26 réponses à ce sujet

[chessplayer209]

Anyone else think Dragon Age: Origins was just waaay too long? Maybe I'm just kindof a perfectionist in that I always want to save and load so I can go back and re-play certain game segments when things don't go as I'd have liked... but honestly, this game eventually got to a point where it became tedious to play. 

Don't get me wrong, the overall story, endings, etc - all fabulous. That's not the issue though.  My concern is that there seems to be an enormous amount of game content to go through for what is proportionally a small amount of story. I finished ME2 within like ~30 hours. Dragon Age took me around 90 (again, given a fair amount of replaying... but still...)

By the time I got to the last mission, I was honestly a little relieved. There's only so many times I can kill the same darkspawn over and over again before I get tired of it :|

The game's content is fine - great actually at times. I guess my issue was that I wish the game was more "condensed." I still like the game, and the story is great... so again, I'm not bashing the story at all. I'd like the story to remain the same... keep all the cutscenes and all that... but with the one caveat being that I wish the actual dungeon crawling was less tedious. I wouldn't have minded it as much if I could at least use a 360 controller so I could play while I sit in a more comfortable chair, but I feel like the game is just too long to be really enjoyed with a kb/mouse (for me anyways).

Why couldn't it be possible to take the game's story it has now, and cut out a lot of what I'd call "repetitive and only tangentially related" content ... leaving just the story related content and cutscenes, so the game plays out more like a movie, and can be completed in a more timely manner?

Edit:  Oh yeah, and a lot of the dialog seemed dull too... like Leliana discussing all the different tales of blahblahblah (I just hit ESC...ESC....ESC etc in those conversations.)  Toward the end of the game, I was beginning to develop Oghren/Sten's  "get to the point" attitude.

I'm not suggesting the removal of dialog highly relevant to the plot, and I'm also not complaining at all about dialog that takes place between characters while you do other things (the random arguments among companions while you adventure).

Plot dialog and humorous arguments between companions while I pixel bash are great. But stuff like sitting there for 10 minutes straight listening to Leliana telling me all the different Bardic tales of honor or whatever at the campfire was just a complete yawnfest.

Edit2:  I'm not hating on Dragon Age either, as I already mentioned.. I liked the game.  (I actually probably intend to get Awakening over winter break.)

Modifié par chessplayer209, 27 novembre 2010 - 06:43 .

[Zjarcal]

Eh, no.



Well, don't get me wrong, I respect your opinion and I can understand that not all gamers will appreciate long games such as this one, but considering I'm on my fifth run, it's safe to say that I don't get "relieved" when the game approaches the end.



There is definitely some content that could've been cut out or made shorter, but overall the game was just perfect for me.



But again, everybody can have different opinions.

[RagingCyclone]

I have to agree with Zjar here. The game was about right. (45-50 hours) whereas I thought ME2 was too short. (20 hours)

[chessplayer209]

RagingCyclone wrote...
I have to agree with Zjar here. The
game was about right. (45-50 hours) whereas I thought ME2 was too
short. (20 hours)

Ah, I loved ME2. ME1 was great too, especially the storyline. I guess that's what I'd like ideally as far as game length goes. To me, ME1 and ME2 were pretty much perfect games, generally.

In terms of Dragon Age though, I liked the arguments between party members, and their random comments. They were often just hilarious! Especially Oghren, lol. He made me LOL so hard on like 10 different occasions...

Modifié par chessplayer209, 27 novembre 2010 - 05:26 .

[Brockololly]

No- Origins was a good length and if anything, more should have been added to flesh out the end game post Landsmeet.





And as far as much of the companion dialogue- its entirely optional- you don't have to talk to any of them if you don't want to.

[chessplayer209]

Brockololly wrote...

No- Origins was a good length and if anything, more should have been added to flesh out the end game post Landsmeet.


And as far as much of the companion dialogue- its entirely optional- you don't have to talk to any of them if you don't want to.

You need to mess around with that stuff whether you want to or not in order to activate romance options and/or approval increases, don't you?

[chessplayer209]

I did what you suggest Hanz... sortof. Not intentionally though. I played it a few months ago at first, then put it down as fall college semester started kicking into gear.... and then picked it up again and pushed to the finish line over the last few days due to that sudden burst of Thanksgiving Break free time.

When I came back to the game, at first I didn't really even remember a lot of the story. When one character later said something about Ostagar, I had to think a minute to remember what happened there.

For this reason, I prefer to play games in ways that aren't so spread out... which unfortunately Dragon Age seems to require due to its length. Being able to play through the whole game in maybe 2-5 computer sessions is highly beneficial for the story imo because it helps keep it "fresh" in my head.

Hanz54321 wrote...
Edit:  I loved StarCraft 2, but I finished the campaigns every way you can in about a
month.  Now WTF do I do?  Play marine rush custom games for the next
year while I wait for part 2 to come out?  See what I mean?

No... you do any/all of these 3 things:
1) Go play the 1v1/2v2/3v3/4v4 ladder (real Starcraft... not UMS)
2) Play other single player games if you have that much free time.
3) UMS type games, as you mentioned.

