Gromnir

which sniper rifle do you use? Gromnir typically brings along the widow for boss killing, but there wouldn't be enough ammo for killing 75% of enemies. played as an infiltrator and we used the heavy pistol most frequent. the smg is nice enough, but this game depends on cover, and we does far more damage with a single heavy pistol headshot than we does spraying a bunch o' smg ammo into a target. peek out from cover to take two shots for a kill is requiring us to be exposed less than does smg. was kinda a no brainer for us when we had choice between assault rifle and the widow sniper rifle as we were building a sniper character, but am betting that we woulda' actual gotten more practical use from choice of assault rifle training. combined with heavy incinerate, the widow sniper makes relative short work of some of the more challenging me2 foes, such as scions, the end boss and those ymir mechs ( a single ymir mech is no problem, but we find that when we is faced with 2-3 in a single encounter they can be... troublesome). nevertheless, is relative few ymir, scions, and bosses. regardless, when we hear that folks is killing a majority o' foes with sniper, we wonders which version o' the weapon they is using: incisor, viper or widow? HA! Good Fun!

yes, and as the planet scanning is optional, it is perfectly acceptable for such a feature to be repetitive, tedious, and uninspired. heck, the loyalty missions is optional too... am surprised the biowarians put any effort into them at all as the status of such material as optional relegates such stuff to relative non-importance. ... 'course vol mighta' been simply talking nonsense... again. HA! Good Fun!

HA! Good Fun!

HA! Good Fun!

am gonna have to double check on the cryo and biotic barriers. Gromnir relies very heavily on heavy pistol headshots. is possible that the reason we sees biotic barriers strip away so quick is 'cause o' our weapon choice rather than ammo. HA! Good Fun!

quick observation: cryo ammo strips biotic barriers over on the bio boards and elsewhere we seen lots of complaints 'bout cryo ammo being useless. oddly enough, we found cryo ammo very useful. with heavy incinerate to takes down armour, disruption ammo for shields and synthetics, and cryo ammo to reduce asari commandos to mewling bed-wetters, Gromnir's infiltrator were never impotent in any fight. am wondering what others is seeing (or missing) in regards to cryo ammo. am gonna test out warp ammo this weekend... HA! Good Fun!

let us keep in mind that we ain't claiming that me1 were some kinda ideal o' crpg design. Gromnir were not a big fan o' the customization options available in me1 as we felt there were considerable redundancy and some obvious dog skills/talents... and it often seemed as if adding additional points to a skill did not have proportional impact on gameplay. nevertheless, we has played me1 multiple times and choice of class did not effectively end the character development options. based on manner in which we distributed points, a me 1 commando-infiltrator were a near invulnerable combat killer. as an operative-infiltrator, we we could leave tali or kaiden on the normandy as our tech skills were more than sufficient for any scenario. we had numerous variations o' both kinda characters. me2? if we play another infiltrator, we is gonna build the exact same way 'cause it just not matter. a few points changed in one skill or another will not change gameplay approach much or at all. btw, the functionality that allows you to retrain is a bit... odd. am admitting that we "gamed" the system as we used the operative-agent early in game to benefit from the paragon/renegade point bonus, and then switched to operative-assassin once we had maxed paragon points. retrain still felt like cheese. HA! Good Fun!

that is kinda the point, no? few options mean that there will be very little variation of builds. me2 offers largely pointless character development choices beyond the player's initial decision regarding class. lack of meaningful character development choices does not make me2 a bad game. some of the characters is entertaining and/or intriguing, and we generally liked the writing. me2 offered some nice opportunities to make meaningful or colorful gameplay choices. even so, given the lack o' functional diversity in character builds, the character development aspect o' me2 were somewhat disappointing... which is passing odd for an original bioware crpg. HA! Good Fun!

You can unlock every special power of your squadmates as soon as you get their loyalty. At least I could. And on my first playthrough, too. I had like 6 or 7 powers in the end, IIRC. True you don't see them from the start but if you make any upgrades at all (which is true for most players I guess) you will see them. regardless, your initial list is more than a bit misleading. loyalty missions come After recruitment, and some npcs is not even initial recruit-able. HA! Good Fun! Granted, but what was the point? That there are less possible combinations for a character in ME2 than in ME1? That's only true at the beginning of the game. And ME1 has less options in the beginning, as well. You get more options after you become a Spectre and then some after the mission on Luna (if you take that mission). Do the powers not count because you have to earn them? again, you is being misleading. a me 2 sentinel built by enoch or Gromnir or you will look pretty much identical by level 30. sure, maybe you got 1 point in a bunch o' bonus powers, but 'cause such powers is only available very late, your sentinel will not be very different from Gromnir's. as for me 1 spectre... is apples and oranges. spectre in me 1 can be unlocked 'round level 12 in a game where you easily reach level 40 on first play... and spectre bonuses does not cost additional points to provide a benefit neither. Gromnir rare put more than a handful of points into the spectre line from me 1... just enough to get first level o' unity. even so, we benefited from the choice between operative or commando when playing a me 1 infiltrator. greater diversity were created, even if it were largely illusory. HA! Good Fun! ps: similar to enoch, we is very curious about warp ammo... but it were available late in game and as such it were not worth exploring. warp kills everything, so is warp ammo analogous? the problem is that we do not know at this point, and we already finished an entire game. btw, as difficulty is increased, the value o' tech armour, shields and fortification powers seems to diminish. cover is 10x more important than armour or shields. on a high level o' difficulty we might alter enoch's suggested build by decreasing tech armour and increasing something else.

