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May 02, 2012 - 1:14 pm

Mass Effect 3: Tali’s Face Decision Explained

As if the Mass Effect 3 endings were not dissapointing enough, fans faced (no pun intended) yet more disappointment when it was discovered BioWare had used a stock photo for the grand unveiling of Tali’s face. The stock image was taken from Getty Images and was actually a fairly crudely photoshopped Miss England from 2005.

Obviously this poured salt into the already raw wounds of fans who expected better from BioWare. Speaking at PAX East Mike Gamble was faced with questions regarding BioWare’s decision to use the stock photograph for Tali’s face. He told the audience that BioWare often use a photo reference for it’s faces. Fem Shepard, Liara, Miranda, and Samara’s face are all referenced from real women. Gamble stated that BioWare often use source art for many aspects of the game. Using real photography adds a layer of fidelity and ensures the colours are right.

Screenshot of Mass Effect 3 (Credit: Publisher)

Tali in Mass Effect 3

However the question is whether or not people really object to BioWare using a stock photo for photo-reference or whether or not it is the perceived lack of effort on the side of BioWare. Whether or not she is based on a real woman, Liara looks very much like an Asari. Unmistakable. Tali’Zorah should look like a Quarian, but the image in Commander Shepard’s quarters still looks like a badly photo-shopped human. If you are still seething from the issue of Tali’s face you can bleach your eyes with some of this awesome fan art featuring everybody’s favourite Quarian, and her unmistakably beautiful face.

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Comments

  • Karl_mcguiness

    (sigh) Art this, art that. The word art has been abused so very much. Don’t know why Bioware didn’t adopt any of the fan art of Tali.

  • Lindsay

    “Tali’Zorah should look like a Quarian”

    Perhaps you can explain what a Quarian *should* look like.

    • http://www.gamebandits.com/ Gamebandits

      BioWare put so much effort into making the races in the Mass Effect universe so distinct from each other, so unique to any other alien species we’ve seen before in other sci-fi. Of course, Quarians may look very similar to humans, though BioWare missed an opportunity for something very special here. 

  • Kaz367

    using a reference and uploading a crudely shopped photo are two different things, that said this was the last bit of straw in the thing

  • http://www.gamebandits.com/ Gamebandits

    That is certainly one option for BioWare. They have an opportunity with the Extended Cut to re-introduce a maskless Tali. However opinion is divided about the need for/ use of an extended cut.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Corbin-Allen/100000623047514 Corbin Allen

    It could at least have been a GOOD photoshop bit….

    I replicated the image in my own copy of Photoshop, just for the lulz, wanted to see how long it would take. 

    Line drawing – 10 minutes
    Smooth the edges of the lines – 10 minutes (and I was doing it the hard way)
    Violet filter – 30 seconds
    Light source to try to cover up the travesty, positioned at top left – 10 seconds
    Conclusion: Someone at BW did this on their lunchbreak.

    • http://www.gamebandits.com/ Gamebandits

      A very interesting theory @facebook-100000623047514:disqus ! Made us chuckle when we read your comment! :D

  • http://www.facebook.com/MikeCSS Mike Cannon

    I just got to this part and was pissed.  The fact that Bioware is so lazy that they cant be bothered rendering a face for a much loved character who has been in all 3 games is lazy in extreme. 

  • HAOSov Andrej

    Извините меня, но ето хреновая отмазка.

  • http://www.gamebandits.com/ Gamebandits

    You make a good point @9b3e77940335c1cfb680c3a5aa56e070:disqus . Though the Asari have humanoid bodies too, and BioWare managed to create a very unique and beautiful species. A lot of the fan art depicts Tali as having elfin features. You may not be alone in your opinion.

  • http://www.facebook.com/gregory.n.pappas.9 Gregory Nicholas Pappas

    I’ll admit, I was expecting something similar to a lot of the fan-arts of Tali, it was a little disappointing.  It felt like she lost a lot of personality the second I saw the picture…  the combination of the picture’s quality, the poor lighting, and lack of plot behind the actual photograph.  If they were going with having her give Shepard a picture of herself, I would assume a “Facebook-style” shot with her omnitool of Shepard and her embracing on Rannoch  after she removed her mask would have carried MUCH more weight.

    Despite that, I would have thought that instead of a picture – she could have retrofit a Quarian-style Casual attire for Shepard…  I would have enjoyed continuing the mystery of what she looks like, plus be able to have a cool vanity item as well.