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[Mike Laidlaw]

Sylvius the Mad wrote...

I wish we could discuss the game in development in greater detail from an earlier stage, like we could after the original Dragon Age announcement.  We got to interact with the devs on concrete ideas and plans 4-5 years before release.  I recognise you don't want to have a 4 year development cycle, but it would be great if you could return to this more open approach to community relations.

I believe you are staring at day one of that approach even now.

I also saw people looking for more walkthroughs, live chats and the like. To which the answer is "Yes." It won't be immediately, since we want to actually have things to show, but yes.

[Mike Laidlaw]

LetticiaeB wrote...

RinpocheSchnozberry wrote...

Mark Darrah wrote...

We are definately looking into getting a clean starting point of choices for DA3.

As in tossing our old choices out... or a Mass Effect style comic book to re-create our choices?

This. I need the answer to this question too. What does this mean, Mark Darrah? Does it mean nothing we did before DA3 matters?

I can't talk methods, but I can talk goals: We would like you to be able to import choices in a way that is error-proof. Which is to say, not ignoring the DA world you've helped shape.

[Alain Baxter]

re: DLC question

CoS Sarah Jinstar wrote...
I think it's more not wanting to pay extra (like with Javik in me3 costing 10 dollars extra)  for content that should be on the disc in the first place. But that's a circular arguement and isn't going to change at this point. Day 1 DLC is a slippery slope. It's one thing to include this content in ALL new copies regardless to combat used game sales. I get that.
Cutting said content for collector's editions reeks of greed.

Good points. There's the 'Online Pass' content we offer for 1st time buyers and also the Day 1 DLC content. There is some confusion between the two and yes, this has become a slippery slope as of late. Creating content post core development timeframe is something we'll always try to provide for our fans but as others have noted there is a perception that we're up to no good.

In either case, allowing players to further their adventures in Thedas is always our goal. As everyone knows, there's always one more hill climb, one more piece of treasue to find and best of all, one more story to listen to by a campfire.

[John Epler]

No ME3 spoilers in this thread, please.

[Alain Baxter]

DaBigDragon wrote...

So, Mike or Mark, does this thread basically confirm that there will be no more DLC for DA2 and I can finish my Hawke's that I've put on hold waiting for DLC news?

Thanks!

Correct. There will be no more DLC for DA2.

Venture forth!

[Mike Laidlaw]

Hey guys,

Going to pop in here and hit a few things that are FAQs in this thread (or common suggestions), that we've either discussed previously, or that I can answer quickly.

First off, though, I want to note that Mark and I are going to try and be very transparent throughout the next dev cycle. This is, we think, a VERY good thing, as it should help you folks know where the project is at, and why many of the devisions have been made. That said, be aware that with transparency comes both delight and disappointment. You've seen it here in this thread already re: the fact that there was an expansion for DAII considered. Some are delighted that it was considered, some are annoyed that it's not being made (and, hey, we liked it, too!), but at least you know what those shirts were about! Just rest assured that when we make a decision, it's been heavily considered on our end, and while we'd love to please everyone, that's impossible.

Now, some stuff:

Q: Will Mark be taking over Lead Designer?
A: Nope. That's still me. Creative Director is a franchise or brand-level title, while Lead Designer is a project title. In the case of the DLC's Aidan Scanlan (a Bioware veteran and very good friend) was Lead Design for those. Mark is the Executive Producer for Dragon Age, and has been since the end of Origins. He's my boss. You're talking to the top.

Q: Will there be a collection pack for DAII that combines all the DLCs?
A: Nope. Mark actually mentioned that there would be no ultimate edition a few months back here on BSN; I'm just reiterating that point. So if you've been waiting on Legacy or somesuch, go for it!

Q: Will we be going to silent protagonist?
A: A few months back, I noted that we'd be continuing on a voiced protagonist. We feel the voice improves the overall experience, thought we know that some of your disagree. Sorry! STILL, we have, however, heard feedback on paraphrase clarity. What I've often seen is feedback that the paraphrases fail when your character DOES something unexpected. Would you folks agree that moments of action or major choice are the issue that most needs to be addressed?

Q: Will I play my... {protagonist here]... again?
A: Again, reiterating something from a few months back, our goal is that new major installments in the DA games will have new protagonists and, generally, tell new stories. It's safe to assume we'll do that for "The Next Thing™", and then we'll evaluate again. Starting over with new characters provides us a chance to tell new stories in the place and time of the Dragon Age, rather than just one character's story.

Hope that clears up some commonly asked questions. Very much looking forward to telling you guys more!

[Mike Laidlaw]

NovinhaShepard wrote...

Thanks so much for interacting with us.  I just hope many promises made about features of the next game, will be prefaced with a disclaimer: This is subject to change.  Since, you know, many of the Mass Effect fans hung on to every word and were completely disappointed.

Yes, that's a very good point! It's also why we'd rather show than tell. I can tell you X is going to happen, but if I can demonstrate it, then we can both be reasonably assured that it's well under way.

