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rajpoot
09-08-2010, 12:49
So I'll be paying to see an advertisement for DA2 if I get this? I mean I was really looking forward to it...

Is it not even as good as Leliana's Song?

Beskar
09-08-2010, 13:51
So I'll be paying to see an advertisement for DA2 if I get this? I mean I was really looking forward to it...

Is it not even as good as Leliana's Song?

Here it is in spoilers.

You start the game going to a jungle version of flemeths hut, it is empty for some elf, who is missing a book, then you go off to the Mage Circle to find out what a word means.

So you go off, and run around aimlessly in a non-puzzle, which was an excuse to get some whimpy mage to join you. Then you basically go around that basement room to talk to the talking statue, akin to mage origin story. Then you discover you need lights and a mirrow shards.

For the mirror shards, go do the Dalish elf origin temple to get the shards. For the lights, you go to this thaig.

Now you got both. You go to that Dragon bone bit in Awakening, and fight some dragons then that concept art elf guardian monster, then you enter this tower.

You are now at the Awakenings ending part where 'mother was' you go down the path a little and there is morrigan at the mirror waiting for you.

If you didn't romance her or did the ritual. She much pretty says "you didn't stop me, Flemeth is the bad one, I am running off" then she goes through the mirror, or you can stab her and she falls through the mirror.
This is the ending part where you did romance her and did do the ritual as a male. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J9-v7BlhYE

Beskar
09-08-2010, 16:28
First Picture of the Female Hawke.
http://gamescom.gamespot.com/image_viewer/6273694/dragon-age-ii-screens/4/?tag=thumbs_below%3Bthumb%3B4#site_nav

Have to admit, the male hawk is still cooler.

rajpoot
09-09-2010, 10:43
After reading the above spoilers I got the DLC. It's not the grand farewell I would've liked it to be, but then I think it suits dark fantasy more, the way it is.

Not much in terms of gameplay, but as mentioned there are several references to DA2....and there are several references to DAO and Awakening a few of which made me feel all warm inside.

Two Easter Eggs;
In the circle tower....what self respecting mage would carry a wand!?
And what kind of pet is an owl, for a mage....Harry Potter!

Laughed quite a bit on seeing those...quite unexpected.
I'm sure there're more which I did not recognize.

Get it for the story if....get it for the ending to the Warden's tale. And get it for the speech Morrigan makes...

Change....is coming. People often resist it, even though sometimes change is what is best for them.
I'll bet that that speech is directed at the players as much as it was directed at the Warden.

So all in all, it wasn't what I expected. It did not have Leliana's Song's soundtrack, it did not really have that flowers and sunshine sort of ending, it created a lot more questions and gave almost no answers, and it even had a bug which prevented me from getting the ending I wanted to.....nonetheless, it's worth worth it.

Meneldil
09-09-2010, 13:25
Witch Hunt is a waste of money and a waste of time.


How surprising...

I wonder why Bioware keeps releasing completely shameful DLC's for Dragon Age while Mass Effect 2 gets decent stuff. I'd be tempted to say that Bioware thinks DA players are morons and uses DA's money to fund ME.

Monk
09-09-2010, 13:30
How surprising...

I wonder why Bioware keeps releasing completely shameful DLC's for Dragon Age while Mass Effect 2 gets decent stuff. I'd be tempted to say that Bioware thinks DA players are morons and uses DA's money to fund ME.

I doubt it has anything to do with that. More likely it's due to the difference in team composition, the DA and ME teams are separate branches of Bioware. Clearly, one has got their stuff together when it comes to DLC, and the other struggles. ~:( I haven't (and don't intend to) play witch hunt so I'm not going to comment on its quality, I doubt I could get the most out of it unless, as stated, I was a Male warden and chose the ritual. I did neither of those things. For my character, Dragon Age: Origins really ended when the credits rolled.

rajpoot
09-09-2010, 13:53
I doubt I could get the most out of it unless, as stated, I was a Male warden and chose the ritual. I did neither of those things.

That I second. Without a male warden who romanced Morrigan the story doesn't really mean all that much.....although, there is stuff for people who played the mage origin story...but then that's not enough to shell out the money.

rajpoot
09-28-2010, 06:46
DA2 gameplay movie, GameCity Vienna. (http://www.gametrailers.com/user-movie/dragon-age-2-gameplay/350241)

"When I click this, something awesome happens....." I believe that was the phrase the Bioware devs have been using as their motto....So the whole thing is a lot faster. Hawke seems to be capable of killing 3 Darkspawn/sec more than the Warden. It does not look good though....atleast in the movie, it all seems way to hurried, and the blood spray and splash seems to be overdone....Still...if the story's good, all's well.

Meneldil
09-28-2010, 09:11
Seems they gave up completely with the "DA is BG spiritual heir" motto. It failed quite miserably with DA, I can see why they're going for a new direction altogether.

In any case, I found DA decent, but this trailer doesn't paint me as interested. It looks like a mix of God of War and Diablo. Hopefully this means Bioware will start working on a real BG-like RPG after DA licence is dead, which hopefully will happen soon enough.

Ironside
09-28-2010, 09:27
It is probably part of the exaggerating part of the story, the PC is way overpowered compared to the enemies. The health bar barely moves, so it's not really a quicker gameplay. Should also explain the vast amount of overkill death explosions.

AggonyDuck
09-28-2010, 09:59
The issue with DA was that it just wasn't tactical enough and by the looks of it, instead of trying to make it more tactical like Baldur's Gate, they've decided to throw it all away and go for something absolutely horrendous.

