417 réponses à ce sujet

[Big Blue Car]

 We just learned that helmets will be an on-off toggle (maybe, Mike made no promises). Good good.

But the game is 3-4 months from release, and maybe even sooner. This is not the stage in healthy game development in which interface issues still may or may not be decided on. We keep getting told that the gameplay footage we've seen isn't indicative, but are very close to release and nothing else is available for us. The character releases are concept art for god's sakes. 

A large part of the justification for pre-order exclusive DLC was that artists and programmers would otherwise be twiddling their thumbs in the months between the game going gold and actual release, but if interface decisions are being made then the game cannot be ready to go gold. If the only thing ready to be shown is one area we've been told isn't indicative then I honestly worry how much game they even have to show us. A recent article called Kirkwall spartan and empty, and the devs reassured us that someone is working on making the city actually have some life to it. Still.

I suspect that EA want to make the Dragon Age franchise a nerd version of Madden, with frequent, highly profitable releases. We know that DA:O was a commercial success, but that the development costs were large which bit into its profitability; it's only natural that the sequel be cheaper (quicker) to produce.

But the release is damn soon, and the time for it to go gold and by physically made and shipped is even sooner. And the time for proper playtesting to begin is even sooner. And even speaking as a fan, this doesn't look as though it will be ready.

[Masked_Jester]

I do see your logic, now there are two point factors were are talking about. A) It's Bioware that's making it and Only time will tell

[blothulfur]

Don't mind if they delay it then, they'll know what to do either way they have some experience in this field i've heard.

[Bullets McDeath]

Well, they don't *have* to. But they are. Gaider's disco cover band starts touring in late March so they need to wrap it up by then. I'm pretty sure EA is forcing Gaider to start the tour early, so blame them.

[Bryy_Miller]

Well, a large part of this is due to the fact that, whatever we see or are told, we're not game designers. We don't work at BioWare. So we can't really tell what is what to an exact degree.

[hexaligned]

It'll be ready, Bio has never been known for good QA at release time though. DAO still has plenty of bugs and broken elements to it's mechanics that they never got around to patching, and that game had 5x the dev time.



You are being a little demeaning, but yes, this isn't going to be DAO 2.0, it's been stated it's a much shorter and simpler game, I think the time frame is about right for the product they have chosen to put out.

[Maria Caliban]

Big Blue Car wrote...

This is not the stage in healthy game development in which interface issues still may or may not be decided on.

Yes, well, there is no such thing as healthy game development. The only thing I've heard of that's worse than crunch time at a major developer is being an accountant at a major company pre-April 15th.

That said, it's not like BioWare hasn't done just this previously. The only reason we didn't hear about it for DA:O is that the release date got pushed from March to November.

A large part of the justification for pre-order exclusive DLC was that artists and programmers would otherwise be twiddling their thumbs in the months between the game going gold and actual release....

I... what? No, no one has said this. They have a separate DLC development team. If someone's job is finished with DA 2, they move them to another project.

[Big Blue Car]

Bryy_Miller wrote...

Well, a large part of this is due to the fact that, whatever we see or are told, we're not game designers. We don't work at BioWare. So we can't really tell what is what to an exact degree.

We are game enthusiasts though, and interested enough in the game to be active members of the official forums. I suspect that most of us are as up to date as can be about the official and unofficial releases. The idea that our thoughts aren't valid because we aren't devs is absurd; we're the easiest people to win over in the world, and if DA:2 is worrying us that matters.

[ErichHartmann]

I demand a 13 year development cycle like Duke Nukem Forever.

[Maria Caliban]

Big Blue Car wrote...

...we're the easiest people to win over in the world...

[Bullets McDeath]

Big Blue Car wrote...

We are game enthusiasts though... we're the easiest people to win over in the world..

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

I lol'd, if you couldn't tell.


EDIT: Curse you, Caliban! 

Modifié par outlaworacle, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:31 .

[hexaligned]

Eh, I'm torn about it. The other extreme is Blizz, who (almost) always put out damn polished products, the cutting end of that being you have to wait 7 years for them. I'm not sure which I prefer.

[Bryy_Miller]

I never said our thoughts are not valid. I wasn't even trying to make that point. We don't work at BioWare. We're *not* game developers. That's not up for debate. All I said was that a large part of this speculation comes from the fact that we don't know what goes on in order to make a game. At some point, speculation becomes meaningless because the context is above our level of knowledge.



That is what I meant.

