So Dragon Age 3.... No Pressure?

[KingHodor]

Well, I'd say it's almost a forgone certainity that DA3 will be bland and generic, if not outright bad. Reason I think that is this; DA:O was a self-contained story. All the plot points were wrapped up in either the main game or the dlc.

Trying to continue on and tell more stories in the DA universe is silly really. Look what happened with DA:2, the story was a trainwreck. BioWare has the issue of "Where do we go from here?" "How do we top the Archdemon?" The short answer is, they can't. They don't have much of anywhere to go because the universe's big bad was killed in the first game. If they try to do so it's just going to feel hollow and contrived.

IMO, BioWare just needs to quit while they are semi-ahead of the game in regards to the DA franchise. Any further entries in the series are just not needed.

In case you didn't read the in-game lore, there are 7 archdemons, and the one you fight in DA:O is a particularly weak case - he was Urthemiel, "god of beauty" (a name that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fighting abilities), and IIRC he was awakened prematurely by the Architect, so in the end, his was a dim shadow of a true blight that fizzled out against a weakened Gray Warden order.

Also, the even bigger question than "what is the next archdemon/blight gonna be like" is "what happens when the last Old God is gone (there being only two left)", a question that led the Architect to conduct his dangerous experiment on an Old God in the first place.

Edit: IMO, Dragon Age is entirely salvageable. Just look at what you did wrong on DA2 (the story, the visual style, the annoying bisexual party members (vs the awesome bisexual party member in DA:O), the chapter-based story without emotional involvement or a satisfying climax...) and fix it, potentially by taking a step backwards to restore what made DA:O cool. Also, turn down the role of Hawke. So apparently some mages are rising up against the templars and Hawke is known far and wide as the biggest badass around, but as far as I'm concerned, that concludes his role for me. Maybe have Hawke decide he's had enough of Kirkwall and wander off into parts unknown, maybe to the Anderfels to train as a Warden.

 

[alik44]

As long a DA3 is not as rushed as DA2 was i have Faith

 

[Fappy]

Well, I'd say it's almost a forgone certainity that DA3 will be bland and generic, if not outright bad. Reason I think that is this; DA:O was a self-contained story. All the plot points were wrapped up in either the main game or the dlc.

Trying to continue on and tell more stories in the DA universe is silly really. Look what happened with DA:2, the story was a trainwreck. BioWare has the issue of "Where do we go from here?" "How do we top the Archdemon?" The short answer is, they can't. They don't have much of anywhere to go because the universe's big bad was killed in the first game. If they try to do so it's just going to feel hollow and contrived.

IMO, BioWare just needs to quit while they are semi-ahead of the game in regards to the DA franchise. Any further entries in the series are just not needed.

In case you didn't read the in-game lore, there are 7 archdemons, and the one you fight in DA:O is a particularly weak case - he was Urthemiel, "god of beauty" (a name that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fighting abilities), and IIRC he was awakened prematurely by the Architect, so in the end, his was a dim shadow of a true blight that fizzled out against a weakened Gray Warden order.

Also, the even bigger question than "what is the next archdemon/blight gonna be like" is "what happens when the last Old God is gone (there being only two left)", a question that led the Architect to conduct his dangerous experiment on an Old God in the first place.

This is why I am kind of glad DA2 barely touched the larger lore of the DA universe considering it probably would have shit all over it. As mundane as a lot of it is, I actually really liked the Darkspawn and religious lore in DA. I really hope it is never made clear what the truth behind the Tevinter Imperium, Andraste and the Maker really is. The mystery is what makes it so interesting.

 

[alik44]

Well, I'd say it's almost a forgone certainity that DA3 will be bland and generic, if not outright bad. Reason I think that is this; DA:O was a self-contained story. All the plot points were wrapped up in either the main game or the dlc.

Trying to continue on and tell more stories in the DA universe is silly really. Look what happened with DA:2, the story was a trainwreck. BioWare has the issue of "Where do we go from here?" "How do we top the Archdemon?" The short answer is, they can't. They don't have much of anywhere to go because the universe's big bad was killed in the first game. If they try to do so it's just going to feel hollow and contrived.

IMO, BioWare just needs to quit while they are semi-ahead of the game in regards to the DA franchise. Any further entries in the series are just not needed.

Well they did have some Build up in the DLC Awakenings with the moth and the Architect Dark spawn. and you have Morrigans Foreshadowing about Flemmeth in Witch hunt. its all seemingly building towards some big climax but its been very vaguely touch upon so yeah

 

[KingHodor]

Well, I'd say it's almost a forgone certainity that DA3 will be bland and generic, if not outright bad. Reason I think that is this; DA:O was a self-contained story. All the plot points were wrapped up in either the main game or the dlc.

