88 réponses à ce sujet

[Darkly Tranquil]

I really hope Inquisition is not indicative of the future direction of the franchise, because if it is, I doubt I will be hanging around for future instalments. Inquisition has moved me from a "will buy every DA game and book they release" customer to a "I don't know if this franchise is for me anymore" potential non-customer. The further DA drifts from the style and tone of Origins, the less interest I have in it.

[Vox Draco]

So true!

 

... I'll give you a few minutes before the 'real' RPG fans come in and yell at you about how ME2 killed RPGs and was 'EAWare' selling out..

 

It didn't kill RPGs ... just the overall ME-story was killed by ME2...don't give the game TOO much credit ^^

[Battlebloodmage]

Need less useless sidequests. Make more battle focused sidequests like hunting bosses. I don't care if it's just color change on creatures, but make more hunting quests instead of running around fetching and finding random stuffs. 

[Slapstick83]

I actually think Dragon Age 4 will be the best game of the franchise. My (somewhat hopefull) reasoning is that they've learned some lessons from each game, they've tried different ways of implementing the same general intent in terms of gameplay, etc. Seems to me the games has been quite a bit of trial-and-error, and bioware has just been lucky enough to be allowed to do this due to excellent setting and character story. Trial-and-error should be over as they now would move to consolidate the best lessons learned across the 3 games. Bioware are, after all, still a very competent game development studio.

[Alistair32]

I actually liked each game of the franchise. I really enjoyed Dragon Age Inquisition a lot and I liked the open world idea. Of course there are always difficulties tied to having an open world but I guess that's the price you have to pay. I'm content with how DA 3 turned out, though I hope they'll focus a bit more on characters and the story in the next game.

[Nefla]

I really hope short main storylines and MMO style grinding and fetch quests aren't their new "thing." >_<

[KaiserShep]

I really hope short main storylines and MMO style grinding and fetch quests aren't their new "thing." >_<

 

I have no doubt that they actually read people's complaints about this stuff. What really matters is the world they set up, which, to me, is probably the best-realized of the three games, and there are some really nice additions to the basic mechanics of the game, like the occasional timed dialogue wheel that you can get while out on a quest. It's nice that you can actually react to companion input in the field on occasion.

[Aurok]

The shift from DAO to DA2 is explained by Bioware/EA firmly believing that Mass Effect 2 was the way to go.

The shift from DA2 to DAI is explained by Bioware/EA firmly believing that Skyrim was the way to go.

The shift from DAI to the next game will be determined by whatever seems popular.

DA keeps flopping all over the place because Bioware has become a reactive company rather than the proactive one they used to be. I think they would benefit from a stronger vision of their own rather than just keep dipping into whatever the current popular thing is and trying to force it into their own games, but I suspect EA gives them little choice in the matter.

Right now they don't seem like a studio which has the self-belief and swagger which the top studios have. They seem uncertain of who they are and what they should be making, and this is resulting in the games lacking identity and direction.

[Draining Dragon]

If this is what a solid foundation looks like, I don't think I want to see a weak foundation.

[Navasha]

I am not sure the lack of identity was purposefully done.    DA:O was a pure gem of a game, however, it was primarily developed for the PC audience and their nostalgia for RPG games like it.    It did lack the "action-y" feel that most console gamers expected.    Hence they QUICKLY developed DA2 to appeal to the console market more completely abandoning many of the RPG elements to make it more of a clickfest game.    Of course, that bombed because they abandoned many of the elements loved by PC gamers and had not yet established the console crowd they wanted.   So they were inevitably forced to change again due to its lackluster performance. 

 

Its lack of identity is summed up by its lack of a unifying audience.    Yes, I think the next DA game is going to be much more similar to DA:I than completely changing the formula again.    They seem to have found the sweet spot audience for this particular title.   Hopefully they will offer a couple of "modes" for the next game.    Would love to have a mode that offers real tactical challenge to combat again.   Its loss is the only detriment to the DA:I format I see.

[Draining Dragon]

Let me ask you - how was, say, bringing Witherfang's heart to Zathrian not a needlessly long fetch quest? What makes that any different from the quests present in DA:I that you did not enjoy?
 
Moreover, how was DA:O's storyline not short?

1. Witherfang's heart had actual dialogue, with consequences, character development, and a compelling tale. More compelling than "LULZ WE'RE A BUNCH OF LAZY FATTIES GO GET US SOME MEAT"

2. DAO had more story content.

[Vader20]

Yes, I agree. Developers not only want their game to be popular but also keep their loyal fans. I just hope that they realize they can't have both and make the decision of which type to follow and openly tell us about it instead of lying and saying their game has all types of playstyles and mechanics. If DA4 is a perfected tactical rpg game (I feel that's unlikely) I would gladly pay and play and love it. If DA4 is a perfected action game, I would still pay and play assuming that it is done correctly. If DA4 is like Inquisition, and has low quality of both sides, I would pass because I don't get any enjoyment out of it. This is all about game mechanics only. Regarding story and everything else, there is only one way it can possibly be done good, so as long as they work on that as well, I will be happy.

