53 réponses à ce sujet

[sylvanaerie]

Nizaris1 wrote...

sylvanaerie wrote...
If you're going to quote me, at least read my post, as you obviously didn't. In the majority of my playthroughs no 'mecca' happens, no 'miracle' only rumors of a miracle. No pilgrims, no temple, nada, zip, zilch. Want to know what pilgrims found in my game? A huge ass dragon blocking their way to the 'rumored last resting place' of the ashes. In the end everyone gave up because the thing wrecked the temple.

Well, that is in your game, not my game...

I'm not the only one who made these choices.  Are you saying Bioware should unbalance their story with a hugely impactful choice affecting a large portion of the populace being shown going to a temple (that for many players shouldn't be there) just because you want them to show some world altering thing to come from something your warden (or other players wardens) did.

My point is: Just because you did it one way doesn't mean everyone did it that way.  What we got was a mention of it in a small quest in DA2.  Maybe there will be more impact in DA3, since it seems to be heading to Orlais which is more in line with Chantry stuff.  We don't know yet.  DA2 was Hawke's story and that has nothing to do with the ashes.  Putting the type of chantry you propose arose from the ashes discovery into play would have severely unbalanced the delicate balance of power that existed in the game till the end of Act 3 since Elthina would have had a stronger power base and a lot more say so in what happened in Kirkwall.

[Fast Jimmy]

sylvanaerie wrote...

Fast Jimmy wrote...

sylvanaerie wrote...

FFFT I took your post to mean you wanted big impact, not no impact at all (in sequels). I don't think it should be handwaved into complete non-existence (otherwise, considering how people whine now about Bioware 'ignoring' their choices, could you imagine the uproar that 'their preferred warden' wasn't chosen as 'canon'). Would completely crash the boards from the weight of all the whine.

I think the default Warden in the game is HNM (as described in the 'default' history given in DA2's character creation), but I'm glad to be able to import different wardens for different choices for quests in game. Creates permutations that allowed me different playthroughs with different quests.

I can see it getting more and more complicated down the line as more imports are required, though.

FFFT? Forced Flow Flamespread Test? I'm not trying to flame you. 

And yes... fans would rage. But if, in its place, Bioware gave you the insane amount of choice as they did in DA:O (which they could again, knowing they wouldn't have to worry about prior game choices, or choices affecting future games) then I think that they could balance it out. 

The number of choices will keep growing... or they won't, I suppose. The way DA2 played out, there were probably only about half-a-dozen choices that actually would have an affect on the world (aside from how you interacted with your companions... which don't really count, because most of them could be dead or imprisoned, so Bioware won't make loads of custom content for them to return in some people's games and not others). So if DA2's lack of real choice is kept up, then they can keep importing from game to game... but then the game will just be an interactive movie with combat sessions and no real choices. Which I wouldn't be a fan of at all.

This is why the only two choices that matter are "The Blight was stopped" and "The mage/templar war was sparked".  And really those aren't 'choices' at all since they are the point of the game.  All other stuff is just 'window dressing' to me, and one reason I'm glad they are going with a different protagonist each game, keeping the clogging of the game 'choices' to a minimum as they don't have as much impact on subsequent PCs.

And ffft was a sound effect (imagine me blowing air through my lips).  Though I find your interpretation far more amusing

Sorry... my brain always goes to acronyms. LOL

But to address your point... if the only things that matter are that the Blight was stopped and that the Mage/Templar War was started... then why the resitance against setting a canon? I mean, if the choices from previous games don't matter... then why do they matter?

If that makes sense. I always use the Fallout games as  a great example. Each game offers tons of choices and the endings (except for Fallout 3) offered dozens, if not hundreds, of different permutations to your endings based on the people you met and the decisions you made. But, in the next game, they don't carry these choices over. They let you be as crazy and destructive as you wish (and reflect that in the endings) but then set a canon for how things played out when they make a sequel.

