What's your opinion on the recent marketing campaign for Dragon Age: Origins?

[fable]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench Incidentally, this preview sums it up relatively well.

Thanks for the link, DW. I wish the writers had actually asked the DA:O PR folks exactly why they've chosen the approach they have--whether it actually does reflect a shift in design philosophy, or something else. And it doesn't even mention those horrible, spacey nerd-at-large interviews and diaries the DA:O designers keep producing. I've real doubts about this game. It wouldn't surprise me if somebody with some real clout had taken it in hand and changed the title's direction. Far stranger things have happened repeatedly in the Games Industry.

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fable Thanks for the link, DW. I wish the writers had actually asked the DA:O PR folks exactly why they've chosen the approach they have--whether it actually does reflect a shift in design philosophy, or something else. And it doesn't even mention those horrible, spacey nerd-at-large interviews and diaries the DA:O designers keep producing. I've real doubts about this game. It wouldn't surprise me if somebody with some real clout had taken it in hand and changed the title's direction. Far stranger things have happened repeatedly in the Games Industry.

No problem.. I decided to run a Google and see if any other places were scratching their heads at the marketing, seems we at GB aren't at all alone. I suppose that's somewhat reassuring...

I too have significant doubts, hence why I'm not going near DA:O until I've seen some objective reviews.

Yeah... I sure as Hell would not put that past EA. Though were it the case, I don't think Bioware would be exactly blameless either... especially if we consider their direction ever since BG2 concluded.

I've been saying all along, they look as though they are trying to bask in the success The Witcher enjoyed by pumping up the dark grittiness, gore, racism towards elves, and the sexuality. It works in the Witcher (IMO anyway )... we'll have to see how well it works in DA:O
I suppose I was even able to live with the "This is a mature, dark" Witcher copycat that was being peddled out...
But, over the last few months.. they've even managed to take that message box and turn it into a nightmare.

EDIT

I've also done some poking around the official forums... and it was eerily silent (though I wasn't surprised) in terms of any criticism or questions about the direction of the game. From what I could tell, practically each and every thread is comprised of 100% fanboy slobber...

Now.. while I realize that official forums usually are the home of drooling fanboys, I find it hard to believe that NOBODY has questioned the direction this game appears to have taken. I can only conclude that censorship is hard at work.. and if this is indeed the case I'm even more concerned than I was previously.

[galraen]

My thanks for the link too DW.

If, as that preview implies it really is genuine RPG, and the pre launch publicity is simply misleading then maybe it will be worth looking out for, AFTER some reputable sites have reviewed it.

Which lucky person is going to get the chore of reviewing it for GB, has Buck made a decision yet?

Also has any info on the specs required to run it been released yet?

[dragon wench]

Quote:

Originally Posted by galraen Also has any info on the specs required to run it been released yet?

Welcome


You can see the system specs here.
They are pretty high at first glance, but we did have an article come through GB News indicating that those specs may not be as ugly as is suggested. Apparently (unlike certain game companies) the minimum specs actually mean playable as opposed to an excruciatingly painful slide show.

We'll see..... I suppose.. on all counts... *sigh*

[Fiberfar]

Yay! I can run the game on recommended specs!

Anyways, I hadn't seen one trailer for this game before today, because I haven't shown any interest. I might pick it up after some decent reviews from non drooling fanboysites, though.

[galraen]

Thanks again DW, if it wasn't for the SP3 requirement I could just about run that now, and as upgrading my video card is on the to-do list I should be OK come October. However, I don't even have XP SP2 installed, let alone 3, so that may be a problem as SP2 refuses to install.

[DesR85]

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Originally Posted by Ronan Hey! Don't mock hack'n slash games. They are good games when not played too much and I'd pick Diablo II over Bioware's newer games any day.

Was I even mocking hack-and-slash games? All I said was the way Dragon Age is marketed gives the impression that they are appealing to the hack-and-slash crowd.

This is not to say that they are inherently bad games but when you see one trailer with a Marilyn Manson song as it's theme song, lots of people whacking each other with blood spilling all over the place and one dude jumping on a dragon and stabbing it (and yes, I intentionally left out the suggestive sexual scene), it does make one wonder whether it looks like some action hack-n-slash game.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesR85 This is not to say that they are inherently bad games but when you see one trailer with a Marilyn Manson song as it's theme song, lots of people whacking each other with blood spilling all over the place and one dude jumping on a dragon and stabbing it (and yes, I intentionally left out the suggestive sexual scene), it does make one wonder whether it looks like some action hack-n-slash game.

Indeed. As the review posted by DW points out, their current marketing strategy seems downright confusing, to say the least. Why try and promote a game as a fast-paced, brutal, hack-n-slash when it most definitely isn't I have no idea.

