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Paul Tassi, Contributor
News and opinion about video games, technology and the internet
I've been told that the article I wrote yesterday about Bioware's bungling of Mass Effect 3 was the only real defense of the game's fans that exists in "mainstream" gaming journalism. And sure enough, when I looked around, I found huge sites like Kotaku, IGN and GiantBomb mocking fans for complaining about the unsatisfying conclusion.
It's something I don't quite understand. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, who believes all mainstream game journos are in the pockets of EA and Activision, but still, I don't get their rationale. As a fan, I was disappointed with the ending of ME3, and agree with many fans that it's so lackluster that it taints the entire series.
But that's not why I wrote that piece. Because of issues like the underwhelming ending which slaps customers in the face by immediately telling them to buy more future DLC, companies like Bioware (and in turn, EA) will start to suffer financially in the long run. Brand loyalty is a hugely important factor in the business, and a company that once had much of it, is watching it slowly slip away. Ask Valve's Gabe Newell how important fan support is. The man's a recently minted billionaire who has been riding high on the shoulders of his adoring consumers for well over a decade.
As this is Forbes, a business publication, I feel the need to explicitly state the following: fan service is good business.
What that does NOT mean is that all paid DLC is evil, and every bad game ending must be fixed to please fans. But there is a difference between the right way to handle either concept, and the way that makes everyone hate you. While DLC for games like Fallout 3, Borderlands or Red Dead Redemption have been quite substantial, fans look at a day one package from Bioware with one new (seemingly important) character as gouging. Similarly, it's not unreasonable for fans who have invested 100 hours into a series that many view with as much reverence as Star Wars, to ask that the ending reflect the quality of the rest of the series, and live up to the game's central premise of "choices matter."
Bioware did this all wrong. Die hard fans were going to buy Mass Effect 3, and even the collector's edition regardless of whatever preorder bonuses or day one DLC there was. If they had just been a tiny bit patient, and allowed the DLC to come out at an appropriate time, none of this blowback would be happening.
Rather, as the end of the game is inescapably final, they could have easily released a series of "lost missions" found in the interim of the game's plot, including a more involved encounter with the day one DLC Prothean. They still could have made their ten dollars with that mission pack, but they would have suffered none of the fan wrath.
Once again, perfectly stated.
Disappointing to see some of the game sites get indignant without truly understanding the cause.
Actually the last time game devs and producers have screwed the fans like this was the Sony Online Entertainment epic failing: NGE.
Star wars galaxies was an awesome game, they sold and add on to the game announciing fixes for some classes that they was actually planning to delete rom the game in the next change of game.. And what change it have been… From 31 or 32 professions they made 9. What happened the story is still fresh in all the customers fans there: 1 day before NGE a city in game made and occupied by more than 350 players. 3 days after: 350 empty houses and 8 players still hoping changes would come…2 weeks later: Less houses 3 players . Lor of promises on forum, some arrogant denying messages on boards "we work on it don't worry we wil make it better EVERYONE LIKE IT justsome whiners there don't you worry etc etc" And where is star wars galaxies now? They stopped the last servers the lastes monthes of 2011. Bioware inherited of the star wars baby thanks to the SPOILED fan base from Kotor…And now they play with their fans feets saying shut up you know nothing the end is awesome, you will never be happy do with what you get and buy the nextes dlc. Well…I won't buy any dlc…Why for? Why bother? Add more companions to the end of the mass effect world?
While I still maintain that there's room to interpret the ending sequence as psychological rather than philosophical (i.e., taking place in Shepard's mind rather than offering a definitive rationale and conclusion to the series), you make a good point about the suspicious reaction from games journalists.
Naturally, not every reviewer drinks deep from EA's fountain, but it's easy to see a defense mechanism in their response: namely, the fan backlash raises serious questions about the process of reviewing games. For reviewers to rate the game so highly, knowing that the primary interpretation of the ending can retroactively sour the entire experience (even the entire franchise, some claim), produces some issues. How can something "definitive" like a score mediate between the very good (most of the game) and the very bad (the ending)? How much weight can one place on something like an ending, especially in a story-driven game? How can a reviewer apply proper criticism without angering a fan base and publisher who both expect the review to conform to their not-always-aligned expectations?
The Mass Effect 3 debacle casts a critical light on game critics, and I don't think they appreciate that kind of attention, hence their reaction. But it is important to deal with these issues in order for games journalism – and beyond that, games scholarship – to become credible and worthwhile.
Thank you! Your pieces on Mass Effect 3 over the past couple weeks (although I've been following since your piece on SOPA, et al.) have really demonstrated the sort of journalistic consideration that sites like Kotaku, IGN, etc. often fail at — I suspect in large part because they are gamers first and journalists second, and may not have the grounding in critical assessment needed to step back and consider the larger perspective on gaming and internet related issues.
Leaving aside whether or not fans are 'owed' the ending they want, where the line of artistic ownership and literary criticism falls, the writer-reader contract and all the other lines of discussion on this, BioWare/EA are going to have to handle this in a way that will benefit their continued sales.
Ignoring it is not an ideal option — they've certainly lost my spending dollars, as well as those of my friends, at least as far as more Mass Effect product goes. The lot of us, and as female gamers we're an increasingly-exploitable niche, pre-ordered and most of us pre-ordered the Collector's Edition at that.
As BioWare still has the reputation for being one of the few major development companies that considers that people other than straight, white young men might play their games, we're not likely to entirely desert them. However, the trust that has us all blindly dropping $70 on a game title because we believed they would make it worth it has been severely shaken. DLC purchases for the ME universe, unfixed, are largely off the menu. Purchases of new games are not going to be pre-orders, or even early purchases. The general feeling is that we won't be likely to do more than risk $15-20 on their titles, unless they come extensively vetted first.
This could be easily fixed.
Offering a DLC that adds additional ending options, expands on the current ones, clarifies what was actually going on, or even gives an ending slideshow covering What Happened In The Rest Of The Galaxy should not be difficult to do.
Offering it for free would be an absolute PR coup for them, but I understand that content requires paying the content creators. Offering it for a price is acceptable too, although this becomes trickier to navigate — couching it in terms of 'we miscalculated' is good. Couching it in terms of 'God, will THIS shut you up?' would not be.
That is an excellent point. BioWare is absolutely my favorite developer. I've sunk hundred of hours (and dollars) into their games. But, no more. Why should I sink another 100 in DLC into it just to have the same horrid ending?
Another great article, Mr Tassi.
I think it seems that the good people here at Forbes understand or at least have researched what our real problem is.
We're not upset just because we didn't get the "happy" ending some of us were hoping for. Sure it would have been nice, but I would have been just as happy with a heroically tragic ending that fit the story and provides closure to Shepard's story.
I would be willing to pay for an ending as the one fan said "to make it go away," but I think that would be the last time I purchase anything from Bioware, especially dlc. If they do try that, it'll make me feel like I paid for an incomplete game where they held the "real" ending hostage and ransomed the ending. I hope it doesn't come to that. I do believe Bioware is better than that, or at the very least I hope they are.
Paul Tassi > Colin IGN
Thank you for seeing the issue in a more balanced sense then alot of other journalist. I was surprised when the people who are so displeased with the ending were be called entitled, whiny, immature and attempting to destroy the artistic vision of the writers. I feel that was a very narrow view of the issue at hand. All the players really wanted was an ending that concluded the series, took our decisions into account when it came time for that ending, and made sense. This was not what was delivered. It didn't even have to be a happy ending. I can handle a sad endings/art, in fact some of my favorite pieces of art are sad (Movie: Harold and Maude, Sculpture: Pieta by Michelangelo). What I cant handle is a poorly executed ending that flys in the face of all the wonderful writing and artistic direction (AKA my choices matter in the end) we had had up until that point.
Again thank you for the article.
Daniel Keating
The thing that's weird to me about ME fans is the demand that Bioware fix it. I get the angry tweets, blogs and comments, but not the campaign to have it changed to their liking. I've been disappointed by a lot of endings in the past but I never tried to force a new version of it into creation, and I certainly didn't try to make the media support me. Fans are saying to gaming websites, "back us or that means EA is paying you!" and I find that sort of attitude absolutely ludicrous. Even worse, that sentiment is common whenever gamers disagree with a reviewer (see the Modern Warfare 3 fallout). It just seems very childish and wrong for fans to constantly brew up a cloud of hatred whenever a disagreement on a video game (of all things!) crops up.
We're not asking for Bioware to fix something because it's not what we wanted. We're asking Bioware to give us what we paid for.
Imagine paying between sixty and eighty dollars to get into a Star Wars marathon (possibly with a buffet), only the joker at the projector replaces the last thirty minutes of the last movie with the ending of Lost. That's not what you paid for, and you don't have a physical object to return.
Dropping from general to personal, I pre-ordered the PC version of this game after repeated assurances BioWare marketing that the endings would be "wildly divergent" and "satisfying". Here's a side-by side comparison of all endings: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPelM2hwhJA&feature=player_embedded
That is not divergent. That is not satisfying. I cannot even trade in this game. I am never going to get my money back. And I don't think they'll fix it.
