1517 réponses à ce sujet

[CybAnt1]

 I just hope this takes at least 5 hours to complete.

Nice hope. 

Question: did it take you 5 hours to get through final siege of Denerim (minus side defense of gates and climbing of Fort Drakon) with a party of  4 (and your backup "army" support)? 

If not, what makes you think it would take 5 hours to wipe out Denerim with a huge Darkspawn army? 

I think the 1-2 hour figure is much more realistic. I'm hoping there will be actual questlike objectives, and not just "keep killing until all your former companions and everyone in the city is dead". However, I suspect it will be the latter. 

[CybAnt1]

This certainly sounds like the Scooby Doo ending...

Ruh-roh, raggy. 

If it weren't for those pesky genlocks, our plan would have worked perfectly. 

[DreGregoire]

blech

[13Dannyboy13]

CybAnt1 wrote...

I think the 1-2 hour figure is much more realistic. I'm hoping there will be actual questlike objectives, and not just "keep killing until all your former companions and everyone in the city is dead". However, I suspect it will be the latter. 

I have to agree, 1-2 hours max I think, none of the dlc so far has really taken more than an hour, what worries me even more though is the fact that they'll have to release another patch for this to work. Considering what a mess 1.03 was, not to mention the lack of any real fixes, I really worry about even more bugs being added from this dlc's patch.

[Val Seleznyov]

I love Dragon Age, so even though i recently lost over 46 hours of my life with a corrupted save file (that bioware or EA or whoever should really think about fixing on the xbox) i'm looking forward to this.



It's an interesting idea, to see things as the Darkspawn, and may make me appreciate what i'm fighting to save that little bit more, the next time i can muster up the will to start the game from scratch again.



I am interested to see how you will physically start the "module" though. Will it be entirely separate from the main game, and will you have to select to play it from the menu, or will there be a new location on the world map during the regular game?



More achievements will be good too. My 1374/1375 looks a bit weird. I'd like that rounded up to 1400.

[Zy-El]

Since this DLC will have an item that appears in Awakening, it would imply that patch 1.03 is required in order to play it. For a plot-line, I'd say that this DLC covers the initial seige of Denerim before Alistair arrives.



As the Darkspawn commander, you lead the seige on the Denerim gates, break through the gates and capture each of the sections in the city - namely the Market, Alienage, Palace and Fort Drakon. Who knows, maybe they'll even add some minor skirmishes in the Back Alley, Dark Alley and Deserted Warehouse areas since those map areas have already been created.



Meanwhile, Alistair and his forces are following on your heels recapturing the sections that you initially broke through - namely, the Gates, Market, Alienage, Palace, Fort Drakon and you intercept them in the Final Battle on the Rooftop.



I suspect that the Darkspawn would have met more resistance from the Denerim defenders since all of the city's defenses would have been intact at the time. So, it would take longer to play through those areas as the Darkspawn commander than it took for the Warden to take out those same areas in your original campaign (ie the "real" universe where your Warden survived the Joining).



All told, one could only estimate how long this DLC would take to play through - maybe 2-3 hours. Replayability could be extended if there were optional setup choices - for instance, being able to alter Alistair's choices for allies (ie Werewolves vs Dalish Elves, Golems or no Golems, Legion of the Dead or just Orzammar Dwarves).

[Val Seleznyov]

I read that the price of this is 400 ms points. Anyone expecting more than an hours worth of gameplay is living in a dream world.

[CybAnt1]

Replayability could be extended if there were optional setup choices - for instance, being able to alter Alistair's choices for allies (ie Werewolves vs Dalish Elves, Golems or no Golems, Legion of the Dead or just Orzammar Dwarves).

I doubt you will choose what you will be facing. My suspicion is Alistair and Morrigan have made some default choices (we know werewolves over elves, for example) in "your" absence, and that's always true for each playthrough.

Again, I'm just curious what you'll be doing, per se, as the Darkspawn commander. Is it just wiping out all the defenders (including, I will assume, former companions) in all those various city areas? Will "you" be killing Alistair & Morrigan in the ultimate fight, or you "as" the Archdemon on top of the roof of Fort Drakon? 

BTW, I also have to assume this means, for example, you'll be killing NPCS like Shianni or Ser Otto in the Alienage .... or Gorim in the Market District. 

Or will the Archdemon give you objectives? "Take out that ballista". "Blow up that siege tower." I'm wondering about that. I might even like this a bit better, if it was at least remotely questlike. But it doesn't seem to me to be so. 

[Duti]

I am really exited about this.. It will be great to see how the story ends without your character..

[Satirewire]

Val Seleznyov wrote...

I read that the price of this is 400 ms points. Anyone expecting more than an hours worth of gameplay is living in a dream world.

