Electronic Arts and BioWare decided to delay "Dragon Age: Origins" PC to release it alongside the console versions, but while the console versions are still shrouded in mystery, here's what BioWare would say about them a few weeks ago.
***
"Dragon Age: Origins" is a very different RPG than what BioWare has produced in the past, very different from what console gamers have seen from the studio.
I recently argued this gameplay style may not go over well with console users, but that's only based on my experience with the PC version. BioWare is overhauling the interface for the console versions, something we haven't seen yet.
"Dragon Age" exec. producer and project director Dan Tudge couldn't tell me much about the console games while he demoed the PC one a few weeks ago.
"I think really catering the platform to support the console, or whatever platform it is, is key," said Tudge. "Even though on the PC this is a great core PC experience, when we bring that over it's also an intuitive console experience. We don't just convert it over and say 'here it is' but a true, actual conversion that's true to the platform."
The situation is the opposite of "Mass Effect," where BioWare designed the interface in a console-friendly format first before bringing in a team to tweak their foundation to work best with a keyboard and mouse interface on the PC version.
"We really started ['Dragon Age'] right from the get go as a core PC title," he said. "During development, we realized this didn't just have to be PC -- the audiences have migrated. [We have been] able to do things that still keep it very old school and [a] very spiritual successor to 'Baldur's Gate' but also make it new and accessible."
Based on what you've seen of "Dragon Age," what changes are needed?
Related Posts
Argument: Why ‘Dragon Age’ Might Not Catch On With Console Gamers
BioWare Responds To ‘Dragon Age’ Delay Questions, Including PC Demo Possibilities
BioWare: Why ‘Dragon Age’ Isn’t A Trilogy