Bioware, what happened to you?

[Bateluer]

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=23156

However, there have been hints at a multiplayer endeavor related to the franchise before, but now Kotaku is reporting that a little birdie told them BioWare Montreal is working on a Mass Effect spin-off with a focus on Call of Duty-style multiplayer.

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

 

[manimal]

http://www.firingsquad.com/news/newsarticle.asp?searchid=23156



I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Bioware wants to make money.....film at 11...


if the sheep didnt literally throw bags of money at the COD franchise maybe things would be different..


did you see that Jeep has a pimped out jeep-COD blops edition.....next thing they will have BLoPs condoms...blops shampoo...etc..

 

[paperfist]

Bioware wants to make money.....film at 11...


if the sheep didnt literally throw bags of money at the COD franchise maybe things would be different..


did you see that Jeep has a pimped out jeep-COD blops edition.....next thing they will have BLoPs condoms...blops shampoo...etc..

BLoPs, taking the world by storm!

Next up, BLoPs: The Movie. Starring Bobby Kotick as Bobby Kotick...

Well at least Bioware isn't trying to make a game like X-Com into an FPS...

 

[shortylickens]

if the sheep didnt literally throw bags of money at the COD franchise maybe things would be different..

That seems to be the problem with pretty much all gaming these days.
Way too much good stuff has been ruined by folks forking over large wads of cash at uninspired sequels and remakes and flat-out ripoffs. The creativity has been dying for years. And anything truly interesting (Braid, Psychonaughts) doesnt get much press and relatively poor sales.

 

[Dumac]

First KotOR MMO, then DA2 being an action game, now this?

You used to be my favorite developer Bioware.

 

[Phobic9]

I blame the "decline" on the EA merger... just because.

Seriously though, there's no denying that EA has an influence on what they're putting out.

 

[PlasmaBomb]

I blame the "decline" on the EA merger... just because.

Seriously though, there's no denying that EA has an influence on what they're putting out.

Isn't the old adage.. EA ruins everything...

 

[roguerower]

Why should they invest millions into making a legit RPG with a solid SP story when they can just use the same engine that COD: 428 used and still make a shitload of cash?

As the attention spans of gamers grows shorter, so does the ability for good games to do well in this market.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Don't see a problem here. Bioware is awesome so why not give them a chance on seeing what their take on the shooter genre turns out to be?

 

[Phobic9]

Don't see a problem here. Bioware is awesome so why not give them a chance on seeing what their take on the shooter genre turns out to be?

I'm not complaining, as I'm quite the Bioware fanboy but even I'll admit their quality has faded a smidge. They are still one of the best studios out there though.

 

[murphy55d]

RIP black isle.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Why should they invest millions into making a legit RPG with a solid SP story

Because that's their niche that will gauruntee them long term stable income; now, they're playing short term profit game in an already crowded market. May or may not work out for them.

 

[roguerower]

Because that's their niche that will gauruntee them long term stable income; now, they're playing short term profit game in an already crowded market. May or may not work out for them.

Sorry, my post wasn't sarcastic enough. I know who and what Bioware is, it's just a shame that they are losing sight of that in the hope fo getting some quick cash by jumping on the same bandwagon as everyone else.

 

[J-Money]

Problem is everyone screams about wanting something new and different then when someone makes something new and different they complain it isn't like what's already out there.

Might as well stick to what works.

Blame yourselves!

 

[exar333]

I have been a huge Bioware/Black Isle fan for over 10 years, but they are really starting to get on my nerves. They sold out the BG franchise (DA1/2 anyone?) and then sold out the KOTOR franchise as well. I don't give a d@mn about a MMO, I want KOTOR 3.

To go against many of you, I didn't like the dumbing-down of ME2. The story was great, but the "RPG lite" design of the game annoyed me.

Dragon Age was already borderline watered-down RPG, but I (and many others) was able to look past some of those issues because it was original and pretty fun. Now that it looks like it will be dumbed-down EVEN more, that's the last straw.

Bioware was already down the dark path before EA, but it does appear they are accelerating their decline. Reminds me a lot of Lucasarts. For those that remember, Lucasarts used to just release awesome games in the early and mid 1990's. Things changed, and they just became another nameless developer.

 

[exar333]

Because that's their niche that will gauruntee them long term stable income; now, they're playing short term profit game in an already crowded market. May or may not work out for them.

Good point. Very valid.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

Bioware has not disappointed me yet. I have faith.

 

[Phobic9]

Bioware has not disappointed me yet. I have faith.

You liked that Sonic DS game? I thought it was pretty lackluster.

