Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Preview Dragon Age II Previews

VentilatorOfDoom

Administrator
Staff Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2009
Messages
8,600
Location
Deutschland
Tags: BioWare; Dragon Age 2

<p>Last weekend's Eurogamer Expo is the source of some Dragon Age II hands-on previews.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>OXM <a href="http://www.oxm.co.uk/article.php?id=22596" target="_blank">found out</a> how Commander Hawke became the ultra-dude he is:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><span class="text_article_body">Dragon Age 2 uses a framed narrative, letting the game take in the best moments of Hawke's decade, exploring his rise from refugee in Origins' region of Ferelden to ultra-dude in the northern Free Marches. This cuts down on tiresome filler - "this is where Hawke discovered the great bacon sandwich of +12 constitution" - and lets BioWare get to the fun. It's Dragon Age: the greatest hits.<br /><br /> Aiding this transformation is a tweaked and tightened battle engine. BioWare's Mike Laidlaw, the game's Lead Designer described the new focus in simple terms - "when I push a button, something awesome happens." Playing the game, it became clear ability cooldowns and other tiresome RPG staples have been relocated to the rear of an attack, and arrows, spells and swords hit home quickly and brutally.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span class="text_article_body"><em>When I push a button, something awesome happen</em>s. </span>Seems Mike has gone full Molyneux. What happened BioWare?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Brutal Gamer noticed that <a href="http://brutalgamer.com/2010/10/03/dragon-age-ii-hands-on-impressions/" target="_blank">DA2 is a lot more visceral</a> now.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The graphics are a lot better than the PS3 version of Origins.&nbsp; The textures are noticeably higher resolution in this, although a lot of them still do look a bit flat.&nbsp; Overall, the game looks noticeably better, and interestingly, it seemed though the blood spatters from Origins mostly only appeared on certain characters, with Hawke coming out looking clean, and some other characters having shields covered in blood.&nbsp; Dragon Age II is a lot more visceral and violent, though, with Hurlocks being literally sliced in half and blood pouring everwhere.</p>
<p>The music is suitably grand as usual, and the voice acting is of a similarly good quality to Origins.&nbsp; The return of Flemeth is an intriguing one, her being one of the characters who appeared in Origins.&nbsp; She offers to help you in exchange for delivering a package for her, which is where the demo ended.</p>
<p>Dialogue options in the game are controlled by a Mass Effect style wheel, rather than just the list from the previous game.&nbsp; However, an icon appears in the centre of the wheel as you highlight a dialogue choice to designate exactly what tone it&rsquo;s taking, be it aggressive, neutral, flirty or otherwise.&nbsp; The fact that you play a pre-determined characters means you play someone who feels an integral part of the story, is voiced and feels natural, as opposed to your silent protaganist in Origins.&nbsp; Some people have been unsure about this developement, but it adds a whole extra level to the story that wasn&rsquo;t there previously.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Personally, I'm excited that the game will indicate with an icon whether an dialogue option is extreme or whatnot. Saves me the effort of finding out.</p>
<p><span class="text_article_body"><br /></span></p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/99978-dragon-age-ii-previews.html">GB</a></p>
 

yes plz

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
2,158
Pathfinder: Wrath
Playing the game, it became clear ability cooldowns and other tiresome RPG staples have been relocated to the rear of an attack, and arrows, spells and swords hit home quickly and brutally.

yeah, i hate when my rpgs feature rpg mechanics.
 

KalosKagathos

Learned
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Messages
1,988
Location
Russia
VentilatorOfDoom said:
Dragon Age 2 uses a framed narrative, letting the game take in the best moments of Hawke's decade, exploring his rise from refugee in Origins' region of Ferelden to ultra-dude in the northern Free Marches. This cuts down on tiresome filler - "this is where Hawke discovered the great bacon sandwich of +12 constitution" - and lets BioWare get to the fun. It's Dragon Age: the greatest hits.
Wait, am I reading it right? The already minimal amounts of exploration that DA had are being streamlined away in favor of an even more linear structure?
 

racofer

Thread Incliner
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Messages
25,573
Location
Your ignore list.
KalosKagathos said:
Wait, am I reading it right? The already minimal amounts of exploration that DA had are being streamlined away in favor of an even more linear structure?

