The weird combat of Dragon Age: Inquisition

[Colt47]

I hate it. During combat the NPC's drop like flies.

The only real way to win a battle is having the right level for your characters, no actual strategy. For example when fighting a dragon you can't tell NPC's to stand in a particular place. So ranged classes like mage or rogue with bow will stand right next to you for the fight; meaning they are brown bread pretty sharpish.

Unless i missed something obvious and am not taking full advantage of the combat utility.

They might as well have called this game Mass Effect 3: Dragon Age Edition. The combat just feels so similar to what I used in ME2, and that isn't a good thing considering it makes the entire process of slogging through a zone just tedious. Also, so many things in this game feel like they are there just to check a box off a checklist.

 

[Aesir23]

Honestly, I really like the feel of the combat in Inquisition. Yes, Origins had traditional combat but it also felt slow and so incredibly boring to the point where I only play Origins now if I want a save file to use for DA2. Contrary to that DA2's combat was so fast that it was absurd, especially for a dial wielding rogue.

 

[Ambient_Malice]

DA3 is both not as bad as people say and as bad as they say.

The combat mechanics are decent enough. The actual "wandering the world" stuff works okay. Especially with a mouse and keyboard.

The problem is interaction - whether it be picking up some money or attacking an enemy. Bioware created two game modes, neither of which work quite right. Normal mode forces you to manually move your character with WASD to get close enough to interact/attack. You can no longer play the game with a mouse, KOTOR-style, where clicking on a crate would make your character jog closer. Where holding down RMB and then pressing LMB would make your character move forward.

The tactical view is a disaster. Primarily because the entire camera system is goofy beyond belief and you're forced to adjust the camera with WASD for some reason. The terrible tactical camera makes basic tasks such as interacting with a fade rift a huge hassle.

Pardon my PC Mustard Race cynicism, but this game feels like some wacky twin stick XBLA indie title.

 

[Sara Neff]

Yeah, i know, old thread.

But im wondering; why does no one else miss being able to use ALL of your abilities? Not just eight of them. Im sorry but as a mage, if I know three different cold spells im going to use them; and not at the expense of my spirit blade, mind blast, and dispell. (and before anyone says thats only six spells, you try really solidly feeling good about the 8 spells you have (sorry 6 and two focus abilities) by the time you hit 20 - which i spent half the game at.)

Why take that out of the radial menu? Why limit potions (without making it even matter)? And what the fuck is up with the cooldown system (and mana bar for that matter)? Why change so many things that were NEVER BROKEN?

Andraste's flaming tits, Bioware; why?

 

[Big_Monkey_Brother]

I've only played for several hours but there are a few things keeping me from playing more:

1) I can't use the mouse to look around my character - think Just Cause 2, Tomb Raider, or nearly any other 3rd person game. Having to hold the right mouse button to look around is terrible, and a deal breaker for me.

2) I have the game configured for fullscreen but during combat it changes to windowed mode, seemingly automatically. I have to double click in the window to get it to go back to fullscreen. Something weird is happening there, and it's another deal breaker for me since I've never seen that kind of behavior from other games (that weren't broken).

3) I agree with others that the combat is odd - I often loose track of where everyone is and during that first battle two of my party members died. I'm sure it's something I could get used to but #1 is going to hamper my playtime with the game...

Good thing I only paid $40 for it.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

The combat is fine, but take this as the word of a console peasant who played it mostly in an action-y way.

The only problem I had is that you can't set tactical guidelines for your companions. You can't set your archers to focus on other ranged attackers, or keep both them and your mages out of the thick of it. It was kind of annoying to see Varric and Sera shoot arrows from 3 feet away instead of keeping their distance, and then watch their health bar drop like a stone because they we're getting a face full of pummel.

Lol, as a "console peasant" myself I found it rubbish and little fun at all. It's just not Dragon Age, nor a Bioware RPG which we've become reared on for 15 years or so. The combat was one of the worst things about it for me, it just felt lame and unsatisfying all-round.

"console peasant" gave me a good chuckle, first time I've heard that term and first off I read "pheasant". I'm not a pheasant plucker, I'm a pheasant plucker's son.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Are people really this obsessed at bumping the "I don't know how to play Inquisition" thread?

Do you seriously think that? That's like saying someone doesn't enjoy fishing because they don't know how too. It still doesn't mean it's enjoyable for everyone.

 

[votemarvel]

I think the problem is that Bioware forgot how to make a PC user interface.

Origins has a UI designed for console and for PC. I've never felt restricted by the console UI and honestly the only reason I don't play the console version more is the lack of mods.

Even Dragon Age II for its many faults realised that consoles and PCs require different things to control well.

Yet we arrive at Inquisition and it is painfully obvious that the controller was the only scheme they paid the slightest attention to. How on Earth did Bioware not see the issues that people using the keyboard and mouse would have.

 

[asdfen]

I played first 20 hours of DAI on hardest difficulty and after a random spawned bear whiped out my party for the nth time I've had enough. I've also found it infuriation to not be able to do content in the area as I came across it due to impossible challenge made by total lack of strategic options. On top of that every battle seemed like test of patience - 5 minute slog fest micromanaging inadequate ai. That experince was bloody awful.

After I droped the game to lowest difficulty and was able to clear stuff faster, complete quess as I found them I started to enjoy the game more. Even then I found combat underwhelming due to lack of gear options and ai customization. DPS weapon in DA games are insulting.

 

[Fallow]

Now that TW3 is out the disparity (and subsequent conclusion that Bioware no longer retains the talent to create an overall excellent game) is even greater. A medium size / B grade dev of limited means has outperformed Bioware, former heavyweight champion of the RPG domain, to such an extent that birds are still fluttering overhead.

DA:I was an absolute disappointment, and considering the budget, a mindboggling waste in dollar per output.

 

[Elfgore]

N-n-n-n-n-n-necropost!

Check dates, peoples!