I don't know if I have a "canon" run on any of these games. Though my two Mage Hawkes are probably the better integrated runs in DA2. One became disgusted with magic with the events while the other blamed the Templars. The story just seemed to flow better as a mage in that game than anything else.
I think so too.. Although I liked Rogue there as well.
And now I like the game less.Take out the extra races.
Reading the last few pages of this thread I'm extremely glad that some of your tastes are not and god willing will never be completely catered to (I'll just call out Kabraxal and Sylvius since there's no way I can't be talking about them). Some of your tirades here have made me find a new appreciation for modern "one size fits all" game design.
And now I like the game less.
I'd say we take out the Inquisitor's voice over.
If I want multiple races, I'd rather it be conceived of that way from the getgo. I'd even play an all dwarf game if it was written to be such.
It has nothing to do with me disliking the option. I just dislike tackiness. All meant to appeal to people who didn't like any of their pre-release info. And suddenly I'm the hater for it. When it's haters that make Bioware behave this way. They've second guessed themselves ever since ME3. Something I didn't hate either.
But my main point is other things suffer for this. All because of superficiality. I don't think it's a good tradeoff.
Reading the last few pages of this thread I'm extremely glad that some of your tastes are not and god willing will never be completely catered to (I'll just call out Kabraxal and Sylvius since there's no way I can't be talking about them). Some of your tirades here have made me find a new appreciation for modern "one size fits all" game design.
Everyone's tastes are catered to. It's a big industry.
And much is shared still. I even like a lot of the games Sylvius and Kabraxal seem to like. We just disagree here.
Plus, we've got time for many games. Assuming we all don't die overnight. It isn't necessary to do everything at once. No other literary form is like this.
The problem is not the fetch quests, the problem is that the fetch quests are boring and have no story and contents, Bioware is a story driven game. DAI is basically 8 hours of main quests, and random 50 something pointless, no story sidequests. If the side quests have mini story behind it or even connect to the main story somehow, it may actually be interesting. A lot of these fetch quests make no sense since you're the commander, you're not the errand boy, something that your army should be able to handle through war table, The fetch quest maybe more interesting if it related to some story behind it or even give you some tangible rewards instead of reputation or crap like that. Maybe unlocking a new model or color or some customization. The quests could tie to the colonization, having a story behind it make the fetch quests more interesting.
We wouldn't need all tastes to be catered to if they'd just let us mod the game.Reading the last few pages of this thread I'm extremely glad that some of your tastes are not and god willing will never be completely catered to (I'll just call out Kabraxal and Sylvius since there's no way I can't be talking about them). Some of your tirades here have made me find a new appreciation for modern "one size fits all" game design.
Why do you think it's a story-driven game? Didn't you just present evidence to the contrary?Bioware is a story driven game. DAI is basically 8 hours of main quests, and random 50 something pointless, no story sidequests.
We wouldn't need all tastes to be catered to if they'd just let us mod the game.
You're reasonable... I'll give you that.
We wouldn't need all tastes to be catered to if they'd just let us mod the game.
I also wonder which EA would prefer. Would they prefer I buy the game, hate it, and tell everyone how bad it is, or would they prefer I just not buy it and keep quiet?
I was happy just playing Skyrim again recently... I wouldn't talk about any of this if I was still there. But I held off when they announced the new edition. 
Everyone's tastes are catered to. It's a big industry.
And much is shared still. I even like a lot of the games Sylvius and Kabraxal seem to like. We just disagree here.
Plus, we've got time for many games. Assuming we all don't die overnight. It isn't necessary to do everything at once. No other literary form is like this.
Not really what I meant. I was saying that I appreciate the fact that most big budget games are basically designed by committee. Meaning designed around what will appeal to the largest customer base and as such forced to incorporate certain popular gameplay elements, and common quirks of game design. Not to say that I don't appreciate or in some cases prefer the different or experimental games that we see in the indy market, but reading the posts of the two aforementioned posters in this thread made me realize what a big budget sequel with a pre-existing fanbase might turn into if total control of it was handed over to someone on a forum with a particular axe to grind. This totally would not happen under any realistic circumstances, but I just shuddered to think what one of my favorite franchises might turn into if the inmates ran the asylum.
Just I thought, not really a prediction. Who knows... maybe the game might actually turn out better?
Oh, believe me. I don't want to choose 'em ever but after a while you forget what each "!" mark means and you accidentally press it and before you know, it's in your journal and map.
