555 réponses à ce sujet

[Kroitz]

I agree, this is the best RPG that you´ve ever played.

[bittersiha]

Thank you for re-posting this. You are right, the grammar of the opening is atrocious and gives a totally wrong impression of the post! It is simply beautiful and yes, I would have loved to see that too. I think, however, that the feelings of terror and loss need to be balanced by humour and the occasional success as well -- something DA:I has too little of, too. Otherwise we just end up with something like Dishonoured, which, while a great game IMO, was simply too depressing to my tastes (that heart... oh god that heart).

of course. i think dai has some good humor, though, more of that + what the OP of that writing said and i think it'd be real amazing

ah... you might not like talking to me much then--my grammar is super bad lol. i don't think that gives a wrong impression... just a different kind of typing. it is from tumblr afterall--some people type differently there than here. regardless i thought the post was great.

it's interesting to me how different mass effect and dragon age are story-wise, but i forget they  have different teams too lol. maybe let DA borrow some of your writers, ME team?

[SwobyJ]

of course. i think dai has some good humor, though, more of that + what the OP of that writing said and i think it'd be real amazing

ah... you might not like talking to me much then--my grammar is super bad lol. i don't think that gives a wrong impression... just a different kind of typing. it is from tumblr afterall--some people type differently there than here. regardless i thought the post was great.

it's interesting to me how different mass effect and dragon age are story-wise, but i forget they  have different teams too lol. maybe let DA borrow some of your writers, ME team?

 

Patrick Weekes is a thing.

[Rannik]

There is so much ridiculous semi-trolling whinging going on about this game on these boards, and it's really frustrating me.

 
I'd get used to people having opinions if I were you, dismissing mostly valid criticism as "trolling" usually makes you look like yet another edgy adolescent.
 

Especially since much of it is clearly coming from people who are playing this game to death, yet feel the need to come on these boards to whine and have their baseless criticisms validated because they think it makes them seem like discerning gamers.

Or maybe they love Dragon Age and therefore care about the series taking a nosedive in the quality of whatever elements they enjoy about it...
 
That's what Ockham's Razor would tell you anyway.
 

I have played Bioware games since Baldur's Gate 2, and up until now that was my favourite RPG of all time. I liked DA:O just fine, and I loved DA2, but they weren't quite as mind-blowing as BG2.

 
I've also played every single BW game (except that Sonic thing...) and yet I've had more a lot more fun in the first 15 hours of Pillars of Eternity (which is the fairest simile to BG2 in 2015) than the almost 100 hours that dragging myself through DAI took. I also liked the first Mass Effect way more than Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 combined, so it is clearly not a question of "RPG mechanics", "nostalgia" or "Biower now suks".

See? People can have different opinions.

Does that mean you have to dislike DAI? No, it just means that for me DAI is by far the worst game Bioware has ever created, in fact, it was the first one that I had to force myself to play halfway through.
 

This game makes all of those games look like amateur efforts. The sheer amount of content.

 
Absolutely, the quantity over quality approach gives you more content, that's factually true.
 
But if I cared about having large amounts of "content" I'd be a playing some generic themepark MMO which at least adds a social component to make it enjoyable... in fact, SWTOR would be a great example because that's exactly how Inquistion feels, an offline version of SWTOR.
 

The gorgeous well-designed graphics.

Graphically DAI is an average looking game, this is a fact that you can verify with a simple web image search, and there's no need to go very far as Battlefield 4 looks and runs significantly better even though it was build on top of the exact same engine.

As far as aesthetics goes that's, again, just your opinion.

While I didn't really care for the previous art styles (or the lack of them...) this time I absolutely hate the tarot theme, the typography, the UI design (from the ugly orange squares everywhere to the poor M&K usability), the mix of pseudo-realism with plasticky cartoon stuff and the complete lack of consistency, like those great looking BF4 skin shaders close to the last gen hair or the newly created high res assets close to full blown DA2 stuff.
 

The enormous amount of codex entries that don't dumb it down and don't "streamline" the world-building.

If I wanted to read, I'd pick up a book.

