Last night on GameTrailers TV, the release date for BioWare's upcoming Dragon Age: Originswas revealed. Players will be able to start ruthlessly swording downed monsters on October 20.

Along with the announcement, EA released a trailer for the RPG that should help answer the question of how BioWare plans to differentiate its game from the Lord of the Rings property: by being totally metal. Not just in terms of music ... or armor, but the brutality and the feel of the trailer make it look rather like the kind of album cover Brütal Legend is emulating. Most people would have just pushed a door open, but the flaming sword/glowing eyes flourish makes the act of door-opening so much more badass. The trailer is available after the break.
Gallery: Dragon Age: Origins

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/49796.html

 Joystiq

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I have been following this for a while now,  I am as excited about this game release as I have been about any. looks like it will be a lot of fun. and I am glad to see Bioware go back to their Baldur's gate roots.  should be a kick @** game

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I really hope my computer handles this.

Otherwise 360 version is for me!

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I only wrote this because I hate you.

Damn EA! If it was not for the poor consoles, we could already play the game. Release for PC was aprroximated for March 2009! I only hope they use the time to polish the game, bugfix and balance out things. Although I have my doubts. 

From what I have seen so far, it will be a big dissapointment for those waiting for a Baldurs Gate inheritor. Way to much action, no turn based pause ... looks like another generic action RPG in the tradition of Neverwinter Nights to me.

Not that I think it is bad thing to do a game like Neverwinter Nights, but I would have liked to see a completely turn based game again. Just like Baldurs Gate did it, it was perfect. You defined actions that automatically paused the game at the turn, so you could rethink your strategy and wisely chose a counter-spell, instead of throwing out everything you have.

On a side note, it will also have to prove if the Bioware universe can stand up against AD&D rules, classes, mosters and so on. Bioware never had to tink of a believable universe before. They always used AD&D, PlaneScape, StarWars or the like. What they did in Mass Effect was OK, but far from the complexity of a years grown AD&D universe.

Anyway, the more I think about the game and the nearer it comes to release the more I feel, it will not be the big hit I thought it could be when it was announced.

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"*** the World and drop the Neutron!"

KOK

quaseman:

Damn EA! If it was not for the poor consoles, we could already play the game. Release for PC was aprroximated for March 2009! I only hope they use the time to polish the game, bugfix and balance out things. Although I have my doubts. 

From what I have seen so far, it will be a big dissapointment for those waiting for a Baldurs Gate inheritor. Way to much action, no turn based pause ... looks like another generic action RPG in the tradition of Neverwinter Nights to me.

Not that I think it is bad thing to do a game like Neverwinter Nights, but I would have liked to see a completely turn based game again. Just like Baldurs Gate did it, it was perfect. You defined actions that automatically paused the game at the turn, so you could rethink your strategy and wisely chose a counter-spell, instead of throwing out everything you have.

On a side note, it will also have to prove if the Bioware universe can stand up against AD&D rules, classes, mosters and so on. Bioware never had to tink of a believable universe before. They always used AD&D, PlaneScape, StarWars or the like. What they did in Mass Effect was OK, but far from the complexity of a years grown AD&D universe.

Anyway, the more I think about the game and the nearer it comes to release the more I feel, it will not be the big hit I thought it could be when it was announced.

What I meant by a return to their Baldur's gate roots. Compelling storyline within a fantasy theme or forgotten realms  TYPE  theme, I don't expect a Baldur's gate clone, In fact I would be disappointed if it was  a clone type game. I enjoy a lot of action heavy games. my high level on warcraft does nothing but raids you don't get any more high action than that, and guess what it's not turn table either and I dig it.
I expect it will be a really fun game for a console game. or pc game. you guy's that keep bagging on the games being nerfed or dumbed down need to be either playing wow or warhammer. there is nothing dumbed down about them and they are continually expanding, that way you wont be disappointed when a game is released and is not all you thought it would be. I will enjoy Dragon age Origins for what it is... because thats how I roll.

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Not to rain on your parade, but I dislike MMOs in general! So no World of Warcraft or anything that way. The main thing is that other human players are practically a guarantee to ruin your game experience. Co-op sometimes works, but usually the more people you got the worse it gets!

From the way the whole games industry currently goes, I can only see one future. In this dark future I will only play Civilization and Fritz chess because the rest is only colourfull brain diarrhoea. You have a brain, why not use it? You may discover it can actually be fun to think.

