Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

[Mar 19, 2012, 8:00 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

A BioWare Social Network post from BioWare's Mark Darrah where the Executive Producer on Dragon Age II explains the team is moving past DA2 and on to "the next phase of Dragon Age’s future" (thanks GameInformer). Here's word:

And finally, while we will still be keeping an eye out for any issues that might crop up in DAII and supporting the community should any emergencies should arise, we’re moving the entire team’s focus to the next phase of Dragon Age’s future.

You’ve most certainly heard the rumors floating around, and unfortunately I can’t really comment on them. However, what I can say is that we’ve been thinking a lot about Dragon Age – what it means, and where it could go. This past year, we’ve spent a lot of time both going back to the “BioWare vault” of games and re-examining them, and looking at some new possibilities that today’s industry allows.

With that, the next thing for the Dragon Age team members and I to do is hear from you, and not just on the forums, or Facebook, or Twitter. We’ll be attending a number of conventions and gatherings, including PAX East in April. The most valuable thing we can get out of those meetings is to hear from you on those same topics – what does Dragon Age mean to you, and where would you like to see it go? We’re excited to hear what you have to say!

On behalf of the entire team, we are incredibly eager to reach the moment when we can tell you more and show you where we are taking Dragon Age. But for now, thank you for your continued support, and we will be back here with more as soon as we can.

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61 Replies. 4 pages. Viewing page 3.
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21.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 22:19

Creston

Dades wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 22:02: Laidlaw already says they won't ditch voiced protagonist, off to a great start listening to the fans. Laidlaw is what you'd end up with if you gave Mac Walters a lobotomy. Creston

20.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 22:17

Creston

Hey, look. EAware doesn't want people to keep complaining about the Mass Effect endings, so here's another distraction! And one in which they promise to listen to the fans, no less. They are running the Marketing 101 playbook step by step. Creston

19.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 22:10

Kastagir

Every time they bring up the "BioWare vault" I cringe. I didn't play DA2 after the demo, but they never fixed DA:O and it's been abandoned for quite a while now. They screwed over DA:O fans with DA2 and are now in PR damage control mode over ME3. Why oh why would I trust them to do DA3 right? Their first step would be to fire a lot of people, starting with Laidlaw and his "awesome button." Whenever I see a thread that asks "What do you want to see in Dragon Age 3?" I always respond with "Another developer's name on the box."

18.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 22:08

Scottish Martial Arts

Paketep wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 21:14: EA killed Bioware. They just don't know it yet. Nah, Bioware was never very good to begin with, especially post Baldur's Gate 2. Baldur's Gate 2 is easily their best game, and despite its weaknesses, I'd even go so far to call it a great game. But what made it great? It was the encounter, quest, and dungeon design. Baldur's Gate II was just filled with hours upon hours of really solid, consistent, B+ content, supported by great game mechanics. The actual story wasn't that great, and many of the characters were just obnoxious, but boy was Baldur's Gate II fun to play. Fast forward to Neverwinter Nights, and what do you get? A narrative focused game, with terrible encounters, quests, and dungeons. "Let's stick the player in a cave with 20 goblins -- THAT will be fun!" seemed to be the operative content design principle. Meanwhile, the writing was still a mess and wasn't enough to carry the game. KOTOR was an improvement over NWN in both narrative and actual content, but the simple reality was that the content was poorly designed and bereft of tactics, and the narrative and characters, aside from the shock of the BIG TWIST, were pretty lackluster. It didn't help that they borrowed the same narrative structure (find four macguffins to stop an ancient evil) and characters (Aribeth and Bastila are the same fucking character) from NWN. In fact, that reuse of characters and plot structure from game to game has come to define everything Bioware has done post-BG2. If you continue the analysis whith each of Bioware's subsequent games you keep finding the same problems -- focus on a fanfiction quality narrative supported by lackluster content, reusing the same stock characters and plot devices from game to game. The only real innovation that Bioware has brought to their formula in the decade since NWN is gay romances. But if that's all you have to sell your game, titillating the lesbian fantasies of your virginal fanbase, that speaks volume of how little you know about actually designing a compelling game. Now with DA2 and ME3, Bioware has finally gotten so self indulgent with their writing, and so lazy with their content design, that even their most dedicated fans are starting to wake up and see them for what they are: a pretty mediocre developer.

17.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 22:03

venomhed

This series turned out to be like a D&D Star Trek, super gay and trying to use modern themes in a fantasy setting. Lame.

16.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 22:02

Dades

Laidlaw already says they won't ditch voiced protagonist, off to a great start listening to the fans.

15.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 21:55

CythrawL

Bullfrog..... Once great, bought by EA, turned to shit.. Now no more Westwood Studios.... Once great, bought by EA, turned to shit.. Now no more.. Looking Glass Studios... Once great, bought by EA, turned to shit.. Now no more... Origin Systems... Once great, bought by EA, turned to shit, now lives on as a hideous Storefront in name only.. Bioware is next on the Once great, turned to shit and now no more list.. Oh well.... When will these developers EVER learn... Oh right.. the promise of a shit-ton of money will make even the mighty fall... EA had better keep their filthy shit covered mitts away from the likes of CD Projeckt Red etc...

14.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 21:55

Cutter

wtf_man wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 20:32:
DA 3 Maximus Consolitus, with Forced Origin sign ups.

No Thanks.

