Game News Dragon Age News Roundup

[El Dee]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

GameSpot has the E3 demo up, watch it <a href="http://www.gamespot.com/video/920668/6194364/dragon-age-origins-e3-2008-stage-show-demo">here</a>.
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The demo is mostly combat and it seems that Dragon Age is being labeled as "Dark Heroic Fantasy", also you get to see a finishing move.
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GameSpy has a <a href="http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/dragon-age/890315p1.html">preview</a> out based mostly off of the demo:
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<blockquote>BioWare clearly isn't shy about pulling heartstrings when it refers to the Dragon Age series as "the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate." It employs similarly loaded language when stating that the soon-to-be-launched fantasy-themed PC-exclusive (for now, anyway) RPG franchise marks the famed studio's "returning to [its] roots." The message seems pretty clear: The creators of Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights may be happy to play in space, but they've been missing their elves, fireballs, and heavy warhorses. And perhaps even the slighted hordes of PC gamers that feel entitled to an exclusive, however brief. Yup, BioWare is doing high fantasy, and apparently, it doesn't need the Forgotten Realms to make it worthwhile.<b>"Dark heroic fantasy,"</b> that is.</blockquote>
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There's that "Dark Heroic Fantasy" again.
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<blockquote>When asked why the protagonist's dialog didn't benefit from voiceover work, Tudge replied: "You'll notice that we actually chose to use your own voice when telling the story. You're able to create such a custom character, and really, the party is you -- you are the hero. So we wanted for you to be able to tell that story in your own voice, rather than imposing one upon you." So think KotoR instead of Mass Effect. All the other characters spoke, however, and did so well, reinforcing the chasm that seemingly exists between voicework in BioWare games and those of most other developers. Their facial expressions and body language were emotive and naturalistic, barring a few awkward gestures and the odd glazed-over look, <b>and despite the overwhelming feeling that it's all pretty generic, the narrative goings-on made one feel that there was definitely some thought put into this world</b>.</blockquote>
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So, was it generic or was there a lot of thought put into the world?
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There's also a podcast featuring Executive Producer Dan Tudge on Bioware's <a href="http://www.bioware.com/">site</a>. Listen to it <a href="http://bioware.vo.llnwd.net/o1/dragonage/audio/dragonage_01_e32008.mp3">here</a>.
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1up has a <a href="http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3168782">preview</a> as well:
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<blockquote><b>What's new for E3?</b> For one, the game has a new name. "Origins" refers to the character development system that, frustratingly, is not being discussed in depth right now. All the team will say is what we already described in an earlier Dragon Age preview from Games for Windows magazine. Basically, the choices you make early in the game -- the "origins" -- develop your character in a new way not seen before in a BioWare game, and these decisions affect both how your character can play the game, and how the game plays out for you. The rules set is distinct to Dragon Age, and you'll have several character classes and traits to customize.</blockquote>
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The character development sounds interesting at this stage and, if done well, might have some potential.
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[match000]

This game looks fun; but nowhere does it look as next-gen as it should. Is it just me or do the graphics look somewhere between Morrowind and Oblivion (not very good for 2008).

Diablo3 looks shinier and fancier..

 

[MetalCraze]

high fantasy [... ] Dark heroic fantasy

How anyone can use such words in one thought? Mind boggles.

You'll notice that we actually chose to use your own voice when telling the story. You're able to create such a custom character, and really, the party is you -- you are the hero. So we wanted for you to be able to tell that story in your own voice, rather than imposing one upon you.

so first Bioware hypes us the voice of Shepard as the Holy Shit Itz So CinematiK And Nextgen And Not Like The Krap Where Ur Char Doesn't Say A Word and now they did a 180 degree flip flop? Noice

So think KotoR instead of Mass Effect.

I don't think that KotOR is a good example.

and despite the overwhelming feeling that it's all pretty generic, the narrative goings-on made one feel that there was definitely some thought put into this world.

Wow that's reassuring

and these decisions affect both how your character can play the game, and how the game plays out for you.

A nice way to say "You will have a character class"?

 

[Midwinter]

I'm not impressed with the graphics either. Neverwinter Nights 2 looks better than this video, and that's the old Aurora engine! Hopefully the final product will look better, although it won't affect my opinion on the game a lot. I'm more curious about the dialogues and the way the origin stories affect the rest of the game and story.

On combat: I could be wrong because this is just a very quick impression, but it seems combat in Dragon Age requires less management than in NWN2. In the video the player has plenty of time to scroll, rotate and just watch the battle. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. The counterspell looks good, though. I always liked that aspect of BG2: spellcasters throwing counters at each other, trying to gain an advantage. The interface also looks nice, a lot less clunky than BG and NWN.

Anyway, I'm a bit disappointed with all the magic spells and fantasy stuff. I remember Gaider saying that the game would be low fantasy and inspired by the works of George R.R. Martin. Okay, the game doesn't look as shiny as, say, Oblivion, but it's far from what I'd call low fantasy. I expected a more 'realistic' medieval and less dramatic, cinematic style. It still might be interesting, though...

 

[Shoelip]

Skyway is trying too hard.

Yes the decided to make the character not have a voice this time. Just like in Baldur's Gate. Which they are trying to make this reminiscent of.

 

[Chefe]

Graphics whores. The graphics look good.

I'll reserve judgment until I see some real RPG gameplay and the meaning behind all that character origins talk. As for now, the isometric view looks great and the battles look fun.

 

[MetalCraze]

@Shoelip: I have no problems with that. I just didn't like how Bioware guys were telling that nobody needs that old thing now in the next-gen era and your character can now have a voice bla bla at first. And now they are kinda telling that imposing somebody's voice on you isn't that cool and the new cool thing is to give a character "your" voice bla bla.
Guess that's a hype machine.

 

[Shoelip]

@Shoelip: I have no problems with that. I just didn't like how Bioware guys were telling that nobody needs that old thing now in the next-gen era and your character can now have a voice bla bla at first. And now they are kinda telling that imposing somebody's voice on you isn't that cool and the new cool thing is to give a character "your" voice bla bla.
Guess that's a hype machine.

That's the hype machine alright. Not as bad as Bethesda by a long shot so there's no real need to get worked up about it.

 

[ghostdog]

I like the fact that the game lets you combat with a far isometric camera, while you can walk around the world with an OTS camera. I think this is the best combination for a party based rpg.

 

[Spectacle]

It's a general problem with hype that you can't say "X is a design choice that fits with the our goals for this game" you have to say "X is clearly superior to any other way of doing things".

I can't see things changing anytime soon. The kiddies will continue to lap it up and people like us will continue to read between the lines.