Dragon Age - PC Delayed

[Estel]

It's interesting that you think I consider myself better than "the rest" because I don't like the current direction of the gaming industry. That's an assumption that speaks volumes about your own tolerance of the opinions of others.

When you articulate your opinion with derogatives like dumbing down for the masses than that speaks volumes to me.

What makes you thing they focus less on gameplay nowadays? That's just something you made up in you mind because you don't like the direction they are going, which is less chore more fun.

Yes, games are different than movies, they are interactive.

 

[hishadow]

What makes you thing they focus less on gameplay nowadays? That's just something you made up in you mind because you don't like the direction they are going, which is less chore more fun..

That makes no sense. WoW is the most popular game ever and it's all chore.

 

[danutz_plusplus]

That makes no sense. WoW is the most popular game ever and it's all chore.

Maybe in your opinion, which doesn't make it fact. It's just your opinion. I'll bet there are thousands of others who think differently, otherwise they wouldn't be spending hours and hours and the monthly subscription if they didn't enjoy themselves.

 

[hishadow]

Maybe in your opinion, which doesn't make it fact. It's just your opinion.

Well, everyone I've spoken to in my guild and friends in WoW ALL says it's a chore, so it's a FACT! :lol:

Anyway, it's a digression from the topic: Death to the corporate overlords of EA/Bioware!

@blatantninja: this game?

 

[blatantninja]

Yeah, take a look at the U9 fiasco to see EA's attitude to QA!!!!

Just when I had finally purged my brain of all memories of that game, you have to go and bring it all back!

 

[blatantninja]

No, we'll see a dumbed down version of BG2 - with a more accessible story and a much more streamlined gameplay. More than likely, we'll have flashing arrows pointing the way to quests and a convenient journal with polite suggestions about what we should be doing right at this very moment.

Maybe I'm confused by what you mean, but BG2's story was pretty acceptable and it had a very convenient journal with polite suggestions. No flashing quest arrows though.

Aside from the ending - I think the NWN2 OC was pretty damn good.

I loved it through Chapter 2, though I wasn't so happy with no being able to roam where ever I wanted whenever I wanted.

 

[blatantninja]

obody can tell me they'd rather have a little sprite on the screen with a text bubble above their head instead of a fully animated and articulated dialog scene.

Actually, I'd much rather have the way the scenes are done in BG2. Voice acting is still nice, but when it switches to some cinematic, it tends to annoy me.

 

[blatantninja]

@blatantninja: this game?

I have no idea what game that is.

 

[JDR13]

Maybe I'm confused by what you mean, but BG2's story was pretty acceptable and it had a very convenient journal with polite suggestions. No flashing quest arrows though.

I think he means that people expecting another BG2 are probably going to be disappointed, and I agree. BG2's story, and the entire game in general, was much more than just acceptable. Most, if not all, of Bioware's games have failed to live up to the same standard since then.

 

[Gorath]

Really? I thought KotOR was a brilliant game.

 

[JDR13]

Really? I thought KotOR was a brilliant game.

I assume you're refering to the story?

 

[Foss]

I have no idea what game that is.

Looks like Might and Magic 9 to me.

 

[DArtagnan]

When you articulate your opinion with derogatives like dumbing down for the masses than that speaks volumes to me.

It's a common enough expression that has nothing to do with the inherent value of people who don't feel like investing heavily into gaming.

You said it yourself - you don't want to "read a book" to understand the rules, which is the perception it's all about. For you, it's just about having fun - but you fail to understand that some of us consider the learning process just as fun - if not significantly MORE fun than actually playing.

The game will be dumbed down - but that doesn't mean it's meant for DUMB people - that's your misconception. It just means it's meant for the mass market consisting mainly of casuals who're not passionate about investing their energy and time into understanding the intricacies of rules and systems.

