aries101

Wow, those Norwegians think of everything don't they? The Scene: The Norwegian High Court "Hey, Thorvald, are you done writing up those legal statues yet?" "No, Knut, I'm still considering the jurisprudence concerning the viability of single-player computer games vis-a-vis persistent internet connections." "Coolio, it's all about detail." --- Here is a link to the article: http://www.vg.no/spill/artikkel.php?artid=579754 As I said, I don't speak any Norwegian, so I cannot verify it. The link was posted by Kalah, the Norwegian administrator of the Heroes of Might and Magic fansite called Celestial Heavens: www.celestialheavens.com Perhaps somebody here speaks Norwegian and can fill us in about the details of the article and whether Kalah interpreted it correctly? I don't speak Norwegian, but I can read it - as all Danes can (or should be able to). So here's a very short summary: summary And yes, the article from VG linked above basically says that pc-players are furious over copy-protection(drm) in Ubisoft's games - especially for single player games. And the article also tells that the Norwegian Consumer Agency is looking into the matter since 'they are aware that some games requires an internet connection to play even if it is an online game'. The Consumer Agency in Norway will have games on their fall agenda, especially in relations to personal data-protection, drm and other consumer-asked question. Then the article quotes two-three gamers from Ubisofts forums. One Ubisoft forumnite points out that not everyone has an internet connection and that it could those that did (illegally) copy the game that gets the best experience. At the end, the article mentions the troubles with pc games and the illegal copying of pc games. And it also mentions the failure that was Spore... /end summary Personally, I would like to add that it feels like the publishing houses are out to get rid of pc gaming all together...

I'm not entirely sure this would be legal in Denmark; this could be seen as being discrimanatory against men. And it also relies on the pre-conception, or maybe even the the pre-judice that it is the man that must be active in order to get the girl e.g. talk to the girl. It also sort of builds on the pre-conception that women are being applauded for their hotnes, their flirtyness and perhaps their looks. And lastly, to be more blunt - basically you pay for contact with a girl that will chat with you. In some countries this is considered amoral; maybe even illegal...

Ragnar Tornquist has clearly said that Dreamfall isn't a point & click adventure game. If you look at the controls in the game, this is true. Instead of poing & clicking your way through the game, you have a control band. This control band need to make contact with objects and people when you want to interact, e.g. move an object or talk to people in the game. As far as your problem goes, have you tried updating your video (graphic) drivers? This guy/girl seems to have a similar problem like yours: http://forums.longestjourney.com/showthread.php?t=2565 In this thread at http://www.adventuregamers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14871 you're encouraged to update your version of direct x Sometimes, though, I think, you need to 'kill' the option to play the videos in the game. How this is done, I can't remember...but let me investigate a bit... You can also try updating your version of XP from SP2 til XP SP3 Edit: Here's maybe some help: http://www.gameboomers.com/forum/ubbthread...html#Post475543 More help here: http://support.aspyr.com/index.php/kb/article/000652 Here's even more help: http://www.gameboomers.com/forum/ubbthread...html#Post422794 I hope this works. If it doesn't you're welcome to ask your question over at http://www.gameboomers.com

As title suggest the team behind the fanbased game, The Silver Lining, (formerly known as KQ) has recieved a ceasde and desist letter from Acticion. Activision now own the IP rights the the KQ games. Here's parts of the explanation why this is so: For some reason, this also means all of their forums save one: http://www.tsl-game.com/forum/index.php?topic=8394.0 Oh, and there's a petition, too. (you can find the link in the post to the forum above) Sad this is Apparently, the team has worked on the game for almost 8 years, and were readu to release something in spring 2010. The C&D letter could mean that Activison are planning more KQ games. I doubt it, however...

I'm currently playing (when i have the time) the Dalish Elf origin. And I find the story and the lore around the Dalish elves very moving, emotional and gripping (sp?) The first thing you'll notice is that you care thrust right into the story, there's no cutscene or telling of story to get you inside the story. You play the story to find out what Dalish elves are all about - or rather were all about - once upon a time. The lore surrounding the Dalish have been carefully crafted. It is by far the best in any Bioware game so far, I find. As for the Twisted Rune quest, I never knew that - well,maybe next time, though.

I don't there have been an rpg released set in the African region. The game, Paradise, made by Sokal, takes place in Africa, though. It is an adventure game, though, not an rpg. Mysterius Island 1 and takes place around Africa I think, maybe on the island of Madagascar. Uncharted 1 and 2, I believe also takes place in Africa?, I think? Some of the Lara Croft games (tomb raider) also takes place in Africa. Still, this doesn't help you. Maybe some of the older rpgs - from way back in the 1980's or the 1990's are set in Africa.

