Orik

This is a design decision that has little to do with the use of a "mana" or "wizard-slot" style system. It would be just as easy to have potions that regenerated a wizards used spells if you wanted to, or have those slots regenerate over time instead of requiring rest. So using potions or regeneration as an argument against mana doesn't stand.

While calling the wizard's spell memorisation system in D&D mana-based is tenuous, you CAN say that the sorcerer's system IS mana based. Essentially a sorcerer in D&D uses mana to cast spells, with each spell costing one "mana point". The difference is that they have nine mana-pools to draw on, one for each level. I do find people's knee-jerk reaction to a mana system amusing. Mana systems can be so varied that simply saying "it's a mana system, it'll be crap" shows how shallow their reaction truly is. It's not as if using a mana system means you'll suddenly get Diablo-like magic being spam-cast near infinitely. Not if you don't want it to.

If you happen to be in such a situation, I would recommend trying the marmite in the same way you would mustard - a very small little bit on the end of your finger. Oh and marmite on toast is good too. And marmite and cheese sandwiches are right up there. Oh so many uses of the mighty brown goo!

Marmite has a very strong flavour - you only need a very small amount of it. Marmite and peanut butter sandwiches = heaven :D

The term "Epic Story" usually refers to an epic scope rather than epic levels... i.e. a "save the world from super evil DOOM" story.

I actually mostly agree with you then Volourn - I vastly prefer mana systems where your mana doesn't automatically regenerate... so I like Bloodlines' method and D&D's sorcerer class. After that I prefer a wizard-style memorisation system over a system with fast regeneration like KotoR. But then KotoR is a more "actiony" RPG... with any luck Bioware can be persuaded that a system like that would not be good for DA. All we know so far is that it's a mana system - that still leaves a lot of unknowns.

So I presume you hate Bloodlines' magic (discipline) system then? It, too, is a mana type system (mana = blood, certain numbers of blood points are required to cast your "spells").

FYI, Here's what Darcy Pajak had to say over on the Bio boards with regards to the objective for DA: