Dragon Age impressions

[made]

I wish I had a better reply, but the all caps guy below you said it all. That's great if you happened to start the game with an optimal class/spec. Whatever, though I just know I'm having way more issues, way more often than I have with any other RPG.

I said that certain talent trees/play styles are useless compared to others and fixing these issues would do more for game balance than simply lowering difficulty. If you read that as "lol game too easy plx buff" then I'm not sure I can help it but I suppose your forum title offers the explanation.

I really don't believe you're NOT jamming the space bar constantly

Naturally, but isn't that the point of rtwp? Or do you expect to assign each part member some basic tactic presets and watch the AI play by itself?

and I really don't believe you're not keeping most enemies in a constant state of stunlock. Unless of course having a main character mage just lets you nuke the hell out of everything and keep your guys healed up.

Do you not have a mage at all then? Ever mage tree has some form of aoe CC, if you don't bring any I can see why you're having issues. I did mention before that some mmo experience helps because DA relies on the same principles, but the descriptions of the difficulty settings also offer hints as to what to expect.

Maybe this seems natural to a person who two-boxes WoW. Though the game is still difficult on normal. I'd really like to see what it looks like when one of you guys playing on hard one shots the Abandoned Building in the human city, or the two bosses before the gauntlet in the Ashes quest.

I'll let you know when I get there. Currently doing the Deep Roads, saving Denerim for the end since it seems to offer the most content. Btw, you have the option to lower difficulty on the fly without any apparent drawback if you're having issues with a particular encounter.

 

[WDeranged]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the dialog trees, I'm about 15% into the game and I've only seen two characters with cycling dialog trees, the kind where you can game the system until you get the outcome you want. Every other conversation (which is a huge amount so far) has been a straight through affair, you pick a line and you're stuck with the results...I like this.

You absolutely can't hear everything there is to hear on the first run, not unless you're an OCD fuckup who has to reload after every conversation. You can debate the quality of what you're hearing however, there's definitely some uninspired cliche shit going on so far, but not *that* much.

I'm finding combat to be quite a bitch, but then I've never been a tactical RPG'er, I did the first Ogre on hard and decided to drop it down to normal afterwards, it's definitely enjoyable, normal gives me about the right about of challenge though Redcliffe was a really severe kick in the nuts for an early character.

Overall I'm impressed but not blown away, it's a slow burning game so far but I've barely scratched the surface, maybe I will be later?

 

[Nael]

I still like games the same, it's just most of games I play now are from '90s...

GNARLY 256 VGA COLOR!!!

TURN BASED COMBAT!!!

PEARL JAM ROCKS!!!

You encounter 4 Zoobas. What do you do?
(Attack)
(Talk)
(Run)

 

[Silellak]

The Bioware storyline philosophy, for better or worse:

 

[Stereotypical Villain]

How many times are you going to post that?

 

[Lumpy]

 

[Monocause]

image

Psychology says that this statement is true.

 

[Freelance Henchman]

in b4 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hero_with_a_Thousand_Faces

 

[Silellak]

Because posting the same thing in multiple threads is my theme for today - a word of warning for those playing the game:

I installed the new patch this morning and my game wouldn't start. A bit of internet research revealed that the patched executable was apparently created with a newer version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 than comes bundled with the game, but Bioware didn't think to include the newer version of the package with the patch.

If you patch the game and it won't start up afterwards, download and install this:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...f7-ec73-40ff-b072-9112bab119c2&displaylang=en

Should work like a charm afterwards.

 

[Emotional Vampire]

A bit of internet research revealed that the patched executable was apparently created with a newer version of Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 than comes bundled with the game

Holy shit, so this POS won't even work on it's own?

 

[Clockwork Knight]

^Hey EV, on another topic you seemed reluctant about installing those Microsoft thingies. Could you explain what's bad about them? I just install them when a game tells me to, and never thought it could affect me, being from Microsoft itself and all.

 

[Saxon1974]

I didn't put any spoilers in.

Also, that timer (%of game completed) is judged by multiple playthroughs as far as I can tell. So you can only complete ~50% of the game on a single character.

Edit: I fired up DA and hit resume to get figures 87% world explored, 38 hours, 43% completion. Also it gives a message saying "Congratulations! You can play DA premium content as it comes out, some of which takes place prior to *major event omitted due to spoiler*!" Interesting. Very interesting considering my ending. Looks like I'm restricted to only Premium content, though. Can't go anywhere else.

Dumb Question;

Where is that timer that tells you hours played and % progress in game? Im not finding it anywhere....

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Character sheet and then "Heroic achievements" or some shit.

 

[Emotional Vampire]

^Hey EV, on another topic you seemed reluctant about installing those Microsoft thingies. Could you explain what's bad about them? I just install them when a game tells me to, and never thought it could affect me, being from Microsoft itself and all.

Other than being a pointless bloat you'll never, EVER use unless you work for a soulless coding company developing mindless shitty redundant software, there's nothing wrong with it.

The point is a company developing fucking commercial product should have enough dignity to code it well enough so it doesn't need third-party software to fucking run. Why I, the end user, need to rely on some shit I don't want just so Bioware could cut a few corners?

It's like hiring a Lithuanian Hitman and then he comes without a gun. Unprofessional.

 

[Annonchinil]

Anybody here playing a rogue with a longsword and a dagger? Honestly I don't see the advantages of just having two daggers, in fact one of the dual wielding skills allows you to wield a longs sword in your off hand.

 

[Korgan]

Daggers supposedly use Dex rather than Str for damage. This might be bugged right now, though.