You can unlock every special power of your squadmates as soon as you get their loyalty. At least I could. And on my first playthrough, too. I had like 6 or 7 powers in the end, IIRC. True you don't see them from the start but if you make any upgrades at all (which is true for most players I guess) you will see them. regardless, your initial list is more than a bit misleading. loyalty missions come After recruitment, and some npcs is not even initial recruit-able. HA! Good Fun!

Then you are simply not thinking hard enough. In ME1, a Sentinel has: Pistol talent branch Throw -> 3 different major levels, giving you the ability to knock around even Armatures when maxed Barrier Decryption -> again, 3 different levels allowing you to open containers of various difficulties First Aid And can unlock: Lift - same as with Throw, max lift allows you to lift Armatures and Primes, making it worth it to max out Stasis Electronics - same as with Decryption Medicine - for Neural Shock You can combine different proficiencies in those in any number of ways, and get a "prestige class" for added variety. Whereas in ME2, a Sentinel gets: Throw Warp Tech Armor Overload Cryo Blast Without dramatic differences between levels, except for the lame "evolutions". Refer to jags' coffee analogy, about those. ME1 could have done without the granular progression without making much of a difference, but that's not the point. There are less possible combinations in ME2, if you can count. But hey, it's always fun to argue against mathematical facts, right? In ME2, a Sentinel gets: Throw Warp Tech Armor Overload Cryo Blast Reave Slam Shockwave Armor piercing ammo Geth shields Fortification and some more a bit of a misrepresentation, no? some powers you list is unlockable late in game, and some is only available on a subsequent playthrough. the average player with no meta-knowledge of game does not have such a robust list to choose from. HA! Good Fun!

Mathematics can't tell me which one is better, it can just tell me which one is "MOAR". ME1 throw has 3 different levels with a lot of filler, ME2 throw has 4 different levels, with the 4th level branching into two different options. The boosts you get at every level in ME2 are like the ones ME1 has as "new" versions of the power - not the minor percentage boosts to partial effects in between. Again, just because there's more little boxes for you to tick (indeed, a mathematical fact), does not necessarily mean = better. Just like level 60 isn't automatically more than level 30. dismiss mathematics if you will, but the math does show that given the number of skill/power points available, diversity o' character builds necessarily diminishes as you decrease the number of skills/powers upon which the player may spend their points, and for many folks such a result is antithetical to the spirit of a rpg. unlike numbers, Gromnir would not have made a quantity v. quality argument regarding differences in character development options 'tween me 1 and me 2. that being said, numbers has a valid point. at level 30 your me 2 sentinel or infiltrator will look much the same as Gromnir's or number's or enoch's. making meaningful gameplay and character development choices is typical what sets crpgs apart from other genres, no? sadly, me 2 character development scheme gives the player only one vital character development choice: your choice of class. is not a matter of "dumbed down" or quality, but me 2 does offer the player very few meaningful character development options once you exit the tutorial portion o' the game. lack o' character development options does not make me 2 a bad game, but for the folks who live and die by the rule of Meaningful Choice to judge crpg worth, me 2 is found wanting compared to previous released original bio titles, including me 1. HA! Good Fun!

HA! Good Fun!

don't know if such info is helpful. HA! Good Fun!

apologize in advance for being a tad crude, but am gonna admit that the resource acquisition mini-game felt like a big bioware FU to all those folks who complained 'bout the mako. " You thought the mako sucked? Fine, we got rid of the mako you whiny plebes. Are you happy now? If you decide to b!7ch about me 2 ammo or excessive reliance on cover, keep in mind how we "improved" planetary exploration between me 1 and me 2. Ungrateful little..." HA! Good Fun! ps am not honestly suggesting that me 2 resource acquisition were a result o' biowarian vindictiveness... but it felt that way as we slowly mapped a dozen or so planets looking for iridium and platinum.

am gonna suggest that thane is the actual carth stand-in for this bio game. as for pc v. xbox... pc versions is almost invariably superior, but Gromnir's left hand is damaged... manual dexterity needed to use wasd is too much. can still manage a gamepad. no pc support of gamepad for me 1... didn't bother to check for me2. HA! Good Fun!

if me 1 were so close to perfect, the developers wouldn't have had to make any real changes... such as getting rid o' the mindless planet exploration you like so much. me 1 were enjoyable, but if you can't see the flaws you ain't looking... or you is willful oblivious. to get the ratings me 1 received from reviewers required vol level myopia. as for advertising... *shrug* am personally not concerned with numbers of additional sales. more significant to Gromnir is that the publisher clear ain't thinking of me 2 as a niche product for a smallish sub-group of gamers. HA! Good Fun!

