~Di

Oooo, I missed a JA2 discussion! My all-time favorite game! But at the moment I'm playing Gothic 3, since I learned the community patches had fixed most of the glitches. I'm enjoying it. The story and character interaction certainly isn't as lovingly crafted as Gothic 2, but it's a fun sandbox game. Huge, beautiful world. I don't think it's even possible to see everything unless willing to devote several hundred hours of exploration. I'm glad I decided to give it a try.

Um, first, I meant those two "acerbic episodes" you just had about the weapons Second, if you really just said that because you have been a member here for 5 years you are somehow above me, I think I have to go outside and laugh. Hard. Go and walk into a bar, sit in the pub bore's favourite chair he's been sat in since forever and start telling him to calm down. Get over yourself. This isn't a senority-based social club. New members have just as much right to be here as the rest of us, and condescention toward other posters because of how long they've been here isn't appropriate. Common courtesy goes a long way. I suggest it is you who should get over yourself.

You left out quite a bit about the Iran Air Flight 655 incident. Like the part where the USS Vincennes' helicopter was being fired upon by Iranian gunboats, which is why the Vincennes went into Iranian waters to go after the gunboats. When Iran Flight 655 appeared, it was apparently mistaken for an attacking fighter. Granted, this was a stupid, unforgiveable error... an error for which the US Government paid nearly $62 million to Iran in compensation. (Those interested can find out more about this incident here It was a horrible incident caused by myriad breakdowns in communication, lack of proper equipment, and gross incompetence but it certainly wasn't a deliberate attempt to down a civilian airbus. However, PanAm 203 was most certainly a deliberate act. So let's not try to obfuscate that, shall we? Since you have made such an audacious allegation, I'd like to see a legitimate source proving that the crew of the USS Vicennes were awarded medals for mistakenly downing a civilian Iranian aircraft.

I don't think he should have been released... life in prison means, like, until dead... y'know? But frankly it's not our call. Scotland tried him, convicted him, imprisoned him, and ultimately released him, all apparently in accordance with Scottish law. If I was a friend or relative of one of the victims, I'd been protesting my heart out, just as the families are now. But that's on a personal level. Quid-pro-quo or not, it's quite simply none of our business on a national level.

That's so bizarre. In my purchased-in-America Gothic 2, Bullco went out and peed on a tree every danged morning. Not a peep from the censors. I'm having trouble believing that dissecting a living human while blood spurts and having nudie cards is okay, but peeing isn't. I'll have to check this silliness out. Edit: Oh, I see it was only for XBox... which means that it isn't an "American" thing, it's an XBox thing. Apparently Microsoft is more prudish than previously imagined!

I remember nearly every one of those peeps... and liked most of them! Good times, good times. *gets all nostalgic*

I do remember you from the old boards! Didn't register until I realized you were GM. So nice to see you again!

Welcome! Hope you enjoy the forums.

I had that issue with the black textures. I looked on the forums after I installed the patch, and the Biowarians told me how to fix it. Turns out their biggest issue was resolved by deleting a few files from a folder. Bioware's post-release support is still pretty good, IMO. As good as it needs to be, at any rate. If there's another patch in the works, the need for it is evidently not all that pressing. I don't doubt that there are people screaming bloody murder, but... have checked out a couple of fora, and much of the gnashing-of-teeth seems to be regarding the DLC certain people seem to feel they're "owed". Typical internet wankery, in other words. 'course, I never had all that many issues with MEPC in the first place. Maybe I just got extremely lucky with it (though such a thing would be abnormally atypical; if a game's got a flaw in it somewhere, I'll usually end up having to scrape it off my shoe, somehow). Same with me. That's really the only problem I recall having, and Bio posted the fix right away. I love ME, have played it several times. As for the DLC, I got the first one. If there's another, fine. If not, that's fine too. I paid for the game, and got my money's worth. I don't really understand where all the complaints are coming from.

Bio's post-release support is pretty good Cheers MC Apparently not so good if you own MEPC. ? I own MEPC. What support problems do I supposedly have?

