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Dragon Age 3 artists wanted, Bioware sr. director tweets
Dragon Age 3 was unceremoniously outed on Twitter last night in a call by BioWare creative lead Alistair McNally for new artists. "I'm looking for exceptional environment artists to join me at #BioWare Edmonton, Canada to work on #DragonAge3," he tweeted yesterday evening. He added a few corresponding hashtags, but otherwise left the subtle reveal at that. An hour later, seemingly with environment artists still on his mind, McNally was praising The Witcher 2 for its topnotch graphics. "Looks stunning with DX11 and everything turned up," he tweeted. [Thanks, Tyler C.]
StarCraft 2 headlines game-related Lightning Deals on Amazon
It's time once again to save on a seemingly random selection of nine games -- the Amazon Gold Box is loaded with game deals today. The Deal of the Day is Starcraft 2 for $39.99, but if that's not the craft you're after, you can also pick up the World of Warcraft Battle Chest right now (until 11AM EST, at least) for $18. Hints for upcoming deals suggest that savings for Dragon Age and Kingdom Hearts games are on the way, along with Bulletstorm. Find the full schedule, with hints, after the break.
Watch these impressive Silent Hill and Dragon Age fan film trailers
It might seem strange to pair Silent Hill and Dragon Age fan film trailers in one post, but they just happen to share the same director, Leo Kei Angelos. Both projects are planned for release as complete short films later this year, and they already look impressive. In fact, if the super, super creepy trailer is any indication, the Silent Hill inspired film, The Confined, just might turn out better than its full-length cinematic counterpart. Check out both trailers after the break.
Dragon Age 2 review: A world of your own creation
It's pretty much impossible to have a conversation about Dragon Age: Origins without talking about its development time. Sure, it's an epic, but after so long in development (as many as eight years by some accounts) what excuse would it have not to be? Also, why does it still feel so shoehorned onto consoles? Now, with just a fraction of the development time, BioWare has delivered Dragon Age 2, a sequel that streamlines the experience to something that feels far more at home on the 360 or PS3 ... but might just have lost a touch of that epic feeling along the way.%Gallery-115856%
Dragon Age 2 making-of video features Hawke's life and loves
EA has conjured another video about the making of Dragon Age 2 and, in this one, BioWare talks about the way the game's story is told. According to the developer, it's a framed narrative, with an unreliable narrator recounting the action as it happens. Unlike movies or books that use the same technique, though, this is interactive -- so not all of us will see the same story. The video also mentions that another storyline, much closer to Origins, was considered for the sequel. The hero's story will also unfold within a smaller chuck of the world than the first game's, but it'll be carried out over a period of years rather than days or weeks, which means we'll get to see his or her relationships blossom and grow. That's familial relationships in the form of a mother and siblings and, erm, concupiscent relationships in the form of any number of lusty elves, dwarves or humans. Watch the whole vid after the break.
Music to kill by: The making of Rift's score
The musical score is often one of the little-appreciated aspects of MMOs, providing mood, tone and emotion for the player while hopefully refraining from being annoying or too repetitive. In a new dev diary, Trion Worlds showcases the audio talent behind Rift: Planes of Telara's score. Audio Director Yannis Brown and Composer Inon Zur (Dragon Age: Origins, Fallout: New Vegas) talk about how the music lends itself to character identity and the environment's atmosphere, while giving us an aural sneak peek of Rift's tunes. One of the cool concepts the audio team is the creation of multi-layered music tracks that provide the same theme in different degrees of intensity based on how big the rifts have grown. Hit the jump to watch the diary and hear for yourself whether this will be a game in which the default score stays on -- or gets quickly turned off in favor of personal playlists.
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition hits on Oct. 26
Not content with delivering some of this year's most promising games, October has also decided to become a haven for new versions of last year's standout titles. Living a year behind the rest of us has its benefits, as illustrated by the (now officially announced) "Ultimate Edition" of Dragon Age: Origins. Okay, so perhaps the actual illustration on the cover -- depicting slightly smaller cover illustrations -- isn't entirely elegant, but how else do you convey such an impressive amount of value for a $60 video game? Launching on October 26 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, the Ultimate Edition packs in BioWare's acclaimed fantasy RPG, the Awakening expansion, all 7 downloadable add-ons (including Witch Hunt) and 37 billion hours of tactical party management, intriguing conversation and moral handwringing. If the folks at BioWare really want to pile on the pressure, they'll slip in a note that says, "Hey, try to wrap this up by March, 2011."
