So, is this cool?

[Pete Whalley]

Hi all, first visit to these here forums.

I'm one of the many who's been anticipating the announcement of GR's new license...but I'm not quite sure how to react to this news.

I don't do computer games, but I'll admit that the DA site looks interesting.

Is it interesting enough to be a great RPG though? I'd love to hear Mr Pramas as to what attracted him to pick the license up, or just get some tidbits to get me as juiced as GR obviously are over Dragon Age.

[Arcturus]

Whether or not I buy this game will depend largely on the video game, I think.
It looks like they've set up the release dates so GR's RPG will sell quickly to the people who are looking for any preview of the game they can get their hands on. It's a good thing if it brings in more table top RPGers, but with an entirely new title like this I'll be waiting. Unless, of course, any previews blow my socks off!

So call me cautiously optimistic.
The video game certainly looks good, and if it's anything like Mass Effect it might well draw me in enough to buy GR's RPG.

[Ferretz]

I'm very happy about the news. I've felt, for a long time, that the fantasy genre of roleplaying games have been seriously lacking. With D&D 4th edition, it has become more of a tabletop minis game.

So what do we hope Dragon Age rpg will be like? I think I'll start a new thread on this.

But as for my reaction to the news, I'm very happy. If this game is successful, I think it will become something the rpg business has been lacking for years.

Cheers,

E.

[MutantFromMars]

I'm honestly not sure about Dragon Age, it would have to be something pretty special to make me buy it - even looking through the actual game website I don't see anything that makes me particularly excited - it still has the standard fantasy tropes that could be handled with 4E D&D. It isn't something new, like say Blue Rose was.

What I am hoping though is that this partnership with Bioware proves to be a foundation for other joint projects - a Jade Empire and/or Mass Effect rpg would be awesome and right at the top of my purchase list.

Dragon Age, not so much.

I do wish GR well with it though!

[Ferretz]

Problem with D&D 4th edition, in my opinion, is that it's more a miniature game than a roleplaying game. Also, it has been monopolizing the fantasy genre for too long, especially when it comes to fantasy more like Tolkien. I played D&D when I was younger. Now, I look for something more mature. That's why I have high hopes for this game.
Do we need another "standard" fantasy roleplaying game? Yes. That's because so many companies have tried to go away from the "standard", so that in the end, the "standard" has become very hard to come by, at least for good rpg settings.

E.

[MutantFromMars]

We've been roleplaying with 4E just fine, lol, but I do take your point regarding the implicit need for miniatures in the combat system.

I will try to keep an open mind, I'm sure this will be an excellent product, I wasn't disappointed with Mutants and Masterminds, or Blue Rose, and the boxed set approach is certainly different (in fact, I think Cubicle 7's forthcoming Dr Who rpg is the only one I've read is going to be a boxed set, apart from Dragon Age).

I would just rather have had Mass Effect...

[Ferretz]

Boxed sets were more common in the good old days of fantasy rpgs. And it certainly fits with Dragon Age's "going back to the roots" of the genre.
I never use minis in rpgs. I've tried it, and didn't like it. Even though I play Wizards' Star Wars Saga rpg, I don't use their minis at all. I think descriptive combat is much better. Also, when you have minis, many rpg sessions tend to boil down to combat encounter after combat encounters. Players want to use the minis in front of them.
Anyway, I have high hopes for this rpg. Of course, rpgs based on computer games haven't really scored high points in the past, but let's hope they do it justice and don't just create the rpg to ride in the wake of the pc/console game.

E.

[Sunbear]

Is it cool? It is for me.

About a year ago I gave up PnP RPGs all together. The difficulty in finding games and the massive preparation it required from a working adult with children was just to much. I sold almost all my books and bought my self a PS3 and a XBox 360. I have had a great time playing RPGs (online and otherwise) at home on the consoles with none of the difficulty associated with table top games. However, I do miss the books, the collections, the art and the fantastic rulesets that are inherent in any good RPG. Now a Dragon Age PnP RP game gives me a reason to buy a new RPG. I will (most likely) never play a face to face game of Dragon Age, put the collector in me will require that I purchase the game book and display it proudly on my bookshelf. Is it cool? Yes it is.


I thought about adding the caveat that I will only purchase the book if the game is good (i.e. grabs and holds my attention) but Bioware just does not make bad games. A lot like Green Ronin.

