I think the tactical/micro aspect comes up often for me on hardcore/nightmare. But never in DAI... I heard different about the DLC, but at this point, I don't care.
They're just getting easier in general. ME3 was the same way. Only Grissom challenged me on insanity.. that's pretty good. At least the first time. edit: Oh and those mirror matches. That's too much for me actually.
Still have yet to complete ME3 on insanity. I was just about to start the point of no return, when I bought an Xbox One. So, unless I plug my 360 back in, I won't ever finish it.
I actually would like Bioware to go DA2 route in terms of writing "smaller" people-centered stories instead of these epic world is ending stories.
I think the tactical/micro aspect comes up often for me on hardcore/nightmare. But never in DAI... I heard different about the DLC, but at this point, I don't care.
They're just getting easier in general. ME3 was the same way. Only Grissom challenged me on insanity.. that's pretty good. At least the first time. edit: Oh and those mirror matches. That's too much for me actually.
There's nothing really superior about Dragon Age 2 per se to be honest, but there is nothing demonstrably inferior either compared to other Bioware games.
I perceive it to be, or rather it simply is, "the most honest" game Bioware has made.
It was criticized primarily for reasons that are unjustified such as..
1. It simplified the hardcore RPG form, Bioware games had already been simplifying the RPG form and their ability to make hardcore RPGs was in doubt from their very first CRPG. (Not games in general mind you, which I can play and enjoy still and find them ok)
2. Making every character bisexual, the fact is, pretty much every Bioware character is bisexual on some level, from their very first RPG. The substance of a character like Jaheira is the same as someone like Fenris. The only thing they changed was putting labels on everything or the precise gender or context or whatever, the length of character interactions, etc.
I suggest it now because there has been no indication what direction MEA is going, and I think it would be smart to just make their business a lot simpler and just make a small scale travel to Sci Fi city, simplified classes and abilities that just look cool or whatever, work your way to the top narrative rather than Reapers vs. everything, because even if those experiences are marginally more engaging it clearly consumes great resources and energy to do them for not much gain and for not really any substantial differences.
Look at the tower assault in Ostagar and compare it to the prologue of Dragon Age 2, it's identical in every single conceivable way right down to getting a few temporary companions, fighting an Ogre at the end, being saved by Flemeth who gives you something in exchange for something else, you have a handful of special abilities you probably are going to need, reliance on heal potions, fighting darkspawn...
It's like the exact same game but sped up and slightly more cogent and confident.
Look at the tower assault in Ostagar and compare it to the prologue of Dragon Age 2, it's identical in every single conceivable way right down to getting a few temporary companions, fighting an Ogre at the end, being saved by Flemeth who gives you something in exchange for something else, you have a handful of special abilities you probably are going to need, reliance on heal potions, fighting darkspawn...
It's like the exact same game but sped up and slightly more cogent and confident.
Well... Flemeth is hotter at least.
In any case, they're both better intros than DAI. Pretty much everything I cared about was destroyed on the title screen.
Actually to be honest, they should even make it more small scale than Dragon Age 2.
Bioware isn't really a game company so much as kind of branch of regular TV and Movie media that just happened to focus on subject matter and themes somewhat removed from what the mainstream tends to cover in those arenas. And that they happened to make those media in a more interactive format which happened to at times channel gaming themes from RPGs in general.
Their next game should be like Roger Tempteron, ace mercenary sci-fi detective and Valenda Queens, his hot tempered and sarcastic femme fatale companion as the journey across the galaxies searching for fame, fortunes, and rub shoulders with and learn about alien civilizations in the hotbed of Andromedan galactic civilization and second foundational city, Mashabelanas.
As such, it would also be, completely and utterly appropriate and important, if Bioware developers, fans, etc, would stop speaking for or on matters of "gaming" generally at least as much... considering their role as a company that doesn't even really make pure games in the first place. Nothing is more annoying than watching people trot out their history of die rolling as I hop over enemies with super skills like wolverine and press the explosion button.