Vladimir
09-28-2010, 17:01
What a shame. I really enjoy a type of squad-based combat in a DnD-type world. Why pay $50 for a story?

Monk
09-28-2010, 18:43
DA2 gameplay movie, GameCity Vienna. (http://www.gametrailers.com/user-movie/dragon-age-2-gameplay/350241)

"When I click this, something awesome happens....." I believe that was the phrase the Bioware devs have been using as their motto....So the whole thing is a lot faster. Hawke seems to be capable of killing 3 Darkspawn/sec more than the Warden. It does not look good though....atleast in the movie, it all seems way to hurried, and the blood spray and splash seems to be overdone....Still...if the story's good, all's well.

Here's the kicker - gameplay wise it doesn't look that bad. The problem is what we're transitioning from. A tactical focused game to a more action oriented hack and slash. On its own merits it looks okay, in the context of the franchise? Eh. It'll do well on release I'm sure, but I've still yet to see media that leads me to believe it wont in some way disappoint.

Mailman653
10-07-2010, 17:37
BioWare Details Importing, Combat in Dragon Age II (http://ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/dragon-age-2/1126357p1.html)

Beskar
10-07-2010, 17:49
What a shame. I really enjoy a type of squad-based combat in a DnD-type world. Why pay $50 for a story?

Huh? :inquisitive:

Story is one of the most important things in games.

Do you watch films without a story, or just go "Ooooo pretty pictures".
Do you read books without a story, "I like words!".

Stories are what makes games good. What separates Halo from MW2, or Doom from Quake ? They are essentially the same game, but with a different story.

Story and Gameplay are two key features of a game.

Vladimir
10-07-2010, 18:40
Huh? :inquisitive:

Story is one of the most important things in games.

Do you watch films without a story, or just go "Ooooo pretty pictures".
Do you read books without a story, "I like words!".

Stories are what makes games good. What separates Halo from MW2, or Doom from Quake ? They are essentially the same game, but with a different story.

Story and Gameplay are two key features of a game.

:inquisitive:

Why pay $50 for a story?

AggonyDuck
10-07-2010, 22:21
Huh? :inquisitive:

Story is one of the most important things in games.

Do you watch films without a story, or just go "Ooooo pretty pictures".
Do you read books without a story, "I like words!".

Stories are what makes games good. What separates Halo from MW2, or Doom from Quake ? They are essentially the same game, but with a different story.

Story and Gameplay are two key features of a game.

Stories are generally good only once. It is good gameplay that keeps you coming back for more. In the case of comparing DA:O with BG, I never finished a replay of the former due to the gameplay being repetitive, while I finished the latter game five times. And although the story of BG was great, it was the excellent squad-based combat, filled with tactical options, that kept me coming back for more.

Meneldil
10-07-2010, 22:47
Huh? :inquisitive:

Story is one of the most important things in games.

Do you watch films without a story, or just go "Ooooo pretty pictures".
Do you read books without a story, "I like words!".

Stories are what makes games good. What separates Halo from MW2, or Doom from Quake ? They are essentially the same game, but with a different story.

Story and Gameplay are two key features of a game.

I beg to disagree here.
The Stalker series is awesome even though the plot is subpar. Total Annihilation was a superb RTS without any story. The same applies to a whole lot of other games: from Starcraft to Diablo, the Heroes of Might and Magic series, Icewind Dale, Left 4 Dead, etc etc.

While a good story can turn a decent game into a very good one (Bioshock comes to mind), many good games have terrible plots.

Actually, I'd go as far as saying that the recent turn of the gaming industry, which consists in selling 8-hours long interactive stories instead of real games, isn't really my cup of tea. Plot is overrated most of the time.

Beskar
10-08-2010, 13:21
I beg to disagree here.
The Stalker series is awesome even though the plot is subpar. Total Annihilation was a superb RTS without any story. The same applies to a whole lot of other games: from Starcraft to Diablo, the Heroes of Might and Magic series, Icewind Dale, Left 4 Dead, etc etc.

While a good story can turn a decent game into a very good one (Bioshock comes to mind), many good games have terrible plots.

Actually, I'd go as far as saying that the recent turn of the gaming industry, which consists in selling 8-hours long interactive stories instead of real games, isn't really my cup of tea. Plot is overrated most of the time.

Starcraft has Story. So does the Elder Scrolls series. Dragon Age. Mass Effect 1 & 2. Warcraft 3. Fable series. etc

Even then, immersion into an atmosphere is part of the 'story'. So even games like Left 4 Dead have limited story.

Meneldil
10-08-2010, 20:55
Immersion isn't story. We have no idea about what happened to L4D world, and we barely knew anything about the characters until the comic has been released.

Stalker's story sucks big time, yet the game is awesome.

As for the games you quoted, the only one that has a good story is Mass Effect. Elder Scroll is boring, Warcraft 3 and Starcraft are basically following the same uninspired plot (good guy turns bad, invades his former world, turns against his overlord, people who used to fight eachothers ally to kill said bad guy). I don't know about Fable.

My main point is that a game can be trully good depsite a crappy story. And some games with awesome plots end up poorly rated because of a subpar gameplay.

Vladimir
10-09-2010, 01:41
Stories are generally good only once. It is good gameplay that keeps you coming back for more. In the case of comparing DA:O with BG, I never finished a replay of the former due to the gameplay being repetitive, while I finished the latter game five times. And although the story of BG was great, it was the excellent squad-based combat, filled with tactical options, that kept me coming back for more.

