92 réponses à ce sujet

[hmlee2008]

I was thinking today about Dragon Age and how creative the world it exists in is, as it blends elements from multiple different fantasy universes as well as actual human history and theology into a cohesive whole. Not only does it do this, but it executes in a way that I haven't seen since the original Baldur's Gate series, one of my favorites of all time. This then led to me wondering about the future of Dragon Age as a series. I've read on here and at other locations that work on Dragon Age 2 has already begun - that's fantastic, but I wonder about the series after a sequel gets produced.

As any fan of Bioware knows, Baldur's Gate generated its own expansion packs and sequel (with its own expansion pack) before being supplanted by KOTOR, NWN, and Dragon Age. I've never been entirely certain about what caused the demise of Baldur's Gate - was it that Bioware began work on other projects? The turmoil that surrounded NWN between Interplay and Infogrames? Or was it simply that Bioware considered the Baldur's Gate story line to be completed after the Throne of Bhaal expansion pack?

Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't happen to Dragon Age. Unlike the Mass Effect series, Dragon Age hasn't (to my knowledge) been planned out as having a definitive number of entries. This could be good or bad, I suppose... On the one hand, it doesn't constrain DA to a set number of titles - we could end up with something akin to the Elder Scrolls series, I suppose... though it could also be bad. At least with Mass Effect's commitment to a trilogy, we knew we'd be getting three titles...

So, this thread is intended to be a discussion of Dragon Age's potential as a series (sans spoilers, of course). What do you think happened to Baldur's Gate? Do you think it will happen to DA, or are we looking at the start of a long-lived series? Does the acquisition of Bioware by EA affect the possibility for DA as a perennial series in a positive or negative way? Or perhaps the fact that DA consists of original IP (there's that law student in me going...) like Mass Effect have an impact on this decision? (Admittedly, I know pretty much nothing about how license agreements are structured in the video game world and what percentage of profits of a game go to the original rights-holder vs. the developer / publishers...)

[Gorath Alpha]

You mean, in the sense of if it wasn't just a fictional, virtual place; and I imagine that such discussions do already exist. (Pause while I visit elsewhere).

No such discussion seemed ongoing when I looked: forums.bioware.com/viewforum.html

Gorath
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Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 13 décembre 2009 - 04:16 .

[hmlee2008]

 No, I"m referring solely to DA's potential for video game sequels. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Fredescu]

If DA2 is to DA what BG2 was to BG, I will die happy.

[slikster]

I think it all boils down to 1)NWN was the successor of BG. 2)Bioware was constrained in what they could do using a third party IP. 3)DA is Bioware's own IP to do with what it wants. I see a long future if fan support is there.

[hmlee2008]

slikster wrote...

I think it all boils down to 1)NWN was the successor of BG. 2)Bioware was constrained in what they could do using a third party IP. 3)DA is Bioware's own IP to do with what it wants. I see a long future if fan support is there.

By fan support I suppose you mean sales? I'm sure there will always be a dedicated group of fans like us around... but unless the games continue to sell...? Though, in some ways, I really hope that $ is the only constraining factor on future escapades in the DA universe... Bioware's games are always of excellent quality and it seems, guaranteed to sell well as long as that reputation survives. If money is the only factor, then we could be looking at the DA universe extending into infinity... though I don't know that David Gaider would like having to write all those books!

[SeanMurphy2]

I think Bioware felt they needed to do something different.

If they could create the Baldur's Gate series, they could create something else that would be good. The company may not be as strong if they kept trying to make the same series.

They may have thought there was closure to the character's storyline. So they wrote a new storyline set in Neverwinter.I think Dragon Age will be the same. The story of Ferelden and your Grey Warden is almost finished. A sequel might be set in a different nation with new characters and issues.

Modifié par SeanMurphy2, 13 décembre 2009 - 05:05 .

[slikster]

Thier IP is the setting of a world, where we have only been introduced to Thedas. It is not confined to one player in one campaign.

[Nambot]

I bet they might have made more if they were given the opportunity at the time. But their partner in it Interplay fell though and the opportunity to continue that story seems to have been lost for a while. So they moved on to create their own world that they owned and could develop at their leisure.

[MR-9]

I can see how this all got started. They all sat down at a table together and said "Look, no more D&D. We're going to make this simple."

[Kalcalan]

hmlee2008 wrote...

before being supplanted by KOTOR, NWN, and Dragon Age. I've never been entirely certain about what caused the demise of Baldur's Gate

I still have BG on my computer and I can assure you that neither KotOR nor NWN are installed on my computer at the moment. So in my case at least it means that it hasn't been "supplanted" except perhaps by Dragon Age and let's be fair it's a pretty recent game and it's too early to say whether DA will live up to the BG legacy. DA will need more than a few DLCs to retain its place next to BG 1 and 2 in the pantheon of fantasy CRPGs.

A sequel that would be to DA what BG2 is to BG, now that would be sweet indeed.

[Kaosgirl]

hmlee2008 wrote...

I was thinking today about Dragon Age and how creative the world it exists in is, as it blends elements from multiple different fantasy universes as well as actual human history and theology into a cohesive whole. Not only does it do this, but it executes in a way that I haven't seen since the original Baldur's Gate series, one of my favorites of all time. This then led to me wondering about the future of Dragon Age as a series. I've read on here and at other locations that work on Dragon Age 2 has already begun - that's fantastic, but I wonder about the series after a sequel gets produced.

As any fan of Bioware knows, Baldur's Gate generated its own expansion packs and sequel (with its own expansion pack) before being supplanted by KOTOR, NWN, and Dragon Age. I've never been entirely certain about what caused the demise of Baldur's Gate - was it that Bioware began work on other projects? The turmoil that surrounded NWN between Interplay and Infogrames? Or was it simply that Bioware considered the Baldur's Gate story line to be completed after the Throne of Bhaal expansion pack?