Or rather, they and their fans should know that their role isn't as a crafter of genuinely hardcore RPGs, or deep and immersive action platformers or something, but as some kind of waystation between those and other media. I've played... many games.. and I don't know where Bioware stands in relation to some random thing I rented at a Blockbuster some time ago, I simply know they are in fact.. closer to conventional media.. and many games as games are just not good games... and.. so on.
I was just looking at the end of Dragon Age 2 again and noticing how severely bungled and inept things got towards the ending as they trended towards a "save the world epic" sort of resolution, once again them over-estimating themselves in that regard.
Look at the tower assault in Ostagar and compare it to the prologue of Dragon Age 2, it's identical in every single conceivable way right down to getting a few temporary companions, fighting an Ogre at the end, being saved by Flemeth who gives you something in exchange for something else, you have a handful of special abilities you probably are going to need, reliance on heal potions, fighting darkspawn...
It's like the exact same game but sped up and slightly more cogent and confident.
A good observation.
However, the difference for me was that unlike DA2, DAO didn't land horribly on its face when trying to squeeze out some drama. When your sibling dies in the DA2 prologue, the situation is so stupid that it drowns out any possible dramatic moment.
"Raaah I hate you darkspawn so much!"
*charge*
*splat*
When mommy dearest wailed "Oh how could you let him/her charge off like that", I was still like "wtf did I just watch?"
I would love, love, love a game about a small scale personal conflict. I'm tired of saving my world (and having to buy my own ammunition while doing it). The thing is, how do you make a premise like ME:A small and personal? Maybe by limiting it to a small part of the galaxy, having it be about a conspiracy that affects maybe just a single colony? I think I'd like that. There can be only so many galaxy-wide threats until they begin to feel like routine.
A good observation.
However, the difference for me was that unlike DA2, DAO didn't land horribly on its face when trying to squeeze out some drama. When your sibling dies in the DA2 prologue, the situation is so stupid that it drowns out any possible dramatic moment.
"Raaah I hate you darkspawn so much!"
*charge*
*splat*
When mommy dearest wailed "Oh how could you let him/her charge off like that", I was still like "wtf did I just watch?"
I would love, love, love a game about a small scale personal conflict. I'm tired of saving my world (and having to buy my own ammunition while doing it). The thing is, how do you make a premise like ME:A small and personal? Maybe by limiting it to a small part of the galaxy, having it be about a conspiracy that affects maybe just a single colony? I think I'd like that. There can be only so many galaxy-wide threats until they begin to feel like routine.
Well Dragon Age 1 just didn't try and squeeze out some drama... besides there have been more uninspiring cases of drama.
How did you like my 5 seconds made up slightly cheeky not intended to be taken super literally pitch for MEA as small and personal?
"Their next game should be like Roger Tempteron, ace mercenary sci-fi detective and Valenda Queens, his hot tempered and sarcastic femme fatale companion as the journey across the galaxies searching for fame, fortunes, and rub shoulders with and learn about alien civilizations in the hotbed of Andromedan galactic civilization and second foundational city, Mashabelanas."
Like think of the beginning of Blade Runner, it's just Harrison Ford in some bar in he middle of this great big city beyond him, basically just a cop right? I don't even really like Blade Runner but it was clearly sci fi and small scale.
Bioware doesn't have to be so plain, there could be jokes at light speed teleportation and stuff.
There is also an anime called Cowboy Bebop that features Bounty Hunters in a kind of space drift.. once again... not my favorite, but it's clearly happened.
I mean really they sould probably just make Firefly, which again... not a superfan... I'm just saying, this identity is pretty clear to me and trying to do more is getting them into a heap of trouble.
Personally it is kind of annoying to have all these world shatteing things suddenly become just about random space adventures, but in retrospect looking at all the Bioware games they are frequently kind of a mess because of that.
It seems to me if there is an essential difference, ME4 would be more sad in tone, in keeping with that kind of grimdarkness of Dragon Age 2, murderous androids, like, horrible ghastly... reprogramming something, whatever.. have it all there...
BUT the essential difference is they do not try and resolve all those things.. why... because they kinda just can't, but even more importantly, they do not need to, they might like or want to, but they don't need to.
Actually to be honest, they should even make it more small scale than Dragon Age 2.
