Your preference make sense if the character you're playing is mute like in older wrpgs and DAO.
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New Dragon Age Inquisition progress update and screenshots [Up: Additional Screens]
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Your preference make sense if the character you're playing is mute like in older wrpgs and DAO.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Thanks. Looks like a mix between Origins and II.
It makes sense for the text to match the voice. I don't particularly care if it's tedious for the developer. I want to know what my character is saying, thanks.
I know guys, but the leaks we've seen aren't super specific on how it works, etc. I'm just saying I'd like to see it properly. Emphasis on the "do go back", and it is as deep as it should be.
It's an EA game in 2014. It's going to have lots of DLC.
Squirts Macintosh
Member
Too friendly looking!
I agree, player character or not, this just jumped out as silly to me for some reason that I can't quite put a finger on.
Everything else looks great though.
shinobi602
Member
*sigh* No. If you watch the video at the 3:00 mark, you can see how they're going about it. As an example, it shows:
- Stay with your wounded.
- Regroup and return to the keep!
- Ready and get to Crestwood!
Highlighting the first option shows: *Soldiers tend their wounded. They are unavailable to offset the attack*
Second option shows: *Soldiers leave their wounded, bolster forces at the keep*
Third option shows: *Soldiers leave their wounded, join the fight at Crestwood*
This is perfect way to implement the dialogue system. They're showing you what ramifications and/or consequences may arise from your decisions. The paraphrased options are simple lines that quickly show you decisions you can make, it's simple.
Not only that, it is important to know what the character you are playing will not say. For example, if my character does not trust a particular NPC i need to know from the dialogue options that he/she will not say something that contradicts this such as important information.
shinobi602
Member
I did, to different degrees.
I quite enjoyed Origins as it introduced me to the Dragon Age world. Loved the characters, the environments, etc. I'm hooked on Bioware's way of handling dialogue and character interaction.
DA2 had flaws that were hard to overlook, but I still had fun with the game. It was obvious they were rushed to hell and back though. Extremely repetitive environments, redundant wave attacks from enemies, no customization for squadmates, and only humans as a playable race. Overall it was a huge step down, but I still loved the characters and some of the scenarios. I also really like the, well, fast paced hack and slash combat. I prefer to play the DA games as action RPGs.
So no? Since you don't know what your character is going to say just the result of the conversation option. Seems like something that should be in a choose your own adventure game more than a roleplaying game but fair enough.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
And then I feel like this is too much handholding. Like a different coat of paint on the 'choose blue/red' to win. I want to know what I'm saying and have to think about what those consequences may be.
I will grant that this is a step up from the DAII system.
shinobi602
Member
You can turn the option off
They said it's for those who want to know exactly what their decisions will result in.
Again the current system seems like it would be very clear on such a situation. The whole point is to make it so players aren't surprised by their own options without having to display the full text.
The old way also doesn't work very well for conversations where the Player character says multiple lines during an exchange. What are they supposed to do there? Give you a text readout of the whole conversation, theirs and your dialogue? No, that's absurd it makes more sense to give a description of what route you'll take with the optional explanation of how the recipient will take it or how your choice will affect things.
That's good. I just... I just want Origins combat/gameplay again. I want full party-based, RPG gameplay just like in the olden days.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
You can turn the option off
They said it's for those who want to know exactly what their decisions will result in.
Then I take it back. This seems to satisfy role-players like myself and people who agonize over decisions (like my wife who is currently playing Origins for the first time).
They've largely walked back from their "We're against toggles." position to a "We're all for toggles." position, in a similar way to how they went "We'd never put a dodge-roll in a Party RPG because you'd have to focus too much on the individual units instead of the team." to "Hey check out our dodge-roll."
Speaking of, this might be a good thread to ask this (OT question):
Has anyone been playing the PC version of DA: Origins lately? I remember the last time I tried to play it, there was an issue where the game wasn't recovering the DLC automatically from inside the game, due to a change they made to their servers. I own all the DLC for that game, even promotional pieces and stuff, so manually downloading it and installing it all was more work that I was willing to do. Does anyone know if the issue is fixed?
Has anyone been playing the PC version of DA: Origins lately? I remember the last time I tried to play it, there was an issue where the game wasn't recovering the DLC automatically from inside the game, due to a change they made to their servers. I own all the DLC for that game, even promotional pieces and stuff, so manually downloading it and installing it all was more work that I was willing to do. Does anyone know if the issue is fixed?
anexanhume
Member
Yes, based on previous releases, we'll get:
Day 1 Party Character DLC with side quest (supported by ME2, DA2 and ME3) that is potentially gated with the limited / collector edition (supported by ME3)
Retailer specific pre-order item DLC (supported by every Bioware release since Mass Effect)
Potential cross promotional item DLC (Dr. Pepper for Mass Effect 3 items e.g.)
