Dragon Age 2

[Volourn]

"ridiculous amounts of gore and sex innuendos with party members that it's on the verge of being a parody of itself."

 

Is this a criticism of DA2.. or DA1? LMAO

 

 

"during the short time we played, anders hit on the male protagonist and we got 15 rivalry points for choosing the mild rebuff option for his advances. apparently anders is written by a 13 year-old girl."

 

Nonsense. He says he likes you, you say you aren't interested in him 'that way' he's a little hurt. He then moves on. Rilvary points is not the end of the world. It's a lot more mature than other games' romances.

 

 

 

"Good thing to see the romances are there. Nothing like mandatory optional content."

 

In guess combat and dkialogue are 'mandatory' accoridng to you then? L0L You can avoid all romance in DA2. Heck, the convo with Anders that Grom mentioned completely turns the romance there off. As in, no go auto.

 

 

"bg2 unseeing eye"

 

That's the one where you just hack your way through a million beholders right? L0LZ DEEP.

 

 

About boss: Your friend is a tool. He whines about something being challenging and not being able to handle it exactly as he does other fights. HA!

 

 

"but is probable more fair to compare to je. the super-leaping combat moves is reminding us o' je more than other bio games. "

 

Maybe in the way it looks but not the way it works since your success in battle is largely based on stats in DA2 not on player physical ability plus there is no 'jump' action choice.

 

DA2 > DA1 (maybe)

 

R00fles!

[entrerix]

mandatory.

 

Seen a post NWN, BW game without one?

 

 

DA2. I havent had any romances pop up in it, I'm not even sure why, i've been friendly enough, in DAO half the cast would have thrown themselves on me by now

[Bokishi]

I think in this one you can be rivals and still bang them

 

that's what's cool about this game, not every good or bad deed is what you think it is, kinda like the Dark Knight movie

Edited March 14, 2011 by Bokishi

[Maria Caliban]

There are too many to count, some borderline illiterate others a wall of text. But they're uniform enough and numerous enough for it to be obvious that the game has many serious flaws.

 

The point was that the responses are beyond the usual small camps of fanboys and haters with satisfied drones in between. Rougly 2/3 are negative responses, which for a Bioware game is overwhelming negativity.

The problem is that /v/ raided the site. If you notice, DA II has 1355 reviews while ME 2 has 710 reviews despite being a year older.

[Maria Caliban]

side note... during the short time we played, anders hit on the male protagonist and we got 15 rivalry points for choosing the mild rebuff option for his advances. apparently anders is written by a 13 year-old girl.

 

HA! Good Fun!

It fits the character. Everything in Ander's life is about Anders. He's a petulant man-child who gets pissy whenever someone disagrees with him or suggests he's wrong. What horrifies me are the fangirls who play the game to the end and still think he's a sweet and adorable victim.

 

mandatory.

 

Seen a post NWN, BW game without one?

 

Often love interests are the most important NPCs (Aribeth, Bastila, Alistair, and Morrigan), but you never have to romance them.

 

I think in this one you can be rivals and still bang them

 

that's what's cool about this game, not every good or bad deed is what you think it is, kinda like the Dark Knight movie

Yes, you can have sex with them as rivals. You can also have the full romance as rivals for everyone but Isabela.

[Oblarg]

There are too many to count, some borderline illiterate others a wall of text. But they're uniform enough and numerous enough for it to be obvious that the game has many serious flaws.

 

The point was that the responses are beyond the usual small camps of fanboys and haters with satisfied drones in between. Rougly 2/3 are negative responses, which for a Bioware game is overwhelming negativity.

The problem is that /v/ raided the site. If you notice, DA II has 1355 reviews while ME 2 has 710 reviews despite being a year older.

 

Nonsense - /v/ would never do an "organized" raid of a game's ratings, of all things, especially a game they really don't give a **** about.

