Nepenthe

Not really, no. As they said, any viable consumer application of the tech is years away. Just keeping the R&D going is smart. PS4. True, true. Of course, the limiting factor in the current gen is the x360 with its DVD drive, so I have serious doubts re the amount of ps3 games that need to cross even to the dual layer BD size of >25gb, never mind needing more than the 50. Of course, if they actually put some RAM in the next gen of machines...

Not really, no. As they said, any viable consumer application of the tech is years away. Just keeping the R&D going is smart. Going to be interesting to see what happens with the BD vs. digital downloads things. You have to remember that the IP holders are still maintaining a chokehold on most territories outside U.S. We have no hulu, no movie/tv itunes etc.

Considering the currently outrageous pricing of blu-ray media I wonder if they aren't painting themselves into a corner, where ssd's might be cheaper and more reliable, or even better, a return of the good old "game cartridge"? Edit: Sort of happy that I didn't go on a spending spree on blu-ray titles. Still too few region free titles / multi region players around. O_o I have ~100 blu-ray titles, and I'd say 90 of them are region free. The overall ratio might not be that good, but it must be at least 75 %. That's still better than the <1 % DVD had.

Didn't Icewind Dale already have an unreliable narrator? Was this still the case in Mass Effect 2? I've been giving it a try and so far haven't noticed any "different dialogue options leads to the same VO" but the first two dialogues were pretty trivial, and I've only really spoken to Jacob so far. It's a crazy time consuming process but I haven't noticed dialogue options at any point having the VO line associated with them in the early going. Less in ME2. I'm still thinking it's less a question of saving in VO,* but more actually having a lot of people believe that it's revolutionary in some way. *I'm sure it was a factor in ME1, though.

:D We obviously have a different concept of "not being in a hurry". Didn't play the first one; see no reason to change that with the second. Yeah, this is closer to what I consider not being in a hurry. I'm not in a hurry, much for the same reason.

Inception. 'Twas good.

No matter what I originally plan to do in BG2, I always wind up with Minsc, Jaheira, Viconia, Nalia and Imoen. Unless I'm cheesing out with a sorcerer. Guess Vicky just limits options too much, and can't play without her. *longing sigh*

Woke up two hours after my alarm had gone off (to a phone call) with swollen eyes. Took me another hour to be coherent. Happy am not working in a real job at the moment.

It's not being cool or uncool but the basic design issue. If designers wanted, they could call Rogue class Shadowhumper but that probably wouldn't change the fact that class would play the same as all the other rogue classes. It's same with darkspawn - They are very similar to orcs. I'd say they are extremely similar to LotR orcs, the setting that made 'em popular. Yeah, the fact that the darkspawn are just rebranded WETA creations hasn't escaped too many of us, I think that the issue with the preview was the journalist literally flaunting his ignorance. It was obvious he hadn't dealt Considering the first game did sell millions, it's fairly interesting to see the sequel approached in this manner. Have trouble seeing IGN writers approach, say, the new GTA* or Call of Duty*1 with a similar attitude. *"There's a bunch of cars... or motorbikes, I can't really tell the difference" *1 "You kill a bunch of guys with a gun or a crossbow.... or is it a knife? I really can't tell them apart, but the boothbabes in the camo bikini were quite nice."

I was playing Dragon Age: Awakening, but the design bugs/idiocies got me. Should restart, but can't be bothered right now. Pity, it's a lot better than the basic game.

Outside the topic itself, but what a load of crock. Ignoring a certain special role religious leaders carry, there's equality between heads of state, whether actual or ceremonial. Always amusing to see our prez with the scandi kings and queens, ahead of the royal princes/princesses.

I chuckled when I saw that. Dude writes on a gaming site about video games, and he's trying to make himself out to be "cool" because he doesn't know the difference between ogres, orcs, or goblins? Who's he fooling? I don't wanna defend the current garbage state of game journalism, but ain't that IGN dude just there just to report on Comic Con in general. Thus might not even played the original Dragon Age at all. To be honest, I couldn't tell the difference between generic orc and darkspawn if I wouldn't have played the game. Heck, I can barely tell the difference now. So you're too cool for us, too?

I agree somewhat. I've worked for some psycho managers in the past. Fortunately, I've moved on from those multi-national companies and now working for a small company that have great staff. I never understand why people put up with so much for so long. Fear of change.

Because the previews were on the x360 and even DAO1 had a radial on consoles.

It's funny, when I first met my ex, I had recurring dreams of my apartment being invaded by snakes. And the woman really did a number on me... I'd actually forgotten the whole thing until I read your post. Now I'm not going to sleep all night. ***K

The whole preview was a travesty. I guess those MW2 guys are just too cool the mix with the geeks. Also made it completely worthless, since it was impossible to tell what was old and what was new. The guy claiming that top-down view is gone and x360 is the lead platform sounds like a definite troll; even if it were true, no way the PR would let them say anything like at this stage, full-blown torches & pitchforks material. TBH, I don't use the top-down mode that much, but I like to have the option for the encounters that require active tactical control, and I do play zoomed further back than the console default... Gamespot preview seems a bit more interesting. Knowing them, it was probably written by somebody in Bio/EA's PR dept, though.

Same here. 'cept the up parts have been conspicuously missing since I got dumped. Having the longest depressive episode ever.

Gromnir is correct about the differences. My first run was on hard difficulty (PC version), Rogue main character and Morrigan had minor healing spell. Redding swarm was the most difficult battle in the game for me on that run. Next run I had Mage main character, went to Mage Tower first and thus had 3 mage party. On hard difficulty Redding was a joke with that party setup. Er, so unless your second run was on a console, your point would be that party composition matters more than the system? I've played it on an identical party, both systems, (admittedly lower difficulty on PC), and got the "resounding victory" on the PC with miminal hassle. But, sure, if it makes you guys feel more 1337, feel free to keep arguing that the PC version is harder. I have no data to back that up.

If you mean it's written poorly and by an apparent idiot so as to be completely worthless, I agree.

Having played both versions, I think you're overstating the differences between the systems. Of course, I haven't been 1:1 comparing different battles, but the differences are only in battles with massive spawns (a few of the wolf battles, probably redcliffe). I admit to playing PC on easy, as I just wanted to have a nice, importeable character for DA2, and I'm inclined to say that, even with me being more experienced, console "normal" is definitely harder. PC easy seemed to limit redcliffe spawns in the same way as console normal did (feeding out similarily sized groups), but I can't comment for higher difficulties. If I ever actually want to replay the game, I might.

Well, this was one of those DLCs that was already hinted in the shipped game files. From the screen caps it looks like Liara won't be even a temporary team member, but we'll see. Let's see if Bio can pull a "Leliana's Song" here and actually surprise positively.

I think (agree?) that the only real tough decisions in the game are the two orzammar ones, with the king question probaly the least morally black and white in the game.* *and even then it's the choice between and ineffectual well-meaning traditionalist and a ruthless reforming dictator.

Nah, there's no way this could be viewed as a monopoly. It's still annoying as ****, though. Monopoly =/= dominant market position.

The cave is a lie.