Decline Sword Coast Legends Pre-Release Thread

[Infinitron]

UPDATE - Release here: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/sword-coast-legends-aka-dungeons-dragon-age.106184/

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/115...l-extremes-to-announce-new-rpg-next-week.html

A revealing press release snuck its way into my inbox today, and while it doesn't spill a whole lot of details about the unannounced game that spawned it, it at least makes us aware of the fact that developers n-Space and Digital Extremes are teaming up on a new role-playing game set "within a world-renowned fantasy franchise" and based on "one of the best IPs in the world." What's more, the team is comprised of at least some ex-Dragon Age (including director Dan Tudge), Baldur's Gate, and Neverwinter Nights developers, so that's a pretty good indication that there is some significant talent behind this one:

N-SPACE AND DIGITAL EXTREMES ANNOUNCE NEW GAME PARTNERSHIP; COLLABORATE ON UNANNOUNCED RPG

Shift in Industry Creates Bold New Opportunities for Independent Developers

ORLANDO, Fla. (February 5, 2015) — Combining over 40 years of game production experience, fellow independent developers n-Space and Digital Extremes announced today a partnership that merges their unique talents and experience to release an exciting new RPG set within a world-renowned fantasy franchise. This collaboration is an indicator of the recent shift in the industry toward direct-to-consumer publishing by independent developers and is a significant milestone for both studios.

With growth in digital distribution, better access to affordable technology, disappearing barriers to global reach, and the socialization of the internet, the traditional publisher/developer model is no longer the only option to bring AAA games to market. Smart, quick-iterating development teams are redefining the rules and solidifying their futures by creating games they’re passionate about while also building direct relationships with their players. This partnership embodies this new approach.

“Even with our 20-year history of successful work-for-hire projects, we have never been more proud,” said Dan O’Leary, Co-founder and CEO, n-Space. “We are working on one of the best IPs in the world with a talented, passionate team that will help redefine the future of n‑Space. Our friends at Digital Extremes are the perfect partner in this, having travelled a similar path through the industry. Leveraging their expertise in self-publishing allows us to focus on delivering an amazing RPG to gamers later this year.”

In a show of total commitment to the unannounced RPG, n-Space has recruited top industry talent, including the director of Dragon Age™: Origins and key contributors from the Neverwinter Nights© and Baldur’s Gate© RPG series. The n-Space team has nearly two years of self-funded development invested into this title, their first independent game project. Utilizing both their vast experience creating high-profile game franchises and veteran creative talent with success in nearly every game genre, n-Space is driven to realize this new development initiative and is firmly committed to delivering an innovative and entertaining RPG in 2015.

Over its 21 years, Digital Extremes’ history boasts a portfolio that includes co-creation of Epic Games’ blockbuster Unreal® franchise, work on the BioShock® series, development of The Darkness II and now, the incredibly successful and consistently top 10 Steam game, Warframe®.

”Our contribution to n-Space’s game is simple and straightforward. We’re a developer that can successfully develop, self-publish and support an international hit. We proved as much with Warframe and its 14,000,000 players. We learned many valuable lessons along the way and now have the means and talent to help another independent developer achieve a level of success not possible with conventional publisher relationships. And so that’s what we’re doing,” said James Schmalz, CEO, Digital Extremes. “To support n-Space on this unannounced title — and if you’re a fan of RPGs, you’re going to flip when you see it — is a real privilege. Our company spent 20 years making games for other people. We stepped into the wild with Warframe and earned our success. Now we get to help others take those same steps.”

n-Space’s RPG is scheduled to be announced on February 12, 2015. More details to be revealed then.

I can hardly wait.

 

[Weirdstuffinspace]

Isn't dan the guy that quit because he wasn't ok with the direction they were heading with DA2 ?

 

[Infinitron]

Isn't dan the guy that quit because he wasn't ok with the direction they were heading with DA2 ?

I thought that was Brent Knowles (see our interview), but maybe there were others.

 

[Zed]

'RPG' is the loosest term in the games industry, after integrity. I don't expect anything but an action game.

 

[Untermensch]

"We're working on one of the best and most important IP's and it's great. We won't tell you which IP, but trust us, it's going to be awesome."

A whole lot of words were spewed, but not much was actually said.

