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[bhlaab]

This game looks like shit but I'm still gonna buy it Day O- STOP IT

STOP IT

STOP

IT

I'm sick of Call of Duty but I'm willing to give this new one a shoSTOP IT

STOP IT

 

[mjc]

I greatly enjoyed the demo too, and I'm looking forward to release.

 

[HK-47]

This is something I cannot understand. They develop the DA IP over a period of 150 years. And what comes out is one of the most cliche, boring shallow stock fantasy worlds imaginable. Characters, history even the NAME is generic sludge. The two antagonists in the first game? A mustache twirling villain and a nameless mindless beast.

I just cant figure out wtf they were/are thinking.

Like they normally think?

 

[Hixx]

It is a loaded question because its predicated upon the false assumption that it being "faster paced" is the entirety of the "problem". When in fact its just one of the many symptoms of a radical change in design and game-play philosophy.

But I didn't assume his only problem was that the combat was faster paced. I wasn't going to sit and write every single niggle, was I? I was offering examples as to explain his opinion and offered the two most seemingly popular opinions rather than him just saying the game had been 'dumbed down' which offers nothing to a discussion.

 

[Haunted]

"I think [Dragon Age II] sidesteps what I see as almost like traditions. Traditional weak points of the classic RPG are ... they're daunting. High barrier to entry. They're hard to get into," he says. BioWare's own player-tracking statistics tell a similar tale: a significant portion of Origins players had their own mystifying "other" moments, dropping the game after only an hour.

"They weren't even getting an Achievement," Laidlaw continues.

Serious post, and probably my last one in this thread:

Appealing to the sort of player who dropped the first game after an hour of play was the downfall of this series in the eyes of those who actually liked the first one.

Basically, the only positive comments I've seen in the demo thread have come from console gamers who have no experience with the first one, with the odd contrarian PC kusoge lover thrown in there.

Feedback from the actual fanbase on GAF, the ones who were active in the first OP has almost universally been harshly negative. And it's really easy to see why.

With Skyrim, The Witcher 2 and Dark Souls on the horizon (for a start), Dragon Age can go fuck itself. Sorry Bioware. Voting with my wallet is the only thing I can do, and I do not support the direction you've decided to go for.

 

[wayward archer]

I really wish Bioware would suck it up and license a fantasy world. Am I the only one that finds the dragon age world completely bland and boring?

It's pretty bland and boring. Feels like a fantasy world designed by a committee to me.

There are some interesting aspects to it. It really doesn't help that the engine makes every space feel tiny. The city of Denerim just doesn't feel sprawling and epic like Baldur's Gate or Amn did to me back in it's day.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

But I didn't assume his only problem was that the combat was faster paced.

Well maybe you did not make that assumption. But your question most certainly did...

 

[luxarific]

Aaaaand those kinds of threads are why I like GAF. Only the third sounds like something you'd see around here.

Well, it's a fan forum for a single video game. That's a lot different from a forum for fans of video games.

I guess Im in the minority, but Im really looking forward to this game and quite enjoyed the demo.

As a big fan of the first game, I'm looking forward to DA2, even though I thought the demo sucked. The universe is interesting enough for me to play the game at least once before I condemn it.

 

[Tokubetsu]

This will do until Assassins of Kings.

 

[Durante]

With Skyrim, The Witcher 2 and Dark Soul's on the horizon, Dragon Age can go fuck itself. I won't support this shit.

I'd like to take this stance, but none of those games play remotely like DAO.

 

[truly101]

Serious post, and probably my last one in this thread:

Appealing to the sort of player who dropped the first game after an hour of play was the downfall of this series in the eyes of those who actually liked the first one.

Basically, the only positive comments I've seen in the demo thread have come from console gamers who have no experience with the first one, with the odd contrarian PC kusoge lover thrown in there.

Feedback from the actual fanbase on GAF, the ones who were active in the first OP has almost universally been harshly negative. And it's really easy to see why.

With Skyrim, The Witcher 2 and Dark Soul's on the horizon, Dragon Age can go fuck itself. I won't support this shit.