 

[emilyek]

Bioware is in full decline mode, now. They've crossed the 'tarded Rubicon.

Online-only mofps based on the ME franchise. Maybe with a box, surely with subscription fees.

How I hope EA liquidates them.

And, you know, if it's the techs at Bioware responsible for making it, and they don't get new blood to do it (and SW:TOR is the Waterworld of MMOs but more expensive-- as it looks like it might be), we might not have to wait very long for it to happen, whence I will laugh.

And then I would think about that day they announced that Dragon Age was now Dragon Age Origins and would be a console title.

Then I would think about Bioware being absorbed into EA North and then laugh even more and more heartily.

 

[darkewaffle]

ITT: Nerds upset because times change.

You are no longer the target market, get used to it.

If Bioware did nothing but release super in-depth, long, engaging RPGs all day, there probably wouldn't be much of a Bioware to speak of because those games are so resource intensive to develop, write, and test and only have niche appeal. And even then all they'd get is flak from nerds because it's an RPG that isnt Baldurs Gate so they declare that it obviously a dumbed down, consolized, throwaway that simply can't be saved after after a single press release.

Bioware is simply doing what's natural, looking for ways to bring their franchises to new audiences and not bothering to pander to people who can't (eg: refuse to be) pleased.

 

[skace]

You liked that Sonic DS game? I thought it was pretty lackluster.

That Sonic DS game got a lot of positive response as one of the better Sonic spin-offs ever made. So that would be a terrible example of them doing you wrong.

I think Mass Effect 2 is significantly more boring to me than Mass Effect 1 (I still haven't mustered the ability to complete it). I think Dragon Age was watered down, however I also think it was better than NWN 1 (NWN2 MOTB being an order of magnitude better than Dragon Age).

So I certainly wouldn't say Bioware is on a downward spiral, but I would say they are flailing. They are trying to branch away from a path that they know how to do very, very well. And all these efforts, while good are not dazzling in the same respect as their own familiar territory.

Bioware has the capability to make really amazing RPGs, but they do not have Blizzards quality control, that much is apparent.

None of this means that Bioware can't make a decent ME style FPS spin-off. But it does mean it is a significantly up hill battle for what? Does anyone have a desire to play an FPS based around ME? I've got access to so many FPS games that the genre is basically diluted. I love FPS and I play maybe 20% of what is released for the genre... if that. However, what is obvious is that NO ONE is trying to make RPGs the way Bioware used to make them. That is a current, guaranteed unfilled gap. Why would you waste resources on an area of business where there is already ridiculous amounts of surplus while ignoring an area with no product at all. Sure, COD makes a lot of money, but haven't enough game developers learned that just because Activision makes money with CoD and just because Blizzard makes money with WoW that it does not mean you can make a clone and even make a fraction of that ammount.

 

[Gheris]

Bioware fan here. To be honest this is going to be a quick money making deal for Bioware. Perhaps said money could be put into another quality RPG project? This shouldn't take much work guys.....

Infiltrator - Sniper
Soldier - Assault Rifle template, Heavy weapons
Engineer - Gun placements
Adept - Powers
Vanguard - shotgun, charging

It's almost too easy to transition this stuff to a shooter, so why not?

A: You know you will buy it.
B: You know you will be an Asari.

 

[skace]

If Bioware did nothing but release super in-depth, long, engaging RPGs all day, there probably wouldn't be much of a Bioware to speak of because those games are so resource intensive to develop, write, and test and only have niche appeal.

When you wrote this post did you realize that that is basically what Bioware did and got famous doing?

 

[skace]

Bioware fan here. To be honest this is going to be a quick money making deal for Bioware. Perhaps said money could be put into another quality RPG project? This shouldn't take much work guys.....

Infiltrator - Sniper
Soldier - Assault Rifle template, Heavy weapons
Engineer - Gun placements
Adept - Powers
Vanguard - shotgun, charging

It's almost too easy to transition this stuff to a shooter, so why not?

A: You know you will buy it.
B: You know you will be an Asari.

All you've done is put possible classes down on paper, roughly .00001% of the work (I could have made new classes up just as easily). What about all the code for hitbox detection? Mapping? Gameplay? Physics? Balance? Objectives? Match Making service? Server hosting? Long term incentives?

And when you've done all those things, all you have is a mediocre FPS. So, most importantly and probably the hardest part, what new element do you bring to the FPS genre to steal away gamers from the best FPS games written by the best FPS developers in the world?

 

[A Casual Fitz]

You liked that Sonic DS game? I thought it was pretty lackluster.

Disappointed me with games I've played yet =P