Dragon Age 2

[TheHarlequin]

In 5 yrs or 50 yrs FX is still going to be a major selling point. And in no way are gamers going to settle for 90's era FX due to smaller teams, less dev time. At least thats the impression I am left with reading your post.

well, they should just look at Torchlight or DeathSpank. very good games that don't have to be photorealistic for people to enjoy them. you're picturing a pretty shallow gamer, who doesn't care about the story or characters. you do remember what happened when Half-Life came out, right? it set a new standard for FPS games, it killed single player campaigns in Q3 and Unreal, which were always about graphics

 

The average gamer IS shallow considering the facts. Look at the demographics of the typical PC gamer. In a neilsen survey done in 2008 the largest group of PC gamers consisted of ages 12-17

 

You know what those kids grew up on... twitch, FPS with eye candy style games and to them that's a 'normal' game. There is a whole other generation after us gamers in our 30's and 40's growing up on the era of the FPS. So yes, I do think the majority of gamers are shallow simply for the lack of what they grew up on. Just as I grew up on games such as text adventures, rogue, gold box D&D games and civ1 these kids grew up with eye candy galore and twitch games like CoD and Unreal style games that downplay SP and it's all about FX and MP. In another generation I am not sure if 4X style 2D games will be anything more then a niche, indie market. I hope the thinking, deep RPG type games don't end up on life support after my (our) generation gets pushed out. However do you really think the current crop of 12-17 yr olds have the appreciation for our type of games generally speaking? I have my serious doubts. I'm not saying these kids are 'bad' its simply what they grew up on and been exposed to vs the previous gen. Vastly different.

Edited December 12, 2010 by TheHarlequin

[Maria Caliban]

One thing that does irritate me about graphical advancement is that it's in some way retrograde - fridges are quieter, more spacious and more power efficient. Video cards are louder, bulkier and more planet-warming. So yes, while we do have technological advancement, I'd classify it as a relatively immature one where only one factor really matters. So yes, we now have painstakingly modelled, high-polygon, tesselated breasts; but at the same time our ears are assaulted by the incessant hum and rattle of modern "coolers," require investment in bigger, bulkier, more heavily ventilated enclosures, require air-conditioning in summer, and draw as much power as the rest of the house combined.

 

 

Now, granted it's only been 15 years since 3D acceleration was born, but I hope the next 15 years bring a wholly more balanced set of advancements.

 

I don't think that's retrograde. Technology does not always get smaller as it progresses. My current monitor is about an inch thick. Ten years ago, my cat could curl up on it when she wanted a warm place to sleep. Fifteen years before that, my mother owned a Mac that could have fit inside that monitor. Before I was born, she worked at a technology company where the computer filled a small room.

 

Home fridges are almost a century old. Give graphics cards that much time, and they'll probably be smaller.

 

Tangent: Fridges are also an odd example as they come in a wide range of sizes. They're meant to store stuff and their size is based on how much stuff you expect to store. Birth control probably had a bigger impact on the size of the average fridge than cooling technology did.

 

The average gamer IS shallow considering the facts. Look at the demographics of the typical PC gamer. In a neilsen survey done in 2008 the largest group of PC gamers consisted of ages 12-17

 

Can you provide a source for that? It conflicts with what The Entertainment Software Association says:

 

"The average game player is 34 years old and has been playing games for 12 years."

 

According to Nielson's 2008 The State of the Video Gamer:

"Females 25 years of age and older make up the largest block of PC game players accounting for 46.2 percent of all players and 54.6 percent of all game play minutes in December 2008."

Edited December 12, 2010 by Maria Caliban

[TheHarlequin]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/...mer-Demographic

 

I interpreted 'most active' as largest in my first read though. I may have misunderstood. But my point is still valid as a whole I think that technicality aside.

 

The issue with the female aspect, and why I didn't address it, is because they account EVERY kind of 'game' you can play on a PC. So all the girls playing nothing but the web version of tetris or those other free java game sites were counted as 'pc gamers' even if they played no other kind of game. So on that level some folks found that misleading. As when you say 'pc gamer' most ppl are thinking about a FPS or fallout not so much java applet games which they did in that study.