 

And if there had been some sort of conspiracy to drown it in negative user reviews, you'd see way more than that.

[GreasyDogMeat]

I'm assuming RPGmasterBoo meant that having an RPG in their game is mandatory for Bioware, not that going through the actual romance is mandatory.

 

Wouldn't that be horrible? You must romance this irritating prick or you can't advance the story.

[Tigranes]

It would be fitting for a spy game....

 

(Clearly, Alpha Protocol missed a SLAM DUNK here)

[GreasyDogMeat]

Bah, I meant:

 

I'm assuming RPGmasterBoo meant that having a RPG ROMANCE in their game is mandatory for Bioware, not that going through the actual romance is mandatory.

 

Though I was kinda of right with that mistake... having role playing in their game is not mandatory for Bioware... ***cough Jade Empire***

[sorophx]

one thing I've noticed in all the LPs, and it really bothers me; the character speak as if they were from the 21st century, I believe there are phrases in the dialogue that didn't exist before the internet era. also, people at Codex pointed out stuff like "truck" etc. being used (maybe DA's world is the equivalent of 17th century Europe, though). anyway, that's some lazy writing (or maybe they're just trying to appeal to 15-year old kids, which doesn't make any sense from the financial point of view)

[RPGmasterBoo]

There are too many to count, some borderline illiterate others a wall of text. But they're uniform enough and numerous enough for it to be obvious that the game has many serious flaws.

 

The point was that the responses are beyond the usual small camps of fanboys and haters with satisfied drones in between. Rougly 2/3 are negative responses, which for a Bioware game is overwhelming negativity.

The problem is that /v/ raided the site. If you notice, DA II has 1355 reviews while ME 2 has 710 reviews despite being a year older.

 

What the hell is /v/?

 

As for the romances GreasyDogMeat is right. I was purposefully vague, because for what is essentially optional content Bioware has gone to inordinate amount of trouble to include it in every possible game.

Which is why they suck now, because its no longer a labor of love included "because we can and want to", but a feature that certain fans demand and threaten bloody murder for.

 

Any they're worse each time, the video I put up sits squarely between vulgar and pathetic. And soap opera.

[kirottu]

What the hell is /v/?

 

Video game boards at 4chan.

[Enoch]

Which is why [bioware game romances] suck now, because its no longer a labor of love included "because we can and want to", but a feature that certain fans demand and threaten bloody murder for.

 

Any they're worse each time, the video I put up sits squarely between vulgar and pathetic. And soap opera.

I think you're letting nostalgia color your perceptions-- even when they were a "labor of love," they weren't all that good. The current "Lovin' in the Uncanny Valley" cutscenes are certainly no improvement, but even early on, "soap opera" was a pretty good description of the writing. (In fact, I think I may have seen the "my husband was just tortured to death, renegade members of the secret society I'm in are trying to kill me, but I'm still going to jump into an interracial relationship with my boss just as soon as hubby's body is cold" character arc on The Bold and the Beautiful.) The best thing to be said about the BG2 romances is that the character themes that played under the dialogues (particularly the Aerie & Jahiera ones) were some of the best tracks in the game.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Enoch

[RPGmasterBoo]

Which is why [bioware game romances] suck now, because its no longer a labor of love included "because we can and want to", but a feature that certain fans demand and threaten bloody murder for.

 

Any they're worse each time, the video I put up sits squarely between vulgar and pathetic. And soap opera.

I think you're letting nostalgia color your perceptions-- even when they were a "labor of love," they weren't all that good. The current "Lovin' in the Uncanny Valley" cutscenes are certainly no improvement, but even early on, "soap opera" was a pretty good description of the writing. (In fact, I think I may have seen the "my husband was just tortured to death, renegade members of the secret society I'm in are trying to kill me, but I'm still going to jump into an interracial relationship with my boss just as soon as hubby's body is cold" character arc on The Bold and the Beautiful.) The best thing to be said about the BG2 romances is that the character themes that played under the dialogues (particularly the Aerie & Jahiera ones) were some of the best tracks in the game.

