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Official Dragon Age 2 Thread - Thar be Spoilers

#1

Jay

Jay

In a few weeks the game will be out... and I'm still contemplating if I'll buy it or not. I'm conflicted.

I played the demo last night and it was really... a sexy beast. Combat is more immersive and wicked. The mage effects are beyond amazing and the new life bars/mechanics look like a vast improvement over the original. The voice acting as usual is top notch and now since your main character is Shepardized you get a fully voice acted character with Mass Effect like dialogue controls. The demo left a really good impression on me. The effects and music are top of the line and real selling points. Dialogue choices ("the middle one") is particularly funny. The storyline, especially Avaline? is particularly funny. I found myself holding back my emotions... and I barely met her in the game 10 minutes ago. Once again, the dialogue and music.... fantastic.


The negatives and sadly I will dwell on them.

- I really hate the fact there's a DLC on Day 1. To me, this is complete bullshit. It's enraging that a game that is billed at an impressive $60 has an additionnal cost for the DLC the first day that sadly will at one point or time be purchased.. To me, this tells me they are charging me for additionnal content. This is unacceptable in my book.

- I feel the interface is lacking, I don't like the fact I cannot move the camera around anymore or look below my chest if I zoom in. The interface looks very "console" like. I'm afraid of what this may cause in future games, like Mass Effect. Obviously, a "skill" bar is needed to play the game, however, I don't feel it needs to take up 1/5 of my screen all the way to the left to the right.

- I'm still upset that Steam users didn't get the FULL pre-purchase deal (we don't get the DLC). Once again, I feel that Bioware is coming across as greedy fucks by not being able to provide the premier game market what they should get. And while I'd rather not fuck them and simply torrent the game in revenge of this, I do want to support the product.

- The demo revealed obviously that you cannot pick an "origin". You're a human, deal with it. And while the original game at one point or time congregates to the same thing, I like how distinctive if you picked X or Y as an origin, you got a special reaction or talked to a special way. Those are nice touches. Now, it seems that the distinction is simply, "are you a mage?" "are you a rogue/warrior?" "are you a man/woman?". I miss being an asshole elf who got chewed on and called elven curs.

- Noticed a few bugs with the game and I don't like the fact that I cannot play better than "moderate" grphics because I have Windows XP. (DX 11) Yeah yeah, I should upgrade, but I'll do that on my new rig. I just don't like seeing "sorry you play moderate because LOL DX9", yet my rig playing a video orgasm such as Crisis can handle hight quality with no qualms.


#2

Espy

Espy

I've heard some of the negatives you speak of and I'm sure they will bug me some as well but I guess, in the end, if you think you will enjoy it buy it. As much as I wish they had stayed with more of the gameplay concepts from the first one like you talked about I'm sure it's gonna be a great game.
My pre-order should arrive just as I finish up my school stuff so I'm stoked.


#3

Dave

Dave

I'd be willing to bet that certain people who pre-order this will get the DLC stuff.

It's a game I want but won't get for a while. Being broke sucks.



#4

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

I really want to get this game, but something about Bioware games ends with me locking myself in my apartment for a weekend ignoring sleep and actual food. For the sake of my own health, I may forgo.


#5

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

SpecialKO said:
I really want to get this game, but something about Bioware games ends with me locking myself in my apartment for a weekend ignoring sleep and actual food. For the sake of my own health, I may forgo.
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I scheduled vacation time around its release. I am prepared.


#6

Dei

Dei

Oh god my demo crashed right after the intro and I had to name my character. I am sad.


#7

@Li3n

@Li3n

The combat was way too fast imo... felt like it forced me to button spam or pause for every action...

Otherwise it was ok.


#8

Dei

Dei

I really liked the combat interface of the first game, kind of sad that it got dumbed down somewhat to make it more console friendly.


#9

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Kinda sad that mages are so debeefed. Fireball felt super, duper anemic.


#10

Jay

Jay

Frankie Williamson said:
Kinda sad that mages are so debeefed. Fireball felt super, duper anemic.
Click to expand...
I agree, it felt very underwhelming. combat is very fast paced.

On thing I noted on another attempt, my bow rogue... can sever enemies in HALF with pinning shot. How that is possible is beyond me.

Oh and his name was Mike Hawke.


#11

Math242

Math242

I've pre ordered it on steam. Kinda pissed about the dlc as well but i loved the 1st game too much not to play the second because of 5 $.

Will the first game have any impact on the DA2 based on the choices made? I really do not like my "canon" save (loghain alive) but i don't have time to replay it


#12

Espy

Espy

Math242 said:
I've pre ordered it on steam. Kinda pissed about the dlc as well but i loved the 1st game too much not to play the second because of 5 $.

Will the first game have any impact on the DA2 based on the choices made? I really do not like my "canon" save (loghain alive) but i don't have time to replay it
Click to expand...
I think you can allow it to use your old game info if you want or it can start fresh.



#13

Sara_2814

Sara_2814

I pre-ordered and I can't wait for this. I'm so excited, I even signed up to play a stupid Facebook game for the first time (Dragon Age: Legends -- it's "meh", but it helps me get my DA fix). No Mac demo, but I finally found an explanation (they branched the demo early in development, before they had a stable Mac version) and since we're getting a same day release, I'm not going to complain.
Frankie Williamson said:
Kinda sad that mages are so debeefed. Fireball felt super, duper anemic.
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This makes me sad, because I love playing a mage. In DA, I maxed out Elemental spells on my mage: that was freaking awesome!


#14

Espy

Espy

Yeah, I was wanting to play a Mage as well. I might go Rogue instead now. Not sure.


#15

Jay

Jay

I heard archer rogues are fantastic. With the right type of build in DA:O, it was the highest single target DPS, my Dalish elf was fantastic.

I have no idea if saves matters in DA2, I know it will in ME3.
Added at: 11:32
Interesting post :


Transferred, and note this isnt a debate on what makes an RPG, but why the lead designed for Dragon Age decided not to work on Dragon Age 2.

Why Brent Knowles left in his own words:

http://blog.brentknowles.com/2010/08/15/bioware-brent-year-10-fall-2008-summer-2009/

The bottom line is: to a greater or lesser extent, Brent Knowles left because the direction the game (DA2), and the company had changed to something he could not work for anymore because they were making the game into something he didnt envision as his type of game.

When your lead designer bails out, then something is truely wrong. Or do some of you actually think that nothing was wrong and he left for the heck of it? Read his own words. He was being polite, but there are some things couched in there, to be sure.

Not seeing that is being rather obtuse.

Note this here, from the blog:

I did some high level design for a potential new project but a few months later I realized that, given cutbacks and other things that it really seemed unlikely that the project I had been ‘assigned’ to was ever going to materialize. I can’t/won’t go into any other details other than to point to an old entry I made about this and reiterate: “I’m not the same person I was when I started, and BioWare isn’t the same company. ”

This man worked for 10 years for Bioware. He was there.

Any apologists still up for the notion that Bioware "is still the same as they ever were" argument?

Got over it. EA has them now, and will do what they want with them. If that means make lesser games in order to shuck out more product to be bought up by unexamining hordes, then thats what will happen.

The man who worked there 10 years has just shot your argument down. Completely.

Bioware has changed folks, and not for the better when a great designer like Brent Knowles feels he has to quit because of those changes.
Click to expand...


#16

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Where is that post from?

While it doesn't sound good, and there could be a lot to it, I can also think of lots of developers I've met who've left where they work in a huff over a personality clash or creative disagreement and didn't characterize it in glowing terms.


#17

Jay

Jay

Bioware forums.


#18

Espy

Espy

It's hard when your vision is different from the others around you. I think it was wise of him to move on if he didn't feel comfortable with it but I still expect to enjoy DA2, even if I will miss the old school touches of the first.


#19

Sara_2814

Sara_2814

That forum post has "disgruntled fanboy" written all over it ("unexamining hordes"? LOL!). All that's missing is "They sold out, man! They SOLD OUT!".
Nerd Raged Forum Poster said:
When your lead designer bails out, then something is truely wrong. Or do some of you actually think that nothing was wrong and he left for the heck of it? Read his own words.
Click to expand...

Okay...
Brent Knowles said:
Discussion on Dragon Age 2 began around this time and looking ahead I knew that I wasn’t going to be satisfied with what Dragon Age 2 would be. Party control/tactical combat are huge factors in my enjoyment of a role-playing game as is adopting the role of the hero (i.e., customizing my character). I was fairly certain Dragon Age would transition towards more of a Mass Effect experience, which while enjoyable is not the type of role-playing game I play. Could I be the lead designer on such a title? Certainly… though if I were going to work on a game adopting a set-in-stone protagonist I’d rather work on something lighter, like a shooter.
Click to expand...
OMG THEY'RE MAKING IT MORE LIKE MASS EFFECT THOSE EVIL BASTARDS!!!!!!! :aaah:



#20

@Li3n

@Li3n

Jay said:
On thing I noted on another attempt, my bow rogue... can sever enemies in HALF with pinning shot. How that is possible is beyond me.
Click to expand...
It's not Pinning shot, i saw it happen will normal bow attacks plenty of times...


Sara_2814 said:
Okay...
OMG THEY'RE MAKING IT MORE LIKE MASS EFFECT THOSE EVIL BASTARDS!!!!!!! :aaah:
Click to expand...
ME2 - better combat (ignoring the stuff that made Jack useless on HC and Insanity) but felt more like a shooter...


On another note... why is it that the only female character that doesn't have giant chest cannons is the PC?! Seriously...


#21

Frank

Frankie Williamson

@Li3n said:
It's not Pinning shot, i saw it happen will normal bow attacks plenty of times...




ME2 - better combat (ignoring the stuff that made Jack useless on HC and Insanity) but felt more like a shooter...


On another note... why is it that the only female character that doesn't have giant chest cannons is the PC?! Seriously...
Click to expand...
Jack wasn't that well endowed.


#22

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I think he's taking about DA2. Although, Jack gets bonus points for wearing suspenders as a top.


#23

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Ravenpoe said:
I think he's taking about DA2. Although, Jack gets bonus points for wearing suspenders as a top.
Click to expand...
If he's talking about Dragon Age, all the females had the exact same body, including the PC.


#24

Dei

Dei

The only time a woman has huge boobs is when the dwarf is exaggerating the story at the very beginning.


#25

Espy

Espy

Dei said:
The only time a woman has huge boobs is when the dwarf is exaggerating the story at the very beginning.
Click to expand...
Uh... did you see Isabella? She's sporting a rather... "hefty" pair.

Speaking of Isabella, has anyone seen her pants? Seems like she's got some "weak spots" the enemy could exploit.


#26

Jay

Jay

The first thing I'm hoping for is :

- Mod to bring back the camera options that they failed to add.
- Mod to remove the bandana and jaw piercing on Isabela

And yea, they are huge.


#27

Espy

Espy

What camera options are they missing? Seems similar to me...


#28

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

PC DA had the option to go overhead for a bird's eye view. DA2 doesn't.


#29

Espy

Espy

Ah. Gotcha.


#30

Jay

Jay

It's pretty huge for harder difficulties as you can pickup new waves of enemies coming in BEFORE they start attacking you. It also help you strategically plan the battle and avoid resorting to playing LOS blocking you from seeing what you need to see.


#31

Espy

Espy

Makes sense. I kind of prefer the insanity of being in the middle of the battlefield although with the new battle system I have learned that playing a mage kind of sucks. Think I'm going rogue or warrior. They want me in the middle there so I guess thats where I'm gonna be.
Which kind of sucks because I really like playing that strategist roll and throwing out crazy spells.


#32

@Li3n

@Li3n

BTW, i d/l the steam version of the demo and now it has AA activated and seems to run better (no awkward pauses before starting loading cut scenes or screen resizing while loading between chapters etc.)

Anyone got any experience with those issues?!

Dei said:
The only time a woman has huge boobs is when the dwarf is exaggerating the story at the very beginning.
Click to expand...
Having played Mage for the first 2-3 times (Carver is with you then at the start) i can tell you that i've noticed Bethany's endowment just fine even after he started telling the real story... even the mother has a pretty round chest... you just don't notice it easily because Isabella eclipses them...

The PC is the only one that wouldn't need potions against back pain on a regular basis.

But hey, good idea, i'll just pretend it's all because the dwarf is a pervert and exaggerating that part (the PC is safe because he's afraid of her)...


#33

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Jay said:
The first thing I'm hoping for is :

- Mod to bring back the camera options that they failed to add.
- Mod to remove the bandana and jaw piercing on Isabela

And yea, they are huge.
Click to expand...
GET OUT OF MY MIND!!! (aka, I totally agree)

So I finally played the demo... and was happy with almost everything. Combat feels way to fast paced though... and honestly... hitting a darkspawn like 30 times with a giant two handed sword before it dies feels really stupid. I'm constantly pausing to take stock of what's going on and to micromanage party actions.


#34

Espy

Espy

Honestly that was one of the weirdest things, why the hell was it so hard to kill a stupid darkspawn? That sword, even if I'm not at high level, should still do a decent amount of damage to a stupid foot soldier.


#35

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I know... it just felt weird... they ramped up the pace of everything... but in doing so it seems like it takes FOREVER to actually kill something. I much prefer the pace of Dragon Age Origins... and low grade enemies bit the dust after only a few hits.


