Dragon Age: Origins, Awakening & DA2 : Othor Games

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:54 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojefQlGTzE

To quote a famous lab mouse: YES!

It's DA, just faster, on the PC. Just what it needed.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:24 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojefQlGTzE

To quote a famous lab mouse: YES!

It's DA, just faster, on the PC. Just what it needed.

Have to admit, I enjoyed that too, and I was worried before.
This could be better than I was hoping, no time to check out the forums yet. I bet they'll all see what they want to see of course.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:54 pm

I bet they'll all see what they want to see of course.

That's The Way of the Nerd, isn't it? ^_^

» Sat May 28, 2011 11:32 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojefQlGTzE

To quote a famous lab mouse: YES!

It's DA, just faster, on the PC. Just what it needed.

Nothing new if you've been paying attention to what the devs have been saying on the forums. Relieving, nonetheless, to finally see some PC footage, and not depend on the ramblings of a preview for the console version written by an idiot.

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:44 am

And watching the video again at home, not having to hide it from my boss, I saw the archer dude had an ability called rhyming triplet. That's straight out of order of the stick Elan style. I'm sold. Shame about the main character though.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:34 pm

From what I'm hearing about DA2 its going to be good.

» Sat May 28, 2011 12:52 pm

There are some things that are confirmed as definite by the devs that have made it highly unlikely I will get the game at release. I don't have to wait until its released to decide what they changed spoiled the game for me.

Almost every single character I make in a game that is a "sword & sorcery" or D&D type game has the ability to use a ranged weapon of some kind. There are times where it comes in very handy to be able to deal damage from farther away than your sword's length.

In DA2 warriors can not use a bow or a crossbow.

I like my warriors to use a sword and dagger, or dual wield, in other words.

In DA2 warriors can not dual wield.

Only rogues can use a bow or crossbow.

I liked having my rogue use one handed axes.

In DA2 rogues can't use axes. In DA2 rogues can't use swords. Rogues can't use maces.

Only rogues can dual wield, and they may be restricted to daggers only; it isn't clear and the devs comments about how some daggers look like swords in the graphics isn't clearing up the issue any. Apparently you can look like a "sword and dagger" rogue, even though you are really a "daggers only" rogue.

I like to change out my companion's gear and make sure they have the best armor they can wear; the companions outfits are static. You can add rings, amulets and belts, but their outfit will look the same no matter what. Like ME2. [Miranda's miraculous super protective spandex ftw, I guess.]

The voiced pc, and the hint wheel with the magical clarifying icon that is supposed to make a system I don't like magically better. It was okay for ME/ME2, but I hated choosing a reply and having Shepard say something that wasn't even close to what I picked.

Those are the things I don't like about the game so far. At the rate they are going, there will be more. It isn't worth it.

This list exemplifies why I'm on the fence about this game and have been since it was announced. The thing that irritate me the most are they are trying to kill character individuality. Can't be anything but a human, warriors and rogues have been restricted, and companion gear can't be changed. I'm actually wondering how many weapons will be in the game as Mass effect 2 had a sparse amount. Next they'll probably take out runes like they removed weapon addon's in Mass Effect 1.

Even with all these bad things I still haven't ruled out buying it. Oh yeah I was playing BG2 yesterday and I actually had a dual wielding warrior with a bow. I also had a rogue who could use something other than a dagger and bow.

Bioware is really slipping.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:55 am

My hubby bought this game quite a while ago, but I got it in my head it wasn't the type of game I'd like. Then I tried it the other day, just for the heck of it, really, and fell in love with it within minutes. What a great and captivating world, very immersive and realistic. Great characters, moving story, interesting world - my only complaints are that I sometimes find it a tad too hard (I play on Normal), and that I find it to be too much invisible walls all over the place. But those are minor complaints, as I find this to be a really great game.

» Sat May 28, 2011 8:12 am

This list exemplifies why I'm on the fence about this game and have been since it was announced. The thing that irritate me the most are they are trying to kill character individuality. Can't be anything but a human, warriors and rogues have been restricted, and companion gear can't be changed. I'm actually wondering how many weapons will be in the game as Mass effect 2 had a sparse amount. Next they'll probably take out runes like they removed weapon addon's in Mass Effect 1.

Even with all these bad things I still haven't ruled out buying it. Oh yeah I was playing BG2 yesterday and I actually had a dual wielding warrior with a bow. I also had a rogue who could use something other than a dagger and bow.

Bioware is really slipping.

I guess they're trying to diversify classes more by limiting their equpiment like they did with Mass Effect 2, but that list does seem concerning. And i still don't like being restricted to a human :stare: Oh well, there's TESV to look forward to play with non-humans.

Still i don't judge a game by "What it could have been", but "how well it works as it is". That is why i like both Oblivion and Fallout 3

(though truth to be told, i never played Oblivion long enough unmodded to see the worst of the level scaling :whisper:).

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:00 pm

Maybe it's me but to me they're just trying to homogenize DA2 with ME2 in ways which is a shame because I'd prefer each series to have an unique feel.

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:30 am

Maybe it's me but to me they're just trying to homogenize DA2 with ME2 in ways which is a shame because I'd prefer each series to have an unique feel.

