What did you do today in ME?

I always thought that was just something that made no sense tbh

Last night I decided to play ME3, but from the point after Shepard is shot by Harbinger. No matter how many times I've played through this part it seems everything is all about speculation. The extended cut left more questions unanswered than answered. I can only speculate how different the game would have been if more time was given.

Anyways. Back to my DA2 playthrough

I had no idea there was a way to avoid the guards!

What bothers me is that if there is a tech on the squad, why that character doesn't step up and say they can do the job since they have the skill? Of course Jacob should know better since he doesn't have the skill.

Drew was lead writer for ME1 and ME2 until he left. Mac Walters took over as lead writer.  If given more time for ME3, would the writing have been different? No idea since that time has come and gone. 

All I know is the ending to ME3, with the extended cut, left a lot of questions unanswered. The one question I like to ask Casey Hudson, when he was working on ME1, if the ending to the trilogy and Shepard's story is what he had in mind?

I'm thinking maybe not? Wasn't it mentioned somewhere, I forgot where, probably in a interview some years later, that he was discussing the conclusion to ME3 with MW who eventually convinced him that his idea was the better one.  

* * *

OT. On a side note, MEA is getting airing over Twitch channels, none complimentary. The most common comments; this game has better facial animations than MEA and "my face is tired", his face is so tired, he can't do * any more. 

From the Journal of Ioan Shepard:
Omega Quarantine Zone: Now inside, I was worked that the Blue Suns and the vorcha were who I had to watch out for. Most I came across were dead, burned in piles rather than risk them infecting others. Some had been locked in their quarters, dying there instead. One dying batarian accused humans of creating the plague. I gave him some medi-gel, which convinced him I was sincere. However, the evidence did point toward humans as the culprits. I promised I'd send him help if Mordin had found a cure.
- Found Mordin in his clinic. Just overhearing him, it's obvious he won't find a cure that's potentially lethal to anyone - even humans, who are immune. So he might put a bullet in the head of an attacking mercenary but he really does seem to be out for the innocent. Sounds like we he and I might get along. When I told him I was going after the Collectors he suggested they were behind the plague. He said he had a cure but needed someone to disperse it at the environmental control center, which was being guarded by vorcha. They were obviously in the league with the Collectors. I agreed to take care of it. Fought my way there, rescuing Mordin's assistant, Daniel, along the way. Inserted the cure and then made my way back to the clinic.
- Normandy: With Mordin around, I was finally able to upgrade some weapons and armor. Dr. Chakwas also found a way to permanently heal my scars other than "positive outlook". Then we got drunk on Serrice Brandy. I also won 500 credits from Donnelly and Daniels in a game of Skyllian-Five.
Omega, Archangel's Base: Archangel was next up. Since he was also on Omega, I went for him, but he had pissed off every merc on the station. Seemed he was disrupting all of their shady operations and they teamed up to go after him. Me, Zaeed and Mordin posed as a freelance band seeking - get this - 500 credits each to go after Archangel. That's what I won at poker. Anyway, we just needed to get close before turning the tables and helping Archangel. No one actually knew who he was so it was going to be interesting. Along the way, reconfigured an YMIR mech to shoot at anyone near it, which meant it would be of no help to the mercs. Also took out Sgt. Cathka, preventing him from completing repairs on a gunship. Then we were off to find Archangel.
- When I got to Archangel, he removed his helmet. He was none other than Garrus Vakarian! Then the attacks came. The YMIR mech was brought out and immediately started fighting the mercs. Once it went down, Jaroth, leader of the Eclipse, showed up. Then he went down. Garm also attacked, but he also didn't last. Finally, Tarak camwe with his gunship. It was already in bad shape but still good enough to hurt Garrus. Thanks to the missile launcher I was carrying, that also went down. Then we hauled Garrus to the Normandy for medical attention.
- Citadel: Recruited thief Kasumi Goto. Then visited Anderson and had a meeting with the Council. They reinstated my Spectre status but were unhappy I was working with Cerberus. Join the club. However, given that they were unwilling to get involved, and human colonies were going missing, why would they expect I do nothing? Still, the Reapers were coming at some point in the future and I would need their support then. Don't want to have to reestablish ties in the midst of an invasion.
- Bought an Illium Skald fish and a space hamster.
- Bekenstein: Infiltrated a party to Donovan Hock as part of Kasumi's price for working with Cerberus. We had to steal back a graybox that contained some sensitive information but which also held memories of her former partner. We had to crack his vault first, which took some doing, but eventually we got in. Hock had been expecting us. Though we got the graybox it was a hell of a fight to get out, including taking down another gunship like I'd done on Omega. Kasumi is loyal.

