Unwinnable Main Questline?

[Monte Carlo]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned an ending where Nations are Enslaved by Necromancy.

 

Then again I'd find that a very happy ending.

[vv221]

You should try the campaign of Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War (the first).

The ending is surprising, the total opposite of what you were trying during the whole campaign.

[Marceror]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned an ending where Nations are Enslaved by Necromancy.

 

Then again I'd find that a very happy ending.

 

That actually could be a lead in to a great sequel.

 

In Project Eternity all nations were enslaved by an evil necromancer, and the populous turned into undead thralls. Now you get to kick ass and take revenge in: Project Eternity 2: Undead Apocalypse

 

You and a band of surviving rebels have found a cache of futuristic weaponry! You'll put that to good use taking out hordes of zombies in the progressive, first person shooter! And yes, there WILL be a plasma gun!

 

YEAH! Let me empty my savings account right now to help fund this sucker!

[Soranor]

I don't care if the ending is either happy or sad, but I'd like to have an ending that is not "you saved the world!" Give our characters and npcs motivations and goals that aren't completely overwritten by the need to stop the great evil that threatens all life.

[Kai]

What you've sadly ignored when creating this topic is the HUGE amount of games that have sad/depressing endings. Some that are unwinnable like when you fight Kangaxx in BG2, which is simply impossible to pull off. In other games, you often have the option to a sad ending by either go into a fight with a terrible tactics (like in IE games) or by simply not doing any damage to your enemies. And it's not like there's just one single place in these games where you have the option for the sad ending (but dying by the hand of Kangaxx is especially epic, and infuriating after the 57th try or so), it's avaiable pretty much all the time.

 

So I really think that having an ending like that is kinda boring, it's been done literally thousands of times. And that's why I find this topic redundant.

 

I've beaten Kangaxx. In his second form too, just to let you know that that particular example doesnt work.

 

Well so have I, and I'm perfectly aware that it was a poor example. Just wanted to include Kangaxx in my post as I still remember the tons of "How do I defeat Kangaxx?"-threads at PBG a few years back. I tend to view every topic created by mcmanusaur as an invite to write posts that aren't overly serious. =)

[The Guilty Party]

Depressing endings are no better, more mature, or more interesting than happy endings. Both are simplistic.

 

In stories that are worth experiencing, victory comes at a cost, and failure comes with a lesson.

[PsychoBlonde]

 

Why? Mask of the Betrayer had a more or less happy ending (assuming of course that you found all of the pieces of the mask). You don't get to make a major change to the nature of the afterlife, but the player character can live happily ever after.

 

"More or less" happy != conventionally happy. What kind of an ending is "well, I got my soul back, but millions of people will continue to suffer horrible torturous dissolution in the afterlife, many through no fault of their own."

 

Yay.

[PsychoBlonde]

 

In stories that are worth experiencing, victory comes at a cost, and failure comes with a lesson.

 

And tequila comes with a lime.

[Pshaw]

No and no to both choices. Dark endings, sad endings, and cliffhangers do not mean good endings. They can be good endings but it doesn't guarantee it. Wanting a dark ending isn't anything new and is just as cliche as 'happy' and 'complete' endings. Make quality endings regardless of the tone.

 

I certainly don't want a cliffhanger by any means. The story should be wrapped up for better or worse in 1 game. An expansion can take the story further without needing a cliff hanger. This was done in Throne of Bhaal and DA:A for example. Cliff hangers are an overused device and in something like a video game where you might now want to or be able to buy the sequels I think it's a bit of a cheap trick to not have most everything wrapped up in a game. Some threats can be left at large but the major plot line should be wrapped up not left hanging.

 

In the end I think multiple endings are really the way to go based off how you played. If you pillaged every town and killed everything in your way things shouldn't be so peachy in the wake of the destruction. If you work your ass off keeping everybody safe and everybody happy it's a bit of a shot to the balls to get to the end and be told that everything still sucks regardless. Let our choices dictate the endings don't pigeon hold us into something dark or happy.

[Jorian Drake]

I simply can't take this seriously.

Why not? Aren't you bored by the fact that every single game must have a predictably happy ending?

 

I like diversity, I like games that allow more than 2 endings, especially if those are not "color coded" and just repainted clones of the same hamster

 

Your poll is not a real poll, I would have chosen "sure, also have those as possible endings", the cliffhanger may be something like a foreshadowing of what to come, or something that ties-in the story to what already happened (like in case of Deus Ex 3 which had the secret ending what connected it truly to Deus Ex 1)

 

I however like my happy endings thanks, getting a single ending forced on us is already bad, it is even worse if it is a cliffhanger, a sad ending, or anything remotedly similar to what Mass Effect 3 had before the "extended cut" had an actual epilogue included. I want good endings, being happy or sad is not a guarantee for them to be one, but a cliffhanger basically guarantees it to be a bad one.

 

I am not surprised many can't take this thread seriously, it basically has everything a beginner troll would have in its first thread.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Jorian Drake

[Corvus Metus]

Can someone give me a "happy ending" in a recent role-playing game or even a classic one?

 

Hell, I could likely count the happy, Disney-style ending in fantasy fiction that I've read on one hand.