#36

@Li3n

@Li3n

Oh man, it's like they're not even trying to hid it: http://www.nowgamer.com/news/5141/bioware-we-want-call-of-dutys-audience

Seriously, at least Mass Effect was partly a shooter from the get go...


#37

Math242

Math242

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU


#38

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Fuck call of duty... and screw you bioware... I swear to God if you sell out to appease those damn twitch gamers... FUCK!!!!


#39

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

The thing that made me sad was I didn't feel like I was even playing a Dragon Age game. The change to the combat, the art style, and even the story felt very disconnected that I wish they didn't even call it Dragon Age.

Like the Darkspawn, in the first game they felt threatening, wearing general armors similar to the ones we the heroes would be wearing only a bit more improvised. It gave them an impression of intelligence buried under a bestial fury, like they really were an army that gathered from the Deep Roads and just was ready to screw everything up. In DA2, I was literally waiting for the Power Rangers to show up, because the new Darkspawn in their "everyone wear the same goofy outfit!" didn't really give off the same threatening feeling.

Also when was it a good idea to change Flemeth from old hag with deceptive power, into dragon woman with one hell of a crazy perm, battle armor, and a sexy GILF body?


#40

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Well said ScytheRexx... you eloquently stated exactly what I am thinking but failed to put into words.

I'm not happy with the direction this game is taking.


#41

Espy

Espy

As someone who liked the first game, I thought the demo was pretty good. I'm looking forward to the full game and I expect to enjoy it immensely.


#42

Frank

Frankie Williamson

What Espy said, of course from what I understand, the PC version plays a lot more like the first game than the consoles do.


#43

Espy

Espy

Frankie Williamson said:
What Espy said, of course from what I understand, the PC version plays a lot more like the first game than the consoles do.
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For the record I'm playing the PS3 version, so it is quite different from the first but I feel like, so far, they still have the world intact, and it feels like Dragon Age even if it plays differently. I'm sure there are going to be things I won't love but I think I'll still be able to enjoy it quite a bit.

BUT MAYBE NOT.


#44

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I was playing the PC version and the pace of combat feels like it was programmed by some freaking tweaker. Seriously... it takes around 15-20 hits to kill a hurlock with a giant two handed sword now where as before they would be downed in far fewer, slower strikes. The overall timing seems around the same... but seeing the hero ineffectually bash away like an adrenaline overloaded lunatic to accomplish next to nothing is really detracting from the game for me.

Other's mileage may vary of course.

I'm also worried that they're dumbing down the game to reach a broader audience. Bioware has produced a good numner of my favorite games mostly due to the fact that they typically don't dumb things down... I really REALLY hope I'm wrong about this.


#45

Mathias

Mathias

Anything that makes an RPG less of a boring-ass time sink is a step in the right direction.

signed,

a Day of Defeat, Battlefield Bad Company, Call of Duty twitch gamer.


#46

Dei

Dei

I actually like Flemeth's model, it's not like her being a dragon is new, and honestly, she is looking for different things from different people. She wants an impressive display of power at the start of DA2 in order to get something she wants. Playing the old hag card here is not going to help her case, She's trying to inspire awe. Being a little old lady in the swamp worked for the hero in DA because she was trying to get something she wants in a completely different way (Making you think the only way she can help you is by sending her daughter along).


#47

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Mathias said:
Anything that makes an RPG less of a boring-ass time sink is a step in the right direction.

signed,

a Day of Defeat, Battlefield Bad Company, Call of Duty twitch gamer.
Click to expand...
Dude... you can play those games all you want and that's great for you. I like my RPGS to be a bit more involved (and typically Bioware delivers in this regard).

Signed,

A boring-ass time sink RPGer

(P.S.-Have you played Dragon Age Origins and the demo we're talking about here?)


#48

Espy

Espy

Dei said:
I actually like Flemeth's model, it's not like her being a dragon is new, and honestly, she is looking for different things from different people. She wants an impressive display of power at the start of DA2 in order to get something she wants. Playing the old hag card here is not going to help her case, She's trying to inspire awe. Being a little old lady in the swamp worked for the hero in DA because she was trying to get something she wants in a completely different way (Making you think the only way she can help you is by sending her daughter along).
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This. Saying Flemeth doesn't look like what someone wants her to look like is kind of weird. She can pretty much look like or be whoever she wants it seems.


#49

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

This. Saying Flemeth doesn't look like what someone wants her to look like is kind of weird. She can pretty much look like or be whoever she wants it seems.
Click to expand...
She is a shape shifter, but the fact is as the Witch of the Wilds she always played the mysterious, always ahead of the game type of being. Her look as the old hag fit because you never expected this little woman to be extremely powerful, and that is how she often tricked you into doing the things she wanted.

Once there was a great templar, shining and proud, righteous in his faith in the Maker’s will. So proud was he that, upon hearing legends of Flemeth, the Witch of the Wilds, he embarked on a quest to find and slay her on his own, leaving his home in Redcliffe behind.
On his way to the Korcari Wilds, the templar came to the village of Rossleigh on the western roads. There he spoke to a young woman that had heard tales of the witch from the Chasind wilder folk. ‘She is a monster,’ said the woman, ‘terrible in her temper and wild in her beauty. She is the hand of the cold, the wet, and the dark. Above all these things she is a myth, and not worth any man’s pain to find.’ But the templar would not heed such hearsay, and so he pressed on.
The templar came to Lothering, where the world gathers at the edge of the Wilds. There he met a woman, a mother that had been telling her child of the dangers of the great forest. ‘Yes, I know of her,’ said the mother. ‘She is a creature of legend, a cautionary tale of the limits to where man should go. Not even a powerful templar can kill a warning, sir.’ But the templar was sure that the Witch was more than just a symbol, and so he continued his quest.
And then the templar entered the Korcari Wilds, home to the savage Chasind people, and he found a village elder, a cracked and bent old woman who was willing to speak in his language. ‘She steals men’s souls at the end of the green,’ said the crone, ‘where hearts turn to ice and blood runs blue. Even a templar dare not go after her, for the land bends to her will, and that templar’s life will be drawn before his sword.’ But the templar bristled against such doubt of his skill and the Maker’s glory and he charged off to find the witch.
And he reached the end of the green, where the Wilds touch snow and frost, and there he did indeed find a cabin huddled against the wind. And there he found a lovely young woman tending a garden that grew even through the frost, and he approached her to ask after the witch.
‘You have come far, good templar,’ purred the young woman, exotic and dark in her beauty. ‘And it is time that you should rest.’
‘I will rest only when the Witch of the Wild has been killed,’ said the templar, ‘Tell me where she is!’ The templar pointed his sword at the young woman, who smiled warmly as the templar felt a knife enter his back.
‘I am myth, and warning, and the thief of souls,’ whispered his killer. ‘I am all those things you heard of me, and I was all those people with whom you spoke.’ And the templar doubled over and fell to his knees, turning to face the voice and finding but a blur. ‘And I am the last thing you will never see.’
Click to expand...
My issue with her is that she just came down and killed Darkspawn as a dragon. She does not need to walk up with a "sexy swagger" while carrying a Darkspawn corpse. She does not need to shift into bright armors and hair shot back in a crazy perm. She does not need to shove her breasts out like she wants Hawke to take notice. She already impressed them, and turning into an old woman in rags, showing she it more then she appears, would fit her as the Witch of the Wilds. Her new looks hurts her characterization, and attempts to make her just more like Morrigan at the expense of much of her own individualism she showed in Origins.


#50

Espy

Espy

I guess what you and the people who make the video game think she should be doing and looking like/what her characterization is are different.


#51

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Espy said:
I guess what you and the people who make the video game think she should be doing and looking like/what her characterization is are different.
Click to expand...
Obviously, but I would have appreciated if any changes they did for her didn't have to be for "tit and ass" factor, because that is pretty much what it looks like to me. The whole game feels like it went from "let's make an adult RPG" and has becomes "Let's make a awesome action rpg BRO! OMG ISABELLA/FLEMETH TITS, YES!"


#52

Espy

Espy

I would definitely agree that some of the cosmetic changes in the game seem to have gone in the wrong direction, but I'm still going to wait for the game before I make any final judgements.


#53

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Espy said:
I would definitely agree that some of the cosmetic changes in the game seem to have gone in the wrong direction, but I'm still going to wait for the game before I make any final judgements.
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Wtf are you doing, being reasonable in a thread like this?

NERDRAAAAGE!


#54

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Espy said:
I would definitely agree that some of the cosmetic changes in the game seem to have gone in the wrong direction, but I'm still going to wait for the game before I make any final judgements.
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, I will probably still play it due to my love of the original. As far as my impressions go after playing the demo, though, it does not feel like Dragon Age. I knew I was in trouble when all the Darkspawn lost half their armor and started wearing loincloths while running around like putty people.


#55

Jay

Jay

I agree with that above statement. Feels like Dragon age... but vaguely so.

I'll play the game and I'll post this this thread once I'm mostly done with the game to avoid spoilers, however, I'm apprehensive of the direction change. Melee combats looks somewhat retarded.


#56

Espy

Espy

I'm interested to see how the combat progresses. I wasn't blown away by it in the demo.


#57

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I will still of course give this game a fair judgement once it's released... but instead of the demo getting me psyched up it has made me wary of what's to come.


#58

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Yeah, I hated melee in the demo as well. The bow rogue was insanely satisfying though, between the arrows doing like 120 times the damage of the frantic melee attacks and the sound the special arrow attacks made. Of course I'll just end up as a mage again anyway, I likes me my magic.


#59

Jay

Jay

I'm a mage junkie but after I saw them destroy the Fireball spell.... I miss that nice WHAAAAAMMMM and seeing people fly around the room. Now? Pewww.... and a chicken dance for 2 seconds. It's SHIT I TELL YOU.

Bows however was nice.


#60

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Jay said:
Pewww.... and a chicken dance for 2 seconds. It's SHIT I TELL YOU.
Click to expand...
I almost spit water all over my computer with that...


#61

Dei

Dei

I will not miss Fireball to be honest. GD FRIENDLY FIRE FUCKING MAGE ALLIES FROM THE TOWER PIECE OF SHIT. Can you tell I sided with the Templars in my last playthrough? lol


#62

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Fireball is still pretty good, by virtue of being an AoE. Get a mage and an archer focus-firing and you get to take enemies out by the cluster instead of one-by-one like the warrior and melee thief.


#63

Jay

Jay

Just did another demo playthrough.... goddamn archery is nice. I just don't like my rogue doing cartwheels while trying to stab someone or pulling a goddamn Ninja Gaiden, BOOF, I'M BACKSTABBING YOU NOW, and literally watch EVERYTHING EXPLODE! Why do darkspawn EXPLODE when I stab them with a dagger?

I need an anti-explode mod ASAP.

And I just saw a trailer for the DLC... fuck off
Added at: 18:51
The fact that Bioware is already going to sell Day 1 DLC with the extra character, on top of a $60 purchase pisses me off.


#64

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Jay said:
I need an anti-explode mod ASAP.
Click to expand...
Oh man, fucking this. Really breaks immersion when something explodes because it got stabbed by a dagger.


#65

Jay

Jay

More thought...

So that's DAOO (Shale), Mass Effect 2 (Zaeed) and now DA2 (Sebastian) ... I'd put good money on there being a Day 1 DLC party member for Mass Effect 3. She better be voiced over by Emmanuelle Chriqui.


#66

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Any word if the day 1 dlc will be included free for those who purchase the game new? If so, I really see nothing wrong with that, it's bioware's new method of encouraging buying new.


#67

Jay

Jay

As far as I know it's not part of any purchase of the game initially, it's an additional cost and downloadable DLC.


#68

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I just checked the details of my pre-order. It may be because I have the signature edition, but it's included with it.


#69

Dei

Dei

I know that in the case of both Shale and Zane, even buying the normal edition I got them free.


#70

bhamv3

bhamv3

I just played the demo, and I agree with the people who say it feels... well... a bit odd. It doesn't seem to play like the first game. Battles seem more chaotic, and each strike seems to only do piddling damage, so I can't actually tell if anyone's hitting anything.

Also, the first game had a really strong story and emotional impact, I'm not sure why but I didn't feel it here. Maybe it's because it's just a demo, maybe it's because I'm stressed out these days, but that scene with Avaline's husband? Didn't feel a thing. Flemeth and Isabella making a dramatic reappearance? Nada. Carver going down? Zip. I mean, even in the first game when I had to abandon my parents in the Human Noble origin, I felt a twinge. Here, I'm not getting the emotional impact.

There's also no really hot female character to hook my pervy interests. The first game had Morrigan right at the start. Here? Avaline's ugly, Isabella's got huge knockers but is also ugly, and Bethany's my sister.

The first game had overpowered mages and underpowered archers, now it feels a bit like they overcompensated in nerfing mages and buffing archers. Nerfing mages is particularly strange, since mages are supposed to be uber-powered creatures to be feared in the Dragon Age universe. That's why the Chantry and the Templars go out of their way to shackle anyone who shows any magical ability. Now the Fireball spell has a tiny radius and doesn't actually do much damage. I guess upgrading archers was a good idea though.

The inability to zoom out further, as already mentioned, is annoying. And male Hawke's voice acting didn't do anything for me.

All in all, I'll probably still get the game, because I absolutely adored the first one, but after playing the demo, instead of being more psyched about this game, I'm actually becoming "meh" about it.


