Game News Dragon Age update - zombie kittens are in!

[Vault Dweller]

You're showing your age, VD. Where are the linkies to source material? Tsk tsk tsk!

The source material is from many different forum posts.

 

[Atrokkus]

The source material is from many different forum posts.

I know that. I was referring to the lack of this information in the newspost itself. (I know that's nitpicking, but that's what my experience in CRPG.ru has taught me heh)

 

[Vault Dweller]

Well, not every site is as professional as CRPG.ru.

 

[aries202]

As for the mana thing. I think David G. once wrote, either here or on the Bioware boards/forums that mana is not something that's easy to come by in the game. It will be more like creating 'spells' out of thin air, using the elements in nature surrounding the characters in the game.

All in, DA looks really promising

 

[Atrokkus]

Well, not every site is as professional as CRPG.ru.

Indeed.

Jokes aside, you are very correct in that statement... Professionalism is often a vice. Sometimes I really want less professional restraints when I do the newsposting or features.

 

[sabishii]

Just don't be an *** about it. I, on the other hand, I may decide to be an *** if I wish, on immersion or any other topic. But that's because this is my house and YOU are the guest here. And because life's not fair.

Either way, there's nothing wrong with opinions. Just don't be an ***, like I said.

Yeah, because on Bioware forums, being a shithead is reserved for developers only.

I'm glad your reading comprehension is so great that you could paraphrase the second and third sentences you quoted, but it's not that great of a feat to brag about.

Oh, I'm sorry. Please everyone, go back to sucking the e-cock of a developer whose company didn't release a decent (RPG) game for almost 8 years. I won't disrupt you anymore.

I was just saying, I don't need someone to read for me, but thanks for the effort.

Also, your attempt to appear all hard-ass... doesn't work. Please try again.

What exactly is the problem with mana? Only problem I see is if it leads you to sleep after ever encounter in a dungeon. Simple solution: make resting risky.

But that could cause people to reload until they get a successful rest.

 

[Ander Vinz]

Well, not every site is as professional as CRPG.ru.

Indeed.

 

[Gambler]

We're not trying to please everyone, we're trying to make one thing and make it well enough that perhaps some of these people come to love it for what it is rather than dislike it for what it isn't.

Somewhere a marketing executive is having a heart attack.

So, when some Bethesda guy says the same thing, it's bad, but for David Gaider it's refreshing honesty? Ri-ight.

What exactly is the problem with mana?

The problem is not with mana, the problem is that designers make spells a kind of renewable resource. However, the point of having magic at all is to have something unexplainable, surprising and (to a some degree) unpredictable. Otherwise it's just different way to represent weapons.

I think the only solution to this problem is to get rid of fixed spell system altogether. Magic could be controlled by complex, context-dependent scripts (Sims uses context-dependent approach for items). For example, why Druids should be able to summon indoor lightning? That does not make any sense. Instead, they could have "sky influence." You use it on an enemy outdoors in a rainy day, he _may_ get hit by lightning. You use it on an area, it _may_ get a rainy day. Or a tornado. Or something else.

This could be tied to a similar system that controls how often can you use spells and how powerful they are. Level 1 wizard might get a cloud over a village where Level 10 wizard could get an ice storm spanning many miles. All that with the same "influence."

At least this would be much more interesting that using "kill evil with fireballs" spell 1000 times per game.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

BG2 companions are more... predictable. You always know what to expect from them. They're just generic fantasy characters.

Well I honestly didn't expect Mr. Lawful Good Paladin to basically be a card-carrying Klansman.

If you piss off Ignus or Vhailor, one of them will fight you near the end of the game.

Are you sure it mattered what you did? I was as nice as could be to Ignus, and he still went batshit crazy on me at the end. He always seems to. Same with Vhailor. Not to mention the Vhailor encounter is so horribly designed it isn't funny. It's forced combat against a very powerful character...alone. Somebody call for the Eviscerator?

 

[sheek]

The problem is not with mana, the problem is that designers make spells a kind of renewable resource. However, the point of having magic at all is to have something unexplainable, surprising and (to a some degree) unpredictable. Otherwise it's just different way to represent weapons.

I think the only solution to this problem is to get rid of fixed spell system altogether. Magic could be controlled by complex, context-dependent scripts (Sims uses context-dependent approach for items). For example, why Druids should be able to summon indoor lightning? That does not make any sense. Instead, they could have "sky influence." You use it on an enemy outdoors in a rainy day, he _may_ get hit by lightning. You use it on an area, it _may_ get a rainy day. Or a tornado. Or something else.

This could be tied to a similar system that controls how often can you use spells and how powerful they are. Level 1 wizard might get a cloud over a village where Level 10 wizard could get an ice storm spanning many miles. All that with the same "influence."

At least this would be much more interesting that using "kill evil with fireballs" spell 1000 times per game.

I don't see that as a solution and I don't think it's necessary.

There are two different issues: making magic interesting and making it costly to rely only on magic (prevent powergaming).

Look at RoA. The spells you had were 90% of non-combat use. All were very specific. Seeing through walls, detecting traps, opening doors, rusting iron, and many spells which were used in just one quest in the story, like talking to animals, banishing spirits, walking across water, melting solids, forcing someone to tell you the truth, breathing under water etc. If you went with just combat spells you would find combat easier but get stuck/unable to complete certain quests.

The game wasn't perfect but it went in the right direction - toward strategy, forcing the player to choose.

Your 'context sensitive' thing would sacrifice that strategic depth.

