63 réponses à ce sujet

[Wulfram]

Also, MODDING COMMUNITY. Skyrim would have flopped miserably if it released only on consoles.

No it wouldn't, it sold like crazy on consoles

[JamieCOTC]

I thought some zones were more successful than others. Crestwood, which linked back to the story, had a judgement and a keep, was one of the better examples in the base game. JoH was great, IMO and linked to the Inquisition nicely. It had barely any cutscenes, but the sidequests felt more substantial. Emprise du Lion was both beautiful and similar to Crestwood in that the zone had a cohesive story to it. On the flip side, the Hissing Wastes and Emerald Graves were stunning to look at, but felt over all pointless. When I think of SP open world, I think of Skyrin, Morrowind, Fallout or The Witcher. In a lot of the zones, DAI felt more like an MMO. To answer the question, I don't consider DAI an actual open world game, but the zones were successful to a point and have a lot of potential. Hopefully BW doesn't cut out the zones all together, but tightens and scales down on the number. The zones help w/ nonlinear play, something DA does need to balance out the linear main quests.

[Jeremiah12LGeek]

As I recall , when Skyrim came out, a lot of DA fans on the board praised its open world and begged  Bioware to do something similar. Between that and the complaints about the smallness and repetitiveness of DA2 - we got the openness of DA:I. - so I agree be careful what you wish for! I also recall Mike Laidlaw expressing appreciation of Skyrim and indicating that it would/could influence the next DA game - which it did I suppose.

 

Part of the problem with BioWare incorporating larger, open areas because of Skyrim influence is that the role of the location, and their execution, are completely different from each other, and don't translate well.

 

In Skyrim, the areas are seamlessly connected. The player can freely travel the entire map at any time and in the manner of their choosing. DAI has several different areas that aren't connected to each other, and that they cannot freely travel, as most of them are locked until several prerequisites are met.

 

Skyrim has towns and cities, and a geography that serves the story and lore. If the player walks from Whiterun to the College of Winterhold, they will pass through villages, towns, run into various random encounters, and potentially speak to several characters, learning more about the area and potentially being exposed to other side quests and exploration opportunities.

 

In DA:I, the player cannot walk from any town to any other town, because there are none. Thedas doesn't have a population outside of Skyhold or Orlais, except for isolated farms or forts that have a handful of people in them. DA:I has lots and lots of set pieces that don't seem to serve any story or lore purpose, but just expand areas to be bigger.

 

And probably the biggest difference is that characters in Skyrim are largely interchangeable, with only a handful of actors doing voices for every Nord in Skyrim. These characters are not particularly compelling or interesting, but that does allow Bethesda to properly populate the world (even if it is with cardboard cutout people.) BioWare uses different actors for each character, which requires a lot more resources and work for even minor NPCs, if they will have animations or speaking lines.

 

DA:O was a mix that worked for BioWare in this regard. The maps weren't overwhelmingly large, they were only as big as they needed to be. There were population centers, and the characters were able to function within those spaces in a way that felt organic. An area was defined primarily by its inhabitants, which is BioWare's strong suit.

 

The approach with DA:I impaired BioWare's strengths, by limiting their ability to include populations that featured interesting characters and side stories. I honestly can't remember any character from the Hinterlands who noticeably added anything to the game, whereas there were many characters in Lothering who end up being significant.

 

Similarly, Denerim was full of side stories and characters to talk to, whereas most DA:I areas are primarily point-to-point bring "A" to "B" locations, that don't really add to the story. in fact, I think there are at least a couple of areas that you can ignore completely.

 

I understand the goal of adding "more" to areas to make them bigger and add things, but they could have chopped it all in half, and added more towns, cities, and characters to the existing areas, and I would have been much happier, even if it meant the game took half as long to play.

[Vit246]

I would've cut out the Storm Coast, the Fallow Mire, the Forbidden Oasis, Crestwood, and maybe the Hissing Wastes.

[9TailsFox]

btw...I just noticed...Look who is Judas...think about it. 