And I am not alone: http://retakemasseffect.chipin.com/retake-mass-effect-childs-play 1,723 people willing to pay ACTUAL MONEY feel the same way. http://social.bioware.com/poll.php?user=1183972&poll_id=29101 7,071 People willing to merely push a button agree. And I'm sure there are plenty more who are unaware of the online campaigns, or are unwilling to sacrifice their dignity by talking about "just a game."
Actually, children sit around and complain, they don't go out and do their own thing.
Fans are perfectly capable of writing a better ending than Bioware has. Bioware simply uses legal power and a lock of their engine to prevent that. Since they have, it's prudent for one adult to ask another that if they aren't going to remove their trash from their neighbor's property, that they might want to consider the potential consequences if they continued to refuse.
Your articles lately are very profound. It is nice to see someone understanding the business concept of gaming
This is the first publication I've seen beside Kotaku's newest articles that support us, (Kotaku writer finally finished the game and then realize "Holy crap I was wrong") I am really glad that a business/economic publication recognizes the importance of this, and I just wanted to thank you. To keep it up
;) to hold the line.
It might interest you to know that ME3 fans have decided to do something good with all this while they're already organized for it. Perfect opportunity to have a charity drive for a good cause: http://retakemasseffect.chipin.com/retake-mass-effect-childs-play/
Thanks for the right up. You might be interested to know about the positive fan response to the badly written endings here http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/355/index/9845819/1 that has lead to $5000 and growing being donated to the Charity Child's Plays Link here http://retakemasseffect.chipin.com/retake-mass-effect-childs-play
Like your previous articles, very logical , and balanced. I agree with 100% of what you said. Your take is correct if Bioware charged for an ending DLC , many may buy it to make the pain go away. But many like myself would never buy anything else from Bioware if they did something like that.
It was Bioware's own lake of oversight or judgement on the ending that caused all this backlash and anger, it is not the customers responsibility to pay to fix it. In my years I have seen good companies fall or become budget low cost product companies because of Buyouts, or a lack of quality control, like Zenith, and Curtis Mathis, and even Pioneer feel in quality and cosumer trust during the 1980′s till they got their act back together.
All the backlash is not to punish Bioware, but to stop them from going down the same road other companies have. I wrote a Blog post on Bioware's forum to this called *Beware Bioware* in hopes that someone on their staff would read it in the context it was meant for, to help not hurt them.
Exactly! Thanks for your understanding and writing such a great article. For such a rich tale the ending to ME3 is a very bitter and unsatisfying one. I just want to see my trilogy end the way it should!
This is a little long-winded, but I'd like your take. My opinion is that this has all been the ballsiest PR gamble in history, and right now Bioware is just waiting until after the Asian release to announce their intentions.
Let's do this.
Most fans are supporting a theory that the entire ending sequence is an attempt to indoctrinate Shepard. The choices are framed the way they are because they're the Reapers' last-ditch attempt to dissuade you from destroying them.
"NO! DON'T DO THAT! All your friends will die. But you could control us! Totally. Or we could all merge. Wouldn't that be neat?"
The idea is that the child has been an indoctrination plot device in Shepard's brain since the beginning of the game.
So building from that…
…could it be that whether the Armada has the strength to drive back the Reapers, and whether Shepard survives or breaks free of indoctrination . . .
. . . are COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER?
That is to say, while your decision at the Catalyst decides whether or not Shepard is able to resist indoctrination, your war assets will determine whether, meanwhile, the Armada WAS able to beat the reapers.
This doesn't make the ending okay, obviously, but the more I think about it, the more the rough shape of this seems correct. It would also explain why the destroy option is the default available at low score, like how the Collector Base gets beaten regardless of who lives — Shepard breaking free of indoctrination is the default story they want the majority of players to experience.
(It's also the ONLY ending you CAN experience NO MATTER WHAT CHOICES YOU MADE.)
The more allies Shepard has, the more he stands to lose, so the more complex the indoctrination has to become. It's presented to get you into that state of desperation ala Saren/TIM; "I can't win. We can't beat them. Overwhelming power. I can't save everyone, so I'll choose the path that lets me save the most people, even if I don't agree with it." BUT if Shepard has ALL the allies, and ALL the strength of will, then not only does he break free of indoctrination — BUT HE SURVIVES!
Now imagine a post-ending DLC. Say, you're a soldier combing through the battle-scorched ruins of London.
"Glad we were able to drive the Reapers back with that huge Armada; shame we never found Shepard."
"Glad we were able to drive the Reapers back in the end. Shame about all the deaths. Shame we never found Shepard."
"Man we kicked the Reapers' asses! Wait, what's…HEY GUYS! OVER HERE! I FOUND SHEPARD! HE'S ALIVE!!!"
From a design/budget perspective:
- Allows devs to skirt having to create a massive complicated battle-scene with a thousand different dynamic variables
And from a PR perspective:
- Unites the community.
- Gets everyone buzzing over the game's ending — where "buzzing" means "focus of conversation".
- Gets everyone talking about the game post-release and sustains dialogue. It's no longer a product — it's an ongoing story.
If free DLC is released:
- Works as probably the biggest and ballsiest anti-piracy measure ever
- "Feels" like a huge gift from Bioware (even if it isn't, and should have been in the game.) You KNOW you would see people here going "THANK YOU BIOWARE THANK YOU I LOVE YOU BEST GAME EVER NOW"
- STILL keeps people who don't agree TALKING ABOUT THE PRODUCT AFTERWARD.
"Bioware's Big Gamble"
"Was It Right?" "
Form Meets Function — Metafiction and Marketing in The Year 2012″
I mean that would keep people talking about Mass Effect 3 (and more importantly, MASS EFFECT the brand) for YEARS. Christ, it would be such awful, insidious genius.
Thoughts? As a business writer?
I see where you are going. That could be a possibility, but it's a very dangerous move to do, especially for some so popular as Bioware. I mean, if they do it with the free DLC, they would seem to be the good guys, who admitted to have maken a mistake, but if this is the case, I think the underestimate the brain of the masses. I think you may be right about the ending and I agree with your point about, that in any way, shape or form, this is unacceptable. If what you say is true, ohh damn. I would lose all respect for them. Not that there's much left with the stupid business model. I mean come on, forcing Origin upon us, releasing day 1 DLC, that should be part of the game and is on the disk. (Ohh and I hated the mission on Earth. Not very original)
Anyway, PR is PR, wether it is negative or positive, so I suppose it could be a possibility (However if the PR is negative it could be very costly). Ohh and even if that is the way to understand the ending; it should not be an ending. I mean, that would make it even a bigger disappointment, because we wouldn't actually get the game with a real ending.
Mikkel: You are certainly righ that they underestimate the brain of the masses. I suppose it wouuld make sense that very vocal 15-year-olds with temper and spelling issues who flame them whenever they don't like something would color their perception, but their actual user base, from what I can see on BSN (BioWare Social Network), is quite diverse.
And Brandon, I think this notion has merit, but I too hope this isn't the plan. Because of fans' emotional investment in the trilogy, I suspect at least a good number of folks would take this as a PR stunt done at their expense. Most folks don't especially like being punked.
It violates Occam's Razor. Bioware, corporations, software writers and coders, and the government, aren't that competent. Just doesn't happen.
I am a huge fan of the series. I have invested a lot of my money on all the collector's editions and "gears" to prove it. After I saw all endings I felt like the rug was pulled under me. It felt so wrong to bring closure to all of the hundreds of hours I spent playing in hopes of my Maleshep developing a romance with Kaidan (which they do end up developing in this game), and making peace between the rival species (where some reach a resolution to their long waged battles between their rival species/races), to end it in such a way that it felt like the closure was taken away from me. It felt like they sold me a nicely painted lemon Porche at the price of a new Porche, which I invested a lot of my time and money on, to realize that I have been duped. If that was not enough, they present me a note telling me that they will slowly sell me parts to hopefully make the lemon run is not only an insult to my intelligence, but and unforgivable crime.
Part of me wonders if there's not a group of people at Bioware sighing at all the negative comments about the endings and saying "You just don't GET it. You just don't understand what we're trying to say."
I'm not saying I do. I'm as baffled as everyone else how they could've dropped the ball this badly.
@Hans: I'm sure this is true. I saw a recent tweet from a Bioware person that went something like "the fans are getting upset before they have all the facts." I saw it and thought wait – there are more facts? Why don't we have them? We thought we were done! We read the last page and closed the book. Was there a "stay tuned for more of the story" message that we missed?
If there were cues, hundreds of thousands of players missed them.
A legion" pardon the pun" of fans cant be wrong ..its makes business sense and common sense.Bioware now faces a choice that all major brands and companies face please your customer or watch your stock plummet
Excellent article, sir!
I did want to point something out with regards to From Ashes, however. The squadmate you gain is sorely missing in the game. I don't have it, but there is a feeling of something missing in the game. Especially after you reach Thessia, where it's obvious that the Protheans don't look like you thought they would. There is a need for an explanation, but you don't get it. I assume you do when you have the Prothean squadmate.
That is not all however, as the game is also sorely lacking a squadmate that represents the Vanguard class. Especially obvious if you have Ashley in your squad, rather than Kaidan, leaving only one Biotic in your squad.
