Future of the Dragon Age franchise

[meomao]

Really basic level nuissances in the gameplay as I'm noticing now, replaying DA2. You can't switch between a ranged and a melee weapon. Why ?. They came up with 4 different damage state effects which are basically the same, stunned, staggered, shaken, stirred... so you would have to chose a member from each class in your party to take maximum advantage of cross class combos. Just really bad design decisions.

 

Imho, the CCC sytem is a cool and interesting concept that feels underdeveloped on the long run (once you reached level 14-15 or so). Honestly I don't understand your position about the effect being the same. The status is just the trigger. The difference come from the power you use to exploit the trigger and every power have different effects and different tactical purposes. The point of the system is that every creature have different probabilities of being effected by the trigger ability and different resistances to each kind of elemental damage.

[Gorgon]

There are too many hooks and too many triggers and it doesn't make any sense. How about that. I've got two thieves and two mages in my party because they were the only NPCs I could stand looking at, and I can't do any of them.

 

It makes more sense that a certain spell yould leave you open to another type. Or damage bonus on backstab if the target is completely immobile. The fact that it has goes cross class and that there are at least 8 or 10 hooks, triggers and related states makes the gameplay feel like a cardgame or dodgeball with really complicated rules.

 

'Wait a minuite, am I allowed to hit or do I have to pass first to get the bonus points ?'

Edited April 10, 2012 by Gorgon

[HoonDing]

DA3 set in Orlais; brace yourselves for the hordes of evil rapist Chevaliers.

[Bos_hybrid]

DA3 set in Orlais

 

 

Worst place to set it.

[MrBrown]

The various new status effects - disoriented, staggered, brittle - have negative effects of their own, without comboing. Brittle increases critical damage by 50%, for instance.

 

Personally, I never felt the need to use them, even on Nightmare. *shrug*

[meomao]

There are too many hooks and too many triggers and it doesn't make any sense.

 

Must repeat: I do not understand what you mean with "making sense". It's really simple. Every class has different skills that causes one kind of trigger. Brittle for Mages. Stagger for Warriors. Disorient for Thieves. The respective other two classes have a different set of skill that can exploit the Trigger. The exploit have allways a different effect but basically is just a bonus to the starting skill.

 

It's quite balanced, fun and it's one of the few elements of depth in the DA skill system (until level 14-15): you have just to level your party with CCC in mind. There are many of them to support any kind of build at different levels of difficulty.

 

Here's the complete list just to support my argument: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Cross-class_combo.

 

How about that. I've got two thieves and two mages in my party because they were the only MPCs I could stand looking at, and I can't do any of them.

 

I think that you have levelled them wrongly. But considering that there is a respec option is not a punishing system. In my party I had 2 thieves and 1 mage and most CCC were between those charachters and they worked really well. Winter's Blast+Punishing Lance: kill mage or desire demon button. Overpowering Fog or Chaos + Virulent Walking Bomb: devastating aoe effect that work like wonders after a Pull of the Abyss.

 

It makes more sense that a certain spell yould leave you open to another type.

 

Sorry: I don't understand that point.

 

Or damage bonus on backstab if the target is completely immobile.

 

There are already a couple of passive/active skills in the thief trees that give that kind of bonus (it's been a long time since I played the game but there is a backstab skill with passive upgrades and another one in the scoundrel tree that gives a bonus to attack against stunned targets).

[Drowsy Emperor]

DA3 set in Orlais; brace yourselves for the hordes of evil rapist Chevaliers.

 

Epic fantasy versions of Gilles de Rais?

I seriously hope the people at Bioware aren't aware of the story.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[HoonDing]

Hearts and Armour: the RPG.

[Gorgon]

The premise doesn't make any sense. Why can a warrior stagger and a stonefist, or whatever it was called, can't.

 

What's the objective difference between staggered, disoriented or stunned aside from the fact that they originate from different classes. That's what makes it a card game, not an organically flowing combat simulation which is what you want.

 

They got it more or less right in ME3, for comparison.

[meomao]

The premise doesn't make any sense. Why can a warrior stagger and a stonefist, or whatever it was called, can't.

 

Ah, now I understand. You would like the various exploit to be less restricted. I guess the simple answer is balance between different classes. DA:O has many issues in that sense and there were many complaints about the fact that mages were too overpowered. So, it's just a gamey abstraction. Then, we could try to justify it saying that one is a magical attack while the other is a melee attack, but I admit that is a weak answer. It's just about game balance.

