Your predictions, kind people.

[no_brains_no_worries]

I for one, am absolutely drooling over the new game Dragon Age Origins that is supposed to come out this year. For one, I haven't played a good RPG in a long time (that includes NW2 and Fallout 3) but this game so far, holds lots of promise. In fact, it has even been described as the "spiritual successor" to the Baldar's Gate series, which is the standard I hold all RPG's too.

There can be only two possible outcomes to this.

1) This came will be the absolute creme-the-jeans goodness which all of us nerds, er, RPG fans have been waiting for.

2) Thanks to the exceedingly high expectations, the game will not be able to deliver no matter what.

Any of you hardcore RPG fans wanna weigh in on this?

[ShitFace]

I'm curious as to how Fallout 3 isn't a good RPG.

[Mr. E]

It might have a little something to do with the fact that it is boring boring boring boring boring.

[Pepsi]

I've never heard of it, so it must not be good.

[sycld]

I've never heard of it, so it must not be good.

Well, there has been a huge amount of press and hype about it in the gaming news circles. I'm hoping it lives up to the hype.

[Pepsi]

Well, there has been a huge amount of press and hype about it in the gaming news circles. I'm hoping it lives up to the hype.

Oh. I don't pay attention to those.


(I pray about it )

[Mr. E]

I have heard of Dragon Age Origins, and it looks good. I expect it to be somewhere north of Mass Effect as far as quality.

[Nick2.1]

I want it bad, but the PC version was pushed back if I'm not mistaken.

[no_brains_no_worries]

I'm curious as to how Fallout 3 isn't a good RPG.

Well Fallout and Fallout 2 had a gritty feel to it and (i felt) a lot better character development. I enjoy Fallout 3, but it wasn't what I would hold as a "good" RPG because it lacked a a certain amount of story depth.

If that makes sense.

[Nermy2k]

Uh, I will definitely play it but I am skeptical of anything that says it is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate games.

[sycld]

Uh, I will definitely play it but I am skeptical of anything that says it is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate games.

...even if it's made by the same people? (Albeit now subsumed by the evil Electronic Arts empire.)

[no_brains_no_worries]

Uh, I will definitely play it but I am skeptical of anything that says it is a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate games.

Please elaborate? Did you not like the BG series or, feel the guys making it shouldn't say such wild things?

[gismo]

...even if it's made by the same people? (Albeit now subsumed by the evil Electronic Arts empire.)

It is the EA association that worries me. I just hope the developers are largly left to it, I hope EA's influence isn't too corrupting.

[Nermy2k]

It's just distributed by EA so it's not that bad.

Please elaborate? Did you not like the BG series or, feel the guys making it shouldn't say such wild things?

The latter.

[sycld]

It's just distributed by EA so it's not that bad.

What I mean to say is that now Bioware is a subsidiary of EA (since January 2008), whereas when it developed the BG series it was independent.

Mass Effect was completely developed before the takeover, and the only thing released since the EA takeover was some DS game called "Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood," so we have yet to see the degree of EA's crappifying effects on Bioware.

[AWPerative]

Baldur's Gate was alright...this, on the other hand, is a toss-up.

Any trailers for this game?

[no_brains_no_worries]

Baldur's Gate was alright...this, on the other hand, is a toss-up.

Any trailers for this game?

Just alright? You sir, are off my list of people to save when the aliens arrive.

Anyway for the trailer.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPYuurgn0hY"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPYuurgn0hY[/ame]

[gismo]

It's just distributed by EA so it's not that bad.

Is their involvement solely limited to distribution? If so, then good. If not then...look what they did to CnC.

[captain castle]

Op is fat, and doesn't have an opinion

[Mr. E]

Is their involvement solely limited to distribution? If so, then good. If not then...look what they did to CnC.

Well, that is not exactly a fair comparison, seeing as CnC and Dragon Age are not one thing alike beyond the fact that they are computer games.

[Atmosfear]

And the fact that EA has a chance to fuck them both up

[gismo]

Well, that is not exactly a fair comparison, seeing as CnC and Dragon Age are not one thing alike beyond the fact that they are computer games.

