Dragon Age Discussion

[aries101]

I don't mind the nipples in DA: Origins being covered by long hair; I like women that has little mystery to them and don't reveal all their secrets at once, be it women in games or in real life (I'm pathetic right now, I know, I know ...)

 

Anyway, the origin info looks great....

[Gfted1]

Ok, got the origins thing to work. Seems you have to wait till it initially loads, whoda thunk it. Kinda interesting. Man do the dwarf and elf commoners look PISSED!

[Azure79]

Drats, I wanted to play as a human barbarian. I've been on a Conan reading spree lately.

 

Though an evil destructive mage also sounds like fun.

[Musopticon?]

Well, well, trite high fantasy. It's been a while. Where have you been, I've missed you! Everyone has! I see you brought your friends bombastic music and cringeworthy writing with you, how nice to see you guys. Man, we are gonna party like it's 2001 and Athkatla again!

 

Honestly, I've missed this feeling. I can't think of a better way to spend nerd time during rainy days than a Bioware fantasy hack.

[Maria Caliban]

Well, well, trite high fantasy. It's been a while. Where have you been, I've missed you! Everyone has! I see you brought your friends bombastic music and cringeworthy writing with you, how nice to see you guys. Man, we are gonna party like it's 2001 and Athkatla again!

 

Honestly, I've missed this feeling. I can't think of a better way to spend nerd time during rainy days than a Bioware fantasy hack.

 

You've got me grinding my molars here. It's very hard to read your post as anything other than dripping with condescension. Your use of the terms ‘trite’ and ‘hack’ are particularly unflattering.

Let’s start with the music. It’s ‘bombastic’. I click on the origin page and get one woman singing in minor key in elven. It’s rather unbombastic. There’s an orchestral section that follows with some horns. I’m guessing by bombastic you mean ‘it has drums and brass at the crescendo.’

 

Now let’s listen to the actual origin music. Dalish Elf: sluggish, low, with very little pitch variation. Mage: sounds a great deal like Deliarria’s theme. Dwarf Noble: Yah, yes. Highly rhythmic, dominated by booming percussive and what I assume is a tuba. Dwarven Commoner: A groaning piece (can’t identify the instrument doing that, might be human voices) with steady drums in the background. Alienage Elf: Shares an oboe with the Dalish origin, light piano, but dominated by strings. Human Noble: Fits best what I’d consider a ‘high fantasy’ Lord of the Rings sound.

 

Out of the seven pieces, one is bombastic, and one has a bombastic crescendo after a very moody and slow beginning and middle.

 

Interestingly enough, nothing matches the level of bombastic in, say,

,

, Jade Empire, or Knights of the Old Republic II.

 

Yes, the music is bombastic if you’re comparing it to the Moonlight Sonata.

 

Now cringe educing writing:

 

Dwarven Commoner:

 

There was a merchant come by DustTown the other day, some poor sod whos had his skin burnt by the sun up on the surface lands once too often Id say. How he gets let back into Orzammar I cant rightly say he claims he has a deal worked out. Who am I to argue when someone has an angle?

 

Point is, he tells me what them cloudheads think of us dwarves down here. It isnt even just the humans, theres surface dwarves whore born and bred up in the sun who think the same thing, dont know any different. He says dwarves are smiths. Proud, noble warriors who like nothing better than to mine a vein of ore or forge a decent sword.

 

Had us a good laugh, we did.

 

 

The writing is rough, uneducated, but robust. But I’m not being fair because that’s the best piece of writing of the lot.

 

Let’s try the Dwarven Noble

 

Those dwarves who are strong and do their duty are said to make the Stone stronger when they return to it. They add to the foundations strength. Those who are weak, who are unlucky or criminal weaken the foundation or are rejected by the Stone altogether. Thus the struggle to prove ones worth is central to dwarven culture. Their noble houses connive and plot to eclipse one another in Assembly, often resorting to intrigues such as assassination and blackmail to increase their own prestige. So long as the appearance of honor is maintained, the end always justifies the means.

 

It’s exposition, which typically lacks emotion or flavor. The majority of the origins are exposition, and I can understand why you’d dislike that. Is it cringe inducing? The worst bit is the last sentence with its clich

Edited February 13, 2009 by Maria Caliban

[Rhomal]

BREAKING NEWS: Creatures that look exactly like mammals, and have things that look like breasts hanging from their torsos are not, actually, mammals.

 

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

It's called we don't have the testicular fortitude to have nipples in the game so we need to make some contrite, non-logical explanation so we can have our cake (try to show sexuality because it sells) and eat it too (but not too much because we don't want any big bad parent association after us).