#71

Jay

Jay

Ravenpoe said:
I just checked the details of my pre-order. It may be because I have the signature edition, but it's included with it.
Click to expand...
As previously discussed in this thread Steam pre-sale doesn't get the signature edition. If it isn't on Steam it isn't available to my tastes.


#72

Jay

Jay

Been playing the game the last few hours. Needless to say, a lot of changes have been made over the original game... in some ways for the better and not so well in some others. There's a clear difference in gameplay speed. If you expect a Mass Effect 2 like of upgrade over the original, you'll be disappointed. Will talk more about it tomorrow, damn it to hell I gotta head out for a social dinner with people I barely care for.


#73

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Jay said:
Been playing the game the last few hours. Needless to say, a lot of changes have been made over the original game... in some ways for the better and not so well in some others. There's a clear difference in gameplay speed. If you expect a Mass Effect 2 like of upgrade over the original, you'll be disappointed. Will talk more about it tomorrow, damn it to hell I gotta head out for a social dinner with people I barely care for.
Click to expand...
I have the sneaking suspicion that you're playing ill-gotten gains.


#74

Mathias

Mathias

Azurephoenix said:
Dude... you can play those games all you want and that's great for you. I like my RPGS to be a bit more involved (and typically Bioware delivers in this regard).

Signed,

A boring-ass time sink RPGer

(P.S.-Have you played Dragon Age Origins and the demo we're talking about here?)
Click to expand...

yes i have...


#75

Espy

Espy

I actually thought that DA:O moved at a decent pace.


#76

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Espy said:
I actually thought that DA:O moved at a decent pace.
Click to expand...
As much as I loved DA:O, the Deep Roads were fucking long as hell. They were fucking DEEP.


#77

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Mathias said:
yes i have...
Click to expand...
Just checking...


Damn it Jay! Give us some tid bits on how this game plays!


#78

Jay

Jay

I already did. It's FUN but... but expect a lot of changes. Is it bad or worse than the original? No and anything after playing 8 hours of FF13 this week looks orgasmic to me. I felt that this is NOT an upgrade like Mass Effect 2 was over the 1st. It's.... a new type of beast altogether.

There are some fundamental changes that affect things. It's LESS than a RPG compared to DA:O but more interesting in some other ways. Hard to explain. Combat got less... annoying but goddamn I'm a pause whore because combat sometimes gets sticky quickly. You kinda get use to seeing everything explode when you kill them. The fast combat and quite frankly good tactics will change the difficulty of fights, something that CoD fans will go WTF more often than not as their party get owned quickly. If you don't get your NPCs to start autotargeting lowest enemy HP and assisting to take those targets down quickly, you'll have a lot of problems. Oooh... and you'll hate it when you hear... "Another wave!" seriously, some combats felt like plants vs zombies, where a massive wave would come one after another.

Protip: Tank targets lowest enemy HP, set DPS/Healers to assist Tank. But that's just my opinion.

WTB Isabela mod ASAP to change her ugly face! (the bandana/face jewelery ugh! but the fucken cans on that chick are an achievement)

Oooh, an' my rogue archer Mike Hawke is a BEAST, with the DPS and the ladies.


#79

LordRendar

LordRendar

Get the High Resolution Texture Pack from their website. Without it,even on high settings with DX 11, it looks like shit.


#80

@Li3n

@Li3n

Mathias said:
Anything that makes an RPG less of a boring-ass time sink is a step in the right direction.

signed,

a Day of Defeat, Battlefield Bad Company, Call of Duty twitch gamer.
Click to expand...
Funny thing is that i found CoD to be sluggish compared to Counter-Strike.


And from what i played the comabat is still kinda the same, just at a faster speed and more BOOMs... just makes it annoying to play because you either have to spam buttons or pause for every little action.And it still lasts the same because normal attacks take very long to kill anything...
Added at: 13:29
LordRendar said:
Get the High Resolution Texture Pack from their website. Without it,even on high settings with DX 11, it looks like shit.
Click to expand...
Well the DX11 was buggered to hell in the demo. Heck, for a while i though that the steam version of the demo was a newer build because i didn't bother with the setting for that one and it worked way better.


#81

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

LordRendar said:
Get the High Resolution Texture Pack from their website. Without it,even on high settings with DX 11, it looks like shit.
Click to expand...
Is this pack compatible with DX 9 or am I stuck with craptastic looking graphics due to my older video card?


#82

Espy

Espy

I thought the graphics on the PS3 version were a noticable improvement from the first one, is the PC version different?


#83

Dei

Dei

I noticed that there's a whole bunch of DLC already sitting on my Bioware account for DA2 even though I'm still waiting for UPS to get here with my discs. Which is pretty neat I guess.


#84

Jay

Jay

Azurephoenix said:
Is this pack compatible with DX 9 or am I stuck with craptastic looking graphics due to my older video card?
Click to expand...
It's compatible and makes the game look slightly nicer than the original.

Did I mention I hate the new elves? They look so.... dorky and frail.


#85

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Did they redesign all the races or something?

I can't wait to pick this up tonight... twitchy gameplay aside I'm still pretty excited about this.

How has the story been so far Jay?


#86

Jay

Jay

- Elves look incredibly frail. Imagine elves looking like gaunt asian women who look "tennie" and the male versions look even more off with ripped muscles upon tiny frames and tiny legs. At one point you see one in a corset and you can't help but stare at her and go... "goddamn, eat a buger" and look about wondering if Pedo-bear is going to come by. Their ears also tend to go sideways, like dogs instead of the traditional way, upwards.

- Human look fine so far. Too bad everyone is hot, including your sister, except for Aveline (needs a FACE mod asap). Isabel though.... mmm

- Quarians looked redesigned but haven't seen much of them to form any sort of opinion.

- Dwarves had a change as well, especially YOUR PARTY'S DWARF who looks somewhat like a younger Gerard Depardieu. I'm neutral about them thus far.

- I'm running around doing day and night quests in Kirkwall before moving along to the plotline. The game is fun in its own way but thus far I liked the original much more. I spent a lot of time reading a very nice codex system. You get a very familiar character after a few hours of play and while I won't reveal any spoilers, their welcome is very nicely recieved on my end. :)

- Bow archers thus far feels OP. I'm an AOE whore with great misdirection skills that make my tank.... well tank without having to run around like a tard. My party consists of me "Mike Hawke" Bow Rogue extraordinaire, Bethany the healing mage, Aveline the sword and board tank and currently the dwarf Larric? was his name? with his Bianca crossbow. I built him like a CC beast. Thus far, on Hard, the game has been pretty damn easy going. Hopefully the degree on difficulty goes up.

- Storyline? It's going well, I like how things are going. It's... NEW. Which is always good. I LOVE the references to my save file. AKA : My original guy was a Mage who let Alistair be the king.... turns out..... we're blood related... he's actually my cousin and a role model for Bethany. I like small, subtle touches like that. There are many like that. Make sure to link your favorite save before playing!

- Still, I have to admit I don't overly enjoy the combat, I hate how EVERYTHING EXPLODES AROUND YOU. It bothers me a lot, hopefully there's a mod for that as well. Hit the guy with a shield slam, he goes insta-gib. I do like it when my arrows crit and knock my opponent on his ass but when a normal shot make them gib? Comon.

- I think things can be a bit too streamlined and I feel it isn't meant for the same type of gaming group compared to the first but that's just me.

- Inventory system is better.... so are the "order" system. I like that.


#87



Disconnected

Sounds like insta-gib is to save time on keeping a body around or making that body fall apart in specific ways. This way BAM ground/view is cleared and no extra texture hanging around.


#88

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Makes me miss the piles of bodies when having a huge battle in Mount and Blade...


#89

Jay

Jay

Disconnected said:
Sounds like insta-gib is to save time on keeping a body around or making that body fall apart in specific ways. This way BAM ground/view is cleared and no extra texture hanging around.
Click to expand...
Yep. That's a given. Even bodies killed without exploding tend to "drop into the ground" within a half a minute or so. I could have gone with bodies disappearing more quickly than ridiculous blowing up animations.

I loved those King vs Kings battles with max troops mods in Mount and Blade Azure . Sure it lagged hard for 3-4 seconds when new waves came in but nothing made looking at the mayhem more fun after a long battle. Looking forward to Fire & Sword.


#90

Terrik

Terrik

Question: Is the little "nice touches" worth it to not try another version of the game? I played the first DA on Xbox360 and now im considering picking it up for my PC now that I have an alienware laptop. That and if I picked up DA 2 on the xbox, I would have zero chance of getting DLC.


#91

Jay

Jay

Personally, they are a huge reason why I want to play such a game. However, the game comes with 3-4 prebuilt backgrounds for DA:O, aka, mage who did what was needed, evil dwarf who did what he did, danish elf who died deliciously but saved the world... etc. You can't pick and choose such as say.... ME 2 but you can choose a certain "package" story.


#92

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I'm loving the game so far. My only problem is that I redeemed my code for the free DLC, but it doesn't show up when I go to download it. I still asks me to purchase them.


#93

Terrik

Terrik

Hmmm...well I wonder if I can compromise then. I know for ME2, people simply downloaded other people's saves to get the background that they wanted. Maybe I could do that with the PC version if I got it.


#94

General Specific

General Specific

I am pissed that my game has not arrived yet. I ordered it way far in advance, but it was not delivered today. Last update on the tracking page was that it left Kentucky at 1:38am, but was not in my mailbox when I got home today.



#95

Frank

Frankie Williamson

The Qunari look rad.

The difference between say, the Arishok in Kirkwall and Sten and other Qunari in DAO is as stark as the difference between

and


They had a better makeup budget in the second game.


#96

Sara_2814

Sara_2814

Ravenpoe said:
I'm loving the game so far. My only problem is that I redeemed my code for the free DLC, but it doesn't show up when I go to download it. I still asks me to purchase them.
Click to expand...
Is it showing up in your account on the website? I had the same problem, then I figured out that I had to click on the "Info for Mac" link in the list of my DLC on the website and it gave me the download link there (though I only had to do that for Black Emporium and everything else automagically followed). *facepalm*
Added at: 08:26
Jay said:
- Elves look incredibly frail. Imagine elves looking like gaunt asian women who look "tennie" and the male versions look even more off with ripped muscles upon tiny frames and tiny legs. At one point you see one in a corset and you can't help but stare at her and go... "goddamn, eat a buger" and look about wondering if Pedo-bear is going to come by. Their ears also tend to go sideways, like dogs instead of the traditional way, upwards.
Click to expand...
To me, they look like Avatar's smurfs (I think it's the eyes). Ugh. I miss Zevran.

Otherwise, I'm really liking it. It still feels like Dragon Age, even with the changes. My only big complaint is that we can't have "around the campfire" conversations with our party members to find out more about them. I really enjoyed that in Origins.


#97

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

My thoughts after playing it last night for a few hours.

- On the race redesigns... dwarves still look great, the qunari look pretty darn good, the darkspawn look like idiots and the elves... oh god the elves. The elves look horrible... HORRIBLE! Seriously... they look like gray aliens with freakish heads, goofy ears, ridiculous proportions and for the most part, ugly ugly UGLY faces. The only one that looks half decent (aka average) is Merril... and she's still freaky.

- Combat is too fast paced and completely non-strategic now. All it amounts to is hitting all the special power buttons and drinking potions (since your one heal spell from Bethany sucks balls and takes about 50000000 years to cool down). Oh, and pausing every 1.5 seconds when your guys are hurt to try and micro manage them out of dying. Also, generic injuries are generic and dull, I miss the random injuries from the first game that actually did real things instead of just making your life bar lower. I think the new combat is a huge let down. Maybe it's different for the other classes... but I'm a two handed weapon warrior and honestly... combat is a boring chore now. I'd also like to mention that with waves of enemies showing up you never know how long the fight is going to go which is also annoying when trying to ration your very limited healing.

- Story... here's where Bioware shines. The story so far has been great. It's engaging... and if you imported a saved game it has loads of references to things your character accomplished in Dragon Age Origins. I love it so far.

- Voice acting is top notch... not much to say here other than the voices and writing have been excellent so far.

- What the hell is up with not being able to equip new armours on your companions (or maybe I'm just doing it wrong)?. I really miss the varied amount of armour and weapon pickups from the first game. Now everyone has a fixed look (except the main character)... BORING!

The game still feels very Dragon Age and overall I'm happy with it. I just hate that fights seem like meaningless intrusions to the story now (to me anyways), and a lot of areas feel really dumbed down from the previous title.


#98

Dei

Dei

Honestly I don't even know what the story is, I spent my 5 hours of game play yesterday doing side quests, and more side quests, and yet more side quests.


#99

Jay

Jay

Side quests are fun. :)


#100

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Side quests ARE fun... hideously ugly elves are not.

:D


#101

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Verric, the party dwarf, is the pimpest character around. He and Anders are my permanent members of my party.

I had some doubts when I first started, the changes are a little surprising if you've spent 100+ hours playing through DA:O and DA:A. But I've now spent two days playing the shit out of it, and it's awesome.

Is it some running gag around Bioware that the Blood Dragon Armor always has to have a stupidly low texture resolution? It's so jarring compared to other armors, though I haven't yet downloaded the high res texture pack.


#102

Terrik

Terrik

Well I just went for the Xbox version so that I can enjoy the little "flashbacks". Hope the DLC isnt so mind blowingly awesome that I'll regret it.


#103

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Cullen? Awesome. Cullen being a raging zealot? Double awesome. Cullen being a raging zealot who is probably fully right to be so? Triple awesome. Cullen still being terrified of women? Priceless.