In a video game, exposition through text and voiced infodumps is objectively inferior to that through gameplay, we are here to see and play things as they happen, not to read for 10 minutes about them.
 

The dynamic and innovative combat system that blends real-time elements with turn-based concepts.

 
I really don't want to sound condescending, but if you think DAI's combat is "dynamic" or "innovative" you really need more variety in your games.

This is how dynamic and innovative combat looks in 2014:


 
DAI's combat is a dumbed down adaptation of the DA2 combat, nothing more, nothing less.
 

The well-thought out cast that's devoid of ridiculous stereotypes that have plagued some previous Bioware titles.

Starring such innovative and never seen characters as the totally evil templars, the slutty bisexual, the sassy gay mage fighting against bigotry (now with a 100% more Biower Daddy Issues™ ), the honourable Warden, the token trans or the strong independent rogue that needs no fucks given about anything.
 
I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing in the first place, but DAI does have a huge amount of walking stereotypes.
 

This game is truly incredible. People see that, and that's why it's received such critical acclaim.

[Terodil]

I agree with most of what you wrote, Rubios. Very much so, in fact.

But... (you knew there had to be a but, right? )
 

But if I cared about having large amounts of "content" I'd be a playing some generic themepark MMO which at least adds a social component to make it enjoyable... in fact, SWTOR would be a great example because that's exactly how Inquistion feels, an offline version of SWTOR.

Comparing DA:I and SWTOR is actually offensive -- to SWTOR. Yes, SWTOR is an MMO, but even so its writing (well... disregarding the Revan disaster for a minute), the choices, and the resulting emotional engagement, esp. of the class quest chains, far outshines anything DA:I has to offer. I have no problem sinking hundreds of hours into SWTOR (playing solo too, 95% of the time), because it's fun, while DA:I is indeed a drag. That might also have to do with the UX though; I simply enjoy SWTOR's fluid gameplay; once you master your class it's almost like making music. DA:I just leaves me with RSI and a bad taste in my mouth.
 

While I didn't really care for the previous art styles (or the lack of them...) this time I absolutely hate the tarot theme, the typography, the UI design (from the ugly orange squares everywhere to the poor M&K usability), the mix of pseudo-realism with plasticky cartoon stuff and the complete lack of consistency, like those great looking BF4 skin shaders close to the last gen hair or the newly created high res assets close to full blown DA2 stuff.

Ugh. Fair enough, taste is taste, but I personally loved the tarot theme, and thought that the graphics, with the notable exception of the hair, were quite pleasing to the eye. The typography and the UX are truly atrocious though, I grant you that. (Bioware, if you should read this: Changing upper- to lowercase would already help tons.)
 

If I wanted to read, I'd pick up a book.

In a video game, exposition through text and voiced infodumps is objectively inferior to that through gameplay, we are here to see and play things as they happen, not to read for 10 minutes about them.

I agree, again in principle. 'Show' is better than 'write', though to me the music is in the mix. I enjoy a high-quality backdrop to my games, and enjoy using my mind's eye for a change. Except the DA:I lore is sadly not high-quality any more. Maybe in the same vein, I really dislike this new convo style where a person blabbers something in the background and suddenly the quest log gets updated. I want proper (at least somewhat cinematic) cutscenes back, please. And while we are at it, more options than
 

[1] Tell me more.
[2] Not interested.

 

This is how dynamic and innovative combat looks in 2014 [snip]

Aaaah, don't taunt me, I so wish Bayonetta was available on PC, mostly for the story which is reportedly amazing. The combat... I don't know. I enjoy a slower pace, that is a bit too hectic to me and makes me think of DDR.

[9TailsFox]

I agree with most of what you wrote, Rubios. Very much so, in fact.

But... (you knew there had to be a but, right? )
 

Comparing DA:I and SWTOR is actually offensive -- to SWTOR. Yes, SWTOR is an MMO, but even so its writing (well... disregarding the Revan disaster for a minute), the choices, and the resulting emotional engagement, esp. of the class quest chains, far outshines anything DA:I has to offer. I have no problem sinking hundreds of hours into SWTOR (playing solo too, 95% of the time), because it's fun, while DA:I is indeed a drag. That might also have to do with the UX though; I simply enjoy SWTOR's fluid gameplay; once you master your class it's almost like making music. DA:I just leaves me with RSI and a bad taste in my mouth.
 