I don't think DA itself had a high barrier of entry, really, it wasn't as foreign to me as say BG has been. The complaint I've heard from a couple of friends of mine (who have been long time gamers) was that DA began painfully slow for them, and it was a bit bland.

I really don't know where this game will go sales wise. There will be your "dreaded consolite peasants" who were put out by the originals slower pace and prolly wont even try the sequel and the PC elitists who see this as little more than whored out tripe. That leaves people like me that really don't give that much of a fuck. I enjoyed the first game on consoles just fine, it just needed to be refined a bit. I also have admittedly low low low expectations for video games. I think I'm a happier person for it as well.

 

[Vamphuntr]

It's pretty bland and boring. Feels like a fantasy world designed by a committee to me.

There are some interesting aspects to it. It really doesn't help that the engine makes every space feel tiny. The city of Denerim just doesn't feel sprawling and epic like Baldur's Gate or Amn did to me back in it's day.

Don't mention this city again I'm going to cry. The many districts, the multiple buildings you could get into, the tombs with liches, the whole sewer system, the docks, the adventurer's mart, the vampires and shadow thieves. So many areas and nice stuff going on in that city.

 

[ElectricBlue187]

The world of Ferelden was actually one of the big positives for me in DAO. The Chantry, the outcast Dalish, the subjugated Mage and elven population, the neighboring enemy of Orlais, The Landsmeet, the mysterious Deep Roads and the Paragons were all interesting to me. It also helped that the characters were maybe cliche but also funny and endearing

 

[Haunted]

I'd like to take this stance, but none of those games play remotely like DAO.

Well neither does DA2, apparently.

 

[subversus]

This game looks like shit but I'm still gonna buy it Day O- STOP IT

STOP IT

STOP

IT

I'm sick of Call of Duty but I'm willing to give this new one a shoSTOP IT

STOP IT

damn, you're taking it too seriously.

 

[SnakeswithLasers]

Yeah, that and the main hub levels went on too long. The weakest parts of the game for me were the long main areas (like the mage tower/fade, werewolf cave, deeproads, that mountain with the urn) because of the dull combat. If the combat was more satisfying it would have been easier to deal with, but it wasn't so most of the time I was basically turning a corner into another pack of enemies and saying "oh COME ON when is this shit over?"

I don't think 2 will solve anything, because like I said it felt the same to me just a little flashier and faster but I'm hoping it will be more fun.

I totally agree with that assessment of the first game. Exactly why I never bothered finishing it and why I'm more on the fence about this than I would be expected for a western fantasy rpg.

 

[yamo]

think like a General, fight like a SPARTAN

I don't know why, but this sentence leaves me confused and angry...

 

[Red]

Evilore, the system specs killed me. So good.

I'll be popping back into this thread whenever we get a 60%+ off sale. Till then you guys have fun.

 

[Instro]

Best OP Ive seen in a while, thanks for the laugh.

 

[EviLore]

The city so memorable you don't remember what it's called! Athkatla, not Amn

 

[shintoki]

I really don't know where this game will go sales wise. There will be your "dreaded consolite peasants" who were put out by the originals slower pace and prolly wont even try the sequel and the PC elitists who see this as little more than whored out tripe. That leaves people like me that really don't give that much of a fuck. I enjoyed the first game on consoles just fine, it just needed to be refined a bit. I also have admittedly low low low expectations for video games. I think I'm a happier person for it as well.

Sounds like they are doing one of the larger mistakes developers create for themselves. Instead of appealing to the core fanbase, they are opting to go for the large console market. Make it more flashy and action-game like, hopefully string some GoW fans in or something. I guess you could say, that it's now a poor action game and poor rpg, appealing to neither audience.

 

[jakershaker]

Bah, loved the first Dragon Age and pretty sure I will love this one. Witcher 2 is the BIG rpg release though but will be nice to play some Dragon Age while waiting.

 

[Luthos]

While it definitely doesn't look amazing, I still think the screenshots make it look worse. It looks better in motion, based on the demo.

Still, I know it's getting a lot of flak, but I enjoyed the demo, and plan to get it within the first week.

 

[Snuggles]

The city so memorable you don't remember what it's called! Athkatla, not Amn

I've played enough WRPG's that I simply can't remember generic fantasy city names anymore, they all sound the same to me.

