Dragon Age 2 - Preview @ PC Gamer

Dhruin

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PC Gamer has a lengthy hands-on of Dragon Age 2 that feels like it was written a while back for the magazine. Despite feeling a little dated (like the author being shocked at a voiced protagonist), it's a decent read:
Origins’ magic was a pleasure; weighty and powerful there, it’s been buffed further here, maelstroms of psychic energy tearing Darkspawn in half. Bethany fires off an attack at an onrushing ogre, and a seven-foot fist materialises in the mountain air. Opening quickly, it clutches the stricken creature, cradling him for a moment before clenching, squashing the lifeforce from his tubby form. There’s a sickening crack as his massive bones break, before his flesh flickers in the air and he disappears, removed from existence by mystical energies. Combat has got a crunch you didn’t feel in Dragon Age: Origins.
As it should: Bethany’s spells have been levelled up. “You pick fireball as a spell and to start with maybe all it does is damage”, explains Mike Darreth. “Then, rather than spending a point to get a new spell, you might spend some of your points so it sets light to enemies, so there’s damage over time. You’re able to take your favourite spells and deepen them.”

This tech-tree-like system also applies to non-magic abilities, and is intended to buff Origins’ weakest class, the rogue. Darreth describes the issue: “The problem we had in Origins was that the rogue is just a warrior that wears crappy armour. In Dragon Age 2, he feels more mobile, so he’s more about getting in close, doing damage quickly, and getting away.”
More information.
 
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and a seven-foot fist materialises in the mountain air

A fist ?


I'd rather prefer something like that :



Monty_python_foot.png
 
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"Dragon Age 2’s lead designer and creative director, Mike Laidlaw"

Does this mean that David Gaider is not working on DA2? Or just not the lead? Seems like he laid down a lot of the groundwork for the lore and background story. Maybe he's working as awriter on it but staying out of the spotlight for this one.
 
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Wall of text hits elikal with 5000000 crit. +__+

Ok, I read half of it, but I still remain skeptical. I loved the origins and talking with friends how the different race backgounds felt. And I STILL hate that Blackthorn-like bearded type they chose. Yuck. Yes I know I can look like I want (can I??), but this Hawk every time makes me feel negative about the game.

And this VO mania they have… same critique I have with SWTOR. Too much can narrow down a characters freedom. The more VO there is, the less freedom to be "you". When I played DA:O I sometimes said the lines of my characters myself, or at least thought I'd say it. It just can make the character be less "me". Don't get me wrong Shepard was a cool story-guy. But it wasn't me. Which is what I want to be in a RPG.

I just think Bioware is heading in a direction I don't like anymore.

EDIT: And I hope they skip this fiendish adding of 365 DLC addons for 1 hour = 7 dollars. >.<
 
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As it should: Bethany’s spells have been levelled up. “You pick fireball as a spell and to start with maybe all it does is damage”, explains Mike Darreth. “Then, rather than spending a point to get a new spell, you might spend some of your points so it sets light to enemies, so there’s damage over time. You’re able to take your favourite spells and deepen them.”

Dragon Age 1;
Flame Blast, Area/Cone fire attack
Flaming Weapons, Buff your partys weapons
Fireball, Sphere area attack with knockdown
Inferno, Strong and lasting area attack

Dragon Age 2;
Fireball
Stronger Fireball
Even Stronger Fireball
Even Even Stronger Fireball

A mage have access to 25x4 different spells in Awakenings. If the amount of different spells offered is replaced with fewer spells with the ability to empower them, I prefer DA1.

The comment he did on fireballs reminds me about Gothic and Two Worlds that got a bit boring since you kept hurling the same spell over and over and over again for hours upon hour upon hour, a fireball that got stronger but was still the same spell. Gothic/TwoWorlds have limited spells because they are more action oriented I guess, but what makes mages fun in games like D&D and DA:O is the huge amount of different spells you have, meaning picking and choosing depending on the situation. Sorcerers are very boring.
 
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"Dragon Age 2’s lead designer and creative director, Mike Laidlaw"

Does this mean that David Gaider is not working on DA2? Or just not the lead? Seems like he laid down a lot of the groundwork for the lore and background story. Maybe he's working as awriter on it but staying out of the spotlight for this one.

He's working on it. He posts regularly over at the Bioware Social Forums and makes it very clear that he's a creative mind on the project.


Dragon Age 1;
Flame Blast, Area/Cone fire attack
Flaming Weapons, Buff your partys weapons
Fireball, Sphere area attack with knockdown
Inferno, Strong and lasting area attack

Dragon Age 2;
Fireball
Stronger Fireball
Even Stronger Fireball
Even Even Stronger Fireball

A mage have access to 25x4 different spells in Awakenings. If the amount of different spells offered is replaced with fewer spells with the ability to empower them, I prefer DA1.

