Dragon Age 2 shorter than Dragon Age - "a bit longer than Mass Effect 2"
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Duke Dude
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My brother from another mother
Come to think of it I can't... In regards to ME2, yeah completing their loyalty mission did give you bonuses in the forms of them getting new powers, being able to peruse a relationship with them but that about it really. If they're all loyal they'll survive Suicide Mission, but if they're not they die. Not anything to the degree of what you stated earlier (Gonna quote here):
My problem with the Elder Scrolls is that they lack story, choice and tangible consequence. In the great tapestries of interwoven choices, consequences and drama...
What makes and RPG an RPG is the quality of its side quests and how they influence your main quest in unexpected and sometime kak ways
I can live with around 7 main quests, but what I want are side quests that are excellent (Like the Shadow Broker DLC for ME2) and actually influence my main quest and keep me on my toes. To many times have devs promised use that (Fable, Mass Effect - not many choices carried over in the 2nd installment -...) and haven't delivered.Agreed! Sheesh, I'm actually finding it difficult to remember events in The Witcher, must be time for another playthrough! Especially since I no longer have my previous saves (must have them for when Witcher 2 is released!)
I could never actually get into the Witcher hey, dunno why...
That also got to me! The new powers in DA2 are MUCH cooler than DA:O, but having a mage jump around and swing like that is just odd, can you imagine Gandalf moving around like that
!
Lycanthrope
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Woof ^.^My brother from another mother
Actually, it also relies on common sense. Loyal or not, stick Jack in the tube and she'll be killed :3
My point was just that the side-quests still had some effect on the game, there was a point and purpose to it.
What makes and RPG an RPG is the quality of its side quests and how they influence your main quest in unexpected and sometime kak ways
Well, yes. That's what I love about RPGs--everything being woven together like a tapestry. Unravel one thread and create a chain event. Yes, give me side quests, I love side-quests, the longer I can spend in a game the better. But let there be a purpose, a reason to it. Don't just throw them in there for the hell of it. Let side-quests affect each other, either by your reputation for it or by your deeds.
Good question: why? The Witcher is one of the greatest RPGs out there. Story, morally ambiguous choices and consequences (for example, save the witch who sold the poison to the villagers who used it on each other and kill them all to save her or kill the witch and allow the villagers to live).
It was a fantastic, dark and tumultuous fantasy setting where nothing was "easy."
That also got to me! The new powers in DA2 are MUCH cooler than DA:O, but having a mage jump around and swing like that is just odd, can you imagine Gandalf moving around like that
lol @ Gandalf. No, my first thoughts were the frail and dying Wynne jumping around like that and then I wondered about old Irving
So badly thought out. But Flemeth, by the gaming gods I love her look <3
Duke Dude
New member
Yeah there was a point and a purpose but outside of them living or dying there was no other 'ripple effect'. There were so many opportunities for the side quests to actually effect you mission, but sadly it was never fleshed out
.Yes, let there be a purpose and a reason for the side quests just like there needs to be a purpose for us to actually be in the world. Each is equally important! The point I'm trying to make it let the side quests actually influence the outcome of your adventure. Instead of having us just assassinate a guy and let that be that, instead having assassinated that guy it should effect the greater scheme of things because he could've been an ally you've now killed (And aided you greatly in the main quest), or you've prematurely killed an adversary (That could've killed a party member) and now you have one less problem to worry about.
I honestly don't know... I tried to get into it, but it just shut me out, lol. I just could not relate to my character and his struggles. Maybe it because of all the "lady humping" side quests, which detracted from the seriousness of the quests? I honestly don't know...
lol @ Gandalf. No, my first thoughts were the frail and dying Wynne jumping around like that and then I wondered about old Irving
So badly thought out. But Flemeth, by the gaming gods I love her look <3
Lol, too true mate
Lycanthrope
New member
Yeah there was a point and a purpose but outside of them living or dying there was no other 'ripple effect'. There were so many opportunities for the side quests to actually effect you mission, but sadly it was never fleshed out
Would've been nice if they fleshed it out more, I agree. Both Mass Effect games, I found myself apprehensive of doing "too much" too quickly in fear of it ending. The thing is, no matter what you do, the game just goes by so fast and if you go too far into the main mission (read: Legion) before doing the other side-quests for your companions you end up killing your crew. It's insane.
