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[kai3345]

Yeah, that's what I mean. "Chainmail armor" would always drop as "chainmail armor," but it looks different on each character when they equip it.

i like it

 

[GillianSeed79]

Decreed 2 year dev cycles for games that contain a lot of detail and normally take a very long time to make.

I might be wrong, but aren't they going back to more customizable appearances in ME3, which is on the same kind of dev cycle? Granted there isn't a huge variation in armor designs in the ME universe. I guess I can live with it. Does this mean we aren't going to looking for mere armor upgrades for party members, but can actually equip loot on non-main characters?

 

[Somtaaw]

Would it kill them to let us change their appearance? I mean, that is what the fanbase wants. Why does the video game industry always have to halfass everything when they try to fix something. You want customizable armor back? Ok, but you can't see the changes like we used to do... Seriously, its kind of getting ridiculous how oblivious developers can be.

I can see bioware charging 5$ for unique companions armor.

 

[lastplayed]

I can see bioware charging 5$ for unique companions armor.

Why bother when they already charge for companion items that don't even appear on the character models.

 

[HadesGigas]

I might be wrong, but aren't they going back to more customizable appearances in ME3, which is on the same kind of dev cycle? Granted there isn't a huge variation in armor designs in the ME universe. I guess I can live with it. Does this mean we aren't going to looking for mere armor upgrades for party members, but can actually equip loot on non-main characters?

They've made mention of it for ME3, but I don'trecall hearing any hard facts or seeing it in action yet.

I can see bioware charging 5$ for unique companions armor.

They did this in ME2.

 

[Nirolak]

Hopefully the "saving the world from itself" premise does not include yet another contrived evil/villain who exists to send the player to 4 quest hubs before the final confrontation. I liked Irenicus, but after Malak, The Reapers, The Archdemon, etc., I wouldn't mind if Bioware gave their epic-style stories a brief rest for a more personal tale. I recognize that DA 2 attempted such a feat, only to fail spectacularly when compared to other character-driven plots like MoTB and Torment, but I'd like them to have another go at it with DA 3.

The impression I got is that you go around to different regions trying to calm the war that's breaking out.

 

[Acidote]

You can fully equip your followers again, but it doesn't change their appearance.

However, they're also adding more ways to change the appearance of your followers through a separate system.

Two available appearances in the game. Tons through paid DLC. I can see it.

 

[Warnen]

Two available appearances in the game. Tons through paid DLC. I can see it.

Tales of Dragon Age, bunny ears and swimsuit for everyone!

 

[bhlaab]

How about fully customizable party member armor is an important part of the gameplay?

Oh wait, forgot, that doesn't matter.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

Bioware keeps talking about strong visual identity for their characters, but I really have to struggle to remember what any non-Isabella character was wearing.

 

[Anteater]

Bioware keeps talking about strong visual identity for their characters, but I really have to struggle to remember what any non-Isabella character was wearing.

Anders wears his signature Tevinter Mage Robe I think!

 

[bhlaab]

Someone asked which kind of combat they're going for: DAO's more MMO-esque combat, or DA2's more hack and slash type? Mike said it could be slowed down a bit, but he is still firmly anti-shuffle. (Yay!) They want to design encounters, not fights. Hawke should be shouting "more coming over the hill" and not "here comes another wave!" Also the environment should play a bigger role.

THAT'S THE SAME THING

YOU JUST MADE IT SO THEY SPAWN IN BEHIND A HILL

 

[Krauser Kat]

How about fully customizable party member armor is an important part of the gameplay?

Oh wait, forgot, that doesn't matter.

... Armor is a huge roll tactically through out BG and NWN series

 

[johntown]

It looks like they are at least trying to improve things for DA3. Sadly though because of DA2 I will not be pre-ordering this game. I will wait until it is released and see what the user reviews are before I buy it.

Hopefully, the game is nothing like DA2 with the expection of some of the combat. I liked being able to press a button and it did something all the time.

 

[Darkkn]

BioWare schtick is getting more and more unintresing as games like The Witcher, DeusEx, Fallout 3 and Skyrim are in the scene. Too bad, since their games used to always be in my most wanted list.
Stuff that they are talking about seems nice, but really minor in big scheme. They really need to rethink the formula from ground-up to get me excited again.