I must admit that I too was both and to see the word 'secret'. ONly to those who haven't played the game, I'd guess. On the Bioware forums, we have discussed this in length in several romance threads, both on the old forums and now at the bioware social site. Anwyho, as the video clearly explains, you will only get to see this, if you make the correct choices in the dialogue.

According to a thread from Kotaku, one of the managers at Pandemic used to be an ambulance driver and others didn't really do well as managers, too. There's nothing wrong with ambulance drivers, but maybe it it not the best preparation to manage and lead a company. Contrast this to the mangers and bosses of Bioware; both have had training as medical doctors and have learned how to plan ahead when they went to university to take their MD degrees. Bioware is a well managed company. As I understand it, neither Origin or other studios that EA closed over the years did manage their companys (very) well. As for someone at EA not being happy, I don't think this is true. EA is perfectly happy with buying Pandemic and Bioware. There's still talent at Pandemic studios; these persons will probably be offered jobs at EA LA (and other EA offices). On a more general note, I do think that EA need to strengthen their finances in this global downsizing economy; closing studios seem the way to go - unfortunately.

Yes, of course, I did. I'm just tired right now. Our building is getting a new roof. And it's very fun (not!) to be woken up at 6.30 AM....or 7.00 AM.. I tend to go late to bed....at around 1 AM.... Anyway, the point is this: I hope that SW:TOR doesn't get cut...and is still on schedule for release... I also hope that Bioware in Canada will be OK...

According to a post at Kotaku I saw earlier today, it really is a big lay-off to many companies inlcuding Pandemic (developing Saboteur), nearly all of the Command & Conquer staff gone...and more...much more.... As for Bioware, let's just be thankfull that Dragon Age: Origins is selling really really well....People better buy Mass Effect 2, too... Have any of you any idea on how this might affect Bioware, the development of SW: Kotor, or other projects by Bioware... edit: As for firing people (1500 or more) when you buy a company like Playfish, this is nothing more than a business decision. EA decided it wanted to into the social gaming (and browser gaming) scene. They've bought the Playfish company to do just this. In able to do this, they've decided to close some of their activies, focusing on a few relevant game development houses. It does seem a bit odd, but as others have pointed out, it is how a company (large or small) behaves in a capitalistic societey - where profit (earnings) is everything. The management have to think about the company's best interest in the long run - it wouldn't be very helpfull, would it, if EA decides to not fire the 1500 people and then in 1-2 years went under i.e. ceased to exist... As far as the unions go, it also seems a bit; it also seems a bit odd to me that people are just told to go away the same day or the day efter they've been fired. Especially since liiving in Denmark where we have 'notices of redundancy' - [Companies must by agreement give workers 1 month or 6 monts notice before a lay off - salaries are still being paid to the workers in this time - again by agreement...] In Denmark, a company that takes over another company must ask if any of its former workers want to go and work for the new company; people that are being fired these days experiences that the companies behing the firing are indeed helping them to get a new career...

I tend to agree here... This seems to me like Atari is behaving like 5 year old and out of fear of losing sales to Bioware's DA: Origins do this? Don't they know that people who might buy DA: Origins will also buy an D&D game from Atari? (many people still apparently don't know the difference between a publisher and a game developer): And - I thought the need to authenticate the Premium Modules and be online to play them were removed in patch 1.66; at least in patch 1.69. the last patch? And what does redeemed mean? Does this mean that I can't play any of these modules now? I have bought them, but not installed any of them. [i thought I would be playing NWN1 after I finished playing BG2 - yes, I'm that behind on my playing schedule]. If I can't, well, there's still Darkness over Daggerford and all the otther great free mods for NWN1...to play...

yes that is finaly a thing we can both agree upon the only problem with such a DRM scheme is the need for online activations, i just simply can't get over the thought, that if someone pulls the plug off, i can lose all the stuff for which i payed a lot of money It will only have to be activated once, I think? at least on the PC. As it is right now, DLC is tied to your account. As long as you are playing the DLC with the account you used to buy it with from the Bioware site, you can play it. I believe this is how thinks stands right now ? It could be different for the PSN and Xbox Live, though?

I wonder if some of it is based on the preconceptions and assumptions people brought in from previous RPG (and often D&D RPG) game experiences. /snip I think it is very true that most people today now seem to think that fantasy games are D&D games. And as such think that when the play a rogue for example iin DA: Origins, t will be the same as playing a rogue in a D&D game. I don't think this is necessarily so. People generally make assumptions based on what they know, what their experience is, and how they've lastly dealt with the subject matter and the issues. Rogues seems to play out a lot differently than in D&D; people need to learn this - but worse - they need to de-learn (if that's even a word?) all about what they know about rogues from D&D. And since the mind is conservative, it will take some time. I've played the demo of Drakensang (great game, it seems ). However, I got lost in the points and level up system, simply because I expected it to be a a variety of the D&D system. It was not.... Likewise, fireball and cloudkill etc. were great spells in the D&D setting; not so, apparently in DA: Origins. It seems that spells like Cone of Cold are very nice (to use, I mean - not for your enemies, of course...)