And above all, whatever you do on SC2... bring your friends. It makes online multiplayer games like Starcraft so much more interesting and enhances the games' replay value tremendously.

And honestly, I thought Starcraft's campaign was great. I somewhat disliked the fact that the game occasionally gave me a very mild impression that its' target audience was middle schoolers, but that aside it was a pretty fun experience, and the gameplay is great.

I honestly do recall enjoying the single player tremendously at many times as well. I wish Starcraft had an older targeted audience like Dragon Age or Mass Effect does, but oh well. It was still a pretty good game, and I'm still having a lot of fun with it.

Modifié par chessplayer209, 27 novembre 2010 - 07:00 .

[Liliandra Nadiar]

I think at least a third of the time ended up being backtracking and travel time. ME1 and ME2 ones you finish a planet, you don't have to go back to it. With DAO, you do the treaty quest, most of the sides and when you go to this other area a side quest wants you to go back there and talk to one person then come back once more to close it out.

[chessplayer209]

Liliandra Nadiar wrote...
I think at least a third of the time ended up being backtracking and travel time. ME1 and ME2 ones you finish a planet, you don't have to go back to it. With DAO, you do the treaty quest, most of the sides and when you go to this other area a side quest wants you to go back there and talk to one person then come back once more to close it out.

I agree here... I think part of the problem is that the world is just too big for my liking... and the repetition of previous areas as you mention. I know many people probably like having a huge game world, but what that translates into for me is an awful lot of holding down "w" for a really long time.. just to go back to that certain spot for a given quest, as you mentioned... and tediously checking the map frequently to make sure I'm not going the wrong direction.

Smaller, simpler areas would be quite helpful. Fewer basic minions to kill, and more emphasis on bosses would be nice. And above all, I'd like terrain layouts to be simpler and more predictable. I have to check the minimap so often when going through some areas I feel like I'm running through a simple maze almost... at times. (Yeah, I'm exaggerating quite a bit.)

I feel like I have to wade through way too many extremely weak units just to get to the boss fights, often. Kinda tiresome. Turning the difficulty setting up so I have to really try during these fights would make things even worse, because it would make the whole process more tiresome.

The areas seem well designed in that it often feels like I'm in a believable world.... its just that unfortunately this seems to translate into an awful lot of repetitively mashing WASD to maneuver my character around the same groups of tunnels, combing through them to collect all the little XP drops from books lying on the ground, loot collecting, etc.

It'd also be nice if certain items like flasks didn't cost hugely more in one city than they do in another city (like seriously... I need to travel all the way to the other side of this map just to save some coin on flasks for crafting or whatever, and go through like 2-3 load screens? Come on...)  It'd be nice if there was a way to get this stuff all in one spot... at least during later portions of the game.

Modifié par chessplayer209, 27 novembre 2010 - 08:06 .

[Janni-in-VA]

It definitely takes a different gaming mindset to enjoy a long game like DA:O.  Personally, I loved it.  I've done around 12 playthroughs (some still in progress)  and counting, so I have my game time down to a little over half what it was originally.  That being said, I still put in 70+ hours on a playthrough.

I know what you mean about the traveling, though.  I did find that mildly irritating from the get-go because it seemed like a ploy to add to game time.  Okay, I cleared the Brecelian Forest, saved the elves, and now I have to go back and deal with a cabal of maleficars?  Geeze!

I will offer a couple of suggestions that may make things more pleasant if you decide to do another playthrough.  First, use your mouse to move.  It's much easier.  Holding down both mouse buttons lets you move continuously and control your direction with the same device.  You might also find the overhead/tactical view more to your liking, as it allows you to see more of the map at the same time.  I have a good sense of direction in real life, but I still have to go back to the map function on a regular basis.  You might also prefer to concentrate on the main quest and limit the number of side quests you do, perhaps doing only Chanter's Board quests, for example.  As far as buying ingredients, I use a camp merchant mod (available here:  www.dragonagenexus.com/downloads/file.php) and don't bother with buying more cheaply unless I happen to already be in the area.  I do NOT make a special trip to Orzammar just to save a few copper on flasks.

[Lukertin]

I think it was about right. Some places, like The Deep Roads, and the Mage Circle could have been made a little smaller

[Moondoggie]

It's one of those things you either love or hate when it comes to long games. I've really learned to love RPG's since picking up DAO before then i really didn't think i would be into it but i was hooked on the great storyline, Many interesting characters and i just wanted to keep going even though i wasn't very good at the game i wanted to learn and get better at it.



The only part i felt went on way too long is in Ozamar (i forget how it's spelt) I think the developers really liked Dwarves a lot because they include way more storyline for them than anything else the other parts seem short compared to that. I tend to really dread getting to that quest because it starts to really drag on when i get to the deep roads.