 

[Ferrio]

BUT IS THERE TITTIES?!?!

 

[bloodforge]

They really should have just made the Dragon Age franchise PC exclusive.

They already took the RPG out of Mass Effect, now they're doing it again with DA.

 

[Hari Seldon]

BUT IS THERE TITTIES?!?!

Hopefully the awesome skin work for the first game can be easily transported to this game.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Serious post, and probably my last one in this thread:

Appealing to the sort of player who dropped the first game after an hour of play was the downfall of this series in the eyes of those who actually liked the first one.

Basically, the only positive comments I've seen in the demo thread have come from console gamers who have no experience with the first one, with the odd contrarian PC kusoge lover thrown in there.

Feedback from the actual fanbase on GAF, the ones who were active in the first OP has almost universally been harshly negative. And it's really easy to see why.

With Skyrim, The Witcher 2 and Dark Souls on the horizon (for a start), Dragon Age can go fuck itself. Sorry Bioware. Voting with my wallet is the only thing I can do, and I do not support the direction you've decided to go for.

I both agree and disagree with you. I loved DA:O, and was worried they were going to go too far with changing shit in DA2. While I've only played the demo, it was enough to expel my fears that the game would be shit, or even mechanically all that different from the first game. This is assuming that there will be a decent challenge on the harder difficulties, because the normal difficulty in the demo was insanely easy.

There are a lot of things I do dislike. Some of the new artistic designs, the look of the new interface, the addition of the conversation wheel, no visual changes when changing armor on party members, the removal of the overhead view (which can be circumvented to a point by using Mage AE spells to scroll around the screen), some of the ridiculous animations, etc... but, for the most part, I think the game played mostly the same as DA:O. The story also sounds a lot more interesting than the first game. It doesn't have the same "epicness" of the first game, but that's not problem for me. I'd much prefer a more intricate character driven game.

I'm definitely not a contrarian kusoge lover. I'm a huge fan of the first game and finished a second play-through of Awakening minutes before trying the DA2 demo. I ended up having a lot of fun with it, and I'm now quite excited for the full game. Would I have preferred they stuck closer to the original game? Sure, but this looks pretty good, too.

 

[Ysiadmihi]

They really should have just made the Dragon Age franchise PC exclusive.

They already took the RPG out of Mass Effect, now they're doing it again with DA.

After Mass Effect 2, I was sure Bioware was going to keep Dragon Age as it's hardcore franchise and Mass Effect as a game for everyone. Pretty disappointed how it has turned out.

 

[Castor Krieg]

They are not making this game for hardcore NeoGAF gamers. They are making this game for everyone, and their data said that a lot of people gave up before even finishing an origin story. They attempted to rectify that.

Yes, I understand that. As hardcore NeoGAF gamer I don't give a damn about their need to attract CoD scrubs, I will still call DA2 ugly and gameplay 'dumbed down" because thatis what it is.

 

[Gully State]

This is something I cannot understand. They develop the DA IP over a period of 150 years. And what comes out is one of the most cliche, boring shallow stock fantasy worlds imaginable. Characters, history even the NAME is generic sludge. The two antagonists in the first game? A mustache twirling villain and a nameless mindless beast.

I just cant figure out wtf they were/are thinking.

I totally agree...The Dragon Age universe feels so B-rated. For all the time spent fleshing out the lore of the world, nothing really stuck. It just felt like a straight to dvd Lord of the Rings knock-off. There were some interesting side quests though.

 

[vocab]

Serious post, and probably my last one in this thread:

Appealing to the sort of player who dropped the first game after an hour of play was the downfall of this series in the eyes of those who actually liked the first one.

.

Ya no shit. We live in ADHD generation of gaming. People can't even finish most 6 hours games because they get bored with it too fast.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

The problem being Dragon Age was already a watered down RPG. It now being held up as some ideal because the sequel is an abomination makes me cry. I am getting the impression that all these design choices are to be able to pump out "expansions" and DLC to wring every possible drop of blood from as many customers as possible.

Randomly generated DLC is the future.