[Darth Trethon]

You know OP.....there's this road I know with really packed, high speed traffic that's going just about 24/7, it's perfect for you to play in.

 

Also there's no withdrawing any pledge at this point, Kikstarter pledges can no longer be altered and have been collected and there never was any sort of taking back any paypal pledge.

 

Oh and for the record there's no kind of ending I enjoy more than a gloriously awesome ending.....with much win in it.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Darth Trethon

[HansKrSG]

I am sure others have mentioned this, just wont bother reading the whole thread. The "Good" ending in Planescape: Torment,

 

Spolier Alert!

 

still had you go to hell and fight the bloodwar for all eternity as your punishment for the deeds of your first incarnation. And it was awesome, so in short, I support having the end be ranging from bad to worse for the protagonist.

 

Edited November 9, 2012 by HansKrSG

[Aldereth]

I do not consider a happy ending lame. It is even more horrible when developers came up short when they tried to go for the "cool" endings that fits with one or more of the following descriptors: tragic, poignant, layered, complex, open to interpretation.

Case and point, Bioware want to go for all of the above and we end up with Mass Effect 3 original ending.

 

Regretably , the real life "ending" of how the completely out of control, insane fans reaction that may have prompted the "two doctors" of Bioware's retirement from the industry was indeed tragic, poignant, layered, complex and open to interpretation all at the same time. Tragic Loss. Sigh.

[Starglider]

After playing a game for 40+ hours I like to feel I've achieved something significant, even if there were major sacrifices made to reach the ultimate goal.

[Tamerlane]

Can someone give me a "happy ending" in a recent role-playing game or even a classic one?

 

Hell, I could likely count the happy, Disney-style ending in fantasy fiction that I've read on one hand.

Some of the lighter-hearted JRPGs, I guess.

 

But an infinite number of those gets balanced out by the existence of NieR, the most depressing piece of media I have ever seen.

[ZeroBlackbirds]

Does the OP actually play fantasy games or read fantasy lit or even, gods forbid, "high" lit with a fantasy edge? My thoughts are that he has dabbled and little else because if he had bothered to dip more than his little toe in, he'd realize there are a lot of tragic endings. They are probably in the majority in most well-written/designed books and games.

 

I expect to see multiple endings for this game or one exceptionally well-done ending that fits the story. Not one that pleases His Lordship, mcmanusaur.

 

Nice work on the poll too. It's not a poll if the only option is "Yes." Adding that bit about withdrawing backing just makes it better and smacks of whiny gamer entitlement.

[Amberion]

This is a terrible poll. Where are the options to vote for happy endings? And why threaten to withdraw funding? Do you really think you'll get their attention with that? It's needlessly hostile-sounding.

[Amberion]

Can someone give me a "happy ending" in a recent role-playing game or even a classic one?

 

Hell, I could likely count the happy, Disney-style ending in fantasy fiction that I've read on one hand.

The ending to Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal was pretty happy. Whether you chose to ascend or not, good things happen to your character.

[Kore]

No thanks, I'm bored to tears of zombie apocalypse films that invariably end in everyone dying. I like closure on my storylines, not "oh and now everyone is dead. Sorry." I need satisfaction at the end of something that I have worked hard on.

 

I do not want a cliffhanger. I do not want an anti climax.

 

I would very much be in favour of a dynamic ending that is determined by player actions though.

[wanderon]

I simply can't take this seriously.

Why not? Aren't you bored by the fact that every single game must have a predictably happy ending?

 

Actually I am more bored with polls that only offer options that favor the posters viewpoint or even worse forget to add an "other" option.

 

Of course this isn't really a poll at all but instead a petition war of some sort. I have to agree I can't take this with any degree of seriousity either...

[wanderon]

No thanks, I'm bored to tears of zombie apocalypse films that invariably end in everyone dying. I like closure on my storylines, not "oh and now everyone is dead. Sorry." I need satisfaction at the end of something that I have worked hard on.

 

I do not want a cliffhanger. I do not want an anti climax.

 

I would very much be in favour of a dynamic ending that is determined by player actions though.

 

This - exactly...

[Monte Carlo]

Let's give credit where credit's due, the end of Dragon Age was interesting and different, giving you a wrap-up of all the different quests you did (big and small) and allowing you to die in a blaze of glory and be remembered yadda yadda. That was good.

 

Something like that, structurally, without Bio histrionics and fan-fic level writing would be fine by me.

[SophosTheWise]

By the way, an example of an AWESOME happy ending:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNTlDesrY3w&list=FL_Vc7cqAvtZqElhUDQcEZfg&index=61&feature=plpp_video

 

Even though I don't think Obsidian can pull that off. I mean, it's James Joyce. Nobody can pull that off.

Edited November 10, 2012 by SophosTheWise

[PsychoBlonde]

The ending to Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal was pretty happy. Whether you chose to ascend or not, good things happen to your character.

 

Well, assuming you weren't playing as the Evilist Bastard Who Ever Lived anyway. Which you could TOTALLY do.

 

Granted, if you're evil and evil things happen, that might still constitute a happy ending. Not a conventional one, mind you . . .

 

It'd be nice if people distinguish between "good" and "happy" though.