Dragon Age Central

The third of three posters shown at PAX. In a movie-poster-style declaration, it notes that the game ‘stars’: Teyrn Loghain, Alistair, Morrigan, Queen Anora and Arl Eamon. It ‘co-stars’ Duncan, King Cailan, Flemeth and Riordan.

Morrigan, Loghain, Duncan and a dwarf are featured on this poster in addition to some creatures, but not the other characters listed.

The second of three posters shown at PAX. In a movie-poster-style declaration, it notes that the game ‘stars’: Teyrn Loghain, Alistair, Morrigan, Queen Anora and Arl Eamon. It ‘co-stars’ Duncan, King Cailan, Flemeth and Riordan.

Only Morrigan and an Ogre are featured on this poster.

The first of three posters shown at PAX. In a movie-poster-style declaration, it notes that the game ‘stars’: Teyrn Loghain, Alistair, Morrigan, Queen Anora and Arl Eamon. It ‘co-stars’ Duncan, King Cailan, Flemeth and Riordan.

Only Morrigan and an Ogre are featured on this poster.

A closeup of Morrigan casting magic in the Wilds, the camera angled to reveal her assets.

A helmed fighter runs through the Wilds as Morrigan casts magic in the background.

A closeup shot of a male archer’s head, with depth of field blur effects.

A Grey Warden PC runs through Ostagar.

Another top-down view of the fire burning on the first floor of the tower of Ishal

Dan Tudge [dt] narrates a video with previously unseen footage that shows how the different origins can affect the game. Transcript follows.

[dt] Hello, my name is Dan Tudge, and I’m the executive producer and project director on the Dragon Age franchise. Today I’m going to introduce you to Bioware’s dark heroic fantasy ‘Dragon Age: Origins’. In this video we’re going to introduce you to origin stories. We’re going to explore the King’s camp and show you how origins affect your story. The choices you make in your origin story will change the way you perceive the world, and the way the world perceives you.

Now we have taken the path of the human noble origin story. Let’s see how the dialogue plays out with this quarter master.

[quarter master] Have you seen an elf running about? Young woman, red hair, carrying a suite of chain.

[player choice 1] Can’t say I have, no. [chosen]
[player choice 2] What if I have?
[player choice 3] I need some supplies, actually.

[quarter master] Blast it, where did she go? That suite better be patched up before she gets back or by the maker I’ll... Ah, parden my manners, my troubles are no concern of yours I’m sure. I’m the quarter master. Did you come for supplies?

[player choice 1] Do you need help tracking this girl down?
[player choice 2] What kind of supplies to you have?
[player choice 3] Let me see what you have.
[player choice 4] I should go. [chosen]

[quarter master] Maker be with you in the coming battle, friend.

[dt] So that’s a fairly simple exchange, and we’re not really interested in helping him find the missing elf. But it seems like he’s not very happy with her. Now in the world of Dragon Age, elves are often treated as second class citizens; almost as slaves. Let’s head over here for another conversation - we’ve got someone that’s got himself into a bit of trouble.

[prisoner in a cage] Someone finally comes and talks to the lone prisoner. I don’t suppose you’ve come to sentence me?

[player choice 1] No, I haven’t.
[player choice 2] You haven’t been sentenced? [chosen]
[player choice 3] And if I have?

[prisoner] No, they put someone like me in a cage until someone important has time to decide what to do with me. I don’t suppose you have a bit of kindness in you? All I want is food and water. They haven’t fed me since I was locked up and I’m starving.

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] Why would I want to help you? [chosen]
[player choice 3] Tell me why you’re in there, first.
[player choice 4] That’s horrible! Why haven’t they fed you?
[player choice 5] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] Because you might want something I don’t need. Them circle wizards got a chest they keep things in. Magical things. And I stole the key. That’s why I’m here. I got one of them drunk, took his key and tried to sneak to the chest... they assumed I was deserting. I can’t use it from here, but I’d trade you for some food and water.

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] They didn’t find the key when you were arrested? [chosen]
[player choice 3] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] I swallowed it. But it’s come back into my possession since then, so to speak.

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] I’ll take that. (Kill him and take the key.)
[player choice 3] That’s disgusting! [chosen]
[player choice 4] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] Yeah, well, do you want the key or not?