I am not necessarily against Dragon Age Origins. I had high hopes, but my pessimism and the stuff they show about the game makes me skeptical it works out how I would like it to be. I say we don't get hyped up too much and just wait for the game to come out.

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"*** the World and drop the Neutron!"

You did not rain on my parade. you simply stated your opinion as I did mine.  that does not make either of our opinions  the ultimate truth  I have no issue with your opinion. at 34 years of age, I have heard a lot of opinions and dealt with a lot of people, it is never my intention to  convert anyone to my way of thinking nor to insult them if they have one that differs,  I was merely presenting my point of view same as you.

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I have no problem with your point either. It is only that I feel myself in the defence with my few all the time.

I fear that the "casual" trend in the gaming industry drastically dumbs down the games. Fact is, as a designer you should better think of how you can do a "casual" approach without losing depth and complexity. Spore tried that and failed, Mass Effect tried it and failed, Civilization for consoles failed, Anno for Wii failed ... 

The development is similar to the movie industry, hell or even the music industry. Can you imagine there are actually people who think The Fast and the Furious is a film or Britney Spears makes music that is worth listening? The games industry is marching the same route!

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"*** the World and drop the Neutron!"

fablepower:

Last night on GameTrailers TV, the release date for BioWare's upcoming Dragon Age: Originswas revealed. Players will be able to start ruthlessly swording downed monsters on October 20.

Along with the announcement, EA released a trailer for the RPG that should help answer the question of how BioWare plans to differentiate its game from the Lord of the Rings property: by being totally metal. Not just in terms of music ... or armor, but the brutality and the feel of the trailer make it look rather like the kind of album cover Brütal Legend is emulating. Most people would have just pushed a door open, but the flaming sword/glowing eyes flourish makes the act of door-opening so much more badass. The trailer is available after the break.
Gallery: Dragon Age: Origins

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/49796.html

 Joystiq

Best game ever. Best played on the xbox360. Nuff said.

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How do you know it's the best game ever and how the hell do you know that it's best on 360 ? My best bet would still be pc.

Just look like a stupid generic rpg to be honest.

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maggot I totally agree, gameplay is a step back more 90's style and the graphics are bad too this game from what I've seen brings nothing new to the table and is as generic as alot of low budget games.

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*Warning 'Officially Awesome!' is a registered phrase of Fata1moose Corporation using it will result in lawsuit.*

Looks a lot like a generic RPG trying ever so hard to be adult in a teenage sort of way. The tagline alone speaks volumes - "An Epic Tale of Violence, Lust and Betrayal". I'm worried that they feel the need to put violence and lust right in your face there. Whatever happened to "an epic tale of interesting characters and intelligent storytelling"? Couple that with the frankly laughable recent trailer, the purpose of which seemed to be to show how much blood they can throw at the camera, and the recent E3 press demo that opens with questguy shagging people, and I think we get a pretty fair idea this is aimed at a certain lowest common denominator.

*Sigh*. Maybe it's because I'm cynical. Or maybe it's because I'm not 12 so cartoon sex and blood for the sake of it doesn't impress me the way it used to. My only hope now is that it isn't as generically dismal as Mass Effect - any game that can make my attempts at Genocide seem distant and uninteresting is doing something seriously, desperately wrong.

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As I said before, the main thing the bugs me from seeing the videos is not that it is a generic RPG. It will be just another Action RPG like Fable2, Fallout3, Mass Effect ... but seeing how many RPG there are like that, you can probably call it generic. I wonder why they focus so much on action, violence and sex in all the gameplay videos. That really is the sad part and it certainly does not sell the game to me. I would like to see a tactical RPG in the style of Baldurs Gate or Final Fantasy again. Definitely round based and with a strict rule set! If only Final Fantasy would not have those strange and stupid Japaneese Manga graphic style and character design. All the characters need a hair cut to start off.

The Dark Eye stayes the last hope for the tactical RPG! 

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"*** the World and drop the Neutron!"

quaseman:

As I said before, the main thing the bugs me from seeing the videos is not that it is a generic RPG. It will be just another Action RPG like Fable2, Fallout3, Mass Effect ... but seeing how many RPG there are like that, you can probably call it generic. I wonder why they focus so much on action, violence and sex in all the gameplay videos. That really is the sad part and it certainly does not sell the game to me. I would like to see a tactical RPG in the style of Baldurs Gate or Final Fantasy again. Definitely round based and with a strict rule set! If only Final Fantasy would not have those strange and stupid Japaneese Manga graphic style and character design. All the characters need a hair cut to start off.

