Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path?

mango1smoothie
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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 22:17:55 GMT

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Post by mango1smoothie on Mar 1, 2017 22:17:55 GMT

I was just curious on whether or not people planned to play missions after the main story critical path, and their reasoning why.

Personally for me any side missions and any future dlc stories that show up will be played before playing the last mission. I like having definite endings to the story, and I feel most dlc and side missions don't bring a satisfying end to the story. An example would be Mass Effect 2. While the Arrival DLC was more meant to be played after the Suicide Mission I still played it before the Suicide Mission. Arrival as an ending for all of Mass Effect 2 felt underwhelming to me. The Suicide Mission just hit all right notes. It either leaves me satisfied to stop playing or wanting to immediately jump into Mass Effect 3, but never with the feeling of wanting to play more of Mass Effect 2 afterwords.

How do you plan to handle side missions and any future DLC missions? Why?

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:07:12 GMT

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Post by SwobyJ on Mar 1, 2017 23:07:12 GMT

I currently predict all sidequests will feel better before the final mission.

And all DLC will feel better after the final mission. Even if most of the DLC feels relatively 'filler' compared to the main game's critical path missions, Bioware may be comfortable by now with 'epilogue' DLC that we can go ahead with that to 'end' everything.

So at least for first playthrough, I intend on being as completionist as they'll let me, before the ending. Then maybe NG+. Then DLC.

Bioware might be kindaaa trying to avoid strong comparisons to DAI, including their DLC plans, but they could still also be sticking to some kind of form somewhat based on it.

Last Edit: Mar 1, 2017 23:09:20 GMT by SwobyJ

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:10:55 GMT MarilynRobert and missileglitcher like this

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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 23:10:55 GMT

My habit is to do as few main story quests as I'm allowed, while doing as many side quests as possible.
I don't really have justification for it, apart from liking it.

In my playthroughs of Skyrim, I hardly ever did the main quest -- didn't even start it. Or did it only to the point where you get the ability to use dragon shouts, because they sure come handy in combat.

Deleted Deleted Member Posts: 0 Deleted inherit guest@proboards.com 3344 0 Sept 22, 2024 19:31:23 GMT Deleted 0 Sept 22, 2024 19:31:23 GMT January 1970 Deleted	Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:15:12 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 23:15:12 GMT Some of them involve the main antagonist, so I would do those first.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:20:11 GMT MarilynRobert, MeadKnight, and 2 more like this

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Post by Rivercurse on Mar 1, 2017 23:20:11 GMT

I need to have absolutely nothing else to do before I advance the main story.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:25:40 GMT

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Post by xassantex on Mar 1, 2017 23:25:40 GMT

depends.
If they go the Trespasser way let's say, there will be no choice to play it after final Boss .
For the coming year, i'll play DLC's as they come out of course, and after depending on their replayable qualities i'll try to fit them into the narrative.

As for side missions , those are a bit random .

Genesis
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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:31:02 GMT via mobile

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Post by Genesis on Mar 1, 2017 23:31:02 GMT

Mar 1, 2017 23:20:11 GMT Rivercurse said:

I need to have absolutely nothing else to do before I advance the main story.

Same here. I try to squeeze out every drop of content before moving on in the story.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:39:27 GMT

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Post by GannayevOfDreams on Mar 1, 2017 23:39:27 GMT

Sidequests I usually try to tackle while the area they're done in is still story-relevant. So... I'll do some story quests, then some sidequests, then more story, and so on until the area is depleted of most of its content. Then I move on to the next zone that contains story and do the same.

DLC content is usually designed for mid to late game, so that's when I usually do it. If it makes more sense for it to take place at a specific point in the story I usually try to do it then.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:42:52 GMT

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Post by gaycaravaggio on Mar 1, 2017 23:42:52 GMT

Some DLC just makes more sense to play before the end of the main storyline and some make more sense after. For instance, the Descent DLC, to me, felt urgent enough to do before the "Final Battle."

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 1, 2017 23:55:29 GMT

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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 23:55:29 GMT

Mar 1, 2017 23:42:52 GMT gaycaravaggio said:

Some DLC just makes more sense to play before the end of the main storyline and some make more sense after. For instance, the Descent DLC, to me, felt urgent enough to do before the "Final Battle."

Oh yeah. Hakkon made no sense to just begin during Cory's stuff imo. It was a whole new story with a new baddie.

Last Edit: Mar 2, 2017 0:25:51 GMT by Deleted

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 0:12:21 GMT

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Post by bshep on Mar 2, 2017 0:12:21 GMT

Side quests before.

DLC will depend on the story. I hope that they make some happen after the main quest (like Arrival or even better Trespasser).

Last Edit: Mar 2, 2017 0:12:38 GMT by bshep

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 0:21:00 GMT

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Post by pantherdane on Mar 2, 2017 0:21:00 GMT

I will probably do every side mission that exists before I finish the main story. The main story often makes some side quests unavailable, so I will avoid finishing the main quest as long as I can.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 0:26:41 GMT

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Post by Cypher on Mar 2, 2017 0:26:41 GMT

I'm also the type of person to never do sidequests once I beat the main story, but if there's post-ending quests that unlock, then there's no reason for me to keep everything to before the final bad guy battle.

