Interview Dragon Age tidbits and BioWare design philosophy

[Ausir]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

<a href=http://pc.ign.com/>IGN</a> has posted <a href=http://pc.ign.com/articles/853/853814p1.html>an article</a> with some bits from their conversations with <a href=http://www.bioware.com>BioWare's</a> Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk at the Games Developers Conference. Among stuff about their design philosophy, the doctor duo mentioned the nearly vaporware <a href=http://dragonage.bioware.com/>Dragon Age</a>:
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<blockquote>"Dragon Age you can picture fitting back into the more core BioWare experience," said Zeschuk. "it's fun for us to get back to fantasy, there's a huge amount of passion for that." The game will take on a dark, brooding atmosphere, they say, yet remain a heroic experience. "We'll certainly have humor, but the world is a pretty heavy world. I don't think it's a direct social commentary, but there's a lot of strife&#8230;it feels very mature. It's not like a kids fantasy where there's dancing elves. It's for adults." They promised more information will start to roll out soon.</blockquote>
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You can read the rest of the article <a href=http://pc.ign.com/articles/853/853814p1.html>here</a>.
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgwatch.com">RPGWatch</A>

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Good read. I'm looking forward to DA.

I think games have the opportunity to be one of the most powerful forms of art.

That's why I still value Bioware so high. They're first and foremost striving for quality, not pure profit. Profit through quality, not greed.

LONG LIVE BIOWARE!

 

[Ausir]

That's why I still value Bioware so high. They're first and foremost striving for quality, not pure profit. Profit through quality, not greed.

Don't delude yourself. They're part of EA now.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

That's why I still value Bioware so high. They're first and foremost striving for quality, not pure profit. Profit through quality, not greed.

Don't delude yourself. They're part of EA now.

So? We all know that nobody really can own Bioware. They're not some fucking lapdog. You also know that Blizzard is owned by Vivendi? Nobody gives a shit, because Blizzard is Blizzard. And Bioware will always remain Bioware.

 

[Ausir]

People said the same about Origin and Westwood.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

People said the same about Origin and Westwood.

What people?

Origin and Westwood? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

 

[Azarkon]

"We'll certainly have humor, but the world is a pretty heavy world. I don't think it's a direct social commentary, but there's a lot of strife…it feels very mature. It's not like a kids fantasy where there's dancing elves. It's for adults."

Since when did any RPG have dancing elves? I'd be alot more excited about what Bioware is saying if they would actually use comparisons I can relate to. Like... "This is gonna be darker than BG 2." Or "We're aiming for The Witcher." Or "This is gonna be so fucking dark and mature PST fans will shit themselves."

Not alot is being said by comparing yourself to dancing elves.

 

[Ausir]

Origin and Westwood? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

Mythic?

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Origin and Westwood? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

Mythic?

Who's fucking Mythic? Let me guess...some unimportant lapdog, yes?

 

[Mayday]

2D? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

Seriously though, I haven't heard this "Dragon Age Maturity" mentioned until now. Witcher "inspired"?

 

[Brother None]

Origin and Westwood? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

Mythic?

Who's fucking Mythic? Let me guess...some unimportant lapdog, yes?

The hell?

Dude, what you so angry about? EA has a track record of fucking around with whoever they purchase and have already revealed their business model for BioWare (I believe it is releasing 3 games a year with a consumer target of 2 million yearly). You can get really upset and pout that your favourite artists sold out 'n all (which I'd consider facetious, BioWare has never been about art), but them's the facts.

Seriously though, I haven't heard this "Dragon Age Maturity" mentioned until now. Witcher "inspired"?

Mature is the new soil erosion.

 

[Radisshu]

2D? That's like some fucking 1000 years ago. Move on please.

Seriously though, I haven't heard this "Dragon Age Maturity" mentioned until now. Witcher "inspired"?

It's been stated from the beginning, before much was known about the Witcher, that Dragon Age would feature a darker more realistic fantasy setting. Some devs said the author George R. R. Martin was a big influence.

 

[Mayday]

Ah ok. Carry on then.

EDIT: "I believe it is releasing 3 games a year with a consumer target of 2 million yearly"
Source plz because that's pretty hilarious!

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

"I believe it is releasing 3 games a year with a consumer target of 2 million yearly"

Link please.

 

[denizsi]

Since when did any RPG have dancing elves?

Didn't Morrowind had?

 

[OSK]

Good read. I'm looking forward to DA.

I think games have the opportunity to be one of the most powerful forms of art.

That's why I still value Bioware so high. They're first and foremost striving for quality, not pure profit. Profit through quality, not greed.

LONG LIVE BIOWARE!

This is sarcasm, right?

 

[Schauman]

BioWare screws up one fiscal quarter and Riccitiello starts to lop heads. He is already on doing it for the decrease of Metacritic scores and those who survie end up at EA Sports.

So long live BioWare, it was nice knowing you.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

"OldSkoolKamikaze"

Are you mocking yourself? Ever heard of the BG games?

 

[Brother None]

"I believe it is releasing 3 games a year with a consumer target of 2 million yearly"

Link please.

Man I was totally posting from memory and you had to go and call me on it. That sucks. Now I have to look it up.

I'm not actually sure how much is hearsay, to be honest. I can only directly find this tidbit
Frank Gibeau, president of the games label, said EA expects games to be created in "10 plus" franchises as well as the MMO that Bioware's Austin office is working on.

That's 10 games and the MMO planned in the period 2008-2011 (including ports), albeit from both BioWare and Pandemic.

I don't remember where I got the consumer target number from, fairly sure it's been mentioned somewhere, but since I can't find it, better to forget it.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

So, where's the issue?

Mass Effect
Jade Empire 2 (?) Or what's that "New Next Gen game" on the Bio main page?
Dragon Age
New MMO
Some fucking handheld division that will start fork out own IPs after Sonic.
Mercenaries 2
Sabotage
Another Pandemic game currently unannounced, but in development.

These are already 8 IPs, created by Bio and Pandemic, owned by EA. I'm sure they should come up with another 2 until 2011.

 

[Julio]

Morgoth's aiming for a title

 

[OSK]

"OldSkoolKamikaze"

Are you mocking yourself? Ever heard of the BG games?

Admittedly I never played the second one, but that's only because I thought the first one was rather shitty. Though I guess it wasn't as bad as the NWN OC. The only other Bioware game I've played was KotOR, and I only found that game mildly interesting because I used to be a pretty big Star Wars geek.

I guess I just can't see how someone could be so enthusiastic about Bioware games.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

So you never played BG2, the king of the Bio portfolio, yet you nickname yourself OldSkoolKamikaze? LOL, and people want to dumbfuck me.

 

[Brother None]

These are already 8 IPs, created by Bio and Pandemic, owned by EA. I'm sure they should come up with another 2 until 2011.

Learn to read. He said there will be games produced in at least 10 properties, that is at least 10 games (i.e. at least one per property), he was - very noticeably - not talking about creating new intellectual content.

Consider BioWare always tended to produce games with 2 years intervals, you don't see any possible issue in creating - let's say - 2 games a year?

Flattening out of product line, anyone?

LOL, and people want to dumbfuck me.

I think that might be because you're expressing yourself like a retard.

 

[Mamon]

Everyone in the forum should be dumbfucked then.