Dragon Age 2

[Volourn]

"Volo's humbleness and self-critique always amaze me."

 

Sarcasm is mispalced. I crticize myself all the time. Whgen I bash posters or fans or customers, I'm lumping myseklf with those scummy groups. We're all scum. I just admit it.

 

 

"Well, yeah, we're also diverse. There are many factions, lines were drawn, sides chosen."

 

Have you been to the BIO boards? Talk about 'diverse'. Even the Codex 'Hivemind' is 'diverse'. Lets'f ace it, this is the interent, whenever an argument is made, there will always be two sides (or more) arguing it. Nature of the beast.

 

Anyways, back on topic: DA2 is a sequel to DA1. It will have similarities and differences. *shrug*

Edited August 19, 2010 by Volourn

[Purkake]

Don't confuse whiny with cynical.

 

And what's up with the 100+ page romance threads?

 

I maybe wrong but I think that I'm not confusing the terms. I'm saying that while the average Bioware fan accepts the business side of things on game development (maybe whining on bull**** like romances, the looks of armours and little gameplay details that do not make any difference) you guys at the end still view game development in a romantic way (I mean reading the average post as a lurker). Mind, I'm not jusdging anyone. I like that attitude but it's far from being cynical.

I guess I shouldn't have spoken for the whole forum. We have a wide range of attitudes ranging from wet behind the ears, idealism in heart fanboys to "I only play Jagged Alliance 2, because everything made after it sucks" grognards.

Oh, and don't go to the KotOR II forums, weird things happen there. Strange noises at night, fanfic, possibly ritual sacrifice.

 

 

I do try my best to balance things out a bit where I can.

 

Maybe we're more reserved than Bioware?

 

 

And no one has answered my Codex question

Edited August 19, 2010 by Purkake

[Nepenthe]

I don

[HoonDing]

And no one has answered my Codex question

 

The RPG Codex is a dangerous dungeon meant for high level players only. Commonly encountered creatures over there include Neo-Nazi Trolls, dungeon junkie furries, transsexual succubi, and multiheaded abominations. Cleveland Mark Blakemore, of the Grimoire RPG fame, is the final boss and is capable of casting the instant death spell ITZ. If you manage to defeat him then Chris Avellone will fly down from the heavens on a chariot made of gold and give you a pint of his urine, which will grant you a powerful blessing.

 

[entrerix]

and now my week has been made.

[Purkake]

I don

Edited August 19, 2010 by Purkake

[TheHarlequin]

I tried the other origins but didn't get any further than that. I just doesn't have the appeal of the older ... oldest Bioware titles that you could replay over and over again. Mabye things will be better with DA2 ... even though i seriously doubt it. But some girls i know keep playing and playing and buying all the DLC and even the books ... can't understand why.

 

From what they were saying on blues news, DA2 is being subcontracted to a 3rd party developer, has suffered budget cuts and on the fast track for release. As we all know from experience those are all the elements of a solid title... yes.. that was sarcasm..

[Syraxis]

I tried the other origins but didn't get any further than that. I just doesn't have the appeal of the older ... oldest Bioware titles that you could replay over and over again. Mabye things will be better with DA2 ... even though i seriously doubt it. But some girls i know keep playing and playing and buying all the DLC and even the books ... can't understand why.

 

From what they were saying on blues news, DA2 is being subcontracted to a 3rd party developer, has suffered budget cuts and on the fast track for release. As we all know from experience those are all the elements of a solid title... yes.. that was sarcasm..

 

Subcontracting? Huh, never heard anything about that if true. Couldn't possibly understand the reasoning for it as iirc bioware has two dev teams; dedicated to ME and DA respectively.

[Thorton_AP]

I figured he meant he was being sarcastic about the entire post.

[Syraxis]

I figured he meant he was being sarcastic about the entire post.

 

*shrug* Who knows...

[Wrath of Dagon]

If not for budget and polish (and luck maybe) the two company makes very similar games and influence each other a lot. Really, I do not see where the hate came from.

Actually they don't. Not for the last 5 years anyway.

 

I don't know. Obsidian have published two games so far that are sequels of Bioware titles. And a shooter with RPG elements (that reminds me of something but I could be wrong). The only game with a design that was clearly different from Bioware titles so far has been Storms of Zehir wich was an expansion of NWN. I'm not saying that Obsidian is not creative and talented. Only that I do not see all those differences in terms of design and that the two company influence a lot each other.

The difference is Obsidian is at least trying to do something interesting, Bioware has become incredibly trite. Yes, they made sequels but the originals are more than 5 yrs old, hence my caveat.

[Volourn]

"The difference is Obsidian is at least trying to do something interesting"

 

No. Not when you are basically substuting 'interesting' for original.

 

NWN2

 

KOTOR2

 

2 expansions

 

ME2.5

[meomao]

The difference is Obsidian is at least trying to do something interesting, Bioware has become incredibly trite. Yes, they made sequels but the originals are more than 5 yrs old, hence my caveat.

 

Honestly, I've played all Obsidian games and I do not see all those great innovation if we compare them to Bioware games. Can you make some example so I can understand? Having said that, innovation for innovation is not good for me if the final result is poorly implemented. I mean, if we consider Kotor 2 final or Soz exploration feature as innovation... well, I take all the time trite Bioware design that at least makes good and mostly polished games with a winning formula.

