Dragon Age Series
- Thread starter Zee
- Start date
ForceStealer
Double Growth
Yes, Dacon. I am of the firm belief it was the only old-school western rpg. I wasn't just using it as an example or anything.
And it was a pretty big one. If you asked people to list old school western rpgs it would likely be on every one.
And it was a pretty big one. If you asked people to list old school western rpgs it would likely be on every one.
Max Payne
Banned
- AKA
- Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
HERPY DERPY DOO
ForceStealer
Double Growth
ffs Dacon can you just tell me some old school wrpgs with set character protagonists?
Geostigma
Pro Adventurer
- AKA
- gabe
I'm sorry is this the thread for Dragon Age 2 or Fable 3? I can't tell because the game descriptions sound almost exactly the same.Somebody help pls
That would be true if molyneux actually made the games he describes when there in "developement".
Zee
wangxian married
- AKA
- Zee
Bumping the shit out of this thread because of updates. Also, info thanks to the bioware forumgoers lulz.
Also, FEMALE HAWKE FUCK YEAH
Also, FEMALE HAWKE FUCK YEAH
Max Payne
Banned
- AKA
- Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
Max Payne
Banned
- AKA
- Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
Well it wasn't in this thread, so.
I am excited about the body shapes and the skin design. Finally, I no longer have to be the one black child in the middle of alily white family.
And the dialogue system sounds awesome too.
Lol you did that two huh?
Russell
.. ? ..
- AKA
- King of the Potato People
Russell
.. ? ..
- AKA
- King of the Potato People
Ah right, Fallout 3 had that same problem. You can find the body of a "grandma Taylor" during the vault escape and loot her body. After you've taken her clothes you see she has the body of a 21 year old but a really old head. O_o
So when is DA2 out?
And will there be a GOTY edition of the first game?
So when is DA2 out?
And will there be a GOTY edition of the first game?
Max Payne
Banned
- AKA
- Leon S. Kennedy,Terry Bogard, The Dark Knight, Dacon, John Marston, Teal'c
Oblivion too.Ah right, Fallout 3 had that same problem. You can find the body of a "grandma Taylor" during the vault escape and loot her body. After you've taken her clothes you see she has the body of a 21 year old but a really old head. O_o
So when is DA2 out?
And will there be a GOTY edition of the first game?
I personally didn't care cause I don't make a habit of stripping old ladies naked in video games.
A game of the year edition for origins was planned but I dinnae about a release date.
Russell
.. ? ..
- AKA
- King of the Potato People
Googled it: http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/dragonage/news.html?sid=6272807
And here: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262959
And here: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/classified.nsf/classifiedWorks/B66D040BD3EF08A880257793002F5476
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition (with all DLC's) out in October apparently....
I was just looting her corpse for items and it said "take all items" I didn't know it ment clothes as well! >.<
And here: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262959
And here: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/classified.nsf/classifiedWorks/B66D040BD3EF08A880257793002F5476
Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition (with all DLC's) out in October apparently....
October 12 2010 release date in the US, and according to Amazon.co.uk October 29, 2010 in the UK, (most likely the rest of Europe as well.)
The game tricked me!
I was just looting her corpse for items and it said "take all items" I didn't know it ment clothes as well! >.<
Last edited:
Zee
wangxian married
- AKA
- Zee
SUPER BUMP since there's been plenty of updates since the last post:
I forgot if it was mentioned but the pirate woman is Isabela from the first DA, and is the Zevran-like love interest. Some other articles and stuff:
EDIT: also if you didn't play DA or don't feel like don't feel like playing a whole new game just to import the save file, you'll be able to choose the DA choices from the start -- who got on the throne, what happened to your Warden, etc.
I forgot if it was mentioned but the pirate woman is Isabela from the first DA, and is the Zevran-like love interest. Some other articles and stuff:
There are only a couple months until Dragon Age II hits store shelves, and I was lucky enough to play the Xbox 360 version for several hours. Rather than give you a play by play of what I did and essentially ruin five hours of the game for you, I figured it would be more useful if I covered the main topics fans want to know.
