Vapourware: Thy Name is Dragon Age!

[Annonchinil]

Why do the Russians always get the good stuff and we Westerners have to cope with the crap?

Hahah. Do you know what Russia is?

A lawless shithole full of former Communists and the Russian mafia? +Oil Money

You're talking about the 90s Russia there.

Anyways I stand by what I said, there are far worse publishers than EA.

 

[Jasede]

They killed Microprose AND Origin man. How can there be far worse?

I will repeat: Microprose. THE greatest studio there ever was. Every game they made - a timeless, wonderful classic.

 

[aries202]

I still wonder why game companies push their new games out the door just before Christmas. Do they really make that much money during the sales for the holidays (or Christmas?) ?

Bioshock and The Witcher did pretty well despite not being released just before Christmas. Any thread on the release date for any of Bioware games gets locked at the Bioware forums. Why this is so, I don't know...

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

EA has since last year initiated a lot of changes both in internal development infrastructure and exec staff. I feel 2008 will be a strong year for them, and showing the first results of their re-construction. Comparing the old EA with the now-becoming-new EA is kinda stupid. Spore, Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, Dragon Age etc. are just the start of their new awesome games portfolio.

 

[JarlFrank]

I still wonder why game companies push their new games out the door just before Christmas. Do they really make that much money during the sales for the holidays (or Christmas?) ?

Bioshock and The Witcher did pretty well despite not being released just before Christmas. Any thread on the release date for any of Bioware games gets locked at the Bioware forums. Why this is so, I don't know...

Well, Christmas is a time when most people buy presents, so that might be a reason...

 

[aries202]

I still wonder why game companies push their new games out the door just before Christmas. Do they really make that much money during the sales for the holidays (or Christmas?) ?

Bioshock and The Witcher did pretty well despite not being released just before Christmas. Any thread on the release date for any of Bioware games gets locked at the Bioware forums. Why this is so, I don't know...

Well, Christmas is a time when most people buy presents, so that might be a reason...

Yes, I know this

However, Christmas is a time when parents buy presents for their children. And both Mass Effect as well as Dragon Age have and will probably have a M(ature) rating which means that both these games are marketed towards adults, not children or teenagers...

 

[MetalCraze]

EA has since last year initiated a lot of changes both in internal development infrastructure and exec staff. I feel 2008 will be a strong year for them, and showing the first results of their re-construction. Comparing the old EA with the now-becoming-new EA is kinda stupid. Spore, Dead Space, Mirror's Edge, Dragon Age etc. are just the start of their new awesome games portfolio.

do you really believe in what you are saying?

 

[WalterKinde]

I think despite the ratings, unless brought to the attention of the public by the general media who usually only gets up in arms about games like man hunter or GTA and the clones (note all console games) most parents and stores turn a blind eye to the ratings for games.
By blind eye i mean parents ignore whats on the box if the package is not too violent or sexy and stores ignore kids who turn up at the register with said games.

 

[Otingocni]

EA has since last year initiated a lot of changes both in internal development infrastructure and exec staff. I feel 2008 will be a strong year for them, and showing the first results of their re-construction. Comparing the old EA with the now-becoming-new EA is kinda stupid. Spore, Dead Space, Mirror\'s Edge, Dragon Age etc. are just the start of their new awesome games portfolio.

 

[thesheeep]

I also think that EA started to change, at least a bit.

Sure, most of their games are copies of previous games... but who can blame them? It works.

But some games (as listed some posts above) do NOT fit into that scheme.

 

[MetalCraze]

name me at least one game from EA that actually got released and was good since EA "started changing"

having ToBeReleased list of cool games doesn't mean anything. rather it means that those games will be awfully dumbed-down.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Skyway, these changes don't happen from today to tomorrow. That's why I said 2008 starts to become a strong year for the "new EA". I'm not claiming that EA will become the fortress of game innovations, but they seem to put more focus into creating new IPs now. I also think that the Steven Spielberg project, where people like Doug Church and Randy Smith are participating will be great. And why would they churn out some $600 billion dollars for Bioware? A company that is known for extra-long development cycles rather than annual crapfests? Why would they take that risk?