[Purkake]

I foresee good things for this thread.

[sorophx]

Can you make some example so I can understand?

Obsidian's writing is a lot better imo. it's not an innovation but it makes all the difference in a videogame for me.

a winning formula

which is recycling 10-year old ideas. way cool

[Wrath of Dagon]

The difference is Obsidian is at least trying to do something interesting, Bioware has become incredibly trite. Yes, they made sequels but the originals are more than 5 yrs old, hence my caveat.

 

Honestly, I've played all Obsidian games and I do not see all those great innovation if we compare them to Bioware games. Can you make some example so I can understand? Having said that, innovation for innovation is not good for me if the final result is poorly implemented. I mean, if we consider Kotor 2 final or Soz exploration feature as innovation... well, I take all the time trite Bioware design that at least makes good and mostly polished games with a winning formula.

I didn't say "great innovation". I said they're at least trying to do something interesting, don't make a strawman. For example, in AP they at least implemented a lot of permutations for player's choices, and also tried to evolve RPG into a more constrained yet responsive form (it was constrained presumably because of a lack of resources, but like I said at least they're trying). Bioware is just repeating their formula ad nauseum, and on top of that their games have really degenerated lately.

[meomao]

Can you make some example so I can understand?

Obsidian's writing is a lot better imo. it's not an innovation but it makes all the difference in a videogame for me.

 

But the quality of writing is a personal opinion and cannot be judged objectively. Personally, I prefer Bioware's gamey approach toward writing if not for Mask of the Betrayer.

 

a winning formula

which is recycling 10-year old ideas. way cool

 

As I've said before, where is the difference with Obsidian? Maybe I've lost some of their titles. When they have tried something new (like the features I've mentioned before) their efforts haven't been so successfull. I repeat my argument: in terms of game design they have more similarities than differences, they influence each other a great deal and they mostly share the same kind of customers. Having said that, I'm not here to apologize about the things you do not like in BW's games. I accept that off course. And I do not want to start a flame so that's my last post on the argument. I was saying that I do not understand the hate/mockery against Bioware and frankly I've yet to receive a persuasive answer.

[Purkake]

Don't mind me, I'll just leave this here.

 

[Volourn]

"Obsidian's writing is a lot better imo."

 

L0L But, no.

 

And, waht innovation? There is none.

 

I also find it hilarious people claim that BIO uses the same forumla repeatedly yet will claim in the enxt bretah that their neweer games aren't as good as their older games. Plus,a re people REALLY gonna claim that BG, JE, SS, MDK2, ME, and DA2 are all the same game? LMAO

 

The illogic is illogical.

[sorophx]

As I've said before, where is the difference with Obsidian?

to me it's obvious and I can't understand why it isn't for everyone else. NWN2 was an improvement over NWN and KOTOR2 was in it's turn an improvement over KOTOR. both writing- and design-wise. now you say Bio's games are more polished and better produced (looks like it's the first thing people mention when talking about Obsidian games - lack of polish), well it's just logical. Bio has an established reputation in the industry and it's games don't get butchered by publishers. Obsidian had a streak of bad luck (or bad decisions, call it what you will), but it's all in the past now. Bio on the other hand keeps effing up with each new game. not that their games are bad, quie the contrary. but they're not what I expected and turn up to be the biggest disappointment of the year.

[Purkake]

...but they're not what I expected and turn up to be the biggest disappointment of the year.

Sorry, but that seems a rather personal issue

[sorophx]

oh, btw I kinda enjoyed Awakening because it's so much shorter than Origins

[Amentep]

I like to play games and get entertainment value in them.

 

I don't invest myself heavily in game companies other than if I play a game and like it, I'm more inclined to pay attention to the company's next game. And if I've liked a bunch of games a company has made, then I'm more inclined to lurk/post on the company's message board to keep up with what is coming next.

 

Beyond that it just seems like a bunch of "my dad can beat up your dad" arguments.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Amentep

[aries101]

To get back to the topic at hand ---

 

Here's a quote from Seb Hanlon

 

While it's possible that you encountered a bug in the demo, I'd like to address these right now.

 

On the PC, you can right-click on the ground to move, just like in Origins. This has not changed.

Also, your character will auto-attack after you right-click to start attacking, as in Origins. You don't have to click per attack.

 

Source:

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/14...498367&lf=8 from this thread:

 

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/4498367

 

And make sure to read Mike Laidlaw's very nerdy and humorous message at the end of the first linked thread :D

 

I liked Seb's comments about the combat - on the hand I'm not that much of a fan of going through the same combat again system....Whoever thought of this should be ---- something...or have done something very nasty to him...

 

I mean, what's the fun in going through the combat once again...

 

It seems that (as I can tell) Bioware has visited Obsidian, maybe, and thought, that 'hey, we need to use the same framed narrative for Dragon Age 2'.... I don't know i this is the case, but it sure seems like it...

[Volourn]

"It seems that (as I can tell) Bioware has visited Obsidian, maybe, and thought, that 'hey, we need to use the same framed narrative for Dragon Age 2'.... I don't know i this is the case, but it sure seems like it..."

 

No. Obsidian didn't create that style of narrative. BIO doesn't need to copy Obsidian anyways espicially if they want to sell more. Why would they copy a game that basically bombed? That's embarassing.