Dragon Age 2

[Humanoid]

Only if Fireballs can only be detonated on the ground. Being able to detonate fireballs outside the 2D plane of the floor would be kind of cool. Not to the extreme extent to grenade physics but it would add tactical options.

 

 

Then again, Virtual Pool level physics with fireballs might also be fun.

[mkreku]

I've always dreamt of seeing a game where mages actually feel powerful instead of fruity males casting pretty colours everywhere. I want to see orcs flying off in all directions from my fireballs. I want to see trees topple! Walls crumble! All in glorious physics. Then I'd be interested in having magic in games.

[Tigranes]

Funnily enough, the most satisfying such effect magic had in a game for me, so far, is Disintegrate in BG2. Just the fact that you would actually see the enemy sprite immediately vanish, then a pile of dust accumulate at the spot. Other than that, I guess force powers in Jedi Knight.

 

It'd have been nice to see other APRGs take up Dark Messiah's initiative in that manner though.

[Labadal]

I Think DAO had some cool combo magic, freeze the enemy and use rock fist or greas and fire are the ones that springs to mind.

[Azure79]

I was always partial to using the death spell on lower level enemies. Satisfying to see their souls cry out for an instant before disappearing.

[Volourn]

":: shrugs :: It's a console game, that's how they roll."

 

: shrug: It's a PC game, that's how they roll.

[Junai]

Funnily enough, the most satisfying such effect magic had in a game for me, so far, is Disintegrate in BG2. Just the fact that you would actually see the enemy sprite immediately vanish, then a pile of dust accumulate at the spot.

Malavon in IWD1, taking out my main chars fighter-sidekick with turn-to-stone, then shattering the poor sod with Otiluke's Freezing Sphere.

 

Was awe-inspiring..

One of my best IE-game memories.

 

J.

[entrerix]

I've always dreamt of seeing a game where mages actually feel powerful instead of fruity males casting pretty colours everywhere. I want to see orcs flying off in all directions from my fireballs. I want to see trees topple! Walls crumble! All in glorious physics. Then I'd be interested in having magic in games.

 

i could totally go for a hack-n-slash action rpg that uses the engine from Red Faction: Guerilla.

[sorophx]

ha! yeah, that was a funny game

[Maria Caliban]

The DA2 main site has been updated with 2 creature pages talking about Hurlocks and Emissaries:

 

Hurlock

 

 

Taller than their genlock cousins, the hurlocks are roughly of human-size but are possessed of considerable strength and constitution. During a Blight they will often be found on the surface in large numbers, each equipped with crude armor that is often assumed to have been scavenged, though there is some evidence to suggest they also build and repair their own weapons. The darkspawn are a living plague, and the black ichor that leaks out of a hurlock's eyes onto it's pale face makes this fact plainly apparent.

 

 

Emissary

 

The most intelligent of the Darkspawn become gifted sorcerers, with many abilities akin to blood magic. These are called 'emissaries' because of their rumored ability to speak, though they negotiate no more than others of their kind. They are usually seen on the surface only during a Blight, but any who venture far enough into the Deep Roads will encounter them at any time... and will regret doing so.

 

[RPGmasterBoo]

And how well do you think these are designed Maria

Edited November 19, 2010 by RPGmasterBoo

[Maria Caliban]

The herlock is 'meh.' The emissary I like. I'm trying to figure out if the black, angular armor is supposed to be the armor style of the Free Marches and they've just scavenged it or if it's something made by the ghouls.

 

Visually, there's little that grabs or interests me. My hope is that the darkspawn aren't major enemies in DA 2; the Blight is over and we're no longer in Ferelden so there's no reason for them to be anything other than rare and isolated bands.

 

What do you think?

[Gromnir]

I've always dreamt of seeing a game where mages actually feel powerful instead of fruity males casting pretty colours everywhere.

