74 réponses à ce sujet

[koshiee]

When you think about it Feralden is a pretty barren place. Denerim I especially found to be lacking in scale and character. DAO was a fumble but a fumble in the right direction I think. They just need to get their act together for the sequel. Hopefully it's already in the works

[TuringPoint]

SLPr0 wrote...

Oh and this does confirm my overall feeling that Ferelden is generally viewed as the "Missouri" of Thedas, regardless of it being our first point of view on the DA world.

Corrected for accuracy's sake.

It takes a day to go from Redcliffe to the circle tower.  Orzammar doesn't appear to be much further, but it's in the mountains.

Modifié par Alocormin, 24 novembre 2009 - 08:37 .

[Maria Caliban]

1. They've said before that it's the beginning of a franchise, which is one reason they went with the Origin name.



2. Ferelden's are barbarians.

[marshalleck]

Barbarians?



So does that mean Thedas overall is more of a late medieval period, maybe early renaissance period of development?

[koshiee]

If they go to Orlais I just hope they don't give everyone that annoying french accent.

[ComTrav]

Bioware is already (sort-of) responsible for a fantasy MMO.



EA folded Mythic, makers of Warhammer Online, into the same unit as Bioware, partly to put put all their RPG people under one roof, and to make sure their key MMOs are in the same unit. (Warhammer and the forthcoming Old Republic, as well as making sure Old Republic was able to benefit from Mythic's longer history of MMOs.)



That said...after years of DLC, Bioware will have its own, somewhat distinctive fantasy universe to release more games. Or do an MMO. Or do whatever they want with it. TBH I think they're just developing the intellectual property so they have a strong base to expand in whatever direction they want, and they want to make sure its something that they own and create so can't lose it in some license negotiation.

[Maria Caliban]

marshalleck wrote...

Barbarians?

So does that mean Thedas overall is more of a late medieval period, maybe early renaissance period of development?

That's an excellent question.

If you look at the early concept art, Ferelden was early medieval. No plate mail in sight. Orlias is in a renaissance of art, science, and literature, and the Grand Cathedral of Val Rouyax is (IIRC) supposed to be similar to the Sistine Chapel or Notre Dame.

We know that the qunari have hand cannons, but wiki tells me that that came as early as 13th century in the real world.

[marshalleck]

Nice post, thanks. That actually brings up something else I have been trying to collect information on and collate into a nice thread, about scientific knowledge and research in Ferelden and beyond. In a conversation with Shale, she mentions genetics. I've yet been unable to find any other mention of that level of scientific advancement. I mean, genetics really assumes a substantial amount of supporting research into heredity and biology in general. 

Modifié par marshalleck, 24 novembre 2009 - 09:04 .

[Shady314]

Yes! That to me says MAP.

[SLPr0]

Shady314 wrote...

Yes! That to me says MAP.

Fail. Abstract Thinking 101.

Do not pass GO, do not collect 200 dollars....go directly back to school.

[Forumtroll]

Before the darkspawn we can assume the Dwarves were extremely advanced. Just by what Branka was able to recover tells us that. She makes golems of steel instead of stone.

Modifié par Forumtroll, 24 novembre 2009 - 04:59 .

[Dauphin2]

It's always seemed to me from the beginning Bioware made it clear there would be a long line of games in this series, possibly including a MMO. But it likely will be determined by how well the game does.

[NTsikuris]

I would love to see a sequel to DAO but I dont want an MMO. In my opinion an MMO ruins the storyline and verisimilitude of the characters. I hope they continue with DAO, I would like to continue with my Grey Warden or depending on the endings and decisions you made, a New Grey Warden...maybe Alistair and the female noble's son or daughter (which would be very interesting since the child would be born a grey warden since they have the taint in their bloodstream, possible mutations because of it?)

[marshalleck]

I suppose the success or failure of TOR will determine whether we see DAO jack-hammered into the MMO format. I too hope that doesn't happen, but Bioware is a business and their obligations are to make money first, art second.

[Haasth]

marshalleck wrote...

I suppose the success or failure of TOR will determine whether we see DAO jack-hammered into the MMO format. I too hope that doesn't happen, but Bioware is a business and their obligations are to make money first, art second.

Then it won't be in the very near future. If TOR is successful, and I very much hope so as I'll be picking it up, they will most likely continue to expand that universe like say World of Warcraft kept and still keeps doing. So far World of Warcraft has been around for quite a while now and there have only been slight suggestions as to Blizzard making a next-gen MMO right now. 

So before that happens, there's a good chance Dragon Age 3-4 will be out or some such.

Modifié par Haasth, 24 novembre 2009 - 05:21 .

[SLPr0]

I personally feel this is a backdrop for a long series of games based in the same conceptual design as we're dealing with in DA:O.

