BioWare Reveals Dragon Age II Details

BioWare has revealed the initial details on the hotly anticipated Dragon Age II, which is due out in Q1 2011. The sequel to one of my favorite games this generation, the game appears to be going in a different direction than the original Here’s a clip from the official site:

Experience the epic sequel to the 2009 Game of the Year from the critically acclaimed makers of Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. You are one of the few who escaped the destruction of your home. Now, forced to fight for survival in an ever-changing world, you must gather the deadliest of allies, amass fame and fortune, and seal your place in history. This is the story of how the world changed forever. The legend of your Rise to Power begins now.

BioWare claims that it will be using a different combat system and art style for DAII. While I thoroughly enjoyed the combat of the first game, some felt that it was limited and old fashioned. The graphics in the original weren’t bad, but were hardly cutting edge. The visuals in the sequel should be more modern. Here are the bullet points from the official site:

  • Embark upon an all-new adventure that takes place across an entire decade and shapes itself around every decision you make.
  • Determine your rise to power from a destitute refugee to the revered champion of the land.
  • Think like a general and fight like a Spartan with dynamic new combat mechanics that put you right in the heart of battle whether you are a mage, rogue, or warrior.
  • Go deeper into the world of Dragon Age with an entirely new cinematic experience that grabs hold of you from the beginning and never lets go.
  • Discover a whole realm rendered in stunning detail with updated graphics and a new visual style.

The game’s story isn’t as transparent as the original’s. Instead of playing a point-of-view character with the name and origin of your choice, DAII uses a set protagonist. The game’s press release gave more details:

Dragon Age 2 thrusts players into the role of Hawke, a penniless refugee who rises to power to become the single most important character in the world of Dragon Age. Known to be a survivor of the Blight and the Champion of Kirkwall, the legend around Hawke’s rise to power is shrouded in myth and rumor. Featuring an all-new story spanning 10 years, players will help tell that tale by making tough moral choices, gathering the deadliest of allies, amassing fame and fortune, and sealing their place in history. The way you play will write the story of how the world is changed forever.

I’m super psyched for the game (duh), but a little disappointed that it isn’t a direct sequel. I put a lot of time into my DA characters and their relationships. I was under the impression that I would learn the fate of my character’s decision with Morrigan. While I’m sure the repercussions will be addressed, it would have been more meaningful to experience the direct consequences.

Having said that, I can’t wait to learn more about Dragon Age II! The first trailer hits on August 17, 2010. Now where’s my countdown clock???

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Coffee Talk #174: LeBron James’ One-Hour ESPN Spectacular

People are torn about LeBron James announcing his “big decision” on a one-hour special on ESPN. Some feel that it’s a brilliant move that takes advantage of modern media. Others feel that it’s a disgustingly egotistical move, despite the advertising proceeds going to charity. Should a player with seven years of NBA experience and zero championship rings be making that big a deal of himself?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the American Idol tour failing to sell tickets, Bobbi Eden’s World Cup oral sex challenge, or Stumptown’s Guatemala Finca El Injerto, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

People are torn about LeBron James announcing his “big decision” on a one-hour television-special on ESPN. Some feel that it’s a brilliant move that takes advantage of modern media. Others feel that it’s a disgustingly egotistical move, despite the advertising proceeds going to charity. Should a player with seven years of NBA experience and zero championship rings be making that big a deal of himself?

Then there’s Kevin Durant, who gave James’ detractors another talking point by announcing his sizable contract extension with a simple Twitter post. Yeah, the situations are very different, but the contrast can’t be denied.

Personally, I think LeBron is making himself look like a knob; making a spectacle out of his employment decision seems callous when so many Americans can’t find jobs. How do you feel about ESPN’s LeBron James Free Agency Summer Spectacular? Is it sheer genius or a dick move?

HTC Evo 4G vs. Motorola Droid X Part I: The Zoolander Test

Sprint’s HTC Evo 4G and Verizon’s Motorola Droid X are two of this summer’s hottest Google Android handsets. I’m going to have them face off in a bloody, no-holds-barred competition (it’s like WWE Summer Slam…but with phones). I’ll be comparing their respective features throughout the next week. Even after a few hours with the Droid X, I see some areas where it beats out the Evo 4G. I also see some areas where the Evo 4G leaves it in the dust. Before I start a more detailed comparison, let’s have a modelling contest between these two fine phones.

After you check out the photos, let me know which phone you think is better looking.

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As you can see, the Droid X is longer and slimmer than the Evo 4G. No matter what, some people will claim that both of these phones are too big. I think those people are stupid.

Both phones have a soft rubberized back.

Some users will prefer the capacitive buttons of the Evo 4G while others will prefer the mechanical buttons of the Droid X. I prefer the feel of the capacitive buttons, but there are times when I accidentally hit them (especially when using the Evo 4G in landscape mode). Accidental button presses will not happen with mechanical buttons.

