Dragon Age: Origins - After Launch

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Dragon Age: Origins - After Launch

Post by Shir'le E. Illios »

Dragon Age: Origins launched almost two weeks ago (in NA; a little less long ago for EU and the rest of the world) and I’d taken all of last week off to play it. And I must say, it’s probably one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever played. And big, very big. After playing for a full week (the game itself says I’ve played for some 70 hours) I still haven’t finished yet (the game informs me that I’ve seen about 40% of the game, though I strongly suspect that’s counting towards an “absolutely every possible permutation” number and not a single, full, playthrough).

Of course, as I was busy enjoying myself playing the game a lot of articles and such popped up all over the net with more details and information on various things Dragon Age. I’ve already posted most reviews in a previous post and I won’t be posting any reviews for the main game here (just a single review for the DLC).

Anyway, let’s get to it.

The launch wasn’t flawless and a number of people experienced a number of issues, particularly in regards to activating on the social site and downloading DLC. As a result Fernando Melo (the online producer of Dragon Age: Origins) posted [url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 0:ayf4t3pw]a lengthy post[/url:ayf4t3pw] about the launch and where the developers are going from there. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] Looking at the various data and positive feedback we’ve received so far it has been an exceptional launch for both BioWare and Dragon Age: Origins. However, it was also clear that there were a few bumps and teething pains along the way that has had an impact to a small, but important portion of our community.

Despite our best planning for the launch of a single player game of this magnitude we have to admit we clearly underestimated the desire for players to want to play connected, their pleasure at sharing their stories on the BioWare Social Site, and the overall level of interest in the launch DLC (downloadable content).

Ultimately all these factors worked together to make for a rocky start for some of you – for those that did experience or are still experiencing any issues, our sincere apologies.

However, I wanted to share with you some of the things we are following, to reassure you that we are continuing to work on improving the launch of Dragon Age: Origins even further, and more importantly where we are at in terms of addressing these.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
One of the things that they’ve done to improve things is release [url=http://social.bioware.com/game_patches.php:ayf4t3pw]a first patch[/url:ayf4t3pw]. If you buy/bought Dragon Age: Origins through something like Steam then it’ll be automatically patched (and I think there’s something on the launcher for the game as well), otherwise you can download it at the link. Here’s a list of fixes:
[list:ayf4t3pw][*:ayf4t3pw]fixed potential corruption of character statistics[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw] fixed portrait appearance sliders when importing a character from the downloadable Character Creator[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw] fixed import for preset face settings from the downloadable Character Creator[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw] made Easy difficulty easier[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw] slightly increased attack, defense, and damage scores for all party members at Normal difficulty[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw] fixed video issues when running on a very wide screen display, including ATI Eyefinity displays[/*:m:ayf4t3pw][/list:u:ayf4t3pw]And they continue to work on more fixes and additional content.

If you can’t wait for more content however then there’s now also the [url=http://dragonage.bioware.com/toolset:ayf4t3pw]Dragon Age Toolset[/url:ayf4t3pw] in which you can (attempt to) make your own adventures. Though this is more involved than, say, Neverwinter Nights (think closer to Neverwinter Nights 2) the toolset offers a lot of power to make a variety of content, from cutscenes to adventures. Here’s a list of key features:
[list:ayf4t3pw][*:ayf4t3pw][b:ayf4t3pw]Create New Adventures[/b:ayf4t3pw] – Forge your own environments from your imagination, or use the rich set of Dragon Age locations and artwork as starting blocks to build new, original campaigns, quests, or cut-scenes.
[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw][b:ayf4t3pw]Stage Massive Battles[/b:ayf4t3pw] – Test your might in battle by fully customizing the combat and creature AI, allowing you to create detailed action sequences full of heart-pounding warfare.
[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw][b:ayf4t3pw]Be the Director[/b:ayf4t3pw] - Create your own stories with the powerful cinematics editor that offers full control of the camera, voice and lip syncing tools, and a full character creator.
[/*:m:ayf4t3pw]
[*:ayf4t3pw][b:ayf4t3pw]Content Creator's Community[/b:ayf4t3pw] – Join the BioWare Social Network where you can easily find tutorials, share content, chat with other creators, and get content updates for the toolset.[/*:m:ayf4t3pw][/list:u:ayf4t3pw]Though there are currently some issues with the toolset that could result in you being unable to play the game and such; and there’s problems with installing it in some circumstances (such as if you’re using Steam). So caution adviced; though I personally have every intention to delve into module making I’m also definitely waiting until after I finish the game at least once.

BioWare is well aware of the issues though and are working on a patch for the toolset [url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 8:ayf4t3pw]as BioWare’s Allan Smith explains[/url:ayf4t3pw].

