Dragon Age...
My dog looks like a puppy/rat now...haha. Also, I accidentally touched some dry ice and it BURNED...
I recently saw the newest video for Saints Row the Third and I'm pretty excited for it. I won't buy it day one, but I loved Saints Row 2. It's a little gruesome for me, but looks like good fun.
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Done with my first meme since...who knows when?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3
I'm someone who loves both games...for different reasons. I really believe that given enough time, DAII could've been amazing, though I'm not sure if even then it would appeal to people who wanted DAOII vs. DAII.
To change:
- Bridging gameplay and story
One major complaint about Dragon Age II's story is how some (or...a lot) of it doesn't make sense. I think at least some of this can be amended by building a bridge between gameplay and story. It's going to take more work, obviously, but since story is such a large part of the Dragon Age games, problems that arise by not doing this are much more apparent.
For instance, one of the biggest story issues is Orsino going Harvester in the endgame if you side with the mages. Since you have your entire party with you at the time, most people (like me) felt as though they were kicking serious ass, and Orsino's decision to give up face and go blood mage due to "hope being lost" came out of left field. If, instead, the battle had been incredibly difficult, and characters reacted to mages around you dying at high numbers, it wouldn't have been as annoying. Or maybe the Veil tears and demon comes out and possesses Orsino. I don't know, but whatever the case, not what does happen.
Similarly, a mage Hawke running nonchalantly around Kirkwall is just one big plothole (not to mention blood mage Hawke, which wasn't as well integrated as Origins). This is one that would take more work to fix, but if they're going to make the mage/templar war such an integral part of the plot, I wish they would do the work it takes to make it so, instead of just copping it up to not wanting to "punish" people who play a mage class. I want to be punished.
Another example: abominations rising out of the ground, stated specifically by a dev to be due to the separation of gameplay and story...
- Cameos that are more than cameos
BioWare is now becoming the company to beat when it comes to RPGs in which your decisions are reflected in future installments. Unfortunately, some of these decisions surface as boring cameos (think Kaidan/Ashley in ME2). King Alistair in particular comes to mind (I actually like Warden Alistair). I like cameos, but I really wish cameos could somehow amount to something more than an appearance in which they spout off a summary of their previous game existence. "Swooping is bad!" I love it, but I don't. I do like when they're fighting on your side (Finding Nathaniel in particular is pretty decent, though something beyond a battle would be great).
- Aesthetics: No more repeated environments, low rez elves/humans, better mage outfits, lively cities
BioWare games could use a little bit more of this in general. ME2 was better, but DA2 was a huge step back. Games like Assassin's Creed feel very lively with all the people in the streets (narrowness aside...). The low rez elves/humans really piss me off, LMAO. I call them "fake people" and often run through them, since they have no "physical" presence in the game world. Sometimes they're even standing in a wagon or something.
Also, some of the costume designs are pretty...meh. I recently encountered the lower tier DLC rogue armor and it's soooo ugly. Like...a clown. And I also hate the DLC daggers (they're cleavers!). The mage DLC armor was way better (because they weren't robes).
- Companion depth
I actually like the treatment of companions in DA2, which amounted to more than expository conversations (which still occurred) but actual quests. What I'd like to see are more conversations spread out; for instance, were the approach to be a series of acts once again, I'd like to see a conversation with a companion after every other main quest or something, especially if there's something the character might want to discuss. I was thinking that it might depend on who you take to a quest, but that might force people into certain parties.
What I'd love to see are quests based on who you're romancing, with a rival/friend twist if they keep that aspect. Show us things are happening!
- PC Involvement
This doesn't really apply to DAO since the characters seemed to have no life outside the Warden (given the circumstances), but it's a major factor in DAII. I'm not even going to mention the bigger examples, and instead focus on Hawke's relationship with his companions. It was great to see your party members interact with one another, but what about with Hawke? Party banter actually trumped DAO (since Hawke has a fixed voice, he/she can actually chime in), but sometimes it felt like the characters participating in the banter discussed more than Hawke ever did with anyone. Basically, Hawke seemed left out a lot. This thread is pretty good at summing up how I feel.
- Micro-reactivity vs. Macro-reactivity
Origins had a lot of the latter, DA2 the former. Origins mostly succeeded in the latter thanks to having the epilogue at the end, which I don't mind being omitted. I don't think this is a huge issue, because I do realize the dev team does have to set up something to work with in future games, but one of the major reasons people like Origins more is that their "decisions have an impact on the story."
