[Aptorian]

This message from Bioware was released today. Looks like Bioware is bending over backwards to try and win back some trust.

http://eu.dragonage....d=16010&lang=en

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Hey everyone,

We are going to do things a little differently today. Some of you may not know who I am so to start out, I´m going to tell you a little bit about myself.

I joined BioWare in May of 1997 making this year my 15th year with the Company (So, old…). I am a programmer by training and implemented the AI, scripting, and combat systems in Baldur´s Gate. After that, I moved into a lead programmer role on Tales of the Sword Coast, BG2, and Shadows of Amn. I kept my hands dirty during this time; you have me to blame for the wild mage.

After the Baldur´s Gate series, I was the lead programmer on Jade Empire, though I made a brief detour to implement the first version of the DM client in Neverwinter Nights.

Then through a weird series of un-relatable stories, I ended up on BioWare´s handheld title Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. I started out as Lead Programmer and finished in charge of the project. Along the way I managed to write a scripting language somehow WORSE than the one in BG, yet at the same time coded a stats system that I am VERY proud of. Fundamentally, the core achievement was that you could not die after you had already; it´s surprising how hard that can be to ensure, sometimes.

Finally I moved over to the Dragon Age franchise. I have been the Executive Producer since just before Dragon Age: Origins shipped.

I am part of an active D&D campaign, love collecting pen and paper stuff and like walks on the beach.
Actually I don´t like walks on the beach, too smooshy.

Okay, enough about me, why have I called you all here today?

I am pleased to confirm that we are, in fact, working on the next Dragon Age game. Not a big surprise to most of you, I know. We have been working on it in some way for about two years now with the bulk of our efforts ramping up about 18 months ago.

Part of that effort has involved you, our fans, and the feedback you´ve provided for Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, and their DLC. We´ve visited message boards, read reviews, and we´ve gone to events to have direct face to face conversations with some of our most passionate fans. We´ve been listening, and we will continue to listen.

Recently, I said that we didn´t want to talk about Dragon Age III unless we had something to show. I´m trying to stick to that plan and won´t be revealing much today. That said, a lot of information and rumors have surfaced recently and we don´t want to hide from them. There are a BUNCH of things that I really want to share with you but I want to do this right, and doing it right requires some more time.

So here´s what I can confirm for now:

The next game will be called Dragon Age III: Inquisition.
We won´t be talking about the story of the game today. Though you can make some guesses from the title.
This game is being made by a lot of the same team that has been working on Dragon Age since Dragon Age: Origins. It´s composed of both experienced BioWare veterans and talented new developers.
We are working on a new engine which we believe will allow us to deliver a more expansive world, better visuals, more reactivity to player choices, and more customization. At PAX East, we talked about armour and followers… Yeah, that kind of customisation. We´ve started with Frostbite 2 from DICE as a foundation to accomplish this.

There´s much more to talk about, of course, but it will have to wait until it´s ready for the prime time.

We are going to be as open as we can. We will continue to have a dialogue with you and answer what questions we can. Keep providing us with your feedback. I´m excited about what we are working on and I hope that you will be too. I know this is going to be hard to believe, but it is just as hard for me not to tell you stuff as it is for you to wait.

With thanks for your enthusiasm, and your patience,

Mark

[Morgoth]

I don´t know. DA2 made me lose all interest in the franchise.

[Eddie Dean]

I need to get Carpal Tunnel surgery from mashing the X button so much in DA2. Unless its a classic turn-based RPG, I won't be playing it.

Edit: Also, since this is EA we are talking about and one of their higher ups bragged about no titles are being released without multiplayer, that means that I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of effort put into multiplayer instead of the main storyline.

This post has been edited by Eddie Dean: 17 September 2012 - 06:50 PM

[Soulcrusher]

I never really got that into DA1 to be honest It's a nice written piece but I'll wait until I see the finished product.

[Slow Ben]

I won't buy it right away, if at all. II thought DA 2 was an ok game. I enjoyed it, but not near as much as the first.
And then the fuckup that was ME 3. Not just the shitty ending, but having multiplayer contribute to the ending? Nope, FU Bioware.

[Nocturnal]

I can't help it. I'm a hardcore Bioware fangirl. If they confirm Fenris's cameo this is going on my pre-order list.