Opinions are fine when they're formed on solid information. As somebody who lurks on a near daily basis on the forums and has read every development related post Bioware employees have made, I know for a fact that nothing even remotely like a spell list has been given. Yes, we do know that there will be fewer spells. We've also been told that the ones that have been removed were done so because their effect was mimicked by other spells (i.e. "all in the name of variety and making each spell feel unique"). They retooled the elemental lines to make their effects more distinct (earth does impact damage, lightening can stun, cold inhibits movement but has the tiniest cone, fire does physical damage that can spread and is unwieldy, etc). Lastly, they've said they were keeping support spells (i.e. it hasn't been dumbed down to merely offensive spells like previews might make it sound).

There is a great thread in which a developer has gotten into the technical details of the changes they're making. Logged in, you can edit your view of the thread to show ONLY developer posts and, in this mode, the thread is still over 10 pages long. It's pretty epic if you're interested in what they've changed under the hood (i.e. spell power and fatigue have been removed, warriors can't duel wield anymore, only rogues can use a bow, etc).
 
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Uhhh, no, that's not what it says. It's not "stronger Fireball" it's "fireball + DOT". They might also have an option to make it stronger, another option to give it more range, maybe a very expensive option to make it not hurt friendly characters, an option to give it a knockdown effect, an option to make the area bigger, and so on. There's tons of options they could throw in there.

Will they? I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.
 
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"Dragon Age 2’s lead designer and creative director, Mike Laidlaw"

Does this mean that David Gaider is not working on DA2? Or just not the lead? Seems like he laid down a lot of the groundwork for the lore and background story. Maybe he's working as awriter on it but staying out of the spotlight for this one.

Uhhh, no, that's not what it says. It's not "stronger Fireball" it's "fireball + DOT". They might also have an option to make it stronger, another option to give it more range, maybe a very expensive option to make it not hurt friendly characters, an option to give it a knockdown effect, an option to make the area bigger, and so on. There's tons of options they could throw in there.

Will they? I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.

Good point. I neglected to comment on that aspect of how he chose to spin it.

Incidentally, and I know this was tangential to what you wrote above, but friendly fire is now ONLY enabled on insanity. :(.. There is a chance this could be changed before launch but, at the moment, that is what Bioware has decided.
 
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Incidentally, and I know this was tangential to what you wrote above, but friendly fire is now ONLY enabled on insanity. :(.. There is a chance this could be changed before launch but, at the moment, that is what Bioware has decided.

No shit, that's unfortunate.
 
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Uhhh, no, that's not what it says. It's not "stronger Fireball" it's "fireball + DOT". They might also have an option to make it stronger, another option to give it more range, maybe a very expensive option to make it not hurt friendly characters, an option to give it a knockdown effect, an option to make the area bigger, and so on. There's tons of options they could throw in there.

Will they? I don't know. We'll have to wait and see.

Hello... Jade Empire and Mass Effect? "God of War" have already been mentioned in the same sentence as Dragon Age 2. I think you know very well what to expect.

DA1 promised to "go back to the roots" and "oldschool". Since DA2 was announced there haven't been a single comment on how DA2 makes the game more complex, more advanced, more strategic, more hardcore, more challenging, more oldschool. Not a single comment! Instead every single one on the dreadful words have already been used and most previews begin with telling us how bad DA was.

No, I will expect the absolute worst possible scenario, which allows me to either say "I told you so", or to be pleasently surprised.
 
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Opinions are fine when they're formed on solid information.

If a place had former earthquakes and you feel a slight shiver, do you assume "it's another earthquake" or do you go "let's wait for more information"?

I know for a fact that nothing even remotely like a spell list has been given. Yes, we do know that there will be fewer spells.

Say no more, say no more. I had not even seen an official comment that there will be fewer spells, I simply assumed that there will be fewer spells, information I drew from those slight shivers I mentioned.

I was right then?

We've also been told that the ones that have been removed were done so because their effect was mimicked by other spells (i.e. "all in the name of variety and making each spell feel unique").

And there haven't been any comment on anything added right? And making sure those spells that weren't diversive enough got more diversive wasn't as easy as simply removing them? The inventory system in ME comes to mind... Improvement by removal...

They retooled the elemental lines to make their effects more distinct (earth does impact damage, lightening can stun, cold inhibits movement but has the tiniest cone, fire does physical damage that can spread and is unwieldy, etc). Lastly, they've said they were keeping support spells (i.e. it hasn't been dumbed down to merely offensive spells like previews might make it sound).

My main character in DA:O was almost 100% exclusively a support build and I was amazed how well it worked. I will wait until I see it whether the "tactician" achievement (250 kills without main character dealing damage) is viable in DA2. Sorry if my lack of faith is disturbing.

There is a great thread in which a developer has gotten into the technical details of the changes they're making. Logged in, you can edit your view of the thread to show ONLY developer posts and, in this mode, the thread is still over 10 pages long. It's pretty epic if you're interested in what they've changed under the hood (i.e. spell power and fatigue have been removed, warriors can't duel wield anymore, only rogues can use a bow, etc).

I have posted in it. In short I asked if the tactician supportbuild is viable.
I wasn't around to see if I ever got a reply.
 
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I honestly hope they even out the classes a bit, but not by restricting the mage - the other classes should be enhanced. In DA1, the mage can do it all, while the others are very restricted.

Ah well, we'll see.
 