To add/bring back/improve upon:
- Origins: Gifts for PC, loot depth, multiple gifts for companions (I like conversations with them, though), ability to have companion conversations elsewhere, ability to look at EVERYONE'S gear somewhere such as HQ, design of Darkspawn
- Awakening: location-sensitive dialogue (I would even like Mass Effect style, which had less depth)
- DA2 stuff: PC-sexual LI, storage chest, voiced PC, quicker-paced combat
- More PC-dependent quests or personality/class-dependent responses differentiating future runs from others
I love seeing how one run can differ from another, even on a trivial level. This is one thing I really enjoy about the tone aspect of DA2, even if other characters respond generally the same. In particular I'd like to see quests depending on the state of the PC, such as class, romance (as mentioned above), and, if they do origins again, origin-dependent quests (I really wish they had done this for DAO).
- If they stick with the dialogue wheel, better summaries
I know verbatim/redundancy is boring, but someone needs to summarize dialogue better.
- Friendship/Rivalry depth (Approval/Disapproval)
I'd like to see friendship/rivaly with more dimension. I hate that Sebastian doesn't realize my character is anti-Chantry but generally a good samaritan. It's confusing but I wish would be expanded. One possible way is having separate Friendship/Rivalry meters for every companion (complexities aside) that fill up independently of one another, much like how the Paragon/Renegade meters were in Mass Effect. A combination of the two would be then taken into consideration.
Obviously the main issue is complexity, as I mentioned. There would have to be more than just two ways for a character to look at the PC.
Of course I'd like to see some characters again (Flemeth, obviously, Feynriel maybe) and new environments (while I don't like accents, I hope Orlais is awesome). If Hawke or the Warden are in any way involved, at least do some kind of feedback on their choices...particularly LI [/shallow]. Generally, something worthy of BioWare. DRAGON AGE
1. Favorite Dragon Age game (i.e. Origins, Awakening, Dragon Age 2)
2. Favorite character
3. Least favorite character
4. Favorite Love Interest
5. Least favorite Love Interest
6. Your Warden’s story
7. Favorite quest
8. Least favorite quest
9. Favorite class (e.g. mage, warrior, rogue, assassin, healer)
10. Favorite party banter
11. Favorite song from the soundtracks
12. OTP
13. Mages or Templars?
14. Character you wish was a romance option
15. Your favorite “Bro”
16. Your ultimate team from all games
17. Favorite Origins story
18. Character you are most like
19. Character who’d be your best friend
20. Character you wouldn’t get along with
21. Favorite villain
22. Favorite NPC
23. Scene you wish you could change the outcome of the most
24. Most shocking scene
25. Scene that made you cry
26. Crack OTP
27. Best part of the games
28. Worst part of the games
29. If you made a deal with a demon what would your bargain be?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3
I recently saw the newest video for Saints Row the Third and I'm pretty excited for it. I won't buy it day one, but I loved Saints Row 2. It's a little gruesome for me, but looks like good fun.
- - - - -
Done with my first meme since...who knows when?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3
I'm someone who loves both games...for different reasons. I really believe that given enough time, DAII could've been amazing, though I'm not sure if even then it would appeal to people who wanted DAOII vs. DAII.
To change:
- Bridging gameplay and story
One major complaint about Dragon Age II's story is how some (or...a lot) of it doesn't make sense. I think at least some of this can be amended by building a bridge between gameplay and story. It's going to take more work, obviously, but since story is such a large part of the Dragon Age games, problems that arise by not doing this are much more apparent.
For instance, one of the biggest story issues is Orsino going Harvester in the endgame if you side with the mages. Since you have your entire party with you at the time, most people (like me) felt as though they were kicking serious ass, and Orsino's decision to give up face and go blood mage due to "hope being lost" came out of left field. If, instead, the battle had been incredibly difficult, and characters reacted to mages around you dying at high numbers, it wouldn't have been as annoying. Or maybe the Veil tears and demon comes out and possesses Orsino. I don't know, but whatever the case, not what does happen.
Similarly, a mage Hawke running nonchalantly around Kirkwall is just one big plothole (not to mention blood mage Hawke, which wasn't as well integrated as Origins). This is one that would take more work to fix, but if they're going to make the mage/templar war such an integral part of the plot, I wish they would do the work it takes to make it so, instead of just copping it up to not wanting to "punish" people who play a mage class. I want to be punished.
Another example: abominations rising out of the ground, stated specifically by a dev to be due to the separation of gameplay and story...
- Cameos that are more than cameos
BioWare is now becoming the company to beat when it comes to RPGs in which your decisions are reflected in future installments. Unfortunately, some of these decisions surface as boring cameos (think Kaidan/Ashley in ME2). King Alistair in particular comes to mind (I actually like Warden Alistair). I like cameos, but I really wish cameos could somehow amount to something more than an appearance in which they spout off a summary of their previous game existence. "Swooping is bad!" I love it, but I don't. I do like when they're fighting on your side (Finding Nathaniel in particular is pretty decent, though something beyond a battle would be great).
