383 replies to this topic

[MojoBox]

I argue that it's worth while because it has an effect. You argue it's not because it's not the only thing that has an effect. I believe, sir, we are at an impasse.

[momerath]

Ok, so I have a question for those who have finished / those familiar with the endings. I've done everything up until the

Spoiler

Priority: Horizon

mission, and my effective military strength [not total] is about 3500. From what I can tell from various forums and FAQs, I'm hearing everything from 5000 to 7000 as the number required for the "best" ending.

I've done *literally* everything I can possibly do up to this point, scanned all systems to 100%, done all sidequests, etc. and made the best possible decisions in all priority missions. I also imported my save from previous ME games.

How is it possible that I can get my effective military strength to nearly double what it is now, within only a few missions of the end of the entire game? I can't help but feel like I'm missing something here...

[MojoBox]

The "best" ending is available at 5000 EMS. I don't know what it anything you missed if you are sitting at 100% scans. I think you will get some EMS in the next couple missions, one big thing I can think of off hand. I hear it is possible to do without multiplayer, but I wouldn't know since I find the MP to be a blast and dove right in.

Edited by MojoBox, 15 March 2012 - 02:04 PM.

[KnightAttack]

Ok, so I have a question for those who have finished / those familiar with the endings. I've done everything up until the

Spoiler

Priority: Horizon

mission, and my effective military strength [not total] is about 3500. From what I can tell from various forums and FAQs, I'm hearing everything from 5000 to 7000 as the number required for the "best" ending.

I've done *literally* everything I can possibly do up to this point, scanned all systems to 100%, done all sidequests, etc. and made the best possible decisions in all priority missions. I also imported my save from previous ME games.

How is it possible that I can get my effective military strength to nearly double what it is now, within only a few missions of the end of the entire game? I can't help but feel like I'm missing something here...

The best is at 5000, but I've heard it's possible with over 4000 depending on your strength.

It's also possible that some of your choices in this game severely crippled your strength. For instance (and I guess I'll spoiler tag it, although if you are as far as you say, you'll be fine):

Spoiler

Like, what choices did you make? Did you side with the Salarians over the Krogan? Did you wipe out the Geth? How many of your crew from ME2 joined you? All of these things provide different point levels, and would effect your overall score.

[momerath]

I'll spoiler-tag my response to be safe as well:

Spoiler

I came into the game with a fully intact team from ME2, cured the genophage and brokered peace between krogan and turians, also brokered peace between geth and quarians so I got both of those supporting me as well. also got the rachni to help out. I guess maybe I don't have *full* salarian support since they wanted me to sabotage the genophage cure, but if that one thing alone is the difference maker, that seems awfully harsh...

[KnightAttack]

I'll spoiler-tag my response to be safe as well:

Spoiler

I came into the game with a fully intact team from ME2, cured the genophage and brokered peace between krogan and turians, also brokered peace between geth and quarians so I got both of those supporting me as well. also got the rachni to help out. I guess maybe I don't have *full* salarian support since they wanted me to sabotage the genophage cure, but if that one thing alone is the difference maker, that seems awfully harsh...

Spoiler

No, but if you wiped out the Geth, it would make sense why your support sucks. It's possible you missed scanning some places (are you sure you got them all?) or maybe you missed some sidequests. There were a lot available on the Citadel, but you had to walk fairly slowly and hear conversations. You also need to go to Spectre HQ a lot and unlock/authorize quiet a few things [ex: The militia being trained. New guns for the citadel, etc]....but that'd be my best guess on what you missed. If you brought everyone from ME2 but they all died (if they aren't loyal, they die for the most part I believe), then you'd lose some support there as well.

[momerath]

I guess I could go check the Spectre terminal again and make sure there isn't anything left to be authorized. I could swear that I've been as thorough with everything else as I possibly could, though, including all the small conversation side quests on the citadel that I could find [which was a lot.]

I guess I can always hope that in the last few missions, I'll get another 1500 support or so, but I've honestly saved / earned the support of literally everyone and everything I possibly could-- crew members, races, etc-- and scanned every system available up to 100%. I really don't know what else to do.

Maybe I really should just play the multiplayer...

[gokieks]

I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to get EMS above roughly 3700 w/o the boosting of GR through playing MP.

Another thing to note is that your EMS is snapshotted once you start the mission after the one you're on now, so if you are intending to go for the EMS > 5000 ending, it would be in your interest to do the MP before that (unless you want to do the final missions again to see the minute difference between a EMS 3500 ending and a EMS 5000 ending).