 

[Infinitron]

http://venturebeat.com/2015/02/04/v...warframe-studio-to-make-something-of-its-own/

“To support N-Space and this unannounced RPG — and if you’re an old school gamer you’re going to flip when you see it — is a real privilege,”

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=985853

But we know which platforms they are targeting because they posted job listings a month or two ago for that very RPG lol.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=967787

"The project is an upcoming high-profile action RPG for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4."

 

[Ebonsword]

"Old school" these days means early 2000's.

And it's supposedly a "high-profile action RPG".

So, I'm expecting this to be Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 3.

 

[Angthoron]

Digital Extremes still exists?

http://venturebeat.com/2015/02/04/v...warframe-studio-to-make-something-of-its-own/

“To support N-Space and this unannounced RPG — and if you’re an old school gamer you’re going to flip when you see it — is a real privilege,”

Privileges will be checked.
-Taylor Swift

 

[serch]

Frankly, WotC needs some D&D products out, their property is losing value by the moment. P&P RPGs and CRPGs have a synergic relationship and more consumers of one kind improve where you can get in your other line of products. I know they had some clusterfuck licensing problems with Atari, buy that should be over by now. I wouldn't be surprised if this was a D&D game.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Old school and multi platform in the same package? Lolwat.

 

[Infinitron]

Old school and multi platform in the same package? Lolwat.

I think they mean oldschool IP, not oldschool gameplay.

 

[Snorkack]

So, I'm expecting this to be Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 3.

Judging by the little information we have so far, BG: DA3 would probably be the best we can expect.

 

[GarfunkeL]

So probably an action game with RPG elements in D&D 5th edition? Yawn.

 

[deuxhero]

Has n-Space made anything good without Nintendo lording over them?

 

[Jaesun]

"old school gamer"

They probably think KotOR is "old school"....

While I am starved for ANYTHING Sci-Fi + RPG I'll just continue to sit here and twiddle my thumbs until I hear more.

 

[Xenich]

The project is an upcoming high-profile action RPG for PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

Yeah... sorry, the moment you add console is the moment I know your game is casual shit for fucking ADD idiots.

Old school? Fucking kids today, they think Old School gaming is something they played a few years ago when they were still shitting in their diapers.

 

[Xenich]

Old school and multi platform in the same package? Lolwat.

I think they mean oldschool IP, not oldschool gameplay.

Which might as well be titled "how I can get stupid people to throw away money". I swear, cattle being herded to the slaughterhouse.

 

[Morgoth]

Has n-Space made anything good without Nintendo lording over them?

Who cares? They're just the publisher, right?

More importantly, has Digital Extremes ever made anything good without Epic Games handholding them?

 

[a Goat]

It's either D&D(because hurr oldschool) or Warhammer as GW is quite liberal when it comes to licensing lately.

 

[tuluse]

Old school and multi platform in the same package? Lolwat.

I think they mean oldschool IP, not oldschool gameplay.

Maybe they mean old school consoles. Chrono Trigger 2 incoming

 

[Perkel]

old skul Heroes of Might and Magic 5 for them probably

 

[LESS T_T]

Two former Bioware guys at n-Space:

Jay Turner - Principal Writer at n-Space

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jay-turner/5/573/5a
http://www.mobygames.com/developer/jay-turner/credits/developerId,179406/

Ross Gardner - Technical Director at n-Space

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/ross-gardner/22/b04/86
http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,6531/

 

[Jaesun]

Mass Effect and Dragon Age II. This game is going to be exceptional.

 

[agris]

ORLANDO, Fla.

Fucking Florida.

Spoiler

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-s-next-for-the-director-of-dragon-age-origins/1100-6425162/

What's Next For the Director of Dragon Age Origins

You may or may not be familiar with n-Space, a studio that's spent the better part of its existence working on licensed properties and work-for-hire projects. Though n-Space's past is filled with projects that have ultimately faded into the background, it may garner a significant reputation boost next week when it formally unveils its latest project, a fantasy RPG set within a well known franchise.

OK: I don't blame you if your first reaction to that generic pitch is "so what?" However, what if I told you that the team at n-Space is currently staffed by influential ex-BioWare members that helped sculpt series such asDragon Age, Baldur's Gate, and Mass Effect? That pitch suddenly sounds a lot more interesting.

