Dragon Age 3: Inquisition announced

[ArenCordial]

I liked the Warden story, but at the same time it was Bioware to the bone. It was done pretty well, but not much ingenuity and imo the whole political intrigue side of the story was a mess. I don't think it would hurt them to branch out from the "humble origins, big problem falls into your lap, gather your allies, go to war" archetype.

I think Templars v Mages can be a good scenario, but I think they're going to have to develop both parties a bit more. It's been a while but I seem to remember both sides being largely made up of intolerant douchebags (Templars) or pretentious douchebags (Mages), not sure who to root for there.

The one thing I did like about DA2 is they did attempt to move away from the BioWare formula with that game. The problem was it simply showcased how the writers just weren't up to the task of breaking away from the mold. The side quests/main quests were interwoven in such a terrible fashion I often felt like the plot the was simply hopping around. Probably why they are going back to the save the world epic questline and seemed to have borrowed the "invasion from hell" scenerio in many fantasy settings.

Yeah the Templar vs Mage conflict was horribly done and each about 95% guilty of what the other side accused it of. Now I understand BW was going for grey here but it ended up being mostly black for each side. In the end I was only disgusted with each side and would have taken the option to just walk away from both sides if it had been offered. Hawke and Varric were the only sane souls in all of Kirkwall.

On another note on the home page it looks like the protagonist is wearing 4 rings. 2 I recognize as the Templars and Seekers, I think 1 is the Circle, and another one that looks like a ruby. I wonder if that's to symbolize possible origins since they said they wanted more character customization after the backlash with Hawke. Either that or its the allies you need to recruit.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

I don't see the Morrigan story as a loose end to be tied up but a MAJOR plot arc that needs to be fleshed out. Too bad they made the old god baby seem optional, now the purists don't want it to factor heavily in the future since they might have chosen not to have it.

Personally I'm expecting Flemeth will turn out to be an old god that was rescued in much the same way the ritual preserve the old god soul in DA:O.

 

[Madia]

Yeah the Templar vs Mage conflict was horribly done and each about 95% guilty of what the other side accused it of. Now I understand BW was going for grey here but it ended up being mostly black for each side. In the end I was only disgusted with each side and would have taken the option to just walk away from both sides if it had been offered. Hawke and Varric were the only sane souls in all of Kirkwall.

That is the trouble with failing at grey storytelling: instead of the two dimensional black and white sides (good vs. evil) you end up with one dimensional sides (everyone is rotten). Ideally grey storytelling should either have two sides that are opposed to each other but each are trying to do good or two opposite sides that have good points but are also colored by various biases, prejudices, etc.

According to IGN, the protagonist of the third game will be a leader of an inquisition and once again have to side with either the chantry of the mages:

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/12/e3-2013-dragon-age-3-inquisition-and-the-next-generation

Considering the one dimensional characterization of the chantry/mages in the second I'm not fond of that storyline continuing. Of course, at the end of the game it probably won't matter since I imagine the world will be going to hell and that will force them to work together to prevent the destruction of the world.

 

[syd2oo2]

I love the first one. Hated the second one. I'd like the third one to be great, but I'm not holding out much hope.

 

[DefDC]

Like I said before, EA could have avoided poisoning the well by making DA2 a "Tales of Dragon Age" series like Icewind Dale was to Baldurs Gate. Lighter on plot, heavy on action.
Gamers would have been happy to have it, if it was presented this way, knowing a true DA2 would remain intact.

My opinion: DA2 had big shoes to fill, and it just tripped over them... However it was still fun. Just barely a 7/10. I enjoyed it, with all of it's flaws. However, it was no DA sequal. I have hopes they realize it, and have the ability to recover. There's a tremendous amount of money on the table for the, IF they do the right thing.
In all honesty, I went back to DA1 for another playthrough, it was painfully slow. They could speed up the combat a bit. (But not destroy the system in the process)

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

From DAvid Gaider on Bioware forums:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/371/index/14969906/5

samgrave wrote...
Is there any chance we will finally get to see the resolution to this loose end in DA III? If not in the main plot, then at the very least in a passing reference made by other charachters, or in a lore book found somewhere along one's adventures.​

Hmm. How can I put this?

The results of the Dark Ritual, if it occurred in DAO, will have more than a passing reference in DAI.

Beyond that, you shall have to wait and see.

OK, that sucks. If the child's part in the game depends on your save game, that means it will only be a side quest or perhaps an optional companion, or less.

 

[Bateluer]

From DAvid Gaider on Bioware forums:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/371/index/14969906/5



OK, that sucks. If the child's part in the game depends on your save game, that means it will only be a side quest or perhaps an optional companion, or less.

Maybe its just me, but I interpret 'more than a passing reference' as a little more than a side quest. A full fledged party member wouldn't be a meaningless addition either.


With DA3, I'm still more concerned about the fully voiced player and shit-tastic dialog wheel.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

I mean, I would have hoped that the Old God Baby (as it's more popularly known) would be either a mandatory companion with a backstory, as opposed to something that only exists if you did the ritual on Origins.

What's the most complex/detailed/in-depth thing from DA O or DA2 that would only even exist in your playthrough if you made certain choices?

 

[RampantAndroid]

I mean, I would have hoped that the Old God Baby (as it's more popularly known) would be either a mandatory companion with a backstory, as opposed to something that only exists if you did the ritual on Origins.

What's the most complex/detailed/in-depth thing from DA O or DA2 that would only even exist in your playthrough if you made certain choices?

Anders
The baby (it WAS a choice, what more do you want?)
your character from DAO (could be dead)
What's his name, the other heir to the throne (could also be dead depending on ritual)
Loghain
A ton of others than can live or die based on choices
Who is ruling

Welcome to Bioware games. If you didn't perform the ritual, they persist that. They'll pick a default option for people who don't have a save game. Sounds like your grip is that there was a CHOICE about whether you did the ritual, not with its inclusion in DA3.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

No, I just think that the idea of resurrecting/whatever the soul of one of the old dragon gods or whatever they are, is something that deserves an entire game built around it. I think it's such a viable plot point that they should fully canonize that the ritual did occur in order to facilitate it, rather than be sticklers.

 

[Red Hawk]

No, I just think that the idea of resurrecting/whatever the soul of one of the old dragon gods or whatever they are, is something that deserves an entire game built around it. I think it's such a viable plot point that they should fully canonize that the ritual did occur in order to facilitate it, rather than be sticklers.

And cheapen the actual choice? No thanks, we got enough of that with stuff like Leliana appearing in DAII even if your imported Warden killed her at the Urn of Sacred Ashes. I'd rather it be something important that swings both ways -- different outcomes depending on the choice your Warden made.

 

[EDUSAN]

that is one big plothole

i didnt notice cause i didnt kill leliana in DAO

when is DA2 supposed to happen? after the events of DAO? cant remember

 

[frozentundra123456]

I would love a new great RPG, but any game put out by Bioware now is a definite wait for reviews/price drop for me. Kind of sad really, but after ME3 I am very skeptical of any Bioware/EA game. I do have hopes for this one though, maybe after the slamming of DAII and ME3 they will actually revert to classic Bioware standards.

Is there any word on a release date?

 

[darkewaffle]

I would love a new great RPG, but any game put out by Bioware now is a definite wait for reviews/price drop for me. Kind of sad really, but after ME3 I am very skeptical of any Bioware/EA game. I do have hopes for this one though, maybe after the slamming of DAII and ME3 they will actually revert to classic Bioware standards.

Is there any word on a release date?

If DAI is even half as good as ME3, that still ranks it as a fantastic game imo.

One thing I hope DA improves on this time through is adding more 'life' to NPCs and your party. I liked my companions, but definitely felt as though I was much more attached to my ME crew than I ever was to my DA party; though that could just be a result of memory and playing three games with the same crew versus two games and an expansion with largely different casts for each, hard to say. But I think creating an emotional connection in a story driven game adds a great deal of depth to it; I hope they can recreate/learn from that.

 

[RampantAndroid]

that is one big plothole

i didnt notice cause i didnt kill leliana in DAO

when is DA2 supposed to happen? after the events of DAO? cant remember

Spoiler

The prequel (when you arrive in kirkwall and have to become a smugler/whatever for a year) is during DAO. Acts 1 (getting money for the expedition and the expedition), 2 (you're rich and...do stuff. Ends with the Qunari rising up) and 3 (mages/templars conflict coming to a head) are after DAO. DA2 takes place over 10 years or so. Between acts 1-2 and 2-3 there is a 3 year period.

So the timeline is:
Year 0 - Flee the blight, arrive in kirkwall. Earn your entrance into kirkwall.
Year 1 - Raise money for expedition into the deeps
Years 2,3,4 - Enjoy being rich
Year 5 - Qunari
Years 6,7,8 - Enjoy city without them
Year 9 - Mage/templar stuff

No, I just think that the idea of resurrecting/whatever the soul of one of the old dragon gods or whatever they are, is something that deserves an entire game built around it. I think it's such a viable plot point that they should fully canonize that the ritual did occur in order to facilitate it, rather than be sticklers.

While that might warrant a game, it was a CHOICE. Would you like it if ME4 came along and said "Oh, you killed the geth? Well, here's ME4 that takes place after ME3 and it's all about the geth." These games are based on choice. You remove that choice, it's kinda cheap.

