Dragon Age 2 official announcement

[Lord Baelish]

I wonder if they've gone with the fixed surname so the other characters have something to call you by. Though they got around it quite well in Origins, there were a couple of occasions where their inability to call you by your name was a bit glaring.

[WhiteHaven]

Dragon Age: Origins was good at the beginning - well the Origin stories were good.

The rest was real shit. They should have called the game "Dragon Age: Shitty LotR clone".

After the first hour the players knows what's going to happen. That doesn't need to be a bad thing - see ME2. But for someone who read LotR everything just feels...wrong. Wrong and boring.

I guess I will loose my head now, but whatever.

Oh it should be said that I played the game on a console - so the battlesystem was something out of the 40's. It was so bad.

[Tobin]

I don't know, I think I'd like to see a cameo of my character in the new game - even if it's just a */wave at the Warden Commander over my shoulder as I get my new marching orders*.

This would especially be important if it's a Cousland game and they're king/queen - if your new character is going to 'change the world', then you're bound to run into royalty at some point.

Granted - if there were a cameo - they should dress our characters appropriately for our station/class. I don't want to see my mage standing there in her old rags, but it's not right for her to wear plate either.

[Le Communard]

Is it heresy to say I was disappointed by Dragon Age? Now, there were a lot of things about the game I liked, like the surprisingly good dialogue* and Sten and Zevran**, but in the end the game sort of just felt to me like a well dressed Dungeon Crawler, although I will admit I've been feeling discontent with almost everything I've been playing recently. What content was there was good, but it felt very spare--every mission basically boiled down to a introduction, followed a big dungeon, and ended in some sort of "ambiguous" moral quandary, which half the time you could cop out of. I didn't really feel in the end like I'd played a Role Playing Game, as opposed to a strategy one with an interesting plot.

The other thing that bothered me about the game was that they didn't create adequate in-game substitute for a moral system, so every moral choice was essentially case by case and had little outside effect other than occasional party approval, which was easy to get around. For example, there was no real consequence for making daemonic pacts outside the immediate aftereffects, and you could do as many under-the-table the jobs you wanted but it didn't matter diddly-squat if you then went on to uphold the law in some other quest--if Bioware wants us to live in an amoral world, they need to make one that will actually react to our choices. On a corollary to that, we need some less savory companions, especially ones who could replace good ones if you do make one of those few choices (yes, there was Loghian, but even he isn't unsavory the way G0T0 or the Wookie was in KotOR 2, and there isn't anyone. for example, to replace Wynne if she leaves because you kill off all the mages).

On, the other hand, this new announcement is intriguing, and I'll definitely excited about this newest installment. I like the looks of the directions this seems to be going in--I'm still waiting for a game where your decisions actually shape the course of it as opposed to change the window dressing. What I'm also hoping for is the chance to deal with some more open-ended dilemmas--i.e. things that can't be resolved by an either/or choice, but a field of unique and not just mirror choices.

*DA easily takes the cake for best inter-party dialogue ever.

**I've always thought Bioware's biggest strength was making consistently entertaining eccentrics. Hell, practically the entire reason I finished Neverwinter Nights 2 was Khelgar.

[Galactus]

But for someone who read LotR everything just feels...wrong.

That was kind of the point, I think.

Is it heresy to say I was disappointed by Dragon Age?

Yes... i mean, the game has flaws: It's just that there has been such a long time since there was a decent RPG that they should be forgiven :P

*DA easily takes the cake for best inter-party dialogue ever.

**I've always thought Bioware's biggest strength was making consistently entertaining eccentrics. Hell, practically the entire reason I finished Neverwinter Nights 2 was Khelgar.

Agreed. i really like the DA characters. I mean, REALLY like them.

Mass Effect's characters feel... A bit gimmicky in comparison, more colourful yes, but not as well-developed as the DA ones.

Even Shale and Oghren (the least developed characters, IMHO) were quite interesting.

[Rhom]

taking place over a decade? That's new, and potentially quite interesting.

I dunno... I remember an ad for Phantasy Star 3 that had a skeleton sitting on a throne and it said something along the lines of "An adventure so epic, your grandson will have to finish it for you." The story spanned three generations. One of the Dragon Quests did something similar too. I don't know that its all that new, but I'm sure it will be better executed than other games.

[Galactus]

I dunno... I remember an ad for Phantasy Star 3 that had a skeleton sitting on a throne and it said something along the lines of "An adventure so epic, your grandson will have to finish it for you." The story spanned three generations. One of the Dragon Quests did something similar too. I don't know that its all that new, but I'm sure it will be better executed than other games.

IIRC one of the Fire Emblems did it too (according to tvtropes at any rate) you got to play as the children of the characters in the first part of the game (and who you paired up with who even affected them)

[malek]

I would like grittier atmosphere with all characters painted in shades of gray, rather than largely black and white DA:O.

I would love if game offer as even more choices that will have long term consequences on the game, and will surprise few people like - OMG did this really happened because I said "THAT" 10 hours ago.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

I dunno

I meant it's new for Bioware.

[Le Communard]

IIRC one of the Fire Emblems did it too (according to tvtropes at any rate) you got to play as the children of the characters in the first part of the game (and who you paired up with who even affected them)

Yeah, that was Fire Emblem IV, regarded by many as the series strongest offering. Second generation characters were kind of broken, though.

Yes... i mean, the game has flaws: It's just that there has been such a long time since there was a decent RPG that they should be forgiven :P

True, but I'm getting a little sick of decent. It's been practically a decade of drought, and I'm ready for something good.