Ugh. Fair enough, taste is taste, but I personally loved the tarot theme, and thought that the graphics, with the notable exception of the hair, were quite pleasing to the eye. The typography and the UX are truly atrocious though, I grant you that. (Bioware, if you should read this: Changing upper- to lowercase would already help tons.)
 

I agree, again in principle. 'Show' is better than 'write', though to me the music is in the mix. I enjoy a high-quality backdrop to my games, and enjoy using my mind's eye for a change. Except the DA:I lore is sadly not high-quality any more. Maybe in the same vein, I really dislike this new convo style where a person blabbers something in the background and suddenly the quest log gets updated. I want proper (at least somewhat cinematic) cutscenes back, please. And while we are at it, more options than
 

[1] Tell me more.
[2] Not interested.

 

Aaaah, don't taunt me, I so wish Bayonetta was available on PC, mostly for the story which is reportedly amazing. The combat... I don't know. I enjoy a slower pace, that is a bit too hectic to me and makes me think of DDR.

 

1)SWTOR is best MMO for me. I played all 8 class amazings story's one better than other but all liked and swtor Inquisitor >>>> DA Inqusitor. But I disapointed in Revan expansion not because of the story "I am not of one's Leave my Revan alone people    " but in Hutt cartel we have side quest with cinematic. In Revan we have only text box side quests, except each class get 1 class quest I liked it. i don't like direction they going Hutt cartel was much better expansion.

2)I liked card theme to. How compononse cards changed based on state they are in. it was funny I think i did something wrong  because after each companion quest they become "dark"

3)Yes Bayonetta on PC would be nice   Alot of people probably would disagree with me but my perfect game would be DMC hack and slash combat with over the top cinematic and giant boss battles with witcher/da/me story telling(choices and dialogue)

[Morroian]

1)SWTOR is best MMO for me. I played all 8 class amazings story's one better than other but all liked and swtor Inquisitor >>>> DA Inqusitor. But I disapointed in Revan expansion not because of the story "I am not of one's Leave my Revan alone people    " but in Hutt cartel we have side quest with cinematic. In Revan we have only text box side quests, except each class get 1 class quest I liked it. i don't like direction they going Hutt cartel was much better expansion.

 

Don't want to derail the thread but the reason for restricting the cinematics in SOR was so they could do a really good job with the main quests and not have to spread their resources amongst all the minor quests which really don't need cinematics. IMHO they succeeded because they outdid themselves with the cinematic storytelling in SOR. To bring it back on topic I think they probably tried to do something similar in DAI.

[jedidotflow]

Did I just read someone write "the token trans"? Jesus H. Christ... Some of you folk are insane.

[Vault_Tec101]

Since the topic of homosexuality and such has been brought up by those braver than I, I think I can safely join the debate while distributing the oncoming proverbial slap amongst all the others who raised it first.

 

One of the criticisms I can levy against DA:I is that the topic of sexual orientation seems very much forced, almost condescending even. I recall one scene where I spoke with Iron Bull regarding Krem's sexual orientation and he full on blasted me for asking a simple question (it could be that I mistook his meaning for attack when no such intention existed, as well I am trying hard to find the scene in question but to no avail, if you have a transcript of DA:I please forward it my way).

 

But even ignoring the above my take is that the writers are absolutely incredulous that a pleb would dare question the topic. Throughout DA:I I found that Bioware wants to tell me a lesson with a heavy hand rather than teach me it.

 

Indeed if the message you wish to convey is that the plight of those whose sexual orientation deviates from the norm is horrible and that they face unjust persecution then show me it, show me what would happen if I was homophobic and persecuted them based on that. If you believe that your position is as of yet so unaccepted that it warrants social activism surely then there must be injustice perpetrated against your position that ought to be highlighted? Other wise if it is all flowers and sun shine as the game would have you believe why include such explanations?

