David Gaider
Reporting and statements that mention David Gaider.
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David Gaider's Heist Game Pitch
David Gaider, creator of the Dragon Age series, discusses a new heist game he is currently pitching to publishers. He describes this project as a critical "make or break" moment for his career in game development.
Dragon Age writer David Gaider's next game is a light-hearted heist RPG, if he can get the funding for it
Dragon Age writer David Gaider and his studio Summerfall Studios are working on a light-hearted heist RPG, but are struggling to secure funding due to the current contraction in the games industry. Gaider expressed concerns about the difficulty of getting new projects funded, as publishers are hesitant to invest in original intellectual property. Despite the challenges, Gaider remains optimistic about the game's reception but acknowledges the precarious state of smaller studios.
Dragon Age setting creator David Gaider is pitching a heist RPG that's 'make or break' for his studio
Dragon Age creator David Gaider is pitching a new heist RPG, but faces industry-wide funding challenges for new IPs. He discusses the difficulties smaller studios face in securing publisher investment in the current market. Gaider also reflects on his time at BioWare, criticizing the shift away from player-impacting choices in recent Dragon Age titles.
Dragon Age setting creator says AI push is a delusion of the executive class that's a 'virulent plague'…
Dragon Age setting creator David Gaider has described generative AI as a "virulent plague" on the games industry, arguing that its current push leads to inferior work, eliminates entry-level writing opportunities, and poses legal and moral issues. He believes executives are pushing for AI integration without proper regulation or consideration for training junior developers.
Generative AI is a "virulent plague" and even using it to eliminate "drudgery" has downsides, reckons long-time Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider
Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider believes generative AI is a "virulent plague" and not ready for game development, even for mundane tasks. He argues that its use risks inhibiting the training of junior developers and raises significant legal concerns due to unregulated data sourcing. Gaider suggests avoiding the technology until it is properly regulated.
Generative AI is a "plague," says Dragon Age vet David Gaider: "It's not ready for prime time. There's just a lot of executives who really, really want it to be"
Longtime Dragon Age narrative lead David Gaider describes generative AI as a "virulent plague" in the games industry, citing concerns about legal issues, ethical implications, and the potential to hinder junior developer training. He argues that the technology is not yet ready for widespread use and that executives are pushing for it without fully understanding its limitations or impact on creative workflows.
Planescape: Torment 2 was greenlit by Wizards of the Coast, 'they were really into what we were doing', but it refused to fund the sequel, and nobody else was interested
Beamdog and former BioWare writer David Gaider pitched a sequel to Planescape: Torment, titled Planescape: Unraveled, to Wizards of the Coast. While Wizards of the Coast was initially receptive to the concept, they declined to fund the project themselves, and no other investors were found. The sequel was ultimately shelved by the end of 2016.
Former Dragon Age writer says AI could make gamedev 'frustrating as hell': 'How are we going to train up the next generation of devs if we eliminate every entry-level task?'
Former BioWare writer David Gaider expressed concerns that generative AI could make game development "frustrating as hell" by eliminating entry-level tasks crucial for training new developers. He highlighted issues with AI inconsistency and the ethical implications of using artists' data without consent, a sentiment echoed by other developers like David Szymanski and Danny Koo.
Why so many game developers don't want to use generative AI
Many game developers express strong reservations about using generative AI, citing ethical concerns, environmental impact, copyright issues, and job security risks. Despite some executives championing AI as a tool for efficiency, a significant portion of the industry views it as unproven, potentially harmful to creativity, and undesirable by players.
Baldur's Gate 3 from the OG devs didn't happen despite years of trying because the money people thought "It's a single-player RPG, it's not going to do that big in numbers"
Former BioWare developer Trent Oster revealed that his team's attempt to secure funding for Baldur's Gate 3 years ago was rejected by investors who doubted the commercial viability of single-player RPGs. Oster's vision for the game was a smaller, $20 million project, in contrast to Larian Studios' eventual massive success. He notes that even after Baldur's Gate 3's triumph, the perception of what constitutes a successful RPG has shifted to require larger budgets and more extensive features.
BioWare's co-founder fought to make Baldur's Gate 3 for over a decade, then Larian did it instead: 'I…
BioWare co-founder Trent Oster discusses the long and difficult journey to get Baldur's Gate 3 made, with multiple studios like Black Isle, Obsidian, and Beamdog attempting and failing to secure funding over two decades. Beamdog, led by Oster, pitched a version to Wizards of the Coast but ultimately could not secure the necessary $20 million budget, leading them to pursue other projects. Oster reflects on Larian Studios' success with Baldur's Gate 3, acknowledging their greater capital and ability to execute their vision at a high scale.
Dragon Age 2 lead wanted players to have strong opinions about every character in the RPG: "If some people are ambivalent […] I guess I didn't really do my job"
David Gaider, lead writer for the first three Dragon Age games, aimed for players to have strong opinions about every character in Dragon Age 2. He stated that if players are ambivalent towards characters, he feels he has not done his job effectively. The article touches on the passionate fan reactions to Dragon Age 2's combat and story.
"It always feels like it's never enough" Dragon Age creator David Gaider explains the problem with world states and reactivity
Dragon Age creator David Gaider discusses the challenges of implementing player choice and reactivity across multiple games, citing Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition as examples. He explains that while callbacks are appreciated, delivering entirely new plotlines based on past decisions is often unrealistic within game development constraints, unlike in novels or series like Mass Effect.