[Meshugger]

Hey, i have a slight positive outlook after reading the descriptions of each 'origin'. Quite Witcher-esque, i gather.

[mkreku]

Well, well, trite high fantasy. It's been a while. Where have you been, I've missed you! Everyone has! I see you brought your friends bombastic music and cringeworthy writing with you, how nice to see you guys. Man, we are gonna party like it's 2001 and Athkatla again!

 

Honestly, I've missed this feeling. I can't think of a better way to spend nerd time during rainy days than a Bioware fantasy hack.

As always, Musopticon? is grossly overexaggerating.

 

And where is this superior writing that you emo kids must be referring to since everything else has "cringeworthy" writing (and dialogue)?

[aries101]

So, if we have a fighther that turns into a templar and an elven mage.....will they try to literally annoy each other, maybe even kill each other ? or die trying?

 

I just wanted to chime in with some info from the DA forums here

 

http://dragonage.bioware.com/forums/viewto...m=135&sp=45

 

If you read Mary Kirby's post, you will learn that the elves really are second or even third class citizens in DA: Origins. They are an assistant to a tradesman or a servant to noble (human) in town. Elves will not be head cooks or butlers, but scullery maids (kitchen maids) or the assistant that makes

menial tasks for say the the bowmaker....

 

I like it

 

I don't think I have seen this at all - but maybe it was in one of the Ultima games ?

[Maria Caliban]

BREAKING NEWS: Creatures that look exactly like mammals, and have things that look like breasts hanging from their torsos are not, actually, mammals.

 

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

It's called we don't have the testicular fortitude to have nipples in the game so we need to make some contrite, non-logical explanation so we can have our cake (try to show sexuality because it sells) and eat it too (but not too much because we don't want any big bad parent association after us).

 

Just for you.

 

 

Also, Mary Kerby is female. Also, I've often wondered why testicales are used as a metaphor for being 'tough.' Aren't they low on the pain threshold meter?

Edited February 13, 2009 by Maria Caliban

[kirottu]

Also, I've often wondered why testicales are used as a metaphor for being 'tough.' Aren't they low on the pain threshold meter?

 

Not if you live near Tsernobyl!

[deganawida]

New trailer up at Gamespot. Looks better than the old one. Also has the first shot of a dragon.

[Tigranes]

Sounds like elves are the new Khajit.

 

I'll be happy if they explore that past just "OH GOD IM AN ELF BUT EVERY1 H8 ME"

[Maria Caliban]

Also, I've often wondered why testicales are used as a metaphor for being 'tough.' Aren't they low on the pain threshold meter?

 

Not if you live near Tsernobyl!

 

The bad news: Your swimmers are now floaters.

 

The good news: You can hammer out iron without an anvil.

[Killian Kalthorne]

Sounds like elves are the new Khajit.

 

I'll be happy if they explore that past just "OH GOD IM AN ELF BUT EVERY1 H8 ME"

You no elf. You got boobs!

 

*to paraphrase an half orc in an FR old campaign..."

[Morgoth]

New trailer up at Gamespot. Looks better than the old one. Also has the first shot of a dragon.

Pretty. Bio clearly want to pull a LotR there...but hey.

[Musopticon?]

Honestly, really honestly, Maria, read my post again. I'm really happy that they are going so traditional with this. I like it, as I wrote, Bioware haven't done high fantasy for a while. This is exactly the kind of Weis-Tolkien-etc stuff that welcomes back everyone who used to escape into Ansalon or Lorien after algebra or a crappy EP class in the rain. It's as if someone took a homebrew setting for a tabletop second ed D&D and gave it a massive budget. It gives me hope for a Malazan books game, actually. They started as a homebrew GURPS campaign, IIRC. I'm not even going to go into parallels with contemporary fantasy writing with your examples of "not high-fantasy". The test, the xenohobia, etc, it's already done and therefore only adds to the feel and look Bioware seem to be going for.

 

As for the music, I'm sorry. The music didn't update for me, I just had the very BG2-esque theme playing through the parts of that site I visited(not all), I'll look into it, but bombastic is exactly what Lotr music was. Even Basil Poledouris did athmospheric and low-key parts, it doesn't change it one bit. On the Dwarven example, you're right, since it seems a bit more decent, unlike the Dalish delivery for instance. Though I'm pretty sure that the "exposition" is the style that most of the characters in the game will be speaking in, since Mass Effect had dozens of these walking encyclopaedias pretending to be characters. Well see about that. The choose your origina page quotes really set me on edge to be honest. Diablo 2, a game written in 1998, had a much more consistent speech, I don't mean that it had a patois like Thief 1, but that it didn't feel like somebody talking in English grammar book examples.