I can't help but feel cheated by Bioware. It seems to me that EDI was at first intended to be the Bonus DLC character, but EA must've changed the course, telling Bioware to cut out the Prothean because every fan would want that character. Even if they had waited with releasing the DLC, this would still have been obvious.
Regardless, your article is entirely correct. My trust has been entirely used up, and I'm done buying from EA and Bioware, just as I was done buying from Ubisoft after they screwed me over once too often.
Brilliant article!
Both as a business major and as an avid fan of the Mass Effect series, I find myself in completely and utter agreement with you. This was precisely the same reaction which I had, the same that all my courses in management theory has told me is the only good one at this point, which all the real world examples holds up:
1. Admit your faults and take responsibility.
2. Make clear what actions you are taking to fix the issue.
3. Make clear what you have learnt from this and how you will change long terms because of this.
4. Follow it up.
Here's hoping this doesn't become a case I end up reading about as a great big "what if" in HBR a few years from now.
I think you're missing the point at the outrage around the DLC. It's no secret the DLC came packaged with the CE, and it's no secret that CE material ends up as DLC 4-6 months after the release… And in the case of ME3 there was actually a shortage of CE's at nearly every retailer around.
The problem here, is the content of "From ashes" is actually canonically significant to the storyline of the game, and as such, should have just been in the game. That gave birth to the current mindset of "wait a minute, you bastards are demanding that I pay you another 10$'s on top of the base price for material that's (arguably) required to garner a "full experience" from this product?!?" You combine that with the fact that they structured the multiplayer to be such a tedious grind, and offer to sell you specter packs for MSP's in the stead of earned credits giving birth to a "pay to win" model that is well known to be despised by gamers.
Games are expensive, and gamers invest a lot of their time and money into the products, and the people that make them need to understand, that once they've shared their idea with the public they don't own it anymore. It becomes a communal entity, people get emotionally attached, they develop individual relationships to their characters and the material… And when you take those people and abuse that adoration you wind up with an angry mass.
General game journalism today is horrible, as well as the attitudes of game developers, and those are large scale contributing factors to the level of "violence" you've seen from fans in their reactions to all this. People that work for game rags /are/ in the pockets of the industry power houses, what you're not seeing there is the subtle pay off scheme. Does EA pay IGN to give their games good ratings? No. But do they hook them up with free stuff all time? Do they invite them to their massive office gaming centers and theatric setups to beta test products on their dime? Do they take advantage of the fact that these "journalists" are petty people who can be easily swayed by something as simple as being able to say "If I call the BIOWARE Austin headquarters, they know me and treat me well"? Yes to all of the above.
This attitude from the media, production companies, and publishers that fans are "whiny", or "suffering from a sense of entitlement" is reminiscent of the egocentric, sanctimonious attitude you find in musicians and recording/musical distribution companies in relation to people downloading songs for free. It's the fans that make these people wealthy, it's the fans that allow them to create games like ME3, it's fans that buy albums, it's fans that make creatively driven industries anything at all.
They need to keep this in mind, because while most people may be a bit on the daft side, and you're going to run into a lot of sycophantic behavior on message boards where someone that is realistically just as unhappy as everyone else is going to defend the offending establishment in the hopes of being recognized… When you treat people badly, eventually they stop coming around, it may take longer for some than others, but it happens. And the flagrantly abusive behaviors of companies like EA will come back to bite them in the ass. It may pay them (seemingly) well at the moment, but soon enough, they'll be sorry for what they're doing.
I am mocking everyone else because it's painfully obvious that Bioware will release an unnannounced ending dlc for their UNFINISHED game. The indoctrination dream sequence that is the current "ending" doesn't even resolve the plot because it's not reality. Whether or not gaming websites have come to this conclusion is thus irrelevant because the fans are gullible for falling for this trick in the first place. The told us to keep our save files after "beating it for a reason!"
So… in your scenario, we are gullible for not assembling disparate discontinuities into a supposedly "obvious" conspiracy theory, and would therefore be expected to feel grateful for finding out we'd been punked?
As I've commented before, this falls into the category of "deceiving the customer" — something that tends to sour one's brand loyalty. BioWare would have pulled a publicity stunt at my expense, and that might just possibly be more egregious than handing me a nonsensical ending.
How come Forbes is suddenly on fans side rather than game journalist? How come Forbes is the one that sees what went wrong and offers solutions, rather than so-called-game journalist?
I mean, it feels like I am in some sort of bizarro world suddenly…
I want you to know two things;
Firstly that Erik Kain, Dave Thier and YOU are my FUCKING HEROES. It's not enough that Bioware sold a product that was misleading (myself and at least 20,000 others would not have bought ME 3 if we had known that was the ending), but the fact that every major news outlet covering games sings Bioware's praises and blasts anyone else, for having a different opinion is salt in a very ugly wound.
You three are a breathe of fresh air. Not because you side with what I believe is a large majority of gamers who feel betrayed, but because you take an open and unbiased view of the entire situation.
Dave Thier even points out that it is unrealistic to ask for a free DLC ending because; do the voice actors work for free, or the programmers? These people had just as much control as me in the final product and would be essential to any effort to fix it. It would be great if they would be willing to give away their talents for my benefit to cover up Bioware's shame, but it would be wrong of me to ask them to.
The situation we find ourselves in isn't black and white. Just like ME there can never be a solution that makes EVERYONE happy now. There is just to much bad blood on both sides.
Frankly I don't know what Bioware should do about this catastrophe. I am glad however that someone is looking at this complex situation, taking a step back and saying, hmm, maybe the other side has a point.
So thank you for that.
Secondly. I am going to buy a subscription to Forbes and when I do I'll drop your names.
I think that this is Bioware's way of firmly establishing themselves as a shooter video game creator with multiplayer also. Lets face it, they've given up on the RPG crowd. They make more money by pandering to the opposite.
Take for instance MA3′s ending. The hardcore RPG players have worried over every decision that they have made in this series only for the ending to tell us "It doesn't matter, you get the same ending's no matter what"
You know, I hadn't really thought about that, but it's true. ME2 put much more emphasis on shooter dynamics, and ME3 does have fewer complex conversations and more of a cutscene-to-next-shootout kind of a flow. I guess I assumed that was due to the fact that it's all about the final battle, but I have also noticed that, on the big game sites like IGN, there is a fairly high percentage of commenters who talk more about the FPS aspects of the game. Generally, they could care less about the quality of the ending. "Pick a color? Whatever. Which one lets me use my gun again?"
Really sad if one of the most innovative RPGs ever made – one that at times felt more like an interactive novel than any game I'd ever played – fell victim to EA's market segment targeting.
after they lost Drew K as a writer the hole franchise went in the toilet, just look at Deception!?!
Drew was lead in me1 = good story
Drew was cowriter in me2 = not so good writing more shooter
Drew retired b4 ME3 = worst writing in the franchise.
the endings, plotholes, fotnote missions, dialog seemed cut thruout the game, alot of characters in ME3 felt like kasumi in me2…
I actually liked the fact that my incisor sniper rifle in ME1 overheated because I just kept firing it. I went back under cover and the heat dissipated, but it wasn't good for when melee mobs would come rushing in.
Now they have a sort of strange "reload" system like normal firearms, and it doesn't feel Sci fi at all any more. Feels more like the other clones of Call of Duty or WWII warfare games released to please the teenagers, the people who are actually entitled given that they don't have jobs and live at someone else's sufferance.
Excellent analogy of M. Night Shyamalan!
Customer brand trust is what EA/BioWare is shoving out the window at the moment.
Instead of trying to build/mend bridges… They are burning them with their high and mighty attitude. Using major site article's defensive remarks of 'Gamers don't know what it takes to make a game' as their crutch.
I too would pay $10 just to make the bad taste go away, but I can be sure of never again buying their future products if they went selling about an alternate ending DLC.
It's that bad in some ways… I wonder if EA/BioWare actually understands the severity?
Thank you very much for this thoughtful article, Paul.
Appreciate it very much!
Thank you Mr. Tassi for your well thought out articles about Mass Effect 3 and the fans. I am one of the people that is extremely disappointed by the ending of the saga and I have been keeping up on news about the game hoping beyond hope that Bioware will say something, anything, about this mess and try to show good faith to fans. The player backlash is not due to a sense of entitlement, but a sense of grief, anger, futility, and loss of a character and series that we have put in to a great deal of time and effort. There should have been a payoff worthy of the series and Bioware, and there wasn't.
I don't know if this article is true, but I thought you might want to have a look at it. I did not write it but found a link to it on the boards.
It is by a gamer who claims to have some inside information on the original ending content of the game. Whether or not it is true, I think that this ending would have been a fantastic hit with players and given us what we wanted for the end of an epic series.
Thank you Forbes for all your support! Give some attention to the Mass Effect fan charity being run! We're raised over $11,000 in less than a day for the Child's Play charity! We beg to be heard and acknowledged, and we're helping a good cause in the process! We're clamoring for exposure in this!
Thank you sir for another supportive article.
Couldn't agree with this article more. BioWare's best move – from both a business point of view, and a fan loyalty point of view – would certainly be to offer some form of DLC remedial ending – particularly a free one.
