DA:Inquisition - Making RPGs The BioWare Way

Update: Before I get called a fan boy, or causal gamer again for the hundredth time. Just let me say I have also pointed out flaws on BioWare games on news-bits also.

All that doesn't stop me from playing BioWare games, and I will continue to do so.[/QUOTE]

Heh, no worries. BioWare is just going in an opposite direction than where my interests lie. Hell, I enjoyed the first Assassin's Creed game for a while, and I liked crawling through the brush, hunting animals and crafting for a bit in Far Cry 3. But it wore thin pretty fast. Now, everyone's making variants of that formula, and I'm tired of it. I'm getting tired of action RPGs in general. Hell, not everyone is making those. Just got my email today for my key to Darkest Dungeon...

There are just too many games that lean more my way these days, and BioWare is leaning the other way. Who'd have thought there'd be so many turn-based games again? And I'm currently grinding credits in Elite: Dangerous. Didn't think I'd jump into a full-on grind again, but it's just a world (or the space in between worlds) I like being in.) Bioware's worlds aren't for me anymore. I know Elite's boring to some, but there are just so many different ways to tweak my Cobra... And that's a big one for me in an RPG: character (or ship) customization, and I don't mean elf hairstyles.

joxer said:

But it's not really. They made a game way better than DA2 was, I must say better than I've expected when it comes to writing.
Can't understand why they lied about it being PC game, why going grind route, but well. Hopefully they'll fix those problems with ME4.

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It's not even a grind really. You can probably play through the whole campaign by riding by all the respawning enemies. Yes you need power to compete the campaign, but you can probably get enough just by doing the most interesting side quests. Well, plus the operations war table. Maybe not even that.

I am enjoying it but it could have been so much more just with some simple tweaking. Such a shame.

joxer said:

So… It's not jRPGs nor linearity I can't stand.
It's something else. And something else is inferior hardware designs.

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Uh, what? Your rantings didn't make sense to me. Glad you like VC, a SRPG. That is irrelevant to linear JRPGs like FFXIII, though.

If you can't find the good in DAI and FFXIII…that's on you. Both are well-crafted games. If you can't accept that…well, again, that's on you. HUGS TO ALL!

Couchpotato said:

You said it perfectly there is room for all types of RPG games, and I prefer it that way.
…
All that doesn't stop me from playing BioWare games, and I will continue to do so.

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Glad we agree Couchpotato! Maybe I'm just getting wiser as I age, but the ability to appreciate the good even in flawed products is quite important. I'd go so far as to say it helps to even see the good in people because no one's perfect. But who cares about people when video games exist?!

joxer said:

OMG Grimoire is finally being released!!!
Man, I got so excited I almost had a stroke.

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Why do you shoehorn codex shovelware scam into my comment? Maybe you are obsessed with them.

I don't hate DA:I I am just saying that criticing the game design is like complaining why COD goes dudebro instead of it going spec ops the line.
So stop bitching about it and enjoy the game for what it is.

Stahl33 said:

Is Dragon age inquisition a role playing game? I thought it was a movie!

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Brumbek said:

If you can't find the good in DAI and FFXIII…that's on you. Both are well-crafted games.

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Edgy said:

So stop bitching about it and enjoy the game for what it is.

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And this is the eternal circle of Dragon Age debates is it not? To what extent are they games and to what extent are they experiences rather than games.

I'd say:

33% Interactive (paperback) novel
33% Hero Simulator (From a predominantly Catholic perspective)
33% Game (from a Diablo perspective)
and 1% margin of error on any of the above.

And then you ask people whether it's good or not? Good from what perspective? As CHF states:

Capt. Huggy Face said:

Heh, no worries. BioWare is just going in an opposite direction than where my interests lie.

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And if you compare Balder's Gate to Dragon Age Inquisition then the separation of time displays the extremities of the evolution from one thing into something almost completely different. But even if you exclude the extremity of time and just look at the evolution from Origins to Inquisition, you still find quite a distinctly different product that is obviously evolving away from something more definitely cRPG as per the understanding of the majority of experienced RPGers.

