BioWare - James Ohlen Leaves for D&D

Silver · July 13, 2018

James Ohlen has left Bioware to develop modules for Dungeons and Dragons. His new passion is a publishing venture called Arcanum Worlds. The first project is a hardcover sourcebook for fifth edition called Odyssey of the Dragon Lords.

Our first project is a hardcover sourcebook for the fifth edition of the world's greatest roleplaying game. This epic adventure is set in a fantasy world inspired by Ancient Greek mythology.

Even the gods are bound by oaths and prophecies...

At the dawn of time, a war between gods and titans left the landscape of Thylea forever changed. Thousands of years later, the first mortals arrived by ship and by dragon.

The Dragonlords were the champions who threw down the titans 500 years ago and forged the Oath of Peace. But the power of the oath has waned, and the titans seek vengeance.

You are one of the heroes called by prophecy to end this conflict once and for all. Poets will sing of your exploits for centuries to come... if you survive to tell the tale.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The first book I'm working on is called Odyssey of the Dragonlords. I'm working on it with another former Creative Director from BioWare - Jesse Sky. Plus a mystery writer that I've worked with before https://t.co/uhUqy4Y6rf

— James Ohlen (@JamesOhlen) July 12, 2018

[/quote]More information.

Darth Tagnan · July 13, 2018

Working for EA isn't the heavenly task it's cracked up to be, huh?

Hastar · July 13, 2018

Good to see him working on D&D. I've been having a blast playing 5th edition and will check out his work when it's released. With how popular 5th edition is, I think it's time we have a new crpg based on the 5th edition rules. Character creation and advancement would be fantastic.

Get off your ass Wizards of the Coast and take a chance

joxer · July 13, 2018

Never heard of him. I guess shifting Business to mmos and phones is not everyone's dream job.

purpleblob · July 13, 2018

joxer said:
Never heard of him. I guess shifting Business to mmos and phones is not everyone's dream job.

He was the director for BG2 according to wiki:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur's_Gate_II:_Shadows_of_Amn

joxer · July 13, 2018

One hit wonder.

azarhal · July 13, 2018

joxer said:
Never heard of him. I guess shifting Business to mmos and phones is not everyone's dream job.

You never heard of the lead designer/director for BG1, BG2 (also narrative lead for these two, it's based on his high school D&D campaign) and core designer for NWN/KOTOR, first director on DAO, director of SWTOR and the studio Director of Design on pretty much all the other games?

My hypothesis that people believe games are only made by developers with active twitter account is increasing…a lot.

I personally always considered James Ohlen to be the person behind all their core design choices of the last 22 years at BioWare, both narratively and gameplay-wise. I've been waiting for him to leave for a while now.

joxer · July 13, 2018

azarhal said:
You never heard of the lead designer/director for BG1, BG2 (also narrative lead for these two, it's based on his high school D&D campaign) and core designer for NWN/KOTOR, first director on DAO, director of SWTOR and the studio Director of Design on pretty much all the other games?

See, when something happens like "director of SWTOR", my brain instadeletes all previous entries. Not interested in sith turncoats. I'm sure to swtor fans he's a hero. To me he's zero.

azarhal said:
I personally always considered James Ohlen to be the person behind all their core design choices of the last 22 years at BioWare, both narratively and gameplay-wise.

So, the stupid ME2 sonar and it's retarded "evolutions" in ME3 then in DA:I is his core design choice? Now he's out of Bioware, I can only say good riddance.

Carnifex · July 13, 2018

Another rat flees the sinking and ugly ship for distant shores!!! Working for the D&D franchise is certainly a huge step up from the drek that is Electronic Arts these days, that's for certain.

you · July 13, 2018

So first you jump to conclusions then you are a nasty bugger off those baseless conclusions. At least he contributed quit a bit of innovation to his field. Can you say the same?

joxer said:
So, the stupid ME2 sonar and it's retarded "evolutions" in ME3 then in DA:I is his core design choice? Now he's out of Bioware, I can only say good riddance.

azarhal · July 13, 2018

joxer said:
So, the stupid ME2 sonar and it's retarded "evolutions" in ME3 then in DA:I is his core design choice? Now he's out of Bioware, I can only say good riddance.

