Welverin
First Post
Or during the Perils of Summer, much safer than risking the great outdoors.
Dragon Age 2
Or during the Perils of Summer, much safer than risking the great outdoors.
FBA827: Sorry, I should of been more clear. It was around the time I was doing the Lilly Murders quest I found out about the Armor upgrades which can occasionally be purchased from the differing merchants (found under the gem icon.. why under the gem is a better question). I normally had at least one companion go down during a tough fight, so after this find I felt better.. but also annoyed. I had been buying weapons and shields for the characters who needed it, and I will admit did wonder why I could never buy armor for the companions. I by chance happed to click into gem and found some upgrades for Varric. I was annoyed to think that I had likely missed out on earlier upgrade opportunities.
Armor upgrades need to go in the Armor section! Ive got no idea what the gem section is even for. Ive bought runes there but never gems.
*****
Well im still going.
Ive come to the point where Ive just dealt with the 3 mage mission for Meredith. Ive met Alastair and have been talking with Companions?
Is anyone else frustrated that you basically have to take them 'home' to talk to them? I dont mind their witty banter.. but Ive got to take them home to actually talk to them? And then ... after a conversation tree is finished.. thats it? They will say something, and then something else randomly and then thats it.
I had a feeling in DAO I could at least have a conversation tree conversation with any current companion at any time. Its been a while since I played. it might of been a rehash of what we had previously talked about but it was still a conversation.
*****
Final Musings: While Ive enjoyed learning about the world, people/organisations from the codex and things I find .. I must say Im not enjoying this game like I should be. Im basically playing now to finish it. I feel like Im playing a Fable game .. or a console game thats been 'adapted' for the pc.
Im fairly sure I wont come back to play it again, and after all the build up I read before the game, Im feeling fairly let down. If Im going to get sold out because a game develope cant include varied locations (If you have played, you shouldnt have to ask) because a console wont like /run it, then Im done with rpgs on the computer
Armor upgrades need to go in the Armor section! Ive got no idea what the gem section is even for. Ive bought runes there but never gems.
*****
Well im still going.
Ive come to the point where Ive just dealt with the 3 mage mission for Meredith. Ive met Alastair and have been talking with Companions?
Is anyone else frustrated that you basically have to take them 'home' to talk to them? I dont mind their witty banter.. but Ive got to take them home to actually talk to them? And then ... after a conversation tree is finished.. thats it? They will say something, and then something else randomly and then thats it.
I had a feeling in DAO I could at least have a conversation tree conversation with any current companion at any time. Its been a while since I played. it might of been a rehash of what we had previously talked about but it was still a conversation.
*****
Final Musings: While Ive enjoyed learning about the world, people/organisations from the codex and things I find .. I must say Im not enjoying this game like I should be. Im basically playing now to finish it. I feel like Im playing a Fable game .. or a console game thats been 'adapted' for the pc.
Im fairly sure I wont come back to play it again, and after all the build up I read before the game, Im feeling fairly let down. If Im going to get sold out because a game develope cant include varied locations (If you have played, you shouldnt have to ask) because a console wont like /run it, then Im done with rpgs on the computer
Quickleaf
Legend
Totally agree. I get that the story's theme is not about where you come from but what you move toward, but there just wasn't enough context for me. It took me a longer time to get invested in the character and then wham! The sibling got killed. If there was some overarching mission to tie it altogether that would keep me invested despite all the loss, but with the "wandering through the years" thing it just feels hollow. My interest is lost.
There are 2 features I'm sure are tuning jokes among DA players by now:
First, every cavern side quest just happens to use the same cavern.
Second, every mage and her mother is possessed by demons.
Mechanically, the new ability trees are good, and I like the way different abilities interact (frozen/stunned/etc. enemies take extra damage) and the fact that there are usually improved versions of each power. The companion interaction system is better than the sometimes silly gift-giving in Origins, and the mass effect dialogue wheel is an improvement as well. The dwarf narrating your tale is an interesting touch but I haven't gotten far into that yet.
I think it's the story which is weakest - there's no driving quest, just this vague "protect the family" (never mind the mounting death toll) and "rise to power". It doesn't need to be earth-shattering but give me something to go on! My sense is the game will improve as plot threads come together, but right now it's a little boring for me.
Ebon Shar
Explorer
I'm not sure we can trust reviews from corporate owned websites and magazines any more. I'll stick with user and independent reviews.
i've gotten a chance to play it some.
no, it's not perfect but i'm still having fun with it which is all that matters (for me
).
Overall...