[dt] ‘Dragon Age: Origins’ gives the player the opportunity to make moral choices that can have ramifications down the road. For my human noble character, I’m not going to play nice.

[player option 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] I’ll take that. (Kill him and take the key.) [chosen]
[player option 3] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] What?! But, you can’t do that! Argh, guards!

[player kills prisoner]

[dt] Making a choice like this may catch up with us later on. Now that we’ve shown you a bit of the human noble experience, we’re going to switch to a new character with a different origin story. This time we’ve chosen Catriana, a female elven mage, from the mage origin. Now let’s see how this plays out, based on the player’s origin.

[quarter master] You there, elf. Where’s my armour? And why are you dressed so preposterously?

[player choice 1] Are you mistaking me for a servant? [chosen]
[player choice 2] Because I am here to become a Grey Warden?
[player choice 3] How dare you address me so, human!

[quarter master] What? Oh... err... you’re the one that arrived with the Grey Warden. I... please, forgive my rudeness. There are so many elves running about, and I’ve been waiting for... ah, well it’s simply been so hectic... I never thought... please, pardon my terrible manners, I’m just the quarter master, a simple man, no one special.

[player choice 1] You are forgiven, human, for now.
[player choice 2] Perhaps you should treat your servants more kindly. [chosen]
[player choice 3] Don’t worry about it.
[player choice 4] What kind of supplies do you have?

[dt] Now as I mentioned before, city elves are considered to be second-class citizens, and the quarter master clearly fumbled on his words when he realised that we were actually a grey warden, and not some common elf. ‘Dragon Age: Origins’ really tells your story; you will control how you play and experience it. We’ve just come up to the prisoner who we chose to kill when we were a human noble. Now let’s play it a little differently.

[prisoner in a cage] Someone finally comes and talks to the lone prisoner. I don’t suppose you’ve come to sentence me?

[player choice 1] No, I haven’t.
[player choice 2] You haven’t been sentenced? [chosen]
[player choice 3] And if I have?

[prisoner] No, they put someone like me in a cage until someone important has time to decide what to do with me. I don’t suppose you have a bit of kindness in you? All I want is food and water. They haven’t fed me since I was locked up and I’m starving.

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] Why would I want to help you?
[player choice 3] Tell me why you’re in there, first.
[player choice 4] That’s horrible! Why haven’t they fed you? [chosen]
[player choice 5] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] I expect nobody thought of it, with all the battles and such.

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do.
[player choice 2] Why would I want to help you?
[player choice 3] Tell me why you’re in there, first. [chosen]
[player choice 4] Forget it. I need to go.

[prisoner] I’m a deserter, or so they think. I bet there’s no arguing them out of it though. Armies are funny that way.

[player choice 1] Did you desert? [chosen]
[player choice 2] And I bet you’re as innocent as the sunrise.
[player choice 3] They certainly are.

[prisoner] I wasn’t deserting. But when you catch someone sneaking around camp in the middle of the night, what else are you going to think? Does it matter? All I want is a bit of food and water!

[player choice 1] I’ll see what I can do. [chosen]
[player choice 2] It matters to me, if your cause is just.
[player choice 3] If you weren’t deserting, why sneak around the camp?
[player choice 4] Why haven’t they fed you?

[prisoner] Just ask my guard for his. He’s still got some dinner. I saw him put it in his coat.

[dt] So this time we’ve decided to help the prisoner.

[guard] Lucky dog. You Grey Wardens get to ride with the King while I’m left with the drudgery of guarding this deserter. They should have just hanged him, put his head on a pike as an example.

[player choice 1] I should go.
[player choice 2] Who is this prisoner, exactly?
[player choice 3] Why did he want to desert?
[player choice 4] It seems a waste for you to guard him all day.
[player choice 5] I had a chat with him, actually. [chosen]

[guard] Don’t expect it was an enlightening conversation.

[player choice 1] He asked for some food and water. [chosen]
[player choice 2] I should go.

[guard replies, inaudible]

[dt] Now this character has a high persuade skill, and we’re going to actually use that skill to persuade the guard to give use his food.

[player choice 1] (persuade) So you miss one meal -- this man could be hanged soon! [chosen]
[player choice 2] Then I guess I’ll go.