 

The Jaheira romance was pretty decent and involved, plus the presumed passage of time (and the fact that you know each other for a long time) made it somewhat sensible. Aerie... not so much, but passable (too childlike to be in good taste). I've never had Viconia in my party.

You may think its rushed, but considering how close the characters are to kicking the bucket on a daily basis they don't exactly have the luxury of time for drawn out personal relationships.

 

Overall I thought of them as a nice afterthought, and Jaheira as sweet - but in a "another novel thing you can do in a huge game" sort of way.

 

This on the other hand is pure titillation. There are more people talking about who they shagged than about anything else in the game.

[Orchomene]

I've not bought the game but tried it during the week end on a friends computer. I have just some first impressions of the ten (at most, I didn't count) first hours.

1. I don't understand all the 'dumbed down' cries I've heard. I am still thinking that ME2 is too far from being a RPG and is dumbed down from ME1, but I don't see the same issue with DA2. Sure, there is no more skills, but skills were not a major point of DAO. Talents and attributes importance is the same as in DAO. For me, DA2 is a 'true' (if it has a sense) sequel of DAO.

2. Dialogues seem to be a bit better than DAO ones and a lot better than ME ones. I think the lack of good/bad tropism (paragon/renegade or light/dark and so on) allows us to see dialogues where the choices given avoid being either some naive optimist or some cynic jerk. What your character thinks remains at an unseen level and your choice is more on the attitude you have during a discussion. But I've only seen the french version. Also, with the french vo, I don't have the issues some may have with strange accents of protagonists or linked to racial aspects (like elves having a welsh accent or something like that).

3. Combat mechanism is not my big interest in a game, thus having quick and easy battles is not an issue for me. More than that, I can still pause and give order without issue.

4. The camera is not very flexible but I can get used to it. Of course, I'd rather have a highest zoom available, but that's not a big problem.

5. For the plot, I can't say, I've not seen a lot. At least, if the story doesn't revolve around the hero saving the world, it would be a plus.

6. Main quests, side quests are not spectacular nor too unoriginal. There is some diversity and perhaps some choices and consequences, but I'm not really sure (not seen enough of the game).

 

In the end, I think I'll buy the game after a 50% price drop and enjoy it. It doesn't seem to be a game the will revolution the game industry, but seems to be an enjoyable game nonetheless.

[Humanoid]

Y'know, The Bold and the Beautiful would make an excellent RPG setting. Iconic characters, decades of interpersonal relationship development, cutthroat political intrigue, moral ambiguity....

[Volourn]

"As for the romances GreasyDogMeat is right. I was purposefully vague, because for what is essentially optional content Bioware has gone to inordinate amount of trouble to include it in every possible game."

 

Oh, please, I can play this game too:

 

Why does BIO bother with optional 'mandatory' content like equipment, story, combat, loot, joinables, etc., etc? It's ebcause that's what people want to see, and what sells their games.

 

Romances are added b/c theya re popular. Period. Just like joinables in general. This is a poor complaint. Also, it's hilarious you can call DA series romances juvenile yet praise BG2's when the writings tyle for them is basically the same. As for being 'soap opreasish'? Jaheria and co romances weren't? Come on. Besdies, soap operas aren't even as bad as people claim. The writing in them is leaps better than vast majority of rpgs. Or heck, movies otehr tvsshows, or even books. The characetrs are often deeper and most of them are chaarcter driven. Don't get me wrong, soaps can often delve into the cheesy and fantastical, but hey, this is a forumd edicated to actual fantasy games, we're the last people who should be criticizing them like that.

 

 

As for DA2 romances, I haven't entered one yet, but it should be pointed out that at least one of them has no sex.

 

Romances are good to have in rpgs since they tend to come with a LOT of C&C which is a good thing.

