Maria Caliban Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 I know I'll enjoy the graphics of Dragon Age II more. It's just a prettier game to me. It's not as good looking as the Witcher, DX, or Skyrim. I doubt it will be as good looking as ME 3. I don't agree with you, being as two of the games you've mentioned haven't been released how can you make that statement. None of the games I mentioned have been released. I'm baising what I've said off the videos and screenshots I've ssen. What are you basing your disagreement off of? Technology wise, DA II has a nice renderer. It really shines when you crank everything upto 10, using the DX 11 renderer. Are you doing this? In the demo there are some bink videos, bridging the gameplay etc... The contrast is extremely noticeable. The demo is an old build and DirectX 11 isn't working properly in it. That said, I haven't seen anything that looked as good to me as this: It might be that I lack your appreciation for graphics, but I don't think DA II is as nice graphically. Sadly this just shows that you don't know anything about game engine development. I know that the developers themselves have been critical of the engine and that BioWare has gone through an engine about every two games, not including the expansions. I think the only thing they felt they could do was improve the renderer by adding more, and porting to the latest API's. So in essence, the game has an improved renderer, what they're stuck with, are likely arcitectural choices, those tend to be expensive to change. Okay. I'd also wager, a fair amount of money aswell, that if you took a look at the Bioware codebase, you're going to find code in Dragon Age going back to Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate. Okay. I assume you're not saying that these are all the same engine however, right? Will they scrap there engine, and write a new one.... No. Unreal Engine 3, or CryEngine 3, or whatever engine you wish to look at, isn't invented a fresh, its the previous engine with additions. It's both rare, and very expensive to build an engine from scratch. I have code from my grandmother but I'm not a dead woman named Betty. "When is this out. I can't wait to play it so I can talk at length about how bad it is." - Gorgon.
Orogun01 Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) I think it will probably just be a cliffhanger ending to set up Dragon Age 3. Just like Dragon Age: Witch hunt and the big threat looming over the horizon will be Reapers Edited February 26, 2011 by Orogun01 I'd say the answer to that question is kind of like the answer to "who's the sucker in this poker game?"* *If you can't tell, it's you.
Niten_Ryu Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 They say to fully enjoy Dragon Age 2, you have to accept that the time of old-fashioned RPGs is over. What does this mean? Bioware noticed that many players stopped playing complitely Dragon Age Origins around one hour mark (I checked 2 of my characters, they were at that point still in initial origin stage). For some reason or other, this didn't make Bioware to question their ad target group ("this is the new ....", those whore photos, ultra violence blood and gore). In their mind ads hit the right target, they just designed game incorrectly. Thus they try to correct that in Dragon Age 2. Say goodbye to all the slow elements in game like tactics and strategy, pause commands, birds eye view, traditional group based mobs (aka not spawning in waves), rich conversation options and speech trees, free roam maps ect. Now I'm sure if you ask Bioware boards if these things matter in RPGs, they'll probably swarm you and scream no. But I agree with reviewer - time for old fashioned RPGs are definately over for Bioware. Actually I can't even think of scenario what could bring Bioware closer to their Baldur's Gate root. Even if Dragon Age 2 sell horribly, they just figure out that it was because game STILL wasn't casual enough. Not that I think it'll sell horribly, Bioware boards seem to love the demo. Let's play Alpha Protocol My misadventures on youtube.
Nepenthe Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Could somebody explain to me how the conversation options are any less "rich" now that they are in a circle as opposed to being a list? Pause commands are gone? They worked just fine for me. I clearly must have doing something wrong. This is what I don't get - whenever Bioware games come out, people keep making up lists of deficiencies, instead of just sticking to the ones that are actually there. And I mean there are actual real deficiencies there that even a die-hard fanboy such as myself can find, without having to resort to bs and hyperbole. You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions
kirottu Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Could somebody explain to me how the conversation options are any less "rich" now that they are in a circle as opposed to being a list? Bad memories from ME1? This post is not to be enjoyed, discussed, or referenced on company time.
