EUIX Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) I just upgraded my computer last december I wasn't even aware AMD had quad cores at the time. If I was I probably would have bite the bullet and forked over the money. Edited July 27, 2009 by EUIX "For ourselves, we shall not trouble you with specious pretences- either of how we have a right to our empire because we overthrew the Mede, or are now attacking you because of wrong that you have done us- and make a long speech which would not be believed; and in return we hope that you, instead of thinking to influence us by saying that you did not join the Lacedaemonians, although their colonists, or that you have done us no wrong, will aim at what is feasible, holding in view the real sentiments of us both; since you know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."
Gorth Posted July 27, 2009 Author Posted July 27, 2009 Ooh, so that is why they added the plant woman, that is for the tree-huggers! Maybe her favoured enemy is "vegetarians"? I am getting curiouser and curiouser about this game, and that despite the cheap marketing ploys, not because of. Since Kotor1 was my last Bioware game, I think I could survive another dose by now “He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would surely suffice.” - Albert Einstein
Blarghagh Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 What bothers me is how bland the characters seem. Most Bioware characters are onedimensional, but at least they are usually colourfull and interesting on the surface. I'm hoping for an inversion here, because these guys even seem boring on the surface so far.
Maria Caliban Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 I have faith that Leliana will be awesome. "When is this out. I can't wait to play it so I can talk at length about how bad it is." - Gorgon.
Monte Carlo Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 What bothers me is how bland the characters seem. Most Bioware characters are onedimensional, but at least they are usually colourfull and interesting on the surface. I'm hoping for an inversion here, because these guys even seem boring on the surface so far. :: Shrugs :: Most NPCs are archetypes of one sort or another and DA:O's look no different to me. Sten, for example, looks like a cliche-sandwich with extra cheese (surly, murdering, foreign-sounding two-handed sword wielding tank). Having said that, there might be hidden depths that the awful marketing has obfuscated. Why, though, does he have to be surly? Wouldn't it be really, really interesting to have a wise-cracking murdering uber-tank? Dexter with a greatsword? No, wise-cracking and streetwise, that's the dwarf / hobbit / whatever rogues job, right? Cheers MC
Bos_hybrid Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 Wouldn't it be really, really interesting to have a wise-cracking murdering uber-tank? Dexter with a greatsword? No, wise-cracking and streetwise, that's the dwarf / hobbit / whatever rogues job, right? Black Whirlwind(JE) was a murderous drunk dual axe wielding tank. It also had Henpecked Hou the Bun Master and Wild Flower the dead girl who was an anchor for the demons Chai Ka/Ya Zhen. In fact of all Biowares games, JE had the most varied and unusual cast, yet many seem to dislike it and did the worst in sales.
Monte Carlo Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 Hou the Bun Master Never played JE, just didn't appeal, but 10/10 for awesome character names!
HoonDing Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 If Canderous Ordo was more like Black Whirlwind, even the mighty Revan would've gotten some major ass whopping in the Jedi Civil War. The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.
Morgoth Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 Black Whirlwind was certainly one of the weakest characters in Bioware's history. He was just that drunken badass brawler. Nothing more. No hint of some little drama or past. Nothing. Just a cursing brawler. But then again, the whole cast in Jade Empire was rather weak. Rain makes everything better.
aries101 Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 I'm not complaining that I can't play Dragon Age on my 6 year old computer. I'm complaining about the fact that I didn't upgrade the computer when I had the money to do so. However, I didn't want Vista; I've been waiting for Windows 7 to come around I'm also complaining that I probably have to scratch a perfectly good computer that runs very well for a new computer which may not run that well - personally I have a problem with things being tossed away before they're broken. And my computer isn't broken yet - it is just old. My comment on the Xbox 360 and the PS3 as well as the comment about the TV was more meant as an acknowledgement of the people that don't have the money to upgrade their computers every year or so; I understand from where they're coming.... Please support http://www.maternityworldwide.org/ - and save a mother giving birth to a child. Please support, Andrew Bub, the gamerdad - at http://gamingwithchildren.com/
Volourn Posted July 27, 2009 Posted July 27, 2009 "did the worst in sales." False. "Black Whirlwind was certainly one of the weakest characters in Bioware's history. He was just that drunken badass brawler. Nothing more. No hint of some little drama or past. Nothing. Just a cursing brawler. But then again, the whole cast in Jade Empire was rather weak" Simply not true. I would take BW over that retarded Minsc. And, the entire JE cast over BG1, KOTOR1, and NWN OC, SOU, or HOTU. Only ME, and BG2 comes close to it in terms of joinables. DWARVES IN PROJECT ETERNITY = VOLOURN HAS PLEDGED $250.
