Anti-Dragon Age 2?

[anubite]

Well, I don't mind if he does it. No need to hassle him. I'd probably do the same if I were a former or current BioWare employee. Hell, I might even do it if I were simply a resident of Canada.

 

I imagine the matter is about pride and association. Even if he's not directly responsible, he might feel responsible, that a crime against humanity occurred within a 2 mile radius of his person and that he did nothing to stop it.

[alanschu]

So Alan, do you enjoy defending DA2 on both the BSN and here? It must get rather tiring.

 

My posts in this thread are not about defending DA2.

 

I have a feeling that that point was missed, however.

[Volourn]

"So Alan, do you enjoy defending DA2 on both the BSN and here? It must get rather tiring."

 

Probably no more tiring than those who hate the game going on and on about and even threatening (lol) to replay it just to prove how much they hate it. L0L

 

Games are supposed to be fun and enjoyable for the player. Why replay as game that you don't like. It makes no logical sense at all.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

So Alan, do you enjoy defending DA2 on both the BSN and here? It must get rather tiring.

 

My posts in this thread are not about defending DA2.

 

I have a feeling that that point was missed, however.

 

Oh I was just remarking on that it seems that wherever you post someone is bashing the game. Is there anywhere that you can get away from it?

 

"So Alan, do you enjoy defending DA2 on both the BSN and here? It must get rather tiring."

 

Probably no more tiring than those who hate the game going on and on about and even threatening (lol) to replay it just to prove how much they hate it. L0L

 

Games are supposed to be fun and enjoyable for the player. Why replay as game that you don't like. It makes no logical sense at all.

 

I hate DA2. I generally will list the reasons why I dislike it(Dialogue wheel, combat system, linear gameplay) and try to avoid the "LOL WORST GAEM EVAR!!" that pops up pretty much everywhere.

Edited November 5, 2012 by KaineParker

[alanschu]

Oh I was just remarking on that it seems that wherever you post someone is bashing the game. Is there anywhere that you can get away from it?

 

Most places I go DA2 never comes up. It's pretty easy to avoid DA2 criticism given that I'm here (and on the BSN) voluntarily and can easily log off if I need a break.

[anubite]

Why replay as game that you don't like. It makes no logical sense at all.

 

You voluntarily avoid any statements I make about the 'logicality' of it. It makes perfect sense.

 

I hate the game.

I hate what it stands for.

I never want to see something like it made again.

It is so bad, that it is a blight against all video games that I like and enjoy.

By showing exactly what is wrong with it, I hope to reduced the possibility that another game like it will be made in the future.

"Love it or leave it." Is a false dichotomy created by people who are usually afraid to confront something they don't understand.

Edited November 5, 2012 by anubite

[Volourn]

L0L

[Hurlshort]

Are we still talking about video games here?

[anubite]

And while we're still on the subjects of crimes against humanity, can anyone, in the entire universe, explain this

 

 

Of course, I have never played it, but judging from the reviews, and this...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrpglqYeQBc&feature=related

 

It may be a more horrifying game than DA2.

 

Can anyone rationalize this game for me? How do you defend this exactly? I guess it's a moot question, since I suppose any of the defenders of DA2 will simply claim they haven't played it, so it's a moot discussion, but to me, it just demonstrates the lack of quality and vision at BioWare.

Edited November 5, 2012 by anubite

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

It may be a more horrifying game than DA2.

 

Tall order there.

 

Can anyone rationalize this game for me?

 

No.

 

How do you defend this exactly?

 

You can't.

[Tel Prydain]

Stages of Bioware grief:

Mass Effect 1 was denial (Oh, it’ll get better… I’m sure. The choices will matter NEXT time, right?)

Dragon Age 2 was anger (This is terrible! It couldn’t be worse!)

Mass Effect 2 was bargaining (So… if we buy the next one, choices will mater THEN, right?)

Mass Effect 3 is Depression (I don't care anymore)

 

In Dragon Age 2's defense, it's more of an RPG than Mass Effect 2.... and slightly more tactical on console due to a 'move' command for companions... but it was otherwise the biggest disappointment this generation.

 

My big gripe is that Dragon Age was to be the 'spiritual successor’ to Baldur’s Gate – the return of the classic cRPG. It did a passable job, even if it was much smaller, much more limited and had less character options.

So Dragon Age sells well – and instead of taking that as confirmation that a slightly old school cRPG format will sell and improving it, we get an action game with an ‘awesome button’ that makes baddies pop like blood blisters.