For example:

Origins - traditional area clearing with no respawns and light wave mechanics here and there.
2 - areas never really feel clear but there's no actual respawning but the wave mechanic is everywhere.
Inquisition - Fully respawn friendly, lighter on the wave mechanic but institutionalising waves as part of the primary focus of the main-plot combat (rifts).

One of the most criticised aspect of Origins was the Deep Roads (not by me but others) and, it's no surprise, this is where the Wave Mechanic was most evident. In each successive game the combat therefore appears to be declining rapidly, because each new iteration increases the things people criticise the most and reduces the aspects people liked:

Origins & 2 - many interesting and diverse active skills
Inquisition - limited active skills

Origins - absolutely a PC game
2 - Feeling a bit consoley
Inquisition - a console game

Origins - traditional inventory (character and slots on left, items on right)
2 - the same but lessened and also has an auto-trash feature
Inquisition - Character now on the right, deeply confusing shuffling around system

I could go on and on, but these kind of things only matter to people for who they matter. The one thing that Bioware keep constant is the party relationships and sidequests, that's their only schtik, so, if you like that and only really care for that particular aspect, it doesn't matter what they do with the rest of the game and DA:I inquisition is suddenly no different to BG 2...

lackblogger said:

And this is the eternal circle of Dragon Age debates is it not?

I could go on and on, but these kind of things only matter to people for who they matter. The one thing that Bioware keep constant is the party relationships and sidequests, that's their only schtik, so, if you like that and only really care for that particular aspect, it doesn't matter what they do with the rest of the game and DA:I inquisition is suddenly no different to BG 2…

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Thanks for your thoughts; I enjoyed considering all of this. I guess I'm that weird guy who can like BG1/2 and Pillars of Eternity while also really digging DAI's more accessible/playable style.

There's a time and place for everything: sometimes I want almost-crushing micro-management of skills/spells. Other times I just want a big, epic world to explore with fun, fast combat.

Personally, I would prefer the game design went back to something closer resembling Baldur's Gate, but we all know that's not going to happen. Especially with EA calling the shots, as they have no interest in niche games or anything that doesn't sell a billion copies. Basically, Bioware will most likely continue down the path they're on, being very story heavy, trying to market their new games to as wide of an audience as possible. Wide audience = lots of complaints about dumbing down, console-izing, less of a true cRPG, etc. However, their path equals more sales, so EA will be happy and the world will continue to turn.

Dragon Age: Origins and the first Mass Effect game were the most recent Bioware games I've played, and I thought they were good. Really good, actually. Neither were at the level of Baldur's Gate for me, but we have Pillars of Eternity and the original BG games for that type of experience. Just enjoy the games for what they are and focus on the positive aspects, if possible.

I love this game, one of the best I have played since The Witcher 2. But sadly enough I agree on the Out Level problem. As a Bioware Fan Boy, I did that I do in all of theirs game, explore everthing before moving one to the main story. Thats was a mistake? I was level 22 then I did the level 10-15 Main Quest, and it was way to easy..

The Codex is testing DA:Inquisition for its CRPG-qualities and chances are good that it pretty much sucks in regard to this genre.

As I said before, it is an Action Adventure…

Brumbek said:

Thanks for your thoughts; I enjoyed considering all of this. I guess I'm that weird guy who can like BG1/2 and Pillars of Eternity while also really digging DAI's more accessible/playable style.

There's a time and place for everything: sometimes I want almost-crushing micro-management of skills/spells. Other times I just want a big, epic world to explore with fun, fast combat.

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I would agree with this as I enjoyed games such as KOA and LOTR war of the north. Problem is DAI's combat is so far away from fun. Playing it with the tactical camera is tedious and the action combat is uninspiring and boring. My opinion and it's all subjective and all.