New Dragon Age trailer

[Shakermaker]

Linkage (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36033.html)

Seems like they just ripped a few parts from cutscenes. I was actually hoping for some proper gameplay footage. Oh well, at least it's still in development.

[venturon]

Woah woah. Where's my Dragon Age? That's the Lord of the Rings.

[Stormy]

"for Bad Voice Acting! Charge!!!"

[Bad^Hat]

Looks... alright, I guess. Except the part where they call it "origins" even though it's completely unoriginal.

But how does it play?

[VictimOfScience]

I was going to post this but it looked so meh that I decided to skip it. Maybe I have gotten my hopes up too high after this was talked about in terms of being a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. At least the engine handles this stuff pretty well as that was all in-engine footage, but yes, I (like all of you no doubt) want desperately to see some actual gameplay footage of this game that will hopefully breath some new life into a relatively stagnant genre.

[sea]

Looks like it could be really, really cool. I like the art design and the technology itself seems robust enough (probably Unreal Engine 3). It's clearly just a teaser, though, just like all the other ones that GameTrailers and Spike TV put up. In fact, all of them are no more than a minute long, likely because they wanted to appeal to the drool-drinking mouth-breathing circle-jerking attention-spanless John Madden frat ****s that make up Spike's audience. **** I hate videogames these days.

Looks... alright, I guess. Except the part where they call it "origins" even though it's completely unoriginal.
Every game is a trilogy these days, didn't you know?

[Iced_Eagle]

Another trailer getting posted tomorrow on GameTrailers.com

[Letters]

I was going to post this but it looked so meh that I decided to skip it. Maybe I have gotten my hopes up too high after this was talked about in terms of being a spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate. At least the engine handles this stuff pretty well as that was all in-engine footage, but yes, I (like all of you no doubt) want desperately to see some actual gameplay footage of this game that will hopefully breath some new life into a relatively stagnant genre.
Yep, bring on the gameplay! This was BS. :P

I hate having my favorite genre being stagnant! (Next NWN2 expansion does sound like it'll be good too, though... NWN2 is really the only other thing out there as far as full-blooded RPG's go right now... and it really isn't all that good! The original had the terrible, terrible NPCs, first expansion had the terrible, terrible spirit meter)

[Bad^Hat]

*bump*

No footage, but an in-game screen has slipped onto IGN - http://pcmedia.ign.com/pc/image/article/888/888796/dragon-age-origins-20080714005226759.jpg

Looks like a very streamlined Baldur's Gate with some MMO leanings (almost seems like a requirement for RPGs now).

[sea]

I saw that screenshot yesterday. It's hard to really judge how it will play from that, honestly. You have the top-down perspective, and the simplified interface, but a simplified interface doesn't mean simplified gameplay. They may simply be trying to streamline things somewhat by not cluttering up your screen with tons of maps, bars, and a wall of text for every die roll that occurs. I know that I found that annoying as hell inNeverwinter Nights (among other things), and I'd appreciate it if it's gone.

What's so MMO about it, by the way? All I see is the hotkey bar on the bottom, which has been standard in several RPGs for years.

[VictimOfScience]

Yes, thank goodness for that screenshot. Looks much more like I was hoping.

I just hope there is as much to do and as many people and items to interact with as with BG II (for instance). I want a huge epic tale with loads of deep sidequests. I have been rereading some of my Forgotten Realms novels and actually buying new ones because I have been so excited for this game. Love that Ed Greenwood.

[Mirage]

I hope people realize that the full e3 trailer is posted on the official site now. I'm glad I saw it, it renewed my interest in the game. Plus, the music in the beginning is awesome.

[sea]

Wow, just saw it. That was a really impressive trailer, even if I've seen some of the footage already. Looking forward to it more than ever, now.

[Laivasse]

Psssh, less cliche more gameplay pl0x.

[VictimOfScience]

Here are some further screenies. Looking awesome...

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/8/5/2/9/9/ss_preview_gallery_zoomer_exc_4.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/8/5/2/9/9/ss_preview_gallery_zoomer_4.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/8/5/2/9/9/ss_preview_gallery_zoomer_2.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/8/5/2/9/9/ss_preview_gallery_zoomer_exc_5.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true

http://images.eurogamer.net/assets/articles//a/1/8/5/2/9/9/ss_preview_gallery_zoomer_exc_3.jpg.jpg?slideshow=true

More here (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=185299).