*nod* I sincerely agree with you. It's an intrinsic formula for what is considered a real RPG and not just "a game with some RPG mechanics." The key factor is being able to play a character, to take on a role and affect the world in a tangible manner. It's something that Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3 failed at. Annihilate a few hundred people and you'll still get the odd soul who's as friendly as hell with you and asks you to save his moonshine distillery. My favourite part in Oblivion (sarcasm) was listening to Arch Mage Travern talk about himself in third person in an entirely different voice. Now THAT'S immersion for you
Lady humping was still a choice. Admittedly, I found myself humping the odd boobed one unintentionally by being gracious (learnt to spot those harlots' smooth moves rather quickly after that
). The gameplay, story and "feel" all contributed to the fantastic emotional attachment that I grew to have for The Witcher. I can't wait for The Witcher 2, to see all the changes that they've made. Oh and hey, no boobed cards :3Lol, too true mate
*nod* *nod* Some part of me is actually hoping that it's only our hero who fights with a staff like that... But I doubt it.
Duke Dude
New member
So we agree "whistling:.
*nod* I sincerely agree with you. It's an intrinsic formula for what is considered a real RPG and not just "a game with some RPG mechanics." The key factor is being able to play a character, to take on a role and affect the world in a tangible manner. It's something that Bethesda's Elder Scrolls and Fallout 3 failed at. Annihilate a few hundred people and you'll still get the odd soul who's as friendly as hell with you and asks you to save his moonshine distillery. My favourite part in Oblivion (sarcasm) was listening to Arch Mage Travern talk about himself in third person in an entirely different voice. Now THAT'S immersion for you
I remember that exact situation you're mentioning! I laughed when I head that!! Bethesda make GREAT worlds and it just full of everything you can imagine! You go down a well and you come across a secret society! That was awesome! But when it comes to actual story telling then no, Bethesda suck at it.
Lady humping was still a choice. Admittedly, I found myself humping the odd boobed one unintentionally by being gracious (learnt to spot those harlots' smooth moves rather quickly after that
It was still a choice but still, it does seem a little forced onto you. Although I wouldn't mind living in a fantasy world with chicks that look like they do in the Witcher
!
Lycanthrope
New member
Yes, exactly! The thing that frustrates me about The Elder Scrolls and specifically Oblivion is how much potential, how much promise it has that it just never reaches. You WANT to explore, you WANT to meet NPCs, find out more, search caves and all-in-all just love it. But I can't.
The more I play it, the more frustrated and irritable I become with it. It's too easy, it has a pointless class system (why even bother setting a class up if you're forced to betray that class?) that never reaches or achieves what it should. You can call yourself a mage, but you'd be doing most of your fights with swords, so you'd never level. Sure, you can create a character that lets you use a sword but then you're no longer really buffing your destruction magicka.
*sigh* I don't like it. It is such a pointless, uninspiring, uneventful and ultimately unenjoyable game because of how CLOSE it comes to being something that would be great. The irony is that it's like playing with Lego. Everything is plonked down for you to play with, but you have to make something interesting out of it (read: using your imagination). Yes, that's part of the sandbox appeal but it fails where a game like Gothic/Risen succeeds--story, depth, immersion, a living environment (NPCs drinking, eating, sleeping, sharpening weapons on a whetstone or hammering them out, etc) class choices (carve your character into a mage and they remain a mage and acknowledged as one) and general choices and tangible consequence.
I say "tangible" consequence because I mean more than selecting an offensive dialogue option and having them attack you. That's not a real consequence that affects anything more than one dead NPC. There is no acknowledgement for even doing so.
Meh... I can't explain.
It was still a choice but still, it does seem a little forced onto you. Although I wouldn't mind living in a fantasy world with chicks that look like they do in the Witcher
Perv
To be honest, my greatest (and probably only) concern about Dragon Age 2 is that it will hook me in, that I will fall in love with it and just as things start getting exciting and interesting, it will be over. 50 hours of gameplay is really unfairly short, especially if you consider that they already had the basics after Dragon Age: Origins. They should've been able to do so much more with it over the last two years. To be frank, some part of me would rather let them keep at it and add more content than release it now.