 

 

Why would focusing on their fans make the game less popular ? I don't get this one.Don't forget that the source of the problem is that they are a subdivision of...

[Vader20]

1. Witherfang's heart had actual dialogue, with consequences, character development, and a compelling tale. More compelling than "LULZ WE'RE A BUNCH OF LAZY FATTIES GO GET US SOME MEAT"

2. DAO had more story content.

 

The landsmeet was over in like 2 minutes which was off putting. I expected serious debate like at the trial in NWN2.

 

The main story consisted about you going to 3 factions in Ferelden and fixing their problems and gain their allience. That's all. DAO had better dialogues and character depth, but story wise it's weaker than DAI.

 

The best thing about it were the origin stories. I don't understand why they dropped that... It worked and everyone loved those. This game had the possibility to make characters with serious backgrounds again, but Bioware decided otherwise. It's their game, they do what they want with it.

[Vader20]

Skyrim, for instance, is infinitely more popular than any Dragon Age game. They appeal to different audiences, and Skyrim obviously has a broader one. If BioWare wants DA to be as popular as it possibly can, they'll deviate from what makes most of its current fans enjoy their products in order to appeal to a greater number of gamers.

 

Skyrim builds on the success of previous Elder Scrolls, but if you compare it to Morrowind it's a load of streamlined crap. Make DA more of an action game ? Fine by me, but also make a great story, characters, a world that feels alive and I would gladly buy it. But if you make a streamlined crap action game with no story, shitty quests ?

 

All in all everything has to do with the newer generations of gamers.. I'm curious what would people say if Bioware released a 3rd person rpg in Frosbite which is exactly like the old Baldurs Gate series, or Bethesda doing the mext ES like Morrowind ? How well would they sell ?

[Vader20]

I think they stated that it was either origins or races. Guess people chose the latter.

 

That's why games are what they are today... Origins all the way even for a single human race. Now we have multiple races with a pretty shallow background ? People usually don't think these things over.

[Darkly Tranquil]

The best thing about it were the origin stories. I don't understand why they dropped that... It worked and everyone loved those. This game had the possibility to make characters with serious backgrounds again, but Bioware decided otherwise. It's their game, they do what they want with it.

Because action gamers want Action! They don't want details and backstory and having to read words! They want to kill stuff! Now! Who cares why stuff is happening as long as it looks cool!

[Kappa Neko]

I'm thoroughly enjoying DAI.

I'm 87h into my first playthrough and might crack the 100h mark. I haven't been this lost in a game since Mass Effect 3. I've always enjoyed ME more than DA, but Inquisition has rekindled my love for Thedas. Now I'm CONSUMED.

 

I've only played the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, so I'm not familiar with Bioware's "brilliant" older games. I'm not sure if this is a major factor in how much people enjoy DAI. I'm a console gamer (but play DAI on PC) who doesn't much care about tactical combat. So bear that in mind...

 

I've been on BSN far years. Each time Bioware releases a new game, it's the same heated argument between those who want old school RPGs and those who go with the flow. For some it's always disappointment and the end of the world, for others it's bliss.

I've never understood what the big deal is with the changes in Bioware games. Were they much more alike gameplay-wise pre-Mass Effect? because every Bioware game *I* have played was different. And I see nothing wrong with it.

Bioware releases a game, people complain, they take criticism into account, look at other games for inspiration, switch things up, and the result is a new game. No Bioware game was ever perfect to me. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Like any other game.

 

Here's my subjective judgment on both franchises:

 

- ME1 had a great story, great atmosphere, great characters. But the gameplay was clunky as hell. And the loot was insane and tedious to manage.

- DAO had great characters and very traditional deep RPG tactics, but on the other hand combat was so slow and boring in retrospect. And the main story was incredibly bland and cheesy.

- ME2 still had (mostly) great characters but the story was weak and only fed off ME1's greatness. I much preferred the change in combat but in retrospect, it had the worst dumbed down combat of the trilogy. By far the weakest game in the series.

- DA2 had a better story than DAO, good characters but not outstanding. Combat was faster but too flashy. Story pacing was off and the recycled maps were the low point in rushed greediness.

- ME3 continued a great story and great characters, gameplay was much improved and the best in the series. The beginning felt rushed and the ending was pretty bad and felt rushed too.

- DAI has the best companions yet in the series, great exploration, great atmosphere, excellent continuation of DA2's storyline. But the main plot/antagonist is merely passable (so far, almost done), combat is simplified.

 

My personal ranking of how good I consider them: ME1>ME3/DAI>DAO>ME2>DA2.

(Note: I LOVED ME2 to bits at the time, but in retrospect it was not that great overall.)

