542 réponses à ce sujet

[Bioware-Critic]

If you want to describe the issue differently, that's fine with me -- I wouldn't personally be upset about being called a fanatic myself if I really was a fanatic about the topic in question, but that's not important. What I was trying to get at is that I don't think Bio devs are invested in that "RPG culture" to the extent that, for instance, you are.

 

Well ... *sigh* ... to be honest ...

I think you are really wrong there. No offense, but ...

 

Bioware is a RPG-developer. And I don't think that there are many people on this earth that are more "invested" into RPG culture than these guys - for it is their job to create it! If they get the chance to show that (from their publishers and in the current market) is a different question alltogether ...

 

In the end it is one of those things, neither of us, whether you nor me, can say something about for sure!

 

But it is - imho - very much a requirement to consider most of the "RPG culture" that people hold dear when making such a vast game like Inquisition. They simply chose to "cut out" many things! Hence all the negative feedback and so on ...

 

But it is your prerogative to disagree there and I am down with that.

So, I guess, let's agree to disagree!

[Bioware-Critic]

I may not agree with everything here, sometimes features simply don't need to be complicated, but for the most part despite being what is commonly referred to as a "console peasant" for this game I agree that the dumbing down has gone too far.

I'd like stats to mean something/be allocatable, I'd like the actual tactics to comeback and I'd love for lost skills(like auras, even if they make it like the reaver AoE aura) to return alongside dual specialisations.

 

All of which you described - especially combined - facilitates a great amount of complexity! Maybe you are more fond of complexity than you think?

I mean if you miss all these things and recognize it while playing DA:I - You do miss some of the complexity the other titles had - PERIOD!

 

Even if just a little ...

[AlanC9]

Here's my Jaheira, she was a wee bit too aggresive for her own good at times though.
  

No offensive spells?

[AlanC9]

All of which you described - especially combined - facilitates a great amount of complexity! Maybe you are more fond of complexity than you think?

I still don't see how Tactics are supposed to increase complexity. If anything, they reduce it by automating stuff you otherwise have to do for yourself.

[Hexoduen]

No offensive spells?

 

Nah I gave her a shield, a club, and then I let her heal my party as the top priority. If things got out of hand I'd give her a sling just to keep her back.

 

My PC mage was offensive spells en masse in BG, so many different ones to choose from   This is one of my gripes with Inquisition, I don't think there's enough different spells. Call me spoiled, but seriously with the some 400 spells for my cleric/mage in BGII, the 20 spells in Inquisition.... they look awesome, and they are awesome, I'd just wish there was more of them

[AlanC9]

Bioware is a RPG-developer. And I don't think that there are many people on this earth that are more "invested" into RPG culture than these guys - for it is their job to create it! If they get the chance to show that (from their publishers and in the current market) is a different question alltogether ...
 

Depends on what you meant by "RPG culture." Since we were just talking about complexity, is complexity part of RPG culture? If so, what if the devs are indifferent to complexity? What if they think it's actually a problem with the genre?

[Hexoduen]

I still don't see how Tactics are supposed to increase complexity. If anything, they reduce it by automating stuff you otherwise have to do for yourself.

 

I could spend a ton of time fiddling around with the custom tactics in Origins and DA2    Like setting up my football team before the match, then trying out the tactics, maybe failing and then having to rethink my strategy and try again. I loved setting up my tactics vs. the Nightmare difficulty of the game. Obviously custom tactics couldn't do everything (there's no 'not' operator for instance), but for me it did add complexity to the combat in the action camera.

[Lilacs]

 

"...But it is - imho - very much a requirement to consider most of the "RPG culture" that people hold dear when making such a vast game like Inquisition. They simply chose to "cut out" many things! Hence all the negative feedback and so on ..."

 

Yes, to be in a video game business, said people must be invested in that venture.  I agree with you on that, Bioware-Critic.  I am disagreeing on the: 'cut out' content on purpose, though. I think BioWare's Developers didn't have time to add those contents.  They had a deadline to meet and couldn't postpone the release of the game any longer. So, in  BioWare's defense, I believe the Developers  wanted to give us a vast world along, with the goodies that they (the Devs) themselves advertised.  I am not referring to leaks here.  I think it was all due to time constraint.  