Like with anything, there are degrees of interest and it has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the value or superiority of whatever level of interest you might have. Since I don't care about cars or sports - I don't know much about them, and I don't want to spend any time learning about how my car works underneath - I just want it to drive and nothing more. That doesn't mean I'm an idiot or of lower worth - it's just that I'm not passionate about cars.

Get it?

What makes you thing they focus less on gameplay nowadays? That's just something you made up in you mind because you don't like the direction they are going, which is less chore more fun.

No, it's based on my experience with the past and present of the gaming industry. You pick up a few things after 27 years of being passionate about the whole thing. It used to be about challenging the player and evolving the genres - and now it's about fast-food entertainment that won't frustrate the players and most definitely won't require a significant investment beyond representing the illusion of challenge.

Yes, games are different than movies, they are interactive.

That's the point, yeah.

 

[DArtagnan]

Really? I thought KotOR was a brilliant game.

Agreed - the last masterpiece from Bioware.

That said, it also represented the first clear step away from the hardcore market to the mass market.

But it stands as proof that you CAN target a large audience and yet retain a measure of creative integrity.

 

[Dhruin]

I didn't think KotOR was that great. If KotOR is a "masterpiece" I'm not really sure what dumbing down you think DA will suffer from in comparison.

That said, your comments about EA are spot on - why would they pay serious attention to a hardcore RPG? I'll be fascinated to see how this all plays out.

 

[Gorath]

I didn't think KotOR was that great. If KotOR is a "masterpiece" I'm not really sure what dumbing down you think DA will suffer from in comparison.

I doubt DA will be as mainstream as KotOR.

That said, your comments about EA are spot on - why would they pay serious attention to a hardcore RPG? I'll be fascinated to see how this all plays out.

Because EA sees Bethesda's sales numbers and knows how many units Bio has moved in the past, often through 2nd rate publishers. I don't see a reason why Bio & EA shouldn't be able to do what Bethesda & Ubi did.

 

[txa1265]

Agree - I love KotOR, but it is a pretty mainstream game.

 

[Squeek]

The characteristic that describes KOTOR best, IMO, is that it's fun. It's a particularly fun game to play.

 

[Dhruin]

I doubt DA will be as mainstream as KotOR.

Then DArtagnan shouldn't worry about DA, since he thinks the former is a masterpiece and dumbing down is a major concern.

Because EA sees Bethesda's sales numbers and knows how many units Bio has moved in the past, often through 2nd rate publishers. I don't see a reason why Bio & EA shouldn't be able to do what Bethesda & Ubi did.

The following shouldn't be taken as an attack on Bio - I'm not suggesting they don't have fantastic sales.

Why shouldn't they do Bethsoft numbers? Because they haven't done those numbers for a while, and even then only when you look at long-term numbers across multiple skus (expansions etc).

I'm not sure which numbers you mean but I assume you mean Atari as the 2nd rate publisher (because their more recent partners have been Microsoft, then LucasArts, aside from PC ports which would account for a few hundred thousand)? If so, we're talking about NWN in 2003, which has sold 3M across all skus.

KotOR has lifetime sales of 3M...with arguably the biggest IP in the world.

The first shipping sell-in for Fallout 3 was 4.5M. Yes, I know sell-in and sell-through are different but I'm pretty sure that FO3 will comfortably surpass Bio's best seller and much faster. You have to add every Baldur's Gate sku to come up with 5M lifetime sales and that's a long time back.

Perhaps the multiplatform release of DA will bring bigger results but I don't see solid evidence of getting Bethsoft numbers. Of course, I haven't seen the game - maybe it is that good or maybe my data is wrong.

Or maybe Riccitello needs to justify the ridiculous price they paid, in light of mounting poor EA results.

 

[JDR13]

I didn't think KotOR was that great. If KotOR is a "masterpiece" I'm not really sure what dumbing down you think DA will suffer from in comparison.

Thank you! I get so tired of hearing "KotOR roolz, it's da best evar!!"

I doubt DA will be as mainstream as KotOR.

I hope you're right.