In the first Fallout game, you have the option to save a small town or join up with some bandits to raid it for money. If you side with the bad guys, the town winds up being destroyed and abandoned. If you help save the town from the raiders, it becomes the hub for a new government, the New California Republic.

In all subsequent games, the NCR is referenced as being one of the most powerful forces in the game. It has tons of impact on the story and how the world is shaped. If the Fallout team had not mentioned this ending to Fallout 1 at all because some people chose to destroy the town, it would have made this part of the story much less compelling and relevant. 

Even if its not a choice I made, I'd still be fine with Bioware making a canon, just so they can take little choices (or bigger choices) and tell a greater, more engaging story, using pieces of the past and the game's own lore to continue opportunities. As is, they are going to likely ignore/not follow up with the decision about the Anvil, the decision about annullign the Circle (both of them), if you made peace with the Dalish and werewolves or not, if you made peace between the Dalish and Merril or not, if you murder knifed Anders, if you murder knifed Morrigan, if you murder knifed Dog, about who you made king of Orzammar, about who you made king (or queen) of Ferelden, about if the Urn exists and was found by the Chantry, about if the Architect (possibly the biggest "villain" of the DA world) is alive or not, about if the bastard child of your Dwarven Noble ever existed or not, any choice you made about your family (in Origins or DA2)... the list goes on and on.

If they aren't going to give anything more than small mentions and "window dressing", as you called it, to these choices, then why even go through the effort of importing them over from game to game? Why not just say "The Warden kept the Anvil and the Dwarves now have an army of golems to contribute to the Mage/Templar war, just waiting for a side to choose" or "Allistair is king, but Anora is plotting with the Templars to give her support if they break her free from her prison and crown her ruler" or "Anders was spared by Hawke after the events of DA2 and is now a chief general for the Mage Resistance" or "Feynriel was spared by Hawke and freed of his demons, and is now a master sominari, one of the most powerful mages in the world, a huge asset to the Mage side" or "the preservation of the Urn has caused a huge increase in Chantry conversions, causing many recent Qunari converts to instead return back to the Chantry, sparking battles between the two groups, which could be used as leverage to get the Qunari to side with the Mages, despite their hatred of Sarebaas" or any number of other things.

Each of these plot ideas is really cool, not because they play into the main story of DA3, but because we saw how previous stories in a former game are now playing into the new one. Sure, if may not have been the choice we picked, but it still is something that is a lot of fun to go back and revisit, seeing how events have progressed on since we last saw them in a prior game. Its not the fact that I picked one or the other in a previous playthrough, its that instead of introducing a totally random, new group or set of faces, we can go back and see how the world we have seen before has grown and changed since. Which is a really cool interaction that video games rarely get a chance to pull off.

[fchopin]

If Bioware want to compete with the CDPR game companies then they have to have decisions that matter in the game, if not then they can make another DA2 game which has irrelevant decisions and you are just an observer.

[sylvanaerie]

@fastjimmy Perhaps my 'resistance to a canon' comes from me being like everyone else who doesn't want their choices completely ignored and 'canon' established. In that, I am like others who don't want their choice ignored, but by the same token I don't want Bioware to completely handwave/ignore other peoples' choices either, unless it makes no sense.

The Ashes quest being an example, I feel is a good one. The small quest I got on the one import I had with the Ashes was enough for me. The Blight has only just ended, building temples and getting word out using medieval methods of communication takes time.  There is no printing press in Denerim for Genetivi to even write his book on the ashes so it must be written by hand, which takes time.   I think people wanted instant satisfaction from their choices even if it's impractical, even in a world with magic since teleportation isn't something mages can do. The kind of changes Nizaris wants takes years, not weeks to accomplish. Which is why I feel maybe if it is included it will be in DA3 or some other further project down the line, provided BIoware doesn't throw up their hands in disgust and say "no matter what we do, people b*tch, so no more!"