The genre of the games is not important. I cite CnC as it is an example of a franchise which in my opinion was ruined by EA's influence, based mainly from playing the RA games. EA have a knack of making things look pretty as the expense of substance, which hurt the RA games released under their watch.

It doesn't matter that the games are not simmilar (I shouldn't need to say this since it is obvious), my point is that if their involvement is more than just distribution then there is evidence from past games that this involvement might be harmful to the overall quality of the game.

[Mr. E]

I think you guys are being too hard on EA. I enjoy the odd EA game from time to time. I don't think CnC being mediocre was EAs fault.

[Sion]

Sions pro prediction:

It will be very popular at first, but then fall instantly in the shadow of bigger, newer, better games that will be announced shortly thereafter.

It will surpass many recent games, but will be no Ocarina of Time.



Almighty Sion has spoken.

[Mr. E]

It will surpass many recent games, but will be no Ocarina of Time.

Way to go out on a limb, lol

[Sion]

Way to go out on a limb, lol

it worked for nostrodamus it'll work for me

[gismo]

I think you guys are being too hard on EA. I enjoy the odd EA game from time to time. I don't think CnC being mediocre was EAs fault.

I don't think I am. Well maybe a very little bit. Before EA's involvment CnC was good, CnC and RA are 2 of the definitive RTS games, after EA's involvment the quality of these games dipped, RA seemed to gradually put more effort into getting big stars (a trait of EA) than on compelling gameplay which the originals had.

A weak case for causation I grant you, but since we won't know all the details of EA's influence it is all I have to go on.

You can't fault EA from a business PoV. From a business PoV, they are a star company, alligning themselves with real world franchises is a very smart move, reducing some of the risk that the games industry brings. However they do have a track record of putting style before substance to detract the gamer from lacking gameplay.

Their FIFA series was a prime example, however I haven't played one since 2003, maybe they have bucked their act. When it came down between FIFA and PES, a few years ago at least FIFA sold by the bucketload due to its heavy licensing and fancy graphics, but as a football sim PES was by far the superior, however many still went with FIFA purely from a style PoV, something which EA has exploited to great effect.

In short, they are not known for being creative, simply because creativity intails a risk that as a business they wish to avoid, and fair play. There is a reason they are the most despised games company, they latch on to the creativity of others and in some cases at least have a corrupting effect because of their tendancy to rely on shiny graphics over enjoyable gameplay. This is why I am being suspicious of them and am suspicious of any game associated with EA.

That isn't to say this one will be bad, we cannot be certain of how closely they are involved with the development and who knows, they might have started to change their attitude, I know their CEO hinted a wee while back that the criticisms levied at them at their creativy avoidance was something they hoped to address and in the period that I have abstained from their games this might be the case (although RA3 supports my argument).

To sum up, you cannot deny that I have good reason to be suspicious. There is a reasonable case to support this stance. So we will have to wait and see how this one goes.

[Mr. E]

That is an objective and well thought out post.

I cannot disagree.

[cdc]

It might have a little something to do with the fact that it is boring boring boring boring boring.

I thought it was heretical to say/think that. That's why I never said it.

[Janglez]

What system is this coming out for?

[Nermy2k]

What system is this coming out for?

Likely PC and Xbox 360 since it's a Bioware title.

[no_brains_no_worries]

Likely PC and Xbox 360 since it's a Bioware title.

PC version has been bumped back but the Xbox 360 and PS3 release dates haven't changed. Still 4Q 09.

[no_brains_no_worries]

Op is fat, and doesn't have an opinion

I died a little inside just now.

[captain castle]

I died a little inside just now.

good

[no_brains_no_worries]

good

I'm going to ninja into your work and give all of the patients there meth, Rock Star, and X-lax. Then we'll be even.

[captain castle]

I'm going to ninja into your work and give all of the patients there meth, Rock Star, and X-lax. Then we'll be even.

dude



They're not deaf and blind, so you're not the ninja for the job

[no_brains_no_worries]

dude



They're not deaf and blind, so you're not the ninja for the job

Well fuck. You win this round.