[StardogChampion]

Looks nice from those screens. The trailer was a bit pants though. Their faces don't really look real at all.

[Laivasse]

I kind of like these screens. The whole 3D 3rd-person/isometric switchable (although I'm not yet sure how and when it will switch) perspective is just what I think today's RPGs should be aiming for, instead of copping out with a 1st person view.

There are still parts where I think it's lacking the charm of the 2D games it's meant to be the spiritual successor of. For instance - faces. I don't know why Valve don't market their facial tech, because it's been half a decade now and other developers still can't seem to match what HL2 accomplished with characters' faces, what with most in-game NPCs still possessing faces that look like anus. Older games like BG left all that out, so your suspension of disbelief was never challenged on that point, instead relying on character portraits to do the job. The character 'portraits' in these screens, as well as the faces in the trailer, all look a bit... meh.

Another thing I'm concerned about is realistic treatment of foliage. To date I haven't seen a game that does greenery all that well. Judging from the last screenie Victim posted Dragon Age might be on the right track though, and there's still tons of development time to go (I'm reminded of how much The Witcher transformed graphically in what seemed like a short period of time).

Then there's the problem of voiceovers... Again, if you want to create complete realism by giving every character a voice, then it has to be done to a very high level of quality or IMO you've created less immersion/suspension-of-disbelief than if you had just used text. The voicing in the trailer wasn't too impressive, but maybe it's just a bad sample.

I do quite like the screens and they've made me anticipate this game all the more.

[Bad^Hat]

Gameplay footage!

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/usermovies/240846.html

Pretty crap quality, but looking very cool nonetheless.

[Asuka]

When i saw that video during E3 i was like wow EPIC FAIL! Game looked HORRENDOUS.
Then i saw those screenshots i said wow, this could be another RPG i finally play.

[StardogChampion]

Hopefully it's better than NWN2... It looks a bit better, but it's hard to tell.

[VictimOfScience]

Hmm, combat looked nice, but i wonder if you can zoom out and have the pretty colored rings around your character for the whole game (if you are like me and just want to relive an epic new adventure in the Baldur's Gate style). Man, I gotta replay that. And Icewind. And Planescape. CLASSIC.

[Bad^Hat]

Hmm, combat looked nice, but i wonder if you can zoom out and have the pretty colored rings around your character for the whole game (if you are like me and just want to relive an epic new adventure in the Baldur's Gate style). Man, I gotta replay that. And Icewind. And Planescape. CLASSIC.
Yeah, they said you could play the whole game in either third-person or top-down. Although whenever you have a conversation with someone it goes into cinematic angles, ala Mass Effect.

[Laivasse]

Like: Top-down viewpoint, apparent faithfulness to old BI RPGs' style of play, single player focus.

Dislike: 'awesome' face work, overdramatic finishing moves, retarded interviewer... and I'm not sure if I like the art direction :o (character design in particular).

Long way to go anyway. Regardless, the whole 'spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate' tagline will be enough to make me purchase this one when it eventually sees daylight.

[VictimOfScience]

It would be awesome too if they use some of the same voice talent from the BG games too as a sort of loving homage...at least someone saying, "Hey-a."

[sea]

Looks cool, but the character models have a long way to go. They're way behind what we saw in Mass Effect, though that might have to do more with the lighting and whatnot than anything else. The art style is actually quite similar between the two games.

And yeah, that interviewer should be fired. Faking enthusiasm on television is one thing. Faking it so that it becomes ridiculously obvious and annoying is another thing entirely. A reprehensible thing.

[Mirage]

God, what an awkward interview.

[Bad^Hat]

*final bump* (probably)

Same video as before, but in HD and without the awkward interview:

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/36932.html

Yep, graphics could definitely use some more work, and the voice acting is pretty weak. Oh well, plenty of time to polish it up yet, I guess.

[Warbie]

There are still parts where I think it's lacking the charm of the 2D games it's meant to be the spiritual successor of.

Agreed. None of the Dragon Age media has impressed me when compared to how good BG lookd in its time. The charm is gone - it doesn't look like a mystical magical world that I wantto invest serious hours into. NWN syndrome.

3d has done much for gaming, but it also gave us the souless rpg.

[Gargantou]

Or rather, the soulless games overall, I can think of alot more great 2D games than I can think of great 3D games.. But then again it's a matter of the individuals taste.