I hate to break the streak by saying something nice, but I've been out to the Risen websites, hunted up screenshots and trailers, and I must say it looks like it might be quite a fun game. I'll wait to read the forums after it's been out for a bit, but unless gamers tout it as a buggy mess, I might pick this one up!

You're right, the Gann romance was superior to the ME romance. I'd forgotten about it because I found so many design/story decisions in MOTB annoying enough that I never wanted to play that expansion again, although I've played NWN2 OC a half-dozen times. I'm usually easily amused, and can forgive a game's foibles (they all have 'em) if I just have fun playing it. With MOTB, I could see glimpses of brilliance and respect that they had taken a big chance to do something that had never been done before... yet I didn't have fun playing it. So it sits on the shelf. For me, it's all about the fun-factor. I kinda suspect it's that way for you as well... amirite? I don't bother to psychoanalize and categorize games. I either had fun playing, or I didn't. I leave most of the complaining to the Obsidian Forums B*tchfest Brigade & Bio-Basher Drill Team. Their numbers are legion!

So I'd be right to say you're not into girl on girl action . Not my thing, but it wouldn't make me cringe in horror if I was playing a video game that gave the option. I know. I'll be stoned in here for saying this, but I actually like romance options in RPGs! I really liked the ME romances the best, although they too were seriously "romance lite". Still, kudos for the attempt to handle sex in a more mature fashion and at least giving the happy couple a chance, albeit a slim one, to know each other before hooking a horizontal tango. Don't get me wrong. I love The Witcher. It's a great game! I'd be lying if I said I thought that having a PC with the ability to pound anything with a pulse and add to a collection of sex cards didn't annoy me. I'm annoyed by anything that turns females into disposable meat, especially when it's being peddled to adolescent males. Was that annoyance enough to make me hate the entire game? Not in the least. My Geralt was simply true to Tess in heart, body and mind... well, there was that unfortunate incident with the red-headed nurse, but I digress. I don't think any sex/romance that Bio includes in Dragon Age will be particularly tawdry or tacky, and such things are almost always optional. For the record, I'd love a mature RPG that handled sex and romance in a more realistic manner. I just don't think most game developers see that as a selling point for their target audience... and I can't really blame them!

The sheep-in-the-brothel thing has been done before in Arcanum. I didn't think it terribly funny then, and I doubt I will if it's in DA. It's just plain silly and tasteless, but some people seem to like silly and tasteless.. Brothels are almost a staple in RPG's and have been since BG1. I don't think they add much, frankly, but I'm not going to whine at the forums and write my congressman. I figure it's mostly there for the pimple-faced hormonal set who get all sweaty at the thought of doing naughty things to a few pixels on their monitor. Even the childish sex-cards in the Witcher could basically be ignored, and that was the most juvenile, idiotic "sex-for-the-sake-of-sex" silliness I've ever seen in a video game. I don't expect Bio to come close to meeting that kind of crudity and crassness, so I'm not much worried about it. Edit: Oops, I see the Arcanum sheep has already been mentioned. Neverrr mind!

I didn't know that! Actually, I liked JE. I didn't buy it for over a year after the PC release because I figured it was one of those ring-fighting games. Someone said it was kind of a fun romp, and sure enough it was. It was colorful, humorous, with a "twist" you could figure out in the first five minutes, but dang. It's a game I replay when I just want some lighthearted fun. I even like the flyer mini-game! I didn't disappoint me because I had no pre-conceived expectations, and accepted it for what it was. Not every game has to be a dark, deep story-driven tome. Or perhaps I'm simply easier amused.

I actually liked some of the JE characters, and thought all of them had fleshed-out (though usually tragic) backstories, considerably more than most action-type RPG hybrids out there. BW had the biggest tragedies in his past: Whether you liked the backstory or not, you can't possibly say that there wasn't any "hint of some little drama or past." Lordy, I learned more about BW's tragic past than I ever wanted to know!!

