Dragon Age: Inquistion

[Nepenthe]

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

 

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

I kept trying to put her in my party and saw some of her banter during the time sink's that were created with the game. And deliberately put her in my party for certain events (her distaff counterpart, Zevran's appearance). 

 

I should point out I didn't exactly like Zevran for the same reasons. He was less clunky with "I <3 sex" but still it permeated his whole being to the point it just got boring. Also I tend to play Warrior/rogue characters which means that Zev and Isabela were redundant. 

 

With the way that the game is designed, DA2 seriously needs to amp up the amount of AOE possible given the only way they increase difficulty is by throwing more enemies at you.

Now you're just manipulating the results by using her in the scenarios where you (rightly) expect her to confirm to your bias...

[Calax]

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

I kept trying to put her in my party and saw some of her banter during the time sink's that were created with the game. And deliberately put her in my party for certain events (her distaff counterpart, Zevran's appearance). 

 

I should point out I didn't exactly like Zevran for the same reasons. He was less clunky with "I <3 sex" but still it permeated his whole being to the point it just got boring. Also I tend to play Warrior/rogue characters which means that Zev and Isabela were redundant. 

 

With the way that the game is designed, DA2 seriously needs to amp up the amount of AOE possible given the only way they increase difficulty is by throwing more enemies at you.

Now you're just manipulating the results by using her in the scenarios where you (rightly) expect her to confirm to your bias...

 

True... I'll be kinda working on a warrior, and will try to use her (I did seriously try to use her but she just died so freaking much) But how far I'll get on a second playthrough (back to back no less) will be the question. I might swap to DA1 then go redo DA 2 but I don't know.

[Azure79]

Any word on friendly fire in DAI? I thought it was horribly implemented in DA2. I haven't been able to discern what it's like in the gameplay videos. 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

[Gfted1]

I had read that the NPC's will stop hitting on you if you reject their advances. Is that not the case?

[HoonDing]

^That reminds me. Does rohypnol exist in DA universe?

[BruceVC]

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

 

 

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

[Meshugger]

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

[BruceVC]

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

I read every single dialogue line Isabella spoke in act 1, and they were almost universally about sex. If Bioware wanted to showcase a character who was sexually liberated, then perhaps having them discuss more than sex would be a better move than creating a sex addict.

[Gromnir]

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

the dwarf guy had good voice acting which made his dialogue seem better. he were the comic relief and he got some good lines, but ultimately we think it were the voice acting that made him work.  

 

the elf girl from da2 were actual kinda intriguing. the execution were sketchy, but her naivete were believable. we obvious didn't explore any romance options, and doing so with merill woulda' felt a bit like child abuse.  

 

the shield maiden were also fun. yeah, she were the honorable and serious knight, but her social awkwardness were handled in an amusing and entertaining manner. were otherwise well written as the extreme competent but still vulnerable character.

 

the rest?

 

the archer we didn't hate.

 

HA! Good Fun!

[Nepenthe]

 

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

I read every single dialogue line Isabella spoke in act 1, and they were almost universally about sex. If Bioware wanted to showcase a character who was sexually liberated, then perhaps having them discuss more than sex would be a better move than creating a sex addict.

Not the point of the character and, well, if character development happened in act 1, it really wouldn't be development?

 

Regarding the rest of the party, I don't like most of the da2 npcs, and only find myself really enjoying the game when using a core party of aveline, varric and isabela, with Bethany thrown in when available (probably because she's bland vs. actively annoying like the other two mages). The rest are either too whiny (anders, fenris) or just otherwise meh.

Edited June 25, 2014 by Nepenthe

[tajerio]

 

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

I read every single dialogue line Isabella spoke in act 1, and they were almost universally about sex. If Bioware wanted to showcase a character who was sexually liberated, then perhaps having them discuss more than sex would be a better move than creating a sex addict.

 

 

The problem is that they gate everything interesting she has to say behind a) her approval mechanic and b) the passage of time.  She doesn't have much that's more profound than "sex, sex, sex," before Act 2, and very reasonably a lot of people didn't have the patience or inclination to get to that point.

 

It's my most consistent problem with BioWare games.  The characters generally have a fair number of interesting things to say, but hearing it is often dependent on suffering through whatever key attribute of the character the writers have decided to bludgeon us with "to get to know them."  

[Nepenthe]

 

 

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

 

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

I read every single dialogue line Isabella spoke in act 1, and they were almost universally about sex. If Bioware wanted to showcase a character who was sexually liberated, then perhaps having them discuss more than sex would be a better move than creating a sex addict.

