Bioware and linearity.

[DVS Storm]

Well I apologize if there already is a thread about this but I just want to hear some opinions.
Now as you know Mass Effect 2 is a more linear and action oriented RPG. And that seems to be the case with Dragon Age 2. I really don't mind as long as the game is good but I understand if someone doesn't like the direction. Bioware is my favorite developer but I'm not a fanboy. For example ME2 didn't feel as large as the first one. So what do you people think. Do you prefer the older RPG style or the new direction Bioware seems to be taking?

 

[Bobic]

I prefer the older type stuff. But I'm a crochety old fool who doesn't like change. Disregard my opinion.

 

[rockyoumonkeys]

Take out those tedious Mako missions, and Mass Effect was way smaller than ME2.

 

[scyrin]

it really depends on the person, i enjoy the newer linearity of rpgs because i tend to get easily lost and overwelmed by rpgs with a huge world (i.e. Fallout 3) but sometimes it does feel a little restrictive at times. Again its just personal preference.

 

[s0m3th1ng]

AS I've said many times before, their D&D stuff were much better RPGs (And games IMO). DA and ME are more like action movies.

 

[Phlakes]

I prefer the openness, but I understand why they're moving away from it. Open worlds take a whole lot of time to make, and trying to put out a sequel in a reasonable amount of time (See: Not Valve) makes it very difficult to develop. It's better to have a really good linear story than a decent open one.

 

[OliverTwist72]

I agree with you, I felt like ME was larger in scale than ME2. As for Dragon Age 2 I'm not sure yet but if thats the direction they are going I will be disapointed.

I read somewhere that they said that Dragon Age 2 will encompass a broader perspective of things that are happening than the original, so here's to hoping they don't go down that road.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

I like games that are open, but with the look of being linear. Thatg's what I see as a problem in games, the ability to let a player go somewhere and act like they were supposed to go that way all along. Unfortunately, a lot of games today seem to be offering only the illusion of an open world, when really, all the doors are locked except the one you need to go through.

 

[Spark Ignition]

If you think about it most Bioware games (and RPGs in general) tend to be fairly linear at least as far as the main storyline goes. In both Mass Effects and the first Dragon Age, and I gather in NWN (yet to play unfortunately) the storyline goes thus: Prologue; open world, go to a certain number of places in any order and this will trigger the once-again-linear climactic endgame. And there's nothing wrong with this, in fact it's completely neccessary since Bioware games are heavily story-orientated, and the best written story would undoubtedly be compromised if it was possible to reshuffle it in any given order.

 

[Lerxst]

My only problem with Bioware is that they promise the world just with the concept of their games, then they deliver a game that can never meet those expectations.

Open world, sandbox is great, especially with the way they market it. When it gets down to playing the game though, you realize it's not that open and not so much of a sandbox. Your choices are limited (DA is a great example - you can choose certain paths early on, after that they all blend into the exact same game) and the world becomes too small to be considered "open" (Instant travel kills it).

They're still better than any JRPG I've played though...

 

[archvile93]

I tend to prefer more linear RPGs. The issue I have with large open world style ones is that while they're large they feel very empty. Yes I could explore anything I want to in Oblivion and Fallout 3, but each patch of land is so identical to the next, and lacks any real detail I can't bring myself to do so. It just seems so pointless.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

I don't mind the linearity. What I do mind is that they basically rehash the cast of Knights of the Old Republic in all of their games.

Every archetype from KOTOR is seen in each of their characters from their other series.

 

[TerranReaper]

I remember there was a "bioware cliche chart", funny stuff if you think about it. If anyone can dig it up for me, that would be appreciated.

In any case, linearity is subjective, some like it, some don't. I personally don't care if it benefits the game but I do prefer an open world a bit more.

 

[DustyDrB]

I like linearity. I don't think BioWare has ever marketed their games as being open-world or sandbox.

I like to get into the story, so even in open-world games like Oblivion, I go through the story first and then explore. The world needs some character before I'll care about it. This is what bugs me badly about New Vegas. I'm punished for my desire to experience the story first. Side quests just pull me out and make me lose interest.

 

[sizzle949]

I prefered something like Oblivion where it still had that main storyline you could just follow but if you got bored you could pretty much walk into any town and find new, more exciting quests.

Also the gameplay wasn't amazingly boring as I seem to find the case with all Bioware games,

 

[repeating integers]

I remember there was a "bioware cliche chart", funny stuff if you think about it. If anyone can dig it up for me, that would be appreciated.

Easy enough to find it for yourself, just google it.

Oh hell, I'll post it here anyway.

Massively huge image be herein! [http://gza.gameriot.com/content/images/orig_320200_1_1257581825.png]

OT: Linearity is pretty much essential in the telling of a good story. And since Bioware make story-based games, I would expect nothing less of them than more linearity than more sandbox-oriented RPGs (or sandbox games in general).

 

[Nimcha]

It's not so much about openness of the world per se, Mass Effect is just a very story driven RPG. You play through Shepard's story, so there's bound to be some restrictions. Whereas in say Fallout you pretty much have to make half the story up yourself.

 

[Westaway]

The only reason I've never played recent Bioware games is because they have no free roaming, which makes leveling up meaningless besides choosing blade over sword. (Because you and your enimies will grow stonger together) Has anyone heard anything new about their DS/ portable game?

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

I prefer the older type stuff. But I'm a crochety old fool who doesn't like change. Disregard my opinion.

my thoughts exactly. i mean, i've enjoyed Bioware's newer stuff, but not nearly as much as the classics. but then again, i still enjoy most JRPGs despite preferring my rpgs to be non-railroaded.