What do people think about Bioware right now?
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For me, the whole "Bioware dialogue options bubble" (ME:1, ME:2, SWTOR) is starting to feel a little rehashed and unrefined. Lazy is you will. When I saw it in ME:1, I was blown away by the concept, but it seems like a studio with as much creative capital as Bioware should have been able to improve on their own work by now.
On a similar note I'm getting pretty tired of the morality scales in their current form, not because I don't like the option to be good or evil and then see the consequences play out but because I feel that it limits my role playing to either being 100% good or 100% evil if I want the "best" ending. In fact the whole concept of the "best" ending, is another thing I'd like to see retired.
Regarding the whole EA subject, have they seemed a little less evil empirish to anyone else lately? I'm sworn to hate them but these days I'm having a hard time remembering why?
On a similar note I'm getting pretty tired of the morality scales in their current form, not because I don't like the option to be good or evil and then see the consequences play out but because I feel that it limits my role playing to either being 100% good or 100% evil if I want the "best" ending. In fact the whole concept of the "best" ending, is another thing I'd like to see retired.
Regarding the whole EA subject, have they seemed a little less evil empirish to anyone else lately? I'm sworn to hate them but these days I'm having a hard time remembering why?
I personally love all bioware games. Yeah dragon age 2 wasn't the greatest, but it had the choice of having lesbians sex with your character. Mass Effect series is still one of least appreciated epics I've played and KoTOR, saved star wars from being completely George Lucasified. God Bless you Bioware.
Until KOTOR 3 gets announced, I probably won't care about them ever again. (KOTOR 3 has to be good too.)
First of all, I'm not going through all the previous posts. I pretty much read most of the first page and the last one before me. So if I hit points other have covered, and/or "refuted" I don't really care to be honest.
Anyway, I love Bioware. If Bioware had tits I'd primally fornicate her/it. Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Origins, MDK2, Jade Empire, all great games. Quite a few are among my all-time favorite games. Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect both always battling for that number one spot I doubt I'll ever determine in my life time. So suffice it to say I do have my fair share of "fanboy" qualities.
All of this being said, they have scared me lately. I love Mass Effect 2. They did dumb down some of the role-playing elements, but really what they got rid of was mostly tedious things no one ever complimented to begin with. The story-telling and dialogue was still great and it left you with even more to do than the first. Which to be quite blunt is quite a feat. I was very happy with the game but I did worry about them taking the elimination of RPG elements and the slasher/shooter transition too far, but had no evidence as of yet that this would actually be the case.
We all know what's coming next. Dragon Age II. First, since so many have done so, allow me to give my take on Origins. I loved Origins. It was a great story, as is typical of Bioware, It all felt very epic and grand. Fantasy enough to get my nerd senses tingling but not far-fetched enough to to irk the over-analytical and logicy (that'll be a word some day, mark my words, so to speak) side of me. I don't know why the graphics get so much heat. I like them. They weren't stellar, but considering the scope of the game and the fact that it started development in the previous console generation, I thought it held up rather well graphically and is far from ugly. But really, who cares about graphics? They're a nice touch, one Bioware tends to excel at, but it's pretty much the least significant factor in a game if you ask me. As long as they're not so sloppily thrown together that I can't figure out what's happening in the game. I thought Origins was a great adventure, well worth a few playthroughs, and another typically great Bioware title. Being a Bioware game, I knew it'd get at least one sequel, and probably two considering the obsession they and every other graphically artistic medium in the world has grown with three-parters recently. For this, I was hard.
Then, Dragon Age II. I was so excited for this game. I rushed to gamestop right after class and scopped up my copy. Forgoing any contact with schoolwork until at least a couple hours were logged into the game. It starts off actually pretty fun and engaging. I loved the opening fight with your high-powered mage/rogue/warrior, and being able to experience just how beastly you could become. Reminded me of the beginning of Symphony of the Night before you're stripped of all your powers or Mega Man X when you're getting your ass kicked and Zero comes in and effs shiz up and is all "Don't worry kid. You'll grow to be big and strong. Just like me." I always liked when games did that. Shows you just how much your hard work can pay off and it gives you a goal to strive toward beside the obvious main quest. But I digress.