 

Some of the negative feedback is warranted and with feedback we get improvement as long as we are giving them constructively and well detailed and also being respectful in the process.

Modifié par Lilacs, 02 mars 2015 - 10:58 .

[Lilacs]

I still don't see how Tactics are supposed to increase complexity. If anything, they reduce it by automating stuff you otherwise have to do for yourself

 

I don't think tactics add complexity per se.  What tactics do is to allow a player to plan ahead before a battle or before an encounter. Multiple commands can be programmed. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, that cannot fully occur.  What we have in Dragon Age: Inquisition is super micromanagement.  I enjoy micromanaging my crew, but NOT to that level.  Sometime, I just want to play my heroine.  In Dragon Age: Inquisition, I cannot fully enjoy my heroine because if I chose to not pause with every move, I must 'babysit' my companions, in particular the 'squishies' Sera and my mages.  They love to tank and won't MOVE out of AOE.

Modifié par Lilacs, 03 mars 2015 - 02:49 .

[ThreeF]

I don't think tactics add complexity per se.  What tactics do is to allow a player to plan ahead before a battle or before an encounter. Multiple commands can be programmed. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, that cannot fully occur.  What we have in Dragon Age: Inquisition is super micromanagement.  I enjoy micromanaging my crew, but NOT to that level.  Sometime, I want to just play my heroine.  In Dragon Age: Inquisition, I cannot fully enjoy my heroine because if I chose to not pause with every move, I must 'babysit' my companions, in particular the 'squishies' Sera and my mages.  They love to tank and won't MOVE out of AOE.

Hmm...that really has to do with how you  play, I think, can't say about melee but I've played my ranged IQs with almost no switching (and no tac cam) and absolutely no babysitting on hard.

[Bioware-Critic]

I still don't see how Tactics are supposed to increase complexity. If anything, they reduce it by automating stuff you otherwise have to do for yourself.

 

They give you the means to engage in and indulge in ... the skills - like nothing else!

 

You will read every description and every characteristica of every skill and try to figure out what you think is the best composition for the singular characters as well as your whole party! You will chain together spells and skills ... and thereby create tactics and synergies ... you would not always use otherwise. It creates a very different style of fighting for you. A much more comprehensive style! Because it grants you the possibility to take advantage of the full spectrum of your skills and the full potential of you characters. Also it gives you the possibility to take a better look at what works and what doesn't. Because you will be able to experiment more with it. The time you safe ... you will use now to ... "get on with it" ... on the "next level".

 

All of this and more! And every single part of it is ... GREAT ... of great fun ... of great value ... of great intricacy ...

You will get deeper into the lore, and thereby get deeper into the universe of Dragon Age.

It makes you see the skill system as a whole - and not just parts of it.

 

 

And for people like you who don't mind to or even like to ... work for every little step you do ... it gives you the always present option to disable the tactics.

 

So - honestly - why criticise other peoples "Love Interests" 

If you don't care about it - why bother telling someone who really, really enjoys it ... and "fights for this" that you don't want it.

 

I really don't think that someone who has written so many postings as you have should need someone like me to spell it out - how these tactics work or where their strength are !?

 

 

AlanC9 - Let's agree to disagree there ... HONESTLY!

If you don't like it or don't value it - so be it. We are more than 7,2 billion people on this earth. We are bound to be different!

[Rizilliant]

Can people enjoy something just because they enjoy it without being called names?

 

I know plenty of very intellectual people who enjoy shooters. Know a lot who enjoy both, too. 

 

If you enjoy RPGs it really doesn't make you intellectually superior to the ones who don't. It just means you enjoy RPGs.

 

Btw, I love RPGs, have played them since BG 1. My husband (PHD and University Professor) prefers shooters. So what?

