Dragon Age: Origins

[Crapshoot]

I'm having a blast. I keep turning down people or wanting to go out because I want to finish Dragon Age.

Though the more I play it, the more I see (and I'm curious for thoughts here) that Bioware's value is in story telling, not gameplay. I mean, I could literally map out the content arc with KOTOR :

Spoiler

- visit 3 places to get something (Star Forge / Support for the Grey Wardens)
- in one of those places, defend against a mass army (Redcliff Village / Jedi Enclave)
etc etc

[gstelmack]

Crapshoot, I think it was Todd Brakke's blog where he just went on at length about that exact issue with their storytelling.

[Eaglesfan27]

In my opinion, Dragon Age and Mass Effect are very different games primarily because of the combat mechanics which are drastically different. That being said, Mass Effect isn't a pure shooter since once you get to higher levels and raise your skill levels with weapons, you get a great deal of aiming assistance. I enjoyed both games, but Dragon Age is my favorite by a huge margin. I'm just starting Mass Effect 2 now, but I think I'm going to enjoy it more than the first one.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Crapshoot, I think it was Todd Brakke's blog where he just went on at length about that exact issue with their storytelling.

I've noticed it. I played through most of KOTOR, all of Dragon Age, and am about 5 hours into Mass Effect and, while the similarities are obvious, I haven't really found it annoying or distracting yet.

Does anyone know if "Mass Effect 2" is the same?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

In my opinion, Dragon Age and Mass Effect are very different games primarily because of the combat mechanics which are drastically different. That being said, Mass Effect isn't a pure shooter since once you get to higher levels and raise your skill levels with weapons, you get a great deal of aiming assistance. I enjoyed both games, but Dragon Age is my favorite by a huge margin. I'm just starting Mass Effect 2 now, but I think I'm going to enjoy it more than the first one.

At the moment, having only started the first Mass Effect, I have to agree. I enjoyed "Dragon Age" much more than I've been enjoying "Mass Effect" so far. I'm having fun, but it's not been quite the same.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Crapshoot, I think it was Todd Brakke's blog where he just went on at length about that exact issue with their storytelling.

Link pls? Im not a heavy RPG player (in fact, other than KOTOR and KOTOR 2 and an attempt to play Mass Effect which I gave up since I'm the worst shooter player on the planet), but this was pretty easy to notice for me - I wonder those of you guys who play more heavily whether you feel similarly.

I do want to emphasize that I still enjoy the game immensely; it feels like a real world with history and consequences.

[gstelmack]

The Nut and the Feisty Weasel: More Thinking About Mass Effect 2 (What I Want to See)

[Crapshoot]

Good read thx. Greg, you work in game design right? Isn't the only problem with that approach that you have to design a significantly bigger game and deal with significantly more probabilities (ie 12^12 combinations)? I would think its awesome if they had like 4-5-6 options and said it was up to you to prioritize; the replay value of the game goes through the frigging roof then.

[gstelmack]

Actually, I'm a programmer, currently working on AI, although I've worked on nearly all areas of game programming. The probabilities issue depends on how interrelated things are. You can set up triggers so that if you complete any one of five tasks, the next area opens up, but you can still do the other 4. It's certainly managable, it just depends on how much of a directed story you want to tell.

[SportsDino]

I've tinkered with open world story designs, the branching isn't 12^12. The easiest is to build things as essentially on/off switches (or some other multi-state variable if you want multiple results from an event).

Design your script with a little bit of boolean logic behind it and with relatively little effort you can make a seemingly highly variable game world while only explicitly coding up a few particular scripts.

One thing I'd like to see more is little nuances that are simple to code become more prominent. Like Dragon Age where the final battle includes assistance from others you met along the way... use a similar notion throughout the game world not just at the end. If you performed certain actions, when you reach a scenario it just does a check whether a character exists in the scene or not. If they do, you get additional optional side plot and quests, if they don't, you can still hammer through the main plot.

I think for companies its not so much the resources that are holding back such designs, its that they pretty much are running off of a central planning scheme and haven't figured out how to design plots in a more freeform manner (my suggestion is to think of it as math instead of a story). However, they have applied such thinking to other aspects of the game, such as world design (let artists/scripters run wild building locations you end up with a Fallout 3/Oblivion style game world, open ended, somewhat generic looking at times, but very vast and explorable).

