Preview IGN previews Dragon Age

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age

<a href=http://pc.ign.com>IGN</a> posted the most detailed <a href=http://pc.ign.com/articles/514/514514p1.html>preview</a> so far of <a href=http://www.bioware.com/games/dragon_age>Dragon Age: Now with 50% more dragons then in the whole NWN series</a>.
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<blockquote>Although set against a traditional fantasy backdrop, BioWare is hoping to do something a little different with Dragon Age, and the world won't be inhabited by Dwarves, Elves and Halflings -- although it will be filled with Dwarf-like, Elf-like and Halfling-like races</blockquote>How funny is this? Hey, Volourn, you wanted proof?
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.rpgdot.com">RPG Dot</A>

 

[Andyman Messiah]

Elf-like? Uh... Like in dark elves, drows, or something? Christ...

 

[Nightjed]

Ray explained that BioWare wanted to try something a little different, but still wanted it to be familiar to fantasy RPG players

wth, so they want to try something different but still have the same thing, what are they smoking ? lol, what are they going to do ? add some horns to elfs, dwarves, halflings and gnomes and say they are "new races" ?

 

[Sammael]

One word: TORN.

 

[Vault Dweller]

They say that history always repeats itself:

In nearly all aspects of the world we've strived to create something familiar, yet different

While Torn would have featured a completely original setting, its developers also wanted to ensure that the game included many familiar elements expected by fans of fantasy RPGs. After all, fans of the genre expect elves to be dexterous archers and dwarves to be ornery miners and tough fighters. Those familiar elements are a key aspect of the appeal of swords-and-sorcery games.

There's a constant fight when making a medieval fantasy game's design distinctive, but not foreign. I think a lot of people like fantasy settings because many things are familiar--a dwarf is a dwarf. It's easy when you're setting up a story to play off that familiarity. A dwarf already has an established personality that people are familiar with (they're stubborn, they like blacksmithing, and so on), so you don't have to create that personality.

Edit: Damn, Sammael, you beat me to it

 

[Volourn]

Doesn't prove what you were accusing Bio of though, VD. You said they would have different races but they would be likeD&D races. That much is true. however, the point of contention between us what that BIo would atempt to pass the off as completely 100% original. Thata rticle illustrates that they admit they based them off famliar races. You lose... again. Geez.. I coulda told ya this. Whya re people suprised? Bio stated months ago that their next PC RPG (Dragon Age) would be basically 'generic fantasy' in their own original world but it would be fa,milair to the players. Tsk, tsk.

I'm just waiting to see how big the party allowed. It seem they are taking TOEE's approach.. You create a party + you can pick up npcs... Hmmm...

 

[Vault Dweller]

That was clearly a joke pointing at the fact that Bio likes to take credit for things they didn't do.

 

[Volourn]

And?

 

[Thorndyke]

Whya re people suprised? Bio stated months ago that their next PC RPG (Dragon Age) would be basically 'generic fantasy' in their own original world but it would be fa,milair to the players. Tsk, tsk.

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?

"It's too early to judge the game, lol rolleyes rolleyes, don't judge the game based on its name, lol rolleyes rolleyes."

"It's too late to complain about the game, lol rolleyes, you should've known all that months ago, lol rolleyes tsk tsk, rolleyes and rolleyes"

Anyway, as convinced as I am that Dragon Age will be just another generic adventure game with a levelling treadmill, patched together from pieces of other rotten Bioware corpses, I don't really feel like them ripping off DnD makes matters any worse. I mean, Arcanum was great despite the presence of cliched races and other fantasy elements.

 

[Volourn]

Huh? I'm extremely healthy. So healthy I haven't been to see the doctor in years. And/

My point is the basics of the game has been sahred with us for MONTHS. Stuff like generic fantasy hs been know for MONTHS yet people seem shocked, and surprised.

None of this info we have recieved so far tells us anything at all whether DA will be good or bad. It's too early to tell one way or the other.

Comprehende?

Capiche?

Got it?

Understand?

Did you figure it out?


And, on, and on, and on...

 

[Thorndyke]

My point is the basics of the game has been sahred with us for MONTHS. Stuff like generic fantasy hs been know for MONTHS yet people seem shocked, and surprised.

Yeah, I read it, but I still don't understand WHY you make this point. Beside the fact, that IGN revealed much more than what was known before, your opposing chorus sounds like you want to take people's right to bitch about Dragon Age simply because they didn't bitch earlier (when you told everyone that it's too early).

Besides, I'm sure the stuff in this preview IS news to a lot of people, me included. I didn't know (or at least, I didn't have proof) that Bioware was up to create a cheesy DnD ripoff with Dragons and Pseudo-Halfling Pseudo-Paladins. All I knew was the name and the unrevealing info that it would be a 'fantasy game'. So how's 'You should've know that' relevant?