 

If you ask me, the thing that Bioware is about is not combat/gameplay or even story, it's character drama. That's the ONLY thing they are really good at. Bioware has never been creative with their storylines. Hell, they just copy ideas most of the time! Until two months ago, I had no idea that Mass Effect is a shameless rip-off of Babylon 5 and BSG! So much so that I wonder why they didn't get sued. I had no idea because I never watched these shows. A friend who's a big sci-fi nerd told me. He showed me, I was shocked. So the only good story Bioware ever had wasn't even their own!

 

I am happy with each Bioware game because I play them for the characters. And in that respect Bioware always delivers. They constantly change the game mechanics to appeal to current trends. And that's perfectly fine to me. The only constant in their games is their very own brand of character drama. THAT is where the "Bioware feel" is to me. How I know I'm playing a Bioware game. No matter how they dress it up, those characters have a distinct Bioware touch to them. And their character drama happens to have a huge appeal to me. It's about emotions to me, not combat. No other developer delivers this sort of emotional experience to me.

 

The game mechanics are always hit and miss with Bioware. I feel that's because in that respect they have no clear identity. It's not their strong suit anyway. They have characters. They build their stories around them. Or so it seems to me anyway. The plot is only there to showcase the characters and their conflicts. And those characters in turn represent greater social issues in Thedas. That's what they focus on. When it comes to gameplay, they follow the money. They go for whatever is most popular. And who can blame them?

Bioware games have no trademark combat imo. And because of that "flaw" in their games, they focus too much on what they perceive the majority wants. They take all complaints seriously, too seriously, and then do the exact opposite. They always go overboard in their efforts to fix issues. Which in turn generates other issues. They are a bit blind in their effort to please everyone. It's a bit annoying and something they should learn to handle better. They handled ME3 pretty well. It combined the best aspects of ME1+2. They got it so right... until the end.

DAI is not as straight-forward a marriage of DAO and DA2. But both franchises do mirror each other. The second game was the low point of the two franchises. Too stripped down, too confined. They both have the easy money EA feel to them. ME3 and DAI are both better successors in many ways. So in my book Bioware is going in the right direction.

 

I do not like true open world games. I like exploration but I NEED an engaging main story or at least great companions. DAI gives me semi open world exploration AND great Bioware characters. It's almost perfect to me personally. However, I would gladly sacrifice map size for more cutscenes. So perhaps DAI is a bit too big if it means they had to cut back on the cinematics. The movie-like feel in their games is something I enjoy a great deal. DAI is a good enough compromise, but could be optimized.

 

My perfect DA4 would build on DAI, not DAO. Keep the exploration but have less fetch quests. Do longer and more interesting side quests with cutscenes instead (like in DAO and DA2). Keep fast combat but force me to use more than two abilities even on lower difficulty. Fix tactical camera. Bring back DW warriors. Keep the mounts (love them!) but have them go faster.

Bring back DA2 style interactions/friendships between characters. No idea why they dropped it. Having them visit each other was brilliant. Mass Effect did that a lot better too. DAI has the poker scene but that's not enough to create a sense of true camaraderie.

Keep the approval system and make me work for their friendship and personal quests. Bring back betrayal and abandonment like in DAO if you ****** them off too much.

I want more scripted deaths and choices between saving one or the other (like Kaidan/Ash in ME1). Bring back DAO style romances where the companions show interest first sometimes. Have them show their affection again with gifts or other things. DAI is too static in that respect. Keep the flirt option for non-romanceable companions. Get rid of pop-up romance achievements, please. Don't treat them like childish conquests, totally ruins immersion.

Keep different races to choose from, keep a voiced protagonist, but pick better voice actors. I don't want to hear the same tone of voice again no matter what type of answer I give. DA2 was better in that respect. Keep the dialogue wheel but ditch the silly icons.

More great characters like Cassandra or Dorian. And for the love of god, give me an elf companion/LI who's not passive-aggressive! And more mages like Dorian who are not batshit crazy. That would be great...

Oh, and Morrigan. DA4 and all future games need Morrigan in it. Her scenes are among the best in DAI. Morrigan = win.

[Nemesis788450]

i personally enjoy if i get different "views" on the same universe... i would also enjoy a telltale game in da... or a single player rpg, or an action game ala chivalry...honestly, i like variety - getting 50 times the same thing is boring

[gay_wardens]

This isn't Mario. It's actually refreshing to see a video game that DOESN'T constantly reiterate itself with the same old crap.

[In Exile]

The landsmeet was over in like 2 minutes which was off putting. I expected serious debate like at the trial in NWN2.

The main story consisted about you going to 3 factions in Ferelden and fixing their problems and gain their allience. That's all. DAO had better dialogues and character depth, but story wise it's weaker than DAI.

The best thing about it were the origin stories. I don't understand why they dropped that... It worked and everyone loved those. This game had the possibility to make characters with serious backgrounds again, but Bioware decided otherwise. It's their game, they do what they want with it.

They dropped the origins because they were wasted resources from a reactivity POV. In this game they took those resources and gave more reactive content throughout the game. That's way better.