Dragon Age 3: Inquisition Announced

[jpublic]

To be honest, just want Bioware to push this one out so they can go make some new franchise, since ME is over and SWTOR is in maintenance mode now.

By the end of ME they had a good shooty/squad/rpg system, they should leverage that into a new series.

[Ink Asylum]

Mass Effect isn't over, just Shepard's trilogy.

[Pale Ale]

Originally Posted by Chris_D

I liked both games a lot although they do have problems. Regardless, I'll be there for DA3.

How many times are you gonna put your hand in the fire!

[Chris_D]

As long as I like their games, indefinitely I suspect!

[Shieldmaiden]

Originally Posted by Karmakin

Bioware does one thing and one thing right...that is character design and interactions (talking and stuff). Everything else is meh or worse.

This is pretty much why I prefer DA2 to DA:O. I don't like the combat in either of them, I found the first one to be a massive let down in terms of overall story and the second to be a bunch of interesting ideas spoiled by a clearly rushed release. The interaction between the characters was really cool and it was nice to not have everything revolve around you for once.

[jpublic]

The intercharacter dialogue in DA2 was brilliant. Actually, the NPC stuff was really well done - it highlighted the idea that they were people with their own damn lives aside from traipsing along after you.

[Chris_D]

Yeah, DA2 was done a massive disservice by it's rushed release. Such a shame.

[Xydarc]

Originally Posted by Ghostbear

I disagree with your assessment of the combat. I thought it was tactical and smart in the original. It turned into a stupid monster closet game in the sequel that made tactical thinking a waste of time.

This is correct.

Originally Posted by RandoM51

Bioware is dead, long live EA North.

This is truth.

I wonder what kind of Day 1 DLC will be tacked on to this?

[Abyssion]

Originally Posted by Xydarc

I wonder what kind of Day 1 DLC will be tacked on to this?

Same as the last two, an extra party member.

[muddi900]

I think people who played Dragon Age on the console played. It wrong.

[ThievesAmongUs]

Originally Posted by muddi900

I think people who played Dragon Age on the console played. It wrong.

I disagree, the only real difference is a slight change in difficulty settings ( 50% friendly fire on Hard and none on normal for the consoles), and a lack of the strategic view.

...Also, your grammar is reprehensible, my good sir.

[menage]

I enjoyed it fine on console. Once you got out of the terribly bland first areas (which really were extremely bland, and long) it became quit good. And the choices seemed like they mattered, even if the pay-off was just a text screen.

The second just remained bland all the way around. And the choices were fake imo. DA is just like FFXIII, it fools you into thinking you have a lot to do, but all you do is spam a button. It matters fuck all in the end. And why would anyone side against the mages when your freaking sister is one anyway.

The choices were just there because people expect it from BW, but I'd rather have a tighter narrative than a skewed one. Maybe they need to let go of that standard yes/no/maybe template. It get's in the way of other stuff. I like the idea. But the end of ME3 was 'ruined' because of the template for example.

DA's problem always was it's blandness. But if DA3 is more like 1 with more polish and better chara interaction I'm there I suppose.

[Narradisall]

I enjoyed both the last 2, but I think I'm going to wait on this one, DA was always felt like the poor mans ME in terms of, well, everything, and although I liked the way they tried to add some flavour into the last game, it never really wow'ed me a huge amount.

[Ink Asylum]

Originally Posted by jpublic

To be honest, just want Bioware to push this one out so they can go make some new franchise, since ME is over and SWTOR is in maintenance mode now.

By the end of ME they had a good shooty/squad/rpg system, they should leverage that into a new series.

Well, it looks like you'll be getting a new Bioware series, even though Dragon Age and Mass Effect are still going.

BRAND NEW GAMES FROM BIOWARE – Both Dragon Age and Mass Effect started as single games but grew into vast universes. But we aren’t stopping there. While Casey continues to oversee the development of our new Mass Effect project, he and his leads are putting together their vision for an all new game set in a fictional universe, built from the bottom-up with all new gaming technology.

[ShivaX]

They forgot to mention where they'll change everything completely come the first sequel and then try to win everyone back on the third installment.

[bean]

I liked the combat in both a lot, but I had several specific problems with the story in the second. First, let me give credit where credit is due: I'm onboard for the main plotline. The escape is great, and the evil artifact bit is great. Also, your character's stories are amazing and their voice-acting is superior. Now my criticisms:

1. We know from the first game that mages get their power from the dreamland that they are able to enter and that there are demons that take control of stupid or weak mages. However, what happens in the main game is that mages are tested when they are near adulthood. They are sent deep into the dreamland after being warned about the dangers and they fight them off. The templars are nearby in case the young mage is weak and allows a demon to control him. . . so we know the transformation occurs after entering this dreamland and a dark pact. This is central to the world's lore. However, in Dragon Age 2, mages who are absolutely in control and are seemingly about to become the victims of zealous templars simply get pissed off enough that they turn into demons. They changed this bit of lore completely. . . instead of a really interesting war in a dream-world, suddenly mages are all lose-cannong Bruce Banners that are one tantrum away from permanently becoming demons. It's retarded and takes a big shit on the interesting give-and-take/cautious/guilt-ridden-but-dutiful relationship the mages and the templars share in the first game.

2. The choices don't seem to matter that much in DA2. You'll have basically the same outcomes in most games compared to the wildly different outcomes you could achieve in Dragon Age.

Having said all that, I loved the combat improvements in DA2. The strategy occurs more before the fights in how you equip and setup your party, but there is still strategy there - particularly if you play on more difficult settings.

[Ink Asylum]

Concept art released today.

[menage]

First pic looks great, the others are pretty standard fare though.

[Ink Asylum]

While this isn't specifically Dragon Age 3 related, I didn't know where else to share this. I've been reading a blog by one of the lead writers at Bioware, and his latest post is about naming things, with a lot of references to how things in the Dragon Age series were named. It's a fun read.

Gaider’s Laws of Naming Things

1) If the name is a made-up word for something, everyone will have different connotations and immediately dislike it.

2) Within 3-6 months, people will begin to associate that made-up word with the thing… and they will forget that they ever had an objection. Of course it’s that name. What else could it be called?

You think I’m kidding? I am not kidding.

“Qunari” was initially despised. Some people thought it sounded too much like canary. Some people thought “the Qun” was difficult to pronounce, and sounded too much like a bad word (seriously?). It was allowed to remain as a temp name, and we would look at it later for what it would actually be. Lo and behold, when we turned around 6 months later, suddenly nobody wanted to change it. That’s what they were. What else could they be?

The Dragon Age world was not initially called “Thedas”. There was a name that existed, but I didn’t like it and refused to use it in the documentation or in conversation… so, when we had to refer to it at all, we called it “the Dragon Age world” or “the Dragon Age setting” (with the understanding that eventually we would have to give it a real name).

It amused us to find on our forums that, lacking a provided alternative, someone had begun using the acronym “TheDAS” (The Dragon Age Setting) …and it stuck. Funny! So we started calling it Thedas in conversation, mostly because that was shorter. Then, lo and behold, when we sat down for the meeting to give the world its real name, we couldn’t settle on anything. Every option didn’t seem right. Nothing fit. Sheryl asked, “Can’t we just call it Thedas?”… and we realized the truth. For good or ill, Law #2 had already taken hold.

[National Kato]

So what he's saying is I should accept Metal Gear Solid Revengeance?