Interview BioWare hope you don't mind spending time reading a story

[DarkUnderlord]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

Polygamia had a Polish / English interview with BioWare. <a href="http://polygamia.pl/Polygamia/1,101109,7163674,Dragon_Age_przyciagnie_hardkorowych_RPGowcow__w_Mass.html">Words were exchanged during conversation</a>:
<br>
<blockquote>One of my concerns is that Mass Effect 1 did not offer many changes in the world based on your decisions. Will there be more in Mass Effect 2?
<br>
<br>
Most decisions in Mass Effect 1 were very personal. In Mass Effect 2, the strange decisions in the first game come back to haunt you. And in Mass Effect 3, you have made lots of decisions all throughout, and in the end it'll be very clear what kind of character you are and what you have done.
<br>
[...]
<br>
How about Dragon Age? Who would an ideal Dragon Age player be?
<br>
<br>
Someone who doesn't mind spending time on dialogue and is interested in reading a story. People interested in Dragon Age will have a desire to read through a story, will take their time exploring. It has a lot of detail that can be missed easily if you're just interested in beating it up. It's not really that type of game. It is an M-rated game, targeted at mature players only. I think with the combat, mature relationships and all that, it is definitely intended for more of a mature gamer, someone who is going to appreciate such details.
<br>
[...]
<br>
How much will the choices that you make in Dragon Age matter? How will they influence the world?
<br>
<br>
In Dragon Age your choices are not good guy/bad guy, but you have to choose one thing over another. Am I going to choose the werewolves or this village of Dalish elves? The werewolves have a good reason to be at war, the elves also do. I have to choose because I have to gather up an army. If I pick the werewolves, the village gets destroyed and the people are slaughtered.</blockquote>
<br>
... and if I choose the Elves, the Werewolf den is destroyed and the Werewolves are slaughtered?
<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dragon-age-origins-hands-on_6?page=1">EuroGamer have more</a> on the "slow-burning" Dragon Age:
<br>
<blockquote>It's an important game, then; we got an indication how important (and how big) when publisher EA started distributing a complete PC review version to press months before its release. That never happens. We've already had plenty of time to sink our teeth into it, and bring you this run-down of how it all fits together ahead of our review in the coming weeks.
<br>
[...]
<br>
In gameplay if not dramatic terms, then, Dragon Age is a slow-burner. Throughout the origins and the prologue, combat happens in brief bursts, while storytelling happens in great spools of meandering, branching conversation as the world, the plot, the forces at work and the principal characters are mapped out in loquacious detail. It's not until you get stuck into your first major quest that you will spend as much time fighting as you spend talking, and by then you could be a dozen hours or more into the game. You will also have spent much of your time fighting accompanied by bit-part-players rather than the long-term party companions, interaction with whom - both on and off the battlefield - defines the game.</blockquote>
<br>
Mmmm... Loquacious.
<br>
<br>
Thanks <b>Ausir</b>!

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Imperial Order 5.393/UE/73947U. Citizen Information Document.

In Case Of Alien Spore Attack Follow These Rules:
1. Do not panic. Upon hearing the warning siren proceed in a calm and orderly fashion to the nearest shelters and remain there until the all-clear is sounded.
2. Do not attempt to rescue friends, pets or loved ones; you will only endanger them and yourself.
3. Once within a shelter you are safe, do not leave the shelter until the all-clear is sounded.
4. If you see an alien spore and no warning siren is operating or the all-clear has already sounded contact your district supervisor immediately.

If you are too far from a shelter to reach one easily do not panic, spores are attracted primarily by movement and detonated by either physical contact or sonic, heat and pressure changes which indicate a living creature is nearby. As such they are easily avoided by the following means:
1. Remain indoors. Seal all doors and windows. If there is a cellar, basement or underground refuge of any kind proceed there and wait for the all-clear.
2. Do not attempt to use vehicular transport, transport tubes or grav risers to leave the area, this will only attract more spores.
3. If spores are in sight do not move, make no sound. If spores are going to make physical contact move slowly and calmly walk away.
4. The Ministorum recommend Hymnal XXIV “Imperator We Abjure Thee” as inspirational literature under these conditions.

Remember Contact With Aliens Is A Crime.
As An Imperial Citizen It Is Your Duty To Obey These Rules.
Failure to comply is punishable by summary execution (AD.Order 432./OW.5568)

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Someone who doesn't mind spending time on dialogue and is interested in reading a story. People interested in Dragon Age will have a desire to read through a story, will take their time exploring. It has a lot of detail that can be missed easily if you're just interested in beating it up. It's not really that type of game. It is an M-rated game, targeted at mature players only. I think with the combat, mature relationships and all that, it is definitely intended for more of a mature gamer, someone who is going to appreciate such details.

I wonder why would you be playing a rpg if you didn't want these things in the first place.

