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Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG

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Megatherium
07/10/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
I don't if this has already been mentioned in the discussion, but it's revealed in this video that you'll have an online profile which documents not only your achievements but also which plot branches you took, etc.

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/ceo-interview-dragon-age/52538
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Marlor
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
It sounds like an expanded version of what Nethack does on a shared server. In Nethack, you can see the remains of previous players in the dungeon, especially if they ended up dying after making it to a particularly deep level. This rewards players who do well by leaving a memorial to their accomplishment, while adding a community element to the game.

I can't help but get my hopes up for Dragon Age. It seems very much like a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. Add in a touch of Nethack, and the anticipation just grows.
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UltimatePancakeSensation
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
So it's like WoW, except that when you hit the level cap and get bored you don't feel bad about quitting and leaving your guildies behind?

Sounds great!
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excaliburps
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
I'm anticipating Dragon Age simply because it's from Bioware. I admit some of the content I've seen aren't that impressive.

The graphics look like a step below what Mass Effect has done before.

With that said, I wonder if they're going through all this effort to make it online-capable, then why not just make it a co-op venture? I mean surely the option of letting someone jump-in and play as one of your party mates has crossed their minds no?

I don't use Twitter and haven't used Facebook yet as well so I really can't comment on how this will affect the game as a whole.

@Stephen Totilo: Seeing as you already played a "set" demo. Any word on when us common folk will get to play one? =D

I know the release date is for November if I'm not mistaken. But a concrete date would be nice.
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JustAnotherFan
07/09/09

@excaliburps:
October 22nd.
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excaliburps
07/09/09

@JustAnotherFan:That's the release date no? Yep. I checked and it's due on October 20th. But what about the demo? Come to think of it. The Batman game should have a demo out already as it's going to be out next month!

Ah for all my griping I'm still sure I'll get this because it's Bioware...They haven't done me wrong yet.
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(Human) Gyaruson
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
Probably something similar to Spore (which you mentioned) and it's integration with YouTube. I know that MS announced Facebook integration into their gaming, linking specific in-game actions to status updates and so forth. Maybe Games For Windows has a similar feature planned, and if so perhaps Bioware intends to make use of it.

Man, that's a lot of "if's".
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Witzbold
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
For this game I seriously might see what I can do about scraping together enough proper parts to fix this ol junker of mine to run the game...

One of the most interesting things I remember the devs talking about was the racial tensions and such that they plan to put in the game. Am curious to see how they handle that since it is a hard topic to do right.

This does sound interesting and will be having my fingers crossed that Bioware makes magic once again.
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Captain Pigeon
07/09/09

@Witzbold: Yea, It definately sounds interesting. I suppose Bioware slightly delved into racism, (well speciesism maybe?) before in Mass Effect, the turians hatred of humanity and Ashleys hatred of any aliens springs to mind.
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Sirazz
07/09/09

@Witzbold: If you haven't done so yet, you should play The Witcher, one of the only games I can think of that has racism as a big issue (Another one is Mass Effect, but less so) .
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Witzbold
07/09/09

@SegevRaz: Yeah always wanted to play The Witcher but PC couldnt handle it. :/ So was hoping for the console ver thats apparently on hold.

Yeah Mass Effect as Pigeon spoke about had it too. That was an interesting game, but I really am hoping that Dragon Age will delve into the old school bioware games in terms of depth / story / character development / the world itself. Since the console games have put a slight limit on things to some sense.

So really am hoping that there will be a huge living and breathing world where depending on the character you pick will be a different experience each time.
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Mister Jack started the Save The Lombax Foundation
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
I still can't figure this game out, and everytime they release more information all it does is make me even more confused.
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Archaotic
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
I'm really not sure where they're going with this. It seems like if implemented well, it could be really cool, but if implemened badly it could just be an annoyance. I'm not worried about the story and presentation in this game, I'm just worried about the combat. I'm really not a fan of Baldur's Gate style combat, and this REALLY reminds me of Baldur's Gate...
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ShoopDaBoofs
07/09/09

@Archaotic: If you're worried about the combat what does that have to do with this post?

Also, I guess there's nothing to potentially LOSE with the route they might be going, but who knows if there's anything to gain either. Meh, shot in the dark is worth it I s'pose.
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raffleking
07/09/09

@Archaotic: since it's a spiritual successor of sorts to Baldur's Gate, that could be what they're going for...but I see what you mean and I agree with you.

