207 replies to this topic

[Archmage Silver]

BioWare's response wasn't great, no, but the stuff the weirdos put out there was just vile (Photoshop et al.) And no, I'm not going to link it here.

[KIrving]

Considering that Ms. Hepler's and Mr Flynn's responses came after months of harrassment, abuse, gendered insults, phone calls to her house and death threats, I'd say the responses are amazingly mild. Granted it just fueled the idiots but the frustration must have been immense. This also happened on their private twitter accounts, not anything officially BioWare. The interview was 6 years old and people decided to bring it up and make out that Ms Hepler was personally responsible for everything they perceive as bad in BioWare's direction or even gaming in general. They even accused her of influencing the new Story Mode in ME3. She has nothing to do with the writing or development of ME3.

I do not agree with some of what Ms. Hepler said in that old interview, especially any generalizations regarding games and gender stereotypes, however the attacks launched on her were at a level of cruel, crazy, asshatery that is reprehensible.

There have been times though, especially when replaying, roleplaying, games, that I wouldn't mind the option of a skip combat button.

[berelinde]

There have been times though, especially when replaying, roleplaying, games, that I wouldn't mind the option of a skip combat button.

Whenever I read a post from a person who insists that combat is crucial to get the most out of the whole role-playing experience, I usually think to myself "Yeah, that 97th wave of paratrooping Guard Pretenders was the absolute pinnacle of role-playing excellence. It would be absolutely criminal to allow any player the option of skipping that."

[theacefes]

paratrooping Guard Pretenders

That made my day.

I agree in a way - if the combat isn't insanely repetitive, then I see no need to offer a skip combat button. DA2 is notorious for having a ridiculous amount of "waves" per situation though.

[Archmage Silver]

DA2 is notorious for having a ridiculous amount of "waves" per situation though.

Especially when the enemies appear out of thin air behind you without any inidication of stealth being used. How do all those mobs fit in a small cave anyway? DA II truly is the Ninja Gaiden of RPGs.

[theacefes]

The mercenary raiders wearing heavy chainmail must be in really good shape if they shame Kasumi with their moves.

[princesspurpleblob]

There have been times though, especially when replaying, roleplaying, games, that I wouldn't mind the option of a skip combat button.

Why play game if you want to skip combat? There are books, movies for that reason. The combat isn't crucial part of RPG, but it is part of roleplaying-GAME. It has always been, and it always will be. Combat is part of conflict solution. Do you think good & evil can always solve their problems with talk and hugs?

Also, I never said what people did to her is justified, but I can't help but feel she's partly responsible of it. If you say things like "least favourite part of game is playing game", you are opening yourself for the attack. Why not think before talk? I don't know. To me, it sounds like she wanted attention adly.

Edited by princesspurpleblob, 24 February 2012 - 04:20 PM.

[KIrving]

Oh well, after three decades of tabletop and computer game roleplaying I'm just not Hardcore enough it seems.

[Eleima]

I'm with KIrving and Berelinde on this one. I'm sorry to say, PrincessPurpleBlob, but it's naive to think that everyone in the game industry *has* to like playing games. Do people in marketing have to enjoy playing games? Do the guys in accounting all have to be hardcore gamers? No, all that's required of them is that they do their job, and that's exactly what Helper does and has been doing. She's a writer. Not a playtester, not a developer, a writer. She writes the stories which make our games epic. Liking games sure helps when you want to make it in the gaming industry, but it's definitely not a prerequisite, and that's the preconception so many people struggle to comprehend. And categorizing people as "not hardcore enough" just walls off parts of the gaming population, and makes us seem needlessly elitist and presumptuous, when we should be banding together to defend the medium.

After this interlude... Back to DA2 gaming news.

[princesspurpleblob]

That's your opinion. Personally, I don't see why she stays in gaming industry and whines. Too scared to write a book?

And it has something to do it as well. I work in chemistry field, because I like chemistry. When she's working forgames like DA series, she would have expected that combat is an integral part of the game. I mean, the game screams out "I'm the hero of Fereldan/Kirkwall/whatever", and you can't expect that to always happen over a pleasant talk with enemies, having a cup of tea together. If she doesn't like gaming, especially combat, why is she working with game like that?

Edited by princesspurpleblob, 25 February 2012 - 01:25 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

Um... because we don't always get jobs that are ideal? Otherwise I'd be working in game development right now. Also... do you have any experience on writing books? If you do, you know that it's not very easy to write a successful novel, especially if it's a sci-fi or fantasy novel. That scene is overcrowded as it is.