[Perfect-Kenshin]

People are going to keep telling you otherwise. Especially the most devoted regulars here, but yes, Bioware has rushed this game. The writing on the wall is just as clear as it was for Awakening and Witch hunt. There's a reason we haven't gotten to see the official gameplay yet as would be expected by now. That said, we live in the age of DLC and automatic updates. They can afford to rush this game.

Modifié par Perfect-Kenshin, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:34 .

[ErichHartmann]

Perfect-Kenshin wrote...

People are going to keep telling you otherwise. Especially the most devoted regulars here, but yes, Bioware has rushed this game. The painting on the wall is just as clear as it was for Awakening and Witch hunt. There's a reason we haven't gotten to see the official gameplay yet as would be expected by now. That said, we live in the age of DLC and automatic updates. They can afford to rush this game.

Still waiting for proof.  Besides we really won't know until release. 

[Dave of Canada]

Big Blue Car wrote...

we're the easiest people to win over in the world

If this is true, then I'm a pirate that steals from the poor and gives to the rich while drinking poodle blood.

Modifié par Dave of Canada, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:35 .

[Bryy_Miller]

Would you consider BG2 rushed, Perfect?

Modifié par Bryy_Miller, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:36 .

[Masked_Jester]

Perfect-Kenshin wrote...

People are going to keep telling you otherwise. Especially the most devoted regulars here, but yes, Bioware has rushed this game. The writing on the wall is just as clear as it was for Awakening and Witch hunt. There's a reason we haven't gotten to see the official gameplay yet as would be expected by now. That said, we live in the age of DLC and automatic updates. They can afford to rush this game.

SHHHHHHHHH!! Don't tell them that, jeeze

[Beaner28]

The OP pretty much nailed everything the doomsayers (like me) have been saying. The turnaround after Origins is too quick. The game is being rushed out and we're going to be faced with either:

A. a bad game, or
B. an experience that is a lot shorter than Origins, or the worst case scenario
C. both

I don't know if this rush is EA shoving a deadline down BioWare's throat (most likely scenario) or BioWare is not what it used to be. I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that BioWare eventually joins Mythic and the rest of the devs at the graveyard of companies dismantled by EA.  Oh well, at least the doctors got their payday.

[TJPags]

We'll know if it was rushed one of two ways:



1 - release date gets pushed back

2 - it's full of bugs on release.



Until then, you either have faith in Bioware, or you're just wondering, like the rest of us.

[Ortaya Alevli]

Perfect-Kenshin wrote...

People are going to keep telling you otherwise. Especially the most devoted regulars here, but yes, Bioware has rushed this game. The writing on the wall is just as clear as it was for Awakening and Witch hunt. There's a reason we haven't gotten to see the official gameplay yet as would be expected by now. That said, we live in the age of DLC and automatic updates. They can afford to rush this game.

Writing on the wall, yes. Writing on the wall.

[Bryy_Miller]

It will most likely be buggy regardless. Origins was (and is) pretty buggy, but then again, they said DA2 will be smaller than Origins.

Modifié par Bryy_Miller, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:39 .

[Dave of Canada]

Beaner28 wrote...

B. an experience that is a lot shorter than Origins

... I'm not into the minds of the development team so I might be wrong but anybody who expects Dragon Age 2 to be anywhere near DA's length has unrealistic expectations.

Modifié par Dave of Canada, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:39 .

[Beaner28]

ErichHartmann wrote...

Perfect-Kenshin wrote...

People are going to keep telling you otherwise. Especially the most devoted regulars here, but yes, Bioware has rushed this game. The painting on the wall is just as clear as it was for Awakening and Witch hunt. There's a reason we haven't gotten to see the official gameplay yet as would be expected by now. That said, we live in the age of DLC and automatic updates. They can afford to rush this game.

Still waiting for proof.  Besides we really won't know until release. 

Going from a five year dev time in Origins to barely a year and a half with DA 2 isn't enough proof? The fact that it's becoming more and more apparent that BioWare refuses to show any extended gameplay footage this close to release isn't enough proof if you wanted more?

[ErichHartmann]

I've played my fair share of games with 3 to 4 year development cycles with game breaking issues and bugs. Go figure. And funny how people forget Baldur's Gate II came out 19 months after BG1. Pretty quick turnaround according to some standards here.

On another note, the majority of DAO was spent on developing a new graphics engine and tech.  With an engine already established development time speeds up exponentially.  

Modifié par ErichHartmann, 07 décembre 2010 - 12:42 .