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Dragon Age Visits Gen Con Indy, GC, PAX
Posted by Mike Fahey at 3:40 AM on August 14, 2008
Now that BioWare revealed Dragon Age: Origins to the press at this year's E3, they're ready to take their show on the road, visiting three major gaming conventions over the course of the next week and a half. First off they are hitting up Gen Con Indy August 14th through the 17th, where they'll be presenting the game to the public for the first time. Then the Dragon Age tour splits in two, with one group heading to the Games Convention in Leipzig, where the press will get a behind-closed-doors look at "new details about combat, exploration, dialogue, the game's origin stories and a few other juicy surprises", while special invited members and fans will be able to experience a demo of the game in a special Dragon Age lounge.
Meanwhile, back in the states, BioWare will be showing off the game at PAX, with promises of a special stage demo that provides the world's first look at a special feature of the game. So many surprises! Hit the jump for full details on the Dragon Age: Origins tiny world tour.
BioWare to Bring Dragon Age: Origins to the World's Marquee Game Conventions
Dragon Age: Origins to Make First Public Appearance on August 14EDMONTON, Alberta—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Leading video game developer BioWare™, a division of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), will be presenting their upcoming dark heroic fantasy Dragon Age™: Origins publicly for the first time ever to fans at Gen Con in Indianapolis, Indiana, the GC Developers Conference in Leipzig, Germany and the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington.
Coming from behind closed doors and onto the show floor, BioWare is thrilled to reveal the heart-pounding demo that wowed international media at E3 2008 to the eager fans at Gen Con Indy, August 14-17, 2008, at the Indianapolis Convention Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana. This marks the very first public appearance of Dragon Age: Origins ever, with fans able to get a first-hand look at some of the exciting combat, devastating magic and credible digital actors that make up this epic adventure.
Dragon Age: Origins will then cross the ocean to Leipzig, Germany, to reveal itself to eagerly awaiting European fans at the GC Developers Conference, held August 20-22, 2008, at the Leipzig Exhibition Centre. Dragon Age: Origins project director and executive producer Dan Tudge will be conducting behind closed doors demos to the press, revealing new details about combat, exploration, dialogue, the game's origin stories and a few other juicy surprises not to be missed! BioWare's community team will also be there to demo Dragon Age: Origins in a special lounge for invited members, fans and leaders of international EA community sites, August 22-24.
Fans attending the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, Washington, August 29-31, 2008, will get a close look at Dragon Age: Origins as the BioWare team shows off some of the exciting combat, gameplay and origin story features. Another special stage demo is also planned for PAX, providing the world's first look at a major feature of Dragon Age: Origins.
For more information about Dragon Age: Origins, the latest updates, or to join BioWare's Dragon Age community, visit www.dragonage.com.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
sarcasmOD
Posted 4:30 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: If Americans are both clever and dumb, there is no need to comment on his nationality. Frankly, there's no need to call him dumb in the first place. And how exactly did you arrive at the conclusion he is American? A large number of people and this site are European and Japanese, if not by blood then by citizenship. Once you start getting borders involved, things get ugly.
sarcasmOD
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:30 AM 14/8/08
lol...i can't believe i made that silly mistake, sorry eveyone, even with me being "English", shishh. Here i go again, "There are clever americans and there are dumb americans. He / She is just....well figure it out ". Phew!!..finally.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
MisterMcThursday
Posted 4:29 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: sorry i hurt your eFeelings. Get the fuck over it limey.
MisterMcThursday
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:27 AM 14/8/08
opps!!...*are
KREEPYKRAWLLY
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:23 AM 14/8/08
@ShirtGuyDom: There a clever americans and there a dumb americans. He / She is just....well figure it out.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
deadjesterx
Posted 4:16 AM 14/8/08
So far it looks promising. I had a blast playing Baldur's Gate and this looks like the spiritual successor to the franchise.
I've got to wonder how they'll keep the game world unique, though. The majority of fantasy worlds out there are DnD knock-offs. Here's hoping Bioware can make their world stand out.
deadjesterx
ShirtGuyDom
Posted 4:16 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: A perfect example of a bannable comment.
