Dragon Age 2 - Combat Preview @ IGN

IGN has a Comic-Con preview of Dragon Age 2's console combat (PC is meant to be different) but it was the bit on dialogue that really caught my eye:

We also got to see the new conversation system. Dialogue has been simplified so that you only have up to three choices. Each choice is represented by an icon that indicates whether or it's a "good," "nasty," or "badass" choice. Good choices are represented by an olive branch, nasty by a Greek comedy mask, and badass by a red fist. This is an easy way to gauge what response your dialogue choices will produce.

More information.

Oh, goody…

Really bad reporting from IGN. The writer saw one dialogue and assumed that was it for the entire game, when it's not at all. He also misinterpreted the icons, since that's not what they mean. There's clarification from the developers here.

Yep, just checked the forums and updated the newsbit.

It's not necessarily IGN's fault. This is what happens when marketing gets tricky - note they say they're not ready to talk about stuff, we'll talk more about this in the future and so on.

STREAMLINED! (aka Consolified)

On the side note, I do hope that console like combat is present on PC as well. But knowing BioWare, they will most likely pick the moronic path of taking it out of PC version since, you know, hack and slash is sooo hard to do with mouse and keyboard over the advanced gamepads.

wow, the more I read about the game the worse it gets. Looks like Dragon Age will be the last good rpg these guys release, all the next stuff will be "streamlined" (dumbed down and simplified) for the consoles.

Got to admit though, I bet it will outsell Dragon Age and lead to more games in this mold.

Just in case this gets missed, the newsbit has been updated as per the info in DPB's post. BioWare denies only three responses and says the icons aren't that simple.

Juba delivers some background on BioWare and explains the “considerable risk” that Origins was for the company as the “spiritual successor to Baldur’s Gate.” Although the public embraced Origins, Juba asserts that “nostalgia can only carry a series so far” and that “(BioWare’s) Edmonton studio is aware that future games in the franchise can’t endlessly go back to the well of fond memories.”

+ overpowered ingame items in DLC and for letting EA spam you + everything that was less than stellar in DA:O to begin with…

Well, I have to agree with Arkadia7. The more I read about it, the less I'm interested. Ah well, I'm sure Bio won't miss my money.

Originally Posted by Arkadia7
wow, the more I read about the game the worse it gets. Looks like Dragon Age will be the last good rpg these guys release, all the next stuff will be "streamlined" (dumbed down and simplified) for the consoles.

Got to admit though, I bet it will outsell Dragon Age and lead to more games in this mold.

They will just pump more advertising budget into it, Sure it will sell.

It really seems Dragons Age will be the last good RPG they made. And even that is a wonder - since EA got them.

I only wish for one thing. That somebody licences DAO engine. And makes another game in it.

Because as the game engine for RPGs goes. It is awesome. Shame Bioware will not make another game with it.

Oh brother! Even if I try to keep an open mind about DA2, the more I read about it, the less interested about it I get. This "streamlining" and simplifying is getting too much for me. I mean, dialogue icons now? Yeah, reading is so passe, so yesterday. Let us have icons to simplify dialogue so nobody is forced to read.

Originally Posted by Lurking Grue
Oh brother! Even if I try to keep an open mind about DA2, the more I read about it, the less interested about it I get. This "streamlining" and simplifying is getting too much for me. I mean, dialogue icons now? Yeah, reading is so passe, so yesterday. Let us have icons to simplify dialogue so nobody is forced to read.

The idea is to improve upon ME's dialogue wheel - you still get paraphrased dialogue options but the icons indicate the intent, a bit like Alpha Protocol's stance system. If it works as intended it should mean that your character won't say things you didn't want them to, which could happen in ME sometimes.

Haha, lets face it. We can all whine today but most of us will end up buying it and then secretly enjoying it. Obviously, we will continue telling the world what a crap game BioWare came up with, but secretly, most of us will goto sleep with the game.

Originally Posted by Lurking Grue
Oh brother! Even if I try to keep an open mind about DA2, the more I read about it, the less interested about it I get. This "streamlining" and simplifying is getting too much for me. I mean, dialogue icons now? Yeah, reading is so passe, so yesterday. Let us have icons to simplify dialogue so nobody is forced to read.

I fully agree. Dialog icons sound really dumb. Its indeed dissapointing to see what kind of monster bioware has become. I hoped that dragon age orgins would be a sign of better times, but sadly it didn't sell well enough so they are dumbing it down further to increase sales.

Originally Posted by Dez
I fully agree. Dialog icons sound really dumb. Its indeed dissapointing to see what kind of monster bioware has become. I hoped that dragon age orgins would be a sign of better times, but sadly it didn't sell well enough so they are dumbing it down further to increase sales.

No, it did sell VERY WELL. But, you know it's the heart of capitalism: At the end of the Quest for Money there always be the Quest for Even More Money or in other words: even more buyers.

And as long as there are no other options for us PC users to play (except for this obscure Indie stuff) we will buy it. I bought all (except for five games) CRPGs that were released since 2005 in the first three months of their release.