ARG! this new comment system! no me gusta!

sorry, I'll be having fits of that all day.
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Archaotic
07/09/09

@ShoopDaBoofs: I just hope they pull it all off. I loved KotOR, and I tend to hold every BioWare game I play to that standard as a measuring stick, y'know?
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phantomax
07/09/09

@Archaotic:
Too bad you don't like BG combat, cuz that's where it was heading from the start. So if it reminds you of BG combat, it's a good thing (for the rest of us).
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Archaotic
07/09/09

@phantomax: More power to you guys, too. I'm glad you enjoy that kind of stuff; I'm just not a pen and paper kind of guy, so I'll be sitting here wishing for Miyamoto's Kind Code so I don't have to sit through D&D combat when all I want to play the game for is the story, haha...
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Edited by Archaotic at 07/09/09 2:30 PM Archaotic was starred Archaotic was unstarred

raffleking
07/09/09

@Archaotic: man i just got into discussion on the success of KotOR on another board. i think bioware cannot WAIT to leave that game behind. everything they do will forever be compared to that. don't get me wrong, KotOR is a fantastic game, one of the best of a generation, but it's dead. I think development of the Old Republic MMO was kind of bioware's way of meeting KotOR's fanbase halfway. not saying you're one of those crazy KotOR fans that despises anything bioware does simply because it's not KotOR, cause you're obviously not. it's just interesting how success can end up being a weight on a developer, much like it has in other aspects of the entertainment world for years.
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Archaotic
07/09/09

@raffleking: Well, I'd like to think BioWare should be proud they managed to make a game that endured as much as KotOR did; the truth is, they just haven't made anything since then that measures up, and it's too bad. Everything they make DOES get compared to the game, but perhaps that's because they keep making games that feel like KotOR, but in a different setting. I almost think their best bet is to just make a new game in a new genre that way it CAN'T be compared.

As for the Old Republic MMO, I'm just pissed at them for abandoning the story midway through and then having the gall to charge people a subscription fee for the "privilege" to MAYBE be able to view some resolution to Revan's story in flashback form, if they feel like it. It just feels like they're rubbing salt in the wound. But we're definitely getting off-topic here. I think the idea of other players' achievements in the game being told to you in towns via rumors ("another adventurer just did this and this", etc) would be really cool, though.
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4xis.black
07/09/09

@Archaotic: As a fan of Baldur's Gate myself, I actually mark KotOR as towards the low point in Bioware's history (Jade Empire being the lowest). Once you get used to the eccentricities of the BG games, their combat proves far deeper, their environments far more fantastic, their quests greater in number and more interesting/varied in content, their characters more compelling... After they went 3D and then into the console business everything became, shall we say, more streamlined for a number of reasons.

Dragon Age was supposed to be a return to their BG roots; I suppose it is more accurate to say that they just said that in the early stages to get us BG fans interested, and proceeded to make something that wasn't really related. I wouldn't worry about it being too BG-like, frankly.
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raffleking
07/09/09

@Archaotic: Ha yeah we did get off topic. Good points though, and I agree. I just get sensitive about my Mass Effect, which someone was trash talking earlier and I was still all riled up about...

Yeah, I do like the idea of being able to track your friends achievements and the feel that there are actually other forces affecting the game that you're playing. I kind of thought that's how the "ghosts" in Fable II were going to act, but that turned out to be...how do I say...not as cool as advertised. OH, side note: KOTAKU! Not being able to shift-enter in this new comment system is wack! edit note: I misspelled Mass Effect because I'm a total idiot.
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Edited by raffleking at 07/09/09 2:41 PM raffleking was starred raffleking was unstarred

Archaotic
07/09/09

@4xis.black: Well, it's the battle system that really looks Baldur's Gate-y to me. Everything else looks like classic modern BioWare. We'll see, I don't think they've actually shown off the console versions publically yet; didn't they say something about the console versions controlling differently to the PC version or something?
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raffleking
07/09/09

@4xis.black: Eh, different strokes for different folks. I could never get into Baldur's Gate, but then again to be completely honest I didn't really try that hard. BioWare did go through a metamorphisis of sorts with KotOR, and most games since then have still retained the essence of it, which I believe is what Archaotic was talking about. I'm still officially on the sidelines for this one, watching with intense interest but still not completely convinced to throw my hat in the ring yet. Oh and PS...Jade Empire as a low point? Interesting, you're the first I've heard say that. Out of BioWare's impressive catalog it's hard to find weaknesses but I'd probably go with MDK2...
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raffleking
07/09/09

@Archaotic: Judging by what I've seen, the console versions would HAVE to control differently. Otherwise it'd just be a nightmare. Granted, this seems like the kind of game that is more at home on a PC anyways.
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Witzbold
07/09/09

@raffleking: Also if bioware does it right and gives a good editor / tools for the fans the game can do possibly excellent with mods and addons done by fans. Kinda like with NWN.
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raffleking
07/09/09

@Witzbold: Oh DAMN! Ha, good point. Totally forgot about the possibility of mods and such. Yeah, definitely a PC purchase then. Oh wait...my PC hasn't been upgraded since 2006 and would probably explode.
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Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
07/09/09

In reply to Think Of Dragon Age As A Massively Single-Player RPG
Taggart6 is drinking the blood of his enemies...XOXO
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(Human) Gyaruson
07/09/09

@TaggarT6:
Haha, Gyaruson is engaging in a lesbian rape simulator.

Wait, that would only be if it linked to FoxNews, my bad.
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Taggart6: I don't always drink beer, but when I do...
07/09/09

@Gyaruson: I think there's a facebook app for that!
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