Are Mass Effect Fans 'Greedy' and 'Entitled'?

Blog posted on Deadlymint.com.

Fans of the popular sci-fi and rpg trilogy were abuzz with excitement over the release of Mass Effect 3 in March. The third entry into the franchise concluded Commander Shepard’s space-faring story and brought multiplayer into the fray for the first time in the series. Since its release, the game has garnered universal praise from critics and social media and had sold nearly 4 million copies in March alone.

But, although the game has received critical acclaim and mostly good reviews, the majority of recent controversy primarily lies with the game’s endings. It would be an understatement to say that most fans were disappointed by how the game ended, despite the stellar performance of the overall game.

Mass Effect has always been a largely decision-based type of game. From the very beginning of the trilogy, you customize your Commander Shepard character and go through the game making pivotal choices as you interact with the main characters and move the plot forward. Concepts like morality come into play in this game in ways that I’ve scarcely seen before in other video games. For example, a choice that you make could save one character but get another character killed, or spare an entire species but completely annihilate another species.

Developers Bioware had promised and assured fans many times prior to the game’s release that the huge decisions that you made in previous games would come into play and effect how the ending plays out. In some ways, those decisions do affect some of the game, but they play almost no role in the ending as the developers promised.

Many fans banded together on the Bioware forums and through various social media outlets to protest the ending, demanding the developers to change or expand it. I would suspect that Bioware received a great deal of hate mail interlaced with the occasional death threat due to the endings of Mass Effect 3.

Finally, after weeks of Bioware producers seeing such positive response to the overall game and such negative response to the game’s endings, they announced that they would be releasing a free DLC (downloadable content) sometime over the Summer which would expand on the endings and provide players more closure to the storyline.

Because of this, others within the gaming community have retaliated against Mass Effects fans, saying that the fans are “greedy” and “feel entitled” because of them demanding that the ending be changed. Bioware was also partially criticized for spoonfeeding and catering to their fans by releasing expanded endings.

As far as this issue goes, I’m a bit conflicted. Part of me feels that it was a bit ridiculous and that fans did go a bit overboard by “demanding” that Bioware change the endings. But the “Mass Effect fanboy” part of me can’t help but agree that, yeah, the endings were pretty freakin crappy and that Bioware didn’t exactly tie up the trilogy the way they promised they were going to. As far as I’m concerned, the fans had every right to be angry over the endings because the company made certain claims about player decisions but then didn’t integrate them the way they said they would.

Personally, although I am a huge fan of the game and although I too hated the ending, I’m not among those people on the warpath demanding that Bioware release new content. I do think that those select few were a bit obsessed and that their demands did get a bit out of hand in some cases.

However, I also don’t necessarily agree that the fans are “greedy” or “entitled” merely because they were irritated about the ending.

I feel that critics are only calling Mass Effect fans greedy because Bioware is actually following through and doing something about it. Nobody literally held a gun to their head and forced them to add new content to the game. They chose to do that of their own accord. Bioware could have just done nothing and sat back to reap the rewards of their millions of game sales. Eventually, the fans that were fired up over the ending would have simmered down and gotten over it in time. Instead, Bioware chose to heed devoted fan response and add more to the game to make it more enjoyable. If Bioware hadn’t done anything about it, the fans would just be angry fans. But instead, because of Bioware’s decision to release expanded endings, they are considered “greedy” fans.

What do you all think? Are Mass Effect fans’ demands justified, or do these fans come off as winey and greedy?

Sell Your Digital “Loot” For Real Cash in Diablo 3

The game industry and gamers alike are abuzz over the recent launch of Blizzard Entertainment’s highly anticipated new game, Diablo 3. This third entry into the classic best-selling dark fantasy RPG has brought about a huge gathering of loyal fans and endless midnight launch lines. These avid gamers have long been awaiting the sequel’s release since the launch of Diablo 2 eleven years ago.

A very controversial new feature for the role-playing juggernaut is the addition of the online Auction House. This feature (not yet implemented into the game) allows players to collect digital armor, weapons and other “loot” that they in the game and buy, sell, and trade them with real players online. What sets this apart from other online games? The consolation prize for these transactions is real life money, not digital gold coins.