My dream phone would have features of the Droid X and Evo 4G. I tried to get them to reproduce to no avail.

Motorola Droid X (Verizon) Unboxing Photos

Here are a bunch of pictures of the Motorola Droid X, Verizon’s upcoming Google Android phone. Like the HTC Evo 4G, this is a large phone with loads of great features. I’m going to be putting it through its paces over the course of the next week and will go over its features on a rolling basis. The review will wrap up just before the Droid X’s release on July 15, 2010. For now, check out these photos.

You see that little dot to the left? That’s one of the Droid X’s three microphones. In addition to the mic you speak into for phone calls, the Droid X has additional microphones for noise cancellation and changing the audio source for videos — very cool stuff.

There’s the “hump” that some people are worried about. It’s not bad at all. The phone slides into my pocket just fine. I don’t think it’ll be an issue for anyone unless you’re wearing super-tight jeans…in which case you probably have blood circulation problems that are a bigger issues.

The Droid X uses mechanical buttons instead of capacitive ones. It’s a matter of personal preference and there are advantages to both. After using the capacitive buttons on the Evo 4G for almost two months, they feel foreign but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.

There’s the third microphone, to the right of the headphone jack.

This side of the phone houses the camera button and volume rocker. The volume rocker feels fine, but I’m not digging the feel of the camera button. It’s a bit flimsy.

While I’m impressed by the phones build quality and style, I do not like this crevice around the battery cover. In the immortal words of General Akbar from Jedi, “It’s a dust trap!”

Tomorrow I’ll be posting my impressions after 24 hours with the phone (yes, sleeping with a phone counts as use). Stay tuned!

T-Mobile Serving Up HTC Phone with HSPA+ in September?

T-Mobile has done a decent job rolling out it’s high-speed HSPA+ network, but it only has one product that supports it — a USB connection stick. It looks like that will change in September. According to Light Reading, T-Mobile and HTC are teaming up for an Android “superphone” that takes advantage of the network:

T-Mobile USA plans to launch the first smartphone for its newly upgraded evolved High-Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) network in September.

The handset is understood to be the world’s first HSPA+ smartphone, and it will be the first phone that is made to handle T-Mobile’s upgraded 3G network with peak downlink network speeds of up to 21 Mbit/s. While that is the theoretical maximum speed, in the real world the data rates experienced on this smartphone will be closer to 10 Mbit/s.

According to several real-world tests, T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network is faster than Sprint’s WiMax network. While the speeds can be comparable depending on the conditions, HSPA+ has proven to be much better at penetrating buildings than WiMax. Although HSPA+ is often referred to as 3.5G, it can be more effective than 4G WiMax.

I think I’ll hold onto my T-Mobile account until the end of the year to see how it all plays out. Would any of you be interested in an Android phone rocking HSPA+?

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Sony Working on an All-in-One Gaming Device with 3G?

According to The Wall Street Journal, Sony is working on a multifaceted device with an integrated mobile chip. The device will combine gaming, e-reader, and portable-computing  functionality. Here’s the skinny:

Sony is developing a portable device that shares characteristics of hand-held game machines, e-book readers and netbook computers, according to people familiar with the matter. Some Sony e-book readers already come with 3G connections but it isn’t clear if a new wireless gadget will use carrier networks.

A lot of people are jumping to the conclusion that this is the PSP2, but the description is vague enough that it could be a different product from Sony Electronics and not necessarily Sony Computer Entertainment. I’m curious to see if the device pans out, but I question the approach. If Sony is throwing everything but the kitchen sink into this device then why not just make it a phone?

What do you think of this rumored device? Do you think it’s real? Do you think it will appear at Tokyo Game Show 2010? Is it the PSP2 or something else entirely?

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Blizzard Will Require You to Use Your Real Name: Do You Care?

Blizzard has caused quite the ruckus by requiring Real ID in its official forums. In practical terms, this means users will have to use their real names. Here’s a clip from the forum announcement:

The first and most significant change is that in the near future, anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID — that is, their real-life first and last name — with the option to also display the name of their primary in-game character alongside it. These changes will go into effect on all StarCraft II forums with the launch of the new community site prior to the July 27 release of the game, with the World of Warcraft site and forums following suit near the launch of Cataclysm. The classic Battle.net forums, including those for Diablo II and Warcraft III, will be moving to a new legacy forum section with the release of the StarCraft II community site and at that time will also transition to using Real ID for posting.

Some users are applauding the move since troublemakers and flamers will no longer be able to hide behind anonymous handles. Some hate it, preferring the anonymity and/or role-playing that’s common in forums. Others think the move is shocking and claim that it brings all Blizzard fans one step closer to identity theft.