EA giving free game to disgruntled APB buyers [Updated]
reddit_url = "http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/27/ea-giving-free-game-to-disgruntled-apb-buyers/"; Tweet Ticked off about the recent closure of Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin? Well you're not alone, and surprisingly enough it seems like Electronic Arts has heard your cries for justice. According to reports from CVG and SavyGamer, the publishing giant is ponying up a free download from the EA Store for customers who purchased APB via Valve's Steam digital distribution platform. The list of possible freebies is nothing to sneeze at either, as it includes BioWare darlings Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins, as well as Spore, The Saboteur, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and several more. There's currently no word on refunds or compensation for those who purchased the ill-fated urban crime MMOFPS from retail outlets or other digital shops. [Editor's Note: Having just gone through this process myself, I can tell you that it's easy and virtually painless. Simply visit www.ea.com, choose your country of origin, visit the support link in the upper right hand corner, and log into your EA account. Once that's done, click the "contact us/email us" button to create a new question to ask the EA support representatives. Select APB as the game in question and tell them that you own the game, where you bought it, and that you'd like to take advantage of their refund offer. The representative will ask you to make a list of games you'd like (pre-order titles are excluded and only games in the EA store are being offered) and that's it! Once you send your list, they'll give you a game (most likely your first choice) and you can download it using their instructions. ~Seraphina]
BioWare working to resolve 'continuity bug' in Dragon Age's Witch Hunt DLC
BioWare's Witch Hunt DLC for Dragon Age: Origins has been affected by a few unfortunate bugs during its launch, executive producer Mark Darrah admitted on the company's forums. "Unfortunately, there is a continuity bug that is causing issues with a subset of our player base. While this issue is not affecting the majority of people, it is still a significant issue that we will address," Darrah said last night. Furthermore, an issue with saved games not reflecting the DLC's completion is currently being looked into -- our own reviewer even ran into this particular glitch -- which could be troublesome for those hoping to import the DLC's outcome into next year's Dragon Age 2. Darrah also added, "We apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing anyone," and said his team is "doing everything we can to fix this in a timely manner so those who are affected can go back to enjoying Witch Hunt as soon as possible."
Dragon Age: Witch Hunt DLC review: Build a bridge out of her
"But whether you seek answers, revenge, or reconciliation with your lost love, you may find more than you bargained for." Contrary to the marketing line, you'll likely find less than you bargained for in Dragon Age: Witch Hunt, a disappointing and flimsy finale to the Dragon Age: Origins storyline. It's not a terrible chunk of content -- and it would have to do far worse before it could tarnish BioWare's other efforts in keeping the Dragon Age universe alive for almost a year now -- but the crucial failure to deliver a satisfying conclusion is hard to forget. We'll talk forgiveness later.
BBFC: Dragon Age Ultimate Edition to include Awakening and all DLC
Despite popping up on GameStop and having been rated by Australia's OFLC, the so-called "Dragon Age Origins - Ultimate Edition" still hasn't been officially announced by EA. Now the British Board of Film Classification has gone ahead and listed the supposed contents of the re-release, which is "made up of a number of separate components," including: Dragon Age: Origins (original game) Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening (standalone expansion) "The Darkspawn Chronicles" (DLC) "Feastday Combo Pack" (DLC) "The Golems of Amgarrak" (DLC) "Leliana's Song" (DLC) "Return to Ostagar" (DLC) "The Stone Prisoner" (lDLC) "Warden's Keep" (DLC) "Witch Hunt" (DLC) While the GameStop listing has since been removed, the retailer had posted a $60 price and an October 12 release date for the Ultimate Edition. We'll be sure to note the official details when EA officially announces them.
Dragon Age 'Witch Hunt' DLC teaser offers a taste of our Warden's final quest
Next week, we'll finally get to find out what became of Morrigan at the conclusion of Dragon Age: Origins. Well, technically that wasn't the conclusion of the story -- this is the end, but you get our point. Sort it all out for yourself past the break.
Waging WAR: RvR packs, the "wait and see" edition
This week Waging WAR rides the double rainbow of gameplay customization via downloadable content and takes a cursory glance at the RvR packs being teased by the folks behind the development of Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Let's follow along and see what Greg can unleash this time. It is difficult to talk about the future of WAR right now. Not because it doesn't have a future, but because the availability of information regarding it is not exactly easy to find. Actually, information on the future of WAR is all but non-existent, surrounded by controversy on all sides, and steeped in rumor, speculation, assumption and misinformation. The best I can put together is that we, as players, can look forward to some sort of set of three different "RvR Packs" allowing us to "customize" our gameplay experience moving forward. The packs have been called "Power," "Progression," and "Personality." What exactly each contains is a mystery, although the few talking points I was able to find regarding these RvR packs are speculatively disappointing at best. Although Carrie, Andy, and anyone else involved with the Mythic development team have said time and time again that they are not discussing moving toward the free-to-play business model, what they're proposing with these customization packs looks suspiciously like the item shop established by Turbine, implemented in Dungeons & Dragons Online and soon in Lord of the Rings Online as well. V.I.P. membership, anyone? Although concrete information is scarce and difficult to find, let's take a look at the most commonly referenced points of interest after the break.