Check out my initial take on Mass Effect 3′s ending here:
I have been keeping track of your articles for the past couple of days, and i must say you nailed the point. What keeps eterntainment businesses alive is a loyal fan(consumer) base. Bioware managed to frustrate the most loyal consumers, which happen to be the early adopters and the opinion leaders in the sector….the only viable action that bioware can take to preserve not only the story, but their business is to create either a free or cheaper DLC. What bioware should want at this point is to turn negative word-of-mouth to positive word-of-mouth. It would be foolish to discard the angry fans as "collateral damage" due to the fact that they will influence the consumption of Bioware's future products based on the handling of the current situation.
I myself found it a bit odd that major game review sites all spoke glowingly of Mass Effect 3 in their reviews without addressing the major issues gamers are having with the finale. I myself don't buy into the theory they're all "in the bag" either but videos such as IGN's PS3 editor effectively brow beating people because they're upset leads me to doubt their journalistic integrity at the very least.
Although our site thegaminggang.com is mainly focused on table top gaming, as opposed to video gaming, we pretty much called it as we saw it as far as a review of the game as well as making a defense for the gamers out there who are upset with their ME3 experience! I personally found the video response provided by IGN (to the dissent of a large portion of people who feel cheated by the DLC and conclusion of ME3) to be reprehensibly childish and shrill.
Journalistic ethics and integrity is something journalism school does not teach. Modern Americans might not have realized that just yet.
Again, well put sir. It's just bad business – personally, unless this is expertly resolved by Bioware, I'm going to only purchase Bioware games off the discount rack … and this is coming from someone what was a major fan yesterday morning.
A separate note – I'd like to see how close the ties are between industry news outlets and the studios. How can all of these "news sources" give ME3 such a stellar rating without pointing to it's greatest flaw? There appears to be a serious disconnect. Speaking of bad business – isn't writing pedantic articles about your readership a bit of live hand grenade to toss about casually?
It is a shame that a non-gaming website like forbes is the people that got this whole debacle on ME3 right. Dear Paul Tassis my hats off to you my Good sir, we could use more writers like you.
P.S. I joined this site just to say this and will be looking forward to your articles i the future
And another comment this is the only article that does gamers justice and it is the only article that summarizes exactly the problem of what me and other majority of the mass effect fan have with this game
very well put. i never thought of myself as entitled and understand that the company has the right to do whatever they want with their product, but what most people get wrong is when they compare this to a movie or book. there is no comparison, video games, especially a series such as this, is more involved and actually puts the gamer into the universe. a good movie is usually about 2hrs a book about 12, but people have put more then 100 hrs into this enitre series. im not one to utterly condemn BioWare because of this, but it does make me think twice
Thanks for defending us Mr. Tassi. BW has disappointed and angered us so much that we are willing to be polite and give money to a children's charity. You know you've screwed when you driven the gaming community to respect and charity.
Thank you. You have put your finger on the pulse of the issue.
I don't understand why you're the only(okay there are like 3, but the only major one) writer out there who seems to really get this, but I'm glad you do.
Speaking as a Mass Effect fan and a business major, making DLC to please 90% of your fan base makes huge sense. That "loyal" 5% who praise your products regardless of their content are nice, but they can't pay the bills alone.
And making the DLC will in no way affect their loyalty, so win-win!
Speaking of DLC, the RetakeME3 movement isn't even demanding it for free. We've officially stated we'll pay for it. The facebook group alone has over 26k members atm. At $10 a pop that's $260,000 right off the bat! Not to mention all the other people who will buy it "just cause" as they would any other DLC. They can't lose on this deal.
While there ARE some fans who demand it be free, that's not the majority's position. And any negative blow back from charging for the DLC would be completely drowned by the happiness of the rest who wanted it.
Thanks for the article! A refreshing breath of clean air!
well i think you need to talk about it more along the lines of the reason there taking the piss out of this is cause whiny gamers are saying its the ending that was dissapointing it werent the ending that missed the point it was the fact the ending was the same just with differnt colour light no matter how u played the game or also the fact that nothing you did in the games did nothing the game bolied down to 1 choice really wether u blew the collectors base or saved it for cerberus and online feature rocks in this but the rediness lvl was a joke as it what apparntly helps u with the ending fairenuff it helps but all the endings are nearly identicle i ask one person to tell me where there is 17 differnt endings and not 17 different coloured one scenes
Forbes is on our side but not gaming sites? Wow so we have established they really are paid off.
Brilliant. Gaming is business, and the powers is with the consumers, those who actually pay for their games and play it. If they throw all this work on their image away. Damn, that could cost them a lot of money, maybe millions.
Game journalists don't buy their games. Anyone ever realize what that means when they insult the fans who do?
Just an interesting addendum to this phenomenon. Something I'm sure IGN and other 'industry' outlets that rely on advertising will miss.
I'm reading reports. some alarmed, some full of gleeful schadenfreude, so far scattered and anecdotal, that Gamestop is getting piles of ME 3 returns, with the used price dropping nearly 20 dollars from new.
I thank you for this. Someone from a respected source citing why people are upset. They advertised the product that choices weigh heavy on the outcome, then remove all choice from the ending.
What ever happened to "The customer is always right?"
When did this become "The customer is wrong…. and shut up"?
Is almost a credit rating agency at the hieght of the fincial crisis of 2008… Its pay for rating people, want your game to get a 5 out of 5 give us some money and you get good press.
What IGN fails to realize that no right minded gamer trusts their reviews of games any more.
I am glad to see someone who looks at this from a standpoint of the customer and not defend the companies that makes the games. I did by the CE Edition but that was before I the reviews came out. I have now been burned by Bioware twice (dragon age 2 was the other game). I am not going to be quick to buy customer of Bioware products in the future. The said part is if I point this comment on a game site it will would be lumped in with the whinners, complainers of the world. By those extreme reveiws and gamers.
Bill, can you PM me on BSN with a link to that? (my username is the same as here)
I agree. Bioware can make great profits, probably greater than what they did, by waiting to release the DLC until the majority of their fanbase was finished with the core of ME3. The way they released the DLC, it made it feel like you had to pay $70 for the game instead of $60.
The end was a bit of a let down, but this wasn't the first good game with a poor ending. Players need to be more worried about companies sucking their wallets dry $10 at a time then a single bad part of an otherwise great game.
great article. as 1 of the fans that is very disapointed its nice to see atleast some news beings are understanding us and are not just putting harsh lables
Just one more note of thanks to you guys at Forbes. What a pleasant online environment this is! I've had to run screaming, hair on fire, from some of the game site comment areas, just for trying – in what I thought was a calm and civil manner – to explain my position. It would seem that some make a hobby of using comment areas to put notches in their online guns.
People seem to have truly forgotten how to discuss an issue. I guess, really there's no intent to engage in discussion in the first place. It goes like this:
Me: Well, let me explain where I'm coming from. [explanation]
Responder: Well sure. That's because you're an asshole.
Responder2: Yeah, I'd expect a whining pu$$y with no life to say something like that. Why don't you get over yourself and get a life and deal with it and stop trying to talk about a topic you know nothing about and…
Me: I'll just be going now.
It is sad to see that we get bullied away on gaming sites by fellow gamers who don't sympathise with us. sadly they have a to narrow vision, probably kids obsessed with shooter games like the Call of Duty franchise. But if we let this happen without even saying something about it, sooner or later they will get confronted with the same problem aswell.
What bothers me the most is the fact that Bioware used this unique form of storytelling as their USP, Unique Selling Proposition. In the very end they didn't deliver, so basically they lied to us after taking our money.
Perfectly stated, well done Paul.
Perfectly put.
Excellent article, but I disagree on the entitlement part. I think it's perfectly normal to be angry or disappointed and to express those feelings, but I think you're missing the point with people calling some of these pissed off fans entitled. I hated Lost's ending. So much so that I refuse to revisit it. It ruined the show for me. However I didn't DEMAND a new ending and I certainly didn't write The Hollywood Reporter demanding they propagate my cause. This is exactly what Mass Effect fans are doing. They're bombing gaming publications' email to try to force them into support of Retake Mass Effect, then accusing them of corruption when they don't get their way. Wouldn't it be corrupt to succumb to that sort of pressure whether it be from publishers or fans? I agree with everything else in this fantastic article, but that one point annoys me. We see extreme reactions from gamers so often it makes us all look like whiny, immature jerks. This outrage is right off the heels of fans' needless, vicious and erroneous attack on Jennifer Hepler for "ruining" Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Also, don't forget the complaints about Mass Effect being ruined because it's possible to engage in gay relationships. This sort of behavior is embarrassing and it needs to stop.
Unlike the lost situation you put forth gaming has a large history of changing/updating games after the original release. Expansion packs of old would add massive amounts of content and even extend the game past the original ending. Current DLC style methods add features/scenes/and in the case of fallout 3 an alternate ending. The demand for a new ending is not an end of the word life changer. Its us letting bioware know what we want the content of any upcoming DLC to include.