Thank you for saying it more elequently than I could. :bow:

rajpoot
10-09-2010, 05:31
DA2 Podcast number 4. (http://blog.bioware.com/2010/10/07/dragon-age-2-podcast-episode-4-david-gaider/)
Check this one out, because David Gaider gives some explanations.
Haven't heard the whole thing yet, but it seems that the framed narrative thing might actually be far more interesting than the Origin's deal. It's as if the player can arrange the different quests in different time periods of their life. Which means a lot more variation in the quests and characters, based on what the player did in the previous quests.

Edit:
Also in the podcast DG explains how player choices have an effect but are limited due to game design constraints. And he speaks about his views on player created fanfiction.....
IMO the best podcast till now.

And in what must be the first instance of its kind ever, a writer quotes a video game character :D

Beskar
10-09-2010, 10:28
Stories are generally good only once. It is good gameplay that keeps you coming back for more.

Why bother ever owning a book, DVD or watching films? :tongue:

AggonyDuck
10-09-2010, 10:46
Why bother ever owning a book, DVD or watching films? :tongue:

Because good books and films are more than just stories.

rajpoot
10-09-2010, 11:15
In your regular run-of-the-mill games, story really isn't a big factor...gameplay is what really matters.....shooting games etc have a very watered down and uninteresting story, but the gameplay is supposed to be good enough to pull people back.
In games like DAO however, story, IMO, is as important as gameplay. I know that I replayed the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest (one of the most tedious and dull dungeons in the entire game, I think) more than ten times with different Wardens and companions, just to find out what sort of questions the Guardian asked the various characters.

Beskar
10-09-2010, 14:44
Because good books and films are more than just stories.

:laugh4: They are not.

Let's take a good look, a film with a great story - Shawshank Redemption, loved the world over.
Clash of the Titans - it was a total fail of a movie.

And book fiction works are all about the story. You don't buy a book for its cover.

johnhughthom
10-09-2010, 16:14
And book fiction works are all about the story. You don't buy a book for its cover.

Not necessarily, a lot of books I enjoy because the quality of writing sucks me in, rather than the actual storyline. Prose in books could probably be equated with gameplay in games.

AggonyDuck
10-09-2010, 21:01
:laugh4: They are not.

Let's take a good look, a film with a great story - Shawshank Redemption, loved the world over.
Clash of the Titans - it was a total fail of a movie.

And book fiction works are all about the story. You don't buy a book for its cover.

The great works of fiction transcend the narrative. Take for example Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being, the story itself is fairly simple, but Kundera's skillful use of different viewpoints to explore the philosophical dilemma presented at the start of the novel, makes it a book that will always be worth re-reading. Reading it is a process of self-discovery, a process of deepening our understanding of the human condition. Another good example is Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot. The plot is minimalistic, yet it is open to a multitude of readings and what we make of the play changes as we do.

The plot is only a part of a bigger whole and it is the complete experience that we look at, when we are assessing whether we want to re-experience something. Shawshank Redemption has a great plot, but it is the great plot combined with other elements needed in film-making that makes it great. In fact a movie doesn't even need a good plot to be a great movie. A great example is Pulp Fiction. What makes it a great movie is Tarantino's style and dialogue, the non-linear narrative structure with differing viewpoints, excellent casting and acting and a great soundtrack. The plot itself is only the foundation on which all of the rest is built upon. It is only the foundation for greatness and even simplest of foundations can form the basis for the greatest of works, provided that it fulfills the condition of being a solid base to build upon.

Beskar
10-09-2010, 21:58
Story is more than the plot. It includes many elements people said already. It is the atmosphere, how it is told and presented.

AggonyDuck
10-09-2010, 23:07
Well it is clear that we have different definitions of story. You apparently see the whole experience as a story, while for me a story is essentially the same as a plot. Now comes the question, how do you separate gameplay and story, when story represents the whole experience? Doesn't that mean that gameplay is an intrinsic part of the story, an inseparable part of the presentation of the whole experience? If not, where do you draw the line on where presentation stops being a part of storytelling?

Just to highlight my point:

Say you're fighting the climactic final battle of a game, but the said battle feels like a chore as the combat consists of repeating the same combinations until the boss is dead. If a fight that should be the most thrilling battle of the game is just boring, doesn't that break the immersion and the atmosphere? Isn't it bad storytelling?

Beskar
10-09-2010, 23:17
Just to highlight my point:

Say you're fighting the climactic final battle of a game, but the said battle feels like a chore as the combat consists of repeating the same combinations until the boss is dead. If a fight that should be the most thrilling battle of the game is just boring, doesn't that break the immersion and the atmosphere? Isn't it bad storytelling?

Gameplay is the mechanics of the game and the mechanics are always very simplistic at the end of the day. Halo, CoD:MW2, et al, pretty much have identical gameplay. What separates them is the story. Fighting particular monsters or particular bosses comes under the story.

Since any gameplay can be reduced to "repeating the same combinations", not really a valid point. Playing football is kicking a ball, tennis is hitting it with a racket, all within a framework of rules, there isn't much in 'options'. So in Fifa, the whole passing the ball, the statistics, etc are part of the game play, the fact you are in Munich stadium and your striker is Wayne Rooney is on the story side of things.

The difference would be closer in Rockband where the 'story' part is pretty much the music, where your characters are located, may it be a pirate ship or bar and the gameplay is the pressing the keys in the right order, and getting bonuses for doing so.

AggonyDuck
10-10-2010, 00:10
Since any gameplay can be reduced to "repeating the same combinations", not really a valid point. Playing football is kicking a ball, tennis is hitting it with a racket, all within a framework of rules, there isn't much in 'options'. So in Fifa, the whole passing the ball, the statistics, etc are part of the game play, the fact you are in Munich stadium and your striker is Wayne Rooney is on the story side of things.