Here's what I learned.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
You are Hawke, the Champion. Either a female or male human, you have risen through the ranks of society and your influence has grown as a result. Told through a framed narrative (think the movie Princess Bride) by a Chantry member named Cassandra and a dwarf named Varric, the story of Dragon Age II is dictated backwards – you are already the champion in present day and Varric is re-telling your story.
What this means for players is that instead of spanning one year like Origins, the second covers 10 years of events. This also grants BioWare the freedom to skip over the "boring" sequences that don't offer compelling gameplay and means that your choices will have more of an immediate impact than in most titles.
From what I saw, Dragon Age II is linear, yet open. Points A and B are predetermined, but how you get there is entirely up to you. During my time with the game I recruited people in the order I wanted to and completed missions the way I wished as well.
IMPORTING YOUR SAVE
Even though I'm a Dragon Age fan I didn't fully understand how the two games were connected in their respective timelines. Thankfully, the beginning chapters of the sequel explains everything clearly:
The second installment begins around the same time as Origins did. Following the Battle of Ostagar, which claimed the lives of the majority of the Grey Wardens (people with the power to destroy Archdemons) and the king of Ferelden, the countryside is no longer safe. If you played Origins you might recall that as soon as you leave Lothering, Hawke's hometown, it is overcome by the Blight (a mass of evil Darkspawn). With the town destroyed and the country in despair, Hawke's family flees north to Kirkwall. However, in order to gain entry into the city there's a yearlong activity that must be completed first. During this year, which is only a cut-scene in Dragon Age II, all the events of Origins come to fruition and the threat of the Blight is over. From that point on, Dragon Age II's story is separate from Origins.
As the events of Dragon Age: Origins take place in a tiny fragment of the sequel's storyline you might be wondering what actually matters. Only a few choices happen to noticeably impact the story: Who you put on the throne and who killed the Archdemon.
If you didn't play Origins, don't worry about needing to go back and play it just for a save file. At the starter menu you'll be able to pick one of three different backgrounds, so your game will have some slight customization.
Now, I'm still unclear as to how your decisions from Dragon Age: Origins will affect the gameplay in the sequel, but we'll see in time.
THE ART OF WAR
I've seen a lot of people voice concerns about the combat being "dumbed down" to be more like an action game. In truth, combat works largely the same – actions are mapped to the face buttons and by pulling on the right trigger or R2 you can switch to a different set of moves. There have been some modifications to the action wheel that you can pull up with the left trigger or L2, but for the most part it's similar too.
We haven't seen much of the PC version, but I was told that you will still be able to pause with the space bar and issue commands via the action bar. The biggest change is that the attack animations are sped up and much flashier than before, making battle scenes more visually interesting and visceral. So if you like instant gratification don't want to bother with babysitting your squad, that's an option. On the other hand, if you want to take a little more control over the situation you can do that as well.
Another alternative is setting up specific tactics for your squad, which was also present in Origins. With tactics you can get down into the nitty gritty of your squad's behavior. Choose general stances like aggressive or a role like healer. You can also take it a step further and make sure your party is taking health potions at the appropriate times or using a specific spell or attack when surrounded, etc. Though that level of obsessiveness is reserved for a small portion of gamers, I'm happy that BioWare kept it in.
SPEAKING UP
Watch any dialogue focused cut-scene from Dragon Age: Origins and you'll notice one thing – a silent mannequin of a hero that looks completely spaced out. It's distracting and awkward. Who just stands there with a blank expression when a friend has just been attacked?
Dragon Age 2 addresses this problem by incorporating a more "Mass Effect like" hero that actually emotes in cinematic cut-scenes. Although the idea is the same and the dialogue wheel is present, this is clearly not Mass Effect. Besides the indicator icons in the center wheel that tell you if you're flirting, being a jerk or inquiring further, there's a dedicated sarcasm option that I fell in love with. Some of the lines are delightfully absurd and the voice acting is well performed.
