tmp7704 wrote...
I think this reasoning goes backward, in a way -- Isabela didn't actually demonstrate anything for us yet. Instead, we presume that her lack of protection is justified by extraordinary skill, because that's the only possible explanation which doesn't require conceding she may be simply a conceited fool.
It'll be interesting to see how well she actually performs on her own in a fight -- somehow i don't think she'll be game-breaking good at dodging enemy attacks when push comes to shove.
This is true in that we have not actually seen Isabella's fighting style show-cased. But given how defense/armor worked in Dragon Age, I would hop in Isabella's case as a rogue we will see more emphasis on dodging than literally taking the blunt force of these attacks.
It's a poor example in the sense it doesn't show how Hawke/companions are special snowflakes of their world, but to the contrary -- it shows that what they do is par for the course. As such, it doesn't lend very well towards the idea that Isabela (and other companions) are sooo much better than everyone else, that they can dance circle around their heavier armour enemies, e.g.
The purpose of the example is to illustrate the fact that dual wielding long swords is not realistic in any way. It doesn't matter if everyone in Dragon Age does it, no one has ever effectively utilized such a style. Same with firing three arrows from the bow.Should I assume that these long swords are made of some special material that allows them to be used diferently? It's simply meant to showcase that a dwarf warrior for example who does dual wield and kill x number of Dark Spawn is showing how he is exceptional.
That is why I think claims to realism are so silly, much like the current armor discussion. Dragon Age was never meant to show case some realistic form of combat. It's pure fantasy and claims that "armor doesn't work like this" or "daggers are useless" are themselves useless. Most combat in fantasy is done for aesthetic purposes and "rule of cool". Is the weapon system realistic? Encumbrance? Repairs? There are so many aspects of realism that Dragon Age ignores that 'no armor' (which is not all that uncommon in RPGs, simply look at the 3.5 monk class) hardly breaks some fundamental tenent.
If i'm not mistaken the "lieutenant" yellow-con NPCs are supposed to be on par with companions/player (with the boss level NPCs intended to be on power level comparable to full party) This is of course completely ruined with the ability of the player/companions to self-heal while enemies are prevented from it. But if you put both sides in the same conditions (controlled only by the AI/tactics and no pots) it'd likely be roughly even match (granted, as long as the party wasn't constructed by a munchkin)
So, when my party is wading through white, yellow, and organge npcs in the Deep Roads, what is this meant to demonstrate, if not that we are exceptional? Health pots or not, any RPG showcases the fact that its hero characters are above average/unique. Yes, we do fight the occasional boss-battle which gives us pause. But even the average yellow npc pales in comparison to an Arcane Warrior for example. Much like in LOTR when we watch Aragorn, Legolas, and Gandalf cut through orcs like it's nothing.
Part of playing the RPG is playing characters who are typically stronger than everyone around them, otherwise they would not be managing these feats period. That is why PC characters typically find themselves fighting groups larger than their own. If we are on par with every group of Dark Spawn, we'd be taking more casualties in the Deep Roads than zero. We would not be Grey Wardens, we would not be the ones to kill the Arch-Demon, etc. It's a standard trope that you find in most video games. Simply putting control in the hands of an AI battle is not enough to demonstrate how we are 'average'.
In Kotor, you are told quite clearly that you are distinctly
not average given your connection to the Force. Bastila is noted to be the only hope to win the War, Carth is the Republic's best pilot, Canderous was a Mandalorian Commander,etc.
In Jade Empire, everyone remarks on your superior fighting style as well as that strange 'flaw'. Sagacious Zhu is shown to have been a Lotus Assassin Commander, Black Whirlwind is said to have taken on an army himelf, etc.
These characters which you control and interact with all come from some kind of exceptional circumstances. Showing how they are 'on par' for their settings is not possible simply through an AI battle.
Modifié par Il Divo, 29 novembre 2010 - 01:11 .
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). To us the more realistic something is, the more enjoyable it is. With allowed exceptions such as there is magic, elves, dwarves, etc. Given that combat as a whole is not realistic but abstracted, something we all acknowledge, some of us ask for what little realism we can get sort of. Like in terms of art, animations and whatnot. We cannot change the combat system, no matter how hard we try, but we can hope for the the game to provide the illusion that it is somewhat realistic thematically, if not mechanically. 