You obviously missed my point, so I'll rephrase it. My point was that if you use a broad definition of story in games, then how can you see gameplay as separate from story?

A better example is that you are facing the final boss, who has been hyped up during the game, but in the ingame battle, he actually dies a lot easier than some of his lackeys. Is it bad gameplay or bad storytelling? Or as another example, poor AI causing the enemy to react in an unbelievable manner. Is it bad gameplay or bad storytelling?

Mailman653
10-14-2010, 20:22
BioWare Announces Dragon Age II Signature Edition
(http://ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/dragon-age-2/1128100p1.html)

Crazed Rabbit
10-15-2010, 02:36
Wow, even Gamespy ragged on DA2:

Sharkey says: For myself and many other RPG fans out there, one of the best aspects of the genre is the ability to create your own character. No matter how BioWare pitches Hawke, there's no getting around the fact a sizable portion of Origins players will be disappointed. BioWare itself has actually criticized the Final Fantasy franchise for not allowing fans to create their own characters, going so far as to say FF is not an RPG. And the clunky controls in Origins were a console problem. Add the two changes together, and the answer appears clear: BioWare is taking a title best played on the PC and transforming it for the console crowd.


Maybe they're not getting a lot of ad orders right now.

In regards to story -
I think of story as being equal to plot. I don't want to pay $50 for a game when all that's good is the plot. And I think creating to broad of a definition for 'story' just dilutes the meaning.

Even with books, there is much more than plot; like characters, writing, etc.

So when I can go to the library and check out a great book for free, I don't want to pay $50 for a game where only the story is good.

CR

rajpoot
10-27-2010, 12:45
Rogue specialization in DA2, article at IGN. (spoilers) (http://au.ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1130360p1.html)

New trailer. Rise to Power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWbIFihAzW4

The first companion had been revealed. It's none other than Isebela from DAO, the pirate captain from the Pearl.

Mailman653
11-04-2010, 07:08
DA Facebook game announced. (http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/113/1132240p1.html)

Fragony
11-04-2010, 11:51
Just bought it. By the time I'm done with it Vegas should be on budget. Let's see what all the fuzz is about

Fragony
11-05-2010, 10:17
Hmmmmm good game. Graphics didn't age very well but I am totally buying the gameworld, loads of personality. This is going to be great fun.

update meh Bioware fatigue slips in, you can really enjoy one Bioware game I guess I have a major feeling of deja-vu. It's good but it's also tired, it isn't the game's fault but I'm bored

Fragony
11-16-2010, 08:27
Screw that awesome game, loving it excellent writing, I adore Mordigan great voice-acting with that longdrawn 'you are so dumb' intonation she's so cute. Yes babe we will rescue kittens deal with it.

Mailman653
12-10-2010, 02:46
DA2 Developer video (http://ps3.gamespy.com/playstation-3/dragon-age-2/1139544p1.html)

rajpoot
12-10-2010, 16:50
I think that one thing which can be safely said is that the cleavage of the ladies in Bioware games will always increase with each passing year.....
Aside from that, Hawke does not sound very champion like....would've been better had he sounded like Sean Connery....
And they aren't really giving any real info are they...? They're just trying to convince players that the game is very much like Origins.
Still it looks nice....not the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, but nice, nonetheless.

rajpoot
02-22-2011, 17:18
Demo (http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/demo/%7C) is going to be out in a few hours for PC and PS3 users. Already out for Xbox Gold users.
Xbox Silver users will have to wait a week.

Secura
02-22-2011, 19:49
Just cleared the demo as a Rogue, going to give Mage a go; so far, I've been very impressed.

rajpoot
02-23-2011, 10:33
Just cleared the demo as a Rogue, going to give Mage a go; so far, I've been very impressed.

Ahh the benefits of a good connection.....I started five minutes after I posted here....still downloading......very.....very.........very.......slowly. :bigcry:

Edit-
So how long is the demo exactly? Playtime-wise?

Secura
02-23-2011, 15:34
Well, there's alot of narrative to watch, but the demo itself... you'll probably get about an hour or so if you go through and try out each of the three classes; it appears to be more a show of the graphics and combat/dialogue changes than anything else.

I really liked it, though... can't wait for the Sig. Edition to arrive now. :>

Monk
02-23-2011, 15:45
Ahh the benefits of a good connection.....I started five minutes after I posted here....still downloading......very.....very.........very.......slowly. :bigcry:

Edit-
So how long is the demo exactly? Playtime-wise?

Bioware servers exploded thanks to huge demand. Took three times for me to get it downloaded and working, twice it corrupted.

Play-time the game offers you a small piece of the prologue as well as a portion of Isabella's companion quest. All told about 45 min, but if you skip the talking you could probably hack through the game-play portion in around 15. Very straight-forward introduction both to tone and the combat style, but hard to say if it's enough to sway you if you're already on the fence.

I know that a lot of people enjoyed the 'weight' that characters seemed to have in combat, in DA2 a lot of that is gone. Characters move a lot more fluidly, animations are a lot quicker and the gore is a lot more exaggerated. Much bigger explosions of blood when you hit someone with a special. If you were a fan of the slow paced, down to earth presentation before you're gonna be turned off by the change, no doubt about that. It's also gonna come down to whether or not you enjoy the third-person narrative. A lot of people don't enjoy the ME series thanks to that, and it's right here starring you in the face. If that's not your cup of tea the demo isnt gonna change your mind.

As far as the experience itself? I dunno. I liked it.

rajpoot
02-23-2011, 16:08
I think I can live with the fast animations.....although most of the times atleast I liked DAO's leisurely pace....
Anyhow, download just completed....nearly 24 hours....so going to experience stuff firsthand.