I suppose what is even more surprising is the capability of fanboys to overlook almost anything when it comes to the game they worship.

[Fierce]

The game has caught my attention before the unfortunate "sex&violence" campaign, so I hope it is just bad PR, not how the game will look like. Though I suspect lots of over-the-top violence and lame sex scenes, I think there'll be more than that to the game.

[kozeph]

its very likely that i'll buy this game it has several features im interested, but im gonna wait after the game is out and has several reviews (especially GB)
altough i keep an open ear for the game im not affected by the advertise it has

[CFM]

My greatest fear is that there will never be another Baldur's Gate.

[fable]

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Originally Posted by CFM My greatest fear is that there will never be another Baldur's Gate.

Mine is that anybody involved in this PR campaign will go to work for a progressive political candidate in the US.

[Marik333]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragon wench Yeah... I sure as Hell would not put that past EA. Though were it the case, I don't think Bioware would be exactly blameless either... especially if we consider their direction ever since BG2 concluded. I've been saying all along, they look as though they are trying to bask in the success The Witcher enjoyed by pumping up the dark grittiness, gore, racism towards elves, and the sexuality. It works in the Witcher (IMO anyway )... we'll have to see how well it works in DA:O I suppose I was even able to live with the "This is a mature, dark" Witcher copycat that was being peddled out... But, over the last few months.. they've even managed to take that message box and turn it into a nightmare. EDIT I've also done some poking around the official forums... and it was eerily silent (though I wasn't surprised) in terms of any criticism or questions about the direction of the game. From what I could tell, practically each and every thread is comprised of 100% fanboy slobber... Now.. while I realize that official forums usually are the home of drooling fanboys, I find it hard to believe that NOBODY has questioned the direction this game appears to have taken. I can only conclude that censorship is hard at work.. and if this is indeed the case I'm even more concerned than I was previously.

As a frequenter of those forums, I am offended (not really)! The devs have been pretty good at answering questions, and in those threads that some brave soul DOES manage to put up asking about the direction they're taking it, the devs (and others) tend to be pretty good at addressing concerns, until the thread gets too far out of hand (lots of console wars, newbies vs. "veterans", etc.).

And as far as the Witcher hype goes... DA:O was in production (and the lore had been finalized) I assume around the same time/a little bit before the Witcher was even in the works.

I, personally, think that their ad direction has gone in a horrible direction that does jack squat to help their cause... for every new guy they bring in with "Oh, it's so beast!" they alienate 2 or 3 others who are thinking, "Really, guys? 10 years of a relatively good record, and THIS is what you come up with?" But, after reading the prequel book (for cheap; it certainly wasn't BAD for a prequel book, but "average" for a fantasy book, depending on tastes) and checking out some of the lore (since I am a huuuuuuuuuge lorophiliac), I truly feel like this game will be worth it when it finally comes out.

If it's not, then there'll be reviews all over the internet about how it was 100 hours of crap.

[fable]

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Originally Posted by Marik333 I truly feel like this game will be worth it when it finally comes out. If it's not, then there'll be reviews all over the internet about how it was 100 hours of crap.

Not to disagree with you, but keep in mind that Oblivion was a step back from Morrowind in many respects, yet thanks to a brilliantly organized (and funded) PR campaign it got all the kiddie reviewers converted to fanboys: the game could literally do no wrong. At least one or two have sheepishly now acknowledged their lack of critical appraisal, but my point is that a good game may not be called such, or a bad one, either. There are factors that can stack the books.

[Marik333]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fable Not to disagree with you, but keep in mind that Oblivion was a step back from Morrowind in many respects, yet thanks to a brilliantly organized (and funded) PR campaign it got all the kiddie reviewers converted to fanboys: the game could literally do no wrong. At least one or two have sheepishly now acknowledged their lack of critical appraisal, but my point is that a good game may not be called such, or a bad one, either. There are factors that can stack the books.

This is true... As far as my own personal tastes go, those games that I consider to be fun/amazing/awesome only appeal to certain "niche" groups (although I hate calling them those, because it makes them sound smaller than they actually are).

Then again, I don't think I've ever actually played a game that I downright didn't like, period. Deus Ex came close (maybe if I'd played it back when it first came out; as it was, it was a pleasant diversion, but not as groundbreaking as some people make it out to be; similar thing with PS:T, except that with PS:T, there were a few parts that I DID find awesome, but it still didn't have the emotional appeal that BGII did for me, for whatever reason). I didn't actually start RPG's until KotOR, so my tastes are kinda stuck in between the "classics" and the "new era" stuff.