Dragon Age - Editorials @ TenTonHammer

Dhruin

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An odd pair of Dragon Age articles have been published by MMO site TenTonHammer. First, they wonder if the "mature" content is too risky:
Just as they did with Baldur's Gate, BioWare has set out to push the envelope of possibilities further than ever before. Such bold moves are not without their inherent dangers though. In an age where the sight of an exposed nipple due to a “wardrobe malfunction” on live television not only dominated headline news for weeks, but caused parents across the nation to throw up their arms in protest, could the release of a game as brutal and gritty as Dragon Age: Origins be a risky move?
An then in a more conventional piece, they get input from Exec Producer Mark Darrah on the "philosophy" of Dragon Age:
It’s been ten years since we’ve played Baldur’s Gate II, but Darrah believes Dragon Age: Origins could hit home with those players too.

“It’s not the same game, but it still invokes the same feelings, the same depth of story and tactical element.”

And depth is a major reason players will keep coming back to a game. It’s what sets good games that trigger an emotional response apart from bland games that are forgotten five minutes after playing. So how does a developer drive an emotional response? There is a method to it, and Darrah explained.

“We tell stories that are real in a way. It’s in a fantastic environment, but it’s something you can imagine. It’s brutal, but you can imagine it really happening. I think that helps strengthen the emotions. Even though you may be suspending your disbelief by playing a dwarf, you don’t [have to try to believe] you’re a dwarf doing something really weird. What you’re doing and the experiences that are occurring seem logical. That helps anchor that emotion.”
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I don't think the interviewer plays single player RPGs.
There are currently about 70 bajillion fantasy based RPGs on the market. So, why would a developing company make another? And, why would someone make a single player fantasy-based RPG during the boom of multiplayer and massively multiplayer games? Would they be nuts? No. They’d be BioWare.
 
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Where are these magical bajillion games he's talking about? I would love to see them because normally I get to buy about 1 - 3 true RPGs a year and that is even pushing it.

Maybe he's talking about flash games and mixed it up with RPGs. I don't know how that would be possible, but unlike him I have an IQ higher than an eggplant.

So casual games are now RPGS???? That would be my only guess as to what he was thinking. Even the MMO scene isn't that big. Sure there are a few huge ones out there like WOW, but still not a bajillion rpgs or even hundreds of them.
 
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Actually their are a huge amount if you count the free to play mmorpg market. There is a very large amount out there and more come out all the time. Some of them were even pay to play mmorpgs like Dungeons and Dragons Online and The Chronicles Spellborn.

PS. If the author of the article was using mmorpgs as a basis for the comment that person needs to stop writing since mmorpgs are in it's own genre for a reason and it needs to stay like that.
 
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I played one once, but after that I always ignored those Free to Play mmos. I figured there were only a handful because I always seem to see the same free mmo ads. Color me surprised that there are more than just a few? What would be the point and more importantly how would they pay for all those differenct MMOs?

I see the point in a subscription based game, but free? I guess ads could help, but ….oh, nevermind.

That explains that remark about a bajillion rpgs and reinforces my belief that the guy has the IQ of an eggplant if he is comparing SP RPGs with MMOs.
 
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Free MMOs are only free to a certain extent. If you want to have the kewl phat armor with matching sword you can go to the in-game shop and buy it with some in-game currency that you can get by using real world money. If you want to change your looks from blond haired to brown, you can go to the in-game shop. If you want to move your character to a different server you can go to the in-game shop, etc. etc.
You can play most of the games without ever needing to use any real world money, but there are plenty of people who don't mind paying a few dollars every now and then to get something extra.
It is a very viable business model if you can attract enough players.
 
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I get it. It's like Battle Forge then. I bought that at the store, but all that basically was was a bunch of extra cards and money to spend in their shops. It's not a bad idea, but it's nothing like a SP rpg like this guy was making them out to be.
 
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Most of the f2p mmorpgs have an item mall like said above but usually you can play the games without it and most of the items just make gameplay easier or are just for visual appeal. There are many I don't like either and some cut out important elements for free players but then there are some that are very good. (especially more recently released games) There are also some styles that have little to no presence in single player rpgs like this horror mmorpg I play called requiem.

PS. I really recommend Dungeons and Dragons Online (max level is 20 and all gameplay is instanced so you play with just you and your party), Runes of Magic, (especially if you like WOW) and Dragon Sky (very good martial arts mmo with good martial arts combat) since I currently like those games the most.

PPS. They are totally different then single player rpgs and require different or a variety of tastes to enjoy.
 
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Nope, not just you. Dhruin is secretly trying to drum up more interest in D3. ;)
 
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Where are these magical bajillion games he's talking about? I would love to see them because normally I get to buy about 1 - 3 true RPGs a year and that is even pushing it.

I think he might be using exaggeration as a tool to tell what he means.

I cannot make up a better reason for this sentence.
 
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It is a very viable business model if you can attract enough players.

Oh yes, it is !

At the GamesCom i witnessed the rest of a speech about gaming-related business models ... He was talking about microtransactions through those "free" MMORPGs ... And how it pays ! It was really impressive ! I didn't believe my eyes at first sight, but the sheer amount of microtransactions just sums up !
 
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