Now to the REAL beginning of the game. The controls are smooth, and action flows a lot better than the first, though not quite as strategically demanding. Then again, neither was the first in the first few hours of Origins when you know nothing about anything. The story's pretty cool to start. The final moments of the intro level actually being rather touching. I was in for a grand adventure. Unfortunately, I was left unsated. Increasingly toned down controls, repetitive locations (applying to the few locations even available), and the total lack of any sense of a tight story. A confusing, thrown together story. From Bioware? This I could never have Imagined. It's a short campaign where you never have a tight grasp of what's going on or what you're working toward. It's like three lazily fleshed out mini-stories slapped onto a disc with no attempt at creating cohesion between them. I'm promised a world-changing epic tale even by the damned promos and the best I get is some guy becomes fairly famous in the smallest kingdom ever and kills a "Qunari" that reminds me of a very violent grandfather prattling on about how everything was better back in the day (what the hell happened with those qunari anyway?) and a crazy blonde with power issues. That's the gist of it. Oh, also the button-mashy combat system makes the game stupid easy. I don't want a Bioware game holding my hand through a clunky at best story with a horribly overpowered protagonist and mages that take their cues from The Force Unleashed. I will give that some of the dialogue was rather amusing, but when that's my favorite part of a game, that's a real problem.
I give that lengthy rant because that game was the turning point for me. I went from expecting anything Bioware touched to be pure gold, to half-worrying every time I see a number slapped next to one of their titles. They made small, subtle changes in Mass Effect 2. Didn't really effect me much. But the whole 360 the did from what makes a Bioware game a damn Bioware game really freaks me out. I still trust that they can make masterpieces of gaming without breaking a sweat. I just don't have near the confidence I did that they will. I'm optimistic about Mass Effect 3, though with a tad caution. If the bomb that game, I'll have to have a hard look followed by a very lengthy talk, followed by some furniture thrown around about our relationship, that'll hopefully end in some intense make-up sex. But here's hoping they stop down the path they're treading.
My wrists hurt and I need those functioning later. So I'm done for now.
Anyway, I love Bioware. If Bioware had tits I'd primally fornicate her/it. Baldur's Gate, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Origins, MDK2, Jade Empire, all great games. Quite a few are among my all-time favorite games. Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect both always battling for that number one spot I doubt I'll ever determine in my life time. So suffice it to say I do have my fair share of "fanboy" qualities.
All of this being said, they have scared me lately. I love Mass Effect 2. They did dumb down some of the role-playing elements, but really what they got rid of was mostly tedious things no one ever complimented to begin with. The story-telling and dialogue was still great and it left you with even more to do than the first. Which to be quite blunt is quite a feat. I was very happy with the game but I did worry about them taking the elimination of RPG elements and the slasher/shooter transition too far, but had no evidence as of yet that this would actually be the case.
We all know what's coming next. Dragon Age II. First, since so many have done so, allow me to give my take on Origins. I loved Origins. It was a great story, as is typical of Bioware, It all felt very epic and grand. Fantasy enough to get my nerd senses tingling but not far-fetched enough to to irk the over-analytical and logicy (that'll be a word some day, mark my words, so to speak) side of me. I don't know why the graphics get so much heat. I like them. They weren't stellar, but considering the scope of the game and the fact that it started development in the previous console generation, I thought it held up rather well graphically and is far from ugly. But really, who cares about graphics? They're a nice touch, one Bioware tends to excel at, but it's pretty much the least significant factor in a game if you ask me. As long as they're not so sloppily thrown together that I can't figure out what's happening in the game. I thought Origins was a great adventure, well worth a few playthroughs, and another typically great Bioware title. Being a Bioware game, I knew it'd get at least one sequel, and probably two considering the obsession they and every other graphically artistic medium in the world has grown with three-parters recently. For this, I was hard.
Then, Dragon Age II. I was so excited for this game. I rushed to gamestop right after class and scopped up my copy. Forgoing any contact with schoolwork until at least a couple hours were logged into the game. It starts off actually pretty fun and engaging. I loved the opening fight with your high-powered mage/rogue/warrior, and being able to experience just how beastly you could become. Reminded me of the beginning of Symphony of the Night before you're stripped of all your powers or Mega Man X when you're getting your ass kicked and Zero comes in and effs shiz up and is all "Don't worry kid. You'll grow to be big and strong. Just like me." I always liked when games did that. Shows you just how much your hard work can pay off and it gives you a goal to strive toward beside the obvious main quest. But I digress.
