Dragon Age - Single-player Only

Dhruin

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I thought this was established but Lucky Day points out a (now) loooong thread on the Dragon Age forums about multiplayer. Fortunately, Chris Priestly provides a succinct answer:
Dragon Age: Origins is a single player game.
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More information.
 
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Excellent! Having a multiplayer component is so much the norm these days, that I cannot help but feel that it takes the devs' time away from polishing the single player component.
 
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Humm, I thought the majority of mods created in such games were multiplayer mods. Sounds a bit strange to have a toolset but no multiplayer support?

Personally I'd prefer if they focused exclusively on the single player experience, and skip the entire toolset and multiplayer component, but if they're going to have one, I see no reason not to have the other.
 
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Humm, I thought the majority of mods created in such games were multiplayer mods. Sounds a bit strange to have a toolset but no multiplayer support?

When I used to download them, most of the Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2 mods were focusing on the singleplayer aspect, and these two games probably compare best to Dragon Age. Unfortunately, I can not really check the numbers right now, since nwvault.com seems to be down atm.

In any case, I am quite happy with a singleplayer only game and mods - given the vast amount of MMORPGs on the market, my need for multiplayer is definitely satiated. The singleplayer mods for NWN on the other hand provided a fresh experience that multiplied the game's value for me by many times.
 
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Humm, I thought the majority of mods created in such games were multiplayer mods.

Do Singleplayers draw advantages from Multiplayer mods ?
 
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I generally thought mods were made by MP players for MP players, and since all those MP players won't even touch Dragon Age, they certainly won't be making any mods either.

At least, I was under the impression that most serious mod makers (not counting the huge mod projects that never get completed) were MP players.
 
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I think this is a wise decision by Bioware. As other developers focus more and more on multiplayer, Bioware's niche as a developer or single-player, story and dialog-driven games becomes stronger and stronger.
 
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This sits well with me. As someone that generally only gets and hour or two at a time to play games, MP really holds nothing for me.
 
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I'm the kind of person who thinks cooperative gameplay - when done right - enhances my enjoyment of most games by a factor of ten. I felt that way about Neverwinter Nights, Diablo, Icewind Dale, Dungeon Siege, and many others.

When I heard about this a while ago, my interest went from very high to very low.

I realise that I'm in a minority, but the funny thing is that most gamers in my circle feel exactly the same way. Maybe it's a cultural thing?

I know that in Denmark, being a relatively small place, it's not uncommon to have LAN setups with friends. Getting some PCs in a car and driving for 15-20 minutes is all it takes in most cases. I wonder if the short distance is a factor.

Maybe I'm imagining a difference, but it really seems like the average US gamer doesn't care about LAN or multiplayer in CRPGs - unless we're talking MMOs. I don't know, but I know that playing with your friends - next to each other - is typically a LOT more fun than playing against the computer or some strangers online.

It's unfortunate for someone such as myself, because the trend is definitely MMO or singleplayer for PC CRPGs.

Sad...
 
I like the concept of cooperative play. When NWN first came out, my roommate and I played a few times on our network. But I just don't have the time to put into anymore.
 
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I think this is a good thing too. I enjoy co-operative play, but I don't spend anything like as much time playing co-operatively as I do playing single player, consequently I'll buy more single player games than co-op ones.

As with coyote, in my experience the vast majority of uses of the toolset for NWN/2 were for single player or single-playable mods, which have a far larger market than multiplayer. The fact that it is relatively easy for most designs to have a module also be playable multiplayer meant that we could put out mods that were designed for single player, and likely to be played single player, as multiplayer possible for anyone who wanted to try it like that.

PWs are the only really multiplayer mods, and they are in such a minority compared to other mods.
 
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Well I am danish aswell.
And I know I am going to play Diablo 3 co-op most likely.
But I play singleplayer alot more and I tend to enjoy the RPGs without co-op more than games with it. So thats a factor aswell. That they might be able to make a better singleplayer game without including multyplayer than if they did include it. And I rather want that.
 
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When I was commenting in Bioware's Toolset thread I got two people commenting on the game being SP in response.