That's a price that I can swallow.  Intriged by this dlc, and if it's just 400 ms points I'll get it.  Price is the main thing I'm concerned with at this point, if it ventures much over the 700 price mark I'll be passing on it.

[ljwaves]

Sorry Chris - going to skip this one - no mac support - no fixes on xbox - too many awakening bugs - not gonna pay more - when the game itself needs fixing way before more content comes out.

[Aleena]

I happened to sit beside one of the designers of Darkspawn Chronicles at GDC in Vancouver a couple days ago and we chatted a bit. He said that the team that does the patches is separate from the teams (yes, plural!) that do DLC. So methinks much of the angst in this forum is misdirected. Anyway, he said the design team that made Darkspawn Chronicles started after Awakenings and did not work on any previous DA DLC content.

He was light on specifics and wouldn't reveal anything concrete beyond what's in the official press release. However, based on our conversation, I gathered that Darkspawn Chronicles is around 1.5 to 2 hours long "depending on game difficulty and your personal cheese factor". When I asked about the latter, he said there were some new game mechanics that make combat a little different from Origins and Awakenings - mostly resulting from the way followers are selected. (In case you don't know, Darkspawn Chronicles uses a custom ability the player can exercise anytime instead of a modal GUI accessible only in the party camp area).

He confirmed that Darkspawn Chronicles is an add-on module (not an 'add-in' like the Stone Prisoner, Return to Ostagar, and Feast Day DLC). This means that it is completely separate from the Origins and Awakenings campaigns and has no effect on either except for the reward item.

There is no character import, generation, or customization in Darkspawn Chronicles because you play the role of an established character - a hurlock vanguard. When I complained that hurlocks were a bit underwhelming in the original campaign he simply said "trust me, these ones know how to fight".

When I asked about choices he said that the replayability of this particular DLC comes from how you play, not what you say. I commented that darkspawn seemed rather impersonal in DAO and he replied that "in Darkspawn Chronicles there's a game mechanic that causes the player to develop a surprising affinity for those that serve well". He wouldn't elaborate but I, for one, am intrigued.

He wouldn't concede any details about the story except that anyone who has played DAO "will recognize more than a few characters". Interestingly, he said that "it's hard to extend the IP when the protagonists (i.e. the darkspawn) are speechless; but it does explain how a couple characters from Origins managed to make it into Awakenings".

Lastly, I asked about the whole 'what if' premise and he said that "it's not a big leap: Darkspawn Chronicles basically shows what would have happened if you didn't reload".

Looking forward to playing this one,
~ Aly

Modifié par Aleena, 09 mai 2010 - 10:53 .

[Icinix]

Aleena wrote...

I happened to sit beside one of the designers of Darkspawn Chronicles at GDC in Vancouver a couple days ago and we chatted a bit. He said that the team that does the patches is separate from the teams (yes, plural!) that do DLC. So methinks much of the angst in this forum is misdirected. Anyway, he said the design team that made Darkspawn Chronicles started after Awakenings and did not work any previous DA DLC content.

He was light on specifics and wouldn't reveal anything concrete beyond what's in the official press release. However, based on our conversation, I gathered that Darkspawn Chronicles is around 1.5 to 2 hours long "depending on game difficulty and your personal cheese factor". When I asked about the latter, he said there were some new game mechanics that make combat a little different from Origins and Awakenings - mostly resulting from the way followers are selected. (In case you don't know, Darkspawn Chronicles uses a custom ability the player can exercise anytime instead of a modal GUI accessible only in the party camp area).

He confirmed that Darkspawn Chronicles is an add-on module (not an 'add-in' like the Stone Prisoner, Return to Ostagar, and Feast Day DLC). This means that it is completely separate from the Origins and Awakenings campaigns and has no effect on either except for the reward item.

There is no character import, generation, or customization in Darkspawn Chronicles because you play the role of an established character - a hurlock vanguard. When I complained that hurlocks were a bit underwhelming in the original campaign he simply said "trust me, these ones know how to fight".

When I asked about choices he said that the replayability of this particular DLC comes from how you play, not what you say. I commented that darkspawn seemed rather impersonal in DAO and he replied that "in Darkspawn Chronicles there's a game mechanic that causes the player develop a surprising affinity for those that serve well". He wouldn't elaborate but I, for one, am intrigued.

He wouldn't concede any details about the story except that anyone who has played DAO "will recognize more than a few characters". Interestingly, he said that "it's hard to extend the IP when your protagonists are speechless; but it does explain how a couple characters from Origins managed to make it into Awakenings".

Lastly, I asked about the whole 'what if' premise and he said that "it's not a big leap: Darkspawn Chronicles basically shows what would have happened if you didn't reload".

Looking forward to playing this one,
~ Aly

Nice.  Cheers for that, clarified a few things for me.

