3 réponses à ce sujet

[CronoDragoon]

This topic was inspired by yet more discussion in the Twitter thread about the value of cinematic dialogues with NPCs.

 

The debate is whether, upon addressing an NPC (quest-NPCs primarily) the angle should remain static, as it does in Dragon Age: Inquisition, or switch to a cinematic angle, as it did in previous Dragon Age games.

 

The argument for cinematic angles is that conversations are inherently more interesting when you can see the NPC up close, particularly their face. It creates a bit of familiarity and helps to make the NPC feel more like a person and less like a map marker. It's the same reason why people prefer face-to-face interaction in certain scenarios as opposed to, say, phone conversations or e-mails.

 

The argument against varies, but the critical point is the question of resources, and the expense it takes to make "cinematics" for every semi-important NPC in the game.

 

But I think this argument against slightly misinterprets what people actually want. There is a difference between a conversation that features a static, "cinematic" angle and a cinematic scene. The latter is featured in companion cutscenes, where every movement is custom created by the development team. The former is what used to be employed en masse in BioWare games, with the crucial difference that nothing is hand-crafted exactly; character movement and facial expressions depend on preset animations used over and over again. This is evident to anyone who plays BioWare games and has seen the "hold-the-arm" worried animation in KOTOR, or the "lean back and pose" animation in Mass Effect. Other games in the past, such as Divinity II and Witcher 2 just to name a few, utilize this as well. It's a cost-effective way to ape human expression that doesn't require nearly as much model and collision detection as an actual cinematic scene.

 

This is what I, and I suspect many others, would like to see return for future BioWare games. The important point is simply that the NPC is represented on-screen as someone with definable features. This helps create a sense of individuality, which in turn makes the conversations with NPCs more interesting.

[Jagaro]

Static conversations doesn't bother me but I would prefer a more cinematic one.

[mjb203]

Agreed, especially the last paragraph. The idle movements are absolutely fine for the close-up "cinematic" style conversations. Granted, I'm no programmer, but I don't believe it would take an excessive amount of resources for what just seems to be a closer camera angle. For me, I'm much more likely to remember the npc, their location, and whatever quest or lore they gave my character. Not to mention, it's always nice to see the face of the character that you pour so much time into get a close up.

[Felya87]

I think in DAI there is an overuse of the non cinematic-feeling conversations. Basically any non-companion-main quest related content is static dialogue. The feeling is that even interesting side mission/content feel just like any filler mission like finding food or X number of elfroot. There isn't narrative in act. Many times I felt myself rotate the camera bored while the dialogues plays, since I can't even zoom in the faces of those who are talking without really weird angles, that really ruins immersion for me.

 

passive dialogues are ok for minor filler quests, but when side quests have some story and characters, is incredibly annoyng not having the chance to see people in the face. Fairbanks, Michel, Ishmael, and many others characters are basically faceless to me, since there is no way to really see them. they are not characters, are just puppet posed there.

I miss DAO conversations. I like see characters in the face when I interact with them. Is a way to have them much more impressed in my mind. Having at least a good close up to their faces while we talk to them would already be a lot better than spinning the camera around the characters out of boredom and exasperation since I can't see them in the face.

 

I think the cinematic conversations and the cutscene for the secondary missions are the only things I miss from DA2. I think many quests would not have been as interesting as they were without cinematics (or alternate close up between those that are talking). Like the judge's son mission. Without cinematics, would have the drama of the situation be as impactful? Would anyone really cared about Caridin if it was just an incorporeal voice that came out from a distant golem, instead of having the chance to see him? Would the broodmother be as terrifing without her little intro? Even those little things are missing in DAI, and I really miss them. They impacted a lot the big fights!

 

I'd prefer less content but well animated, just like I'd trade big areas for more lively and interactive ones. I miss a lot the cinematic feeling.