1016 réponses à ce sujet

[Sylvius the Mad]

Did that change anything? Did anyone actually react to it? Did it matter to anyone but yourself?

Does it ever?

The point of playing a character is to play that character. Getting to choose what he says and does - what his beliefs, values, and goals are - is the heart of roleplaying. To see how his character and decisions react to the stimulus provided by the game world.

At least, that's why I do it.

I don't need reactivity, and I honestly question whether reactivity is the right name for it if it wasn't a reaction to my activity in the first place.

If I'm not choosing words and actions (and thoughts), then I'm not really contributing to the character at all. Then the game ceases to be interactive, and I'm just watching it.

[dreamgazer]

Ok, good example. You're right, that's an actual decision we get to make. It doesn't matter even remotely in the end but perhaps it might change something in the next game.

What about all the dialogue choices that lead to the new Divine?

[DaemionMoadrin]

Lots of people reacted to it. Usually their reaction was "Eh, to each their own." I don't really know what kind of impact you'd have expected.

 

Oh, I don't know. If the leader of an organisation tells them, "Stop calling me that, you're wrong!" and they don't... at least someone should comment on that. Are you the Inquisitor or not?

 

The freedom I was looking for was something simple as being snarky, sarcastic or aggressive. The Inquisitor is always so... bland. No passion, no anger, no big emotions. Your conversation choices are usually polite answer, neutral answer and dismissive answer, but the context is always the same. "Yes, please", "Yeah, whatever" and "Fine, if you have to" are all still saying yes, there is no way to break out of the confining role.

 

You can be a jerk to Cassandra in the first quest and she doesn't react differently than to a polite, helpful Inquisitor. She still allows you to arm yourself and later defers to your leadership. It literally doesn't matter what you say or do, things play out exactly the same. Oh sure, you get invisible brownie points but is that enough?

 

Even worse is the fact that all these decisions are contained within conversations or quests. Once it ends, it no longer has any effect on anything. You helped the refugees? Good on ya! Doesn't change anything in the world though. You can complain about mages in one conversation and praise them in the next and it doesn't matter.

 

Don't get me started on the wartable missions... guys, what's so great about them? We get cheated out of actual quests that way, instead we leave it up to an advisor to solve and then check the report. Please. Those missions had really good story hooks and all we get are a few lines of text and some items/money/influence. Woah.

[Vortex13]

Not certain of game size, but DAO was about 70+ hrs for a completionist run with DLC; DAI has been about 250+ hrs even w/o JoH included for myself. And DAI had ten volumes worth of dialogue; a tad more then the previous games.

 

 

I have never held the amount of content a BioWare game offers as a point of contention. I would consider DA:I to have a lot more pointless filler quests than the previous games (comparatively), but in general I would agree that there is more 'stuff' to do in DA:I than in previous games.

 

 

My issue lies with how 'humanized' the games have become. Sure we get lots of content but how many of those non-human elements are left out in favor of more 'daddy issues' for the player to resolve. How many unique and 'alien' parts of the two respective franchises are gutted or ignored completely in favor of another human or near human character for the player to romance? How many explorations of a species that has a totally different view on Thedas/the Milky Way have been left on the cutting room floor in favor of appealing to each social/sexual/etc. group of gamers out there? Etc. 

 

 

That's my biggest issue with BioWare's games, they have all of these really creative, and unique ideas when a series starts, but over time it always seems to devolve into a human focused soap opera with (space)magic and explosions.

[WildOrchid]

Don't get me started on the wartable missions... guys, what's so great about them? We get cheated out of actual quests that way, instead we leave it up to an advisor to solve and then check the report. Please. Those missions had really good story hooks and all we get are a few lines of text and some items/money/influence. Woah.

 

Yeah, the war table missions were my least favorite. Seriously, so many good missions that could've been great side missions and we get only letters/influence/money. Bleh.

[The Night Haunter]

Honestly I liked DAO more than DAI (I did 9 playthroughs of DAO, whereas I couldn't even manage 2 on DAI), but I felt DAI would have been great had they simply halved the number or zones, shrunk their size, and added a bit more dialogue (and got rid of that ridiculous adventure cam, I want full dialogue not this wimpy keep pressing 1 until it goes away thing). DAI isn't bad and if Bioware just looks at the response to DAI, sees what we disliked and incorporates that into MEA then it should be golden.