He didnt specify superiority.. And ive been noticing this as well, the more years i play.. Some people play both.. There seem to be a mindset of those who stay playing shooters, to those who seem to stay playign rpg.. Have you ever been on a mic with a multiplayer CoD game? Its constant racial, genital, cursing madness.. This forum, is the rpg community.. You tend to have helpful, literate, caring people.. (there are exceptions to every rule), but theres a CLEAR differential between the two! 

 

Admittedly, majority of RP'ers tend to be the loner, to "nerdy" (for lack of better words) person, where the shooter generation tend to be young, or immature by nature(maybe why DA is trending toward more action-oriented style?).. Testosterone fueled madness.. Again, there are exceptions.. I am actually a reformed convict, who plays games to stay out of trouble.. I look like a shaved headed, tattoo covered, 200+ lb. thug/redneck.. But here i am, role playing.. Im a high school drop out, with a rack of kids.. I dont care that im playing a genre of game, thats known for "nerds", or whatever.. Im not so ignorant to think everyone who plays a shooter, is also an adolescent, adrenaline fueled, foul-mouthed punk either.. But it is clear, the majority are, in both respects!

[Lilacs]

Hmm...that really has to do with how you  play, I think, can't say about melee but I've played my ranged IQs with almost no switching (and no tac cam) and absolutely no babysitting on hard.

If you have time, we can have a discussion on how I play.  =)  For the purpose of this response,  I'm currently  playing a Warrior (my first play-through) at the moment. And as a warrior, if I don't use Pause and Play at every turn, I have to babysit my squishies because, they will be at melee range and if not at melee range, they will not move out of AOE.  

 

So, It depends on the Character, you play. If I play range, it would be a different option, but if I switch to a tank, my squishies will not know how to stay put if I don't use pause and play at every turn.  In other words here, we need our tactics back and I am trying the current one we have now.  I always try before I say something doesn't work. I'm one of the players who enjoys micromanagement.

Modifié par Lilacs, 02 mars 2015 - 09:19 .

[Bioware-Critic]

 

Yes, to be in a video game business, said people must be invested in that venture.  I agree with you in that, Bioware-Critic.  I am disagreeing on the: 'cut out' content on purpose, though. I think BioWare's Developers didn't have time to add those contents.  They had a deadline to meet and couldn't postpone the release of the game any longer. So, in  BioWare's defense, I believe the Developers  wanted to give us a vast world along, with the goodies that they (the Devs) themselves advertised.  I am not referring to leaks here.  I think it was all due to time constraint.  

 

Some of the negative feedback is warranted and with feedback we get improvement as long as we are giving them constructively and well detailed and also being respectful in the process.

 

 

Well if they patch it all back in ... I revise my opinion on it ...

But if they don't ... who can really say that?

 

I mean of course there were huge time constraints for several reasons. Money, the new engine, the huge world, big new goals, raised quality standards they pushed themselves to achive ... and probably many more! But it is a little too ... "conviniant" ... to just say: "No, they totally wanted to do all the other stuff too - it is all a misunderstanding ..."

 

I don't buy that!

 

Also ...

Bioware is professional enough to know what can be achieved in what time-frame! As a game developer you simply do not go ahead and create a huge game with extremely big areas with little of what "made" your previous games ... then realize ... that you did not put in yet "certain things" ... and then blindly continue building huge empty maps! They are very much intelligent and professional people who know precisely what they are doing and how they can and will achieve certain things ...

[Rizilliant]

Hmm...that really has to do with how you  play, I think, can't say about melee but I've played my ranged IQs with almost no switching (and no tac cam) and absolutely no babysitting on hard.

Because the game really is over simplified, and there is no difficulty in it.. Hard, and lower, were really far too easy...

 

Either way, what some of us are asdking for, is to reinstate the "option" to be able to use those tactics.. In teh past, you could play as the PC, in full speed action mode.. OR... you could setup tactics, pause in, and out of tacical camera, and manage your entire party..

 

The fact that the game, on "hard", is so easily beaten without ever taking control of your followers, (and without tactics at that) speaks volumes to its ease of completion!

