658 replies to this topic

[Philiposophy]

Why would they get rid of the tactical view?

It was very helpful at times and I can't think what was wrong with it.

[Kulyok]

Edit: The loss of the top-down tactical camera isn't that great either.

Damn, missed that at first. Am angry. Am very angry. Grrr. Well, then, may the people responsible play DA2 in their nightmares till the end of time. Without the top-down view. And their children. And the children of their children. No, scratch that. May they have children until the end of time, so they'll never have time to approach their computers again. I have spoken.

[Gsw]

Capital! (In regards to this thread, thank you, Archmage, sir.)

Though, I shall miss the view of tactics, it was most useful...

[Archmage Silver]

News:
Impressions: Dragon Age II Trailer @ Grey Wardens
Dragon Age II: Shaping Personality @ Grey Wardens
Mike Laidlaw Interview: Skill Changes @ Dragon Age Wiki
GamesCom: Dragon Age II Demo Recap @ Grey Wardens
How Can Dragon Age II Improve Sidequesting? @ Grey Wardens
Destiny: Breaking Down the Dragon Age II Trailer @ Grey Wardens
Fernando Melo Interview: New DLC Confirmed @ Dragon Age Wiki

Concerning Tactical Camera: Mike Laidlaw has clarified the situation regarding the tactical camera as follows (never fear, it's actually good news).

Hey folks,

Victor [Wachter, Ed. Note] managed to hunt me down, and I wanted to clear up a few things with regards to what I'm seeing as the two major concerns on this thread.

First off, let's talk about the toolset issue. Obviously in this community there's going to be some concern that we wouldn't release a toolset, so let me clear the air a little: The tools we're using to make Dragon Age 2 are very, very close to the tools you guys have used to make your mods for DA:O. They're not identical, as we've made a few in-house improvements, but they're almost identical. As such, there isn't a new toolset to release, per se.

While we won't be releasing a toolset update in tandem with Dragon Age 2, we ARE investigating what it would take to update the community toolset to match ours, along with providing DA2 content in the future.

As to the subject of tactical view, I can confirm that we will not be doing a tactical view on consoles, though we are looking into some expanded party control that I think will make console players quite happy.

On the PC, however, we are still working with the camera to keep the key elements of the tactical experience there. I was actually playtesting some new camera code when Victor found me, in fact, so I can give you the latest news on that front.

While we likely won't pull as far up as we did in DA:O, I have always felt that the key to tactical play was actually freeing your camera from the character you're controlling to issue precise orders, which is what we're tuning now. So, this means you can still maneuver the camera around the battlefield and issue orders from a remote location, just as you could in Origins.

As you can probably tell from my phrasing, all of this is a bit in-flux right now, so things may change between now and ship, but I wanted to update you guys on the current direction of things.

Mike

I see what you mean. (Hmm, must check out Black Adder, then!) My only hope is that Baldur's Gate 2 was a continuation, too... but, of course, it's silly of me: in Baldur's Gate 2 you could play the same character and continue your character's story, whereas in Dragon Age, you obviously won't be able to.

Life without Black Adder is incomplete. More to the point, BioWare has stated that they're not ruling out a comeback for the Origins Warden in the future. Pretty slim, and the only thing they said was that they're not saying a definitive "no" to the idea. Take it for what it is.

Capital! (In regards to this thread, thank you, Archmage, sir.)

No problem, the thread is there to be read.

[Vicen]

Would be nice to see the warden from origins in a future game or at least DLC for DA2 or maybe even 3 if that comes out...I love my Human Noble Male Warrior and Dalish Elf Female Rogue! While Awakening was nice it wasnt 100 percent his or her story as you of course could create a new warden...

[Solar's Harper]

Don't know why, but something in Mike's comment just caused laughs at most inconvenient timing, cursed be hot cups and drinking!

The tactical view would be somewhat limited in value with the other platforms, so can't say I'm too sad to see it being looked at this way. That said, I wouldn't say it's the damned camera that's the most pressing issue with standard Bioware game engines - DA and likes in particular. I mean sure, it can be a spoiled child at times, but it's not exactly the biggest drain on replay value to be encountered.

Besides there have been worse cameras on consoles. Far, far worse... mostly for N64 games but still!


Edit: Hello Correction!

Edited by Solar's Harper, 25 August 2010 - 02:20 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

Apparently the notion that the PC version wouldn't have the tactical camera begun after an interview with Mike Laidlaw was translated improperly. That's what he thinks anyway.

[Archmage Silver]

News:
Preview @ Dealspwn
Preview @ Eurogamer
Hands-On @ GamePro
Preview @ Newbpreview
All Access Preview Video @ G4TV
David Gaider Interview Part 1 @ Bitmob
David Gaider Interview Part 2 @ Bitmob

[Kulyok]

Wow, a David Gaider interview! Thank you for the links, gone to read it right now...

[Archmage Silver]

No problem.

