Dragon Age 3: Inquisition

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Opty

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Bioware finally confirmed the game but released few details. Based on what they've said, including how they're studying Skyrim, and the way they've reached out to fans for feedback makes me hope that maybe they've learned from their mistakes with DA2 and ME3.

I also like Mark Darrah's approach (Executive Producer of DA) and I think the letter from him linked to below show's some good self-deprecating honesty and openness.

What do you think? Will they knock it out of the park or will it be the final nail in Bioware's coffin?

Open letter from the Exec Producer (Mark) announcing the game on Dragon Age's website:

http://www.dragonage.com/inquisition
 
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Shadow Dragon

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This could either put the series back on track to completely kill it. The biggest hope for this game is if EA gives it time for development rather than shoving it out the door as fast as possible and just making dlcs for any of the other stuff they wanted to be in the game. Also, one thing to keep in mind is that EA has said that all their games will be multiplayer for now on, so that's one element DA3 has to have, regardless of how well it fits.
 

Dommo

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As long as they go back to the original game, in terms of gameplay mechanics and depth, they'll be in good shape. DA 2 just felt like a copy and paste job. The environments looked like ass and the gameplay was completely dumbed down.

I played the demo, and NOPED out of that game almost as fast as I NOPED out of Diablo 3.
 

FloridianWriter

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This game will pretty much make or break Bioware as my number one RPG company. I hope they get it right because after the DA2 and ME3 fiasco I've almost completely lost faith in them.
 

lilyWhite

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I'm going to make a wild prediction and say that there will be plenty of "fans" screaming their heads off when it comes out on the basis that it's not exactly what they want. :D
 

Maxinquaye

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Hmm. That was unexpected.

NOBODY EXPECTS....

*cough*

Sorry.

As to the OP, I'm looking forward to DA3. I didn't mind DA2 either, to be perfectly honest. I think the main flaw of DA2 is that is such a change to go from the expanses of DA:O to be confined into a single city. It was a disconnect with what the fans expected a DA-game to be.
 

caffeine

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Bioware will be fine. They know they messed up on Dragon Age 2 and their open admitting of things they did wrong and won't be doing for Dragon Age 3 is something I respect of them.

So, I'm looking forward to Dragon Age 3. With the team they have, they can't really make it any worse than Dragon Age 2.

I'm more worried about EA, to be honest.
 

Shadow Dragon

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Bioware will be fine. They know they messed up on Dragon Age 2 and their open admitting of things they did wrong and won't be doing for Dragon Age 3 is something I respect of them.

So, I'm looking forward to Dragon Age 3. With the team they have, they can't really make it any worse than Dragon Age 2.

I'm more worried about EA, to be honest.
The problem is, will EA let Bioware fix all the problems and polish it before it comes out? EA has a long track record of rushing games, which is one of the reasons why DA2 was so bad.
 

FloridianWriter

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The problem is, will EA let Bioware fix all the problems and polish it before it comes out? EA has a long track record of rushing games, which is one of the reasons why DA2 was so bad.

Completely agree. They were voted most hated company (or something like that) in America for a reason. Their track record is insane.
 

Her Dark Star

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Yep, the biggest problem with DA2 was simply that it was unfinished. It appeared to be literally half the game that they wanted to make and that is entirely due to EA. I have no idea what will happen this time around but Bioware is certainly capable of making a great game. Despite the dodgy ending ME3 was still a very good game. Won't hold my breath after how disappointed with DA2 I was but we can hope.
 

efkelley

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Agreed with Her Dark Star. From a storytelling perspective DA2 was just not all there. It's technically a complete story, but it wasn't nearly as robust as Origins, and doesn't stand up to much scrutiny.
 

c.m.n.

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I admit, I'm looking forward to it. I enjoyed DA2 only because my computer wouldn't play DA:O without overheating. But agree that it didn't feel complete.

With the projected release as late 2013, I wonder if two years is enough time to overhaul the game engine and make a complete change over. Sounds like their going to just push it out. :(
 

ShadowyEclipse

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"The biggest hope for this game is if EA gives it time for development rather than shoving it out the door as fast as possible and just making dlcs for any of the other stuff they wanted to be in the game."

Hah.. hah... No. EA will never do that.

If they make DA3 like DA:O, then I'll be happy. Not with the cutting corners they had on DA2, however, as in you could only play as a human, combat was dumb'd down, etc.

But, then again, Bioware has sided with EA, and ME3's ending really put the nail in the coffin already for me. Maybe if DA3 is absolutely amazing, I might go back to Bioware, but not until I hear some stellar reviews for the game.
 

defcon6000

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There is no difference between EA and Bioware. Bioware IS EA.
I don't believe that's entirely true. They made DA:O which feels very much like NWN--a game they made before the EA takeover.

They just need to find their roots again, and hopefully the backlash from ME3's ending will make them realize it. But at the same time, I'm not holding my breath.
 

efkelley

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Well, with the two guys that founded BioWare 'retiring' at the same time, I think odds of BioWare ever finding its roots again are slim. Odds are very good they went to EA with a list of suggestions/improvements that would bring game quality up to the standards before EA stepped in, and EA said no. EA then offered them substantial retirement packages sealed with a hefty NDA and non-compete with the Sword of Damocles hanging over it all.