Not to mention, it severely unbalances the balance of power in Kirkwall, making the Chantry a lot more powerful than it already is.

It's story breaking. That's what I object to.

I prefer to KISS: "Keep It Simple, Stupid" when writing. Don't go on wild tangents telling all kinds of stories that have no place in the tale you're trying to tell, it just gets ultra complicated and ponderous. Players should remember the only things that matter are "The Blight was stopped" and "The mage/templar war was sparked". Everything else IS just window dressing.

Modifié par sylvanaerie, 15 octobre 2012 - 10:04 .

[Fast Jimmy]

fchopin wrote...

If Bioware want to compete with the CDPR game companies then they have to have decisions that matter in the game, if not then they can make another DA2 game which has irrelevant decisions and you are just an observer.

At least CDProjekt was smart about it. They have maybe half a dozen choices that matter and get carried over. Bioware seems unable to let even the smallest import flag lapse. No matter what you do in TW1, TW2 starts out with you in bed with a certain someone. 

If Bioware allowed lots of choices, but only say, maybe, THREE of them imported over, the rest were ignored or retconned, then I think it would be fine. But Bioware seems married to the idea of having seven or eight dozen choices carry over into every new game, which means almost none of the choices are going to get any mention or have any relevance at all.

[milena87]

I understand that the devs can't create wildly different experiences releasing as one game; it's already a monumental task to deliver one great story after all. That's why I don't see many options for dealing with the consequences of our choices.

Personally, I've come to like the idea of a "what if" scenario for each game: we could have very different outcomes within the game and an epilogue showing how the world changed thanks to our actions (like DAO pretty much). The import function for the next game I think would be gone, with the bonus of giving the devs much more freedom.

Of course I'd much prefer to keep the import function and seeing the outcomes of my choices from previous games, but resources and time aren't infinite. Continuing with the "your choices matter" and later retconning, ignoring or diluting them to the same outcome isn't what I'd like to see.

[fchopin]

Fast Jimmy wrote...

fchopin wrote...

If Bioware want to compete with the CDPR game companies then they have to have decisions that matter in the game, if not then they can make another DA2 game which has irrelevant decisions and you are just an observer.

At least CDProjekt was smart about it. They have maybe half a dozen choices that matter and get carried over. Bioware seems unable to let even the smallest import flag lapse. No matter what you do in TW1, TW2 starts out with you in bed with a certain someone. 

If Bioware allowed lots of choices, but only say, maybe, THREE of them imported over, the rest were ignored or retconned, then I think it would be fine. But Bioware seems married to the idea of having seven or eight dozen choices carry over into every new game, which means almost none of the choices are going to get any mention or have any relevance at all.

I am not talking about the importing, i want decisions to matter in the game that i play, i want to see different developments depending on decisions made in the game that only i can see depending on my decision.
 
I don’t want an import from DA2 as there are no decisions i made in the game that have any importance.

[sylvanaerie]

fchopin wrote...

Fast Jimmy wrote...

fchopin wrote...

If Bioware want to compete with the CDPR game companies then they have to have decisions that matter in the game, if not then they can make another DA2 game which has irrelevant decisions and you are just an observer.

At least CDProjekt was smart about it. They have maybe half a dozen choices that matter and get carried over. Bioware seems unable to let even the smallest import flag lapse. No matter what you do in TW1, TW2 starts out with you in bed with a certain someone. 

If Bioware allowed lots of choices, but only say, maybe, THREE of them imported over, the rest were ignored or retconned, then I think it would be fine. But Bioware seems married to the idea of having seven or eight dozen choices carry over into every new game, which means almost none of the choices are going to get any mention or have any relevance at all.

I am not talking about the importing, i want decisions to matter in the game that i play, i want to see different developments depending on decisions made in the game that only i can see depending on my decision.
 
I don’t want an import from DA2 as there are no decisions i made in the game that have any importance.

