"Baldur's Gate-Style" Camera in Dragon Age Not Available on Consoles

[Wandrecanada]

Does anyone have any description or indication how the console controls work? I am concerned it won't hold up for a game where you must control multiple characters and have large spell libraries use.

Also will there be miniature giant space hamsters?

 

[cainx10a]

"The consoles are much better at giving a very small number of commands very quickly. So the controls are much more geared at keeping the action fast, letting you play the game with less pausing and more quickly."

This reeks of a dumbed down version for console owners.

Really? I see it as the exact opposite.
Like it or not, the control schemes for the PC and consoles are extremely different.

The fact that they've created the interface for the console from the ground up means that the PC version and console version practically stand apart in terms of accessibility, which means both version will be 'just right' (In terms of controls) for their respective controllers.
That's awesome.
That means the console version will play a little more like, say, KOTOR then Baldur's Gate in terms of camera. And I'm completely fine with that.

I love and continue to play Baldur's Gate for the story and experience, not the camera angle.
I can't wait for this game.

Despite buying this for PC, I will be using the console camera style mainly because I'm in for the action, and will only care about the tactical aspect of it after beating the game once.

 

[cainx10a]

Dragon Age is going to allow Baldur's view and Baldurs' pause/command/resume style of play?

I might have to get this game now.

May I recommend the recently available Steam Digital Deluxe edition pre-order, for $65 with the Warden Keep available in the mix, as well as a statistically appetizing special pre-order ring.

Edit: Apologies for the double post, hey, am just overly excited about Dragon Age Origins and the ability to have sex with a shapeshifter who might as well be a cockroach (... ok ... ok ... no romance side-quest for me!).

 

[Flamezdudes]

Does anyone have any description or indication how the console controls work? I am concerned it won't hold up for a game where you must control multiple characters and have large spell libraries use.

Also will there be miniature giant space hamsters?

So far this is all i could find but this seems legit due to what reviews say. http://bioware.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/360controls1.jpg

 

[Teh_Doomage]

Now I'm torn....but I think I'm going to get the PC version.

 

[SaintWaldo]

If it had been a hardware issue this wouldn't bug me, but ...

It is a hardware issue in the end - the primary interface for games on a PC is still mouse/keyboard, and the primary interface on a console is a controller. I don't think anyone can argue that the two physical interfaces don't have different strengths and weaknesses.

I'm actually very glad that they made a very clear decision to develop different interfaces for each platform from the beginning. Most developers of multi-platform games create a single interface (usually console, as it's the most limited) and try to shoehorn everything into it. Thief and Deus Ex in particular were bad at this.

Though I suppose we won't get to determine how effective they were without seeing the reviews for both versions. It would be nice if the PC version had a 'switch' to use the console interface if you plug in an Xbox 360 gamepad though, just to see the difference.

And it would be nice if the PS3 version had a "switch" to detect the standard USB mouse and keyboard that this platform supports...

Are you SURE it's a hardware issue?

 

[Georgeman]

But I really hope that this won't have the same sucky only 3 intalls protection thing.

But wait, wasn't that 5? Just kidding, EA said that they would drop the DRM for all of their future games as a result of the negative backlash over Mass Effect, Dead Space, Spore (especially Spore) and other games. If you take a look at the requirements of the game, it doesn't say anywhere that it needs online authentication.

OT: Hitting on nostalgia, aren't you, Bioware? Not a bad thing by all means, it's been ages since Bioware's last 2d rpg (Baldur's Gate 2). On an unrelated requirements notes... HOLY CRAP! The game takes up 20 gigabytes to install!! Woah, it will take ages to install itself.

 

[Samah]

This reeks of a dumbed down version for console owners. Why couldn't clicking on the analogue stick and forward/backward with it substitute for the mouse wheel? I really though we were past the days of getting an inferior product just because we own consoles. Forshame.

As opposed to dumbed down versions for PC, where they just did a straight port to 640x480 and didn't even change the "press B to jump" tutorial text to match the controls. *

I thought we were past the days when PC owners would receive an inferior product just because the console market was more important and PC was an afterthought.

Having said that, there have been some decent ports and/or multiplatform releases recently (Prototype, Prince of Persia, and Harry Potter 6 are good examples).

* Disclaimer: I use a USB 360 controller for ports (where appropriate).

 

[scotth266]

All I want to know is: will this game be GFWL compatible?

 

[jamesworkshop]

exactly what I wanted to hear BG and IWD were the best PC games of their day and its nice to get proper refresh to make up for NWN

 

[Flamezdudes]

exactly what I wanted to hear BG and IWD were the best PC games of their day and its nice to get proper refresh to make up for NWN

So you like it that us console players don't get what the PC users are getting? Are you a PC elitist?

 

[SultanP]

This reeks of a dumbed down version for console owners. Why couldn't clicking on the analogue stick and forward/backward with it substitute for the mouse wheel? I really though we were past the days of getting an inferior product just because we own consoles. Forshame.

You know, lately it's been PC owners who had to suffer bad ports from consoles, or controls developed for consoles and then put directly on a pc. I remember playing some game that asked me to press the red button, and I don't have one. But hell, if you want to whine just because one game finally comes along where the PC gamers have the good stuff, go ahead.

exactly what I wanted to hear BG and IWD were the best PC games of their day and its nice to get proper refresh to make up for NWN

So you like it that us console players don't get what the PC users are getting? Are you a PC elitist?

If you want what the PC gamers are getting, get a PC. I don't complain when I get a lousy console to PC port, I just don't buy it, or I get it for my console. But as I said above, the PC gamers have been suffering more lately.

If you're not going to complain when the PC owners get the short end of the stick, at least have the decency to shut up when we're happy that the developers aren't screwing us over.

