51 réponses à ce sujet

[Brockololly]

Didn't see this posted yet, so here it is: http://www.joystiq.c...w-dragon-age-2/

A couple of quotes:

I'll get impressions out of the way first: It's faster and more brutal,  less cerebral and more exaggerated. You might think that's because  BioWare wants to make the game a little flashier and more accessible,  and you'd be right in part. But Dragon Age 2's dark secret is  that even if the action is a little more over-the-top and a lot darker,  there's a real, solid, story-based justification for it.

And here's the catch: Someone else is actually making it up. The main characters of Dragon Age 2 are actually Cassandra and Verik, two people ten years down the line  from the first game, that have to save a world on the brink of war not  by fighting their own battles, but by finding out just what Hawke's been up to since Dragon Age: Origins. In other words, the game is  told in flashback, by a not-always reliable third party. Which means  that if Hawke's story is flashier, grittier, or more fanciful than the  first game, that's okay -- anything that might be a lie probably is. "We wanted to see what happened if a legend is exaggerated," said Laidlaw  during the demonstration.

And it means that after just a few minutes into the game, you can see a  dragon swoop out of the sky, magically transform into a woman, and "she" can walk up to Hawke and company to slyly say, "Well, what have we here?" No, that might not be exactly how it happened, but the story you're playing is the story being told, not the story occurring in Ferelden.

We don't yet know how Hawke's story will play out -- Laidlaw promised that players would make decisions thatshow how "the Chantry's fallen to pieces" and the world is brought to war. But however it's done, we'll  be hearing about it from an NPC as we play.

(the bold was my emphasis)

I'm not so sure about the whole legend aspect to things. Its sounds neat, but on the other hand its like we aren't even really controlling Hawke- we're just totally at the whim of the narrator and what we're playing may be one big fabrication and not even what happened. Whats the point to it all then? Its like Leliana's DLC- its a nice story, but its just that- a story which could very well be complete rubbish.

As always, we'll have to wait and see how this boils down. The bit on the Chantry falling to pieces is interesting. Flemeth, Morrigan and Old Gods, perhaps?

Modifié par Brockololly, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:05 .

[Murder Knife]

Cool beans.

[Grommash94]

Huh. The Chantry fallen to pieces really suggests something to do with the Mage meeting in Cumberland.

[Arlana Tabris]

"players would make decisions that show how "the Chantry's fallen to pieces" and the world is brought to war" - sounds intriguing.



Thanks for the link.

[Sable Rhapsody]

Hmm. Interesting in-universe justification for the new combat, though I'm not entirely sure if I like it. I have reservations about the new combat mechanics, though BioWare did say the demo was meant to be more over-the-top.

Personally, I think the frame story will be cool. One of my favorite things in RPGs is hearing stories of my exploits, as told by other people, or even hearing party members chat about my PC. (Yes, narcissistic me.) Having an entire game framed that way can be fun if done well.

...also, if the Chantry's falling to pieces, I want to be the one who brought it to its knees   Wouldn't that just be fantastic, if after all their setup in DA:O, we really got to mess with them in DA2?  Or is it just me being evil?

Modifié par Sable Rhapsody, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:07 .

[Vicious]

The more I read the more I am liking the idea of the story being a framed narrative recounted by a third party.



That said, and yes I know ME haters will lynch me - but I hope there will be over-the-top dialogue interrupts.

[Jordy Laforge]

 Nice find OP! Great little read. I really like the direction it is headed in.

[Arassi]

sounds rather interesting

[Brockololly]

The framed narrative is neat if used appropriately- if the narrator voice over is constantly butting into the game to narrate the events, that would be annoying. The whole over the top combat being justified as part of the flashback is neat, but only in moderation. Its basically like how 300 was technically a "amped up"retelling of Leonidas and the Spartans by Dilios.

The potential problem I have with it is that it possibly creates more distance between the player and the PC, if we've got an unreliable narrator controlling the story. How am I supposed to know that Hawke actually met Flemeth? Are the flashbacks just total hogwash?

I'd like to have some measure of certainty that what Hawke is doing when I'm controlling him in the flashback will really matter and isn't going to be handwaved away later by someone saying that was just Varric's crazy imagination and Hawke never did anything like meet Flemeth. Its one big potential "gotcha!" situation when we eventually meet Hawke in the present time, if he/she is nothing like we were led to believe because the narrator's flashbacks were the product of an overactive imagination.

There needs to be some clarity and certainty given when we're playing through a "legend" of Hawke and whats the actual thing.

Modifié par Brockololly, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:28 .

[Saibh]

Did Mike Laidlaw ever specify if only the demo is that flashy, or if it's the whole game? Considering they said they're making little changes to the combat in the PC version, I'd guess it was just the demo? After all, the game isn't going to be any fun if we all strike down darkspawn in one fell swoop. Swooping is bad, right?