 

And "hack" means a dungeon hack. You're likely familiar with the term. Gather party, arm them, go where there be dragons.

 

Sorry if I get on your nerves, its not intentional.

 

And mkreku, The Witcher had angry, dirty, vernacular-speaking peasants that had exactly the kind of mood that you'd expect from someone who knows his life is shoveling manure and going to the church at sabbath, city people who couldnt care less about dropping their -ing forms and being hypercorrect and actually angry minorities that weren't written to sound like they are so-awfully condescending and superior to you. That Dalish example which they made into a freaking wallpaper is one dandy example of why I call "trite". In reference, look up the Witcher counterpart, Yaevin.

Edited February 13, 2009 by Musopticon?

[Rhomal]

BREAKING NEWS: Creatures that look exactly like mammals, and have things that look like breasts hanging from their torsos are not, actually, mammals.

 

That makes no sense whatsoever.

 

It's called we don't have the testicular fortitude to have nipples in the game so we need to make some contrite, non-logical explanation so we can have our cake (try to show sexuality because it sells) and eat it too (but not too much because we don't want any big bad parent association after us).

 

Just for you.

 

 

Also, Mary Kerby is female. Also, I've often wondered why testicales are used as a metaphor for being 'tough.' Aren't they low on the pain threshold meter?

 

2:1 odds they get covered up before release.

 

It's the more tactful way to say the phrase 'they have no balls'

Edited February 13, 2009 by Rhomal

[Volourn]

L0L Not surprising Rhomal is dissing BIo again. This time over the fact they have 'no balls' because they won't show b00bies even though they do.. I'm sure you wouldn't care one way or another what obsidian does with b0bbies in their games. BIO has shown b00bies, and butts before. *shrug*

[Rhomal]

L0L Not surprising Rhomal is dissing BIo again. This time over the fact they have 'no balls' because they won't show b00bies even though they do.. I'm sure you wouldn't care one way or another what obsidian does with b0bbies in their games. BIO has shown b00bies, and butts before. *shrug*

 

I am actually looking at history, you know how many games in the previews showed nudity to some degree to in the end back peddled on release? Of course if you knew these things then you'd understand my skepticism. Hells even AoC is toning down/covering the women up.. which is totally screwed up but that's another topic.

 

Oh that's right this is bioware they can do no wrong in your world and everything they say or imply is going to be in release will be...

[Volourn]

"Oh that's right this is bioware they can do no wrong in your world and everything they say or imply is going to be in release will be..."

 

That be hialrious if I dind't criticize DA before. Or tons of other BIO games or doings.

 

But, hey, make up stuff all you want about the 'evils of BIO'. It's entertaining even if its almost always lying on your part.

 

If you looked at history, you'd know that BIO has shown 'nudey stuff' before. *shrug*

[alanschu]

L0L Not surprising Rhomal is dissing BIo again. This time over the fact they have 'no balls' because they won't show b00bies even though they do.. I'm sure you wouldn't care one way or another what obsidian does with b0bbies in their games. BIO has shown b00bies, and butts before. *shrug*

 

I am actually looking at history, you know how many games in the previews showed nudity to some degree to in the end back peddled on release? Of course if you knew these things then you'd understand my skepticism. Hells even AoC is toning down/covering the women up.. which is totally screwed up but that's another topic.

 

Oh that's right this is bioware they can do no wrong in your world and everything they say or imply is going to be in release will be...

 

 

How many?

[Llyranor]

Yeah, man, how many?

[Killian Kalthorne]

L0L Not surprising Rhomal is dissing BIo again. This time over the fact they have 'no balls' because they won't show b00bies even though they do.. I'm sure you wouldn't care one way or another what obsidian does with b0bbies in their games. BIO has shown b00bies, and butts before. *shrug*

Well, we all know that Obsidian is obsessed with boobies. They are the same people that gave us the Icewind Dale nipples in the Icewind Dale 2 logo and the naked old chick. I have yet seen a Bioware game that has breasts in its name logo. THEY LACKS BALLZ!

[Killian Kalthorne]

If you looked at history, you'd know that BIO has shown 'nudey stuff' before. *shrug*

The only game I can think of that has official "nudey stuff" was Mass Effect and they didn't even show any of the naughty bits, so it wasn't full nudity. Partial, yes, but full? Nope.