'Dragon Age: Origins -- Ultimate Edition' rated by OFLC
Dragon Age Origins - Ultimate Edition has yet to be officially announced, but it has now been rated by Australia's OFLC. Previously popping up as a GameStop listing with a $60 price and an October 12 release date, the re-release once again prompts us to blankly stare in EA's general direction until it confesses like a mage in the Chantry. We've sent couriers off to EA for official comment. It's not quite the "Dragon Age Molybdenum" edition, but one can safely speculate that this "Utlimate" package would include all of the Origins DLC, along with the recently announced "Witch Hunt" add-on. With Dragon Age 2 half a year away, it really is time to wrap up Origins in a nice bundle.
Dragon Age: Origins story concluded in 'Witch Hunt' DLC
And you thought they'd save this one for the sequel! BioWare has announced "Witch Hunt," a new Dragon Age: Origins add-on that concludes the storyline and investigates the true motives of Morrigan, the sardonic witch known for delivering sick burns via verbal insult or fireball incantation. This will be of particular interest if you spent time, err, investigating Morrigan during the main quest. As BioWare puts it dramatically, "Her plans and her whereabouts have remained a mystery... until now." Well, until September 7, when you'll download Witch Hunt for $7 (or 560 MS/BioWare points) on PC, PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360. The content will allow you to create a new, high-powered character or import your hero from Dragon Age: Origins and the Awakening expansion. "But whether you seek answers, revenge, or reconciliation with your lost love," BioWare warns, "you may find more than you bargained for." That's always nice when it comes to DLC, isn't it? %Gallery-100377%
XBLM Deal of the Week: Dragon Age DLC
If you just can't wait for official details on Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition (or if you already have the game), this XBL Deal of the Week is for you. It's all Origins content this week, with the highlight being Awakening. Gold members can snag it for 1600 MSP ($20), down from 2400 MSP ($30).
GameStop lists 'Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition' for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360
If you've held off on purchasing Dragon Age: Origins until now ... keep holding off. GameStop listings have appeared for something called "Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate Edition" on PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, supposedly due for release on October 12 for $59.99. The listings have no information at all about what's included in the package -- and neither EA nor BioWare have officially announced this thing, though we've asked for a comment regardless -- so it's anyone's guess as to what's included. If it were truly "Ultimate" it would include the Awakenings expansion and all the DLC. Now that word's out about this thing's existence, we expect an announcement soon, at which point we'll learn the precise level of ultimateness contained within. [Thanks, No Name]
Dragon Age to be rocked by 'Golems of Amgarrak' DLC on Aug. 10
You know that Dragon Age: Origins DLC, "Golems of Amgarrak," we just played at Comic-Con? You'll be playing it soon yourself -- on Tuesday, August 10, to be exact, for PS3, 360 and PC. (Unless, that is, you don't like Dragon Age, in which case we can't be friends anymore. Kidding!) BioWare's, er, bio on its new 'ware -- which is meant for seasoned adventurers -- tells of a backstory involving a "missing dwarven expedition" and "ancient secrets for creating monstrous constructs." How this is all that different from most normal people's days escapes us, but at least we can look forward to fighting an "all-new terrifying creature!" (Spoiler alert: it's probably a golem.)
Preview: Dragon Age 'Golems of Amgarrak' DLC
"We just brought it down," the marketing guy from BioWare told me while waiting in line. The company was already bringing a bunch of computers to Comic-Con to let visiting fans preview Dragon Age 2, so they figured why not bring some PCs down all loaded up with unreleased DLC to play, too? Other companies hold secret sneak previews and require pages of NDA agreements to see their unreleased games for the first time, but BioWare just brings them to Comic-Con. So yes, alongside the public, I got a chance to see the upcoming DLC. And the first thing I heard about it is that it's hard. Really hard. Dragon Age: Origins is already a game that requires some thinking, but BioWare has apparently turned up the difficulty on this one -- there's lots of big enemies, I was told, that will provide a challenge even on the easiest setting.
Review: 'Leliana's Song' DLC for Dragon Age: Origins
There's a strange calculus that we all apply to digitally-distributed gaming content. iPhone games, XBLA and PSN releases, etc., divorced from the usual MSRP for retail products, all suffer the same fate: intense pricing scrutiny. While our reviews aim to be more experiential and less commercial, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't applying that same calculus to the latest Dragon Age: Origins DLC, "Leliana's Song," while I played it. How much new content is there? How long is it? How does that compare to the retail version? And, of course, how much does it cost? Let's cover that new content first: "Leliana's Song" is a fully-voiced expansion featuring several new characters (like your companions Sketch the mage and Tug the dwarf), some new music, and some new (albeit dull) locations. A particular disappointment: despite Leliana's Orlesian (read: French) lineage, and despite this being her origin story, you won't see a single Orlesian blade of grass in this adventure. Instead, you'll spend time in the oft-recycled Denerim Market and you'll sneak through the Arl's castle; familiar environments, to be sure. Depending on what you're hoping to extract from "Leliana's Song," there's either a wealth of content (new dialogue! new music!) or a dearth of it (old locations!). %Gallery-97086%