It was a bit that the story was finished; the saga of the Bhaalspawn was done.  And a bit that it was based on D&D, which was just in the process of releasing the third-edition ruleset when BG2 was made.  (Some elements of 3rd edition got into BG2, but it was still mostly 2e.)  The world-setting remained, but the game-rules were "obsolete" so it seemed appropriate to move on to something else as well.

So  they made Neverwinter Nights, based on third edition.  I don't recall where KOTOR fell in, but both were games set in someone else's worlds - worlds that Bioware had to licence the right to use, and had limits on how much affect their games could have.

I guess after that, they decided they wanted their own worlds, where they could have more control over the setting and do "bigger things" with the game.  The right to write their own canon, so to speak, and with it more creative freedom.

They've made a deal to establish a "traditional" tabletop RPG system based on Dragon Age, though, so I think the setting isn't going anywhere.

[ejikvkaske]

I've never played BG only BG2, which for me was a huge disappointment. Back in 2001 before I actually played it, I've heard some great things about the series. BG 2 did not live up to my expectations.



You see, BG 2 felt prehistoric even in 2001. Sure, the storyline was good, the world massive, and the game was overall challenging. However, my BG experience was ruined by terrible graphics and poor combat system. Maybe it's because I picked up BG2 right after Diablo 2.



Frankly I was not surprised that BG 3 never came out. The market was moving away from sprite based RPGs, so BG 3 would have needed a brand new engine. I guess Bioware decided that they might as well come up with a new world. I don't think there was anything that special about the BG universe.

[Pseron Wyrd]

hmlee2008 wrote...
I've never been entirely certain about what caused the demise of Baldur's Gate

Here's what Greg Zeschuk has to say about it:


“The Baldur's Gate and Dungeons and Dragons property is of course controlled by Atari, and owned originally by Hasbro, so it's a complicated, convoluted way of getting there. For us it's more a function of... because we weren't in a position to do Baldur's Gate... hey well let's create our own!"

Here's a link to the full article: http://www.videogame...no_regrets.html

[Tonya777]

slikster wrote...

I think it all boils down to 1)NWN was the successor of BG. 2)Bioware was constrained in what they could do using a third party IP. 3)DA is Bioware's own IP to do with what it wants. I see a long future if fan support is there.

Which is exactly why cheapskates should stop ****ing at DLC prices and buy it no matter what

If we all give them piles of money for their DA related work , they will surely be encouraged to make DA2 and DA3 and so forth and have lots of DLC for all of them

[corebit]

I applaud Bioware's decision to create an entirely new IP by themselves. As Kaosgirl said, you don't have any freedom when you license other people's worlds and ideas. Bioware has proven they have the vision, the experience, and the creativity to create new and original settings by themselves.

Have you seen the Thedas map? It is so rich in lore and detail that you could make dozens of expansions and sequels out of it easily. And we have only seen a small portion of the entire continent. If Mr. Gaider and his team put as much effort designing the other parts as they did Ferelden, this setting could easily rival Forgotten Realms or any other established setting. The DAO universe is not going away anytime soon, rest assured.

Modifié par corebit, 13 décembre 2009 - 05:45 .

[VanDraegon]

Well, by my count DA has been under development for 7 years, rom planning to release. I would be utterly shocked and astounded that a game development company would spend that amount of time and the money that goes along with it for only one major release under that name. Furthermore, the very name, Dragon Age: Origins should give you a hint that there will be much more to come.

My feeling is that we will see various degrees of DLC and an expansion or two. Then a sequel. One does not create such an indepth world and not maximize the revenue from it.

[Isotemod]

One thing to remember about Bioware having there own IP is that they thoretically could do anything with it.

There isn't a limitation on the IP that says its suitable only for single player RPG's.

Bioware currently has a contribution to one MMORPG and has another well on its way and looking around at other IP's anything from FPS's to RTS games are all concievable directions the IP could branch into.

The Baldurs Gate (Forgotten Realms) IP is still going strong in other ways and we can all be thankfull for the contribution Bioware and its previous incarnations made to it.

For now the Dragon age IP is something new and shiny and theres stories to be told, these stories can and are being told in a myriad of ways.

[Loredis]

I wouldn't speculate about the DA series too far ahead. Bioware iteslf is not going to be around much longer sadly, you can thank EA for that.

[Original182]

Yes I thought there's no Baldur's Gate III because the story has ended. Good time to end because the story is probably becoming stale, game engine has become outdated, etc.

[MerinTB]

Fredescu wrote...

If DA2 is to DA what BG2 was to BG, I will die happy.

I think I nerdgasmed at the thought.

[hmlee2008]

Loredis wrote...

I wouldn't speculate about the DA series too far ahead. Bioware iteslf is not going to be around much longer sadly, you can thank EA for that.

What makes you say that?

[MerinTB]

hmlee2008 wrote...

Loredis wrote...

I wouldn't speculate about the DA series too far ahead. Bioware iteslf is not going to be around much longer sadly, you can thank EA for that.

What makes you say that?

Their personal dislike of EA?

Just a hunch.

[corebit]

Loredis wrote...

I wouldn't speculate about the DA series too far ahead. Bioware iteslf is not going to be around much longer sadly, you can thank EA for that.

What?

[Fredescu]

hmlee2008 wrote...
What makes you say that?

They're making far too much money. EA CEO John Riccitiello said that Dragon Age "sold really, really well, and actually did a million pieces of downloadable content already, which is an astonishing outcome," but what he doesn't mention is that he hates money. Just like most CEOs.