Potential Collector/Limited Edition specific item DLC (supported by every Bioware release since Mass Effect)
Post release quest/area DLC (supported by every Bioware release this past generation)
Post release item DLC (supported by every Bioware release since Mass Effect)
Potential iOS/android/flash/facebook game (Dragon Age Legends) item/progression unlocks or DLC (supported by Dragon Age and its flash game. DA2 had a facebook game IIRC). Mass Effect 3 used Mass Effect Infiltrator as a potential way to boost galactic readiness. No tie-ins from Dragon Age Legends have been announced yet, however. It is a F2P game with microtransactions.
There's also going to be a program/app called The Keep to dictate your choices in DA and DA2 to shape the DA:I world.
Not sure, but i think i just vomited a bit in my mouth.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Jon Armdog
Member
Insane person here, just wanted to check in. I am one of those mental patients who loved Dragon Age 2 (I'm serious). In fact, I also could not get in to Witcher 2, so will probably pass on Witcher 3 while I obssess over DA:I.
So, I'm super hyped about Inquisition. Thanks for posting the update, always good to hear more.
So, I'm super hyped about Inquisition. Thanks for posting the update, always good to hear more.
anexanhume
Member
I'm whatever on most of it as the only thing that really affects the game outcome is the character DLC. I think it was pretty dirty when they restricted that to limited edition copies. Before, it's been included with every new copy, which is a buying used deterrent and I get that strategy. I don't get restricting it to a subset of new buyers and using the excuse that they worked on it after it was submitted for master, and then it comes to light that the content was actually on the disc in some form already.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
lol. Goddamit it Nirolak.
anexanhume
Member
It is a pretty cool dodge-roll!
Witcher who?
Jibbajabbawockky
Member
Exactly. In an RPG where I'm presumably in control of my Player Character, I want to know exactly what my Player Character is going to say. There should be zero surprise in what my character is saying.
The fun would be in how other characters react to what I am saying. That should be what's surprising and out of my control. Maybe an NPC misinterprets what my player characters says? That's fine.
I just feel like BioWare needs to go farther one way or the other with their dialogue. Either go back to an Origins style with a first person style approach where you get all of the exact text dialogue options presented to you plus the approximate tone they'd be delivered to the NPC or go for something more third person, like Alpha Protocol where its timed and you're only picking rough approximations. Otherwise its just silly how they're trying to have it both ways.
Did you prefer the silent protagonist or Mass Effect esque approach to Hawk?
Their stated reasoning for the short dialog pieces is that testers kept skipping the dialog if they wrote the full line.
They also noted that they write the short statements as if they're things you're saying directly before the line your character voices, though I'm not sure if that's true in the literal sense of how the characters actually react or what is considered to have happened.
But yeah, I feel that also drives a ton of the dissonance between what is selected and what is said, since you usually don't repeat yourself exactly twice in a row.
They also noted that they write the short statements as if they're things you're saying directly before the line your character voices, though I'm not sure if that's true in the literal sense of how the characters actually react or what is considered to have happened.
But yeah, I feel that also drives a ton of the dissonance between what is selected and what is said, since you usually don't repeat yourself exactly twice in a row.
shinobi602
Member
Strongly prefer voiced ala Mass Effect. Helps "immerse" me in the game better. Bioware games have excellent voice acting and seeing my character stand silent while others talk to him was a little awkward.
Nemesis_
Member
I'm pretty fucking excited for this. But there's also part of me that is kind of like "release this shit" so I can get another Mass Effect game quicker.
Both Dragon Age and Mass Effect were serious highlights of this past generation just gone, and I can't wait to see (and more importantly, play) their first forays into the new generation.
Both Dragon Age and Mass Effect were serious highlights of this past generation just gone, and I can't wait to see (and more importantly, play) their first forays into the new generation.
ShinMaruku
Member
I won't go that far. Bioware could full well still cock this up. But I will say this has me where Mass errectus does not.