Don't forget about the drop-down menu on the top-right of your screen. On that menu you can tell your companions to stay where they are, to follow you without attacking, or to "attack", which means that they will instantly follow you and attack enemies they see. Now if you've got them all in puppet mode all the time, I can't really say because I only use puppet mode on rare occasions. I actually like the party AI, and leave it on most of the time.

Hmm, that's something I'll consider. Might even make sense to grab 4 levels for fighter specialisation for weapon feats. Can't wait to finish work so I can build my char. Start with the fighter, then hit the sorceror levels until you can cast level 3 spells. Having the fighter attack numbers really helps a baby soceror stay alive, and you want those EK levels ASAP. There are a couple of odd skill requirements, so study them before you start. Choose kick-ass AOE spells... fireball as soon as you can get it... one great summoning spell... mordakain's sword canNOT be beat... then the best buff spells. I saved all my sickly archers and fighters at the bridge by casting protection from arrows and stoneskin on all of them (which is why sorceror is a much better base than wizard). I chose the most powerful AOE spells, hot, cold and undead. You'll have to take some crap spells in the beginning, but once you get fireball you'll be an unstoppable force of nature! Clearly, I like this build.

I doubt that they would make a co-op only game. It's probably single player with optional co-op or AI companions and multiplayer with different modes. Both single player and multiplayer are confirmed. Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for it, and follow player comments after it comes out. It looks like it could be quite fun.

Is it only co-op play, or can it also be single player? I've not heard of this game before. Looks interesting.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Fighter 2/Sorcerer 6/Eldridge Knight 10 (then fill in with either fighter or sorcerer levels, per your play style). You'll get a kick-ass melee fighter who can self-buff (plus buff her party with stone skin, etc!) and take out multiple mobs with powerful AOE spells. The best of both worlds. I love my EK! Don't think I could ever play NWN 2 with any other class now. I'm spoiled! PS: Take Able Learner, and stuff as many points as possible into diplomacy. Then she will really rock!

I'm replaying Gothic 2 again. It's still tons of fun.

Lots of things are bad for your health in numerous ways. Contact sports is the leading cause of permanent damage/injury to young people. Should we ban contact sports? Of course not. Lots of sports and career choices are bad for your health. One of the most unhealthy career choices possible is being a soldier in a war zone. These guys come back literally in pieces, mentally traumatized and physically destroyed. And the biggest thing the military has to concern itself with is the potential cost of smoking some 30 years down the line? Again, nanny state, government interference in personal choices among its adult citizens. When the government uses its power to force its will on people by prohibiting what they can and cannot do with their own bodies, then we're going down a road that will inevitably lead to individuals having no choices at all, no choices of what they eat, what they drink, when they are allowed to treat a headache or a skin scrape, what sports activities can be indulged in legally (none that might cause injury that will cost the government money down the line, don'tcha know)... soon to be followed by where to live, where to work, how to worship... and the list goes on. Just because the government is currently banning something that you personally don't like and won't personally affect you doesn't mean that you should turn a blind eye to the obvious implications of that act. Soon enough it will ban something you do like, that does affect you. And don't even think about whining when that happens, because you didn't bother to stand up for others until they finally got to you. Adults in a free society must have freedom of choice over their own lives and their own bodies. When that free choice ceases to exist, so does the free society. Not true. Liquor is.

Do we really want our soldiers going through nicotine withdrawal in the middle of a war? Come on. Anyone who has ever kicked an addiction knows that it is physically exhausting and causes severe depression, anxiety, moodiness and even rage. Combined with someone who carries weapons to stay alive, a dangerous combination. I don't smoke anymore, haven't for over a decade, but I do know that prohibition doesn't work. Every time government makes a substance or activity illegal, it merely opens up a new opportunity for criminal enterprise. To forbid soldiers from indulging in what is currently a perfectly legal activity for adults is ridiculous. I hope they're prepared to watch military enrollment immediately plummet, because no smoker is going to enlist if they know they'll be forced to go cold turkey. More nanny-state interference in what citizens can and cannot do with their own danged bodies.