This will be bitter. I'm actually forcing myself to keep playing Andromeda. I'm at 77 hours in single player and sadly I'm not so engaged with it as I hoped I would have been. I can't find a real immersion in the game. Not just facial animation, but the system dialogue too. Example: I just arrived on Elaaden, there was a Krogan with quest marker on its head so I went to it to speak. At a certain point, there was a line which Drack was supposed to say......but basically, Drack wasn't there, idk where he was....so the line was displayed on the screen, but Drack voice wasn't heard since he wasn't near me. This makes dialogues ridicolous and this is sad. This keeps happening on almost every dialogue, on every planet. Luckily main quests' dialogues are cutscenes, so the character are always there, they're properly shown by the camera when they speak.

Well, according to a senior moderator: The forums are still being worked on and some final touches are being put in place. Expect more updates very soon!For now, feel free to enjoy this "early access/preview" since you found it. The place should see a lot more activity very soon. LOL!

I'm actually a big MA:E supporter and have a lot of positive things to say about the game as others know. However, I don't think anyone would disagree with your complaint. The conversation and dialogue do leave much to be desired and have several buggy moments as well. Never really bothered me personally, but MANY people share your sentiment, especially those who have played the previous ME trilogy. I think Bioware and EA recognize we aren't as happy with the system this go round and "hopefully" will do something about that in future installments. However, I doubt there is much that can really be refined at this point except things like the invisible conversations you've mentioned (which could theoretically be addressed in bug fixes). So, my humble recommendation is to enjoy what you can and push past it as best you can.

@EgoMania wrote: I think the biggest difference with the P/R system and now is that in the P/R system it would unlock certain options that you otherwise wouldn't get. In ME2 this was done too strictly and I really think it would've benefitted from a neutral viewpoint as well in the options. The current system in ME:A is nice to me because you do have different ways to react rather than a black and white choice, but it would be cool if by favouring one type more than others that it would unlock some things. And yeah the new system doesn't allow you to really be a tough guy/gal I think the new conversation system is a step in the right direction, it just feels a bit under-developed at it's current stage. Certain conversation options should lead to different branching in the conversation that could give you new insight into who you're talking to, or give you information you wouldn't normally have found. And while the paragon/renegade system is gone, it would be nice to individually mold your Ryder with the tone of your responses, and that molding you do with tone should/could have over reaching effects with others throughout the game. Conversations should help create Ryders personality as well as how others react to him. Another thing I would like to see more of are those quick events (I can't remember the term), where you have a few seconds to click the mouse button (PC) to initiate a physical response to a conversation. In previous ME games, you had the paragon/renegade choices to click, which I loved, leading to 2 different physical reactions. I do miss that. It would be nice to see more of these "events" even if there is only one click option. It doesn't need to be purely paragon or renegade. So far I've only had 2 of these events in my current game (1st play through), and the last one on Voled was truly awesome. There's not much that can be done currently, but going forward into the next game, or even dlc, I would like to see the conversation system developed further.

@VladVonCastein wrote: God... not another one, think I will start complaining again lol... sigh... ok just 1 line and I will stop... Bioware can fix the conversation wheel, they can fix the animation, they can fix a lot if they put in time and resources, but they cant fix the writing... story telling and writing is not at the previous level of the ME trilogy. If I am lucky they can fix this in MEA2. Heh. If you want, select the worst bit of writing from ME1-3 and I'll see if I can find one bit of ME:A that is better? 👿 Not arguing it isn't better as a whole now. Am saying you had a team that worked on a series for years, listening to and incorporating feedback, and they made three volumes PLUS dlc. Here you don't... yet?

@jpcerutti1 wrote: @VladVonCastein wrote: God... not another one, think I will start complaining again lol... sigh... ok just 1 line and I will stop... Bioware can fix the conversation wheel, they can fix the animation, they can fix a lot if they put in time and resources, but they cant fix the writing... story telling and writing is not at the previous level of the ME trilogy. If I am lucky they can fix this in MEA2. Heh. If you want, select the worst bit of writing from ME1-3 and I'll see if I can find one bit of ME:A that is better? 👿 Not arguing it isn't better as a whole now. Am saying you had a team that worked on a series for years, listening to and incorporating feedback, and they made three volumes PLUS dlc. Here you don't... yet? Exactly this. MEA is often brutally compared to the original trilogy, which isn't really fair to MEA, conversations or otherwise. The conversations/interactions of Ryder and his/her crew need to be fleshed out and further developed, but I think the current system can be (and I do mean "can be" not necessarily "will be") expanded to be better than ME1-3.

The dialogue system is bad and it's pushing me away from the game

45 Replies

Anonymous
9 years ago
I'm actually a big MA:E supporter and have a lot of positive things to say about the game as others know. However, I don't think anyone would disagree with your complaint. The conversation and dialogue do leave much to be desired and have several buggy moments as well. Never really bothered me personally, but MANY people share your sentiment, especially those who have played the previous ME trilogy.

