DLAN_Immortality wrote...
MoSa09 wrote...
I have given the new and old systems some thoughts what i like/dislike and why as well as what can be done better, and how can it be done better, in my opinion. Be aware, long wall of text incoming.
1. I prefer clicking on characters than objects to intiate a conversation. You can argue it's just on click either way, and i can't argue against that. It just feels strange from a more realistic point of view, if i want to talk to about one's family, to stare at a picture until that one realizes i want to talk about his family. If i want to talk to someone, i start talking to him or her. To me, it feels more natural
2. Especially in the beginning, when you meet new characters and recruit them to your party, it makes the most sense to ask them some personal questions and i think that not be scraped. I mean, i did never meet this guy before, i do not know him, and still he now fight's by my site and is responsible to guard my back. Therefore, i should be able to ask some basic personal question to get a general idea of this one. To shed blood together and save each others life but not being able to talk about some basic personal things would feel really arkward.
3. I like the idea that companions talk about some things they see during a quest and sometimes intiate a conversation. But i don't think clicking on objects to do this is the best way. Apart from that it feels strange to start a rather personal talk by using an object, you always run around pressing "tab" so that you do not miss a dialogue. As someone before already said, it would probably feel more natural if that party member would just make a remark and then you can click on him and ask him what he or she thinks. For example when you first enter Denerim with Morrigan, she makes a remark about the city and it's life. So one way to do it could be that as long as you remain in the area for the first time, you can click on her and ask her what she meant with the comment and what she thinks, maybe intiate a conversation about her previous life in the wilds, that she always wanted to visit the big cities and stuff. To me, that would feel somewhat more natural than clicking objects, and it would spare you running around pressing "tab" to avoid missing a dialogue trigger.
4. I still like to talk in camp, it adds a great extent to the atmosphere and the characters coming alive. I see the point of trying to avoid having peole runnig around talking to everyone to check if they have something new to say. One possible way to avoid is using plot signs above their heads, but i don't like that really, it always reduces them to mere quest giver objects in my very own personal view. I rather like an idea already mentioned here, that they behave differently. For example, Sten is always wandering around in camp., Maybe if they have something important to say, they could behave like him, appearing somewhat restless, and when you're getting close, calling you out like "do you have a moment" or "can we talk". That's a way to check if they have something new to say without needing to talk to them.
5. I am one of those geeks who sometimes stayed one hour in camp just to talk to companions or sneak a kiss from my love, even if they had nothing new to say, it just felt so close to them and enjoyed the feeling of companionship that i would love to have this back. Maybe some kind of middle ground between both would be to be able to click and ask them something like "how do you feel" or "Is everything okay", and they shortly respond based on approval and maybe if they are romanced or not. That way, no need to add huge random conversations, those who don't like that kind of convo don't have to use it while those who like get some talk with their friends. Also, if you implement romances, it's easy to just add a second dialogue tree fo the romance partner that leads to the romance dialogue options. And just on a personal note, i miss that i can't talk to a companion all the time. After we all just suvived fighting a whole bunch of enemies, it is somewhat relaxing and comforting to click on a companion and share some few words. But that's personal feeling and not a well reasoned argument i know, but i wanted to add this nevertheless.
6. I understand the issue that you get to know that companions best that you take along all the time, and to some degree, that is already the case in Origins. You never get to know the depth of a character unless you take him along. But as others pointed out, the ones you take along are also influenced by your own class and the need to have an effective party. So while i agree you may not get to know everything about the ones that stay in camp, you should be able to learn something about them that is more than just "oh hey, we seldomly speak, but here is my personal quest". One way to avoid this might be that you just have your whole party around more often than just always the same three people. I can think of two different ways to do this
6.A. Random encounters on the road. I always wondered, when for example, i travelled from Denerim to the Frostback mountains, i just had the same three people with me, but when i arrived at Frostback and instead of proceeding simply return to camp, everyone was there. Maybe at such randon encounters, as you obviously travel with everyone, all should be present (some kind of battle style like in Denerim where you only control your Warden), that would give the ones that are usually left behind a chance to shine and start a dialogue on their own to get to know them better. Or, if you enter a city where there is no real fight, the party members you do not use could explore that city on their own and than later in camp simply tell you about that dialogue trigger you missed because they weren't part of your party and initiate the conversation that way.