2 quick observations... 1) reviewers is hamstrung by their review of me1 if a reviewer gave me 1 +90%, then assuming me 2 is a better game they gotta give me 2 better than +90%, no? some o' the reviews for me 1 were ridiculous high; the game were good, but it weren't as orgasmic as many reviewers suggested. would have been more surprised if bioware hadn't fixed some o' the obvious busted stuff from me 1. 2) just witnessed a me 2 commercial that were shown after the 2-minute warning of the nfc championship game. wow. that is a premier advertising slot. am recalling when crpg were considered niche. HA! Good Fun!

you gots a fully realized fantasy setting with political and religious factions that is intriguing if not genuine compelling. am not certain that "dark & gritty" is an applicable or appropriate descriptor, but there is some portions and aspects that is, at the very least, darkER than previous bio games. is standard fantasy with some minor horror aspects thrown into the mix... is no aspect of the gameworld that amazed Gromnir. on the other hand, after we had finished playing we were curious 'bout, and had anticipation regarding, locales and peoples that were described only briefly during the course o' the game. the fact that we finished the game hungry to uncover more o' the world map in future da games is, in our humble estimation, a good sign. is not all that original or dark or... anything. HA! Good Fun! ps didn't like da elves. implementation were too schizophrenic, particularly the dahlish. the writers demanded that we sympathize with elves. the writers wanted us to see the dahlish as a proud people. *snort* one of the dahlish quest is to aid or hinder a timid and impotent hunter in winning the heart of a fair maiden. developers gots a handful of characters and quests to develop the Character o' the dhalish, and they waste resources on a banal and vapid little teen romance scenario? am having a hard time sympathizing with the Biowarins regarding material cut from da if they consciously chose to save such trite and inane piffle as we saw in the dahlish portion of the game.

hmmmm the main quest were hit & miss as is typical o' most bioware games. there were a few "wtf" moments for Gromnir; some quest resolutions either felt incomplete or just plain wrong. nevertheless, for the most part, we didn't feel as if the main quest were noteworthy for its crapulance. there were genuine only one portion o' the game that made us feel as if we were playing some kinda diablo-clone exp grind, and ironically, as much as we loathed the repetitive darkspapwn swarms (in tunnels), the dwarfy stuff were our favorite portion o' the game. but yeah, if the combat (in tunnels) had been differentiated a bit more, then we suspect that we woulda' liked the dwarf portion to an even greater degree. the story makes sense, but some characters behave... strangely. those wtf moments we reference earlier were far too common and most were related to our inability to accept the behavior o' key party and non-party npcs; it makes us wonder how the biowarians edit their writing. am aware that canadians is a polite people, so perhaps they is too courteous to tell fellow writers that a story or character has as many holes as a vol argument. level scaling was... odd. is our understanding that most portions o' game didn't utilize level scale. however, the aforementioned tunnels supposed had scale. likewise, Gromnir is certain that the denerim thugs scaled. additionally, at least a few random encounters scaled. the scale in the tunnels and the back alleys o' denerim were tuned a bit higher than Gromnir believed were appropriate, but even so, there simply weren't that much scale in the game. given the size o' the game, Gromnir experienced very few noticeable bugs. however, as the rules/game mechanics is hidden from Gromnir, there ain't no way for Gromnir to identify if some peculiarities were the result o' bad design or bugs. the most common bugs in d&d games is simple data entry mistakes: fire balls do wrong damage, charm spell has faulty duration, flamberge o' unholy darkness does lightning damage 'stead of cold, etc. is no way to check such stuff in DA. that being said, it sounds as if the DLC resulted in more bugs for people than were evident in the core game. go figure. the end were meh... sorta. the denouement were handled okie dokie, but the climax, and the couple hours of gameplay leading up to the climax, sucked. however, in spite of its Many flaws, Gromnir enjoyed da very much. we played through the entirety o' the game in a short period o' time, a task which required more than a few marathon sessions ending 'round 2:30 am. and while we did not manage a second complete playthrough, but that were 'cause o' rl concerns and responsibilities. am gonna concede that we were disappointed with the impact (non-impact) o' the origins later in the game, and we loathe da's hidden and seeming counter-intuitive rules/mechanics. even so, we do not regret the purchase and play of da... not one bit. HA! Good Fun!