Edited December 12, 2010 by TheHarlequin

[Maria Caliban]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/...mer-Demographic

 

I interpreted 'most active' as largest in my first read though. I may have misunderstood. But my point is still valid as a whole I think that technicality aside.

 

That's fair. The average person who considers themselves a gamer and avoids casual games like solitare is probably younger.

[sorophx]

although, it's unlikely that this average gamer Joe played mostly solitaire for 12 years.

 

However do you really think the current crop of 12-17 yr olds have the appreciation for our type of games generally speaking?

well, I'd like to think so. at least, the fact, that they were "raised" on games that look 10 times better than those I had played 20 years ago, doesn't necessarily mean they don't appreciate a good indie game or an RPG with subpar graphics.

 

New Vegas showed that people still buy complex games, that look dated just as willingly as they grab every single Medal of Honor game. and then there's WoW, that, in my opinion, looks terrible, but it doesn't stop people from playing it.

[Humanoid]

One thing that does irritate me about graphical advancement is that it's in some way retrograde - fridges are quieter, more spacious and more power efficient. Video cards are louder, bulkier and more planet-warming. So yes, while we do have technological advancement, I'd classify it as a relatively immature one where only one factor really matters. So yes, we now have painstakingly modelled, high-polygon, tesselated breasts; but at the same time our ears are assaulted by the incessant hum and rattle of modern "coolers," require investment in bigger, bulkier, more heavily ventilated enclosures, require air-conditioning in summer, and draw as much power as the rest of the house combined.

 

 

Now, granted it's only been 15 years since 3D acceleration was born, but I hope the next 15 years bring a wholly more balanced set of advancements.

 

I don't think that's retrograde. Technology does not always get smaller as it progresses. My current monitor is about an inch thick. Ten years ago, my cat could curl up on it when she wanted a warm place to sleep. Fifteen years before that, my mother owned a Mac that could have fit inside that monitor. Before I was born, she worked at a technology company where the computer filled a small room.

 

Home fridges are almost a century old. Give graphics cards that much time, and they'll probably be smaller.

 

Tangent: Fridges are also an odd example as they come in a wide range of sizes. They're meant to store stuff and their size is based on how much stuff you expect to store. Birth control probably had a bigger impact on the size of the average fridge than cooling technology did.

 

 

I accept that advancement will always prioritise one aspect of the technology over others particularly in the early stages, but the personal irritation here is more about the chosen tradeoff. VESA Local Bus video cards were huge, but silent, but that did not generally impact usability. Nowadays some rigs are so loud that headphones become a necessity when gaming. Maybe the market is proving me wrong, but it's showing some signs of settling down so I hold out some hope.

 

Some years ago Intel crashed headlong into the barrier of what the market would take in terms of CPU speed vs power dissipation. The engineering farce that was the P4 Prescott showed all consumer CPU vendors the line in the sand, and today we're seeing impressive developments in CPU speed despite that technological constraint. My hope is that with the 300W Fermi monster (GTX480), nVidia might have hit the same wall and that it's the beginning of a more mature, balanced approach to GPU development.

 

 

I guess the most contentious issue is the question of how good is good enough - and I expect my standards are on the lower end of the spectrum. ME2 is the best looking game I've ever played and from what I know it's considered quite a distance behind the bleeding edge. I'll make the personal call that it's good enough for the mainstream and that if the upcoming integrated graphics options are enough to power that, I would be very happy indeed to see developers standardise PC graphics to be playable on said platforms. Not saying there should be an upper bound to graphical quality, but I think it's win-win for both developers and gamers if a common hardware baseline is established. It may be Sandy Bridge/Fusion, or it might be the generation that follows, but I look forward for when the time comes.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Humanoid

[~Di]

Obviously, I don't want to play for a hundred hours and end up as a goat-herd, alternatively it's no biggie for me if I don't end up as the scion of a god either.

Oohh, what a great lay-up for more Gothic preaching!

 

In Gothic you play an unknown dude who gets thrown in jail for an unknown reason (you never find out if he is guilty or not either), and your only goal is to break out of jail. That you happen to overthrow an evil demon in the process is a mere side effect of your escape plan. You are never the chosen one, never a "scion of god" (eww!), you're just a petty, nameless criminal. I love that.

