Dragon Age 2 - Interview @ NowGamer and Gameplay Video from Igromir

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SasqWatch
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NowGamer talked with Bioware's Mike Laidlaw and then this interview went up on their website. A question about DA: Origins being a niche is answered this way:
We understand that Origins is actually BioWare’s best selling game to date. Does it annoy you then that many still refer to it as a ‘niche’ game?
Not really, since I think that Origins was a bit niche in its overall presentation. You were hit pretty early on with a lot of statistics, and I think there were number of people who were a little turned off by that element of the game. Trying to figure out if you need a high dexterity or not is a little daunting when you’ve seen nothing of the game so far.
We have done a lot of work to make the entry into DA II be smoother and friendlier. You can literally start fighting within 15 seconds of pressing the start button, and then the complexity slowly unfolds, easing you into the experience over the first bits of the game. Will that make it less niche? Hard to say, but I think it’s a better experience overall.
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In other DA 2 news, a gameplay video from Igromir Game Expo has been posted on Youtube. Apparently, the start the combat in 15 seconds seems true - at least from the way the video portrays the combat.
More information.
 
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(I think there were number of people who were a little turned off by that element of the game. Trying to figure out if you need a high dexterity or not is a little daunting when you’ve seen nothing of the game so far.)

People its called an rpg if you buy it you should know an rpg uses stats.Many rpgs that try to blend other genres get slammed because of this.
 
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This kind of stuff makes the monkey sad. :(

These are the geniuses making so-called RPGs these days.
 
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I didnt know that bioware made fighting games. This game is clearly for console kids,thats ok they can have it. Pc gets The Witcher 2 , and Grim Dawn, Age Of Decadence, Scar Of War, Diablo 3.
 
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After what I have seen in the leaked gameplay video (here) and this interview, I know what we are facing: an action heavy, hack n slash, action adventure game aimed at idiots who just want to KILL 'EM ALLL! Yeah, who needs the brains? Let's just kill 'em all!


=== Edit ===

I am quite sure I wont be playing DA2. If I want another action oriented hack n slash, there are much better titles in the market, including The Cursed Crusade which looks much more promising than DA2.

http://uk.xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/crusaders-invasion-of-constantinople/1132719p1.html
 
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I always feel old when I read news like this, even though I'm not. Figuring out a ruleset was part of the fun in RPG's for me. Some of my most gratifying moments in gaming came from games like those in 'Realms of Arkania'-series, where you really had to spend time rolling your characters and reading up on how the game made use of all those stats - before you started.

Ah well, the rise of the console-market has done great things for the graphics and pacing of games, but has a made a lot of potentially cool games quite shallow.
 
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I've got nothing good to say about this one. I hope they surprise us somehow, but from what I've seen so far I highly doubt it.
 
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Who refers to DA:O as niche?

I consider it a mainstream CRPG with some throwbacks to old-school gaming.

For the sequel, though, they're obviously throwing throwbacks out of the windows ;)
 
The quote evokes Poe's Law, I can't tell if it's satire or real.
 
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You know, I don't mind an increase in action, or more actiony combat, less stats etc.

What really turns me off about this game is the way they're telling the story. I don't think I like playing through 'what if' scenarios or replays of historical events. I want to take my character and experience a story from start to end.
 
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We understand that Origins is actually BioWare’s best selling game to date.
Click to expand...

So why the &$#$!!! go and change it? Do they really think people are morons? Clearly the game was *not* too complex for the huge number of people who bought it. I do not think it is possible to have a game that appeals to all markets - they need to make a choice: RPG or something else. I would imagine that simplification aka streamlining means that their dev cycles are shorter and they can pump out more games….my cynical mind suggests that this is what's driving all these changes.
 
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booboo said:
So why the &$#$!!! go and change it? Do they really think people are morons? Clearly the game was *not* too complex for the huge number of people who bought it. I do not think it is possible to have a game that appeals to all markets - they need to make a choice: RPG or something else. I would imagine that simplification aka streamlining means that their dev cycles are shorter and they can pump out more games….my cynical mind suggests that this is what's driving all these changes.
Click to expand...

I think they're doing the right thing, in business terms.

I have zero doubt this will sell more copies AND generate even more fans, as mainstream gamers have no expectations dealing with complex mechanics.

It will be their introduction to "deep" CRPGs.

Look to Hollywood for examples of this.

Does anyone SERIOUSLY think Avatar or Titanic are better movies than Terminator or Aliens?
 
Capt. Huggy Face said:
This kind of stuff makes the monkey sad. :(

These are the geniuses making so-called RPGs these days.
Click to expand...


yes, and its not good when monkey is sad! It looks like a cheap arcade game. To win, all you need to do is run away and shoot your spell like its an automatic rifle…

a petition should be started with the goal to make Bioware aware of what they are doing wrong. I'd rather see them stick to the old Dragon Age mechanics.
 
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DArtagnan said:
I think they're doing the right thing, in business terms.

I have zero doubt this will sell more copies AND generate even more fans, as mainstream gamers have no expectations dealing with complex mechanics.

It will be their introduction to "deep" CRPGs.

Look to Hollywood for examples of this.

Does anyone SERIOUSLY think Avatar or Titanic are better movies than Terminator or Aliens?
Click to expand...

I agree with you. The sales demographics will change slightly, but bring more money in. They will lose some of the more serious rpg fans, but make millions in sales selling to kids, etc. That game video reminds me of God of War III…
 
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Yes, this is exactly what I fear for the whole industry.

Profit-oriented, this is.
 
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Alrik Fassbauer said:
Yes, this is exactly what I fear for the whole industry.

Profit-oriented, this is.
Click to expand...

I always tend to compare game industry to film industry.

If films were 100% profit oriented we would never seen films like "Apocalypse Now" or "Godfather"

There you had on one side author that wanted to do film for sake of the "art" and producer that wanted to make film profitable.

If both just make the film for sake of profit , you get something like : Saw 3D or Expandables

...

What I fear that the "Good doctors" once made games for passion and art. But today do them only for profit.

And results are obvious.
 
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Art isn't implicitly better than profit-oriented productions.

They're simply two different things, and the appreciation for art over profit - has little or nothing to do with how intelligent you are.

Also, art can be CRAP and profit-oriented productions can be great. In my experience, the latter is rare - but it happens.

I just happen to prefer art, and I happen to lament the lack of focus on art - but I'm just one guy and I'm not entitled to art, anymore than the mainstream consumer is entitled to profit-oriented material.

Just about the only "wrong" thing I can see with non-art, is if the creators or the developers are actually working against their own desires when developing these mainstream games. That would be a huge problem.

I have a theory that some (the artistically inclined) DO work against their own best interest when developing mainstream games - but I can't prove it. It doesn't help that I suspect many artists are in denial about this.

Money simply means too much to people.
 
No thanks Bioware, If I want an action game I'll buy a shooter every time. Even if I did like rpg action games this wouldn't entice me, it looks pretty lame.
 
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