Interview PC and RPGs - The Way of BioWare

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: BioWare

<p>In this <a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=253256" target="_blank">short Interview with </a><span class="text_article_body"><a href="http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=253256" target="_blank">Bioware designer and writing director Daniel Erickson</a> we learn <em>that </em></span><em>the PC is the primary format for all of their titles.</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="text_article_body">"The biggest game in the world is a fantasy, PC, RPG MMO. We all know the drawbacks of PC. We all scream at our boxes and try to make stuff work. But at the same time, the interface is made for games. The mouse/keyboard interface allows so much less restriction [than console]. <br /><br /> He added: "There was not a question when we started Old Republic - or any of our games, for that matter - [what the lead format would be]. There's a reason the lead SKU for Dragon age was [PC] as well. When we're developing an RPG, it's a natural place to be."</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>It all makes sense now. They developed KotoR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect for the XBox to emphasize how the PC is their primary platform. What happened? PC gaming not dead yet?</p>
<p><span class="text_article_body"><br /></span></p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/98455-biowares-daniel-erickson-talks-up-the-pc-and-rpgs.html">GB</a></p>

 

[Melcar]

The TurdBox is a PC.

 

[Shannow]

It all makes sense now. They developed KotoR, Jade Empire, Mass Effect for the XBox to emphasize how the PC is their primary platform. What happened? PC gaming not dead yet?

We have teh mighty mmo. As long as Bio think they can cash in as big as Blizzard they'll suck PC-gamer cock. Even if the cum tastes of elitism and basements.

 

[Heartwarden]

Sometimes I wish I was attached to a site in where I could write an article on Bioware (and have it read). I think under this particular title, you don't need to stray further than; 'Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V.'.

Bioware are really lying through their teeth though and throwing their weight around lately, huh? Trying to challenge Bethesda?

 

[Volourn]

Trying to? L0LZ

 

[Rhalle]

Bleh.

If MMOs could be played on a tardbox this article would be a bit different.

It's just fucking empty, meretricious, disingenuous PR-speak.

None of these bastards can wait to jettison PC completely.

 

[hiver]

No, actually that line was sucking it to the consoletard crowd.

And i dont mean console owners there.

 

[Hobo Elf]

This still doesn't help the fact that their SW MMO looks like a miserable pile of pussified popamole shit. Hell, they even have popamole gameplay in it. What the shit? Will it never go away?

 

[Terror Teats]

You don't understand. Popamole is landmark, definitive shit. Everything gaming does from now until the end of time will be in reaction to popamole. Popamole will never die, even when people get tired of it. It will just emerge from cover again.

 

[Azrael the cat]

I think we'll see a bit more of this. There seems to be a growing awareness of the research showing that PC is still the biggest gaming platform. That, and it's reaching 'that' end of the console cycle - you know, where there's no new consoles on the horizon for a while yet, but most (non hardcore PC upgraders) folks' PCs have overtaken their consoles. Consoles will look increasingly unattractive until the next generation of platforms comes out, and there'll be less incentives given by console makers to the software developers as software isn't really driving much in the way of new console sales anymore (yes, they're selling, but nothing like a couple of years ago - most folk who plan on getting an xbox 360 have one by now, or are waiting to pick them up at a barely profitable bargain price).

It won't mean an end to dumbing down - much of the growth in PC games comes from casual gaming - but it might mean that we get better interfaces and controls.

 

[ScottishMartialArts]

So I'm playing ME2 right now. Seems like it would have been better to call it Mineral and Precious Metal Surveyor Effect.

 

[Xor]

Only scan rich planets. You'll stop needing minerals after you get all the ship upgrades. If you want I can explain where to find a save editor so you can just set your current minerals to 2000000 or so and not think about it again, although you risk missing some random side missions that nobody cares about.

 

[someone else]

But Kotor has dumb console controls.

 

[ScottishMartialArts]

Only scan rich planets. You'll stop needing minerals after you get all the ship upgrades. If you want I can explain where to find a save editor so you can just set your current minerals to 2000000 or so and not think about it again, although you risk missing some random side missions that nobody cares about.

I've got 100k plus for each resource, aside from EEZO, and nothing to spend it on. Sounds like that means I can stop obsessing over getting each mineral node from a planet?

 

[Xor]

I had like 50k left in everything at the end of my playthrough. You won't use all the resources everywhere.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

Gibbed Mass Effect 2 save editor lets you set resource values, along with a great number of other things.

If you want to get deeper, use the Coalesced Editor. You can make quite a few other changes in there as well that make the game more fun or (a little) less popamole. You have to dig a bit though, its a lot of stuff in it. For example, to maintain some distorted semblance of balance I have instead of flat-out editing my resources to infinity I simply made them about 5x as abundant on all planets. I only scan the planets I actually have business being on or going near, so it balances out to about what a normal game would have more or less.

 

[ScottishMartialArts]

Nah, I'm not looking to cheat. And now that I realize you only will ever use a fraction of the mineable resources, I'm only surveying when I need to. I'm still exploring all the star systems, in case there's a side mission, though.

I can't really decide whether I like ME2 or not yet. The writing is a step up from the first one. I'm still facepalming from time to time, but not nearly as often. I also like that it's a bit more freeform, in that the narrative provides justification for taking your time and exploring each star cluster thoroughly. The level design is kinda weak though, and I don't think the combat is strong enough to really carry the game. Mostly I'm just playing to level up, gather loot, and get all the upgrades, which is sufficient reason to play any rpg or vaguely rpg-like shooter.

 

[Mangoose]

Make sure you're "blipping" when you search for nodes and not just holding down the button the whole time. There's no need for that.

 

[Achilles]

This is probably Bioware trying to pimp TOR but, as one of the few mainstream studios who managed to release a PC-based game (Dragon Age), I think we can give them the benefit of a doubt.

Anyway, like Azrael is saying, lately there seems to be a tendency in the media and game companies to *gasp* acknowledge the PC as a valid gaming platform. Maybe it's because digital distribution has convinced them that there are people who actually pay for pc games, or maybe those slackers in the PC Gaming Alliance actually achieved something with their research and reports. Maybe it's for the reasons that Azrael mentioned.

I'm not really sure if that means "more PC based and niche titles" or "fuck yeah, facebook games!". We'll see.

 

[Der_Unbekannte]

"fuck yeah, facebook games!"

Those. Everytime some developer talks about the benefits of PCs as a plattform, facebook is bound to be mentioned. Next to online features and stuff.
So yeah. PC will get more important, but the games will be more shite, so maybe it would have been better if mainstream gaming would have left the PC.

 

[Morbus]

Nobody cares about BioWare. Let them rot.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

bioware make awesome, awesome games.

 

[Der_Unbekannte]

bioware make awesome, awesome dating sims.

fix'd

 

[Shannow]

bioware make dating sims.

fix'd

fixed again

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Nobody cares about BioWare. Let them rot.

If nobody cared then codexers wouldn't obsess over them...

 

[Monocause]

@SMA:

A mouse with a DPI switch is great for the mining "minigame". I have a model with a switch that increases sensitivity about two times, great for graphics and ME2.

Though I'd still cheat if there was a trainer available at the time I was playing. The minigame gave "filler content" a whole new meaning, even if it's still more bearable than the Mako torture.