 

I actually prefer these more personal stories. I am SO SICKKKKKK of playing the Chosen One!!

 

Not so fast. In Gothic 3 you are "The Decider". You are the one chosen to decide which god will rule, and which gods will not. That's pretty damned Chosen One if you ask me!

[mkreku]

I will not argue that, I was referring to the first Gothic game. Even during the second part I was feeling as if they were gravitating towards an unoriginal "the chosen one" story.

[Maria Caliban]

German preview. Embargo ends on the 20th.

 

 

[WorstUsernameEver]

Haven't seen it posted: Dragon Age II System Requirements

[Morgoth]

So they're taking out pause in DA2? Well, can't say I used it much in Origins.

 

DX11 support won't make DA2 prettier though.

[Maria Caliban]

HD space for DA:O: 20 GB

HD space for ME 2: 15 GB

HD space for Alpha Protocol: 12 GB

HD space for Jade Empire: 8 GB

HD space for DA 2: 7 GB

 

Wow. Given that the PC is fully voiced, this will likely be BioWare's shortest game.

[Morgoth]

Not that this is a bad thing. Origins was too long anyway. Or should I say the grinding passages prolonged the game artificially.

[WorstUsernameEver]

From the little we've seen there's no reason to believe that the level design/encounter design is any better tho'.

[Maria Caliban]

Not that this is a bad thing. Origins was too long anyway. Or should I say the grinding passages prolonged the game artificially.

 

I would hope for something longer than Jade Empire, however.

 

Yes, there's a pause function.

[Serrano]

Wow. Given that the PC is fully voiced, this will likely be BioWare's shortest game.

 

Can't say I'm happy about that . Oh well, quality over quantity hopefully.

[Meshugger]

HD space for DA:O: 20 GB

HD space for ME 2: 15 GB

HD space for Alpha Protocol: 12 GB

HD space for Jade Empire: 8 GB

HD space for DA 2: 7 GB

 

Wow. Given that the PC is fully voiced, this will likely be BioWare's shortest game.

 

Is there an official game length/HD space-ratio that i should know about?

[Morgoth]

Is there an official game length/HD space-ratio that i should know about?

1 gig HD space = 2 hours gameplay.

 

You heard it here first.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Morgoth

[WorstUsernameEver]

Chris Priestly on the debacle.

 

Did actually Dragon Age: Origins install on your computer all the localized VO too? I'm fairly sure it didn't.

[Maria Caliban]

HD space for DA:O: 20 GB

HD space for ME 2: 15 GB

HD space for Alpha Protocol: 12 GB

HD space for Jade Empire: 8 GB

HD space for DA 2: 7 GB

 

Wow. Given that the PC is fully voiced, this will likely be BioWare's shortest game.

Is there an official game length/HD space-ratio that i should know about?

 

Would you like me to make one for you?

[Morgoth]

Nop, DAO had English on Disc1, and the other languages on Disc2.

 

I couldn't care less, I'll play the game in English anyway.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Nop, DAO had English on Disc1, and the other languages on Disc2.

 

I couldn't care less, I'll play the game in English anyway.

 

You misunderstand. He was citing it as a reason for the game taking less space than DA:O. That's misleading at best.

[Meshugger]

HD space for DA:O: 20 GB

HD space for ME 2: 15 GB

HD space for Alpha Protocol: 12 GB

HD space for Jade Empire: 8 GB

HD space for DA 2: 7 GB

 

Wow. Given that the PC is fully voiced, this will likely be BioWare's shortest game.

Is there an official game length/HD space-ratio that i should know about?

 

Would you like me to make one for you?

 

Please do

[Thorton_AP]

I just got info on my DAO install (with Awakenings) which is only a few weeks old. It's 18.2 GB, with at least 3 GB of that being dedicated to Awakenings.

[Humanoid]

Not sure how it's organised but there's 700MB in the vo directory under packages, and a further 1.8GB under modules. Wild guess that the player character voice acting might add 50%, it would inflate DA1's install to 21.3GB (EDIT: working off proper install size, 16.5GB) or so, so it's not a major component really. Taking a proportional amount off from DA2 would result in a 6.5GB estimate if Hawke was mute.

 

 

 

Of course, odds are this is completely irrelevant.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Humanoid