[Lilacs]

Well if they patch it all back in ... I revise my opinion on it ...

But if they don't ... who can really say that?

 

I mean of course there were huge time constraints for several reasons. Money, the new engine, the huge world, big new goals, raised quality standards they pushed themselves to achive ... and probably many more! But it is a little too ... "conviniant" ... to just say: "No, they totally wanted to do all the other stuff too - it is all a misunderstanding ..."

 

I don't buy that!

 

Also ...

Bioware is professional enough to know what can be achieved in what time-frame! As a game developer you simply do not go ahead and create a huge game with extremely big areas with little of what "made" your previous games ... then realize ... that you did not put in yet "certain things" ... and then blindly continue building huge empty maps! They are very much intelligent and professional people who now precisely what they are doing and how they can and will achieve certain things ...

 

 

Bioware is the game Developer and the company's Publisher is EA.   So, put your imagination to work here.

[Rizilliant]

If you have time, we can have a discussion on how I play.  =)  For the purpose of this response,  I'm currently  playing a Warrior (my first play-through) at the moment. And as a warrior, if I don't use Pause and Play at every turn, I have to babysit my squishies because, they will be at melee range and if not at melee range, they will not move out of AOE.  

 

So, It depends on the Character, you play. If I play range, it would be a different option, but if I switch to a tank, my squishies will not know how stay put if I don't use pause and play at every turn.  In other words here, we need our tactics back and I am trying the current one we have now.  I always try before I say something doesn't work. I'm one of the players who enjoys micromanagement.

Unfortunately, that is a problem.. Im not sure if youve been helped here, but setting ranged characters to "follow themselves" helps keep them at a 'better' range.. Though, they no longer concentrate on their jobs as you would want them too.. (Solas defending/buffing tank for example).. But it does help them stay alive longer, especially in the beginning when they chug every single potion, forcing you back and forth to, and from camp, since you no longer have the ability to crap a friggin potion without sitting around a dang campfire!!!

[ThreeF]

If you have time, we can have a discussion on how I play.  =)  For the purpose of this response,  I'm currently  playing a Warrior (my first play-through) at the moment. And as a warrior, if I don't use Pause and play at every turn, I have to babysit my squishies because, they will be at melee range and if not at melee range, they will not move out of AOE.  

 

So, It depends on the Character, you play. If I play range, it would be a different option, but if I switch to a tank, my squishies will not know how stay put if I don't use pause and play at every turn.  In other words here, we need our tactics back and I am trying the current one we have now.  I always try before, I say something doesn't work. I'm one of the players who enjoys micromanagement.  

 

Well let's see... I'm ok with my party members being knocked out and I don't feel that I personally need to make the most kills, therefore I either play as a controller or a bait. Ranged controlled units have much larger range with some of the (ability) attacks than the non-controlled, this is one of the reasons to ditch the tac cam, you can initiate an attack and in some cases kill things before  they can react, you can also use your surroundings to your advantage and have your enemies unable to reach you while you kill them.

 

Mages are good controllers due to cage and winter grasp, rogues are good bait due to stealth.  Cage helps me keep enemies away from me (and other squishies) and together so that they can be spammed with area attacks. Stealth is good for drawing enemies attention on me and then "poof"! Enemies AI really hates this. Evade would be an interesting skill too but the control still feels weird on PC for it to me.

 

I also disable all the close range attacks on my ranged rogues, so no  caltrops, no blades, I do keep the artificer's mine. And sometimes I set some of my ranged units to defend me.

 

Other than that I just observe what my companions choose to attack and adapt accordingly. in other words I don't adapt them to my fighting style, but myself to theirs

 

 

 

Because the game really is over simplified, and there is no difficulty in it.. Hard, and lower, were really far too easy...

I'm really not the player who fusses much about combat or see it as main dish. I'm kind of curious though what would you consider to be complex?

[NaclynE]

Well some of the things i took from the TC's discussion kind of reminded me of things I felt were changed from DAO/DAA, Da 2 to DAI even though I ignored reading 90% of the first post.

