As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
We're funding a new Acquisitions Incorporated series on Kickstarter right now! Check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pennyarcade/acquisitions-incorporated-the-series-2

Dragon Age Thread - [Please post in new thread]

18182848687101

Posts

  • AspectVoidAspectVoid Registered User regular
    Sorry, never die, I have not encountered that error. Except for some memory leak issues that were eventually patched out, I never had a crashing issue with DA2. I would suggest copying your saves, uninstalling, and reinstalling the game and seeing if that fixes it. If not, you probably will have to redo the dungeon.

    PSN|AspectVoid
  • never dienever die Registered User regular
    Well, managed to fix the issue and beat the game. I had a lot of fun with it, and in the end, I decided to
    side with the mages. I did think it was stupid that Orsino flipped the fuck out and turned himself into a monster. "Oh noes we can't win! Turn into monster time!" and I'm just like really? My mage Hawke managed to pin down every single Templar who charged in there with time magic and lightning bolts, they never even got past the entrance.

    And while I liked the game, I did feel the ending fights went on too long, especially considering the game makes you fight both Orsino and Meredith, each of which has multiple part fights, one after another with a couple of filler fights between. When Meredith summoned up all of the statues for like the fifth time I couldn't help but get annoyed, the fight stopped being epic and I just wanted it to be other. This is contrasted with the ending fight against the archdemon, which was a suspensful fight to the end with me.

    Other than that I loved the setting and the gameplay immensely. I had so much fun with primal and force magic, and the campaign was overall a lot of fun.

  • Warlock82Warlock82 Never pet a burning dog Registered User regular
    Haha that was my reaction to that as well. It's an extremely transparent and stupid excuse to have two boss fights.

    Switch: 2143-7130-1359 | 3DS: 4983-4927-6699 | Steam: warlock82 | PSN: Warlock2282
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    Well
    Orsino was looking around at the dozens of injured/dead mages in the room

    and when he transformed, the templars had in fact just breached the room

    so while Hawke could handle herself, Orsino actually had a pretty good reason to believe that he and everybody else was fucked

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • ShadowenShadowen Snores in the morning LoserdomRegistered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    Well
    Orsino was looking around at the dozens of injured/dead mages in the room

    and when he transformed, the templars had in fact just breached the room

    so while Hawke could handle herself, Orsino actually had a pretty good reason to believe that he and everybody else was fucked

    Except it depends on
    There being dozens of injured/dead mages in the room. Which is definitely possible to not have, given the plays I've seen.

    It's like at the end of the Uldred boss fight in Origins. Even if you save them all, everyone but Irving drops dead after the fight.

    And yeah, I understand they weren't going to include that until it was decided that both ends had to have two boss fights.

  • Mild ConfusionMild Confusion Smash All Things Registered User regular
    It's really just a horrible disconnect of the gameplay and the story. I mean, why send so many enemies if the result of the battle has no effect on the outcome of the story. They could have just sent five dudes at you and still have the same impact.

    That FFVII PSP prequal or Halo: Reach is an example of how that battle should have gone.

    steam_sig.png

    Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    I've been replaying DA: O.

    I always feel guilty about giving Maric's sword to anyone other than Alistair or myself. I also feel guilty about selling equipment with "sentimental" value, like the Cousland family shield or Duncan's weapons.

  • Mild ConfusionMild Confusion Smash All Things Registered User regular
    Cambiata wrote: »
    I've been replaying DA: O.

    I always feel guilty about giving Maric's sword to anyone other than Alistair or myself. I also feel guilty about selling equipment with "sentimental" value, like the Cousland family shield or Duncan's weapons.

    I know what you mean. Maric's armor and weapons always go on Alstair.

    If I do sell something, it's only to (camp follower, forget his name).

    steam_sig.png

    Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    Cambiata wrote: »
    I've been replaying DA: O.

    I always feel guilty about giving Maric's sword to anyone other than Alistair or myself. I also feel guilty about selling equipment with "sentimental" value, like the Cousland family shield or Duncan's weapons.

    Yeah, that shield thing was one of the few things DA2 did well. Other than the fact that it was almost kreia levels of nitpickery

    steam_sig.png
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    It's really just a horrible disconnect of the gameplay and the story. I mean, why send so many enemies if the result of the battle has no effect on the outcome of the story. They could have just sent five dudes at you and still have the same impact.