Originally Posted by ortucis
Haha, lets face it. We can all whine today but most of us will end up buying it and then secretly enjoying it. Obviously, we will continue telling the world what a crap game BioWare came up with, but secretly, most of us will goto sleep with the game.

Not me. I have little enough free time as it is. Maybe if I was jobless or something I would (and had any money). But as it is I have very little time for games so I am very picky about what I pick up.

I also play MMORPG which are very long lasting so I seldom have to worry about SRPG dry spells. I have always loved Bioware but even when I had them on a pedestal (which they have since been removed from) I still only brought those games I actually liked.

I loved DAO. I disliked ME1 and disliked ME2 even more - it went in the trash before I was half way done with it (literally - it went in the dumpster). I only tried both because ME1 had a sale for like $4.99 and all my BSN buddies convinced me to try ME2 … which just goes to show how subjective taste is.

I am working (used that word on purpose) hard on keeping an open mind on DA2. Every news article, however, that has come out just diminishes my enthusiasm. The only thing that still has me open-minded are all the posts from David, Mary and Craig on the BSN forums. I know a lot of the mdeia coverage is just hype and not always accurate.

Still I simply won't buy a game that doesn't interest me. If DA2 becomes as restrictive in character as ME1, ME2, and the Witcher I won't pick it up. If they manage to keep Hawke very close to being a blank slate; if the combat isn't to simplified for the console crowd, if the artwork doesn't become to Anime in style, etc. I will pick it up.

But I am a more traditional style gamer. A lot of the things the "masses" seem to dislike are just the things I do like. I read the BSN forums often - and the new direction for DA2 has a great deal of support - which tells me that Bioware is going, most likely, in the direction that the majority of people want. It also tells me I am probably just getting old because that direction is not the direction I like.

I never even tried DA:O. From what I read here I never felt an urge to. Even though most of you liked it…Same for ME 2.

Couldn't stand DA:O. It finally (finally) convinced me never to give these types of games another chance. After NWN2 and Risen (post Chapter I), I was still dumb enough to get DA:O, mostly enticed by their isometric camera option and the idea it would be as much fun as BG.

sigh

I can remember the furor at the old Bioware Boards, and the furor on the BSN boards for Dragon Age the first two-three months after its release. However, after having played the game for than 40 hours, I can safely say that I consider this game to e Bioware's finest to its day. It's a Masterpíece - in the tradition of craftsmen from ye olde times that wanted to become Master's of their Trade needed to make a Masterpiece.

This is how I feel when I play Dragon Age: Origins, everything that Bioware has learned from the past fiften 15 years, went into making Dragon Age: Origins. All the crafts, arts and talents of the Bioware devs. experiences of making games these past 15 years made it into the making of Dragon Age: Origins.

As to DA2, I've been very excited about the new narrative structure in the game as well as how the dialogue options between party members and Hawke, the pc, will be changed a bit for DA2. I have no problems with the new dialogue wheel and the way the dialogue is presented in DA2.

The only thing I've been concerned about is the combat. And how the spells and talents might be changed. But then again, I don't play Bioware games for the gameply, but for the story, dialogue and characters in their games.

Originally Posted by wolfgrimdark
But I am a more traditional style gamer. A lot of the things the "masses" seem to dislike are just the things I do like. I read the BSN forums often - and the new direction for DA2 has a great deal of support - which tells me that Bioware is going, most likely, in the direction that the majority of people want. It also tells me I am probably just getting old because that direction is not the direction I like.

I'm quite agreeing to this part of your statement.


Dragon Age and even more Mass Effect is rather increasing the hiatus between both groups very much.

On the one side - the silent, but in terms of profits highly effective mass of "solid" customers

On the other side - the loud, as a tendency rather "nerdy" and rather small group of - in terms of profits - ineffective customers


The problem for big companies like EA is, that the smaller, more "nerdy" groups tend to be much more louder than the silent, rather sheep-like mass, which represents a rather solid return of investment, and which is quite content with these games.

Small, loud, "nerdy" group = few to no good return of investment -> "loss"
Big, silent, common mass of customers = big, real, really good return of investment -> "win"

The question is : Whom do they (EA, that is) follow ?

The small but loud groups
or the silent big mass ?

What the small but loud group does, is - if unsatisfied - harm the company's reputation.

The big silent mass doesn't do it. They stay silent, because they feel content, they feel satisfied.

But this hiatus exists, and EA and others are rather increasing it.

Extremely thought, the answer already lies there. It's in the title.

It's the "Mass Effect".

Originally Posted by aries100
I can remember the furor at the old Bioware Boards, and the furor on the BSN boards for Dragon Age the first two-three months after its release. However, after having played the game for than 40 hours, I can safely say that I consider this game to e Bioware's finest to its day. It's a Masterpíece - in the tradition of craftsmen from ye olde times that wanted to become Master's of their Trade needed to make a Masterpiece.

This is how I feel when I play Dragon Age: Origins, everything that Bioware has learned from the past fiften 15 years, went into making Dragon Age: Origins. All the crafts, arts and talents of the Bioware devs. experiences of making games these past 15 years made it into the making of Dragon Age: Origins.

After the first paragraph I nearly believed you were a fanboi. But in the second one I realised the bitter sarcasm. Well done.