Was it a problem that your Grey Warden didn't speak in Origins? Personally, I don't think it was the lack of voice, but more the fact that the character was so lifeless compared to others. Still, I'm happy with the decision to include a fully voiced hero, especially when I have the opportunity to be a smart-ass.
LEVEL UP!
As with any role-playing game, when you earn experience points in Dragon Age II you will gain levels. If you've played Dragon Age: Origins you should feel right at home here – the attributes and abilities system makes a return. For the uninitiated, attributes are points you can divvy up between strength (attack power), willpower (stamina), constitution (health), etc. while abilities are specific powers you can choose.
Selecting abilities looks vastly different from Origins – instead of a massive block of linear progressions, different spell sets or attack sets are bundled together. As you unlock the skill tree you can either choose to upgrade a specific move to make it more powerful or gain a new one. Visually, abilities are presented in a much more digestible way than they were before, which is a nice change.
SUBSTANCE PLUS STYLE
It's no secret that Dragon Age: Origins was not a good-looking game. Even on the PC, which was the best of all the versions, there was no real visual flair to it. That's changed this time around. There's a really cool gothic comic art style to jazz up the cut-scenes and the scenery I've witnessed has all been much more impressive than the bland sets of Origins.
Even the map has had a nice overhaul, though I do wonder if there'll still be random battle encounters outside of cities.
After my session with the game I fired up a new character in Origins, a Dalish elf warrior. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that they had redone the elf character models. Instead of a human with different ears the elves now have a distinct look – large, wide-set eyes and more petite features actually make them stand out from the crowd.
Another nice touch is that your family's physical features will change depending on how you model your Hawke. So, if your hero is a red head with super fair skin, your family will be altered to match that. You know, so there won't have to be any awkward discussions about adoption.
RELATIONSHIPS
I won't name names, but yes, you will run into characters from the previous game and expansion packs in Dragon Age 2. It's a nice touch for hardcore fans to see familiar faces, but newcomers don't need to know their backstories in order to appreciate them.
In terms of your new crew, gone are the days where people will leave if they don't like your actions. Now you can be as awful or as kind as you'd like without worrying about being abandoned by certain party members. Instead of a "dislike" or "like" relationship status, party members will be noted as a "friend" or a "rival."
I was told that being a rival with a party member does not mean you can't pursue a romance (hot hate sex anybody?), though I do imagine it will be harder to woo them.
Here's what I learned.
WHAT'S THE STORY?
You are Hawke, the Champion. Either a female or male human, you have risen through the ranks of society and your influence has grown as a result. Told through a framed narrative (think the movie Princess Bride) by a Chantry member named Cassandra and a dwarf named Varric, the story of Dragon Age II is dictated backwards – you are already the champion in present day and Varric is re-telling your story.
What this means for players is that instead of spanning one year like Origins, the second covers 10 years of events. This also grants BioWare the freedom to skip over the "boring" sequences that don't offer compelling gameplay and means that your choices will have more of an immediate impact than in most titles.
From what I saw, Dragon Age II is linear, yet open. Points A and B are predetermined, but how you get there is entirely up to you. During my time with the game I recruited people in the order I wanted to and completed missions the way I wished as well.
IMPORTING YOUR SAVE
Even though I'm a Dragon Age fan I didn't fully understand how the two games were connected in their respective timelines. Thankfully, the beginning chapters of the sequel explains everything clearly:
The second installment begins around the same time as Origins did. Following the Battle of Ostagar, which claimed the lives of the majority of the Grey Wardens (people with the power to destroy Archdemons) and the king of Ferelden, the countryside is no longer safe. If you played Origins you might recall that as soon as you leave Lothering, Hawke's hometown, it is overcome by the Blight (a mass of evil Darkspawn). With the town destroyed and the country in despair, Hawke's family flees north to Kirkwall. However, in order to gain entry into the city there's a yearlong activity that must be completed first. During this year, which is only a cut-scene in Dragon Age II, all the events of Origins come to fruition and the threat of the Blight is over. From that point on, Dragon Age II's story is separate from Origins.
