Dragon Age: Inquisition Pre-Release Thread

[FuriousGamer87]

most players chose male dudebro Sheppard, and played as soldier, many players actually haven't completed the game and skipped dialogues. I've had DA statistics too somewhere, and generally they share similarities with ME ones - i.e. male PC, fighter class etc, main difference was that less people completed DA:O.
Not an ideal audience, sure, mostly it's standard issue console kiddies, I think. But while it's certainly not a hardcore RPG crowd, it's way better than your average romance obsessed SJW gay-mer. So while it's understandable why they aren't catering to us — oldschool RPG connoisseurs, it's really mystifying why they've obviously decided to cater not to dudebros, but to tumblr landwhales.

It may have something to do with the fact that the people running the show are romance-obsessed SJW gaymers and tumblr landwhales. Good for them for doing what they want instead of what makes the most money, but heads are going to roll if DA:I doesn't sell.

Are they, though? I usually think so as well, but to play devil's advocate, consider this. The bones they through at the BSN deviants seem fairly inexpensive, and the romances themselves don't seem like they're massive resource pits. They consist of around 12 lines of dialogue per character on top of that which the NPC would have otherwise, using a voice actor that they've already hired to come in. All of that dialogue is walled off from the rest of the game, so they don't have to change anything else to implement it. Almost all of it takes place in the same 'downtime' hub (or hubs) where the rest of the 'catching up with the various party members' dialogue occurs (onboard the Normandy, the campfire in DA:O, etc), and with awkward DA:O sex scenes aside, it uses animations that are already there.

Nor does it involve much in the way of complex triggers/branching of the kind needed to make dialogue quests like those in PS:T work. The romances all have just one path, and if you 'exit' that path there's no way of getting back on it.

'Content' that consists of nothing but a few extra lines of dialogue would be an absolute bargain, even if there aren't all that many players who care about it.

It's possible that we (and the BSN) get a skewed view of things from the fact that it's the writers that seem most inclined to communicate directly with the community, and from shitty gaming sites who buy into the 'BW are great writers' nonsense interviewing the writing team as though they're the lead designers. Mind you, the emphasis upon 'epic story' and 'romance' in BW's official PR would seem to indicate that it truly is the company's focus.

Problem is story is all they have left considering a lot of people pretty much agree that their gameplay sucks all kind of balls. Much like how they want their protagonists to act apparently.

 

[Night Goat]

'Content' that consists of nothing but a few extra lines of dialogue would be an absolute bargain, even if there aren't all that many players who care about it.

That may be, but I wonder if the increasing SJW romance focus might result in fewer sales. The notoriously homophobic consoletard demographic is where the money is, and Bioware has been forcing gay down players' throats more with every game.

2013 was a shitty year for newfags, indeed.

 

[dryan]

Honestly, why would anyone want to play DA:I if they're staunchly anti-romance? The setting is generic shit, the combat is boring, the story so far sucks (may improve on its third installment, but I doubt it). I admit that I play this series for the romance, and I think it's less shameful than playing it for its other features, which are so poor that they're no worth the effort.

 

[Stainless Veteran]

Are they, though? I usually think so as well, but to play devil's advocate, consider this. The bones they through at the BSN deviants seem fairly inexpensive, and the romances themselves don't seem like they're massive resource pits. They consist of around 12 lines of dialogue per character on top of that which the NPC would have otherwise, using a voice actor that they've already hired to come in. All of that dialogue is walled off from the rest of the game, so they don't have to change anything else to implement it. Almost all of it takes place in the same 'downtime' hub (or hubs) where the rest of the 'catching up with the various party members' dialogue occurs (onboard the Normandy, the campfire in DA:O, etc), and with awkward DA:O sex scenes aside, it uses animations that are already there.

You're certainly right if you're talking about ME series, even ME3 wasn't really that focused on romances, despite the marketing. But if you're talking about DA series that's another story, including cringeworthy sex-animation, and quite many lines of dialogue in DA:O, less so in DA II, but still way more than there was in ME.