    That FFVII PSP prequal or Halo: Reach is an example of how that battle should have gone.

    because two things were established in the first two minutes of the game

    1. something really bad happened at Kirkwall that sent the world to the brink of war

    2. the Champion was involved in it and her whereabouts are unknown to the Seekers, meaning that she didn't leave her corpse at whatever happened in Kirkwall

    -Tal on
    PNk1Ml4.png
  • Mild ConfusionMild Confusion Smash All Things Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    -Tal wrote: »
    It's really just a horrible disconnect of the gameplay and the story. I mean, why send so many enemies if the result of the battle has no effect on the outcome of the story. They could have just sent five dudes at you and still have the same impact.

    That FFVII PSP prequal or Halo: Reach is an example of how that battle should have gone.

    because two things were established in the first two minutes of the game

    I think you missed my point.

    What I am saying is that if you choose the mages, there is a severe disconnect between what you play and what's in the story.

    In the gameplay portion, Hawke destroys dozens of templars and not a single mage will go down. Again, this is in the actual gameplay. You feel like a badass because you are a badass. Then, once the battle is over and the cutscene takes place, there are suddenly mage bodies everywhere, even though it didn't happen in the gameplay portion. It's jarring, because the playing portion has you winning, yet the story says the mages are dropping like flies.

    Many games have situations like this, in which the character or characters side is supposed to lose. Most standard games simply make an impossible situation for you to win. A couple of examples:

    Chrono Trigger: First battle with Lavos
    Xenogears: Bart's fight with Id
    FFVII Crisis Core: Zacks final battle
    Halo Reach: Noble 6's final fight

    All the above have the gameplay reflect the change in the story, the hero is supposed to fail. In this case, Hawke cannot save the mages, period. No matter how well you fight, it will happen. So what the game should have done is send more and more waves at you until you eventually lost.

    If you are going to have a fight where you can win, you better have a story continuation that follows the gameplay. Example:

    Again, Chrono Trigger
    Two in Dragon Age Origins! The first is the battle at Redcliff, you can keep certian people alive and it effects what Bann Teagan says. This is a minor story change. The second and slightly bigger one is fighting Ser Cauthrien before the Landsmeet. Two large possible outcomes to that fight, but the game rewards you for winning an impossible battle. We don't have the Warden cutting Ser Cauthrien's head off and laying waste to the other minions, after slaying every soldier in the castle, getting beat down by some lowly random mook in a cutscene. The story reflected the gameplay.
    1. something really bad happened at Kirkwall that sent the world to the brink of war

    2. the Champion was involved in it and her whereabouts are unknown to the Seekers, meaning that she didn't leave her corpse at whatever happened in Kirkwall

    This right here, would not have been changed or altered at all if the final mage battle was scripted to lose. Would have made Orsino's transformation much more believable. Something bad happens and the Champion is involved.

    Mild Confusion on
    steam_sig.png

    Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
    Aegeri
  • AegeriAegeri Tiny wee bacteriums Plateau of LengRegistered User regular
    edited July 2012
    I have mentioned this same problem before, but there is a massive disconnect in the fiction that the gameplay creates (the player being a nigh unstoppable murder machine) and whatever fiction the story writer (Bioware) thinks is happening. It's not a reconcilable difference, as the player mows down legions of templar trivially like lemmings and then immediately sees that contradicted. It is simply awful plot and scene writing. There were many ways of doing it much better, including having the odds you face genuinely be overwhelming - instead of how it feels in game which is like lemmings driving themselves into a giant mincing machine (to continue my analogy). Ultimately it simply reinforces the fact the mages are idiots, but bear in mind that you end up with two boss fights no matter what you do. It's just a way of forcing you to do both of them regardless of what you choose and it is frankly a bad one.

    Also I would point out that the first time you play Chrono Trigger (to expand on mild confusions point), you are not expected to beat Lavos the first time you meet it. Play a new game plus and accomplish it though, you are rewarded with an entirely different ending. That is far more satisfying and makes a pointless fight have a reward for the skilled or dedicated player (which does in fact mean its inherently not so pointless - but it can seem like that at first). If Bioware are going to out in pointless fights, don't waste my time with it and just use a cutscene to get the same effect. Then at least I don't feel cheated.

    I do admit though, I was hoping the thread was bumped due to news of DA3. They have been very silent over it still. Really interested to see if the criticisms of DA2 have struck home or not.

