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Dragon Age Thread - Own DA2? Want a free copy of Mass Effect 2 on PC? Check the OP!

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Posts

  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    hottoq wrote: »
    For act 1, I would've changed it so you get to see Hawke working for the mercs/smugglers, moving up the ranks a mission at a time, and then something happens (Hawke sees something he shouldn't, and the mercs put a bounty on Hawke's head or something) and he has to leave the city for a bit. So he goes on the Deep Roads expedition to lay low for a bit, then comes out a hero with tons of money.

    I think this change would've added more urgency/motivation to the first act.

    Man, they had the perfect set up with the Mercenary/Smuggler thing and then after giving you this choice.....it was all fucking irrelevant.

    Weird as hell there.

    It wasn't irrelevant. Your old employer would contact you back with jobs now and then. Unless THOSE quests were the same, which I doubt.

    Those quests are different. You also get different armor depending on which one you pick!

    No massive effects, but whatever.

    Pancake on
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  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Going with the smuggler has a chance for Aveline friendship (and badassery) too.

    Blackjack on
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  • OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Finally a weekend with no homework. I'm on act 3 of my second playthrough so I'll probably finish that up tonight or tomorrow then start up my 2 handed hard/nightmare playthrough. Warriors are so far the most fun class to play ever.

    Oghulk on
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    From the old thread:
    Actually, yeah: both of those things.

    Having enchanted items be really rare and provide unique benefits, and having those benefits actually be useful period, rather than +23 now, to be replaced by +31 later, would be really nice. I hate all the "Belts" and "Rings". I would rather have a single +attack ring than 40 identical copies of no real consequence.

    Also I keep wanting to identify/read about items in this and nope.

    I wouldn't mind having more level-upgrading gear at all, but a lot of people love upgrading their gear through loot. It's why games like Diablo exist.

    As streamlined as it was, ME2 had a good idea with allowing for unlocked stuff to be available for all teammates, eliminating a lot of pointless stuff from our inventory. It might be interesting to go a little further with crafting/inventory for DA3: make it so that you can find recipes (and recipe upgrades) for various kinds of gear, and then you can slot in as needed. Like, you find a diagram for an Amulet of Hit Points, which gives a certain bonus to (duh) hit points, which you can use, or you can use that other kind of amulet you found, the Amulet of Attack Bonus. The bonuses would either scale with level or need to be upgraded as you progress through the game. There's something there; I wouldn't want to entirely eliminate unique loot, though. Just make it so that you can always equip generic gear without it cluttering your inventory.

    My main problem with DA2 inventory was that it was kinda difficult to assign rings or dual weapons while looking at the stats; they'd inevitably go into the wrong slot for some reason.

    Also, the font was way too small. I was glad that there were no descriptions of items, because it would've caused me massive eye-strain.

    As much as I love the story and gameplay of DA2, the fact of the matter is that it could've used another six months or so of playtesting and UI improvements. The whole promise of EA to not interfere with the release schedules of Bioware games is starting to ring a bit hollow. Glad the Good Doctors got to be Vice Presidents or whatever, though...

    Guys, guys. Just because someone disagrees with doesn't automatically make them a troll.

    Unless they have the smallest critique that differs from saying UI is an absolutely flawless masterpiece, in which case they're always categorically 110% wrong and should be always shunned 8-)

    Spoit on
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  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Well, DA2's UI is pretty perfect.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    From the old thread:
    Actually, yeah: both of those things.

    Having enchanted items be really rare and provide unique benefits, and having those benefits actually be useful period, rather than +23 now, to be replaced by +31 later, would be really nice. I hate all the "Belts" and "Rings". I would rather have a single +attack ring than 40 identical copies of no real consequence.

    Also I keep wanting to identify/read about items in this and nope.

    I wouldn't mind having more level-upgrading gear at all, but a lot of people love upgrading their gear through loot. It's why games like Diablo exist.

    While that's definitely true, this thing's no Diablo.

    Like, this middle ground where you get a shitload of stuff, but also gear isn't really the focus, is no fun.

    Getting 20-30 items, but having 20-25 be unusable, is so boring. It's like playing a slot machine that spits out mostly slugs.

    durandal4532 on
    Take a moment to donate what you can to Critical Resistance and Black Lives Matter.
  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Spoit wrote: »
    Guys, guys. Just because someone disagrees with doesn't automatically make them a troll.

    Unless they have the smallest critique that differs from saying UI is an absolutely flawless masterpiece, in which case they're always categorically 110% wrong and should be always shunned 8-)

    Yeah, yeah. I'm a troll, sure. :P In penance I'm going to go play Mass Effect 2 until the DA2 patch comes out.

