26 réponses à ce sujet

[Toroi]

For me, the most exciting part of what I've heard so far is the fact that the story takes place over a span of ten years.  I'm not sure how old you are when you start out, but there is just soooo much potential to develop a story, and deep relationships with NPC characters.  Just think of how well you might get to know some of your party members if they've been hanging with you for a number of years, instead of jut days!  No idea if there will be romances, but there is tons of potential to really develop something there - heck, with ten years to play with, you could even have a romantic interest that doesn't party with you, but is someone you go back and visit frequently.

I do see some risk in this sort of time span, however.  For example, if they do an Awakenings-like expansion where all your party members are just gone.  It would be much more of a blow.  Of course, it hasn't been mentioned that we even have party members yet, so who knows . . .  Also, trying to make a game of a reasonable length that does justice to those ten years could be challenging.

Anyways, if they do it right, there really is a chance to make an epic story with really rich, long-term friends and companions (yes, and enemies).  Really looking forward to hearing more!

[swirlwind]

Somehow I suspect it will be more like seeing the PC's life unfold from youth to adulthood, and that's when the actual game begins. I hope that's not what they mean with it, because what the OP suggests is much more interesting.

[chaos32679]

10 years doesn't have to mean a long game. For all we know, you could have the opening scene in year one, then they advance like a year to another big event/quest, and so on. DA:O was pretty big, I don't imagine it being much bigger, no matter how many "years" it spans...

[Valmy]

I sure hope it means a long game. The length was so refreshing in DA.



I hope they split up the time jumps and do not simply have the first half of the game and then 'ten years later....'



But hey if they do do that and it works it is ok.

[epoch_]

Could be neat. They'll have to tell us more about it before I form an opinion.

[hexaligned]

I think it's going to be more along the lines of

Opening/tutorial : a short intro with the PC escaping from the Blight and starting his journey.

Jump ahead ten years: The rest of the game.

[Nerevar-as]

The problem is that it points towards an even more lineal gameplay because of the time jumps. Or it could be prologue - main plot - epilogue, but that is kind of cheating.

[Toroi]

I really doubt that it'll be one big jump, but I also can't see it as possible to really play out 10 years without some jumps. Perhaps they'll use cinematics to cover some of the jump periods. It would actually make sense to do jumps along the way; for example, say you make a mage character - it'd be perfect to have some period where you are learning the basics, but boring as heck to play a character studying musty old tomes for a couple of years. Add in some short cinematic saying you excelled at studies for a couple of years, then rejoin the story.



I really think Bioware has a purpose with the ten-year span, otherwise they wouldn't bring it up in their posts. I'm really curious about what they intend.

[highcastle]

Well, Assassin's Creed II managed to cover a decent span of years with unintrusive time skips. But the way they handled it was also very dependent on the nature of that game. By viewing specific, relevant memories, Desmond sees only the important stuff. I don't know how DA2 would manage such a similar time span, but I'm excited to see their take on it.

[Welshboy2142]

Yeah i'm expecting it to be like relhart suggested. The original was about 3 months long i think.

[iTomes]

well i think travelling is going to be interesting. for example: in DA1 you need 'bout 2 weeks from orzammar to the circle of magi. this didn't matter after all because in DA1 there was no real "time".

that also could solve the ten years problem. if your travelling much via map 10 years arent that much.

[Lord_Saulot]

The impression I got was that it would be about amassing power and influence and building supporters and such things over a decade's length, i.e., a Rise to power. I doubt it will be about childhood and growing to adulthood, since a decade would not really be a suitable time frame for that. I expect that while it might include minor childhood background, the game will start in early adulthood, and the decade will be after that, involving your character's amassing of power and authority.

[Persephone]

I am guessing that it may be a little like what they are planning for Fable III. A long part of your character's life featuring quests, long reaching decisions, romances that actually carry on after tent time (Pitter Patter?XD) and much more. Given that they only offer one background, that life can be fleshed out to the smallest detail. I certainly hope so!

[GodWood]

Has potential to be brilliant, offer deeper relationships with characters and further immerse the player into the world...
Or it can be completely like Fable.

Modifié par Victor Wachter, 09 juillet 2010 - 04:36 .

[Mr Plow]

relhart wrote...

I think it's going to be more along the lines of
Opening/tutorial : a short intro with the PC escaping from the Blight and starting his journey.
Jump ahead ten years: The rest of the game.

LOL that would be a rather  sleight of hand wouldn't it?

[Master Shiori]

Sounds interesting.



It could have great potential if handled right.



We'll just have to wait and see what comes of it.

[Eludajae]

I agree that the 10 year span is one of the biggest allures for me too. If you look at the site you get the fact that your 10 years of activity is writing not just the story of Hawke but influencing the story of the world around you. Makes for a very interesting longevity play.

[epoch_]

I just thought about it and by making this game span 10 years, you're actually going to experience changed in the setting an story later based upon earlier decisions. Very cool..

[CalJones]

Most likely it'll be something like that. After all, Fallout 3 spans 19 years - though for most of the game you're 19 (going on 20).

Still, I seriously hope we're not going to be made to play another kid. I get sick of these young, just-out-of-puberty protagonists. I'd like to play a character my own age for a change.

[Loc'n'lol]

I think the game will be divided in a number of chapters, with the different parts being separated by a time jump of a couple of years. A one-time 10-year jump could work if it happens around mid-game and brings significant changes to everything you thought you knew about the game. If it just covers the intro then it would be incredibly lame.

[hexaligned]

Mr Plow wrote...

relhart wrote...

I think it's going to be more along the lines of
Opening/tutorial : a short intro with the PC escaping from the Blight and starting his journey.
Jump ahead ten years: The rest of the game.

LOL that would be a rather  sleight of hand wouldn't it?

Well this is the marketing dept. we are talking about.  Not even Biowares marketing, but EA's, so excuse my skepticism   "spans ten years" could mean almost anything, expect them to hype it as the most exicting possibility without giving any real details.

[Valmy]

relhart wrote...

I think it's going to be more along the lines of
Opening/tutorial : a short intro with the PC escaping from the Blight and starting his journey.
Jump ahead ten years: The rest of the game.

Haha that would be hilarious.  And so like Bioware marketing.

'Epic game that covers 10 years!'

Actual game: tiny intro where the hero is 19 years old...then the next scene is when he is 29.

I hope not but you never know.

Modifié par Valmy, 09 juillet 2010 - 05:00 .

[Cypher0020]

maybe the game is broken into chapters? First chapter is a year...second 2-3 years...



I'd like to see Hawke age if ever so slightly...feel like you actually fought for a decade

[Cavegeta]

I think the chapter idea would be interesting and was the first thing I thought of when I read about the ten year timeline. Also, if it was a chapter approach, would there be a cinematic recounting the repercussions of your choices made and then have them influence the following chapters ala The Witcher.



Since you only get to play as a human and the character is already seemingly somewhat set, I would think that some sort of approach to make choices more meaningful (moreso than DA:O) would be imperative. In DA:O you had the benefit of the origins to help shape your characters world view, the best example imo being dwarf noble versus dwarf commoner, which greatly impacted the roleplaying aspects of the game as well as the replayability.



I really hope that the GameInformer article sheds more light on this next week

[Arttis]

It means we get to see our effects from decisions before the end of the game.