Developer · Canada
BioWare
Founded by three medical doctors; Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect and Dragon Age followed before EA bought it.
Mechanics first shipped by BioWare
Ideas this studio is credited with introducing to the medium, each with a full downstream history.
Interface & Meta · 1998
Quest Journal
A quest journal records what characters have told the player, tracking objectives, leads and completion states so seve…
Origin: Baldur's Gate
Narrative · 2000
Companion Approval
Companion approval gives each party member a private opinion of the player that rises and falls with choices, gating c…
Origin: Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Narrative · 2003
Consequential Branching Endgame
A consequential branching endgame reshapes the final act of a game according to choices accumulated across the whole p…
Origin: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Narrative · 2007
Cinematic Dialogue Wheel
A cinematic dialogue wheel replaces written reply options with short paraphrases arranged radially by tone, letting th…
Origin: Mass Effect