Edit:
Right, just finished the first play-through as a warrior. Seems to be low damage and area damage kind of class...
-Voiced Hawke is nice. It makes more of a difference than I had expected, and the dialogue seems to be well done.
-The fast combat and over the top animations seemed a bit overwhelming at first, but once one gets used to them, they're OK. (IMO however they ought to have chosen a middle path, faster than DAO but not this fast..still)
-Over the top gore and blood looks all right, I'm afraid it might get old too fast though...I don't want to see red everywhere.
-The new character models look nice. The new art style however (with all that drab brown...and zombie like Darkspawn) is unpleasant.....I atleast, don't like it.

Beskar
02-23-2011, 19:11
I just tried the first part of the Demo as Mage (I usually play a Warrior) and wow, I know what I am playing when it comes out.

Krusader
02-24-2011, 12:54
Tried Dragon Age 2 demo on both PC & PS3. Just pre-ordered it for the PS3 because the game felt much better to play on console than PC, especially the controls.
Glad at least there doesn't seem to be any strong indicators for when combat starts (like ME2)

Husar
02-24-2011, 13:34
I played the demo tonight.

And it felt a bit like I had the wrong demo.
First you get some female Jaqueline Bauer who interrogates someone who then tells the story of the game, if that's how the whole story will be told then that's bad, it feels like you're just grinding through a predetermined path instead of forging your own future, may just be me but that's how flashback stories often make me feel. If it's just for the demo or the first part of the game then I guess it's okay.
Then the menus, so suddenly I'm in Mass Effect or a similar space game, eh? And I just walked around on Mars anyway? So where's that Medieval flair gone? I don't want to play Space Odyssey 2099 with swords and portable ballista(the blood dragon armour and the promotional armour for this one add to this feeling). I mean maybe I do, but in Mass Effect and not in Dragon Age, the japanese flair in the Shogun 2 demo owns in comparison.

The animations were fine, although the mage doing some kind of rain dance while the others are too fast for me to have any idea what's going on or who's winning is a bit new, I guess I could get used to that, and already did to an extent. It did however make the game feel a lot less tactical and more arcadey, may try to play another character and see whether that changes anything.

Oh and the graphical department at BioWare are teh lazy! I already didn't like it a lot that they put 7 different skins onto the same 3 models in the first game, half of which were lady-red and just ugly.
Now they obviously seem to have done the same and some of the textures are still so bad that they just stand out, specifically the armour of that guy you fight towards the end of the demo, the textures have such a bad resolution i just had to notice it. It's especially annoying since a lot of the other textures look just fine.
It seems like all their effort goes towards story, granted, that's important (but not revolutionary either, it always follows the "big bad desaster -> prepare for end battle -> fight end battle" scheme), but the atmosphere is lacking a bit IMO.

That said I haven't given up on it yet, it's just, they could add a reason to buy it other than the hot pirate chick.

johnhughthom
02-24-2011, 14:11
I just tried the first part of the Demo as Mage (I usually play a Warrior) and wow, I know what I am playing when it comes out.

Me too. Not Dragon Age 2.

Greyblades
02-25-2011, 16:54
Anyone else not particually enthusiastic about not being able to create your own character?

Monk
02-25-2011, 17:34
Anyone else not particually enthusiastic about not being able to create your own character?

Sorry, doesn't bother me. The demo doesn't have customization because it's a demo, retail game has full options short of race selection.

As for the third-person narrative there's posts here in the arena that detail Mass Effect 1 and 2 as my favorite modern rpgs, so no that doesn't bother me either :)

Husar
02-25-2011, 19:33
Sorry, doesn't bother me. The demo doesn't have customization because it's a demo, retail game has full options short of race selection.

As for the third-person narrative there's posts here in the arena that detail Mass Effect 1 and 2 as my favorite modern rpgs, so no that doesn't bother me either :)

There is a difference in the narrative?

Oh yeah, did anyone else laugh when the woman stabbed her husband right through his breastplate?

I still don't get why they replaced the nice menus of the first game with this futuristic stuff? The layout etc. isn't bad but it's a bit like playing Assassin's Creed, you're not really in this medieval world, just looking at it through some futuristic high tech machine, hurts the atmosphere IMO.

Monk
02-25-2011, 19:56
There is a difference in the narrative?

Oh yeah, did anyone else laugh when the woman stabbed her husband right through his breastplate?

The difference between Origins and Mass Effect, a character that does things from within a given frame-work, and one that does them from without. Doesn't bother me, personally. I like both approaches.

But thinking about it now, even Origins was pretty heavily framed. Even given the various customization options you were given. Most games are these days, doesn't stop people from having real issues with it though. :shrug:


I still don't get why they replaced the nice menus of the first game with this futuristic stuff? The layout etc. isn't bad but it's a bit like playing Assassin's Creed, you're not really in this medieval world, just looking at it through some futuristic high tech machine, hurts the atmosphere IMO.

I didn't have that problem at all.

seireikhaan
02-25-2011, 21:55
Played the demo. Can't quite tell if I like it or not. On the plus side, voice acting(aside from the Bauer lady) was pretty darn good. Characters thus far feel mostly solid, in their short appearances. However, I feel like the game was ported over to the makers of Power Thirst. It felt almost like "RAR, look how mature our game is! Because it really is!". Between the unnecessarily large numbers of exploding bodies, the exaggerated combat movement, and Isabella's entirely too gratuitous character, it just felt like the sort of frat-boy rpg that people were concerned Origins would be. On the other hand, the plot elements divulged so far seem pretty on par for "feel", if evaluated in the vacuum of the extraneous silliness.

