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[Mass Effect] Operation Beachhead Next Weekend. Fun in the sun? MARK SPOILERS

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  • WybornWyborn GET EQUIPPED Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    Orca wrote: »
    One day, all recruits will aspire to become rank Commander Shepard

    what about Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard

    I think she'd be fine with being Commander Shepard Hannah Shepard

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  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    I also wish Kaidan tried to pull rank on you and you could renegade interrupt him into shape

    even Ashley is the same rank as you

    but hey, this is a world where Anderson jumped from Captain to Admiral just for punching Udina

    And a special forces commander somehow ends up in command of a starship

  • NeliNeli Registered User regular
    edited March 2012

    Renegade:
    ME1: Conserve your fleet and let the Asari and council take the big hits instead
    ME2: Conserve the collector base in hopes that it'll bolster your efforts in the future
    ME3: Conserve the Reapers for all the reasons TIM mentioned or your own.


    Paragon:
    ME1: Sacrifice fleet to protect council
    ME2: Sacrifice the collector base to ensure no corruption
    ME3: Sacrifice Geth to ensure ultimate destruction of Reapers

    So to me it was always obvious that Control = Renegade and Destroy = Paragon, made utterly obvious by having TIM and Anderson represent each.

    Neli on
    vhgb4m.jpg
    I have stared into Satan's asshole, and it fucking winked at me.
    [/size]
  • SoundsPlushSoundsPlush yup, back. Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending spoilers
    What does he even mean by dieing and losing everything?
    There's no fish food on the Normandy's planet and the crash probably broke the ship models.

    s7Imn5J.png
  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending spoilers
    What does he even mean by dieing and losing everything?
    There's no fish food on the Normandy's planet and the crash probably broke the ship models.

    vader.jpg

  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    I wish you could give your mom a big mom hug in this game

    colonists and earthborn get nothing because they're losers

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • BlackDragon480BlackDragon480 Bluster Kerfuffle Master of Windy ImportRegistered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    What's the difference between the end of Mass Effect and the Gospel According to Mark? One has an ending too sacred to be changed, while the other is part of the Bible.


    :^: :^:

    No matter where you go...there you are.
    ~ Buckaroo Banzai
  • EnderEnder Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    What's the difference between the end of Mass Effect and the Gospel According to Mark? One has an ending too sacred to be changed, while the other is part of the Bible.



    So, single player topic that has nothing to do with the endings: it's hilarious that Shepard is still a Commander.

    Don't get me wrong, I understand why Shepard is a Commander at the start of the game. Shepard is new as a Commander in ME1, and dies in ME2 and effectively leaves the military, and then spends the bridge between ME2 and ME3 in a cell. In ME2, rank didn't matter - no one on the Normandy was in active Alliance service, so they just followed the leader. In ME3, the situation gets slightly funny.
    In Mass Effect 3, Shepard's crew includes:
    -A Quarian Admiral.
    -A Turian that outranks Generals, and is high enough in the succession that he really does not want to discuss the topic.
    -A Prothean war leader, implied to be at least Shepard's rank, and who has a lifetime of experience fighting the Reapers.
    -The Shadow Broker.
    -If Kaidan is alive, he straight-up outranks Shepard within the same military organization, and takes Shepard's orders anyways.
    All of them do what Shepard tells them to do.

    Shepard is also treated as an equal (potentially) by the leaders of the Turians, Quarians and Krogan, is treated as an equal by the Council members (they seem to be making requests, not giving orders), and reports directly to the man who's assumed overall control of all Terran military and civilian forces off of Earth. In the final battle, Shepard gives orders to the forward elements of the space fleet. Rank is not simply not relevant to "Commander" Shepard, and absolutely no one treats Shepard like a Commander.

    I'm a little surprised that I didn't notice anyone in-game mentioning it at any point, either to try to pull rank on Shepard or Shepard asking why they're taking Shepard's orders when they outrank Shepard. Or at least a small ceremony just before the last mission, where Shepard gets promoted to Admiral/General.

    You forgot
    the leader of the entire Krogan race
    an entire race itself, if you consider Legion
    an unshackled AI, in control of the most advanced ship available to Alliance, who can rewrite her own programming at will

    and if you think about it, Hackett, Admiral of the entire Human Alliance forces, pretty much defers to you on every decision with regards to your SUPER IMPORTANT GAME-CHANGING IF YOU FAIL EVERYONE DIES mission

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Ending
    Both human biotics and quarians are partly synthetic, meaning the destroy ending should also murder them.

    Couscous on
  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    And neither of them make a lick of sense

    (don't hurt me)

  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending
    Both human biotics and quarians are partly synthetic, meaning the destroy ending should also murder them.

    this is a very loose definition
    they don't need their suits/implants to survive, they just enhance their natural abilities

    worst-case scenario their implants don't work anymore and they have to build new ones

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Operation Raptor details revealed!

    Goal: Promote 150,000 characters

    Individual Goal: Promote 2 Characters

    Victory and Commendation packs to be awarded the following Tuesday.

    Taramoor on
  • NeliNeli Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending
    Both human biotics and quarians are partly synthetic, meaning the destroy ending should also murder them.

    But it didn't
    even murder Shepard and he's like, half cyborg :whistle:

    Neli on
    vhgb4m.jpg
    I have stared into Satan's asshole, and it fucking winked at me.
    [/size]
  • CabezoneCabezone Registered User regular
    In today's Army, if you're special forces, no one tries to pull rank on you.

  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Neli wrote: »
    Neli wrote: »
    Neli wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    Neli wrote: »
    I thought
    Control was going to be the obvious Renegade option and Destroy would be a fairly standard Paragon ending.

    Control is technically a better option since the Geth/EDI lives but it opens up the possibility of the Reapers returning someday. While Destruction sacrifices a lot but is a lot more final.
    Control really shouldn't do that considering Shepard can just make one sacrifice and murder them all.

    Yeah,
    but he might see the value in keeping an armada of Reapers around, just like the Renegade choice in ME2 was to keep the collector base around. Paragon would never do this

    Not really.
    Despite their world destroying tendencies, the Reapers were alive. Consciously bringing about the destruction of an ancient race is not a paragon decision by any means... especially when there exists an option that keeps every party alive.

    The extending of mercy, even to an enemy, is something well within the definition of the paragon virtue or w/e.

    They were the enemy. That's like saying that the Paragon choice to wipe out all the collectors in ME2 was not paragon at all. But hey, guess what, it was.
    The collectors are just the Prothean version of Husks. The reapers were sentient beings. The choice in ME2 was between giving the base and all its tech to Cerberus, a known terrorist organization who would use it for only humanity's benefit, or destroying it and chancing that the galaxy would figure something out. But of course that decision was made largely irrelevant, but eh.
    Sentient beings who had wiped out trillions, no scratch that, uncalculable amounts of people. Sovereign and Harbinger make it very clear that they're not your buddy nor can they ever co-exist with you willingly. You also kill "sentient enemies" constantly like the Thorian and every mercenary in the galaxy. Since when did you get the impression that Paragon Shepard is some altruistic hero who never kills sentient creatures? He kills people in droves if they are his enemy, and the Reapers were most definitely that. You're not making much sense here or we just have very different views on what Paragon means.

    Also, the way the collector looks sad at the end of ME2 indicates that they were indeed sentient :)
    Or you were just humanizing the enemy. Such weakness! But really, to Shepard, by writing, in game the Collectors are stated to be mindless husks, less than indoctrinated slaves.

    The difference between our in-game murder spree and killing the reapers is that one is an act of xenocide that you have the option of preventing. The Thorian put you in a us-or-him situation by direct confrontation, and was written in a way that there was no means of mutual survival. You could try, but its fate is death by writing. The Reapers have, by writing, a means of mutual survival... to take the choice to destroy them all given the option of preserving therefore becomes a renegade decision.

    And really... mercenaries are just like hitmen: no matter what you do to them, you don't feel bad. And Cerberus are terrorists and everybody knows it's totally okay to kill terrorists because they are unilaterally evil. :P

    tastydonuts on
    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • mojojoeomojojoeo A block off the park, living the dream.Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    So do human biotics count as partly synthetic?

    Lots of speculation!

    Chief Wiggum: "Ladies, please. All our founding fathers, astronauts, and World Series heroes have been either drunk or on cocaine."
  • daveNYCdaveNYC Why universe hate Waspinator? Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending spoilers
    What does he even mean by dieing and losing everything?
    There's no fish food on the Normandy's planet and the crash probably broke the ship models.

    Do you know how pissed of I was that they killed
    Kelly? She fed my fish damnit! I actually wanted that to be my spiffy one liner when I killed TIM.

    Shut up, Mr. Burton! You were not brought upon this world to get it!
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    Neli wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending
    Both human biotics and quarians are partly synthetic, meaning the destroy ending should also murder them.

    But it didn't
    even murder Shepard and he's like, half cyborg :whistle:

    let's be fair
    of course Shepard can survive the big bubble of doom

    it's not fair to compare her to... anything else in the universe

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • ForarForar #432 Toronto, Ontario, CanadaRegistered User regular
    Maybe I missed something in the last few pages, but doesn't being a Spectre put Shepard above/outside the concept of rank for the most part?