Sadly Oblivion does the same with the plot, spread all over the place and not very deep. Consequences don't get relayed to the house next door, yet alone throughout the quest. This results in the game world feeling detached from any sort of reality, and just one giant gameplay element for building up your character stats. Fun, but somewhat less awe-inspiring than it could be.

I'm curious to try out Heavy Rain and see how it performs its plot design... perhaps it will make an interesting go at it.

[Crapshoot]

The Escapist : Experienced Points: The Writers of BioWare

In light of our discussion, I thought this was a pretty good and somewhat damning article.

[SportsDino]

Ha, I just like that he comes to the same conclusion I did, there is some 'tried and true' writer group at BioWare that tends to fit into the same patterns. Note, this isn't always bad... sometimes you should just stick to your strengths, particularly if you are good at it (I love me some Dragon Age writing in general, despite being an 'open worlder' for gameplay).

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by SportsDino

Ha, I just like that he comes to the same conclusion I did, there is some 'tried and true' writer group at BioWare that tends to fit into the same patterns. Note, this isn't always bad... sometimes you should just stick to your strengths, particularly if you are good at it (I love me some Dragon Age writing in general, despite being an 'open worlder' for gameplay).

I agree there are definite patterns to the story and some of the types of characters, but, overall, the worlds and characters themselves are unique enough that I look past it.

I played KOTOR, but it was many years ago and, to be honest, I don't really remember much of anything about it. I finished Dragon Age and I'm a good 10+ hours into Mass Effect and I have to say I wouldn't have really drawn the Leliana/Tali comparisons or the Alistair/Garrus comparison. I can see the similarities between the general arch or idea, but they are each unique enough that it really hasn't destracted from the games.

[SportsDino]

Ya, well done characters even if you draw from your strong patterns, still beat poorly done but less patterned characters. As a wannabe writer/game-designer I fall into the same mode... I have a tendency to write a character with somewhat obvious coloring based on a successful character I made in the past.

Also fantasy/sci-fi tends to push towards revisiting standard character designs. People expect the mystical emotionless preist-like dudes (the Tranquil) or the old wise character that provides all the historical context for what is happening (the Gandalf).

My concern is that they get too comfortable in their patterns and start limiting the game and plot design as a result. I'd say Oblivion and Fallout 3 are examples of this, they were so successful with a way of doing things that they started nerfing some aspects of what was actually working for what they thought was the thing that worked.

[BYU 14]

Checking out the first expansion for DOA set to come out in a couple of weeks and it looks pretty robust. The price tag is kind of steep for an expansion, but from the list of features it looks to be worth it.

Worthplaying | 'Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening' (ALL) Introduces The Disciples - Screens & Trailer

Designed and written by the same team that brought you Dragon Age: Origins, the Awakening expansion pack offers a brand new area of the world to explore known as Amaranthine, featuring an epic story that will allow players to unravel the secrets of the darkspawn - and their true motivations! Players will face a range of horrific and terrifying creatures including an evolved, intelligent breed of darkspawn and other menacing creatures such as the Inferno Golem and Spectral Dragon. Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening provides exciting new ways for players to customize their heroes and party, including the ability to re-spec their character attributes, allowing even greater customization and replayability. Featuring an increased level cap, new spells, abilities, specializations and items, plus five all-new party members, players can continue their adventures from Dragon Age: Origins, or begin with a brand new character.

Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, BioWare’s next thread in the Dragon Age: Origins tapestry, occurs following the events of Dragon Age: Origins and puts players into the role of a Grey Warden Commander entrusted with rebuilding the order of Grey Wardens. In addition to rebuilding the ranks of the Grey Wardens, you will be tasked with uncovering the mystery of how the darkspawn survive after the slaying of the Archdemon. How players choose to rebuild their order, resolve the conflict with the mysterious “Architect,” and determine the fate of the darkspawn are just some of the many intriguing moral choices that will shape each player’s heroic journey. Players will be able to import their character from Dragon Age: Origins or start out as a new Grey Warden from the neighboring land of Orlais.

The Disciples

The Darkspawn have changed. In Ferelden, they were often simply grunts – miserable creatures who were fodder for the sharp end of a well-hewn blade. Now they can speak, they have intelligence, they have tactical awareness. Why is this happening? How can they be stopped?