    Dracomicron on
  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    hottoq wrote: »
    For act 1, I would've changed it so you get to see Hawke working for the mercs/smugglers, moving up the ranks a mission at a time, and then something happens (Hawke sees something he shouldn't, and the mercs put a bounty on Hawke's head or something) and he has to leave the city for a bit. So he goes on the Deep Roads expedition to lay low for a bit, then comes out a hero with tons of money.

    I think this change would've added more urgency/motivation to the first act.

    Man, they had the perfect set up with the Mercenary/Smuggler thing and then after giving you this choice.....it was all fucking irrelevant.

    Weird as hell there.

    It wasn't irrelevant. Your old employer would contact you back with jobs now and then. Unless THOSE quests were the same, which I doubt.

    Actually, I've worked for the smugglers on both playthroughs so far... and only ever got ONE quest out of them in the second Act. After completing the quest, the NPC mentions that her books are kept right there and to return if you want more work... but there's never anything available.

    Bugged? Or is that just the way it is?

    ZarathustraEck on
    See you in Town,
    -Z
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Hey, at least I put a smiley at the end. But really, the amount of bitching I got for pointing out how not nesting the tactics is step back from DAO's UI...

    Spoit on
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  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Spoit wrote: »
    Hey, at least I put a smiley at the end. But really, the amount of bitching I got for pointing out how not nesting the tactics is step back from DAO's UI...

    You totally didn't say that until WAY later though :P You just said "the tactics suck compared to DA:O" which left most people completely confused since they are near identical.

    Warlock82 on
    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • SirsonSirson Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    oh boy now the tactic ui debate again, you know the shit is about to get real when people start posting screen shots of the tactics options.

    Sirson on
  • DracomicronDracomicron Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Spoit wrote: »
    Hey, at least I put a smiley at the end. But really, the amount of bitching I got for pointing out how not nesting the tactics is step back from DAO's UI...

    Actually I had no trouble at all with the tactics screen this time around. If anything, how they worked was clearer to me.

    But yeah, I'm not going to freak out about "worst game ever" or anything, but I just didn't like how the UI was laid out for certain screens. The inventory, for one, was really difficult for me to navigate. The lack of a camp mechanic where you could equip your whole crew at once was also a major drawback.

    I also felt like a pretty big asshole when the Keeper gave me a priceless elvish cultural relic, and it went directly to my vendor trash screen.

    "Seriously, Hawke?" I said.

    She got indingnant, "What? Nobody can read Dalish anyway."

    "Yes, but when your girlfriend's clan leader gives you something of extreme importance to their entire race, you don't sell it to the first vendor that will give you ten silvers for it," I admonished.

    "Fah, I have trouble enough keeping track of my +19 attack rings, much less some book that doesn't even give me a stat bonus," she snarked back.

    I sighed, "I'm going to make you wear that pewter pendant of wolves howling at the moon until Act III, then see how sassy you are."

    Dracomicron on
  • spamfilterspamfilter Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Just finished my second playthrough as an assassin archer rogue.

    Man, rogues are ridiculous as boss killers. By the end of the game you get that +37% attack speed rune, with the speed sustain on, it's like have a automatic rile the way you just pew pew pew everything to death, and when you see a boss you do mark of death and then assassinate and it's like a headshot sniper rifle hit.

    As for then ending.
    Went Templar this time and I must say the ending is so much more coherent when you go the Templar route. Orsino going Harvester makes more sense, his desperation is much more tangible when both Meredith and the Champion are against him, and Meredith turning on you at the end makes her idol induced paranoia much more apparent, you sided with her and yet she still can't trust you.

    I almost feel like they should have changed the mage ending to where you fight Meredith first, and then when she dies Orsino wants to kill all the Templars and you step in and put a stop to him.

    spamfilter on
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Warlock82 wrote: »
    Spoit wrote: »
    Hey, at least I put a smiley at the end. But really, the amount of bitching I got for pointing out how not nesting the tactics is step back from DAO's UI...

    You totally didn't say that until WAY later though :P You just said "the tactics suck compared to DA:O" which left most people completely confused since they are near identical.

    I specifically mentioned the nesting and humongous text sizes in like the 2nd or 3rd post.

    Spoit on
    steam_sig.png
  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    spamfilter wrote: »
    Just finished my second playthrough as an assassin archer rogue.

    Man, rogues are ridiculous as boss killers. By the end of the game you get that +37% attack speed rune, with the speed sustain on, it's like have a automatic rile the way you just pew pew pew everything to death, and when you see a boss you do mark of death and then assassinate and it's like a headshot sniper rifle hit.

    As for then ending.
    Went Templar this time and I must say the ending is so much more coherent when you go the Templar route. Orsino going Harvester makes more sense, his desperation is much more tangible when both Meredith and the Champion are against him, and Meredith turning on you at the end makes her idol induced paranoia much more apparent, you sided with her and yet she still can't trust you.