Nor does it involve much in the way of complex triggers/branching of the kind needed to make dialogue quests like those in PS:T work. The romances all have just one path, and if you 'exit' that path there's no way of getting back on it.

'Content' that consists of nothing but a few extra lines of dialogue would be an absolute bargain, even if there aren't all that many players who care about it.

Well, technically they had two romance paths in DA2, but I only played that shit once, so I can't really comment on differences between them.

It's possible that we (and the BSN) get a skewed view of things from the fact that it's the writers that seem most inclined to communicate directly with the community, and from shitty gaming sites who buy into the 'BW are great writers' nonsense interviewing the writing team as though they're the lead designers. Mind you, the emphasis upon 'epic story' and 'romance' in BW's official PR would seem to indicate that it truly is the company's focus.

Well, one can just look at Gaider's and Laidlaw and other devs interviews and see that the main topic of discussion almost everywhere is romances ([1], [2] [3], etc.), then the setting, and only then game mechanics and combat. Not to mention BSN and tumblr, developers' comments there are almost disproportionately about romances and, to much lesser extent, about some details of the setting.

 

[Stainless Veteran]

'Content' that consists of nothing but a few extra lines of dialogue would be an absolute bargain, even if there aren't all that many players who care about it.

That may be, but I wonder if the increasing SJW romance focus might result in fewer sales. The notoriously homophobic consoletard demographic is where the money is, and Bioware has been forcing gay down players' throats more with every game.

2013 was a shitty year for newfags, indeed.

Not all of them.

 

[Lhynn]

2013 was a shitty year for newfags, indeed.

 

[Onholyservicebound]

But I just did.

That was the point, you should have read, you should have heeded the warning. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot.

But an uneducated opinion of your female friend is a God-given truth, eh?

That wasn't the bit you were referencing, but that's al'right, lots of people look for another target once their first attempt falls spectacularly flat. -Uneducated-? Are you retarded, ears are the only prerequisite for that opinion. If you knew how to read you'd have read that I have heard the voice, which is where my agreement comes from. And my female friend is my wife, we live in the same house, I am familiar with the voice, so yeah, get in the pile bub, 'nother unsuccessful moron.

Basically, you're butthurt because you think I insulted an actress you like, despite that not being the case, you and the other mongs couldn't contain your anal haemorrhaging.
So let me be clear, the opinion of my woman is (much to the ire of biodrones)that: Femshep's over the top butch tone and low, whispery, aged voice is distracting and unrelatable, and doesn't fit as many characters archtypes as a more open ended or neutral toned voice would, in a game where you define everything about the pc, this is bad. Having heard a lot of the lines spoken, I can see what she means.

 

[Lhynn]

But I just did.

That was the point, you should have read, you should have heeded the warning. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot.

Not sure if you are trolling or just being retarded.

 

[Joni Odin von Hassenstein]

Honestly, why would anyone want to play DA:I if they're staunchly anti-romance? The setting is generic shit, the combat is boring, the story so far sucks (may improve on its third installment, but I doubt it). I admit that I play this series for the romance, and I think it's less shameful than playing it for its other features, which are so poor that they're no worth the effort.

Well, I'm not staunchly anti-romance, but there's a big thing about DA, and that's my main reason for playing it: C&C!
Besides, other things might turn out okay to good as well, like the story (which I think isn't as bad as you described) or maybe some characters (definitely not the lesb-elf though). But that remains to be ssen.

 

[Volourn]

Because romance is less than 1% of the stuff. The combat will be fun, the writing will be abcvoe average, there will be great characters 9and not so great ones), exploration can be fun plus gotta put more money into BIO so they can make more games so I can Codex lose its shit even more and watch idiot romancers play games when they should be reading harlequin romance or watching soap operas. FFS

\GET OFF MY LAWN FUCK FACES!!!