That multi-zone open world idea is meant for a ME game. Each zone is a different world, with a bunch of open spaces filled with obstacles, enemies, and ruins to explore. Just don't skimp on the main story this time, add some real side quests and just completely get rid of the filler quests (roll that budget into making a few good quests instead of a whole bunch of nothing quests).

 

I am very much looking forward to seeing what Bioware does with MEA.

[The Night Haunter]

Not certain of game size, but DAO was about 70+ hrs for a completionist run with DLC; DAI has been about 250+ hrs even w/o JoH included for myself. And DAI had ten volumes worth of dialogue; a tad more then the previous games.

My first Inq was a Dwarven Rogue, and yet I was deeply affected by the Solas quest; same with a human Mage. Occasionally, emotion can be displayed without the need for a direct translation (eg; foreign films & theater, mimes, etc).

The point is that without an intelligent leader, Darkspawn are generally fodder and flotsam; no such leaders extant in the displayed areas of DAI.

Yes; the High Dragon of DAO was more intelligent than those seen in DA2, but not so much as those using strategy and tactics in DAI. The former could be made to chase their tail until death; the latter called for aid, flew away, lied in wait to ambush the party, etc.

Sometimes a Thresher Maw is only a monster; not the next guest on a panel couch for SDCC.

I don't disagree with the rest of your post, just taking this time to point out that bigger isn't always better. 250 hrs means you spent 200 hours running around zones with the only dialogue being party banter. The 70 hours in DAO were filled with dialogue. The Deep Roads was the longest stretch of gameplay in DAO and even that had several full dialogues spread throughout (the infected dwarf whose name I forgot and whose mother wants you to find him, Branka, discussions with Oghren). In DAI you could literally spend 10 hours without a single dialogue without really even trying to avoid dialogue.

 

That to me is what held DAI back, had DAI had the depth and amount of dialogue (relative to zone sizes) then DAI would have been an amazing game. As it was it was a good game.

[AresKeith]

Don't get me started on the wartable missions... guys, what's so great about them? We get cheated out of actual quests that way, instead we leave it up to an advisor to solve and then check the report. Please. Those missions had really good story hooks and all we get are a few lines of text and some items/money/influence. Woah.

 

Well your the leader of an organization who has agents and troops, something like that was bound to happen

 

Granted I agree that some of could have been side missions, and I have a feeling some of them were meant to be side quests but got cut (same issue with some of ME3's fetch quests)

[Elhanan]

One would have had to skip most of the dialogue with either Cole or Solas to not see another perspective of Spirits. And this was done a bit better in DAI than in the previous games, IMO.

As for humanizing the roles, this may be due to the writers and Players being actual humans; rumors to the contrary notwithstanding....

[DaemionMoadrin]

Well your the leader of an organization who has agents and troops, something like that was bound to happen

 

Granted I agree that some of could have been side missions, and I have a feeling some of them were meant to be side quests but got cut (same issue with some of ME3's fetch quests)

 

My agents can't even properly collect herbs and other resources but I leave delicate diplomatic missions to them? ^^

[Elhanan]

I don't disagree with the rest of your post, just taking this time to point out that bigger isn't always better. 250 hrs means you spent 200 hours running around zones with the only dialogue being party banter. The 70 hours in DAO were filled with dialogue. The Deep Roads was the longest stretch of gameplay in DAO and even that had several full dialogues spread throughout (the infected dwarf whose name I forgot and whose mother wants you to find him, Branka, discussions with Oghren). In DAI you could literally spend 10 hours without a single dialogue without really even trying to avoid dialogue.
 
That to me is what held DAI back, had DAI had the depth and amount of dialogue (relative to zone sizes) then DAI would have been an amazing game. As it was it was a good game.

Placed the game size into the debate to illustrate the amount of content already included, and the time spent in the game doing as one wishes. One could remain at Haven or Skyhold and explore dialogues frequently, or go back to other areas for more exploration. This will vary on the Player, but both options exist.

Now I have not experienced the banter glitch myself, though I have noticed repeated dialogue recently. But my game has been filled with conversations, as this is a major reason I replay these games so frequently; I seek them and try and listen. If I spent 10 hrs without dialogue, then I would likely not play as much, but have 640+ hrs as evidence to the contrary.

[pdusen]

Oh, I don't know. If the leader of an organisation tells them, "Stop calling me that, you're wrong!" and they don't... at least someone should comment on that. Are you the Inquisitor or not?

 

What exactly prohibits them from believing something about me regardless of what I say on the matter? People do all the time.

