Bioware/Bethesda appreciation thread

[kingofsquid]

.....Is this thread derailed?

[Gizmo]

.....Is this thread derailed?

Bethesda made Fallout 3 multicore aware!

 

*But not really only technically

 

I don't really know much about it, but I gather that some effects are offloaded (or can be if so configured).

 

I never saw any performance gains for dual or quad core presence.

 

Well, on the laptop I play Age of Mythology on, I start task manager just to check the CPU usage, and it's usually between 70 and 100%. And besides some stalling in the intro, it works FINE! That is what we're talking about, right?

Pretty much.

I had mentioned Arx Fatalis as being less demanding (of resources) than Oblivion.

Edited August 22, 2009 by Gizmo

[alanschu]

Playing anything fullscreen while something cpu-heavy is running is usually a very bad idea.

 

 

Based on what?

[Humodour]

Playing anything fullscreen while something cpu-heavy is running is usually a very bad idea.

 

I've got two cores and 4gb of RAM. Regardless of my CPU speed and graphics card, my comp can consistently handle running two games at once at the same performance level it does if only one is open (typically flawlessly).

[Purkake]

Total derail confirmed?

 

Didn't Bioware make MDK2? That was pretty sweet.

[Fighter]

Bioware has good writing.

[Llyranor]

It's an appreciation thread, not opposite day.

[alanschu]

Bioware writes well?

[Fighter]

It's an appreciation thread, not opposite day.

 

That's what I'm doing.

 

Even if you have issues with Bioware writing there is no denying that they are leaps better at it than 99% of other companies.

[Pidesco]

haha. no.

 

there are plenty of companies who do worse writing, but not that many. Besides that's like a filmmaker bragging that his plots are better than those of porn movies.

[Volourn]

"there are plenty of companies who do worse writing, but not that many."

 

Actually, yes. BIO's writing is top of the line. None are better and some are equal, most are worst.

[Pidesco]

"there are plenty of companies who do worse writing, but not that many."

 

Actually, yes. BIO's writing is top of the line. None are better and some are equal, most are worst.

 

 

Off the top of my head, Obsidian, Irrational, Double Fine and Quantic Dream have better writers. Quite a few companies are about as competent as Bioware.

[RPGmasterBoo]

Actually the latter three have very few games to their name. Psychonauts has almost no writing and little dialogue though it is a good game. Nomad Soul and Farenheit are well written but nothing remarkable. The same goes for System Shock 2 and Freedom Force. They might all be good games but their writing is nothing special at best, it never rises above the level necessary to sustain the plot. Its never outstanding in its own right, merely functional.

 

Obsidian has only one game that is superior in writing and thats MotB, and perhaps KOTOR II if it led to a meaningful conclusion.

 

So I don't really see your point.

 

Even though I hated Jade Empire for example I have to admit the writing is good. As for Baldurs Gate II/Throne of Bhaal no comment is needed. KOTOR, NWN, Mass Effect were weak.

 

Torment of course beats all of them.

 

Edit: ranked up it would be Torment>BGII>MotB - Black Isle>Bioware>Obsidian>Troika (VtM Bloodlines). The rest are light years away.

Edited August 24, 2009 by RPGmasterBoo

[Purkake]

Nomad Soul and Farenheit are well written but nothing remarkable. The same goes for System Shock 2 and Freedom Force.

 

Farenheit still gives me flashbacks to the quick time events like some Vietnam war veteran.

 

Any game that doesn't have you save the world gets a +100 credibility in my book.

Edited August 24, 2009 by Purkake

[Pidesco]

Writing isn't just the words on the paper. It's that, of course, but it's also plot construction, integration of themes, narrative and gameplay, and character development.

 

I'm not sure what you remember of Psychonauts but it didn't have that little writing. Of course, it didn't have as much writing as Bioware's games but still had more than enough to make a critical appreciation of it. Just the intro sequence, for example, was better written than anything Bioware has ever done.