Also options are good but when it's the same thing being repeated a billion time like "Burn the body" side quest, you can just tell these side quests exist for quantity sake.
If the map was smaller, it would be more bearable. Not all DAO/2 side quest were fun either but they took like 5-10 minutes so I was over them before I even noticed how tedious they could be.
Exalted plains had so much potential. What if you got to side with Celene troops and attack Gaspard troops? Or vice versa. What if this open world area affected how either potential rulers (Gaspard and Celene) perceive you in the winter palace main mission? So much potential... instead we just get more demons and freeman of the cannon fodders fighting us.
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A lot of these fetch quests make no sense since you're the commander, you're not the errand boy, something that your army should be able to handle through war table
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Preeeecisely!!!
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What would surprise me is if Ryder & Co. stick to the main story missions plus some exceptional quests that tie in to the main arc.
All other quests to be performed by your AI agents that can be upgraded over time to perform better (ie: win battles, execute the fetch quests and bring back better gear). However, I need to see a post AI report to determine what went right and what went wrong and where upgrades need to be made.
This mechanic is worthy of a Commander that makes bold decisions and can lead the troops when necessary. Bogging down the protag with "Elf root" quests is silly and it's past time Bio changes this. Also, add an option to actually allow the Commander to execute the "stupid" quests or hand them over to the AI agents.
"Power Points" or XP Points can be gained either way you choose to do the quests. Of course, the more successful the AI agents are at their jobs, the more points you get.
There is one Problem, with the above idea.... the game may turn out to be 25 hours or less. On the other hand, exploration may add another 50 hours. Switching to MP mode may add more hours.... who knows?
The problem is not the fetch quests, the problem is that the fetch quests are boring and have no story and contents, Bioware is a story driven game. DAI is basically 8 hours of main quests, and random 50 something pointless, no story sidequests. If the side quests have mini story behind it or even connect to the main story somehow, it may actually be interesting. A lot of these fetch quests make no sense since you're the commander, you're not the errand boy, something that your army should be able to handle through war table, The fetch quest maybe more interesting if it related to some story behind it or even give you some tangible rewards instead of reputation or crap like that. Maybe unlocking a new model or color or some customization. The quests could tie to the colonization, having a story behind it make the fetch quests more interesting.
Not really what I meant. I was saying that I appreciate the fact that most big budget games are basically designed by committee. Meaning designed around what will appeal to the largest customer base and as such forced to incorporate certain popular gameplay elements, and common quirks of game design. Not to say that I don't appreciate or in some cases prefer the different or experimental games that we see in the indy market, but reading the posts of the two aforementioned posters in this thread made me realize what a big budget sequel with a pre-existing fanbase might turn into if total control of it was handed over to someone on a forum with a particular axe to grind. This totally would not happen under any realistic circumstances, but I just shuddered to think what one of my favorite franchises might turn into if the inmates ran the asylum.
Just I thought, not really a prediction. Who knows... maybe the game might actually turn out better?
So in liking a game designed by committee in Inquisition... I don't want or like a game designed by committee. Uh... what?
And designed by committee churns out a variety of games... Inquisition is different from The Witcher which is different from Call Duty which is different from The Division which is different from Uncharted and on and on. You can have a variety of games that sell well that don't all adhere to the exact same formulas. I'm sick of seeing people argue to change Dragon Age and Mass Effect into The Witcher... if I want to play a game like that, I'd buy the bloody Witcher. That product already exists. Let's not homogenize the industry please.
So in liking a game designed by committee in Inquisition... I don't want or like a game designed by committee. Uh... what?
And designed by committee churns out a variety of games... Inquisition is different from The Witcher which is different from Call Duty which is different from The Division which is different from Uncharted and on and on. You can have a variety of games that sell well that don't all adhere to the exact same formulas. I'm sick of seeing people argue to change Dragon Age and Mass Effect into The Witcher... if I want to play a game like that, I'd buy the bloody Witcher. That product already exists. Let's not homogenize the industry please.
I agree and disagree.
I disagree because I think developers should take a look at other games old and new and take notes about what worked and what didn't, what they see fitting into the vision of their game and what's better left out... Innovation is about building upon already existing ideas. Avoiding mistakes is about learning about those others have already made as well as your own.
I agree because imitating other games just because it's a terrible idea. Case in point: DAI A blatant attempt to capitalize on Skyrim's success that has nothing of what made Skyrim compelling and adds nothing interesting of its own. No, the game Bioware needs to be looking at for MEA is ME1. If they can manage to make MEA a better, more polished version of ME1 it is likely to turn out one of their best games.
