Mass Effect 3 - Endings Controversy and More

I'm going to collect a few miscellaneous Mass Effect 3 items here.

First, Irian writes the controversy over the endings and the impact of MP on achieving those endings continues with a poll on the BioWare Social Forums showing overwhelming support for a "brighter" ending. The poll hints at the ending (I think - haven't played it) so beware spoilers. As of writing, 36,601 voted "endings suck" vs 881 for "Fine as it is".

On the other hand, Kotaku argues for creative risk and integrity, saying the ending should never be changed (spoiler free, according to Kotaku):

There’s a tremendous difference between arguing and discussing how Bioware should have handled Mass Effect 3’s ending, and demanding they change it. Some are too entitled to tell the difference, but it’s paramount.

A game like Mass Effect, which is clearly designed and carefully built — with every detail of the universe accounted for — could not bear the damage a fan-demanded change to its fiction would create. Its integrity would collapse. This is Bioware’s story — no matter how personal your own existence within Mass Effect’s universe is, that existence was made possible within the confines of Bioware’s authorial intent. Full stop. You don’t get to change that. Once a word is said, it cannot be unsaid.

Similarly, CVG argues the "backlash is idiotic".

Moving on, Joystiq thinks they've spotted a multiplayer DLC and Eurogamer offers a "Face-Off" comparison of the X360 vs PS3 versions. 

Back to Kotaku, someone discovered some From Ashes assets on the disc, suggesting the content wasn't developed after the main game was finished. EA hit back with a statement:

From Ashes is a 600 MB+ download with all new content, including the mission on Eden Prime, new dialogue options and conversations with Javik, new cinematics, the Prothean weapon, and new appearances for all squad members. All of the above content was completed while the main game was in certification and are not available on the disc.

As stated previously, in order to seamlessly integrate Javik into the core campaign, certain framework elements and character models needed to be put on disc. We did something similar with Zaeed and Kasumi in Mass Effect 2.

VG247 has a editorial arguing Mass Effect takes the "role-play" out of RPG:

As manifest in-game, BioWare is constantly railroading players into an established character which exists without the player’s input. I concede that there is one character choice only BioWare should make – Commander Shepard is an excellent soldier. Mass Effect has never pretended to offer anything other than the chance to role play a military hero. Shepard is not an empty slate like many action protagonists; the Commander has established habits, preferences and mannerisms attendent to his or her long and distinguished career.

But within the limits of this characterisation, there should still be plenty of scope for player choice in forming the hero with whom they may spend hundreds of hours, and Mass Effect just doesn’t deliver that. Although the player seemingly makes decisions dependent on what approach they feel suits “their” Shepard best, the game mechanics expose the illusion of choice which glosses over a linear experience. The “morality” system is stricter than a dominatrix, thanks to the Persuade skill – perhaps “binary personality” is a better description.

Lastly, Chris Priestly posts on the official forums that some unlocked MP kits are getting re-locked (they are investigating) and the BioBlog is offering a number of contest opportunities.