 

What's the objective difference between staggered, disoriented or stunned aside from the fact that they originate from different classes.

 

The difference is in the nature of the power that causes the trigger. Brittle: powers that causes paralysis. Stagger: bash skills that causes a general loss in melee performance. Disorient: smoke bombs that causes confusion and lack of sight in the targets. Each different trigger causes different reaction. That does make sense, imho.

 

That's what makes it a card game, not an organically flowing combat simulation which is what you want.

 

I don't agree. RPG combat systems (especially party based and pen&paper inspired ones) have allways an high level of abstraction. RPG combat has never been about fluid simulation of realistic combat (otherwise they should scratch a lot of sacred cows like HP and became something else in the process... action games).

 

They got it more or less right in ME3, for comparison.

 

Only that in ME3 the party is just there for support, the combat is a shooter and not an RPG and there are just a fraction of the skills avaible in DA2. Very different systems with very different goals: it's hard to make any comparison in my opinion.

[Amentep]

Hearts and Armour: the RPG.

 

That would at least guarantee some of the greatest funky helmets in the history of mankind at our disposal!

 

 

[Meshugger]

DA3 set in Orlais; brace yourselves for the hordes of evil rapist Chevaliers.

 

Wuell, atleest zey c

[entrerix]

other than the new accents, i can't imagine the setting making a difference.

 

every level and environment will feature the same flat, boring, wide open spaces, or flat, boring, narrow corridors. throwing a new color scheme over the whole game and giving everyone a fake french accent won't make it feel any different.

 

difference between ferelden and the city of chains was what? city of chains had less dirt (ground textures) and more statues (wall textures)?

Edited April 10, 2012 by entrerix

[Calax]

other than the new accents, i can't imagine the setting making a difference.

 

every level and environment will feature the same flat, boring, wide open spaces, or flat, boring, narrow corridors. throwing a new color scheme over the whole game and giving everyone a fake french accent won't make it feel any different.

 

difference between ferelden and the city of chains was what? city of chains had less dirt (ground textures) and more statues (wall textures)?

Well, the city should be less of a hole in the wall at least... and there'll be more colors available in clothing.

[entrerix]

i wish more developers (bioware especially) placed importance on building exciting and intriguing environments. dark souls did it wonderfully, comparing the huge and soaring marble and gold cathedrals of anor londo and the oppressive poisonous wood and mud village of blighttown to ANY environs in the dragon age series is laughable. the dragon age team clearly cares more about writing bad dialogue than building a great world/environments.

 

a more fair comparison would be between the various areas of planescape torment and dragon ages anemic environments, but thats just as depressing especially considering the age of torment now

Edited April 10, 2012 by entrerix

[Drowsy Emperor]

There you go:

http://www.eurogamer...-age-3-concepts

 

The presentation:

 

When I see these ex-trekkie cosplaying trash fanatics fans I yearn for the days when this hobby was about solitary nerds in basements.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[HoonDing]

There you go:

http://www.eurogamer...-age-3-concepts

I'm surprised the audience didn't burst into laughter when "Decisions that matter YES!" appeared on screen.

 

EDIT: well, nevermind that half the audience consisted of creepy cosplayers

Edited April 11, 2012 by virumor

[Monte Carlo]

I swore never to comment on Dragon age again but when I saw that audience.... bwahahahhahaaaa!!!

[Guest Slinky]

Yeah, would be a good way to deal with cosplays if you ask me. Same goes for anime.

[Nepenthe]

Yeah, here in the liberal nordic countries teenagers dress like strippers every weekend, no need to stamp a stupid nerdy theme on it.

[Tale]

I'm surprised the audience didn't burst into laughter when "Decisions that matter YES!" appeared on screen.

When he said "including your previous games," I was surprised nobody yelled "so you're killing Leliana?"

[Aedelric]

So from watching the video the changes we have are `Stop Reusing Levels, Decisions That Matter, Equipment For Followers.

[Malcador]

This is good comedy, heh.

[Nepenthe]

So from watching the video the changes we have are `Stop Reusing Levels, Decisions That Matter, Equipment For Followers.

[Tale]

I didn't mind DA2's armor. I hate the loot system everyone else seems to gush over. How Mass Effect 2 handled it is perfect for me. Just with Mass Effect 3's quantity of options.

 

And companions being responsible for their own gear just kind of makes sense.