#104

Jay

Jay

One new thing bugs me... why are elves talking like they are Scots all of a sudden?


#105

LordRendar

LordRendar

I agree with Azure on all his Points. The elves look hideous. All lanky and weird.
As for the armors of your Teammates,you can find upgrades for them that add atributes to their armor.


#106

@Li3n

@Li3n

Azurephoenix said:

- Combat is too fast paced and completely non-strategic now. All it amounts to is hitting all the special power buttons and drinking potions (since your one heal spell from Bethany sucks balls and takes about 50000000 years to cool down). Oh, and pausing every 1.5 seconds when your guys are hurt to try and micro manage them out of dying. Also, generic injuries are generic and dull, I miss the random injuries from the first game that actually did real things instead of just making your life bar lower. I think the new combat is a huge let down. Maybe it's different for the other classes... but I'm a two handed weapon warrior and honestly... combat is a boring chore now. I'd also like to mention that with waves of enemies showing up you never know how long the fight is going to go which is also annoying when trying to ration your very limited healing.
Click to expand...
So it's just like in the demo...

Seriously, while you can make a good case that it was too slow in DA:O they made it way too fast in DA2. First time i played the demo i had to pause the game and switch gears in my head from playing a RPG to playing a GoW-style game for the combat...


#107

Frank

Frankie Williamson

What kind of drives me nuts is the shear volume of armor you pick up that only you can use.

And I'm pretty ok with the elves, they're inhumanly thin and sort of alien looking (Avatar alien looking) which is kind of an ok change from looks exactly like pretty people with pointy ears. The Dalish are apparently Bioware's analog for the Irish.
Added at: 02:17
@Li3n said:
So it's just like in the demo...

Seriously, while you can make a good case that it was too slow in DA:O they made it way too fast in DA2. First time i played the demo i had to pause the game and switch gears in my head from playing a RPG to playing a GoW-style game for the combat...
Click to expand...
I pretty much pause in between every action I make. I don't find the combat is too fast.


#108

@Li3n

@Li3n

Frankie Williamson said:
I pretty much pause in between every action I make.
Click to expand...
Frankie Williamson said:
I don't find the combat is too fast.
Click to expand...
Notice anything?!


Though i guess you missed my old post where i said you either had to play it as a hack'n'slash or use the pause for every action...


Oh well, at least there's justice:
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dragon-age-ii vs http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dragon-age-origins


#109

Frank

Frankie Williamson

I used pause between every action in DAO too.

I'm not defending DA2 as a pefect game, but I think DAO's score was really too high. Most game's scores are way too high. There was a graphic I saw somewhere earlier. I'm going to dig it up that I completely agree with.



Game review scores are retarded.


#110

@Li3n

@Li3n

You should check out gametrailers sometimes... people over there go crazy when a game scores less then 9 because apparently an 8,8 = bad game...

But the point is that it scored less... and that works when both scores are inflated too.


I used pause between every action in DAO too.
Click to expand...
What's up with that... maybe it's just me but DAO seems even slower then NWN for combat (might just be the lack of rechargeable skills in D&D though), and on normal pausing was for switching targets in hard fights or to give orders to my party...

And i finished the demo without pausing a few times once i got the hang of it aka approached combat in h'n's fashion...


I do like that your characters approach the target faster when near, and frankly that would have been enough...


#111

LordRendar

LordRendar

How come 2-Handed Weapons do less damage then 1-h weapons. That dosnt make any sense.


#112

@Li3n

@Li3n

LordRendar said:
How come 2-Handed Weapons do less damage then 1-h weapons. That dosnt make any sense.
Click to expand...
In the real world it does, because 2 handers were for taking down big targets like horse mounted knights or against pikes... they where probably a liability in a 1v1 fight.

In a game it's a balance problem if they don't do more dmg... maybe there are other advantages to use them in DA2?


#113

LordRendar

LordRendar

@Li3n said:
In the real world it does, because 2 handers were for taking down big targets like horse mounted knights or against pikes... they where probably a liability in a 1v1 fight.
Click to expand...
But we are talking game physics here.


#114

@Li3n

@Li3n

Yeah, that's why i edited my post right away...

And were talking game balancing, not physics (a bigger sword would do more dmg because of the weight but in real life once you cross the enough dmg to kill you threshold anything extra doesn't really matter).


#115

Jay

Jay

Just noticed from the modding forums that there's NO available toolset unlike DA:O and thus no mods can be created. This is a huge issue IMO.


#116

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

I think I am going to hold off getting the game until the price drops or people figure out how to Mod it.

The fact they will not have a toolset is a huge step backwards, but I don't think you have to worry to much Jay, I know Mass Effect 2 didn't have a toolset and people still found out ways to Mod it, at least making new character skins and such. As long as the game has an override folder it should be simple to make alterations like other Bioware games.


#117

@Li3n

@Li3n

Jay said:
no mods can be created. This is a huge issue IMO.
Click to expand...
No, it's just harder...

And this is an unreal engine game, right, pretty sure its not going to be that hard.


#118

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Jay said:
Just noticed from the modding forums that there's NO available toolset unlike DA:O and thus no mods can be created. This is a huge issue IMO.
Click to expand...
That's a real bummer... another strike against Bioware on this endeavor. Like the others said... mods will still come out, but I doubt they will have the scale and complexity of the ones for DA:O.


#119

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Didn't they wait a few weeks after DAO shipped before releasing a toolset then too?


#120

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Two handers do less damage to a single target because they do area effect damage. I can pretty easily hit three targets with one swing, and that's not counting the various special attacks that hit even more.

For people complaining that it's hack n slash and not tactical, do what I did. Play on nightmare. Aoe no longer differentiates friend from foe, and enemies are fucking dangerous. I beat the ogre in the beginning by leading it to charge into his allies.


#121

Math242

Math242

jesus, they're getting killed by users as far as reviews are concerned.

Bioware fans have always been the most loyal of people but now you can see that they're pissed. 3.0 on metacritic based on almost 300 reviews.

that's unheard of for a game that does not suck


#122

Frank

Frankie Williamson

That's just 4Chan from what I understand.


#123

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I'm a huge bioware fan, and I'm enjoying the game. The original "call of duty fans" worry turned out to be unwarranted, this is still very much an rpg epic. The 3.0 has to be vandalism, as even if you were disappointed, this is not a bad game.


#124

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Ravenpoe said:
Two handers do less damage to a single target because they do area effect damage. I can pretty easily hit three targets with one swing, and that's not counting the various special attacks that hit even more.

For people complaining that it's hack n slash and not tactical, do what I did. Play on nightmare. Aoe no longer differentiates friend from foe, and enemies are fucking dangerous. I beat the ogre in the beginning by leading it to charge into his allies.
Click to expand...
If I could just get the frequency of my characters swings reduced by half and his swing speed slowed down slightly (just the animations, not the DPS calculations)... coupled with playing on nightmare... this would solve almost all my combat complaints.
Added at: 09:18
Frankie Williamson said:
What kind of drives me nuts is the shear volume of armor you pick up that only you can use.
Click to expand...
I also wanted to comment on this... why the hell do we end up with a metric crapton of armour that only the main character can use? Seems stupid. I'm actually fairly annoyed that we can't fully equip our allies anymore and have to settle for their default armour (I've found some armour that would be awesome for my party members but alas, for some stupid reason we are not allowed to use it).


#125

Espy

Espy

Math242 said:
jesus, they're getting killed by users as far as reviews are concerned.

Bioware fans have always been the most loyal of people but now you can see that they're pissed. 3.0 on metacritic based on almost 300 reviews.

that's unheard of for a game that does not suck
Click to expand...
Good to see the young of today are really fighting against the real evil. :p

Seriously, it's a really good game. Perfect? No, but neither was the first one.


#126

@Li3n

@Li3n

Ravenpoe said:
For people complaining that it's hack n slash and not tactical, do what I did. Play on nightmare. Aoe no longer differentiates friend from foe, and enemies are fucking dangerous. I beat the ogre in the beginning by leading it to charge into his allies.
Click to expand...
So it's like playing a hack'n'slash on the hardest difficulty?!

Ravenpoe said:
The 3.0 has to be vandalism, as even if you were disappointed, this is not a bad game.
Click to expand...
Nah, it's people giving it a zero instead of a score because they felt betrayed by it... a bit of an overreaction, but i guess they're trying to make a point.

Frankie Williamson said:
That's just 4Chan from what I understand.
Click to expand...
The quality of the grammar and the coherence in those reviews is way too high for that imo...


#127

Espy

Espy

@Li3n said:
Nah, it's people giving it a zero instead of a score because they felt betrayed by it... a bit of an overreaction, but i guess they're trying to make a point.
Click to expand...
People who feel "betrayed" over a videogame not meeting their expectations should really go find a bigger purpose in life.


#128

Frank

Frankie Williamson

I hopped onto the Bioware forums to see if there's any news about a toolset and man....the people there. There's a thread like 30 pages long about Adam Sessler giving it a 3/5 lambasting him that his opinion doesn't matter and since he's a professional reviewer and the like that he doesn't have nearly as much, and I'm fucking serious here, INVESTED in the games as much as true fans do.

Holy shit.


#129

@Li3n

@Li3n

Espy said:
People who feel "betrayed" over a videogame not meeting their expectations should really go find a bigger purpose in life.
Click to expand...
Because writing a bad review takes so much hard work and time invested compared to the importance of a video game in the scheme of things?

Frankie Williamson said:
There's a thread like 30 pages long about Adam Sessler giving it a 3/5 lambasting him that his opinion doesn't matter and since he's a professional reviewer and the like that he doesn't have nearly as much, and I'm fucking serious here, INVESTED in the games as much as true fans do.
Holy shit.
Click to expand...
THE INTERNET, SERIOUS BUSINESS!


#130

Espy

Espy

Nerds.


#131

@Li3n

@Li3n

Hey, smoking baby, i think your post is missing this:


#132

Espy

Espy

Thank you :awesome:


#133



Disconnected

3.0 user score? wow. is that because the game is actually bad or just too different from what they wanted?

true fans. HA. HA HA HAHAHAHAHAH:rofl:


#134

Jay

Jay

I don't abide the 3/10 it's been getting. I'll give it a solid 7.5/10 simply because it's a clear step back from the original game in many regards that made it special the first time around. Can't equip most items on people, items are very limited (I think I've been forced to sell stuff ONCE in 10 hours of gameplay due to lack of space).

One thing that irks me... there's nothing special regarding those stats. Remember being able to get X response because your cunning was at X or herbalism.. etc... yea, that's all gone. I miss that.

But some other minor ways are better... I like how much more the npcs talk to eachother... just not to YOU. Unless you advance in the storyline they'll give you the time of day.


#135

@Li3n

@Li3n

Disconnected said:
3.0 user score? wow. is that because the game is actually bad or just too different from what they wanted?
Click to expand...
Read the reviews, most of the zeroes are not about it being a bad game on it's own but about Bioware's choices regarding it. The score is just to attract attention.


#136

@Li3n

@Li3n

Another reason for the score i guess:




#137

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Not really.


#138

Jay

Jay

@Li3n said:
Another reason for the score i guess:


Click to expand...
This is exactly what I mean... and HILARIOUS.

I also like how I'm THROWN into a Anders romance just as you meet him (aka, I tried EVERY FORM OF DIALOGUE) and it literally forced my hand to turn off the romance option as a male hawke. I wasn't impressed when I got 10 rivalry regardless what I did unless I submitted to his cock.


#139

Espy

Espy

No kidding! I was just about to post that about Anders! Damn dude, I know I'm not called "Hot Hawke" for no reason but...


#140

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I just experienced the same thing last night... it was quite odd how the choices unfolded.


#141

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

This actually makes me curious. What if Anders was killed in Awakening and you use the old save? Does he show up anyways?


#142

Jay

Jay

Yes, he's one of the characters.


#143

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Even if he dies though in Awakening? That is more my question, because I heard the game uses old saves to add little references to what the Warden did in the other games. Most of the ending have Anders getting killed, only one of them hinting of his trip to Kirkwall.


#144

LordRendar

LordRendar

Oh yeah...that was super akward....I was like "hey Anders" and suddenly "i have the hots for you hawke."


#145

Math242

Math242

i played 3 hours today, the game is alright. All those "fans" are dumbasses.


#146

LordRendar

LordRendar

For all the things they changed in the end the only thing that counts for me is if I enjoy playing the game, and I do.
I didn't mind paying 50€ for this game.


#147

Frank

Frankie Williamson

The PC version doesn't import saves properly anyway.


#148

Jay

Jay

LordRendar said:
Oh yeah...that was super akward....I was like "hey Anders" and suddenly "i have the hots for you hawke."
Click to expand...
LOL!

I'm like... isn't this guy... dead? "Mmmm..... I guess I'll help you..." then BAM, gay come-on with penalties if you don't bend over while going.... "You're gay now? What?"

I was laughing too hard at the fail to get annoyed or upset.


#149

Espy

Espy

Honestly the more I play it the more I like it. It's a really good game despite some flaws.


#150

Jay

Jay

It's a decent game, I won't deny that but it's very linear, streamlined and quite frankly earning its nickname.... Dragon Effect 2.