I should start following Dragon Age. In fact, I should follow Bioware more closely. The only game of theirs I've played is Mass Effect, and I loved it.
ShirtGuyDom
Omniel
Posted 4:15 AM 14/8/08
I think its good that this is not a D&D game, lets Bioware be creative, and not limited to fit into D&D's universe, should be interesting, the new screens look much nicer than the first ones released :)
Omniel
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:15 AM 14/8/08
@MisterMcThursday: A perfect example of a dumb american.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Candlejack
Posted 4:14 AM 14/8/08
@tbaran: Oh well. I stand corrected.
@Bishmon: Fine. It's still not Baldur's Gate III :( I hadn't seen the gameplay in all honesty and it looks like a mix of LOTR and Gothic. Maybe it's been too long since I last played BG and I can't remember.
@[ZTF]: Thanks for the heads up.
Candlejack
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:14 AM 14/8/08
@razorangelwings: I know it's Bioware that developed Mass Effect :).
KREEPYKRAWLLY
MisterMcThursday
Posted 4:14 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: lol self owned.
MisterMcThursday
razorangelwings
Posted 4:12 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: Well, some people happen to love classic fantasy RPGs. And, uh, BioWare IS the developer who made Mass Effect...and Dragon Age. Look, something fun for everyone!
razorangelwings
MSUSteve
Posted 4:12 AM 14/8/08
@MisterMcThursday: Yeah, what the hell am I thinking when I suggest that a huge website like Kotaku try to hold itself to fifth grade writing standards? Not only are the headlines almost always hyperbolically negative, but they're also misspelled. WOOO!
MSUSteve
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:08 AM 14/8/08
I am sick and tired of all of these bullshit dragons and monsters RPGs. These fucking developers should give us something new to experience (MASS EFFECT is a perfect example of what i am talking about).
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Laho
Posted 4:08 AM 14/8/08
So many single player RPGs coming out, but I have real trouble getting into them. It feels wasted to spend hours leveling and playing a character, but then having to real way to show the fruits of your efforts to other players.
Simple competitive multiplayer modes would be enough for me.
Laho
Billkwando
Posted 4:07 AM 14/8/08
Yo, there's dra'ons e'rywhere, yo!
Billkwando
MisterMcThursday
Posted 4:06 AM 14/8/08
@MSUSteve: from a video game website where the writers frequent the boards and flame the commenters and the commenters flame the writers? notrly.
MisterMcThursday
arekthorn
Posted 4:05 AM 14/8/08
This game is going to own!
arekthorn
Bishmon
Posted 4:03 AM 14/8/08
@Candlejack:
"If BioWare wanted to make another Baldur's Gate, they'd call it just that. It's not like they couldn't."
Actually, they really couldn't. "Baldur's Gate" is part of an IP owned by Wizards of the Coast. They could probably pay some money to the appropriate parties in order to license the property again if they wanted, but they probably figure the Bioware brand is strong enough on its own by now.
And yeah, like ZTF mentioned, there is gameplay footage out there.
Bishmon
tbaran
Posted 4:01 AM 14/8/08
@Candlejack:
Um, they CAN'T call it Baldur's Gate. They lost the rights to D&D.
Also, there are plenty of gameplay screenshots that look very much like an upgraded Baldur's Gate.
tbaran
MSUSteve
Posted 4:00 AM 14/8/08
@[ZTF]: No doubt man, but it's pretty unprofessional, don't you think? Shouldn't we expect a little more?
MSUSteve
[ZTF]
Posted 3:59 AM 14/8/08
@Candlejack: ...they had gameplay footage from E3 dude. [www.joystiq.com] <- First result on google.
[ZTF]
Candlejack
Posted 3:57 AM 14/8/08
@Bishmon: I was implying that this game will be nothing like Baldur's Gate, besides how can you tell it looks like Baldur's Gate with NO gameplay but only stupid teaser trailers that remind me of LOTR?