 

I would like to point to Julien Lowe from The Shield as a proper way to include social activism in media. I really felt for that man's suffering and wanted nothing more than to slap those who would place those restrictions on him, yet in this game it seems I am the one being slapped. What a shame.

 

Further it seems really moronic to have created a universe where alienages and segregation exists based on the sole premise of having a different shaped ear than myself and to allow the player to side on that topic (by way of aiding or hindering the person who claims to advocate for them), for or against or to not even care and ignore the issue, but on sexual orientation where the issues at hand are much more than simply looking different it's a no brainer, the world (devs), have already decided for you.

 

Hopefully I am mistaken and have simply misunderstood Bioware's position.

[Rannik]

Here we go.

 

[bittersiha]

Patrick Weekes is a thing.

maybe more than one writer, then?

[Shechinah]

(to Vault_Tec101) You can ask Krem about his sexual orientation? I thought you could only ask him about his gender identity?

[Eternal Phoenix]

I wonder what RPG's the OP has played if this is what they consider the best?

 

Origins was the better RPG. Inquisition had some fun gameplay, customization and a good main story and quest-line but in terms of actual role-playing? It's not that great and you see few of your choices reflected among the world and the risk of companions leaving you or betraying you is non-existent this time. The game doesn't punish or reward you for any choices you make and the side quests (which are all fetch quests) aren't worth doing.

 

So whilst I would consider Inquisition a good game for its solid main story, customization of the character and gameplay, I couldn't say it was a good RPG (although it does provide many opportunities to role-play in speech, they are simply limited compared to other RPG titles including Origins itself where you could form many different personalities for your character through actions alone. Origins featured many random scenes and events thrown in just to allow for this - case in point being all the optional content in Ostagar or Lothering for example whilst Inquisition features little of this).

[SwobyJ]

maybe more than one writer, then?

 

-Patrick Weekes wrote DAI and ME1 and ME2 and ME3.

-Sylvia Feketekuty wrote DAI and ME2 DLC and ME3.
-Lukas Kristjanson wrote DAI and ME1 and ME2. (Note that he's even responsible for Minsc in Baldur's Gate, but I haven't played it yet)

 

I believe both series may share editors too, but I didn't check.

 

So there's more than one writer. In fact, I'd say broadly that about 1/3 of the current and past Dragon Age writing team has worked on Mass Effect before.

 

There are different teams, but they can still share human resources, and they do. 

 

This doesn't mean you need to change your suggestion, but DA already 'borrows writers' from ME. You'll just be suggesting they borrow more than the number they already do. Say 1/2 instead of 1/4-1/3 or so.

 

Patrick Weekes is also taking over as Lead Writer, so we have a trilogy-long-experienced ME writer doing DA from here on.

 

 

 

On another note. I actually find DA and ME to have significant similarities, to the point where if I see something happen as an event/theme/idea/conversation/anything/etc, I can pretty reliably predict that it may (MAY) come up in future content in the other franchise.

 

In fact, Dragon Age: Inquisition was a huge exercise in that, to my amusement. It was honestly fascinating.

[Rannik]

(to Vault_Tec101) You can ask Krem about his sexual orientation? I thought you could only ask him about his gender identity?

For the average person those things probably sound pretty similar, which makes sense since the whole LGBT thing (probably LGBTWTFBBQ+ by now) keeps blending a lot completely different issues into one package.

[SwobyJ]

Since the topic of homosexuality and such has been brought up by those braver than I, I think I can safely join the debate while distributing the oncoming proverbial slap amongst all the others who raised it first.

 

One of the criticisms I can levy against DA:I is that the topic of sexual orientation seems very much forced, almost condescending even. I recall one scene where I spoke with Iron Bull regarding Krem's sexual orientation and he full on blasted me for asking a simple question (it could be that I mistook his meaning for attack when no such intention existed, as well I am trying hard to find the scene in question but to no avail, if you have a transcript of DA:I please forward it my way).