This is what I like to call the EA Shuffle. Dance to it, or die poor and hungry.
 

Wiskel

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DA 2 didn't so much disappoint me as make me angry with the programmers.

Spoilers They killed my "sister" in a cutscene with the only way to save her being not to take her on a series of missions, or have one particular character along at the same time. Not good. But if I don't take her, she'll be kidnapped by the Templars. I don't mind that. It fits the story, Templars kidnap mages. I'll go rescue her, I mean, I was just in their stronghold rescuing someone else, I know the way in, BUT NO. Back to helping other people because my character can't be expected to want to rescue his sister when there are stray dogs to find.

That's when I called foul and banished the game from my computer.

If they promise not to pull rubbish like that again I'll play, otherwise, back to Skyrim.

Craig
 

Shadow Dragon

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Wiskel, I fully agree. The sister thing was horribly done. Seriously, that was the moment that killed the game. Slight spoiler, but the worst part was they just cut to a year later and Hawke is perfectly fine. That was horrendous.
 

lilyWhite

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Well, with the two guys that founded BioWare 'retiring' at the same time, I think odds of BioWare ever finding its roots again are slim. Odds are very good they went to EA with a list of suggestions/improvements that would bring game quality up to the standards before EA stepped in, and EA said no. EA then offered them substantial retirement packages sealed with a hefty NDA and non-compete with the Sword of Damocles hanging over it all.

This is what I like to call the EA Shuffle. Dance to it, or die poor and hungry.

I'm leaning more towards "self-fulfilling prophesy": the people who constantly whine about EA forcing BioWare to make games in a way they don't approve of will find BioWare making games in a way they don't approve of.

There's a very simple reason for that, really. The people making the "conspiracy theories" (as Ray Muzyka said himself) about Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk's retirements from BioWare are basically saying that the reasons they have said that they are retiring are not true—that Muzyka and Zeschuk are liars.

Those people are showing a complete lack of respect towards BioWare and its founders. Why in the world would BioWare favour the opinions of those people when they can listen to the people who actually respect them?
 

efkelley

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Not at all, ma'am. Mass Effect 3 is a nearly perfect game, but marred by a poorly written ending. Dragon Age 2 had excellent gameplay, but a stunted storyline. Mass Effect 2 was released under their watch, and was a brilliant game (granted the thing was 80% finished before EA bought the holding company that had a majority stake in BioWare, but we'll ignore that.) SWTOR was pushed out the door early, but no MMO is ever 'ready', and that's to be expected. SWTOR brought story to MMOs, something that no one else has done. The actual gameplay is BC-era Warcraft, which is a significant flaw, and owes much to the game's disappointing performance, but EA gets its props for the attempt.

So, I won't hide behind the third person and say 'people' who are whining about EA will never be happy with anything EA does. *I* am perfectly capable of acknowledging their accomplishments. Thing is, there's thirty years of history here, and I've been gaming for most of it. Does Origins ring a bell? Westwood Studios? Firaxis? Bullfrog? Those are just a few of the more egregious conquests. Actually, I think I've got a link around here somewhere...

Ah ha: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acquisitions_by_Electronic_Arts

How many of those are still around? Not many. And with their original owners intact? Fewer still. And while not ever dissolution resulted in massive layoffs and horrible games, an awful lot did. Here's a shocker though: the acquisition of Mythic is one I'd term a 'good thing'. Yep, you heard me. Mythic had been drowning, and EA snapped them up when they went on the market. Kept Dark Age running, and brought us Warhammer (a technically solid game that, unfortunately, met with the fickle tastes of the pvp crowd). So far as I know, the Mythic guys are perfectly happy with EA.

Now, as for the 'liars' assertion. You've heard of a gag order? That's in the NDA they signed. Guaranteed. If they criticize EA at all, they jeopardize their benefits. I'll grant that the version of the contract I saw was fifteen years ago, but I doubt it's changed much. I know guys who've had to sign these. I'm not making this up.

I have to wonder one thing though: why are you leaping to EA's defense like this? What stake do you have?
 

lilyWhite

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Based on that link, a lot more are still around than those that went under. They even have a colour-coding to show which studios went under, and those are in the minority.

Now, as for the 'liars' assertion. You've heard of a gag order? That's in the NDA they signed. Guaranteed. If they criticize EA at all, they jeopardize their benefits. I'll grant that the version of the contract I saw was fifteen years ago, but I doubt it's changed much. I know guys who've had to sign these. I'm not making this up.

So your argument is that they really must want to say what you want them to say, but they just can't because of legal reasons.

I have to wonder one thing though: why are you leaping to EA's defense like this? What stake do you have?

Oh, it has nothing to do with EA. I have respect for BioWare and its creators. And I find it endlessly amusing when EA gets scapegoated by people who act as if it couldn't possibly be BioWare who wanted to have done something that they disapprove of.
 
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