Bioware isn't really a game company so much as kind of branch of regular TV and Movie media that just happened to focus on subject matter and themes somewhat removed from what the mainstream tends to cover in those arenas. And that they happened to make those media in a more interactive format which happened to at times channel gaming themes from RPGs in general.
Their next game should be like Roger Tempteron, ace mercenary sci-fi detective and Valenda Queens, his hot tempered and sarcastic femme fatale companion as the journey across the galaxies searching for fame, fortunes, and rub shoulders with and learn about alien civilizations in the hotbed of Andromedan galactic civilization and second foundational city, Mashabelanas.
As such, it would also be, completely and utterly appropriate and important, if Bioware developers, fans, etc, would stop speaking for or on matters of "gaming" generally at least as much... considering their role as a company that doesn't even really make pure games in the first place. Nothing is more annoying than watching people trot out their history of die rolling as I hop over enemies with super skills like wolverine and press the explosion button.
Or rather, they and their fans should know that their role isn't as a crafter of genuinely hardcore RPGs, or deep and immersive action platformers or something, but as some kind of waystation between those and other media. I've played... many games.. and I don't know where Bioware stands in relation to some random thing I rented at a Blockbuster some time ago, I simply know they are in fact.. closer to conventional media.. and many games as games are just not good games... and.. so on.
I was just looking at the end of Dragon Age 2 again and noticing how severely bungled and inept things got towards the ending as they trended towards a "save the world epic" sort of resolution, once again them over-estimating themselves in that regard.
I think they're pretty radical actually.. under the guise of some innocence and convention. Conventional media would never have a Qunari romance, for one. It's monstrous. Or the idea of random bums changing people's religions and politics. That's the dream of a crazy highschool kid. 
I think they're pretty radical actually.. under the guise of some convention. Conventional media would never have a Qunari romance, for one. It's monstrous.
Compared to what though? I mean compared to video games in general, as a media which ignores the entire fundamental essence of a video game as being primarily interactive?
Compared to Hollywood and TV movies? I would characterize as exactly as some kind of waystation in the middle.
Bioware is not radical, they are the farthest branch of mainstream, the tipping point I guess.
By the way interactivity isn't my bellweather for "video game" necessarily.
That's the dream of a crazy highschool kid.
They are much older than that.
Compared to what though? I mean compared to video games in general, as a media which ignores the entire fundamental essence of a video game as being primarily interactive?
Compared to Hollywood and TV movies? I would characterize as exactly as some kind of waystation in the middle.
Bioware is not radical, they are the farthest branch of mainstream, the tipping point I guess.
By the way interactivity isn't my bellweather for "video game" necessarily.
I guess if you're going to compare RPGs, it may be pretty mild. Even Games Workshop just destroyed their own setting, in favor of chaos.
I guess if you're going to compare RPGs, it may be pretty mild. Even Games Workshop just destroyed their own setting, in favor of chaos.
You mean chaos in the setting? Like Slaanesh? Or you mean chaos game wise?
Or do you mean game iterations of Warhammer or the tabletop versions? I've never played the tabletop version of Warhammer, the tabletop version of D&D specifically 2e is more hardcore than most game RPGs.
The examples are more common than you might think though, Final Fantasy 3 (like actually 3, not 6) for instance is a pretty hardcore RPG, in the sense that everything is detailed and you play being mindful of all the stats and variables, and are generally rewarded for doing so.
Final Fantasy X, not so much... maybe... can't say specifically.
Skyrim? Sure. Morrowind? No. Dark Age of Camelot? No.
But even if all that were true.... none of these things are necessarily representative of gaming generally either.
You mean chaos in the setting? Like Slaanesh? Or you mean chaos game wise?
Or do you mean game iterations of Warhammer or the tabletop versions? I've never played the tabletop version of Warhammer, the tabletop version of D&D specifically 2e is more hardcore than most game RPGs.
The examples are more common than you might think though, Final Fantasy 3 (like actually 3, not 6) for instance is a pretty hardcore RPG, in the sense that everything is detailed and you play being mindful of all the stats and variables, and are generally rewarded for doing so.