But, yes, -everything- is subject to change. That's the nature of the beast.

[Mark Darrah]

andar91 

-I want to have more options out of combat with things like abilities and stealth and things like that. I loved that kind of stuff in the classic games (BGII and all that); nothing was cooler to me than being able to cast Arcane Eye with my mage and use it to scout, or cast invisibility, or identify, and all that stuff (I always play mages). Granted, Dragon Age has a different tone than a D&D game, but it'd be nice to have things to do besides just talking out of combat (like scouting or avoiding combat).
.

So things like searching, stealth, traps, puzzles?

[Mike Laidlaw]

jackofalltrades456 wrote...

I guess we're not going to win with the silent protagonist, but can we still see the return of the text wall? Save the text wheel for Mass Effect, please...

As I said many times, I hate "Hello" being." Hello there! I want set you on fire!"

Deeper dig: is the issue that you didn't know what you'd say, or that you did or said something unexpected?

I'll admit that I'm biased; I don't like reading a choice and then hearing the exact same thing read aloud to me. However, I can absolutely agree with concerns about being blindsided as per your example above.

[Mike Laidlaw]

eyesofastorm wrote...

I saw you do this a lot during development and post-release of DA2.  You kind of deconstruct what people say are their preferences, spin it a little bit, talk about what you prefer and then what you prefer shows up in the game.  Problem is, these things you prefer, judging by the reaction to DA2, tend not to be the thing that "the majority" of the fans of the  Dragon Age franchise prefer.  And at least as bad as making decisions that split the fanbase or outright turn it against you, you come off as putting your preferences before "ours" and I suspect thats why so much angst was directed against you personally.  I'm telling you how to do your job here... take notes.  Be careful with this.  

Fair enough; I could certainly do without the angst, but I do feel that I'm allowed my own preferences, especially when I'm owning up to them, yes?

[Mike Laidlaw]

Filament wrote...
But you wouldn't have to read it, depending on its implementation, per the various suggestions that have been offered here. It could be placed in a field separate from the paraphrases upon highlighting, or in the subtitles field, or replace the paraphrases themselves upon highlighting, or have a toggled implementation. A lot of fans really want one of those options and they wouldn't detract from the experience you want. So where's the problem?

There's some very good suggestions in this thread, absolutely.

[Mike Laidlaw]

hunterxx1xx wrote...
I have to agree with eyeofastorm. Seems like Bioware doesn't really care about our input. We say what we'd like to see and they respond with their mind made up already pushing our ideas aside. Majority of the people on here agree we would like to see more DA:O and we all know that's not going to happen. As Bioware will not "go back 180 degrees" even though that's exactly what they should do if they want to have a successful game. I mean hello? DA:O was a bigger success than DA2. Continue to do what you prefer then and see how many people purchase DA3. 

Guys, if anything I've said is construed as "pushing aside" your ideas, I absolutely apologize. The things I listed out are decisions that we've reached so far, and had already communicated previously, I simply wanted to reiterate them so that we could focus on things that are still very open to feedback (which is to say, virtually everything). I'm very happy to see some of the responses around the dialog wheel, for instance, as there may very well be things we can do, and I don't know if we could have gotten to some of the suggestions without first placing the discussion around there being a voiced protagonist.

[David Gaider]

Teddie Sage wrote...
No, no, no! They would never such a thing. That's quite insulting. Imagine how David Gaider must feel with this kind of comment. The lack of empathy here is astonishing.

Don't worry on my behalf. I'm quite familiar with not getting my way (the cancellation of the expansion was a difficult choice for everyone involved, despite the benefits doing so conveyed), just as I'm familiar with people treating me like a corporation rather than a creator. That's what I get for being a recognizeable "face". While there's some abuse nobody should have to put up with, a bit of insensitivity is not the same thing-- particularly when I empathize with the sentiment behind it. I care about where DA goes as much as many of you.

Well, more. I happen to work here, which is not to diminish your caring in any way.

At any rate, it's refreshing to see some of the thoughtful comments and suggestions. There's been a lot over the last year, and a lot of what we're doing has also sprung from that, but engaging in some dialogue as we move forward is-- I believe-- what both Mike and Mark are going for, and hopefully you'll see the payoff.

[Mark Darrah]

Maybe I should just put a stop to something right now.
We ARE NOT going to:
* Burn DA2 to the ground
* Pretend it doesn't exists
* etc...
I am proud of what DA2 accomplished in several areas. It is certainly not without flaws.
We have things to learn from BOTH Dragon Age games as well as other titles.
Starting your post by telling me to ignore the hard work of over a hundred people is NOT a good way to start a dialogue with me.

[Mark Darrah]

Teddie Sage wrote...

royen1 wrote...

Dear Bioware,
please make DA3 almost exactly like DA:O and nothing like DA2. That is all.

Sincerely,
Someone who was very surprised when DA2 was nothing like DA:O

Never going to happen. They already confirmed that they are merging both playstyles to please both fanbase.

Going foreward, we will try to learn from both titles. They both have good aspects.
Will this please everyone? I doubt it. But hopefully, most people will see things that they can love.

