloped when there seem to be an obvious path forward. When it comes to story telling, it’s best to have a person or two to first read over your work before public viewing, as they can help point out errors.
ME3 was riding on the success of its predecessors and Bioware believed(as did we)it was already in the bag. I think it would have been for the best if they had people outside of Bioware, ideally fans, proof-read the script and offer a fresh prospective.Could’ve made a world of difference.
I don’t think I have the time to go through EVERYTHING I wish I’d had… but with my last Shepard breath I would have wished for a romanceable Zaeed. I’d have especially liked to have paired him with my Paragon FemShep, and watch the fur fly!
There were little touches like “Want me to kneecap this guy so he doesn’t follow us around?” – all he needed to do was change “us” to “you” and I’d have been completely smitten at this somewhat blunt bluster yet half-sweet gesture. One of the few occasions (actually I can’t think of any other) where a crew member whilst out and about actually offers to help *me*.
When he was talking about dogfighting (which by the way my Paragon would thoroughly have disapproved of) he said something like “How much for the dumb-looking ugly one? Slow dogs always fight harder.” and I immediately felt like truthfully he was talking about himself, and I loved him all the more.
Then there was the Shadow Broker dossier on him, which aside from reminding me of all his daft stories that really did seem as though they ought to have ended every single time with “I was the only one that got out alive that day”, really pulled at my heart strings with the bit from his diary talking about retirement. It suddenly struck me that this was a man who was alone, and really had been all his life, but he just knuckled down and got on with it. But he was alone, and… part of him wasn’t sure what his point in living was anymore besides money, and I felt like… if I could only have extended my hand for but a moment… he’d have thrown himself full force in my direction.
The fact that Robin Sachs is no longer with us really broke my heart because I can’t help wondering how much of the man was in Zaeed, and how much of Zaeed was in the man.