And don’t get me started on the (lack of) consequence and choice. Your first playthrough you MIGHT be impressed at how your choices contribute to the story. But a 2nd playthrough quickly shows that most of those choices are fake.

Rescue a blood mage? Doesn’t matter, because if you do they’ll get recaptured anyhow. Kill that guy? If you don’t someone else will.

Bucket loads of choices and a drop of consequence. If it’s not about a companion or a sibling, your choice is basically not going to matter.

Looking forward to that ending slide showing the effects of your choices throughout the game? It might make a passing reference to who you’re banging – and if you’re lucky it’ll even name the right companion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It meets my requirements of "never contradicting any character design the player comes up with for the PC", so in that respect, yes it is.

Not really - If you're non-human you're still treated like a nord. Silly to hear that a city is keeping demi-humans out, only to be able to wonder about at will.

[Zoraptor]

How do you defend this exactly?

"I was young and needed the money"

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

 

It meets my requirements of "never contradicting any character design the player comes up with for the PC", so in that respect, yes it is.

Not really - If you're non-human you're still treated like a nord. Silly to hear that a city is keeping demi-humans out, only to be able to wonder about at will.

 

I meant that it never tries to define my PC for me by "never contradicting any character design the player comes up with for the PC".

 

Sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

[Volourn]

"an anyone rationalize this game for me? How do you defend this exactly? I guess it's a moot question, since I suppose any of the defenders of DA2 will simply claim they haven't played it, so it's a moot discussion, but to me, it just demonstrates the lack of quality and vision at BioWare. "

 

*yawn*

 

In fact, i didn't play it. Not my kind of game but S;RPgw asn't made for me. It was made for Sonic fans justr like SP;RPG by Obsidian for SP fans and not for Obsidian fans.,

 

But, unless I missed it, I don'ty see you ranting and whining and crying about Obsidian's lack of quality and vision. LMAO

 

Not a big deal. i udnerstand not every game is made for me and thank god for that since I cna't play every single game anyways.

 

But, crying about it is useless selfish evil sucmbag piece of crap me me me garabge and is what is wrong about society. It's always about the person not about anyone else. Stop crying because you aren't the target audience for whatever game. GET OVER IT!

 

 

L0LZ

Edited November 5, 2012 by Volourn

[BBMorti]

DA3 is bound to be the best DA game, possibly the best BioWare game in recent history. Why? They got plenty of pre-production and development time plus using a new and very robust technology (Frostbite 2 based), so Bio would have to do something very very stupid to screw that up.

Let me know if you are willing to put money on that.

[Lorfean]

Although anubite is being a bit over-dramatic in this thread, I do understand where he's coming from when it comes to DA2. On a personal level, DA2 was probably the single most disappointing game I have ever played*. Not because it was such an unspeakably horrible product, not even because it was a "bad RPG" but, indeed, because of what it stands for.

 

DA:O was heavily marketed as the spiritual successor to the BG series -- after KotOR, after Jade Empire, after Mass Effect, BioWare's first generation of fans would get something they had waited for for 8 years -- a return to their roots in the form of a true group-based, isometric, tactical CRPG. And it lived up to that. Even though it was no BG2, DA:O felt right. The way they had promised. And I think that, especially amongst PC gamers, it was like a sigh of relief. "OK, alright, the consoles can have their Mass Effects and Jade Empires -- we've got Dragon Age now."

 

And then DA2 came along and it just threw all of that out of the window. It got rid of the isometric camera, got rid of the unvoiced protagonist who could be from a variety of different races, got rid of dialogue trees and added Mass Effect's dialogue wheel, got rid of the origins, got rid of companion gear customization, and the list just went on and on... It felt like BioWare just gave up on everything they had promised (and, largely, delivered) with DA:O. They were in a unique position where they could follow through on what they had proven with DA:O -- that *that* type of CRPG can still be profitable and that there is still a large enough demand and interest for it. But instead they chose what many felt was the easy way out and turned it into a console game.

 

And you have to remember -- this was a time before before the controversies and disappointment surrounding Mass Effect 3 and The Old Republic. Before Kickstarter, Wasteland 2 and Project Eternity. BioWare was the industry's western CRPG giant, having just seen massive success with both DA:O and ME2, and to see them make such sweeping changes to one of their lead franchises (and alienating so many fans in the process) was mind-boggling. Now, of course, after ME3 and TOR, and after Ray and Greg's departure, the expectations for their games have changed completely, and so has their fanbase. But DA2 was a unexpected and baffling disappointment at the time.

