Dragon Age 2 - Interview @ VG Daily

[Dhruin]

Video Games Daily has an interview with BioWare "Development Manager" Robyn Theberge to discuss the PC version of Dragon Age 2. I'm not familiar with Robyn but the article still left me unclear as to exactly how much the PC version has changed. A lengthy snip:

Hi Robyn. This might not be the best way to start the interview, but what do you think of Fable 3?
You know what, I haven’t played it!
I just ask because BioWare seems to be heading in a very Lionhead-ish direction with its RPGs – the key features haven’t so much been changed as “digested”, arranged in a more intuitive way. How far do you think you can follow that approach before the underlying complexity of your game suffers?
We’ve kept a lot of those core values, especially on PC. On consoles, we’ve definitely moved into more of an action-based RPG just so, you know, we’re going to quarry that line, between the core group and the [casual] people. We want to sell videogames. We want to appeal to as many people as possible. And that was one thing with our feedback – we have forums, we have a ton of great fans and we definitely listen to them, and respond to their desires and what they’d like to see, what direction they’d like to go in. And that’s where a lot of the key changes that we’ve made to Dragon Age 2 have come from.
How severe are the differences between console and PC versions?
You still have the full tactical menu on the console and the ability to switch between party members – put them on the enemy over here, and then you’re going to attack this person. They’ll follow all your commands – you can think like a general but you can fight like a SPARTAN now too on the console.
I think there’s just more variation now between PC and console on Dragon Age 2. I didn’t work on Origins so I can’t speak to their decision-making on that. But on Dragon Age 2 they just wanted to appeal to more people, add more combat in for those who wanted it, keep the tactics for people who loved the game and loved that about our games, but take it to another level as well.

More information.

 

[Zerotown]

Bioware needs to start taking urine tests from their employees...

 

[Couchpotato]

In the words of the godfather your dead to me bio-ware dead.

 

[Thrasher]

Bioware needs to start taking urine tests from their employees…

LOL! So true. What planet did she drop in from?

 

[rich ruffo]

WTF is she talking about . What did you think of Dragon Age ? You know what, i dont even play games !

 

[pox67]

I think the staff at Bioware have been body snatched by EA. It was bound to happen but quite funny when they release interviews like this one.

 

[skavenhorde]

But on Dragon Age 2 they just wanted to appeal to more people,

I have no hope what-so-ever for DA2.

 

[Couchpotato]

Alright after all the info and previews it looks like bioware basically put all there time in the console release.They succeed for the console version were terrible.Lets face the facts there are more sales in the console side than pc.There is only four months left and I have yet to see any pc info or footage.The changes were made for sales thats all.Its amazing how a company can say the first game was garbage despite sales.But then again most of the team on part 2 had nothing to do with the first one.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

What is going on here? Bioware seems to be stopping just short of saying "We are sorry we have made RPG's so far. We are aware y'all would rather play God of War clones", in just about every interview they make lately.

 

[DArtagnan]

I'm starting to suspect this is all a console-oriented marketing campaign.

We might be surprised to discover that the PC version is more like the first game than we actually think, but that they're ignoring "core" fans completely in terms of their public relations.

It would make sense, because that's how they apparently succeeded with the first game - with those absolutely dreadful trailers and what not.

Why care about telling core gamers they'll be happy? They'll buy it anyway.

Not saying it won't be "dumbed down" - because that's obviously what Bioware is all about these days, but I'm starting to suspect that most of the things we've heard are specifically about the console version. Except the terrible changes regarding the forced protagonist.

I kinda saw this before the release of DA:O - where I was puzzled as to why they'd accept a console version of DA:O that hadn't been tailored to the masses. I really didn't think they'd be willing to take that chance. They did, and I was rather amazed that they didn't optimise the console version to match their greed.

I guess they finally realised they'd have to make a greater effort to generate more money.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

They’ll follow all your commands – you can think like a general but you can fight like a SPARTAN now too on the console.

Uh ? War and action ? Again ?


And I just had a thought ... Could it be that console sales go up, because PC gamers do "vote with their wallets" for awful decisions which the makers interpret as "there be pirates" ?

 

[DPB]

But then again most of the team on part 2 had nothing to do with the first one.

90% of the DA2 team worked on DAO.

 

[azarhal]

Uh ? War and action ? Again ?

And I just had a thought … Could it be that console sales go up, because PC gamers do "vote with their wallets" for awful decisions which the makers interpret as "there be pirates" ?

Did you see the "now too" on the quote. The combat stuff isn't about the PC version. Actually, most of the marketing isn't about the PC version, for the simple reason that the game haven't changed that much on that platform. DA:O was BioWare best seller so far, but the general response was: combat is too slow, graphics aren't that good. So the sequel got faster combat and different graphics.

Beside more responsiveness and some new abilities/animations on all versions of the game, they changed the combat the most on the consoles and created a new UI just for them. Combat is the same on the PC, beside the faster pace (which is just new animations and better responsiveness to the player's orders).

There is a few differences from DA:O gameplay, see this thread on the official forum to find them. Watch out for "spoilers".