 

[FuriousGamer87]

Because romance is less than 1% of the stuff. The combat will be fun, the writing will be abcvoe average, there will be great characters 9and not so great ones), exploration can be fun plus gotta put more money into BIO so they can make more games so I can Codex lose its shit even more and watch idiot romancers play games when they should be reading harlequin romance or watching soap operas. FFS

\GET OFF MY LAWN FUCK FACES!!!

What weed are you smoking and where can I get myself some?

 

[Lhynn]

The combat will be fun

No

the writing will be above average

No

there will be great characters

Hope so, but they will be buried under piles of shit.

exploration can be fun

Of course it can, but i dont think bioware knows how to make it so.

 

[Jaesun]

Arguing with Volo....

Joined: Aug 28, 2013

 

[Lhynn]

Arguing with Volo....

I was stating facts oldfag.

 

[Jaesun]

Arguing with Volo....

I was stating facts oldfag.

Everything Volo posts is the truth, and are THE FACTS. You area moran. You never question Volo....

 

[Space Satan]

 

[Lhynn]

Arguing with Volo....

I was stating facts oldfag.

Everything Volo posts is the truth, and are THE FACTS. You area moran. You never question Volo....

Spoiler

 

[Knut]

So let me be clear, the opinion of my woman is (much to the ire of biodrones)that: Femshep's over the top butch tone and low, whispery, aged voice is distracting and unrelatable, and doesn't fit as many characters archtypes as a more open ended or neutral toned voice would, in a game where you define everything about the pc, this is bad. Having heard a lot of the lines spoken, I can see what she means.

so female voice has to be as much as bland and characterless possible to fit with most players possible? good news for you; bioware seems to be doing that with their entire production for over a decade!
geez, you and your female friend sure seem to be match made in heaven.

 

[polo]

You can be certain all of the bosses will be high fantasy, dragon ball z style. Darkspawn this, demon that. I can't even recall a Dragon Age boss that wasn't over the top and immersion-breaking -- like I wasn't in a WoW raid of some type. Would it kill you guys to engineer interesting encounters with average humans?

Lady Cauthrien, Howe, Logain, Branka

Sorry, I courdn't herp thinking of

Oh, my thought was more like:

 

[Thane Solus]

So Codex GOTY 2014-2015?

Also ?

 

[Jaesun]

No. That's D:OS.

 

[Explorerbc]

Listen to Bioware's GaymerX panels on romance and inclusiveness

The second GaymerX—the LGBTQ-oriented gaming convention—took place last weekend. In addition to workshops, parties and more Pokemon-themed competitions than you would think possible, the event also featured a number of guest speakers. Among them, Bioware's David Gaider, Jessica Merizan, Robyn Théberge, Karin Weekes and Patrick Weekes—who participated in two panels: "Building a Better Romance" and "Freaking out the Neighbours". Bioware have now uploaded the audio from both talks to YouTube.

Link

 

[Jaesun]

Please BioWare, just stop.

 

[Kem0sabe]

Bioware fans and their inability to play older crpg's

I game on both consoles & PC and one of the things that has always annoyed me about PC games in general is that some developers us it has an excuse to make a clunky, needlessly complicated UIs.

I didn't play Baldurs Gate when it came out but I did attempt to play it recently and it was very difficult for me to get into. The camera was annoying, the UI was overcrowded and over complicated, I had to look up how the D&D based stats worked, there were allot of barriers that got in the way and prevented me from getting to the point where I could be absorbed in the story.

In the end I gave up.

Older Final Fantasies on the other hand are still very playable even if you didn't play them when they first came out. I only played FF IV a couple of years ago and even though it had some UI issues that frustrated me, there were few barriers before the story and characters absorbed me.

I much prefer the more modern Bioware RPGs with cleaner UIs and better cameras.

 

[Zeriel]

rofl, he had UI issues with Final Fantasy?

What in the actual fuck?