dmc1001 , can you change the colour for the indent of paragraphs? Something pastel like light green or light yellow. I'm finding the blue hard to see since I chose a dark background. 

Laura Shepard, Colonist, Sole Survivor

Shepard took Ashley and Garrus with her to investigate Sanctuary, a supposed safe haven for refugees of the war. Except the place was devoid of any refugees. 

It soon became clear that that the "refuge" was a front for a secret Cerberus lab, turning desperate refugees of all species into husks. It was obvious now that TIM -- and possibly all of Cerberus -- had been indoctrinated. 

Miranda got there before Shepard did, looking for Oriana and her father.

Long story short, Shepard saved Oriana and Miranda killed their father. Hooray!

Back on the Normandy, Javik was contemplating a prothean relic that could remind him of everything he'd forgotten...and everything he would miss again if he remembered. Having suffered her own losses -- first her family and the entire colony she knew growing up, and then her entire unit on Akuze -- Shepard advised him not to look, and not to remember. Surprisingly, he took her advice.

With the ship sputtering and creaking ominously, Shepard knew she could no longer avoid taking the Normandy back to dry dock on the Citadel for repairs, even if it delayed the mission for a week or two. The crew went their separate ways -- with plans to meet up for some fun -- and Shepard took Garrus with her to Anderson's apartment.

The first crew member to invite Shepard out was Joker, who wanted to meet at a very popular sushi place where it was practically impossible to get a table. How Joker managed to do so, Shepard had no idea.

So here are two human/turian couples who are apparently sharing appetizers from the same platter. Thrill-seekers, or death-wishers?

Shepard and Joker sat down for a nice meal, but quickly realized that neither had actually booked the table, nor invited the other. However, they had little time to think about the implications before a frantic young marine came up to them, babbling about Shepard being in danger.

Naturally, this is when the shooting started.

Shepard grabbed a pistol and sought cover to shoot back. Joker "volunteered" to be the bait.

Joker was able to get away safely, but before Shepard could follow with Brooks, the gunmen shot the restaurant's fishtank floor out from under her, and she fell through.

I found this part of the DLC much more difficult this time, playing on normal instead of casual. Pathetic   I died once or twice.

Anyway, first Garrus showed up to help out, but not before stopping to admire Shepard's outfit (and possibly her butt, as he appears to be doing here).



Then Wrex arrived to lend a hand. And I have to say, he really...get ready for it...wrecks these goons. 








So here's Wrex and goons.



Next time, Vega orders pizza, Shepard wears a dress, and the mastermind behind the attacks is revealed.

Just finished the Quarian quest in ME3, but this is the first time I did it with an ME2 import in which I did not recruit Tali. Tali does not show up, and there are no dialogue options available to find out what happened to her. My guess is she and the rest of her squad died on Haelstrom. What I found interesting is that Tali's name does not show on the Normandy's fallen soldiers plaque before the quest, but after the quest (sided with Geth) her name (incorrectly) shows up. I am assuming its a bug.

This was a new experience for me - without Tali ever being recruited the Quarian admirals are in full douchebag mode. Koris is the only decent guy but he is not enough, and the others show no inclination of listening to Shepard. So I began to realize that without Tali, Quarians really don't know much about Shep or how effective he can be, in this case to their detriment. When I am in a playthrough where I don't get all the options, I will always side with the faction that wants peaceful coexistence. The conversation with Garrus about the cruel calculus of war afterwards was new to me as well.

After this playthrough is over my next one will be one where Wrex was never recruited and Maelon's data was deleted.

I always cringe at this because I always think of the bits and pieces of glass, metal and other stuff Shep was zipping through in her civvies, arms bare. I always go "ow, ow" for her.