 

 

* though Diablo III certainly comes very close.

Edited November 5, 2012 by Lorfean

[Zoraptor]

I largely agree. What DA2 should have been was the BG2 to DAO's BG. What made BG2 so successful as a game was that it took the stuff BG did well and kept it, and improved the stuff that BG did poorly. When it came to DA2 far too much baby was thrown out with the bathwater.

[Morgoth]

DA3 is bound to be the best DA game, possibly the best BioWare game in recent history. Why? They got plenty of pre-production and development time plus using a new and very robust technology (Frostbite 2 based), so Bio would have to do something very very stupid to screw that up.

Let's just say that if they **** this one up, they'll be out of excuses.

 

"**** this one up" comes down to personal opinion at best. At the very least, it will sell another 2 million units or more. BioWare will stick around for the future.

 

 

[Morgoth]

DA3 is bound to be the best DA game, possibly the best BioWare game in recent history. Why? They got plenty of pre-production and development time plus using a new and very robust technology (Frostbite 2 based), so Bio would have to do something very very stupid to screw that up.

Let me know if you are willing to put money on that.

 

It's not a bet, it's a very safe assumption. BioWare makes competent games if they get enough time.

[Spider]

SWTOR had the biggest budget of any video game in history, I believe. It's F2P this year. I would argue that it did not make the necessary revenue to meet its development budget. It sold under 2.1 million and maintained a subscriber base of less than half that after the first (free) month. It's a ghost town right now.

 

Since I actually play the game, I can say it's far from a ghost town. With server merges that have taken place, the servers that are open are well populated. And I see some faces coming back to the game now that GW and Panda release hypes have died down.

 

Also there have been recent articles showing the game isn't doing as poorly as some make it out to. Bioware once stated that they need 500k subscribers to not lose money, and they have somewhere between 500k - 1 million now (hard to get accurate numbers), so as long as they've stabilized they're still making some money on the game. If the F2P initiative is succesful, the game will probably become even more profitable for them long run.

 

But the main thing they need to do is keep their promise of regular content updates. If they fail to deliver on that, people will probably start leaving again.

 

Whether or not they'll manage to recoup their initial investment is of course another story.

[HoonDing]

DA3 is bound to be the best DA game, possibly the best BioWare game in recent history. Why? They got plenty of pre-production and development time plus using a new and very robust technology (Frostbite 2 based), so Bio would have to do something very very stupid to screw that up.

Let's just say that if they **** this one up, they'll be out of excuses.

 

"**** this one up" comes down to personal opinion at best. At the very least, it will sell another 2 million units or more. BioWare will stick around for the future.

 

 

Is that David Gaider?

[anubite]

When I was following the SWTOR fiasco, the most densely populated server had <30 alliance players above level 50 in /who at any given moment; the queue for PVP was several hours. That's a ghost town, at least to me. Maybe it's improved since then, but that was enough fo rme to call it a ghost town.

[melkathi]

When I was following the SWTOR fiasco, the most densely populated server had <30 alliance players above level 50 in /who at any given moment; the queue for PVP was several hours. That's a ghost town, at least to me. Maybe it's improved since then, but that was enough fo rme to call it a ghost town.

 

That sounds like Space Slug

We did ok there alliance wise. Ok meaning: you had two different PvP instances going at the same time most evenings

[Guest Slinky]

When I was following the SWTOR fiasco, the most densely populated server had <30 alliance players above level 50 in /who at any given moment; the queue for PVP was several hours. That's a ghost town, at least to me. Maybe it's improved since then, but that was enough fo rme to call it a ghost town.

 

It did get better when they finally merged the servers, but that took so long they lost a lot of players. And if the F2P, which is coming soon, gets implemented like it is right now at the test servers I'm willing to bet they will keep losing players. It's so ridicilously restricted that I will be VERY surprised if they actually manage to encourage players to pay them anything. More likely most new players will think the game is horrible and forget it.

[Hurlshort]

EQ2 has a way more restricted f2p model. In the end, they need to be able to stay afloat with the subscribers (which they seem to be doing) and count on the f2p folks as a bonus.

 

Also, the f2p model typically allows the hardcore subscribers to spend over the $15 a month on extras.