Makes Fallout 3 sound like a gem of game design, doesn't it?
 

poocolator

Erudite
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
7,948
Location
The Order of Discalced Codexian Convulsionists
It's like there's a rampant streamliner on the loose.
Civ 5 comes to mind, too.

steamroller.jpg
 
Joined
Aug 5, 2009
Messages
3,749
Location
Moo?
In what universe does DA2 look better than DA?

It looks like Azurik, or one of the other games released in the original Xbox's first couple months. Only cleaned up a bit, given some AA and better lighting. It's a mess.
 

hoochimama

Liturgist
Joined
Jul 11, 2004
Messages
665
KalosKagathos said:
Wait, am I reading it right? The already minimal amounts of exploration that DA had are being streamlined away in favor of an even more linear structure?

So it takes cues from AP as well as ME2.
 

chzr

Scholar
Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
1,238
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?



dragonage2-1.jpg


no shit the grafix are now so improved. need moar nutella.
 

commie

The Last Marxist
Patron
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
1,865,249
Location
Where one can weep in peace
Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Divinity: Original Sin 2
racofer said:
KalosKagathos said:
Wait, am I reading it right? The already minimal amounts of exploration that DA had are being streamlined away in favor of an even more linear structure?

Makes Fallout 3 sound like a gem of game design, doesn't it?

This horrific realization came to me when I started playing ME2 a week ago. For all of Beth's shittyness when it comes to making games, at least they are RPG's, with skill checks, use of shit you find to solve puzzles, exploration etc. If the Biofag way is the way of the future then that means that there is no place for RPG's anymore. 'RPG' is reduced to a marketing term for standard cover shooters and hack and slash games.
 

Morkar Left

Guest
chzr said:
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?



dragonage2-1.jpg


no shit the grafix are now so improved. need moar nutella.

Is he on a spy mission or why is he wearing a false beard?
 

Sceptic

Arcane
Patron
Joined
Mar 2, 2010
Messages
10,871
Divinity: Original Sin
chzr said:
need moar nutella.
... NOW I finally understand this nutella meme on Bioware Social!

The blood thing is looking even stupider than DAO. Which is a fucking achievement.
 
Self-Ejected

Jack

█▓▒░
Patron
Joined
May 5, 2010
Messages
4,900
Location
Yondo
Insert Title Here
chzr said:
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?
All modern games should have visceral combat.
It is just as important as immershun, bloom, colored lightning and streamlined gameplay.
Can't play a game without cover systems, have many polygons, high resolution graphics and realistic physics.
 

commie

The Last Marxist
Patron
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
1,865,249
Location
Where one can weep in peace
Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Divinity: Original Sin 2
chzr said:
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?



dragonage2-1.jpg


no shit the grafix are now so improved. need moar nutella.

Fuck it looks like shit(for being a supposed AAA title). The first TWitcher looked much better.
 
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
1,875,967
Location
Glass Fields, Ruins of Old Iran
chzr said:
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?

a) new buzzword everyone parrots no one really know wtf it means, like "ME is the grand evolution of rpgs"

or

b)DA tried to transmit that through combat (blood splatters everywhere), and people are thinking the sequel tries to do it better
 

deus101

Never LET ME into a tattoo parlor!
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Messages
2,059
Project: Eternity Wasteland 2
ITS BOUT GUTS BEING SPLATTERSD ALL OVER TEH SCREEN!!

actually...its just a new buzzword for immursion you are suppose to feel the combat being "gut wrenching"


god damn those jews
 

Ogg

Prophet
Patron
Joined
Jan 14, 2008
Messages
1,005
Location
River Seine
Codex 2012 Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Codex USB, 2014 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 BattleTech
Morkar said:
chzr said:
so what's up with that 'visceral' thing now? will it from now on be like if a game has visceral combat, it rox, if not, it's boring?



dragonage2-1.jpg


no shit the grafix are now so improved. need moar nutella.

Is he on a spy mission or why is he wearing a false beard?
and a toupée
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom