Honestly, I feel like Dragon age would have been better off the way it was, rather than being an open world. It works for The Elderscrolls, because the games' focus really isn't the main quest, and you can entertain yourself with the game without ever touching most of it. I obviously can't say for certain with this, but it doesn't look like that'd be the case with dragon age. The side quests are more like filler here. In TES, you can make characters that pretty much concern themselves only with sidequests.
In other words, there's only so many times that you'll be able to play through the game, running through this big open area for these sidequests when the main attraction where the most focus is likely always the main quest. It's different in elderscrolls because they weave all these side attractions together, so a side quest can lead to something much bigger, whereas from the looks of it, DA I just has it as stuff to do on the side while your ultimate goal is still in mind. I can't say for certain of course, but that's the impression I get from the game and it's sort of military strategy deal on the map.
Has me worried for Witcher as well, but if they can make the majority of the side quests interesting enough to pursue on their own, and not just something you do when you get it while you traverse from main quest to main quest, in a way that encourages exploration, then they'll do fine. Otherwise, you'll start ignoring things quick and it'll feel like a bunch of empty space.