I think Bioware and EA recognize we aren't as happy with the system this go round and "hopefully" will do something about that in future installments. However, I doubt there is much that can really be refined at this point except things like the invisible conversations you've mentioned (which could theoretically be addressed in bug fixes).

So, my humble recommendation is to enjoy what you can and push past it as best you can.
EgoMania
Seasoned Ace
9 years ago
Yeah, I've complained about this in other threads but the audio needs to be tweaked. Companions sometimes take a while to catch up with you, but even if they are relatively near but behind you, you can barely hear their lines. This is definitely something they need to change.

Now that I know the problem I make sure to check that companions are near and that I angle myself the best way possible but it's something I'd rather not be worrying about at all. For that matter I also don't like how you can only speak to npc's when you're facing them the right way. Sometimes this facing is blocked or npc's are walking away. That's a bit annoying as well.
Kwisatzz88
9 years ago
They can't 'fix' this. They should totally reset the dialogue system, and that cannot be done. Lez just hope they keep this in mind for 'Andromeda II'.... just as they should keep in mind many things.
Vellu78
9 years ago
Two ways they could improve this.

1) Have participants in a certain dialog "warp" in place. Works for cut-scene dialogue, but not random dialogue in the world.

2) Ignore the range, so we can hear what everyone is saying. Immersion breaking but better than what we have now.
Anonymous
9 years ago
I have to say i do miss the paragon/renegade options from the old game and I get that bioware is trying something new.. I'm generally a paragon player but the main issue I have is that most of the options are be really nice,slightly less nice or sarcastic... there no renegade/be a complete * option. Hopefully as others have said is that they keep this in mind for other game/dlc.. I do still however enjoy the game but have the option for being good or bad per say makes a playthrough seem more unique and emmersive
Psych0_Trauma
New Adventurer
9 years ago
^ without the P/R system either Ryder just seems bland. ALSO Scott was in the ALLIANCE for phoques sake....and he's being portrayed as some * boyscott half the time.
EgoMania
Seasoned Ace
9 years ago
I think the biggest difference with the P/R system and now is that in the P/R system it would unlock certain options that you otherwise wouldn't get. In ME2 this was done too strictly and I really think it would've benefitted from a neutral viewpoint as well in the options. The current system in ME:A is nice to me because you do have different ways to react rather than a black and white choice, but it would be cool if by favouring one type more than others that it would unlock some things.

And yeah the new system doesn't allow you to really be a tough guy/gal
jpcerutti1
9 years ago
@nexusmagoo wrote:

I have to say i do miss the paragon/renegade options from the old game and I get that bioware is trying something new.. I'm generally a paragon player but the main issue I have is that most of the options are be really nice,slightly less nice or sarcastic... there no renegade/be a complete * option. Hopefully as others have said is that they keep this in mind for other game/dlc.. I do still however enjoy the game but have the option for being good or bad per say makes a playthrough seem more unique and emmersive

At least for this first game, I don't think being a complete * would fly. You'd burn bridges quicker than you could build them. If the character carries over to the next game you might be able to get away with it since you are now established as somebody who can get things done and have some political weight/backing.

You still can do some pretty renegade things in this first one.
Rand207
9 years ago
@EgoMania wrote:

I think the biggest difference with the P/R system and now is that in the P/R system it would unlock certain options that you otherwise wouldn't get. In ME2 this was done too strictly and I really think it would've benefitted from a neutral viewpoint as well in the options. The current system in ME:A is nice to me because you do have different ways to react rather than a black and white choice, but it would be cool if by favouring one type more than others that it would unlock some things.

And yeah the new system doesn't allow you to really be a tough guy/gal

I think the new conversation system is a step in the right direction, it just feels a bit under-developed at it's current stage. Certain conversation options should lead to different branching in the conversation that could give you new insight into who you're talking to, or give you information you wouldn't normally have found. And while the paragon/renegade system is gone, it would be nice to individually mold your Ryder with the tone of your responses, and that molding you do with tone should/could have over reaching effects with others throughout the game. Conversations should help create Ryders personality as well as how others react to him.

Another thing I would like to see more of are those quick events (I can't remember the term), where you have a few seconds to click the mouse button (PC) to initiate a physical response to a conversation. In previous ME games, you had the paragon/renegade choices to click, which I loved, leading to 2 different physical reactions. I do miss that. It would be nice to see more of these "events" even if there is only one click option. It doesn't need to be purely paragon or renegade. So far I've only had 2 of these events in my current game (1st play through), and the last one on Voled was truly awesome.

There's not much that can be done currently, but going forward into the next game, or even dlc, I would like to see the conversation system developed further.
VladVonCastein
9 years ago
God... not another one, think I will start complaining again lol... sigh... ok just 1 line and I will stop... Bioware can fix the conversation wheel, they can fix the animation, they can fix a lot if they put in time and resources, but they cant fix the writing... story telling and writing is not at the previous level of the ME trilogy. If I am lucky they can fix this in MEA2.

Paragon/Renegade system has its pros and cons. I liked the option of being a Bad As* when I have to be, but I disliked the need to accumulate paragon or renegade points to open up conversation and decision options. Well still beats being Ryder... Wuss...