As the events of Dragon Age: Origins take place in a tiny fragment of the sequel's storyline you might be wondering what actually matters. Only a few choices happen to noticeably impact the story: Who you put on the throne and who killed the Archdemon.
If you didn't play Origins, don't worry about needing to go back and play it just for a save file. At the starter menu you'll be able to pick one of three different backgrounds, so your game will have some slight customization.
Now, I'm still unclear as to how your decisions from Dragon Age: Origins will affect the gameplay in the sequel, but we'll see in time.
THE ART OF WAR
I've seen a lot of people voice concerns about the combat being "dumbed down" to be more like an action game. In truth, combat works largely the same – actions are mapped to the face buttons and by pulling on the right trigger or R2 you can switch to a different set of moves. There have been some modifications to the action wheel that you can pull up with the left trigger or L2, but for the most part it's similar too.
We haven't seen much of the PC version, but I was told that you will still be able to pause with the space bar and issue commands via the action bar. The biggest change is that the attack animations are sped up and much flashier than before, making battle scenes more visually interesting and visceral. So if you like instant gratification don't want to bother with babysitting your squad, that's an option. On the other hand, if you want to take a little more control over the situation you can do that as well.
Another alternative is setting up specific tactics for your squad, which was also present in Origins. With tactics you can get down into the nitty gritty of your squad's behavior. Choose general stances like aggressive or a role like healer. You can also take it a step further and make sure your party is taking health potions at the appropriate times or using a specific spell or attack when surrounded, etc. Though that level of obsessiveness is reserved for a small portion of gamers, I'm happy that BioWare kept it in.
SPEAKING UP
Watch any dialogue focused cut-scene from Dragon Age: Origins and you'll notice one thing – a silent mannequin of a hero that looks completely spaced out. It's distracting and awkward. Who just stands there with a blank expression when a friend has just been attacked?
Dragon Age 2 addresses this problem by incorporating a more "Mass Effect like" hero that actually emotes in cinematic cut-scenes. Although the idea is the same and the dialogue wheel is present, this is clearly not Mass Effect. Besides the indicator icons in the center wheel that tell you if you're flirting, being a jerk or inquiring further, there's a dedicated sarcasm option that I fell in love with. Some of the lines are delightfully absurd and the voice acting is well performed.
Was it a problem that your Grey Warden didn't speak in Origins? Personally, I don't think it was the lack of voice, but more the fact that the character was so lifeless compared to others. Still, I'm happy with the decision to include a fully voiced hero, especially when I have the opportunity to be a smart-ass.
LEVEL UP!
As with any role-playing game, when you earn experience points in Dragon Age II you will gain levels. If you've played Dragon Age: Origins you should feel right at home here – the attributes and abilities system makes a return. For the uninitiated, attributes are points you can divvy up between strength (attack power), willpower (stamina), constitution (health), etc. while abilities are specific powers you can choose.
Selecting abilities looks vastly different from Origins – instead of a massive block of linear progressions, different spell sets or attack sets are bundled together. As you unlock the skill tree you can either choose to upgrade a specific move to make it more powerful or gain a new one. Visually, abilities are presented in a much more digestible way than they were before, which is a nice change.
SUBSTANCE PLUS STYLE
It's no secret that Dragon Age: Origins was not a good-looking game. Even on the PC, which was the best of all the versions, there was no real visual flair to it. That's changed this time around. There's a really cool gothic comic art style to jazz up the cut-scenes and the scenery I've witnessed has all been much more impressive than the bland sets of Origins.
Even the map has had a nice overhaul, though I do wonder if there'll still be random battle encounters outside of cities.
