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Forums: Index > Game DiscussionWhich Game Aspects are You Willing to Sacrifice?
Note: This topic has been unedited for 4395 days. It is considered archived - the discussion is over. Do not continue it unless it really needs a response.

After playing both DA2 and ME3, I’m starting to think that BioWare is not going to (or going to be able to) give us games that have everything we want/expect from a BioWare game.

Given that premise, which aspects of DA3 (and any games that follow) would you be willing to let the developers skimp on if it meant spending more time on the other aspects?

For example, would you give up having broad lists of power choices, companion armor customizing, and cool environments if it meant richer decision making? Or sacrifice in-depth companion conversations if it meant a sturdier plot? HELO (talk) 13:44, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Superdupershiny advanced graphic, high billed celebrity VAs and romances in favour of smart, coherent plot, real multiple choices and diverse ways to off diverse opponents. Dorquemada (talk) 13:55, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

That's...an interesting topic. I personally would gladly never ever see the return of customizable companion armor, because to check everyone's equipment before I sell my loot is tedious. Or they could handle it like in ME3 that you have different appearances which give the character different bonuses.

I would be also okay with linear dungeons, mostly because DA was always linear, and not about exploration like Skyrim. That said re-using maps is not acceptable. I would rather have the dunk and bland caves of DAO and have different maps every time, than DA2's pretty but repeated ones.

I would also be willing to sacrifices in-depth companion dialogue, if it meant a really great plot for the game. However since Bioware have yet to create a game with a really great plot that stands on it's own and isn't loved because of the characters, I would say BW should stick with characters.--SunyiNyufi (talk) 14:01, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Companion armor customizing - absolutely. I was glad to see it gone: it was tedious. I would fancy something like several appearances for each character you can choose from as in ME3, though.
As for characters and plot, they kind of go together, I don't see how you can separate them. Asherinka (talk) 14:53, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Celebrity VA's, companion armour customization, romances (especially if they're taking the everyone's bi approach), DLC's any and all, darkspawn, visiting Kal-Sharok or Orzammar, even Hawke and warden appearances if it comes to that.

In exchange I expect a brilliantly written story with no recycled maps that provides meaningful choices that stays focused on the mage-templar war. I would also want companions with more depth to them, as opposed to two or three traits that comprise their entire personality. ----Isolationistmagi 15:14, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

I'd be willing for the team to skimp on their time, using Twitter. Compared to their current scheduling, that would free up a good 5 work hours a day. Злой мальчик (talk) 16:15, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Why should we have to sacrifice anything? Put the companion armor customization back in. throw in the dialogue wheel. Work on the graphics a tiny bit. Work on the story a lot. Keep the skill system and the combat speed. Add in the old combat effects (Head loss = blood fountain) Throw in some origins. and we have gold. I have nothing against the people posting in this thread, but in light of recent events with Mass Effect being a stumble and Dragon Age 2 also being a stumble. BioWare's quality in games is starting to drop and all I see is people willing to lower their standards of BioWare games in order to feel better when the next game under their banner gets released. Why are we asking ourselves, "What are we willing to sacrifice?" When we should be asking, "What the hell are they going to fix and improve to make their next release memorable?" GreyWolf84 (talk) 16:34, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Personally, -- if had to -- I would sacrifice flashy combat (something awesome does NOT need to happen every time I press a button) and celebrity VAs (I never knew who Felicia Day was anyway), in favour of more story choices, more variety, and customisation. Unlike some of the other posters above, I would love to see customisable armour for companions come back. Most of all I agree with GreyWolf84; it's a really sad indictment of how far BW has fallen that we're debating what we'd give up to get a game that's true to the values we love. --NickyStuu (talk) 16:37, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

It IS rather disheartening isn't it. :( EzzyD (talk) 16:56, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Like everyone else I would be able to sacrifice companion armor customization, I liked it but if it means they could bring back uniqe dungeons. I liked Martin Sheen as the illusive man and Seth Green as Joker but if it means we could get a better game without them then I will sadly say goodbye to them (this statement does not include Felicia Day, I had never heard of her before MoA and I dont even know why Tallis existed in the first place).

Things I would not be willing to sacrifice however are deep companion interaction and romance, that was one of the things that made bioware games so awesome and I dont think I would find either Mass Effect or Dragon Age worth playing without them.