[Kadayi]

1up interview with Ray

http://www.gamevideos.com/video/id/20151

Quite interesting, and less ass kissing than Gametrailers ;)

[VictimOfScience]

Some more screenshots:

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/dragon-age-origins-dao_03.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/dragon-age-origins-dao_05.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/dragon-age-origins-dao_10.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/dragon-age-origins-dao_09.jpg

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2008/07/dragon-age-origins-dao_12.jpg

Some of those effects look AWESOME. Getting more and more excited for this one.

More here (http://www.joystiq.com/2008/07/22/dragon-age-origins-screenshots-and-gameplay-footage/).

[Dalamari]

Hmmm, looks too Dungeon Siege-y

I can only hope it's as deep as Baldur's Gate, because right now I'm not that impressed

[Letters]

Like I said in another thread... looks like a pile of shit.

What the **** is so hard about taking:

http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/files/article_screenshots/baldurs_gate2_bemutato_02.jpg
(first google image result for BG2)

And improving the character models, spell effects, resolution? Seriously, BG2 still looks better than this trash.

NEEDS character portraits... those things look absolutely ugly as ****. Spell icons all have that stupid generic photoshop glossed-over look... in fact, everything does. Just screams "I'M GENERIC AND BORING".

That it can even be played from an over-the-shoulder view is... idiotic. WHY?!

[Shakermaker]

*snip*

Wow, so much anger. I quite like the screens tbh.

[PaoloM]

A pile of shit? OMG, we have become more and more demanding. Maybe too demanding?

[VictimOfScience]

Wow, so much anger. I quite like the screens tbh.
Yeah, I have no idea where this anger comes from either. The game looks beautiful. But yes, obviously we are all hoping it will be as deep and fun to play as the BG series originally was.

[Letters]

And now I know how Grizzly feels with Fallout 3. :P

It blows my mind how you can think this is even good, let alone comparable to Baldur's Gate.

[Bad^Hat]

Like I said in another thread... looks like a pile of shit.

What the **** is so hard about taking:

http://www.gamerswithjobs.com/files/article_screenshots/baldurs_gate2_bemutato_02.jpg
(first google image result for BG2)

And improving the character models, spell effects, resolution? Seriously, BG2 still looks better than this trash.

NEEDS character portraits... those things look absolutely ugly as ****. Spell icons all have that stupid generic photoshop glossed-over look... in fact, everything does. Just screams "I'M GENERIC AND BORING".

That it can even be played from an over-the-shoulder view is... idiotic. WHY?!
I'm not thrilled by the Dragon Age screens either but... reading this I honestly couldn't tell if you were talking about that or the screen you posted. Rose tinted glasses much? They both look kind of meh... that spell looks like a freaking lensflare.

Edit - Actually, I just realised what that BG2 screenshot was reminding me of: Vanguard. The art style in that is almost identical to the screen you posted, but in 3D. Not that it was a bad looking game but... kind of bland if you ask me.

[StardogChampion]

How can you get pissed at DA because it's not like BG? If it was called BG3 then get pissed, like the Diablo II people did.

That BGII screenshot looks like dodgy 80's cgi.

[Laivasse]

Well, Bioware have made a point of saying that the rename to DA: Origins is an explicit pointer to the fact that they're going back to the root's of Baldur's Gate et al, not to mention their repeated claims from the start that the game is meant to be the spiritual successor to BG. With that in mind, if the end product turns out to be nothing like BG then people will be justified in feeling aggrieved.

That said, personally there's just not enough to go on for me at this point to make a judgement one way or the other. I agree with Letters that the 'portrait' icons look like arse and nor do I like the spell icons (which are a very minor thing, but which in the BG games were designed cleverly to fit with the interface and the overall stony, fantasy-medieval aesthetic - not so here). But I don't agree that that means the game 'looks like shit'.

The character design and art direction are things which I'm not at all keen on so far either, like I've said. Then again, though I doubt that Bioware will suddenly change artistic direction at this stage of development, there is a long way to go and improvements are not unfeasible. More importantly, all of that pales into insignificance compared to the importance of the writing. If the writing works, everything else will work, and I trust them to do a good job on it until I see some evidence to the contrary.

Let me take Planescape: Torment as an example: I wasn't too hot on the art style in that, since it was a bit too gaudy-cartoon-fantasy for me. Nor were the gameplay mechanics all too hot (essentially forcing the player to become a fighter/mage/thief if they wanted to experience the whole story). The incredibly strong writing, however, contextualised perfectly all of the other game elements and made it all work, with the end result being that P:T is among many people's favourite games ever.