alanschu

I'm not really sure either. It definitely seemed like it was giving you a test. I didn't actually get the impression that it was "evil" or anything like that, and seemed content that you were sharp enough to figure it out.

LOL fair enough. I didn't actually go through the process

If free DLC redemption for new game buyers is the type of thing that makes publishers less restrictive on DRM, then

I usually used Crushing Prison

Ah okay. I'm 99.9% sure that that is not the way it's supposed to be. It sucks that that is the way that it is right now.

When I get my copy of the game (should be soonish) I'll start up a rogue and build it from the get-go to be pure combat focus and nothing else to get an idea myself. Someone in that thread made reference to a rogue build that utilized strength that was exceptionally powerful from the get go. They actually commented that a straight up, full damage dealer should go strength, with a support class going cunning. Though even among rogue supporters, the consensus seemed to be that outright ignoring strength is not a good idea. I don't, however, necessarily feel that this is a "bad" thing.

Are you referring to the online activation for the free DLC?

I am pretty sure that the BioWare account (the old account) is not connected to the DA servers, nor the EA site. I believe it is possible to import your BioWare account information though.

If they purchase it on loan, they have to pay the money back and it is substracted from your income... i do not know how it is correctly calculated aswell so i rather shut up but seeing in same day, that company spends 300 millions and cuts off 1500 employees is very rare sight even in "high" bussiness... to be honest up to this day i have never seen such an announcement from any other companies... I know that purchasing it on loan won't be reflected. Basic accounting would have the loan go under liabilities, and the cash itself go under assets. The net value would be zero (though the interest payments will over time, reduce your cash assets).

I never really thought of all those bonus things, but it's a good point for sure! Another that I think is decent is the free DLC with a new purchase. Though this does give second hand sales a knock, which some won't like at all.

I'm not sure exactly how the GAAP and non-GAAP adjustments work, but would purchasing assets be considered a loss?

I know they can be. What's the default view of each of those games though? It's clear that they were designed around making the game work within a first person perspective. I maintain that games like Bloodlines, Oblivion, and Fallout 3 have less in common with Dragon Age, then a game like Neverwinter Nights 2. I've never seen any definitive qualification for a CRPG. It usually just ends up with all sorts of disagreement. I wouldn't worry too much about getting into the details, and see neither you nor Volourn as being incorrect for what they are saying.

Here is an social site link for the rogues in case anyone is interested: http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/47/index/144733. It might help with those that have questions about the efficacy of rogues. A rogue's cunning is also factored in for the ability to pick locks. So him saying "let me try that" isn't technically an error (though it does get annoying).

That was my party

I wonder if some of it is based on the preconceptions and assumptions people brought in from previous RPG (and often D&D RPG) game experiences. Kinda like how I found out that a lot of the "not so obvious" spells in DA are actually pretty damned effective. For rogues, cunning seems to be more the useful stat, as opposed to Dexterity. Especially if you end up getting lethality. Dexterity's usefulness could be more for the talent points themselves.

I don't know where people are getting the idea of profit from. Also from GamaSutra. "EA Announces Increased Net Loss, Confirms 1,500 Layoffs" Electronic Arts saw a decline in GAAP revenue, but they did post a record high for non-GAAP revenue (which it seems most people latched onto here, assuming that EA was rolling around in profits).

Can you post a link to some of the rogue threads on the social site?

At the very least Calax, I hope you get a professor evaluation (we were required to have one for every class at my school) sometime toward the end of the semester. That'd be a great time to vent your grievances in a safe and anonymous manner.

It seems as though there are issues with the system at this time, but I know the plan is definitely to allow the game and DLC to be usable offline.

You're making an assumption here though. None of us know what the motivations are, and as Electronic Arts has been running deficits for a while now, it's evident that they aren't in the business of laying people off simply to make short term goals attainable. Otherwise these layoffs would have come much sooner (and probably with the other layoffs they have done).

Because they do it for charity. I'm not saying they do it for charity. It's just popular to bash the big businesses. Always has been.

Some of them aren't even correct. Jade Empire's "Your travels simply take you across the land" doesn't seem like 4 unique places. Baldur's Gate one is a bit of a stretch in that category. And I wholeheartedly called them on the similarities between KOTOR and NWN in this regard, but I think people are just looking to stretch to make them fit. The second category is quite the stretch as a BioWare cliche. I'd say it's a stretch as an RPG cliche. I mean, combat is a common form (and probably the most common form) of conflict in a video game. Most stories provide some type of conflict at the beginning of the story to provide a hook to make the story interesting. A boring beginning is a good way to get people to drop your game. Which leads to the next one, which relates to the party members after the attack. Well, not too surprisingly, games give you party members with a variety of abilities because it's less boring. Even still, Bastila Shan isn't a party member for quite some time after the initial attack. And they probably could have changed the evil/sinister organization one to "Game contains antagonists"

Hahahaha some of those are pretty weak.

I personally disagree that the warrior class is strong Though I don't have any experience with the two-hander admittedly haha. The most powerful party I have seen that made the game laughably easy was 3 mages and a tank.

The dialogue is very, very different if Morrigan loves you. As is her epilogue.