Alright, moving away from updates directly from BioWare there are a number of sites with articles as well. First there’s Kotaku with [url=http://kotaku.com/5397283/dragon-age-or ... c:ayf4t3pw]a comparison between the PS3 and PC version[/url:ayf4t3pw]. Most of what’s said for the PS3 version goes for the X360 version as well. To give you the short conclusion; the PC version comes away as the better one. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw]The PC interface is a world apart from the console version, and if you've playing any massively-multiplayer online roleplaying game, it will be instantly familiar. The pair of three swappable shortcuts in the bottom right corner of the console version is replaced with a standard hot bar, where powers, stances, and skills can be slotted just as they are in countless MMO titles. The select button menu is nowhere to be seen, with the PC version instead featuring a row of buttons at the top of the screen, allowing quick access to inventory, your journal, character stats, and the like.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
In a similar vein GameSpot has [url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6239466 ... 2:ayf4t3pw]an image comparison[/url:ayf4t3pw] between all three platforms. Here too the PC version seems crisper than the console versions, with the PS3 slightly improved over the X360 one. Here’s an excerpt from the lead-in:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] We captured the following shots at 720p across both consoles and the PC to keep everything even. On the PC, we enabled all the highest quality settings, as well as 4x antialiasing and 8x anisotropic filtering. On the consoles, we captured the images directly over HDMI using the Matrox MXO2 Mini and used FRAPs to capture screenshots on the PC.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
IGN has a couple more videos up, a “starter guide” with some tips, a post launch trailer (which seems to just be a remix of earlier trailers) and a behind-the-scenes video on designing the combat for Dragon Age: Origins.

[center:ayf4t3pw][html]<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=682217&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/vi ... rking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>
<br /><br />
<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=682217&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/vi ... rking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>
<br /><br />
<embed src='http://videomedia.ign.com/ev/ev.swf' flashvars='object_ID=682217&downloadURL=http://xbox360movies.ign.com/xbox360/vi ... rking="all%"' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' width='433' height='360'></embed>[/html][/center:ayf4t3pw]
Eurogamer has an article on [url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/biowa ... e:ayf4t3pw]BioWare defending the story structure[/url:ayf4t3pw] in Dragon Age: Origins (and their other RPGs). In it BioWare staff writer Patrick Weekes comments in response to some comments on how BioWare’s stories tend to all have the same plot. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] "Yeah, guys, every BioWare game has the same plot! See, things are kind of normal, and then things change and you have to go out and do stuff, and you go to crazy weird places! Aaaaaand so yeah, totally the same story."

Weekes said the "intro, four planets, finale" structure familiar to BioWare games is picked for a number of good reasons.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
Over on MMORPG there is [url=http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm?b ... 7:ayf4t3pw]an article-style interview[/url:ayf4t3pw] (i.e. they held an interview and wrote an article about it) with Lead Designer Mike Laidlaw about Dragon Age, and how it relates to MMOs. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] Mike next talked about what elements from MMOs Dragon Age took and how they used certain tools to make the player feel comfortable in the game. Mike explained that anyone making a fantasy game in today's marketplace cannot ignore MMOs and World of Warcraft specifically. He said that you are always competing against that juggernaut. He explained that what early MMOs gave WoW was the common user interface that all players have grown accustomed to. In the same way that Quake set the stage for FPS games, WoW has standardized the interface used to play RPG games. That interface was translated into Dragon Age specifically to make the player feel comfortable with the game. This way, players can dive right into the action and feel comfortable and confident. They can then go on to experience the more in depth parts of the game like story, the world, and character development.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
Back to EuroGamer again they have [url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/drago ... w:ayf4t3pw]a review for the two available DLC[/url:ayf4t3pw] (Warden’s Keep and The Stone Prisoner). Though I feel it important to note that EuroGamer has been fairly negative (compared to most other sites) about the game, the review is probably fair enough. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] It's appropriate that each of the two downloadable adventures begins with a tip-off from a merchant. In the case of Warden's Keep, one Levi Dryden shows up in your camp before you buy the pack; accept his invitation to adventure, and you'll be taken straight to the game's (or console network's) marketplace to buy it for 560 points (of either the BioWare or Microsoft variety), $7, or a little under [html]&pound;[/html]5. You won't get to access Levi's own in-game wares until you've finished this short dungeon romp. It's a good joke, but is it at our expense?[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
I would personally note that Shale is really only worth the money (you would pay if you didn’t get him for free in new purchages) if you actually intend to include him in your party. Personally I did the quest to pick him up early on and that was enjoyable enough (if short for $15), but haven’t had much interaction with him since; I’ve got my hands full with the other party members. Better, I think, for a second or third playthrough. Warden’s Keep however, while also a tad short given the price, is definitely worth picking up.