[77IM]

There's a substantial overlap between players of Bioware games and players of Pen-n-Paper RPGs. And for good reason -- Bioware has always sought to capture the best parts about RPGs in their games, and generally done a pretty good job of it.

The past few Bioware games I've played (Mass Effect, Jade Empire, KOTOR) all had such good settings and scenarios that it really made me want to role-play in those worlds. In fact, after playing Jade Empire, I did play a "wuxia fantasy" game in a collaboratively-built setting that was heavily influenced by the game. And you know the whole Knights of the Old Republic franchise? Video games, comic books, and now a setting supplement for Star Wars Saga Edition? Bioware's game was a major part of that -- it would have never achieved as much popularity just from the original novels.

So, while there are things about Dragon Age that don't appeal to me personally (trying to subvert the genre conventions by making elves oppressed instead of uber), I think that the overall answer to your question is, "Yes, this is cool."

-- 77IM

[Ferretz]

As for the elves, there seem to be two kinds. At least that's what I get out of the info on Bioware's site. One of them, the City elves, seem to be the more subversive kind. The other, Dalish elves, are more the classical Tolkien-like elf. That's my impression anyways.

Also, I'm quite picky when it comes to elves and dwarves in fantasy rpgs. Elves should be long-lived or even immortal as far as age goes. Or, if they are not, there should be some good reason (I really like the elves from the setting Iron Kingdoms). Also, they should be tall, at least as tall as humans, maybe even taller.
Both elves and dwarves looks right, as far as I can see on the Dragon Age site.

My feeling is that this game will appeal to many roleplayers who're disgruntled by the D&D, and have been for some time. I'm right in there

E.

[Ninasie]

<snip>Also, I'm quite picky when it comes to elves and dwarves in fantasy rpgs. Elves should be long-lived or even immortal as far as age goes. Or, if they are not, there should be some good reason (I really like the elves from the setting Iron Kingdoms). Also, they should be tall, at least as tall as humans, maybe even taller.
<snip>

I've been following the development of Dragon Age from when it was first announced over FIVE years ago.

Bioware have been not just making a game, they have put their collective efforts together to create a whole game world, even to the extent of getting advice from language experts in creating languages for their world.

So the setting is pre-defined...

That said, there is no reason why you can't change you game to make Elves exactly how you want them. It's the magic of Pen&Paper

The whole idea of Bioware and Green Ronin combining forces and creating a game with two sides is totally awesome. The best thing I've herd about in a long while.

Top marks.

Hmm... I wonder if there will be a special collectors edition with the PC game and the PnP rules all in one box set. (Hint, hint.)

[mhensley]

Hmm... I wonder if there will be a special collectors edition with the PC game and the PnP rules all in one box set. (Hint, hint.)

I don't know about that but they should definitely think about including a quick start rulebook pdf on the game cd.

[The-Broken-One]

dont see why they couldnt do a special edition with both packed together, other games ahve done similar stuff recently(not so much an rpg but other stuff like cloth maps and figurines) i'd certainly buy a copy if they did in fact if they can somehow get game stores to stock the rpg aswell im sure that would prove as popular as ccg's have in recent years.

[pathfinderap]

Hmm... I wonder if there will be a special collectors edition with the PC game and the PnP rules all in one box set. (Hint, hint.)

Dude, I'd soo buy that, good idea
(PS3 or 360)

[nightinerr]

I also tend to prefer the Tolkien brand of elves, and their is a tinge of punkishness in DA elves. However, while they might be a bit emo, they at least have a substantial and maturely-handled history which led up to them becoming what they are now.

Supposedly they were once immortal or close to immortal, and possibly taller or what-have-you. Now they are humans with pointy ears, classified as second-rate citizens, and they have little knowledge of even the language they once knew. They are a bit like african-american, jewish, or native american populations, except without the benefit of a civil rights movement, and that they have fallen from the grace of being magical, mystical beings.

If you want to know anything more specific, go to the flash site:

dragonage.bioware.(com)/origins

(nevermind the () around com, I'm avoiding the difficulty I currently have with posting hyperlinks)

and look at the dalish and city-elf origin stories; or all of the origins, for that matter, are an interesting and fairly short read. Also, check out the forums linked to that website.