    While the games at least initially sort of imply they're more police without jurisdictions, if you accept the events of the games at face value, then I suppose it also puts them as diplomats, negotiators and a variety of other tasks as need be.

    I'm not saying there isn't any merit in delving just how far this one man is allowed to go by the universe, but I was always under the impression that Spectres were just like that. Able to go, say and do whatever the hell they wanted, answering only to the council if the need arose.

    First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
  • BobbleBobble Registered User regular
    Forar wrote: »
    Maybe I missed something in the last few pages, but doesn't being a Spectre put Shepard above/outside the concept of rank for the most part?

    While the games at least initially sort of imply they're more police without jurisdictions, if you accept the events of the games at face value, then I suppose it also puts them as diplomats, negotiators and a variety of other tasks as need be.

    I'm not saying there isn't any merit in delving just how far this one man is allowed to go by the universe, but I was always under the impression that Spectres were just like that. Able to go, say and do whatever the hell they wanted, answering only to the council if the need arose.

    Remember the annoying ship inspection in ME1?

    Did we ever get a callback to that guy?

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    Couscous wrote: »
    Ending
    Both human biotics and quarians are partly synthetic, meaning the destroy ending should also murder them.

    this is a very loose definition
    they don't need their suits/implants to survive, they just enhance their natural abilities

    worst-case scenario their implants don't work anymore and they have to build new ones
    The child said that "even you are partly synthetic." The only thing synthetic would be the Lazarus Project stuff, but that was only to reconstruct Shepard. They were for reconstruction purposes that would have been fixed after a while. He should barely be partly synthetic.

  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    Bobble wrote: »
    Forar wrote: »
    Maybe I missed something in the last few pages, but doesn't being a Spectre put Shepard above/outside the concept of rank for the most part?

    While the games at least initially sort of imply they're more police without jurisdictions, if you accept the events of the games at face value, then I suppose it also puts them as diplomats, negotiators and a variety of other tasks as need be.

    I'm not saying there isn't any merit in delving just how far this one man is allowed to go by the universe, but I was always under the impression that Spectres were just like that. Able to go, say and do whatever the hell they wanted, answering only to the council if the need arose.

    Remember the annoying ship inspection in ME1?

    Did we ever get a callback to that guy?

    He's listed as a war asset, and got promoted to Admiral after kicking ass at the Battle of the Citadel

    however he only survives if you let the Council die

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • wiltingwilting I had fun once and it was awful Registered User regular
    Yeah Spectres can do what they like, Shepard's rank as a Commander is for the purpose of allowing the use of an Alliance ship/Alliance resources. Furthermore, Shepard is the no.1 expert in the galaxy on Reaper fighting. Compare the position given to non-Spectre Garrus for his own Reaper killing experience.

  • chiasaur11chiasaur11 Never doubt a raccoon. Do you think it's trademarked?Registered User regular
    Bobble wrote: »
    Forar wrote: »
    Maybe I missed something in the last few pages, but doesn't being a Spectre put Shepard above/outside the concept of rank for the most part?

    While the games at least initially sort of imply they're more police without jurisdictions, if you accept the events of the games at face value, then I suppose it also puts them as diplomats, negotiators and a variety of other tasks as need be.

    I'm not saying there isn't any merit in delving just how far this one man is allowed to go by the universe, but I was always under the impression that Spectres were just like that. Able to go, say and do whatever the hell they wanted, answering only to the council if the need arose.

    Remember the annoying ship inspection in ME1?

    Did we ever get a callback to that guy?

    Yes, sorta.

    If you blew up the Destiny Ascension, he's a 25 point war asset.

  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    I wonder what the difference in war assets is if you let the Council die. I'm going to hazard a guess and say the First, Third, and Fifth fleets are all at full strength, -Tal just said you got Admiral Asshole as a war asset (worth how much?)...what else?

  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    Forar wrote: »
    Maybe I missed something in the last few pages, but doesn't being a Spectre put Shepard above/outside the concept of rank for the most part?

    While the games at least initially sort of imply they're more police without jurisdictions, if you accept the events of the games at face value, then I suppose it also puts them as diplomats, negotiators and a variety of other tasks as need be.

    I'm not saying there isn't any merit in delving just how far this one man is allowed to go by the universe, but I was always under the impression that Spectres were just like that. Able to go, say and do whatever the hell they wanted, answering only to the council if the need arose.

    One of my favorite lines in ME1 comes during the Earthborn sidequest when Shepard confronts the douchebag from her past. The Renegade option is hilarious.