[Mark Darrah]

ReiSilver wrote...

[*]
[*]Last but not least: Where the women at? By which I am referring to the disappearance of dwarven women in DA2 and the lack of even one female Kossith despite having concept art for them. I know they're not Traditional-Female-Beauty-standard, but that's part of the reason it's so important to include them when you have them in your universe! Talk about a way to make your game stand out in a positive way. I'd love to see the likes of Sigrun or a female TalVashoth warrior!
[/list]

Expect more female representatives of the races going forward.

[Mark Darrah]

eveynameiwantisfekintaken wrote...

In fact on that, how about more combat dialogue? Again using ME3 as an example i like the way shepard and the sqaud mates shout out instructions or observations during a fight. I also like that enemy units do this as well (most notable with Cerberus forces) Something similar for Dragon Age would be awesome.

I do like combat relevant shouts and orders in combat.
Have you tried ME3's Kinect support in combat?

[Mark Darrah]

slashthedragon wrote...

I'm not liking the fact that the Important People aren't answering posts that are asking if we could just find out more about what Exalted March was going to be about.

There are parts of the story of Exalted March that will be rolled into future things. As a result, we likely won't talk too much about the plans for it.

[Mark Darrah]

AestiMassEffect wrote...

And one last thing for the combat.. please bring all the options across all the platforms. I couldn't replay the PC version completely because it would not use an xbox controller nor did it offer the same combat experience. I know you guys craft PC-specific UIs for the PC version but I implore you to please keep options available since some of us would like to use a gamepad on a PC.

I agree that controller support on the PC is important.

[Mark Darrah]

jlb524 wrote...

I don't know if this has been discussed.

So...can I play as an elf?

Is this even on the table or will it be human-only again?

If the story demands a human-only (or dwarf, elf, or qunari only for that matter) than we would do that.

An advantage of a single player race is that it allows us to offer a lot more customization options. Customization is definately a place we want to focus.

[Mark Darrah]

Yrkoon wrote...

Mark Darrah wrote...

jlb524 wrote...

I don't know if this has been discussed.

So...can I play as an elf?

Is this even on the table or will it be human-only again?

If the story demands a human-only (or dwarf, elf, or qunari only for that matter) than we would do that.

An advantage of a single player race is that it allows us to offer a lot more customization options. Customization is definately a place we want to focus.

What?  Can you elaborate here?  How, exactly, does removing the ability to choose from difference races increase customization options?  Doesn't basic logic dictate the complete opposite?

Sorry, let me clarify:
This would allow us to have greater numbers of armor, clothing etc...

[Alain Baxter]

waouh wrote...
eh merde je ne comprend rien lol

Ha! Je peux parler un peut, mais mon 'franglais' est terrible.
Qu'est ce qu'ont dit c'est que on est finis avec Dragon Age II et on va travailler sur un autre project dans la famille de Dragon Age. On parles avec vous dans les forums et en veut savoir quoi que tous aimes / n'aimes pas avec DA:O et DAII. Si tu as des chose a dire, dites-les!

phew!

[Sorry for gramatically destroying the french language... my mother would _not_ be proud...]

[Alain Baxter]

Teddie Sage wrote...

Alain Baxter wrote...

waouh wrote...
eh merde je ne comprend rien lol

Ha! Je peux parler un peut, mais mon 'franglais' est terrible.
Qu'est ce qu'ont dit c'est que on est finis avec Dragon Age II et on va travailler sur un autre project dans la famille de Dragon Age. On parles avec vous dans les forums et en veut savoir quoi que tous aimes / n'aimes pas avec DA:O et DAII. Si tu as des chose a dire, dites-les!

phew!

[Sorry for gramatically destroying the french language... my mother would _not_ be proud...]

I could always serve as a BETA-translator. Since I'm canadian french first. XD

But yeah, "whaou"...

French/Français: l'équipe est en train de travailler sur Dragon Age III ou quelque chose comme ça. Ils ont laissé tombé la deuxième partie de l'histoire avec Hawke qui était "Exalted March" pour se concentrer sur le nouveau volet de la série. Si t'as besoin d'un peu plus d'informations, demande. XD

That was awesome. Thank you!

[Alain Baxter]

Complistic wrote...

I sat here for a good 5 minutes trying to think of something you could do that would make me buy the game and I came up blank. I'm sorry.

edit: I can think of things that would fix the game, but nothing you would do.

Sorry to hear this. Hopefully you'll keep an ear on the ground as developments occur and as we share them we peak your curiosity.

[Alain Baxter]

Lupus Canivus wrote...

People they are not listrening, look at what they done to ME3. The DA3 is coming out this year. I have seen this annonsed on two sites already were you can pre-order. This is all a con like all their other promises.

To be clear, we've only announced we've stopped working on anything relating to DA2. Our plans have always been to formally announce a project first, and then work with retailers to take pre-orders etc. With no official word on what we are doing now, I'd be extremely cautious on giving websites money on this pure speculation.