even if the interviewer is a moron it don't mean that his info is worthless. is the reason why Gromnir bothers to read your posts in spite of your... handicap. as for the topic at hand, Gromnir don't like the notion o' the pc only having access to 6 skills... unless there is Far fewer skill points available in the pool. choice o' class becomes more important? how is that good? is a level 1 decision in a 40 hour game. now, because o' the ridiculous number o' skill points available to me-1 characters you end up with same result by an alternative route: all characters of same class end up looking pretty much identical. if you are able to max virtual every skill, then it don't matter if you got 6 skills or 60. everybody looks similar and character development choices after level-up become less meaningful... is the reason we hated original d&d... once you roll attributes and choose class you pretty much end choice. HA! Good Fun!

Poorly trained paramilitaries are hardly the threat you seem to think they are. Besides, if there's a revolution, it will have an appearance of propriety. Your reaction would seem disproportionate and wild to most. A revolution here is not going to occur tomorrow in some kind of socialist putsch. It will be the product of a generation's work, and of months of hard labor before the actual act. In 1904, it would seem as bizarre and insane to think of a socialist Russia as it is today to think of a socialist America. No sense of humor! Evidently you did not get it, you are the one who said there are no rights that are sacrosanct. Gun owners beleive the right to keep and bear is. So the ones who beleive in rights are the ones that own the guns. It was meant to be a little joke but I guess I did not set it up all that well. Besides, you strike me as a humorless fellow anyway. People who push for "second amendment rights" are usually nutcases. Give me one good reason why it should be an unquestionable right to own a device which exists almost exclusively to kill other people? 1) it is part of the constitution like it or not, it is a fundamental right on par with free speech. if you think it is antiquated then there is a process for getting rid of it. if it were genuine only nutcases who wanted to keep 2nd amendment, then it would have been dumped a long time ago. the problem with gun-control nutcases is that they know they can't swing an amendment, so they tries to pull off legal sleight o' hand without considering what that would mean to the OTHER fundamental rights. use commerce clause to render the second amendment impotent? well, then what is to stop folks from using the commerce clause to try and render the first or eighth amendments meaningless? 2) the US is the product o' a revolutionary government right to bear arms were important to founding fathers not only to has an effective militia, but also 'cause folks like patrick henry knew that a well-armed citizenry is more difficult to push around. sudden create an oppressive tax without the approval o' The People? founding fathers knew that with armed colonials the tax man would feel far less secure in trying to collect. create a 2010 law to dispossess hillbillies from their land in the ozarks? *chuckle* good luck. 2nd amendment is not needed now, but 2nd amendment weren't created for now. imagine instead an oppressive federal government that is draconian and abusive. 2nd amendment makes Future revolutionaries and armed dissenters more possible and the founding father thought that such were a good thing. you only asked for one, but Gromnir is generous. HA! Good Fun!

What a bum. I guess I'll be sticking with Lelianna. Er... things didn't turned out the way I'd planned, actually. After the drudgery that is the "final battles", Suddenly, before I could take a single step, a cutscene started and Damn, was I ticked off! am thinking that we is more disturbed by Di reaction than we is by the bio implementations. the two-timing trollop character she decides to play manages to be perturbed by allistair's selfishness AND by his unalterable sacrifice and confession o' love. ... is not that Di's reasoning is incomprehensible, is just disturbing in the same way we find much of female reasoning to be... peculiar. HA! Good Fun!

So it's an acceptable self-dellusion? Well unless you're one of the initiated, and then well you know, because you've had it proven to you... It's all against reason. love. honor. beauty. faith. none o' the aforementioned gots any objective reality... is all pleasant self-delusions. at least for Gromnir, those things worth dying for... those things worth Living for is all no more than self-delusion. we do not feel the least bit diminished by our admission o' self-delusion. HA! Good Fun!

hypothetical: Gromnir creates a rather unoriginal Moral Philosophy that exhorts folks to be kind to one another. however, because we claims that we is speaking the Word of God our philosophy becomes a religion... the fact that there is some wackiness in our philosophy (believers should avoid orange skinned fruit as such vegetation carries with it the seeds of human downfall, the world will end on july 7, 2777 at 7am gmt, etc.) actually aids in our philosophy being embraced as a religion. 100 years after Gromnir is dead and buried, the ironic named Church of Orange commits many heinous acts o' violence while managing to become the world's second largest private owner o' real estate holdings. followers of Gromnir's religion systematic kill buddihst monks, cal-trans workers, and sunkist employees. question: is the moral philosophy o' Gromnir busted 'cause o' the actions o' his followers? HA! Good Fun! ps the bible is an interesting read and as it is arguable the most influential written work in the western world, it is worth study. the bible is also frequently as wacky and self-contradictory as a vol post.