Final Fantasy X, not so much, Chrono Cross, more in the other directon, Xenogears, more in the other direction. Tales of Destiny? Maybe. Destiny 2? No.
Skyrim? Sure. Morrowind? No. Dark Age of Camelot? No.
They destroted Warhammer Fantasy (a bit Monty Python mixed with High Fantasy, I guess), and yeah, created a new setting from the ashes. Age of Sigmar.
"Their next game should be like Roger Tempteron, ace mercenary sci-fi detective and Valenda Queens, his hot tempered and sarcastic femme fatale companion as the journey across the galaxies searching for fame, fortunes, and rub shoulders with and learn about alien civilizations in the hotbed of Andromedan galactic civilization and second foundational city, Mashabelanas."
Like think of the beginning of Blade Runner, it's just Harrison Ford in some bar in he middle of this great big city beyond him, basically just a cop right? I don't even really like Blade Runner but it was clearly sci fi and small scale.
If this was a game description on Steam, I'd click "Add to wishlist" right now.
But BioWare seems to think that their audience wants more epic, more world-shattering events, not less of it. And they are going with the "exploration" theme now, which to me seems like a clever way of saying that there won't be big city hubs. It makes me worry that ME:A's colonies will turn out to be Val Royeaux in space - a small stage to prop up some static quest NPCs instead of a living, breathing city rich with intrigue and adventure.
If this was a game description on Steam, I'd click "Add to wishlist" right now.
But BioWare seems to think that their audience wants more epic, more world-shattering events, not less of it. And they are going with the "exploration" theme now, which to me seems like a clever way of saying that there won't be big city hubs. It makes me worry that ME:A's colonies will turn out to be Val Royeaux in space - a small stage to prop up some static quest NPCs instead of a living, breathing city rich with intrigue and adventure.
Right and now we're back where we started, Bioware seems to think their "audience" wants more epic, world-shattering events.
They destroted Warhammer Fantasy (a bit Monty Python mixed with High Fantasy, I guess), and yeah, created a new setting from the ashes. Age of Sigmar.
Well that's dumb, chaos was the only interesting thing about Warhammer, precisely because it implied that the "evil" faction was actually at least just a product of chaos. Guess I'll stick to Last Stand Dawn of War 2 for awhile.
Warhammer Online was actually also a pretty solid RPG, even though it was pretty mainstream, although it doesn't exist anymore.
Right and now we're back where we started, Bioware seems to think their audience more epic, world-shattering events.
You know what Bioware thinks of as
Well that's dumb, chaos was the only interesting thing about Warhammer, precisely because it implied that the "evil" faction was actually at least just purely random. Guess I'll stick to Last Stand Dawn of War 2 for awhile.
Warhammer Online was actually also a pretty solid RPG, even though it was pretty mainstream, although it doesn't exist anymore.
i wanted to like it, but it was a little late.. I was burned out on mmos by then.
You mean chaos in the setting? Like Slaanesh? Or you mean chaos game wise?
They released a series of Warhammer: End Times novels, which is exactly what it says on the label: the world ends because the chaos gods win. Everyone dies.
Sigmar is the sole survivor and the centerpiece of their new tabletop wargaming product, "Age of Sigmar", which is to replace Warhammer fantasy battle.
GW's shareholders apparently weren't happy with the profit from the fantasy tabletop, so something new and more streamlined had to be made to replace it.
But BioWare seems to think that their audience wants more epic, more world-shattering events, not less of it.
That's because some fans do. What we have here are cycles. BioWare will release its "save the world" game and then people will complain about your character being Jesus all the time. Then BioWare will try to do something small scale and people complain your choices don't matter. It's a push-pull relationship since BioWare has fans who like both types of games.
They released a series of Warhammer: End Times novels, which is exactly what it says on the label: the world ends because the chaos gods win. Everyone dies.
Sigmar is the sole survivor and the centerpiece of their new tabletop wargaming product, "Age of Sigmar", which is to replace Warhammer fantasy battle.
GW's shareholders apparently weren't happy with the profit from the fantasy tabletop, so something new and more streamlined had to be made to replace it.
Well it sounds like they made Chaos batcrazy evil anyway... meh.
