First of all, this fanfic is not mine, it belongs to Malkav0 from Steam community. I read the whole thing and absolutely love it. So i want to share his/her work and hope you guys like it.
Here's the link http://steamcommunity.com/app/319630...3938427543245/
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Ok ladies and gentlemen, I'll do a precise summary and explanation of what should have been shown in the Save Chloe Ending, based on the belief that the player choices should have mattered, which is exactly what Dontnod sold to many of us (I understand you can be satisfied with things how they are, it's fine, I don't think you are "wrong" so please refrain to tell people who feel betrayed they are "wrong", it's also perfectly valid given what the game achieved before episode 5).
So apparently if you make certain choices, you can get this ending instead. (This is an edit I made, by the way)
a small edit for the Max and Chloe kiss scene in the Save Chloe Ending, which made me realize that, beside of complaining and even explaining why, we could also try and "fix" things while staying balanced and realist for what the game is and the event that took place, trying to not imply absurd things or just cray wishes. The kiss fits perfectly fine before the tearing of the photo, and I thought to myself tht ending, with kiss or not, would be even more fitting with some additions (because it lacks much), since in the other ending we reset everything, this one should have make it double count. I tried to envision them and make accurate, balanced, satisfying or punishing depending on your choices (and add replay value maybe). I've been very vocal about how it would not have been too hard to make a 4-6 endings system based on choice, another alternative is the one I'll submit to you, and is even easier, creating dozens of combinations in one ending with not too much costs (small parts of scenes) and as you'll see, not too much writing (if I could do it, they could).
First, I'll review the choices in the game to explain what is already accounted for and what will be kept for the ending, either as a major effect or a small easter egg.
Episode 1:
- Let Daniel Draw: it has already a small effect in game, I'll be keeping this choice for a specific situation
-Sign the petition: it's already taken into account in game dialogs
-Help Alyssa: one out of 4 taken into account in episode 5 to have a easier time saving Alyssa
-Erase Kate's board: taken into account in Kate event
-Water the plant: taken into account in Lisa's state
-Pregnancy test: taken into account in your relationship with Dana
-Mess Victoria's photos: taken into account in your relationship with Victoria
-Draw on the camping car window: referenced each time you see the RV. I'll keep this for an easter egg
-Save the bird: you see the bird later
-Break the snow-thing: referenced in dialogs already if it's broken
-Leave marks in the garage: referenced in dialogs already
-Read files: referenced in dialogs already
-Tell the truth about Nathan: already influences several situations in the game. Will be used for a counter-intuitive combination
-Confort/taunt Victoria: taken into account in your relationship with Victoria
-Help Kate: taken into account in Kate event
-Stand for Chloe: taken into account in your relationship with Chloe
Episode 2:
-Water the plant: taken into account in Lisa's state
-Help Alyssa: one out of 4 taken into account in episode 5 to have a easier time saving Alyssa
-Erase the link: taken into account in Kate event
-Be nice to Taylor: taken into account in your relationship with Taylor, it will have an effect though
-Accept/refuse to go ape: taken into account in your relationship with Warren
-Leave a message in the junkyard: already referenced in episode 5 with a creepy change. I'll keep it for an easter egg
-Mess up the rails: already referenced in dialogs. I'll keep it for a minor but touching change
-Be invited to the party: already taken into account in solving an episode 4 part
-Help Warren for his schoolwork: already referenced in dialogs. I'd be giving this a weight in the relationship, if it's not already the case.
-Tell about David to Jefferson: already referenced in dialogs, specificly when framing Jefferson for the Kate event
-Tell Kate to go to the police: taken into account in Kate event
-Take Kate's call: taken into account in Kate event (and Chloe relationship)
-"Shoot" Frank: taken into account in Frank event, Chloe relationship, having a gun or not in episode 3
-Save Kate: has many effects already, but is extremely important, will have effects in the ending
-Frame Jefferson/David/Nathan: already impacts several situations and dialogs. Will be used for a counter-intuitive combination
Episode 3
-Lisa is alive/dead: will be kept for an easter egg
-"Help" Warren for his schoolwork: already referenced in dialogs. I'd be giving this a weight in the relationship, if it's not already the case.
