DA - Witch Hunt (SPOILERS)

[Tale]

Well, obviously. My opinions are formed entirely on whether or not something is Baldur's Gate 2.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Tale

[Volourn]

That's what I thought. Thanks for confirming.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Volourn

[Nepenthe]

Pre-EA DLC from Bioware wasn't all that fantastic, either. Neverwinter Nights Premium modules. But I'm partially bitter that they put in all that effort to remake Witch's Wake pt. 1 and never bothered continuing to part 2. And Kingmaker made me want to kick a puppy.

 

Apart from ME2, I don't think it's been that great after, either. And ME2 has had more than it's shared of '2 bucks for a new helmet and gun' stuff... But at least the mission DLC has been rock-solid.

[GhostofAnakin]

Apart from ME2, I don't think it's been that great after, either. And ME2 has had more than it's shared of '2 bucks for a new helmet and gun' stuff... But at least the mission DLC has been rock-solid.

 

 

Apparently the Lair of the Shadowbroker DLC, released on the same day as that abomination Witch Hunt, is actually really good. I haven't played ME2 since when I first got it and beat the game, so I can't comment on that DLC myself. Which makes me wonder if this was less of a "EA rushed them" thing, and more of an error on BioWare's part in terms of their idea for Witch Hunt.

[Monte Carlo]

About EA being the driving force behind some of these decisions, well I've read lots of interviews with key Biowarians where the suggestion has been whole-heartedly re-buffed. I actually believe them.

 

Bioware is all grown-up now, it is a heavyweight player in the industry. It is more than capable of making bottom-line business decisions all by itself, which is what I suspect has happened here.

[Volourn]

BIO isn't other companies. they don't hide behind others. For good or ill, they take blame or credit for what they do instead of passing the buck like a bunch of losers.

 

Like Witch Hunt? Give credit to BIO.

 

Hate Witch Hunt? Give blame to BIO.

 

'Nough said.

[Nepenthe]

Apparently the Lair of the Shadowbroker DLC, released on the same day as that abomination Witch Hunt, is actually really good. I haven't played ME2 since when I first got it and beat the game, so I can't comment on that DLC myself. Which makes me wonder if this was less of a "EA rushed them" thing, and more of an error on BioWare's part in terms of their idea for Witch Hunt.

 

LotSB is very good.

 

About EA being the driving force behind some of these decisions, well I've read lots of interviews with key Biowarians where the suggestion has been whole-heartedly re-buffed. I actually believe them.

 

Bioware is all grown-up now, it is a heavyweight player in the industry. It is more than capable of making bottom-line business decisions all by itself, which is what I suspect has happened here.

 

Mmh, if you look at what happened after Bio was acquired by EA, it's fairly obvious that EA knew they'd bought an exceptional developer. Mostly evidenced by the fact that they lumped everything even remotely RPG together and put the Bioware doctors in charge of the whole. So, no, I'm not suggesting that there is an evil overlord that is forcing Bioware into making ****ty dlc for DAO, but that economic facts would point them towards making as much out of it for as little as they can.

 

That, or they agreed with the 'dated engine' etc. criticisms and focused everything they had on that side of the building into DA2 as fast as they could. *shrug*

[Tale]

When I think of EA's acquisition of Bioware, I note something.

 

There was no hint of Mass Effect for the PC before the acquisition. Heck, it wasn't even ported by Bioware afterwards.

Would we even have gotten Mass Effect 2 on PC?

 

The implication is strong there. I give EA a thumbs up for that.

 

 

Everything else good or bad, I can't credit either way. Bioware or EA, whatever. Bioware's quite capable of making decisions that result in products I dislike on their own without help.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Tale

[TheHarlequin]

About EA being the driving force behind some of these decisions, well I've read lots of interviews with key Biowarians where the suggestion has been whole-heartedly re-buffed. I actually believe them.

 

Bioware is all grown-up now, it is a heavyweight player in the industry. It is more than capable of making bottom-line business decisions all by itself, which is what I suspect has happened here.