News:
The Silent Grove #1 Review @ Grey Wardens

[Vicen]

Um... because we don't always get jobs that are ideal? Otherwise I'd be working in game development right now. Also... do you have any experience on writing books? If you do, you know that it's not very easy to write a successful novel, especially if it's a sci-fi or fantasy novel. That scene is overcrowded as it is.

News:
The Silent Grove #1 Review @ Grey Wardens

/Thread...

Now back to the matter at hand...Looking forward to more DA 2 / 3 news (is there going to be an expansion to DA2?...or are they going straight to DA3?)

Edited by Vicen, 25 February 2012 - 07:08 PM.

[Eleima]

I agree with Archmage Silver, and would like to add that Helper has expressed a fascination with the interactive aspect of storytelling in games. You don't get that with a book, it's one sided.

Back on track, I haven't heard any news of an extra expansion for DA2 so far, but Bioware is apparently recruiting "exceptionnal environmental artsits"... So perhaps they'll churn out something more exciting that those copy/paste caves and dungeons...

[Yovaneth]

Personally, I don't see why she stays in gaming industry and whines. Too scared to write a book?

Ask Kulyok how difficult that is. Or ask me. Unless you are one of the 0.5% of the lucky ones you cannot make a living out of that. It's nice pocket-money though.

Otherwise I'd be working in game development right now.

I beg to differ I've been subcontracting on indie game development for the last ten years (!!!) and at the end of each one I swear I won't do another. The one I'm working on currently really will be my final one. The pressure to meet timetables can be immense and I've had enough of it. Within the industry as a full time employee I understand that it's even worse. However, ditto the comment about pocket-money!!

Hepler has expressed a fascination with the interactive aspect of storytelling in games. You don't get that with a book, it's one sided.

I think that's why a lot of us have produced mods - I loved figuring out how the dialog was going to go in Fishing For Trouble, even if the chatacters sometimes said and did things I wasn't expecting!

-Y-

[Eleima]

All recent chatter concerning Dragon Age news stories has been moved here. Please use this topic for any further discussion.

Also, Archmage, I edited your last post to include the most recent story you had posted.

Now that I got that out of the way, I'm going to add my voice to Y's on the matter. I tried writing a fullscale DA:O fanfic (I didn't have to make up the story, all I had to do was embellish!!). Two years, a baby, a full time job and two moves later, I'm still stuck on chapter 8.

Edited by Eleima, 28 February 2012 - 02:46 AM.

[Choo Choo]

All recent chatter concerning Dragon Age news stories has been moved here. Please use this topic for any further discussion.

Also, Archmage, I edited your last post to include the most recent story you had posted.

Now that I got that out of the way, I'm going to add my voice to Y's on the matter. I tried writing a fullscale DA:O fanfic (I didn't have to make up the story, all I had to do was embellish!!). Two years, a baby, a full time job and two moves later, I'm still stuck on chapter 8.

I still have that fanfic on Alert, for the record.

And yeah, writing fanfic is difficult enough - the idea of writing an original book makes my head spin.

[Eleima]

Thanks Choo Choo, that warms my heart!! I brought it with me during my last move (which was volume and weight restricted when it came to what we could ship), so deep down, I know I haven't completely given it up (my head is still swimming with all these plans and twists to spice up the story we all know so well), but damn, finding spare time for it is hard.

Incidentally, I should really get back to work now.

[berelinde]

Hepler has expressed a fascination with the interactive aspect of storytelling in games. You don't get that with a book, it's one sided.

I think that's why a lot of us have produced mods - I loved figuring out how the dialog was going to go in Fishing For Trouble, even if the chatacters sometimes said and did things I wasn't expecting!

-Y-

Exactly. Writing for a mod is *totally* different. I've got a fanfic or two underway and a book in development (different genre), but I still enjoy modding for its interactive elements and the possibility of alternatve pathways.

[Vicen]

Back on track, I haven't heard any news of an extra expansion for DA2 so far, but Bioware is apparently recruiting "exceptionnal environmental artsits"... So perhaps they'll churn out something more exciting that those copy/paste caves and dungeons...

That would be nice...But I won't hold my breath...

Edited by Vicen, 29 February 2012 - 01:59 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

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Edited by Archmage Silver, 01 March 2012 - 12:05 PM.