RIP OFF Dragon Age Origins

[NetSlider]

This game looks like a rip off of wheel of time!!!! GGGRRRRR, BLOOD AND ASHES!

[moroten]

Yeah you are right...what similair again? Dragon Ago has nothing to do with Wheel of time, the races are different, story is different, the world is different. The only similairity it has with wheel of time is that it is set in a fantasy based world, so yea its a rip-off...geez.

[Muad Cheade]

Yeah you are right...what similair again? Dragon Ago has nothing to do with Wheel of time, the races are different, story is different, the world is different. The only similairity it has with wheel of time is that it is set in a fantasy based world, so yea its a rip-off...geez.

 

NetSlider has a good point, moroten.

 

http://sarcasticgamer.com/wp/index.php/2009/10/biowares-dragon-age-the-stolen-plot.html

[WWWwombat]

Yeah you are right...what similair again? Dragon Ago has nothing to do with Wheel of time, the races are different, story is different, the world is different. The only similairity it has with wheel of time is that it is set in a fantasy based world, so yea its a rip-off...geez.

 

NetSlider has a good point, moroten.

 

http://sarcasticgamer.com/wp/index.php/2009/10/biowares-dragon-age-the-stolen-plot.html

 

That's pretty thin.  I myself noticed the similarities between shadowspawn and darkspawn and the blights but I didn't think much of it.

[WWWwombat]

I mean let's look at the plot of the game before we come to any conclusions.  I myself will probably buy Dragon Age as I love BioWare.

[Muad Cheade]

I mean let's look at the plot of the game before we come to any conclusions.  I myself will probably buy Dragon Age as I love BioWare.

 

Oh, yeah. Definitely. I was just pointing out that NetSlider had good reasoning, but then again, one of the developers said that the Wheel of Time and another fantasy series served as some inspiration or something to that effect.

 

Hopefully, there'll be a WoT game released soon. Fingers crossed!

[SinisterDeath]

I mean let's look at the plot of the game before we come to any conclusions.  I myself will probably buy Dragon Age as I love BioWare.

 

Oh, yeah. Definitely. I was just pointing out that NetSlider had good reasoning, but then again, one of the developers said that the Wheel of Time and another fantasy series served as some inspiration or something to that effect.

 

Hopefully, there'll be a WoT game released soon. Fingers crossed!

 

Its inspiration and not wholesale plaguerism...

What was that other book series that RJ practically called 'plaguerism' on? Wasn't it something done by terry goodkind?

 

Now if there magic system in that game had all 'males' using magic as 'evil', and were to be killed on the spot. That be somethign entirely different!

Given some of the sideboob I saw in that game (From the previews) Perhaps its close to Conan? (RJ also wrote conan, so you know he's good on the huge chested women in games/movies :P)

[Gauntlet]

Based on the link given earlier, I see nothing but vague similarities.  The way the writer of that article words things makes it seem worse than it is.

 

I mean, I could come up with a review that makes the WoT come across as a rip-off of Frank Herbert's Dune with no more effort than was done here.  Yet we all know the series are quite distinct, despite some artificial similarities.

 

Besides, I have yet to see a race of dwarves in the WoT!

[Mr Ares]

Besides, I have yet to see a race of dwarves in the WoT!

Cairhienin?

[WWWwombat]

Besides, I have yet to see a race of dwarves in the WoT!

Cairhienin?

 

The mice can be very big here.

[Whitering]

There was a truly mediocre/bad Wheel of Time RPG released already. I mean, I played it, but it was very weak. I have a copy of Dragon Age but I haven't opened it yet, I have to move this weekend.

[Vemynal]

ok...im sorry but the fact that there is a great evil land filled with bad people/monsters off somewhere the holds as the power center for said evil can be found in almost anything

 

Hell, if ur looking at fantasy look to Tolkien, and I bet he probably wasnt the first to come up with it either

 

"Both of these covers feature swords (circled in red). If you think that's eerie, read on."

 

dude...ur fing kidding me right?

[Eleint]

I tend to find that people who insist something's a rip off often aren't very knowledgeable about the subject matter.  Not always -- sometimes, things really are ripoffs.  But often.  Like one time, I heard someone insisting up and down that Mass Effect was entirely a Star Wars ripoff, rather than simply being based in the same genre: space opera and pulps, mostly based on the fact that biotics -- 'it's the Force!'  No, it's not.

 

These comparisons are, quite frankly, kind of silly.  So many fantasy novels have a Blight analogue -- everyone from Kay to Tolkien to Zelazny have used the idea.  And saying they have Darkspawn means they're copying the Wheel of Time?  Uh.  I've heard similar terms far before the Wheel of Time existed.