 

I am unsure if this should be mentioned here but i'll stab out my thoughts anyway. I do admit things have changed from DAO/DAA and seemed to have gotten easier in DA 2 and have gotten easier in DAI. Like for instance I remembered reading the person's thing on "gold". I admit the currency system has changed from DAO/DAA and DA 2 to DAI. It became ungodly simple. The currency originally used to be bronze (least amount), silver (middle amount) and gold (high amount) in DAO/DAA and DA 2. Now it's just gold in DAI. I am unsure about how "franchise loyalists" are but frankly if I was a "franchise loyalist" I would be a bit upset on why they made the currency system so simple? I think "games difficulty" was mentioned too? I kind of admit DAI (even on Nightmare difficulty) is an easy game because you don't have to worry about DAO/DAA and DA2's "injury system" (depending on how many times you were ko'd/deathed by a enemy/enemy group you would awaken but with 75%/50%,25% health and magic depending on how many times injured. Can be cured with a "injury kit"). To be honest the "injury system" did make the game unique and pretty challenging which to me is a positive and not a negative to me. In DAI the "injury system" doesn't exist. I do agree because of this this kind of makes DAI franchise newbie friendly. I do not know if this was intentional but frankly I didn't mind the additional challenge of keeping injury kit's in my inventory in the older titles. It may sound like i'm complaining at the moment but getting through the deep roads dungeon on the third difficulty setting on DAO with no injury kits was a pain in the butt but frankly I didn't mind the challenge. DAI it's like when I bugger off from a fight I can't win I can run back to a camp and recover full health and the only real challenge is now is getting back to where I was before.

 

Again I am unsure if this is what the TC was talking about but there are a few things I have a gripe about but frankly I still enjoy BIOWARE's games.

[Lilacs]

Well let's see... I'm ok with my party members being knocked out and I don't feel that I personally need to make the most kills, therefore I either play as a controller or a bait. Ranged controlled units have much larger range with some of the (ability) attacks than the non-controlled, this is one of the reasons to ditch the tac cam, you can initiate an attack and in some cases kill things before  they can react, you can also use your surroundings to your advantage and have your enemies unable to reach you while you kill them.

 

Mages are good controllers due to cage and winter grasp, rogues are good bait due to stealth.  Cage helps me keep enemies away from me (and other squishies) and together so that they can be spammed with area attacks. Stealth is good for drawing enemies attention on me and then "poof"! Enemies AI really hates this. Evade would be an interesting skill too but the control still feels weird on PC for it to me.

 

I also disable all the close range attacks on my ranged rogues, so no  caltrops, no blades, I do keep the artificer's mine. And sometimes I set some of my ranged units to defend me.

 

Other than that I just observe what my companions choose to attack and adapt accordingly. in other words I don't adapt them to my fighting style, but myself to theirs

 

 

 

I'm really not the player who fusses much about combat or see it as main dish. I'm kind of curious though what would you consider to be complex?

 

Hm, you just detailed to me how you play.  Nice way to do it. Congrats on that. =)   But you are not addressing my post.  Nonetheless good strategy.  I am playing a warrior right now and the way you described here, I play similarly and then some. =) I did say if you have the time we can discuss it, but it will derail the thread.. =)

[ThreeF]

Hm, you just detailed to me how you play.  Nice way to do it. Congrats on that. =)   But you are not addressing my post.  Nonetheless good strategy.  I am playing a warrior right now and the way you described here, I play similarly and then some. =) I did say if you have the time we can discuss it, but it will derail the thread.. =)

You mean about the squishes? I think it's worth to play a bit with who follows who behaviour, keeping the ranged defending you typically will keep them out of the way most of the time, as long as you keep an eye how you yourself move. Having follow self doesn't always works, you can end up being mauled by a bear with companions twirling their fingers a breath away. I've always wondered how things would work with cage and grappling hook combo, I suspect the tank would really need to be "tanky" and a bit suicidal.