As for getting rid of the NPC, you can't. You can, however, turn OFF the exclamation mark. You'll just turn off all exclamations on all NPCs you'll meet. And my problem is with the NPC being there, if you didn't want to do the quest at this time - or maybe not at all. My thoughs about this is that people need to know that they buy DLC before, the've even read about the quest. Or been given info on the quest. I don't complain that I can't get the quest, if I don't pay for it. Such is the nature of the [capalistic] system.... Edit: As for the draconian drm, there is none. The game uses an (initial?) disc check system to launch itself from the DVD-drive. Your DLC is tied to your Bioware (ea?) account, not your computer. So far, the marketing have blatantly misrepresented the game. Many people over at the Bioware forums and the Bioware Social site have posted threads and posts where they've complained about this game, DA: Origins, being way too hard - even for some of the seasoned veterans of tactical rpg genre. Others are having a blast with, others again come asdking for advice. And then have a blast with the game. This game seems to be nod back to the somewhat old school rpgs of yesteryear, game that was deliberately made hard...and difficult...

I have proff now that Ashton Kutcher really can act! His performance in Personal Effects is moving, endearing and touching - and yes, sometimes even heart-breaking. He plays opposite Michelle Pfeiffer; the plot is about that they both have lost someone; we follow how they slowly adapt to this new situation, and see how their life unfolds. It really is a quiet little film...as in the effects are in the acting, not in the visuals...

In Denmark, we have a newspaper called "Information." It has gotten what web 2.0 or 3.0 is all about. Many articles from this newspaper is free for all to read; all articles will be free 2-4 days after they've been in the newspaper. And people can comment on what's been in the newspaper. Often these comments are more worth reading than the article itself. Very nice it is, I find

Monte How long i.e. for how many minutes or hours did you play Soldier's Peak - 45 minutes-90 minutes as have been said on the BIoware forums? Or longer. I remember Watcher's Keep from BG2. It took me several hours to do all 6 levels, probably between 6-12 hours, I think, but at least 45 minutes pr. level, I'd say. And you having armour, a mage staff, and a sword will alter the experience just how? [ Is it uber-good loot then? ] I can understand about the skill tree, not having Soldier's Peak (aka Warden's Keep) won't open up these skills for you. But are they any good? Are they usefull?

And that is exactly my problem with this. You wouldn't know that you need to pay for the content untill you actually clicked on the Premium Content. If it was clearly marked 'premium content' before you bought it, or that people would have to pay for it such as like 'premium content 7 US dollars' or something similar, I would be much happier about this - as a customer that is. I don't like per se the method they've used to peddle the DLC, but in this suggested way (as above) you'd know when you were to buy the Premium Content. [The big probem here is that Warden's Keep is ONLY free for those with the DDE version of the game, not for everyone who has the CE version of the game.] Having the option to buy it, after you've heard the salesmans -ahem- the npc's pitch is trickery, I find. And of course, they'd probably thought they'd would sell more DLC that way. I'm mot sure that's true. People tend to buy DLC if they want to buy it - or not. I don't have a problem with delivering content via digital distribution at all. [i know for a fact that many small indie adventure game developers see this as their only way to get their game out...] I'm just wondering about some things here: 1) What about the people who live out in the boons -ehm- I mean country who don't have a high broadband connection? And sometimes even have a level cap on how much they can download pr. month? 2) What happens like 5 or 10 years from now, when EA decided to shut down the servers for this game? (they'd done it before, I think? As for giving the NPC your credit card details that it is happening. People, that have bought the WK DLC, have reported that you need to go to a page to get Bioware points. You can also buy Bioware points via the Social Site. And there's an option to buy points for 7 US dollars (or 6.51 Euros) that equals 560 Bioware points. The irritating comes when you need to download the DLC. Bioware have made a pdf file about this (it's 5 or 10pages long) - and it goes through the whole lengthy process of downloading DLC. As said; I don't have a problem with digital distribution at all - not even with the DLC for this game. But maybe just a simple message 'there's DLC available, would you like to buy it' (or download it) - and be taken to the Bioware points page, if you decided that you would like to do so. As for Warden's Keep being cut out of the game. Mot so. Many people think so - but it wasn't. Reason being the one(s) Alanschu have. (and Mike Laidlaw gave some others in a thread about this at the Bioware forums). The most important being that when game is locked, it is locked. Nothing can be added or taking away - unless they're game breaking bugs. (and no, a fawlty line or some minor graphichal problem isn't game breaking - but a bug that closes off the main questline might be...) And in order to not FIRE anyone, people are assigned other tasks such as writing for the ME team, polishing bugs for ME, concepting a new game - or making DLC for this game. Also, please remember that this game was supposed to be out in march/april 2009 - not novemeber 2009 - ; had the game been on this time-schedule, not many (ok, some would of course) would have had any problems with the DLC for Warden's Keep being out here in November 2009. The DLC team is created to avoid bottleneck problems, to smoothly transition people from one part of the game to the next - as well as to avoid having to fire people - keeping them onboard (the company) - untill the next big game comes around for them to work on.