The Dark Eye stayes the last hope for the tactical RPG! 

I agree with you on these points.

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matneee:

Looks a lot like a generic RPG trying ever so hard to be adult in a teenage sort of way. The tagline alone speaks volumes - "An Epic Tale of Violence, Lust and Betrayal". I'm worried that they feel the need to put violence and lust right in your face there. Whatever happened to "an epic tale of interesting characters and intelligent storytelling"? Couple that with the frankly laughable recent trailer, the purpose of which seemed to be to show how much blood they can throw at the camera, and the recent E3 press demo that opens with questguy shagging people, and I think we get a pretty fair idea this is aimed at a certain lowest common denominator. *Sigh*. Maybe it's because I'm cynical. Or maybe it's because I'm not 12 so cartoon sex and blood for the sake of it doesn't impress me the way it used to. My only hope now is that it isn't as generically dismal as Mass Effect - any game that can make my attempts at Genocide seem distant and uninteresting is doing something seriously, desperately wrong.

That is human nature and as much as you dislike it you can't escape the fact that when done right it causes massive sales. Look no further than the GTA series. Now you can tell yourself that only the teens and kiddies go after that stuff but the fact is that most gamers are older than 30 and most teens can't buy the game. The age group 17 to 19 buys almost nothing compared to the age group 20 to 65 in terms of M rated games. You can also tell yourself that the game is childish and juvenile and whatever else you like but violence and betrayal were an every day part of our medieval years and yes so was the gore. As unrealistic as it may look to you in a game I assure you it is very realistic. Pray you never get to see the reality of it. As for the sex, yes that is quite realistic too but I don't expect you to know that. Those elements by themselves aren't enough obviously but given that the game is made by the creators of KOTOR, Jade Empire, Baldur's Gate and Mass Effect I wouldn't worry about the game not having the depth necessary to make the game entrtaining for the targeted audience...grownups.

Can all that stimulate the teenage mind in the wrong direction, yes but it also adds to the immersion factor. Yes yes I know that dragons and magicand creatures aren't very realistic but the game is roughly based on our medieval history and if it can capture the atmosphere while telling a great story then all the better.

In conclusion yes DAO is a mature game since only mature people can appreciate it for what it is while teens probably won't.

Now that's all I have to say and beyond this you can talk to yourself all you please.

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Touched a nerve there, I think

Doesn't stop them from touting it like a blood-drenched shagfest though. I just assumed they were hoping to attract the kind of person who likes that sort of thing what with the way they're marketing it as a blood-drenched shagfest and all

EDIT - Although as I recal you already say its "The best game ever" and "The greatest game in the history of mankind" quite some time before it's release. Jumping the gun really, but I genuinely hope it's everything you hope for.

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matneee:

Touched a nerve there, I think

Doesn't stop them from touting it like a blood-drenched shagfest though. I just assumed they were hoping to attract the kind of person who likes that sort of thing what with the way they're marketing it as a blood-drenched shagfest and all

EDIT - Although as I recal you already say its "The best game ever" and "The greatest game in the history of mankind" quite some time before it's release. Jumping the gun really, but I genuinely hope it's everything you hope for.

Two words: BioWare, xbox360.

Connect those words with the trailers we've seen and you ought to see the certainty of it. The game runs on a much improved Mass Effect engine and that game ran flawlessly on the 360 when released in Nov. 07. That same engine had a bunch of problems on the PC when released in May 08. THAT is why I said best played on the 360(in one of the threads where I mentioned DAO).

Put the compelling story of KOTOR with the mature elements introduced by DAO and an improved Mass Effect engine on the 360 and you have complete perfection.

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Two words: BioWare, xbox360.

So we will get a game with horrible frame rate, horrible gameplay and ok story ? Saying it ran flawless on 360 is nothing short of a lie... I played it on 360 briefly and it didnt take me 2 min to notice how horrible it ran.

Mass effect didnt have any problems on my pc other than the game being bad. It ran smoothly and i discovered no bugs.

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DarthTrethon:

The game runs on a much improved Mass Effect engine and that game ran flawlessly on the 360 when released in Nov. 07. That same engine had a bunch of problems on the PC when released in May 08. THAT is why I said best played on the 360(in one of the threads where I mentioned DAO).

