If we have open levels again what do you want to see?

       I'll bite, though I'm more of the camp that actually enjoyed the open setting (I don't call it open world for reasons of my own). First, if you don't mind me checking some of your requests be cause I'm always curious.

1: Climbing - I'm assuming you don't mean ladders and fallen logs that you could climb in DA:I. There's the rub for any RPG designer: what does being able to climb surfaces that the designers/level builders didn't intend to be climbed add to the experience? Is that worth all the time testing climbing in those places to be sure it doesn't break the game? I don't personally see any advantage to storytelling over appropriately placed transitions that mimic that ability, but I'm open to examples.


2: Swimming - Pretty much the same as above; what do you get from a storytelling/game perspective simulating an activity that has to be closely regulated and heavily tested that you don't get from simpler implementations, like getting on a boat transition in Jaws of Hakkon? You can't really engage in combat or other activities while swimming in a game like DA. To me, it's just walking/running with a far trickier animation and implementation. Again, my experience is not broad so if there are games this has really added to, please give me some examples. I would love to hear about them.

3: Day/Night Cycle. This is an oldie and maybe notso goodie. I remember day/night cycles and what they basically did in BG2, but, in my memory, that largely had only two effects of any impact (vampires only came out at night and there were a few merchants who only appeared at night while most others were unavailable). That offers some realism but it's still a little lightweight in terms of punch to implementation issues. Again, what would be the big storytelling opportunities this would open up?

4: Music toggle: I'll reiterate what DragonKing asked: how is this different from just turning music off in the sound settings?

5: I thought there were plenty of NPCs to interact with in the Hinterlands (which I think is what Bioware was shooting for as an adventure area before the time crunch came down). We'd all like more NPCs, but that can be expensive in models and VA. Maybe its better to have somewhat deeper NPCs that actually have more function then dispense quest, accept quest end and give reward, generic praise of conquering hero? I know I got a kick out of the groups of refugees that would spawn in the Hinterlands that would comment on various things as well. As for more towns, again, I would prefer quality over quantity. I'm pretty sure we can all agree Val Royeux was just a mistake. Haven had more life and things going on than the jewel of the Orleasean Empire. Maybe I'm rambling a bit here.


    Now, for my own suggestion: have solid themes through each adventure area that link to each other and to either the Main Quest or another theme in another area. By link , I mean having a real impact on the related theme or the Main Quest. For example: in my Alternate Reality DA:I, you could pick to side with the templars, the mages, or quash them both. Siding with one side or the other would lead into Hushed Whispers or Champions or a third quest centered on bringing them both back under the Chantry. The second theme then would be the line from the east Road Bandits through the Smugglers Fortress to Valamarr with that completion weakening the Red Templars in some way for later. (Side note: how many dang Red Lyrium mines/sources did they have? Even if they were eating the stuff, there's so many quests that strike at Red Lyrium sources that have zero impact on the plot. But I digress ). Weaving a good story is like a web: it only works when the strands are linked together to support each other.


     thanks for the thoughts and the time.