Things I would much unwillingly let go but would if tempted with good enough alternatives are probably voiced protagonists and diferent origins and races, I loved the voiced protagonist and even though it had its flaws my character fellt more alive when it had a voice. I would not like to say good bye to the voiced protagonist but if I have to I will. One of the things that made Origins great was the diferent races and the origins, I would like to see this return in DA3 even though its highly unlikely. However I would not want them to spend a lot of money puting it back into the game if it meant that they would have to sacrifice something really cool for it. Blighter (talk) 17:15, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Customizing companion armor can go. Like a lot of you, I felt it was tedious. However, they need to put in something that filters what you get. If I'm a mage why are they giving me a bunch of warrior armor that I can't use...unless they are bringing back the arcane warrior class. That would be awesome! Celeb voices can go. I had never heard of Felicia Day before MotA and, honestly, I wasn't that impressed. I did think using Tim Currey for Arl Howe was a great touch, but if they can spend the money on making a better story and great romances, nix it. In short, I want a good story, meaningful romances, and choices that actually make a difference in the game. I'd sacrifice celeb voices, customizable companion armor, and even variety in maps (to a certain extent) to get it.Devilkat (talk) 19:47, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

I'd sacrifice EA logo in the game. Wait, that's not sacrifice, that's liberation.-Algol- (talk) 19:14, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

Ohohoho, that's a good one :D--SunyiNyufi (talk) 19:34, March 15, 2012 (UTC)
Yeah, that deserves an Approves (+10). HELO (talk) 20:37, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

I can't believe this is even a topic of conversation. It's like begging me to NOT buy your product. However, it seems apropos given the current state of Bioware. If they are smart, they'll quietly go about building a great game in total secret that incorporates all that we loved in DAO, and all that we loved in DA2. Which is to say everything, and then pretty much nothing. But that won't happen. They'll put on the full court press, especially after two major fiascoes (DA2 and ME3) in a row, and another one brewing slowly (A free weekend for TOR, Already! Man....) But if something is to be sacrificed next time, honestly, I think it just might be sales. Because they have a WHOLE lot to prove to about 80% of the Bioware fan base right now. I do not envy them. The Grey Unknown (talk) 23:55, March 15, 2012 (UTC)

I'm with Grey Wolf and Algol. Why should we have to sacrifice anything but the EA Logo, maybe with those money hungry bastards not breathing down Bioware's neck, they could get some real work done.--Sjelen Kain (talk) 01:24, March 16, 2012 (UTC)

So much Felicia Day hatred here, along with the assumption that Bioware paid her some unreasonable sum of money to do MoA. I mean, maybe they did--how would any of us know?--but she *is* a huge fan of the series. I'm kind of doubting she demanded an absurd paycheck. Or maybe I'm just a naive fanboy. I kind of just wish Bioware could be more transparent about their decision-making process, so that conversations like this wouldn't have to rely on vague inferences and notions of corporate corruption. Fritzywiggins (talk) 07:47, March 16, 2012 (UTC)

My objection to Felicia Day was simply that her involvement felt really patronising. I'd never heard of her, but yet I was being asked to get really excited about her creative involvement and physical presence in one of (so far?) only two gameplay DLCs for DA2. I'm not sure that Ms Day being a "huge fan" of the series qualifies her for creative input any more than I would be qualified to develop DLC. I don't know anything at all about how much she was paid or why. I simply suggest that Bioware should move away from these gimmicks, and go away quietly for a year or two, spend a whole bunch of money, and take a whole lot of time, to make a classic single player customisable RPG. --NickyStuu (talk) 08:34, March 16, 2012 (UTC)

^ This. I'm still not very clear on what Felicia Day does, nor do I much care, but I did think that her role in MotA was objectionable. Tallis stuck out like a sore thumb, she didn't look like any other elf in the game, and I never felt that she was an organic part of the DA universe. Not to mention that she may as well have had a "love me, I'm awesome!" neon sign around her neck. I didn't appreciate the fact that I was being railroaded into liking her and sympathising with her plight (needless to say, I left her standing when the option came up). Maybe if they hadn't been pushing me in that direction, I would've chosen it myself. But as things stand, I resent the coercion.

To come back to the topic, it is kinda sad that we've come to a point where we'd be willing to sacrifice things to obtain a quality product. But if we're playing that game, then anything pertaining to combat is a secondary concern to me. As long as the storyline, character development and interaction (including romance), and good dialogues are kept, I don't much care what happens with the rest. I prefer voiced protagonists and varied origins, and I actually think companion armour customisation is more realistic, but if all that absolutely has to go, so be it. I wouldn't mind sacrificing flashy combat, top-of-the-line graphics and star-studded VA lists either. Heck, I don't even mind recycled dungeons all that much.

LoL, NickyStuu is right. F.Day may be good actress but what bugs me is that she received more media attention than all of other actors together. And i'd still choose Aveline and Varric over her as companions. --Markurion (talk) 11:33, March 16, 2012 (UTC)


All the examples topic poster said are touchy. I would certainly sacrifice game play for story, and by that i mean the plot/s,characters and companions development and overall immersion. I said couple of times this. If only DA2 gave me good story and satisfactory ending I would love it. But, alas. EA wanted action-rpg, so they delivered... crap!--Markurion (talk) 11:40, March 16, 2012 (UTC)

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