Dragon Age 2 - News Roundup

[rune_74]

Like hell - do your own spamming, Priestly.

The demo downloads has me curious - just how do they measure that? Do they only count downloads from the official sites? The official sites plus some of the most popular mirrors? Maybe the demo itself sends a message that it has been run to some server somewhere? Maybe they are counting EA account logins?

Do you honestly doubt they got a lot of downloads for this demo...it is also on the xbox and ps3.

 

[DeepO]

If the game is not to your taste then move on to something else that is.

So basically, "don´t talk about it unless you´re really sure you like it", right?
This is a discussion forum, not mindless appreciation station dude.

Do you honestly doubt they got a lot of downloads for this demo…it is also on the xbox and ps3.

Do you have any data we don´t know of?
So far the only info we have is that one moment the counter was at 870000 and hour later it was at 1150000.

 

[Couchpotato]

What, if the goal was NOT reached ?

What would have happened with these … books … then ?

Probably would be sold as dlc later on.Something else that bothers me is this.

- Main Quest takes 12-15 hours, you can double that number "if you take your time and explore everything the game has to offer".

-The game does not feel long or epic, and the central conflict (mages vs. chantry) is not as dramatic as the reviewer would have liked. But although it doesn't have anything comparable to the Battle of Ostagar or the final attack on Denerim, it still has some very tactical boss fights.

- The number of talents is huge. The game offers class specific weapons and some crafting options. However, overall you generally have a small selection. (they don't expand on this)

- The ending is described as open ended and unresolved .


Tell me how that's an improvement. Just curious?

 

[rune_74]

So basically, "don´t talk about it unless you´re really sure you like it", right?
This is a discussion forum, not mindless appreciation station dude.


Do you have any data we don´t know of?
So far the only info we have is that one moment the counter was at 870000 and hour later it was at 1150000.

Of course I don't have hidden data, but it was discussed how the jumper had been all over the place the last week. So who knows? What I do know, is that the first game sold well on all three platforms, I think it is safe to say that on PS3, XBOX 360 and pc that it did do those numbers. You are in some form of self denial if you think because a few here hate it that no one has tried it. For that matter I never logged into bioware, does that mean me downloading it doesn't count? Who knows. But this weird vendetta marketing slam seems a bit off.

 

[rich ruffo]

What will Bioware/EA do if DA2 doent sell as well as DA:O ? What if the casual gamer gets bored in the first hour of DA2 and goes back to playing Kirbys Epic Yarn .

 

[rune_74]

What will Bioware/EA do if DA2 doent sell as well as DA:O ? What if the casual gamer gets bored in the first hour of DA2 and goes back to playing Kirbys Epic Yarn .

Then you will see your dreams fullfilled?

 

[spiraling69]

What, if the goal was NOT reached ?

What would have happened with these … books … then ?

too funny! It would have been more interesting to see what would have happened if the goal was not met...

 

[Badesumofu]

I bought some juice in the supermarket the other day, and it was not as nice as I had hoped it would be. Rather than go to a juice discussion board and rant endlessly about how this juice isn't exactly how I personally want it to be, I instead don't buy it again. I move on to something else.

The fact that this is a discussion board doesn't make it any less bizarre that some people seem to prefer discussing games they don't like than games they do like. It's not as if there aren't plenty of other RPGs on the horizon. Most people prefer to discuss games, movies, music, tv shows etc that they do like.

You might buy something and find that it's not what you expected and make a post about it in a release thread, that would be normal behaviour on a discussion board. On this board it's gotten so that you can't read through the threads without having to wade through hordes of posters complaining that the game isn't their idea of a perfect RPG.

More and more, I'm taking my own advice and moving on to forums that are more enjoyable to read.

 

[JDR13]

The fact that this is a discussion board doesn't make it any less bizarre that some people seem to prefer discussing games they don't like than games they do like. It's not as if there aren't plenty of other RPGs on the horizon. Most people prefer to discuss games, movies, music, tv shows etc that they do like.

You might buy something and find that it's not what you expected and make a post about it in a release thread, that would be normal behaviour on a discussion board. On this board it's gotten so that you can't read through the threads without having to wade through hordes of posters complaining that the game isn't their idea of a perfect RPG.

More and more, I'm taking my own advice and moving on to forums that are more enjoyable to read.

By all means, don't let us stop you.

I don't find people expressing their disappointment any more bizarre than people who would begrudge them for it.

 

[Captain Buzzkill]

I bought some juice in the supermarket the other day, and it was not as nice as I had hoped it would be. Rather than go to a juice discussion board and rant endlessly about how this juice isn't exactly how I personally want it to be, I instead don't buy it again. I move on to something else.

The fact that this is a discussion board doesn't make it any less bizarre that some people seem to prefer discussing games they don't like than games they do like. It's not as if there aren't plenty of other RPGs on the horizon. Most people prefer to discuss games, movies, music, tv shows etc that they do like.

You might buy something and find that it's not what you expected and make a post about it in a release thread, that would be normal behaviour on a discussion board. On this board it's gotten so that you can't read through the threads without having to wade through hordes of posters complaining that the game isn't their idea of a perfect RPG.

More and more, I'm taking my own advice and moving on to forums that are more enjoyable to read.

*sigh*

This forum is full of posts about games that we can't wait to play and games that we thought were great. But when you have diverse personalities all congregating to the same place, not everyone is going to agree about everything. It is intellectually stimulating to have conversations discussing the strengths and weaknesses of those games. If we sat around and agreed with each other and had a great big love-in, we would be very polite and nice, but we would also be vapid and fake.