    I almost feel like they should have changed the mage ending to where you fight Meredith first, and then when she dies Orsino wants to kill all the Templars and you step in and put a stop to him.

    That probably would have been way better.

    Warlock82 on
    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • YougottawannaYougottawanna Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Yeah DA:O's tactics interface was better

    But it's not like 2's was unusable or anything. It fell under the category of "good enough that it didn't bother me."

    Yougottawanna on
  • BlurblBlurbl -_- Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.

    Ed: Holy fuck, the Enemies Among Us quest in the blooming rose... holy shit.
    "Slowly draw your blade across your throat." D:

    Blurbl on
  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Blurbl wrote: »
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.
    Every single character gives Friendship if you kill him.

    Killing him is 100% the right thing to do.

    Blackjack on
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    3DS: 1607-3034-6970
  • spamfilterspamfilter Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Blurbl wrote: »
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.

    Ed: Holy fuck, the Enemies Among Us quest in the blooming rose... holy shit.
    "Slowly draw your blade across your throat." D:

    Ironically,
    Not being possessed and being actually crazy make it emphatically your fault in Thedas. If you were possessed than you can say a demon made me do it, but without that, then you alone are responsible and have to bear the consequences.

    spamfilter on
  • phishstikphishstik Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Yeah DA:O's tactics interface was better

    But it's not like 2's was unusable or anything. It fell under the category of "good enough that it didn't bother me."

    Yes the tactics interface is still good. Equipping a dual weaponed character in the equipment interface however makes me barf.

    phishstik on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    spamfilter wrote: »
    Blurbl wrote: »
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.

    Ed: Holy fuck, the Enemies Among Us quest in the blooming rose... holy shit.
    "Slowly draw your blade across your throat." D:

    Ironically,
    Not being possessed and being actually crazy make it emphatically your fault in Thedas. If you were possessed than you can say a demon made me do it, but without that, then you alone are responsible and have to bear the consequences.
    Well, the consequences for being possessed tend to be being made dead, so it's not like you're off the hook either way.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • Psycho Internet HawkPsycho Internet Hawk Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    This game is lots of fun, but holy hell does it feel like Dragon Sidequest II. I've spent five hours doing what I though were side quests before going to the Hanged Man with Varric, but according to the DAII wiki some of those were main quests? I honestly have no idea what's going on in the story but that's okay because PEW PEW PEW

    Psycho Internet Hawk on
    ezek1t.jpg
  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    If you're in Act 1, then what's going on in the main plot is all setup for Act 2 and 3.

    Blackjack on
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    3DS: 1607-3034-6970
  • RT800RT800 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    How come everybody keeps calling me Sarah Hawke.

    my name is Garrett

    RT800 on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    RT800 wrote: »
    How come everybody keeps calling me Sarah Hawke.

    my name is Garrett

    It's "Serrah." It's an extended version of "ser." It's like when you go to the store and the cashier calls you "sir" even though you're you.

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • klemmingklemming Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Pancake wrote: »
    RT800 wrote: »
    How come everybody keeps calling me Sarah Hawke.

    my name is Garrett

    It's "Serrah." It's an extended version of "ser." It's like when you go to the store and the cashier calls you "sir" even though you're you.

    This is all the funnier because I named my Hawke Sarah.

    klemming on
    Nobody remembers the singer. The song remains.
  • tompaine1792tompaine1792 Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    The "serrah" thing always strikes me as weird, especially when purely aural, since "sirrah" is an early-modern English (you see it in Shakespeare, for example) address of contempt, not deference--you address someone you're angry with, or someone who is beneath you in status, as "sirrah"; it's the opposite of "sir," not the intensification of it.

    tompaine1792 on
  • AistanAistan Tiny Bat Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    What I found weird is folks calling me Hawke when my brother or sister is standing right next to me.

    Ahhh the limitations of voice acting + customizable character names...

    Aistan on
  • Gaming-FreakGaming-Freak Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Blurbl wrote: »
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.

    Ed: Holy fuck, the Enemies Among Us quest in the blooming rose... holy shit.
    "Slowly draw your blade across your throat." D:

    MageHawke Response: "I will... not be toyed with!"

    Gaming-Freak on
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    PSN: GamingFreak1234
  • PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Aistan wrote: »
    What I found weird is folks calling me Hawke when my brother or sister is standing right next to me.

    Ahhh the limitations of voice acting + customizable character names...

    It actually fits with your brother. You just know he's stewing that his name is Hawke too.

    Phillishere on
  • PancakePancake Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Aistan wrote: »
    What I found weird is folks calling me Hawke when my brother or sister is standing right next to me.