[solomon.kosin]

Well, I think as it was a trial, it succeeded. But i do not want any more empty space for next game. I think it would have been better if the territories would be tighted with the main plot. Like, for example, in order to get invitation to the bal in Halamshiral, you got to help the army in The Exalted Plains, so there is any sense for you to complete this side mission other than "just because"

 

In my first playthrough i left about 3 terrirories undiscovered and it did not make any change and in the second I discovered everything and the result was just the same.

 

And I would better exchange empty spaces like Hissing Wastes for Denerim or Honnlit or any other city we can visit with taverns, locals and so on. Let them be smaller but more...interesting

[Al Foley]

Well, I think as it was a trial, it succeeded. But i do not want any more empty space for next game. I think it would have been better if the territories would be tighted with the main plot. Like, for example, in order to get invitation to the bal in Halamshiral, you got to help the army in The Exalted Plains, so there is any sense for you to complete this side mission other than "just because"

 

In my first playthrough i left about 3 terrirories undiscovered and it did not make any change and in the second I discovered everything and the result was just the same.

 

And I would better exchange empty spaces like Hissing Wastes for Denerim or Honnlit or any other city we can visit with taverns, locals and so on. Let them be smaller but more...interesting

Wouldn't it have been cool if there was some duke you had to find and rescue in the Exalted Plains?  That would have gotten you a pass and a way in.  And then same deal in EG and they already had a character built in just for the role...Fairbanks.  

[solomon.kosin]

Wouldn't it have been cool if there was some duke you had to find and rescue in the Exalted Plains? That would have gotten you a pass and a way in. And then same deal in EG and they already had a character built in just for the role...Fairbanks.

Yeah good idea! I mean just anything to interconnect the world around and the plot.

Yeah Fairbanks is just there. For nothing. But he could have played a role in a game with his noble origin

[We'll bang okay]

I thought it was a good start. I just hope they keep it and build upon it and not cut it like most things Bioware try's and if anyone says anything bad about it they just cut it. 

[Jeniva]

I liked the open world to start with. WOAH much exploring, much world. Then it was: oh look another '?' kill me now, the completionist in me must go collect them all. *wants to die* just one more...rift....one more...shard...

 

I've replayed a few times but half way through my latest playthrough I lost the will to be bothered. If it was more linear I would just replay non stop. 

Have open world. But...smaller maps, MORE DECENT quests, less collecting crap.

[Ponendus]

Trespasser was structured exactly how the base game should have been structured. Lot's of 'Tressspasser' style storylines that branch off into areas, but the story drives it, not the environment. This is exactly how DA:O worked and why it was so successful. You arrive at a destination and you get lost in that destinations fully fleshed out story, full with cutscenes, characters etc.

 

Open-world is 100%, totally unnecessary, and I really, really hope BioWare understands that for the next Dragon Age.

[Ponendus]

  I LOVED THE HUGE AREAS! I loved them soooooooooo mutch ... feeling like in Baldurs Gate again.

 

 

What I don't understand a bit: In Skyrim there are huge maps with a lot of stupid random Quest and Items and enemies and stuff like this. Everybody was like: "This is soooo wonderful, Bethesda, we love you, well done!".

In DAI I see similar Maps (a bit smaller) and the people are like: "They are horrible, to mutch little items, things to collect and side quest, we hate it, we hate you Bioware!"

 

 

Fans of each series play for different reasons. We don't need another Skyrim, which is all about getting lost in the world, we have that already - it's called "Skyrim"!

 

Bioware needs to stop trying to be something else and just be Bioware. Everytime they do they smash it out of the park (like this latest Tresppasser DLC - absolutely outstanding). I can't understand why they keep straying from their path personally.

[Al Foley]

My god are we acually reaching a consensus?  That no matter what they do, bottom line each area we visit must have some connectivity to the plot? 

[solomon.kosin]

My god are we acually reaching a consensus? That no matter what they do, bottom line each area we visit must have some connectivity to the plot?

Nicely summarised. Lets petition that to BW=)