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[DiegoRaphael]

I made this same topic Game Owner subforum, but since some ppl can't post in there, i will creat it here also.

BioWare: The Next Dragon Age Won't Reuse Levels, Will Have Decisions That Matter

BioWare said at PAX East today that it's taking fan feedback on the future of its Dragon Age series — and harsh criticisms of Dragon Age II — to heart. At the developer's first panel today, Dragon Age creative director Mike Laidlaw walked fans through some of the most frequently vocalized criticisms and suggestions, hinting at three key changes coming to the next entry: equipment for your followers, decisions that matter and no more reuse of levels.

Laidlaw couched his statements about the future of Dragon Age by saying that the topics under discussion were not official announcements.

"We're not making promises here, we're talking about ideas," he warned.

On the subject of equipment for followers in future Dragon Age games, Laidlaw illustrated how armor sets might look different on different classes of followers.

"Suppose, in your party, you have a Gray Warden. And suppose you had a Seeker," he said, showing a male Gray Warden and female Seeker. "And you had this thing: a suit of armor, a chest piece, and it had stats and stuff."
Laidlaw showed that armor set applied to the Warden, then to the Seeker, in concept art form. The armor looked slightly different on each, with "thematic" aesthetic differences applied so "they don't lose their identity in the process." Laidlaw then showed a slew of concept art, with various armor pieces from helmets to shoulder guards to bracers, then full sets, each applied to the two different classes.

He also teased the possibility that players might be able to fully customize armor pieces, applying color and types of material (cloth, leather, mail) to armor sets.

On the topic of "decisions that matter," Laidlaw said BioWare is looking to add more character agency ("My character has an active effect on his or her world, determined by my choices") and player agency ("I have control over my gameplay experience") to future Dragon Age games.

And player decisions that carry over from game to game could be given more attention, he said.
As for the oft-heard critique of Dragon Age II, that BioWare recycled dungeons and environments to an annoying degree, Laidlaw said it will stop reusing levels again and again and again.
"We're looking for variety, space and scope," Laidlaw said, showing concept art of huge open spaces (and at least one dark dungeon). He hinted that players will likely "go somewhere new, somewhere a little more… French" in the future.
All that said, all of it to a warm response from the hundreds of gathered Dragon Age fans, Laidlaw reiterated all of this would be "kind of cool, in theory" and that the developer wasn't ready to announce anything it wasn't comfortable showing.

 


I liked the part about the armors in companions.

He said exactly the same thing i said on a topic about this 1 or 2 months ago. I remember giving my opinion that they go in the same direction that MMOs like Lineage 2 have.

In L2 for example, the same set/piece of armor looks completely different when applied on one race or another, reflecting their cultures and so on. Same could be done in DA3, but reflecting companions personalities.

I liked to see they are thinking on going this way.

[BubbleDncr]

It sounds interesting, but at the same time - wouldn't that mean each set of armor would need at least 3 different looks? Using his example - 1 look for the Warden, 1 look for the Seeker, and 1 look for if you put it on yourself?

I mean, I obviously have not seen the concept art he showed - I suppose if its all just texture changes, it won't be a HUGE deal, but I just don't want this to end up limiting how many armor sets are in the game.

[DiegoRaphael]

BubbleDncr wrote...

It sounds interesting, but at the same time - wouldn't that mean each set of armor would need at least 3 different looks? Using his example - 1 look for the Warden, 1 look for the Seeker, and 1 look for if you put it on yourself?

I mean, I obviously have not seen the concept art he showed - I suppose if its all just texture changes, it won't be a HUGE deal, but I just don't want this to end up limiting how many armor sets are in the game.

Well, we need to see the concept art they show in there to know exactly what they are talking about.

But from what i understand, ins't going to be extremely different from another.

Let's say, everysingle armor you put in Warden character, will gain the Warden simble on its chest and some other minor tweks, same thing on the Seeker character and so on.

On the 3rd charcter (us) it could have an standart look.

[CELL55]

Maybe it will be more like Awakening, where you could just put a symbol on some items. The symbol just being put on top of the armor rather than altering the armor itself?

[Amycus89]

CELL55 wrote...

Maybe it will be more like Awakening, where you could just put a symbol on some items. The symbol just being put on top of the armor rather than altering the armor itself?

They would probably have specified that in the article if it was only that.