 

 

I don't dislike Bioware, by the way. BG2 is one of my favourite games ever. That doesn't change my opinion that Bioware's writing is mostly just functional, including in BG2.

[RPGmasterBoo]

Writing isn't just the words on the paper. It's that, of course, but it's also plot construction, integration of themes, narrative and gameplay, and character development.

 

I'm not sure what you remember of Psychonauts but it didn't have that little writing. Of course, it didn't have as much writing as Bioware's games but still had more than enough to make a critical appreciation of it. Just the intro sequence, for example, was better written than anything Bioware has ever done.

 

I don't dislike Bioware, by the way. BG2 is one of my favourite games ever. That doesn't change my opinion that Bioware's writing is mostly just functional, including in BG2.

 

I remeber Psychonauts was an ingeniously concieved idea stuck in a mediocre platformer. The moments of pure genius like going into the mind of Napoleon, then the man with the obsession of being pursued etc were watered down by stupid gameplay, which didnt fit the maturity of the ideas presented. In the end it was unclear what the game was trying to be, and to whom it was supposed to appeal.

 

As for BGII the writing went from functional to outstanding, depending on the parts, which is to be expected in a game with that much scope. The fact that it is consistenly good is an achievement unto itself given its enormity.

[Pidesco]

I don't think any game has really outstanding writing, not even Torment or Grim Fandango. Writing in games has still a very, very long way to go.

[Aristes]

Hey, Torment had some spots of great writing. So did Grim Fandango. However, games will always be games and the design team must sacrifice something in order to make it a game. That and both games had less stellar moments also. Still, there were outstanding moments in both games and several others. The cutscenes in Brutal Legend look quite good.

[RPGmasterBoo]

I don't think any game has really outstanding writing, not even Torment or Grim Fandango. Writing in games has still a very, very long way to go.

 

If by outstanding you mean on par with the classics of literature, then no, there isn't a game that has any cultural significance of that sort. But then that's hardly the goal:

 

game 1 (gm)

n.

1. An activity providing entertainment or amusement; a pastime

[Pidesco]

Providing entertainment and amusement does not negate or exclude the achievement of cultural significance.

[Purkake]

Games and classic literature are still two different fields. Torment may have the best writing in a game, but comparing it to the best novel is still (somewhat) unfair.

 

It did what almost no other game could, and should be praised for that, in that category.

 

You don't compare novels to movies, do you?

Edited August 24, 2009 by Purkake

[Aristes]

Providing entertainment and amusement does not negate or exclude the achievement of cultural significance.

No, but there should be some account for purpose. Within the confines of game design, there is some restriction on the writer's prerogative. Add to that the fact that the games are far more interactive than movies, novels, or music, which the writer must take into account.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

"there are plenty of companies who do worse writing, but not that many."

 

Actually, yes. BIO's writing is top of the line. None are better and some are equal, most are worst.

 

 

Off the top of my head, Obsidian, Irrational, Double Fine and Quantic Dream have better writers. Quite a few companies are about as competent as Bioware.

Add the guys who made Bioshock.

[Purkake]

No, but there should be some account for purpose. Within the confines of game design, there is some restriction on the writer's prerogative. Add to that the fact that the games are far more interactive than movies, novels, or music, which the writer must take into account.

 

Writing novels would probably be pretty different if the average reader only read ~30% of the total written content.

 

Add the guys who made Bioshock.

 

You mean the guys who copy-pasted System Shock 2's story and changed it a bit to be more steampunkish? Awesome job with that!

Edited August 24, 2009 by Purkake

[Pidesco]

"there are plenty of companies who do worse writing, but not that many."

 

Actually, yes. BIO's writing is top of the line. None are better and some are equal, most are worst.

 

 

Off the top of my head, Obsidian, Irrational, Double Fine and Quantic Dream have better writers. Quite a few companies are about as competent as Bioware.

Add the guys who made Bioshock.

 

Irrational Games made Bioshock, even if they were absorbed into 2K's corporate machine.