IGN Journalists fresh out of college talking about how fans who paid for the game are entitled, when the journies are the ones who got the game for free, and in advance "in the mail slot", is what's out of line. Also that the propaganda line "entitled" has become part of the journalistic integrity award for personal assassination methods, is also out of line. If it was actually a point, it'd be different, but it's just a character assassination ploy.
Brilliant article, as was the one about Bioware's "redemption". I thought it was made pretty clear by Gamespot's firing of their editor over his low review of Kane & Lynch (which caused Eidos to pull their advertising) that reviewers are simply propaganda machines fueled by their advertisers, which includes all of the gaming giants. IGN has proven time and time again that its 'reviews' are incredibly out of touch with gamers, as has a vast majority of the bigger reviewers (look at the divide between gamers and every reviewer out there on the Old Republic). I don't expect Bioware to fix this problem, and I found the twitter lash out by Christina Norman against fans complaining about the DLC the ultimate slap in the face.
DLC is something I have avoided since the craze started, and have been able to enjoy my games quite well as a result. I'm not against DLC by any stretch of the word; I'm just yet to find DLC worth dropping money into. On-disc DLC, however, is a completely different issue. It sends a clear message that fans are just money bags that can be easily exploited to part with their cash for minimal work from the devs. Some fans do have a sense of entitlement, but as the consumers of a product, I feel that we certainly do have the right to criticise a company's business ventures. If the public feels like they're being ripped off by day-one DLC, who are Bioware to argue that? Do they, all of a sudden, feel like they're above the fanbase? The very group of people that are responsible for their success?
Businesses have forgotten that without clients, they're useless. Somewhere along the lines the gaming industry decided it was above the userbase (clearly following in Hollywood's steps), and this will lead to some pretty bad ramifications down the line. Also, I find it funny that you mentioned Gabe Newell and his honorable business practises, as EA has been actively trying to screw Steam over for years (and the abomination that is Origin is the perfect example of that).
It boogles the mind when you think of the wasted potential of Mass effect 3. This could have the defining game of this generation the culmination of an epic trilogy solidifying Bioware as the masters of story telling in gaming. I for one am done with Bioware
You're definitely right about it being good business. There's a 0% chance I'd shell out money for any "side story" or "lost mission" DLC that didn't have direct impact on the ending. It just wouldn't seem fun if I didn't have any closure on the main story. I don't know if that's particularly rational, but it is what it is.
The thing is, your save is before the final battle just like it was in ME2 so all DLCs would have to fit in with the main game's timeline. Personally, I think they should package a little discovery or conversation together with an already-planned feature-rich DLC that opens up new options for you when you finally get to the end. Maybe you uncover some ancient truth about the galaxy that makes you a bit more argumentative later on, perhaps? Maybe a newly acquired war asset gives you a major advantage in the final battle? Who knows…
If that little addition was packaged with a high-quality DLC pack, we could feel like we were actually getting our money's worth from the new content and replaying the final battle with a new "path" opened to us would be completely optional. It would be like going back in time and rewriting the past to make new things possible in the future, and I think that's exactly what ME3 needs at this point — a do-over.
Thank you for writing this. I'm personally fascinated (and worried) by the business decisions that have gone into Bioware's recent decisions, and agree that free DLC might be the best way of solving the endings.
As mentioned in the earlier article, between DA2 and ME3, the company has lost a good will. I've heard more than a few fans say, "I used to pre-order…but for their more recent titles, I think I'll wait for reviews before buying, or maybe pick it up when the cost decreases to $20…or buy used." Obviously, if this happens en masse, the company is in trouble. (And this kind of attitude would make it virtually impossible to produce trilogies ala ME3, as people would wait 7 years to buy, at which point $60 + $60 + $60 goes down to $20 + $20 + $60 – a huge loss of revenue!)
This is just mob censorship. Why should a bunch of angry gamers have any say in the ending of a creative work over anyone else? How about the minority of players who are fine with the ending? What about the writers of the game? Who speaks for them while the angry fans raise money to demand a change? The video game industry desperately wants the medium to be considered an art form, but art isn't about fan service and it isn't about bending over backwards to please the lowest common denominator, regardless of how much "business sense" it makes.
Censorship, no matter what its motive may be, is the enemy of any creative enterprise. Change the ending this time, and it's only a matter of time before the fans demand changes to the next game. Art shouldn't be crowd-sourced and democratized in this way. You need a vision, good or bad, for a work of art to have any credibility, and how can you have one when you let the audience make all the key decisions? I wouldn't want readers to dictate to authors what to write, or moviegoers to dictate what a director says in their film. Who has the right to tell any artist what they can and cannot do? Risk is a part of any creative endeavor, and yeah, sometimes you're going to alienate your audience or leave them hanging. And you'll take your critical beating for it.
I don't even like the ending of ME3, but I'm fine with that. I thought it was a solid game overall with some significant flaws. I have a license to dislike it, just as Bioware has license to make the game the way they want it. Don't like it? Don't buy it, punish the company with the loss of your business, but don't dictate to the artist what they need to do. It devalues the creative process and make creative works into a joke.
And calling people who believe as I do corporate shills is pretty disingenuous coming from Forbes. (now awaiting poorly considered trolling from people who only understand creative work as a money-making endeavor)
Thank you very much, Paul.
Fan service is good business, but so is prostitution.
Great article! Maybe you should also write a piece for this new campaign – https://www.facebook.com/FinalFantasyTheEraOfDisappointments. They are about a week old. However no one has covered them due to ME campaign. The FF series has been greatly damaged over years, veteran fans hate the new titles and it seems like Square Enix is purposely not listening to their fans. The goal's page: Have Square Enix listen (very important) to the feedbacks and build a better franchise by doing so, together.
I've recently stumbled on this article so my comment is coming late, and may be irrelevant at this point. I enjoyed the experience of Mass Effect greatly from beginning to end. I played and finished all three titles; devoting countless hours of my life that I may never again use for anything remotely productive. Aside from from some of the drudgery of the first game, and some monotonous sections of the second game, I found the series incredibly enjoyable overall. In my opinion the third is actually the strongest in the trilogy and easily tops any list of favorite games I could possible conjure. The game could have ended after the events of Priority: Tuchanka and I would have been satisfied. That sequence alone was so exhilarating and gratifying that I felt it was worth the price of the title. I'm no fanboy, but I did connect emotionally to the story and the characters. As invested I was into the series financially, emotionally and time-wise, I feel like an outsider for being satisfied with the ending. I quite honestly don't understand the severity of the backlash.
Being disappointed with how a story ends, regardless of medium, is perfectly acceptable, and even expected in some circumstances. As consumers of this particular title and franchise we do reserve the right to criticize and question the creator's motives. Without trying to negate or disqualify anyone's opinions on the matter I tend to feel that the massive negative response, and resulting backlash is somewhat unwarranted. I won't agree with the any who have said that that the gamers are just whiny and entitled, but I don't see necessity in altering the content either.
It didn't become a polarizing issue among the fans, but here, and in various other outlets, I've seen who those dissatisfied take up against those in journalism who have defended the game and its ending. Granted, calling the gamers whiny and entitled is antagonistic, and I think that may have perpetuated further negative backlash. I digress. Myself and as I am I'm led to believe many others actually enjoyed the game ending and all. It seems as though "the squeaky wheel gets the lube" as those on the outside of this mess looking in aren't being heard, or are seemingly ignored. I've even been told that because I enjoyed it my opinion didn't matter and that because I wasn't angry I didn't understand the themes and nuance of the game. I disagree. Ultimately I feel like the more enraged and disappointed opinions on the whole situation have been far more vociferous and, to an extent, marginalized positive positions regarding the game.
Bioware fell from grace, EA sucks people's blood out like thousands of leeches. The fans should never believe in anything from those guys ever again. It will just end with them suffering more and wishing they never heard of the series.


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subset: commoncrawl


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The winter sun started slipping behind the basalt rim above the Snake River, turning the canyon and river into a kaleidoscope of golds, blues, browns and everything in between.
The canyon near Celebration Park south of Nampa is an ideal place in winter for everything from hiking and mountain biking to horseback riding and picnicking.
My wife, friends and I usually do a winter hike and picnic in the canyon every year. The canyon is known for its spring bird watching, but winter has a different sort of magic.
Its a great celebration of winter and the high desert and rimrock canyons.
Its also a close-by retreat from the busy Treasure Valley to get rid of cabin fever, especially when other trails are snowbound.
Its fun, too, because I also think of it as like journeying to the center of the earth. Well, sort of. When you look at the walls of the canyon and see all the layers of rock from different periods of time, its like a walk through geologic history.
And although you think nobody else is crazy enough to go on a winter trek in the canyon, dont expect to have the place to yourself. Its busy on weekends.
Its a popular place because it is lower in elevation than the Treasure Valley, and weather can be a lot milder.
Canyon Countys Celebration Park is a good jumping off point for exploring the canyon. Theres parking and a picnic area with tables, fire pits and restrooms. The parking fee at the park is $2 a day.
From the park, its easy to take a trail west and then cross the river on the Guffey Bridge. Kids especially love walking across the old railroad bridge.
You can hike for miles on the south side of the river by heading upstream.