My playthrough:

Spoiler

ISame character since ME1, and in each game I got the "best" Paragon ending. So I went into ME3 with Rachni freed, Council saved, Wrex alive, all ME2 squad members alive, and destroyed Proto-Human Reaper. In ME3, I brokered peace between Turians/Krogan and Quarians/Geth, had Eve alive, and OCD completed every sidequest and 100% "scanned" every system possible. And my final EMS with 50% GR was only 3600-ish.

Edited by gokieks, 15 March 2012 - 03:23 PM.

[MojoBox]

Incidentally, I think you have a lower EMS score if you

Spoiler

destroyed the Collector base, at least that's what I have heard. The Reaper brain acts as a super computer if you saved it, otherwise you get a Reaper heart or something. Again I haven' done it both ways yet, first time through I had saved the base

[gokieks]

Spoiler

Yes, if you destroyed the base you get the Reaper heart after Cerberus HQ. I don't know what the MS value of the brain is compared to the heart, but I'm pretty confident in saying it would make barely a dent in the EMS gap between a SP-only 50% GR playthrough and the what you'd need for the "best" ending.

[KnightAttack]

I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to get EMS above roughly 3700 w/o the boosting of GR through playing MP.

Another thing to note is that your EMS is snapshotted once you start the mission after the one you're on now, so if you are intending to go for the EMS > 5000 ending, it would be in your interest to do the MP before that (unless you want to do the final missions again to see the minute difference between a EMS 3500 ending and a EMS 5000 ending).

My playthrough:

Spoiler

ISame character since ME1, and in each game I got the "best" Paragon ending. So I went into ME3 with Rachni freed, Council saved, Wrex alive, all ME2 squad members alive, and destroyed Proto-Human Reaper. In ME3, I brokered peace between Turians/Krogan and Quarians/Geth, had Eve alive, and OCD completed every sidequest and 100% "scanned" every system possible. And my final EMS with 50% GR was only 3600-ish.

I did virtually the same thing, but my level was around 4700 with a chance of survival still around 50/50, and I didn't touch Multiplayer until I was basically done. For the record, there are some systems that don't show % or that Reapers are in them, yet there is still stuff to find there.

[gokieks]

There is no way your EMS was at 4700 if your GR was 50%.

[momerath]

I'm really surprised by the massive discrepancies I've seen while looking around various forums. People claim they've gotten over 5000 EMS with only 50% readiness, and I'm just not seeing how that's possible. At any rate, I guess the ultimate lesson is that the whole EMS / Readiness system is a huge pain in the ass for people like me who are only interested in single player.

I guess ultimately the point is that I shouldn't be nitpicking about which ending I get anyway. I should just do everything I can and accept what I'm given. [Which, if the impressions I'm getting from some people are correct, isn't really that special no matter how Godlike I am during my playthrough.]

[SickBoy]

I'm using the datapad app on iPhone to boost my galactic readiness right now. Will probably try a little multiplayer when I'm close to endgame and then take my first shot at the ending before grinding it higher.

Frankly, I don't know why I'm reading this thread. I feel like I'm moments away from totally spoiling the game (especially the ending, which is apparently fine or atrocious

[momerath]

I'm using the datapad app on iPhone to boost my galactic readiness right now. Will probably try a little multiplayer when I'm close to endgame and then take my first shot at the ending before grinding it higher.

Frankly, I don't know why I'm reading this thread. I feel like I'm moments away from totally spoiling the game (especially the ending, which is apparently fine or atrocious

Yeah, same. The moment I finish up this mofo I'm gonna have to blaze through the last page or two of this thread opening up all the spoilers.

[Indy aka Rex]

[gamer812]

Also

Spoiler

Like I said, someone who fucked up something in ME2 can be locked into bad decisions in 3. If you did things wrong in 2 you CAN'T broker peace between the Geth/Quarian (I couldn't because Legion was dead). I assume if Mordin doesn't make it (a pretty easy thing to have had happen in 2) you won't be able to cure the genophage ("Had to be me, someone else would have got it wrong").

Is that enough to make it worth the while? I think so, others won't.

Mordin was killed in ME2 for my playthrough and...

Spoiler

...in ME3 there was a look-a-like with the same intentions as Mordin which made the scene of the Salarian dying weird since I had no attachment to him. However, I was still able to cure the genophage. The difference? I held on to the genophage data from Maelon instead of destroying it. If I did destroy it, I don't think a cure would ever be made.

This is the kind of stuff I wanted to happen consequence-wise and Bioware achieved it to that degree.

