Dragon Age comback?

[Veloeclipse]

i think dragon age needs a comeback and be more like fallout and the elder scrolls

[Kahsah]

While I agree that Dragon Age needs a comeback I don't think becoming more sandbox like is the solution (to the degree that the Bethesda games are). I really like the last two Fallout games and Skyrim but they are different games. However, that being said, what made Skyrim and New Vegas great was the obvious incorporation of mods form prior games. You could see that Bethesda looked at the mods and what players wanted in their games and then they applied them themselves. Fallout New vegas had its own version of the Weapon Mod Kit mod as well as a survival mode with similar influence from mods. Then look at Skyrim, they basically incorporated the deadly reflex mod into it and they also added dual wield and etc... By looking at prior mods, they certainly were very successful in creating a games that their customers really liked.

 

Now look at Dragon Age 2. I might be biased, as I really liked the first dragon age for its older play style, but i can't really see much influence from the modding community in it and thus I think they missed an easy opportunity learn and implement what was shown to be popular.

I hope that for Dragon Age 3 the folks at Bioware look back at the mods made for their two games and then try to implement several of them. I also think that if Bioware were to announce they would release a toolset or at least some tools for modding of the third game they would get a much needed boost and increased interest.

 

In my opinion, the popular mods demonstrate more reliably what a gaming community wants than almost any other indicator. If Bioware were to seriously consider implementing some mods for older games as well as bring back modding to the third game they would be well on their way to a comeback. Let's hope that Ea will permit Bioware to do what we know they can do.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Kahsah

[crystalsilence]

I'd like it to be closer to older BioWare games (Baldur's Gate...) - I prefer lots of choices and a complex gaming system over action-based battles and sandbox.

[ell46]

Could someone please explain what is meant by "sandbox"?

[Sync182]

In this context, "sandbox" can be taken to mean "go to Point A to get Object 1, then take Object 1 to Point B to get Object 2, then take Object 2 to Point C to get Object 3...don't deviate from the path, do not pass Go, do not collect $200" (okay, I made that last little bit up).

 

Basically, "sandox" is small, confined and little variation or options.

 

Totally NOT like Dragon Age: Origins.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Sync182

[ell46]

Thanks, I understand now.

[Thandal]

... Basically, "sandox" is small, confined and little variation or options.

 

Totally NOT like Dragon Age: Origins.

Well, sort of not like DAO. The story has a variety of main paths, all of which must be followed, although the order is up to the player. And one can backtrack and start down another one at several points. At other times, you're locked-in to finishing a particular series of events in a particular sequence (e.g. stretches of "A Paragon of Her Kind".) And of course the game does lead to a specific climax, after which there's not much to do.

 

And while there are many, many, side paths that one can follow, (or ignore) which adds considerable flexibility throughout the game, all the areas are variants on "hallways and rooms" (or "paths and clearings"). Contrast with Oblivion and other "Open World" game environments. There's no real "random wandering anywhere you'd like" in Dragon Age. Can't walk off cliffs or swim rivers in Thedas. :tongue:

 

So DAO is in a sandbox, it's just a very big one. :thumbsup:

 

NOTE: I prefer BioWare's approach in both the DA and ME series to that of Bethesda in Oblivion and Skyrim. I quit playing Skyrim after over 120 hours in-game because it was just too much work for minimal story payback. Still playing DAO/DA2 after years (and looking to re-play NWN2 using the just-relased Icewind Dale mod!)

[ell46]

... Basically, "sandox" is small, confined and little variation or options.

 

Totally NOT like Dragon Age: Origins.

Well, sort of not like DAO. The story has a variety of main paths, all of which must be followed, although the order is up to the player. And one can backtrack and start down another one at several points. At other times, you're locked-in to finishing a particular series of events in a particular sequence (e.g. stretches of "A Paragon of Her Kind".) And of course the game does lead to a specific climax, after which there's not much to do.

 

And while there are many, many, side paths that one can follow, (or ignore) which adds considerable flexibility throughout the game, all the areas are variants on "hallways and rooms" (or "paths and clearings"). Contrast with Oblivion and other "Open World" game environments. There's no real "random wandering anywhere you'd like" in Dragon Age. Can't walk off cliffs or swim rivers in Thedas. :tongue:

 

So DAO is in a sandbox, it's just a very big one. :thumbsup:

 

NOTE: I prefer BioWare's approach in both the DA and ME series to that of Bethesda in Oblivion and Skyrim. I quit playing Skyrim after over 120 hours in-game because it was just too much work for minimal story payback. Still playing DAO/DA2 after years (and looking to re-play NWN2 using the just-relased Icewind Dale mod!)