Next to the computer game itself and the Flash game (that I reported on in earlier posts) there’s also the table-top RPG in development (and which doesn’t quite seem to be released yet).

First The Escapist has [url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/article ... G:ayf4t3pw]an interview with Chris Pramas[/url:ayf4t3pw], designer of the table-top rules for the game (which are different from the computer game rules for obvious reasons). Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw][b:ayf4t3pw]Speaking of opportunity, tell us a bit about how you secured the Dragon Age RPG license and what we can expect from the game.[/b:ayf4t3pw]

It was pretty simple. BioWare came to us and said, "How'd you like to do a tabletop RPG based on our upcoming [i:ayf4t3pw]Dragon Age: Origins[/i:ayf4t3pw] game?" I had enjoyed the hell out of games like [i:ayf4t3pw]Baldur's Gate[/i:ayf4t3pw] and [i:ayf4t3pw]Knights of the Old Republic[/i:ayf4t3pw], so of course we said yes.

The computer game has been described as BioWare getting back to its roots, and I think they saw having a tie-in tabletop RPG as a way of reinforcing the "old school" feel of the property. I had been doing a lot of thinking about the roots of RPGs and how the games have changed over the years, and I had started writing notes on a theoretical class and level fantasy game based on my analysis. It was really just a thought exercise that I didn't expect to actually make into a game. When the Dragon Age project came along though, I realized that a lot of my ideas would work perfectly. So instead of using one of Green Ronin's existing systems like True20 or A Song of Ice and Fire, I thought we should create something new and that I would do the game myself.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
And over on Green Ronin’s own website Chris Pramas [url=http://greenronin.com/dragon_age/design ... p:ayf4t3pw]posted an article[/url:ayf4t3pw] as well with some thoughts on designing the table-top version of the game. Here’s an excerpt:

[quote:ayf4t3pw] A little over a year ago I flew up to Edmonton to finalize the deal and get a look at the game. I met with many people from BioWare over the next couple of days and they filled me in on their plans and the shape of the game as it stood. I picked their brains about the game's system and world and took a lot of notes. I was going to have to make some key decisions very soon and I needed all the grounding they could give me.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
Finally, getting back to the computer game, GameBanshee noted that they [url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/95753-g ... l:ayf4t3pw]updated their database[/url:ayf4t3pw] to include equipment information. Here’s some of what they note:

[quote:ayf4t3pw]After hammering away on Dragon Age: Origins for the past couple of weeks, we're pleased to announce the availability of [url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/dragonageori ... p:ayf4t3pw]a fully searchable equipment database[/url:ayf4t3pw] for the game. The database currently spans about 1100 items, including all armor, weapons, and other trinkets you'll be picking up during your fight against the Darkspawn. We've been adding locations as we find and verify them (want to know where every [url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/cgi-bin/sear ... 6:ayf4t3pw]love letter[/url:ayf4t3pw] is?), and will continue to add more over the coming days, weeks, and months.[/quote:ayf4t3pw]
Obviously there might be some spoilers in that list of equipment, so I haven’t looked too closely yet.

And that’s it. I’ll keep you posted of more Dragon Age news when I come across it (though I might dail down on posting every interview I find a bit). I’ve also got a massive list of Mass Effect 2 links, which with Dragon Age: Origins being released is now getting increased attention (it is, after all, releasing by the end of January). But I’ll do that tomorrow or such.


[[url=http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic ... 0:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to post by Fernando Melo.
[[url=http://social.bioware.com/game_patches.php:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Dragon Age: Origins patch v1.01.
[[url=http://dragonage.bioware.com/toolset:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Dragon Age Toolset.
[[url=http://kotaku.com/5397283/dragon-age-or ... c:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to PS3 to PC comparison at Kotaku.
[[url=http://uk.gamespot.com/features/6239466 ... 2:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to image comparison at GameSpot.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/dor/objects/682217 ... b:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Start Guide video at IGN.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/dor/objects/682217 ... o:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Post Launch Trailer at IGN.
[[url=http://uk.pc.ign.com/dor/objects/682217 ... 0:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Designing Combat video at IGN.
[[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/biowa ... e:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to defend story structure article at EuroGamer.
[[url=http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm?b ... 7:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to interview article at MMORPG.
[[url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/drago ... w:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to DLC review at EuroGamer.
[[url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/article ... G:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to interview with Chris Pramas at The Escapist.
[[url=http://greenronin.com/dragon_age/design ... p:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to Chris Pramas’ blog post at Green Ronin.
[[url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/95753-g ... l:ayf4t3pw]link[/url:ayf4t3pw]] to equipment database post at Gamebanshee.


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Shir'le
F'sarn natha tithaur wun l'su'aco.

-= Shir'le E. Illios =-
Chosen of Eilistraee
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