[Amirit]

Since I learned about participation of Jade Raymond in the game production 

Former Assassin's Creed co-creator and Ubisoft Toronto boss Jade Raymond has joined EA   

or here http://forum.bioware...ad/?p=19416999 

 

I begin to think there is a chance for the game to work actually. Not that I am the biggest fan of Assassin's Creed but this is a fresh blood, fresh look at the studio and an experienced look! Do hope for a good match here! 

[Vortex13]

Isn't the lead writer from Halo 4 working with the ME:A team as well? I might be wrong, its early here. If I am correct, then there is another fresh writer to add to the mix.

 

 

Though I am a little leery of what they will come up with, based on Halo 4's narrative. I don't want to have required reading in order to understand what the heck is going on or why I should care about this character. Plus the Halo franchise is not very good at offering a varied setting. It's pretty much humans as special snowflakes and Spartans as Super Sayians in that setting. At least Mass Effect has allied alien characters in some capacity.

[Sartoz]

better question in the end,

 

does any of this truly matter if you enjoyed all 3 games?

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With all due respect, I'd rather enjoy the perfume of a rose without pricking my fingers on the thorns.

[TruthSerum]

Since I learned about participation of Jade Raymond in the game production
Former Assassin's Creed co-creator and Ubisoft Toronto boss Jade Raymond has joined EA
or here http://forum.bioware...ad/?p=19416999

I begin to think there is a chance for the game to work actually. Not that I am the biggest fan of Assassin's Creed but this is a fresh blood, fresh look at the studio and an experienced look! Do hope for a good match here!

If anything I think she will iinsure that the game is more cinematic than DAI, which is a good thing.

[dragonflight288]

 

 

 

Oh, I don't know. If the leader of an organisation tells them, "Stop calling me that, you're wrong!" and they don't... at least someone should comment on that. Are you the Inquisitor or not?

 

If the Prime Minister of England or the President of the United States came out and publicly said "don't say such things about me, you're totally wrong," would that change the opinions of the people about him or her?

 

It does not. Rather, it would probably be taken as either a new point of criticism or a statement of humility, depending on whether the person love the president or hates them.

 

Political leaders say things all the time that are either taken out of context or are ignored by the vast majority of people, or is not taken at face value.

 

It didn't bother me that my agnostic Qunari who kept saying he wasn't Andraste's Herald was ignored on that front because he had become a symbol in the hearts and minds of thousands of people, and as the scene with Iron Bull dressing my Inquisitor up as a mercenary and going to drink with the grunts, and the Inquisitor remaining utterly unrecognized, shows that the Inquisitor is a symbol or an idea more than anything else in the eyes of most.

[EmperorKarino]

 

I was really disappointed with DA:I

It had a very lackluster short story and instead of having meaningful side missions it focused on "exploring" big lifeless zones bloated with lame fetch quests

 

Instead of cutscenes we got a Skyrim-like camera and letters to read which was just awful

I really hope ME:A is nothing like it, I want it to be story driven like the previous three games

 

I play Bioware games for the story and characters not mindless fetch quests

 

Curious to see what other Mass Effect fans think

 

 

 

 

i believe everyone is hoping ME:A is very different from DA:I

[von uber]

If the Prime Minister of England or the President of the United States came out and publicly said "don't say such things about me, you're totally wrong," would that change the opinions of the people about him or her?

 

Yes, because there is no such thing.

[DaemionMoadrin]

If the Prime Minister of England or the President of the United States came out and publicly said "don't say such things about me, you're totally wrong," would that change the opinions of the people about him or her?

 

It does not. Rather, it would probably be taken as either a new point of criticism or a statement of humility, depending on whether the person love the president or hates them.

 

Political leaders say things all the time that are either taken out of context or are ignored by the vast majority of people, or is not taken at face value.

 

It didn't bother me that my agnostic Qunari who kept saying he wasn't Andraste's Herald was ignored on that front because he had become a symbol in the hearts and minds of thousands of people, and as the scene with Iron Bull dressing my Inquisitor up as a mercenary and going to drink with the grunts, and the Inquisitor remaining utterly unrecognized, shows that the Inquisitor is a symbol or an idea more than anything else in the eyes of most.

 

Ok, now imagine a soldier telling a general, "I believe you are wrong, sir." 

 

There are things you can believe and then there are things you can say. Contradicting your leader right to their face...