Neither does it look like ME2 nor does the gameplay appear similar. Yeah, I think that is just you. ^_^

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:01 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojefQlGTzE

To quote a famous lab mouse: YES!

It's DA, just faster, on the PC. Just what it needed.

Thanks for the clip, RedViv.

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:37 am

Neither does it look like ME2 nor does the gameplay appear similar. Yeah, I think that is just you. ^_^

The dialogue wheel does look like ME/ME2. Whether the "intent" icon will make it better is anyone's guess.

The companions being in unchangeable outfits looks like ME2. Isabela's thong and no pants look [don't worry, she's a cartwheeling, backflipping, agile rogue, she doesn't need armor] gives Miranda's catsuit a run for its money, although I will admit it isn't as bad as Jack's outfit.

It isn't just gunther that sees similarities. I do too.

With the jumping, flipping, cartwheeling stuff, its starting to look like Jade Empire a little, too.

I'm not a fan of the new ui.

I'll watch it again, but its still not what I had been hoping for, and the changes, *to me* aren't exactly improvements. Now there's a battering ram attack that knocks down more than one opponent at a time, when you're a rogue? And those flasks have to be really magic. Apparently they have the IFF mechanic from ME2. This is a breakable flask-grenade type of thing, right? Hawke *kicks* his at his opponent. Usually kicking something breakable that hard to send it that far is a "bad idea". I guess the flasks only break when they actually hit an enemy. I guess its also a good thing they took out friendly fire from any difficulty other than nightmare. That last attack from Varric would have been inconvenient, and the firestorm would have been painful, since it was targeted on the party as well as the enemy. I know others will have different opinions.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:30 pm

And they announced a pre order dlc already... Yep totally dont feel pissed they are withholding content. I was on the fence about getting it (more to the not getting it side) but the more I hear the more I dislike.
http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/addon/

» Sat May 28, 2011 7:19 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ojefQlGTzE

To quote a famous lab mouse: YES!

It's DA, just faster, on the PC. Just what it needed.

Wow how lazy can these guys get? They used the cerberus diamond for part of their "new" logo. When Mike Laidlaw comes up to the left it has the little diamond icon like mass effect.

» Sat May 28, 2011 5:26 am

Wow how lazy can these guys get? They used the cerberus diamond for part of their "new" logo. When Mike Laidlaw comes up to the left it has the little diamond icon like mass effect.

Um... you know Bioware didn't invent the hexagon, right? It's been around long before Mass Effect.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:43 am

Um... you know Bioware didn't invent the hexagon, right? It's been around long before Mass Effect.

-_- Yes, but the specific diamonds looks too similar in how they have been designed. Other than the colour the shading looks similar. Almost like the same font if that makes any sense at all. My point is they could have used anything. Why that? It's just a little suspicious is all I'm saying.

» Sat May 28, 2011 3:28 pm

Um... you know Bioware didn't invent the hexagon, right? It's been around long before Mass Effect.

Conspiricy ?!

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:51 am

-_- Yes, but the specific diamonds looks too similar in how they have been designed. Other than the colour the shading looks similar. Almost like the same font if that makes any sense at all. My point is they could have used anything. Why that? It's just a little suspicious is all I'm saying.

All I'm saying is that it seems like you're nitpicking at anything to complain about this game.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:05 pm

For what it's worth, the February issue of "PC Gamer" magazine has a few paragraphs on DA 2 during an article on the 10 biggest upcoming games of 2011. The reviewer writes that he was worried ("terrified" as he puts it) about the changes of DA 2, until he played it; now he writes: " . . . it's clear that the improvements BioWare is making are just that -- improvements. The key mechanics . . . like pausing combat to micromanage your party members' skills for a tactical advantage and the engaging storytelling, are returning intact -- and almost always with noticeable improvements. Abilities in DA 2 combine across classes for much better results." The release date is March 8th, as you already know. Anyway, I'm going to give it a chance despite the human-only protagonist.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:29 pm

I'm not worried about Dragon Age 2, the game looks good and I can't wait to see how Bioware incorporates the 10 year Storyline.

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:03 am

Dragon Age: Awakening is only 1200 ms points. Should I get it? It is 50% off, Sounds kind of like a deal to me.

» Sat May 28, 2011 4:17 am

Dragon Age: Awakening is only 1200 ms points. Should I get it? It is 50% off, Sounds kind of like a deal to me.

It's about 15 hours of more Dragon Age, so you decide if that is worth it. ^_^

» Sat May 28, 2011 1:16 pm

Interesting interview with DA2 lead designer regarding companions

http://pc.gamezone.com/editorials/item/dragon_age_ii_lead_designer_speaks_on_the_start_of_rpgs/

» Sat May 28, 2011 6:18 pm

Interesting interview with DA2 lead designer regarding companions

http://pc.gamezone.com/editorials/item/dragon_age_ii_lead_designer_speaks_on_the_start_of_rpgs/

Nice read, thanks. As usual, I can only agree with Mike's reasoning. Fidelity vs story-telling is the challenge that games face today. Not many games get the ratio right. And I love the bit about your companions being more active. Hope it plays out as well as he says.