The Blight has been defeated, or so everyone has heard. And yet the darkspawn still range across the north of Ferelden. By all accounts, these darkspawn are organized despite the death of the archdemon, following the lead of unknown commanders. No civilized person can say where these darkspawn commanders come from, but they think, speak, and act with purpose, which makes them dangerous indeed.



Features:

•A Stunning World Expanded: BioWare's deepest universe to date just got bigger with an all new area of the world to explore, Amaranthine
◦Unlock the secrets of the Darkspawn and their true motivations
Rebuild the Grey Warden order and establish their base of operations at Vigil's Keep
•All-new Complex Moral Choices: Embark on an epic story that is completely defined and reactive to your play style
◦Shape your entire experience based on the choices you make and how your handle complex situations
•New Ways to Customize your Hero: Experience additional spells, abilities, specializations, and items to further personalize and customize your hero and party
◦Import your character from Dragon Age: Origins or start anew as a Grey Warden from the neighboring land of Orlais
Encounter five all-new party members and an old favorite from Dragon Age: Origins
•Even more Bone-Crushing, Visceral Combat: Battle against a new range of horrific and terrifying creatures
◦Put your skills to the test against an evolved, intelligent breed of Darkspawn and other menacing creatures including the Inferno Golem and Spectral Dragon!
Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, rated M by the ESRB and 18+ by PEGI, will be released March 16, 2010 worldwide on the X360, PS3 and PC for $39.99 and will require Dragon Age: Origins to play.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

Checking out the first expansion for DOA set to come out in a couple of weeks and it looks pretty robust. The price tag is kind of steep for an expansion, but from the list of features it looks to be worth it.

Worthplaying | 'Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening' (ALL) Introduces The Disciples - Screens & Trailer

I am still enjoying the original but that sounds a lot more like some DLC than a expansion. I guess since they are calling it an expansion they can charge $40 for it I will pass on it until they are selling it for $10 6 months after release.

[Greyroofoo]

I still need to finish Dragon Age. I was making good progress with it, but I got Mass Effect 2 and DA fell by the wayside.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Galaril

I am still enjoying the original but that sounds a lot more like some DLC than a expansion. I guess since they are calling it an expansion they can charge $40 for it I will pass on it until they are selling it for $10 6 months after release.

Bioware has stated that this expansion will have more content than most standalone RPGs. Their DLC has been really short on content, but I can't think of a release by bioware (expansion or not) that didn't give me my money's worth in terms of content.

I prefered Dragon Age over Mass Effect 2 (which I thought was an excellent game). I can't wait for this expansion.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Bioware has stated that this expansion will have more content than most standalone RPGs. Their DLC has been really short on content, but I can't think of a release by bioware (expansion or not) that didn't give me my money's worth in terms of content.

I prefered Dragon Age over Mass Effect 2 (which I thought was an excellent game). I can't wait for this expansion.

I hope so but I never believe any developer.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Galaril

I hope so but I never believe any developer.

Two developers have earned my blind trust until they prove me wrong; Bioware and Valve.

[Atocep]

Just picked up Awakening. Eurogamer's review claims there's roughly 25 hours of content along with tons of new abilities. They definitely made it sound like it's worth the price of a full expansion.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Two developers have earned my blind trust until they prove me wrong; Bioware and Valve.

I feel the same. I have played about 8 or so hours of "Mass Effect 2" and I am really enjoying the game so far. What impresses me the most about it, however, was that Bioware accurately identified pretty much all of the major flaws in the first game and completely fixed them.

Originally Posted by Atocep

Just picked up Awakening. Eurogamer's review claims there's roughly 25 hours of content along with tons of new abilities. They definitely made it sound like it's worth the price of a full expansion.

I will pick this up right after I finish "Mass Effect 2". That way any lingering issues or bugs should be out of the way by the time I get around to it. Definitely looking forward to it.

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Two developers have earned my blind trust until they prove me wrong; Bioware and Valve.

I would add Blizzard to that...I havent played World of Warcraft, but everything else of theirs I have played has just been top of the line. Sqauresoft used to be in that category, but some of their more recent offerings have let me down a bit.

[EagleFan]

My playing time with this game varies wildly. Probably far from finished. Stuck (with two different characters) in the deserted building. The blood mage leader keeps kicking our ass. I haven't even come close to getting him. Any suggestions/tips?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

My playing time with this game varies wildly. Probably far from finished. Stuck (with two different characters) in the deserted building. The blood mage leader keeps kicking our ass. I haven't even come close to getting him. Any suggestions/tips?