 

OK, I think I'm understanding this more, DAO made me feel quite restricted in being able to see distances and not go there, I felt I could mostly do quests in what ever order I wanted to, but as you say a big sand box. So if I am understanding this, I would describe Awakening as 'sandbox'. If you didn't do the quests in the right order, you didn't get to put some of the followers through the joining ceremony and it was just go from A to B to C etc I felt like I was playing beat the clock at times.

 

I would pay twice the price for a game that was a combo of DAOrigins and it had an open world like Oblivion/Skyrim. I will probably play Origins again, but not quite yet everything is still too fresh in my mind and it would be nice to forget some of the quests and stuff. Do you think Bioware sacrificed the cost of an open world to put the money into a good story line, voice actors and dialogue and Bethesda sacrifice decent storyline, voice actors and dialogue to make open maps?

 

Thanks for reminding me, I never did get round to playing Icewind Dale, it's still got it's plastic wrap on it. I bought about 6 ???? add-ons/dlc not quite sure and never did play them all. I'll get those out tomorrow and have a look what I've actually got.

[Panith]

Well I would love to see Dragon Age 3 and from what I have been reading it is in the planning stages. What I have to have to put out that kind of money for a new game is the ability to create my own character. What still has me playing DAO and not DA2 it simply that. I can live with new characters and new adventures but I want to design my own character. Sadly, I usually find the ones the designers come up with, not really characters I can relate to. I also like the option of choosing who is in my party. Being able to switch team members in and out of play according to plot needs again, makes DAO a game I just cannot stop playing.

 

Now, yes, we are spoiled. I don't play a lot of games because except for Castlevania, which has incredible design, music, interesting plots I don't want to play a guy. I rather go back to playing an old game than to find myself with yet another guy game I have to play. That is why I must have bought four Baldur's Gates, (so all of my kids could play it at the same time without complaints), all of the Neverwinter Nights expansion packs plus elite packages when they were condensed because these are games that are worth owning to me.

 

Sadly, just not into playing aliens or star wars games. The boys are having fun in the Republic but I prefer D&D based games or yeah Rune Factory/Harvest Moon games instead. Just me. I also just don't deal with online action games. I play when I have the time to do so at my own pace. Those games are great for people who can devote the time and their lives to the demands of those interactive games.http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/wallbash.gif

 

Here's hoping! I feel just terrible that we keep getting these great add-ons for DAO from designers who are working hard for no income. I would have gladly paid for these expansions and it is disappointing that Bioware didn't come out with more expansion packs for DAO since so many of us love our characters in this game.

 

Oh, if we can import our original characters from DAO? Even better but not essential as long as we get a much better choice of character options this time. I mod DAO like crazy because well, if you put any serious time into a game, you like to walk around with a character that you like to look at or look like? Even with the limited choices I did have with NWN there were more likable options. So make sure you pick up some of the modders here for DA3 because their work and designs are very impressive. Thanks!http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/wub.gif

[GnatGoSplat]

In this context, "sandbox" can be taken to mean "go to Point A to get Object 1, then take Object 1 to Point B to get Object 2, then take Object 2 to Point C to get Object 3...don't deviate from the path, do not pass Go, do not collect $200" (okay, I made that last little bit up).

 

Basically, "sandox" is small, confined and little variation or options.

 

Totally NOT like Dragon Age: Origins.

 

Actually, that is the complete opposite of the definition of a "sandbox" game.

 

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_world):

The term sandbox refers more to the mechanics of a game and how, as in a physical sandbox, the user is entertained by his ability to play creatively and with there being "no right way" of playing the game.

 

The term "sandbox" when used with gaming is often used as a synonym for an open world where you can go anywhere you want, and approach a task or quest any way you see fit as long as you complete the objective. Much like when you were a kid playing in a sandbox, there was no one "right" way to play with sand.

 

Skyrim and Oblivion would be considered sandbox style games. You can go anywhere, anytime. You can kill innocent NPCs, and even your followers if you wish. DAO is more steered, it's not an open world, you are more limited on where you're allowed to go or what you can do at any given time.

 

Anyway, I just started playing DAO not too long ago after playing Skyrim and Oblivion. I love the social interaction, dynamic characters, and team dynamic of battles. The TES games were all about the player character, every other character is rather flat. DAO on the other hand, has much better story telling and much better character development. So far, I enjoy it more than Skyrim and Oblivion, so much so that I don't even miss the FPS style combat or open world at all.