Can your DM's imagery match the visuals?

Dragon Age: Origins has an inarguably excellent RPG pedigree. It comes to us courtesy of BioWare, who are not only responsible for bringing the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons pen-and-paper role playing system to life in the Baldurs Gate series and Neverwinter Nights, but whose own developed role playing systems form the backbone of titles like Mass Effect and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. With that kind of experience behind them, you can be sure that the Dragon Age: Origins mechanics are going to be solid, but in case you were in doubt, confirmation comes today with the announcement of the upcoming publication of a pen-and-paper edition of the game's system.

The Dragon Age: Origins RPG core rule book will join other popular games like the aforementioned AD&D, the very vampiric Masquerade and ultra-adaptable GURPS on a shelf in your local comic, hobby or specialist book store over the next few months, thanks to Green Ronin Publishing, whse experience in the area includes the Warhammer role playing adaptation. The first print run will release in a boxed set for collectors and enthusiasts, and presumably a stand-alone edition will follow shortly, along with a promised collection of source books to further reveal the Dragon Age: Origins mythos.

It's always seemed a bit of a waste to me that the detailed worlds writers and designers develop for games go unexplored after the dozen hours of gameplay are finished, and BioWare's Ray Muzyka agrees:

"We’re delighted to be working with Green Ronin to explore more of the Dragon Age universe through a pen and paper role-playing game. We’re excited to deliver Dragon Age’s unique dark, heroic fantasy to our audience in a brand new way ... Our development teams craft rich, deep worlds, and this is an excellent way to expand the franchise."

The reversal of convention - video game to pen-and-paper game - might seem to be going at things backwards, and perhaps even a dicey (ha!) marketing move, but if you've ever finished the questline of a game and felt a sense of loss that your adventures have come to an end, you might be interested in getting a few mates together and rolling some new heroes to explore the Dragon Age: Origins world further - especially as we won't be seeing any multiplayer. Pass me the D20!