I've been banging on a lot about the next Mass Effect learning the lessons from previous Bioware games and giving the player consequences for their choices. The problem is that as I see it, Bioware games are not moving forward, not moving with the times. They lack innovation.
If you look at Mass Effect and Dragon Age Origins, they both have a series of small maps to discover with largely static NPCs. The NPCs never move, They remain where they are with some light animations representing conversations taking place. If you then fast forward to their last game, Dragon Age Inquisition, you have a series of large maps to discover with largely static NPCs that do not have any lives. They stand around in the same spot day after day, hour after hour.
- NPCs should have their own lives and routines.
- They should go to work, have lunch, go home, sleep.
- They should stop and talk to their neighbours, complain about the weather.
- They should comment on their environment including the protagonist and his/her party.
Similarly, if you look at the Normandy in all three Mass Effect games, the same people are at the same stations 24/7. They never move and have some light animation to simulate work.
- Crew on your ship should have duty rosters.
- On duty personnel are at their station.
- Off duty personnel chill out in the mess (ME2 had the same two guys slacking off in the mess 24/7)
- When it gets late, they go to bed.
Then there's the consequences of your decisions. Since KoTOR, Bioware have used the same tried and tested Light side/Dark side mechanic for morale decisions in its approach to dialogue. They've named it different things but it's remained the same whether you're a Knight of the Light Side or a Paragon of virtue. These decisions you make throughout the game usually have an impact on your epilogue narrative. For example, putting Bhelen on the Throne in Origins gives a slightly different narrative than Harrowmont. The problem is that from that moment forward, until that final narrative, your decision has no further impact on the game.
Similarly, fast forward to Inquisition and you have a choice to support the Mages or the Templars but beyond the faction you find yourself fighting against further in the game, there's no day to day impact with that choice. Another example in DA:I is Cole. On one side you have Cullen, ex-Mage hunter, Cassandra, former Seeker and right hand of the Devine and Vivienne, arch-proponent of the Circle. On the other side you have Solas, apostate mage who likes to wander the fade. Cole is a Deamon and you have the opportunity to choose to keep him around or send him away.
Here's the problem. Your decision has no impact on the game from that point forward save to loose one member of your pool of companions. Cassandra, Cullen and Vivienne are going to be furious to the point that they'd probably leave your service if you choose to keep Cole around. Even if they don't, having a Daemon wandering around your keep is the kind of thing that's going to get people talking. You'd visit towns and villages and you'd hear them say "he conspires with daemons, he does". The Inquisition would loose face. Or at least, you would if this wasn't a Bioware game.
- Conversations should be more nuanced.
- They should have an impact on the immediate story.
- Certain decisions you make should be acknowledged by your crew or the people you visit.
- Certain decisions should make certain people uncomfortable and unwelcoming.
- Your actions should have consequences that change the way the story plays from that moment on.
Finally, there's the way you approach situations. In every game since KoTOR, what can be considered Bioware's modern era (before that it was largely old school isometric RPGs), each level, each mission you undertake is linear. There is a single route in, a single way of handling situations (usually involving shoot or stabbing someone).
- Give us the option to be stealthy.
- Give us the option to be diplomatic.
- Give us the option to show guile and subterfuge.
- Give us the option to approach an area from three dimensions.
You see, the problem with Bioware worlds is they're not alive. It feels like you're wandering around a Nuclear test silo, cut outs of families and wax food on the tables. They're static and never change from one moment to the next. What I want from Andromeda is Bioware to move with the times. Games like The Witcher 2 & 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, MGS5, Dishonoured, all allow you multiple paths and/or multiple ways to handle a situation. Often you can talk your way out, sneak your way out, bribe your way out or just good ol' fashioned fight your way out.
Cause a blood bath in Deus Ex 3 by slaughtering the Terrorists and ignoring the hostages and the Police will react differently to you, Sarin industries employees will react differently, the press coverage will be (rightly so) negative. Kill gang members in TW3's Novigrad and people will comment on how you have the 'Street's respect'. Help the guards out by undertaking voluntary missions and their attitude towards you changes. How you act in your playthrough affects how others in the game perceive you. Little things like this add to the value of a vibrant, living world. This is what I want to see in Andromeda, not more of the same old same old.
I await the flames 
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