Perhaps DA3 will allow imports from just Origins (DA2 did allow you to import a warden without doing Awakening and subsequent DLCs).  And not everyone will have an import from DA2 since not everyone bought the game, in which case some of the content in DA3 will have to be 'assumed' the unspecified Hawke did.  (Perhaps players get some kind of prompt where they can check off some major choice--like did Hawke support the templars or the mages).

[Fast Jimmy]

fchopin wrote...

Fast Jimmy wrote...

fchopin wrote...

If Bioware want to compete with the CDPR game companies then they have to have decisions that matter in the game, if not then they can make another DA2 game which has irrelevant decisions and you are just an observer.

At least CDProjekt was smart about it. They have maybe half a dozen choices that matter and get carried over. Bioware seems unable to let even the smallest import flag lapse. No matter what you do in TW1, TW2 starts out with you in bed with a certain someone. 

If Bioware allowed lots of choices, but only say, maybe, THREE of them imported over, the rest were ignored or retconned, then I think it would be fine. But Bioware seems married to the idea of having seven or eight dozen choices carry over into every new game, which means almost none of the choices are going to get any mention or have any relevance at all.

I am not talking about the importing, i want decisions to matter in the game that i play, i want to see different developments depending on decisions made in the game that only i can see depending on my decision.
 
I don’t want an import from DA2 as there are no decisions i made in the game that have any importance.

I would love this, as well. I'd like to have wildly divergent endings and gameplay depending on the choices I make, where I could go back and feel like I'd played almost a brand new story with different choices. We'll see if we ever get that in a Bioware game (TW2 did an excellent job of that from what I understand with their Act 2 choice, but I'm not sure.

Maybe something like: First Part of the Game - Intro, induction as an Inquisitor, begin investigation decide at the end to join Mages or Templars (or even possibly a third, middle-of-the-road option); Second Part of the Game - entire section that is dependent on your choice, with custom NPCs, quests, areas, maps and enemies that don't overlap at all; Third Part - Flemeth/Morrigan/Architect/Other Random Baddie releases evil from the Eluvian dimension (or something else, where a Big Bad shows up and requires you to fight, regardless of who you sided with in the War), Qunicy fights, saves the day. Credits Roll.

I could get behind this, but I think having an entire section of the game that involves Quincy meeting different people, having different interactions with companions, making different decisions would result in more chaos for the imports into DA4, since there could people that certian players never even met, let alone made a decsion about, that you'd have to take into consideration. It just becomes a huge web to untangle, carrying everything over from game to game.

Modifié par Fast Jimmy, 15 octobre 2012 - 10:32 .

[DarkKnightHolmes]

Huh, up to the Bioware on this one. I mean, unlike the ME series, I don't remember the DA group promising us that every choice we make will have huge impacts.

[sylvanaerie]

Nizaris1 wrote...

sylvanaerie wrote...
I'm not the only one who made these choices. Are you saying Bioware should unbalance their story with a hugely impactful choice affecting a large portion of the populace being shown going to a temple (that for many players shouldn't be there) just because you want them to show some world altering thing to come from something your warden (or other players wardens) did.

My point is: Just because you did it one way doesn't mean everyone did it that way. What we got was a mention of it in a small quest in DA2. Maybe there will be more impact in DA3, since it seems to be heading to Orlais which is more in line with Chantry stuff. We don't know yet. DA2 was Hawke's story and that has nothing to do with the ashes. Putting the type of chantry you propose arose from the ashes discovery into play would have severely unbalanced the delicate balance of power that existed in the game till the end of Act 3 since Elthina would have had a stronger power base and a lot more say so in what happened in Kirkwall.

The whole Dragon Age IS about Andraste/Chantry religion, the begining of DA:O is an intro about the Chantry version of darkspawn, if you play Mage origin, it will be more obvious when you got propagated about Andraste, Tevinter Imperium and Chantry DOGMA. The Ash play very HUGE significant role in DA world, and not just a quest about a gang make a fake Andraste ash.