 

[Maylander]

I agree with DArtagnan. I feel the same way regarding the DA2 marketing that I did regarding the DA1 marketing - they're obviously not targeting the existing fan base; they're trying to reach new people.

I'll be grabbing DA2 simply because DA1 was excellent.

 

[Couchpotato]

90% of the DA2 team worked on DAO.

I will have to disagree there is a new lead artist and new Lead desinger that is one of the reasons for the change.The team is different than the ones who made the first game.

 

[DPB]

I will have to disagree there is a new lead artist and new Lead desinger that is one of the reasons for the change.The team is different than the ones who made the first game.

Those people are not new to the company, they're Bioware veterans and they're credited on the staff for DAO. Matthew Goldman even worked on BG2 and was the Art Director for Throne of Bhaal. Changes like this happen all the time, for example most of the leads on The Witcher aren't there for the sequel.

 

[Lemonhead]

I'm starting to suspect this is all a console-oriented marketing campaign.

We might be surprised to discover that the PC version is more like the first game than we actually think, but that they're ignoring "core" fans completely in terms of their public relations.

It would make sense, because that's how they apparently succeeded with the first game - with those absolutely dreadful trailers and what not.

Why care about telling core gamers they'll be happy? They'll buy it anyway.

Not saying it won't be "dumbed down" - because that's obviously what Bioware is all about these days, but I'm starting to suspect that most of the things we've heard are specifically about the console version. Except the terrible changes regarding the forced protagonist.

I kinda saw this before the release of DA:O - where I was puzzled as to why they'd accept a console version of DA:O that hadn't been tailored to the masses. I really didn't think they'd be willing to take that chance. They did, and I was rather amazed that they didn't optimise the console version to match their greed.

I guess they finally realised they'd have to make a greater effort to generate more money.

I hope you're right.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

I agree with DArtagnan. I feel the same way regarding the DA2 marketing that I did regarding the DA1 marketing - they're obviously not targeting the existing fan base; they're trying to reach new people.

This makes sense. Thank you.

 

[skavenhorde]

I'm starting to suspect this is all a console-oriented marketing campaign.

We might be surprised to discover that the PC version is more like the first game than we actually think, but that they're ignoring "core" fans completely in terms of their public relations.

It would make sense, because that's how they apparently succeeded with the first game - with those absolutely dreadful trailers and what not.

Why care about telling core gamers they'll be happy? They'll buy it anyway.

Not saying it won't be "dumbed down" - because that's obviously what Bioware is all about these days, but I'm starting to suspect that most of the things we've heard are specifically about the console version. Except the terrible changes regarding the forced protagonist.

I kinda saw this before the release of DA:O - where I was puzzled as to why they'd accept a console version of DA:O that hadn't been tailored to the masses. I really didn't think they'd be willing to take that chance. They did, and I was rather amazed that they didn't optimise the console version to match their greed.

I guess they finally realised they'd have to make a greater effort to generate more money.

LOL, just when I gave up any hope you come along and offer some up again Seems like a role reversal from the last interview. I was somewhat apologetic for the poor girl and you were ready to rip the head off of Bioware's PR department or that girl whichever came first Now I'm disgusted with what I'm hearing and you actually made a logical argument that it might not be as bad as we think.

I swear to god I have entered Bizarro land. You're offering up hope, Bethesda (with Obsidians help) is offering up a damn fine rpg experience and I'm ready to dismiss Bioware......

I fully expect to wake up on a square planet tomorrow

 

[DArtagnan]

LOL, just when I gave up any hope you come along and offer some up again Seems like a role reversal from the last interview. I was somewhat apologetic for the poor girl and you were ready to rip the head off of Bioware's PR department or that girl whichever came first Now I'm disgusted with what I'm hearing and you actually made a logical argument that it might not be as bad as we think.

I swear to god I have entered Bizarro land. You're offering up hope, Bethesda (with Obsidians help) is offering up a damn fine rpg experience and I'm ready to dismiss Bioware……

I fully expect to wake up on a square planet tomorrow

Hehe, there's a difference between lamenting the heading of Bioware and wanting to rip their heads off

I tell myself I understand what they're about, but I'm not entitled to anything - so I would never really hold it against them. I'm just really sad that they've turned into this greed machine.

But, reading between the lines, it seems they're keeping much of the core game intact for the PC. Not because they particularly care about core gamers, but because there's really no business sense in messing with the established PC version.

What I'm hearing, is telling me they've divided the console audience and the PC audience into two QUITE distinct groups, and that's why I think we MIGHT be "lucky" and get a relatively deep CRPG experience afterall.

However, it will never EVER be anything like a proper Baldur's Gate sequel - but then, I don't think DA:O was that either.

Still, there's no way around the forced protagonist and the careless "doing away" with the racial choices. That's still a kick in the nuts for fans - but it might not be enough to push them away.

Based on how Mass Effect 2 was received, it seems most fans are quite happy with playing a movie with some stats, regardless of Bioware's past designs. Not I, mind you, but most core fans seem to think it was a great game.