Yes, I am well aware that I am far behind in video games; I was a Nintendo fan before I finally decided to make a much-needed switch (though I still do Nintendo) to other platforms this past summer. The one up for consideration in this post is Mass Effect. Last night, I got to the scene where Ashley Williams and Dr. Liara T'Soni wanted to "talk it out" with Commander Shepard. I have to admit, my heart went all aflutter at this scene. Not one...but 2 girls fighting for my character? Obviously I chose Dr. Liara T'Soni; that quiet nerdish type coupled with her cute and inherent awkwardness really is a big turn-on for me. This feeling, needless to mention never experienced by me in reality, was my first feeling of "pride" (cry with pity or incredulity if you wish). However, it is a feeling that is still with me. Everytime I prepare to play Mass Effect, I get excited and look foward to it. I play it about once or twice a week with an hour for each "play time"; this can sustain me moderately. So, if keep this up, and, considering the same for Mass Effect 2 and eventually 3, I have a good love life ahead of me if only I can keep my head in the game. This, of course, I cannot, my mind inately wanders too much for that, but, at it's most theoretical form, I could be totally satisfied by this game and more if I chose to add more games. I am disquieted, however, by the fact that my situation is by no means exclusive (plenty of people have "courted" the beautiful doctor). Video games seem to be replacing my reality bit by bit. This certainly does not sound like a good thing at all, but if reality fails in toto, why not indulge in the inner self that sets humans apart from their animalia counterparts, and can please me without fail?

I have to say that I do that a lot, replacing reality with fiction, for me it's book characters and plots...but right now I'm just living my reality...although I tend to daydream a lot...

Yep. :happy forever alone face: Mass effect was my first relationship, and it felt pretty amazing. Went for Ashley myself, every time I went back in the ship I rode that fucking elevator down to talk to her. Faster than light travel is possible but the god damn elevator takes 5 minutes to go 30 feet That game is one of my all time favorites. Really looking forward to 3. I'll be sad to see it all end though.

It's a reality easy to get immersed in for romantics. There's the annual story of some guy in japan who marries a DS or something because it has a girlfriend simulator. I would think it could only sustain him for so long, but who knows.

I have to admit, I'm one of those guys who plays one of those anime "girlfriend simulators," except it's on the PC. You know, those 3D ones where you get to customize the girls - her appearance, personality, and tastes. Even though I know she's not real and can't touch her / marry her / etc... I can take pleasure knowing that she can never judge you, as long as you love her she'll love you back.

I substitute fantasy for (often unbearable) reality all the time. To the point where sometimes the illusion feels more real than the actuality. Where the Matrix seems more real than the real world. Where the dream feels more lucid than the waking world.

LIARAAAAA!!!! <3
Yeah, I have a crush on that lil alien. She's MINE, ya hear! :@
But I did select "catfight" as the response, though.
But then Ashley left and Liara stayed, so I know who's the better one. <3 <3

EDIT: By the way, Mass Effect 2 won't have Liara unless you buy the Lair of The Shadow Broker DLC. If you "stay true" to Liara without hooking up with anyone in the main game of Mass Effect 2, you can continue with the "relationship" in the DLC.
And Mass Effect 3 has Liara again, luckily.

Reality is Broken

I highly, highly recommend this web site, along with the author and the book it is centered around.

Maybe this is why I got confused with what was reality and what wasn't:

What if you know it's a fake world, but find the real world so deplorable that you consciously and knowingly reject caring about it?

For what it's worth, movies and videogames - fictional worlds committed to some kind of print or recordkeeping - have some semblance of attachment to reality simply by being written by someone, even if it's jibberish. I mean a new reality that can't be written down, because there are no words to describe it. Something that isn't cursed, like this. When watching a movie or playing a game, a part of me always has to think, "what's the angle?", and I remember that it was something created by someone else, for whatever reason - usually profit.

I guess, when I'm really into a game, I think about what I'm going to do in that reality. But I don't do any role-playing or putting myself in the position of anything other than playing a game.

I wouldn't facepalm yourself too much.

It's a hallmark of something that's very well written I find, be it a book, tv series or even game, that you become fond of the characters, you're annoyed at them if they do something stupid, or sad if something happends to them. I think the 1st Mass Effect probably had the best story and character development in any game I've ever played. The 2nd one was great too, but not as good I reckon. I'm about 12 hours into the 3rd one now, and it's getting better, but it was a little dull to start off.

3rd is so epic it took some time to process for me. Everything's very overwhelming from start to finish. It's the only game where I've literally just been in awe of what I was seeing on screen. I literally said "wow" a few times and I tip my hat to the art directors/artists/designers/anybody else who helped create that game. Oh and the writings good too but that's like saying the sky is blue.

Just popping into this topic to say I'm thoroughly enjoying Mass Effect 3. Except for the whole ME1 face fiasco. It's kinda pathetic that Bioware never tested a save that was imported to ME2 from ME1 to see whether it works on ME3. I managed to get my Shepard back thanks to fanmade tools, though.

Without spoiling anything for anyone, I have to say I was quite dissappointed with the ending, the rest of the game was great though, even if the combat was a bit clunky at times.


Yeah I couldn't import one of the characters I played through the 2nd one as.

I just completed the storyline... and I'm feeling like shit... Seeing Liara like that... Dammit I'm such a wuss. :/
Won't say much, though. Don't wanna spoil.

Did they change the UI at all in ME3?

I enjoyed ME1, but I thought the UI was dumbed-down too much in ME2. I like being able to collect items.