6.B. A second way to do this is to get every companion a job to do. I always pretented my remaining party in camps would nevertheless do important things than simply gaze into the fire and wait for my return. For example, one skilled in herbalism could produce some potions or look for ingredients while you're away and when you return, you see that you have some new health potions while others hunt for food, watch/ guard the camp or check in the local town/tavern for some supplies and gossip. That activity might also be used as a trigger for conversation "while hunting, i found this..." and then they tell you something personal or might lead to some new quests like "while at that inn, i heard an interesting rumor we might want to check out". And moreover, it would give the remaining ones something to do instead of simply wait.
Wow, i apologize for that long posts, i could easily write more but i stop here. I tried to give some thoughts what i think and what and how something can be done. Just my very own personal two cents of course.
On a more personal note, the old dialogue system had a natural feeling of smooth and fluid conversation to me. The new system always feels somewhat contrived and forced
Oh, wow, this is reading everything I wanted to say.
Awesome post.
I think maybe a hybrid of both systems may work. But the system as it is now is definitely lacking. Maybe for Awakening, which is a rather short expansion it works better. I just can't picture this alone in DA2.
In any case, thank you for listening, Bioware!!
That is a wonderful post.
I just finished my first play through of the expansion, and I was trying to keep an open mind until I actually finished the game at least once.
I understand this is an expansion, and a separated adventure for the Grey Wardens while we are waiting for DA2 to come out, but I must say I missed the depth of Dragon Age Origins. I loved sitting around in camp talking to my party members in DAO. I could easily do that for an hour, as the above person posted. I so enjoyed hearing Liliana's stories. I cannot tell you how many times I reloaded the game just to hear every dialog choice from every character.
I really did play Dragon Age Origins completely through to the end 6 times. Each time, I selected a different class or race. I played through with both female and male characters. In each play through I took a different mix of characters so that I wouldn't miss out on their banter or conversation. I wanted to drink in every bit of dialog the game had to offer. Varying the well developed characters in my playthroughs made each new game a pleasure, and a different experience. I also enjoyed the little plot variations for each race.
As a female game player, I get so tired of games that are only targeted to young males. I play some of them, but they do not hold my interest like Dragon Age Origins. The first play through of DOA, I exclaimed, "I can't believe a game studio made a game for me!" I adored the romances in DOA; Alistair swept me off my feet, and Zevran was quite a delight in another play through. I was just so overwhelmed that a game company created a few characters that were written for a female gamer to enjoy. As I stated before, I tried to soak in every bit of conversation. The conversations were funny, intelligent, sometimes touching, well written, and fabulously performed. I actually would welcome more dialog options, not less. I know that the largest game demographic is young males, but please, don't forget the female gamers. We buy games too, and I have recommended DOA to every female gamer I know.
In fact DOA was the reason I went out and bought Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2. So, really, you sold me 4 games including the DA expansion in a short amount of time, just because I loved the romance, dialog, repeat playability, and story of Dragon Age Origins. My hubby was equally impressed so he also got a complete set of the 4 Bioware games. Yes, that is 8 games total just because DOA was so well written and excecuted. It is really so rare that we both carry on about the same game. His love was Morrigan and I favored Alistair, but the amazing point here is that we both had characters we could care deeply about because of the dialog, romance, and depth of story.
If some people don't like the romances and the dialog, it seemed pretty easy to tell a character that you were "just friends", or not talk to them at all. Or, if need be, just have an button in the options menu to turn on or off the extra dialog and romance options. But, for those of us that do enjoy the conversation, the romance, and the depth of the character, please don't take it away. It is what sets your games apart from all the others, and has me sold on Bioware as a game company. Unfortunately this depth was sadly lacking in the expansion. Please bring it back in Dragon Age Origins 2. I like caring about the characters enough that I bite my lip fretting about what is going to happen to them. It is what makes the adventure come alive.
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