24 replies to this topic

[darlarosa]

Ok Hi everyone it's been a while.

I was just wondering if anyone else felt the same way I did. I loved DA and have just started Awakening, but the game has been grating my brain for months which was why I stopped playing.(well that and ME2). The reason why I say this is playing DA felt like bioware took shell of BG, NWN, and Icewind Dale and tried to apply it to DA and it failed. I mean Orzammar was PAINFUL to play through as was the Circle Tower, and at times I just felt like they had set up an organized system that was trying to play like BG. Also I never felt like the Origins really mattered...I mean they have little impact and do not really affect the way people react to me. DA boasts of a different experience every time you play and yet the Origins aren't really that important in respect to game play, as a mage people should have been more afraid and as a noble I would think there would have been more political intrigue or something. The selling point was the Origins that had little to no impact... it was kinda sad for me. These are little issues of mine of coarse but then Mass Effect 2 came out and I found myself attempting to play DA only to think..."Bioware can do SOOO much better,". I felt immersed in ME2 but in DA I felt like I was just playing the part at many times, and I have it on xbox so no modding for me.

Ultimately I thought it was a good game but I felt some dumb mistakes had been made in how they set up the game because I know they can do better. Did anyone else feel this way or am I nit picking?

[princesspurpleblob]

I totally agree with what you say there. I've finished DAO through once and I have no intention to go back to it, what-so-ever. It is good game, but I don't see any replayability due to issues you have mentioned. Nor I found it deeply engaging. It's been whole 3 weeks since I've stopped playing Awakening, and I don't see myself going back to it anytime soon.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, I see nothing wrong with the mechanics mentioned, you are nitpicking ... but I do see that the game obviously has a the same kind of a rubber band effect that the 'The Elders Scroll: Oblivion' has, and the old car race games had. AND THAT S%&#"&).

[Qwinn]

I have to disagree. I'd say Dragon Age has a lot more replayability than, for example, Mass Effect 2 (which I think is a great game, don't get me wrong). DA:O at least has several quests associated with each origin, and a fair amount of dialogue exclusive to each Origin as well as gender even between the Origin and the endgame.

ME2, for comparison's sake, does not have a single solitary line exclusive to the player's class, a single "private message" related to the pre-military background, a single message related to the psychological profile, and some minor differences based on gender. Hell, even Kaidan and Ashley's dialogues are virtually identical (Ashley sticks in a "Oh captain my captain" in there, but that's about it, wowzah). While I think ME2 is at least as good a game overall, I think you're giving DA:O's particular strengths short shrift here.

Also, while I can see how you might find the Deep Roads exhausting, the Circle Tower, particularly the Fade bit, is among my favorite parts of the game. Can't imagine what there is to dislike about it.

Qwinn

Edited by Qwinn, 05 April 2010 - 03:04 AM.

[Vicen]

Im not a fan of the deeps roads or the fade in the tower...but I have beaten the game 4 times with every origin except dwarf noble and city elf...Ill get around to it soon enough...but man the fade is hella boring as are the deeps roads after going through em 4 times

[Archmage Silver]

Anything gets repetitive if you play it enough times, even the BG series, but I'd say Dragon Age: Origins still has a lot more replayability than most of the other new RPG titles on the market right now. That's just my opinion though.

[Kulyok]

Yep. I'd even play BG again, but I keep trying to switch from "top-down" camera mode in BG, and I can't, and it's really frustrating. And it's slow.

[Creepin]

What I really hate in DA is encounter difficulty autolevelling! In BG I would be ripped apart by ogre magi when I'm lvl 1, would have fair chances against ogre magi when I'm lvl 5 and would rip this ogre magi apart when I'm lvl 10. In DA, however, I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 1, I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 5 and I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 10. What's the point in levelling up if I'm not becoming stronger than once powerful enemies, if I am not allowed to feel that those who once were dangerous now tremble under my feet? Meh, it's worst element of DA game design for me.

Edited by Creepin, 06 April 2010 - 06:56 AM.

[berelinde]

I finished the game three times and have started and aborted it many, many times more than that. The first time, I absolutely loved it. The second time, I was pretty bored with it, but then I was playing a male PC and disliked Morrigan, found Leliana insipid past the point of endurance, and didn't really have enough time to warm up to Zevran enough to make it worthwhile. The third time was with a female human mage, and I liked that playthrough well enough, but it didn't have the sparkle the first time did. I'm trying a fourth time because I want to play the Ser Gilmore mod, but I'm really, really having a hard time slogging through it.

In contrast, I've played BG2 a dozen or so times and am still not bored, but that's probably because of the mods that keep it new. Because of the way DA is structured, you can really only do so much with mods. It seems like you can alter or add to the storyline or to the NPCs, but not both. Like with NWN2, if you want to modify a file, it has to wind up in the override. So, unlike BG2's WeiDU, you can only really have one active mod for each file. That limits replayability a lot.

[Gomb]

It varies for me. On my first playthrough, the Deep Roads felt like a chore, but really enjoyed the Fade. On my second, it was the opposite. I don't really see a problem with the mechanics, if I had more time for gaming, I'd probably play through the game with at least 2 other characters as well. I would still consider BG2 to have a bit better replayability, but that's probably because of things like the strongholds and that you can't just pick up all the joinable NPCs like in Dragon Age.

[Archmage Silver]

What I really hate in DA is encounter difficulty autolevelling! In BG I would be ripped apart by ogre magi when I'm lvl 1, would have fair chances against ogre magi when I'm lvl 5 and would rip this ogre magi apart when I'm lvl 10. In DA, however, I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 1, I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 5 and I would have hard times fighting 2 genlock emissaries when I'm lvl 10. What's the point in levelling up if I'm not becoming stronger than once powerful enemies, if I am not allowed to feel that those who once were dangerous now tremble under my feet? Meh, it's worst element of DA game design for me.

It starts to slide in the player's direction at level 15 or so, the rest of the way is a cakewalk.

[Qwinn]

Indeed. I think they balanced the level scaling fairly well actually. As an example, the first ogre in the Tower of Ishal is a $#&*@$@*(#&. A few levels later, ogres are much, much easier.

Qwinn

[princesspurpleblob]

I really didn't see any replayability in DAO. First time was good enough... to be honest, I've only enjoyed few part of DAO. From the beginning till battle of Ostagar I really LOVED. It was a big downfall from there. Battle was long and tedious and I hate levelling up system. Sure, part of it was my fault for putting in wrong points in talent, but it just made battle so much more difficult I was tearing my hair out. I enjoyed dalish elf/werewolf part although, I still had to go through long dungeon filled with undeads and werewolves. Only ending was worthwhile to see in that quest. Deep roads was just PAIN. Theres no other words for it. I quite enjoyed Fade but once you started to go into Fade more often, it got really boring. DAO just gave me feeling things are stretched out to lengthen the gameplay for no good reason.

Only reply value I saw was if you are REALLY INTERESTED in how other NPCs will react depending on what Origins/Gender you've chosen. But that's really a minor part of game and I have no intention to go back to same, boring crap for few dialogues.

[Galsic]

Yep. I'd even play BG again, but I keep trying to switch from "top-down" camera mode in BG, and I can't, and it's really frustrating.

Ha ha, funny, cuz, unless I wanna see an ogre or pride demon or brood mother in its full glory, I mostly play in the top-down mode in DA. So much easier to see everything going on that way.

I'm with you on your second point, though. Can't even charge your opponents properly in BG; just walk toward them. What's up with that?

I like the mechanics of the game; I don't care how similar (some of) it is to BG (if anything, the similarity is a plus). So far, the only real problem I see with DA in comparison to BG right now is the apparently smaller(?) modding potential. Really though, just giving me a couple more rogues and mages to play with would make this game so much better.

[Kulyok]

Alas, full voicing makes DA:O modding nearly impossible. If I had a voice actor, though...

Seriously, I'd like to see Jowan NPC, and a non-bisexual rogue, for one. Besides, it might sound weird, but I'd love a Tranquil NPC. For example, that tranquil mage from Ostagar. No emotions, no romance, but lots of interesting story potential. Just imagine how frustrated Alistair would be - all his practical jokes rendered useless!

[Jarno Mikkola]

What I really hate in DA is encounter difficulty autolevelling!

The rubber band effect.

It starts to slide in the player's direction at level 15 or so, the rest of the way is a cakewalk.

Ah, then isn't it fun to have 38th level character when you go to kill the Archdemon ... yes, I added a few mods and thus had just a little more enemies to kill in one game.

[Archmage Silver]

Alas, full voicing makes DA:O modding nearly impossible. If I had a voice actor, though...

Seriously, I'd like to see Jowan NPC, and a non-bisexual rogue, for one. Besides, it might sound weird, but I'd love a Tranquil NPC. For example, that tranquil mage from Ostagar. No emotions, no romance, but lots of interesting story potential. Just imagine how frustrated Alistair would be - all his practical jokes rendered useless!

And think about how much easier it would be to get a voice actor for a Tranquil companion! You wouldn't have to be able to convey any emotions. Hm... maybe you could even generate such emotionally blank lines with proper software?

Edited by Archmage Silver, 07 April 2010 - 07:37 AM.

[Vicen]

The only problem with a tranquil NPC I think would be that some people might find them quite boring since they lack emotions...on the other hand some would find it quite interesting as well since its well past the norm...

[Archmage Silver]

The only problem with a tranquil NPC I think would be that some people might find them quite boring since they lack emotions...on the other hand some would find it quite interesting as well since its well past the norm...

I think some Tranquil responses to the story events might prove to be hilarious in the right context...

[Qwinn]

Oh, definitely. Upon seeing Broodmother: "If I had not already undergone the Rite of Tranquility, I suspect I would be volunteering for it after this."

Owain could be an awesome companion, I agree. Jowan - no (unless he was made Tranquil himself... nah, no, not even then.)

Only problem with a Tranquil companion is, they can't cast magic, all they can do is enchant. An actual usable Tranquil companion would have to take major liberties with the game lore. Unless, hmmmm, make the Tranquil a warrior or rogue! Why not? That's got all kindsa possibilities. Heh, a Tranquil Templar!

Qwinn

Edited by Qwinn, 08 April 2010 - 07:52 PM.