On science in video games.
Ar Tonelico science is on a whole other level than Mass Effect so much so that you'd probably need to actually have a PhD in particle physics to even poke holes in the simple stuff like Symphonic Resonance and Grathmelding.
If Mass Effect had that, there would be no "Space Magic" excuses.
You mean the codex entries that pretended there was a difference between "positive current" and "negative current"?What exactly IS in-depth science? I don't know about you but I'd say that L'Etoile and the others took a lot of time with writing some nifty exposition for the world's scientific boondoggles, like Mass Relays, the stealth drive of the Normandy, Eezo in ME1 etc.
But isn't the whole Ar Tonelico universe based on non-standard physics? A PhD in particle physics wouldn't help with that. You'd need a PhD in Wills.On science in video games.
Ar Tonelico science is on a whole other level than Mass Effect so much so that you'd probably need to actually have a PhD in particle physics to even poke holes in the simple stuff like Symphonic Resonance and Grathmelding.
If Mass Effect had that, there would be no "Space Magic" excuses.
Why do I have the sudden urge to hug you?
Double-plus on alternate history, then. Anything to spur Eirene into a history post.
History is far too sensitive a subject to tackle unless you reeeaaaaallly know your stuff.
Likewise, you can write historical fiction without in-depth history.
Sure. But I'd say history is more open to critique than science. Look at the flack the AC games get for a few things here and there. And besides, it's harder to writer (I'd say.) Science requires no interpretation, history does. Not to mention all the ethical and social problems which come from said representation.
If BioWare were to make a game set in Nazi Germany, they'd have to be careful in how they represent Germans and how they handle the social situation within.
Science requires facts that don't budge an inch. Helium has two electrons, and that's final. Helium doesn't have three electrons in one book and six in another. Helium isn't called a jerk by Hydrogen but a legend by Oxygen.
So yeah, in-depth history is possible. But the research would be far more extensive and not to mention required. People can watch sci-fi without in-depth science. We've been brought up by Star Wars and other stuff to teach us that. But god forbid you attempt a realistic historical setting with accurate events or you're just asking for some backlash.
Then again, I could be overdoing it.
People seem fine with Braveheart.
Stirling was fought by a bridge...
No one seemed to care.
An alt history RPG?
I'd prefer an alt history that draws on fantasy material for BioWare. I know they already have a fantasy series with Dragon Age, but I'd like to see a game set in a Renaissance and there being some magical twist to it.
A calsh of technology vs magic, the modernizing world meeting a fantastical past, etc...
Whether I'd like it set on an overlay of the real world is another matter
That boss fight was so stupid. I liked the game but Jesus christ.
It was fun! your argument is invalid!
Now a game set in an actual historical setting would be trickier.
They'd have to pick a time period with enough leeway so that they can't diverge too heavily from the real world's timeline. Furthermore they'd likely have to avoid Medieval settings because of Dragon Age.
However a game set perhaps in Ancient Greece or at the turn of the 20th century would also peek my interest
Now a game set in an actual historical setting would be trickier.
They'd have to pick a time period with enough leeway so that they can't diverge too heavily from the real world's timeline. Furthermore they'd likely have to avoid Medieval settings because of Dragon Age.
However a game set perhaps in Ancient Greece or at the turn of the 20th century would also peek my interest
Late Assyria period that also has Medes, Elam, Babylon, Hittie, Urarto (Ancient Armenia) and many other interesting kingdoms is excellent. But it's sad that many western people don't know about this period and its potential to become a great setting for movies or video games.
Why all the interest in our world? I think something other then our world would be much more interesting. Not to mention they have more leeway as well.
Late Assyria period that also has Medes, Elam, Babylon, Hittie, Urarto (Ancient Armenia) and many other interesting kingdoms is excellent. But it's sad that many western people don't know about this period and its potential to become a great setting for movies or video games.
like you said, there'd likely be a lack of interest with western audiences
like you said, there'd likely be a lack of interest with western audiences
Which sucks.
China during the May Fourth period mang
they already set an anime there after all
A. Avatar isn't anime, its created by Americans and produced in South Korea
B. While they draw heavily from chinese culture, they also use Inuit culture, and some episodes featured Aztecs and another Cajuns
I've been hoping a long while for Bioware to attempt a superhero opus. Something drawing story inspiration from the likes of Watchmen, 80's X-Men, and the best of Batman, with gameplay inspiration from games like Mass Effect II & III (looking at you, Vanguard), the Arkham series, and Infamous / Saints Row IV. Choose your own power set, build an origin, and play a range of morality from super-boyscout, to vigilante, to archvillain.
I really think they could pull it off and build an interesting universe to boot.
