BioWare: Player Feedback Shapes Our Content

Logan Westbrook

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Feb 21, 2008
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BioWare: Player Feedback Shapes Our Content


Your messages to BioWare on Facebook and Twitter actually do make a difference.

As if it wasn't already obvious from the ongoing vote [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/112376-BioWare-Pits-Blonde-Against-Brunette-in-New-FemShep-Poll] on the female Commander Shepard, Dragon Age producer Fernando Melo says that BioWare puts a lot of stock into player feedback, and uses it to see what it's getting right and what it's getting wrong.

Speaking about the latest batch of DLC, Legacy, Melo said that the reaction to the content had been very positive. This, he explained, was something that the team was incredibly happy about, as they hadn't been sure what the reception would be considering the criticism that surrounded the launch Dragon Age 2. Players had liked especially liked Legacy's narrative focus, which, he said, would inform and shape future Dragon Age 2 DLC.

He did note that the feedback had not been wholly positive, however; some players had complained about the AI for party members, particularly in the final boss fight. But even the more negative feedback was welcomed, he explained, as it let BioWare know where it needed to improve. He said that BioWare didn't have any intention to stop improving the Dragon Age games, and that the studio hadn't yet reached where it wanted to be technology-wise.

When it came to the future of Dragon Age 2, Melo wouldn't reveal any specifics aside from a new item pack that comes out on August 23rd. He said that BioWare wasn't done with Hawke just yet, but dodged other questions, like one from Twitter which asked whether Varric would ever be romanceable.

One thing he would reveal, however, is that BioWare didn't have any plans at the moment to make follower specific DLC, as it did with Dragon Age: Origins. He said that while content like Leliana's Song and Witch Hunt had done pretty well, players had expressed a desire to continue the main story of Origins. This was something that BioWare had kept in mind when designing the DLC for Dragon Age 2, he said, and had taken care to make it seem like a natural extension of the story.

It's always exciting when a developer pays so much attention to its fans, especially one as successful as BioWare. Of course, this also suggests that if you too want to get intimate with Varric, then you should let BioWare know about it as soon as possible.











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Icehearted

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The peril in this philosophy is how they handle such criticism. Mass Effect 2 saw the complete removal of planetary exploration, rather than improvements, replaced with a scanning "mini game" that was about as entertaining as an interactive pie-chart.
 

Ninjamedic

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Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down like Dragon Age?
 

Da Orky Man

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Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
 

Ninjamedic

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Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I was referring to how Obsidian was backstabbed by lucasarts with a rushed release date. As for the Dumbed Down comment, it was more of a stab at Dragon Age.
 

Dectilon

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I wish I could blame more of their design decisions on the fans. It would make the worst ones make more sense.
 

Mortuorum

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Players are a bunch of whiny bitches who don't know what they want. Soliciting (and acting on) player feedback may be the worst idea ever.
 

SonOfVoorhees

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Depends. Player feedback is important in making the sequel better. Add more of what people love, and less of what people hate. But, you have to balance it. People that hate it could be those that prefer easier games or fps - soo their comments are not based as rpg players. But as fps players. You cant please everyone, but if you are an "rpg" then be biased towards that and dont make changes that ruin that style of game. (Take note Fable.)
 

Anti Nudist Cupcake

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Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I thought kotor 2's story was much deeper than kotor 1's typical bioware story.
 

Avatar Roku

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Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
Except for the horrid ending, I feel the story in KotOR 2 was better, but to each his own.

Anyway, I'm content to leave game design to the game designers. There've been some times where I thought I wanted a feature, then actually GOT said feature and ended up hating it. Not to say they should not pay attention to reception, but they shouldn't make theur games by committee with the fans.
 

The.Bard

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Mortuorum said:
Players are a bunch of whiny bitches who don't know what they want. Soliciting (and acting on) player feedback may be the worst idea ever.
Seriously. And specifically, Bioware has some of the worst "fans" I've ever seen. These are people who got ANGRY when Bioware had the audacity to give away ME2 free with copies of DA2. I'm convinced there is no pleasing them, ever. (I'm glaring at you, Shamus Young!)
 

Avatar Roku

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Anti Nudist Cupcake said:
Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I thought kotor 2's story was much deeper than kotor 1's typical bioware story.
Me too, and that's not even saying anything about the amazing writing. The writing in KotOR 1 wasn't bad by any measure (I feel they got the saturday morning cartoon villain feel down perfectly with Malak), it just wasn't as good. And it didn't have the single best written character in gaming like KotOR 2 did.
 

TokenRupee

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Avatar Roku said:
Anti Nudist Cupcake said:
Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I thought kotor 2's story was much deeper than kotor 1's typical bioware story.
Me too, and that's not even saying anything about the amazing writing. The writing in KotOR 1 wasn't bad by any measure (I feel they got the saturday morning cartoon villain feel down perfectly with Malak), it just wasn't as good. And it didn't have the single best written character in gaming like KotOR 2 did.
Which character do you mean by that?
 

Canadamus Prime

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Icehearted said:
The peril in this philosophy is how they handle such criticism. Mass Effect 2 saw the complete removal of planetary exploration, rather than improvements, replaced with a scanning "mini game" that was about as entertaining as an interactive pie-chart.
Pretty much this. Listening to your fans is a bad idea Bioware. Badbadabadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbadbad.
 

Avatar Roku

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TokenRupee said:
Avatar Roku said:
Anti Nudist Cupcake said:
Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I thought kotor 2's story was much deeper than kotor 1's typical bioware story.
Me too, and that's not even saying anything about the amazing writing. The writing in KotOR 1 wasn't bad by any measure (I feel they got the saturday morning cartoon villain feel down perfectly with Malak), it just wasn't as good. And it didn't have the single best written character in gaming like KotOR 2 did.
Which character do you mean by that?
Kreia, of course.
 

TokenRupee

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Oct 2, 2010
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Avatar Roku said:
TokenRupee said:
Avatar Roku said:
Anti Nudist Cupcake said:
Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I thought kotor 2's story was much deeper than kotor 1's typical bioware story.
Me too, and that's not even saying anything about the amazing writing. The writing in KotOR 1 wasn't bad by any measure (I feel they got the saturday morning cartoon villain feel down perfectly with Malak), it just wasn't as good. And it didn't have the single best written character in gaming like KotOR 2 did.
Which character do you mean by that?
Kreia, of course.
I figured that's who you meant, but I was just making sure.
 

manythings

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Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down like Dragon Age?
I'm all about them removing crap that serves no purpose beyond pretending it somehow enhances the game to have fourteen different kinds of hat.

Icehearted said:
The peril in this philosophy is how they handle such criticism. Mass Effect 2 saw the complete removal of planetary exploration, rather than improvements, replaced with a scanning "mini game" that was about as entertaining as an interactive pie-chart.
The mako was the worst part of that entire game and you just kept having to use that god damned bucket.
 

Gemore

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Sep 15, 2010
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Da Orky Man said:
Ninjamedic said:
Could I demand for an actual sequel to KOTOR? That won't get butchered by lucasarts this time or dumbed down?
KotOR 2 was actually fairly good. Gameplay much the same with some addons, though the story not quite as good. How was it dumbed down?
I respectfully disagree, the story in kotor 2, especially kreia, is one i hold in the most highest regard, perhaps of all time. Its advisable that you use the unoffical patches, but honestly, without them, i still thought it was brilliant.

just my interpretation