 

I think the difference between DAO and DAI is that in DAI you have to work in a team of bloodcrazy people rather than depend on your well programmed companions making good calls

 

And while I can see how some would want the more micromanaging approach in tactics, I kind of like DAI, though, because it takes improvisation on an interesting level.  I don't think it's even possible to have  the tactics similar to what say Icewind Dale had, with chocking points and all, because the enemies don't behave always in the same way and don't spawn in exact same manner, which I do find more interesting.

 

(oh and the thread had been derailed long long time ago, multiple times, it will come around, it always does.)

[R0vena]

He didnt specify superiority.. And ive been noticing this as well, the more years i play.. Some people play both.. There seem to be a mindset of those who stay playing shooters, to those who seem to stay playign rpg.. Have you ever been on a mic with a multiplayer CoD game? Its constant racial, genital, cursing madness.. This forum, is the rpg community.. You tend to have helpful, literate, caring people.. (there are exceptions to every rule), but theres a CLEAR differential between the two! 

 

Admittedly, majority of RP'ers tend to be the loner, to "nerdy" (for lack of better words) person, where the shooter generation tend to be young, or immature by nature(maybe why DA is trending toward more action-oriented style?).. Testosterone fueled madness.. Again, there are exceptions.. I am actually a reformed convict, who plays games to stay out of trouble.. I look like a shaved headed, tattoo covered, 200+ lb. thug/redneck.. But here i am, role playing.. Im a high school drop out, with a rack of kids.. I dont care that im playing a genre of game, thats known for "nerds", or whatever.. Im not so ignorant to think everyone who plays a shooter, is also an adolescent, adrenaline fueled, foul-mouthed punk either.. But it is clear, the majority are, in both respects!

Well, I admit I never was on multiplayer CoD game or any multiplayer, for that matter - MP is not my thing. I can only judge what I see myself. In any case, I don't like generalizing everybody in one category, no matter what this category is. You play (and enjoy) CoD/shooters/DA:I/whatever, thus you are... (insert something not particularly flattering here) in compare to real RPG players.

 

I could have gotten a wrong vibe from the post I was responding to and already apologized for it. But it is exactly what I thought in that moment was implied there.

[Lilacs]

You mean about the squishes? I think it's worth to play a bit with who follows who behaviour, keeping the ranged defending you typically will keep them out of the way most of the time, as long as you keep an eye how you yourself move. Having follow self doesn't always works, you can end up being mauled by a bear with companions twirling their fingers a breath away.  I think the difference between DAO and DAI is that in DAI you have to work in a team of bloodcrazy people rather than depend on your well programmed companions making good calls

 

And while I can see how some would want the more micromanaging approach in tactics, I kind of like DAI, though, because it takes improvisation on an interesting level.  I don't think it's even possible to have  the tactics similar to what say Icewind Dale had, with chocking points and all, because the enemies don't behave always in the same way and don't spawn in exact manner, which I do find more interesting.

 

I enjoy micromanagement. I enjoy Pause and Play using the Tac Camera. The Tac Camera, I an enjoying how it is in this installment. I simply wish it could pan higher.  And what you described here, I go beyond that. Though I enjoy using the Tac camera to play and thus avoiding my squishies from getting into trouble when not being micromanaged, but at times I want to play without having to do that. I I enjoy playing the other classes. At the moment, I am playing a Warrior... I am role-playing a Warrior.  =)

 

Since, I micromanage my crew, I can see how it works for the other classes. Although each companion  has their own specialization, I can have them  unlearned their skills and select a hybrid for them. For example, I can have Dorian be a fire mage instead of him being purely a Necromancer. I enjoy that freedom in Dragon Age: Inquisition.  I would be happier if he had two specializations,. =)  

 

Nonetheless, I enjoy the fact that I can have them unlearned their spells/talents and select what I want for them. So, in lieu of having two specializations, the way it is now in Dragon Age: Inquisition is doable. I just wish we had more spells. At times, I would have them follow either Cassandra or Blackwall (Blackwall most of all. I love the Champion specialization. It is a powerhouse; still could do with more fun abilities and spells. Hint, hint Bioware. =) ) at other times I would have them follow me if I am controlling another squishy.  Yes, that type of flexibility is there. But what I would want is what we had in DA II-- to have our companions  stay at range and not teleport or come to melee range if I am not using Pause and Play via the Tac Cam at every turn.