The whole plot in DA:O and DA2 is based on this belief, the Grey Warden, Archdemon, darkspawn, the Old Gods, Templar-Mage conflict, everything is effected by this. So don't say the ash don't give a damn changes in DA2.

The existence of the Ash could make Meredith more crazy, no need for an idol to her become like that, the Templars could be more fanatic, The Chantry have more decision making power, the peoples maybe have no sympathy toward Mages...and so the Mages maybe live in more fear, oppressed or depressed...or there is a great issue about what is the real Andraste teaching among the priests, templars and Mages...

The existence of the urn give more impact....at least show it in dialogues, choice path, consequences, cut scenes or something...not just a a small quest about a gang sell fake ashes then killed by Hawke. So if anyone destroy it, make it so that everything as it were before, or someone even challenge the faith, or lost faith in the religion, or the Templars or something.

This is what i mean...if Bioware really serious about save imports then they should look more careful in these kind of thing. or else make a single game with linear stories with no choices at all. It is because in DA world the CANON is what the player make it so.

So, what you believe is a temple will instantaneously rise up in Haven and become a new mecca once Genetivi returns to Denerim (before he's even had time to write his book--who the hell has time to write during a Blight, but I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt on this one--but, with no typewriter or computer apps it still takes time!), and pilgrims will instantly teleport to the temple because, you know, it has to absolutely get there overnight?  They gonna mail themselves via Fed Ex? 

How long do you want the story take to institute the changes you propose?  A week?  A year?  So far we have been presented only a little of the story the Devs are tellling us, I can't presume to know what they have up their sleeves at this point.

The Ash seller isn't even selling the real ashes, just monopolizing on the rumors floating about right after the Blight, immediately after the prologue, which takes place immediately after the Blight is done since the entirity of the Blight was a year's time.  And Hawke only JUST finished his apprenticeship with the Red Irons/Athenril, which was done during the year of the Blight. (with, let's just say a few weeks of leeway).  There is no internet in Thedas or TV or radio. How do you propose they get the word out so quickly?  Especially if Shale's around stomping pigeons, and the population has taken a severe nosedive, so that lets out carrier pigeon.  Or if you don't free Shale from Honnleath that's a lot of pigeon poop to be cleaning up off everything.

You seem to expect Bioware to just plop down all this world shaping stuff connected to the Ashes in only a game year's time.  Which is why I said perhaps DA3 will have more impact about your choice, that being the new protagonist is supposed to be an Inquisitor, and (I am assuming) more tied to the Chantry than Hawke, it would have more relevance to the overall tale, and be better implemented in DA3 than in DA2, since, you know, some actual time has passed (hopefully) between Origins and DA3. 
But frankly at this point in arguing with you, I don't really care if they ever say anything more about them. 

Let's ignore the severe unbalancing of the balance of power with your 'new and improved Andrastian temple', and include it anyway in DA2, a story that has nothing to do with Andraste's ashes, and concludes in barely a decade of time, just because you want your choice to have world impacting consequences.  It would be story breaking, Elthina could have been a lot more powerful and vascillated less on the issues if she had a stronger backing.  "Problems with the Mages--call Elthina, she will solve it".  Problem with Meredith "Call Elthina, she can stop her."  Meredith crazy?  "Let's just get the ashes and cure her, and everyone can go home happy."  No war, no story.  

Hawke is already the most reactive protagonist I've ever played.  Let's just completely remove any influence the Champion has at all and make it Andraste's Ashes' story.  Woman's been dead 1000 years and still sees more action than the protagonist of the game...

I'm willing to wait and see what Bioware has in store for us.

[EricHVela]

It would be nice, but this isn't a perfect world.

I'm sure they'll do the best that they can with what they have.