How do you feel about Blizzard’s use of Real ID? Is it a non-issue? Are you concerned about identity theft? Do you think other publishers will follow Blizzard’s move and require you to use your real name to talk about their games?

Coffee Talk #173: Do You Finish Your Games?

My friend Ted pretty much plays anything he gets his hands on. Sure, he loves his “gamer” games, but he’s my only friend that has played Dora the Explorer, those crap Burger King titles for Xbox 360, and dozens of casual iPhone/iPad games. I’m positive that he’s started more games than anyone else I know.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Lindsey Lohan heading to the slammer, Vinnie Del Negro coaching the Clippers (or really, someone actually wanting to go there), or your final LeBron James prediction, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend Ted pretty much plays anything he gets his hands on. Sure, he loves his “gamer” games, but he’s my only friend that has played Dora the Explorer, those crap Burger King titles for Xbox 360, and dozens of casual iPhone/iPad games. I’m positive that he’s started more games than anyone else I know.

That said, he doesn’t finish most games he plays. I would be genuinely shocked if he finished more than a dozen games in the last decade. Keep in mind that he’s worked as a videogame journalist, a game evaluator, and a designer since I’ve known him, so he’s had access to a ton of stuff (which makes his love of those Burger King games even more perplexing).

What are you gaming habits like? Do you finish most of the games you play? Or are you a chronic dabbler like Ted? Estimate your “batting average” when it comes to beating the games you buy/rent and leave it in the comments section (please).

Cliff Bleszinksi Holds the Key to Quality Game Journalism

My friend Cliff Bleszinski, the amazingly talented designer from Epic Games, sent out a tweet praising an excellent article by Kotaku’s Stephen Totilo. It was a great read and Cliff was right to call out Totilo’s superior work. The second half of the tweet amused me. Cliff wrote, “Take note blogs, more of this, less rumors and flame bait please.”

Gaming blogs do spend too much time reporting rumors and…encouraging debates. Those kinds of articles generate the most traffic and reader comments. I fully admit that I post both types of stories (though I’m a verbal entertainer, not a journalist, so it’s totally cool). For most blogs, it’s what the readers and advertisers want.

The thing is, unlike most people that read gaming blogs, Cliff is in a position to do something about the type of writing that gets page views and advertisements. That’s why I tweeted back, “Tell your publishers to advertise on sites with quality writing and there will be less flame bait/rumors.” Certainly he can’t tell Microsoft, “You’re only going to advertise Gears of War 3 on Gamasutra, The Escapist, and The Huffington Post,” but he can nudge his publishers in that direction.

Our brief exchange — which I’m positive he didn’t read until I pointed it out to him — reminded me of this moment at DICE 2009. Several high-profile developers were on panel and complained about the quality and type of writing most game journalists produce. My friend Tom Russo, former editor-in-chief of Next Generation, quickly spoke up and told the developers that Next Gen had the content they wanted but publishers didn’t support it with advertising. If that’s what they really wanted then they should have done something about it. (By the way, this was a moving speech that’s up there with Bill Pullman’s rally in Independence Day.) I’m sure there were other factors other than what Tom mentioned, but I’m also sure that the lack of publisher support was a major reason Next Gen shut down.

So yeah! A lot of people — developers, publishers, gamers, chimney sweepers, etc. — claim that they want smarter coverage of the gaming business. A lot of people say they’ll read quality articles with plenty of thought. Few people are in a position to support web sites that offer such writing. Cliff Bleszinski is one of the people that can help quality writing flourish. So how about if Cliff? You going to help your publishers put their money where your mouth is?

(On a related note, since I’m a verbal entertainer and not a game journalist, a special amount of Gears of War 3’s advertising budget should go to my site. Gears can have all the ad slots on the site for a year for a special price of however much it costs for me to live/work in Koh Samui for a year.)

Dragon Age: Origins Leliana’s Song DLC Available Now

BioWare has released the “Leliana’s Song” DLC for the outstanding Dragon Age: Origins. This DLC prequel examines Leliana’s past as an Orlesian spy, detailing her relationship with Marjolaine and the circumstances that led her to seek refuge with the chantry. The DLC costs 560 BioWare Points on PC, 560 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live, and $7 on PlayStation Network. Here are some details from the official site:

  • Explore Leliana’s dangerous past and why she joined the Chantry
  • A fully voiced cinematic experience brings the characters to life
  • Unlock a unique reward that transfers into your Awakening and Origins campaign
  • All-new musical compositions instensify the action and intrigue

As many of you know, DA is one of my favorite games this console generation. I’ve already downloaded the DLC and will be playing it later today. Expect a not-a-review in the near future…whether you want it or not, muahahahaha!!!

Anyone planning to download “Leliana’s Song”?