 

But even ignoring the above my take is that the writers are absolutely incredulous that a pleb would dare question the topic. Throughout DA:I I found that Bioware wants to tell me a lesson with a heavy hand rather than teach me it.

 

Indeed if the message you wish to convey is that the plight of those whose sexual orientation deviates from the norm is horrible and that they face unjust persecution then show me it, show me what would happen if I was homophobic and persecuted them based on that. If you believe that your position is as of yet so unaccepted that it warrants social activism surely then there must be injustice perpetrated against your position that ought to be highlighted? Other wise if it is all flowers and sun shine as the game would have you believe why include such explanations?

 

I would like to point to Julien Lowe from The Shield as a proper way to include social activism in media. I really felt for that man's suffering and wanted nothing more than to slap those who would place those restrictions on him, yet in this game it seems I am the one being slapped. What a shame.

 

Further it seems really moronic to have created a universe where alienages and segregation exists based on the sole premise of having a different shaped ear than myself and to allow the player to side on that topic (by way of aiding or hindering the person who claims to advocate for them), for or against or to not even care and ignore the issue, but on sexual orientation where the issues at hand are much more than simply looking different it's a no brainer, the world (devs), have already decided for you.

 

Hopefully I am mistaken and have simply misunderstood Bioware's position.

 

Bolded above the good parts that resonated with me, even if slightly. Including the parts where you (IMO) rightly self-reflected that you could be misunderstanding things.

 

Long and only half-thought-out rant incoming so putting in spoiler tags as its a bit OT.

 

Spoiler

(For the record, socially progressive, even to a ridiculous point in others' views, gay man here)

 

DAI = talking about issues from atop a high horse, instead of down in the dirt.

 

We don't experience a story of Dorian's frustrating life, we just get told it and deal with it. Most we can do is try to get each side to see each other's points and reconcile.

 

We don't experience a story of Krem's friction with those who think differently about his sex and/or gender, we just get told it and told to deal with it.

 

We don't even experience the elven alienages anymore! We just get told about them and assumed that we are against them.

 

We don't experience the uselessness of the Chantry system, we just have things go to hell regardless of the Chantry really (Cory), and told we need to reform it.

 

 

 

 

 

I mean its all symbolic to me, us atop the peak of a Skyhold, looking down on everyone, coming down to visit them once in a while but still spending all our sleeping hours in a tower. Social issues? We already have that handled, here's the 'correct way'. Now be a ruler and do things the correct way.

 

Granted, I don't want to actually spin this into hyperbole. I know my sentences here are at least oversimplifications. The writers just have their opinions (hell, every single one of those opinions are ones I agree with, I think) and they can put it in their creation. That's okay.

 

But I do get your point - "the world/devs already decided for you".

 

And yes, this can be good for social activism in itself. Or rather, social propaganda (I don't have as negative a feeling about that word than others do though; we all propagandize for something to some degree). You can bet that if I make a RPG, I'll have at least one sexual/gender deviant (as in not the norm) and/or queer (as in just different) character and make it clear that it's fine.

 

But I think what's always been more useful for one-on-one social activism isn't just stating truths and assuming that others will go along with it, but instead illustrating the social issues into the story itself.

 

Iron Bull doesn't need to chastise the player, he doesn't need to chastise anyone. Krem can be confronted by another and we can choose what we want. Do we help out and make a friend? Do we let it happen and see Krem kick the others' ass? OR do we actually support the other person and see what happens?

 

 

I think Bioware does what it does here because when it involves human or close-to-very-human characters and concepts, they're going to bring their Real World into it. Fantasy (through magic of scifi or whatever) otherwise lets us dehumanize, in the effort to come back around and humanize. We can see lesbianism through Asari, but its not really lesbians! We can see matters of consensus vs conflict through Geth, but its not really human politics! We can see racism through Elves, but its not really human racism!

 

When we get more and more into contemporary real life human social issues, I think BW doesn't want to allow another side to be shown. They don't even want to write the options for it. That's the point where their morality IMO harms the RP.

 

Why? Because this is a game where you:

1)Manipulate others to immoral degrees (but its politics!)