[guard] All right, all right. I guess the poor fellow could stand to have one meal in this belly before he hangs. Don’t know why you care. I had nothing to do with it though. If anyone asks why he’s burping, I’m going to say it was you, just so you know.

[player returns to the prisoner]

[prisoner] So, brought me some food have you? I’m so hungry I could faint dead away.

[player choice 1] Here’s some food. (Give the food to the prisoner.) [chosen]
[player choice 2] Why would I want to help you?
[player choice 3] No, I haven’t brought you anything.

[prisoner] Much obliged... [inaudible]

[dt] So we’ve helped the prisoner, but we were completely unaware that he even had a key. What’s interesting here is that the moral choices you make affect not only your story, but the items you can receive. We helped him out, felt good about it, but never actually acquired a valuable item. Sometimes, being nice doesn’t always get you what you want. Let’s continue to explore the camp.

[wynne, a female mage] What do we have here? I heard the new Grey Warden recruit was from the circle. I don’t believe we’ve met, but I’ve certainly heard a lot about your talent. My name is Wynne, and I congratulate you on your harrowing. Marvellous work; the fade is a dangerous place.

[player choice 1] I found it terrifying, to be honest. [chosen]
[player choice 2] Yes, I know all about that.
[player choice 3] It wasn’t all that difficult.

[wynne] [reply inaudible]...

[dt] Even though we’re playing as an elf, not all faces are unfriendly.

[wynne] ... So, a Grey Warden fighting alongside the King. Not too shaby for someone just out of apprenticeship.

[player choice 1] King Cailan thinks the battle will go well.
[player choice 2] I am confident in my skills. [chosen]
[player choice 3] I hope I don’t disappoint anyone.

[wynne] [reply inaudible]...

[dt] Wynne has recognised you as a mage that has undergone the harrowing. This is a sacred right of passage that is required by all mages. The harrowing is one of the things that you would have experienced in your mage origin story.

[player choice 1] You’ve faced darkspawn before?
[player choice 2] Do you know much about darkspawn?
[player choice 3] I should get going. [chosen]

[wynne] Well don’t let this old mage distract you from your duties. I’m sure ... [inaudible]

[dt] You can see that by selecting to play the mage origin story, my experience throughout the world will be very different. As a human noble warrior, you would have never had this conversation with Wynne. Now let’s meet the Ash Warriors as an elf.

[ash warrior leader] You there, elf, what’s your name?

[pick, the elf] Ah, it... it... it’s Pick, sir.

[ash warrior leader] Go tell Teyrn Loghain that the war party’s ready to begin scouting. We’ll send word if we find anything amiss.

[pick] Yes sir, right away sir.

[ash warrior leader] Maker’s breath, not another elf. What do you want?

[player choice 1] I just want to talk, that’s all.
[player choice 2] I happen to be a Grey Warden, human, not some servant.
[player choice 3] You have a problem with elves? [chosen]

[ash warrior leader] Not in particular, except for them being so thin boned. You make good messengers, sometimes. Is there something you wanted?

[player choice 1] I will leave you to your business. [chosen]
[player choice 2] You don’t look like the other soldiers in the army.
[player choice 3] Can I ask you something?

[dt] You could see by the way the Ash Warrior treated both ourselves and Pick that he really has no patience or respect for elves. Clearly, he couldn’t see past the ears.

Now we’re heading into an area that hasn’t been shown publicly before [editors note: this was obviously created quite some time ago but only recently published]: welcome to the Korcari Wilds - a dense forest who’s beauty and serenity are contrasted by imminent danger and darkness. With the evolution of pause & play you can pause the action at any time; you can zoom out; you can pan around; you can actually play in this view just like Baldur’s Gate; you can zoom right back into the action.

So now we’re playing the human noble warrior again. The tactics for this battle’s going to change. It’s going to be very up-close and personal, and involve a lot of hand-to-hand combat. [fight ensures]

Next we’re going to introduce you to a character named Morrigan. There’s already been a lot of speculation about her. And as you may have seen, she’s the face in the blood of our logo. She’s a mysterious character that you are meeting for the first time. Let’s meet Morrigan.

[morrigan] Well well. What have we here? Are you a vulture, I wonder? Scavenger poking amidst a corpse who’s bones were long since cleaned? Or merely an intruder, come into these darkspawn-filled wilds of mine in search of easy prey?