#151

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Frankie Williamson said:
The PC version doesn't import saves properly anyway.
Click to expand...
Really? Mine seems to have worked... or maybe I'm missing a lot of things or something...
Added at: 16:09
Jay said:
It's a decent game, I won't deny that but it's very linear, streamlined and quite frankly earning its nickname.... Dragon Effect 2.
Click to expand...
I wanna know when I'm going to get my Revenant machine gun for some mad dps... :)


#152

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Mine says I never beat the game, despite me being level 25 and at the very end of Awakening with my rogue who is the king consort.


#153

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

It's possible you selected the right character but not the right save.


#154

Jay

Jay

My save seemed to work perfectly except for Anders.


#155

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

My save worked fine, except it shows my warden as being prince-consort instead of KING!

HE'S KING, DAMMIT! KING!

As for Anders, -10 rep isn't going to keep you from becoming his friend if you want to let him know you're not interested in man loving. But I know I had the same thought process.

"Anders is my best mage, I can't afford to lose him. I need him for this quest... for the world!

... I might have to take one for the team.

By one I mean a penis."


#156

Jay

Jay

The rep hit didn't affect me as much it was really oddly placed.

"Oh, hi Anders"
"How, you doin?" /joey tribbiani
"WTF? Sorry, I don't swing that way?"
"Well fuck you then"
-10 rep

I've been taking my time playing the game.

SPOILERS

Just had the story move forward 3 years, ran to my estate and currently am in front of it wearing a pimp robe. Fuck yeah.

And it took what? 10+ hours to get an epic boss fight? Other than 2 dragons thus far most of the game was easy going. It was pretty fun too despite being stuck with another bow rogue.

My party normally switches up, Aveline is my tank, I'd switch between my sister and Anders for heals and buffs/cc spells, then put someone else in the DPS role such as Varric, Isabela, Merill or Fenris. Though I rarely use Fenris despite a great voice actor, his character's brooding annoys me, especially with all the rep hits conflicts against my first "nice hawke" character.


#157

Frank

Frankie Williamson

SPOILERS

I didn't take my sister with me into the Deep Roads. I regret that decision. She's with the circle now...fucking Cullen. Fuck that guy. I'm nearly at the end of the game I think. I just ran into some Wardens. When the Grey Warden somber theme kicked in from Dragon Age Origin, it actually sent a tingle up my spine. All the people SUPER bitching about this game are missing out. Everything is coming to ahead and it is fantastic.

END SPOILERS

I'm pretty sure Dragon Age 2 has the best voice acting in any game ever, well, tied with the Legacy of Kain cast anyway. Everyone is perfect.


#158

LordRendar

LordRendar

at frankie
she dies if you take her with you. the siblings will join circle (for the sister) or templar (brother) if you leave them,or they will die if you take them with you.


#159

Frank

Frankie Williamson

SUMBITCH! Another 3 year jump! Man, ok, then to all the people complaining about a lack of substance (no one here, I know) must have just blasted through the main story, I'm at like 24 hours played (I think some pause time in there) and I've still got a ways to go now.

UNFAIRLY MALIGNED GAME IS UNFAIRLY MALIGNED.


#160

Math242

Math242

didn't open the spoilers but you beat the game already ?

How long is it?


#161

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Nah, I thought I was near the end. I was very wrong.


#162

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

I was talking with a friend about the game yesterday. He told me of a scene that played out that was linked to his old origins character.

In his Origin play-through, he chose to spare Logainn and make him a Warden. This means Alistair got pissed and left. So yesterday when he was playing DA2, he went into a bar in Kirkwall and, entirely randomly, found Alistair drunk in the corner. He even found he could talk with him and have a little scene.

I found that pretty cool, makes me wonder all the little things that can happen based on what you did in Origins that people may have almost missed.


#163

Frank

Frankie Williamson

I just learned the difference between a mature dragon and a high dragon.

There is a big one.


#164

Dei

Dei

I think I finished my first playthrough in about 20 hours, including most of the side things, but I know I missed a few things due to achievements. I'm really annoyed by the way the climax began, but I'm pretty sure it's because of earlier choices I made. I would need another playthrough with different choices to be sure though. Or to hear how things came to a head for someone else.\

EDIT: ALSO, Kings outrank queens, so if a man marries a reigning ruler, he can't be king, or else he would outrank her, so by definition, any man marrying a reigning queen is always a Prince-Consort, unless she agrees to cede power.


#165

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Ouch, Zevran loooooks teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrible.
Added at: 12:56
Dei said:
I think I finished my first playthrough in about 20 hours, including most of the side things, but I know I missed a few things due to achievements. I'm really annoyed by the way the climax began, but I'm pretty sure it's because of earlier choices I made. I would need another playthrough with different choices to be sure though. Or to hear how things came to a head for someone else.\

EDIT: ALSO, Kings outrank queens, so if a man marries a reigning ruler, he can't be king, or else he would outrank her, so by definition, any man marrying a reigning queen is always a Prince-Consort, unless she agrees to cede power.
Click to expand...
They call you the King Consort in the game. I know the term is Prince Consort, but that's what they call you.


#166

Dei

Dei

I didn't see Zevran because in my first imported save I had to kill him. My next playthrough will be with my elf mage imported though, so I'll be able to see him then I imagine

I imagine they realized their goof and fixed it!

Also, I find it really interesting that Anders was coming on to the male characters, I had to practically grovel to start a romance with him because he was trying to avoid it for fear of hurting me. So was he throwing himself at male characters, or did you just get shitty choices on the convo wheel?


#167

Jay

Jay





#168

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Jay said:


Click to expand...


#169

Jay

Jay



#170

Espy

Espy

Meh. They are taking advantage of social networking to build buzz and make some cash. It kind of blows that all that shit isn't built into the game but getting some perks for pre-ording or having to pay for them if you don't doesn't really bother me.

The dumbed down fighting system bugs me. I miss having to plan each battle out.


#171

Jay

Jay



#172

Jay

Jay



#173

Frank

Frankie Williamson

If Dragon Age 2 has taught me anything, it's never trust anyone, for any reason, at any time, ever.


#174

Math242

Math242

motherfucking rock wraith


#175

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Math242 said:
motherfucking rock wraith
Click to expand...
I stabbed it to death with a hammer.


#176

Jay

Jay



#177

Math242

Math242

poor merill


#178

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Killed the high dragon. Why is it any time I fight something that has a Hawke-stabs-it-to-death cinematic, I always have a maul equipped?


#179

Jay

Jay

Cheaper for production values. But hey... cinematic!


#180

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

I can't decide if Hawke is a fantastic warrior or a terrible one for being able to kill things by stabbing them with a hammer.


#181

Jay

Jay



#182

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Well I broke down and got the game. I didn't invest in DLCs though other then the Emporium, and I did that mostly because I heard it's the only way you can respec if I decided I hated the direction I went. Funny enough I have yet to actually even visit that thing.

I have to say, after getting used to the new combat system I guess I was unfair with it before. Things can go down quickly once you learn how to utilize the "weakening" abilities that allow cross class synergies. Right now my main group is my guy, Richard Hawke, as a sword and board warrior. He goes in and takes the hits all the while I have Varric, Merril, and Bethany in the background. They destroy anything and everything.

I have attempted some groupings with Isabella, Aveline, and Anders. I like Isabella and want to use her more often. Aveline would be in my party all the time if I had an extra slot for her. Anders... I don't know. I never really liked him in Awakening, and now with his... curse... I find him even more whiny. I never touched Fenris, his voice and demeanor bore me to tears. Plus his look, poor elves became some weird pink skinned Navi.

This game did remind me of a few of the things that always bothered me about these types of games. I know I can't really change the formula, as it's part of the character development, but I felt this would be a good thread to mention it.

I find myself growing "attached" to characters. This is good in some ways, but not so good in others because you don't get all the characters in the beginning. The same thing occurred in Mass Effect where I never used the "second stringers". Basically the characters they throw in your lap in the beginning end up becoming my go to characters. I can't get myself to not bring Bethany, because she is my sister and all. Varric was the first extra member I got, so now I find it hard to remove him too (the way he helps me weasel out of bad situations is always a boon too)
Aveline was also always in my party until I got Merril, and she only replaced her because I really liked Merril and had to make a hard choice (Merril barely winning because she was superior for my comp, and is hilarious) Isabella for whatever reason came in rather late to my game, so while I want to have her in my party more, I feel overly attached to the characters I have now to bring her along most of the time. She also has pretty much no friendship with me because of this. Bethany, on the other hand, have full friendship, making a lot of the side quests I am doing a waste on possible friendship or rivalry with others. Yet I can't bring myself to not have her around.

In other words, I kind of wish games would just figure out a way to throw all the characters into the beginning, allowing you to choose and form bonds with favorites before you get to attached to the starter characters.

Now my other issue. The character specializations are nice and all, but I am really worried because some classes don't have options I need. For instance, I heard from a source that you pretty much don't get Bethany in Act 2. She, right now, is my main healer and "buffer" with some fire spells to throw out when she has the mana. If she is gone, the only way I can keep my group working is by taking Anders, who I said before I am not really keen on. I understand making them specialized since they are unique people, but at least leave the base trees open to all the classes. My plan right now is to take Isabella instead of Bethany and just stock up on lots of potions.

In the end, the storyline is rather engaging, though I feel a bit more... confined, then I did in Origins. Other then a few small trips out to the the country (which used pretty much mirrored maps half the time) everything keeps happening in the same areas of Kirkwall. I kind of miss stretching my legs more in places like the forests of the Dalish, the swamps of Flemeth, Lothring, Redcliffe, Orzamar, etc. I know I am just finishing up Act 1 now, so maybe we get around a bit more in later Acts, but for the time being my whole first day was rather confined. Also, having a quick travel to Ander's Clinic but not having an exit anywhere near the place is just cruel, I hate Darktown.


#183

Jay

Jay

Please.... never color your text. Black on black is fail.

As per choice selections, you need to experiment. I routinely change my party's comp, simply because of the game best points (the passive discussions between party members) is always there and they never seem to run out of things to say.

If I had to choose between Bethany and Anders, Anders beats her hands down in that department... despite his personality which at some point of the game.... get VERY interesting. I think the Fenris voice acting is FANTASTIC as well as Varric's. Merill doesn't heal but there's a mod out there that CAN change that.

I'm in Act 2, running around during the mundane quests just so that I can equip my party well enough.

Overall, I find myself losing interest in the game after an hour of gameplay or so, something completely odd compared to say, if I'd open Mass Effect 2 or DA:O where I'll easily get into a 4-5 hour gaming sessions.


#184

Frank

Frankie Williamson

All the choices you've made coming together in act 2 was my favorite part of the game. The end of Act 3 it sort of felt like it didn't matter what I had done.


#185

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Odd with the black text. I had to type out the message in another browser to avoid the work trolls, and somehow when I copied it back over to the forum is automatically took in all the color, font, and size information. Oops. Should hopefully be fixed now.

As good as Anders is (which people have told me he is the best caster in the game) I just have no interest to take him with me in my party, I don't like him as much as other characters. Maybe I am being unfair to him (maybe I will take him to the Deep Roads, being a Grey Warden and all) but I just don't want to lose out on seeing how my favorites react to various side quests, or lose out on "friendship" points.

As for a mod allowing Merril to heal, do you have a link? I might enjoy that since I find myself growing rather fond of her. Though, the "scottish" accent gets a bit weird at times.


#186

Dei

Dei

Your party is going to change after Act 1 regardless.


#187

Jay

Jay

It's in the mod forum in the Bioware forums.

One thing I miss, your players never get taken out and you need to focus on helping them out. For example, the dogs/spiders in DA:O overwhelming characters, CC etc.... the worst I've gotten is "interrupted" and you can perform the same action seconds later.


#188

Dei

Dei

Oh god I do not miss Overwhelm. But at the same time, Overwhelm was not nearly as terrible as Curse of Mortality, the most annoying PoS spell ever made for NPC use.


#189

Jay

Jay

Overwhelm worked both ways. I guess I'm just I just miss the strategy and hating the "waves" of enemies insta-spawning on top on my characters.

Oh, I finished act 2 last night. Here's a printscreen of my epic assassination combo i've been doing. Can't wait to kick some ass in the 3rd act. The arishok was.... an interesting challenge... for an archer rogue.

Screenshot20110315015842437.JPG


#190

Dei

Dei

Honestly of all the things I compare between the two games, I think that the character banter in DA II is so much better than DA:O. Maybe I'm just paying more attention to it now though, or don't remember the DA:O banter as well, though I remember some gems, like Oghren trying to convince my dog to pull him on a chariot, and Morrigan informing Oghren that all she had to do to hurt him was kick him in the crotch.







#191

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Well, beat it.

Sided with the mages. After that battle with Orsino, I can't help but think that Meredith was right about that whole circle being blood mages.

Final battle was pretty fun. Wasn't expecting the lyrium idol to come back. Figured its influence was only going to be a part of Varric's personal arc, so that was a pleasant surprise.

Really want to see if there's a way to end it by siding with the Grand Cleric because she was the only really powerful person in Kirkwall that I liked.

Played as a 2-handed warrior. Got more fun as I got more abilities. The class is capable of really high burst damage and can take on groups of smaller enemies by itself, but it doesn't do too well during long combat, especially long combat versus a single enemy. Also is defeated by well-spaced out enemies, as it loses out on its main advantage of hitting multiple enemies at once.

If you'd want to play something that can perform consistently, this isn't the class and weapon style for you. If you want to be able to open combat by dropping 5+ enemies at once, go for it.