 

[Shevek]

Well, we know it will have 'tactical' 'pausable turn-based' combat said to be alot like KoTOR - that leads me to think I may not like the combat at all (I had anticipated this). We also know the races will be renamed standard fantasy faire but this does not necessarily mean it will be bad game. Also, they seem compelled to add a multiplayer component - this concerns me as titles which try to have increasingly more effective multiplayer components tend to have considerably worse single player (this is not always true but I find it works well as a rule of thumb). These all lead me to think that Bio is less concerned with making a better game than with designing their game in such a way as to tap into the mass market (I have come to expect this from Bio - as a mainstream developer they cannot be bothered to listen to the concerns of niche gamers). I am less interested in the title now than I was when it was originally announced since I had hoped that now that Bio was free of licence shackles they would at least try their hand at making an something a bit better than their previous titles. Still, I must admit these are all just inferences and it would be a mistake to come to any final judgements on the title until more concrete information, or better yet: a demo, is released.

 

[Volourn]

Thorn, yup, I agree you simply don't udnerstand. There are two different points here.

1. We've known for MONTHS that it was going to be 'genric' fantasy. That info isn't new.

2. It's still early to tell whetehr or not the game is of good or bad quality.

Once again:



Comprehende?

Capiche?

Got it?

Understand?

Did you figure it out?


And, on, and on, and on...

 

[Jed]

I AM TEH VOLOURNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL

 

[Volourn]

Youa re Volourn? Wow. That's news to me. I though I was Volourn. hmm... i guess that makes me XJEDX. :shock:

 

[Spazmo]

3. And?

Regardless, of how long we were supposed to have known this game would be shit, it will be shit. I am "officially" going on record as saying that Dragon Age will be a turd. I know next to nothing about it, but based on what I've heard so far, there's absolutely nothing to make me want to play this.

Besides, if it puts me in disagreement with Volourn, I'm a-okay with it.

LOLOLOL;OLOLO;;;LLOLOLOLOLIPOP;

 

[Volourn]

And, you'll be one of the first two buy it. Go figure.

 

[Spazmo]

No, no I won't. If it makes you happy, I am now going to state that I will not ever buy Dragon Age. EVAR! Beyond it being a bad RPG (that's certainly a safe assumption), I really don't want to support any designer who is going to churn out generic fantasy crap anymore. ToEE was the last painfully generic fantasy game I intend to buy. I don't really mind BioWare games--I've explained before how I enjoyed playing the BG games and KotOR because they're fun as action RPGs and/or adventure games--but I refuse to spend any money on crap like this.

 

[Volourn]

I, for one, hope that you have the balls to not only NOT buy it; but also NOT play it AT ALL. Then we'll see if youa re just all talk or not. As playing a game you know will suck (or at leats not be your type of game) for free or otherwise is just an exuse to try it out without paying money for it; but would still mean you "give it a chance".

 

[Vault Dweller]

We've known for MONTHS that it was going to be 'genric' fantasy. That info isn't new.

True, but there are different kinds of generic fantasy. DA seems to be a DnD clone, which makes it less interesting by default. Comprehende?

It's still early to tell whetehr or not the game is of good or bad quality.

Well, it does not sound all that great so far. KotOR's tactical combat? BG party chatter? some NWN parts? Not much to be excited about. Add on top of that all the other Bio trademarks: linearity, little choices (none of them matter), underdeveloped evil path, and you'd have the big picture

 

[Volourn]

What? Did you expect them to makea Troika game? If you want to playa Troika game; go get ready for Boobielines.

 

[Spazmo]

Actually, I think it's entirely fair to say that we'd rather play Bloodlines than Dragon Age. And in a perfect RPG world, everyone would try to make games with the same high standards--not to necessarily say that Troika has always lived up to these standards.

 

[Vault Dweller]

No, I wanted something if not more original, then not so done to death. That other Bio game, Jade Empire sounds much better (although I didn't pay much attention, but I like the oriental setting. )

 

[Volourn]

Well.. if BL wasn't trying to be a FPS; I'd be apt to agree with you. And, Troika's so called high standards = 50% success rate. that's not exactly high.

VD: Fair enough. I like games other than fantasy too. But, hey, there's still Star Citedal to look forward to - 5 years from now. LOL

 

[Spazmo]

First off, I think I stated quite clearly: "not to necessarily say that Troika has always lived up to these standards."

Second, I don't see how Troika is an issue here. Last I checked, the discussion was about BioWare and their new game Dragon Age. Maybe it's just me, but defending BioWare by attacking Troika seems like an odd choice.