-Erase names from the list: already has a small (funny) effect during episode 4
-Be on the list: already taken into account in solving an episode 4 part
-Erase the cops' message: already referenced in SMS and maybe dialogs
-Help Alyssa: one out of 4 taken into account in episode 5 to have a easier time saving Alyssa
-Warn the old lady: effect can be seen during the episode 5, this will be kept for a small change in the ending
-Take a shot in the past: this will be kept for an easter egg
-Drawing in the past: is alerady a small easter egg, and is lost when you go back and reverse things
-Steal the money: taken into account in your relationship with Chloe, and is referenced in some dialogs/situation. Besides, the school is lost if the town is destroyed
-Stand for David/Chloe: taken into account in situations, dialogs, and in episode 5 effect. Will be relevant for the ending but only after an action in episode 5
-Hurt the dog or not: taken into account in Frank event, but will have a slight change in the ending in some situations
-Chloe has a gun or Frank has it: taken into account in Frank event
Episode 4:
-Save the bird: will be kept for an easter egg
-Mess with the nest: already referenced by Joyce in a SMS I think, but will be kept for an easter egg
-Code for David's locker: is just a riddle-solving indicator, about the way people found
-Kate helped for the room: is just is just a riddle-solving indicator, about the way people found, and an addition provided by the hospital scene if you talk more to Kate
-Make Daniel go to the party: already referenced in the said party but will be kept for a specific situation
-Change Warren's board message: taken into account in your relationship with Warren
-Nathan's phone code: is just a riddle-solving indicator, about the way people found
-Help Alyssa: one out of 4 taken into account in episode 5 to have a easier time saving Alyssa
-Grant Chloe's wish: already referenced in dialogs later in episode 5, and is only a moral choice, interesting to see people feeling about the situation
-Stop Warren from beating up Nathan: already referenced in dialogs. Will be used for a counter-intuitive combination
-Befriend/hurt/kill Frank: will have major effect in ending
-Victoria believed you or not (or wasn't warned): will have major effect in ending
Episode 5:
-David is hurt: is just a riddle-solving indicator, about the way people found
-Killed Jefferson: already referenced in dialogs but will have a minor change in the ending, almost easter egg
-Save the trucker: will have an effect
-Save Evan: will have an effect
-Save Alyssa: will have an effect
-Save the fisherman: will have an effect
-Made Joyce change her mind: will have an effect
-Tell Frank the truth: will have an effect
-Sign of affection to Warren: taken into account in your relationship with Warren
In addition to these points, two thing will have small effects, your relationship with Chloe and with Warren, you can be friend to both, be in love with Chloe, or give Warren a chance. Based on what I read and to not force things on people, the relationship would go as follow:
-Be in love with Chloe rely on the fact you're on her phone, which needs (as it is already in the game) 3 facts out of 4: stand for her for the weed, not taking Kate's call, "shoot" Frank, steal the money. In addition, the relationship would be possible only if you kissed her.
-Open your heart to Warren would rely on several actions: accept his invitation, help him for the experiment, cheat for his grade, change his board in the dorms, kiss him before the last photojump. In addition, the kiss option is available only if you took the course of actions before it and if you're not in love with Chloe.
First scene is in front of the Price house, crushed for the most part, the garage having just the roof ripped:
-If Frank died or was injured, the scene is empty
-If Frank became a friend, Joyce will be in front, safe, and Chloe will walk and hug her while Max is a little behind. If they're in love, they'll hold hands while walking
-If Joyce has forgiven David or they were in good terms, David will be here and will look at Chloe tenderly, moving a hand behind her head, and she'll turn her head and smile at him in forgiveness. If not, he won't be here
-In addition, if the dog was not hurt, Frank will be here with the dog and after the hug with Joyce, Chloe will walk at him and briefly hug him, thankfully implying that he helped Joyce during the storm
-If you also told him the truth about Rachel, after the brief hug, Max will walk toward him and reach his shoulder with a hand and he'll look dawn, sad, but he will have a huge backpack next to him, implying he will be starting a new life elsewhere
-As an easter egg, if you left a drawing on the RV, he will wear a T-shirt with the same face, with the message "I'm clean now", a reference to his choice of becoming someone better
-Regardless of these events, the nest will be seen here in a distance, near the garage entrance as an easter egg. If it was left protected by the plank, it will still have some sort of shelter from it (a bit changed, by the wind but still) and the eggs will crack as the mother bird watch over them. If not, the nest will be seen crushed under the plank
To introduce these events, some SMS text will appear when you get out of the nightmare in episode 5, assuming they were before the lines broke:
Always some texts to Joyce and Warren, and some texts to Frank he became a friend, but sad answers if his dog was hurt. Angry texts from him if he was hurt. No text if he and his dog were hurt. Texts from David in any case, with worries.
