User blog comment:Awayorafk/Believe. The Indoctrination Theory./@comment-1203034-20141015021147/@comment-75.71.167.143-20160621181214

@Alertfiend, I'm thinking through this like a game developer: I think I'll make an ending where a giant laser beam hits the ground in front of the player, knocks them out, and throws them closer to the beam. Then I'll make Harbinger fly away as Shepard is about to reach the Conduit. Next, I'll sprinkle in some radio chatter stating Hammer had been wiped out about 3 seconds before Shepard (and Anderson, magically) reach the beam. I'll add a couple husks and a marauder, but don't fret dear player, you'll have unlimited ammo for that part. So... thinking this through... I'm designing it so that you get to the beam, it takes you to the Citadel and Anderson is there. Wait, didn't I just say he was wiped out? Well never mind, he's on the Citadel. I'll make it so he "follows you up", then you spend 5 minutes creeping to a control panel and... oh, shoot, I need Anderson to be there. So... he's just... there. He's just there, ok? Then I need something cinematic with Anderson and the Illusive Man... oh, I know. Now the Illusive Man has magical powers where he can control both Anderson and Shepard's bodies. Why? It's like Harbinger controlling the Collector General... wait, the Collectors were indoctrinated and genetically altered so that Harbinger could control them... hm... well it just works for anyone now. Very straight-forward, no explanation required. A bunch of blah blah so Sheen can make a thrilling exit, we'll shoot Anderson in the stomach, then have Shepard hold his stomach and zoom in on a bullet wound there. Wait, who got shot? Never mind, we already have the blood texture on Shepard so... he got shot... too? Remember, as a game developer, I mean for all of this to be taken literally. If JFK can be hit by a magic bullet, Shepard can too. It's just a game. Ok, so what next. Here's the control room for the Citadel, Shepard's at the panel... he uses the panel... but that's lame I can't end the game there. Let me drop a magic elevator... it'll take Shepard into space to see a Reaper-AI-space-ghost. Wait, Shepard's in space... didn't the helmet and armor get blown up? Um, never mind, it's ok, he can just breathe now. It's fine. Ok, Reaper-AI-space-ghost... he should probably look like a Reaper right? Oh dude, I just had the best idea; he looks like the kid from the beginning! Wait, how do the Reapers know what he looks like? Aw, they're powerful, they just know the intimate thoughts of everyone. It's fine. I just hope the players remember this is a literal interpretation; as a designer I sure don't want them questioning any of this. Nah, it'll all be fine. They've only got 120 hours invested over the course of 3 games, they won't notice something silly and insignificant like a hole in the ending of the trilogy. Anyway, back from coffee, let's keep designing this game. Ok, we need to stop the Reapers. It's been our goal through all 3 games. Oh, I know, we like to give the player choice so let's go that route. Reaper Ghost gives us 3 choices: kill the Reapers like you've been trying to do the entire time, control them (players won't notice you told the Illusive Man this option is a mistake like 4 minutes ago... that was like 4 minutes ago; who has that kind of attention span) or join with them in an organic-synthetic "synthesis" (oh crap, that's what Saren was trying to do in ME1... well, that was all the way back in ME1; if they don't remember talking to the Illusive Man 4 minutes ago, they definitely won't remember anything from ME1). So they chose one of the three... if they pick control or synthesis let's pop in some indoctrinated eyes like the Illusive Man and Reaper-tech-Saren (it's the only eye texture I have handy so that will work fine). Then everything blows up; oh crap we're out of time! Ok so boom, red, blue, green. The end. Dang, I developed one heck of an ending to the most awarded video game franchise ever. They won't notice any of the short cuts I took; besides, I already have their $60 at this point. Now to go screw up Dragon Age!