What does this say about the growing economic legitimacy of online video games? It certainly shows that social media enterprise has extended to the point that even incorporeal, digital products (in-game items) can now be bought and sold for value online just as much as real products and services.

This phenomenon can be related to the growing concern over many video game producers trying to exploit players for more money through online service fees and expensive DLC (downloadable content). Furthermore, there are a number of fans who are irked at the idea of spending their hard earned real money to purchase digital items that hold no actual value. In the past, there had been illegitimate websites known for scamming video gamers out of their money by promising to sell them rare in game items or video game currency. The only difference now is that this Auction House system is sponsored and maintained by Blizzard Entertainment.

The Auction House system is due to be released via Diablo 3 beginning May 29. It should be interesting to see how effective this method of online digital commerce will be or how players will react to a growing emphasis of marketization within their beloved video games. 

Music Review: Our Waking Hour - "Seconds to Save Her"

Music review written for EMURG.com.

Our Waking Hour is:

Vocals – Blaine Beckman

Drums – Aaron Harvey

Guitars/vocals – Erik Seime

Bass – Joey Villefranca

Too often, many modern hard rock and metal bands just use sheer, pointless anger and screaming as their main focal point through their music. It’s good that there are still new rock bands that preserve real moral fiber and emotion balanced with a sound brimming with adrenaline and energy.

San Antonio rockers, Our Waking Hour, is one such example of an alternative/hard rock band that doesn’t need to conform to a “scream blindly and angrily at the world” kind of mentality with their music. Their message, as portrayed in many songs on Seconds to Save Her, is one of inspiration and hope. Furthermore, it is delivered in a way that is pulse-pounding, cutting edge, and thought provoking.

The album starts off with a short “Intro” that begins with eerie chimes before gradually picking up pace to segway into the first actual song of the album, “Seconds to Save Her”. This song got me hooked on the dazzling and emotional sound that Our Waking Hour weaves throughout the rest of the album. They achieve this sound by blending energetic drumming and guitar vibes, sprinkled on with just the right amount of dramatic emotion and rich vocals. From this track, I found that Our Waking Hour’s overall sound was most reminiscent of the band Red. However, they do have their own original sound that, in some ways, has a more soul-searching aura about it.

Music Review: Edisun - "Edisun"

Edisun is:

Ethan Isaac – vocals

Jonathan Svec – guitar

Joel Kelley – guitar

Todd Budich – drums

James Cruz – bass

Going into this review I had already heard Edisun’s single, “Wide Awake”. It quickly became a song that I listened to on my IPod repeatedly. I was eager to explore the rest of Edisun’s debut album more thoroughly, and found that it still exceeded my expectations. One of the things that blew me away about this quintet from Connecticut was that they are able to blend together classic and modern rock and make it sound amazing. Their jazzy sound stems from blues rock and classic rock bands such as Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, and U2, while adding in an energy and modern flare found in recent hard rock and alternative rock bands like Stone Sour. It is this clever blending of the old and new that gives Edisun an original sound to be appreciated and craved.

The self-titled album opens up with the song, “Wide Awake”, which starts the album off on an energetic note. This song is not only the one that is most familiar to me, but is also the one that I still find the most addicting. From the opening guitar line, this song gives off the vibe of a lively party song that kicks the door down with its signature chorus and vocals “Riot in this Town!” The guitar riffs, stylish drum beats, and Isaac’s versatile vocals work well in this single and highlight Edisun’s unique sound in this opening track. Regardless of how good the rest of the album and the band’s future work may be, this will likely be one of the songs that define Edisun later on.

Music Review: Concordia - "Clarity of Perception"

Concordia is a fresh, new five-piece hard/alternative rock band that originated in Cleveland, Ohio in late 2011. Concordia is a testament to just how varied and innovative bands in the hard rock spectrum can be. In one sense, this band is a pure driving force of melodic sounds and instrumentals, but they do so in a way that is powerful and adrenaline pumping all the same. I consider them to be a soft, melodic band with the energy and vigor of a metal band. It can be so rare nowadays to find a band with that uplifting “feel good” melodic sound, but with backing edginess and adrenaline that gets your blood flowing in the process.