Monk
02-26-2011, 08:57
Between the unnecessarily large numbers of exploding bodies, the exaggerated combat movement, and Isabella's entirely too gratuitous character, it just felt like the sort of frat-boy rpg that people were concerned Origins would be. On the other hand, the plot elements divulged so far seem pretty on par for "feel", if evaluated in the vacuum of the extraneous silliness.

I wouldn't go that far but I can definitely relate to the concern. The exaggerated gore along with certain aspects of the new art scheme are some of the few things keeping me from total hype mode. I'm of the opinion, however, that what I've seen from the story elements is enough to overcome that. Another part of it is that I do enjoy the new combat system, very much so.

Monk
02-26-2011, 08:57
double post

Crazed Rabbit
02-27-2011, 03:54
I played the demo tonight.

And it felt a bit like I had the wrong demo.
First you get some female Jaqueline Bauer who interrogates someone who then tells the story of the game,

Well named - though the real Jaqueline Bauer would've stabbed the dwarf in the thigh and shouted louder and more aggressively. :book:

The gore and blood and splatter are just overkill to me. That and the exaggerated combat motions prevent me from suspension of disbelief. It's "ho-hum, another 5 giant leaping swings to kill this mook".

After mount and blade, just clicking once to attack, then sitting back and pushing ability hot keys seems so uninvolved. I found I didn't really have to control any of the other characters.

The great difference in texture quality between some spots is distracting.

I never played DA:O, and this demo did nothing to excite me for DA2.

CR

Secura
02-27-2011, 04:07
After mount and blade, just clicking once to attack, then sitting back and pushing ability hot keys seems so uninvolved. I found I didn't really have to control any of the other characters.

This doesn't seem to be the case for the X-Box 360 version; you have to hit the 'A' button for each individual strike (even for the Mage's staff attacks) and movement seems a little more important, at least as the Warrior/melee Rogue... when I watched Beskar play the demo on PC, it was simply a case of clicking the enemy you wanted to kill and then waiting for cooldowns, seemed more uninvolved.

Secura
03-02-2011, 17:45
I guess that I'm a bit late to the party in this regard, but I just found out that there are two more pre-order bonuses, the Lion of Orlais sword and Fadeshear Shield, and that both of these items will not be included in my Signature Edition pre-order.

It appears that Amazon UK have gotten tired of Bioware/EA constantly approaching them saying "we need this preorder code added in" and "can you upgrade these guys to Signature Edition?", which costs Amazon extra money without getting any in return since the upgrade was free; when approached regarding these two items, Amazon UK said no and opted out.

As for Bioware, they're no better, telling all the annoyed British customers that they should direct their ire towards Amazon UK, who proceed to tell you to go and pester Bioware; I don't see why they cannot just send the codes out via email if I provide the documentation from Amazon UK regarding my order.

Is this any way to treat the customer? I've been pretty loyal to Amazon, even purchasing there when it may have been cheaper to go elsewhere... as for Bioware, I've bought pretty much every game they've ever made, expansions/DLC included. The only comfort that I have is that I'm not I didn't order the game from Play, since they actually cancelled alot of SE preorders.

Kekvit Irae
03-02-2011, 18:28
I guess that I'm a bit late to the party in this regard, but I just found out that there are two more pre-order bonuses, the Lion of Orlais sword and Fadeshear Shield, and that both of these items will not be included in my Signature Edition pre-order.

It appears that Amazon UK have gotten tired of Bioware/EA constantly approaching them saying "we need this preorder code added in" and "can you upgrade these guys to Signature Edition?", which costs Amazon extra money without getting any in return since the upgrade was free; when approached regarding these two items, Amazon UK said no and opted out.

As for Bioware, they're no better, telling all the annoyed British customers that they should direct their ire towards Amazon UK, who proceed to tell you to go and pester Bioware; I don't see why they cannot just send the codes out via email if I provide the documentation from Amazon UK regarding my order.

Is this any way to treat the customer? I've been pretty loyal to Amazon, even purchasing there when it may have been cheaper to go elsewhere... as for Bioware, I've bought pretty much every game they've ever made, expansions/DLC included. The only comfort that I have is that I'm not I didn't order the game from Play, since they actually cancelled alot of SE preorders.

If what they did with DA:O is any indication, Bioware will allow you to download the pre-order DLCs from their FTP site. Weither or not you'll be able to play them is another matter. Some of the pre-order DLCs from the original game could be downloaded from Bioware and played without autherization*.



* http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/58/index/81613

johnhughthom
03-02-2011, 19:00
Is this any way to treat the customer? I've been pretty loyal to Amazon.

EA/Bioware are messing people about here with this Signature Edition/pre-order bonus/let's squeez as much money as we can pigfat they have going on. Good on Amazon I say.

Secura
03-03-2011, 01:47
If what they did with DA:O is any indication, Bioware will allow you to download the pre-order DLCs from their FTP site. Weither or not you'll be able to play them is another matter. Some of the pre-order DLCs from the original game could be downloaded from Bioware and played without autherization*.

The problem with that is I'm a console gamer, as I can't play most games properly on my laptop; it's nice that Bioware do offer this service, but it doesn't really do anything for the PS3/360 gamers who draw the short straw.

Krusader
03-03-2011, 10:46
I just cancelled my Dragon Age 2 pre-order for the PS3.
Seeing all the DLCs, items and whatnot and seeing DA:O DLCs and expansion, I'm going to wait until they release a Dragon Age 2 Ultimate Edition with everything in it. Plus from what I gather, DLCs and Sony don't mix that well.