After my session with the game I fired up a new character in Origins, a Dalish elf warrior. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that they had redone the elf character models. Instead of a human with different ears the elves now have a distinct look – large, wide-set eyes and more petite features actually make them stand out from the crowd.
Another nice touch is that your family's physical features will change depending on how you model your Hawke. So, if your hero is a red head with super fair skin, your family will be altered to match that. You know, so there won't have to be any awkward discussions about adoption.
RELATIONSHIPS
I won't name names, but yes, you will run into characters from the previous game and expansion packs in Dragon Age 2. It's a nice touch for hardcore fans to see familiar faces, but newcomers don't need to know their backstories in order to appreciate them.
In terms of your new crew, gone are the days where people will leave if they don't like your actions. Now you can be as awful or as kind as you'd like without worrying about being abandoned by certain party members. Instead of a "dislike" or "like" relationship status, party members will be noted as a "friend" or a "rival."
I was told that being a rival with a party member does not mean you can't pursue a romance (hot hate sex anybody?), though I do imagine it will be harder to woo them.
Aveline Vallen is one of the companions that will join Hawke early on in the game.
"Protect what matters with everything you have. Or you’ll have nothing. And deserve it."
Aveline Vallen is a soldier, a master of sword and shield, and a tireless guardian... to a point. The daughter of an exiled chevalier, Aveline is not the knight her father wished her to be. Although fully trained in chivalrous combat, she was raised in the shadow of a lost life and will not lose another for the sake of honor. Protecting her adopted home of Kirkwall becomes a chosen duty, not a privileged calling. The people she stands for will not be wasted on lost causes or protecting the foolish from themselves. Pride can be bandaged like any other wound—when threats are dead and everyone is safely home.
"Protect what matters with everything you have. Or you’ll have nothing. And deserve it."
Aveline Vallen is a soldier, a master of sword and shield, and a tireless guardian... to a point. The daughter of an exiled chevalier, Aveline is not the knight her father wished her to be. Although fully trained in chivalrous combat, she was raised in the shadow of a lost life and will not lose another for the sake of honor. Protecting her adopted home of Kirkwall becomes a chosen duty, not a privileged calling. The people she stands for will not be wasted on lost causes or protecting the foolish from themselves. Pride can be bandaged like any other wound—when threats are dead and everyone is safely home.
"Adventure alongside Sebastian Vael, an archer of noble birth, as he seeks revenge for the brutal murder of his family. Aid him in his quest, and direct his righteous wrath on your enemies. Sebastian is a full companion character, complete with his own series of side missions. Gain the prince’s allegiance as part of The Exiled Prince downloadable pack included in the BioWare Signature Edition, or available separately for $7 or 560 Microsoft Points." ~ Bioware
EDIT: also if you didn't play DA or don't feel like don't feel like playing a whole new game just to import the save file, you'll be able to choose the DA choices from the start -- who got on the throne, what happened to your Warden, etc.
Last edited:
Hisako
消えないひさ&#
- AKA
- Satsu, BRIAN BLESSED, MIGHTY AND WISE Junpei Iori: Ace Detective, Maccaffrickstonson von Lichtenstafford Frabenschnaben, Polite Krogan, Robert Baratheon
The early screenshots of Isabela made her look like a fat woman trapped in a skinny woman's body =/
They seem to have improved her appearance, less puffy cheeks, etc. I still prefer her DA: O look.
But really, the only thing about Dragon Age that intrigues me now is Flemeth and Morrigan, especially Flemeth. The rest of the Grey Warden stuff is just cardboard cut-out high fantasy to me. I'm interested in finding out exactly what the hell Flemeth is doing in DA2.
They seem to have improved her appearance, less puffy cheeks, etc. I still prefer her DA: O look.
But really, the only thing about Dragon Age that intrigues me now is Flemeth and Morrigan, especially Flemeth. The rest of the Grey Warden stuff is just cardboard cut-out high fantasy to me. I'm interested in finding out exactly what the hell Flemeth is doing in DA2.