#192

Dei

Dei

About the end:

I went forum diving about that very thing, but apparently the chantry gets blown no matter what you do.


#193

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Well, that is disappointing. Anders always blows it up, regardless of if you help, or somebody else decides they hate the chantry?

Also, 2H warrior is probably the best class to play while intoxicated, since it's a very simple class to play and bad decisions don't hurt as much as they would with other classes.


#194

Dei

Dei

Anders does it with or without your help


#195

Jay

Jay



#196

Espy

Espy

I'm still enjoying playing a Mage but wow are they underpowered compared to DA:O. It also is taking forever to get spells. I fell like you were able to usually get 2 or 3 per level in DA:eek: but I could be wrong.


#197

Dei

Dei

Nah you could only get 1 per level in DA:O.

Honestly I like skill acquisition being a little slower, I had so many hotkeys by the end of DA:O, that if I didn't play for a little while, I had no fucking clue what anything was anymore.


#198

Espy

Espy

Dei said:
Nah you could only get 1 per level in DA:O.

Honestly I like skill acquisition being a little slower, I had so many hotkeys by the end of DA:O, that if I didn't play for a little while, I had no fucking clue what anything was anymore.
Click to expand...
Hmm... I wonder why it felt so different? Maybe because my attack spells are weaker...


#199

Jay

Jay

I felt it as well.

I mostly treat my Mages as CC and healbots. :)


#200

Dei

Dei

Mages are great for cleaning up the shits with almost no HP, so that I don't have to deal with them ever.


#201

Jay

Jay

My rogue archer gets to them far quicker. Mages assist the tanks. /whip


#202

Dei

Dei

One Firestorm usually clears everything, in a fairly big radius!


#203

Espy

Espy

Dei said:
One Firestorm usually clears everything, in a fairly big radius!
Click to expand...
This spell is FINALLY beginning to get powerful for me.


#204

Jay

Jay

Oh, FF is off I assume? :)


#205

Dei

Dei

If I'm going to play with FF on, it'll be when I have a mage of my own, so that I don't have to worry about AI mages destroying me. I can micro manage non-PC mages fine, but I don't really see the point.;)


#206

Jay

Jay

Meh, it's what I call easy mode. I guess it's fine for a first playthrough. Though I doubt I'll play this game more than twice, I'm in Act 3 and Kirkwall is getting REAL OLD right now.

To me, there's an art to successfully place your characters in the field and getting them to work with synergy. FF off is basically gimping any aspect of difficulty in the game as you don't punish yourself for bad strategy. Damn, even with my rogue archer's AOE abilities can open up a can of kickass if he can volley all day surrounded by our enemies. I sometimes do it when the shit hits the fan but I tend to only hit Aveline.

Mind you the game isn't huge on tactics with waves of enemies dropping from LITERALLY NOWHERE or spawning under your feet wave after wave. In a way, this game punishes you if you're anything more than a casual gamer.


#207

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Jay said:
Mind you the game isn't huge on tactics with waves of enemies dropping from LITERALLY NOWHERE or spawning under your feet wave after wave. In a way, this game punishes you if you're anything more than a casual gamer.
Click to expand...
This is starting to drive me nuts. Large battles where hordes of enemies just keep spawning at the ends of the battle map is getting real old real fast.

BTW, the Bioware guy giving a super glowing review on Metacritic is pretty hilarious.


#208

Dei

Dei

Honestly, I had my fill of not being able to AI anyone in DA:O. If nothing else, the AI feels a little smarter in this game, even if they do randomly run off to fuck knows where as ranged. My mage playthrough will be on harder difficulty settings with FF off though.


#209

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I had some pretty good AI behaviours set up in Dragon Age Origins... but I don't even have to bother with them in Dragon Age 2.... just "Cleave, Scythe, Whirlwind, Pommel Strike, Repeat!"


#210

Jay

Jay

Ranged if for the fragile types who can't take a hit. I stopped using that long ago. Defaut for ranged. Cautious for healers and Aggressive for Tanks. Defaut for melee with assist emphasis.


#211

Espy

Espy

Biggest complaint so far (I'm in Act 2) is the limited scope vs the original. I'm about ready to raze Kirkwall here it's getting so repetitive.


#212

Jay

Jay

Get ready to do it all over again in Act 3.


#213

Espy

Espy

GAH


#214

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Jay, they had better not screw up Mass Effect 3 or heads will roll...


#215

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Azurephoenix said:
Jay, they had better not screw up Mass Effect 3 or heads will roll...
Click to expand...
Shep wouldn't let that happen... Right?


#216

Jay

Jay

You know, I was apprehensive when EA bought Bioware, since EA tends to not give a DAMN about quality but instead make a lot of profits. Then again, all companies do that however EA does it with a stank that resounds strongly. Bioware and Blizzard always made good money and always cared for the product. "aka it will be ready when it is ready"

Sure people can feel differently about KOTOR 2 and NWN but in essence they were pretty decent games with LOADS of replay value. DA2 had a very SHORT production cycle and it's very clear. I'm 3/4 through the game and I'm revisiting the same fucken areas, OVER AND OVER, DAY AND NIGHT. I swear to god, if I get that "alley" again where 4 fountains of birds or some shit is there again I will literally drive to Edmonton, find the Lead Designer and shove my cock promptly in his mouth because after all, he just told me in this game : "Suck it".

DA2 is a clear step down and despite what Bioware dev/employees/fan boys are posting to defend themselves it's abundantly clear that there's a clear portion of gamers who truly feel let down by what they did to the game and the state of the game reveals a lot on how they approached the game (watch page 5 I think for vids) as well as the way they handled certain parts of their marketing. Steam fiasco. DLC not included on Day 1. Etc...

I respect those who like the game. I really do. You paid for it? Great. I didn't. And before you do judge me, let me tell you I have DA:O as well as every DLC for it as well as the entire Mass Effect Series and their respective DLCs. I have NWN, KOTOR1, KOTOR 2, Jade Empire and the entire Baldur's Gate series. I got them ALL but this game last month during the Steam fiasco it made me go... "This reeks. Are they.... really?" and I felt great dread and knew full well what is happening.

Is it a terrible game? No. Is it anywhere near DA:O? No. Heck, it's a bad Mass Effect game.

But to answer your question. Am I worried about ME3? No, not really. An entirely different team is working on that game. Will they learn from this and make DAMN SURE that game gets done well? Fuck yes. There's a LOT of proud people at Bioware. While they won't admit it, there's a clear reason why the DA:O lead designer left early in production on the sequel. They know this isn't "Bioware" quality.

If anything, if all goes well... Mass Effect 3 will be an even BETTER game because of Dragon Age 2.


#217

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

You've gotten a lot of play out of this game, despite your complaints. Something must be keeping your attention.

So, when are you going to pay for it?


#218

Jay

Jay

Prolly never. Though you have reason to worry, I'll pay for ME3... unless....

As far as to why I'm playing? For small things that make me continue playing

Leiliana showing up. Zevran showing up. Characters talking to eachother. Isabela and Aveline getting on eachother's nerves. The High Dragon combat last night.

Oh and new DPS high score.


Attachments



#219

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Yeah, I can't imagine giving this another playthrough right now. I was going to with the Prince and as a mage but I feel like I've already played through it 3 times.


#220

Espy

Espy

I agree with you Frankie. I don't think it will have the re-playability the first one did.

I will say this though, it's a good game. The more I play the more I like it, BUT it feels rushed, like they had to get it out the door so fast they had some serious limitations thrown at them, things that make little sense. Like why is EVERY map the same for everything? House has "House map", Cave has "Cave map", etc.
Makes me wonder if EA was forcing them to go so fast they had to really keep their sights limited. I hope they take the things that made this better than DA:O and take the much better and more epic scope of DA:O when they make DA:3.
That being said the game is still totally worth paying for and I don't regret giving them my money for it.


#221

Frank

Frankie Williamson

I'm glad I didn't buy the DLC, that day one nonsense is exactly that.


#222

Espy

Espy

I just pre-ordered from Amazon and got it all for free. I mean, I would have bought it on Day 1 anyway. I will say this though, while nice, the DLC stuff isn't amazing. There is a reason it isn't included. It really doesn't add anything to the game. It's truly "perk" type stuff IMO.


#223

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

As I am now in Act 2, the same zones are starting to get on my nerves also.

Merrill I both love and hate, because I am trying to be her friend but all the good choices I do seem to piss her off most of the time. Just taking her into the Fade, which she WANTED to do, gave me +10 rivalry. I stopped even using her when it came to destroying the book in Forbidden Knowledge, because every time I destroy the books I get rivalry.

It's silly really, because the biggest reason I want to romance her is because she came to me in a really kinky dream last night, so I have been working harder to get her in the sack in the game too.


#224

Espy

Espy

I banged Isabella but that chick seems like she just wants to love em and leave em so if I want some stability in my romance life it looks like I'm gonna have to go after Merrill or if I'm really desperate that back alley whore Anders. I won't be that desperate though.


#225

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

ScytheRexx said:
Just taking her into the Fade, which she WANTED to do, gave me +10 rivalry.
Click to expand...
You probably insulted demons or blood magic when agreeing to take her to the fade.

ScytheRexx said:
I stopped even using her when it came to destroying the book in Forbidden Knowledge, because every time I destroy the books I get rivalry.
Click to expand...
Of course the blood mage will hate it if you destroy things relating to blood magic.

Also, they don't have to be your friend to be your romance partner. They'll just say different things if they're your friend or your rival when being romanced.


#226

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Allen who is Quiet said:
You probably insulted demons or blood magic when agreeing to take her to the fade.
Click to expand...
I don't remember saying anything negative about blood magic while getting ready to go into the Fade. What is also strange is when I had to reload up the autosave in order to redo one of the barrel puzzles, it updated the codex but didn't give me the rivalry like it did when I went straight in.

Sadly the whole experiance was still rather bad. I ended up getting rivalry when I turned down the sloth demon, and a +20 rivalry when she turned on me with the pride demon. Thankfully I got back +15 friendship when she apologized to me afterwards, so I decided rather then do the whole thing again to just eat the rivalry and try with other quests to get her up.

Of course the blood mage will hate it if you destroy things relating to blood magic.
Click to expand...
Yes, but I always found Merrill to be one of the more innocent characters, so it always throws me off when I do good things and she gets all mad. I now just don't take her when I know a blood mage is involved. I hope before the end of Act 2 I can get her up to 100% though, because then she locks down as my friend and it won't matter. I already got Varric to that rank, we are total bros4life.

Also, they don't have to be your friend to be your romance partner. They'll just say different things if they're your friend or your rival when being romanced.
Click to expand...
I know that, but I am one of those guys that needs to make everyone my buddy, not my rival. It would have been really easy to get Merrill into the romance as a rival (I could have done it after destroying those five books) but I don't want to be her rival, I want to be her friend.

As for Mass Effect 3, I have one fear. They are focusing a lot of the game taking place on Earth. I worry that the game will take place almost entirely on Earth once we get to it, with similar themes and locations overlapping over and over. If we don't get to visit other planets I am going to be really peeved.


#227

Dei

Dei



#228

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Just finished Act 2. Was finally able to get Merrill to max friendship and get her into bed. I thought Isabella was going to be angry but she actually was rather happy about it. My goal of maxing everyone's friendship is coming along well, with Aveline, Merril, and Varric already maxed, and Isabella and Anders only one quest away or so. Fenris of course is a long way off, not sure if I will even attempt to get him to max though.

The loss of Bethany made me switch up my group a bit. The only "normals" I take with me now are Merrill and Varric, both of which I push to better support my characters own abilities. Otherwise I switch out between Anders, Aveline, or Isabella, depending on which one I think would be the most "logical" to go with me. Like any quests that involved city politics or conspiracies, I brought Aveline because she almost always interjected with unique dialog options. I took Isabella on the more unsavory quests. And I take Anders when the quest involves a mage or something I think a Grey Warden would be involved with, even though he comments how much he hates it. I still never take Fenris, I have no idea why I don't like the guy.

One thing that involves a bit of spoilers.

When the Qunari attacked after Isabella ran away with the relic, I fought my way to the Arishok expecting to probably not see Isabella again (friends told me she left for good in their game). I think because my friendship was high with her, she returned during the confrontation to give the book back to the Qunari. He was going to take her also, but we instead dueled for her life

I found my damage absorbing spec to be... not so adequate for that type of fight, since I was alone with Hawke.

So I used the item you get from the Black Emporium for the first time and decided to try something a little different. Rather then concentrating on a defensive based sword and shield fighter, I thought it would be interesting to try an offensive one. I removed all my points from the more defensive trees and put them into offensive ones. I admit, it really helps a lot and I was able to get through the fight no problem the second time using Bravery and Might, the occasional Second Wind, and abilities like Cleave. So far continuing to use it in Act 3 and am glad I did, I find it much more effective while still being hard to kill.


#229

Dei

Dei

Isabella:
I don't know if it's a friendship thing or a book thing, when I said we had to hand the book over she was gone for good, when I said she could keep it she came back.


#230

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Soooo... I brought Bethany into the Deep roads without having Anders along and now she's dead for good? I have to go back and replay the whole bleeding thing if I want her alive?

Thanks for the heads up Bioware!


#231

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

Azurephoenix said:
Thanks for the heads up Bioware!
Click to expand...
"If Hawke knew what would happen down there, s/he wouldn't have brought his/her sister along."