Theres a dirt road thats restricted to nonmotorized users, and a trail that goes upstream on the north side of the river (the same side as Celebration Park). You can hike 6 miles or more one way if you want, or tailor the hike to a few miles out and back.
Theres a side hike to Halverson Lake, which is a must because it gets you close to the 500-foot cliffs of the canyon.
I never get tired of walking through what seems like gardens of basalt rocks that look like giant melons.
Then theres a stroll along the river that will get you glimpses of waterfowl and shorebirds.
The canyon also lures anglers. I recently saw a spin fisherman tossing a small lure in an eddy of the river for bass, I guess. Maybe trout.
OK, heres the hard part. Getting to Celebration Park is always a challenge for the newcomer. In fact, I always take a wrong turn heading to the park after visiting it dozens of times.
Canyon Countys website gives these directions from the Boise area: Heading west on Interstate 84, take the Meridian-Kuna exit. Turn left onto South Meridian Road. Continue onto East Avalon. Turn left onto Swan Falls Road. Turn right onto Victory Lane. Continue onto Warren Spur Road. Turn left onto Sinker Road. Turn left at the historic Guffey Railroad Bridge.
Whew! See what I mean about complicated? For more information, check out canyonco.org and search for Celebration Park.
If you plan an outing in the canyon, do an evening picnic. That way you wont miss the magnificent winter sunset the canyon has to offer.
Pete Zimowsky: 377-6445, Twitter: @Zimosoutdoors


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William J. Coughlin, a former defense attorney and judge in Detroit for twenty years, was the author of sixteen novels. He lived in Grosse Point Woods, Michigan, with his wife, Ruth, an author and book critic.
William J. Coughlin


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Copper medal by Augustin Dupré, circa 1787
55.6 mm
Restrike, probably by the Paris Mint, before 1842. Numismatic collection, Julian NA-1. This medal commemorates a naval victory in 1779, under the leadership of John Paul Jones.
Last of the Comitia Americana medals awarded for victories in the Revolution, this was the only naval medal for that conflict. John Paul Jones received a gold medal; the above is a restrike from the original dies.


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Knoxville's first super-size BaconFest was in 2010, but three years later, the love affair with all things bacon-y still sizzles. In the forefront: local chefs' and diners' affection for Allan Benton's products lovingly tended a short ways down the road in Madisonville. Brunch is the ideal showcase for this bacon of modern love and Appalachian heritage, and brunch chefs all around town are happy to do the honors:
The Pig and the Fig Sandwich
Just Ripe, 513 Union Ave., 8:30 a.m. Sat. and Sun., justripeknoxville.com
The sweet little cafe downtown gets serious with fresh apples, bacon, light cheddar, and arugula sandwiched on sourdough and grilled—plus the namesake fig-onion compote to tie it all together.
Kentucky Hot Brown
Puleos Grille, various locations, Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-3 p.m., puleosgrille.com
The Brown Hotel in Louisville made this open-face sandwich the hip dish for flappers in the Roaring '20s, and it's just as jazzy now: bacon, turkey, tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms served over toast. Oh, yes, and then the ladles of rich cream sauce and Parmesan—savory.
Fried Egg BLT
Tupelo Honey Cafe, 1 Market Square, Sat.-Sun. 8 a.m., tupelohoneycafe.com/knoxville
Two diner-style oldies but goodies get combined and freshened up a bit. Tupelo serves up two free-range eggs over hard, maple pepper bacon, and the traditional "L" and "T" tucked into sourdough with a dollop or two of smoked jalapeño aioli. As a side, we aggressively suggest the goat cheese grits.
Shelton Farm Cornmeal Griddle Cakes
Knox Mason, 131 S. Gay St., Sunday 10 a.m.-2 p.m., knoxmason.com
A celebration of local and regional ingredients, this is, including Shelton Farms cornmeal; the sultry, smoky crisp that is Benton's bacon; Muddy Pond sorghum; and Knox Mason's own house-churned cream-and-sour-cream butter. Fork up the best of Appalachia!
Bacon Cheddar Grits
Chesapeake's, 500 Henley St., Sundays 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., chesapeakes.com
This delicacy is creamy and lightly smoky, and with both corn and bacon, it's a perfect foil for the many seafood entrees at Chesapeake's brunch, like salmon, eggs, and spinach, or the Crab Cake Benedict.
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Charter Confusion: A Few Final Comments
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"Cultivating new ideas outside of the education monopoly is the only way that radical positive change can happen that is necessary if we want strong economic growth in Georgia's future,"Lassiter wrote in a statement this week, adding,
"The best idea under consideration in Georgia today is through quality charter schools that can be approved even when a local superintendent and BOE flout the law and common sense and deny charter schools only to protect their shared bank account."Local superintendents, though, argue for local control.
"blatant and illegal election tampering."In an email to FYN this week, Lassiter said the board received a letter on October 4th from State Attorney General Sam Olens telling it not to expend public resources or take a position as a board on the amendment, although FYN has not confirmed this. Henson has repeatedly said, though, that he is not telling people how to vote on the issue.
"I hope our citizens believe in local control of their schools,"wrote Gilmer Superintendent Bryan Dorsey in a statement this week,
"An Atlanta based state controlled commission not accountable to the voting citizens of the community appears to me like taxation without representation. I think we already fought that war."


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LEBANON — The McKendree University women's basketball team has been picked to finish in sixth place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division.
The GLVC's 2013-14 preseason poll was voted on by the league coaches and ranks the top eight teams in each of the conference's two divisions.
The Bearcats received a total of 40 votes.
Lewis University is the preseason favorite in the East Division, while Quincy University was chosen as the West Division favorite.
The Bearcats finished last season with an overall record of 8-18 and a 3-15 mark in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Bearcats coach Melissa Ringhausen is entering her 17th season with an overall record of 305-214. She returns three starters and three lettermen, including top three scorers, junior guard Caty Ponce of Edwardsville (16.6 points per game), senior guard Brittany Willis of St. Louis (10.8 points per game) and sophomore guard Liz Gilman of St. Louis (10.7 points per game).
"We were a very young team last season," Ringhausen said. "We had a few players that played in 20 or more games last season as freshmen and gained a lot of good experience. We also have some newcomers that should make an immediate impact for us. We're excited to get out and prove that we belong in this league."
McKendree opens its season at Lincoln University on Nov. 12, in Jefferson City, Mo.
The Bearcats will host their home opener at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 against Kentucky Wesleyan College.


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Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Youtube channel
Youtube channel
So should I start a YouTube channel? I've been bugged alot about fiberglassing and system installs...seems like a lot of work, who here benefits from a well run YouTube channels and what do you like seeing on these channels? I'm removing my current SQC competition sound system and installing a very substantial JL audio SQC setup this summer when my shop is finished, that would be one of the first things I post.
I watch you tube videos of repairs that I have not done on my truck before. Sure, I have done plenty of water pumps, but watching a video about how to do it on my 5.3L yukon xl lets me know what little things that need to be done for the specific model. I find them helpful when well done. I can't stand the videos that have tons of special effects. Sweet production man!! but, I am here for information not a production. I also appreciate when it is done is multiple parts, ie part1 part2..etc, I like this because if I know nothing about the subject matter then I start at part 1, that usually covers the basic stuff. If I know thinks like how to remove all of the things needed to do the water pump (like fan shroud, clutch fan, air intake tube) then I can move on to part 2 without wasting my time watching something I already know about
1995 Silverado 4x4
6" BDS Suspension Lift-3" Body Lift-Add A Leaf in rear -Trailmaster SSV Shocks-Duel Steering Stabilizer Kit -AirAid Cold air intake-
4.56 Gears with Detroit Auburn Locker-Pro-Comp Traction Bars with duel shocks-Aluminum Skid Plate Kit-38.5" x 16.5" Mickey Thompson Baja Claws-Constant Dropping fuel gauge
2005 Yukon XL Jet Power Programmer, Bilstein Shocks, Bilstein rear springs, Helwig Anti-sway bars, EGR Window Visors, EGR Hood Shield, Denali Headlights, Headlight harness upgrade, GE NightHawk Bulbs, White Night Rear lighting system, Russell Braided SS brake lines, PowerStop Brake pads, PowerStop cross drilled and Slotted Rotors, http://www.gmtruckclub.com/forum/sho...5-GMC-Yukon-XL
2002 Silverado ext cab 2wd (Sold)
2003 Yukon XL (Totaled)
- Join Date
- Apr 2010
- Location
- Piermont,NY, back in Northern NJ now, But may be in IL soon....
- Posts
- 5,362
Do it!!!! Lets see..08 Z71 Avalanche Mods to date: K&N CAI,Hellwig Swaybars and End Links, Corsa Sport Exhaust, Superchips Programer,IPCW LOF & 3rd brake light and tails, AMI Gas door,Show Hooks and Door locks, Enkei Wheels, with Pirelli tires, StreetScene Bowties, Grant Steering wheel,Muth signal mirrors,SSBC Big Brake kit,Huskyliner Mug gards,Floor mats and Hood shield, McGard Lug nuts and locks, Bedrug, Cervini's Ram Air hood,35watt HID Fog lights, Sylvania bulbs all around ZXE's Highs and Lows, WhiteNight Back up lights,Sirius and HD Radio, SnugTop sitting on deck now Got a Softopper on now,Tempress Boat Hatches.... New Bilstein shocks are on... New Mods coming soon..... X
I use youtube for things with which I'm unfamiliar on my truck, too. (It was invaluable to see how the spare tire mechanism worked on our trucks before trying to get mine down for the first time.) I also use it to learn things I've not done before (example: using VHT Nightshade on 3rd brake light or tail light lenses).