Put the compelling story of KOTOR with the mature elements introduced by DAO and an improved Mass Effect engine on the 360 and you have complete perfection.

Perhaps you got a special copy that had no problems but most people had a ton of texture pop-ins and occasional freezing issues.

I'm a fan of BioWare but I agree this game looks very generic.  I still don't see the story in this game, I see a story in TOR and ME 2, but not in this game.  I could be wrong though.

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Are you an ODST (fanboy)?

Texture pop-ins were intentional but the gameplay ran perfectly. It was a design flaw, maybe the only one and BioWare has already stated they got rid of it in ME2 and I am sure they did the same for DAO.

Maggot: there were TONS of problems with the PC version of ME. Yeah I was on the ME forums when it was released and the bad glitch threads and so on were incessant whereas the only complaints I ever saw for the 360 were just whines about likes and dislikes and glitch complaints were nearly nonexistent from day one. Like it or not that's the truth. You may have a better PC or simply compatible software or were just lucky or you got it after they released patches but the PC version of ME was worse than Fable 2 when released. All in all DAO is a far more advanced game so expect the PC version to screw up far worse than the 360.

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DarthTrethon:

Texture pop-ins were intentional but the gameplay ran perfectly. It was a design flaw, maybe the only one and BioWare has already stated they got rid of it in ME2 and I am sure they did the same for DAO.

Maggot: there were TONS of problems with the PC version of ME. Yeah I was on the ME forums when it was released and the bad glitch threads and so on were incessant whereas the only complaints I ever saw for the 360 were just whines about likes and dislikes and glitch complaints were nearly nonexistent from day one. Like it or not that's the truth. You may have a better PC or simply compatible software or were just lucky or you got it after they released patches but the PC version of ME was worse than Fable 2 when released. All in all DAO is a far more advanced game so expect the PC version to screw up far worse than the 360.

I am currently playing mass effect. and I have very much enjoyed it. I am looking forward to DAO.   I like Biowares  RPG games. everything ranging from Baldur's gate to KOTOR and now Mass effect.  I am sure the game will be entertaining and that is enough for me.

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DarthTrethon:

As for the sex, yes that is quite realistic too but I don't expect you to know that.

Oh, wait - I missed that part.
I'm a little unclear what you're trying to say. Are you saying that I lack adequate knowledge of sexual realism in fantasy medieval history, at least compared to your knowledge of sexual realism in fantasy medieval history?
Or are you simply trying to insult me by coming onto a games forum and implying that that I have never indulged in the act of sexual intercourse with a consenting partner?
I'd appreciate a little clarification please, if that wouldn't be too much trouble for you

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matneee:

DarthTrethon:

As for the sex, yes that is quite realistic too but I don't expect you to know that.

Oh, wait - I missed that part. I'm a little unclear what you're trying to say. Are you saying that I lack adequate knowledge of sexual realism in fantasy medieval history, at least compared to your knowledge of sexual realism in fantasy medieval history? Or are you simply trying to insult me by coming onto a games forum and implying that that I have never indulged in the act of sexual intercourse with a consenting partner? I'd appreciate a little clarification please, if that wouldn't be too much trouble for you

What more clarification do you want besides the fact it was always part of human life including in the medieval period. You do know there are romance options that can lead to sex in the game don't you? The violence trailer clearly shows this. I thought it was part of you reasons to criticize the game earlier.

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Oh, I just wasn't clear what you were trying to say.

Still, I must admit my knowledge of sexual intercourse in fantasy medieval settings is sketchy to say the least. Especially when it comes to other species such as dwarves, elves, pixies, nixies, dryads, gnomes, goblins, hobbits, halflings, kobolds, nymphs, sylphs, mermaids and suchlike. What position did they favour? Frequency? Duration? I've absolutely no idea. Any further information is welcomed though - always keen to learn.

I don't even know the average volume of fantasy medieval ejaculation. It could be gallons for all I know. I'd like that actually - I welcome the scene where they sport vigorously and yon fair maiden is blown eight feet into the air on what looks like a creamy white stream from a firehose. They could make it a mini game, or even a formation set-piece a bit like synchronised swimming. It'd be great

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Gnomes do it in holes.

(Girlfriend played Mass Effect on PC - absolutely no problems whatsoever, except for the fact that she enjoyed it a bit too much)

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The only thing worse than beating a dead horse is betting on one.