[Galactus]

You know, for all the complaints about the setting I actually like it.

It felt... Well thought out. Not spectacularly innovative ofc. but it seems to (mostly) fit together, and some of the mysteries are intriguing.

EDIT: I love the Mass Effect universe too, but it has the issue of the humans in it. I just hate mass effect humans. The aliens are so much cooler.

[Gunnlaugr ormstunga]

I hope they improve the combat for the console versions, not having the overhead view a la the PC version was a complete pain in the arse, especially for mages and rogues. The number of times the stupid behind-the-character view got in the way of casting an area effect spell or being able to counter an enemy magic-user was beyond irritating. Similar problems for positioning for a successful backstab. I understand that a proper aerial view couldn't be done on the 360/PS3 due to their technical inferiority, but even an option to pan back a little from behind your characters' heads to give a better view of the battlefield would be welcome. What I'd give for a new PC...

Plot-wise, I really hope we get something a bit more interesting, I'm getting bored of the amount of times I've heard the developers say something along the lines of: "Oh yeah, this is going to be, like, so ADULT and DARK with proper GREY REAL-LIFE morals, and your choices will have a REAL impact on the way the game UNFOLDS and how the FUTURE of the game-world is AFFECTED." This is probably one of the oldest bitches about roleplaying games in general and Bioware games in particular (and has already been mentioned in this thread), but please can the developers stop making claims like this. The morality system and your ability to affect the game-world has been the same since Baldur's Gate - good/bad/greedy bastard responses which do next to nothing to affect your story arc. No matter how you played DA (or ME or BG or JE or KOTOR) you still played essentially the same game as everyone else.

[Galactus]

The morality system and your ability to affect the game-world has been the same since Baldur's Gate - good/bad/greedy bastard responses which do next to nothing to affect your story arc. No matter how you played DA (or ME or BG or JE or KOTOR) you still played essentially the same game as everyone else.

To be honest, the closest thing I've seen to this is (buggy ang glitchy and inconsistent as it was) Alpha Protocol.

Where stuff like being too noisy in one mission could mean the guards are on alert on the next.

The issue, I think, is that this isn't really a tech issue: It's a simple brute force/manpower/time issue.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

The issue, I think, is that this isn't really a tech issue: It's a simple brute force/manpower/time issue.

Yes. If you're really interested, see this quite entertaining panel in which various Obsidian folks discuss the game. Fun fact: 550 man hours for two minutes of conversation, thanks to choice.

[Jurus]

Some more info about the game.

While there are multiple races in the game, like elves, dwarves, etc, in Dragon Age 2 you play a human character.

It turns out the sequel will not feature the character customization of the original Dragon Age: Origins, and like Mass Effect 2 will limit the player to choosing between a male or female version of the human character. Word is: "Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever

[ultraman7k]

interesting that they would do that...kinda makes it feel more like a spin off instead of a true sequel...but regardless i will be getting it hehe.

[Le Communard]

It turns out the sequel will not feature the character customization of the original Dragon Age: Origins, and like Mass Effect 2 will limit the player to choosing between a male or female version of the human character. Word is: "Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever

I'm... shocked--there is absolutely no mention of saving the world from imminent destruction in that blurb. I was a little excited before, but now I'm not sure I'm going to last the two years or whatever in until we see this. At least I'll have Vicky2 and Magna Mundi to wallow in.

[Gunnlaugr ormstunga]

The issue, I think, is that this isn't really a tech issue: It's a simple brute force/manpower/time issue.

This. I didn't make it clear in the original post, but I do understand that this is related more to time, and I can't imagine EA are the most lenient bunch when it comes to this particular issue. I think the perceived decline in quality storylines and choices could maybe be correlated with the improvement in technology - 550 hours for 2 minutes of conversation is insane. When all you had to worry about was a painted backdrop and some very basic sprites, I imagine far more time could be devoted to plot and conversation.

Also, it sounds like Bioware are going backwards in light of what Jurus has said. All that fuss over the different origins in the first game only to regress to something far more linear in the sequel. Why not spend time developing the origins instead by cutting them down to maybe three different choices which are all very well done instead of six hit-and-miss ones? Madness.

[Galactus]

Yes. If you're really interested, see this quite entertaining panel in which various Obsidian folks discuss the game. Fun fact: 550 man hours for two minutes of conversation, thanks to choice.

I'm distracted by the awesome beard.

Also, it sounds like Bioware are going backwards in light of what Jurus has said. All that fuss over the different origins in the first game only to regress to something far more linear in the sequel. Why not spend time developing the origins instead by cutting them down to maybe three different choices which are all very well done instead of six hit-and-miss ones? Madness.

I'm not certain the it will neccessarily mean less choice, they're just picking a different way of doing it. (I rather liked the origins, but I have no idea what/how Bioware is planning things)

[Gunnlaugr ormstunga]

I'm not certain the it will neccessarily mean less choice, they're just picking a different way of doing it. (I rather liked the origins, but I have no idea what/how Bioware is planning things)

Oh, I don't doubt that it will, I just find it very odd after DA:O. I remember how they were bigging up the origins way back when the game was essentially in another incarnation to the one that was released, it seems strange to ditch it.

Not that I don't have a problem with more RPGs giving you few options for character creation - it worked amazingly well for Planescape Torment, which gave virtually no options in fact. But after the bland anonymity of Commander Shepard, I'm not sure I trust Bioware with this particular route. I'd love to be proved wrong though.