#232

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Azurephoenix said:
Thanks for the heads up Bioware!
Click to expand...
Just wait till Act 3 with Anders... yikes.

Just beat the game, the ending felt a little meh. It does not really have the big ceremony ending like Origins, which I loved. It also was bugged and said Isabella stayed by my side after it was all done, even though I romanced Merrill, that was a bit odd.

I think it also messed up a bit with the old save, because a few referenced never matched up with what I did. Like I made Anora the Queen of Fereldun, but at one point while speaking with Aveline she says the "King" offered her a lot of money if she returned.


#233

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Allen who is Quiet said:
"If Hawke knew what would happen down there, s/he wouldn't have brought his/her sister along."
Click to expand...
That's great and all... but that cinematic happens after you already choose your party so she still dies if you picked the wrong combination.

It just feels like you're being shoehorned into who you have to take with you.

ScytheRexx said:
Just wait till Act 3 with Anders... yikes.
Click to expand...
Oh joy... lol


#234

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

Azurephoenix said:
That's great and all... but that cinematic happens after you already choose your party so she still dies if you picked the wrong combination.

It just feels like you're being shoehorned into who you have to take with you.



Oh joy... lol
Click to expand...
I really don't understand this complaint in a story-driven rpg. Stuff like this happens.


#235

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Ravenpoe said:
I really don't understand this complaint in a story-driven rpg. Stuff like this happens.
Click to expand...
Sometime we grow attachments to characters, and other times our personalities just don't like to have "casualties" in our adventures. A good example was in Mass Effect 2, I made sure to gather everyone, do all the loyalty quests, get all the upgrades, everything I could, just because I wanted it so that during the final mission no one would perish. I would have restarted the whole thing if one person died, because I just can't stand losing someone. A good commander will not lose his people if he can help it.

At the end of the game I couldn't bring myself to kill Anders, but I did kick him out of the party for betraying my characters trust. I then kicked him out of the Gallows when he later appeared there wanting to take part in the final battle, which in hindsight was almost a mistake, that last fight was a pain, but I got through it.

Surprisingly, even though I never really did anything with Fenris, he still joined my side before the final fight. I had a feeling he was going to turn on me but I guess my charming personality won him over.

All in all, I give the game credit for having decent characters (though not as good as Origins) but it felt way to restricted, way to cut-and-paste, and for the most part kind of short.


#236

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

But tragedy is a valid part of any story.


#237

Espy

Espy

Ravenpoe said:
But tragedy is a valid part of any story.
Click to expand...
This.


#238

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Ravenpoe said:
But tragedy is a valid part of any story.
Click to expand...
When you are reading it, yes, but not always when you are experiencing and controlling it. If I have no vested interest in the character other then just being the floating eye, then I enjoy the drama of tragedy. When I am the one whose choices shape the life and death of others in the story, I am not so interested in the tragedy, only preventing it.

I should clarify that, like you say, tragedy is a valid part of any story, but when I am the adventurer, I would rather do everything in my power to avoid that tragedy. When games make you create tragedy by your choices even when you do everything you can to prevent it, I find myself getting a little more angry then I should (I am looking at you, Fallout 3).


#239

bhamv3

bhamv3

Tenpenny Tower, huh?


#240

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

bhamv3 said:
Tenpenny Tower, huh?
Click to expand...
Don't... don't remind me.


#241

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

ScytheRexx said:
Don't... don't remind me.
Click to expand...
I kind of agree, it's a little bit of cheating on the game's part, but then, it's also interesting to have consequences you didn't expect.
Like maybe that ghoul really was a total asshole. Though I cheated right back--I chose not to help them because I didn't want Dashwood to die.


#242

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I agree that tragedy and drama have their places in games like this... like the choice you had to make in Mass Effect... but that choice was far different than how Bethany was handled in Dragon Age 2.

My annoyance with how Bethany was handled stems from the fact that if you don't take Anders in the deep roads with her... she dies. You can leave her at home and then a whole different set of events unfolds but I really liked her so I wanted to bring her along and was forced to play the whole level, and then reload an earlier save to bring Anders. Annoying. Not game breaking... just... annoying. It certainly doesn't evoke the sense of loss or choice that it's supposed to. There's also no hints that you should bring Anders along to prevent tragedy (other than he's a Grey Warden with a spirit living inside him). I just don't feel it was handled well.


#243

Espy

Espy

I like having my choices have consequences. Besides thats what save files or for. :p


#244

Dei

Dei

I don't really see the complaints. Why are you supposed to know the consequences of your actions before they happen? I think it adds a dose of realism.


#245

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

In regards to the complaint that there was no forewarning that you should probably take Anders into the Deep Roads:

*Wesley lays dieing, infected with the blight*
Wesley: Darkspawn blood... it's poisonous, I'm dieeeeing!
Hawke: Is there no cure?
Avaline: The only cure I know of is to become a Grey Warden, and they're all dead.
Flemeth: Not all, but none here.


#246

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Whatever, I'm obviously failing at getting my point across in words...

Espy said:
Besides thats what save files or for. :p
Click to expand...
Good thing I save so often it's borderline obsessive compulsive.


#247

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

I get that you didn't like it, which is fine. I'm just pointing out that there was foretelling.


#248

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Azurephoenix said:
Good thing I save so often it's borderline obsessive compulsive.
Click to expand...
I hit 1000 saves by the time I hit the end of the game. ;)


#249

Dei

Dei

F5 is my friend.


#250

Espy

Espy

Ravenpoe said:
I get that you didn't like it, which is fine. I'm just pointing out that there was foretelling.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I get what you are saying too, it really does suck to lose a character you like and/or find very useful. I even get how it could feel "cheap" for Bioware to let that be a possibility (especially with magic spells like "revive" hanging around right?), but I just personally like the way there are some real stakes in games like this.

Clearly with save files they aren't that big of a deal but when I got to the point you discussed (although I was using the brother) I was kind of surprised too, but in a "hey, they aren't messing around here" way. Which I think is good.


#251



rvdleun

I finished the game last week, and in my opinion, this is Bioware's worst outing so far. The early marketing gave me some bad vibes, along with the short time they had to develop this, but the demo managed to gave me a feeling that it was going to be more like Origins than I expected. At least, combat-wise, early marketing-speak made it look as if they got rid of the 'boring' combat and made it a button masher. And I really hoped that I was going to like it as another good Bioware RPG.

And in a sense, I will admit that it did, for a big part. There was some nice interactions, I liked that a part of the plot was focused on the main character and his family trying to survive and build a new existence in a new environment after the old one was destroyed in Origins. But the plot felt disconnected, there was no real big arc tying it all together, just going through the motions. Almost like an episodic series. Sure, this is actually a staple in Bioware games. You go to different planets with different problems in KotOR, but you were after the Starmaps to find the Sith's secret weapon. There were the different armies/companions in Dragon Age: Origins/Mass Effect 2. And in the one game where they didn't have MacGuffins(Jade Empire), there was the central plotline of the Water Dragon. DA2 just felt like a loose string of random stories. And then it just ends...

I suppose that would be my biggest problem with the game. That, and the fact that it just went insane near the end. Chantry/11 was actually a good thing to start things off with, and the whole setup of being trapped with the mages while an army Templars are trying to break in to get you and your party... the atmosphere was fantastic and it felt great when I managed to kill everyone. And then suddenly the First Enchanter decided that he can't take it anymore and becomes a villain. Could somewhat live with that, except that after that fight, I just had a sense of 'Well... the one thing I stood for is gone... what now?'. Then the Knight-Commander supposedly had gone insane because of the idol. Saw that coming when Varric's brother had talked about selling the idol to a 'her'.

... then the statues came alive. That's where I basically gave up on the plot.

Again, I found myself enjoying a huge part of the game, but it really fell apart around Act 3. I will give Bioware credit for the companions tho', this is the first Bioware game where there was no necessary companion that I generally just ignored. I liked the idea of a game taking place in a single location, and your party members having lives of their own there. Halfway through, Isabelle had left the party, because I wouldn't let her keep the Qunari artifact. Fenris stood against me, and I was very glad that Aveline decided to stick by my side, despite joining the mages. If I have to give Dragon Age 2 credit for one thing, it would be the companions.

Ah well... bring on the Arrival. Then Mass Effect 3. Looking forward to see how they'll end that trilogy.


#252

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

The companions were really good storywise, but I felt they really failed on the class spread. In order to beat some of the more difficult fights you NEED a healer. At the beginning of the game the the only healers you have are Bethany, Anders, or the player if you decide to play a Mage and take the Spirit Healer specialization. You lose Bethany for a large chunk of the game (or forever) after only the first act, leaving my warrior with only Anders. This made it so I pretty much had to not use the characters I wanted unless I was just doing random fights, and since I never always knew when a boss was going to appear I often found myself reloading just to get Anders. I hated that. They could have at least gave Merrill some healing spells, maybe even some Blood Magic style healing abilities that don't just heal her.

I know there was a mod to change some of this by opening up the specializations, but sadly I would have had to start a new game to have it work, so I skipped it.


#253

Jay

Jay

Nice review.

Haven't played since Thursday. AC: B did quite the number on me this weekend.


#254

Frank

Frankie Williamson

People call this Bioware's worst outing but have they played MDK2 or Sonic Chronicles or hell, even vanilla Neverwinter Nights?


#255

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

vanilla Neverwinter Nights
Click to expand...
Oh no you didn't...

The first Neverwinter Nights was the game that made me go back and play Baldur's Gate and such. It was what started the love affair I have with Bioware that was later cemented with games like KOTOR.

Huzzah!


#256

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

We don't talk about sonic chronicles. We've all agreed to pretend that never happened.


#257

Frank

Frankie Williamson

ScytheRexx said:
Oh no you didn't...

The first Neverwinter Nights was the game that made me go back and play Baldur's Gate and such. It was what started the love affair I have with Bioware that was later cemented with games like KOTOR.

Huzzah!
Click to expand...
But the game itself was sooooooooooooo boring. Don't get me wrong, people did some amazing things with the toolset, but the vanilla out of the box NWN was dreadful.


#258

Jay

Jay

NWN as a single player experience was pretty average.

As an online experience? FANTASTIC.

Especially on RP persistent worlds where DM created the fucken world and people roleplayed characters. Servers with permadeaths.

NWN was a solid game but obviously an entire different beast from their other RPG games.


As far as Sonic goes? Who cares. It was an experiment that doesn't work very well for them in a market that quite frankly bears no meaning to my interest in any shape or form.


#259

@Li3n

@Li3n

Interesting: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/dragon-age-2/1159867p1.html

Is DA2 doing that badly on the PC or what?!


#260

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

Wow... that's... unexpected...


#261

Espy

Espy

@Li3n said:
Interesting: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/dragon-age-2/1159867p1.html

Is DA2 doing that badly on the PC or what?!
Click to expand...
What article are you reading exactly? Because I can't figure out how you got from:
"Dragon Age II has eclipsed the 1 million sales marker, BioWare announced today, and as a thank you to fans, the studio is giving away a free digital copy of the PC version of Mass Effect 2."

To this:

"Is DA2 doing that badly on the PC or what?!":confused:


#262

Azurephoenix

Azurephoenix

I would wager that a very high percentage of PC Dragon Age 2 Players already own Mass Effect 2.


#263

@Li3n

@Li3n

Espy said:
What article are you reading exactly? Because I can't figure out how you got from:
"Dragon Age II has eclipsed the 1 million sales marker, BioWare announced today, and as a thank you to fans, the studio is giving away a free digital copy of the PC version of Mass Effect 2."

To this:

"Is DA2 doing that badly on the PC or what?!":confused:
Click to expand...
Because that's obviously a marketing strategy to increase sales, and it's on the PC... and ME2 is a 2010 GotY game...


#264

Espy

Espy

Um... you do realize they are giving away a PC copy of ME2 to anyone who bought DA2 on ANY system right?

So I bought it for my PS3 but I get a free pc copy of ME2 if I want it.


#265

@Li3n

@Li3n

Yeah, i just noticed that... i guess it's just a way to get DA fans interested in ME before ME3 (while increasing DA2 sales too)...

(and i forgot to point out that we don't know how many of those 1 mil was on PC, but that's pointless now i guess)


#266

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Skipping spoilers since I haven't even gone on the expedition yet, but question:

Everyone fucking hates Lathorne Hawke. Has this happened to anyone else? I cannot do a goddamn thing to please these people. Whatever party combination or wildly varying change of heart, I seem to piss somebody off if I go with my gut for the decision at hand. At this rate, I'm unlikely to get any romances for Hawke, and have my whole team hating me. It's ridiculous. +5 rivalry, +5 rivalry, +15 rivalry. It's kind of funny watching--I'm trying to keep myself from reloading a bunch to change things up and get some friendship points for a change.

And go to hell, Anders; that was way too fast. I'm not a whore.

So far, liking the combat, liking how ends of quests will lead to different other quests. At first I was being sympathetic to mages, but as this has gone on and Abominations keep popping out of the woodwork (I remember them being a rare and dangerous thing in Origins, but Kirkwall's crawling with the fuckers) I'm siding with the templars more and more in all aspects except revealing Bethany as an apostate. I suppose Fenris will start liking me more then, except he too wants Hawke's cock.

Relationship fail, me.


#267

Jay

Jay

Still in QAct 1? Oooh

Call me when in Act 3 or 4 or 5 or 6


#268

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

I play slow because I read slow.

Or something.


