Poll: Could you really give up on Bioware?

[dyre]

Here's hoping Projekt Red clues in to the fact that if they make their protagonist something other than a walking phallus with a 5 o'clock shadow they could reel in all the disillusioned female gamers who're getting ready to make an exodus from ME. Not that it's a problem for me mind you, but it'd be good for business.

I'm not a female gamer, but that would help, among other things. It's pretty frustrating: I like everything I've heard about CD Projekt (their stance on DRM, etc.), but I just got the first Witcher a week ago and I couldn't make it an hour in. The combat was just clicking on tiny guys over and over, the dialogue was clumsily written and awkwardly delivered, and the hero was kind of lame. I think the people who knew what they were doing left Bioware after EA took over; maybe RED could try hiring them.

(Captcha: "am I happy?" Not particularly, at the moment.)

Witcher 1's combat is kinda shit, yeah. And the dialogue was meh. And the quests are repetitive as...I dunno, counting sheep or something. Give Witcher 2 a shot though; it's a lot better in almost every way.

I made it about 15 hours into Witcher 1 waiting for something interesting to happen, and wished I quit after the first hour (I hear it picks up after the long and boring second act. Can't tell you from experience though). But I've played the second Witcher twice, and I'll play it again when the Enhanced Edition comes out.

 

[Risingblade]

Easily, I buy games based on their content not because a certain company makes them.

 

[Sexy Devil]

Yep, ME3 was my final EA game too. I have zero interest in Dragon Age after the last train wreck, and I don't usually buy most EA games. For me it's more about being sick of their money-grubbing dickishness. From Ashes (which I bought anyway because I figure that it's the last $10 I'll ever give them and I'll enjoy the content) was the final straw in that. Not tolerating their crap anymore. Also I hate Origin.

 

[=HCFS=Discoman]

Maybe.
I enjoyed Mass Effect. I found Mass Effect 2 to have improved on the first in many ways. Some things were worse, some things were better. I haven't played ME3. I would be likely to buy it if it came on Steam, since the other games and all that time is invested in the Steam versions. At least, I would buy it on origin if I knew I could use my save game Shepard in ME3 with no problems.
I enjoyed the story so far, and am pretty invested in it, so I'd like to see it to the end. All I hear about the ending is people saying they dislike it, not that it's poorly made or poorly interacts with the story. If I hear complaints of that nature from reviewers whose opinions I wholly trust, then I'd believe the ending was bad.
The putting out DLC to 'fix' it, I can't approve of. Basically, they are rescinding an artistic choice because people whined. I would respect them much more if they stood by it.

Dragon age: Origins was fun. I'm running through it again, for the third time. Except now I'm using cheats, and having a hilarious amount of fun. Max level? check. God mode? check. Every ability and specialization learned? check. More specializations than the game allows normally? check. Every ability and spell? check. Modified appearance? check. Basically a god among mortals? yup, and loving every minute of it.

Dragon Age 2 was really weak though. Story problems as mentioned here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/columns/firstperson/9353-When-Dragon-Age-II-Fell-Apart

I'm in agreement with the final point: Dragon Age 2 was rushed, and the game even has a feel of being a bit rushed.

Maybe if Bioware made another game along the lines of Dragon Age: origins, Mass Effect, or even Mass Effect 2, I'd buy and be happy about it again. Until then, I may buy a game from them, depending on how it is described. Enjoying it or not? that remains to be seen.
But no, they aren't really my preferred developer after having gone through Dragon Age 2.

 

[dreadedcandiru99]

Give Witcher 2 a shot though; it's a lot better in almost every way.

Guess I could look into it in a week, when I have money again. Does it matter if I don't know what happened in the first game, though? (Or am I right in assuming that the entire plot of the first game is "And then Our Hero went to Location X and banged Lady Y, 20 GOTO 10"?)

I have zero interest in Dragon Age after the last train wreck...

Ditto. I wasn't especially psyched for it, even before the ME3 ending fiasco. I don't know, maybe now I'll buy a used copy from Gamestop and give it to another customer for nothing, just to spite EA.

 

[Kiju]

Haven't bought Mass Effect 3, and won't by Dragon Age 3 either.

Don't intend to until they come out for Steam.

And if they don't like it? Too fucking bad.

 

[dreadedcandiru99]

All I hear about the ending is people saying they dislike it, not that it's poorly made or poorly interacts with the story.

It is poorly made, and it does poorly interact with the story. If/when you get ME3 and finish it, watch this. I think it pretty much covers everything.

 

[The Pinray]

Easily, I buy games based on their content not because a certain company makes them.

Amen. You, good sir, are a true voice of reason. I feel the exact same way.

I'm not going to banish all things EA/BioWare just because of one dud of an ending. I also did rather enjoy Dragon Age II. It wasn't Dragon Age: Origins, but it was good on its own.

Regardless, I will judge whether to get a game by the game itself, not who made it.

 

[dyre]

Give Witcher 2 a shot though; it's a lot better in almost every way.

Guess I could look into it in a week, when I have money again. Does it matter if I don't know what happened in the first game, though? (Or am I right in assuming that the entire plot of the first game is "And then Our Hero went to Location X and banged Lady Y, 20 GOTO 10"?)

For the story, you could just watch this instead; link courtesy of another Escapist user who made a thread for those of us who couldn't get through the first game: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPHgWfWFr9k&feature=player_embedded

That said, you can play Witcher 2 without having ever played Witcher 1 (and without watching the the story summary video) and you'll be fine.

There's a main story involving some pro-human crusaders vs some elf/dwarf/etc terrorists, but it's not too important for Witcher 2.

Also, if you didn't like the, uh, collectible card game in Witcher 1, rest assured Witcher 2 handles sex in a much more mature way.