I don't mind Promo DLC, great there's like 50 some odd swords and daggers, rings and armors that aren't that useful after a few hours. I do care about DLC characters and content expansions. I don't mind when Character DLC is tied to new copies, slightly less enthusiastic about pre-order copies. What I really don't like it tying it to CEs or LEs like the did with ME3 cause that's just blatantly trying to get people to spend more.
anexanhume
Member
DA:I will sell more, no question. It's going to be a on PC, 360, PS3, XB1, PS4 and likely Mac. It has EA's marketing force. TW3 will only be PC, XB1 and PS4. I'm betting TW3 gets reviewed better though.
Jawmuncher
Member
With how they have been handling information to us, is this going to be ready by 2014?
Still feels like it's early on for them. Unless they are planning massive crunch time or i'm missing something.
Still feels like it's early on for them. Unless they are planning massive crunch time or i'm missing something.
Same sort of.
About the 3rd time through DA:O I started forcing my self to read my responses in the voice you choose and hear when you're fighting. For that, I probably don't miss it as much as someone who is just reading their character's text.
I think they'll shoot for that, but it will slip to Feb. the following year like ME2 did.
anexanhume
Member
What are you expecting? There's video of a 30 minute complete chunk of gameplay video from before the holidays and we know that they had a complete internal build to play over the holidays.
shinobi602
Member
It's been in development since 2011. It was ready to be released a few months ago until they delayed it a year to polish it up and add even more to the game, including multiple playable races. They already have a complete playable build of the game over the holidays that their employees were playing.
Bioware devs have repeatedly said it'll release this year and to expect marketing to ratchet up fairly soon throughout the year.
Yeah, here is to hoping it happens. This is one I really want to experience on a next-gen system.
Generally EA has switched their marketing cycles so that they only focus on a couple of games at a time.
They turned off the information wells on anything that wasn't out in Q1 after GamesCom/PAX so they would just market their Fall 2013/Q1 2014 titles instead.
Their Q2 and beyond 2014 titles should start getting traditional marketing again soon.
UFC also went away until a couple of weeks ago (with not much prior information) for example, yet is coming out in Q2.
Is it really your character at that point, though?
Mass Effect was fine in that I felt like a puppeteer, but I never felt like I was Shepard.
KotOR, Jade Empire, and Origins made me feel more immersed because I felt like that character was a vessel for me in that world. Its far more immersive to read the actual lines(as they are delivered and not paraphrased) silently and know how they would be delivered, my inflections and well. Kind of jarring to pick something I would say and theni nstead of hearing nothing at all, hear someone else's voice.
Takes me out of the moment personally.
Kind of hope the silent protagonist would return.
shinobi602
Member
Well, we all have different tastes
I didn't like sifting through 7 or 8 rows of sentences that I'd have to read, pick, and then just hear the other characters react. It didn't..."flow" right to me. I love the conversations of DA2 and the Mass Effect series because they seem like actual conversations. To be honest, I kind of prefer the control of DA2/Inquisition and the ME series. Yea, I felt like I'm not playing "myself", but rather Hawke/Inquisitor and Shepard respectively and seeing their story through their eyes but allowing me to make the decisions and shape the story how I want it.
I'm a fan of both really, but I prefer that route.
anexanhume
Member
I get your angle but it doesn't bother me personally. For me, it enhances the vicariousness of it. I'm pretending to be someone else, so when I hear a strong, masculine voice come from Shepard, it helps complete the fantasy/idea that I'm a strong hero type whom people respect and follow.
WanderingWind
Mecklemore Is My Favorite Wrapper
Well, we all have different tastes
I didn't like sifting through 7 or 8 rows of sentences that I'd have to read, pick, and then just hear the other characters react. It didn't..."flow" right to me. I love the conversations of DA2 and the Mass Effect series because they seem like actual conversations. To be honest, I kind of prefer the control of DA2/Inquisition and the ME series. Yea, I felt like I'm not playing "myself", but rather Hawke/Inquisitor and Shepard respectively and seeing their story through their eyes but allowing me to make the decisions and shape the story how I want it.
I'm a fan of both really, but I prefer that route.
Well, I'm just glad there are enough RPGs coming out that cater to tastes like yours and to tastes like mine. I'm glad I don't have to be ShepardHawke all the time, but it's nice to be able to switch the brain off and pick red/blue and watch the fireworks every so often. As long as all the games don't become like ME/DA2, I'm content.
Say what now? Shepard has a very feminine voice. What game were YOU playing?
When I'm playing Mass Effect I don't really want to feel like I am Shepard. I want the Shepard I created to be his own character.
shinobi602
Member
Indeed. I enjoy both personally. Some of my favorite RPGs had silent protagonists.
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