Anyone else looking forward to Dragon Age? (Spoilers and plot discussion here)

[grumbler]

Restarted the game along the lines suggested (eg "remember how these kinds of games are constructed, and do everything possible before what the game tells you to do") and found the start much more satisfying, if only because the really obvious parts fall much further apart, and because there is a fair amount of lore to be gathered by ignoring the plot and just wandering around.

I'd raise my rating from a 7 to an 8, just based on that difference, and I am only part way into the game.  The game is also notably better when I don't have to play each character in combat in turn, due to tactics.  The view faults then are not so obvious.

[Scipio]

Holy fucking shit.  Using ranged weapons makes a huge fucking difference.  I simply had no idea how much difference it makes, even without any special bow skills.  A strong enough Qunari with the right kind of crossbow in the right place at the right time is better than a charging Qunari with a badass battle axe lying dead five feet form where he needs to be....

[Habbaku]

Crossbows aren't affected by strength...Typo?  Or are you really not using a longbow?

[Queequeg]

Is this game really good?  I need a good RPG.  And a new computer. 

[Habbaku]

I don't know about "really" good, but it is fun, has a good variety of characters, contains a lot to do and the world is a lot of fun to explore/find out about.

[Monoriu]

Is this game really good?  I need a good RPG.  And a new computer.

The game is very addictive. 

[Martinus]

Guys, have you done the defense of Redcliff village yet? I wonder what else I can do to bolster the defense. I did the following:
Suggest using oil from the shop to set the zombies on fire
Recruit the elf spy from the tavern
Get the innkeeper to give free beer to the militia
Get the blacksmith to work on the weapons
Get the dwarf merchant to help
Get "fake" holy symbols to bolster the knights' morale

There was also a line of dialogue available to intimidate the innkeeper into defending the town, but I thought that a fat coward is not going to make much of a difference

[Martinus]

Anyway, I am a cute redhead city elf rogue/bard with a lot of boyish charm. 

Was extremely happy about being recruited by Duncan, because didn't have to marry that tuna.

Morrigan can't wait to get into my pants (I can already sleep with her and we have only just reached Redcliff), and she goes GNNNGH every time I harmlessly flirt with some serving wench. I had an enlightening conversation with Alistair concerning licking lampposts (he is a virgin), and a giggly one about Orlaisian shoe fashion with the red head chick (we both agree people here do not know how to dress proper).

I can't wait to meet the elven assassin. 

[Scipio]

Crossbows aren't affected by strength...Typo?  Or are you really not using a longbow?

Unfortunately, all my longbows require too high a Dex for Sten.

[Grallon]

... I had an enlightening conversation with Alistair concerning licking lampposts (he is a virgin)

I had the same - when he asks you if *you* have tried to lick lamposts in winter - you can answer "I love licking lamposts, and then some"...  Can this be any more suggestive than that?  And yet Bioware made him a female only love interest.   

I've rolled 3 new characters to see the opening stories: a human female mage, a human male warrior and a dalish elf hunter.  I rolled the chick to get Alistair and I'll have him by Jove!  But for now I'll stick with the cute sandy blond wood elf.




G.

[Caliga]

Bioware wants gays to play their games with a serious case of blue balls.

[Grallon]

Bioware wants gays to play their games with a serious case of blue balls.

  Still kuddos for them to have that element at all in their games.  I think they're the only game publisher that do that; and there is some progression too.  Jade Empire had a gay romance that ended with a (fade to black) kiss - this one has actual sex in it.  So the next game should be fully "open''.




G.

[Caliga]

Dragon Age 2, starring Peter North.

[Grallon]

I'm lost in the Fade with my first character - I can't get to the second hub.  I keep going in circles between portals and mouse holes.  I have mouse and spirit forms aquired but not the other 2.  It's partly out of frustration over this I rolled the other toons.



G.

[saskganesh]

ya, it may seem that time is of the essence, but really . in game time, you have all the time in the world.

first few times I played the BGs, I tried to be in a rush. But missed a lot of good stuff, and so died too often in the hard parts. Now I play more... methodically.

In BG1 there was this  deal where if you took too long to go to Nashkel your party members would rebel but that proved to be so universally unpopular they cut out all time requirements for their future games.  I remember in Fallout 1 where was that ridiculously long time requirement to get the waterchip and even that was so unpopular with the fans that Interplay released a patch getting rid of it.

RPG players just like to take their sweet time I guess.

missed this post. the Naskel requirement kicks in around Day 5/6 provided you have either Xzar or Jaheria in your party. from that point you have a week to get there or they will apparently quit the party.

maybe it would be better if they had a timer of some sort. not a clock but more frequent warnings (wait! NPCs are bitchy already! no matter ) . anyhow, I have found that one still has time to do many Beregost and FAI sidequests, meaning you can be levels 2-3s when you finally get to Naskel. one cna do a lot in a week.

of course the timer comes off when you reach Naskel. do note that Minsc has his own week long timer for his Dynaheir quest if you recruit him. later, Yeslick (Destroy the Mines already!) has one too.