Niten_Ryu Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Could somebody explain to me how the conversation options are any less "rich" now that they are in a circle as opposed to being a list? Bioware, if they so choose, can hide responses in circles. You might have 3 different symbols, but only one answer. If texts were in lines, Bioware could still do that but players would most certainly notice the lack of optionsd. Personally I think it's cost cutting move and the fact that modern players don't finish the game at all or finish it only once, so why should Bioware care if all 3 symbols have same answer (maybe just slight variation in VO). Pause commands are gone? They worked just fine for me. I clearly must have doing something wrong. Pause commands are there but encounter design, combat mechanics or lack of strategy and tactics make it reduntant. I didn't die once in demo, none of my characters died in demo, I didn't use pause at all nor changed to any other character. Just the way modern gamers want it. Let's play Alpha Protocol My misadventures on youtube.
Enoch Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Re: Graphical comparisons to the Witcher 2: It's easier to make a game look pretty if you're focused entirely on development for PC and don't have to worry about making your engine scale down well enough to function on limited xbox hardware.
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) Origins has only one answer mostly, too. it does have a couple of nice instances where the Warden's choice affects the game world. if DA2 had more of those, I could live with the non-existent dialogue tree in the rest of the game. give me 10 serious encounters (as in, plot defining) with C&C, and you can make the rest of the NPCs Oblivion style Edited February 26, 2011 by sorophx Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
Wizz Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Re: Graphical comparisons to the Witcher 2: It's easier to make a game look pretty if you're focused entirely on development for PC and don't have to worry about making your engine scale down well enough to function on limited xbox hardware. Still it has multiplatform engine and there is a chance that it will be ported sometime. Also Oblivion is multiplatform too, but it looks better than DA. I mean main problem is not console limitations, but engine and developing limitations.
Nepenthe Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Could somebody explain to me how the conversation options are any less "rich" now that they are in a circle as opposed to being a list? Bioware, if they so choose, can hide responses in circles. You might have 3 different symbols, but only one answer. If texts were in lines, Bioware could still do that but players would most certainly notice the lack of optionsd. Personally I think it's cost cutting move and the fact that modern players don't finish the game at all or finish it only once, so why should Bioware care if all 3 symbols have same answer (maybe just slight variation in VO). Just becaue the lines use the same VO doesn't mean that they'll have the same in-game results. This can be seen already in ME1. I can't comment on how common VO line recycling is going to be in DA2, afaik it doesn't happen at all in the demo. The point being that the conversation wheel is a) easier to operate on consoles b) does allow for recycled VO in situations, but is hardly the bugbear that kills "choice" from your game. As Sorophx pointed out (and this is a rare case of me agreeing with him, here ), it's not like DAO had much choice to take away from you. Re: no need for pausing. Play on a higher difficulty. Normal in these games is obviously not designed for people who have played RPGs for 10-20 years. At least not if they want to be challenged. You're a cheery wee bugger, Nep. Have I ever said that? Reapercussions
Malcador Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Any idea on how big the download will be for this ? I weep for my bandwidth cap Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
Morgoth Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 What kind of backward ISP in this day and age still uses bandwidth caps? Rain makes everything better.
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 probably the same that charges 50 bucks/month for mobile phone services. poor PanAm citizens, getting ripped off on every occasion. Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
Malcador Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 What kind of backward ISP in this day and age still uses bandwidth caps? Bell Canada. I should move to Europe, faster internet. Course will have learn a new language though. Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Great Britain doesn't make part of Europe anymore? Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
Morgoth Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Nah, stay in Canada. Canada has a bright future ahead, can't say the same about old Europe. Rain makes everything better.
Malcador Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Great Britain doesn't make part of Europe anymore? Hm, true. But I dislike the English. Anyway, will have to budget for that. Or cunningly download the game at work and hope no one notices Why has elegance found so little following? Elegance has the disadvantage that hard work is needed to achieve it and a good education to appreciate it. - Edsger Wybe Dijkstra
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) which reminds me EDIT: you're from British Columbia, I take it? because it's nigh impossible to migrate to Canada from here without speaking fluent French Edited February 26, 2011 by sorophx Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
Morgoth Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Do you have to master both English and French in order to migrate into Canada? (even if it's majorly English speaking areas?). Rain makes everything better.