* i'm liking the reduced inventory clutter
* yes, i would have missed upgrading companion armor were it not for the mention a couple of you made in this thread
* i'm liking the dialogue wheel -concept- (though i'm not keen on some of the icons used since they are not intuitive to me; comparatively, in DOA i'd pick something and then it would be said in a different tone then i expected changing the whole meaning)
*yes, the reused locations is more than a little obvious... it's enough for me to notice, but not so much that it makes me turn off the game (of course, i am such a forgiving player when it comes to stuff like that so i know my standards are much lower than most gamers in that regard)
*the friendship/rivaly took some getting used
* i have run into one small glitch but nothing earth shattering
* i enjoyed finding a couple subtle references to DAO... while the overt ones are obvious, the subtle things were a nice touch. [sblock]a scene that i stumbled upon where one of the persons was a cured werewolf from DAO. Or seeing Cullen again who played such a minor part in DAO but the only reason i remember him is because of secret crush on the warden and how he felt so guilty over it if you played a female mage origin, or hearing how Isabella met Zevran, but meeting Zevran wasn't the point of her story since she was talking about something else, zevran just got mentioned and it explained how and why they met[/sblock]
* act 1 was more about raising money for the family to survive but i'm noticing more and more in act 2 [sblock] it's a lot of the people you met/rescued/angered in act 1 who are showing up to ask you to do things or they are the people behind the things you are investigating, so threads are starting to tie back together if you're paying attention to who is involved at each quest/event -- at least that's been my observation so far, i don't know if that trend continues further into act 2 or not. of course, if i were better at remembering names and faces, i'm sure it would have an even bigger impact on me than it already does. [/sblock]
no, it's not perfect but i'm still having fun with it which is all that matters (for me
).Overall...
* i'm liking the reduced inventory clutter
* yes, i would have missed upgrading companion armor were it not for the mention a couple of you made in this thread
* i'm liking the dialogue wheel -concept- (though i'm not keen on some of the icons used since they are not intuitive to me; comparatively, in DOA i'd pick something and then it would be said in a different tone then i expected changing the whole meaning)
*yes, the reused locations is more than a little obvious... it's enough for me to notice, but not so much that it makes me turn off the game (of course, i am such a forgiving player when it comes to stuff like that so i know my standards are much lower than most gamers in that regard)
*the friendship/rivaly took some getting used
* i have run into one small glitch but nothing earth shattering
* i enjoyed finding a couple subtle references to DAO... while the overt ones are obvious, the subtle things were a nice touch. [sblock]a scene that i stumbled upon where one of the persons was a cured werewolf from DAO. Or seeing Cullen again who played such a minor part in DAO but the only reason i remember him is because of secret crush on the warden and how he felt so guilty over it if you played a female mage origin, or hearing how Isabella met Zevran, but meeting Zevran wasn't the point of her story since she was talking about something else, zevran just got mentioned and it explained how and why they met[/sblock]
* act 1 was more about raising money for the family to survive but i'm noticing more and more in act 2 [sblock] it's a lot of the people you met/rescued/angered in act 1 who are showing up to ask you to do things or they are the people behind the things you are investigating, so threads are starting to tie back together if you're paying attention to who is involved at each quest/event -- at least that's been my observation so far, i don't know if that trend continues further into act 2 or not. of course, if i were better at remembering names and faces, i'm sure it would have an even bigger impact on me than it already does. [/sblock]
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I loved the game. It clocks in at around 50 hours if you do all the side quests. (I also had the signature edition).
To be honest, I was turned off by the demo but after the demo's period things start picking up well. It plays very well.
There were several improvements. The "walking banter" is a little more dynamic and responds to which act you are in and major events. I like the new skill trees. I also enjoy having a voice character.
Only major irritation was the "wave spawning" (enemies sort of respawn in waves and it's just not well done tactically), and some of the equipment streamlining. (You can upgrade companions armor but it's like a gift, they should have made that easier). I also agree about the re-used environments--they need to work on some sort of procedural dungeon generation and use that instead of what they did this time. Still, it's not nearly as bad as Mass Effect #1.
Storywise, while not akin to an "epic quest" as DA:O, there are more shades of grey. The two main factions each have good and bad points, and they really made sure it was hard to figure out who to support. There are a lot more "gotcha" moments, storywise. One companion does something way late in the game that totally shocked me and almost made me reverse my position. This isn't gonna be a "choose good or evil" type of game which I think was a flaw in DAO.
There are enough guest starts and touchstones that make you feel part of the same world. And the ending really sets up possible future events.
I feel bad for Bioware because they have a lot of this fan backlash right now because of minor changes and I fear there sort of a "rage" effect polluting some of the metacritic reviews. I really think they did a good job with the timeframe they had to complete this.
Dice Roll = 5, I guess I give it 5 out of 5 stars then!
To be honest, I was turned off by the demo but after the demo's period things start picking up well. It plays very well.
There were several improvements. The "walking banter" is a little more dynamic and responds to which act you are in and major events. I like the new skill trees. I also enjoy having a voice character.
Only major irritation was the "wave spawning" (enemies sort of respawn in waves and it's just not well done tactically), and some of the equipment streamlining. (You can upgrade companions armor but it's like a gift, they should have made that easier). I also agree about the re-used environments--they need to work on some sort of procedural dungeon generation and use that instead of what they did this time. Still, it's not nearly as bad as Mass Effect #1.
