Dragon Age 2

[Orogun01]

At least you get the fun of building your character and a sense of accomplishment along the way, while he/she goes from incompetent b00b to world-saving demigod. I'd rather Bio not take that away from me by having the narrator(s) tell me what happens from time to time in order to fill gaps. As you say, if it's done in an elegant and plausible way then great, I'm all for it as well. I just worry that it won't be.

Hopefully they won't take the questionnaire road and have you fill in the blanks. Best way would be to find out the same way that our PC would, through NPCs and rumors.

[Thorton_AP]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

[Orogun01]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

That sounds interesting but; feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't DA:O 2 happens 10 years after the main storyline with completely new characters. Is there some kind of carryover or just a canon ending?

[Bos_hybrid]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

That sounds interesting but; feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't DA:O 2 happens 10 years after the main storyline with completely new characters. Is there some kind of carryover or just a canon ending?

 

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

[Orogun01]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

That sounds interesting but; feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't DA:O 2 happens 10 years after the main storyline with completely new characters. Is there some kind of carryover or just a canon ending?

 

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

Wait a minute, 10 years of gameplay!?

[WorstUsernameEver]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

That sounds interesting but; feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't DA:O 2 happens 10 years after the main storyline with completely new characters. Is there some kind of carryover or just a canon ending?

 

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

Wait a minute, 10 years of gameplay!?

 

It's done like in Alpha Protocol, with flashbacks and narration.

[Bos_hybrid]

Wait a minute, 10 years of gameplay!?

 

It's done like in Alpha Protocol, with flashbacks and narration.

 

Yeah what Worst said. Left the important details out.

[Volourn]

"At least it may make for some fun moments where I can claim that Bioware ripped off Obsidian and watch the Bioware forums explode?"

 

How so? Nothing about DA2 remotely sounds like it is ripped off from AP/

 

Dialogue wheel? BIO did it first.

 

C&C thatyou see the aftermath of in game? OMG rpgS - INCLUDING bio ONES including DA1 - has done this alreadty a billion times over.

 

So.. what exactly is BIO 'ripping off' of AP? Other than what looks like a step backwards for DA franchise.

 

 

"A lot of times picking a dialogue option in DA:O lead to the same NPC response anyway,

[Sannom]

So.. what exactly is BIO 'ripping off' of AP? Other than what looks like a step backwards for DA franchise.

 

Well, I can remember three things that made me think "well, here they go ripping off Obsidian again for the DA franchise" :

 

- the fact that your companions disagree with you will have more consequences than simply them leaving your group. Reminds me of the bonus in AP for a negative reputation with some people.

- the flash-forward/flash-back thing for telling the story.

- the dialogue wheel showing moods and stances instead of a summary of what you're about to say. But then again, this is probably because the few "reports" I heve read about the thing present it as a huge difference. I don't really see it myself.

 

Apparently nothing in my list is in yours...

[Volourn]

"- the fact that your companions disagree with you will have more consequences than simply them leaving your group. Reminds me of the bonus in AP for a negative reputation with some people."

 

This happens in DA. And, you don't even have a 'grouop' in AP. Justn non joinables.

 

 

"- the flash-forward/flash-back thing for telling the story."

 

Been done so much by everyone, it's silly to say they're ripping off any specific company. Kinda how BIo was accused of 'ripping off' SW/ST for ME despite the fact that ME bascially heavily borrowed from so many SCI-FI sources it's not even funny.

 

 

"- the dialogue wheel showing moods and stances instead of a summary of what you're about to say. But then again, this is probably because the few "reports" I heve read about the thing present it as a huge difference."

 

Eh. No biggy. All this is BIO moving THEIR 'creation' (the dialogue wheel) forward. Can they REALLy steal something from AP thatw as stolen from them? L0LZ

 

 

"I don't really see it myself."

 

Neither do I. I beleive it's just the people who are butthurt over the accusation that 'AP is a rip of ME' that they need to make this counter.

 

All these things seem to be are BIO using features they had in previous game(s) of theirs or borrowing from multiple sources.

[Sannom]

This happens in DA. And, you don't even have a 'grouop' in AP. Justn non joinables.

 

Well, in both cases they're people whose opinion of your character "matters". And I don't really see that in DA, a really low reputation doesn't have any effect except for one character, and they can attack you only at very specific points.

[Orogun01]

What I guess will happen is it'll facilitate the choices you make in a more "realistic" timeline.

 

You can make a decision at one point in the game, and then still see the ramifications of that decision 5-10 years later.

That sounds interesting but; feel free to correct me if i'm wrong, doesn't DA:O 2 happens 10 years after the main storyline with completely new characters. Is there some kind of carryover or just a canon ending?

 

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

Wait a minute, 10 years of gameplay!?

 

It's done like in Alpha Protocol, with flashbacks and narration.

BW has gone on a downward spiral since Sonic.

[Oblarg]

"- the fact that your companions disagree with you will have more consequences than simply them leaving your group. Reminds me of the bonus in AP for a negative reputation with some people."

 

This happens in DA. And, you don't even have a 'grouop' in AP. Justn non joinables.

 

 

"- the flash-forward/flash-back thing for telling the story."

 

Been done so much by everyone, it's silly to say they're ripping off any specific company. Kinda how BIo was accused of 'ripping off' SW/ST for ME despite the fact that ME bascially heavily borrowed from so many SCI-FI sources it's not even funny.