Second scene is in the hospital, with a different number of room (on the same model the one has Kate) are seen from the side, from the entrance of each, moving slowly:
-First room is Kate, her family around her, smiling
-Second room would be Joyce if Frank didn't become a friend, with light bandages. David would be here if she forgave him. Regardless of his presence, Chloe is seen in the hallway with Max, leaving a letter on a chair, not feeling brave enough to enter, sad but relieved. If they're in love, Max holds her hand. She type a text with the other hand, as Joyce recieve it immediatly, she smiles and cries a little ; if David is here, he then smiles too as she looks at him, both with love.
-Third room would be Warren, if Frank didn't become a friend, he is seen with a broken leg. If Max opened her heart to him, she follows the camera and enter his room, getting close to him and reaches for his hand, as they both smile to each other ; the camera holds a bit as if they're talking briefly, then she leaves, walking backward, smiling at him.
-Fourth room would be Frank if he was hurt but his dog was fine, or if he became a friend but his dog was hurt. He is seen with a broken arm, holding a picture of Rachel in his valid hand and his dog sitting next to him, or a picture of Rachel and his dog if the dog was hurt, implying the dog died. In either case he is seen sad, shedding some tears. The picture can be seen when his arm falls on the bed.
-Fifth room would be Victoria, if she wasn't or couldn't be warned. She is seen injured to an eye, implying she lost it. Her parents are here but she looks bitter.
-Sixth room would be Nathan, injured to the head, guarded by 2 cops, handcuffed to the bed. He would be seen here only if a counter-intuitive course of event has been followed: not reporting him, not accusing him, not letting him be beaten badly. If Victoria wasn't hurt, she'll be seen leaving his room, bitter and sad. His father will be seen in front, access denied by the cops, and Nathan will look the other way, in pain, angered about his father and himself, facing his acts by then bending his head and crying, crushing a photo of Rachel in his hand, out of guilt.
The rooms are in this order if they're all occupied, but there is no empty room to be seen if one may be skipped. If Kate is dead, Frank a friend and the dog not hurt, Victoria warned and Nathan destiny sealed, the scene is skipped entirely.
To introduce these events, slight changes would be made in episode 5. If Nathan is to be seen in a room, a dialog with Jefferson changes slightly, saying that he couldn't reach him because of Max actions, leading Nathan to turn to his father in anger and fear for his acts. Some SMS text will appear when you get out of the nightmare in episode 5, assuming they were before the lines broke:
A text from Kate if she is alive, stating the hospital is far enough from the tornado but she is worried for Max and the others. A text from Victoria is she wasn't warned or could not be warned, stating she is in troubles, angered at Max if they're in a really bad relationship (like "why am I here instead of you"), or just fearfull if they're fine enough. Some text from Nathan if he is to be seen here, stating he won't ever forgive himself, he will face what he has done, sad that he's feel used by everybody, and somehow thanking Max for going easy on him while he doesn't deserve it.
Third scene is at Blackwell Academy dorms, the building having been strong enough to stand, while badly damaged:
-Coming out of the small room of Samuel will be ... Samuel, with squirells. If the old lady was warned, she'll come out behind him, implying she found shelter here and she somehow knew Samuel a bit.
-Coming out of the dorms will always be Mrs Grant, with a field helmet and carrying health materials, implying she took the safety in charge here during the storm, directing fleeing people to safety. A few elements around will support this, like message roughly painted on some walls and tree, showing a way to the dorms. She's followed by the principal. After them will come out Justin, Trevor and Dana, while grudges seem to have disappear, Justin giving a pat in the back of Trevor and both smiling, Trevor holding Dana's hand. Then will come, quickly, Logan, Zack, Juliet (holding Zack's hand) and Luke. Daniel and Brooke come then ; if you let Daniel draw your portrait, convince him to go to the party and ruined Brooke's chance with Warren by accepting his invitation to go ape, they will be slightly closer and will look at each other, embarassed.