 

At worst, you could say the setting seems a bit cliche -- but cliches exist because they work.  It's how it's done that matters.  I've got Dragon Age: Origins in the mail, and am looking forward to it.

[Taura-Tierno]

I have to admit that when information about Dragon Age was first presented in details, with names and creatures and such, my first reaction was that it seemed highly inspired by WOT. I believe that I read a single post or paragraph somewhere mentioning a Blight, Darkspawn, Loghain and Grey Wardens, as well as featuring pictures of creatures looking like Trollocs. All of that combined seemed a bit WOT-ish. Still, today I'd never say that there's anything more to it than perhaps some inspiration.

 

Shadowspawn isn't really such an original name, neither is darkfriend. They speak pretty much for themselves. Grey Warden and Warders are quite different, and Blights in DAO is a kind of event, not a place. As for the author of that article trying to claim that there are similarities between the two different kinds of magic ... well. Maybe, but then again, many kinds of magic created by different people are similar to other kinds of magic.

[randalthorr]

Jus sayin,

 

would have been awsome if Bioware did a WOT game and Lucas Arts did the movies, rather than red eagle. they arnt even able to get the comics out regularly.

[Taura-Tierno]

I've always wanted WOT-RPG in the same style as the Baldur's Gate-series. Or, now, Dragon Age. Would be awesome if they did something like that.

[BigEaZyE]

As a contribution...

 

If any of you have the game, the next time you pick up an iron ring look at the description 'A simple ring which seems to portray a serpent biting it's own tail' or something to that effect. I have one on my character now because I thought it was a neat nod to WOT

[Talmanes]

There are many similarities, but think of it this way: This might be as close as we get to a good WoT video game.

[NetSlider]

Ok, I must admit something at this point. Initially I thought the game was a rip off, and still do to some degree. But, at the same time, after playing it out of curiosity, I have to say that the names and descriptions are the only thing that close to WoT. On the other hand, I have not really played it that much (I find it a bit boring at times and to be honest the whole reaction about it is a bit over the top. Plus the control system is not to my liking. Don't get me wrong, it is an ok game but not THAT GREAT).

So, as much as it pains me to say this but it would be honest of me to retract my original statement. The came is not a COMPLETE rip off, but still it cuts as close as it get without being a rip off.

 

[acerbus80]

I think that it's less rip off and more lack of original inspiration.

 

There are very few truly original ideas out there today.  Even RJ borrowed heavily from ancient mythologies and folklore to integrate into WOT.  As mentioned before, WOT could very easily be compared to Dune.  Ever look at the WOT map and compare it to a map of Middle Earth?  Not quite the same, but there are some uncanny similarities.

 

The same can be said for virtually any fantasy/sci fi series.  If one looks hard enough, plageurism can be found every where, depending on how one would interpret the word.  

 

However, I did see a mention of Terry Goodkind earlier, and all I have to say about that is...well, it's not nice or constructive in any way, and probably isn't suitable for this board.

[NetSlider]

I agree, but one thing I really don't understand why people compare Dune to WoT. It has been about 5 years since I've read Dune but I really don't think WoT is close to Dune in any way besides some very, very vague symbolic elements (kind of messiah savior) and the Aeil waste (but than a dessert is a dessert). I might be missing something but I just can't see it.

[acerbus80]

This comes immediately to mind:

 

WOT: Age of Legends

Dune:  Era before the Machine Wars

 

WOT:  Opening the DO's prison

Dune:  Letting machines take control

 

Wot: War of Power

Dune:  Butlerian Jihad

 

WOT:  Dragon Reborn/Rand Al Thor

Dune:  Muad Dib/Paul Atreides

 

WOT:  Aiel, Aiel Waste

Dune:  Fremen, Arrakis

 

WOT:  Aes Sedai

Dune:  Benne Gesserit

 

This one is kind of a stretch...

WOT:  One Power

Dune:  Spice

 

I'm sure someone more familiar with Dune could probably come up with more, but those are the obvious ones I can think of off the top of my head.

[RUSH]

I've played the game all the way through.  The similarities are superficial.  A few similar names, but used completely differently.  How many names did RJ create for WOT?  Make up a few (good) names and see if they are similar to anything he created.  Yeah.

 

Loghain and Logain, the characters, are nothing alike.  RJ didn't invent the term 'blight' or the use of '-spawn' as a suffix.  A small group of people fighting against an overwhelming force is standard fare for stories of all genres.  Sometimes I think WOT is the only fantasy/fiction some people have read.

 

I also think there's a note of gullibility here.  The article, from a site called sarcasticgamer.com, specifically points out that both have a sword on the cover.  Either the writer is an idiot, or he's pulling your collective legs.  A sword on the cover?  Come on.