That was a very tough fight for me too. I just bailed on that quest and came back at a later date when I was higher level and had better equipment. If you leave and come back, all that's left is that last fight. I felt like I tried to tackle that one a bit too early.

Key spells: Cone of Cold (total game changer), Paralysis, Mass Paralysis and Crushing Prison.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

That was a very tough fight for me too. I just bailed on that quest and came back at a later date when I was higher level and had better equipment. If you leave and come back, all that's left is that last fight. I felt like I tried to tackle that one a bit too early.

Key spells: Cone of Cold (total game changer), Paralysis, Mass Paralysis and Crushing Prison.

May have to go that route. I have tried about a dozen times, all sorts of different approaches but nothing even gets me close.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

May have to go that route. I have tried about a dozen times, all sorts of different approaches but nothing even gets me close.

I would recommend it. Bail on it. Go out. Get better. Come back and seek your righteous vengeance upon those assholes. It's rewarding and there's no real penalty for handling it that way.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I would recommend it. Bail on it. Go out. Get better. Come back and seek your righteous vengeance upon those assholes. It's rewarding and there's no real penalty for handling it that way.

Went that route, will try it again when I level up a bit more.

Learned a lesson though (in the next area that I went to), don't kick your warrior's ass and then throw him out of your party without thinking about the consequences of being a man down. The others had to learn just what would happen if they tried to go rogue on me...

[Emmett13]

Game was a lot of fun, but did anyone else spend the whole game thinking that

Spoiler

Duncan was somehow going to come back to life? I kept waiting and waiting and waiting, thinking I'd have to fight Zombie Duncan or get Zombie Duncan on my team or something.

[Eaglesfan27]

Nope. I never thought that.

[Emmett13]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Nope. I never thought that.

Oh.

[BreizhManu]

me neither, but it's not impossible, you should get return to ostagar to see more about that.

[Edward64]

Just finished the game last night.

Really enjoyed it. Had to buy a cheap GT240 to play it. The final battle with the dragon was somewhat of a letdown, not as challenging and seemed rushed (... but it may be that I created a ton of greater health poultices for the last part of the game).

Think I want to replay it with a different character and do all the sub-quests but, unfortunately, not sure I can invest the time. I'll have to take a break and plan on the add on sometime in the summer.

[BreizhManu]

anyone tried the awakening ?

[Jughead Spock]

I'm close to the end (I hope/assume), went through every sidequest I could and the DLC. Almost 60 hours. Pretty easily will be 80 before I even begin my 2nd runthrough. And with the accomplishments (the most EVIL thing ever introduced in video games), there will be a 2nd, and probably 3rd.

Well worth the buy.

That being said, I'm pretty hesitant about Awakenings. Sounds like a total side-track, like a mini-Origins.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by BreizhManu

anyone tried the awakening ?

I played through Awakenings. It was fun. If you liked Origins, Awakenings is really more of the same. I found it to be a bit too easy and I am not really great at these games. I played it on one of the harader settings and still didn't have too much of a challege at any point. And there are no romance options. Still, I played through it and got a good 30+ hours or so out of it and had fun.

Not as good Origins, but still good.

[BreizhManu]

ok might pick it up then, for when i have time

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

I played through Awakenings. It was fun. If you liked Origins, Awakenings is really more of the same. I found it to be a bit too easy and I am not really great at these games. I played it on one of the harader settings and still didn't have too much of a challege at any point. And there are no romance options. Still, I played through it and got a good 30+ hours or so out of it and had fun.

Not as good Origins, but still good.

No romance options. So it'll be safe for my 11 year old son to play it?

He's been playing NWN 2 and watched me play the first quarter of DAO (before it started getting risque).

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Edward64

No romance options. So it'll be safe for my 11 year old son to play it?

He's been playing NWN 2 and watched me play the first quarter of DAO (before it started getting risque).

Lots of violence, no risque stuff that I can recall.

[Edward64]

Any suggestions on a next (or upcoming) RPG to play in the same vein as NWN and DAO, that is kid safe (e.g. cartoonish violence isn't near as bad as cartoonish sex)?

[whomario]

Can someone comment on wether the game is doable and fun if you aren´t into this sort of game per se ?
I have recently played a ton of Mount & Blade, will get a PS3 in a few days and the game is on sale here in germany (new game costs 50-60, this on sale now 17 including shipping), so i was thinking ...

It seems as the PS3 version is aces as well, right ?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by whomario

Can someone comment on wether the game is doable and fun if you aren´t into this sort of game per se ?
I have recently played a ton of Mount & Blade, will get a PS3 in a few days and the game is on sale here in germany (new game costs 50-60, this on sale now 17 including shipping), so i was thinking ...

It seems as the PS3 version is aces as well, right ?

My brother played it on the Xbox 360 and loved it. I am not sure if I would like it as much on a console, because, as I understand, you can't to the pure top-down, always pausing the action tactical type play on the console.

It's hard to say whether you will like it or not. I loved it and hadn't played "this sort of game" in ages. I also like Mount & Blade. This game is very different, mind you.

[Honolulu_Blue]

BioWare has begun to put out some info on Dragon Age II. It's slated for a March 2011 release. I am not sure how I feel about it.

Dragon Age II Seems Like It Will Be Very Different [UPDATE]

Plot Details:

You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.

Game Play Details:

* Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.
* Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.
* Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.
* Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.
* Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.

I don't really like the sound of "new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior." I don't want to be right in the heart of the battle. I went to be high above the battle pulling the strings like an ominiscient general.

There's also this:

Dragon Age II Pulls A Commander Shepard

Instead of multiple origins, there is only one. From the official press release:

"Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke's rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever."

BioWare's Chris Priestly confirms on the forums that, like Commander Shepard from the Mass Effect series, players will be able to create either a male or female Hawke. Like Mass Effect, this should allow for a deeper story, while allowing characters to refer to the main character by name. I'm sure emotional engagement has something to do with it as well.

So, it will be more like "Mass Effect" in that regard. I am torn. I really like the "Mass Effect" games. I had a lot of fun playing through them, especially the second one. I like having the main character more involved in things, but I also liked how it worked in Dragon's Age. I don't know... All I do know is that, in terms of game play improvements and graphics, "Mass Effect 2" was light years ahead of the first one, so I will have faith in the BioWare folks, despite some initial skepticism.

[Honolulu_Blue]

More info on Dragon Age II has come out:

http://kotaku.com/5585473/dragon-age-2-following-in-mass-effects-footsteps

Dragon Age 2 isn't pulling just one page from Mass Effect's book. It's pulling several, including the ones titled "conversation systems" and "save game continuity".

Information from the latest issue of Game Informer has begin appearing online, and mentions that Dragon Age 2 is doing away with the classic "tree" dialogue system, where you're presented with lines of text that you select, and replacing it with Mass Effect's "wheel", which uses intent as a means of generating almost "real-time" conversations. There's a slight change, though; rather than basing your answers on their position on the wheel, the "hub" will now clearly indicate what tone your response will be; anger, flirting, etc.

You'll also be able to carry over your save game from the first title, the events you forged in Dragon Age determining how things turn our in the sequel. Sounds strange, but Dragon Age 2 begins while the final events of the first game are coming to a close, so there's cross-over there.

Another change - and this might be the biggest - is that only the PC version will retain Origins' "strategic combat". The console versions will feature a new combat system, one BioWare says plays to the strength of the control pad. "Rather than try to mimic the PC experience on consoles", the GI report states, "Dragon Age II has a battle system more tailored to the strengths of the PS3 and 360."

Sounds like your Dragon Age combat just got Oblivioned.

----------------------------------------

I let out a big sigh of relief when I read "only the PC version will retain Origins' "strategic combat"". That's huge. That's all I mainly cared about. So long as I have my strategic combat and ability to pause and the like, I'm good. The dialogue change thing is fine with me. I loved the RP aspect of "Mass Effect 2". I also like the continuity of the game from one save to another. I am not entirely thrilled with playing "Hawke", but I can manage. It's more Mass Effect in that way, but even though I was playing "Commander Shepard", I always felt he was my "Commander Shepard".

[bhlloy]

Looks like I'll be making the switch to the PC version for DA2 then...

