67 réponses à ce sujet

[Enigmatick]

I completely disagree.  There should be one ruleset that everyone follows.  The PC, the companions, the enemies - everyone.

 

I want a setting that allows character development along a wide variety of paths, and I want those paths to be available equally.

 

I'd actually forgotten that DA2 was designed as you described, and it's one of the reasons I didn't like that game at all.

This, the game just needs more options so that the player can spec their companions uniquely.

 

I honestly can't recall any scenes with spears in them although my memory is notoriously crap.

 

They're in 80% of all the concept art for DA armies.

 

 

[Sylvius the Mad]

So if Cole's specialisation were one that was conditional on being a spirit, that wouldn't be a problem, no? Or if a Seeker specialisation held by Cassandra required a year of solitary prayer, which the protagonist can't do because stuff is happening now?

Being a spirit seems too neat. Perhaps possessing some characteristic that spirits do but people don't (but some other type of entity might).

And I'd like more freedom in designing my character. For example, if Isabela's specialization requires that she he a pirate, I should be able to make my character be a pirate.

I'd also like to see many more character types available than actually appear as characters.

[Sylvius the Mad]

This, the game just needs more options so that the player can spec their companions uniquely.

Like a tabletop ruleset.

[KaiserShep]

While I can relate to the idea from a lore perspective, it bothers me from a gameplay perspective. I think all abilities should be available to all players. 

 

If they do this, it'd be nice if the characters don't have special powers that make them exceptions. This is why I don't particularly like the implementation of Templar for Cassandra, because while it's balanced in the fact that the Inquisitor can learn all of the same things, it always bugs me that Cassandra's special abilities are never apparent in the game. 

[Ariella]

Incoherent rulesets hurt the story. The world in which these characters live needs to be governed by rules, and those rules need to make sense when viewed from inside the setting.
Otherwise the setting makes no sense, and thus the story makes no sense. As long as BioWare isn't trying to make an RPG adaptation of Kafka's Metamorphosis, this will be important.

There's a difference between incoherant and unique. The basic parameters stay the same but allow for a great deal of room to create. This isn't table top where uniformity is required. It is a whole different medium. And slavishly holding to rules inhibits storytelling.

As long as there is a logic to how the skill trees are put together (which there was in DA 2) it won't be a problem.

[Sylvius the Mad]

There's a difference between incoherant and unique. The basic parameters stay the same but allow for a great deal of room to create.

The rules can leave room for creativity, but then that creative space needs to be available for the player, as well.

I'm creating the character. I want the full set of rules available to me for that.

This isn't table top where uniformity is required.

Yes it is. The uniformity of tabletop isn't there because of the medium. The uniformity of tabletop is there because it makes for a better roleplaying environment.

And that's what these games should be trying to do - provide an environment in which we can roleplay.

It is a whole different medium. And slavishly holding to rules inhibits storytelling.

Roleplaying is storytelling. It's collaborative storytelling.

Moreover, I would argue that any form of narrative - even authored narrative - is harmed by a lack of internal consistency. If the setting doesn't hold together, it makes for either plot holes or deus ex machina.

But particularly the emergent narrative of roleplaying - that needs a coherent setting because the story is driven by the characters' decisions (like any narrative), but in a roleplaying game the authors aren't the only ones making them. The player makes decisions as well, and those decisions are informed by the setting in which the character lives. The player needs to know the rules that govern that character's world, and the character's decisions aren't going to make sense if the world in which he lives doesn't make sense.

As long as there is a logic to how the skill trees are put together (which there was in DA 2) it won't be a problem.

I think we have wildly different definitions of logic.

But I also hated DA2, so my assessment of its features is likely biased.

[BansheeOwnage]

If characters died from combat incapacitation, the story would be very short for people on higher difficulties, or people who aren't masters of the game's mechanics.

[BansheeOwnage]

*snip*

 

...it always bugs me that Cassandra's special abilities are never apparent in the game. 

Even in the story, not just combat. A bit of a wasted opportunity

 

Although, it would be a bit of an insta-win button. She'd be able to freeze Erimond so he couldn't run away, freeze Samson and the other Red Templars, Calpernia, heck, even Corypheus!

[AresKeith]

Lyrium Bending too OP

 

Even in the story, not just combat. A bit of a wasted opportunity

 

Although, it would be a bit of an insta-win button. She'd be able to freeze Erimond so he couldn't run away, freeze Samson and the other Red Templars, Calpernia, heck, even Corypheus!

 

Well it's possible that her Seeker abilities might not work on Red Lyrium 

[Chronoreaper]

yea I would think blight corruption is a exception even though magical in its property else seekers and Templars would've won the war against the blights themselves that's how you can justify cassandras abilities though you could say they take a massive tole on the body sorta like when Wynne used the spirit inside of her it took a chunk of her life away.

[Sylvius the Mad]

If characters died from combat incapacitation, the story would be very short for people on higher difficulties, or people who aren't masters of the game's mechanics.

They don't necessarily need to die simply from being incapacitated. And if they could, I expect the mechanics would be different.

Let's not assume that any one change occurs in a vacuum.

Also, if BioWare wants players to understand the mechanics better, they could document them better.

[BansheeOwnage]

Lyrium Bending too OP

 

Well it's possible that her Seeker abilities might not work on Red Lyrium 

That's possible, but still, Erimond, Calpernia!

 

They don't necessarily need to die simply from being incapacitated. And if they could, I expect the mechanics would be different.

Let's not assume that any one change occurs in a vacuum.

Also, if BioWare wants players to understand the mechanics better, they could document them better.

Hey, I miss game manuals too

[Sylvius the Mad]

Hey, I miss game manuals too

I don't need a physical book, but I would like PHB/DMG-level detail.

[King Killoth]

I could roll with that since I found DA2's companion specific trees to be useful enough although some (Varric and Anders) were far better than everyone else's.

I'm kinda hoping some companions get a weapon and spec unique to them next time though, like a spear or something.

I would have loved if each companion had their own unique upgradeable armor like in verrics bow but broke down to head, chest,arms and legs slots that I could craft armor to fit that way they would keep a consistent look but sill have it be able to be customized by the player and changing their stats.. new upgrades found or unlocked  as you level up and explore  making for new looks and stats but still keeping a unique look to that character. weapons could have been the same like Vivienne having her own unique staff that you upgrade the shaft and blade and add runes or enchantments to it as you level. this with each character having their own personal skill trees that would be unique to them and still have a few options to choose from to customize how to best use that person.. like Verric, his skills should all be about Bianca one should be about making his cross bow shoot more bolts or more dps based moves and have one tree that is more about AOE type of moves and one tree that is more CC based moves. this would give the player choices on how best to use Verric and how you choose to upgrade his armor and Bianca. Then verric would have his own Specialization that has skills more geared to Verrics character like buffs and support skills due to verric being a more supportive character his skills should be like "Inspire" a buff that grants Bonus to Damage.

[BansheeOwnage]

I don't need a physical book, but I would like PHB/DMG-level detail.

Manuals can be digital, in the menu of a game.

[Sylvius the Mad]

Manuals can be digital, in the menu of a game.

I'd rather they be accessible outside the game, but BioWare's recent games have barely been documented at all.

[In Exile]

I'd rather they be accessible outside the game, but BioWare's recent games have barely been documented at all.

 

I see you've elected to give a very generous scope to the term "barely" - I suppose DA2 was the least terrible at hiding the actual mechanics, but that's not really praise. 

[BansheeOwnage]

I'd rather they be accessible outside the game, but BioWare's recent games have barely been documented at all.

Worst case scenario is you can look it up online. That's generally more accurate anyway.