I was mildly disappointed with DA’s world because it kind of has similar tropes to generic fantasy settings. But since Bioware’s intention wasn’t to create something new, but rather take a traditional fantasy and add their own twists, I got to accept that they should continue with the direction they are going. Having said that, I thought BW should be more effective at capturing the spirit of the world, to draw out its ‘compelling-ness’ of the dark fantasy atmosphere.
One way is through better storytelling to immerse the players into the world as much as possible. DAO’s story, as it is, is pretty good. But I felt it would benefit with better pacing and improvement in presentation across the board. The highlight of the plot was at the Ostagar-Tower of Ishal-Korcari Wilds sequences, where we got to see compelling presentation values. Several elements like cinematic cutscenes/touches, architecture and environmental designs and pacing of story in these areas were top-notch. However, from then on it dropped to a lower plateau that continued for rest of the game, culminating in a straightforward ending that felt somewhat flat, never quite nearing the benchmark set by the early stages. I would suggest effort is needed to apply a more consistent and heightened quality in the aforementioned aspects to the game, and with greater frequency.
Also, sometimes it felt like quest areas or dungeons were too straightforward, unwittingly giving the sense of a long dungeon crawl like those of contemporary MMOs. The overall layout of most indoor areas were too unimaginative, it was as if the designers were forcing the game player to move in a specific single route from
beginning to end, where a final boss fight usually resides. Sometimes I felt I was fighting creeps after creeps, just to find more creeps in the next area. While I enjoyed the combat, there’s a point where too much is too much, preferring instead to move the story forward meaningfully. Ideally, the story sequences should carry more weight
because of the intense combat sequences that precedes them – and the gameplay should feel more compelling because the story gives you powerful reasons to care about the mission - it’s all pacing.
Better character and environment design. It would be amazing if the game would look something similar to how Metal Gear Solid 4 did their cutscenes. Obviously this would be very time consuming and costly but it would be such an amazing improvement.
Cutscenes and dialogues that transitions seamlessly into gameplay and vice-versa
Better animations for the characters. The animations are so stiff sometimes! And the dialogue sequences would do with more cinematic touches.
Come on, where is that part when characters in your party hated each other and didn't like to be together?
Out with all the unappealing filler sidequests!
I think the game could do with a larger variety of monsters to fight.
I’d like to see much more prestige classes or specializations of truly unique combatants, the likes of Arcane Archer, Dragon Disciple, Druids, Sorcerer, Red Wizard, Black Guard etc, ala NVN. Only Arcane Warrior and Blood Mage in DA are special and that’s just too few, at least to me.
Definitely more classes, yes, but ALSO, allow the option to combine classes or multi-class like in the BG and NVN series, having a deep and expansive character progression system that enables the player to create a truly unique character of their own.
The current class system, IMO, is a degradation from Bioware’s previous titles – it’s too shallow and confined to few basic and archetypical classes, although I have to say that it is precisely this simplicity that the game is as accessible as it is.
I’d like to see much more talent trees and skills to give a bigger scope for crafting an individual character.
Please, much less of those overpowering mage ‘can do all’ spells.
Stop overusing the computer generated weapons and armor that scale to your character’s level. It just seemed silly late into the game that you get tons of Silverite and Dragonbone swords and plate armors, most of which were unused, not to mention the immersion-breaking factor. Shouldn’t these items be rare? And damn many of them looked alike but just re-colored, so more models please.
I much prefer the system used in BG2, where there were plenty of unique and legendary items, the likes of Holy Avenger Sword, Celestial Fury, Lilarcor...each of which was complemented with written history/myth that brought the out the sense of awe from the player. Furthermore, some of these legendaries only be acquired by forging, if the components were found. Many of these parts were really difficult to obtain, which made it felt all the more
epic once you craft these items. DA had only a measly four of such, and even then, you can’t get them all.
Greater variety of weapons: short swords, flail, spear, throwing axe, polearms, etc.
The biggest thrills in DA are found in combat. The best encounters feel like puzzles, forcing you to use your resources wisely and make calculated decisions on the path to victory. Combat brings the best out of itself with some challenging and well-designed encounters with bosses or large groups of tough enemies. So, hoping to see more of those.
More organic combat like in Vampires: The Masquerade, while still retaining the underlying depth of the RPG combat system and the impressive combat animations.
One thing I felt DA could learn from the Witcher was how they made the potions. Rather than the standard fare of potions instantly replenishing health or mana instantly, you get potions that rejuvenates health/mana overtime but might kill you if overdosed. There’s one particular potion that allows you to see the dark, or make you attack with more lethality, or even Blackblood which kills any vampire who sink your teeth into your neck should you consume one beforehand. The point is more interesting gameplay mechanics that could be included.
Cities that are actually cities ,read as it was in NWN or BG when you could actually go in every possible house and loot it, we love to do it ,not just drawn cities taken from generic JRPG when you can’t do much beside simple restocking and few NPCs etc, like we have now in this game.
Day/night cycle would be another great feature.
DA has detailed good looking textures for the most part – but caves and caverns weren’t so good. That ought to be looked at.
Caves, caverns and underground are too bright, it would have been more immersive and more atmospheric if it were darker.
Certain indoor areas have too similar templates, for example – the same doorway, statues and walls were used throughout the Circle of Magi, Ruins in the Brecillian Forest, The Urn of Sacred Ashes temple, Denerim, Fort Drakon, etc. This certainly breaks immersion slightly
Why do mages all wear more or less the same robes? Not to mention most of the designs were ugly. For Pete’s sake, give us much more imaginative options. That includes capes and non-stupid looking cowls. That goes for rogue armor as well, albeit to a lesser extent. Take a cue from Assassin’s Creed 1 & 2, rogues need not necessarily wear those ubiquitously styled leather armor. I hope I can style an emblem such as the Grey Wardens’ onto a piece of cloth that you could put over your armor… that sort of thing.
Dislike the staff of mages dangling off their back, I much prefer mages holding their staff in their hands. It just didn’t make sense.
Horses
Finally, I want to be surprised!
Modifié par SphereofSilence, 04 décembre 2009 - 08:19 .
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DA is sometimes so gloomy and depressing and nobody ever gives my character a hug. Dark and gloomy is good, but it should be balanced out with some nice things as well. I mean, gee, darkspawn get to be the discussion even before or after the tent business. End of the world looming over us or not, forget it for a goddamn moment.
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