It's like in Deus Ex 1, you can pick to kill page, merge with helios or nuke Area 51. In Deus Ex 2....you merged with Helios. Doesn't matter which one you REALLY did. They picked for you. Kinda cheapens the choice.

 

[maniacalpha1-1]

While that might warrant a game, it was a CHOICE. Would you like it if ME4 came along and said "Oh, you killed the geth? Well, here's ME4 that takes place after ME3 and it's all about the geth." These games are based on choice. You remove that choice, it's kinda cheap.

It's like in Deus Ex 1, you can pick to kill page, merge with helios or nuke Area 51. In Deus Ex 2....you merged with Helios. Doesn't matter which one you REALLY did. They picked for you. Kinda cheapens the choice.

Well, since you mention it, I have an idea...there is bug (presumably it's a bug) that in the epilogue, you still get the pregnant Morrigan mention even if you didn't do the ritual.

So, basically, have a game built around the old God baby, if you did the ritual, it's Morrigan's child, if you didn't, some other pregnant mage near the battle caught it!

Or hell, have a story where the recovered soul of another old God archdemon rises up. It's more about the idea of interaction with one of those than specifically canonizing the dark ritual with Morrigan.

 

[Red Hawk]

I would love a new great RPG, but any game put out by Bioware now is a definite wait for reviews/price drop for me. Kind of sad really, but after ME3 I am very skeptical of any Bioware/EA game. I do have hopes for this one though, maybe after the slamming of DAII and ME3 they will actually revert to classic Bioware standards.

Is there any word on a release date?

You realize ME3 wasn't slammed wholesale, right? Much of the anger against ME3 came from the ending, but we only cared about the ending because the rest of the game was great. If the game had been terrible itself, we wouldn't have cared to single out the ending.

 

[Bateluer]

While that might warrant a game, it was a CHOICE. Would you like it if ME4 came along and said "Oh, you killed the geth? Well, here's ME4 that takes place after ME3 and it's all about the geth." These games are based on choice. You remove that choice, it's kinda cheap.

They already nuked all the choices and decisions the player made at the end of ME3.

 

[Red Hawk]

They already nuked all the choices and decisions the player made at the end of ME3.

Not this sh!t again.

 

[Dumac]

I disliked the entirety of ME3, not just the ending.

 

[Red Hawk]

I disliked the entirety of ME3, not just the ending.

Then you're in the minority.

 

[Bateluer]

Not this sh!t again.

Since design elements from DA2 and ME3 are carrying over to DA3, it is relevant to the conversation.

The god child from the dark ritual is a major plot element in DAO that felt completely marginalized and half ignored in the atrociously bad Witch Hunt DLC.

If you try make a game that caters to every possible ending in an RPG with radically different multiple endings, such as DAO, you will end up with mediocre sequels or absurdly bloated development costs. Pick a canon ending and build from that.

 

[frozentundra123456]

You realize ME3 wasn't slammed wholesale, right? Much of the anger against ME3 came from the ending, but we only cared about the ending because the rest of the game was great. If the game had been terrible itself, we wouldn't have cared to single out the ending.

Kind of like losing the superbowl on the last play and calling it a great game, huh?

ME3 was not about gameplay, it was about a final ending based on your previous choices that gave closure to the series. It was ALL about the ending, and failed miserably. It was by far the most disappointing game I have ever played, because not only was it disappointing in and of itself, it basically rendered an entire trilogy meaningless. You might as well have just played a final 10 minute cutscene and done a dice roll to pick a red, blue, or green ending. And I am talking about the first ending, not the modified ending, since I consider that basically a sham. If you cant do it right the first time forget it.

Sorry, I wont post anymore negative comments about ME3, since it is off topic, but that is how I feel about the game. I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion though.

 

[Kinesis]

I love the first one. Hated the second one. I'd like the third one to be great, but I'm not holding out much hope.

I disliked the entirety of ME3, not just the ending.

Can't agree more with both statements. I stumbled over DA and was floored at how I could have missed such a compelling game in a genre I gravitate towards. Gave ME3 a try since Bioware had so impressed me with DA and even STOR... wow was I pissed at the let down.

DA2 was okay, but I burned through it so fast trying to reach the same level of enjoyment I had for DA. Never got to it .

I hope DA3 is at least some what close to the DA experience.

 

[Red Hawk]

Can't agree more with both statements. I stumbled over DA and was floored at how I could have missed such a compelling game in a genre I gravitate towards. Gave ME3 a try since Bioware had so impressed me with DA and even STOR... wow was I pissed at the let down.

DA2 was okay, but I burned through it so fast trying to reach the same level of enjoyment I had for DA. Never got to it .

I hope DA3 is at least some what close to the DA experience.

Uh, did you play ME1 and ME2 before trying ME3?