"Eh, so you wanna play this action game, eh?...be warned, there is...action in it"

"The ideal player for our new puzzle game would be one that doesn't mind solving puzzles"

fuck

 

[orao]

We all knew as soon as gaming got into the public eye it'd all go to shit anyway. What hasn't fared worse for being thrown to the general populace?

 

[lightbane]

Imperial Order 5.393/UE/73947U. Citizen Information Document.

In Case Of Alien Spore Attack Follow These Rules:
1. Do not panic. Upon hearing the warning siren proceed in a calm and orderly fashion to the nearest shelters and remain there until the all-clear is sounded.
2. Do not attempt to rescue friends, pets or loved ones; you will only endanger them and yourself.
3. Once within a shelter you are safe, do not leave the shelter until the all-clear is sounded.
4. If you see an alien spore and no warning siren is operating or the all-clear has already sounded contact your district supervisor immediately.

If you are too far from a shelter to reach one easily do not panic, spores are attracted primarily by movement and detonated by either physical contact or sonic, heat and pressure changes which indicate a living creature is nearby. As such they are easily avoided by the following means:
1. Remain indoors. Seal all doors and windows. If there is a cellar, basement or underground refuge of any kind proceed there and wait for the all-clear.
2. Do not attempt to use vehicular transport, transport tubes or grav risers to leave the area, this will only attract more spores.
3. If spores are in sight do not move, make no sound. If spores are going to make physical contact move slowly and calmly walk away.
4. The Ministorum recommend Hymnal XXIV “Imperator We Abjure Thee” as inspirational literature under these conditions.

Remember Contact With Aliens Is A Crime.
As An Imperial Citizen It Is Your Duty To Obey These Rules.
Failure to comply is punishable by summary execution (AD.Order 432./OW.5568)

For those that don't know about Wh40k, the "alien spore" are actually powerful bio-bombs from the tyranids (the source who Blizzard ripped off to create the zergs) that could level an entire building. And there is even more lulzier "procedures", like the hymn to "protect your body in case of a vacuum accident in a spaceship"

 

[GarfunkeL]

That is why WH40K is awesome.

But yeah, if one wants to find one positive thing about DA:O, its that the console-delay allows them to let journos that 2 months time to review the game. Avoidance of Oblivion-complex? Hopefully.

 

[Shannow]

Someone who doesn't mind spending time on dialogue and is interested in reading a story. People interested in Dragon Age will have a desire to read through a story, will take their time exploring. It has a lot of detail that can be missed easily if you're just interested in beating it up. It's not really that type of game. It is an M-rated game, targeted at mature players only. I think with the combat, mature relationships and all that, it is definitely intended for more of a mature gamer, someone who is going to appreciate such details.

I wonder why would you be playing a rpg if you didn't want these things in the first place.

"Eh, so you wanna play this action game, eh?...be warned, there is...action in it"

"The ideal player for our new puzzle game would be one that doesn't mind solving puzzles"

fuck

Homlet in ToEE bores you to tears with hourse of non-combat, fed-ex and dialogue.
Or Dungeon Master. Has not a single line of dialogue.
In case you hadn't noticed "RPG" is not a very well defined genre. Just because someone might not want hours of dialogue before combat doesn't mean he is an action gamer/not an RPgamer.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Nice, but he didn't say "hours ofdialogue", he said "spend time on dialogue", which probably doesn't mean hours upon hours of dialogue (or they would advertise that).

Games like Dungeon Master aren't popular enough for people to come looking for RPGs with DM in mind. People nowadays will think of ME or Final Fantasy (yes, I know you just used DM as an example for rpg with little dialogue, but anyway, RPGs with little dialogue aren't what people usually think when they hear RPG)

Btw, I also meant "exploration" and "story", not only dialogue

Actually, DAO has more dialogue than PS:T.

because PST consisted of info dumps and monologues

 

[Ausir]

Actually, DAO has more dialogue than PS:T.

 

[Black]

I don't mind reading a good story.
Too bad bw can't deliver the "good" part.

 

[Emotional Vampire]

Imperial Order 5.393/UE/73947U. Citizen Information Document.

In Case Of Alien Spore Attack Follow These Rules:
1. Do not panic. Upon hearing the warning siren proceed in a calm and orderly fashion to the nearest shelters and remain there until the all-clear is sounded.
2. Do not attempt to rescue friends, pets or loved ones; you will only endanger them and yourself.
3. Once within a shelter you are safe, do not leave the shelter until the all-clear is sounded.
4. If you see an alien spore and no warning siren is operating or the all-clear has already sounded contact your district supervisor immediately.