Modifié par Saibh, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:17 .

[Grommash94]

I only hope that with the framed narrative thing, every time we die Verik doesn't go:



"No no no, that's NOT how it happened."

[Grommash94]

Saibh wrote...

Did Mike Laidlaw ever specify if only the demo is that flashy, or if it's the whole game? Considering they said they're making little changes to the combat in the PC version, I'd guess it was just the demo? After all, the game isn't going to be any fun if we all strike down darkspawn in one fell swoop. Swooping is bad, right?

It was just the demo I believe.

[Saibh]

Grommash94 wrote...

I only hope that with the framed narrative thing, every time we die Verik doesn't go:

"No no no, that's NOT how it happened."

That was funny in Prince of Persia, but it was sort of game-breaking, since the Prince seemed to be experiencing early levels of Alzheimer's.

[Who is that Masked Man]

I'm just wondering what the Game Over screens are going to be like.

*Hawke and Bethany are killed by darkspawn*

*cut to Cassandra and Verik*

Cassandra: "Hawke is the Champion of Kirkwall! How in the Maker's name could he have DIED at Lothering?"

Verik: "Bah, I was just checking to see if you were still listening."

*Hawke re-starts from last save*

(edit: Dang, beaten!)

Modifié par Who is that Masked Man, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:23 .

[nisallik]

Hawke, what have you done? You've changed history. You've created a Time Paradox!

[saeid]

they had decided to lose "move queue", just like jostiq said BioWare is turning Dragon Age  into "Dragon Effect", maybe someone like it but not me.
they're chaning the RPG core elements.

[phaonica]

Brockololly wrote...

The framed narrative is neat if used appropriately- if the narrator voice over is constantly butting into the game to narrate the events, that would be annoying. The whole over the top combat being justified as part of the flashback is neat, but only in moderation. Its basically like how 300 was technically a "amped up"retelling of Leonidas and the Spartans by Dilios.

The potential problem I have with it is that it possibly creates more distance between the player and the PC, if we've got an unreliable narrator controlling the story. How am I supposed to know that Hawke actually met Flemeth? Are the flashbacks just total hogwash?

I'd like to have some measure of certainty that what Hawke is doing when I'm controlling him in the flashback will really matter and isn't going to be handwaved away later by someone saying that was just Varric's crazy imagination and Hawke never did anything like meet Flemeth. Its one big potential "gotcha!" situation when we eventually meet Hawke in the present time, if he/she is nothing like we were led to believe because the narrator's flashbacks were the product of an overactive imagination.

Yeah, I'm mixed on this flashback thing. One of the things that made Origins really intense is that these choices that your Warden was making affected people's lives, affected your Warden's life, it was potentially real and not a game to the Warden, it wasn't a heroic and exaggerated story, it was real life and it was serious. I think a lot of the gravity of the story could be taken away if it's presented as a grand tale.

[killingsheep24]

This sounds retarded.

[Arassi]

I have a stupid question... Not being familiar with games that are framed narratives, how does that effect their replayability?

[Brockololly]

phaonica wrote..

Yeah, I'm mixed on this flashback thing. One of the things that made Origins really intense is that these choices that your Warden was making affected people's lives, affected your Warden's life, it was potentially real and not a game to the Warden, it wasn't a heroic and exaggerated story, it was real life and it was serious. I think a lot of the gravity of the story could be taken away if it's presented as a grand tale.

Right- I'm ok with the exaggerated legend part if its made abundantly clear that thats what we're playing in. But if it becomes a common theme in the game, it will possibly wear out its welcome. I enjoyed Origins because it was a fairly grounded fantasy story- my Warden may have been one of the most powerful individuals in Thedas but he was still just a guy that could die like any other.

If the "legend" mode is overused, it potentially cheapens the experience I think. That and the use of the narrator will be telling- those in addition to the voiced PC are a couple of potentially huge barriers in so far as being able to RP Hawke in any meaningful way. I'll just have to wait and see, like so much else...

[darkiddd]

Grommash94 wrote...

I only hope that with the framed narrative thing, every time we die Verik doesn't go:

"No no no, that's NOT how it happened."

I liked that on Prince of Persia, it fitted very well with the story and the ending

[Koffeegirl]

the Chantry's fallen to pieces....oh all my hopes for DA2 have come true.....I can't wait to play a mage in this game now!



Yes, thing are shaping for Thedas nicely...falling of the Chantry....rise of the mages....world war.....perfect opportunity for chaos and destruction....while also leaving Thedas ripe for a 6th Blight in DA3........bwah hahaha:devil:

Modifié par Koffeegirl, 24 juillet 2010 - 09:50 .

[Koffeegirl]

I played good characters for my Wardens but I think I am going to play DA2 evil on my first playthrough.....it seems like it will be more fun to play evil in this new game