Here's to hoping.
I agree and disagree.
I disagree because I think developers should take a look at other games old and new and take notes about what worked and what didn't, what they see fitting into the vision of their game and what's better left out... Innovation is about building upon already existing ideas. Avoiding mistakes is about learning about those others have already made as well as your own.
I agree because imitating other games just because it's a terrible idea. Case in point: DAI
Here's to hoping.
I think looking at other games is fine. Just not whole sale copying, which Inquisition wasn't by any stretch. Skyrim was a model that Bioware looked at, but they fit that model into what Origins and Mass Effect had already accomplished. They took their zones, which were small and limited in scope, made them more detailed, intricate, and open in an open world style reminiscent of Skyrim. Instead of just giving us the Dalish encampment and the little dungeon that is the forest and temple like in Origins... they opened it up so we could wander the world around it if we so please.
One of my few complaints for Origins (and the major complaint for DA2), was that the world felt relatively small. We weren't given much extra from the zones built solely for quests. So it felt like a game world at times, instead of an actual world. But at least it wasn't the copy paste dungeons of DA2... that was jarring at times. And I think the problem with DA2 had, is that it tried too hard to be like Mass Effect instead of taking aspects of Mass Effect that would work nicely in Dragon Age and tweak them to fit (I still would like an interrupt system damn it!). And my hope for Andromeda, is that even if it takes some direction from Inquisition in having detailed "zones" or planets in this case, that it doesn't seek to simply transplant Inquisition into Andromeda. No, take the idea then make it work within the context of the universe you are building. I mean, if they were to use a war table like feature, it better integrate the Omni tool and communication abilities that exist in a futuristic setting instead of just be a table in a room you always have to go to. Hell, even use a smart phone or tablet app so we as players can do it away from the console. Use the universe to your advantage.
I felt Inquisition did that extremely well in terms of the open world, while other companies that tried to make that open world jump did not.
I thought they copied most of what people said make Skyrim compelling. But then I don't think Skyrim is good or compelling, so I likely don't get it as much as they don't.
I don't think Skyrim is compelling either, but based on what I've heard from people who do like it the great things about it are 1. the sandbox experience and 2. mods, mods, mods. I suspect that even I would like the game if I used mods to play it as a survival game rather than an RPG, a project I have jotted down as a possibility somewhere in my personal gaming schedule 
I find DAI to be a very poor sandbox, especially as the world is only semi-open, and the moddability appears to be very limited.
Also, ME1 was awful when it came to side quests. Those barren copy and paste world's were even worse than DA2 or DAI.
ME1 had horrendous sidecontent, which is why I rarely if ever bothered with it. Most of the time I just visit the main story worlds: the Citadel, Feros, Noveria, Virmire and Ilos. Couldn't do that in DAI.
I thought they copied most of what people said make Skyrim compelling.
This is obviously false. DA:I has very little similarity to Skyrim in most aspects, especially in how much gameplay and modding freedom it offers.
I thought they copied most of what people said make Skyrim compelling. But then I don't think Skyrim is good or compelling, so I likely don't get it as much as they don't.
Also, ME1 was awful when it came to side quests. Those barren copy and paste world's were even worse than DA2 or DAI.
If they did they did a terrible job. I think Skyrim is worse than previous ES games in many aspects, but what it does have going for it is exploration, and to some degree atmosphere. Now, to me, exploration is when I feel compelled to venture out into the open game world in order to find things. They weren't particularly great things in Skyrim, for the most part, but they were there. Putting a bunch of markers for you to get to as DAI does is not exploration. Especially when you literally can't find the marked items while actually exploring, you have to get the quest that marks them first. There is zero incentive to explore the world when you know exactly where you have to go to run across a bit of lore or loot.
Not part of your story, or your Inquisitor perhaps, but the minor quests that I select fit into my story and character just fine.
Meaning your character is not an inquisitor, your character is some muscle hand doing errands for random nobodies. Good character, btw.
Why do you think it's a story-driven game? Didn't you just present evidence to the contrary?
The problem is if it's not, it's not a Bioware game and it would be another mistake Bioware makes by not focusing they're good at. When people think of Bioware games, they don't think about games with insane graphic, best gameplay, it's their storytelling and the world they create. You don't buy Bethesda games (games that Bethesda created not published) and expect awesome storyline but for the open world and freedom it can give you.
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