 

[MetalCraze]

they actually said that they will release Dragon Age like in 2008. which actually will have no other effect except crappy released DA.

they also poured shitloads of money into Origin, Microprose and Westwood. But it resulted in nothing but shitty games released from former good studios. oh and btw where are those studios now?
EA is changing? ha. EA always was a direct business structure through and through and never cared about anything but money and pleasing the biggest crowd. And those several good games they did release are rather exception.
you perfectly know that RPG gamers are a very small gaming community compared to action/racing/sports crowd. do you really believe they will let DA to be released only for such small community? the fact they invested so much money in Bioware rather speaks that they will expect from them MOAR. and with good RPGs it's not possible.

 

[ricolikesrice]

....

well Crysis was published by EA and ...

...unlike Bioshock it wasnt a majorly dumbed down spiritual sequel to the awesome SS2.
...unlike CoD4 it wasnt just a "more of the same, except a different story and pretty graphics" (singleplayer-wise, the MP is okay in my book)

instead it took the best of farcry, removed bigger issues (crappy AI running stealth gameplay) and even added new deux-ex like gameplay elements (nanosuit) + a graphic engine that doesnt just look prettier but actually affects gameplay (physics / interacting with the environment, bigger maps for less linearity....)

though knowing EA, they probably had nothing to do with all this and it was probably them who forced crytek to include aliens and end the last 2-3 hours of the game like the
linear railshooter shitfests all other shooters have become these days

still, kinda boring to hate on EA when everyone does these days.... everyone including those fucktards who blame EA for delivering shitty unoriginal sequels yet vote CoD4/HL-2 EP 2 game of the year..... or blame EA for dumbing down, yet vote Bioshock for game of the year....

i have a good feeling for Dragon Age. i doubt its gonna be another MOTB but i wouldnt be suprised if its in the same ballpark as the witcher....

 

[Texas Red]

?

All of the "new" features in Crysis revolved around showing off the engine. Oh wow, innovation, they deviated 1% from the FPS formula, completely risk-free, without adding anything truly original, to be called GOTY. That's how everyone does it now.

 

[Shannow]

?

All of the "new" features in Crysis revolved around showing off the engine. Oh wow, innovation, they deviated 1% from the FPS formula, completely risk-free, without adding anything truly original, to be called GOTY. That's how everyone does it now.

What truly original concept should be added to shooters?
Just curious.

 

[Ivy Mike]

What truly original concept should be added to shooters?
Just curious.

How about a working dynamic faction/reputation system with dynamically generated missions based on previous events and reputation within the game world, or the ability to recruit NPCs based on reputation/relations, or the possibility to use the environment to greater tactical advantage, or the choice of how to relate to different factions that, in turn, affect the world and outcome of the story. The possibilities are endless.

 

[Western]

Skyway, these changes don't happen from today to tomorrow. That's why I said 2008 starts to become a strong year for the "new EA". I'm not claiming that EA will become the fortress of game innovations, but they seem to put more focus into creating new IPs now. I also think that the Steven Spielberg project, where people like Doug Church and Randy Smith are participating will be great. And why would they churn out some $600 billion dollars for Bioware? A company that is known for extra-long development cycles rather than annual crapfests? Why would they take that risk?

More of the same is the safer bet, with Bioware virtually dead in 6 years or so, but every game they've released seemed more dumbed down than the last (haven't played ME, could it be any worse than Jade?), so no big loss.

 

[Wilco]

More of the same is the safer bet, with Bioware virtually dead in 6 years or so, but every game they've released seemed more dumbed down than the last (haven't played ME, could it be any worse than Jade?), so no big loss.