The fact that a fair number of us don't like Game X or Game Y doesn't make us irrational bitches, either. Using your own example for my own; if you buy orange juice you don't like, you don't have to worry, because the aisles are full of all different kinds of orange juice. There are ~3-5 major RPG releases a year, with a bunch of indies thrown in the mix. The major releases get the most hype, the most promotion, the most marketing exposure, so they get the most scrutiny. The fact that there aren't that many alternatives being offered notwithstanding, the business model employed by successful major developers puts pressure on smaller devs and publishers when it comes time to make their games.

Lastly, the vast majority of people on this board are pretty open-minded and well behaved. I've been on a lot of different boards over the years, and I've kinda set up shop here, because there seems to be a good balance between debate and civility. I've said time and time again: Feel free to buy and love whatever games you want. Your taste is none of my business, and I'll not make you feel like some kind of Philistine based on your choices. I however think things are a little f**ked up in RPG land, and if you want to engage me, or anyone else on this site, in conversation disputing this opinion, I'm all for it. But please, don't dismiss my opinions or denigrate them. If you can't handle that level of decency and freedom of thought, don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.

 

[Crilloan]

I'm starting to feel embarrassed for Bioware. How the mighty have fallen.

I've thoroughly enjoyed their games, they have been top notch in quality, but this marketing is starting to make me feel a tiny bit uncomfortable.

Is there rally so much extra sales to be had if you go from advertising in a normal way to this all out "whoring" ?

Does it balance out the cost for the campaigns?

Does it take into account the risk of alienating potential customers due to over-hype and being blasé to the game when it finally arrives?

It probably does.

C

 

[rune_74]

Seems, now that if someone doesn`t agree with a witch hunt we chase them out? Hmmm, Alrik was more right then he knows, except it wasn't the marketing that was imitating the past but some of our youth gang.

 

[Daddy32]

Some of you really need to learn to distinguish between what is good, or successful, and what is to your own personal taste.

YOU need to learn to distinguish between what is good and what is successful.
High selling numbers seldom mean high quality product. Yes, they are business and they make money, but that's quite an abstract thing to admire. Objectively, their 'RPGs' get worse and worse (simpler, more linear, "cooler" with bigger boobs, player characters levitating and teleporting during the fight) with every iteration, in a quest for money.
"Argument" that "it makes a lot of money ergo it is good" is the stupidest anyone can make.

 

[Maylander]

Basically, EA/BioWare has succeeded in getting millions of people to do the marketing for them. This way of marketing is not only cheap, it's also efficient.

Anyway, I personally preferred DA: Journeys. Weren't that supposed to be episode 1 out of several? I seem to recall the game ending with a cliffhanger.

 

[coaster]

]A business conducted a (highly successful) marketing campaign. Where is the embarrassment?

You don't find something embarrassing about being asked to spam your real life friends on Facebook with DA2 marketing, just so that Bioware will deign to drop some crappy item into the game? Well I do. This seems a bridge too far for many in the Bioware community too:

Not happening. I have a Facebook account, follow Dragon Age and Bioware and like most of their posts but this stupid carrot and stick system has finally got to me.

Please f*** off.

 

[zakhal]

I did the extra item things with first game (flash game was okay) but not so with this sequel. The game is cakewalk anyways so having extra uber items just makes it too easy. Im actually way more interested of mods. Not gonna play the game before its properly fixed.

 

[kalniel]

Probably would be sold as dlc later on.Something else that bothers me is this.

- Main Quest takes 12-15 hours, you can double that number "if you take your time and explore everything the game has to offer".

-The game does not feel long or epic, and the central conflict (mages vs. chantry) is not as dramatic as the reviewer would have liked. But although it doesn't have anything comparable to the Battle of Ostagar or the final attack on Denerim, it still has some very tactical boss fights.

- The number of talents is huge. The game offers class specific weapons and some crafting options. However, overall you generally have a small selection. (they don't expand on this)

- The ending is described as open ended and unresolved .


Tell me how that's an improvement. Just curious?

Improvement for who - you? We can't tell you what's an improvement for you, as you'll have your own personal criteria for enjoyment.

However those changes will almost certainly be an improvement to some people, and if those 'some people' spend more on games than the 'some people' for whom it's a step backwards then we've got no argument to fall back on. If we want something done our way then we have to prove we're worth it terms of putting food on someone's table. There's a reason The Witcher 2 CE is so expensive..

 

[DeepO]

Of course I don't have hidden data,

Thought so.

You are in some form of self denial if you think because a few here hate it that no one has tried it.

Haha, now where did this come from?
All I did was imply that the 250000 increase in 1-2 hours was artificial.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

Probably they´d just add the necessary numbers as they did in the demo download case.

No. That'd be cheap.

I rather suspect they'd been selling it as DLC - or giving it out as DLC through other channels - maybe as a special prize for the top positions of the browser game(s) ?

Probably would be sold as dlc later on.?

Probably. This is also my impression.

If horse armor could be sold ... Well, why not books as well, then ?

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

But boobs and blood are mature and dark! Like, for adults, no?

Look here :

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BloodierAndGorier
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DarkerAndEdgier
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LighterAndSofter

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RatedMForMoney
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AvoidTheDreadedGRating

If possible, read through these articles in this order.