 

If the entire Inquisition doesn't listen to its leader, if they continue to talk about it in from of their leader... then that only shows a severe lack of respect and that is something that should be addressed by someone. But no one does. Instead you get condescending comments like, "Let them believe it, it's good for morale." as if you didn't even matter. Be a good figurehead, do as you're told and leave the adults to running things.

 

No one asks for your permission, your opinion or anything. Oh, they listen to you and then go and do what they want anyway. Remember when they asked you to be the Inquisitor? No? Yeah, because they never did. They decided it and you didn't get a chance to say otherwise. Freedom of choice, my ass.

Remember all the nobles visiting Skyhold? Remember getting advice in dealing with them from Josephine? How often was that useful? Never? Yeah, because they never actually let you meet anyone.

 

Of course, no game can offer all possible choices. But at least it should leave you the illusion of choice and even here DA:I fails completely. Oh sure, you get to make a few decisions (mage or templar) but in the end none of them mattered.

 

The only way to make it through the game with a goal in mind requires meta gaming and/or knowledge of the novels. For someone who has access to advisors and a spy network you're lacking intelligence badly. "You have talked five minutes with each candidate... who's going to rule Orlais now?"

 

Meh.

[In Exile]

You have a really serious misunderstanding of organizational structure in human society. The modern military works because discipline is something driven as fundamental, and everyone buys into it. If, say, a US General suddenly starting giving out illegal orders (e.g. "Everyone! I want to carve out my own personal fiefdom in North Dakota, let's wage war against the US Gov't and take it!"), you'll get a seriious breakdown. 

[DaemionMoadrin]

You have a really serious misunderstanding of organizational structure in human society. The modern military works because discipline is something driven as fundamental, and everyone buys into it. If, say, a US General suddenly starting giving out illegal orders (e.g. "Everyone! I want to carve out my own personal fiefdom in North Dakota, let's wage war against the US Gov't and take it!"), you'll get a seriious breakdown. 

 

You don't get it.

 

The Inquisitor tells everyone, "I'm not the Herald of Andraste!" and the people say "I believe otherwise!" directly to their face. They are contradicting their leader, the person they have sworn to obey and follow. In what kind of organisation is that okay? It's not like the Inquisitor is giving out illegal orders or being insane or whatever... on the contrary, everyone else is. I have no issue with people believing whatever... but being brazen about it, being just an inch short of calling the Inquisitor a liar... that's the problem.

 

That's like... ugh, we don't have a proper RL equivalent... I don't know... some newly ordained priest arguing with the pope about the pope's background. If anybody knows best, it would be the pope.

 

Your example stinks. You also ignored the rest of my post.

[LinksOcarina]

You don't get it.

 

The Inquisitor tells everyone, "I'm not the Herald of Andraste!" and the people say "I believe otherwise!" directly to their face. They are contradicting their leader, the person they have sworn to obey and follow. In what kind of organisation is that okay? It's not like the Inquisitor is giving out illegal orders or being insane or whatever... on the contrary, everyone else is. I have no issue with people believing whatever... but being brazen about it, being just an inch short of calling the Inquisitor a liar... that's the problem.

 

That's like... ugh, we don't have a proper RL equivalent... I don't know... some newly ordained priest arguing with the pope about the pope's background. If anybody knows best, it would be the pope.

 

Your example stinks. You also ignored the rest of my post.

 

Funny, that happens all the time towards presidents, congressmen, and even popes. Just recently Pope Francis was cirticized by several priests, who more or less were censured by the Pope in reprisal.

 

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With all due respect, I'd rather enjoy the perfume of a rose without pricking my fingers on the thorns.

 

What a silly analogy.

 

For one, it implies something about the game will hurt you physically.

 

Two, you more or less have kind of said nothing here, since you can enjoy perfume without touching it, of course.

[DarkTl]

To me the most major issue in DAI was the fact that I couldn't possibly care less about the inquisitor, his survival and future. Down to the point that when you kinda supposed to painfully choose who will drink from the well , I was only concerned about possible side effects dangerous for, ahem, non-inquisitor drinker (don't think I spoiled something here).

[Aezint]

My issue with DA:I was that while it was a competent game, it played it far too safe.  The game worked, the zones were large, there was some variety in classes and abilities which encouraged tactical play, but it has all been done before, even if it did improve some mechanics.  DAII was a mess, but you could tell that BioWare had big plans and that they really wanted to try something different, and even if it fell short you could tell there was some ambition.

 

This is my concern about ME:A.  Be bold, try something new or different instead of playing it safe once more.