Bioware's games weren't very original but they had substance. The BG series' were good games, but after that I admit to not giving Kotor or JE a chance because they just looked too dumb-downed and typical for me.

Sure do miss Microprose and a proper UFO sequel though

 

[ricolikesrice]

What truly original concept should be added to shooters?
Just curious.

-being able to solve mission objectives via different routes (from which side do i attack ? do i attack with lots of explosions and gun fire or move in stealthy dispatching single patrols ? or do i use a jeep stuffed with explosive charges as a distraction, while actually attacking from a different side ? etc etc)
-being able to go almost anywhere you can look at, not playing on rails. if a hut has a roof, i wanna be able to climb on it. if there s a jungle behind the enemy camp... i wanna be able to enter via that jungle instead of just through the main door.
-interacting with the environment. beeing able to destroy soft cover like trees for example. and in trade off not beeing able to hide behind trees forever while a whole army fires at you. beeing able to grab that explosive barrel, load it on a pickup, drive the pickup up a hill and then push it down said hill, creating a large explosion killing the enemies below.
-beeing able to not just shoot enemies but sneak up on them, grab them and pull them into a nearby canalisation... drowning them without their comrades noticing .
etc. etc.

dunno, some of the above has been done before in the genre (deus ex for example).....
all of it, including the best usage of physics for actual gameplay other then eyecandy..... has been done in crysis. 1% derived from the standard FPS formula, yeah right.....might as well play the game before repeating the same bullshit all the console tards are writing at gamespot & friends.
so much for "not taking risks btw". while crysis didnt sell bad...... all the linear shitfests with hollywood story rather then gameplay (CoD4, HL2: OB and bioshock) sold far better because the average mainstream moron wants likeable NPCs and aewsome stories in their *games* rather then dealing with the challenge of actually playing yourself and finding out what works for you.

now ofc CoD4s success may boil down to it actually having great MP (while crysis MP is still fucked up....) but i wouldnt be suprised if there s enough tards who also think it deserves GOTY for its singleplayer ^^

 

[Jasede]

I am pretty sure you all hate FPS games. When I want to play an FPS I want to play something like Doom: neat levels (arguable, some Doom (2) levels fucking suck, PETERSON), simple weapons, each with a purpose, monsters, timeless graphics, furious and fast gameplay. There's no need for story or non-linearity or any of that new-fangled modern nonsense.

 

[Hazelnut]

I like FPS games, ever since playing Doom on the SGI workstations at uni when I should have been working on my Masters project. I think the development of story is a good thing when done well, I will agree that nothing has really topped Doom for pure shooting where the level design was so interesting and varied.

My favorite shooters are still HL 1&2, I think they're both absolutely brilliant. Most of the uninspired FPS drek leave me cold though. I loved Quake 2, but not Quake. I pretty much bought Q4 (utter shit) because reviews compared it to Q2. Yeah, it was a single player game unlike Q3, but that was it you tards!

 

[Jasede]

I hated Quake. So brown, such ugly weapons. But I can appreciate it now. It's not a game you play for the graphics or even most levels. It's the great physics it pioneered and the fast pace that makes people like it. I guess I just "weren't there" when that was new and cool.

Doom had a much bigger impression on me as a kid. I remember hiding under the table while my brother played it, I acting as the cowardly navigator while he shot stuff. Maaaaan, flashbacks.

 

[obediah]

Doom had a much bigger impression on me as a kid. I remember hiding under the table while my brother played it, I acting as the cowardly navigator while he shot stuff. Maaaaan, flashbacks.

So you navigated your brother under the table while he played Doom, and then he shot stuff? It's shocking how un-shocking that revelation is about you.

 

[Ivy Mike]

Doom had a much bigger impression on me as a kid. I remember hiding under the table while my brother played it, I acting as the cowardly navigator while he shot stuff. Maaaaan, flashbacks.

So you navigated your brother under the table while he played Doom, and then he shot stuff? It's shocking how un-shocking that revelation is about you.