Three cheers for Bioware. Really.

There's generally a lot of spite on these boards about Bioware's direction and I'll be the first to admit to being part of that.

But, beyond all the drama, you have to ask yourself, "What would have happened to Obsidian if not for Bioware's early support w/ NWN2 and, notably, KotoR II?" Could they have become another ill-fated Troika, desperately pitching projects to publishers in a downward spiral of fiscal doom?

I was looking at a Penny arcade interview of Brian Menze and was reminded that KotoR II was their first project, given to them, for all intents and purposes, by Bioware. It really got me to thinking.

So, thank you Bioware. Thank you for Baldur's Gate and Black Isle 2.0.

I don't think people are criticizing Bioware for the previous actions. It's really just recent events around ME3 and DA2, you know. No one is saying everything Bioware did was shit. I was a fan of Bioware myself and the reason I'm more jaded is because Bioware used to be GOOD. If Bioware was shit to begin with, why should people make fuss? All in all, I say, thank you Bioware for BG series and some of the older titles, but at the same time, fuck you Bioware for the recent titles.

I think people are pissed/sad because of what Bioware have become, not what they once were.

In the last 5 years they delivered 4 games I´ve enjoyed (DA:O, ME1-3), which is more than I can say about any other developer out there .

In my book, there are two "career peaks" of Bioware - the first one being around the time BG2 was released, the second by the time DA:O and ME2 were out.
Moreover, even their latest game, ME3, contains some material that belongs to my all time favourite moments in gaming - resolution(s) to genophage and, to a slightly lesser degree, geth/quarian story arcs + some minor but really cool stuff like shooting bottles with Garrus or Conrad Verner side quest.
All in all, personally I can´t say I really mind what they "have become", though I do think they fucked themselves up with Dragon Age series.
Having a modern-yet-sorta-oldschool fantasy franchise on one hand and a cinematic streamlined action-y sci-fi one on the other seemed like a great recipe for AAA success to me, by the time both DA:O and ME2 were released.

I suspect there´s a good chance ME3 will end up being their last game I was interested in, but, well, it´s not like they´re the last remaining RPG(-ish) developer.

Anyway, cheers for BG1-2, DA:O and ME series from me (ok, for KotOR2 and especially Mask of the Betrayer too, I guess).

Originally Posted by DeepO
In the last 5 years they delivered 4 games I´ve enjoyed (DA:O, ME1-3), which is more than I can say about any other developer out there .

In my book, there are two "career peaks" of Bioware - the first one being around the time BG2 was released, the second by the time DA:O and ME2 were out.
Moreover, even their latest game, ME3, contains some material that belongs to my all time favourite moments in gaming - resolution(s) to genophage and, to a slightly lesser degree, geth/quarian story arcs + some minor but really cool stuff like shooting bottles with Garrus or Conrad Verner side quest.
All in all, personally I can´t say I really mind what they "have become", though I do think they fucked themselves up with Dragon Age series.
Having a modern-yet-sorta-oldschool fantasy franchise on one hand and a cinematic streamlined action-y sci-fi one on the other seemed like a great recipe for AAA success to me, by the time both DA:O and ME2 were released.

I suspect there´s a good chance ME3 will end up being their last game I was interested in, but, well, it´s not like they´re the last remaining RPG(-ish) developer.

Anyway, cheers for BG1-2, DA:O and ME series from me (ok, for KotOR2 and especially Mask of the Betrayer too, I guess).

MoTB is made by Obsidian .

Originally Posted by Ball_Breaker
MoTB is made by Obsidian .

So was KotOR2 . I´ve mentioned these two as a nod to the OP.

that's like saying '3 cheers for George Lucas'. Yes, he made the original trilogy, but then he also made the second trilogy, and Indiana Jones 4, so sorry, no 3 cheers from me… maybe an educated couple of claps.