 

umm.. realistically did you think they would say ANYTHING different? 'yea.. EA pays the bills now and we are basically their lap dog.. just saying..' I mean even if true do you think they would admit such?? EA owns them and pays their bills and salary now. PC gaming history teaches us EVERY TIME we hear that in the end it turns out to be false. Perhaps the first few years but in the end the new owners exert more and more control. Lets not be naive

[TheHarlequin]

Speaking of DLC.. while writing isn't their strong suit beth knows how to do DLC right and get bang for your buck. Look at the DLC for fallout 3... all of them were WELL thought out, interesting and added many hours of content. And Broken Steel did what the advert said.. put a ending to the storyline and tied up loose ends mostly. Shocking.. giving consumers what the adverts say... something bioware clearly missed out on that class in advertising 101.

[Oner]

And they gave us (well, them) a ****load of bugs too.

[Zoraptor]

Speaking of DLC.. while writing isn't their strong suit beth knows how to do DLC right and get bang for your buck. Look at the DLC for fallout 3... all of them were WELL thought out, interesting and added many hours of content. And Broken Steel did what the advert said.. put a ending to the storyline and tied up loose ends mostly. Shocking.. giving consumers what the adverts say... something bioware clearly missed out on that class in advertising 101.

Apart from the one (two/ three) which was a linear shooter, and the one which they forgot to include a bunch of assets leading to a forest of pings, and the buggy pointless one set on a spaceship. It was far better than Oblivion's DLC though.

 

Broken Steel, yes, if most/ all DLC was like that it would be worth it. If only it were not essentially selling an ending separate to the game and an admission that the original ending sucked worse than being locked in a room listening to Celine Dion on permanent loop until your brain explodes.

[TheHarlequin]

Speaking of DLC.. while writing isn't their strong suit beth knows how to do DLC right and get bang for your buck. Look at the DLC for fallout 3... all of them were WELL thought out, interesting and added many hours of content. And Broken Steel did what the advert said.. put a ending to the storyline and tied up loose ends mostly. Shocking.. giving consumers what the adverts say... something bioware clearly missed out on that class in advertising 101.

Apart from the one (two/ three) which was a linear shooter, and the one which they forgot to include a bunch of assets leading to a forest of pings, and the buggy pointless one set on a spaceship. It was far better than Oblivion's DLC though.

 

Broken Steel, yes, if most/ all DLC was like that it would be worth it. If only it were not essentially selling an ending separate to the game and an admission that the original ending sucked worse than being locked in a room listening to Celine Dion on permanent loop until your brain explodes.

 

I can't speak to the bugs most ppl said they had because I use the PC version (from my understanding the console ver was worse as a whole) and I didn't buy it right when it came out but a few months later so the ver I got had most everything fixed. Or at least playable where the remaining bugs didn't effect me. So for me the whole bug argument is moot as I didn't encounter nearly the amount of the issues I saw being posted about. *shrugs*

 

That said, I found the spaceship zeta (alien) DLC funny, enjoyable and the equipment VERY helpful in the main game. Especially if you do that DLC around lvl 10. As you got the whole other half of the game to use the new weapons. I found it pretty worth while. The description said, to paraphrase, 'fight your way out of being kidnapped by aliens' not sure what ppl were thinking if not for a shooter style DLC. *shrugs* Perhaps that's just me reading whats there and not trying to read something between the lines that does not exist.. *Shrugs*

 

As for the whole DLC is evil, should be included in the game... well that ship has sadly sailed... I don't disagree with you in fact I am on the same wagon as you, but that battle has been fought and lost. DLC is here to stay.

[Zoraptor]

I actually have no fundamental problem with DLC, though the cost benefit ratio so far is dreadful in most cases. The problem with Broken Steel specifically is nothing intrinsic to it, but that it is a payment required end game replacement for one of the worst* 'vanilla' end games in the history of gaming and it would have been far more appropriate/ better simply to not have had the broken endgame in the first place.

 

*I'd use the term 'ill though out' rather than worst, except they admitted to knowing what the problems were and just ignoring them.

Edited September 14, 2010 by Zoraptor