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More spectacle, less game.

If you can't see that from a mile away, you need glasses - or glasses without the tint ;)
 
If a place had former earthquakes and you feel a slight shiver, do you assume "it's another earthquake" or do you go "let's wait for more information"?

Perfectly ghit the nil on the top :

Scientists and strong believers in science do so.

Everyone else just runs away.

Just like it is rumored with these huge Tsunamies several years ago. Animals just ran, they didn't "wait for more information".


This "wait for more information" is what sets us rationalistic people apart from the people of the ages before.
Of course, logic prevents burning of witches, but it also denaturalize us from our own inner senses.

In a world were Ratio and Logic are the new kings, people unlearn to listen to such life-saving things like Intuition.
And people jst begin to forget to use other senses.
 
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More spectacle, less game.

If you can't see that from a mile away, you need glasses - or glasses without the tint ;)

I don't know about that, DArtagnan. Better storytelling, better graphics, better art style, better animations, the addition of voice acting for the main character, better team and enemy AI, freed up skill upgrading … Doesn't seem like mere cosmetic change to me, but rather things that will improve the gameplay.

Granted, I wasn't all that happy with DA:O, and so I'm happy to hear that they have listened to the criticisms and used them to shape the second game. If you enjoyed DA:O the way it was, and you're a big fan of the old school look and feel, then I can see why you would look skeptically at the changes. But those are just glasses of a different tint.
 
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I don't know about that, DArtagnan. Better storytelling, better graphics, better art style, better animations, the addition of voice acting for the main character, better team and enemy AI, freed up skill upgrading … Doesn't seem like mere cosmetic change to me, but rather things that will improve the gameplay.

Better storytelling based on what standard? ;)

The AI upgrade is probably a good idea, but all those other things you mention is exactly what I mean by more spectacle.

The streamlining of gameplay, the removal of strategic aspects, and the dumbing down of the character system, is what I mean by less game.

So, not a bad thing if you're into that sort of thing - but I'm not.

Granted, I wasn't all that happy with DA:O, and so I'm happy to hear that they have listened to the criticisms and used them to shape the second game. If you enjoyed DA:O the way it was, and you're a big fan of the old school look and feel, then I can see why you would look skeptically at the changes. But those are just glasses of a different tint.

No, not really.

The fact that I don't like the changes, doesn't mean I can't see them for what they are.

It seems you recognise what they are, so your glasses aren't tinted either.

I'm talking to those people who're expecting something different - and who did enjoy DA:O for it's partial throwback to old-school gaming.
 
I don't know about that, DArtagnan. Better storytelling, better graphics, better art style, better animations, the addition of voice acting for the main character, better team and enemy AI, freed up skill upgrading … Doesn't seem like mere cosmetic change to me, but rather things that will improve the gameplay.
That´s a lot of assuming. Maybe look into the thread already mentioned thread here - http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/4715441/1&lf=8

From quite a few answers it almost seems like the cosmetics department has the main word in how the game will play, aka whether there will be halberds or spears is an art direction question etc. Not everything sounds necessarily bad, but rarely as an improvement. A lot of changes sound plain weird.[/QUOTE]

Granted, I wasn't all that happy with DA:O, and so I'm happy to hear that they have listened to the criticisms and used them to shape the second game.
Well, they just chose to "listen" to the criticisms which fit into their already decided business plan. I´ve yet to hear anything about addressing filler combat, for example.
 
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The AI upgrade is probably a good idea, but all those other things you mention is exactly what I mean by more spectacle.

Well, there's a difference between us. I value graphics, art style, animations, feeling the "oomph" of combat, innovative storytelling, and voice acting. I think that if these things are done well, they add a lot to the gaming experience, and if done poorly, they subtract a lot. So I can't see them as "mere spectacle."

The streamlining of gameplay, the removal of strategic aspects, and the dumbing down of the character system, is what I mean by less game

I know, I am just not as bothered by these changes as you are. I see them as rather minor in most cases and improvements in others.

I'm talking to those people who're expecting something different - and who did enjoy DA:O for it's partial throwback to old-school gaming.

Ok, not me. It was the only Bioware game I've played to date that I have not been enthusiastic about. Bring on the new and improved DA2. :)
 
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Well, there's a difference between us. I value graphics, art style, animations, feeling the "oomph" of combat, innovative storytelling, and voice acting. I think that if these things are done well, they add a lot to the gaming experience, and if done poorly, they subtract a lot. So I can't see them as "mere spectacle."

Oh, don't get me wrong - I value the spectacle.

That's a way to give games that extra oomph.

It's just that I value the core gameplay a lot more, and in fact, if the spectacle is given too much focus - the gameplay tends to suffer.

Then again, Bioware likes to make interactive B movies, so that's probably exactly what they want.

I know, I am just not as bothered by these changes as you are. I see them as rather minor in most cases and improvements in others.

Minor? Ok then.

Ok, not me. It was the only Bioware game I've played to date that I have not been enthusiastic about. Bring on the new and improved DA2. :)

Sounds like you're the kind of audience they're targeting, so I wish it does what you want it to do.
 
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