 

[kinky257]

exactly what I wanted to hear BG and IWD were the best PC games of their day and its nice to get proper refresh to make up for NWN

So you like it that us console players don't get what the PC users are getting? Are you a PC elitist?

You know I read that as "OH Yay were finally getting a camera like the one in Baldurs Gate, it bodes well for the rest of the development being similar to Baldurs as well then" rather than "Ha console users getting the shaft, Hi-Five"

 

[Trotgar]

But I really hope that this won't have the same sucky only 3 intalls protection thing.

But wait, wasn't that 5? Just kidding, EA said that they would drop the DRM for all of their future games as a result of the negative backlash over Mass Effect, Dead Space, Spore (especially Spore) and other games. If you take a look at the requirements of the game, it doesn't say anywhere that it needs online authentication.

OT: Hitting on nostalgia, aren't you, Bioware? Not a bad thing by all means, it's been ages since Bioware's last 2d rpg (Baldur's Gate 2). On an unrelated requirements notes... HOLY CRAP! The game takes up 20 gigabytes to install!! Woah, it will take ages to install itself.

Have they really dropped that? Because if they have I'm really glad. At least they dropped the thing that Mass Effect had to connect to internet once a week. If you couldn't, the next time you could play it was when you'd find a connection.

But the 20 GB size is a problem to me. Becase I was stupid, I put only 37 GB to XP when I bootcamped. Now it has Mass Effect which has 1 install left, and it takes about 15 GB's. so DAO won't really fit to it.

I guess I have to reinstall my Windows, but I don't know where the code to it is and I'd have to use the last installation of ME.

 

[Georgeman]

But I really hope that this won't have the same sucky only 3 intalls protection thing.

But wait, wasn't that 5? Just kidding, EA said that they would drop the DRM for all of their future games as a result of the negative backlash over Mass Effect, Dead Space, Spore (especially Spore) and other games. If you take a look at the requirements of the game, it doesn't say anywhere that it needs online authentication.

OT: Hitting on nostalgia, aren't you, Bioware? Not a bad thing by all means, it's been ages since Bioware's last 2d rpg (Baldur's Gate 2). On an unrelated requirements notes... HOLY CRAP! The game takes up 20 gigabytes to install!! Woah, it will take ages to install itself.

Have they really dropped that? Because if they have I'm really glad. At least they dropped the thing that Mass Effect had to connect to internet once a week. If you couldn't, the next time you could play it was when you'd find a connection.

But the 20 GB size is a problem to me. Becase I was stupid, I put only 37 GB to XP when I bootcamped. Now it has Mass Effect which has 1 install left, and it takes about 15 GB's. so DAO won't really fit to it.

I guess I have to reinstall my Windows, but I don't know where the code to it is and I'd have to use the last installation of ME.

Wait a moment. Don't you know that EA has issued a de-authorization tool that essentially allows you to regain your installations as well as being able to disown yourself from a game?
Have a look at that: http://activate.ea.com/deauthorize/

As for the Dragon Age full requirements list, look at this: http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/59175. No mention of necessary online connection anywhere!

 

[Wandrecanada]

Does anyone have any description or indication how the console controls work? I am concerned it won't hold up for a game where you must control multiple characters and have large spell libraries use.

Also will there be miniature giant space hamsters?

So far this is all i could find but this seems legit due to what reviews say. http://bioware.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/360controls1.jpg

Thanks that looks actually decent and includes what I assumed they would (ie: radial menus for abilities). Very much like they did it in Mass Effect and I enjoyed that title tremendously. I just wish they had taken the ME engine and applied it to this title. I would have enjoyed 3rd person hack'n'slash very much over the circle/flower targeting system of BG/IWD/NWN. I'm not sure why you'd want to revert back to an older system when you've already progressed to a new one (read: Mass Effect) that works very very well.

 

[jamesworkshop]

exactly what I wanted to hear BG and IWD were the best PC games of their day and its nice to get proper refresh to make up for NWN

So you like it that us console players don't get what the PC users are getting? Are you a PC elitist?

You know I read that as "OH Yay were finally getting a camera like the one in Baldurs Gate, it bodes well for the rest of the development being similar to Baldurs as well then" rather than "Ha console users getting the shaft, Hi-Five"

Hit the nail on the head there, the consoles not getting the camera angle isn't going to change my enjoyment of the Pc version really this piece of news should be comforting to the console side (sure I have a Wii and PS3 too but rpg + controller isn't really my thing) as it shows they have spent some time making sure the interface perfectly fits the default control scheme

 

[Unrulyhandbag]

Does anyone have any description or indication how the console controls work? I am concerned it won't hold up for a game where you must control multiple characters and have large spell libraries use.

Also will there be miniature giant space hamsters?

So far this is all i could find but this seems legit due to what reviews say. http://bioware.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/360controls1.jpg

Thanks that looks actually decent and includes what I assumed they would (ie: radial menus for abilities). Very much like they did it in Mass Effect and I enjoyed that title tremendously. I just wish they had taken the ME engine and applied it to this title. I would have enjoyed 3rd person hack'n'slash very much over the circle/flower targeting system of BG/IWD/NWN. I'm not sure why you'd want to revert back to an older system when you've already progressed to a new one (read: Mass Effect) that works very very well.

Because the system used in Mass Effect and KoTOR feels really clunky on PC. A quick precise control method is a good thing for a mouse user and doesn't feel awkward on a controller. Older isn't necessarily worse, or in this case better either.

 

[Sebenko]

Sounds like a good PC version for once, which is something severely lacking nowadays.

I'm sure the console version will be fine and we can all live in love and harmony forever.

Also, Deadspace. Worst port ever. It's the reason I hate claims that games will be equal on all platforms, as it always really means "equal on all consoles".