 

It is why I enjoy combat in Dragon Age II.  We had our tactics and we had fun spells and we could micromanage to our heart content. In Dragon Age: Inquisition, the Tac Camera is different. I love how it is.  It just needs to pan higher.

[Farangbaa]

I could spend a ton of time fiddling around with the custom tactics in Origins and DA2    Like setting up my football team before the match, then trying out the tactics, maybe failing and then having to rethink my strategy and try again. I loved setting up my tactics vs. the Nightmare difficulty of the game. Obviously custom tactics couldn't do everything (there no 'not' operator for instance), but for me it did add complexity to the combat in the action camera.

 

The complexity that you're describing here is that of coding the AI of your companions, not of the combat.

 

And honestly, I don't really get all the hate the AI gets in DA:I. I've seen it do marvelous things. Like Iron Bull using Grapling Chain on a mook and pulling it throught the Wall of Fire Dorian had just put up. Zero input on my behalf. And it's insanely good at setting off combos.

 

You just gotta fiddle with the targetting/following behaviour and prefered skills.

[Rizilliant]

The complexity that you're describing here is that of coding the AI of your companions, not of the combat.

 

And honestly, I don't really get all the hate the AI gets in DA:I. I've seen it do marvelous things. Like Iron Bull using Grapling Chain on a mook and pulling it throught the Wall of Fire Dorian had just put up. Zero input on my behalf. And it's insanely good at setting off combos.

 

You just gotta fiddle with the targetting/following behaviour and prefered skills.

It gets flak, because it doesnt work.. If you attempt to set it up so that your party is working with each other, or off of each other, they all blob together.. Ranged, melee, light/med/heavy armor.. All stand in one single 3meter blob..

 

The ONLY way, to get it to "work" (and i sue the term "work" loosely) is to set them to follow themselves.. Thats not workgn as intended..

 

We're supposed to be able to setup techniques, and have certain members defend/buff others.. If you set Solas to defend Cassandra, for example, he stands right next to her.. But he buffs her.. If you set him to follow himself, he stays away from melee, usually, but then buffs randomly, whoever starts combat first, or whoever has the lowest HP when the CD is up! Set him to Defend himself, and he doesnt even acknowledge combat, until they are in close proximity.. Set Cassandra(or any character for that matter) to Defend herself, and she will stand back with the ranged characters, and not enter combat, until they are in proximity, or until you manually bring her into the fray!

 

As for preferred/on/off... Preferred doesnt mean anything except use on every single cooldown.. Ive tried combinations of things, and thats the only thing ive been able to pull out of it all.. I tried setting all combos/detonators to preferred, to try to setup more cross class combos, ad they just simply use them constantly.. Theres no "Intelligence", in the AI..Chargins Bull, constantly has warriors running far off screen, or even over ledges to there death, or one level below the combat (and in combat, AI WILL NOT climb up a ladder)...

 

You used Iron Bull as an example.. He has been, bar none, the worst of all my teammates, as hes constantly dying.. Ive tried auto leveling him, manually leveling, even grabbing every possibly guard ability, best armor/weapons, etc.. Hes always the 1st dead.. Blackburn did slightly better when i tried him as a 2Hander, but only just..They never once, used combat roll, or block/slash, even when set to Preferred.. I tried having my rogues/warriors abilities that were defensive in nature set to preferred, and they would not get used, AT ALL!  Not parry, Block/slash, shield wall, or combat roll..

 

The AI is terrible, no matter how theyre setup.. Ofcourse, i never tried any difficuty below Hard, so.. On easy/normal, i could see how one could not notice how bad they are as even in Hard, the content gets steamrolled!  The only way the dont constantly commit suicide, is to have each, follow themselves.. Nothing else works (on hard/nightmare difficulties