 

[Bradylama]

So, when some Bethesda guy says the same thing, it's bad, but for David Gaider it's refreshing honesty? Ri-ight.

It's mostly a trust issue. Dgaider hasn't done anything to lose it.

 

[Baphomet]

We're not trying to please everyone, we're trying to make one thing and make it well enough that perhaps some of these people come to love it for what it is rather than dislike it for what it isn't.

Somewhere a marketing executive is having a heart attack.

So, when some Bethesda guy says the same thing, it's bad, but for David Gaider it's refreshing honesty? Ri-ight.

1. Bethesda said no such thing
2. I said no such thing about Bethesda
3. Your tag is well deserved

 

[Gambler]

There are two different issues: making magic interesting and making it costly to rely only on magic (prevent powergaming).

For an RPG, the "interesting" part should include making magic a part of the game world. Right now, magic is usually just a label for meaningless modifiers. Someone takes "quad damage," replaces is with "magic potion of quad damage," and that's it. The problem is that it has no significance in terms of role-playing.

 

[Gambler]

1. Bethesda said no such thing

Yes, they did. They said they don't care about pleasing "vocal minorities."

I said no such thing about Bethesda

Which is exactly my point.

It's mostly a trust issue. Dgaider hasn't done anything to lose it.

Yes, but the post I was quoting implied some kind of positive difference between Dgaider and other developers _because_ he said what he said. What I'm saying is, his comment is quite common.

 

[Baphomet]

I said no such thing about Bethesda

Which is exactly my point.

So I should be held accountable for things other Codexers say? Shit, we're all dumbfucked.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Well, not every site is as professional as CRPG.ru.

Indeed.

Jokes aside, you are very correct in that statement... Professionalism is often a vice. Sometimes I really want less professional restraints when I do the newsposting or features.

Then be less professional. It's a gaming site, for fuck's sake, not fucking PRAVDA.

 

[Vault Dweller]

So, when some Bethesda guy says the same thing, it's bad, but for David Gaider it's refreshing honesty? Ri-ight.

It's mostly a trust issue. Dgaider hasn't done anything to lose it.

Exactly. Besides, once again the difference is that Bethesda is talking about changing an established series and replying to the series' fans' criticism with "hey, we do what we want; don't like it? fuck off", while Bioware is making a new game, which gives them full rights to make whatever the hell they want.

 

[Lumpy]

Oh, I'm sorry. Please everyone, go back to sucking the e-cock of a developer whose company didn't release a decent (RPG) game for almost 8 years. I won't disrupt you anymore.

That's bullshit. What decent RPG?

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Oh, I'm sorry. Please everyone, go back to sucking the e-cock of a developer whose company didn't release a decent (RPG) game for almost 8 years. I won't disrupt you anymore.

That's bullshit. What decent RPG?

Shadows of Amn I presume.

 

[Mr Happy]

So is this game going to not allow to initiate combat KOTOR style? God, that would be annoying.

 

[Warden]

Biowarezz

Over there at Bioware they have a really strange moderation policy.
Everything that is perceived as something "argumentative" and negative about their style/games is closed/deleted. Deleting accounts if someone dares, oh god forbid, to not lick their fat a**es is also a common practice. Respect for customers = 0. I wonder what they think- who is paying their wages? Blah, how could a writer like david know this little fact..
And who cares if developers post there, since they post (well, at least one of them) to roll eyes and insult people, and if you do the same thing- you're banned.

The recent absurdity that happened over there is their approach about people asking if they're going to show some new stuff about DA at E3. So, devs decided to post on that topic- but NO, they couldn't give a YES or NO even 1 day before E3 started. They didn't even adress the main question/topic. Always "bla, bla, zombie kitten". If you don't have anything to say about the topic- F*** O**! This strawman attitude of not answering anything and always going off-topic really tells much about them. Yet, they demand from others a strict on-topic, about-Biowarez-games-only line, otherwise- off-topic and lockdown.

To quote david gaider: "And because life's not fair."

Life indeed isn't fair when you look like this...:
http://www.bioware.com/bioware_info/new ... vegaid.jpg

...and feel the urge to release your frustration via the internetZ on people who allow the company you're working for to exist.

 

[kris]

It's mostly a trust issue. Dgaider hasn't done anything to lose it.

Yes, but the post I was quoting implied some kind of positive difference between Dgaider and other developers _because_ he said what he said. What I'm saying is, his comment is quite common.

I must mirror the others. Dgaider have shown himself to be straightforward and honest in his views, at least in his posts over here.

Bethesda on the other hand have said loads of things which was not true or far off from what they said.

With these backgrounds comments like this is natural.

 

[Dgaider]

Re: Biowarezz

...and feel the urge to release your frustration via the internetZ on people who allow the company you're working for to exist.

Which is a big step up from pathetically venting your self-righteous frustration here since you can't do it on the Bioware boards any longer. But of course we just unfairly banned you because you refused to "lick our asses" eh, Succubus_Prince? Couldn't possibly have been anything you've done.

Just as an aside, I'm not sure it's so much "respect for customers = 0" as "respect for morons = 0" ...but we're just funny that way, I guess.

 

[Sovard]

*chink chink* And our plucky hero defeats the lich who tried to enslave this world with thread necromancy

 

[Shannow]

*chink chink* And our plucky hero defeats the lich who tried to enslave this world with thread necromancy

But beware, the lich might come back. This tome not with a thread (which was more of a post) but a whole forum.
And wasn't it enslaving nations with necromancy? I haven't been paying much attention...