 

The problem is that they gate everything interesting she has to say behind a) her approval mechanic and b) the passage of time.  She doesn't have much that's more profound than "sex, sex, sex," before Act 2, and very reasonably a lot of people didn't have the patience or inclination to get to that point.

 

It's my most consistent problem with BioWare games.  The characters generally have a fair number of interesting things to say, but hearing it is often dependent on suffering through whatever key attribute of the character the writers have decided to bludgeon us with "to get to know them."

Very good point.

[Meshugger]

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

the dwarf guy had good voice acting which made his dialogue seem better. he were the comic relief and he got some good lines, but ultimately we think it were the voice acting that made him work.  

 

the elf girl from da2 were actual kinda intriguing. the execution were sketchy, but her naivete were believable. we obvious didn't explore any romance options, and doing so with merill woulda' felt a bit like child abuse.  

 

the shield maiden were also fun. yeah, she were the honorable and serious knight, but her social awkwardness were handled in an amusing and entertaining manner. were otherwise well written as the extreme competent but still vulnerable character.

 

the rest?

 

the archer we didn't hate.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

No complaints about the dwarf, no. I can't say i remember the rest of the party though.

[Meshugger]

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

 

 

You're hopeless. 

 

Personally, i haven't met a single stripper or even a prostitute in real life with such uh, loose clothing or hedonistic attitudes. But on the other hand, i haven't been to any third-world country yet, so who knows. That granted, the setting of DA2 seemed even more conservative, much made the whole experience even more jarring. But as i already said, the level & quest design, the story, the horrendeus encounter design was far more "popping a vein"-worthy.

[BruceVC]

 

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

 

 

 

 

Personally, i haven't met a single stripper or even a prostitute in real life with such uh, loose clothing or hedonistic attitudes. But on the other hand, i haven't been to any third-world country yet, so who knows.

 

Come to South Africa and I'll take you to places where that's exactly what the ladies wear

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

 

 

 

 

 

 

In my one play through of DA2, I kept Isabella out of the party because a) Varric was more useful mechanically and b) she never shut up about sex. If the writers were going for something different than a sex doll for deviants, they failed pretty badly.

I'm havin a hard time following your logic here. If you kept her out of the party, how can you comment on the writer's achievements?

Isabella occupied the Rogue position in party during the first act for several major quests. Every banter involved sex in some way and there was never any indication that there was more to her than being a slampig.

Yeah, this confirms that you clearly didn't understand her character or didn't bother to read her dialogue options

I read every single dialogue line Isabella spoke in act 1, and they were almost universally about sex. If Bioware wanted to showcase a character who was sexually liberated, then perhaps having them discuss more than sex would be a better move than creating a sex addict.

The problem is that they gate everything interesting she has to say behind a) her approval mechanic and b) the passage of time. She doesn't have much that's more profound than "sex, sex, sex," before Act 2, and very reasonably a lot of people didn't have the patience or inclination to get to that point.

 

It's my most consistent problem with BioWare games. The characters generally have a fair number of interesting things to say, but hearing it is often dependent on suffering through whatever key attribute of the character the writers have decided to bludgeon us with "to get to know them."

Perhaps it is too much to ask the writers at Bioware to be capable of creating a character with an intresting enough hook to want to keep a companion around for a while then. Suppose the folks like Bruce find the prospect of a badly written romance a good hook, but I find it to be juvenile and/or creepy. Edited June 25, 2014 by KaineParker

[Calax]

Merill was all about how nieve she was about the world outside her own.

Aveline was about how she followed the rules and was by the book

Isabela was about sex

Varric was all about stories and nicknames

Fenris was "Grr Tevinter!"

Anders was about his conflict with Justice, and how it related to the Circle of Magi

 

Anders was probably the most depth to him, but his character is almost out of left field when compared to his character in Awakenings.

 

And Bruce, the person who I know that's closest to Isabella IRL is a Lesbian who still has other interests beyond sex. Isabella feels like she's just "Sex sex sex sex SHINY! Sex"

[Meshugger]

 

 

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

 

 

 

 

Personally, i haven't met a single stripper or even a prostitute in real life with such uh, loose clothing or hedonistic attitudes. But on the other hand, i haven't been to any third-world country yet, so who knows.

 

Come to South Africa and I'll take you to places where that's exactly what the ladies wear

 

 

Somehow, i believe you.

