Amentep

Meat shields have their place. But there needs to be some utility to their blocking abilities. Just running up and dying isn't terribly useful. Thankfully in DA:O I felt like - even when the NPCs would die get knocked unconscious - they had done some effective work against the opponent. That said I very rarely feel like micromanaging NPCs and generally let them do whatever. I think in DA:O the only time I took control of an NPC during a fight was to force Wynne to use her healing magic sensibly (or how I wanted her to).

I actually had it that I clicked on a male soldier and he said his main story one-liner, then I clicked on a female soldier and I got the same one-liner...in the exact same voice as the male soldier!

I always picked the other dudes in the Dwarven city. Uncontrollable NPC's are only bad IMO if their AI consists of "run towards all dangers and get impaled on enemy swords without doing anything effective".

May be another can of worms not warrenting opening, but I have a distinct impression that modern businesses aren't run with the idea of sustaining the business anymore. There's a quest for profits that over-ride any kind of logic -- like it is better to make yourself a million running the business in the ground that to make 500K keeping the business viable in the long term. Sadly, though, the government (or I suppose more appropriately the people running it) seems to have the same attitude; its more important to get what they want (money, power, a "win" in some unwinable and silly ideological race, etc) than it is to actually make sure the government works and is going to last (because, fact is, governments can go broke as well as be broken).

I enjoyed it. Not the greatest movie ever, and probably had a better idea than execution, but it was fun. I watched TANGLED over the weekend and really enjoyed it. Frothy fun Disney fare; good animation and several humorous scenes and characters.

Who needs sound when you can turn subtitles on?

As if we needed more evidence that you're a space alien. Well DA's case is a bit of an anomaly for me - I bought DA the same week my 360 red ringed (and don't have a PC capable of running it). By the time I got my 360 up and running ME2 was out, and I ended up playing it more. I think I only beat DA twice, with a third game going to the last battle that I never finished. I plan on playing through the complete DA again when I get done with FO:NV. But I did love JE - I know that this isn't a love shared by all though...

I beat JE probably about 7 times - possibly more. I think KotOR and ME both were about the same. Definately replayed NWN OC and DA less.

I really enjoyed Jade Empire. The fighting mechanics I don't think quite worked the way they'd planned/hopped, but it had a lot of entertainment value for me (but then again so did NWN OC and KotOR). If DA2 can have that same kind of entertainment value, then I'm all for it, personally. I never played the Sonic DS game either.

I like spiders too. I like them over there. While I'm over here.

To me, as long as the graphics serve properly to convey the story & game-user interface than the graphics are at least serviceable (a neutral stance). If the graphics actually either do not convey the story properly or create difficulties between the user and the game then they are bad. If the graphics enhance the story and further the game-user connection then they're good. Anything beyond that is arguing about aesthetics, IMO. Personally I haven't seen anything in the stuff for DA2 that looks to be "bad" in the sense that it doesn't look capable of properly conveying a story or creating difficulties with me as a player playing the game.

To be fair, people seem to really like Empire Strikes Back pretty well and it does the same thing (ie it doesn't resolve anything set up in the film). I didn't complain about lack of resolution. ESB has a climax. I dunno, in terms of climax, I think the revelation of the Deathly Hollows (which pretty much all of the wandering in the wilderness was leading to) followed immediately by the capture/escape worked fine. In ESB its the capture of Han/escape from Cloud City followed by the revelation of Luke-Vader's relationship. Same thing essentially, but reverse order. In both cases the denouement consists of the heroes going to lick their wounds while the villains stand triumphant

One thing that I really dislike on a lot of Bioware games is the inability to address the head and neck right. It crops up a number of times in different games, but reached new records of hideousness IMO with Morrigan blowing out the candle in DA1 It's called Bioware and it's the rpg forum equivalent of dumping gasoline on a fire. Hey, I *like* Bioware. I've certainly purchased their games over the years. Yes, I skipped ME 1/2 and some of the NWN xpacs, but I spent a lot of time playing Dragon Age. I mean, if I've concentrated on the art, it's because that's the topic about which we know most. ...And, frankly, if you think it's all great, good for you. Seriously, no biggie. I'm not trivializing your tastes, but I think dismissing the discussion because you don't find any beef doesn't really add much to it. As more things come out about Dragon Age 2, a title I plan on purchasing, then I'm sure we'll broaden the discussion. I advanced an opinion about artwork in games and what I hoped to see in Dragon Age 2. I'll probably continue to act in the same way about other facets of the game as they come to light. I'm wasn't trying to dismiss the discussion about the artwork; just pointing out that I don't understand the passion about it that others have. Yet it seems like a major hot topic - maybe its the lack of information on the rest of the title, but somehow I don't think it is, since threads about the look of DA ran throughout the runup to release on that title.