Although... who knows. We'll see next week Friday
Duke Dude
New member
Don't worry mate, I know exactly what you mean
!Perv
You can't tell me you wouldn't also
?To be honest, my greatest (and probably only) concern about Dragon Age 2 is that it will hook me in, that I will fall in love with it and just as things start getting exciting and interesting, it will be over. 50 hours of gameplay is really unfairly short, especially if you consider that they already had the basics after Dragon Age: Origins. They should've been able to do so much more with it over the last two years. To be frank, some part of me would rather let them keep at it and add more content than release it now.
Although... who knows. We'll see next week Friday
You know what, I have the exact same feeling. DA2 is promising so much - A decade long story, choices that will effect the world in DA2 not DA3, revamped combat... - it's not hard to get all amped for this game! I can't wait till next week Friday mate!
Lycanthrope
New member
Don't worry mate, I know exactly what you mean
:3
You can't tell me you wouldn't also
Geralt's more my type ^.^
You and me both. I intend to be knocking at BT's doors at 09:00 on the dot. I WANT MUH GAME!
Must find out more about Flemeth and her schemes >:3
Duke Dude
New member
Wlad
New member
Who said what about The Witcher?
I'm not gonna go and quote every single post I agree or disagree with so I'll summarize:
The Witcher is the best RPG (and game) ever made. Enough said.
Some people see the sex as juvenile, I don't, Geralt is a ladies man, they all want a piece of his action. Hell, I'm straight and I'd throw myself at him for free given the opportunity.
Lycanthrope: I am going to give you as much rep as I possibly can for all the good things you have said about The Witcher. It is clear that you have excellent taste when it comes to quality games. Also, make a plan to play Demon's Souls. Even though there is almost no story, the gameplay more than makes up for it and the dark fantasy setting is near perfect.
Duke: Get your hands on a copy of the Enhanced Edition or Platinum Edition of The Witcher and play it. Every RPG junkie should have finished The Witcher at least once, but the more times you finish it the better. IMO it still has the best story and moral system, where your decisions have actual game-changing consequences, in any game to date and only The Witcher 2 has any chance of beating it.
Omega: Demon's Souls is good. It's actually better than good, it's fucking brilliant and my no. 2 game of all time. Unfortunately it can't touch The Witcher, nothing can.
I'm not gonna go and quote every single post I agree or disagree with so I'll summarize:
The Witcher is the best RPG (and game) ever made. Enough said.
Some people see the sex as juvenile, I don't, Geralt is a ladies man, they all want a piece of his action. Hell, I'm straight and I'd throw myself at him for free given the opportunity.
Lycanthrope: I am going to give you as much rep as I possibly can for all the good things you have said about The Witcher. It is clear that you have excellent taste when it comes to quality games. Also, make a plan to play Demon's Souls. Even though there is almost no story, the gameplay more than makes up for it and the dark fantasy setting is near perfect.
Duke: Get your hands on a copy of the Enhanced Edition or Platinum Edition of The Witcher and play it. Every RPG junkie should have finished The Witcher at least once, but the more times you finish it the better. IMO it still has the best story and moral system, where your decisions have actual game-changing consequences, in any game to date and only The Witcher 2 has any chance of beating it.
Omega: Demon's Souls is good. It's actually better than good, it's fucking brilliant and my no. 2 game of all time. Unfortunately it can't touch The Witcher, nothing can.
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Stefan9
New member
Definitly not witcher. Witcher was totally based of the epic book series. If you read the books you would have understood the characters and the way the story played of better. Yeah it was a new epic story in that universe but some parts came directly out of the book and were just rehashed, like the princes again falling under the curse.
That's the way the character is in the books. Being a sterile super mutant gives him that freedom. Changing him just not to offend the sensitive types would have pissed of the entire witcher fanbase(aka those guaranteed sales)...
As for the lenght of da2, I would prefer a longer game but then these prescribed lenghts are always just an estimate so we will see once we actually get the game. It depends on the playing style and individual gaming style how long it is. But it will already be massively shorter then dao due to the very limited play throughts. Basicly 2 vs 14 possible different combinations of sex/origin/race. Won't get close to my 500+ hours I have in dao.
Lycanthrope
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Wlad
New member
To each his own.
Stefan9
New member
Guess you never played Planescape: Torment?
Planescape is great but I still find bg2 the better game but its very very tight.
Lycanthrope
New member
I enjoyed BG2, but it was very much a typical fantasy RPG. Planescape was just so much more daring, bold and different. It had such memorable characters, a classless and basically immortal character. I loved it, all of it.