[gokieks]

Mordin was killed in ME2 for my playthrough and...

Spoiler

...in ME3 there was a look-a-like with the same intentions as Mordin which made the scene of the Salarian dying weird since I had no attachment to him. However, I was still able to cure the genophage. The difference? I held on to the genophage data from Maelon instead of destroying it. If I did destroy it, I don't think a cure would ever be made.

This is the kind of stuff I wanted to happen consequence-wise and Bioware achieved it to that degree.

Spoiler

After playing through ME3, I would've hated myself if I had lost Mordin in ME2. The ME3 ending being what it is - or, more accurately, what it isn't - he had far and away the best overall character arc from start to end (Garrus and Tali would've been up there if the ending provided any sort of closure, but alas...). Mordin was a fantastic character in ME2 (both in personality and gameplay), and his sacrifice was quite possibly the height of emotional impact in the ME series. The build up to that scene, with the amazing banter between him and Wrex... that really was BioWare at is best.

Edited by gokieks, 15 March 2012 - 04:47 PM.

[KnightAttack]

Mordin was killed in ME2 for my playthrough and...

Spoiler

...in ME3 there was a look-a-like with the same intentions as Mordin which made the scene of the Salarian dying weird since I had no attachment to him. However, I was still able to cure the genophage. The difference? I held on to the genophage data from Maelon instead of destroying it. If I did destroy it, I don't think a cure would ever be made.

This is the kind of stuff I wanted to happen consequence-wise and Bioware achieved it to that degree.

Spoiler

After playing through ME3, I would've hated myself if I had lost Mordin in ME2. The ME3 ending being what it is - or, more accurately, what it isn't - he had far and away the best overall character arc from start to end (Garrus and Tali would've been up there if the ending provided any sort of closure, but alas...). Mordin was a fantastic character in ME2 (both in personality and gameplay), and his sacrifice was quite possibly the height of emotional impact in the ME series. The build up to that scene, with the amazing banter between him and Wrex... that really was BioWare at is best.

This is spoilerrific, so you are warned now:

Spoiler

I can't say with 100% accuracy because I haven't tried, but I'm pretty sure the data only ends up saving the Krogan female in the end. Mordin says to that in ME3 if he's alive. If he is dead, I heard it was suppose to be Maelon who ends up curing it.....but I could be wrong on that. The female Krogan surviving also rallies more support for your cause as well.

[gamer812]

This is spoilerrific, so you are warned now:

Spoiler

I can't say with 100% accuracy because I haven't tried, but I'm pretty sure the data only ends up saving the Krogan female in the end. Mordin says to that in ME3 if he's alive. If he is dead, I heard it was suppose to be Maelon who ends up curing it.....but I could be wrong on that. The female Krogan surviving also rallies more support for your cause as well.

Spoiler

It saves the female Eve which in turn saves everybody on Tutchun.....whatever. After you spread the cure, you receive a email from Maelon congratulating you on your success but he still doesn't regret doing the extreme tests on the females since the data did lead to the cure. The last time Shepard speaks with Wreav (Wrex was killed in ME1), he talks about mating everyday and how there is going to be Krogan children everywhere, lol.

[Indy aka Rex]

How many people are playing this on 360?

[gamer812]

I play also on 360. I will be playing multiplayer this weekend for the N7 challenge which has you getting a rare weapon. Anybody else up for it?

[KnightAttack]

Although I won't be playing again until late Sunday, I just started a new SP game, going through as an Engineer on Insanity. I think Having Turrets/Drones will be quiet helpful on this harder play through. I am also going to choose a few more renegade options this time.

[Fahrenhype]

I probably won't play this for a while, if at all, but I'm wondering about one thing I haven't seen mentioned:

Spoiler

Who the hell are you playing as if your Shepard died at the end of ME2? Mine is alive, the whole thing was pretty "A over B" to me, but they seemed adamant that such an ending could go forward into ME3.

Mildly amusing that face importing from ME1 is an issue but day one DLC was ready.

Edited by Fahrenhype, 18 March 2012 - 10:19 PM.

[Dry County]

I probably won't play this for a while, if at all, but I'm wondering about one thing I haven't seen mentioned:

Spoiler

Who the hell are you playing as if your Shepard died at the end of ME2? Mine is alive, the whole thing was pretty "A over B" to me, but they seemed adamant that such an ending could go forward into ME3.

Spoiler

Nobody. If Shepard died, that save can't be imported into ME3.