Storywise, while not akin to an "epic quest" as DA:O, there are more shades of grey. The two main factions each have good and bad points, and they really made sure it was hard to figure out who to support. There are a lot more "gotcha" moments, storywise. One companion does something way late in the game that totally shocked me and almost made me reverse my position. This isn't gonna be a "choose good or evil" type of game which I think was a flaw in DAO.
There are enough guest starts and touchstones that make you feel part of the same world. And the ending really sets up possible future events.
I feel bad for Bioware because they have a lot of this fan backlash right now because of minor changes and I fear there sort of a "rage" effect polluting some of the metacritic reviews. I really think they did a good job with the timeframe they had to complete this.
Dice Roll = 5, I guess I give it 5 out of 5 stars then!
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In my opinion, most of the complaints about the game being "dumbed down" are groundless.
As one example, I still spend time in the inventory screens looking over gear and outfitting companions. Literally the only thing I can't do is equip armor/robe items on them, and that just means more things get sold. This is good, since funds are tight in the beginning and middle of the game.
Combat has been sped up, not "dumbed down". One-click auto attack just takes out the tedium of constantly clicking on a target.
Never, ever missed "tactical view" as an option.
The story in DA 2 feels much more dynamic than the story in DA:O. Everything that happens is a consequence of the different characters pursuing their own goals, and as a result, the story feels far more "real" to me than just another "Let's save the kingdom/country/world" storyline.
About the only things I'm annoyed with, and they're minor annoyances; some animations (mostly Rogue ones) are over the top. Enemy mages and rogues of all types seem to teleport even though this is explicitly impossible according to DA lore. Cave/warehouse/mansion maps are reused a few too many times, and even some of the "unique" maps aren't really, being a reskin of existing maps. Oh, and the stupidity of NPC enemies "jumping down" into the street from hidden ledges five or six stories up gets really annoying.
As one example, I still spend time in the inventory screens looking over gear and outfitting companions. Literally the only thing I can't do is equip armor/robe items on them, and that just means more things get sold. This is good, since funds are tight in the beginning and middle of the game.
Combat has been sped up, not "dumbed down". One-click auto attack just takes out the tedium of constantly clicking on a target.
Never, ever missed "tactical view" as an option.
The story in DA 2 feels much more dynamic than the story in DA:O. Everything that happens is a consequence of the different characters pursuing their own goals, and as a result, the story feels far more "real" to me than just another "Let's save the kingdom/country/world" storyline.
About the only things I'm annoyed with, and they're minor annoyances; some animations (mostly Rogue ones) are over the top. Enemy mages and rogues of all types seem to teleport even though this is explicitly impossible according to DA lore. Cave/warehouse/mansion maps are reused a few too many times, and even some of the "unique" maps aren't really, being a reskin of existing maps. Oh, and the stupidity of NPC enemies "jumping down" into the street from hidden ledges five or six stories up gets really annoying.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Just picked it up and started playing this yesterday. I like it, but I don't think it is as good as DA:O (I'm on the 360 version, sice my computer couldn't handle DA:O).
Pluses:
- Combat sped up, and a bit more mobile
- Ability trees make more sense
- Simplified inventory management (no longer carrying around a bunch of stuff that I don't know whether it's useful or not)
- NPC interaction scale with friendship/rivalry
- Radial interaction menu with the "types" of responses
Minuses:
- Inventory over-simplified; I'd like a few more stats, plus the ability to completely manipulate the party members' kit.
- Map reuse. Why do I see the same cave over and over?
- Not enough wilderness adventuring (at least so far). The whole world seems to be a city, a mountain, and a beach.
- I'm not sure what the overarching story is. This seems to be trying to be a compromise between a big sandbox like Oblivion and a more focused linear story-driven quest. I thought DA:O got the balance right between the two; this one lacks story but isn't sandboxy enough.
- Does the main PC have to be a rogue? I can't get most of the chests I come across open with Varric.
- It borked up my save import from DA:O and refers to the wrong ending ... I'm not sure if that changes how the game plays.
Pluses:
- Combat sped up, and a bit more mobile
- Ability trees make more sense
- Simplified inventory management (no longer carrying around a bunch of stuff that I don't know whether it's useful or not)
- NPC interaction scale with friendship/rivalry
- Radial interaction menu with the "types" of responses
Minuses:
- Inventory over-simplified; I'd like a few more stats, plus the ability to completely manipulate the party members' kit.
- Map reuse. Why do I see the same cave over and over?
- Not enough wilderness adventuring (at least so far). The whole world seems to be a city, a mountain, and a beach.
- I'm not sure what the overarching story is. This seems to be trying to be a compromise between a big sandbox like Oblivion and a more focused linear story-driven quest. I thought DA:O got the balance right between the two; this one lacks story but isn't sandboxy enough.
- Does the main PC have to be a rogue? I can't get most of the chests I come across open with Varric.
- It borked up my save import from DA:O and refers to the wrong ending ... I'm not sure if that changes how the game plays.
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