That's because some fans do. What we have here are cycles. BioWare will release its "save the world" game and then people will complain about your character being Jesus all the time. Then BioWare will try to do something small scale and people complain your choices don't matter. It's a push-pull relationship since BioWare has fans who like both types of games.
And yet no one has pointed out that one way or another, they aren't all that different from each other?
Because believe it or not, they aren't all that different than each other.
Moreover, in the comparison, the smaller scale stuff wins because the larger scale stuff tends to involve Bioware devs and fans colliding with themes beyond their reach.
Another "Dragon Age 2" style game doesn't mean "Dragon Age 2," think about it, much of Dragon Age 2's story revolved around Origins in general, the aftermath of the blight, that's why there was a refugee crisis, a product of Dragon Age 1's world-building and ideologies.
The primary reason people enjoyed Dragon Age 2 was because of things like sarcastic femhawke, so taking the essence of Dragon Age 2 out means you actually have something that highlights Bioware's primary strengths, which is all their jokey silliness and sarcasm and neat backstab animations.
You don't lose Alistair or all the Dragon Age 1 things that people like because you make MEA like Dragon Age 2, you might actually get more Alistair like stuff because now they are free to focus entirely on that.
You simply lose a lot of te Dragon Age 1 stuff people don't like, and overall you might end up satisfying both parties.
That's because some fans do. What we have here are cycles. BioWare will release its "save the world" game and then people will complain about your character being Jesus all the time. Then BioWare will try to do something small scale and people complain your choices don't matter. It's a push-pull relationship since BioWare has fans who like both types of games.
But that does look to me like the "choices don't matter" complaint was misunderstood. For example, I felt that my choices mattered little in DA2 because in the end, I had to off both Meredith and Orsino anyway. Leandra always died. Grace always turned against you. It would be nice it there could have been different outcomes to those things. It does not really follow that this complaint comes from a desire for more epic events. But that's just me, of course.
And yet no one has pointed out that one way or another, they aren't all that different from each other?
Because believe it or not, they aren't all that different than each other.
Moreover, in the comparison, the smaller scale stuff wins because the larger scale stuff tends to involve Bioware devs and fans colliding with themes beyond their reach.
Another "Dragon Age 2" style game doesn't mean "Dragon Age 2," think about it, much of Dragon Age 2's story revolved around Origins in general, the aftermath of the blight, that's why there was a refugee crisis, a product of Dragon Age 1's world-building and ideologies.
The primary reason people enjoyed Dragon Age 2 was because of things like sarcastic femhawke, so taking the essence of Dragon Age 2 out means you actually have something that highlights Bioware's primary strengths, which is all their jokey silliness and sarcasm and neat backstab animations.
You don't lose Alistair or all the Dragon Age 1 things that people like because you make MEA like Dragon Age 2, you might actually get more Alistair like stuff because now they are free to focus entirely on that.
You simply lose a lot of te Dragon Age 1 stuff people don't like, which, as I've made clear and other threads, is stuff like (but not limited to) the City Elf origin.
I liked it because it was a mix of those DAO themes..... and Scarface
And yet no one has pointed out that one way or another, they aren't all that different from each other?
Because believe it or not, they aren't all that different than each other.
Moreover, in the comparison, the smaller scale stuff wins because the larger scale stuff tends to involve Bioware devs and fans colliding with themes beyond their reach.
Another "Dragon Age 2" style game doesn't mean "Dragon Age 2," think about it, much of Dragon Age 2's story revolved around Origins in general, the aftermath of the blight, that's why there was a refugee crisis, a product of Dragon Age 1's world-building and ideologies.
The primary reason people enjoyed Dragon Age 2 was because of things like sarcastic femhawke, so taking the essence of Dragon Age 2 out means you actually have something that highlights Bioware's primary strengths, which is all their jokey silliness and sarcasm.
You don't lose Alistair because you make MEA like Dragon Age 2, you might actually get more Alistair like stuff because now they are free to focus entirely on that.
Well it sounds like they made Chaos batcrazy evil anyway... meh.
Worse.
Chaos learned to cooperate... which kinda makes it less chaos. 
At least it says so in the intro to Vermintide.
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