Endings and Epilogues

[Badmojo]

So, how should the game end? Of course I want multiple endings and branching storyline, thats a given. But at the very end I think there needs to be a moment to talk to the companions/sort out any loose ends/and say goodbyes..etc. Sort of like the end of dragon age origin, then I want it to go through and tell what happened to all the people/places you interacted with, with following artwork showing whether you made peace, or created a living hell, what happened to the people/places after your adventures, what happens to your companions, and finally what happened to your character, did you became the emporor, or went with your romance to live away from adventuring and decided to raise a family..etc

[duskwind]

Definitely, as long as it's done properly. The epilogue to Mask of the Betrayer pissed me off; my character devoted the rest of her life to fighting alongside Kaelyn rather than buggering off back to Crossroad Keep.

[Tale]

If they're wanting to build a franchise, epilogues need to be a little more subdued. You can't become the Emperor after one game, can you? Not when you'll be picking up in game 2. And saying they don't count like happened with Dragon Age bothers me.

 

Too much detail might be too restricting for the following title. I'm entirely satisfied with "ran off into the sunset with his trusty Kobold sidekick, Knipchin." Just let me know everyone went off to further adventures. But if they're planning on doing different regions with each game? If something is left behind and not going to be part of the next game, yeah, give me closure on that.

[LadyCrimson]

What Tale said.

[Badmojo]

If they're wanting to build a franchise, epilogues need to be a little more subdued. You can't become the Emperor after one game, can you? Not when you'll be picking up in game 2. And saying they don't count like happened with Dragon Age bothers me.

 

Too much detail might be too restricting for the following title. I'm entirely satisfied with "ran off into the sunset with his trusty Kobold sidekick, Knipchin." Just let me know everyone went off to further adventures. But if they're planning on doing different regions with each game? Something left behind, yeah, give me closure on that.

 

I hate those types of endings that are open to interpretation, I also hate games like DA2 which only had one ending. You do all this stuff, given freedom to choose, and then you have the exact same ending that is meaningless (deus ex:HR, ME3..etc makes me rage). It feels pointless, I want to feel my actions led to something, not meaningless interpret the ending the way you want. There is ways to make all the threads link back together in a sequel, its a pain, but it can be done. The question is, do you want a fantastic game with a memorable personalized ending, or do you want a forgetable generic meaningless ending?

[Tale]

The ending doesn't need to be the epilogue. You can have a personalized ending in how you approach the finale battle, or even more interestingly, in who you fight for the final battle. I don't need my character to retire to one of 15 choices just to make me feel like he accomplished something.

 

And that's kind of what I see epilogues being for. What they do when you stop playing them, how they retire.

[Cantousent]

Something that appeals to me is the idea of being a support character in the grand scheme of things. You're important in the scope of the story as it unfolds, but it's clear that you're not the grand savior. That means the epilogues will be less about some epic end story and more personal in nature. I hope there's no chance of ending up general of a third world country let alone the emperor of a sprawling civilization. I think it would be better to end up as the owner of the lonely hearts inn and saloon. ...And that also means that there'd be a lot more room for expansions, like Tale says.

[nikolokolus]

This will suffice

 

http://www.anyclip.com/movies/conan-the-barbarian/epilogue/

[Badmojo]

The ending doesn't need to be the epilogue. You can have a personalized ending in how you approach the finale battle, or even more interestingly, in who you fight for the final battle. I don't need my character to retire to one of 15 choices just to make me feel like he accomplished something.

 

And that's kind of what I see epilogues being for. What they do when you stop playing them, how they retire.

 

I have taken on gods, I have seen the end of civilizations, I have flown ships across the universe and back, I have done all this and more in games, I am tired of the great battle is your ending and then leave. No, I want a lot more closure than some stupid battle (DA2 anybody?!?!) taking on the big bad. I want to feel a little closure in my choices I made. This is not retirement, this is jus the lull before the storm of the next game. Its a moment to let your character rest, or keep adventuring, or whatever he/she chooses. I just mentioned emporor as an example. Oh, and for the love of cthulhu, do NOT leave a cliffhanger ending! Have the story wrap up at the end and whatever sequel should be something completely different.

[Aram]

I think you should die at the end in a sacrifice of some sort. That's how every game should end.

[Badmojo]

This will suffice

 

http://www.anyclip.c...arian/epilogue/

 

Oh, they HAVE to have that as a possible ending...please, please, please obsidian!

[generic.hybridity]

I always like the epilogue crawl which summarises the impact you had on the world. All the little side quests that you completed and a small vignette to let you know the consequences. Doesn't need to be world changing in any sense. Merely just to demonstrate your actions effected this virtual world.

[Tale]

The ending doesn't need to be the epilogue. You can have a personalized ending in how you approach the finale battle, or even more interestingly, in who you fight for the final battle. I don't need my character to retire to one of 15 choices just to make me feel like he accomplished something.

 

And that's kind of what I see epilogues being for. What they do when you stop playing them, how they retire.

 

I have taken on gods, I have seen the end of civilizations, I have flown ships across the universe and back, I have done all this and more in games, I am tired of the great battle is your ending and then leave. No, I want a lot more closure than some stupid battle (DA2 anybody?!?!) taking on the big bad. I want to feel a little closure in my choices I made.

That can come the setting, not the character. Closure only makes sense on things that actually close. If game 1 takes place in the east and game 2 takes place in the west, then the east can close. But the companions you bring east to west have yet to do so. Timmy goes on to mayor the town and die in his bed at 87. That's closure. Timmy goes to school next summer, and then... well, after that it's up in the air because he's appearing in game 2. That's not a closing. Lying to me and saying Timmy becomes the mayor and dies happily in his bed when in game 2 he ends up dying during the middle of the adventure, that's not tolerable.

 

This is not retirement, this is jus the lull before the storm of the next game. Its a moment to let your character rest, or keep adventuring, or whatever he/she chooses.

How is that distinct from riding into the sunset?

[nikolokolus]

I always like the epilogue crawl which summarises the impact you had on the world. All the little side quests that you completed and a small vignette to let you know the consequences. Doesn't need to be world changing in any sense. Merely just to demonstrate your actions effected this virtual world.

 

That's why I posted that little Conan Epilogue clip, sometimes it's enough to just have a narrator or future historian recounting your exploits in a short little summary, minus the splashy ending movie or slide show. It can be vague, or it can be detailed, but mostly what people really want to know is how their character is perceived and/or remembered.

[Freddo]

I really like it when there are large meaty epilogues in a game. It's always nice to see what happens to the people you gotten to know after you saved the kingdom/world/whatever. So I hope there's a very nice epilogue in this game too

[Kraidy117]

I just want a good ending with no RGB. A meety epilogue would be nice, but really just a satasfying ending would be enoughor me, or even how PS:T handled the "perfect" ending.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Kraidy117