If BioWare wanted to make another Baldur's Gate, they'd call it just that. It's not like they couldn't.
Candlejack
[ZTF]
Posted 3:57 AM 14/8/08
@MSUSteve: You know what else? Everyone knew what he was talking about, you yourself included. Not that big of a deal.
I have to see more information about classes and stuff to get interested in Dragon Age, but hopefully coverage at PAX will help.
[ZTF]
Bishmon
Posted 3:54 AM 14/8/08
@Candlejack:
Really? Because the only gameplay footage we've seen so far has looked a lot Baldur's Gate and nothing like Oblivion. Which kinda makes sense, considering Bioware made Baldur's Gate and they want this to be their spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, and they had nothing to do with any of the Elder Scrolls games.
Bishmon
subnet6
Posted 3:53 AM 14/8/08
@sarcasmOD: Funny, I thought the guy in the back looked like a Mum-Ra (thundercats) hybrid with the guy in the foreground looking like an older Baraka (MK) hybrid.
subnet6
MSUSteve
Posted 3:52 AM 14/8/08
I can't wait for Dragon Age, but what is this "Draon Age"?
Seriously, this is a hugely popular internet destination. It's expected that comments quickly spun off will have grammar and spelling errors, but shouldn't you, ya know, quickly review main topics to make sure you're not putting big, dumb looking typos in big, dumb looking pink/purple?
MSUSteve
dynendal
Posted 3:51 AM 14/8/08
@dynendal: At PAX, I mean.
dynendal
dynendal
Posted 3:50 AM 14/8/08
Last year's "stage demo" for Mass Effect consisted of a few hundred nerds packing in closely at the Bioware booth. No thanks.
dynendal
GnatB
Posted 3:50 AM 14/8/08
I just hope Bioware pulls a rabbit out of it's hat and finally comes up with a decent combat engine. All of Bioware's games have been so good in other departments, that I frequently end up buying and playing them despite the combat system. (which is one of the major parts of an RPG) it'd be a nice change if they actually released a game where combat was fun instead of a chore.
GnatB
Candlejack
Posted 3:49 AM 14/8/08
@G_the_fresh: Bah. This will be Oblivion 2.0, or Elder Scrolls 4 and a half. I see no Baldur's Gate. At least not yet.
Candlejack
G_the_fresh
Posted 3:47 AM 14/8/08
Can't wait for BG's spiritual successor. Baldur's gate was the best RPG I've ever played and if dragon age has anywhere near the same level of depth with the classes, combat system and level system, I'll buy this game the second it's available.
G_the_fresh
sarcasmOD
Posted 3:44 AM 14/8/08
The guy on the right is totally a middle ages ninja turtle, or perhaps a ninja turtle/shredder hybrid. The resemblance is uncanny.
sarcasmOD
Silverbackne
Posted 3:42 AM 14/8/08
Wasn't this game supposed to be out like a bajillion years ago?
In any event, can't wait.
Silverbackne
PatATC
Posted 3:42 AM 14/8/08
I heard Draon age is pretty sweet... DraGon age is even better.
PatATC
AEREC
Posted 4:46 AM 14/8/08
@Altersparck:
I beleive they said this game is for all the fans who loved the BG series...so dont expect anything new.
AEREC
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:42 AM 14/8/08
@ShirtGuyDom: :), whatever floats your boat.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Phantom6612
Posted 4:39 AM 14/8/08
@Omniel: I don't think the DnD universe is the problem--in terms of locations and lore. The problem is the game-play system they were forced into because of DnD.
I couldn't stand how the classes and magic worked in BG. The turn based-ish combat is fine though, and worked well in BG as well as KotOR, though KotOR was on the easy side.
I do hope this game is an improvement over ME. While a good game, it could have been much better. Mostly, the characters in ME were not very well done.
Though, being a Bioware game, I'll at least keep watch of it.
Phantom6612
ShirtGuyDom
Posted 4:37 AM 14/8/08
@KREEPYKRAWLLY: Replace "Americans" with "people," and you won't look like an ignorant jackass.
