This thread is dedicated to the those that complain about those of us that complain about the game. For whatever reason you love DLI DAI and just cannot stand the thought that other people do not share your love of the game, and need to attack its critics, and belittle the concerns of those that post in the forums with the problems we have with Bioware's latest game.
Granted, I do not claim to speak for everyone. Nobody, on either side can do that. What I am presenting is anecdotal evidence (meaning the experiences of myself and friends). Not everyone has the exact same experiences, but from what I have read in the last six weeks on these forums, many people do.
Since my first computer, almost 30 years ago, I have played many games. Played a lot of good and great games. Have played some real stinkers. Normally, if I get a bad game, I just forget about it. All I have really lost is a relatively small amount of money, and perhaps several evenings or a weekend of my time. Probably did not buy a game from that company again, either. But, I really did not have anything invested in that company. So, I never bothered to go to those companies' websites/forums/fansites and make my displeasure known. Not worth the trouble.
But, Bioware is not one of those companies. As many of us have, I have been playing their games for almost two decades now. I have over $500 of their titles on my shelves, and if you include downloads, probably a total of $1000 that I have "invested" in their company. Even more importantly, I have easily spent thousands upon thousands of hours playing Bioware games. And Bioware was not just a game company, they have gone out of their way in the past (and hopefully still do) to make their customers feel like part of the community, and not just a paycheck. It was a symbiotic relationship, where Bioware put out the best CRPG's available, bringing to "life" on the computer what a great tabletop rpg or fantasy novel could only make you imagine. And in return, Bioware gained a very loyal fanbase that bought almost every title they produced. With this support, Bioware kept creating bigger and better games, that kept the formula of combining a tactical combat system with a great role play experience, Not saying there were never complaints, but they were relatively small.
With the release of Dragon Age Origins, the main complaints (besides the inevitable technical bugs) came from the console community, that complained that their game systems were unable to do all the many things that PC owners of the game could do. Personally, I thought it was rather silly that they would attempt to play such a complex CRPG on a platform, other than a computer. At the time, it did not really bother me that Bioware was porting their flagship game to consoles. Figured it was more money for them, that would allow them to build even bigger and better games for the PC, as technology allowed. So, I was still secure in the "relationship".
But, DA2 showed, that Bioware was starting to take the PC market for granted, and was spending more time trying to build a game that appealed to the console players. More flash, simpler controls, fewer choices, and going from a realistic style of combat (yes....I know that a game based around magic, is not "realistic", but the beauty of most fantasy swords and sorcery systems is that you do everything just like you would do normally...with the addition of magic) to a more arcade style combat, where every character class jumps and leaps, doing stunts that are normally only possible with hidden wires in Hollywood. It may have made for a more visually appealing game (for some audiences), but it really started to gut what was always the heart of a CRPG, a tactical combat system that had great roleplay aspects. As I have stated elsewhere, it was akin to having your partner leaving you, for a bimbo that was impressed with pretty graphics and flashy animations, and was bored or frustrated when confronted with a tactical rpg.
With the release of DLI DAI, it has become even more clear, that Bioware has stopped making a game that took advantage of all the possibilities that a game on a PC platform can provide, and then port everything it could to the consoles. Instead, they are making games that do everything within the limitations of a console, and then port that to the PC. So, while the console gamers are able to have a game that does everything their platform allows, PC players have a game that is figuratively having our platform play with one hand behinds its back.
So yes, I complain. I try to do so as constructively, and with as much decorum as possible. But I do so because I care about this company, and do not want to see it continue down this path. If this was just another gaming company, that produced a game I did not like, I would not bother. But this is a company I have supported over many years, and I now see it spurning that support and going about destroying the legacy it has built during that time. I feel obligated to try to make my voice heard. Obviously, there is some self-interest involved. But, it is also because I do not want Bioware to become just another run-of-the-mill game company that pumps out clones of other games, that all look and play alike. Bioware games used to stand out, and now they try to copy whatever the latest trend is, in an attempt to gain market share. What's next, Dragon Age: Angry Birds?
To sum it up, I complain because I care.
EDIT (After spending 38 hours downloading this game, not counting the patches, obviously, I still have DownLoad on my mind. And I thought I did such a good job of editing this before posting)
EDIT part deux: At the request of my many fans (okay, critics), I should clarify that I am not attempting to blame all problems on console gamers (as tempting as that may be.) Obviously, I am complaining that the game is being dumbed down, by the standards I have come to expect from Bioware games. This does not mean, because somebody else enjoys the aspects of the game, that I do not, that they are wrong, nor are they dumb. Different tastes for different folks, and it has nothing to do with IQ. Bioware used to make games for a very unique niche of the gaming market. This niche audience may not be the largest portion of the audience, but it is still substantial. Now, they seem to be trying to please everyone, by making so many changes, that in the end, they are pleasing less people. The company that I have been so loyal to, seems now to be succumbing to the attitude that they should market the game to many different styles of gamers. But, it is impossible to make a game that pleases everyone. Bioware needs to decide who their target market is, and make games just for them. If they decide it is no longer the CRPGer, then they will lose a lot of their loyal customers, and we will spend our money with companies that do cater to us.
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Or just add a few sentences at the end! If this helps this thread and the much appreciated conversation and discussion of an important topic - who cares ?!! I know I wouldn't mind ...