Concordia’s debut release, Clarity of Perception, opens up with the track “Spoon-fed Sheep.” This was rightly chosen to be the opening track because it is easily one of the best if not the best on the album and it will likely be one of the defining landmarks for the band. This is my favorite track due not only to its harmonious vocals and a sound not all that dissimilar to Linkin Park (particularly vocalist Eric Emery’s striking similarity to Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington), but also because of the lyrics and the song’s overall pronouncing message.

The song, as evidenced by the lyrics, is largely political. The song deals with the idea of our government’s controlling, manipulating and lying to us while covering up their own vices. After a good keyboard opening, the song soon delves into the first set of lyrics that had my hooked on the song from the start. “Details of the crimes are never found. Secrets, all the lies are disavowed. Photos burned to hide the protected. While our freedom’s rejected.” I can really level with and understand these lyrics and this, along with the fluid instrumentals, really get me fired up and ready to rally behind the band’s beliefs. This opening song did an exemplary job at showing listeners what the band is capable of and how they use their melody blended with raw power to express impacting topics and emotions through their lyrics.

Sci-fi Excerpt: "Incognito"

This is a stand-alone chapter for my sci-fi novel and, again, from the POV of Areya.

Areya watched the various people of the neighborhood go about their business, frowning and muttering words of condemnation for each of their seemingly trivial actions and behaviors as she crossed her arms and meekly observed. None of what these human beings were doing seemed to make sense to her.

She thought back to such occurrences that she’d witnessed since she’d landed here forty-eight lunar rotations earlier…

“Why throw the orange ball into the hoop? Why park the wheeled vehicle between the white lines? Why settle down in huddled groups to watch such preposterous images play across a televised screen? Why gather around the table to eat meals as a family unit rather than doing so of one’s own accord?” she pondered to herself.

It all seemed so utterly pointless. Why did such actions encompass their entire lives when these humans could potentially be invaded by enemies at any given moment?!

Many years ago, as a youngling, Areya had asked her mother and father –two of Clan Varsoloth’s finest military dignitaries- why her own species chose to reject intimate family gatherings. At the time, they had scolded her for spouting such blasphemous notions and showed her the error of her thinking by giving her ten lashes across her olive-skinned face. Afterward, they had then sternly explained to her that their species prided themselves on strength. Family togetherness only increased a youngling’s dependency for its parents; it was a sign of weakness and personal instability.  

Ralph the Central Park Unicorn

“Taxi! Hey, taxi!”

Richard Samson stepped out precariously into the road, waving his hand over his head in an attempt to hail the flashing yellow forms of the cabs zooming by him. He suddenly stepped out precariously close to one of the passing taxi cabs. The cabbie blared his horn and shouted an obscenity out his window as the hurried businessman clipped his right mirror with his briefcase.

Richard cursed and jumped back onto the sidewalk as his black briefcase rebounded off the side of the taxi like rubber, flinging into a nearby puddle of water. His flustered, mustached face looked back in the direction of the fleeing taxi cab. At the last second before it rounded the corner, the cabbie’s hairy arm rose from the window, pronouncing his unceremonious farewell with a middle finger pointed in Richard’s direction.

He rubbed his veiny temples, muttering disdainful words about his job, New York City traffic, the colorful and wonderful cabby that had nearly taken his arm off, and other things that annoyed him in that moment. He gave a grimace as his nimble fingers grasped the handle of his fallen briefcase. He spastically shook the excess mucky water from its leather surface like a dog shaking water out of its fur.

Richard took a deep breath and saw ever more taxis passing by him like a yellow bull rush, obviously oblivious to this working man’s need to hitch a ride home. Across from him, on the other side of the street, something else caught his eye amid the rushing traffic and various street vendors boisterously soliciting their wares.