2)Kill literally hundreds, thousands of people (regardless of reasons why)

3)Execute others without due process (judgements)

4)Overrule the dominant religion (blasphemy, heresy)

5)Can show a tolerant attitude towards a totalitarian, but oh-so-enlightened-in-their-view philosophy and culture (Qun)

 

You can tell a moral message while still allowing immoral (from your perspective, and certainly mine) options. RPG writers do it all the time.

 

I chafe at the exaggeration, but sometimes I do think there's a point made when DAI is seen as the 'SJW Fantasy game'. That if its a presently contentious social issue, its somehow better to go automatic on the side of progressiveness instead of conservatism. Trust me, I have a lot more resentment for social conservatives, but this perceived position in game writing is not something I have to respect either. I can love a lot of what BW does about it, but not this.

 

 

I think I'm more friendly about this in Mass Effect because I do indeed think that many matters will be largely settled not even in a century, but within the next few decades (Example: Even if there's somehow those who consider homosexuality immoral, its very likely that in that day and age of Mass Effect, a degree of acceptance is the minimum to expect from others, whether they agree with you or not). Its when Dragon Age includes a trans character and has him positioned as if to expect praise from me that I go 'whaaaa?'. I honestly just eyerolled at the Iron Bull line, because I'd rather just acceptance, not pandering, and I think most of my trans friends would agree.

 

 

I don't think Bioware, at least for the most part, intends on pontificating on social issues though. That's where I disagree with others who complain. I think they just position themselves on the forefront of these things, may be influenced by others who may be social progressives but lack social skills themselves (so called Tumblerites, whatever, I don't care what to call them), and get carried away... a little. This may be the biggest rant I'll ever make about this matter because its so small to me 99% of the time.

 

 

Here's the shining part - it seems to me what when Bioware goes forward in something, maybe 'too far', when they hang back, its to a pretty comfortable place. If DAO and ME1-ME2 was too far for 'racial' matters (species/race), the next games just treated it normally. If DA2 and ME3 was too for 'sexual' matters (******/bisex), DAI actually softened a little (cept Dorian's quest) and I think the next Mass Effect may be great about it. So if DAI and such is a little ridiculous about transgenderism (a LITTLE), I like to think that future games will just take it as is, without, again, Iron Bull going "But he IS a man." (OKAY FINE IB CALM DOWN).

 

But I still think it'd be better for the game to go "Well what do you think? And what will you do?" (in the game, not just outside conversations and inner thoughts) instead of "Well this is how you'll think, and here's a few ways of saying it." But that's Bioware problem in a lot of things for a while IMO, so *shrug*. We're less and less the player roleplaying, and more and more moving around a character that's their own character, just with options we can take and reflect on.

 

 

TLDR: Maybe Bioware/EA is too invested in this issue (corporate LGBT supporters?) to actually allow choice regarding the matter. To social progressives, the matter is already settled, and there won't be dissent in their product. I guess that doesn't work as well for me because while I won't dissent on the matter (but in fact completely agree), I welcome facing dissent and teaching the other person about my life and my feelings, and then it can be up to them to accept it. If I just tell them something without letting them pose what they view as legitimate arguments against it, I shouldn't actually expect the truth to be settled, only ignored. And that's what I think I see here; Bioware ignoring an opposition, even while promoting a contemporary social view. That's where the 'forced in' sentiment comes in.

And there's many devs who have done this much better, even. I don't give Bioware a pass because they put a matter I agree with in their game - if it is done in an annoyingly sticking-out way, I'll consider the story/gameplay/RP harmed.

I think Patrick could have done better with Krem but I know he tried.

 

Ugh sorry everyone. I think I'm just getting to the point of ranting about the mistakes of those pushing for favored forms of social progression being as bad for things sometimes as the idiocy of those pushing for social regression. Getting political. 

Done now. Regardless of all this, I think Bioware is doing things mostly right. Making my nitpicks hard to describe well.

