Where are the bioware-style RPGs?

I realize Bioware has crossed into mainstream game making and have left fans of DA: Origins and Balder's gate and Neverwinter Nights in the lurch. But with so many indie developers breathing new life into adventure games and all kinds of other classic genres, where are the old school RPG's? Preferably with NWN 2 style multiplayer.

I think those kinds of RPGs require a larger studio considering all the writing and work with (possibly a branching) story such a game would require. The systems also tend to be more complex. For a small studio like most indie developers, a Bioware style RPG is likely quite the undertaking.

If you want new WRPGs with actual *RPG in them it's 99% about indies, picking up old games and buying really strange funny-smelling European developed PC games :/

If you want those styles of games from smaller devs or indies, they will have pixel art graphics, or lo-fi 3d graphics, little to no voice overs, or just crappy graphics. Its just too big of an undertaking, you need a big team and lota of money / resources. The amount of voice over work in a Dragon Age, Mass Effect, or Skyrim is dozens of thousands of dollars and hundreds of man hours of work, for example.

Project Eternity

You can look forward to Project Eternity from Obsidian.

http://eternity.obsidian.net/

I mean, it depends on what you mean by "BioWare-style." If you mean party-based RPG's, then I'd just say play the Spiderweb games (Avernum series, Geneforge series) or Knights of the Chalice. Some dungeons are entirely fucked in KotC, but the Geneforge series is pretty legit all the way through. Some storytelling/character building flaws in the first few, but it really gets better by the time the 3rd game rolls on in.

If you mean character interaction and all that "choice" jazz, then ignore this - though the SpiderSoft games do have some of that.

@Kidavenger said:

Project Eternity

2014? We'll have like hoverboards by then. I can't fucking wait that long.

Bioware is just a brand now thanks to EA.

Well, Dragon Age 3 should be out next year.

.... hey, shut up. :(

@rebgav said:

Poland.

OP, I think he's telling you to play The Witcher 2.

@BoG said:

@rebgav said:

Poland.

OP, I think he's telling you to play The Witcher 2.

And he's a smart man for saying so.

Thanks, Oba...EA.

@oulzac said:

You can look forward to Project Eternity from Obsidian.

http://eternity.obsidian.net/

This.

Also, Wasteland 2. (Maybe)

It's a shame there aren't more but hopefully Kickstarter helps.

@Oldirtybearon said:

Well, Dragon Age 3 should be out next year.

.... hey, shut up. :(

I personally don't get the super negativity towards that. I know 2 had it's issues and they ended up being pretty crippling but if they had just spent more time on the game it would have been way better. The lack of environments was most of the problem with the game to me.

I am quite optimistic for 3, barring some startling change in the direction of the series.

I just started replaying some Dragon Age Origins actually and damn, reminding me what can be had there.

Yeah not a ton of the older style of RPGs out there that have any multiplayer. Played enough of them to know that with the depth of writing involved that they tend to focus on it being a single player experience. At least if nothing else we can dive into the Bioware classics like Kotor & Jade Empire that have enough of their roots in RPGs as well as other ones like Planescape Torment & as others have mentioned the Avernum game (only because it seems they are just updating a lot of the game look but keeping the written parts/maps alone so just get the latest one (escape from the pit)). For something more multiplayer you might try the European company that put out the Sacred games, more like a Diablo style of game but with a giant world & insane amount of things happening in it.