There's also the thing that not all choices should have world-shattering consequences, either. Not every choice should come back and bite the player. That would keep the players on their toes (until someone finds the pattern of consequences -- and someone will).

[Fast Jimmy]

FemaleMageFan wrote...

The save import model needs work but i do not think it should be completely removed. The problem with import flags are a programming level bug and not something that comes with design. What i think bioware needs to do is something related to a spiral model. Let the overall small decisions have small impact then the large decisions should have large impact. I'm sure through the data that bioware minded(when you click on feedback on the options) they can be able to determine that little and large decisions.. In relation to the spiral model refer to this diagram

This model could be used to measure the scope of the decisions

The problem with this is that it follows the standard software release concept - plan, analyze, code, test, release.

The problem with the game imports is that, even after release, you are still keeping these decisions in the cycle. Nearly four years after release now, the DA team is having to consider the risk analysis, objectives and cumulative costs of design decisions made back in 2008. That's where the entire model (not just the spiral model, but any model that relies on game imports) breaks down.

The ME team is talking about doing an ME4... how? How can they do anything BUT a prequel? The endings they gave were either the galaxy is pretty much the same as it was pre-ME1 (minus the Geth being dead, who were isolationist anyway) with Destroy, a Paragon/Renegade Robo Shepherd is now in charge of the most powerful fleet of super-beings in the history of time with Control or every sentient species across the galaxy is now transhuman, with a connected matrix of thought patterns.

How do you stage a conflict when Control Shepherd guides the galaxy with his super-army? How can you have a conversation with a Companion if you all have a robotic interface that woudl transmit data in nano-seconds in Synthesis? How do you have a normal game with Destory, but then also accomodate all of the craziness that comes with the other endings? They'd have to make three different versions of ME4 if it took place ANY time after ME3 (what's 10,000 years to Robo-Shepherd and his fleet of immortal Reapers? What's a few millenia to a galaxy of beings fashioned of oranic and synthetic material that can be repaired instead of dying?). It would be Pokemon Black and White, except Mass Effect 4 Red, Green and Blue.

Point being - no one has ever attempted to take a design choice like this, that is open ended software essentially (except, instead of changing code, you can change the story) and carry it through to an undetermined point. What if there is a DA4 in 2016? A DA5 in 2020? A DA6 in 2022? How long will Bioware have to keep juggling all of these choices?

[Burnouts3s3]

xsamplexample wrote...

 Bioware, if you heed any piece of advice from these fan forums, please take this: we want to see our choices play out in dramatically different ways.

We have made many choices that chould transfer; orzamarr politics, dalish/warewolf outcome, redcliff castle and its family, qunari, Hawke's choice to aid the templars/mages.... these are just a few of the choices we have made throughout the series.  these could all come back to manifest in different expereicnes for the player. 

Please learn from Mass Effect 3's mistakes!  Do this game right!

I agree with this post and would like to add that there is nothing wrong with a text ending (Such as Jade Empire or DA:O) or a power point ending (Like the extended cut.)

[Fast Jimmy]

^

Good post Tancred. I'm hoping that what David is talking about doing imports "better" involves touching on less choices, but having those choices go deeper in affecting the game. Whether my Warden was a city elf or human noble, or whether they romanced Leliana or Morrigan doesn't really matter all that much to me, to be honest (despite the fact that it is plausible. If not likely, that we will see both of them in DA3).

Bioware keeps stating that DA is about the world, not one character. So if they focused on the choices that affected the world, and ignored the choices that only affected the player's character, then I think the story would only be stronger for it.

But... that said... Death to Import Flags!

Modifié par Fast Jimmy, 15 octobre 2012 - 04:10 .

[Iakus]

I think what people want is for differnt chocies to have different outcomes.  Not necessailly better or worse. Just different.

Think of it this way, romancing differnt characters leads to different sscenes and dialogue.  There may be differences in opinion as to which is "better or "wrose"  but what's important is that the scenes are diffeerent, we can decide for ourselves which we prefer.

