First off let me say that the game was awsome, even though you guys and ladies at Bioware had a deadline to meet (sort of). Everything was sublime, truly worthy of a BG2 spiritual successor. However, for all its glory, there were some aspects of the game that could have been much more than what they are right now.
I'll post only some of what I would have liked to see, though I know none of it will probably never come to pass.
First off, game dynamics:
Finishing moves were awsome and the skills were decent. However, the game felt incomplete. For one, there were no combo moves (dual sweep+ riposte+ punisher for instance), even though spell combinations were implemented. In such combos, the awesomeness factor would have been really something and enemies should be able to counter or fail to counter such an assault depending on cunning, willpower, str, dex etc. Maybe a DLC can help out with this?
Weapon skills: What let me wishing was the fact that there are no throwing weapons (except for that knife in the city elf origin). Another things is that there is no unarmed combat skill tree, nor is there a tree for single-weapon fighting. And where's the pike-twirler's pike? :police:It also bugged me that, even though my character had the highest strength score in eons, I never had the opportunity to get up close and personal with my opponents( smash their faces, grab them by the neck, throw them, immobilize them, have them crush into each other, stab each other by accident, break/chop off their darksapwn blood-filed limbs etc.)
I would also have liked to be able to jump, though I suppose people can't usually jump when wearing 100 kilos of steel/dragonbone. Leliana did jump quite a lot in that sacred ashes trailer though, just saying.
Another thing. weapon skills for arcane warriors. There's no reason they can't know how to swing a sword more skillfully no? Of course, there are already mods that address this, fortunately.
Enough about game mechanics. The game itself.
I'll start saying that I first finished the game as a human noble rogue and while I fel immersed, I was completely blown away by the Dwarf Noble. Initially, I only started the DN playthrough out of curiosity and to unlock the Kinslayer achievement. Then I couldn't stop until I finished the game with him. There is, however, something that bugs me about the origin itself.
You didn't have a choice. The game uses a deus ex machina to make you completely oblivious and not even suspect that Bhelen is plotting something. The start of the origin says how you struggled for prestige and how you were popular and respected. This obviouly means you were sly enough to thwart the plans of whoever tried to poison you or discredit you. I would have expected more of a choice. When confronted with Lord Dace, I would ask for information, find out about the plot against me while doing the right thing for the surfacers, good for House Aeducan or not. Then, when Bhelen warns me, I thought it was awfully convenient and when he said "You're my elder, I'll respect any decision you make" it raised a red flag. Trian was also his elder, was he not? regardless of how annoying the heir was, this single line of Bhelen's was enough for me to see through his othersie 'sublte as sin' lines.
It seems unreasonable that the game forces the Pride of Aeducan, as he is practically nicknamd, to sleep immediately afterwards. How can anyone sleep nowing his brother is going to try and kill him? If I were him, and was an honorable dwarf in a 'den of thieves and assassins', I would have went straight to my father, interrupted the 'strategy meeting', taken Endrin and Train to a side, and maybe Harrowmont, and tell them I suspect Bhelen is plotting something. I would reprimand Train for going along wit wanting to kill me, give him a good word bashing for being an idiot and thinking 'm after his throne. Then I would offer to supprot Trian as king, since I preffer protecting Orzammar without being fettered by stupid intrigue and strife. I don't want to be king and Harromont should be able to help Train out with his rule somewhat.
Train would rule Orzammar while I would protect her, exactly as I tell Wynne I would later in the story. Then I would willingly offer to leave Orzammar if it would make Train more content, since I told Duncan I want to be a Grey Warden already. For all his bluster, Train, along with Endrin, would be completely taken by surprise, and my 'legendary charm' would make them see thatI am serious. Bhelen's plans would crumble and I would still become a Grey Warden.
Keep in mind that that this would still end up bad enough for Orzammar to need me later. Bhelen would be exiled, but his supporters would smuggle him back into
the city. Endrin would then be poisoned by Bhelen's supporters, Trian would not be dubbed king by the assembly but with Harrowmont on his side, the situation of the unsettled throne would still arise.
Regardless, the point is that the DN origin is too forced. there should at least have been some way to make the assembly still call for you. Even if the rumors about you being considered for the throne were part lies spread by Bhelen in his slow plot to poison Trian against you, some supporters you still had. You didn't become the city's most popular, and youngest, commander for nothing.
Another thing is that I would have LOVED to be able to rush to Trian's rescue from the castless mercenaries, maybe even take a blow for him in the process. He's still my brother after all.
What else? Companion loyalty.
It always bothered me that, except for some lines, my companions always either agreed or disagreed with something. I would have liked to see them stand up for me once in a while. For instance, when Loghain shows up before the landsmeet, with Cauthrien, and Cauthrien calls the Warden a churl, Leliana would use her bardic wit to put her in her place, Morrigan would summon some bees to sting her after she left and Oghren, who, let's face it, is the most loyal of all companions, would put his sword to her throat and demand that she take her words back or feel the blade more closely.
The defense of the Gates of Denerim could have been done so much better. There should also have been certain decisions that the leader (Oghren, Sten etc) would make, depending on their approval of the warden (Retreat, charge, stay cool-headed etc.) It would also havebeen fun if the performace during the defense was partially dependent on past actions. For instance, if Oghren was in the party when the Warden did something heroic,(Defense of Redcliffe without anyone dying for instance) he would remember and adapt the same tactic to the situation, emulatng the Warden's behavior and getting one step closer to victory. Also, if he failed to get back together with Felsi, he would be more willing to die and would, thus, be more reckless. Sten would make similar decision, depending on whetehr he hd recover his 'soul' or not.
I would have wanted more army control at the end, though choices during cinematics or somesuch. Also, the Vigil's Keep defense was, sorry to say, awful. Nothing tactical about it, at all.
Controlled cinematic would also have been good. Some slow motion, during which a dialog choice can determine whether the next blow you make is fatal or not. The amount of choices would depend on cunning, dexterity, strength, remainig health and whether or not you're in a berserk state. Fighing Bhelen at the crowning of the king would have been enhanced by something like this. It would have also allowed the DN to intimidate a surviving Bhelen into admitting his machinations.
The Warden was too outraged in some situations. He should have had a variety of much wiser lines, especially with high cunning, and there were really only two roads he could take: of a a good badass or an evil badass. The prince, after more than a year of living with his falure, would be more than aware that saying "I was framed!!!!" wouldn't work. When I talked to Trian's lover in Tapster's tavern, I would have liked to have the option of telling her that she is right about me being responsible for Trian's death, since it was my own blindness that allowed his demise.
I really admire what you guys did with the DN origin, but, whether you know it or not, you were incredibly cruel to Endrin's second child and you didn't give him as much credit as the origin's introduction sequence claims. Great job with Endrin though, and Bhelen was definitely a worthy adversary, though he was aided by hardcoding quite a bit..
A final thing: Saving more wardens. I would have loved the DN and the Dwarf Commoners to become paragons together, truly making history.
Enough for now, my thanks to whoever was patient enough to read though this.
P.S.
ALLOW CHANGING THE MOUTH AND CHEEKS during bearded dwarf character creation next time. It was a pain to make my Raonar Aeducan look glamorous enough for the Leliana romance to actually make sense (I had to use the trick of aing the beard as the very last click of the mouse). Allowing this in the next patch would also be awesome, thanks.
Modifié par Raonar, 07 juin 2010 - 06:20 .
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