Yeah, unfortunately that's probably the size of it. I wasn't impressed with DA anyway and even less so with DA2 - though I did like the Qunari and believe it would be cool seeing a game focused on them. That aside, my faith in Bioware started going down the moment EA acquired them and they really haven't done anything to make me believe I was wrong in feeling that way. I really can't see it changing now. They're just too large and it's all about the money for them now.




"Peter, breakfast for dinner is anarchy!" - Lois

13.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 21:50

RollinThundr

ochentay4 wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 21:46: Icewind wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 21:13: Loving the comments here so far. Glad everyone is waking up to this. I walked away from BioWare back when they released Mass Effect 2, which was an absolute piece of crap in every way, shape and form. DA2 was just the icing on the stink-cake. They are, like Ubisoft before them, on my shit-list. I hate Origin and EA, but Mass Effect 2 is really good (maybe a little repetitive). Why are you saying it was a piece of crap? Whats SO different about Mass Effect 1? I'll bite, it failed to move the plot anywhere. ME2 was all about baby sitting companions for 95% of the game, and then you fight a terminator reaper. TEH END!

12.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 21:46

ochentay4

Icewind wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 21:13: Loving the comments here so far. Glad everyone is waking up to this. I walked away from BioWare back when they released Mass Effect 2, which was an absolute piece of crap in every way, shape and form. DA2 was just the icing on the stink-cake. They are, like Ubisoft before them, on my shit-list. I hate Origin and EA, but Mass Effect 2 is really good (maybe a little repetitive). Why are you saying it was a piece of crap? Whats SO different about Mass Effect 1?

11.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 21:42

RollinThundr

Prez wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 20:17: nin wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 20:10: Talk about a fall from grace. Hopefully word is out to avoid their stink from now on. I try not to fall into the trap of the rampant negativity around here (with varying degrees of success), but it just isn't possible for me where Bioware is concerned - what an utter disappointment they have become. Whether their fall into disgrace is of their own doing or due to EA's acquisition (the one I believe), there's just no denying how bad the once-great Bioware has become, and it's a damn shame. That they fell so far between the fantastic Dragon Age and the ultra-disappointing Dragon Age 2 is stunning. I know it's easy to blame EA, and really they are at the least partially to blame, there is zero doubt of that. But when you look at how Bioware's own developers act towards the fan base itself, some of that blame needs to fall on their shoulders. They got arrogant with EA's money backing them, and they wanted to capture the COD action crowd with the faster combat of DA2, that was on the design doc from day 1. It showed it's ugly head with the marketing of ME3 in regards to assuring the fanbase their choices matter, only for them to not matter one bit and Bioware devs themselves suggesting that their plot was "too complex" and people didn't "understand their vision" (Never mind the tons of plotholes and retcons) Sure EA no doubt is a huge reason what with DA2 being rushed out the door in 18 months, but the blame shouldn't end there.

10.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 21:14

Paketep

If entering the "Next Phase" means they won't keep going the DA2 path (i.e., following an amazing game with a huge pile of shit), I'm all for it. If they also avoid being so fucking greedy and stop putting multiplayer into our single player, a la ME3, I'll be grateful. And if they stop cutting content from the final game and releasing it as a Day One DLC, I might even buy it. Naaaaaaaah, who am I kidding?. In the incredibly unlikely event that all of that happened, it would still need the Origin crap. EA killed Bioware. They just don't know it yet.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 21:13

Icewind

Loving the comments here so far. Glad everyone is waking up to this. I walked away from BioWare back when they released Mass Effect 2, which was an absolute piece of crap in every way, shape and form. DA2 was just the icing on the stink-cake. They are, like Ubisoft before them, on my shit-list.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 21:08

Fletch

"...the team is moving past DA2 and on to "the next phase of Dragon Age’s future" Rock'em Sock'em Dragons? Dragon Age 3 for the Kindle Fire? Dragon Age 3: The Trading Card Game? Legos Dragon Age 3? Dragon Age 3: Dragoncraft? Dragon Age 3: My Little Dragon? Dragon Age 3: Arena? Dragon Age 3: Fraggin' Dragons? I can hardly wait. EDIT: few more This comment was edited on Mar 19, 2012, 21:49.

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 20:48

Pete

Dragon age 2k13 ?




Doin' it Big

Re: Dragon Age Entering "Next Phase"

Mar 19, 2012, 20:32

wtf_man

DA 3 Maximus Consolitus, with Forced Origin sign ups. No Thanks.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 20:30

Dev

Prez wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 20:17: I try not to fall into the trap of the rampant negativity around here (with varying degrees of success) Think about things like wasteland 2 and DF kickstarters, that will cheer you back up:)

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 20:22

NegaDeath

I'll spell it out in a way even the goons at EA can understand. DA1 good. DA2 bad. No more make game like DA2.

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 20:17

Prez

nin wrote on Mar 19, 2012, 20:10:
Talk about a fall from grace. Hopefully word is out to avoid their stink from now on.

I try not to fall into the trap of the rampant negativity around here (with varying degrees of success), but it just isn't possible for me where Bioware is concerned - what an utter disappointment they have become. Whether their fall into disgrace is of their own doing or due to EA's acquisition (the one I believe), there's just no denying how bad the once-great Bioware has become, and it's a damn shame. That they fell so far between the fantastic Dragon Age and the ultra-disappointing Dragon Age 2 is stunning.




Prez on Soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=604888

Re: Dragon Age Entering

Mar 19, 2012, 20:16

ASeven

Bioware can enter all the phases they want, I won't trust them ever again with my money unless the PC community reviews are stellar by a large majority.

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