Gromnir Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Could somebody explain to me how the conversation options are any less "rich" now that they are in a circle as opposed to being a list? Bioware, if they so choose, can hide responses in circles. You might have 3 different symbols, but only one answer. If texts were in lines, Bioware could still do that but players would most certainly notice the lack of optionsd. Personally I think it's cost cutting move and the fact that modern players don't finish the game at all or finish it only once, so why should Bioware care if all 3 symbols have same answer (maybe just slight variation in VO). Just becaue the lines use the same VO doesn't mean that they'll have the same in-game results. no, it not mean that there will always be same in-game results... but that is frequent the case. regardless, is lazy and cheap, and it is a shortcut that tends to lead to more uninspired lines o' dialogue from the protagonist. the writer has already identified to the player what is the protagonist's intent, so convey meaning becomes less complex but also more crude. takes the art out o' the writing for sake o' simplicity. is a trend in bio games to simplify. simple ain't bad, but to craft simple requires much skill if one is to avoid dumbing-down. da2 can still be a good game, but it does appear to be what many o' us feared it would be: a moderate rushed frankenstein monster amalgam o' da:o and me. maybe the unholy melding o' the two franchises actually works and we all cheer biowarian vision, but... HA! Good Fun! ps we did a disservice to kotor when we compared da2 demo combat to kotor. kotor had the combat queue that were far more intuitive and functional than is the console controls for da2. "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence."Justice Louis Brandeis, Concurring, Whitney v. California, 274 U.S. 357 (1927) "Im indifferent to almost any murder as long as it doesn't affect me or mine."--Gfted1 (September 30, 2019)
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 (even if it's majorly English speaking areas?). that's the problem, they'll only agree to consider your application, if you intend to go to the French side. the interview at the consulate is in French only Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
Morgoth Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 Well damn, maybe I should really consider learning French. Not that I'm saying I'll go to Canada onde day, but I have relatives in France now and while we perfectly communicate in English, learning another language is always an advantage. Rain makes everything better.
Volourn Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 People have to realize that Quebec is one of the most bigoted places in the entire world, and I say this even though I'm French by blood. Quebec as a province (not neccessarily individual Quebecers) loathe anyone or anything different. It's also hypocritical as it goes on and on abotu the bigotry from other parts of Kanada despite the fact that other provinces bend over backwards for the French while Quebec does everything they can to make live as miserable as possible for non French speaking people. I really wish their vote to leave the country was a success. Finances stuff aside, Kanada would be better off without the Province of Governmental Sanctioned Bigotry. DWARVES IN PROJECT ETERNITY = VOLOURN HAS PLEDGED $250.
Oerwinde Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 People have to realize that Quebec is one of the most bigoted places in the entire world, and I say this even though I'm French by blood. Quebec as a province (not neccessarily individual Quebecers) loathe anyone or anything different. It's also hypocritical as it goes on and on abotu the bigotry from other parts of Kanada despite the fact that other provinces bend over backwards for the French while Quebec does everything they can to make live as miserable as possible for non French speaking people. I really wish their vote to leave the country was a success. Finances stuff aside, Kanada would be better off without the Province of Governmental Sanctioned Bigotry. Problem with Quebec leaving is its the source of 80% of our national identity, history, and symbols. Canada without Quebec is not Canada. Agreed on their bigotry though. Almost as bad as the Swiss. The area between the balls and the butt is a hotbed of terrorist activity.
sorophx Posted February 26, 2011 Posted February 26, 2011 you know, you could let them take the name "Canada" with them and form a new, better state, with black jack and all that jazz Walsingham said: I was struggling to understand ths until I noticed you are from Finland. And having been educated solely by mkreku in this respect I am convinced that Finland essentially IS the wh40k universe.
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