[Eaglesfan27]

As long as the PC version maintains the "strategic combat" I'll be happy. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Tim Tellean]

Anybody check this out yet?
Dragon Age RPG, Set 1 - Green Ronin | RPGNow.com

It has been hundreds of years since the last Blight ravaged the world of Thedas. Many believe that it can never happen again, that the Dragon Age will pass without the rise of such evil. They are wrong. Beneath the earth the darkspawn stir. A new archdemon has risen and with it a Blight that will scourge the lands and darken the skies. The nations of Thedas need a new generation of heroes, but who will answer the call?
Fantasy roleplaying goes back to its dark and gritty roots with the Dragon Age RPG, the latest game from the company that brought you A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying and Mutants & Masterminds. Based on the highly anticipated Dragon Age: Origins computer game, the Dragon Age RPG brings the excitement of BioWare's rich fantasy world to the tabletop. Make your own heroes and control your own destiny as a Blight comes to Thedas once again.
Designed by award-winning author Chris Pramas (Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, Freeport), Dragon Age features an all-new game system that's both easy to learn and exciting to play. The Dragon Age RPG PDF download includes:

• A 64-page Player's Guide with an introduction to tabletop roleplaying, background on Thedas and the nation of Ferelden, a complete guide to character creation, rules for character classes and talents, a primer on magic, and the basic game rules.
• A 64-page Gamemaster's Guide with an introduction to this key role, advice on the art of game mastering, advanced game rules, and an introductory adventure that plunges the characters right into the world of Dragon Age.
• A beautiful map of the nation of Ferelden, the opening setting for the Dragon Age RPG.
• All three PDFs are distilled directly from the layout files, not scanned.

The Dragon Age RPG is the perfect portal to tabletop roleplaying. The core system is easy to use and most actions can be resolved with a roll of the dice. Dragon Age also features an innovative stunt system that keeps combat and spellcasting tense and exciting.
So gather your friends, grab some dice, and get ready to enter a world of heroes and villains, of knights and darkspawn, of gods and demons ... the world of Dragon Age!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Here's the latest news on Dragon Age II.

I actually find this "preview" a bit depressing.

I will still get it and I trust Bio-ware, but I am not thrilled with some of the decisions, primarily this:

"The bigger change, however, is that the game will no longer support an overhead tactical view on any platform. This was an art and combat-design decision, the BioWare rep told me today. Support for that Baldur's Gate-style view forced the artists to design rooms and scenes that didn't have important things on their ceilings and skies — which top-down players wouldn't see. It also forced the designers into an awkward spot where they had to accommodate top-down turn-taking players and behind-the-back action-first players. By catering to the more reckless of those playing styles, the designers were forced to make the game's difficulty fairly low. Making all players play from some sort of from-the-rear camera view alleviates that. But! PC gamers, your version will include a special option to zoom the camera out, just not up. Console gamers won't get that."

The rest is below:

http://kotaku.com/5692653/dont-worry-dragon-age-ii-is-for-you-too

Don't Worry, Dragon Age II Is For You, Too

I'd heard and read that some Dragon Age fans were worried about Dragon Age II, the upcoming sequel I finally saw and played today. Was this game really an example of role-playing game powerhouse BioWare abandoning its past?

Well, don't let your heart stop as I tell you that I was shown the game on the Xbox 360 today.

As cultures divide among gamers, there is a crowd of players who greatly respect the work BioWare did years ago on wonderful role-playing games for the PC, games to which 2009's Dragon Age: Origins was seen as a natural successor. That community has loved Dragon Age: Origins for its depth and complexity, relishing its tactical overhead camera view, one not offered in the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the 2009 game. They enjoyed the game's deep story, its myriad of gameplay and narrative choices. And with computer mice in hand they could assume that BioWare thought of Dragon Age as a PC series first, given that BioWare's internal teams didn't even make the Xbox and PlayStation versions of Origins.

PC stalwarts, do not worry that I was only shown the Xbox 360 version of Dragon Age II. Let me share a few details about this game.


The Things We Can Agree Are Better
This game, as we've covered before, follows the exploits of a human hero named Hawke. You choose the last name and his or her path through a single-player adventure in the same world of swords, sorcery and magic established in the first Dragon Age game.

The new game gives the hero a voice and a new dialogue system similar to that of BioWare's Mass Effect series. To have a conversation, you choose from multiple choice responses, each one represented by a phrase that hints at the actual line the male or female protagonist (your choice) will speak. Unlike Mass Effect, however, the wheel of dialogue choices will include an icon that indicates the emotional intent of the line: mocking, accusatory, peace-making and so forth, so you don't get caught by surprise.