Buti f all paths lead to the same outcome, particularly if it's a bad outcome, like character death, it make one wonder what the point of providing the option was in teh first pace.

[InfinitePaths]

NO!NO!NO! I want the choices I do in DA3 to reflect in the future of DA3 just like origins did!I don't care for past DAO choices becouse I already had closure for them!i want new hard choices that will reflect on the world!

[Realmzmaster]

If Bioware has to take choices from either DAO or DA2 I would rather Bioware use preset histories (like DA2) and scrapped the save import. Have three histories that affect the world. Trying to take into account all the choices made is a recipe for disaster. I prefer in game choices that matter. I want each game to be self-contained with the only events carrying over are the ones that affect the world and then only in preset histories.
IMHO, one choice Bioware could have let fall to the cutting floor was the Dark Ritual and the OGB. Bioware wanted a semi-happy ending were all the companions could live. It would have been better to have an ending of sacrifice either the Warden, Alistair or Loghain.

[SpEcIaLRyAn]

I'm not so sure. We are gonna be in another part of the world with a new character. Some references would be fine but other than that maybe the mage/templar choice and the OGB would be the only ones I wanna see play out with fully developed branching paths. Other than the rest of the stuff ehh. I would like to see my choices have more of an effect on the game I am playing rather than the game I played before it. Seeing as we are playing as a new character in another part of the world.

Modifié par SpEcIaLRyAn, 15 octobre 2012 - 07:07 .

[xsamplexample]

sylvanaerie wrote...

Fast Jimmy wrote...

sylvanaerie wrote...

FFFT I took your post to mean you wanted big impact, not no impact at all (in sequels). I don't think it should be handwaved into complete non-existence (otherwise, considering how people whine now about Bioware 'ignoring' their choices, could you imagine the uproar that 'their preferred warden' wasn't chosen as 'canon'). Would completely crash the boards from the weight of all the whine.

I think the default Warden in the game is HNM (as described in the 'default' history given in DA2's character creation), but I'm glad to be able to import different wardens for different choices for quests in game. Creates permutations that allowed me different playthroughs with different quests.

I can see it getting more and more complicated down the line as more imports are required, though.

FFFT? Forced Flow Flamespread Test? I'm not trying to flame you. 

And yes... fans would rage. But if, in its place, Bioware gave you the insane amount of choice as they did in DA:O (which they could again, knowing they wouldn't have to worry about prior game choices, or choices affecting future games) then I think that they could balance it out. 

The number of choices will keep growing... or they won't, I suppose. The way DA2 played out, there were probably only about half-a-dozen choices that actually would have an affect on the world (aside from how you interacted with your companions... which don't really count, because most of them could be dead or imprisoned, so Bioware won't make loads of custom content for them to return in some people's games and not others). So if DA2's lack of real choice is kept up, then they can keep importing from game to game... but then the game will just be an interactive movie with combat sessions and no real choices. Which I wouldn't be a fan of at all.

This is why the only two choices that matter are "The Blight was stopped" and "The mage/templar war was sparked".  And really those aren't 'choices' at all since they are the point of the game.  All other stuff is just 'window dressing' to me, and one reason I'm glad they are going with a different protagonist each game, keeping the clogging of the game 'choices' to a minimum as they don't have as much impact on subsequent PCs.

And ffft was a sound effect (imagine me blowing air through my lips).  Though I find your interpretation far more amusing

yes, bioware already did the 'dressing' thing with mass effect.  make DA the series with divergent paths!  Im sick of this run-of-the-mill trend in games... lets see something innovative.

and dont tell me you dont care about how your choices play out ten years later.....

[philippe willaume]

first i want the choice i make in the current game to have consequences, they can matter or not in the main story but they need to have consequences.

importing choice is fine and is nice touch, when it is well done like in ME3 where it leads to side stories (kelly and conrad for exemple)
phil