There had been no formal announcement made so I googled it and found that bit in that thread. The fact had been gleaned from a Podcast, and Chris Priestly confirmed it.

Let me just say here and now I am greatly disappointed.

I have zero interest in Bio's new IP and I was seriously hoping to build the PW I couldn't do with NWN2.

Yes, it was multiplayer that drove the success of NWN when it was long past its prime when it had a lousy OC. NWN2 had good initial sales thanks to its OC but its unfriendly MP and toolset options have robbed it of its potential. One should remember that it was lack of a MP component in Plane Scape that hurt its sales.
 
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I don't see how ones interest in a good singleplayer experience can just drop off the face of the Earth just because it doesn't have multiplayer. A seemingly good story with seemingly interesting NPCs set in a new setting is reason enough to be interested imo. If multiplayer is that important, then maybe people are not looking for an rpg, but something else.
 
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And you've heard this from where exactly?

I'm having difficulty finding the many sources that concluded this from 7 and 8 years ago but a quick google finds tons of comments in defense of its lack of multiplayer, showing it was indeed an issue just before and after release. There is no question of its poor initial sales: word of mouth and a longevity finally made up for it.

If I run into one of the reviews that said this again in the next short while I'll be sure to post it. Be sure you are not just being defensive because you liked the game so much. I liked it too for the most part.

I don't see how ones interest in a good singleplayer experience can just drop off the face of the Earth just because it doesn't have multiplayer. A seemingly good story with seemingly interesting NPCs set in a new setting is reason enough to be interested imo. If multiplayer is that important, then maybe people are not looking for an rpg, but something else.

As I said, so far I have zero interest in the Single Player aspect of this game. Its far too generic a setting as well as the so called "mature" nature of the game has turned me off of it. I didn't buy the Witcher, I doubt I'll buy this. We'll see when the time comes though.

So multiplayer then was going to be my only reason to buy it. I worked with a PW on NWN for years, running it for almost 2. What you could with NWN was simply amazing. I didn't complete one of the OC's with it. I was hoping to get the spiritual successor to NWN without the problems of NWN2. If I wanted to mod a single player only game, I just work with Oblivion.

---

I found a good link from Gamebanshee that goes into the detail of what David Gaider actually said in that Podcast and why their was the decision not to do it.

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/static/EkEZuZZFEuKfwVRvAZ.php
 
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One should remember that it was lack of a MP component in Plane Scape that hurt its sales.

I would disagree with this completely. BG had MP but it never seemed more than a nitch group that played it as such. I avoided Ps:T because:

1) I had not idea what Planescape was
2) The Box art didn't compel me to even look at it (Yeah, I know he was the main character, but that dude was UGLY)
3) I had to search to even find a review of it at the time.

I'm having difficulty finding the many sources that concluded this from 7 and 8 years ago but a quick google finds tons of comments in defense of its lack of multiplayer, showing it was indeed an issue just before and after release. There is no question of its poor initial sales: word of mouth and a longevity finally made up for it.

I don't doubt that there were people online complaining about it, but MP was still a pretty niche area when this was released (1997?) . For the average player, it was just lack of a compelling reason to buy it and lack of familiarity with the setting.
 
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...For the average player, it was just lack of a compelling reason to buy it and lack of familiarity with the setting.

No argument there is that was one of the other reason cited for poor sales.

Not coincidentally, this is why also Bio's DA IP is so generic. They will have dwarves, and classes, and all sorts the same fantasy features that previous game buyers have bought.
 
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Was glad to hear this. Seems like a glut of MMO games these days and would prefer a good solid SP game for a change without having the MMO aspect. I get plenty of social activity with folks away from the computer. Sometimes I just like to escape into a good game without worrying about personalities, diplomacy, compromises, commitment or any other things that playing with others can bring. When I feel like being social in a game MMO meets that just fine - local or long distance.

Having played all the NWN games (1, 2 and expansions) I enjoyed them all as single player. I also enjoyed many of the mods and thought that there was a lot of good ones aimed at SP. Still seems like the PW and MMO aspect in NWN is somewhat a niche.
 
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