What is n-Space working on, exactly? Unfortunately, while I couldn't suss out exact details from n-Space President Dan Tudge or CEO Dan O'Leary (the full reveal is coming on Feb. 12), they're committed to the idea that this game, when it's finally unveiled, will wow people, both for the series that it's attached to and because of how it will satisfy hardcore RPG fans. "That's certainly my goal," said Tudge, "to fill a void in the market as a hardcore fan of RPGs. I love my RPGs, so I think that there are some things as a fan and a consumer that I haven't been able to do, and I think that we're really doing some unique things that will be really exciting."

O'Leary boasts that "we're doing this game for us, first and foremost. It's kind of the one that we've earned having done everything before it. It's only a possibility because we made a huge commitment to it."

The RPG in question has been in development for over two years and is n-Space's first independent project. Rather than being tied to a publisher for the sake of funding, n-Space has teamed up with Digital Extremes, a studio with experience in the BioShock and Unreal Tournament series. Warframe, it's most recent product, developed and distributed independently, is what lured n-Space into bed; that and a chunk of financial investment that's made n-Space's project a reality. Beyond funding, Digital Extreme will share its expertise as an independent, guiding n-Space along the way.

O'Leary detailed the relationship: "Digital Extremes is investing in the game and sharing the knowledge that it has gained from successfully self-publishing Warframe. We've got a great team of passionate developers with access to basically all of the industry tools that larger publishers have, and without the heavy overload that comes with that. That allows the two companies to move quickly, react quickly, and take real care in making this effort as successful as possible. We've known the folks at Digital Extremes for some time now and have had a friendly relationship."

The Dans both have past connections to AAA publishers, and they believe the traditional funding and publishing model will stick around, but not without stiff competition from independents. "We mentioned previously that there's new accessible technology and direct to consumer digital [publishing], that you're really seeing...I don't want to say a secondary market, but a really great piece of gaming emerging from independents," said Tudge. "I think that's in large part to the way the industry is changing, but I don't see the large model going away."

Tudge sees the independent method as an opportunity for them to give passionate fans what they really want, rather than what publisher's believe will sell the most games. "I also think that independent developers like ourselves can market to niche markets with our product and speak directly with consumers now, creating products that fill opportunities that the traditional publishing model ignores these days. I think that there will continue to be big publisher kind of business models, but the opportunities that they pass by are right for independent developers and other kinds of collaborations, like what we're doing with Digital Extremes."

Given that three out of the five leaders on the project are ex-BioWare leads, I had to know: does the new game look and feel like a BioWare game? O'Leary mostly deflected the question, but he's honest about the potential for BioWare-esque traits making an appearance. "We can't really say at this point, we really can't talk about it. We can tell you that it's fantasy, and it's a beloved franchise, but really it comes down to the DNA that's in the studio here, and in the DNA of the influx of BioWare staff, and that DNA really is focusing on making the game that we've always wanted to make, both with n-Space and with the ex-BioWare guys. That DNA that we've injected has been focused on quality and great storytelling, and those are things that we'll definitely be bringing to the title."

Tudge followed up O'Leary's statement, detailing the role and pedigree of the team's leaders. "I was the director of Dragon Age Origins and I worked at BioWare for several years. People like Ross Gardner, who's the tech director, he was on the original Baldur's Gate. He scripted the first sequence in Baldur's Gate 2, he's been involved in Neverwinter [Nights], and even the Old Republic. Of course, he was my tech director on Dragon Age Origins. You've got Jay Turner, who wrote with me on Dragon Age Origins, he's been involved in Mass Effect, and he also worked with me at EA. That's three out of the five leads on the team, and I think that's really obviously going to influence the creative title, but I will say that there are definitely a lot of new, fresh, and innovative ideas that n-Space has brought forward. They certainly have an extensive background, certainly in loving RPGs and making Heroes of Ruin and some of their previous titles, so there's some really unique and exciting things that, blended together to make what I think is a really new and innovative approach to your classic RPG."

The Dans are very confident in their team and their game. They're confident that you, the hardcore RPG fan, will love it. Until we have an idea of what this game is, those claims are debatable. We'll know more on February 12 when n-Space and Digital Extremes unveil what they've been working on for the past few years. Until then, one can only wonder what's up their sleeves.

What do you think they might be working on? If you had your way, what fantasy series would you like to see from a team with the experience and pedigree of n-Space and it's BioWare recruits? Share your predictions and hopes in the comments below!