Mac Walters at Comic Con today (updated)

Actually, Aarin Gend had been the 'stationary' BW-romance ~16 years before Steve&Sam.

As for '20% more than ME3 squad' content - ME3 is not known for the deep and branching character-related dialogues and plots, you know. I don't think that giving us more than those 'click-auto-talks' is a big achievement.

I actually don't like to explore, at least in my first play through. Or, at the very least, if you tell me that something has to be right now, it can't wait, she/he's gonna die because of it... I take you at your word.

Second play through, I'm just like, "Ehh, screw it. Let them die, let's see if changes the story in any way." This is when I usually go exploring.

When they say "more resources on companions" I'm hoping it's not just a billion cut scenes on dawdling around like they had in Inquisition, but rather companion-motivated storylines and subplots where companions have completely autonomous agendas and motivations that actively shape the lore and main story like in Dragon Age 2.

I liked Mass Effect 2's loyalty missions a lot, as well.

Merrill's side story was extremely related to the main plot in my opinion. It illustrated the personal and social ramifications of blood magic, and also gave more depth to Dalish clans in general. They also kept referring to the Dread Wolf... hehe. She also gave a lot of information on Elven lore and how sorely the Dalish need to relearn their history.... kind of foreshadowing Solas/elves in DA:I.

Fenris's stuff was all about Tevinter. Tevinter magisters, and the evils of magic unchecked and why people might fear a complete minimization of the circle. Fenris's side content also explored slavery, and fog warriors, and the Qun... 

The perspectives we got on each of these elements contributed to our decision at the end of DA2 or how we just.. perceive the stuff that goes on at the end of the Dragon Age 2. Everything about the end of Dragon Age 2 combines all of these issues into one, which is why it impacted me so much.

But yes, if it's structurally more like Mass Effect 2, that is also cool. I loved all the side stories in ME2!!

Blood magic is something that is explained through all the games though. It is true the whole part related to Merrill kind of foreshadowed Solas, but that's because Bioware thought of Inquisition's plot, and I think Solas' reveal as well, before switching to DA2, so they decided to put some stuff to foreshadow DAI. Flemeth's connection with the dalish is a clear example of that.
Merrill's and Fenris' quests and dialogues did expand on the known lore, but that's something companions always do. It was the same in DAO and DAI.

Ehhh... they really took it to a whole new level in DA2. I mean, they had major acts and individual plot arcs for each character, divided by three chapters. It's not like... one mission for each. It was like three mission arcs. You think you're done with their story, but then they have a second act, and a third act... each. Over ten years. By the end, everybody's personal story is just blown into dramatic proportions that really ground the concept of mage vs. templar on every level.

It's not comparable. Look at Sera. What, one side mission? Where you kill some guys and encounter some noble dude loitering around in a barely designed level? Some text-readable thingies on the war table? Sorry to be harsh, but you can't compare her to Merrill's content, Isabela's content, or even Aveline's content.

Take Aveline. First act, you go on multiple missions and cut scenes following her self-initiated look into the local city guard's suspicious parcel-routing stuff. Then she gets promoted. You're like, "Oh, that's cool."

But that's not all. In future acts, you help her grow past her grief by encouraging her to go out with Donnic. She consoles you if your mother dies. She actively intervenes on behalf of the city with the Arishok and takes charge in front of you when you encounter the crazed Elven radical dispersing poison in the city streets.

Sera rarely does any of these things, either in animation or cut scene or anything. If you're wandering around with her, she might chime in... with dialogue... I guess... if your stumble on some caches.

Or even Iron Bull. Chargers' deaths... yeah that's a good mission.... But every side character in Dragon Age 2 had like THREE of Iron Bull's chargers missions. Three of them, at least, along with plenty of other animated cut scenes and dialogue when they tag along with you in your own missions.

The difference is huge. Not everyone goes for that, but I thought it was a highly effective way for me to look at the sociopolitical climate and perspectives in Kirkwall which were relevant to the main plot from a personal angle, and from the personal angles of people I grew to be invested in. 

Dragon Age 2 is horribly underrated.

I don't discredit Origins, though. I rank Origins at the same level as DA2. It just had a different structure. Exploring the issues and circumstances through the eyes of your companions and gaining multiple perspectives on themes wasn't really the goal. It was more of a straightforward Don Quixote adventure story, and it was great.

It would be nice to have crewmembers involved in a mission. A mission that requires a doctor, an engineer to help repair whatever, and others like that. In DAI, Cullen, Josephine and Leliana had quests that involved them and they weren't companions. So I don't see a problem with something that involves crewmembers and not just squadmates.

I couldn't agree more. Once you got beyond the repetative maps and expecting it to be DAO, it was really well done.

I'll fourth that or whatever. I've always felt that it was one of the best bad games I've ever played. Worst best game? Whatever, what I mean is that I really liked it but I had SO many problems with it. Mostly mechanics (paratroopers anyone) and level design. Didn't even make sense to me at the time how I could pick apart something that much and still like it. Honestly, now I kinda want to replay it, but Civ 6 comes out next week, so I wouldn't be able to finish it in time.

I dont necessarily agree with that, but I will ask this;

what, to you personally, makes a good plot or characterization for a role playing game?

I fully admit, I found Dragon Age II to be a very solid game in that department personally, but I understand why folks may not be as enthralled by it as I am. The characterization and story of Dragon Age II was, to me at least, paced well from all three acts and offered a high degree of choice and consequence which was admittedly lacking in some areas in the other Dragon Age games. 

I am always curious about this, because I think that sort of question you ask is kind of the personal perspective we all have when it comes to RPGs. At least, when you ask me about it.