You have to consider that it would almost be a first in the gaming industry to have a title take on such a long term development view, many games get sequels, some even get a trilogy...but this looks to me like the backdrop for a game thats going to be releasing new titles for the next ten years at the very least.

An MMO format, I agree, would cheapen it, I think, unless they did something so spectacular that the MMO industry would be revolutionized entirely by it...by creating an actual dynamic world where the player actually...yanno..matters, regardless of it being an MMO.

Cause thats what it would take for DA to really stand out as an MMO title and survive it, it would need game play mechanics that actually made every individual player integral to the overarching storyline of Thedas in their own way.

If I could see that happen...I could possibly die a happy man.

But we're talking about bleeding edge dynamics here that achieving would be like finding the Holy Grail of MMO game design. To be able to shape your world around the lore its built in and have your players directly shape the lore as it progresses in a guided and semi-structured fashion?

It would be a game like we have never seen before. It would be....truly, the ability to experience another world. And not just take up space in it and grind spiders and rats and crap.

To...spend a lifetime defending Thedas from various threats, political intrigues, national wars and the occasional blights?

Tell me you wouldn't do it...if what you did really mattered, if what the players did really mattered.

Tell me that wouldn't be the greatest game of all time.

[Lianaar]

The only way I can imagine that is PnP. I wouldn't even like to try poor attempts with MMO where the community of playing it is not able to accept some core elements of Role Playing, such as at times you have to lose or bad things happen to you as well. Checking how badly most reacted to the negative consequences of actions they performed I would think that a game where the power is in the hand of the players would inevitably reduce itself to either a pink bunny chatline or a hack and slash battle field.

[SomeoneStoleMyName]

I thought ferelden was the "the center" of the world. Then i see its just a tiny part of what seems to be a large continent. And then there might even be more continents...



Im in awe over the thought of how the big the world may actually be.

[Haasth]

SLPr0 wrote...

I personally feel this is a backdrop for a long series of games based in the same conceptual design as we're dealing with in DA:O.

You have to consider that it would almost be a first in the gaming industry to have a title take on such a long term development view, many games get sequels, some even get a trilogy...but this looks to me like the backdrop for a game thats going to be releasing new titles for the next ten years at the very least.

An MMO format, I agree, would cheapen it, I think, unless they did something so spectacular that the MMO industry would be revolutionized entirely by it...by creating an actual dynamic world where the player actually...yanno..matters, regardless of it being an MMO.

Cause thats what it would take for DA to really stand out as an MMO title and survive it, it would need game play mechanics that actually made every individual player integral to the overarching storyline of Thedas in their own way.

If I could see that happen...I could possibly die a happy man.

But we're talking about bleeding edge dynamics here that achieving would be like finding the Holy Grail of MMO game design. To be able to shape your world around the lore its built in and have your players directly shape the lore as it progresses in a guided and semi-structured fashion?

It would be a game like we have never seen before. It would be....truly, the ability to experience another world. And not just take up space in it and grind spiders and rats and crap.

To...spend a lifetime defending Thedas from various threats, political intrigues, national wars and the occasional blights?

Tell me you wouldn't do it...if what you did really mattered, if what the players did really mattered.

Tell me that wouldn't be the greatest game of all time.

It wouldn't be the greatest game. A Mass Effect version would kick it's ass.

[Bane]

There's no doubt in my mind that the direct sequel to DA will be single player. Whether or not they spin off an MMO set in this universe remains to be seen, but I really don't see that happening before a direct sequel is released.

Imagine the uproar if they released a DA MMO before DA2. It would be madness.

[marshalleck]

SLPr0 wrote...

I personally feel this is a backdrop for a long series of games based in the same conceptual design as we're dealing with in DA:O.

You have to consider that it would almost be a first in the gaming industry to have a title take on such a long term development view, many games get sequels, some even get a trilogy...but this looks to me like the backdrop for a game thats going to be releasing new titles for the next ten years at the very least.

An MMO format, I agree, would cheapen it, I think, unless they did something so spectacular that the MMO industry would be revolutionized entirely by it...by creating an actual dynamic world where the player actually...yanno..matters, regardless of it being an MMO.

Cause thats what it would take for DA to really stand out as an MMO title and survive it, it would need game play mechanics that actually made every individual player integral to the overarching storyline of Thedas in their own way.

If I could see that happen...I could possibly die a happy man.

But we're talking about bleeding edge dynamics here that achieving would be like finding the Holy Grail of MMO game design. To be able to shape your world around the lore its built in and have your players directly shape the lore as it progresses in a guided and semi-structured fashion?

It would be a game like we have never seen before. It would be....truly, the ability to experience another world. And not just take up space in it and grind spiders and rats and crap.

To...spend a lifetime defending Thedas from various threats, political intrigues, national wars and the occasional blights?