- Aesthetics: No more repeated environments, low rez elves/humans, better mage outfits, lively cities
BioWare games could use a little bit more of this in general. ME2 was better, but DA2 was a huge step back. Games like Assassin's Creed feel very lively with all the people in the streets (narrowness aside...). The low rez elves/humans really piss me off, LMAO. I call them "fake people" and often run through them, since they have no "physical" presence in the game world. Sometimes they're even standing in a wagon or something.
Also, some of the costume designs are pretty...meh. I recently encountered the lower tier DLC rogue armor and it's soooo ugly. Like...a clown. And I also hate the DLC daggers (they're cleavers!). The mage DLC armor was way better (because they weren't robes).
- Companion depth
I actually like the treatment of companions in DA2, which amounted to more than expository conversations (which still occurred) but actual quests. What I'd like to see are more conversations spread out; for instance, were the approach to be a series of acts once again, I'd like to see a conversation with a companion after every other main quest or something, especially if there's something the character might want to discuss. I was thinking that it might depend on who you take to a quest, but that might force people into certain parties.
What I'd love to see are quests based on who you're romancing, with a rival/friend twist if they keep that aspect. Show us things are happening!
- PC Involvement
This doesn't really apply to DAO since the characters seemed to have no life outside the Warden (given the circumstances), but it's a major factor in DAII. I'm not even going to mention the bigger examples, and instead focus on Hawke's relationship with his companions. It was great to see your party members interact with one another, but what about with Hawke? Party banter actually trumped DAO (since Hawke has a fixed voice, he/she can actually chime in), but sometimes it felt like the characters participating in the banter discussed more than Hawke ever did with anyone. Basically, Hawke seemed left out a lot. This thread is pretty good at summing up how I feel.
- Micro-reactivity vs. Macro-reactivity
Origins had a lot of the latter, DA2 the former. Origins mostly succeeded in the latter thanks to having the epilogue at the end, which I don't mind being omitted. I don't think this is a huge issue, because I do realize the dev team does have to set up something to work with in future games, but one of the major reasons people like Origins more is that their "decisions have an impact on the story."
To add/bring back/improve upon:
- Origins: Gifts for PC, loot depth, multiple gifts for companions (I like conversations with them, though), ability to have companion conversations elsewhere, ability to look at EVERYONE'S gear somewhere such as HQ, design of Darkspawn
- Awakening: location-sensitive dialogue (I would even like Mass Effect style, which had less depth)
- DA2 stuff: PC-sexual LI, storage chest, voiced PC, quicker-paced combat
- More PC-dependent quests or personality/class-dependent responses differentiating future runs from others
I love seeing how one run can differ from another, even on a trivial level. This is one thing I really enjoy about the tone aspect of DA2, even if other characters respond generally the same. In particular I'd like to see quests depending on the state of the PC, such as class, romance (as mentioned above), and, if they do origins again, origin-dependent quests (I really wish they had done this for DAO).
- If they stick with the dialogue wheel, better summaries
I know verbatim/redundancy is boring, but someone needs to summarize dialogue better.
- Friendship/Rivalry depth (Approval/Disapproval)
I'd like to see friendship/rivaly with more dimension. I hate that Sebastian doesn't realize my character is anti-Chantry but generally a good samaritan. It's confusing but I wish would be expanded. One possible way is having separate Friendship/Rivalry meters for every companion (complexities aside) that fill up independently of one another, much like how the Paragon/Renegade meters were in Mass Effect. A combination of the two would be then taken into consideration.
Obviously the main issue is complexity, as I mentioned. There would have to be more than just two ways for a character to look at the PC.
Of course I'd like to see some characters again (Flemeth, obviously, Feynriel maybe) and new environments (while I don't like accents, I hope Orlais is awesome). If Hawke or the Warden are in any way involved, at least do some kind of feedback on their choices...particularly LI [/shallow]. Generally, something worthy of BioWare. DRAGON AGE
1. Favorite Dragon Age game (i.e. Origins, Awakening, Dragon Age 2)
2. Favorite character
3. Least favorite character
4. Favorite Love Interest
5. Least favorite Love Interest
6. Your Warden’s story
7. Favorite quest
8. Least favorite quest
9. Favorite class (e.g. mage, warrior, rogue, assassin, healer)
10. Favorite party banter
11. Favorite song from the soundtracks
12. OTP
13. Mages or Templars?
14. Character you wish was a romance option
15. Your favorite “Bro”
16. Your ultimate team from all games
17. Favorite Origins story
18. Character you are most like
19. Character who’d be your best friend
20. Character you wouldn’t get along with
21. Favorite villain
22. Favorite NPC
23. Scene you wish you could change the outcome of the most
24. Most shocking scene
25. Scene that made you cry
26. Crack OTP
27. Best part of the games
28. Worst part of the games
29. If you made a deal with a demon what would your bargain be?
30. Hopes for Dragon Age 3