A. Avatar isn't anime, its created by Americans and produced in South Korea
B. While they draw heavily from chinese culture, they also use Inuit culture, and some episodes featured Aztecs and another Cajuns
Perhaps something with Fantasy Rome? Plenty of fantastic tales with Roman and Greek culture.
Guest_simfamUP_*
oh you
I don't think so, because most people who might complain don't know enough to do so.
Most people do. The problem, as I see it, is why. Why change things that don't need to be changed?
I think that the AC games got rather more wrong than "a few things here and there". But I agree most with your last few comments. People - the general public - don't care if you get the history wrong. They don't know the history, either, and they're apt to dismiss complaints with the claim that focusing too much on getting the history right would detract from the story somehow. (Yeah, tell me another one.)
Admittedly, "getting the history right" means different things to different people; you highlighted ethical concerns, but many fictional portrayals of historical or alternate-historical events can't even manage to get a good idea of the basic way the world works.
BioWare could probably make a game in a historical or alt-historical setting that would pass enough factual muster for the overwhelming majority of their customer base. It probably wouldn't be the same for me. Hell, when they made games in a fictional setting that already had an extensive history, their games didn't pass factual muster for me. KotOR and SWTOR messed around with Star Wars history a lot. Ah, the things that mattered to me before Disney nuked the franchise.
Oh sure. I was overdoing it. But I still stand by original point and say it'd be tricky. Especially filling in the holes (because some historical sources are so vague it's not even funny) with fiction or trying to place fiction where it can work well with fact. Unless BioWare would want to go full-on Braveheart.
But that wouldn't be very interesting at all. At least for me. I'd like to see as much accuracy as possible.
Oh sure. I was overdoing it. But I still stand by original point and say it'd be tricky. Especially filling in the holes (because some historical sources are so vague it's not even funny) with fiction or trying to place fiction where it can work well with fact. Unless BioWare would want to go full-on Braveheart.
But that wouldn't be very interesting at all. At least for me. I'd like to see as much accuracy as possible.
sadly historical accuracy will always be secondary to balance and gameplay.
Steam punk is a good idea. I'd like to see a horror group rpg but I am not sure it would sell well enough. As corny as this sounds a group based rpg with time travel elements might be neat.
If no one has said it, they ought to make a series of small, low-budget dating simulators. Each could be a self-contained story with low-cost, limited environments, maybe with 10-15 hours of gameplay.
Streamlining the project so that multiple games were being produced would allow them to save on production somewhat by sharing resources among the different titles. This would be more of a "side thing," using an indy model.
If the response to the romance announcements of DA:I are any indication, they wouldn't have any trouble selling them, it would just be a question of keeping the costs down low enough to allow the smaller audience that would by them to make the project profitable.
They could explore a variety of themes, including gender and sexuality, and even focus titles on certain gender/sexuality issues, exploring some of the issues people clearly longed for from the DA games.
It might even give them a bit of PR armour against the more hyperbolic accusations regarding representation.
High school romance.
Beat the crap out of dweebs in gym class to impress the girls you like! Talk older kids into getting you booze! Burn with envy at the spoiled brats whose parents got them a new car when you are driving a ramshackle POS you had to pay for yourself! Work bizarre shifts at 7-11 to afford to do something nice with your girl and find out she is cheating on you with a spoiled kid! 
Obligatory characters: Dweeb, Preggo, Selfish Jerkward responsible for Preggo and in denial, Pompous Spoiled Kid, Teacher's Pet, Hall Monitor, Crazy Loner, Goth, Verbal Abuse Dummy, Over-achiever, Stoner, Church boy, Egomaniacal Cheerleader, Jock, Prankster, Village Idiot, (Real) Issues at home, Naughty Teacher, Stiff Vice Principle, Creepster, Flunkster, Instigator, and more!
Hilarious at is sounds-you actually could go somewhere with this.
Guest_TrillClinton_*
I think bioware is a good developer but I don't think they can pull off cyberpunk or steampunk mostly because their development philosophy doesn't really give room for non combat abilities and in an rpg where you exploring a whole ecosystem of skills and abilities, bioware's class system just does not work as well for the steampunk or cyberpunk environment. The cyberpunk and steampunk enviroment allows a wide range of characters to be created into this world but bioware would dilute that to a restricted class based system because 1)It is easier on their resources. 2) The dialogue system and cinematics are taxing on branching dialogue based on skills.
In bioware games, narrative takes priority over rpg mechanics and variables.. The bioware rpg system is shallow compared to the unity rpg games that have been released. Which is fine cause bioware is comfortable with what they do.
MMO set in a Japanese high school.
Kidding
Seriously I would want to see some kind of nordic mythological setting. Asgard and Midgard, Vanir, Aesir, Odin, Gungnir, etc.
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