    "I'm a goddamned Spectre! I can legally execute everybody in this bar. Do you think the council cares about my shady past?"

  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    that's why my Canon Shep has Commander as her first name

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  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    So everyone can aspire to be rank Commander Commander Shepard

    Commander Commander Shepard Hannah Shepard

    just rolls off the tongue

  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    that's why my Canon Shep has Commander as her first name

    Almost like Major Major Major Major?

    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    one nice thing i will say about the ending
    the music never faltered

    just kept plugging along, giving 110%

    where would we be without you, aesthetically pleasing ordered noise

  • SoundsPlushSoundsPlush yup, back. Registered User regular
    daveNYC wrote: »
    Do you know how pissed of I was that they killed
    Kelly? She fed my fish damnit! I actually wanted that to be my spiffy one liner when I killed TIM.

    Hey, speak for yourself.
    I saved her, again. 8-) She unlocked my fish's loyalty power, Phasing.

    Sidenote, is there a texture bug or are other people's really as god awful as some of the ones in that shot?

    s7Imn5J.png
  • chiasaur11chiasaur11 Never doubt a raccoon. Do you think it's trademarked?Registered User regular
    Orca wrote: »
    I wonder what the difference in war assets is if you let the Council die. I'm going to hazard a guess and say the First, Third, and Fifth fleets are all at full strength, -Tal just said you got Admiral Asshole as a war asset (worth how much?)...what else?
    You don't get the DA or the Salarian third fleet when you save the council. Instead, you get a less-valuable STG task force.

    Net point loss: 25.

  • Dox the PIDox the PI Registered User regular
    daveNYC wrote: »
    Do you know how pissed of I was that they killed
    Kelly? She fed my fish damnit! I actually wanted that to be my spiffy one liner when I killed TIM.

    Hey, speak for yourself.
    I saved her, again. 8-) She unlocked my fish's loyalty power, Phasing.

    Sidenote, is there a texture bug or are other people's really as god awful as some of the ones in that shot?

    Congratulations on saving
    Kelly

    She was probably taken by the reapers after they attacked the citidel and forced back into a melting chamber to help build the new reaper

    so... yay?

  • Phoenix138Phoenix138 ArizonaRegistered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Orca wrote: »
    Commander Shepard is Commander Shepard's title.

    And it is enough to outrank every sapient being in the galaxy.

    Exactly. I'm just slightly disappointed that it was never addressed directly.

    This will all be addressed in the Rear Admiral Mikhailovich DLC.

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    Joker has synthetic implants in his legs, doesn't he?
    He is so fucked.

  • gjaustingjaustin Registered User regular
    Taramoor wrote: »
    Operation Raptor details revealed!

    Goal: Promote 150,000 characters

    Individual Goal: Promote 2 Characters

    Victory and Commendation packs to be awarded the following Tuesday.

    YES! Commendation Pack here I come!

    (Please be a Valiant)

  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    wait is that implying
    Admiral Asshole bites it if you save the Council

    because if so

    bonus

  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    chiasaur11 wrote: »
    Orca wrote: »
    I wonder what the difference in war assets is if you let the Council die. I'm going to hazard a guess and say the First, Third, and Fifth fleets are all at full strength, -Tal just said you got Admiral Asshole as a war asset (worth how much?)...what else?
    You don't get the DA or the Salarian third fleet when you save the council. Instead, you get a less-valuable STG task force.

    Net point loss: 25.
    So the human First, Third, and Fifth fleets are always down to 2/3s strength regardless?

  • Dox the PIDox the PI Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    Joker has synthetic implants in his legs, doesn't he?
    He is so fucked.

    Mixing glass and plastic gives you fiber glass right?

  • NeliNeli Registered User regular
    edited March 2012
    Dox the PI wrote: »
    daveNYC wrote: »
    Do you know how pissed of I was that they killed
    Kelly? She fed my fish damnit! I actually wanted that to be my spiffy one liner when I killed TIM.

    Hey, speak for yourself.
    I saved her, again. 8-) She unlocked my fish's loyalty power, Phasing.

    Sidenote, is there a texture bug or are other people's really as god awful as some of the ones in that shot?

    Congratulations on saving
    Kelly

    She was probably taken by the reapers after they attacked the citidel and forced back into a melting chamber to help build the new reaper

    so... yay?
    One of the lead developers said that some people escaped
    the Citadel
    . Kelly might as well have been among them :whistle:

    Neli on
    vhgb4m.jpg
    I have stared into Satan's asshole, and it fucking winked at me.
    [/size]
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