Dragon Age Central

Quote: Posted 05/25/09 19:54 (GMT) by just another fan


I was planning to start as either a human mage or noble, but there doesn't seem to be much love for the Human noble. Why?

We've all playtested the human noble the most. After the eleven billionth time you've run through it, you start to think, "Hey, all that squalor in the alienage is starting to look pretty sweet about now..."

Quote: Posted 05/12/09 21:01 (GMT) by Sylvius the Mad

My desired inventory features are:

1. Individual character inventories
2. Weight limits
3. Volume limits
4. Ease of use (I can get in and out in the thick of battle without having to look for anything - I'll simply know where it is).

Our design preferences are quite different from Sylius' preferences, so I know we're on the right track with the rest of the world

1. No. We don't like that, it's cumbersome. Moving potions and other items between characters in BG was an annoying chore and I am happy we removed that.
2. No.
3. Yes, but only by count, not physical volume.
4. Yes. That was a primary requirement and I believe the current implementation meets that.

The only reasons why we have a limititation for inventory is to protect the user from himself (a.k.a. packratting everything) and to protect the engine (loading up a 200k piece inventory and saving it in every savegame would make most people unhappy when it comes to load/save times).

As such, the '# of items you can carry' limit is really more a '# of item stacks you can carry' limit. e.g. if you're at 50/50 and add another flawless emerald to your existing 4, you can.

A couple of months ago, I noticed a line of VO that was a problem. The line as written didn't make any grammatical sense at all, but the voice actor, ever the professional, read the line verbatim and put the best inflection on it that he could.

this mistake went unnoticed by everyone. After I filed the bug, one of the editors asked me why it was wrong. We went back and forth for 15 minutes with me insisting it was wrong and him trying to explain to me why it wasn't and what the line is trying to say. It wasn't until he re-read the line for the twentieth time that he realized he'd been misreading it all along and yes, it was wrong.

Because it was too late by then to re-record the line, we merely substituted a different line and changed the text to match. Just one of the adventures of a Grammar Awesomizer.

Quote: Posted 10/03/08 07:13 (GMT) by vilnii
Why did DAO take sooooo very long to make?

Best answer? It's a new engine. Every game with a brand new engine takes longer. Also, it's an RPG and thus we have a lot more systems to stuff in than some other genres do (those bastards *shakes fist*). And it's big.

Quote: When does the story stop changing and is frozen?

Tomorrow. Or so they promise me.

Quote: Who is responsible for writing side quests?

The writers?

Quote: Does the programming govern what story can be written or does the writing drive the programming

Some days I feel like writing is at the bottom of the totem pole. Occasionally an artist or a programmer will throw the writers a bone and then we have a bone. Which is nice.

-------------

As for a day in my life, well... it's often different. I'll give it that. I rarely have the same tasks in any given week as the next, though some tasks can seem like a long haul. I guess it's better than being stuck in a cubicle. It's amazing how little time someone can actually spend not writing, however. Except when I'm writing.

Today I spent most of the day in the studio down here in LA. I traded jokes with the VO director and we got punchy as the day wore on. I got angry at myself for writing piss poor VO comments -- Today Dave wrote nasty notes to Last Year Dave. One of the assistants brought us bagels with cream cheese and I got a glop on my shirt, which made me ...but otherwise the day was productive. Then I sat in the hotel room and ate take out while watching the VP debate. That made my tummy hurt.

But, umm... there you go. A day in my life.

Quote: Posted 08/20/08 15:58 (GMT) by LdyShayna
Thedas is official now!? Very cool.

Well... we had a meeting to decide what to call it and discovered that Gaider's Second Law of Naming Things had already taken effect.

"If you call something by a made-up name long enough, eventually you will come to associate the thing with that name and will not remember what else it could possibly have been called nor that you despised the name in the first place."

We listed like ten other names and mulled over them until Sheryl finally put up her hand. "Why can't we just call it Thedas? I like Thedas." And we all glumly agreed that we were just used to calling it Thedas by now.

Then Mary said she thought Thedas was a cute name.

So Thedas it is.

Quote: Posted 07/19/08 18:01 (GMT) by imported_beer

My question is to Mr. Fernando Melo because of his title.

Producers do very different things depending on the media onto which they help produce the final product. What is what you do most similar to?

Do you smoke a cigar and wear an Italian silk suit?

Why yes, as a matter of fact... no, not at all In fact I usually go out of my way to dress extremely casual. Except every 2nd tuesday of odd months... then the plaid leisure suit comes out.