Trying to continue on and tell more stories in the DA universe is silly really. Look what happened with DA:2, the story was a trainwreck. BioWare has the issue of "Where do we go from here?" "How do we top the Archdemon?" The short answer is, they can't. They don't have much of anywhere to go because the universe's big bad was killed in the first game. If they try to do so it's just going to feel hollow and contrived.

IMO, BioWare just needs to quit while they are semi-ahead of the game in regards to the DA franchise. Any further entries in the series are just not needed.

In case you didn't read the in-game lore, there are 7 archdemons, and the one you fight in DA:O is a particularly weak case - he was Urthemiel, "god of beauty" (a name that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his fighting abilities), and IIRC he was awakened prematurely by the Architect, so in the end, his was a dim shadow of a true blight that fizzled out against a weakened Gray Warden order.

Also, the even bigger question than "what is the next archdemon/blight gonna be like" is "what happens when the last Old God is gone (there being only two left)", a question that led the Architect to conduct his dangerous experiment on an Old God in the first place.

This is why I am kind of glad DA2 barely touched the larger lore of the DA universe considering it probably would have shit all over it. As mundane as a lot of it is, I actually really liked the Darkspawn and religious lore in DA. I really hope it is never made clear what the truth behind the Tevinter Imperium, Andraste and the Maker really is. The mystery is what makes it so interesting.

Yeah, it feels pretty mature how DA basically lets you make up your own mind about Andraste and the Maker - it is one of the few scenarios that allows full-blooded atheist characters to exist (Andraste may just be a deluded woman (with great charisma and possibly supernatural abilities) believing herself to be the prophet of an imaginary god, and her teachings were adopted mostly because they were a convenient tool for keeping the masses in line or calling an Exalted March/crusade on your enemies. And her teachings were pretty easy to pervert, as the anti-popes established by the Tevinters show.

Or, of course, Andraste's story and what she told of the maker might very well be real. After all, the black city is real. Which, of course, leads to the question of the (partial) factuality of the "Golden City" story on the origin of the Darkspawn.

 

[Zack Alklazaris]

Dragon Age 2 had a good story I just couldn't forgive the crappy "one dungeon that looked like all the other dungeons except parts were blocked off and they didn't even bother to delete that parts there were blocked off in the map" thing.

They don't pull that shit again I'll be fine.

 

[RobotDinosaur]

I never got into Dragon Age (always felt like a generic fantasy to me :/), but from what I heard in DA2, the game went from a story involving nations to just a family getting by. So, it essentially took a step backwards.

I don't agree that it's a step backwards simply because of a change in focus. Sure, saving the world's great and all, but it's a cliche and sometimes a bit silly that your main character, who up until that point had no remarkable skills, suddenly has to play an instrumental part in saving the world. DA2's plot was less grand but at the same time was able to focus more on relationships between characters. It also made for more interesting moral dilemmas - since you're not in charge of saving the world, not everything you do is inherently good and not everyone who opposes you is inherently evil.
Not to say the game didn't have its flaws, and I might have enjoyed it less had I paid full price for it when it first came out, but I enjoyed it. All in all I enjoyed it more than DA:O.

 

[Woodsey]

Well, there probably really is no pressure. After the screw up of DA2 I can't imagine anyone's even interested in DA3 anymore.

 

[The_Waspman]

Beware, minor spoilers ahead.

I just want Orlais, is that too much to ask!?

Yes, the movie is in Orlais. BUT IT'S A MOVIE.

DA:O gave a lot of setup for Orlais. I was angry when I found out 2 wasn't there. I mean really....

- You know a lot about politics and how their games work, from Leliana
- You know a bit about the gender inequality from that woman in Denerim's market
- You know about their fashions and cities, from Leliana
- You know they have their own Grey Wardens thanks to Riordan.

Orlais sounds like a really great setting, why on earth did they ignore it in favor of KIRKWALL of all places?

In some panel thing they did back at PAX they heavily implied it was going to be set in Orlais. Sounds cool to me, though I hope they don't half-ass the VO budget and give us a bunch of horrendous French accents. D:

Yup, they have all but confirmed its going to be set in Orlais. And really? Do you really want to go to Orlais? I didn't think anyone wanted the series to go there. When I heard that I lost further interest in the game, considering that going to Orlais feels like the franchise kicking its heels considering there's still the FRIGGING TERVINTER IMPERIUM to go to.