If you are too far from a shelter to reach one easily do not panic, spores are attracted primarily by movement and detonated by either physical contact or sonic, heat and pressure changes which indicate a living creature is nearby. As such they are easily avoided by the following means:
1. Remain indoors. Seal all doors and windows. If there is a cellar, basement or underground refuge of any kind proceed there and wait for the all-clear.
2. Do not attempt to use vehicular transport, transport tubes or grav risers to leave the area, this will only attract more spores.
3. If spores are in sight do not move, make no sound. If spores are going to make physical contact move slowly and calmly walk away.
4. The Ministorum recommend Hymnal XXIV “Imperator We Abjure Thee” as inspirational literature under these conditions.

Remember Contact With Aliens Is A Crime.
As An Imperial Citizen It Is Your Duty To Obey These Rules.
Failure to comply is punishable by summary execution (AD.Order 432./OW.5568)

I can't believe you typed it all down.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Updated my journal

Vampires lack the ability to ctrl c+ ctrl v

 

[Lesifoere]

Actually, DAO has more dialogue than PS:T.

Quantity means everything, of course. But even setting that aside, PS:T has about 800k words. DAO has more than that? Really? Wow, more than 800k of pure, utter tripe from Bioware. Thrilling.

 

[Volourn]

A lot of PST's was eitehr tripe or worthless. *cough* The thousands of words to 'describe' the Blood War when they could have just used a single paragraph. L0LZ

 

[Ausir]

Quantity means everything, of course. But even setting that aside, PS:T has about 800k words. DAO has more than that? Really? Wow, more than 800k of pure, utter tripe from Bioware. Thrilling.

Not saying all of it is great, just saying that it does have more of it than PST.

 

[don_tomaso]

"One of my concerns is that Mass Effect 1 did not offer many changes in the world based on your decisions. Will there be more in Mass Effect 2?

Most decisions in Mass Effect 1 were very personal. In Mass Effect 2, the strange decisions in the first game come back to haunt you. And in Mass Effect 3, you have made lots of decisions all throughout, and in the end it'll be very clear what kind of character you are and what you have done. "

This is where I wish journalist would say something like:

"But you didn´t answer my question, at all. Would you mind doing that?"

 

[draexem]

Is it just me or do the criticisms about games on the Codex get more and more lame every year.

 

[Ecco]

This is where I wish journalist would say something like:

"But you didn´t answer my question, at all. Would you mind doing that?"

Avoiding the answer means it will be the same as in ME1 (flavor choices). So he did answer it, indirectly. PR language.

 

[aboyd]

This is the first time in a long time that I've seen something about Dragon Age that piqued my interest.

 

[Trithne]

It's not really that type of game. It is an M-rated game, targeted at mature players only. I think with the combat, mature relationships and all that, it is definitely intended for more of a mature gamer, someone who is going to appreciate such details.

I see many different interpretations of mature in here. First we have mature to mean age. Then we have (im)mature as in 'blood and sex yay'. Finally, we have mature as in 'reads a lot'. Make up your mind who you're aiming your game at.

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

Imperial Order 5.393/UE/73947U. Citizen Information Document.

In Case Of Alien Spore Attack Follow These Rules:
1. Do not panic. Upon hearing the warning siren proceed in a calm and orderly fashion to the nearest shelters and remain there until the all-clear is sounded.
2. Do not attempt to rescue friends, pets or loved ones; you will only endanger them and yourself.
3. Once within a shelter you are safe, do not leave the shelter until the all-clear is sounded.
4. If you see an alien spore and no warning siren is operating or the all-clear has already sounded contact your district supervisor immediately.

If you are too far from a shelter to reach one easily do not panic, spores are attracted primarily by movement and detonated by either physical contact or sonic, heat and pressure changes which indicate a living creature is nearby. As such they are easily avoided by the following means:
1. Remain indoors. Seal all doors and windows. If there is a cellar, basement or underground refuge of any kind proceed there and wait for the all-clear.
2. Do not attempt to use vehicular transport, transport tubes or grav risers to leave the area, this will only attract more spores.
3. If spores are in sight do not move, make no sound. If spores are going to make physical contact move slowly and calmly walk away.
4. The Ministorum recommend Hymnal XXIV “Imperator We Abjure Thee” as inspirational literature under these conditions.

Remember Contact With Aliens Is A Crime.
As An Imperial Citizen It Is Your Duty To Obey These Rules.
Failure to comply is punishable by summary execution (AD.Order 432./OW.5568)

Awsome.

 

[draexem]

I see many different interpretations of mature in here. First we have mature to mean age. Then we have (im)mature as in 'blood and sex yay'. Finally, we have mature as in 'reads a lot'. Make up your mind who you're aiming your game at.

I advise you to take a trip down to your local supermarket and purchase yourself a decent shovel. It will aid you in your search for a decent criticism. While you're down there buy a dictionary for your comprehension... and get some reading glasses as well, just in case.

 

[spectre]

You try too hard.