No, wait, you still will. Calling someone dumb based on one Kotaku comment is pretty ignorant.
Oh, and I'll go ahead and make a correction to my last post:
*love it. I still play Mass Effect.
ShirtGuyDom
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:36 AM 14/8/08
@sarcasmOD: Ok mate.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Deenight
Posted 4:34 AM 14/8/08
i would like to solve the riddle: its DRAGOMON AGE!
Deenight
Terrorsaur.
Posted 4:34 AM 14/8/08
Does no one else think that the guy on the right looks EXACTLY like a turian?
Terrorsaur.
Altersparck
Posted 4:33 AM 14/8/08
I played KotOR, Jade Empire, and Mass Effect one after the other and Bioware has shown consistent evolution in gameplay. I'm excited to see what's to come after Mass Effect's action-oriented combat.
Altersparck
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Posted 4:32 AM 14/8/08
@MisterMcThursday: lol...you didn't even "dent" it.
KREEPYKRAWLLY
Mike Fahey
Posted 5:12 AM 14/8/08
When I find out who stole my G I am kicking some ass!
Mike Fahey
Log1c
Posted 5:39 AM 14/8/08
@Log1c: Oh also, I'm just glad its coming out for the PC right away. So I can get really excited for it (just like Mass Effect) but then I don't have that really long waiting period for awesomeness.
Log1c
Log1c
Posted 5:38 AM 14/8/08
@Mike Fahey: You got disen-consonanted. Better be careful before you get banned.
Log1c
Nipz
Posted 9:22 AM 14/8/08
Im starting to get interested in this game... though probably wont touch it as there are too many other games im interested in.
Nipz
Scuba Steve
Posted 9:08 AM 14/8/08
Guess it's too cool for Dragon Con.. Not that Dragon con has much to do with video games, but the names!
Scuba Steve
Hahaue
Posted 9:39 AM 14/8/08
Oh man. Oh man. Oh man oh man oh man. BioWare games make my pants wet with anticipation. I absolutely cannot wait for this game. So many great games on the horizon, how am I going to find the time?
Hahaue
syafiqjabar
Posted 5:41 PM 14/8/08
This is LOW fantasy, not like D&D at all.
syafiqjabar
Yeliab
Posted 5:36 AM 16/8/08
For what it's worth, I attended one of the Dragon Age demos at GenCon yesterday. I won't be that much help because I am not a PC gamer and have never played either Baldur's Gate (I do like KOTOR, Jade Empire and Mass Effect on the Xbox, though), but here are my quick impressions:
-- Graphically, it looks like you would expect. Not anything utterly amazing, but certainly up to par for current technology.
-- Dialogue trees ranged from about 3 to 6 responses, which are obviously tilted to various levels of good/neutral/evil. Choices your characters make will (as expected) have repercussions throughout the game.
-- Combat looks very nice visually, with lots of detail to weapon hit detection. They emphasized repeatedly that it is a mature game (technically, the rating is still pending), demonstrating decapitations and other finishing moves. Blood and scratches stay on armor throughout the game after battles.
-- Combat is real-time, not turn-based, but you can pause the game at any time to look at the battlefield and assess your plans.
-- They showed a warrior's melee combat and a mage in battle, demonstrating how spells can be combined for maximum effect. (e.g. Cast grease on the floor to slow down enemies, then cast fireball to, well, set them on fire)
-- Right now, the game is only for PC, but the company is currently in talks with other platforms.
I can try to answer any questions for the curious.
Yeliab
eakolb
Posted 11:21 PM 18/8/08
I also visited the booth at GenCon over the weekend. I'd like to chime in that it was extremely poorly run. For instance, there was a sign on the door saying the next demonstration was at 2:15. Show up at 2:10, wait around until 2:25, no one even stepped out to say an existing demonstration had run long or update the sign.
When you've got events and stuff planned, standing around just waiting isn't a smart call. I was genuinely interested to hear more about this but it you're going to run an under-staffed booth at an event like this you're better off not coming at all. I never did have another chance to stop by their booth. This was poor PR on BioWare's behalf.
eakolb