I like the suggested idea, and have been thinking about it myself ever since I discovered that it was possible to do the same already in origins, as long as it was between different races and genders.

As for the amount of armors, that worries me a bit too, to be honest. But if they can pull though that potential problem, this system would be even better than in DA:O (imo at least).

Maybe they will reuse some of the armors from the past two DA games. They did port some DA:O armors straight into DA2 with just some minor differences.

[OdanUrr]

DiegoRaphael wrote...

On the subject of equipment for followers in future Dragon Age games, Laidlaw illustrated how armor sets might look different on different classes of followers.

"Suppose, in your party, you have a Gray Warden. And suppose you had a Seeker," he said, showing a male Gray Warden and female Seeker. "And you had this thing: a suit of armor, a chest piece, and it had stats and stuff."
Laidlaw showed that armor set applied to the Warden, then to the Seeker, in concept art form. The armor looked slightly different on each, with "thematic" aesthetic differences applied so "they don't lose their identity in the process." Laidlaw then showed a slew of concept art, with various armor pieces from helmets to shoulder guards to bracers, then full sets, each applied to the two different classes.

Can't we do that already in DA2? We have different sets of armour according to class so the only step required here is to have a generic set, then run a check while equipping the armour, and apply the corresponding textures. I'm no dev but I don't see the difficulty here.

DiegoRaphael wrote...

He also teased the possibility that players might be able to fully customize armor pieces, applying color and types of material (cloth, leather, mail) to armor sets.

Yup, we have that in ME2 and ME3 already and it's not that great to be honest. I fear this is what they'll do in DA3.

DiegoRaphael wrote...

As for the oft-heard critique of Dragon Age II, that BioWare recycled dungeons and environments to an annoying degree, Laidlaw said it will stop reusing levels again and again and again.
"We're looking for variety, space and scope," Laidlaw said, showing concept art of huge open spaces (and at least one dark dungeon). He hinted that players will likely "go somewhere new, somewhere a little more… French" in the future.

I'd very much like to know why they re-used so many levels in the first place. Variety, space and scope is something to be expected in these types of RPGs.

[Maria Caliban]

OdanUrr wrote...

I'd very much like to know why they re-used so many levels in the first place. Variety, space and scope is something to be expected in these types of RPGs.

Time and money. Creating unique levels is one of the big costs for a project. Effectively reusing them can save you a great deal.

KotOR, the BG games, NWN, and Mass Effect 1 all reused interior areas. NWN and ME 1 both caught flack for it as well.

[OdanUrr]

Maria Caliban wrote...

OdanUrr wrote...

I'd very much like to know why they re-used so many levels in the first place. Variety, space and scope is something to be expected in these types of RPGs.

Time and money. Creating unique levels is one of the big costs for a project. Effectively reusing them can save you a great deal.

KotOR, the BG games, NWN, and Mass Effect 1 all reused interior areas. NWN and ME 1 both caught flack for it as well.

Agreed. But sometimes you can get away with it if the world you created is large enough and there's enough content to take your mind off it. Considering they had established DA2 would largely take place in a single city that would "evolve" over time, shouldn't they have paid more attention to detail?

[HiroVoid]

BubbleDncr wrote...

It sounds interesting, but at the same time - wouldn't that mean each set of armor would need at least 3 different looks? Using his example - 1 look for the Warden, 1 look for the Seeker, and 1 look for if you put it on yourself?

I mean, I obviously have not seen the concept art he showed - I suppose if its all just texture changes, it won't be a HUGE deal, but I just don't want this to end up limiting how many armor sets are in the game.

Actually, it would require four models when you include both the male and female protagonist.  More if you have multiple races(though I doubt we'll be seeing that again with voiced protagonists.)

[Chaos Lord Malek]

Viva la Orlei!!!

Btw - those armors, that will be exactly thing like in Diablo. You get a plate armor - so:

If you put it on Barbarian it looks more like a fur, heavy leather...

but if you put it on Paladin, its a big chunk of metal.

This is exactly how it should be have being done in the first place.

[VampOrchid]

Chaos Lord Malek wrote...

Viva la Orlei!!!

Btw - those armors, that will be exactly thing like in Diablo. You get a plate armor - so:

If you put it on Barbarian it looks more like a fur, heavy leather...

but if you put it on Paladin, its a big chunk of metal.

This is exactly how it should be have being done in the first place.

Yeah and being able to change the colors and add insignias to it, nice.