-If you have been nice to Taylor, she then comes out, helping an injured Courtney to walk
-If you saved Evan, Alyssa, the trucker or the fisherman, any of them alive will come out.
To introduce this, some SMS text will appear when you get out of the nightmare in episode 5, assuming they were before the lines broke:
Evan and Alyssa texting a thank, if they're meant to be alive. Taylor receiving a text of warning from Max, with a cut answer.
Fourth scene is very brief, showing the crushed barn from above, a cop car being parked here. If you got Jefferson killed by David, he will be seen crushed by a tree, seemingly in an attempt to flee, and a medical vehicle will be here. Else 2 cops will be seen putting him in the car.
Fifth scene is the cemetarry, with a a camera moving facing some tombstones. Like the hospital, their number is linked to events:
-First would be Kate, her family grieving around
-Second would be Rachel. On the grave can be seen blue flowers and a wooly cap, implying Chloe left them. In addition, if Frank is alive, a single rose lies on the top on the grave with dogtags. Ultimately, if Rachel's grave is the only one to be seen, if both Frank and his dog are safe, if Victoria wasn't injured and if casualties are minimal (see further), Rachel can be seen as ghostly silhouette behind her grave, smiling, a blue butterfly landing next to the rose, making a link with the other ending, implying things happened the best they could, with minimum casualities, and that it is why Max was given a chance to act.
-Third grave would be Alyssa
-Fourth grave would be Evan
-Taylor and Courtney would be dead too if you were not friend with taylor, implying small change has big consequences, as the game demonstrated
-Fifth grave would be a little further and would be Frank if he was killed or if both he and his dog were hurt, implying that if his dog was fine it helped him to survive
-Sixth and seventh graves would be closeby, for the trucker and the fisherman, one having a truck metal emblem lying on it, the other a fishing hook.
-Eighth sign would be even further, a bit isolated, and more a crypt entrance, the crypt of the Prescott. All that could be seen is a plate at the entrance with the name of Nathan. If Victoria wasn't injured, she would be seen here, eyes closed, looking angry and bitter, fist firmly closed. If Kate died, she would then turn head in this direction and shed a tear, then releasing fist, letting go a picture in the mud near a bush of her and Nathan, and she would then turn away and leave.
Final scene is the one we see in the original ending, with slight changes:
-Before fading to this scene, a brief scene in the junkyard will be shown if you wrote a message on the wall. The creepy change Jefferson made will have been altered and it will state, about Chloe and Max "forever together" and for Rachel "forever with us"
-If the rails had been damaged, a train will be among the ruins (increasing the casualities)
-If the dog was hurt, a partially covered body of an injured dead dog would be seen next to the Two Whales
-Several easter egg would be seen here: if Lisa is alive, it would be tied in the back of the truck. If Kate died, a cage covered with a heavy blanket is also tied in the back of the truck. If the bird was saved twice, it will land briefly on the truck when it stops in front of the town sign. If a picture was taken in the past, it will be stuck in front of Chloe in the car, when the camera goes in
-If Frank became a friend, Warren will be here instead of the hospital, near the exit of the town, probably called by Max. If he's just a friend they will just show sign of talking through the window, Warren probably relieved to see her safe and wishing her the best, if they're in a relationship, they will kiss through the window while Chloe smiles briefly. Regardless, Warren then starts to walk into the town again
-If Chloe and Max are friend, the final moves don't change, but if they are in love, instead of just smiling, Max reach for Chloe's arm and move her head to her shoulder, tenderly
-The page of a journal would be carried by the wind and fall on the side of the road as the car leaves, and the camera would show the title about the storm, with 5 variations from "severe casualties for an E6 tornado" to "exceptionnaly low casualties for an E6 tornado", decided upon the status of the train, the number of characters' death and those injured, reminding the fact that a missing or injured person could have helped many other if healthy
-A final addition would be, further, the car on a road and a sign showing " To Seattle" (thanks to a fan ending about their relationship for the idea)
Duration would be around ten minutes great maximum.
Here you go, you have here what I consider my ending, regardless of what the devs did (or did not do in fact). Probably everything is not exactly perfectly set (maybe I'm missing texts or setups needed to introduce some event but I think I was accurate enough).
It took me about 3-4 hours to list interesting choices, establish the sceneries, write them accurately, check that it made sense. It also demonstrate that it was perfectly possible to think it out, provided Dontnod didn't want to be cliché or depress many people as way as deny some the care they took in their choices. Ressources needed to actually implement this ending are:
-designing the Price house after the storm
-using some character models for Kate's family and maybe 2 additionnal cops, and Nathan's father (the hospital room exists already, they don't have to be very different and the hallway is generic)
-designing the damages to the dorms, but not too much assuming it was still a strong building, and the messages painted roughly around
-exploiting a bit more the cemetary scenery used for the other ending, to allow for the close up view of tombstones, and designing a crypt entrance for the prescotts.
-finishing a model for Rachel ?
-modifying a bit the existing scene for the train wrecked, the dead dog, the small easter eggs, the move from Max to Chloe, the Titles journal page
-adding the "to seattle part"
It's not exactly "nothing" but it's not really a huge task, given they recycled a lot of material for the rest of episode 5 (ok, the town trashed is impressive though, the plane and San Francisco's gallery are cool). Honestly I would have waited an additionnal month for such an ending.
The other ending could use additions too, to be closer to this level of closure. A few things, because since it cancels all our decision except Max's knowledge, there would be fewer variations.
Still, for the second ending, I would add:
-Max holding the hand of Warren if she opened her heart to him
And after the burial:
-Brief scenes of: Frank crying while driving his RV to leave town, a picture of Rachel and Chloe in front of him, overwhelmed with sadness and guilt (not everything is nice by saving Arcadia Bay) ; a view of blackwell with all known students, practicing activities (Daniel drawing if you discovered his talent and just sitting if you didn't, Alyssa dodging a ball if you helped her more than 2 times or getting hit if you didn't, Evan taking a shot of squirells if you had saved him or reviewing his portfolio if you didn't, Taylor and Courtney offering a jacket to Kate if you were in good terms with Taylor or being embarassed from afar if you weren't) ; David at the Two Whales with Joyce and Max (and Warren if she opened her heart to him), viewing some photos, Max getting out to bring food to the old lady if you warned her during the game ; Victoria in the gallery with Max, implying a better relationship, if Max discovered her good side during the game, or Max alone, to stay positive, implying she managed to submit her shot in the end
As you see, even if I worked less on this part (because I'm less motivated and I'm getting tired), this is still some nice additions and it would have retained some of our choice, not based on consequences but on Max's knowledge. I think it could make a very decent ending too.
I found no good way to imply that, in both case, in my view, Max loses her powers after the storm/last photojump. (And it's only my point of view ^^)
As I put a lot of energy and thoughts in it, for once, I'd really like the feedback of people here in the forum. Not in a bitter approach of the existing endings, not either in a fanboy approach of the existing endings, but just comparatively, if you find it relevant or not, more satisfying or not, promising or not. Thanks in advance to remain polite to each other =)
"From Malkav0 to DONTNOD"
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Last words are for you Dontnod, Scott if you read me, any devs coming by here: I understand what I suggest here is not assured to be perfect (but I tried hard) and what the writing wanted to tell originally is far darker. I understand, too, that ressources and time could have been an issue (but it would have really been worth it to wait for endings that feel really complete). I just want you to understand that I and many others did not want a lecture on time-travel (Jefferson style) or a desperate situation. Not because we can't handle it but because you were making a game, not a movie. You made many of us believe our choices would have true consequences, not just the final one, and we felt failled, betrayed. We can find as many of sad ending as we want in movies, but having the ability to take the course of action in hands is the exclusivity of games. A game with a rich gameplay aims to be entertaining by action and often follow a unique path. A game with a rich story and/or very few gameplay elements bring something else to the player, most of the time it challenges his brain to solve riddles or master some mechanisms. You created a game that brought something none other had before, not like that, something unique. Something that was feeling like a revolution. And it wasn't, just because of ending issue, denying player acts, making him/her feel not like a player, not like a game but a hand-tied displaying of movie, and using in the end a great cliché already used in the genre. Many people had seen it coming, making jokes on the forums, and I'm sure you saw it. I believe in your talent, you people at Dontnod, and my guess is that you couldn't afford to make big changes at that time. But see, what I suggested seems doable. I believe you were hand-tied, but in case you were not, let me say you this, the greatest courage and intellect of an artist is needed when he/she has to give up on an idea that turns out to be bland, and has to start again fresh.