Tell me you wouldn't do it...if what you did really mattered, if what the players did really mattered.

Tell me that wouldn't be the greatest game of all time.

It would be amazing, and it would also be a commercial flop. That's not what the average, semi-casual gamer wants. They don't want to create their own story. They want the behavior/reward hook. Run dungeon, get epics. If WoW's success tells us anything, it's that Pavlovian conditioning is the most lucrative model.

Understand that gamers like you and I are in an incredibly small minority.

Modifié par marshalleck, 24 novembre 2009 - 05:33 .

[SLPr0]

Lianaar wrote...

The only way I can imagine that is PnP. I wouldn't even like to try poor attempts with MMO where the community of playing it is not able to accept some core elements of Role Playing, such as at times you have to lose or bad things happen to you as well. Checking how badly most reacted to the negative consequences of actions they performed I would think that a game where the power is in the hand of the players would inevitably reduce itself to either a pink bunny chatline or a hack and slash battle field.

The issue with MMO's and role play is that most of them do not actually encourage it.

MMO's of the current generation don't care if you role play or play or don't play at all as long as you subscribe.

But what if a game team cared enough to develop a game that almost forced players to play their roles?

There has been no such title to this date.

It would take a grand shift of paradigm in regards to the level of commitment and support a game developer would be willing to commit to creating a dynamic and shifting world situation that forced players to react to the world.

And thats the problem with current generation MMOs you don't react to the world, the world reacts to you, in small ways...monsters and animals attack you, you kill them, you get XP and money, wash/rinse/repeat...its as old as the first text based MUDs really.

But what if there was a game world that didn't give you the option to be that complacent? What if the game world actually forced you to react to it and what was going on in it?

I can see it in my head. But its so hard to explain in text.

But there is a way to make an MMO that not only encourages role play but nearly forces it.

I think it could be done with the DA IP. Its got the perfect setting for it.

Pardon me I have to go erase my whiteboard....this is burning a hole in my brain now and I've got to plot it out.

[Ravenfeeder]

I've always thought that Theadas was just David Gaidar's PnP world that he's transferred to CRPG. That's why there's a lot of lore around, because he's been working on it and getting feedback for years.

[SLPr0]

marshalleck wrote...

SLPr0 wrote...

I personally feel this is a backdrop for a long series of games based in the same conceptual design as we're dealing with in DA:O.

You have to consider that it would almost be a first in the gaming industry to have a title take on such a long term development view, many games get sequels, some even get a trilogy...but this looks to me like the backdrop for a game thats going to be releasing new titles for the next ten years at the very least.

An MMO format, I agree, would cheapen it, I think, unless they did something so spectacular that the MMO industry would be revolutionized entirely by it...by creating an actual dynamic world where the player actually...yanno..matters, regardless of it being an MMO.

Cause thats what it would take for DA to really stand out as an MMO title and survive it, it would need game play mechanics that actually made every individual player integral to the overarching storyline of Thedas in their own way.

If I could see that happen...I could possibly die a happy man.

But we're talking about bleeding edge dynamics here that achieving would be like finding the Holy Grail of MMO game design. To be able to shape your world around the lore its built in and have your players directly shape the lore as it progresses in a guided and semi-structured fashion?

It would be a game like we have never seen before. It would be....truly, the ability to experience another world. And not just take up space in it and grind spiders and rats and crap.

To...spend a lifetime defending Thedas from various threats, political intrigues, national wars and the occasional blights?

Tell me you wouldn't do it...if what you did really mattered, if what the players did really mattered.

Tell me that wouldn't be the greatest game of all time.

It would be amazing, and it would also be a commercial flop. That's not what the average, semi-casual gamer wants. They don't want to create their own story. They want the behavior/reward hook. Run dungeon, get epics. If WoW's success tells us anything, it's that Pavlovian conditioning is the most lucrative model.

Understand that gamers like you and I are in an incredibly small minority.

I think this is a mistaken impression, because I believe the industry is ripe for a shift in paradigm.

And whos to say there isn't a behavior/reward hook here. Rise to prominance defending your lands, become a Bann, establish a landhold, build an army of other players, a city, recruit smiths and miners and build arms, become a standing power in a nation of Thedas and when called to war by your ruling monarch (that monarch being an NPC played/controlled by BioWare's storyline support team!), you answer...along with all those that are part of your army and city. Fight other nations, fight the Blights....assasins sent on missions of espionage, bards spying for all sides, warriors clashing in broad valleys to defend their lands from an invading player army.

Thats game play with roots, thats PvP with a true foundation. Seriously, I'll take that over a "S8" PvP Epic set any day of the week.

[marshalleck]

I never said it wouldn't be a good game. I will maintain that such a game would be far too complicated for the bulk of the gaming population, who are simply looking to turn off their brains and unwind for 30 minutes to an hour at a time.