[HoonDing]

 

 

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

 

 

 

 

Personally, i haven't met a single stripper or even a prostitute in real life with such uh, loose clothing or hedonistic attitudes. But on the other hand, i haven't been to any third-world country yet, so who knows.

 

Come to South Africa and I'll take you to places where that's exactly what the ladies wear

 

#socialjustice

[Gromnir]

our primary problem with the pirate stripper were not clothing or sexuality. her greatest flaw were an issue common with most da2 comps. the fact that the swashbuckling tart were written so as to be utterly untrustworthy were problematic for us. why would we have anything to do with her other than what were absolute necessary? puss n' boots might be the life o' the party (bachelor party?) but the rationale for continuing a relationship with her after the initial encounter were more than a little thin. to be fair, anders were an even worse option. the possessed renegade mage who were clearly a fan o' che guevara? sign him up as our new bestest buddy.  fenris, the revenge-crazed ex-slave with some serious baggage were seeming more stable and reliable than anders?  yeah, he was, and that is bad. heck, the realization that the immature bloodmage were more trustworthy than all companions save for the mercenary dwarf and the vulnerable knight were a travesty. 

 

am understanding that biowarians wanted drama with the party npcs, but if they is gonna force broken toys 'pon us, they should also give us better reasons for suffering their presence.  isabella, the brothel ornament form da:o, is the kinda woman you give wrong phone number and a false name to. is not somebody you trust to watch your back in a fight... 'least not more than once.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

ps  while is genuine unrelated, we will note to bruce that we don't have contempt for strippers so much as sympathy. yeah, the stories 'bout the well-adjusted girl who strips to pay for tuition at Columbia is true, but rare. statistically speaking, the % o' strippers who were sexually abused, abuse drugs/alcohol, suffer from depression, have mpd and/or a host o' other mental health issues, is far greater than national averages. Far greater. 

Edited June 25, 2014 by Gromnir

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 

Isabella's characterization was pretty low on my list when it came to DA2's issues.

 

The only thing that i can recall being odd was that no one found her clothing/behaviour weird or unacceptable, compared to how the rest of the setting was presented. 

 

No her clothing was fine ....perfect actually

 

 

 

 

Personally, i haven't met a single stripper or even a prostitute in real life with such uh, loose clothing or hedonistic attitudes. But on the other hand, i haven't been to any third-world country yet, so who knows.

 

Come to South Africa and I'll take you to places where that's exactly what the ladies wear

 

#socialjustice

 

 

You getting cheeky again young man

 

I am not going to deny a women a  job as a stripper if that's what she wants or pass judgement on her because of how she wants to make money. I believe in gender equality and people being able to choose there own professions. That's true social justice

Edited June 25, 2014 by BruceVC

[Volourn]

"That granted, the setting of DA2 seemed even more conservative,"

 

DA2 setting is conservative? WUT!?!

 

Anyways, by and large, DA2 characetrs were better than DAO ones.  People whining that   they ar eone dimensional are either ignorant or  trying to pretend something happened that didn't.

 

Also, I laugh at people bashing the characters (like Isabella) who actually GROWS and CHANGES 9to a degree) during the course of the game like that's a bad thing. L0L The same people who go gaga over BG1 npcs (and most BG2 npcs) who NEVER change and have no depth (with certain exceptions).

 

 

"but if they is gonna force broken toys 'pon us,"

 

Most of the npcs aren't forced on you. Isabella certainly isn't. And, she actually grows to be trustworthy.It's called CHARACTER GROWTH..

[BruceVC]

 

 

ps  while is genuine unrelated, we will note to bruce that we don't have contempt for strippers so much as sympathy. yeah, the stories 'bout the well-adjusted girl who strips to pay for tuition at Columbia is true, but rare. statistically speaking, the % o' strippers who were sexually abused, abuse drugs/alcohol, suffer from depression, have mpd and/or a host o' other mental health issues, is far greater than national averages. Far greater. 

 

I agree with you and the post above, when I first started going to strip clubs I fell for the whole " I'm actually putting myself through university "story. And I tried to help several girls who didn't really need help but thought they could create a deeper connection with  me if they positioned there situation in a certain way

 

Nowadays when I go to strip clubs I treat the girls well and with respect, pay them what they ask for and make sure I don't get into discussions that are too deep. But the reality is many strippers do come from a dysfunctional background but  I definitely don't judge them