Nonek

Personally I would drop the Archdemon, the Grey Warden's and the Blight and simply have a political story play out, (though obviously Bioware would need different writers to craft a nuanced quasi realistic situation as they're currently more focused on companion interaction and adventure,) say dealing with an Orlesian power play for Fereldan. Make the protagonist deeply involved in the matter, through personal means or happenstance crafted in the Origin's, and then let the choices and consequences play out from there onwards. Side with Orlais, Fereldan, the Church, Orzammar, usurp power for oneself etcetera. In a world just being introduced to a character and a new audience one does not have to have world shattering events happen, a small local conflict can carry just as much weight to the players and serve as just as good an expository tool, just so long as all the players and factions are presented in a realistic believable manner and not as vaudeville caricatures. That's just my personal take however.

Finally finished Sout Park, one of the most enjoyable rpg's i've played in a long time, one bug when I finally got Shoe but apart from that as stable as the proverbial brick WC. I'm really looking forward to either dlc, a sequel or Poe if neither of these come out first.

Mr Volourn, I assure you with all honesty that I like neither, and as I pointed out above the two situations seem eminently different to me.

This reminds me of an old joke I heard: Muhammad Ali the famous pugilist was relaxing on a flight to Britain when the stewardess asked him to buckle up his seat belt, the boxer flirtily replied. "Superman don't need no seat belt!" The stewardess smiled, leaned in and whispered. "Superman don't need no plane!" As Superman said it's still one of the safer methods of travelling, unless ones pilots are called Mr Oveur, Unger and Dunn.

Last tuesday, nice piece of gammon for tea.

I fail to see how Elminster and others watching your ascent is a cop out, they could end Sarevok with a single spell so he is no threat to them, but they seem interested in Gorion's experiment with you. In effect they are trying to ally with a potential good deity, hardly a cop out as a logical reason for their inaction Mr Volourn. As I explain above to me the two situations seem radically different, one has Sarevok aiming to start a small local conflcit in the hopes of seizing some of his fathers powers, something that the Harpers can step in and curtail at any time they see fit if the protagonist fails. The Lizard people are a threat to the whole world however and warrant the attention of important indiividuals rather than an unproven adventurer, Khelbun who shares Elminster powers is on hand so why does he not act? All this seems perfectly logical to me, and hardly a cop out.

Personally I wouldn't have joined the Grey Wardens to begin with, and why exactly is it the protagonists duty to combat the Archdemon anyway? It's just another Blight and will be stopped in the same manner as the others, it really is not my characters problem, he had no choice in becoming a Grey Warden and so owes the Order no loyalty. He had no home having been exiled from Orzammar, had no loyalty to the humans of Ferelden and had no personal stake in the matter whatsoever. I think it would have been logical for him to go and inform the Warden's of Orlais, or just wander off and do as he pleases, his background as a Duster thug certainly seemed to suggest that he wasn't a moral individual. I'd forgotten what the antagonist was in NWN but my observation holds true, if they're such a threat why aren't any of the other factions who are far more potent than my character stepping up to deal with it? Khelbun has allready shown an interest at the start of the game, and wields the same god blessing as Elminster, to ignore this massive threat seems illogical to say the least. In BG it is strongly implied that Elminster and whatever other omnipotent authority figures are testing you, and this is confirmed in the conversations he has with you. To my mind it is a little cruel, but since the character is a form of quasi deity such observation seems warranted. The fact that he is just a little late to Gorion's murder, and you meet him the next morning says that he was at least trying to reach his old acquaintance, rather than totally abandoning him. I agree though that generally BG is a weak rpg, not helped by the overpowered and generic setting of the Realms, and I personally do not particularly like it as i've stated. As I stated previously Volourn, this is just my personal opinion however, i'm not attacking Bioware merely stating that their recent record of in game decision has not suited my thinking. Personally I think they need to involve the character in a far more realistic manner rather than just insisting that they follow the plot, the BG series did this through personal means but that is not the only method. Once again I apologise if my personal view feels like an attack against the company you obviously admire and like, but i'm afraid I still hold it.