[dt] We don’t want to give away too much of Morrigan at this point, except to say that she’s a very interesting character who will definitely have an impact on your story. You’ll learn more about Morrigan the close we get to launch.

We hoped you enjoyed this introduction to the origin stories. Be sure to stay tuned for more information on Bioware’s dark heroic fantasy ‘Dragon Age: Origins’. For more information, be sure to drop by dragonage.com

Variants

• 169_dragonageorigins_om_pc_102208_lr.mpg
  105.1MB 480x272 8m57s 0x10000001 (lowres version)
• 169_dragonageorigins_om_pc_102208.ipod.mp4
  26.3MB 320x176 9m3s avc1 (ipod version)
• 1C780F34_169_dragonageorigins_om_pc_102208_400.flv
  29.7MB 480x272 9m3s vp6f (flash version)

Gamespot interviews Dan Tudge [dt], where he talks a little bit about Morrigan, confirming for the first time that she is a possible party member. [from other information we know, this effectively confirms her as romanceable as well] Transcript follows.

[dt] My name is Dan Tudge, I’m the executive producer and project director on the Dragon Age franchise. So really ‘Dragon Age: Origins’ is the spiritual successor of Baldur’s Gate. Really, the team has spent a lot of time and effort really creating a great dark heroic fantasy epic. We’ve really taken everything we’ve learned from all our past games and really created, I think, a fantasy masterpiece.

It’s really the evolution of pause & play, so you can pause the action at any time, you can zoom out much like Baldur’s Gate, and you can zoom right back into the action to get great shots. You can move from hero to hero and really command anyone within your party and really make the tactical-based play that was made popular by Baldur’s Gate.

The party-based play is a key pillar of what we’re doing, and the dynamics within the party - both from how combat unfolds, but also how story unfolds - is a really exciting part. Now sure in Baldur’s Gate we definitely had a great interaction with all the party members, and that’s something we’re definitely holding true to with this game. We’re actually announcing exclusively that Morrigan, who we’ve heard a lot about, will actually be one of the players within your party. She’s a shapechanger and a mage, and of course tagging her with another mage is really going to create a dynamic combat system where you can use two mages together to create unique spell combos and really create a devastating magical party.

Morrigan is the daughter of Flemeth who is the legendary witch of the Wilds. She’s, as I mentioned, a shapechanger, and she’s also a mage, so very very exciting character. She also plays a key role within the story, so she’s definitely someone you’re going to want to include in your party and definitely a story you’re going to want to evolve and explore.

You start the game by choosing your origin. You set your character creation, you really define who your character is, and you actually play that character through your first 2-3 hours of gameplay, and that’s your origin. That’s unique to the origin that you pick, and after that throughout the rest of the game the world really changes and adapts to the way you played that origin and the choices that you played within that origin. So really you get your own unique story depending on your origin and how you play it. If you play one origin such as the human noble origin, when you come to a human town you’re going to be treated with a lot more respect than if you go to an elven town, because elves in Dragon Age are very mistreated, they’re treated as second-class citizens. Now conversely if you’re actually playing through as an elf origin, coming back to your homeland is going to be very well received and you’re going to get a very very different experience and you’re going to have a different feeling toward humans because you’re going to be very mistreated by them throughout the games.

Character customisation and progression is really a key pillar of a great core fantasy RPG and we’re certainly giving a lot of depth to that in ‘Dragon Age: Origins’. So you definitely pick your character’s stats, you evolve those stats throughout the game, you pick your special abilities whether they be spells or talents or skills, and really cultivate those down the trees and the growth of which you want to develop not only your character, but your party as well. So you’ll want to make sure you balance your party members that you choose and their growth with your hero as well, too.

‘Dragon Age: Origins’ is coming to PC in early 2009.

Variants

• 03F62D82_169_dragonage_di_pc_100308_400.flv
  11.7MB 480x272 3m24s vp6f (smaller version)

A view of what looks like a cutscene animation editor, in this case controlling the ogre introduction scene in the tower of Ishal.

Another view of the script editor. This script seems to have something to do with injury effects. We see the help for the function ‘GetM2DAInt’.

A video-editor-like view of a cutscene showing audio cues and camera positions.

First view of the script editor, where we can see some code and help for the highlighted function ‘GetEventInteger’. The script seems to have something to do with character generation.

Placing the ogre within a level.