Secura
03-03-2011, 17:21
I'm going to wait until they release a Dragon Age 2 Ultimate Edition with everything in it. Plus from what I gather, DLCs and Sony don't mix that well.

You'll miss out on all the pre-order bonuses and such, though; the ultimate edition will probably just be a compilation of the downloadable content.

Krusader
03-03-2011, 18:03
You'll miss out on all the pre-order bonuses and such, though; the ultimate edition will probably just be a compilation of the downloadable content.

From what I see only pre-order bonuses available is a sword and a shield.
Black Emporium is apparently the "Shale DLC" of DA2, meaning it will be available for anyone who buys DA2, to disencourage second-hand buying.

Greyblades
03-03-2011, 19:43
Wait wait wait... We can get shale? Awesome!

Secura
03-03-2011, 22:56
From what I see only pre-order bonuses available is a sword and a shield.
Black Emporium is apparently the "Shale DLC" of DA2, meaning it will be available for anyone who buys DA2, to disencourage second-hand buying.

You also miss out on the Signature Edition content, which includes four extra items, an in-game armoury and the game's soundtrack.


Wait wait wait... We can get shale? Awesome!

He meant that the Black Emporium is equivalent to DA:O's Stone Prisoner, in that they both come with the game from the start; however, as far as I can recall you were actually able to download the Stone Prisoner content via PSN/XBLM.

Now that EA is pushing this whole "buy the game brand new or else!" thing, as seen with their sports games (Online Pass) and Mass Effect 2 (exclusive content), they've added the Black Emporium et al as a sort of inticement to buy the game new, lest you miss out on some cool content. It won't be available to download.

Krusader
03-03-2011, 23:05
You also miss out on the Signature Edition content, which includes four extra items, an in-game armoury and the game's soundtrack.

Pre-ordered after Signature Edition cutoff date so wouldn't get it anyhow.
And yes correct on "Shale DLC" meaning DLC coming with the game itself.

Since I can't get Signature Edition content, I'll rather wait for the Ultimate Edition coming in 1-2 years. Got Rift, Fallout: New Vegas, Red Dead Redemption & Mass Effect 2 to keep me interested until Witcher 2 and beyond.

johnhughthom
03-03-2011, 23:10
EA/Bioware are messing people about here with this Signature Edition/pre-order bonus/let's squeez as much money as we can pigfat they have going on. Good on Amazon I say.

Hmm, hours after I posted this I got an email from EA giving me a £20 off code for anything from their store, a "birthday present" as I signed up for something 2 years ago it seems. Got DA2 for £15...

Husar
03-04-2011, 01:03
armoury

Is that a place where you can watch all the differently-coloured versions of the same armour models hang around on torsos?
I don't think I need that if it costs 80€ extra...

Secura
03-04-2011, 02:25
Is that a place where you can watch all the differently-coloured versions of the same armour models hang around on torsos?
I don't think I need that if it costs 80€ extra...

Who says that the armour models are all the same save for different colours? o_O

And the content doesn't cost extra; the upgrade to Signature Edition was free. :P

Husar
03-04-2011, 03:25
Who says that the armour models are all the same save for different colours? o_O

They certainly were in DA:O, not all of course but the different materials were just different colours on the same model and so were most of the really good "special" armours.
It was the same in Mass Effect so I don't really expect that they have changed this for DA2, although I would certainly not complain if they have.

The extra cost is the retail(or preorder) price + all DLC - the 20€ I paid for the Complete Edition of DA during the last Steam Christmas Sale. ~;)

rajpoot
03-04-2011, 07:27
Not exactly related to the game discussion, but this ought to be gratifying news for PC owners who've been stung time and again, each time a publishing house supports its DRM or release decision by blaming PC piracy.

When that dev build of Crysis 2 leaked a few weeks ago, EA was quick to condemn the PC gaming community, saying that PC piracy “continues to damage the PC packaged goods market and the PC development community.” I do wonder whether EA will be as quick to condemn console piracy now that Dragon Age 2, to be released next week, has also leaked. That’s right: the Xbox 360 version is now floating around out there, so it’s clear to me that console owners should now be subjected to the same kind of silly DRM that PC owners have had to put up with for years now.
Link to article (http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/03/dragon-age-2-for-xbox-360-leaks-how-will-this-be-blamed-on-pc-gamers/)

Monk
03-04-2011, 15:08
Not exactly related to the game discussion, but this ought to be gratifying news for PC owners who've been stung time and again, each time a publishing house supports its DRM or release decision by blaming PC piracy.

Link to article (http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/03/dragon-age-2-for-xbox-360-leaks-how-will-this-be-blamed-on-pc-gamers/)

Console owners already are subject to DRM. The amount of work it takes to hack/flash your xbox isn't that intensive (if you know your way around a PC its just following instructions) but its still a suffecient pain in the backside. Not to mention if you don't take steps to hide your console while playing games before release date, your console is banned from xbox live. PC users can complain about DRM all they want, and in a lot of cases they are totally justified, but last time i checked there's no DRM in place that shuts off your ISP if you break street date.

So i'm really not sure what the article is talking about.

rajpoot
03-04-2011, 18:38
So i'm really not sure what the article is talking about.

It's not so much about the DRM as the constant refrain of the publishers that all PC gamers are pirates and thus the PC gaming industry is going down. (Or citing it as the reason why they won't release on the PC)
I really wanted to get Red Dead Redemption. I can never get over the fact that Rockstar never released it for the PC. So yeah, I'd like to see that what will the publishers do if there a re a few more such incidents with the console versions of their games.