 

[Indecipherable]

I could stop buying from them. I could grow wings and fly into the sun. Who knows. Is it likely? No. But certainly possible.

 

[Something Amyss]

I already have, so I guess the answer's yes.

I'd assume the majority of people won't, though.

 

[cynicthnkr]

No, Not yet specially considering CPR games come out 4 years or so.

 

[kickyourass]

Never, they currently possess a metric shit ton of good will from me, sure DA2 was of questionable quality (I liked it but good god it had problems), and if the hype is to be believed when Mass Effect 3 ends it releases a swarm of flesh eating beetles into your home. But nothing they've done so far has indicated to me that they've 'lost their way' or whatever the line is at the moment.
As of the foreseeable future I will gladly buy whatever they put out, this viewpoint may change, but a game would have to be ungodly horrible for me to lose faith in them (I'm talking the type of horrible where Bioware would actively deny its existence).

I just hope Bioware doesn't go the way of Pandemic and other developers EA bought up and skull fucked to death.

 

[distortedreality]

I could give up on them easily - if I had reason too.

I really have no reason to at the moment though. I don't think i've ever played a game that Bioware made that I didn't enjoy thoroughly.

 

[blizzaradragon]

I'll stop buying from BioWare when they make a game I don't like. So far that hasn't even been close to happening, so they can happily keep taking my money. Only other developers who can say that are Square Enix, Nintendo, Retro, and Game Freak (although technically those last two are owned by Nintendo).

 

[viranimus]

Not entirely sure.

Spoiler: Introspection

Heres my issue. I forgive Bioware for DA2, I forgive Bioware for ME3. Yet, the problem with the content of the games still remains. Essentially Bioware has relied on the same exact set of mechanics and dialogue development since KoTOR. Simple fact is between KoToR, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and ToR its beyond tedious. Even with the game mechanics diverting for mass effect to being more shooter oriented.. its still just a long corridor with several dead ends that you run till you either get to the next cut scene trigger or you find the item that opens the next cut scene trigger.

Then theres the content. Bioware is lauded for its writing, And honestly at times its perfection, but they still have their own very MEH moments. But the problem is that when it is good, It is SOOO good that it makes you want to get past the annoying ass NPCs standing in your way to the next scene. If you get efficient at this, it begins to feel like all your really doing is running from scene to scene and the combat becomes little more than a time sink to pad out the time between scenes. Your left to wonder why the hell could I not simply had a cut scene to show me doing this that would be half as long and accomplish the same thing. Then you realize your not playing a game so much as your watching an interactive movie. Then that makes you question why are you playing a game that all your really playing for is the parts where you watch and decide. Then if your old enough like me, this seems really familiar to you, sort of like the same thing that happened with Final Fantasy and Square when their popularity hit critical mass they started taking out the gameplay out of their games because all people really wanted was the narrative anyway.

Then there is the elements of preachiness in the games. Just like in ToR if you play a Sith Juggernaut, which in essence is supposed to be the most cruel, physical, up in your face evil badass in the game, yet your first companion basically gets to dictate your interaction when if you choose to be the evil badass long enough she simply accepts her fate as a slave and basically never talks to you again. You get like 3 times to be mean to her, and then your given an ultimatum of be a nice big bad evil guy, or You get no narrative and content from me.

Theres plenty of other things too, but I think these serve my purpose well enough

Ok, I could give up on Bioware in a mechanical sense. I gave up on Ubisoft. Bioware may be harder to bear, but I know it can be done. I dont let my hobbies become addictions or dictate my life.

Now the question is, would I want to? At this point, no. However, I say that with the knowledge that with Biowares consistent behavior over the course of the last 6 major releases that they are forcing me into a corner of having to give up on them. They are not only showing no signs of stopping, but making it very clear they have absolutely no intention of stopping. However if they dont scale this nonsense back, they are leaving me with little choice. So really the Ball is in biowares court, with what I would presume to be Dragon Age 3 and if they feel compelled to pull these same shenannigans.

After playing every single numbered(IE true) Final Fantasy game (and even some of the spinoffs)I have exhibited I can have damn near infinite patience with a company shoveling bullshit down my throat, but everyone has their limits and Bioware is pushing me personally pretty damned hard to that limit by continuing to try to shove this nonsense down the publics collective throats.

TL;DR

Yes I could. Yes I would be justified in doing so, But, Ill cling onto hope till the next release, see how that goes, and go from there. If Ive had enough at that point, Yes, I could give up on bioware.

 

[CarlsonAndPeeters]

Well I've never played a full BioWare game, so yes. I started ME1 and DA1 and wasn't interested enough to get past the opening sequence. So yeah, I do live without them.

I have no problem with BioWare; its just not for me. Its not quite as bad as classic JRPGs, but gameplay and story really are kept on opposite sides of a wrought iron fence made of tigers, and thats not something I particularly enjoy.

 

[Joccaren]

I'm not buying from Bioware again - and you can take that to the bank.
ME2 was a the first sign. Extremely linear levels, greater focus on combat [And boring combat anyway] and a crapton of DLC
Then DA2. More cut and paste than ME1's interior environments, 'Push a button, Something awesome happens' combat, reduced interaction with other characters [Although the characters themselves felt better written to me] and very rushed.
Now, ME3. I don't need to go into the ending more than has already been done, but auto-dialogue, more linear than any Mass Effect game before it, or any Bioware game even in recent history, even more focus on combat [That was substantially improved thankfully], a lot of focus on set pieces.

I don't like this trend, and I have no doubt Bioware will keep following it. So, no more Bioware for me.

 

[Trippy Turtle]

Yes and it wouldn't really take much. The only game I really liked by them was Dragon Age and I only finished that out of extreme boredom. They seem more interested in story rather then gameplay.