By the way, thanks for all the great questions everyone. Let's see now...

Name: Fernando Melo
Job: Producer, I'm responsible for a small group within the DA:O team
Boss: Dan Tudge
Subordinates: Some of the amazingly talented DA:O folks, although most of the time they tell me what to do
Time on DA: Since April '07
Treat of Choice: Fudge, with assorted nuts mixed in

Opinion on Forum Users: Its awesome to see the relationship that exists here between the dev team (and to a larger extent BioWare as a whole) and all of you. Now that we are allowed to start talking about the game I think it will only get better.

I'll share with you a little secret ... There is an exceptionally talented team working on DA:O, yet even so, being tight-lipped for so long I think there was some honest apprehension in general with E3 and what the reaction would be like.

In a lot of ways DA:O is going against the grain of most games these days - the team is exclusively focused on PC, we are going back to our gaming roots and the spirit of what made BG2 so great (a classic, but many see it as 'aged' in comparison to games & gameplay today), and our primary audience (the main thing we think about in every decision daily) is a so called 'niche' (a smaller market - all of you) whom some believed we had abandoned and potentially lost touch with in all these years away from PC - even as the team continuously worked on DA:O behind the scenes.

This past week with E3 we opened our doors again to the world, and the press reaction was cool. But really, the only thing that ever truly mattered to the team was what you folks thought... and you did not disappoint.

The number of posts and feedback myself and the team saw saying 'this feels just like BG2 - I love it!' was tremendous. Just wanted to say thanks for that, it really meant a lot that we were able to deliver on this goal for all of you (even if it is just a small glimpse so far).

Right, enough sappy stuff, now I must resume evil mode again and return balance to things...

Favorite Non-BioWare Game: VERY tough to nail down just one, not even per genre or era ... if I had to pick one old school game - Wasteland. Off from left field - Falcon 3. Industry changing - GTA series. RPG - (non-BW or related...toughie) Darklands.

Favorite BioWare Game: BG2, probably followed by KOTOR, ME, Jade, then NWN (I know, call me a heathen).

Companions: Were there others besides Boo and Minsc?

Race and Class in DA: (to be edited later)

Best Part of Working on DA: I think a lot of the other devs already commented on this, but really the reason I never regret getting up on monday mornings is because of the people I work with. Its hard to go wrong when you are surrounded by people that are extremely talented and passionate about what they are doing, and now fueled by your affirmation for the direction we've gone, its intoxicating. It'll be a great ride until we launch!

My turn now that I am back from camping trip.

Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)?

Lead Cinematics Animator on Dragon Age. In charge of making all most of the cutscene footage you've seen in the trailers thus far. Telling the major story points of the game through cinematography.

Describe your immediate boss?

The big boss man.

Describe your immediate subordinates?

My awesome cinematics team. Without them we wouldn't have the E3 trailer footage you've been seeing.

Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)?

Off and on since 2004. Jade Empire and Mass Effect taking up the bulk of that time until this time last year.

Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies?

Cookies, where?!

What do you think of the forum users?

You're all ok expect for that one guy that is terrified of me.

What is your favorite non-Bioware game?

Going way back to Ultima 7: The Black Gate. Other old school games, Sim City, Wing Commander, and pretty much any MMO from UO on.

What is your favorite Bioware game?

Baldur's Gate was a privlage to get my cinematic start on it. I was also lucky enough to be one of the first half a dozen people at Bioware to finish it. I was testing it out a month before ship and got addicted to it like crack.

- Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)?

Peon

- Describe your immediate boss?

One of the top Grey Garden

- Describe your immediate subordinates?

Pigeons, outside my window. But they really don't listen to me.

- Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age:
Origins)?

2 years

- Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies?

Cake. But only if it's not a lie.

- What do you think of the forum users?

All freaks!

- What is your favorite non-Bioware game?

The Bard's Tale. Anything that SSI made. Darn, am I that old?

- What is your favorite Bioware game?