Monk
03-04-2011, 19:19
It's not so much about the DRM as the constant refrain of the publishers that all PC gamers are pirates and thus the PC gaming industry is going down. (Or citing it as the reason why they won't release on the PC)
I really wanted to get Red Dead Redemption. I can never get over the fact that Rockstar never released it for the PC. So yeah, I'd like to see that what will the publishers do if there a re a few more such incidents with the console versions of their games.

Games are almost always leaked before release date. Either through Mom & Pops stores selling before the actual street date, or actual piracy, people manage to get their hands on a game before they're supposed to. This is the case across ALL platforms. What shocked everyone in the case of Crysis 2 was not only how early it got leaked (months before release) but also the fact that the multiplayer key algorithm was stolen. Normally when a big game gets leaked that has Multiplayer, people really don't bat an eyelash since without buying the game you're stuck with playing SP. Case in point: Modern Warfare 2. It was the biggest selling game to date, and also the most pirated.

However, thanks to some pirates, Crysis 2 was leaked with a fully functioning multiplayer component. Which means EA has a much bigger problem on their hands than normal. Their number one fallback (buy for multiplayer) was negated, so they lashed out in PR. Wasn't a smart thing to do, but when you step back and look at the situation I can understand why they said what they said.

I really don't think there will be any response to this. First because Dragon Age 2 is released next week, in 4 days people will have it by legit means. Secondly, console DRM is one of the hardest hitting there is. You get caught and your box is banned, no exceptions.

As for the case of RDR, i fully feel your pain. It was one of the absolute greatest games of its year and a shame it never came to PC. Those who didnt get to play it missed a real gem.

Techno Viking
03-05-2011, 16:46
http://www.neogaf.com/~tyler/da2ot-04.gif

Bioware: We put the A button into RPG's.

Kekvit Irae
03-06-2011, 04:36
As for the case of RDR, i fully feel your pain. It was one of the absolute greatest games of its year and a shame it never came to PC. Those who didnt get to play it missed a real gem.

For me, I'm certainly not mourning the loss of a PC port of Red Dead Redemption. It was a mediocre game at best.

Monk
03-06-2011, 07:18
For me, I'm certainly not mourning the loss of a PC port of Red Dead Redemption. It was a mediocre game at best.

https://i55.tinypic.com/ev0ris.jpg

Oh you.

Mailman653
03-09-2011, 20:35
Dragon-Age:-Origins---Legend-of-Zelda-Gear-Pack (http://www.fileplanet.com/218946/210000/fileinfo/Dragon-Age:-Origins---Legend-of-Zelda-Gear-Pack)
It's not news, but I thought id link it just cause I think there are some Zelda fans here and I thought they would get a kick out of it.

Kekvit Irae
03-09-2011, 22:00
Dragon-Age:-Origins---Legend-of-Zelda-Gear-Pack (http://www.fileplanet.com/218946/210000/fileinfo/Dragon-Age:-Origins---Legend-of-Zelda-Gear-Pack)
It's not news, but I thought id link it just cause I think there are some Zelda fans here and I thought they would get a kick out of it.

psst...
http://www.dragonagenexus.com/index.php

econ21
06-15-2011, 10:42
Very belatedly played this game - wow, it was excellent, a true successor to BG1/BG2 and justifies a 28 page Org thread! What are peoples' opinions on Morrigan's motivation at the end of the game?

The whole give me an "old god" baby request? I said no, as the only motivation that made sense to me was that she intended to do to it what Flemeth did to her children: possess it to achieve power and cheat death. I formed this opinion, as power and survival seem to be her main motivations. Furthermore, she seemed utterly ruthless in her attitude to the Warden doing anything out of concern for the welfare of others, so I believe she would sacrifice a life to achieve her ultimate goals. Also, she had read the grimoires telling her of Flemeth's secret and more, so probably had the means. And finally she suspiciously refused to say what she planned for the child or give any reassurances about her intentions towards it. Any other possibility just seems ad hoc and not linked to what had gone before.

Did other players interpret her request the same way as I did? Maybe I am seeing her in an overly dark manner, as a result of endless "Morrigan disapproves: -2 approval" messages.

[Apologies if this has been discussed before in the thread - I've read the whole thing a couple of times without clicking spoilers, but gave up this time after page 14 or so.]

rajpoot
06-15-2011, 14:07
What are peoples' opinions on Morrigan's motivation at the end of the game?

Did you play the DLCs? Witch Hunt to be more specific?
While Morrigan's motives might seem very sinister near the end of the game, but later on, in the DLC and in Dragon Age 2 (don't get that one...it's a turd), it is revealed that Flemeth is actually planning to do something a lot worse and on a far larger scale...probably a story that will arc through the entire series of Dragon Age games, and Morrigan is merely trying to get ready to do something to counter her.
Anyway, she allows the Warden to come with her to meet his son at the end of the DLC so most probably her plans won't turn out to be all that evil...or at least the lesser evil.

phonicsmonkey
06-15-2011, 14:09
Did other players interpret her request the same way as I did?

Totally, which is why I let her have the baby hoping she / it would show up in one of the sequels to cause trouble for my warden.

econ21
06-15-2011, 22:21
Did you play the DLCs? Witch Hunt to be more specific?

No I didn't, but thanks for the insight. It seems my son was right: he was a Morrigan fan and was sure I was painting her too black. Although I do think my interpretation is more juicy, from a dramatic standpoint. I kind of like that the story gave you that flexibility to interpret it in different ways. Loose ends are perhaps under-used in game stories; they add authenticity and scope for imagination.