[Primateus]

I absolutely hated Dragon Age 2, I HATED IT! I don't think I've ever played a game I was looking forward to so much that I then hated so much after playing it. And I'm not talking about hate in a good way (Like hating Erikson for the ending of Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice) No, I'm talking REAL hatred. That game was just so unfathomly stupid and sloppy. The story was awful, the gameplay was worse and, quite frankly would it have hurt them to actually put in a little effort with regards to the various dungeons?

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"But Primateus, Bioware did the same thing with Mass Effect, that game had completely similiar spaceships/dungeons/whatever"

Well, that's different, because that's a science fiction game where it is very conceivable that the various spaceships and colony bases are built "in stock" to the same schematic. But using the same dungeon with a few rooms walled off with a big rock for a fantasy game is just lazy programming.

And then there was the whole idea of the story taking place over 10 years. BULLSHIT! It did NOT take place over 10 years. It was, at best, a few weeks of adventuring spread over what they claim was a 10 year period. It'd have been more honest to just tell the story over a couple of months.

Dragon Age 2 was a major, MAJOR letdown after the awesomeness that was Dragon Age: Origins!

For me, anyway.

This new Dragon Age game had better be fucking awesome!

[Kanubis]

DA2 is the only Bioware game that I've felt let down by so far (and I've played pretty much all of them) so I'm willing to believe that they listened to the feedback.

I look forward to importing my save and seeing if Leillana is still suffering from amnesia over my DA1 char's death

[Loki]

I already tried pre-ordering it at EB Games but they said I had to at least wait until they confirm what platforms it is going to be released on. *sigh*

First game since ME3 that I'm genuinely looking forward to.

[Obdigore]

DA2's magical combat was more fun than DA:0's, at a normal level, but it lost all real tactics on the harder difficulties. But the big problem was the recycling of areas. I think Bioware got the message on that front, so... I will be getting the Inquisition.

[Illuyankas]

They need to take the person who thought the 'friend-fiction' line in DA2 was a good idea and throw them and all their belongings into a skip, then send the skip as far away from the studio as possible, then never answer their calls.

[Mentalist]

Eddie Dean, on 17 September 2012 - 06:41 PM, said:

I need to get Carpal Tunnel surgery from mashing the X button so much in DA2. Unless its a classic turn-based RPG, I won't be playing it.

Edit: Also, since this is EA we are talking about and one of their higher ups bragged about no titles are being released without multiplayer, that means that I wouldn't be surprised if there is a lot of effort put into multiplayer instead of the main storyline.

they need multiplayer to justify sticking every game on Origin. See also, "evil piracy"

after the "Awesome button" combat of DAII, I'm highly sceptical. good thing there's gonna be a metric ton of Kickstarted RPGs coming out in 2013.

[Obdigore]

Also, I hope their motion animations are better than they are in Battlefield 3. God those animations feel so clunky.

[Tapper]

I didn't mind DA2 too much. Even the scene repeat was ok-ish apart from room-for-room repetitions. It was not RPG-y enough for my tastes, but at the least there was no whiney little paladin making big eyes and hopeful passes at me at the campfire every time I went there. So yeah, DA3 will probably be purchased, maybe not straight on release, but probably soonish after that.

[Kanubis]

Also... look Bioware, I'm cool with gay people. Totally cool, and I welcome having one or more in my party. But would it possible for my character to politely decline a potential bumming without being accused of being a closed-minded bigot please? I know you can do it. You did it in ME3. Me and Cortez were totally best buds still afterwards. Or did you just hate Anders yourselves and want him to look even more of a cock than he was?

[Morgoth]

I just hope they use better writers for DA3. The dialogue in DA2 was Robert Stanek levels of bad.

[Dolmen 2.0]

I think they hit bottom with DA2. They really cant make it any worse so yes I look forward to their next crack at it.

[POOPOO MCBUMFACE]

Will this be the blockbuster that finally makes me play my first Bioware game since being bored to tears by ME1 and DA:O????

(no)

This post has been edited by POOPOO MCBUMFACE: 18 September 2012 - 02:33 PM

[LinearPhilosopher]

I wonder if theyll change it from turn based combat.

[Mentalist]

Dolmen+, on 18 September 2012 - 01:19 PM, said:

I think they hit bottom with DA2. They really cant make it any worse so yes I look forward to their next crack at it.