[AlanC9]

You're probably on to something there. As far as Bio's culture is concerned, I imagine these issues really are settled. Where I live (NYC -- somewhere between Seinfeld and Girls) this is over too. Sure, it's a live issue somewhere out in the flyover zone, but we don't go there willingly. I'm not sure I'd call what Bio's doing "activism" -- if it's activism, it's about gaming conventions, rather than society per se.

[turuzzusapatuttu]

 

 

 

I love DA2 but you killed me with that     

[TevinterSupremacist]

swtor Inquisitor >>>> DA Inquisitor

I just wanted to have this stated again, with big letters.

[Elhanan]

I just wanted to have this stated again, with big letters.

It certainly has more options and quickslots, but I prefer the gameplay in DAI including Pause and Tac-Cam.

[Vault_Tec101]

You're probably on to something there. As far as Bio's culture is concerned, I imagine these issues really are settled. Where I live (NYC -- somewhere between Seinfeld and Girls) this is over too. Sure, it's a live issue somewhere out in the flyover zone, but we don't go there willingly. I'm not sure I'd call what Bio's doing "activism" -- if it's activism, it's about gaming conventions, rather than society per se.

 

I hear you but I would say if they really view it as settled why bother having Iron Bull go through the trouble of defending Krem's gender identity? It would follow then that now heterosexual characters would need their position defended or explained by a character in the game since that seems to be settled. I can only assume that they perceive it as unsettled enough to warrant an explanation or defence from their characters.

 

(to Vault_Tec101) You can ask Krem about his sexual orientation? I thought you could only ask him about his gender identity?

 

I don't recall asking Krem about it only Iron Bull. Still I am not sure what was discussed (sexual orientation or gender identity) but I'll defer to your judgement.

[King Dragonlord]

There was good effort in many areas of the game's production and, as others have said, sure we can say that this is your favorite rpg and thats fine. 

 

But no, not the best. Fallout New Vegas is much better. There's more freedom in how you approach the story and the story and setting has much more thought put into it. Notably, Bioware likes to say "take our word for it, this character is clever" or "Remember that codex entry you read? Well we're contradicting it. That entry was just that one person's perspective. Commitment to specifics? Whats that?" Or "Whats the answer to this question? Well its all clever and mysterious and we're going to tease you with it while revealing nothing but trust us, there's an answer and its really really clever and you should go ahead and start being impressed now in advance." Fallout New Vegas is willing to prove its story is good by letting you find the pieces and put them together (and making the connections strong). 

 

Pillars of Eternity knows how to present more interesting choices and more thought provoking philosophy that goes beyond the simple navel gazing we get here. They also do a better job at being original in terms of their setting. So does Morrowind.

 

Skyrim (and Morrowind) do open worlds better. An open world becomes so much ground to tread when you're locked into a role like the Inquisitor. It works much better for a game like the Elder Scrolls where you can be who you want and do whatever you want purely for your own reasons. For a mostly linear narrative like Bioware likes to do, an open world is just so much padding. 

 

Mass Effect does a better job at creating characters you care about and ethical dilemmas rooted in interesting lore. 

 

The only place where I'd acknowledge Dragon Age Inquisition beats out all of these is in the department of beautiful scenery and interesting looking locations. Of course, most of these other games are past gen and one of them was created on maybe one twentieth of the budget. But still, it does the beautiful scenery really well and that kept me satisfied long enough to make it through an otherwise lackluster story with padded grindy gameplay which is saying something. 

 

EDIT: Rereading this, I had a thought about why so many people spent so much time on the game and came up feeling empty. There are the usual Skinner Box mechanisms at play here (though I don't think DAI overly exploits them) and there's a sense that even if you aren't connecting with the story, its setting something up. 

 

But I mentioned (as I think others have) that the scenery kept me going. But its not JUST the beauty of the scenery. Its the specificity. In other games, you can kind of tell when you're in stretches of the game that are sort of procedurally or not so thoughtfully created. They don't feel special. But then you get to a well designed set piece and you know "Ah yes, that looks interesting and different and elaborate, there must be something important they put there because they put much more thought into how that location looks." 