 

 

"- the dialogue wheel showing moods and stances instead of a summary of what you're about to say. But then again, this is probably because the few "reports" I heve read about the thing present it as a huge difference."

 

Eh. No biggy. All this is BIO moving THEIR 'creation' (the dialogue wheel) forward. Can they REALLy steal something from AP thatw as stolen from them? L0LZ

 

 

"I don't really see it myself."

 

Neither do I. I beleive it's just the people who are butthurt over the accusation that 'AP is a rip of ME' that they need to make this counter.

 

All these things seem to be are BIO using features they had in previous game(s) of theirs or borrowing from multiple sources.

 

Actually, the "show the moods rather than a summary" idea certainly could be construed as a copy of AP (not that it would in any way be accurate, but it would be defensible, which is what makes it such good potential trolling material).

 

As for AP stealing from ME, I disagree. AP's dialogue system wasn't even really a "wheel," and the similarities to ME's dialogue were superficial.

 

Anyway, I don't think I'll be playing DA2 unless they cut the number of enemies down by at least a factor of 2, rework the clunky ability trees (what the **** is up with the worthless archery tree?), and have a more engaging plot. Yeah, it's asking a lot, but I really can't say I enjoyed DA:O after Ostagar.

Edited July 10, 2010 by Oblarg

[Wrath of Dagon]

I think you still get a summary in addition to the mood. Which is what AP should've done.

[Thorton_AP]

The impression I got was you'd get a paraphrase with some other indication for the mood. It probably won't deviate a whole lot from the Mass Effect one, but will rather add stuff to it.

[Volourn]

", rework the clunky ability trees (what the **** is up with the worthless archery tree?"

 

There are some poor ability trees in DA (*cough* shapechange *cough*); but archery isn't one of them.

 

 

"but it would be defensible, which is what makes it such good potential trolling material)."

 

Trolls can defend anything - that's what makes them trolls. The connection here to AP is very weak and lightweight.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Volourn

[Gorth]

Some day, somebody is going to be able to explain to me exactly what is new in the "dialogue wheel". Is it just that it is round instead of linear (probably easier for a controller than hitting the number keys on a keyboard) or is it just that it presents a topical answer (like a bunch of old 8bit games did 20 years ago)? It feels a bit like arguing who invented fire.

[Oblarg]

", rework the clunky ability trees (what the **** is up with the worthless archery tree?"

 

There are some poor ability trees in DA (*cough* shapechange *cough*); but archery isn't one of them.

 

 

"but it would be defensible, which is what makes it such good potential trolling material)."

 

Trolls can defend anything - that's what makes them trolls. The connection here to AP is very weak and lightweight.

 

No, certainly the tree cluttered by completely worthless sustained abilities is not a clunky tree. No way.

 

Oh, and arrow of death and scattershot are in no way overbudget.

[Gromnir]

Some day, somebody is going to be able to explain to me exactly what is new in the "dialogue wheel". Is it just that it is round instead of linear (probably easier for a controller than hitting the number keys on a keyboard) or is it just that it presents a topical answer (like a bunch of old 8bit games did 20 years ago)? It feels a bit like arguing who invented fire.

 

it replaces lines o' dialogue with emotes and prunes dialogue bifurcation from the player-character side of conversation, thus saving the developer from considerable writing and vo expense.

 

huzzah.

 

if, as a player, you is very desirous of full vo in a large game, then the dialogue wheel is a boon. sure, you sacrifice depth and breadth of writing, but as far back as the ps:t development we were aware of how resistant the average gamer were to reading many lines o' dialogue, particularly as game developers is not exactly hemingway or beckett; convey complex concepts and emotions with minimal text is a rare skill we does not expect to see from some geekling crpg writer. bioware saves player efforts by only making the gamer read a collection o' brief emotes. such a feature may, on some levels, seem patronizing, but underestimating one's audience has rarely resulted in failure.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Gorth]

Thanks Gromnir

 

So "brief emotes"... just like the adventure games of old, where you would pick context sensitive keywords from a menu. Not exactly a novelty (except the concept is probably older than most gamers, so they would have no memory of it).

[Oner]

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

So if I import my 'left Sten in his cage' save, he may be there in in DA2?! Maybe even as a jnpc?! Nooooo! D:

[Thorton_AP]

That would actually be kind of awesome if that type of flexibility existed with an import.

 

I wouldn't hold my breath haha.

[HoonDing]

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

So if I import my 'left Sten in his cage' save, he may be there in in DA2?! Maybe even as a jnpc?! Nooooo! D:

So if you leave Leliana behind, she'll return as a Broodmother boss fight?

[WorstUsernameEver]

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

So if I import my 'left Sten in his cage' save, he may be there in in DA2?! Maybe even as a jnpc?! Nooooo! D:

So if you leave Leliana behind, she'll return as a Broodmother boss fight?

 

A singing Broodmother, nonetheless.

[Syraxis]

DA2 starts during the blight in the first game(Lothering). You then play through the next 10 years.

So if I import my 'left Sten in his cage' save, he may be there in in DA2?! Maybe even as a jnpc?! Nooooo! D:

So if you leave Leliana behind, she'll return as a Broodmother boss fight?

 

Boss battle will have a unique custom ambiance playing in the background that involves a remixed version of her vocal theme song.