I don't think it's fair to say that branching plot is devoid of meaningful consequences, while branching story is the only way to get them. That's a narrow viewpoint of creativity, I think. 

 

I was trying to understand the discussion and what people prefer. I do like the IE type of storytelling where you see the whole story, or at least 99% of it. I think the exception is the class specific strongholds in BG2 with your main characters. You could still do part of those plot lines if you were another class and that was okay for me.

He's not a dwarf. He's a human who is short. Period. Are you saying  dwarves/midgets/height challenged people aren't humans in real life? O.O.

Vol.

 

Come on.

I'm guessing the area between The Free Marches and Nevarra?

 

And with that... I really do need to go on blackout.

 

Nope, southwestern corner of Orlais.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-13-dragon-age-inquisition-collectors-edition-is-only-USD170

 

Sadly, no busts.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-13-dragon-age-inquisition-collectors-edition-is-only-USD170

 

Sadly, no busts.

Oh good! you meant statues, I was scared for a second.

You know, I'm all for fancy collectors editions but in the last few years, ever since they (most large publishers) found out what the market would tolerate, its just a money grab. Most of the stuff you get is crap and the prices are sky high.

 

In an RPG collectors edition I'd be perfectly satisfied with a nice cloth map. Everything else can't be made at a high enough quality without driving the price up.

Edited May 13, 201411 yr by Drowsy Emperor

but you're not supposed to open it, it's a collector's item. so what do they care if it's crap? 

You may be joking but I'm pretty sure there are people out there buy it to store it on the shelf and never open it. disturbing as it may sound.

Edited May 13, 201411 yr by Drowsy Emperor

As people said already to do with PoE?

 

But yeah, that CE seems... not that interesting at all...

Yeah, deluxe's enough for me.

 

 

The case is individually wrapped in faux reptile skin...

 

Pah. I want real reptile skin. From a lizard slain by a naked Dave Gaider atop a mountain. During a full moon.

 

The case is individually wrapped in faux reptile skin...

 

Pah. I want real reptile skin. From a lizard slain by a naked Dave Gaider atop a mountain. During a full moon.

 

 

 

The thought of that made me laugh

Yeah, deluxe's enough for me.

Same

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-05-13-dragon-age-inquisition-collectors-edition-is-only-USD170

That is incredibly crappy.

Hey, if it's a fully functional lockpick set, you could earn your investment back pretty quickly.

 

The case is individually wrapped in faux reptile skin...

 

Pah. I want real reptile skin. From a lizard slain by a naked Dave Gaider atop a mountain. During a full moon.

 

 

All you'd get out of DG climbing the mountain of bad prose he uses as inspiration is "Charizard Mountain", the first game to feature a gay lizard companion.

Hey, if it's a fully functional lockpick set, you could earn your investment back pretty quickly.

 

I wish it were but the real thing has 20+ tools. I dabbled a bit into lockpicking for fun but everything but the old design tumbler lock, handcuffs and cheap padlocks is very very difficult to pick. Basically there are 10 ways of getting around a lock and every one of them is better than lockpicking.

 

Hey, if it's a fully functional lockpick set, you could earn your investment back pretty quickly.

 

I wish it were but the real thing has 20+ tools. I dabbled a bit into lockpicking for fun but everything but the old design tumbler lock, handcuffs and cheap padlocks is very very difficult to pick. Basically there are 10 ways of getting around a lock and every one of them is better than lockpicking.

 

There are 10 ways to hammer a lock?

 

 

Hey, if it's a fully functional lockpick set, you could earn your investment back pretty quickly.

 

I wish it were but the real thing has 20+ tools. I dabbled a bit into lockpicking for fun but everything but the old design tumbler lock, handcuffs and cheap padlocks is very very difficult to pick. Basically there are 10 ways of getting around a lock and every one of them is better than lockpicking.

 

There are 10 ways to hammer a lock?

 

No, I meant that it may be unnecessary to go for the lock in the first place.

Perhaps the lockpick will work on Buckingham Palace? Your average door? Probably not

Continued from the Random Video Games thread...

 

 

It's giving them too much credit. They're just zombies. Tall zombies and short zombies.

Pretty much this.  In Awakenings they at least attempted to make them something more than just mindless killing machines, though I, personally, thought Bio's attempt wasn't very successful.  Still, it was better than just the mindless bags of rotting flesh aimlessly roaming the lands to kill everyone that they were in DAO and DA2.  In DAO and DA2, the only amount of intelligence the darkspawn showed above that of a completely mindless zombie is being able to function as a somewhat cohesive squad, to some degree. Tolkien goblins and orcs, though thoroughly one dimensional creatures, at least showed personality traits, such as greed, jealousy,  and fear, that could be used to give them motivation for what they do beyond just simple bloodlust.  Awakenings tried to assign some personality to darkspawn, though I found the attempt more comical than anything else, but DAO and DA2 darkspawn seemed to be driven by nothing more than a desire to kill.

 

Anyway, maybe in DA3, the darkspawn will get fleshed out more and be shown to operate for some purpose other than just to kill?  Hopefully they will go in the direction Awakenings tried to go in and do a better job of it?  I hope so.  I, personally, find it a lot more interesting fighting a foe that you can relate to, at least on some level, than stabbing mindless creatures of pure evil with no redeeming qualities whatsoever that you can kill without the slightest tinge of guilt (I think that's part of why zombies have become so popular in Hollywood and with game developers.  They're an easy enemy to use where there is no worry about killing them being in any way morally wrong).  Even when you look at a character like Jon Irenicus, who is about as evil and hateable an antagonist as it gets, there are parts of his downfall and descent into madness that you could kind of feel bad for the guy.  He brought a lot of it upon himself, but you can look at it from his perspective.

Edited May 15, 201411 yr by Keyrock

Yeah, I should probably clarify my only experience with the series is Origins, where they're just indistinct lumbering lumps of wrinkly flesh that charge you or just stand anchored in place and plink away at you as you charge them.

 

 

Anyway, maybe in DA3, the darkspawn will get fleshed out more and be shown to operate for some purpose other than just to kill?  

 

Corypheus. 

Yeah, let's not forget the tiny fact of meeting one of the original Magisters in DA2.