~Di Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Black Whirlwind was certainly one of the weakest characters in Bioware's history. He was just that drunken badass brawler. Nothing more. No hint of some little drama or past. Nothing. Just a cursing brawler. But then again, the whole cast in Jade Empire was rather weak. 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: Killed his abusive father when he was 5, kicked out onto the street, accidentally killed his bride's sister on his wedding night which resulted in killing the entire family as they came after him, was tricked into "killing" his own brother, who had been corrupted by the arena boss, then killed him again when he discovered the final cruel deception... I mean, with a past like that, anyone would drink! 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!!
Aristes Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Good Lord, ~Di, that made me sad just reading it. I thought you blacked it out because it was a spoiler, not to save us from depression.
EUIX Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 30 minutes into Jade Empire I realized it wasn't a RPG, so I became very disappointed from thereon in. "For ourselves, we shall not trouble you with specious pretences- either of how we have a right to our empire because we overthrew the Mede, or are now attacking you because of wrong that you have done us- and make a long speech which would not be believed; and in return we hope that you, instead of thinking to influence us by saying that you did not join the Lacedaemonians, although their colonists, or that you have done us no wrong, will aim at what is feasible, holding in view the real sentiments of us both; since you know as well as we do that right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."
mkreku Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 10 minutes into Jade Empire, my cousin started playing Jump by Kriss Kross because of all the ridiculous jumping combat. Then we played Jump Around by House of Pain. It was fun. After a while we just gave the controller to a tiny 5-6 year old girl who was visiting at the time. She seemed to enjoy the jumping. We didn't. There is a reason there is no Jade Empire 2.. Swedes, go to: Spel2, for the latest game reviews in swedish!
Volourn Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 "30 minutes into Jade Empire I realized it wasn't a RPG, so I became very disappointed from thereon in." JE is an Action RPG, and it also has the best role-playing in any BIO game bar ME. DWARVES IN PROJECT ETERNITY = VOLOURN HAS PLEDGED $250.
Azure79 Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 I liked Black Whirlwind. He was inspired from one of the 108 heroes of the marsh named Li Kui, who coincidentally also had the nickname, 'The Black Whirlwind', wielded twin axes and had a history of killing people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Kui_%28Water_Margin%29
alanschu Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Black Whirlwind was certainly one of the weakest characters in Bioware's history. He was just that drunken badass brawler. Nothing more. No hint of some little drama or past. Nothing. Just a cursing brawler. But then again, the whole cast in Jade Empire was rather weak. I have never played Jade Empire, and this isn't a criticism against you in particular Morgoth, but I've seen so many people cry out "Cliche!" and "Generic" when writers make the drunken badass have some drama and past. Because they typically do.