Oh one totally agrees that Baldur's Gate was not the revelation that many regard it as Mr Volourn, in fact I think it was a significant step back from the Ultima series in several ways, though obviously the combat was significantly better. However I felt that the search for Gorion's murderer, ones own identity and the strange business with the iron crisis was a logical response for a player. Well as logical as anything can be in a high fantasy setting such as the Realms, and the protagonist stumbles into it in quite a well constructed manner. Though I personally would have liked more options and less chokepoints. The same goes for Kotor, Jade Empire and the first Mass Effect, they all seem to put one in a situation where the ensuing derring do is appropriate. However from Origin's onward i've felt very much that I wouldn't choose any of the options presented to me, and also i'm afraid to say that I felt this way with NWN, there's a scene in the last chapter where some character tells you that you're the only one who can save the day, and all I asked myself was why? There are Harpers, Elminster and the other god blessed etcetera, why should a random gent be the only solution? It felt a little too blatant and uncomfortable a form of ego stroking, considering I was just a dumb fighter with a warehouse of arcane trinkets. Dragon Age 2 for instance, why would I side with anybody in Kirkwall, or stay there, or go to the Deep Roads when a fortune can be made in the city within a few days, or be attached to the strangers the game presents as my family whom I can't even talk to. I felt less like a player and more a spectator watching a farce about a homicidal bungler. However that's only my personal impression and everybody is free to see the games listed differently, variety and what not.

One doesn't see how being the unwilling recipient of an npc's affections could be any worse than the forced siding with Cerberus or the Grey Warden investiture of Dragon Age. Bioware has been stripping away logical choice from their games for awhile now, I don't see forced romances as too much of a deviation from this, and it would most probably please their fanbase, especially if they get to use the character creator on their victims sorry partners. If the feature is unwanted simply do not buy the product.

I never liked Bruce Springsteen either, I say it's about time his music was banned.

Much appreciated Mr Brennecke.

Bit of a lore question if you don't mind Mr Brennecke: With the Dyrwood having no laws against Animancy are there a number of charlatans trying to make a quick coin on the back of the real Animancer's research? How would such a crime be treated in a setting where the immortal soul is perhaps regarded as more important than the flesh? Are there laws governing such matters or is this the domain of the Clergy? Addendum: Playing the Stick of Truth currently, bravo Sir, please pass on my congratulations and thanks for such an enjoyable and rib tickling experience.

Yes.

Interactivity and reactivity in the environment: Ultima 7 and Divine Divinity, very rare to see this feature in modern games however, due to the steady decline of the medium. The brute power, nuance and simplicity of text as a medium: Betrayal at Krondor and Planescape Torment. Cinematics as an aid to gameplay rather than a hindrance: The Witcher 1. Believable living worlds, with npc routines and realistic behaviour: Vizima in Witcher 1 and Ultima 7. Self motivated npc's with their own agenda's: New Vegas, The Sith Lords and Witcher 2. You might wish to look up Mr Charlie Brooker's television program "games that changed the world" Orogun, seems like it might be relevant to your list in a number of ways.

I don't think my character would really need help to murder Leilani as he accomplished it quite easily at the Ashes, however thank you for the kind offer Mr Volourn.

I'd forgotten how stomach churning and buttock clenchingly embarassing that was, excuse me while I go and pour some bleach in my ears and eyes. Edit: There really should be an interrupt available at that point to push her into the fire or have Dog tear her throat out.

I happened to fall ill today (ah-choo) and consequently am engaged in the quest for the Stick of Truth, from the Ralph Bakshi inspired intro to first using Mr Slave's summons i've been alternately falling about laughing and rather invested in the quite involved combat. A very fine purchase, most amusing and well crafted.

What if your character was a ghost in the game, how would you feel than about running through NPC's Fine.

Considering the average protagonist in an rpg's life, one suspects there would be a good proportion of characters who crack under the burden the plot usually places upon them, I too would really like a few more extreme personalities and answers.

Hopefully there's a little more life, colour and interactivity in those envirnments than in the dull, grey, empty and unchanging Kirkwall. I certainly hope we cannot run through npc's as well, one finds that modern trend enormously off putting.

I peruse neither RPS or the Codex, this in no way serves to limit their rights to free speech Bruce. I hardly thought this needed pointing out.

Personally I stopped perusing RPS a while ago, their "journalism" has clearly deteriorated and it speaks volume that they see fit to preach at their audience rather than reporting on relevant subject matter, the actions of self righteous young men who clearly look down on their audience.

The Case against Romance: We're all of us fundamentally unloveable, accept it and move on.

If true I will most probably not pick up Titanfall, one has little to no interest in online games and (apart from an occassional skirmish in the original but heavily modded Dawn of War) very rarely even play the multiplayer side of games, even against bots. I do think that for mainly multiplayer games your campaign dlc idea is unfortunately something that is probably being touted at the very moment, and will most likely be implemented at some point.

No crossguard or quillons on the sword either, combined with the lack of gauntlets I hope the young lady isn't too fond of her fingers. Very much style over substance there.