Rumpelstiltskin
Banned
- AKA
- L, Castiel, Scotty Mc Dickerson
When I first saw the trailer for DA 2 I actually thought that Hawke would end up being the child of Morrigan and (you) or Alistair depending on what happened.
I'd be interested to see how they reincorporate flemeth into it considering I set the bitch on fire and left her to die. I suppose the whole run down of Morrigan actually being Flemeth (in essence) could work in that regard.
I'd be interested to see how they reincorporate flemeth into it considering I set the bitch on fire and left her to die. I suppose the whole run down of Morrigan actually being Flemeth (in essence) could work in that regard.
Hisako
消えないひさ&#
- AKA
- Satsu, BRIAN BLESSED, MIGHTY AND WISE Junpei Iori: Ace Detective, Maccaffrickstonson von Lichtenstafford Frabenschnaben, Polite Krogan, Robert Baratheon
On a personal note I would like the original Grey Warden, Morrigan and their love child to swoop down from nowhere during the ultimate boss fight and kick whatever evil the players are up against square in the face.
That would be a fitting end to everything up to and including the darkspawn invasion, the concept of a resurrected Flemeth and any lingering boring archdemons.
That would be a fitting end to everything up to and including the darkspawn invasion, the concept of a resurrected Flemeth and any lingering boring archdemons.
Hisako
消えないひさ&#
- AKA
- Satsu, BRIAN BLESSED, MIGHTY AND WISE Junpei Iori: Ace Detective, Maccaffrickstonson von Lichtenstafford Frabenschnaben, Polite Krogan, Robert Baratheon
kay so bump because I played the Steam demo
Well it's most definitely a step up from the originals. Combat actually looks like combat, faster paced and not just "hey-ho-hey-ho-hey-ho" back-and-forth stuff. To me, rogue class is by far the most interesting, because character placement becomes a real big factor in the dynamics with the dodge mechanics and backstab, etc. Also the attack speed and the animations just scream out Rule of Cool, and hey guess what bows and arrows are actually worth a damn in the early stages of the story!
So I guess what I'm getting at is that DA II is to DA: O what ME:2 was to ME, except that unlike ME1, Origins gameplay was horribly banal and slow and the changes to the combat system actually needed to be made.
I might actually get this one, and hopefully it won't be the biggest load of disappointment Bioware have churned out.
Well it's most definitely a step up from the originals. Combat actually looks like combat, faster paced and not just "hey-ho-hey-ho-hey-ho" back-and-forth stuff. To me, rogue class is by far the most interesting, because character placement becomes a real big factor in the dynamics with the dodge mechanics and backstab, etc. Also the attack speed and the animations just scream out Rule of Cool, and hey guess what bows and arrows are actually worth a damn in the early stages of the story!
So I guess what I'm getting at is that DA II is to DA: O what ME:2 was to ME, except that unlike ME1, Origins gameplay was horribly banal and slow and the changes to the combat system actually needed to be made.
I might actually get this one, and hopefully it won't be the biggest load of disappointment Bioware have churned out.
Russell
.. ? ..
- AKA
- King of the Potato People
So DA2 is out today in the US, out on Friday here in the UK & Europe.
The Escapist review here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/8701-Dragon-Age-II-Review
Anyone got it yet? And care to give their first impressions?
The Escapist review here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/reviews/8701-Dragon-Age-II-Review
Anyone got it yet? And care to give their first impressions?
Russell
.. ? ..
- AKA
- King of the Potato People
I HAVE IT AND KFLKJNFKSJDNG>KSJDFNZSDJFKNLDFHSDF
Also, surprisingly, the mage is apparently the easiest character to play as this go 'round.
O rly? In Origins mages had 50 billizion spells & combo, but I ended up using fireball all the time. Everythin burns.
Also 'KFLKJNFKSJDNG>KSJDFNZSDJFKNLDFHSDF' = Good?