This game, DA: Origins, is supposed the be played on a real time with pause basis - just like BG1 and BG2. This is Bioware's nod to the (old-school?) rogs of the golden years of RPG (videogames). And yes, real time with pause can feel like a cross breed between true turnbased (Fallout 1) and realtime combat (Halo, COD4:MW). (I think there is an auto-pause function? you can use to make the combatmore true turn-based?) However, this is a tactical RPG, just like GRAW is a tactical shooter. You need to tell people where to go; pause the game, and the watch things unfold. Let's remember that there is no shame in turning the difficulty to easy, if you find the game too hard; likewise trying it out on hard, should be an option for those that think normal is too easy for them. If you put points into tactics, you'll get more tactics slots. I'm unfortunately in a tight spot right now economics wise; I don't have the game as of yet; I get that it plays more like the old BG1 and BG2 games combat-wise than say Oblivion, Mass Effect or Fallout 3. To me, this is great news - and yes I've had to slide that slider to easy in both games - to win. (a sequende in combat that is).

Yes, you are.... And a partridge in a pear tree Sorry, couldn't resist It's Christmas time soon. I do think someone should really really make a video singing about all the stuff theur true love game them for Christmas - using the bonus content for DA: Origins - to the tune of Twelwe Days of Christmas to do so

Hey, don't pick on The Bioware Community - a team that comes from a far far land made up of mystical elves, shining robots and damsels in distress - oh wait - that's my secret project.... (and I'm sure that the damstrels in distress in any Bioware game can fend for themselves ) The point being that *Bioware Community* could as well be a small nation as it (we) do have more than 4,5 million members right now. That's more people than some member states in the UN have, and about the same population as Norway, I think? And just because the leaders of the Bioware Community are into cutscenes with annoyingly marketed characters and longs to form deep meaningfull relationships with video game characters, does not mean that the ordinary people (or subjects) are into that sort of thing - necesserily. More on topic, though: Hungary won the Warden's Quest competition. Good for them. As for what level you will be hitting around the end times - in the game that is, I think you'll be around level 18-22, depending on how many sidequests you have done during the game etc.

-ehm- Not unless they (as in US and Canada) play 24-7 for three days straight, they won't. And then, they only will have finished it once, maybe twice I think. The main story, I think, can be done in 40-50 hours or a bit less, while if you do side quests, it will take you about 80 hours or a bit less, maybe a bit more. The only sad thing right now is that the PC 3 announcement that Ray and Gred did was that in Europe we have to wait for the PS3 version, while the US and Canada get it for the PS3 on November 3rd 2009. Good for them -- sad for us in Europe Still, it is great that the game is finally out. I'm justa little bit mellow about the fact that I can't play it on my waning old(er) 6 year old computer...

I've actually looked at this video of the Xbox 360 gameplay; gameplay and video looks very nice, indeed. Bioware seems to have done a great job again when porting a pc game to the Xbox 360. The visuals are OK as well, I find. You will also see some inventory screens etc. As for DA: Journeys, this game is a flash game; plans are in the works to make a multi-player (mmo) game.... DA: Origins being touted as a way back to Bioware's roots i.e. back to the Baldur's Gate games; from what I've seen this is (very) true. DA: Origins will be a party-based game just like BG1+BG2 were; banter amongst the npcs and pc will ensue, too, romances will be in DA: Origins as well. The backstory, the length, the complexity of the choice and consequences etc. alos qualifies DA: Origins for being the 'spiritual successor' to Baldur's Gate.

On the ongoing debate about the NPC back at camp gaining experience, too - I like it. This means that any party members we leave behind back at camp can still be brought into battle - even in the end-game. And anything that looks easy on isn't necessarily easy to do -and will probably just cause more zombie kittens to be made On a different, yet related subject, On the Spot at Gamespot showed some PS3 footage for this game. http://www.gamespot.com/ The bit about Dragon Age: Origins starts at around 7:00 and last for about 7-8 minutes. At the end of the DA: thing, one of the guys, goes around in a Grey Warden outfit in a store, saying that this is the greatesr rpg ever! Pre-order items, he's also talking about.

It's been said over at the Bioware forums that if you can run the character creator for DA: Origins, there is a good chance to you might just be able to run game. I can run the DA: Character Creator; I doubt, however, that I'm able to run the full game with my 6 year old computer...