I mean, I'll probably try to do most of it before the ending anyway, but post-story quests and whatnot would be akin to characters continuing their career path since heroes don't stop heroing once the villain is defeated. Batman doesn't take a break because he beat Two-Face, he goes out to punch purse snatchers in the face the next day. I can see Andromeda going that route.

Any sidequests involving factions that have ties to the main story --and were defeated in the main story--can be chalked up to splinter groups or pockets of resistance, so it still works.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 0:30:40 GMT

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Post by Sanunes on Mar 2, 2017 0:30:40 GMT

There was a post on the old BSN that BioWare didn't expect people to clear out Hinterlands before moving on, so I am thinking there will be less side content overall so people don't feel "stuck" like in Inquisition and get bored of the game. My playstyle varies based on my mood. Sometimes I just want to do a little something in the game or I want to move on and progress to a new area. So I would expect to do a mixture of both approaches of skipping side content, but at the same time have days where that is all I do.

As far as DLC goes, I don't buy DLC or install pre-order DLC until after I have completed the game. That is what I did with Mass Effect 3 and I think I had a better experience then if I did have Javik all along.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 1:00:27 GMT

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Post by Cypher on Mar 2, 2017 1:00:27 GMT

Mar 2, 2017 0:30:40 GMT Sanunes said:

There was a post on the old BSN that BioWare didn't expect people to clear out Hinterlands before moving on, so I am thinking there will be less side content overall so people don't feel "stuck" like in Inquisition and get bored of the game. My playstyle varies based on my mood. Sometimes I just want to do a little something in the game or I want to move on and progress to a new area. So I would expect to do a mixture of both approaches of skipping side content, but at the same time have days where that is all I do.

As far as DLC goes, I don't buy DLC or install pre-order DLC until after I have completed the game. That is what I did with Mass Effect 3 and I think I had a better experience then if I did have Javik all along.

I think the Hinterlands is a unique case because, as someone who rarely ever puts any effort to clearing out areas before moving on when I know I can always come back, Inquisition didn't really have clear signs that it you can actually go somewhere else, so people just wandered around, waiting for that "hey, go progress the plot" notice that they never realized they already got because the game didn't do a good job at letting you know you were free to go.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 2:15:27 GMT

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Post by gaycaravaggio on Mar 2, 2017 2:15:27 GMT

Mar 1, 2017 23:55:29 GMT @beautesombre said:

Mar 1, 2017 23:42:52 GMT gaycaravaggio said:

Some DLC just makes more sense to play before the end of the main storyline and some make more sense after. For instance, the Descent DLC, to me, felt urgent enough to do before the "Final Battle."

Oh yeah. Hakkon made no sense to just begin during Cory's stuff imo. It was a whole new story with a new baddie.

Yeah, Hakkon is just so awkward to play in the middle of the game. You're going off to do some non-urgent, archaeological mission for kicks while the Venatori/Red Templars are wrecking havoc. :nupe:

I hope ME:A is better about where the DLC fits in.

Last Edit: Mar 2, 2017 2:15:55 GMT by gaycaravaggio

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 2:22:16 GMT

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Post by snook on Mar 2, 2017 2:22:16 GMT

Mar 2, 2017 2:20:01 GMT Madflavor said:

I think chances are pretty good that there will be one dlc that will set up the possible storyline for the next game.

I certainly hope so - DA:I's Trespasser DLC was great, and I hope Andromeda takes notes from it on how to handle the 'final DLC.'

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 2:22:31 GMT MarilynRobert and ryerye17 like this

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Post by Revan Reborn on Mar 2, 2017 2:22:31 GMT

I'm way to OCD not to do EVERYTHING before the final boss fight. If there is 500+ hours of side quest content, you better believe I'll exhaustively examine every nook and cranny before I go to the point of no return!!! This Pathfinder is going to triple check to make sure he finds everything for humanity!

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 3:14:00 GMT

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Post by kingjuly on Mar 2, 2017 3:14:00 GMT

I always attempt to exhaust the game of side missions before finishing the main quest. I tend to play it in order of a main mission followed by a handful of side missions and repeat the process over and over until its clear Im coming up to the last mission in the main story arch.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 3:39:16 GMT

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Post by derrame on Mar 2, 2017 3:39:16 GMT

before the last mission for sure
after that, i thnk it can be done whenever makes sense or it's available

Last Edit: Mar 2, 2017 3:40:40 GMT by derrame

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 3:52:54 GMT

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Post by glitch89 on Mar 2, 2017 3:52:54 GMT

I'm going to try to complete all side missions during the game, before the final main mission. I'm not sure if there are some missions that only open up after finishing the main mission. If so, obviously I will be finishing those after the final main mission.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 4:17:03 GMT via mobile

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Post by nolerhn on Mar 2, 2017 4:17:03 GMT

I'll do a few sidequests early on to get a headstart with skill points and perhaps a little crafted gear. Outside of that I like to go through the story for one simple reason; I do not want to out level and outgear the main quest on my first run of the game to the point its too easy even on higher difficulty modes.

Then I'll play it again doing everything and kick ass the whole game.

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Side missions/DLC before or post critical story path? Mar 2, 2017 4:30:23 GMT

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Post by ryerye17 on Mar 2, 2017 4:30:23 GMT

I tend to do everything BEFORE the final boss.
The problem with a lot of contemporary games is they're designed to be all optional that we get to be too overpowered. :-/

The one difference is with ME2 and DAI wherein I do certain DLC (just the DLC) after teh game.

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