Now to the REAL beginning of the game. The controls are smooth, and action flows a lot better than the first, though not quite as strategically demanding. Then again, neither was the first in the first few hours of Origins when you know nothing about anything. The story's pretty cool to start. The final moments of the intro level actually being rather touching. I was in for a grand adventure. Unfortunately, I was left unsated. Increasingly toned down controls, repetitive locations (applying to the few locations even available), and the total lack of any sense of a tight story. A confusing, thrown together story. From Bioware? This I could never have Imagined. It's a short campaign where you never have a tight grasp of what's going on or what you're working toward. It's like three lazily fleshed out mini-stories slapped onto a disc with no attempt at creating cohesion between them. I'm promised a world-changing epic tale even by the damned promos and the best I get is some guy becomes fairly famous in the smallest kingdom ever and kills a "Qunari" that reminds me of a very violent grandfather prattling on about how everything was better back in the day (what the hell happened with those qunari anyway?) and a crazy blonde with power issues. That's the gist of it. Oh, also the button-mashy combat system makes the game stupid easy. I don't want a Bioware game holding my hand through a clunky at best story with a horribly overpowered protagonist and mages that take their cues from The Force Unleashed. I will give that some of the dialogue was rather amusing, but when that's my favorite part of a game, that's a real problem.
I give that lengthy rant because that game was the turning point for me. I went from expecting anything Bioware touched to be pure gold, to half-worrying every time I see a number slapped next to one of their titles. They made small, subtle changes in Mass Effect 2. Didn't really effect me much. But the whole 360 the did from what makes a Bioware game a damn Bioware game really freaks me out. I still trust that they can make masterpieces of gaming without breaking a sweat. I just don't have near the confidence I did that they will. I'm optimistic about Mass Effect 3, though with a tad caution. If the bomb that game, I'll have to have a hard look followed by a very lengthy talk, followed by some furniture thrown around about our relationship, that'll hopefully end in some intense make-up sex. But here's hoping they stop down the path they're treading.
My wrists hurt and I need those functioning later. So I'm done for now.
I'm something of an odd fish, but I tend to judge Bioware games almost entirely on the basis of its writing. It's what their best at, and it's what I tend to enjoy most about the game. Interactions with the party are particularly interesting.
Which is why I considered ME2 to be such a massive disappointment. Party members weren't characters in the way they were in DA:O. With the exception of Mordin (simply for one scene) Garrus, and Tali (who both coasted through on the strength of their characters from ME1) the party of ME2 was a bunch of forgettable quest givers with 3-4 conversations apiece. So, from my perspective, DA2 was a step in the right direction: I felt something about every single party member, even if it was hatred (looking at you, Fenris) as opposed to the vague irritation/utter boredom ME2's ensemble conjured up. DA2 certainly has its flaws (which have been discussed at length and with venom) but in the field that Bioware games have always appealed to me most, it shone.
I don't have high hopes for ME3, but hey, maybe I'll be surprised.
TL;DR: Bioware is at is best when story and characters are given prime of place. When they fail to do that, I cannot stay interested.
Which is why I considered ME2 to be such a massive disappointment. Party members weren't characters in the way they were in DA:O. With the exception of Mordin (simply for one scene) Garrus, and Tali (who both coasted through on the strength of their characters from ME1) the party of ME2 was a bunch of forgettable quest givers with 3-4 conversations apiece. So, from my perspective, DA2 was a step in the right direction: I felt something about every single party member, even if it was hatred (looking at you, Fenris) as opposed to the vague irritation/utter boredom ME2's ensemble conjured up. DA2 certainly has its flaws (which have been discussed at length and with venom) but in the field that Bioware games have always appealed to me most, it shone.
I don't have high hopes for ME3, but hey, maybe I'll be surprised.
TL;DR: Bioware is at is best when story and characters are given prime of place. When they fail to do that, I cannot stay interested.
Well, to put it simply, with The Old Republic, Bioware is my new god now. Seriously, I wasn't expecting that game to deliver on what they said it was going to be, and as far as I can tell, it actually did. So now I make blood sacrifices on Fridays to appease my divine masters.
Regarding what this thread was actually meant to be about, I really think people misinterpret what the developer meant. "We want to appeal to the Call of Duty crowd" does not mean "We want to dumb our game down for petulant children to make more money", it means "We'd like to make our game more accessible and appealing to people unfamiliar with the genre and make a game more people can enjoy." Unless of course Bioware truly does not give a fuck about the games they're making, which, given the kind of games they produce, I don't just doubt, I find it borderline impossible.
Regarding what this thread was actually meant to be about, I really think people misinterpret what the developer meant. "We want to appeal to the Call of Duty crowd" does not mean "We want to dumb our game down for petulant children to make more money", it means "We'd like to make our game more accessible and appealing to people unfamiliar with the genre and make a game more people can enjoy." Unless of course Bioware truly does not give a fuck about the games they're making, which, given the kind of games they produce, I don't just doubt, I find it borderline impossible.