Hard to believe that the idea of Dragon Age 3 and Mass Effect 3 does nothing for me. Sure, i'm going to play them and they will probably be fairly entertaining, but i just am not excited at all.

 

[Patryn]

The problem with what they're saying is that you can just as easily read them not getting what they fucked up in DA2 as them understanding what their problems are.

Until we see substantial video and gameplay proof, color me a skeptic. Part of the problem is that DA2 seemed to show that the next game will likely get pushed out the door regardless of whether it's ready or not. So they can talk as much as they want, but can they deliver in the time frame?

I am curious to see if they try to get away with another "Signature Edition", though. That was a really fucking scumball tactic, right there. Especially since a lot of that content was buggy as hell.

Well that, and them not having a clue as to what features are or are not actually in the game (auto-attack on consoles, anyone?)

 

[WanderingWind]

Yeah, reading this is a bit like having an issue with the ball you bought actually being square. You, along with millions of others say, 'I'd like this ball to be spherical - as balls are wont to be." The maker of the ball then says "I hear you and understand. Therefore, our next line of balls will be green, rather than the red you clearly hate."

Spoiler

DERP HE SAID BALLS!!11!! LOL! SCROTUM!

 

[bhlaab]

It looks like they are at least trying to improve things for DA3.

No, it looks like they're trying to do the exact same things as DA2 except paint over the cracks so that players don't notice it as much.

 

[HP_Wuvcraft]

No, it looks like they're trying to do the exact same things as DA2 except paint over the cracks so that players don't notice it as much.

Isn't that what happens in every iteration of every game? You're becoming very vague here, to the point where I'm thinking you just want to complain.

 

[HadesGigas]

Isn't that what happens in every iteration of every game? You're becoming very vague here, to the point where I'm thinking you just want to complain.

If that happened with DAO to DA2 there wouldn't be a problem.

 

[johntown]

No, it looks like they're trying to do the exact same things as DA2 except paint over the cracks so that players don't notice it as much.

If that is the case then I will not be getting it. No way to really know for sure until we see the game in action.

Not sure why Bioware keeps trying to strip the RPG parts out of their "RPG's"........yes I put it in quotes because they just barely fit the term.

Correct me if I am wrong here but don't most people enjoy customizing their whole team and exploring the world and finidng unique items (not just items you put in junk and sell later)?

 

[shiroryu]

THAT'S THE SAME THING

YOU JUST MADE IT SO THEY SPAWN IN BEHIND A HILL

Why don't they abandon the wave mechanic altogether and just put in a limited number of very strong enemies per encounter, the way DA:O did it? If they'd just applied the combat speed-ups to remove the shuffle-step and rebalanced things in either direction (nerf the mage or boost the warrior/rogue) it'd have been enough to create great encounters.

Facing a single Revenant on Normal in DA:O was scarier than some boss fights in DA2.

And doesn't the wave mechanic by default create fights rather than encounters, which they say they want to avoid?

Bioware essentially want to make your character feel more badass by plowing through groups of mooks as if they're nothing, but that involves bringing in the sort of AWESOME moves that have you jumping all across the battlefield and/or weakening the mooks to trash-level encounters.

 

[Patryn]

Why don't they abandon the wave mechanic altogether and just put in a limited number of very strong enemies per encounter, the way DA:O did it? If they'd just applied the combat speed-ups to remove the shuffle-step and rebalanced things in either direction (nerf the mage or boost the warrior/rogue) it'd have been enough to create great encounters.

Facing a single Revenant on Normal in DA:O was scarier than some boss fights in DA2.

And doesn't the wave mechanic by default create fights rather than encounters, which they say they want to avoid?

Bioware essentially want to make your character feel more badass by plowing through groups of mooks as if they're nothing, but that involves bringing in the sort of AWESOME moves that have you jumping all across the battlefield and/or weakening the mooks to trash-level encounters.

You answered your own question. Bioware feels that what players want is to feel powerful. They've decided what makes players feel powerful is destroying large amounts of weaker enemies as opposed to a smaller group of tough enemies.

See also: D&D minions.