 

"I havent had any romances pop up in it, I'm not even sure why, i've been friendly enough, in DAO half the cast would have thrown themselves on me by now "

 

To start a romance, you have to select the heart option in dialogue. And, if yous elect the broken heart you can potentially shut down the romance down potentially.

 

 

Oh, off the romance thing, that final boss in DR is friggin' tough. Holy moly good golly miss molly!!!

 

 

P.S. I still have ntoiced the trend on the Obsidian boards that the people who have played it tend to be ont he positive side and those who hate it really haven't played it.

 

I don't get why certain post in this trhead since they claim to have zero interest in playing the ganme, giving a chance, or whatever. They're just here to troll everyone else.

 

 

"I've not bought the game but tried it during the week end on a friends computer. I have just some first impressions of the ten (at most, I didn't count) first hours."

 

Solid post.

[pmp10]

one thing I've noticed in all the LPs, and it really bothers me; the character speak as if they were from the 21st century

Language use in fantasy settings never makes sense.

It's what you get when you use living languages that evolved in real world to communicate in time-shifted fantasy.

 

I don't get why certain post in this trhead since they claim to have zero interest in playing the ganme, giving a chance, or whatever. They're just here to troll everyone else.

Or maybe they realize that (like it or not) Bioware sets industry standards for "RPGs".

It pays to find out beforehand what calamity they'll unleash upon the gaming world.

[Volourn]

"Or maybe they realize that (like it or not) Bioware sets industry standards for "RPGs".

It pays to find out beforehand what calamity they'll unleash upon the gaming world. "

 

What a silly excuse for trolling...

[WorstUsernameEver]

one thing I've noticed in all the LPs, and it really bothers me; the character speak as if they were from the 21st century, I believe there are phrases in the dialogue that didn't exist before the internet era. also, people at Codex pointed out stuff like "truck" etc. being used (maybe DA's world is the equivalent of 17th century Europe, though). anyway, that's some lazy writing (or maybe they're just trying to appeal to 15-year old kids, which doesn't make any sense from the financial point of view)

 

Of all the complaints, this really seems kinda petty. Thedas isn't Europe anyway, and if you really wanted to adhere to the language spoken in, say, Medieval England, say goodbye to anyone understanding the dialogue.

[pmp10]

"Or maybe they realize that (like it or not) Bioware sets industry standards for "RPGs".

It pays to find out beforehand what calamity they'll unleash upon the gaming world. "

 

What a silly excuse for trolling...

Cut us some slack.

Some are new at it.

[sorophx]

huh? I don't know about you, but I'm usually expecting Tolkien-caliber texts from a group of professionals working on a fantasy game.

 

when in a game that mimics medieval Europe they're using internet lingo (also, the word "****" is used so much, coupled with mediocre jokes it almost looks like a modern-day comedy series), it's an example of exceptional writing in your opinion? to me right now it looks a bad attempt at a parody on fantasy in general. only DA2 takes itself way too seriously

 

What a silly excuse for trolling...

well, you don't even need an excuse

Edited March 15, 2011 by Gorth
Language

[Volourn]

"well, you don't even need an excuse"

 

I don't troll. Having an opinion that is 'unpopular' is not trolling. I've trolled twice in my interent career - neither of them here.

 

 

" mimics medieval Europe "

 

DA series is NOT medieval Europe nor does it try to 'mimic' it. It's a fantasy setting. That's it that's all.

 

The problem ehre is that people are brainwashed into thinking fantasy = medieval Europe.

 

It doesn't. Period.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Volourn

[pmp10]

huh? I don't know about you, but I'm usually expecting Tolkien-caliber texts from a group of professionals working on a fantasy game.

Sadly that's an unreasonable expectation.

Tolkien was a scholar of etymology old languages and medieval period.

Modern writers barley grasp the basics of those as it

[Nightshape]

<faceplam>

Idiots

</facepalm>