Beware: here be spoilers!
I would like to share a simple overview of what I think stood out a lot.
They are both awful and good, and I think it’s worth noting that I am still interested in the game. I am just mildly awed by the writing team’s approach and their current choice of style, but hope that over time the community’s voice will be loud enough for them to adapt to something more bearable for most people.
So here goes!
General note:
It is a rather small patch.
No-one really warned us about this. Not that I’m aware of. Or any of my friends.
Might be wise to put that out there, to prevent mass confusion!
About the Dead End inn “party”:
The dialogue was rather “simple” and “stiff”. Unrealistic at times.
Most of it currently seems aimed at an audience of people aged 5 to 10, not the game’s rated 12+. Never mind the vast majority of adults playing the game. It’s not the worst, but it could do with a reality check here and there.
The dialogue was paced poorly.
This did not help the stiffness. There were a multitude of extremely long pauses, making it rather unclear if it was over or still going on. Writing issue or programming errors? Whichever the case, it could do with better pacing!
It wasn’t much of a party.
Semantics, right? It was more a meeting than a party.
Marjory has a sister nobody knew about.
…who was uncharacteristically uninterested to find out Jory was alive, after facing off with the biggest villain next to the Elder Dragons, in the burning remains of a city, inside a giant drill of doom. I hope that shows how unrealistic her reactions seemed. Sadly so, since it had a lot of potential! Maybe in future installments?
Everyone emphasises that the Player Character suddenly exists again.
Let me explain this: The past few months, the Player Character has been non-existent. The story moved on without their presence. All lore NPC’s prattled on, ignoring them for a while. Nothing we did as players influenced any outcomes. Suddenly, we’re the heroes again and we get praised. Either involve us all through, slowly adopt us back, or disregard us permanently. This sudden change of heart seemed out of place.
Kasmeer is “the Ditz” archetype taken to eleven.
I really fancy TvTropes! Sorry! In normal terms: Kasmeer is unnaturally daft. She did not register anything that was going on. She is genuinely surprised by the presence of an Elder Dragon, leylines and anything Scarlet. It would be justified, but she has shown moments of incredible clarity before. My suggestion: play a stereotype straight, or don’t go for it. So-so approaches are seldom endearing, and currently it wastes a fine character.
Braham stands on a broken leg?
He may be a mighty Norn. There may not be chairs we can sit on. There might be no crutches he might have used… But was this really necessary? Even if this was done to emphasise he is still recovering, or to emphasise that Rox likes him, or to get the bear grunt jokes going, it’s still rather peculiar. (For shame, create custom chairs for us to sit on, and for NPC’s to use for added realism in storytelling! Gem store item. We’ll love you eternally. Or very long, at the very least.)
To be continued.
Wait, that’s all!?
DUN DUN DUN!
Could we not have had a sneak peek of any kind? Pretty please, cherries on top!
Cutscene over. Back outside.
Or just not. Time will tell.
So that’s my observations for this patch’s story side.
They are most certainly not meant to get anyone’s jimmies rustled! I instead hope to see a vast improvement in terms of character and dialogue writing the coming few months. The visuals are there (minus the chairs, theehee) but the writing is still catching up, eh.
So please! Keep at it, Arena Net! Don’t you dare let your franchise go to waste!
(edited by Auruan.2837)