But i think the game legnth is about right and it has high replayability because i always want to go back and try new things that i have not done before or try to get some different achievements or try a new race and background story out. Plus with all the DLC it just adds more elements to play around with and it's offered great value for money so far. I find it depressing when i pay a ton for a new game only to find i finish it within a couple of days. My first playthrough of DAO took me several weeks and that's not even including some extra DLC i picked up and DAA added on top

[chessplayer209]

Hanz54321 wrote...
As for StarCraft Campaign being targeted at middle schoolers . . . um, the original StarCraft was released in 1998.  The story maybe simple as it is a RTS, but it is targeted at people who waited 12 years for its sequel.  The PvP and PvC games are targeted at folks who were and are in middle school.  If you are in college right now there is a high probability you fall into the second demographic. 

I'm not laughing at YOU, but I am laughing at the realization that you were probably just learning to drink without a sippy cup when I was playing Starcraft 1.

Why assume I haven't played SC1, or that I was that young when playing SC1? I played SC1 in middle-high school. Beat every campaign, including the expansion. Went on to play neogamei and iccup online, as those services were developed. I'm by no means wet behind the ears when it comes to SC1.

To all those who say they dislike paying for a game only to have it last several hours or so in terms of campaign... well let me just say I'd rather complete a 12 hour story in 12 hours than have a 12 hour story interspersed throughout like 80 hours of minion killing, travelling, and loading. I just think they could have done an excellent job telling the same story without adding so much unnecessary travelling, etc to buff up the amount of time I have to spend in a given playthrough.

IMO the Mass Effect series hit the sweet spot in this regard. Great storyline, and they tell it in 40 hours or less. That seems reasonable to me.

Modifié par chessplayer209, 27 novembre 2010 - 05:48 .

[jpdipity]

I love the game length and I am over 10 playthroughs.  I only ever get slightly bored in the Deep Roads because it lacks a lot of the party banter.  It doesn't take me too long to get through anything anymore though.

ME2 was way too short and I've only managed to play it twice before being utterly bored with it.  I wouldn't even have bothered with the second playthrough if it hadn't been for the DLC.  ME1 was much better in my opinion and I think I played it at least 4 or 5 times before putting it away. 

I am also a much more "mature" PC gamer - I was playing Ultima back in 1983 on an Apple.

Modifié par jpdipity, 27 novembre 2010 - 05:48 .

[LadyVaJedi]

Ok now how in the world did you get 90 hours of play with just one character ? 

[Arthur Cousland]

There were some parts of dialogue that get tedious to go through after multiple playthroughs, like with Leliana's story telling or Wynne's preaching, but then I never seem to get tired of speaking to Morrigan, and Sten is a far more enjoyable character once you get to know him other than for being the butcher of that farmhold.

I had a different experience overall.  After playing a 100+ hour playthrough of Origins, then Awakening and the other dlc, I wanted more.  I didn't want the experience to end and I was disappointed to find out that Witch Hunt is the last of the dlc for Origins.  I also enjoy combat in my rpgs, as long as the opposition is putting up a decent resistance, and not just being obstacles in between point A and point B.  I must be one of the few who actually enjoyed the deep roads, especially the dead trenches part.  The more baddies to kill, the better.

I've been playing rpgs for years, and for me, longer is better.  When I get into the game, I don't want it to end.  Sometimes, when I'm near the end of the rpg, I'll go back and re-visit previously visited areas just to reminisce before finishing the game off.  After the game is over, I get to start a new playthrough and enjoy the experience all over again.  The good thing about Origins, is that you can start each playthrough as a different race/background, which adds greatly to the replayability of the game.  Sadly, this feature won't be in DA2...

[Tigress M]

There are maps in DAO that I wish were a bit shorter (the Deep Roads, mainly) but the overall length of the game is wonderful. I enjoy games that take me forever to finish -- they make me feel I've spent my money wisely.

After playing DA for several months, I purchased ME1 and ME2 because I wanted to see if they were as good as DA. I enjoyed the games, but I was really disappointed in how short they were. So, I guess it's all a matter of perspective and opinion.

You love ME and think DA is too long, fair enough. I love DA and think ME is too short. Thank goodness Bioware makes games to satisfy both sides of that coin, eh?

[Itkovian]

No, DAO was of the perfect length. I got more than 80 hours on my first playthrough, and it was quite satisfying.

You say that you find some dialogue too drawn out. That dialogue is all part of the character development and world building, and many people find it interesting. It is part of the story, it is part of how these characters are.

But most importantly, consider that most of the dialogue is in fact _optional_. Not only can you ESC past dialogue you find uninteresting, but you also have the option of not asking them.

You can play through the game without engaging in most dialogue (especially the stuff around camp). Sure, you will miss out on content, but that's the point. A lot of the dialogue is "flavour" content that is there to please those of us who seek greater depth in NPCs and the game setting, just like the codex entries in fact. Players who don't enjoy lengthy dialogue have the option to ESC past it or just not engage in much dialogue.

After all, that's why almost all dialogues include a "get to the point" option. The content is there if you want it, but you can skip it if you don't care about it. As it should be.

Itkovian