Monte Carlo Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 I picked up the Sept edition of UK PC Zone magazine. Big DA:O story, will pick out some highlights. Apologies if the DA:O experts know this already, it's stuff I hadn't really seen before. Quotes are marked quotes, the rest is my summary only of the article. Be warned, some of you might find a few minor spoilers in here... *Quote: "The game is massive. I think it's our biggest game to date..." Mike Laidlaw (lead designer) All I can say is... Wow. * Apparently the game has three parts - (1) Origins, (2) Becoming a Grey Warden and (3) Gathering allies to fight the Blight. (3) is where the game opens up into hub areas you can explore (I think they've obviously learnt from BG2 where this one was done in reverse and was a bit of a structural error in hindsight). * Quote: "On, then, to the free-roaming part of DA:O. At any time you'll have three favoured companions with you personally but the rest of your clan will be hanging around... whenever your travelling circus settles down to camp. The camp site acts very much like the spaceships of KotOR..." Meh. I don't like this, but whatever. If I leave my NPC in the middle of nowhere I expect them to either (a) stay there or (b) wander off and get on with their life, I'll find them if I need them. An abstract 'admin base' you can magically conjure every time you pitch a tent ain't doing it for me. A more apt comparison might have been the Pocket Plane in ToB. * There's a substantial mage-orientated part of the game called The Fade which messes with your head and looks pretty cool. non-mages will miss out on this origin stuff that reverberates around the game. Mages also have about 80 spells, are powerful and "most tank and rogue players may well raise an eyebrow." * The schools of Magic are Primal, Spirit, Creation and Entropy. I seldom play spellcasters but I don't mind the devs giving the class some extra lovin', at least it's consistent with what we know about the setting and how marginalised they are (etc). Mebbe I'll have a re-play with one. * There is a Dog NPC. He doesn't say much, but he likes bones and is faithful. He is also a brilliant tank fighter. * Apparently the whole Bioware office sit about singing "This is the New S**t" because they think it's cool. I don't. Dr. Greg says, "This is a new kind of fantasy." We'll see. They said NWN was a great single-player RPG out of the box, didn't they? * The reviewer goes over the whole marketing strategy in much the same way as many of us sceptics here have, they also reference that The Witcher has already jumped in with the Dark Fantasy vibe. He also mentions the embarrassing 'lurve scene' that got so much attention at E3 and relays how unconvincing it is. He says "If you defy the cynical attention deficit and teen-friendly marketing then you'll see the game for what it is: an absolute blinder." Remember, this is a games journalist, right? Hey, there's more to be encouraged about than not, I'm turning on my anti-hype earmuffs and awaiting the 'Remove Bad Romance Content' mod, then I'm sure this game will be worth my time and money! Cheers MC
Morgoth Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 I have never played Jade Empire, and this isn't a criticism against you in particular Morgoth, but I've seen so many people cry out "Cliche!" and "Generic" when writers make the drunken badass have some drama and past. Because they typically do. Wow, a Bioware employee who never played Jade Empire.... That's the kind of people Bioware hires these days? No offence, but this is just wrong. Rain makes everything better.
Morgoth Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Bio Dudes (or any game company) should only hire people that played their games. I'm old fashioned about that, just ignore it. Rain makes everything better.
Tigranes Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 Maybe they hired alanschu because he had good taste in games... Okay, so I trolled Pretty cool preview stuff, thanks MC. I do expect you'll have "No I really hate HATE you" lines from BG2 that let you pretend the game doesn't have any romances, right out of the box. Let's Play: Icewind Dale Ironman (Complete) Let's Play: Icewind Dale II Ironman (Complete) Let's Play: Divinity II (Complete) Let's Play: Baldur's Gate Trilogy Ironman - BG1 (Complete) Let's Play: Baldur's Gate Trilogy Ironman - BG2 (In Progress)
Jaesun Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 According to Desslock: This game is going to surprise a lot of the naysayers who have been turned off by the dumb advertising -- combat definitely has got a solid BG2 feel, the dialogue system seems a step above anything BioWare has previously done in terms of offering varied conversation choices that actually seem viable and have meaningful consequences, and the world and background lore seems deeper and more interesting than I expected. From what I've played of the game (only about 8 hours), it actually seems great, and so far has far exceeded my expectations given some of the trailers and advertising. Granted, this is the same guy that thought VATS is good. Some of my Youtube Classic Roland MT-32 Video Game Music videos | My Music | My Photography
Morgoth Posted July 28, 2009 Posted July 28, 2009 No big deal. DA will range between good and very good. I'll buy it anyway, will enjoy it, and move on. No reason to get so emotional about this game. Rain makes everything better.
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