    Ahhh the limitations of voice acting + customizable character names...

    It actually fits with your brother. You just know he's stewing that his name is Hawke too.

    He's "Little Hawke."

    Pancake on
    wAgWt.jpg
  • Gaming-FreakGaming-Freak Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Aistan wrote: »
    What I found weird is folks calling me Hawke when my brother or sister is standing right next to me.

    Ahhh the limitations of voice acting + customizable character names...

    It actually fits with your brother. You just know he's stewing that his name is Hawke too.

    It's because Hawke introduces himself/herself as "Hawke" and not Garret/Marian/Whatever you named your character.

    It's pretty clever how the siblings refer to you as "brother/sister" and Leandra refers to you as "my son/daughter/child"

    Gaming-Freak on
    jagobannerpic.jpg
    XBL: GamingFreak5514
    PSN: GamingFreak1234
  • MalReynoldsMalReynolds The Hunter S Thompson of incredibly mild medicines Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    So, I totally missed Isabella my first playthrough. Decided to pick her up my second playthrough because if you don't,
    The Qunari takeover doesn't make a whole lot of sense

    anyway, I'm doing her recruitment mission about 6 hours into my second play, and her quest locks up right outside The Chantry. Can't go in, can't talk to her, can't finish the quest. And this is on the PS3.

    Urgh.

    MalReynolds on
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  • Alucard6986Alucard6986 xbox: Ubeltanzer swtor: UbelRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Aistan wrote: »
    What I found weird is folks calling me Hawke when my brother or sister is standing right next to me.

    Ahhh the limitations of voice acting + customizable character names...

    It actually fits with your brother. You just know he's stewing that his name is Hawke too.

    Bethany is "apostate," or "mage."

    Alucard6986 on
    PSN: Ubeltanzer Blizzard: Ubel#1258
  • TalithTalith 変態という名の紳士 Miami, FLRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Blurbl wrote: »
    So, slowly making my way through this, Magistrate's Orders side quest in act 1:
    Man, I was all set up to kill the bastard, but it just didn't feel right when I learned he was insane (Yeah, if the circle says you're not posessed, I think they'll be pretty damn sure when they say that).

    I felt he wasn't criminally liable, and that the fault is with his damn father. The worst part is that, likely, the father will ignore it and the guy will only carry on doing it. Therefore, wouldn't the best choice have been killing him since he wouldn't have gotten any help anyway? Uggggh. :?

    The last line about doing anything to protect your family was very poignant in light of the fact that Bethany is an aspostate. Bravo Bioware.

    Ed: Holy fuck, the Enemies Among Us quest in the blooming rose... holy shit.
    "Slowly draw your blade across your throat." D:

    MageHawke Response: "I will... not be toyed with!"

    I don't think I could ever play a Dragon Age game as anything other than a mage. I try, but it never feels right.

    Talith on
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  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Re: The quest "All That Remains"...
    Seriously stop reading if you haven't done it yet.
    He killed my mom. :(

    Never, in any video game I've ever played in all my years on this planet, have I ever wanted an NPC dead so badly.

    Triple B on
    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Triple B wrote: »
    Re: The quest "All That Remains"...
    Seriously stop reading if you haven't done it yet.
    He killed my mom. :(

    Never, in any video game I've ever played in all my years on this planet, have I ever wanted an NPC dead so badly.

    There are a couple of people later on and you may feel... similarly.

    Taramoor on
  • Triple BTriple B Bastard of the North MARegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Taramoor wrote: »
    Triple B wrote: »
    Re: The quest "All That Remains"...
    Seriously stop reading if you haven't done it yet.
    He killed my mom. :(

    Never, in any video game I've ever played in all my years on this planet, have I ever wanted an NPC dead so badly.

    There are a couple of people later on and you may feel... similarly.

    Well...

    Who else is left that they can kill? My brother's dead, my mother's dead, and my sister is a grey warden (and hates me, i'm pretty sure.) God, what else can they do? :(

    Triple B on
    Steam/XBL/PSN: FiveAgainst1
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Oh...wait until Act 3...it's going to be awesome.

    Dragkonias on
  • ZarathustraEckZarathustraEck Ubermensch now with stripes!Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Haha, playing through with my rogue, I spotted a bug that made me laugh.

    Act 3, Merrill's Quest end...
    Don't our heroes know always to double tap?? The Pride Demon in the Keeper tried to fool the party by claiming the demon was "gone"... but we saw right through it. Merrill ran her through, and that was that!

    So *blink* it's time to chew Merrill out because *blink* what did she *blink* THINK was going to happen when you-

    *blink* *blink*

    I saw that, Keeper! Someone put another one through her head! She's still alive!

    ZarathustraEck on
    See you in Town,
    -Z
This discussion has been closed.