[Indy aka Rex]

What was the weekend reward for playing MP? I tried several times to go through the challenge and never made it. Pain in the ass too because I made it to level 10 with several randoms before getting killed.

[Kirbutashi]

Don't get our packs until Tuesday evidently. I cleared a bunch of Reaper challenges on Silver AND Gold. B)

[DistantStorm]

What was the weekend reward for playing MP? I tried several times to go through the challenge and never made it. Pain in the ass too because I made it to level 10 with several randoms before getting killed.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I made it to wave 10 like three or four times w/ randoms, but never farther than that. All the same, ive been loving the MP so far; haven't enjoyed an online mode like this for a long while.

[gokieks]

If you beat a Reaper mission on Silver you get a pack that includes one random N7 weapon for MP that you can't get through any other way (for now?). And if everyone who played kills more than X Brutes, everyone gets another pack that includes... something.

[gamer812]

Does anyone know if we crossed the million mark for the brutes? Sorry to the folks that didn't make it, but I doubt the weapons we are going to get will be better than maxed out higher tier weapons (just watch me get a SMG ). I don't think I could muster the courage to go through Gold unless it's with friends. It's tough when you are Warping the shit out of everything and it's only once in a while that another person will follow it up so that a biotic explosion will occur.

[momerath]

Ok, finally finished this thing. My thoughts [obviously major ending spoilers]:

Spoiler

The ending wasn't awful, but was kind of disappointing to be honest. I chose the red ending and destroyed all the synthetics, primarily because I don't believe the kid saying that organic / synthetic fighting would be inevitable. That's bullshit, everything I ever did in this series [except for my final choice, I suppose] supported the idea that it would be possible for organics and synthetics to live in harmony. So I like to believe that in the future of my universe, when organics once again give rise to synthetic beings, they will learn from the history I created and improve, living together with synthetics in harmony and all that.

I am of course disappointed that EDI had to die as a result of that choice, but I also kind of wanted my Shepard to live-- which he did-- and my understanding is that you can ONLY see that secret ending tidbit if you've destroyed the reapers.

I couldn't possibly agree more with the comments that I wanted more resolution for my side characters. To be honest I even care a whole shit load less about Shepard himself than I do about Garrus, Tali, Liara, Joker, and all the others, and I seriously didn't get *any* idea how my decision ultimately shaped their futures, other than that apparently they had better get used to making stuff out of tree bark.

Overall, when I view the entire game itself as an "ending" of sorts, it was a great experience and resolved the reaper conflict for better or worse. But when I think of the ending of this game specifically, I would have preferred bioware to give me some cinematics and story shit spelled out, rather than just saying "okay, now you can imagine the rest for yourself. we're done." I want to KNOW if my choice mattered, or if the little holographic child was right and it was just a futile postponement of organic / synthetic wars to come.

...So yeah. There's my two cents. Sorry for the wall of text.

[Indy aka Rex]

Does anyone know if we crossed the million mark for the brutes? Sorry to the folks that didn't make it, but I doubt the weapons we are going to get will be better than maxed out higher tier weapons (just watch me get a SMG ). I don't think I could muster the courage to go through Gold unless it's with friends. It's tough when you are Warping the shit out of everything and it's only once in a while that another person will follow it up so that a biotic explosion will occur.

3 million.

[gamer812]

I knew it.

[Kirbutashi]

Meanwhile, I got my Asari Adept and Krogan Soldier, completing my roster!
Also some N7 weapons that I'll never use.

[Jonnjonzz]

Mass Effect 3 ending done in the style of Animal House.

[gamer812]

Meanwhile, I got my Asari Adept and Krogan Soldier, completing my roster!
Also some N7 weapons that I'll never use.

Damn you. Are you spamming Recruit packs or going for the higher Veteran and Spectre packs?

[Indy aka Rex]

I love the new shotgun I got as a reward, but man does the reload and the ammo capacity suck. I only get 1 shot and 8 rounds. Still, it's one-hit-kill for all low-to-mid-level opponents.

[Kirbutashi]

Damn you. Are you spamming Recruit packs or going for the higher Veteran and Spectre packs?

Lately, I've only been going for Spectre packs.

[gokieks]

I got the useless N7 SMG too. The Victory Pack did get me another level on the Carnifex though (now up to V), so at least there's that.

Nerf to the Falcon also sucks... now I have to find a new playstyle for my Soldier class characters. =(

[famousmortimer]

Started this last night on the pc. I really, really hate the faces. They aren't animated enough or something. They look great when still but once they talk or try to emote something..... Gahhhh