Learning from Andromeda, Lessons for the Future.

Now a while ago someone on these boards started 'Constructive Criticism of Mass Effect Andromeda'...and the first line was something to the effect of 'we all know MEA was the worse game BioWare has ever done.' Now that is not exactly constructive criticsm, constructive criticism actually starts by one praising the thing you are criticising in the first place. Praise, then you find an aspect to be critical of, then you adress a possible fix.  That is what constructive criticism is.  And its something few people want to do.  But, in the wake of that thread it doubled my own interest in creating a thread such as this.  My own bit of Constructive Criticism.  Because as much as I do love the game (see what I'm doing?) its not perfect, and the fixes should be relatively easy.  

Now this thread is done specifically with Mass Effect Andromeda 2 in mind, but this advice could just as easily apply to Anthem or Dragon Age 4.  

So here we go, five things in which I think they could approve upon in the future.  

1. Trickle Down Quest Design

As I've said recently I have been playing Witcher 3.  And as I also noticed I had trouble getting into it, primarily because the amazing side quests I remembered from my first PT didn't seem to exisist...quite the opposite in fact.  That was until I got to Novigrad, and I realized something...

Now for the most part I, and I think most people and game developers, have assumed that quest design generally is bottom up and its design.  The side quests support and expand upon the main quests, not vice versa.  But, in Witcher 3, first noticed in 'Return to Crookback Bog' I noticed that Witcher 3 tended to do the opposite. Main quests, the decisions made, and the people met during them, trickled down to the side quests and effected them.  Because the game focused on finding Ciri anything out of that purview went right into the Side Quests.  And quest after quest bore this out, you met a character on the main quest, made a decision, and it came up later in a side quest.  

Now Andromeda did do this at times, the decision on whether or not to make Prodromos Military or Civilian did come back later on in the game during a side objective.  

But for the most part I have to wonder if BioWare didn't look at this kind of thing and expand upon it if it might not actually make the next game feel a lot tighter.  However, I am still pretty amateur at this so I do not know if BioWare did something like this it wouldn't effect something else down the road.  

2. Improved Dialogue Wheel

Now, for me MEAs dialogue and RP was the best in the Mass Effect series to date, by far and away.  Ryder was a great character and for the most part BioWare did a great job taking into account a great deal of player choice. But on the other hand it still is weaker then any of the three Dragon Age games.  Especially DA 2 and DA I.  

The most common complaint on this affair is that Ryder could not be 'aggressive' enough.  Angry enough.  Bad ass enough.  Etc. The problem is all tied up in the emotional option.  Casual, Professional, and Logical are all well defined in game and in real life.  And for the most part they work.  But emotional, well there are a lot of emotions for one dialogue option on a wheel to convey.   Pride.  Anger.  Joy. Sadness.  Etc.  

I can see two possible solutions. Either divide up the emotional wheel, so for me the four options would be 'diplomatic' 'aggressive' 'casual' 'profesional.' Or to put a sub symbol in the emotional to give it a little more range.  Like a heart-exclamation point for aggression...etc.  

3. Bold Story Design

Mass Effect Andromeda was BioWare's best story to date.  Its peaks and valleys, its building of tension till it exploded in its final mission, all the lessons learned which expanded on the lore...and indeed even the side quessts...all were pretty well written.  It came together in a nice climax and had a nice ending which was not overshadowed by any of its previous content.  

However, it came off as a little too basic.  Granted it was wonderfully executed so sometimes its better to have a well written basic story then a complex one which fails.  But, at times, it honestly feels like an ad lib of a story.  Just inserting the neccessary but moments here and there to increase narrative tension, and then pay it off later.  Granted, it did succeed at this better then the trilogy...so...

What I want to see them is be bolder, more complex, with higher stakes and an overall larger canvas.  Maybe more aliens, more unique species, and something that takes us out of Heleus and across the Andromeda Galaxy.  Now that the basic storylines have been established, and the AI is in the Andromeda Galaxy, now is the time to expand that story outwards.  Take a risk.  Take a chance.  

4. Be mean to your characters/ Create a compelling antagonist

Thisis the advice I feel is the most on dubious footing.  Afterall the cast of Andromeda went through a lot in its time through the narrative.  Hell Ryder died...twice.  And Jaal had his entire world view shattered...twice.  

But I get the feeling this is one of the complaints about the game.  Some nebulous idea out there.  And no this does not mean one should kill off characters willy nilly, but make them go through pain, make them uncomfortable.  Part and parcel with this is the Archon, who was a weaker Antagonist as I have outlined.  Create someone who is more compelling.  Someone who actively challenges Ryder and crew not just for the end mission (one of the reasons I still like the Archon) but for the entire game.  Someone we get to know and can make the crew hurt.  

5. Stick to your guns

Not exactly advice on what Andromeda did wrong, but just general advice.  BioWare has something unique going.  Something few game companies can do successfully.  And Andromeda did continue this tradition.  Whatever BioWare does they should not lose who and what they are.  Learn from the compeition, don't try and copy them, expand on what you are good at, don't throw it out with the bathwater, Andromeda could be close to being something truly special...you should let it.