 

Well, Dragon Age Inquisition has a LOT of that in its scenery. So many locations have such specificity to their design that I found I kept looking at the next place and thinking "That place looks really interesting and unique, I'll bet something interesting is happening over there." Only most of the time there wasn't, it was just another fight or another basic fetch quest. But that didn't matter because now that I'm in this new location, I can see another location that looks interesting, I'll bet the story is over there. And so on and so forth. Its a real credit to whoever was doing the map and scenery designs that they were able to mask the sense of this being a rote and mediocre game for so much of the padded bits of it. 

 

And though that's inevitably a backhanded compliment and I can't completely get away from that, I want to stress that I mean it in as non backhanded a way as it can be meant. I really am impressed with how the scenery makes the game feel special even if that creates problems for the overall effect the game has on me (leaving me feeling empty and wondering why I spent so much time on this). 

[Zinho73]

There is so much ridiculous semi-trolling whinging going on about this game on these boards, and it's really frustrating me. Especially since much of it is clearly coming from people who are playing this game to death, yet feel the need to come on these boards to whine and have their baseless criticisms validated because they think it makes them seem like discerning gamers.

 

Nuts to that. 

 

I have played Bioware games since Baldur's Gate 2, and up until now that was my favourite RPG of all time. I liked DA:O just fine, and I loved DA2, but they weren't quite as mind-blowing as BG2. 

 

This game makes all of those games look like amateur efforts. The sheer amount of content. The gorgeous well-designed graphics. The enormous amount of codex entries that don't dumb it down and don't "streamline" the world-building. The dynamic and innovative combat system that blends real-time elements with turn-based concepts. The well-thought out cast that's devoid of ridiculous stereotypes that have plagued some previous Bioware titles. Deep, involved romances, more so than any previous Bioware title. 

 

This game is truly incredible. People see that, and that's why it's received such critical acclaim. It's not without its flaws. The loss of the detailed tactics system in DA2 disappointed me. Skyhold feels a bit empty and lifeless - Haven is a better home-base.

 

But this truly redefined what I thought Bioware was capable of, and RPGs more generally. 

 

Please, leave a comment if you loved this game and are tired and frustrated by the constant pettiness and insincere cries of "Not enough hairstyles - guess I'm returning the game then!" 

 

You can say it is the best RPG you have ever played, certainly.

You cannot say that the combat is dynamic and innovative.

It is a poorer implementation of an old idea:

- you have less control over your party;

- their behavior is erratic;

- the overall tactical control is less responsive and offers a more limited view of the action;

- the choices you have in party composition are more limited;

- the choices you have in skills and abilities are more limited;

- the barrier mechanism is broken (and, yes, you had broken combos in their other games but they were at least harder to find and/or more varied);

 

And I could go on. The best that can be said about the combat in this game is that it can be mindless fun and have some cool animations. 

 

The rest of your praise is more subjective and it is fair, I suppose. Although I would point out that the sheer amount of content is filled with low quality fetch quests, poorly balanced encounters, awkward plataforming, dumb collection and aimless wondering.

 

I agree that the graphics are awesome (specially when not crashing, or producing artifacts and plastic hair).

There is some pettiness, but there are a lot of facts also. It is perfectly understandable why the game is a huge letdown for some. It is also understandable why it is a success among a less demanding audience.

[DirkJake]

You're probably on to something there. As far as Bio's culture is concerned, I imagine these issues really are settled. Where I live (NYC -- somewhere between Seinfeld and Girls) this is over too. Sure, it's a live issue somewhere out in the flyover zone, but we don't go there willingly. I'm not sure I'd call what Bio's doing "activism" -- if it's activism, it's about gaming conventions, rather than society per se.

 

If treating LGBT characters with respect (regarding to their sexuality and gender identity) is considered an activism, then so be it, and I would gladly support Bioware.

 

It just feels doubly great when I know that I buy a game I happen to enjoy very much, and that the money I spend is going to a company that supports good causes. 

 

 

@OP, I actually find a lot of criticism in the forum to have some merits, but yes DAI is definitely one of the best games I've played. And your post is spot on the strength of DAI.