Eh, I'm with you OP. I'm cautiously optimistic about the future of Bioware.
I've been a fan of theirs since KoTOR, and the first Mass Effect ranks as my favorite game of all time.
But, a while after the release of Mass Effect 2 it hit me that, to me at least, it wasn't as good as the first. Mainly for the story, which lacked a proper antagonist and really didn't go anywhere.
Then Dragon Age 2 came out, and I like Dragon Age 2, I do. But it's very obvious that it was a rush job. And same as ME2, the story wasn't as good as its predecessor, which for the record I loved.
And TOR, there's a lot that I'd like about TOR, but the fact that it's an MMO keeps me far away from it. I'd much rather have a proper KotOR III.
And now Victory Games has been put under the Bioware label, solely because of the brand recognition.
I still like Bioware, and perhaps I'm being far too kind with them, but I'm blaming most of their decline on EA. The yearly releases, the rushed games, the rebranding other companies under a recognizable banner; it all seems to reek of EA's doing.
But I still like Bioware, they still make generally entertaining games, but I'm not gonna lie and say that there isn't a noticeable decline in quality lately, I hope they manage to get out of it.
I've been a fan of theirs since KoTOR, and the first Mass Effect ranks as my favorite game of all time.
But, a while after the release of Mass Effect 2 it hit me that, to me at least, it wasn't as good as the first. Mainly for the story, which lacked a proper antagonist and really didn't go anywhere.
Then Dragon Age 2 came out, and I like Dragon Age 2, I do. But it's very obvious that it was a rush job. And same as ME2, the story wasn't as good as its predecessor, which for the record I loved.
And TOR, there's a lot that I'd like about TOR, but the fact that it's an MMO keeps me far away from it. I'd much rather have a proper KotOR III.
And now Victory Games has been put under the Bioware label, solely because of the brand recognition.
I still like Bioware, and perhaps I'm being far too kind with them, but I'm blaming most of their decline on EA. The yearly releases, the rushed games, the rebranding other companies under a recognizable banner; it all seems to reek of EA's doing.
But I still like Bioware, they still make generally entertaining games, but I'm not gonna lie and say that there isn't a noticeable decline in quality lately, I hope they manage to get out of it.
Well, look at it this way. If your girlfriend gets bitten by a zombie or a vampire or somethin', she might still be shambling around, and you might still fondly recall the great times you had together, and she'll still have those great boobs, but you have to keep in mind that she is essentially, and irrevocably, dead.
Yea. The only press games should get for scenes like that are from over-active, ignorant CNN reporters. Not from the actual company or their fans. It's nice they they don't discriminate, but I don't really care if there's scissoring in my games. It's nice, but that's about it.Anthraxus said:This seems to be the main draw of their games nowLordOfAllHeSurveys said:
Bioware games have always been a nice core of sloppy RPG adventurism. By sloppy I mean that the inventory system was a god damned mess much like a high kid's backpack. I didn't mind. Sell what you don't need as you get better junk. I like most of the games and Mass Effect 1 was a blast (I don't care what people say, I like roaming around on those pointless moons and planets). My only problem with the game is I couldn't figure out what response I was giving would do. There are times when you select the asshole option and he makes a snarky remark and other times when he decks the reporter in the face. Can't I just deck everyone in the face?
I skipped DA2 after all the hate rained down upon it as I thought Mass Effect 2 was shit. If DA2 was aiming to capture the Call of Duty crowd then to me ME2 was aiming for the Gears of War crowd. I felt the RPG had been ripped out and it was just a shooter with minimal stats so they could still claim RPG. You spent the whole game going around can assembling a crew and then go on one mission and it is over. Oceans 11 assembles a crew in the first 20 minutes of the damn movie because that is the boring part. You no longer needed to worry about a sloppy inventory because you didn't get an inventory or at least not a significant one.
Fuck ME3. It looks even worse than ME2.
I skipped DA2 after all the hate rained down upon it as I thought Mass Effect 2 was shit. If DA2 was aiming to capture the Call of Duty crowd then to me ME2 was aiming for the Gears of War crowd. I felt the RPG had been ripped out and it was just a shooter with minimal stats so they could still claim RPG. You spent the whole game going around can assembling a crew and then go on one mission and it is over. Oceans 11 assembles a crew in the first 20 minutes of the damn movie because that is the boring part. You no longer needed to worry about a sloppy inventory because you didn't get an inventory or at least not a significant one.