    Aegeri on
    The Roleplayer's Guild: My blog for roleplaying games, advice and adventuring.
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    An easier solution to the "where did these bodies come from?" problem is just to flash unavoidable cutscenes of the random mages in the room falling in battle through that fight, because while Hawke can trivially mince up templars it's not realistic to expect her to be able to save every single mage. The fact that you actually can is a problem but a minor one, and I think you're overthinking it.

    Thematically, the whole "Hawke can handle herself but the other mages are fucked" had already been established. On her way to the final sequence, Hawke cuts through templars and abominations alike but can't help the dozens of mages she sees who face a choice between getting killed by templars or becoming abominations. Right before the battle you see an extended cutscene of templars mowing down the mage vanguard. By the time the templars even reach Hawke and Orsino, O is already to the point of desperation.

    Hawke can't straight-up lose because she still has more fighting to do afterwards, and reviving her for two more boss fights would be as much of a story/gameplay disconnect as "where did these bodies come from?" is.

    -Tal on
    PNk1Ml4.png
  • ILMTitanILMTitan Registered User regular
    I always thought the way to fix it would be to switch up the final boss characters depending on the side you support. So, instead of fighting Orsino first, you have an abbreviated Meridith fight (with Orsino chanting some spell to keep the idol's power in check), and then once she died, have him grab the idol for himself and go crazy. That would also play up the importance of the Idol, which I thought was underplayed given how important the Seeker knew it to be. It would also explain a few of the Idiot Ball moments.

  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    sure, but that takes a lot more work than giving the mages 20 hp and zooming in on them when they die

    PNk1Ml4.png
  • DonnictonDonnicton Registered User regular
    edited July 2012
    What I always found to be rather disconnected was when you fight against the Templars when you are playing as a mage. I'm to believe that after the entire story between Dragon Age 1 and 2 about how Templars are these highly trained banes of all magic-kind, able to at least partially resist magic simply by willing it so, but then somehow Hawke is like, the chosen Templar killer by the gods and can suddenly plot device that all away and turn them into no more than "cave spider" on the farmability checklist?

    It didn't even come to a point of concern with me in that game, like "oh, fuckbuckets, maybe I shouldn't mess with these guys considering" was replaced by "oh, more loot!" thematically.

    Donnicton on
  • -Tal-Tal Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    looks like a survey may have been leaked which reveals the protagonist and four companions in DA3
    Tal-Vashoth companion yessss

    -Tal on
    PNk1Ml4.png
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    I'm sure the banter will be fine, I just hope they aren't as insufferable as some of the NPCs. You know, pretty much every single one except for varric. And maybe isabella.

    That last one sounds dangerously anders-esque.

    Also, (DA2 ending spoilers)
    At least we're finally going to Orlais. I want to believe that Bioware can do intrigue, I really do. But if it's going to be more argle bargle about mages vs the chantry...ugh. They could have set up great politics stuff without it risking backsliding into that whole mess. Even odds there won't even be a single satisfactory conversation battle too

    Spoit on
    steam_sig.png
  • PharezonPharezon Struggle is an illusion. Victory is in the Qun.Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    looks like a survey may have been leaked which reveals the protagonist and four companions in DA3
    Tal-Vashoth companion yessss

    Yessssssssssss. THE INQUISITOR AS MAIN CHARACTER.

    jkZziGc.png
  • SoundsPlushSoundsPlush yup, back. Registered User regular
    DA:O made me sick of darkspawn and DA2 made me sick of blood magic, so if neither of those are front and center in DA3, then I'm already sold.

    If the protag is an inquisitor, does that mean they're with the seekers, or is that some other chantry arm? Given her background role in DA2 and that she got a movie, I wonder if they're setting up Cassandra as an ally in reverse order from Vega getting a comic before ME3 then a movie.

    s7Imn5J.png
  • WotanAnubisWotanAnubis Registered User regular
    -Tal wrote: »
    looks like a survey may have been leaked which reveals the protagonist and four companions in DA3
    Tal-Vashoth companion yessss
    He may not actually be Tal-Vashoth. Even though they were never really properly expanded on in DA2, the Tal-Vashoth appear to have some kind of code of their own.

    Unlike the kossith Maraas, who left both the Qun and the Tal-Vashoth to just be a mercenary.

  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    This information makes me ask once again.

    What about mages?

  • BrocksMulletBrocksMullet Into the sunrise, on a jet-ski. Natch.Registered User regular
    So... assuming next-gen starts Q4 2013, and they probably won't release DA3 as a launch title, and they won't release it too close to said launch, where it would get lost, can assume it's coming sometime in spring, 2013? They would have to announce it pretty soon, to get the hype train going.

