Dedicated fan writes near 600 page rewrite of Mass Effect 3
A dedicated fan of the Mass Effect game series has written a near 600 page document that features a rewrite of Mass Effect 3.
Mass Effect 3 launched in March 2012 and, despite receiving critical acclaim worldwide, angered many fans of the series with criticism focusing on the game’s ending. Fans were so unhappy that they launched a campaign demanding developers to make a better ending.
Since then, one of the writers blasted the game’s lead writer and executive producer, fans organised a fund-raiser to take back Mass Effect 3, the co-founders of the game’s developers, BioWare, retired and left the studio, complaints were filed with the US Better Business Bureau and the UK Advertising Standings Authority and an extended cut of the original ending was released in 2012.
But one fan from New Jersey was so upset he decided he would rewrite the game featuring new endings, character class, powers, cutscenes, dialogue and missions, amongst many other impressive details.
Gerry Pugliese, an aspiring screenwriter and professional blogger, decided in July 2012 to write the 539 page document titled “Mass Effect 3: Vindication”, which offers a blueprint for fixing Mass Effect 3.
Further explaining his frustration with the ending to Roobla, he said: “The second the ‘Star Child’ strolled into the picture, I said, ‘Oh crap.’ Meeting the Star Child-Catalyst was the unraveling. Why does he look like the little boy from Shepard’s mind? How did the Citadel, essentially, get into Shepard’s brain all of a sudden? It makes no sense – felt like a half-assed attempt at sentimentality and trying to tie it altogether. It plays into the ‘Indoctrination Theory,’ that’s it.
“But the tri-colored endings really stung. Mass Effect is all about choice, I understand that, but to be able to choose your ending, from a pool of endings that negate the way your Shepard lived his/her life, was cheap, an easy way out, and lessened the series as whole.”
He continued: “In Mass Effect 3: Vindication, I stick with the Destroy, Synthesis, and Control theme, but I force your morality path and military strength to dictate which ending you receive. In essence, you picked your ending long before the Return to the Citadel, without even knowing it.”
Since releasing at the weekend, the document has received enormous amounts of attention both from fans of the series to members of the press. Gerry has been featured in articles published on Kotaku, Forbes, Game Informer, amongst many others.
Talking to Roobla about the success the script has generated, he said: “The response from fans has been amazing. I’ve received a ton of emails and tweets supporting the project. Fans are identifying with the ME3V – a lot of people have flat out said, they wish the original game was like this. I get the sense that fans appreciate all the effort I put into ME3V, which many feel was lacking in the original game. Truth be told, if people praise ME3V solely on the effort that it took to create it, then I did a good job.”
Gerry did acknowledge in the introduction of the script that he personally wishes to be hired as a writer for video games. “I’d be lying if I didn’t admit there is a personal gamble here,” he said. “Hello, game companies! And miscellaneous people who might want to hire me. If you like what you’re about to read, I’d love to discuss any opportunities you might have. I have a resume, references, I’m up to date on all my shots and house broken. So yes, part of why I wrote ME3V is because I think it’d be really cool to work in the video game industry, and I know I can do it.”
Despite the pleas, and acclaim from fans and media around the world, Gerry says that EA, nor BioWare, have acknowledged him or his script and he hasn’t recieved any job offers from other gaming companies as of yet. However, he says he does have a “Phase 2” plan relating to a job in the industry.
“Yes, ME3V has made a big stink online, but do people at these high-profile companies really give a damn about me? I don’t know,” he said.
Gerry’s script is available for download here and has a Twitter account also linked here.
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