I'd love to learn how custom fiberglass panels are made and know nothing about the fiberglassing process. There may be videos out there on how to do it, but it'd be invaluable to learn it from a source I already know and trust.
I'm sure a lot of people would benefit from videos on improving body grounds, sussing out system noise, tuning their amps, etc. Plus, it's free press for you and your sponsors. Seems win-win, to me.
Last edited by SurrealOne; 03-02-2013 at 07:01 AM.
Do it! Youtube helps me with all my bike repairs.-K&N Air Filter
I would be interested. As was said before it is one thing to watch a video from joe blow but it is another thing tho get info from someone you have confidence in.
2011 GMC Sierra SLE - 5.3 - 4X4 - Z71 - King Shock Level Kit - Body Color GMC grill emblem - 2 Tone Engine Cover, Rad Cover and Battery Box - Volant CAI - Tru Cool 40K tranny cooler - Sylvania ZXE bulbs Hi/Low -TriFold Hard Tonneau Cover- CoverCraft Seat Covers - Diablo inTune - GoRecon LED under rail lights - GoRecon LED White Lightning Tailgate Light Bar - Windows tinted to 45%- Kenwood DNX6990 - JL Audio C5-650 &650X- JL Audio Amp- Interco Truxus M/T 33x12.50x18
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Environment and Energy Expertise
Lynn Adler | Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences
Marjorie Aelion | Public Health and Health Sciences
Research interests include environmental contamination, soil contamination such as arsenic and health implications of environmental exposures.
John Ahern | Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning
Research focuses on green urbanism and ecological infrastructure, biodiversity in landscape architecture, and meadow establishment and management.
David Ahlfeld | Civil and Environmental Engineering
Research includes environmental fluid dynamics, water resources engineering, systems analysis, mathematical modeling and numerical method as well as groundwater flow and contaminant transport and design of groundwater remediation systems. Current interests also include climatic change impacts on water resources.
Alice Azadeh Alipour | Civil and Environmental Engineering
Peter Alpert | Biology
Researches plant form and function, survival adaptations, and growth in specific habitats.
Neal G Anderson | Electrical and Computer Engineering
Research focuses on physical information theory and engineering implications and applications, photovoltaics, and quantum semiconductor heterostuctures and their optoelectronic device applications.
Douglas Anderton | Sociology
Kathleen Arcaro | Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Research aims at understanding the human health effects of exposure to complex mixtures of environmental pollutants with emphasis on estrogenic and antiestrogenic pollutants. Current studies focus on breast milk as a marker of exposure, effect, and breast cancer risk; signaling pathways in estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer and; and bioassays for detection of endocrine disruptors in water ways.
V Arun | Computer Science
Sanjay Arwade | Civil and Environmental Engineering
Michael Ash | Economics
Research interests include environment, health, health disparities, labor, and environmental justice and policy as it relates to toxics use.
Scott Auerbach | Chemistry
Anne Averill | Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences
Research focuses on both basic and applied studies of insects. Projects address behavior, ecology, and management of cranberry and blueberry insects, including the decline of various bee species.
Erin Baker | Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Michael Barnes | Chemistry
Paul Barten | Environmental Conservation
Research focuses on watershed structure and function, streamflow in forested uplands and wetlands, assessment of hydrological impacts of land use, modeling of water and sediment yield, and watershed management.
Tobias Baskin | Biology
Research focuses on understanding the mechanisms whereby plant cells govern growth anisotropy including understanding how cell division and expansion are regulated coordinately, the role of the cytoskeleton in regulating anisotropic expansion, and uncover how anisotropic wall yielding is conditioned by the structural elements of the cell wall.
Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson | Public Health and Health Sciences
Magdalena Bezanilla | Biology
Research focuses on the molecular mechanisms behind plant cell growth, and in particular, the mechanisms leading to the polar and directed form of growth known as tip growth and how actin-binding proteins affect dynamics in the cell.


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Accentuate your charming style with this delightful bracelet and charm! Designed in your choice of polished platinum or 18K yellow vermeil over sterling silver, this glorious design features a fancy link bracelet with one interchangeable charm. You can customize this bracelet with additional charms of your choice or wear it as is. One pear-shaped charm features various round cut 1.6-0.9mm black spinels in prong settings.
The total approximate spinel weight is 0.44ct. This gorgeous bracelet comes in your choice of sizes: 6-1/2"L, 7-1/4"L or 8"L x 5/16"W and secures with a spring ring clasp. The charm measures 9/16"L x 5/16"W features a 7mm spring ring clasp with 1.5mm opening.
Part of the NYC II Collection. Made in India. Keep away from bleaching agents. Gemstones may vary in color or pattern. Please allow for these natural variations. Avoid using chemical jewelry cleaners. All weights pertaining to gemstones, including diamonds, are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements.
Vermeil Plating:
Pronounced "vermay," vermeil is an electroplating process in which 14K gold or higher is coated over sterling silver. Officially designated by the jewelry industry, items may only be sold as vermeil if they have a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch (2.5 microns) of gold over the silver. Regular gold plating is less than 2.5 microns.
The "vermeil" technique of plating sterling silver with gold originated in France in the 1750s. It differs from "gold filled" or "gold plated" in terms of the thickness or thinness of the microns over sterling silver. "Gold filled" pieces have a much thicker layer, between 15 and 45 microns, which is mechanically bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure. Vermeil is a more expensive version of "gold plated". It does not wear off as quickly as gold plating does. However, over time, vermeil wears off and therefore will require re-plating.
Gold/Platinum Embraced Silver or Bronze:
Our platinum and gold embraced collections feature layers of platinum or gold over sterling silver or bronze for a lustrous, radiant finish everywhere you look and touch.
To care for your plated jewelry items:
Platinum Plating:
Platinum can be used as a finish coating over sterling silver or copper alloys. Its bright, pure luster enhances the brilliance of gemstones and does not discolor or oxidize. Platinum plating is also characterized by its good resistance to surface abrasion, making jewelry pieces more durable against everyday and long-term wear. Over time, platinum plating will wear off and therefore will require re-plating.
About the Collection
Capture the feel of New York's famed Fifth Avenue with NYC II, an exclusive gemstone jewelry collection bursting with big-city style. Each standout design features vibrant genuine gemstones infused with the vitality, style and appeal of New York City.
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Gem expert, on-air guest and fan favorite Chuck Clemency began his career in jewelry in an interesting way. In 1976, he walked into a retail store that had two openings—one in sporting goods and one in jewelry. Taking note of Chuck's lime green suit, the manager thought Chuck would be perfect for the jewelry department. The rest is history!
Chuck prides himself on the affordability of his products. He says what makes them really stand out from crowd are the expensive looks he offers at inexpensive prices. Chuck is most inspired by the enjoyment his designs add to his customers' lives. In addition to NYC II, Chuck is also the on-air guest for ShopHQ's Diamond Treasures™ and Gem Treasures™ Collections.


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Storitvena orodja
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Pojdi na navigacijsko pot ter preskoči orodja in izbiro jezika
MyGuardian is a European AAL Project launched inf May 2012 aiming to facilitate safe and secure mobility of seniors with mild cognitive impairments while preserving their autonomy and dignity.
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MyGuardian consortium is a European well balanced partnership covering all the areas in the chain value of the project through international collaboration between Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands and France.
HI-IBERIA Ingenieria y Proyectos SL is a Software Development SME founded in 1999. The R&D Department, HI-Research, is focused on the following R&D areas: mobile communications and embedded systems; simulation environments; security; e-Inclusion; business models; and OS developments.
|Sponsor (s):
Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme (AAL JP)
|Inmaculada Luengo: email@example.com


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Tiger Woods, an Orange County native who played at Seal Beach's Navy Golf Course as a youth, told a crowd on Tuesday that he moved out of California to escape the state's high taxes.
Speaking Tuesday at the Torrey Pines Golf Club, Woods sympathized with colleague Phil Mickelson, who recently landed in hot water for his critique of the state's newly passed tax law. Woods told the crowd he moved out of California in 1996 because of high taxes.
"Well, I moved out of here back in '96 for that reason," Woods said in response to a question from a reporter in advance of the Farmers Insurance Open. "I enjoy Florida, but also I understand what he was, I think, trying to say. I think he'll probably explain it better and in a little more detail."
Woods has bagged more than $100 million in prize money during his career, according to Forbes magazine.
On Wednesday, Mickelson plans to discuss the issue that landed him in hot water, following his pro-am round at Torrey Pines. The San Diego native apologized Monday, saying he regretted airing his opinion.
Mickelson, who lives in Rancho Santa Fe, said he might move out of California to avoid Proposition 30 state income tax increases on people earning more than $250,000 a year. Individuals earning $500,000 or more, or couples filing jointly and declaring income of more than $1 million, will pay 3 percent more than before.