I don't suppose they mentioned if they would be looking at other modules along a similar style of alternate reality or the like or if this was a one off?

[Foreman20]

Nice read too. However it does not excuse the patch team from dragging their feet and correcting the mistakes in DA:O and DA:A.

[Aleena]

Icinix wrote...

Nice.  Cheers for that, clarified a few things for me.

I don't suppose they mentioned if they would be looking at other modules along a similar style of alternate reality or the like or if this was a one off?

I didn't think to ask but he apologized for not being able to give many specifics since he's not authorized to do so. 

[edgarcabrerauk]

Aleena wrote...

I happened to sit beside one of the designers of Darkspawn Chronicles at GDC in Vancouver a couple days ago and we chatted a bit. He said that the team that does the patches is separate from the teams (yes, plural!) that do DLC. So methinks much of the angst in this forum is misdirected. Anyway, he said the design team that made Darkspawn Chronicles started after Awakenings and did not work on any previous DA DLC content.

So, there IS a fixing team... I was starting to think that they did not exist. As for the angst, much is directed to EA/BW, specially to the people who manage the DAO project. 

Modifié par edgarcabrerauk, 09 mai 2010 - 11:07 .

[Dargar21]

Thanks for the post, Aly. 'Twas a good read.

EDIT*

So basically, this DLC is going to be under the "Other Campaigns" menu?

Modifié par Dargar21, 09 mai 2010 - 11:07 .

[JBurke]

Uuuhhhh...... how about "no". I'll keep my money and put it towards Red Dead Redemption instead. Try again with something worthwhile next time. Maybe when you fix Awakening I'll take BioWare seriously again, because of all the stuff that came out only Origins works flawlessly thanks to the mod community.

Modifié par JBurke, 09 mai 2010 - 11:16 .

[Ziggy]

Play as darkspawn? Kill the wardens?! What a horrible idea!

I think i'll pass on this one...

[Vicious]

Aleena wrote...

I happened to sit beside one of the designers of Darkspawn Chronicles at GDC in Vancouver a couple days ago and we chatted a bit. He said that the team that does the patches is separate from the teams (yes, plural!) that do DLC. So methinks much of the angst in this forum is misdirected. Anyway, he said the design team that made Darkspawn Chronicles started after Awakenings and did not work on any previous DA DLC content.

He was light on specifics and wouldn't reveal anything concrete beyond what's in the official press release. However, based on our conversation, I gathered that Darkspawn Chronicles is around 1.5 to 2 hours long "depending on game difficulty and your personal cheese factor". When I asked about the latter, he said there were some new game mechanics that make combat a little different from Origins and Awakenings - mostly resulting from the way followers are selected. (In case you don't know, Darkspawn Chronicles uses a custom ability the player can exercise anytime instead of a modal GUI accessible only in the party camp area).

He confirmed that Darkspawn Chronicles is an add-on module (not an 'add-in' like the Stone Prisoner, Return to Ostagar, and Feast Day DLC). This means that it is completely separate from the Origins and Awakenings campaigns and has no effect on either except for the reward item.

There is no character import, generation, or customization in Darkspawn Chronicles because you play the role of an established character - a hurlock vanguard. When I complained that hurlocks were a bit underwhelming in the original campaign he simply said "trust me, these ones know how to fight".

When I asked about choices he said that the replayability of this particular DLC comes from how you play, not what you say. I commented that darkspawn seemed rather impersonal in DAO and he replied that "in Darkspawn Chronicles there's a game mechanic that causes the player to develop a surprising affinity for those that serve well". He wouldn't elaborate but I, for one, am intrigued.

He wouldn't concede any details about the story except that anyone who has played DAO "will recognize more than a few characters". Interestingly, he said that "it's hard to extend the IP when the protagonists (i.e. the darkspawn) are speechless; but it does explain how a couple characters from Origins managed to make it into Awakenings".

Lastly, I asked about the whole 'what if' premise and he said that "it's not a big leap: Darkspawn Chronicles basically shows what would have happened if you didn't reload".

Looking forward to playing this one,
~ Aly

Great post.

[TimeLordCat]

Coming soon to the PS3. I'll start looking forward to it in July or maybe August not sure what year..

[PSRdirector]

Again delayed on the ps3 >.< if this game wasnt so awsome i would be mad... But its to good to stay mad at

[Loc'n'lol]

Vicious wrote...

Aleena wrote...

I happened to sit beside one of the designers of Darkspawn Chronicles [...]
~ Aly

Great post.

Great post indeed. Thanks.

[VaeVictus X]

I'm looking forward to it when I can afford it, but I really do need to get on with finishing Awakening for the time being.

[Bryy_Miller]

As this doesn't sound like it affects either game in the least, I'll pass. I like my DLC to be additive, not modules.