Fuck ME3. It looks even worse than ME2.
Well we could all just blame EA and be happy. Seriously, I think many of the problems come from EA making deadlines and controlling resource distribution. They are notorious for ruining good companies they buy out, and while I had hoped it wouldn't happen with Bioware it seems that unless EA allows them to go back to one, maybe two, games at a time they will continue to be stretched too thin and burn out. Let them do their thing, after all it worked for years before right? Hopefully EA will become so annoying that the main Bioware team will leave and reform another company.
I have nothing but heart and a 3lb bag of jolly ranchers. ((<3 blue ones))
I like where Bioware is. Sure, id like to see them go back towards their roots and make a real oldschool RPG, but im happy with what i have. DA:2 wasnt as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Its not a good sequel, but that doesnt mean its not a decent game. And i have nothing but hearts ((and a 3lb bag of jolly ranchers)) for the mass effect series. 3 might change that, but we'll cross that road ((with jolly ranchers)) when we get there. ((so good))
In short, Bioware and 3lb bags of jolly ranchers are both fine with me at the moment.
I like where Bioware is. Sure, id like to see them go back towards their roots and make a real oldschool RPG, but im happy with what i have. DA:2 wasnt as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Its not a good sequel, but that doesnt mean its not a decent game. And i have nothing but hearts ((and a 3lb bag of jolly ranchers)) for the mass effect series. 3 might change that, but we'll cross that road ((with jolly ranchers)) when we get there. ((so good))
In short, Bioware and 3lb bags of jolly ranchers are both fine with me at the moment.
edczxcvbnm said:
Wow someone didn't look at the ME3 trailer. And yes I agree that the gameplay is usually shit, but I like a story to have a little more than shoot more different colored skin dudes because America is Awesome.
So we know Bioware is typically good at making RPGs but keep in mind that they're a company so there's a chance that other people can come onboard that are specialized in different aspects.
Anyone remember MDK2? That was a third person platformer/shooter. It wasn't half bad even with what context they had to work with.
Yeah, I do agree that DA2 is a blight to level/quest designers everywhere. I wished that they're wern't pushed that hard like many other developers which wind up with poor results.
Anyone remember MDK2? That was a third person platformer/shooter. It wasn't half bad even with what context they had to work with.
Yeah, I do agree that DA2 is a blight to level/quest designers everywhere. I wished that they're wern't pushed that hard like many other developers which wind up with poor results.
I never said you can't make assumptions.Soviet Heavy said:
You're leaping to conclusions again, as we haven't seen a whole lot of the gameplay in ME3 yet. I was attacking you on the notion of judging a game's gameplay based upon a trailer released purely to excite people through the use of the reaper and the thresher maw.
It's good to know you're firmly on the bandwagon, though. I didn't love DA2 and DA:O was more enjoyable, but steaming hunk of shit? Hah, alright.
Well, your first two paragraphs are packed with opinions and lies. As for world instances, they can be easily switched and exist solely to relieve stress on certain areas within the game. The game is more enjoyable if you're able to get your quests done and see some people walking about, as opposed to areas being incredibly packed and choked up for a long time, yes?SmashLovesTitanQuest said:
Admitting to not having experienced PvP is a mistake. Is it because you never reached level 10, or did you just intentionally ignore PvP?
I think SWTOR will carry on fine, albeit without me, as I'm done with MMORPGs. I still don't understand why so many people are determined to shovel garbage on the game, even after release. I doubt Guild Wars 2 will be anything remarkable either. MMORPGs are MMORPGs, and nothing will change that.
I'm a little unclear on this - Does ME3 absolutely positively 100% require Origin? I know the collector's edition does, and if the vanilla game does I'll do exactly that.The7Sins said:
On the other hand, the completionist in me does want to actually finish it. There's a huge difference between seeing the termibaby at the end of ME2 and just hearing about it, in that the former is about a hundred times funnier.
That said, there's no way in hell they can make ME3 good enough that I'll ever buy another of their products. I'm invested in its story, but Bioware as a whole is dead to me, and I don't just blame EA for this. I've seen the writers talk about stuff and it's quite clear that they're more than enough to sabotage the company on their own, whether it be "I want a button to skip gameplay" or "We're not going to let player choice get in the way of the story we want to tell" or even "we didn't let you switch out armour in DA2 because not enough people cosplayed as the characters".