Including federal taxes, Mickelson said "62, 63 percent" of his income was going to the government. He cited financial issues as part of the reason he did not join the Padres' new ownership group.
The first round of the Farmers Insurance Open is set for Thursday, with Woods and Mickelson leading the field.
Do you think the tax rate is fair? Do you sympathize with people in higher tax brackets who are thinking of moving to greener pastures?
—City News Service


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Bruce Jenner
• Bruce Jenner Isn't Leaving 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians,' Says Kris Jenner
• Kim Kardashian And Kendall Jenner Share Photos From Family's Festive Christmas Eve Bash
• Weird Celebrity News: Bruce Jenner To Remove Adam's Apple, Sharon Osbourne Lies About Vaginal Surgery
• Conan O'Brien Discovers Hidden Message In Kardashians' Christmas Card
• Kardashians Unveil Bizarre Christmas Card With Key Members Missing
More News >>
Birth Name: Bruce Jenner
Born: 10/28/1949
Birth Place: Mount Kisco, New York, USA
Born: 10/28/1949
Birth Place: Mount Kisco, New York, USA
Born William Bruce Jenner on Oct. 28, 1949 in Mount Kisco, NY, he quickly developed into a superior athlete in almost every sport he attempted - from football and basketball, to track and field and water skiing. He attended Graceland College in Iowa on a football scholarship, where his coach, javelin-throwing champion L.D. Weldon, convinced him to train for the Olympic decathlon after a knee injury derailed Jenner's football career. It was advice well taken, and within a few short years, Jenner had cleared the 1972 Olympic trials. Although he only placed 10th at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, the initial success spurred the athlete on and he embarked on a grueling training regimen of eight h... Continue Bio >>
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Make sure your home is safe.
Here are some ways to prevent accidents in your home:
- Avoid clutter on stairs or walkways.
- Remove throw rugs or secure with tape.
- Put nonslip mats on bathtubs and shower floors.
- Have someone install handrails along staircases and in bathrooms.
Select a plan from the list on the left.
As a member, look forward to timely health tips throughout the year.


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- Why Colby?
- Request Information
- College Profile
- Scholars Programs
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- Alumni Success
- For Counselors
- Contact Admissions
Contact: William Sodoma
Date: April 22, 2011
MEDFORD, Mass. – Alyssa Lepore had hits in both games for the Colby College softball team as the Mules fell 6-0 and 4-0 to Tufts University in a NESCAC doubleheader Friday.
The two teams will play one game Saturday starting at 10 a.m. (new time start).
Lepore (Victor, N.Y.), sophomore Lindsay Peterson (Fairfield, Conn.), and senior C Barbara Santos (Topsfield, Mass.) each had a single for the Mules in the opener.
In game two, Colby's best threat of the afternoon came in the second inning. Lepore led off the inning with a single and then an error on a bunt from first-year Brianne Wheeler (Brussels, Ontario) put two on base with no outs. Then sophomore starting pitcher Lauren Becker (Falls Church, Va.) singled to load the bases.
Jumbo senior starter Izzie Santone (Madison, Conn.), was able to work out of the jam though, as she struck out the next batter. She was then helped out by a great diving catch on a line drive by junior 3B Katherine Darveau (Reading, Mass.). After making the stab, Darveau was able to record a double play by beating the runner at third base back to the bag.
Lepore reached twice for the Mules in game two with a single and walk. Becker tried to help her own cause as she singled twice.
Tufts moves to 18-14 overall and 6-2 in the NESCAC East, while Colby falls to 7-16 and remain winless in league play at 0-8.
Tufts 6, Colby 0 (1st game)
Colby............... 000 000 0 - 0 3 1
Tufts............... 000 420 X - 6 9 0
Pitchers: Colby - A. Polimeno; L. Becker(6). Tufts - R. DiBiase; A. Moskowitz(6).
Win-R. DiBiase(4-7) Loss-A. Polimeno(3-4).
Tufts 4, Colby 0 (2nd game)
Colby............... 000 000 0 - 0 3 1 (7-16, 0-8 NESCAC E)
Tufts............... 110 200 X - 4 7 1 (18-14, 6-2 NESCAC E)
Pitchers: Colby - L. Becker. Tufts - I. Santone; L. Giglio(6).
Win-I. Santone(8-2) Save-L. Giglio(1) Loss-L. Becker(4-9)
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ResearchIn Time Warner bid, Fox betting on sports
Time Warner-owned Turner is the only one of the major sports rights holders that Fox could conceivably buy as it looks to build up Fox Sports 1. Read more »
Time Warner-owned Turner is the only one of the major sports rights holders that Fox could conceivably buy as it looks to build up Fox Sports 1. Read more »
How live is live? That's a question that soccer fans have been asking themselves when confronted with significantly-delayed World Cup streams. Read more »
In its first 10 days, the 2014 World Cup has already generated 32 terabytes of IT traffic, more than the entirety of the 2010 Cup in South Africa, according to telecom carrier Oi. Read more »
You already know where to watch the matches online, but here's where you can go to learn how to pronounce the Croatian goalkeeper's name or see a Vine of Dutch star… Read more »
Major League Baseball's MLB.tv launched on Microsoft's (S MSFT) Xbox One Tuesday, giving users of Microsoft's new game console a way to watch live baseball games as well as replay full… Read more »
Once again, you'll be able to watch all 67 March Madness games live online, or on your iPad, iPhone or Android device. But roughly two-thirds of the games will require authentication… Read more »
Even Booz Allen Hamilton has dollar signs in its eyes when it thinks about sports data. The company is getting started on a new venture to apply its data science mastery… Read more »
So you want to watch the Olympics, but not on your TV? You are in luck: NBC is streaming more than 1,000 hours of competitions live online — but those streams… Read more »
Good news for cord cutters and sports fans alike: Super Bowl XLVIII will once again be live streamed in its entirety. Fox will offer anyone the ability to tune in on… Read more »
Good news, sports fans: Variety reports that NBC, CBS and FOX will be offering online live streams of the NFL postseason and Super Bowl XLVIII, with most content freely available. NBC's wildcard… Read more »


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Can you believe it? Autumn's colorful October is born tomorrow.
Exciting things are happening here at The Tribune-Democrat during October. All month long we are celebrating and drawing attention to "National Breast Cancer Awareness Month."
This will be the fifth year beating the drum of breast cancer awareness.
Our goal every year is very simple: Convince one more woman to get a mammogram.
Today, I urge you to make that your goal as well this month. Please talk to your loved ones and encourage them to get mammograms – screening is fast, easy and the right thing to do.
We are fortunate to have top-notch hospitals, doctors and research facilities right here in our backyard and region.
I am pleased to report that local leaders of our health-care facilities tell me this month-long awareness campaign is making a difference.
The experts confirm that early detection could lead to early cures. Especially when coupled with new, enhanced technology and expanded research, local health professionals and organizations are giving patients the care and support they need to fight against breast cancer and building promise for a better future.
The statistics are indeed alarming. It is estimated more than 200,000 new cases of breast cancer occur annually among women in the United States.
Surprisingly, more than 1,000 men also will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
More than 40,000 breast cancer deaths are expected in our nation this year, more than 1,900 of them in Pennsylvania.
Our hope is that our readers will be proactive and that the information we will be providing throughout the month will persuade those at risk to PLEASE get screened.
This educational campaign could not be possible without the generous support of our corporate neighbors.
I personally met with the heads of these organizations and many shared their own personal connection with this deadly disease. They understand the importance of spreading the word and did not hesitate to participate this year.
I want to thank and recognize: First Commonwealth Bank, Conemaugh Health System, Windber Care/Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center, AmeriServ Financial, Windber Research Institute, Indiana Regional Medical Center, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, 1st Summit Bank, First National Bank, Galliker's Dairy, Somerset Hospital, Concurrent Technologies Corp., Kongsberg Protech Systems USA Corp., JWF Industries, UPMC and Crown American Hotels.
We hope you and your loved ones will set aside a small amount of time it takes to get a mammogram.
It very well be could be the best investment of time you will ever make, because early detection means everything when dealing with this deadly disease.
Robin L. Quillon is publisher of The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.


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Altadena resident Alice Sarkisian Wessen has a chihuahua named "Husky" whose name apparently gives him the boldness of a wolf-sized dog: On Tuesday night Husky chased after a bear that was trying to get into Wessen's garbage can, resulting in the bear retreating up a tree.
Wessen's photo, on right, show the bear hiding in the tree after Husky's "attack."
Like , Husky showed absolutely no fear in going after the bear, Wessen wrote in a local email group: "The bear ran from Husky the Chihuahua. Swear to god that pint sized idiot treed the bear."
She added in an email to Altadena Patch that Husky was rescued from the Pasadena Humane Society and usually spends his evenings sleeping under the covers in bed with his owners.
Wessen also noted that the bear bolt affixed to her garbage can held, and the bear did not get in.
Though it is impossible to tell whether a bear in one sighting is the same as in another, there have been several recent sightings in that area, and one at JPL, not so far away: