Re: The Dragon Age Thread

[Norlond]

And now we wait...

[Guest]

I see a dream of green I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

What a wonderful world
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue
Clouds of white
The crowd will stay Bright blessed day
And dark say goodnight Darkness of night

And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

And I think to myself
What a wonderful world

*I may have misheard some parts

~~~

Some lyric alterations:
-Instead of "I see trees of green", we have "I see a dream of green"
-Instead of "The bright blessed the day, the dark sacred night", we have "The crowd will stay, the dark say goodnight", though I may have misheard it, especially the last part

[ZerebusPrime]

She says "trees of green". She also says the original lyrics later on for bright blessed day, etc. I'm afraid you're hearing things, Swoby.

[Guest]

I don't think that's a she.

Other than that, you may be completely right.

EDIT: Oh! And game released.

[ZerebusPrime]

Got it. Midnight release at Game Stop. 170+MB update required upon putting it into my Xbox One.

[Norlond]

Played for 7h, 5 of that in the Hinterlands, no complains so far, feels like Skyrim with a party^^

[RavenEyry]

Played for 7h, 5 of that in the Hinterlands, no complains so far, feels like Skyrim with a party^^

What is Lydia?

[Ithurael]

IDK guys...I am looking at some preliminary reviews and they don't look too good.
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/dragon-age-inquisition/user-reviews

Note, these reviews are for PC. I am not sure how to process this but overall it seems the story is about average, the game play looks good (albeit a few issues with the tactical camera) and there are some pathing glitches (not that big a deal on that last one).

I haven't bought any bioware products since ME3 (the only DLC I bought was levi) and I wanted to see how people reacted to this game before I spent any money on it. Right now...it seems just ok and not really great. But that is what I am reading.

[ZerebusPrime]

I find I disagree with most of the down votes. I have an Xbox One version mind you so I get to skip the hassle of graphics tuning.


As for all the comments to the effect of "oh this is just a single player MMORPG with lots of button mashing and numbers being displayed over people's heads"...



I see the young players of today have forgotten where MMORPG's came from.

My only complaint right now is that I keep trying to use Dragon Age: Origins controls with my Xbox controller. DA:I has a totally different control scheme. I have to reteach myself basic things like how to use a potion. My first playthrough is going to have to be on easy until I get these things memorized.

Graphically, the game itself is a thing of beauty. It's Skyrim with the best HD mods (just not the ones that make a top end computer run at 1 frame per minute - that's next next gen). Hair looks a little weird to me up close but so far I've only ever been that close during character generation.

[Rifneno]

Graphically, the game itself is a thing of beauty.  It's Skyrim with the best HD mods (just not the ones that make a top end computer run at 1 frame per minute - that's next next gen).  Hair looks a little weird to me up close but so far I've only ever been that close during character generation.

I know you said you're on a console, but if anyone on PC is having issues with the hair too, the "mesh quality" setting is what you want to adjust.  I only tried medium and high, but the difference is startling.  Medium looked like a hunk of plastic on their heads and it had asinine shine.  High looked absolutely gorgeous and fairly like real hair.  I imagine low and ultra are more extreme versions of these two.  But yeah, set mesh at high if your system can handle it.  It's far and away the biggest graphical difference I saw when I was playing with the settings.

[Guest]

Spoiled myself on a bunch of the story.

Yeah, so far, when it comes to the core of things, the main story seems 'good but nothing special'. Like ME2 in that sense.

Also, a smarter DLC/expansion hook than ME3, but a DLC/expansion hook nonetheless.

I'm looking forward to playing it and judging for myself though. It may be that when all is put together (reading everything, talking to everyone, 100+ hours playing, etc), I might have better impressions than the speedrunners.

[Eryri]

I suppose my biggest concern before buying is whether it has a reasonably satisfying ending, or is it another mind fuck that will have me obsessively reading Internet forums to try to make sense of it for another three years?
If the former then it might just prod me into getting a PS4. The footage I've seen certainly looks impressive.

[vlad78]

I've watched some of the early walkthroughs.

Graphically it's indeed exceptional, the faces the textures are awesome.

The acting seems great and quite a lot of choices made in the previous games are taken into account.

Many of the dialogs are not put into cinematics anymore which decrease the emotional impact they may have, especially for side quests.

The main story seems great but the secondary quest are incredibly boring.
Always the same minor fade breaches to close with the same deamons appearing at the exact same time.

By willing to imitate bethesda, BW has also imported in Dragon Age some of bethesda's games flaws. NPC are wandering in the wilderness without any serious reasons, and during those side quests you mainly encounter always the same number of templars/mages/whatever.

Worse, the gameplay is hindering the immersion within the word just like some games ala world of warcraft which are not RPG.
as an example: Sometimes you have to find the best place to locate say some watch towers, instead of being able to choose the location on the map and see those watch towers being slowly built during the game, the character you are controlling will put a big banner coming out of nowhere in a predetermined place. WTF!! DA should be about living and breathing in the Thedas universe, not being remembered this is only a computer game every 5 mn.

The horse. The horse is a really good idea to speed travels.
But what seems to work quite proficiently in witcher 3 is just ludicrous here imho.
Only one party member is able to ride a horse, during travel all other characters just disappear. No combat seems possible while riding. (I'm not sure but i didn't see anyone fighting while riding) and the horse also disappear while not being ridden.
Once again, I thing it breaks the immersion within the game.
It should have been better to let all party members have horses and also let those horses wander around the place where you left them, to be a little more realistic.
There could even have made some funny stories with horse thieves or whatever.

Quest markers. Why put a BIG INQUISITION EYE on the location on the nearest quest?
You're just walking in the forest and you see in the distance a BIG F%%%%%% green column with a big eye on top. why not just put it on the map instead of the middle of this beautiful landscape?

On the other hand, encounters with dragon are really well made.

Another thing, so far, Hawk is in the game, but i haven't seen any report about the warden.

I won't have a final opinion before being able to finish it. I'd say it's better than DA2 but still quite inferior to DA origins.
And BW is forcing itself to adopt other companies way to create game and it doesn't really fit with the way they craft stories.

my 2 cents.

[Guest]

I suppose my biggest concern before buying is whether it has a reasonably satisfying ending, or is it another mind fuck that will have me obsessively reading Internet forums to try to make sense of it for another three years?
If the former then it might just prod me into getting a PS4. The footage I've seen certainly looks impressive.

I have skimmed over the ending.

Not a mindfuck, but a tease. But a somewhat conclusive tease?

No indoctrination theory sorta deal, and some loose threads are tied up, but others come into play. Enough to talk about for a while, but not freak out (for good or ill).

I guess I'm saying is that if DA ended in DA:O, people would accept it, and if it ended in DA2, people would be annoyed but understand (due to DA2's response), but if it ended in DAI's base game, then it would just be ridiculous.

[Eryri]

Thanks Swoby. That sounds encouraging. Would it be too much of a spoiler to ask if the inquisitor can survive (or die, depending on choices), or are we railroaded into another heroic sacrifice? Don't feel you have to answer if you think it's too spoilery.

[Guest]

Thanks Swoby. That sounds encouraging. Would it be too much of a spoiler to ask if the inquisitor can survive (or die, depending on choices), or are we railroaded into another heroic sacrifice? Don't feel you have to answer if you think it's too spoilery.

Looks like ME2 style. You can fail, but otherwise shouldn't. Just enough to go "Okay, you gotta expand a successful Inquisition to X extent. You GOT to." Just replace Shepard with Inquisition, and squadmates being alive/loyal with Inquisition power.

Again, this is just what I've gathered.

One main main main ending when put basically, but several major arc results.

Think combo of DAO and ME2 tbh.


DLC plan looks like the future adventures of the Inquisition, so it isn't really a spoiler to say that everything stands and continues. Well almost everything, whatever.

If they have a mindfuck for us, it'd come in some medium to large sized expansion, or maybe the next game but I dunno. I think this is quite possible. But at least for now, enjoy the epic tale of defeating the Collectors closing the Breach.

I'm not saying there is a suicide mission sort of deal. I didn't watch most of the ending section.

[Eryri]

Sounds good. I hope they bring big, Throne of Bhaal-style expansion packs that are almost sequels in their own right back into fashion. Much better value than lots of piddling bits of DLC.

[Guest]

Yeah, I don't want to get my hopes up, but if they did that, it could be amazing. DAI itself is substantial from most accounts - it is just the main storyline that seems like it is just Part 1 of what could be a 2 or kinda even 3 part epic. (Not a trilogy, but large chapters in one game)

I'm alright with episodic, as long as it is done intelligently. DAI could potentially be that. The (to some people) lackluster feeling of the ending and final boss would be seen as part of a more awesome totality a year or two from now.

Maybe.

It definitely looks like they're not done with the Inquisitior.

[Ithurael]

Yeah, I don't want to get my hopes up, but if they did that, it could be amazing. DAI itself is substantial from most accounts - it is just the main storyline that seems like it is just Part 1 of what could be a 2 or kinda even 3 part epic. (Not a trilogy, but large chapters in one game)

I'm alright with episodic, as long as it is done intelligently. DAI could potentially be that. The (to some people) lackluster feeling of the ending and final boss would be seen as part of a more awesome totality a year or two from now.

Maybe.

It definitely looks like they're not done with the Inquisitior.

I just watched the ending...yeah, it had kind of a marvel feeling to it. Like at the end of their movies where they blatantly show you more is to come. I will admit...not to big a fan of the main antagonist but the boss fight looked at least challenging and not too easy. I still need to see how the whole story plays out but right now I am not that impressed. This game at best right now seems like a 7 or 8 (at mega max). The blatant tease at the end was kind of lame but hey, bioware luvs their dlc.

At least it looks better than DA2 (which I heard was awful). And the epilogue at the end was very nice. IDK...I am still wary about giving Bioware ANY of my money.

[Guest]

Marvel. Yeah.

The more I'm seeing of DAI, the more it is a 8/10 game and not the 9/10 that reviewers have often given it.

I'll see weeks from now though!

[vlad78]

Marvel. Yeah.

The more I'm seeing of DAI, the more it is a 8/10 game and not the 9/10 that reviewers have often given it.

I'll see weeks from now though!

It must also be said there still are some really cool and epic scenes only BW writers can provide.

And I like that part:

'The shepherd’s lost
And his home is far
Keep to the stars
The dawn will come'
I like to think it might be a small nod to another game we love.

[Rifneno]

Varric: I'm flattered. Also, inclined towards extravagant lies.

---later---

Varric: And no, despite whatever you've heard, Kirkwall's not that bad.

Extravagant lies indeed.

[ZerebusPrime]

As near as I can tell, Varric has now given me two different origin stories for where he got Bianca in as many playthroughs. They are mutually exclusive.

[DSharrah]

Damn this game is hard...but tactical mode really can be your friend. At this point I am not sure if I will ever fo an insanity run...the Fereldan Frostback was hard enough on casual for my level 12 party. Impressions so far in general, pretty solid. But wtf is up with not being able to swim?! I didn't expect to see super good swim mechanics, but I didn't expect to be auto respawned to just before I jumped into the water either...I mean hell, my Inquisitor was hot after running around the Hinterlands for while and just wanted to take a quick dip to cool off!

[ZerebusPrime]

Some people can swim.  Some people sink like a stone every time.  The Inquisitor is the latter.

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