BioWare Dev Explains Why Dragon Age II Is Easier Than Origins

[mad825]

Using a third party mod to unlock the difficulty in the demo, I found that Nightmare mode was rather easy which is rather ironic for as Normal was quite difficult for me in DA:O but needless to say I couldn't pass the last part of the demo because of the difficulty. I got out numbered and was unable to keep the level of darkspawn to a minimum.

 

[Fdzzaigl]

Using a third party mod to unlock the difficulty in the demo, I found that Nightmare mode was rather easy which is rather ironic for as Normal was quite difficult for me in DA:O but needless to say I couldn't pass the last part of the demo because of the difficulty. I got out numbered and was unable to keep the level of darkspawn to a minimum.

The demo remains a demo still, it ain't the full game, as evidenced by some flickering and stuff when you unlock the chargen.

Besides, even on nightmare in DAO, the first few moments were pretty easy as well, it's only the bosses and some groups with a difficult mix that 'pwn' you.

 

[Woodsey]

I admit my first play through was on casual, because it had been a good 4 years since I played a party style RPG.

But bioware's games seem to be having more and more EA influence as the sequels are released. Which is a bad thing. I played the DA2 demo on normal, and it was too easy.. almost tediously so.

But... the article... he just said... nevermind. Although the EA comment makes no sense; for both Mass Effect games people have flooded the internet crying over the difficulty of "insanity", or whatever the hardest mode is. Because they're now realigning the difficulties to what the majority of people expect them to be, its suddenly EA sticking its dick where its not wanted? I imagine EA let BioWare do whatever the hell they want, and certainly don't go down to such a level of micro-managing that they tell them what to do on specifics such as a game's difficulty.

OT: Sounds like a good idea. Other than Dragon Age, I can't remember the last time I turned a game's difficulty down because I was actually struggling. Normal was fine on my second playthrough (although I was a mage).

 

[faspxina]

I played Origins on casual, because you only needed to focus on you character and let the rest of the party do what they like. Also, I usually enjoy games like Dynasty Warriors, so that must've played a part on it. xD

Though I preferred casual to normal, it was also too easy (enemies died too fast).

This new "normal" feels like an in-between of the previous "casual" and "normal", so it seems perfect.

 

[Frosty676]

Played through DA on normal and hard respectively, can't really see why some complain... Everything was balanced. And that was after a long break from RPG's.
Play the Bauldur's Gate series and DA will seem like child's play on hard

 

[NezumiiroKitsune]

I played Origins on Hard, but I really don't like the sound of being wiped every few seconds and seeing my ass whizz past my ear every few seconds. I think maybe I'll just stay with Hard and if I feel I'm breezing through for some reason, I'll take it to nightmare, but by the sounds, there is just now a bigger gap between normal and hard, to make normal make more sense for the average player, who apparently really wouldn't have liked hard.

Spoiler

Branka anyone? Anyone? I'll be in the corner shaking if anyone needs me.

 

[N3mis]

Dunno why some people complained about the difficult on DA:Origins, think it was too easy on hard, even though it was my first team-based RPG, but then again..... I always play on the hardest mode possible from the start xD

 

[Mcface]

I imagine EA let BioWare do whatever the hell they want, and certainly don't go down to such a level of micro-managing that they tell them what to do on specifics such as a game's difficulty.

not a chance in hell.
look at the massive difference between ME 1 and 2.
everything is becoming simplified, painfully so.

 

[RollForInitiative]

Wait, it's easier? Well that's a bit disappointing. Nightmare in the original game was too damn easy. I was hoping this one would be more challenging.

 

[Outright Villainy]

Heh, pansies.

I have friends that had to turn down the difficulty, and I think DA2 should have kept the 'normal' from Origins. It really wasn't that hard people, and those of you on the console had it even easier for some reason.

*goes back to play Ninja Gaiden. On the NES. With NO SAVES*

For me, it was less about being hard, and more pointless busy work. I couldn't fucking stand the combat in Dragon age, but the story was quite engrossing. Put on Casual, Presto, press x once and get to the good bits faster.

You can still turn up the difficulty, I don't really see the problem with accommodating people who simply don't care for all this micromanagement.