I was one of the seven people who actually had fun with Dragon Age 2. Seriously, not even the recycled dungeons got to me, at least not until the third act. I appreciated the different act structure (despite some jarring with the time jumps), and some of the insane difficulty spikes and the game pretty much forcing character classes/party set ups for sections of the game (most of the finale for example, where you have to play without a healer unless you're a mage). But most of this I mark down to the rushed development cycle.

But what other people have said is right. EA will market the fuck out of this game (because they think they'll need to in order to get sales). They'll hack characters and questlines out as day one dlc, just like the other two, and they'll force in a totally pointless multiplayer mode. Actually, they might save that for Dragon Age 4. Picture it. Theres another blight on the way, with not one but the two remaining dragon gods leading the darkspawn, and you'll have a mass effect 3 style war asset system in order to prepare for it. Previous game saves and decisions will of course dictate whether you have the Warden/Hawke on your side to fight, and the final confrontation will have you whisked away to the heart of the golden city, where you have a conversation with the Maker- in the guise of a child that is- who forces you into a nonsensical decision about what to do. Either destroy all the darkspawn (including your- probably by then- Darkspawn team member who is having a romance with one of your followers), save the darkspawn but give them free will and a land of their own, probably sacrificing the dwarves while you do so, or do a synthesis, where everyone becomes half human/elf/dwarf/whatever, half darkspawn.

Bookmark this page, because if this does happen, I just want to say...

Called It!

Captcha: learn from mistakes. Will they though Captcha? Will they?

 

[The Last Nomad]

I don't think they have much pressure, exactly for the reason you specified. The masses are against Bioware and as such everyone is expecting a bad game.

As Yatzee has said, that's when a game really gets appreciated.

 

[Wargamer]

Dragon Age 3 will tank. Hard.

It seems clear BioWare has decided what Dragon Age fans really want is "Mass Effect but not in space," whereas what we REALLY want is "a game like Origins, but with a new plot, polished mechanics, tweaked graphics and, well, NONE OF THE SHIT YOU PUT IN DA2!"

 

[Davlar]

I for one wish that they would just give us a Jade Empire 2, loved that game and it's fast paced combat

 

[Fappy]

Beware, minor spoilers ahead.

I just want Orlais, is that too much to ask!?

Yes, the movie is in Orlais. BUT IT'S A MOVIE.

DA:O gave a lot of setup for Orlais. I was angry when I found out 2 wasn't there. I mean really....

- You know a lot about politics and how their games work, from Leliana
- You know a bit about the gender inequality from that woman in Denerim's market
- You know about their fashions and cities, from Leliana
- You know they have their own Grey Wardens thanks to Riordan.

Orlais sounds like a really great setting, why on earth did they ignore it in favor of KIRKWALL of all places?

In some panel thing they did back at PAX they heavily implied it was going to be set in Orlais. Sounds cool to me, though I hope they don't half-ass the VO budget and give us a bunch of horrendous French accents. D:

Yup, they have all but confirmed its going to be set in Orlais. And really? Do you really want to go to Orlais? I didn't think anyone wanted the series to go there. When I heard that I lost further interest in the game, considering that going to Orlais feels like the franchise kicking its heels considering there's still the FRIGGING TERVINTER IMPERIUM to go to.

I was one of the seven people who actually had fun with Dragon Age 2. Seriously, not even the recycled dungeons got to me, at least not until the third act. I appreciated the different act structure (despite some jarring with the time jumps), and some of the insane difficulty spikes and the game pretty much forcing character classes/party set ups for sections of the game (most of the finale for example, where you have to play without a healer unless you're a mage). But most of this I mark down to the rushed development cycle.

But what other people have said is right. EA will market the fuck out of this game (because they think they'll need to in order to get sales). They'll hack characters and questlines out as day one dlc, just like the other two, and they'll force in a totally pointless multiplayer mode. Actually, they might save that for Dragon Age 4. Picture it. Theres another blight on the way, with not one but the two remaining dragon gods leading the darkspawn, and you'll have a mass effect 3 style war asset system in order to prepare for it. Previous game saves and decisions will of course dictate whether you have the Warden/Hawke on your side to fight, and the final confrontation will have you whisked away to the heart of the golden city, where you have a conversation with the Maker- in the guise of a child that is- who forces you into a nonsensical decision about what to do. Either destroy all the darkspawn (including your- probably by then- Darkspawn team member who is having a romance with one of your followers), save the darkspawn but give them free will and a land of their own, probably sacrificing the dwarves while you do so, or do a synthesis, where everyone becomes half human/elf/dwarf/whatever, half darkspawn.

Bookmark this page, because if this does happen, I just want to say...

Called It!

Captcha: learn from mistakes. Will they though Captcha? Will they?