The sonar was not a core design element.

I was more talking about
- co-op: all the games he was director/lead designer on had it (BG1, BG2, NWN, SWTOR and the cancelled Shadow Realms…he also worked on Anthem but I don't know on what capacity) outside of DAO (he left that behind in 2006 to work on SWTOR).
- the open-worldish design was present on all the games he worked on and released and those maps became larger after he became the studio Director of Design full time post-SWTOR.
- all their stories focusing on "you must be the most badass heroic person ever!"

Ovenall · July 13, 2018

Odyssey of the Dragon Lords

So they put a high school sophomore in charge of coming up with title names, I see.

Hastar · July 13, 2018

Ovenall said:
Odyssey of the Dragon Lords

So they put a high school sophomore in charge of coming up with title names, I see.

Coming up with fantasy names and titles is getting harder and harder. With all the books, movies, TV shows, video games and table top games out there. Making my own campaigns can be hard to come up with something new and original.

I came up with some decent names back in the day but thinking of new ones is hard.

Bion-first and favorite cleric.
Graylander-favorite cavalier.
Vortex-first magic-user.
Tallor-favorite druid.

Lately I use names like Blade Dancer and Timelord because I can't think of anything original

And why in the hell are all my archers named Bullseye.

Ephiron · July 13, 2018

I was hoping Bioware could make a comeback with the next Dragon Age after the failure-to-be Anthem, but it's looking more and more bleak.

Couchpotato · July 13, 2018

So another old timer leaves BioWare, but I have say after twenty+ years I would want to leave a job also. So here's a toast to good luck with his new job.

Now I have to ask how many old timers are left at BioWare nowadays?

azarhal · July 13, 2018

Couchpotato said:
Now I have to ask how many old timers are left at BioWare nowadays?

You mean with 20+ years of services? I know of 3 (Mark Darrah, Lukas Kristjanson, David Falkner). There might be a few more, it's hard to track the ME3 team that was moved to Anthem, it's not like everyone is super public about where they work or their project and if they leave.

Also, most of Shattered Steel and BG1 staff never worked on any other BioWare games going by their game credits and BioWare was like sub-100 developers until 2006 and the Austin expansion, so the "old timer" group has always been a small chunk of the total BioWare employees. I think they have over 400 devs now.

rjshae · July 13, 2018

The great thing about retirement is being able to return to those elements of your earlier years that you enjoyed so much, but had to set aside. I hope he has a blast.

Mosaic · July 13, 2018

This is the nerd's equivalent of retiring to work on old cars. I am a little envious and hope he does well in his venture.

BoboTheMighty · July 14, 2018

Twenty years is pretty damn long in one place and the guy deserved some rest. Odd, I always expect BW retirees to go into writing romance novels.

Darth Tagnan · July 14, 2018

Don't know much about Ohlen, but veteran developers aren't the only ones with talent.

Young ones can be talented, too - and they tend to have more drive.

It really all comes down to being able to be creative within your own realm - without feeling like someone else is working against you.

Bioware - in anything but name - has been gone for many years. I know some fans are still going to be upset every time this is confirmed, I just don't - personally - see a reason to dwell on it.

I'd rather focus on possibilities and what good may come yet. There's still a certain paradigm and tradition within the Bioware name - and if you enjoy that, and they manage to continue along those lines, we could still have great games.

Of course, with EA and their rigid business-oriented mindset - it's not incredibly likely, but we've seen very good games come out under their control.

Well, I personally really enjoyed DA:I and ME1, ME2 and Andromeda.

I'd much rather get excited about the potentially bright future than dwell on something that's never - ever - coming back.

BioWare - James Ohlen Leaves for D&D

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