 

[DustyDrB]

I imagine EA let BioWare do whatever the hell they want, and certainly don't go down to such a level of micro-managing that they tell them what to do on specifics such as a game's difficulty.

not a chance in hell.
look at the massive difference between ME 1 and 2.
everything is becoming simplified, painfully so.

Most of the changes made from Mass Effect 1 to 2 can be traced back to massive fan complaints:
-Mako taken out
-Inventory scrapped
-Very small incremental improvements when leveling (example: go up a level and do 1% more damage with a weapon)
-Planet exploration reduced
-Elevator cutscenes nixed

The thing is that BioWare went in the extreme other direction with these changes. I've heard they might take more of a middle-ground approach in the third game.

 

[Woodsey]

I imagine EA let BioWare do whatever the hell they want, and certainly don't go down to such a level of micro-managing that they tell them what to do on specifics such as a game's difficulty.

not a chance in hell.
look at the massive difference between ME 1 and 2.
everything is becoming simplified, painfully so.

Or BioWare could have simply been responding to the rather weak shooting of the first game, the painfully dull planet exploration and the crap inventory system.

That's not evidence of EA's involvement in the slightest.

 

[Vet2501]

I'll be playing on hard difficulty then. My first Origins playthrough was on normal and I really enjoyed it, definately made me think more than any other game on a first play. I have since completed it, and all the DLC on hard and nightmare (Golems of Amgarak was brutal on nightmare).

 

[Aetherlblade]

Hmm, so normal should be how DA was on casual? thats lame, casual was waaay to easy and normal want much of a challange either, even without planning. i admit that had was hard, and the just from normal to hard was a bit large, but normal and casual both are very easy! people are just lazy, games shouldnt be too easy to play, as it removes all the rewards for beating it.

 

[Susurrus]

I didn't find DA:O universally hard, but I did find it variably hard.

I played twice on nightmare, once as a dwarf warrior (2-handed weapons), and once as a human mage. As the dwarf, I was constantly dying to mobs - I have no idea how many times i died, but it was a depressingly large amount. It got really really boring, and annoying, and frustrating too.

Then I played as a mage, going spirit and then entropy spells. I used no creation/elemental spells. I made it through the whole game with only a couple of reloads, but for the most part, i didn't die (I managed to kill Flemeth and the high dragon both first time, too, which was pretty surprising). I got the achievement for not dying all the way through the game. I completely overpowered mobs, killed most of the big bosses first time.. It was... completely different to my warrior playthrough.. Rather inexplicably so, really.

So I think it was just variable, depending on class.

 

[rsvp42]

As long as Hard and Nightmare provide a suitable challenge, this news should provoke no emotional response whatsoever. I'll be playing on Hard the first time, then I'll up it to Nightmare for a second playthrough.

 

[VanityGirl]

I think this is a great change. It will open the game up to a wider market of people, which is not a bad thing at all.

If you were unfamiliar with the micromanagement of RPG's, then Dragon Age was probably a difficult and occasionally boring experience for you. (I loved the game though ).

I'm liking the new dialogue system (GASP!). I like hearing my character's voice, to me if gives them more personality.
The combat, while drastically changed, feels much smoother.

I liked the demo and I love DA:O, so I guess I'm a minority in this thread.

 

[Brainst0rm]

DA:O, even on casual, is punishing to someone who hasn't been playing party based RPGs for years. Like me. I never did beat the game.

I'm excited for DA2, though. The demo was glorious.

 

[mikespoff]

looking at teh diversity of opinions on this board seems to validate BioWare's stance - some found DA:O straightforward, some experienced gamers found it fiendishly difficult and had to drop to "Casual".

So in summary, having lotsa difficulty settings is good! And for the posers who love boasting about how they blew through DA:O with one hand while drunk on nightmare mode - well, you'll still have a challenge in this one.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

I'll also have to admit I played the first one on casual. It depends how much you can be bothered to optimize your fighting, but once I ran into my first Revenant and got smashed over and over again it got old quick. Trouble is, rest of the game was cake, so after about halfway I turned it back up to Normal again. Mind you, it was kinda my fault, as it took me about half the game to learn all the mechanics, strengths, optimization of my character and friendly AI in the battle book or whatever it's called.

But damn were games a shitload harder back in the day. I remember my first party RPG, Eye of the Beholder, that was some tough questing.