That is the most appropriate Captcha I have ever seen.

I honestly can't see any of the game taking place entirely in the Tervinter Imperium simply because it would be like a LotR book taking place entirely within Mordor. They have already painted the picture of it being a godless/evil/nazi magic baby-eating land of amoral deiciders. It would be fucking badass though.

 

[Fappy]

Unfortunately it is my belief that DAO is a game from another era.

If it was truly a game from another era, it wouldn't of had that shitty MMO style ...I AM GOING TO CHASE THE WARRIOR WHO IS RUNNING AWAY FROM ME IN CIRCLES WHILE IGNORING THE 5 WARRIORS THAT ARE WHACKING ME WITH THEIR SWORDS AS WELL AS THE THREE MAGES FIRING SPELLS AT ME BECAUSE THIS ONE WARRIOR HAS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF "AGGRO" bullshit.


It would have alot better enemy variety (not this fighting darkspawn after darkspawn bs), better rpg mechanics based on an actual p&p system (not they're own homebrew crap), and less emphasis and $$ spent on all this romance nonsense.

Yeah, I have never been a fan of the DA stat system. Call me old fashioned, but I like my STR/DEX/CON/INT/WIS/CHA. I much prefer building characters in Kotor I & II for example.

 

[Flight]

Speaking as someone who enjoyed DAII for what it was (but holy cow, was it ever rushed), I'm going to say I hope III wraps up the larger conflict that was sparked in II, as well as it being set in Orlais (because honestly, there has been so much hinting at it already). Yes, I know the film will be set there, but I don't care. I want a game in Orlais already. And for goodness' sakes, let's not have any multiplayer, shall we? We don't need it.

Although my opinion doesn't really matter anyway, since I have no intentions of buying a BioWare game as anything other than used after the fiasco that was Mass Effect 3, but I'd rather not go there.

 

[Waaghpowa]

With Biowares more recent games, though I've enjoyed my initial play through of them, they content itself or the ending (specifically ME3) made replaying the games less appealing.

Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3 were literally the only Bioware games I couldn't playthrough a second time. Contrast to Dragon Age Origins and ME1 and 2, of which I played all at least 3 times. DAO at least 3 times, ME1 4 times, ME2 4 times.

At this point, my faith in Bioware has dwindled and I await reviews and user feedback before I purchase another Bioware game.

 

[The_Waspman]

That is the most appropriate Captcha I have ever seen.

I honestly can't see any of the game taking place entirely in the Tervinter Imperium simply because it would be like a LotR book taking place entirely within Mordor. They have already painted the picture of it being a godless/evil/nazi magic baby-eating land of amoral deiciders. It would be fucking badass though.

DLC pack then? Or an Awakenings style expansion? I think they've mentioned it too much not to go there at some point. Just like Par Volen (not to be confused with the Turian homeworld, obviously). But again, that might be something they're saving for the 'blight to end all blights' game at some point in the future.

 

[Fappy]

That is the most appropriate Captcha I have ever seen.

I honestly can't see any of the game taking place entirely in the Tervinter Imperium simply because it would be like a LotR book taking place entirely within Mordor. They have already painted the picture of it being a godless/evil/nazi magic baby-eating land of amoral deiciders. It would be fucking badass though.

DLC pack then? Or an Awakenings style expansion? I think they've mentioned it too much not to go there at some point. Just like Par Volen (not to be confused with the Turian homeworld, obviously). But again, that might be something they're saving for the 'blight to end all blights' game at some point in the future.

Which I kind of hope never happens but will inevitably. Who wants to bet that said game will force you to play an orphaned human child who discovers they are the child of Morrigan and an untainted Old God by the end of the game? No convoluted ritual to end the blight this time. You're just going to straight-up GODSMASH the shit out of any Arch-Demon that crosses your path... wait that actually sounds kind of cool now.

 

[Infernai]

Well, as someone who enjoyed Dragon Age II and didn't ***** about the ME3 ending. I'm sure I'll be happy with what they give us.

As someone who found mass effects 3 ending interesting i also can not wait for dragon age 3 (although with the bioware releases lately i will be avoiding this forum the moment it comes out. Since it will probably be filled with people complaining anyway.

That they will. Never have I seen such a horrible fanbase as Biowares.

Clearly you've never met the Sonic Fandom...

 

[Smooth Operator]

I don't think it has much to live up to, people who didn't like DA2 would not go near DA3 and those that liked DA2 haven't got standards to begin with so how can you disappoint.

I honestly think they could go full on brown shooter with this one and the current fanbase wouldn't give a hoot, so EA if you are up for some social experiments give that a bash.