If Dragon Age 3 is anything like Origins then we can expect detailed character development and its interaction within the game. It already has the tactical camera back so it's possible to play it like Origins again.
Thing is... it is EA. They will screw it up, guaranteed. Their problems with game design runs extremely deep in the company. Short of EA breaking up and studios going rogue, It is almost certain to be another DA2 garbage gimmick release. These guys can't make good games to save their lives anymore.
EA has nothing to do with the failing of DA2 or ME3. Bioware is to blame for everything but they have listened to fan feedback for Inquisition and that shows with the reintroduction of multiple player races, the return of the tactical camera and customizable companions again.
Which is why some refer to it as a relationship simulator and an extremely weak RPG in terms of mechanics and development. Nothing wrong with people liking the games, to each their own, but the problem is with people calling it a quality RPG and then expecting everything else to mimic it.
Just out of curiosity...
Did you play Origins at all?
In terms of mechanics and development, it's just as hardcore as Original Sin. I have no idea what that poster up above is going on about.
-Three different races which influence statistics.
-Three different classes.
-Six different origins which impact the story and character development.
-Armor and weapons require certain statistics to wield.
-Six specializations for each class.
-Skill system.
-Crafting system.
-AI companion management (i.e setting their scripts).
-Tactical and strategic combat based on skills and statistics.
-You only level up to LV 20-25 in the main campaign. The game doesn't feel like action-RPG dungeon crawling romp where it's all about gaining levels and looting.
That's not to mention how you have dialogue skills (i.e intermediate, persuade etc) that are based on statistics unlike Original Sin's minigame persuasion system.
The role-playing is far superior to Original Sin too thanks to character interaction which Divinity: Original Sin lacks with its companions.
Dragon Age: Origins was never called a relationship simulator. That's Dragon Age 2 and even with that, the romances and companion interaction were all optional. "Relationship simulator" just an insult used against recent Bioware games because of how Bioware talk a lot about the romances nowadays as opposed to traditional RPG elements. It doesn't help that half the writers also talk about the romances on twitter.
But yeah, Dragon Age: Origins was as traditional as an RPG got. It's emphasis was on questing, role-playing choices, statistic combat, talking and most importantly, role-playing a character (the freedom you had was amazing as you could make anything from a ruthless anti-hero to a religious knight).
Everything I have seen on Dragon Age Inquisitions and The Witcher 3 looks fantastic. I think they will both nail it. Of course EA is terrible but they have an amazing engine in Frostbite 3 and gave a lot of freedom to the team for Dragon Age this time. So much from E3 seemed to be what they learned from DA1 (good) and DA2 (bad).
I believe the only reason DA1 was greaet was that bioware was acquired by EA during development. Probably >80% of development have been done already before EA had a significant influence over it. I did not remember any DLC at all from that game, but an expansion which did make an overhaul on the story.
DLCs became common with some games. You could thank the ex-CEO of EA who resigned after being voted as one of the worse companies in two consecutive years or voting season.
Mass Effect 2 was developed when Bioware was under E.A and it turned out pretty good.
Dragon Age 2 was a flop because Bioware rushed it and took away features which made the original one great. It was Bioware's decision to take the combat and turn it into an action mess.
Mass Effect 3 was a flop because they took even more RPG elements away (you only get two dialogue choices most times) and ending the series with a poor ending. Bioware's poor writing there had nothing to do with E.A.
I hate E.A as much as the next guy but they have nothing to do with development.