BG2

- Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)? I'm a Gameplay Programmer. I deal with game controls, AI, combat, and other fun stuff.
- Describe your immediate boss? The Archdemon
- Describe your immediate subordinates? All other creatures
- Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)? Mmm... feels like forever, but probably it's close to 3 years
- Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies? Can I get a snowboard?
- What do you think of the forum users? You guys are awesome and give us such great feedback. You are our critics and at the same time the best people to help us make a great game.
- What is your favorite non-Bioware game? Metal Gear Solid and Zelda
- What is your favorite Bioware game? Baldur's Gate II

Edited By Jose Ilitzky on 07/19/08 00:23

Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)? I'm an Environment artist

Describe your immediate boss? Her Majesty (Ian Stubbington)

Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)? Started the day is was announced back in E3 2004

Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies? I like Pie (apple if it’s available)

What do you think of the forum users? Kind of crazy, but not a bad as the writing team, they are bonkers.

What is your favorite non-Bioware game? Anything that Valve dose.

What is your favorite Bioware game? BG2 for me, it was the reason why I wanted to work here so I could make the next version of it witch is what DA is turning out to be.

dancrillis asked:
Describe your job at Bioware?
I put words in the NPC's (and occasionally the PC's) mouths.

Describe your immediate boss?
David is deceptively male.

Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)?
Since September '05.

Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies?
I like cheese.

What do you think of the forum users?
I enjoy the forums a lot. I find it cute the way you guys will analyse every single bit of information. Especially regarding the romances. If I had a dollar for every romance thread that's cropped up here...

What is your favorite non-Bioware game?
I love Fallout 2 (never got to play the first one), Planescape: Torment and the Sims 2 and all its related expansions. I'm currently obsessed with Rock Band and I was obsessed with World of Warcraft for the longest time.

What is your favorite Bioware game?
BGII and ToB.

Deviija asked:
Do you enjoy fully fleshed-out companions in your games to adventure with? If so, which of all Bioware's character companions did you most enjoy or find interesting?
I definitely prefer fleshed-out companions. The NPCs in BGII were the reason I played it as much as I did. I needed to try out all the different combinations. My favourite characters are probably Imoen, Mission,and Tali. I have a soft spot for the perky ingenue. Jaheira, Ashley and Jolee get honorable mention.

imported_beer asked:
Which NPC in an RPG game have you most wanted to throttle to death?
Aribeth. I couldn't stand her. Her voice, her outfit... gah.

What kind of hero do you like to play? Is it consistent across games?
I tend to play rogues, bards or mages. My character is almost always female and often amoral. She is likely to be quite violent, but will do absolutely saintly things for people she likes. If alignment is involved I usually pick chaotic neutral. This is fairly consistent.

Anomen, Ha'erdalis, Keldorn or that guy who opens up the sphere
Valygar (the guy who opens the sphere). And out of the girls I'd choose Aerie. Because I like her. See my comment above regarding the ingenue archetype.

Why am I your absolute favorite forum member?
Because I like beer. And you sat in my fridge wearing the cheese (which I also like). It was hawt.

Hello, my name is Dean Andersen. I am the Art Director on Dragon Age. While some of my minions may describe me as Sauron like, this is simply not true (note to self: make Mr. Stubbington's life difficult on Monday).
I have been on Dragon Age since its inception in 1904. Though time is of little matter to beings such as we.
Blood pies and raw meat like dishes are among my favored snacks, sometimes I will (for a treat) nibble on the souls of the art department...though this can have harzardous results if one indulges too much.
My favorite Bioware game would have to be BG2, and favorite companion I am compelled to say Imoen (she is in fact my wife).
The best part of working on DA is definitly the people. No where on earth (or beyond) will you find people willing to shed sooo much blood for a craft they love. Mmmmm, this is making me hungry.
Sometimes before or after work I love\hate to do "chores" for Lord Gaider. I believe it's what you call a symbiotic relationship.
On the topic of Mr. Woo, I'm not so sure that he truly exists since I have not once seen him in the same place at the same time.
Fernando Melo?, I have to agree that it is simply a wonderful name

Quote: Posted 07/18/08 04:44 (GMT) by dancrilis
Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)?

I make stuff up. Also, I provide sarcasm and chocolate.

Quote: Describe your immediate boss?

David is an unabashed diva.

Quote: Describe your immediate subordinates?

Mewling, fuzzy, endlessly hungering for the brains of the living, easily distracted by string.

Quote: Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)?

Two years.

Quote: Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies?

I'm pretty sure this question is heretical in nature.

Quote: What do you think of the forum users?

Did you ever hear the They Might Be Giants song, "Birdhouse in Your Soul"? They're like that song.

Quote: What is your favorite non-Bioware game?

Oooh. Hrm. The Longest Journey, Final Fantasy Tactics, Zork: Grand Inquisitor... We could be here all day. I am not good at narrowing this down, I think.