    I, for one, enjoyed the Mako.

    Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/


  • McHogerMcHoger Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    This information makes me ask once again.

    What about mages?

    Honestly, with the way mages work in the universe, it probably be better to just make every player character a mage and leave it up to you whether you develop the skills or not.

  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    So... assuming next-gen starts Q4 2013, and they probably won't release DA3 as a launch title, and they won't release it too close to said launch, where it would get lost, can assume it's coming sometime in spring, 2013? They would have to announce it pretty soon, to get the hype train going.

    Have they said it will be a next gen title?

    steam_sig.png
  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    This information makes me ask once again.

    What about mages?
    What about mages? If you mean "where are they"? The first screenshot is of a mage companion. I think the fourth one was too, but it's been taken down so I can't verify that.

    camo_sig2.png

    3DS: 1607-3034-6970
  • Maz-Maz- 飛べ Registered User regular
    Most of the pics have been taken down, has anyone saved them or can give a quick rundown?

    Add me on Switch: 7795-5541-4699
  • DragkoniasDragkonias That Guy Who Does Stuff You Know, There. Registered User regular
    Actually...now that I think about it they could make a
    Blackjack wrote: »
    Dragkonias wrote: »
    This information makes me ask once again.

    What about mages?
    What about mages? If you mean "where are they"? The first screenshot is of a mage companion. I think the fourth one was too, but it's been taken down so I can't verify that.

    Know...moreso wondering about the role of the MC.

    That being said I have a scenario in my head that makes it make sense.

  • Z0reZ0re Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    They described four companions,
    One was a Magister dude who apparently had a bizarre moral compass for a Magister(ie. he has one), one was an upbeat elf thief who loved underworld Orleasian culture, one was a Tal Vashoth mercenary who loved to party and act as unQunari as possible.

    The last one was really difficult to read but I think it said something about someone who had been experimented on and lost his memory? Honestly it sounded like it was describing Fenris as a human and without the over the top anger. It was in a different format than the others though and really weird/hard to read.

    Z0re on
  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    Z0re wrote: »
    They described four companions,
    One was a Magister dude who apparently had a bizarre moral compass for a Magister(ie. he has one), one was an upbeat elf thief who loved underworld Orleasian culture, one was a Tal Vashoth mercenary who loved to party and act as unQunari as possible.

    The last one was really difficult to read but I think it said something about someone who had been experimented on and lost his memory? Honestly it sounded like it was describing Fenris as a human and without the over the top anger. It was in a different format than the others though and really weird/hard to read.
    Something about fade spirits. Sounded dangerously anders-y

    steam_sig.png
  • ShadowenShadowen Snores in the morning LoserdomRegistered User regular
    Spoit wrote: »
    Z0re wrote: »
    They described four companions,
    One was a Magister dude who apparently had a bizarre moral compass for a Magister(ie. he has one), one was an upbeat elf thief who loved underworld Orleasian culture, one was a Tal Vashoth mercenary who loved to party and act as unQunari as possible.

    The last one was really difficult to read but I think it said something about someone who had been experimented on and lost his memory? Honestly it sounded like it was describing Fenris as a human and without the over the top anger. It was in a different format than the others though and really weird/hard to read.
    Something about fade spirits. Sounded dangerously anders-y
    Why not Wynne-y? Or Kristoff-y? Or Corphyreus-y?

    Spirit possession has been a big thing all through the series. Anders is just the most...spectacular variation.

  • SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    Because the description practically dripped with emo-ness

    steam_sig.png
  • Z0reZ0re Registered User regular
    Eh, not really.
    Bioware just loves characters who have lost their memory due to experiments/trauma. See HK-47, Revan, Shale, Fenris, Kang the Mad etc..

    And with the possible exception of Fenris, who is borderline, those are all really fun and not emo characters. I could be totally wrong, but they've pulled off this character archetype more than they've fumbled it.

  • Ov3rchargeOv3rcharge R.I.P. Mass Effect You were dead to me for yearsRegistered User regular
    Z0re wrote: »
    Eh, not really.
    Bioware just loves characters who have lost their memory due to experiments/trauma. See HK-47, Revan, Shale, Fenris, Kang the Mad etc..

    And with the possible exception of Fenris, who is borderline, those are all really fun and not emo characters. I could be totally wrong, but they've pulled off this character archetype more than they've fumbled it.