 

[subversus]

Ya no shit. We live in ADHD world. People can't even finish most 6 hours games because they get bored with it too fast.

fixed

 

[FLEABttn]

Regardless of gameplay changes, I'm not getting this when releases. EA showed me their DLC cards with Origins. I'll wait for the super ultimate expac-DLC release which I'll get from an Amazon black friday or gold box sale for $35.

 

[shuyin_]

Kotaku likes this thread

 

[bhlaab]

BUT IS THERE TITTIES?!?!

Do you like GILFs

 

[dalemurphy]

Yes, I understand that. As hardcore NeoGAF gamer I don't give a damn about their need to attract CoD scrubs, I will still call DA2 ugly and gameplay 'dumbed down" because thatis what it is.

If you want to see them continue to make Dragon Age games, you should care about their need to attract a broader audience.

I only played Dragon Age: Origins on consoles, but I didn't see anything particularly "dumbed down" in the DA2 demo. Is this just in reference to the PC version?

And no matter how ugly you might think DA2 is, it's far less ugly than DA:O.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

If you want to see them continue to make Dragon Age games, you should care about their need to attract a broader audience.

Why would he care about a game being continued if it sucks? That is a groan worthy rationalization. If you want a game series to continue you should not care if it sucks so it can continue?!

 

[Gully State]

And no matter how ugly you might think DA2 is, it's far less ugly than DA:O.

Those are some high standards there...

 

[dalemurphy]

Why would he care about a game being continued if it sucks? That is a groan worthy rationalization. If you want a game series to continue you should not care if it sucks so it can continue?!

So now it sucks? That is an amazing leap that you just made.

 

[subversus]

So now it sucks? That is an amazing leap that you just made.

he meant if the sequel sucks.

 

[Ysiadmihi]

So now it sucks? That is an amazing leap that you just made.

I don't see what difference it makes though. Let's say Dragon Age 2 ends up not being a complete waste, but if it's still not the type of game someone wants to play why would they care if the series continues?

 

[dionysus]

For a large scale RPG, I remember DAO looking good on the PC. Sure it had its ups and downs, but what HD game with more than 6 hours of content doesnt.

 

[dalemurphy]

I don't see what difference it makes though. Let's say Dragon Age 2 ends up not being a complete waste, but if it's still not the type of game someone wants to play why would they care if the series continues?

But how does everyone know it's not a game that someone wants to play.

The conclusions that some of you are jumping to are amazing. From the demo I played, it wasn't that different at all from the first game. There's a conversation wheel, a few less skills, more (optional) button mashing, one main character, and a better graphics engine. The "streamlining" comments are really overblown, especially for console players.

Some people are so allergic to the thought of making something more appealing to the masses that they can't enjoy something for what it is.

 

[subversus]

I don't see what difference it makes though. Let's say Dragon Age 2 ends up not being a complete waste, but if it's still not the type of game someone wants to play why would they care if the series continues?

they'll be dissapointed that series continue but being complete shit. It's like every time you see an announcement of the new game in series you'll be reminded how great the first game was and what could possibly be if....

 

[ghst]

I don't know why, but this sentence leaves me confused and angry...

you must've missed the bit in the demo where you go in dry on a 14 year old boy.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

I just found the demo really ugly. Not just technically but artistically too. I mean that opening area has to be one of the worst looking environments I've seen all gen. Plus the videos I've seen on giantbomb don't show anything more interesting.

Perhaps my expectations are just too high seeing as the last WRPG I've been playing is Two Worlds II which has some breath taking environments. Of course DA2 has better combat IMO. If only I could explore Two Worlds II using DA2's combat engine.

Still not sure what to do with my preorder. I suppose I'll cancel and just wait for the inevitable cheaper GOTY edition

 

[AranhaHunter]

I played the demo on PS3 and am kinda interested. Should I play the DA1 first?

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

Just read through the last 10 pages. The OP is "funny hehe", not "funny haha".

I played through DA:O on 360 and I'm currently replaying it and all DLC on 360. Played through the demo on both PC and 360. Still looking forward to next Tuesday for DA2.

Hopefully the GAF hate will die down soon after release and this thread will be left to those who enjoy the final product for what it is, warts and all.