Quote: What is your favorite Bioware game?

KOTOR for story, I think. Though I spent years DMing games in NWN.

Quote: Which NPC in an RPG game have you most wanted to throttle to death?

In any RPG ever? Yuffie, in Final Fantasy 7. She stole all my materia!

Quote: What kind of hero do you like to play? Is it consistent across games?

I rarely take the "evil" path. I lean toward good, but I pick the sarcastic responses whenever possible, which usually puts me a bit below the Gleaming Paragon 'O Shiney Goodness.

Quote: If you are married, do you take your work home? Does your spouse "get" it?

Yes, I take my work home. My husband just happens to be a tech designer, so he doesn't mind if I ramble about my plots, characters, pretend holy texts, etc. He does it too. We egg each other on, honestly. It's also nice to be able to brainstorm when you're grocery shopping, and you suddenly get some great idea for a boss fight...

Quote: Anomen, Ha'erdalis, Keldorn or that guy who opens up the sphere. ?

Sphere-opening-guy. (His name was Valygar.)

Quote: Why am I your absolute favorite forum member?

The bribes certainly don't hurt.

Job:
Daytime : DA's Combat, Rules and Game Systems Designer. Short: I make things hurt other things.
Nighttime: Chief Technology Officer at CyberDyne Systems (don't ask).

Boss:
Brent Knowles

Subordinates:
They can speak for themselves.

Tour of Duty:
On DA since late 2006. Before that Mass Effect, Jade Empire, NWN:HotU.

Treat of Choice:
Jaeger Schnitzel.

Opinion on Forum Users:
I was recruited from the NWN Community after creating a lot of mods (like several other Designers working on DA). The community keeps us honest and provides us with information which, understood in context, can guide us to make better games.

Favorite Non-BioWare Game:
Present: TF2. Valve created a monster.
Past: Ultima VI - Every byte of it.

Favorite BioWare Game:
I'd have to say NWN, because without this game, I'd still be writing boring code for German Financial institutions. But it's really a tie with BG2.

Companions: Minsc/Boo, though I did have fun scripting the custom version of Deekin's Bard Song.

Race and Class: Human, Mage.

Best Part of Working on DA:
* Tools - I frequently bring sacrifices to the Shrine of Smeadows to ensure the continued awesomeness of the designer tools on DA.
* Working on the spiritual successor to BG, one of my favourite games of all times.


Personal OP:
We've started to show gameplay and talk about it. Makes me happy.

This is a great idea.

Quote: Posted 07/18/08 04:44 (GMT) by dancrilis
Describe your job at Bioware, (and what you do on the Dragon Age: Origins team)?

I am the Community Communication Coordinator. I am BioWare's official voice on our forums. I take feedback from the fans and pass it along to the Dev team and I coordinate with the Dev team to pass information and materials out to the community. I am also the Chief forum moderator and wielder of the heavy ban hammer of justice.

Quote: Describe your immediate boss?

Jay Watamaniuk. Caucasian. Bald. Cool.

Quote: Describe your immediate subordinates?

In a real way, no subordinates. In a more esoteric way, any staff member who wants to post on the forums. Plus all of you all out there read this (yes you are. You may resist, but you all belong to me! Bwaa-haahaaa!)

Quote: Tell us how long you have worked on the project (Dragon Age: Origins)?

I've been tangentially on the DA forums since the old ones were live, but I am now directly playing the game and, with the relaunch of the new website, much busier. Now that more of you all are watching the videos and asking questions or posting suggestions, I am far busier passing feedback along to the team (dammit).

Quote: Do you have a desire for some other brand of treat then cookies?

When I am not on my diet (down 125 pounds so far) I eat cookies with gusto. Also with milk.

Quote: What do you think of the forum users?

You are my reason for gainful employment. However, never forget that I hate you all.

Quote: What is your favorite non-Bioware game?

I admit to being a FPS fiend. Some of my favorite games are Battlefiled 1942, Redneck Rampage, Half-Life2, Max Payne and No One Lives Forever. I also liked City of Heroes/Villains as it was the best superhero game ever.

Quote: What is your favorite Bioware game?

You have to love Baldur's Gate 2 and I do, but I am going to pick Jade Empire. I was personally very involved with JE and I think it was BioWare's first real attempt to expand from the more traditional RPG. For that, I will always love it as it opened a lot of new thinking within the company.

And that's your does of Priestly-trivia for today.