 

[toro]

Emotional Retard: It is unprofessional for Bioware not to release the updated CRT libraries within the patch; however there is nothing wrong with these libraries. Almost all C/C++ app compiled for Win platform are using these libraries, as they are part of the OS. So, if you played a newer game on you pc, then is most likely that those libraries were used. And you are still breathing, so I guess they are not deadly...yet.

 

[Worm]

I said that certain talent trees/play styles are useless compared to others and fixing these issues would do more for game balance than simply lowering difficulty. If you read that as "lol game too easy plx buff"

I just think it's a little suspect that everyone is going "DIFFICULTY IS PERFECT, MOVE ON." and talking about how it's actually balance issue while playing through with the optimal build, using optimal characters, and obviously having a ton of experience with these games.

The simple fact is, you did not have trouble with the game, you didn't play on normal and move down to easy, and that means you don't know what the fuck you're talking about. So, sit the fuck down.

I mean they'll NEVER rebalance the game, and they'll NEVER fix encounters. So despite how many people around here make fartface over it, fucking with the difficulty isn't that bad of a thing.

then I'm not sure I can help it but I suppose your forum title offers the explanation.

haha observant

Naturally, but isn't that the point of rtwp? Or do you expect to assign each part member some basic tactic presets and watch the AI play by itself?

Yeah when I forget to turn off move freely and have my units walk to my mage when I select her, or my melee stands and doesn't re-engage after a knock back. That's what I don't expect. Maybe you've been playing shitty games so long this stuff is second nature to you, but it's not to me.

Do you not have a mage at all then? Ever mage tree has some form of aoe CC, if you don't bring any I can see why you're having issues. I did mention before that some mmo experience helps because DA relies on the same principles, but the descriptions of the difficulty settings also offer hints as to what to expect.

Yeah I have a mage, you can't even get past the game on easy without at least one mage. Most of it involves boring cone of cold stuns, and shatters. Additionally having to crowd control your ass off says more about how poor the encounters are put together, than that everyone just isn't good enough at crowd controlling their way through super difficult encounters.

I'll let you know when I get there. Currently doing the Deep Roads, saving Denerim for the end since it seems to offer the most content. Btw, you have the option to lower difficulty on the fly without any apparent drawback if you're having issues with a particular encounter.

Yeah, now that they PATCHED THE GAME, switching to easy actually does something. This is something you won't accept or even acknowledge, because as a person playing the game on hard, without having tried normal or easy ... you know best.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Don't remember who mentioned it, but I'm doing Redcliff now. It is slightly annoying how you lose Morrigan brownie-points for helping the peasants when it's fairly clearly the only way of getting the help of the Arl. Although I didn't try refusing them. Maybe you can just charge the castle yourself and grab collars and kick down doors and peasants be damned. Didn't try.

Having a surprisingly easy time against the undead though. Either the game is getting easier or I'm getting more used to the combat/leveling the party up in a more agreeable way.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

The point is a company developing fucking commercial product should have enough dignity to code it well enough so it doesn't need third-party software to fucking run. Why I, the end user, need to rely on some shit I don't want just so Bioware could cut a few corners?

Are you going to complain that games nowadays require you to have a video card driver installed next?

Not including the updated version is lulzy though.

 

[AlaCarcuss]

Don't remember who mentioned it, but I'm doing Redcliff now. It is slightly annoying how you lose Morrigan brownie-points for helping the peasants when it's fairly clearly the only way of getting the help of the Arl. Although I didn't try refusing them. Maybe you can just charge the castle yourself and grab collars and kick down doors and peasants be damned. Didn't try.

Having a surprisingly easy time against the undead though. Either the game is getting easier or I'm getting more used to the combat/leveling the party up in a more agreeable way.

There's a battle at the bottom of the stairs that lead to main hall that features un-dead archers and grunts, and a mini-boss called a Revenant (i think). Fuck that guy is hard (on hard difficulty), he has a spell that pulls whatever he targets right to him where you get focus-fired.

Edit: oops, hope that's not considered a spoiler, posted before thinking sorry

 

[Satori (original)]

There's a battle at the bottom of the stairs that lead to main hall that features un-dead archers and grunts, and a mini-boss called a Revenant (i think). Fuck that guy is hard (on hard difficulty), he has a spell that pulls whatever he targets right to him where you get focus-fired.

Edit: oops, hope that's not considered a spoiler, posted before thinking sorry

You might be able to use the lever that opens the gatehouse to let the knights in or it might only be usable after combat.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

I already raped the revenant. He wasn't that hard mostly because it was me + Shale + Alistair + Morrigan + 4 or 5 knights since I opened the gate before the monsters jumped me. We just zerg rushed him. He did seem kinda nasty though, I noticed a few double-attack moves from him when he wasn't getting knocked over by a bunch of warriors.

Still enjoying the hell out of this. Not sure how C&C will hold up since it's seeming KotOR/Mass Effect-esque in that each area is its own self contained chunk, but they're quite enjoyable chunks thus far. When my strategy guide arrives (Enjoying it enough to buy the fancy hardcover strategy guide, I'm a terrible person) I'm gonna try playing a mage with high cunning and persuasion I think. Plus then I'll probably take Leliana, Sten, and the wardog with me, for a different party. Should be tougher.

Edit: Yup Satori, you can use the lever in combat. I got into the courtyard from a side-entrance in the cellars, so the undead don't spot you at first. They notice you as you're running for the lever, but you can hit it before they get to you.

 

[Tycn]

The level scaling is utter shit. Level 15 and there is no sense of progression whatsoever. The most powerful encounter so far has been wolves, which is really retarded. Funnily enough it's worse than vanilla Oblivion since there isn't any justification for common enemies being godlike (bandits with Daedric weapons, etc...).

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Maybe it's less level scaling and more high levels aren't ridiculously powerful unlike in D&D.