Popular:
Mike Laidlaw & David Silverman 9 Minute Interview @ YouTube
Dragon Age II Director's Cut "Destiny" Trailer [1080p HD] @ YouTube
Dragon Age II Director's Cut "Destiny" Trailer With Comments [1080p HD] @ GameTrailers

The Director's Cut is 43 seconds longer. It's also worth watching the GameTrailers version, as they reveal some interesting details while the trailer rolls.

[Darziak]

Well that was very interesting to watch.

Edited by Darziak, 29 August 2010 - 03:02 AM.

[Vicen]

Well that was very intersting to watch.

Wow your not kidding...Im certainly now starting to look forward to this game with the bits of info that have been released and I assume hopefully it can only get better!

[Archmage Silver]

There's definitely more promise to the game now than there was some time ago, but that's only because they started by revealing the heaviest changes, and not in a positive way. Their (EA/BioWare) PR/marketing department really failed there in my opinion, as they should have at the same time tried to dampen the shock (using things we know now) of announcing that Hawke is a pre-determined character to a higher degree, can only be human, and there is only one origin. But I digress. Onward...

News:
Three Concerns @ Bitmob
Preview @ Nightmare Mode
Trailer Makers @ Dicic Pictures
David Gaider Interview Part 3 @ Bitmob
Extended Trailer Article @ Grey Wardens
Feminism And Dragon Age II @ Grey Wardens

Edit: Added a preview.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 29 August 2010 - 03:06 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

You'll have to forgive me for the lack of updates, it's been a busy week at my new workplace, getting hang of the ongoing project, and so on.

News:
Preview @ VideoGamer
Podcast 3 @ BioWare Blog
Bones of Tevinter Article @ Grey Wardens
Female Hawke Premieres At Pax @ VG247
Two Dragon Age II Interviews @ Grey Wardens
Interview: BioWare Co-Founders @ Grey Wardens

Edit: Added some interviews.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 04 September 2010 - 10:22 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

Grey Wardens have a PAX Roundup article for Dragon Age II. They also cover female Hawke. We've already seen Hawke's Final Fantasy sword, and now the preset female Hawke turns out looking like Squall from Final Fantasy VIII (google Squall Leonhart if you haven't played the game).

Developer info

David Gaider did a little Q&A with some fans who threw out a variety of questions. Bitmob had a breakdown [AMS Note: Read it!] of some (I don’t think all) of the questions. Here's a couple of interesting answers and tidbits of notes:

• Hawke’s father was an apostate mage and tutored Bethany (and Hawke if he’s a mage) in the art.
  
• If a toolset is released, it will likely be done later as an add-on for DA2.
  
• Hawke’s red-eyed spellcasting (seen in the banner at the top of the article) during the Destiny trailer is Blood Magic.
  
• Will Justice make a return?: "Maybe."
  
• There will be a smaller number of spells to choose from for mages but those spells will be customizable.
  
• Alistair may make an appearance in some form, likely depending on your decisions made in Origins.
  
• The Dalish will return "prominently" (according to Bitmob) in DA2.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 08 September 2010 - 07:18 AM.

[Bluenose]

Does she look like a slightly younger version of Morrigan to anyone else? Different hairstyle and clothes, but otherwise...

Oh, and someone needs to tell her. "'Scuse me, Miss, you've got a mark on your nose. No, a little higher than that. That's it."

[Archmage Silver]

Not really, her face is structured very differently from Morrigan IMO. Although I guess it depends on whether we're talking about Sacred Ashes Morrigan or Origins Morrigan.

[Kulyok]

Excellent Q&A, thank you! Gaider wrote for the Witch Hunt? That's great! Oh, and looking forward to meeting Alistair as a drunk, heheh. See? That what happens when you betray your comrades on the eve of battle, too afraid to risk your life for the motherland!

DA2 - shorter than DA:O? Come on, DA:O was short as it was!

Too bad that Dalish would figure prominently BUT the player won't be able to be Dalish. Damn. (And who the hell is Bethany? Is this someone like Imoen, I wonder? Gods, I hope they're not forcing another sister figure on us. I'll decapitate her myself.)

[Archmage Silver]

News:
PAX Hands-On @ VG247
PAX Hands-On @ FileFront

Excellent Q&A, thank you! Gaider wrote for the Witch Hunt? That's great! Oh, and looking forward to meeting Alistair as a drunk, heheh. See? That what happens when you betray your comrades on the eve of battle, too afraid to risk your life for the motherland!

DA2 - shorter than DA:O? Come on, DA:O was short as it was!

Too bad that Dalish would figure prominently BUT the player won't be able to be Dalish. Damn. (And who the hell is Bethany? Is this someone like Imoen, I wonder? Gods, I hope they're not forcing another sister figure on us. I'll decapitate her myself.)

You don't know yet? Bethany has been discussed previously and has appeared in several previews so far. Dragon Age II Known Characters:

Bethany is Hawke's sister and an apostate mage. It is known she will accompany you in your journey as a companion member.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 09 September 2010 - 06:33 AM.