    Bioware's the only company I know who doesn't get flak for beating the amnesiac trope to death. It's probably because they do it well but still.

  • BrocksMulletBrocksMullet Into the sunrise, on a jet-ski. Natch.Registered User regular
    Ov3rcharge wrote: »
    Z0re wrote: »
    Eh, not really.
    Bioware just loves characters who have lost their memory due to experiments/trauma. See HK-47, Revan, Shale, Fenris, Kang the Mad etc..

    And with the possible exception of Fenris, who is borderline, those are all really fun and not emo characters. I could be totally wrong, but they've pulled off this character archetype more than they've fumbled it.

    Bioware's the only company I know who doesn't get flak for beating the amnesiac trope to death. It's probably because they do it well but still.

    Nah, it's just that people are too busy hating them for other reasons.

    I, for one, enjoyed the Mako.

    Steam: BrocksMullet http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197972421669/


  • CambiataCambiata Commander Shepard The likes of which even GAWD has never seenRegistered User regular
    Ov3rcharge wrote: »
    Z0re wrote: »
    Eh, not really.
    Bioware just loves characters who have lost their memory due to experiments/trauma. See HK-47, Revan, Shale, Fenris, Kang the Mad etc..

    And with the possible exception of Fenris, who is borderline, those are all really fun and not emo characters. I could be totally wrong, but they've pulled off this character archetype more than they've fumbled it.

    Bioware's the only company I know who doesn't get flak for beating the amnesiac trope to death. It's probably because they do it well but still.

    It's because at least some of those characters are so awesome that you don't even notice how much the trope has been done to death.

    I mean who doesn't love
    HK-47 and how many people do you think are squeeing over the fact that we'll eventually be able to have him as an additional companion in SWTOR?! He's one of the most memorable droid characters in games, heck he's one of the memorable droid characters in fiction, period.

    Shale is fun in a similar way to HK-47, and the fact that they're both so entertainly sarcastic and dervisive may be the key to why they work so well despite the overused trope. There's just something delightful about really well done put-downs.

  • OrcaOrca Also known as Espressosaurus WrexRegistered User regular
    Yep, that's why Javik is the best.

    The best.

    CambiataMild Confusion
  • SagrothSagroth Registered User regular
    The 4th character mentioned is
    Cole, from the most recent book

    I gotta say though, this sounds underwhelming to me.
    Looks like the Mage vs Templar conflict is taking center stage yet again. Lame. What about the Black City? What about the god baby? What about anything other than the goddamn Templars and Mages again? I don't need another Mage going Abomination drinking game, Bioware.

    3DS Code: 5155-3087-0800
  • SagrothSagroth Registered User regular
    Also, has anyone seen the Dragon Age animated movie?

    Really crappy film.
    the main character is a sociopath with the most stereotypical backstory/motivations ever(oh noes the blood mages killed my brother). The first thing she apparently does when she meets someone new is threaten to kill them.

    Also, the blood mages killed exactly zero people with magic in the movie. Instead, they stabbed people. Seriously. Blood mages killed the main character's brother with a scythe. They STAB Templars to death. Pretty much the only magic ever shown is arcane bolt and one time the stereotypical ugly evil Mage shapeshifts(shape shifting isn't blood magic! It is its own specialization in DA:O!).

    Also, apparently, Blood Mages had a dozen golems and ogres under the house of an elf with down syndrome just waiting for him to squeal.

    It was so bad you guys. So, so bad.

    3DS Code: 5155-3087-0800
  • BlackjackBlackjack Registered User regular
    edited August 2012
    Sagroth wrote: »
    The 4th character mentioned is
    Cole, from the most recent book

    I gotta say though, this sounds underwhelming to me.
    Looks like the Mage vs Templar conflict is taking center stage yet again. Lame. What about the Black City? What about the god baby? What about anything other than the goddamn Templars and Mages again? I don't need another Mage going Abomination drinking game, Bioware.

    Hopefully they never do the godbaby because not everyone went that route.

    Also because Morrigan is an awful character and nobody should care about her ever, but I guess that one's more of an opinion thing.

    edit: I would like a plot where Flemeth has a larger role. Not even going into her backstory or anything. I just want her to talk more, really. Maybe make fun of Morrigan some more, make fun of all my companions some more. Just get Kate Mulgrew to narrate the story in Flemeth's voice, whatever.

    Blackjack on
    camo_sig2.png

    3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Sign In or Register to comment.