Voice and improved conversations are good. How about scope? The new game occurs over the course of a decade, its first year overlapping with the entirety of Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare can do this because the DAII story skips ahead, from time to time). You're playing as a new character, which I know fans of any version of Origins are not unanimously thrilled about. That first game did matter, though. The BioWare marketing man who showed me the game today promised that all of player's important choices about the story and world that they made in Origins will carry over. This includes choices about who lived or died, and this includes choices made even by players who didn't finish the game. Players of DAII won't feel like their version of the Dragon Age: Origins narrative is invalidated by the events of this sequel, the BioWare rep told me.

Graphics? They're better, I think anyone who looks at screenshots of the game would agree. They're more detailed, the colors more vivid. Blood will splatter on characters a little less in this sequel, which I hope no one minds. But it does splatter, as I saw when I watched one of my party characters chat with a lady who was spackled in blood from a freshly-finished fight. Apparently it washes off more quickly.


But Didn't They Dumb It Down?

BioWare is clearly making a play for a wider audience with Dragon Age II, hence the faster combat, the lower camera angles, the more action-packed presentation of content so far. On the console versions you will be tapping buttons for attacks, using six mapped special moves with a combo pulls of the the right trigger and presses of the other three face buttons. That's actually not new, though the motto the BioWare rep shared for this new game did sound like a shift. The creators of the game want to ensure that each button press makes "something awesome happen."

You can still pause combat. On the console or PC version you can stop the action, transfer from character to character, assigning their one next move (you can't stack commands). Strategic fighting has not been eliminated, just not shown much to the press. BioWare, the rep explained, prefers to show off a more exciting, fast-moving play style for the sequel, even though they support the old-school turn-taking approach. That faster style is what they want to hook Fable fans with, what they think even a Borderlands fan might dig.

Character customization is also back, though the talking point there is that, this time, BioWare is going for depth moreso than breadth. This is their version of narrowing things: Each character in your party as well as your own hero has six skill trees, different for each of the game's three classes (rogue, warrior, mage), and each tree has five to eight abilities that can be purchased and used. Some of those abilities have two or three upgrades that can also be locked. Plus, each party member has a unique skill tree among their six. That's narrower, yes? But it's not nothing and certainly deeper than, say, Mass Effect. Characters also still have attributes like willpower and cunning that can be upgrade point by point.

PC Differences

There are some changes PC fans should know, about how their version will differ. First, and this is sort of a non-difference, but the PC game won't be made separately this time. All versions of the game are being made by BioWare's internal teams.

The bigger change, however, is that the game will no longer support an overhead tactical view on any platform. This was an art and combat-design decision, the BioWare rep told me today. Support for that Baldur's Gate-style view forced the artists to design rooms and scenes that didn't have important things on their ceilings and skies — which top-down players wouldn't see. It also forced the designers into an awkward spot where they had to accommodate top-down turn-taking players and behind-the-back action-first players. By catering to the more reckless of those playing styles, the designers were forced to make the game's difficulty fairly low. Making all players play from some sort of from-the-rear camera view alleviates that. But! PC gamers, your version will include a special option to zoom the camera out, just not up. Console gamers won't get that.

The PC version will also handle combat commands a little differently, letting a player click to issue a continued attack command, instead of forcing them to button-mash (or mouse-click like maniacs, as it were). Leave that to the console gamers.

What to make of all this? Dragon Age II's lack of depth may have been exaggerated. I'd seen concerns that BioWare was abandoning its roots by making DAII more of a Mass Effect kind of game. I don't see that happening as egregiously here as I think some had feared. This series has been altered for a wider audience, but dumbed down? Sold out? I don't see that. There are classic PC RPG roots here. They're just a little more buried than before.

Dragon Age II will be out for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 8 in North America.

[Jughead Spock]

Meh. Not the end of the world, but looks like a 'pass' for me.

[Schmidty]

DA: O was one of my favorite games ever, and BioShock 2 was awesome, a little bit of a combo of both sounds interesting. I will definitely miss the strategy of top-down camera, but I'm sure it won't ruin the game, unless you're over-analytical and prepared to hate the game before trying it of course.

Definitely a no-brainer purchase for me..