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[Karolis]

2. Pacing in Storytelling

 

I realize that the Journey Myth, or "Hero's Journey," can feel like a limiting model, once someone becomes aware of it as they write a story. Balancing the storytelling process with a sense of freedom for creativity is one of the biggest challenges that writers face. 

 

I was randomly thinking about this stuff again yesterday, and I got to wondering: In the end how compatible are 1) a well-paced dramatic storyline, and 2) the open-world exploration thing?

 

Like, if you were a game writer, and you absolutely had to develop a game with both of those, on pain of Blight, how would you do it? Or, how have you seen it done effectively elsewhere?

[Tenjin Nimaime]

This game really needed a better villain, or to better develop the one it had. On my first play through, I was really confused by Varric and Hawke talking about having faught him before. I had no memory of this. What? Clearly I missed some DLC.

 

I didn't. I didn't miss it. I'd played it. I had just forgotten EVERYTHING ABOUT IT except how annoying the last fight was. I didn't remember the villain, or the wardens, or ANYTHING. I think that says something about the quality of that DLC, and Cory as a villain in general.

 

Usually, I am all about the villains. If I don't find the villain of a story or game interesting, I don't care. Inquisition was an interesting change of that for me. I loved everyone so much. Shame about Cory though....

[CmnDwnWrkn]

I snipped most of your post for space, but I concur with a lot of it. Like you, I found the characters to be the most rewarding aspect of the game this time around. Populating the protagonist's world with compelling characters is one of BioWare's great strengths, to be sure.

 

I would argue it's BioWare's greatest strength.  Every aspect of the game should be driven by the character stories and relationships

[Jeremiah12LGeek]

I was randomly thinking about this stuff again yesterday, and I got to wondering: In the end how compatible are 1) a well-paced dramatic storyline, and 2) the open-world exploration thing?

 

Like, if you were a game writer, and you absolutely had to develop a game with both of those, on pain of Blight, how would you do it? Or, how have you seen it done effectively elsewhere?

 

That's a good question.

 

And the truth is, I don't have a good answer. The closest I can come to it is Ultima IV, which is so old, and so dated (we're talking 2D with borderline-Ascii graphics) or Final Fantasy VIII, which didn't introduce the open-world until disc 3 of 4, and the open-world was highly problematic, in terms of the games' pacing.

 

I don't know that the balance can really be achieved without reigning in the world's areas somewhat, and focusing more of the side quests on details that relate - in some way - to the main story and setting.

 

In DA:O, the biggest area, to my recollection, was Orzammar, and almost all of the side quests, even if they had nothing to do with the main plot, illustrated Dwarven culture or history, in some way, or had something to do with the world at large.

[Dinerenblanc]

I agree with this. In my opinion, DA:I is a mixed bag. The stories and writing of the companions is rather well done, but inexplicably the story of the main quest is weak. Similarly, on a technical level the game is beautifully made, but then we have really awful design decisions like the removal of tactical options, wide open MMO-style filler, etc which really ruin the game. 

Ditto. Many of the major events in the game are perfectly fine when judged separately, but how the pacing is a little off. This is especially true for the finale. You're building up for the final showdown and Corphyeus just conveniently shows up at your doorstep alone? It just feels too sudden, and in return the ending felt abrupt. Speaking of convenient, your acquisition of Skyhold is completely unbelievable. A massive army trekked through snowy mountainous terrain without food or any other supplies and just happen to find a massive empty stronghold for the taking? No, that's just lazy writing.