tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post5931930848832083043..comments2023-05-27T11:14:02.426-04:00Comments on Some Space to Think: A Lesson from Dragon Age IIAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-85268321418477245452011-03-31T20:41:13.829-04:002011-03-31T20:41:13.829-04:00I enjoy games with unsolvable problems as making m...I enjoy games with unsolvable problems as making me part of a living world, but as a player of Dragon Age 2 I felt the same as many, that I was thrust into them with the illusion that I was involved in how things unravelled, and that is the kind of lack-of-control that does turn me off.<br /><br />At the end, I felt the story belonged to the companion who(m?) causes the Act III's edge-of-your-seat conclusion.Thenomainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14274037998029023655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-44057623177393050592011-03-30T23:41:42.327-04:002011-03-30T23:41:42.327-04:00And of course this ties right back to DFRPG, and i...And of course this ties right back to DFRPG, and its Cities and Themes. The main difference from an ordinary DFRPG theme is that this one is even larger, even less soluble?Ezra Bradfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486734984522093030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-49620877115218780772011-03-30T21:25:15.333-04:002011-03-30T21:25:15.333-04:00You know what will make this post more awesome? Wh...You know what will make this post more awesome? When you do a follow-up post that explores an example of implementing it.Fredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08362641974657304051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-56563010041897698092011-03-30T16:06:10.218-04:002011-03-30T16:06:10.218-04:00"Find a problem that's too big to solve, ..."Find a problem that's too big to solve, have it create specific, actionable consequences that reflect on the big problem, and have characters in the setting who reflect and shape the problem to give it a face. Then do it one to three more times, and see what you've made. If nothing else, you will probably find you've created and adventure generating engine, and that's no small thing."<br /><br />Rob, that's like gaming gold right there. Heck, it's like gaming dilithium crystals! There will be a discussion of this in NC!Sean Nittnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14757914253483436212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-6573442875990026002011-03-30T13:31:41.506-04:002011-03-30T13:31:41.506-04:00And of course it was Arcana Unearthed (or rather, ...And of course it was Arcana Unearthed (or rather, Arcana Evolved) not Unearthed Arcana,and it was by Mike Mearls and not Monte Cook. Ha ha ha. But, yes: http://www.montecook.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?mpress_RuinsCam_Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162534181760938499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-18631775929443363222011-03-30T12:35:43.267-04:002011-03-30T12:35:43.267-04:00@cam I haven't, but I am willing to use the ma...@cam I haven't, but I am willing to use the magic of the internet to fix that!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14216103531396452644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-39578914044131979192011-03-30T12:16:23.429-04:002011-03-30T12:16:23.429-04:00Did you ever see that Ruins of Intrigue product fo...Did you ever see that Ruins of Intrigue product for Unearthed Arcana that Monte Cook published a few years ago? It had some of this stuff in it, with the GM being given a number of potential conflicts and issues that were total game-changers, and the PCs were very likely to misstep in the course of resolving them. I've often wanted to take the adventure/setting and use it for something non-d20, it's just so ripe with potential (and much much smaller and manageable than Ptolus).Cam_Bankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16162534181760938499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-3777074601763836242011-03-30T11:50:17.253-04:002011-03-30T11:50:17.253-04:00I still can't play two because I haven't b...I still can't play two because I haven't beaten the first one yet. It pisses me off.LoneIslanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03162172122869453950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-81108371612438016262011-03-30T11:40:22.084-04:002011-03-30T11:40:22.084-04:00I have yet to finish DA2 but dealt with the Quanar...I have yet to finish DA2 but dealt with the Quanari "problem" last night. DA:O had similar "both solutions are bad" choices and was part of the reason I loved it so. While playing DA:O I more than once felt Bioware was very happy to move away from the "neat & clean" D&D license & Forgotten Realms world they had with Baldur's Gate & NWN. The choices in Dragon Age are much more real & engaging. It's a wonderful place to explore.Dave DuJournoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-34982783253224056372011-03-30T11:02:50.434-04:002011-03-30T11:02:50.434-04:00I both loved and 'hated' the fact that the...I both loved and 'hated' the fact that the problems in Dragon Age 2 weren't solvable. The end of the game left me with this uncertain feeling. And there were many moments within the game where I had to just stop and think what to do- and realize that neither solution was a good one. On the one hand, that doesn't leave you with a 'Yay, we won!' feeling at the end of the game. On the other hand, it makes you (or at least me) feel all the more emotionally involved in the repercussions of what I (and my companions) did. So while I may have felt oddly 'disillusioned' and confused at the end of the game, I look back now and realize just how engrossed I was- which is really the measure of a good game. In this case, the designers weren't telling a happy story, but it was a compelling one.rologutweinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186173153359166269noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678761812929125529.post-52019135817214980612011-03-30T10:47:46.581-04:002011-03-30T10:47:46.581-04:00I recall the old CRPG "Wizard's Crown&quo...I recall the old CRPG "Wizard's Crown" was city (and ruins near the city) focused.Paul Weimerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02444942522624902562noreply@blogger.com