#269

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

escushion said:
At this rate, I'm unlikely to get any romances for Hawke, and have my whole team hating me. It's ridiculous. +5 rivalry, +5 rivalry, +15 rivalry. It's kind of funny watching--I'm trying to keep myself from reloading a bunch to change things up and get some friendship points for a change.
Click to expand...
Having high friendship OR rivalry opens up romance options, you don't have to be their friend to get in their pants.


#270

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

ScytheRexx said:
Having high friendship OR rivalry opens up romance options, you don't have to be their friend to get in their pants.
Click to expand...
That's weird... but it makes sense. Thanks.


#271

Jay

Jay

"aka" the hate fuck


#272

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Man, gotta hand it to those darkspawn. They've kept this section of the Deep Roads mighty clean. I remember in Origins, every hall and room was full of filth piles and depris. Some entire chambers were floored with dirt, and later there'd be fungus or body parts all over the walls. Here? The darkspawn have been the most courteous of guests, picking up after themselves and avoiding being too much of a nuisance. It looks like you could go right back to living in it if you cleared out the darkspawn, and added some furniture because there's a room with an ogre in it and nothing else. He's just there, in the corner, waiting. Poor guy.


#273

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Quotemander Prime said:
That's weird... but it makes sense. Thanks.
Click to expand...
They don't really have it so people "hate" you. Friendship is supposed to be getting them loyal through, well... friendship. Rivalry is supposed to be you getting them loyal through respect. One you are the buddy, the other you are the hard ass leader they look up to.

Quotemander Prime said:
Man, gotta hand it to those darkspawn. They've kept this section of the Deep Roads mighty clean. I remember in Origins, every hall and room was full of filth piles and depris. Some entire chambers were floored with dirt, and later there'd be fungus or body parts all over the walls. Here? The darkspawn have been the most courteous of guests, picking up after themselves and avoiding being too much of a nuisance. It looks like you could go right back to living in it if you cleared out the darkspawn, and added some furniture because there's a room with an ogre in it and nothing else. He's just there, in the corner, waiting. Poor guy.
Click to expand...
It must have happened around the time Rita Repulsa took them over and dressed them all in those stock outfits and made them act like power ranger fodder. When the Ogre showed up in the beginning of the game I was expecting a staff to come down and make him grow.


#274

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Yeah, I really hate the re-design. They used to look reptilian and evil; now they look pathetic. I've noted similarities to Skeletor.


#275

Frank

Frankie Williamson

They didn't looks too terrible, other than the matching armor which was shitty and the wiggly putty animations. They looked like they were described in the (admittedly terrible) books rather than looking exactly like LOTR orcs.


#276

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Demands of the Qun
I'm gonna guess that the "choices" here are just me deciding different ways of dealing with the Qunari and there's no real way to actually pick sides like you would in the different conflicts in Origins, huh? I noted a distinct lack of variance in responses to him when discussing the poison gas.


#277

LordRendar

LordRendar

Fucking Quanari hipsters. "The Qun ist great,the Qun is life" - "So tell me about the Qun." - "No,it's too deep.You wouldn't understand it."


#278

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Yeah...

I may sound like I'm bitching; I'm actually enjoying the game so far and I'm eager to find out what's going on in certain things. Hawke's love life hasn't been so bad. I had almost situations with Anders and Fenris and turned them down. Isabela jumped Hawke's bones pretty much the moment he had a mansion though; sheesh.

I'm pretty much going full "agree with templars" now. Partly because
Bethany's dead and if she had been in the Circle she'd have been alive... or if I hadn't taken her along. Geez...
and also because Kirkwall's mages make the ones in Fereldan look like happy fairies. I'm sure it's a reaction to the oppression, but there's only so much I can have Hawke champion the poor wielders of magical catastrophe. I'll join their side if I replay as a mage someday.


#279

Jay

Jay

RainMan2.jpg


Opened the game for the first time tonight since who knows when I saw something like this.


#280

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

and also because Kirkwall's mages make the ones in Fereldan look like happy fairies. I'm sure it's a reaction to the oppression, but there's only so much I can have Hawke champion the poor wielders of magical catastrophe. I'll join their side if I replay as a mage someday.
Click to expand...
That is another thing I kind of disliked about the game. No matter which side you choose they both end up being bad.


#281

Espy

Espy

ScytheRexx said:
That is another thing I kind of disliked about the game. No matter which side you choose they both end up being bad.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that was something that bothered me as well. It all felt like your choices really made little difference.


#282

Allen who is Quiet

Allen who is Quiet

DA2 railroads you so hard.


#283

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Espy said:
Yeah, that was something that bothered me as well. It all felt like your choices really made little difference.
Click to expand...
They didn't.

If you side with the templars you become the viscount of Kirkwall in the end. The only difference in the ending is a mention that you are viscount. Otherwise it just goes on to mention you disappeared a short time later. Real bullshitty.


#284

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Allen who is Quiet said:
DA2 railroads you so hard.
Click to expand...
Yes, but not in a good way. I actually wouldn't have minded if the story kind of railroaded as long as it took me somewhere and didn't try to act like a Sandbox. It was attempting hard to act like a Sandbox when really no matter what you did the story always was going to end the same with only tiny variances, mostly coming from the companions rather then the story itself. I still am angry that whether you side with Templars or Mages barely changes a damn thing.

Side with the Mages? The First Enchanter sees all his students dead and goes insane, using Blood Magic to turn into an evil blood demon thing. You have to kill him, before fleeing outside. You are then surrounded by the Templars who want to arrest you, and we learn that the lead Templar was actually using some old dwarven artifact and went insane, forcing you to fight and kill her.

Side with the Templars? You kill all the Mages leading to the First Enchanter going insane, using Blood Magic to turn into an evil blood demon thing. You have to kill him, before heading outside. You then meet with the Templars, and we learn that the lead Templar was using some old dwarven artifact and went insane, forcing you to fight and kill her. It's all the same with some dialogue, location, and swapped enemies tweaks.


#285

Jay

Jay

Dragon Age 2 was a pure money grab and your choices simply DID NOT MATTER. (beyond saving your sibling to be honest)

Heck, if you imported from the first game where some elements would actually be imported (aka who gets to be king, references to your old avatar, some side characters appear blah blah) some companions who were DEAD would suddenly come back in the DA2 that had me at one point go... "WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL, I KILLED YOU!"

Decisions, outcomes were all the same, at one point I stopped giving a shit about the story. Simply because there really wasn't one and they game was actually based on your decisions which would ultimately matter and things would unfold according to them, I like that sort of concept and as a DM I base a lot of "optional content" to encourage such things.

I don't mind linear games, I really don't... I've played a bagful of them in my life but don't pretend to be something you're not and streamline me regardless to what I do. "I don't want to do th-" "Too bad, this happened, now go to the same warehouse again and deal with it."

The entire game felt like a grind.

And you know it's starting to look REAL BAD for Mass Effect 3. DLC Arrival did the exact thing that DA 2 notoriously did... Paragon/Renegade/Neutral... it didn't matter. You tried but regardless what you did you failed. There's no consequence to ME3. DLC Arrival was a HUGE disappointment and for me finally cracked the seal that Bioware worked hard to earn since their entry in the industry. Ever since they got bought over by EA you can clearly note a drop of what made them special. I miss the Bioware of old where games like Baldur's Gate were being delivered. I'm sometimes look at my collectable editions on my desk with a tear in my eyes.

Played 20 minutes of Dragon Age 2 last night... and I couldn't take the ridiculous combat. While in some ways more appealing than the first but seriously wrong in other ways.

And ooooh... my arrows did a lot of this.








#286

Jay

Jay

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#287

Frank

Frankie Williamson

I was with those pictures until the great combat magic animations. DA2 had some pretty rad looking magic. That you can't really shit on.


#288

Jay

Jay

One last one before I take off on vaca tomorrow. :)

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#289

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

That comic is perfect. The same goes for companions.

Beth is the only one they actually "capture", Anders acts like he is constant hiding, and Merril does not seem to give a shit. I would often take Anders and Merril for a walk and start blowing up people, sometimes near the Templars, and they don't even seem to bat an eye. I loved it whenever I would do a quest that involved me fighting alongside a Templar, my companions shooting magic all over the place, and when the fight is over they act like they didn't see anything, going on a rant about the evil of mages.


#290

Espy

Espy

Yeah... the further I get from DA2 the more I appreciate DA1.

If it was a new game with nothing to do with DA1 I would score it much higher as a game, but it fails to live up to the pedigree.


#291

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

ScytheRexx said:
That comic is perfect. The same goes for companions.

Beth is the only one they actually "capture", Anders acts like he is constant hiding, and Merril does not seem to give a shit. I would often take Anders and Merril for a walk and start blowing up people, sometimes near the Templars, and they don't even seem to bat an eye. I loved it whenever I would do a quest that involved me fighting alongside a Templar, my companions shooting magic all over the place, and when the fight is over they act like they didn't see anything, going on a rant about the evil of mages.
Click to expand...
That's not so odd; the Templars never noticed Morrigan being a mage even as she was fucking with them and I chose for the mages to be cleansed in Origins.

As Act 2 continues the game is starting to diminish in my eyes. They love to pretend you can have a relationship with Aveline, but you really can't. Stupid.


#292

Espy

Espy

Quotemander Prime said:
That's not so odd; the Templars never noticed Morrigan being a mage even as she was fucking with them and I chose for the mages to be cleansed in Origins.

As Act 2 continues the game is starting to diminish in my eyes. They love to pretend you can have a relationship with Aveline, but you really can't. Stupid.
Click to expand...
Ah, can't get it on with ol' manly jaw huh? Rough life :p


#293

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Espy said:
Ah, can't get it on with ol' manly jaw huh? Rough life :p
Click to expand...
I had the sudden idea for my Hawke to bone everyone. But then I couldn't. It's still stupid that they pretend though.


#294

Espy

Espy

Well if it makes you feel better you
get to help her try to bone someone so thats... something.


#295

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Quotemander Prime said:
I had the sudden idea for my Hawke to bone everyone. But then I couldn't. It's still stupid that they pretend though.
Click to expand...
I kinda dug that aspect. You can't always get what you want.


#296

MindDetective

MindDetective

Espy said:
Well if it makes you feel better you
get to help her try to bone someone so thats... something.
Click to expand...
That quest is my favorite one. It's not a traditional quest story and has some funny moments.


#297

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Espy said:
Well if it makes you feel better you
get to help her try to bone someone so thats... something.
Click to expand...
I did that one; that's what made me want to steal her from the guy, but obviously that didn't work :p.


#298

@Li3n

@Li3n

Frankie Williamson said:
I was with those pictures until the great combat magic animations. DA2 had some pretty rad looking magic. That you can't really shit on.
Click to expand...
I don't know, i remember feeling underwhelmed by them... but it might have been the reuse of the winter's breath animation for the staffs and stuff, some of them where pretty good when i think about it...


#299

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Quotemander Prime said:
That's not so odd; the Templars never noticed Morrigan being a mage even as she was fucking with them and I chose for the mages to be cleansed in Origins.
Click to expand...
Yes, but that's Morrigan, a witch of the wilds that lived off trickery and deception. Let's not forget that the Templars of Fereldun were a lot more lenient in many aspects over the ones in Kirkwall, like the fact they allow Wynne to help at Ostagar and later even allow her to join your party (if you let her live) when most of the time Mages are forced to stay in the Circle Tower. This is mostly because the Templar's respect the freedom given to the Grey Wardens during times of Blight.

You didn't really have any of that in Kirkwall, which makes the whole thing more crazy. Merril didn't exactly seem like one to hide herself well, often getting lost around town. The fact Kirkwall is pretty much a Templar city, while Fereldun didn't have a lot of Templar outside the Circle Tower and a few churches, made it all the worst that you had all these Mages with you (or you a mage yourself).

I think, really, they just didn't want to pay attention to continuity. Like for instance one of Ander's quests involves going to the Chantry to help a friend, only to find out the Templars made him Tranquil. It all was a trap, and I brutally, and bloodily, murdered the Templars that came to take Anders. I couldn't get over the fact that, literally right after that quest, I was able to walk into the Chantry with Anders and it was like nothing ever happened.


#300

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

I restarted as a mage due to issues I was having and am happier with the game so far, although it's really underlining how little your choices matter. In fact, I'm seeing more difference in my dialogue when I'm not choosing it, seemingly based on what I choose (example: on my warrior I picked the Joke option for almost everything, and he'd make silly comments. This Hawke is more stern and selfish and he's said things more reflective of that. My wife's Hawke almost always picks whatever that leaf/feather option is and she comes off as polite to a disgusting degree). So, some good, some bad, but I'm enjoying it more as a mage.

I also spent $10 on the damn Legacy DLC with promises of cool Grey Warden/Darkspawn stuff. Here's hoping I won't be kicking myself later.


#301

Frank

Frankie Williamson

70/30 you will be.


#302

Jay

Jay

Necroed...

DLC coming up, guess who's in it? Suffer you fools... SUFFER

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-debut-dragon-age/720937


#303

Hailey Knight

Hailey Knight

Julie says "Fuck it."


#304

Frank

Frankie Williamson

Zevran's already in the gaaa-OH GOD, KILL THAT MONSTROSITY WITH FUCKING FIRE!


#305

figmentPez

figmentPez



#306

bhamv3

bhamv3

Cosplay needs to be used for awesome more often, like that. :)


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