 

just as warriors cannot alter most 2d and 3d game environments, mages is limited to expressing violence 'pon the bodies o' creatures. am not seeing how anybody who has played a d&d crpg created in the last decade can feel an absence o' power. would it be sooper-groovey-keen to have fully malleable environments in games? perhaps.. am not sure o' the cost v. benefit on that, but regardless, mages is rarely relegated to being ambulatory pyrotechnic displays with questionable manhood.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Guest Slinky]

Every single time I see a picture of the new hurlock, this comes to mind:

 

[HoonDing]

No more Deep Roads.

[Cantousent]

I've thought that the problem with a lot of games over the past several years is that so many are designed with class v. class in mind. In some cases, the devs have spent a lot of time not only balancing the game for player v. environment, but an equal amount of time balancing player v. player. What I don't like about that is that it means that each class needs to have a fighting chance against every other class, which changes how the classes work together as a team. I mean, you can't create a class who is completely useless against other classes but fulfills a vital role in a party.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing Dragon Age 2 makie mages a little weaker man to man, but provide unequal devastation as part of a group.

 

...But I would also like to see games where I can customize my mage's look to get away from flowing robes and pointy hats. Instead, maybe I want pants, boots, and a military style tunic. I don't know, but I kind of agree with mkreku about the whimpy look to the mages. I definitely agree with Gromnir that mages kick some serious ass in Dragon Age. I don't think they're underpowered at all.

[entrerix]

i like the look of that emissary, kinda evokes a darksun feel to me. the hurlock locks absolutely puke-in-my-mouth terrible, and 100% like the he-man villain so appropriately imaged on the last page.

[RPGmasterBoo]

The herlock is 'meh.' The emissary I like. I'm trying to figure out if the black, angular armor is supposed to be the armor style of the Free Marches and they've just scavenged it or if it's something made by the ghouls.

 

Visually, there's little that grabs or interests me. My hope is that the darkspawn aren't major enemies in DA 2; the Blight is over and we're no longer in Ferelden so there's no reason for them to be anything other than rare and isolated bands.

 

What do you think?

 

I think they tried too hard to make them horrifying while not stepping out of a somewhat conventional form. They might have once been humanoid, but there's no real obligation for them to look so much like humanoids. Probably a product of the DnD mindset.

 

On a single unit the spiky monolithic armor might look passable, on a band of them methinks they'd look like a porcupine. The shoulders are the the real problem. Reminds me of power ranger mooks for some reason. (Hurlock)

 

Overall its neither terrible nor good. Depends on how many you'll have to go through in the game. God forbid them being the bread and butter enemies again.

Edited November 19, 2010 by RPGmasterBoo

[Gromnir]

robes and staves. some guy wearing a dress and leaning on a stick does not scream Manly. *$#@ tolkien... the notion that mages should be crotchety old men who wear robes beyond their bathroom door, AND while adventuring, is an unfortunate legacy o' the hack with the horrible prose style.

 

don't blame the poof factor on game developers... blame on tolkien, and those who loves tolkien.

 

Gromnir wants to play a mage that can find a freaking pair of pants.... altering geography would be nice, but gots 0 to do with power.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[RPGmasterBoo]

Making mages cool since 2000

 

[Gromnir]

not helping.

 

is all mages secretly dying to be Diana Ross? am trying to figure out the mystical fashion sense, but robes, and boo's mardi gras reject is not our idea o' manly.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Maria Caliban]

Bloodmage Hawke:

 

There's at least one mage outfit with pants.

[RPGmasterBoo]

not helping.

 

is all mages secretly dying to be Diana Ross? am trying to figure out the mystical fashion sense, but robes, and boo's mardi gras reject is not our idea o' manly.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

You have no appreciation for experimental fantasy games. Sacrifice mages aren't even human.

 

@Maria

That's... umm... bad.

[HoonDing]

Irenicus in Hell?

[RPGmasterBoo]

Possibly. He's a stubborn fellow.

 

 

I'm not seeing the robes.

Edited November 20, 2010 by RPGmasterBoo