To be fair, people seem to really like Empire Strikes Back pretty well and it does the same thing (ie it doesn't resolve anything set up in the film).

Unfortunately I tend to only keep a handful of saves and since your companion walks behind you its real easy (for me at least) to miss that they aren't there and have overwritten all the saves with bugged games (did this twice with Ed-E and once with Veronica)

I don't understand this. Are you saying you don't care about the artwork or that no matter how visually ugly or pleasing the artwork is, you just care about the gameplay? I mean, I have some things I prefer over others, and I'm just stating those preferences. The DA2 artwork is the topic for discussion right now because, as I understand it, it's one of the few things about which we have substantial information. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't get the complaints about the artwork or design for DA1 or 2; and I assume that there is something about it that causes people to be so passionate about it. For my purposes both styles seems to work (I only have experience with DA1, but honestly I see nothing wrong with the DA2 artwork and screen images I've seen so far).

It was Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor that did it (and I believe this was fixed in a patch - I know the budget version didn't do it). EDIT: Ninja'd by dozens.

I guess I don't get hung up on visual styles too much; to me it either works or it doesn't (questions of practicality aside).

I have restarted a few times because of disappearing companions problems. Love the game, not crazy about companions disappearing and being unrecoverable (and they're carrying my stuff!)

The Assassin Mage 12% Strength, 28% Bloodlust, 48% Intelligence, 36% Spirit, 20% Vitality and 36% Agility! By combining powerful magic with skills in stealth and assassination, the Assassin Mages can easily take down any foe. The Assassin Mages imbue their weapons and armor with their deadly magic to enhance all their abilities. Utilizing the shadows to their advntage, Assassin Mages can singlehandedly defeat entire groups of warriors without ever revealing their presence. Although Assassin Mages specialize in wind magic, they are proficient in the other basic elements. However, their mastery over wind far exceeds that of any of the other spellcaster classes allowing them to manipulate the wind more skillfully and effortlessly. Leaping through the air and flying short distances is no problem for the Assassin Mage, and by using the wind to augment their speed and agility they can easily outmaneuver any foe. On top of that, they can use their magic detect the presence of any nearby foe, and by condensing the wind around their blade they can easily slash through any and all armor and barriers. Although Assassin Mages normally use their wind magic discretely, they would not be opposed to creating tornadoes, hurricanes, and prisons of impenetrable wind if the situation called for it.

Saw HP & the Deathly Hollows. Liked it pretty well.

Well, I made my first car explosion today. I mentioned missing them from FO3; this one worked out pretty nice. Tried to sniper some enemies and hit the truck behind them, they all ran to the noise which allowed the truck explosion to kill them

It started as a debate about the possibility of this game being a ME prequel; then became whether prequels could ever be good, with Indy2 being held as an example, which expanded into an Indy debate. I don't think prequels per se are bad, and I think there's room in ME's timeline to explore stories without feeling like you know everything that's going to happen so if the game DOES turn out to be ME related or specifically a ME prequel, I think it could still be fun.

I agree Aliens was way too much but doesn't belong there this much? Did I just imagine all the mystical **** in other Indy movies? Also his heart getting ripped out is kiiiiiiiinda the problem. Can't believe that we're debating whether an alien "fits" the Indy universe... In a series that has had - Wrath of God Angels or Spirits A priest who can pull people's hearts from their chests A drug that can hypnotize anyone into doing anything Magical Stones that keep lands fertile Magical stones that can be made to heat up by chanting particular phrases Magical stones that, when gathered together, are supposed to give ultimate power A cup that can heal any wound A magical seal that said cup can't be moved past That doesn't get into all the other improbabilities in the series...but then it was never intended to be realistic, either.

Ooooh, okay misunderstood you there! Sorry.