DA2 has leaked

[kris]

2. Check the boat in which Hawke came to Kirkwall. There's no fucking way that little shit could take such a long way without damage... fuck damage... they should die in the first storm.

Not to forget that I can't see why it shouldn't stop on the way. Seriously from down there all the way up to the free marches? Shouldn't Fereldans go to Denerim first? Or at least northern Ferelden? But that opens up the next question, why does the darkspawn only attack Ferelden considering the deep roads apparently goes all over the continent?

Oh well, I already compared the game to the phantom menace.

 

[Hamster]

Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing.

DA2 is not focused on combat.

 

[J_C]

It's quite surprising to see more and more positive opinions about DA2, after all the hate we gave it. It seems we are humans after all, and can make mistakes. In the end, it will the RPG of the year for codex in 2011.

 

[Havoc]

Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing.

DA2 is not focused on combat.

Name couple of quests that don't involve combat in any way.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing.

DA2 is not focused on combat.

What else is there to do? Explore the countryside? Talk to various characters? Lose yourself in a living, breathing world? Join a faction or two and rise all the way to the top? Talk or stealth your way through the game? Craft your own story, perhaps?

 

[hoverdog]

(b)ROMANCE, obviously. Where have you been lately, VD?

 

[Hamster]

Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing.

DA2 is not focused on combat.

Name couple of quests that don't involve combat in any way.

Just because there are tons of filler combat everywhere doesn't mean it's the focus of the game. Bioware dumps combat on the player so he has something to do between "immersive" and "cinematic" conversations and to artificially enhance the length of the game.

No, if you want to brand this game IWD style action rpg and therefore strip it of any chance of being anything other than shit because it does not focus on elemens important to IWD style action rpg, i have no problems with that. It will be just as unfair as comparing it to BG2, but, hey it's not me who is fighting for fair "good for what it is" approach.

 

[Havoc]

Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing.

DA2 is not focused on combat.

Name couple of quests that don't involve combat in any way.

Just because there are tons of filler combat everywhere doesn't mean it's the focus of the game. Bioware dumps combat on the player so he has something to do between "immersive" and "cinematic" conversations and to artificially enhance the length of the game.

What? Now you will tell me that Devil May Cry isn't about making big and cool combos, but about the story of Dante and his brother. Fighting side by side! The combat is only to enchance the length of the supreme dark story of a son of the fucking devil and only happens between immersive and cinematic conversations between characters. The only difference? In DA2 you can chose HOW your character sounds.

 

[Hamster]

What else is there to do? Talk to various characters? Lose yourself in a living, breathing world? Join a faction or two and rise all the way to the top? Craft your own story, perhaps?

All of the above were clealry intended as strong points of this game. Developers lacking time/budget/talent to do it properly is another question.

 

[J_C]

Just because there are tons of filler combat everywhere doesn't mean it's the focus of the game.

I also think that the focus is on combat. Why? Because a few instances aside, you solve every problem with fighting. Sometimes you can talk your way out of it, but that's very rare and only available at significant quests. You can't solve problems with stealth for example, you have to fight all the time. There isn't much to explore either.

 

[Hamster]

What? Now you will tell me that Devil May Cry isn't about making big and cool combos, but about the story of Dante and his brother.

Now DA2 and DMC are the same genre? Ok, go on, compare big and cool combos of DMC with the ones in DA2.

 

[Havoc]

And what about BUTTON-AWESOME?

 

[J_C]

Ok, go on, compare big and cool combos of DMC with the ones in DA2.

No need to compare. DMC wins.

 

[Havoc]

What? Now you will tell me that Devil May Cry isn't about making big and cool combos, but about the story of Dante and his brother.

Now DA2 and DMC are the same genre? Ok, go on, compare big and cool combos of DMC with the ones in DA2.

First, thanks JC.
Second, you missed the point. I wasn't comparing DMC to DA2. I was using your logic. If most of the game is repetive combat, the game is focused more on it than the story.

 

[Hamster]

Ok, go on, compare big and cool combos of DMC with the ones in DA2.

No need to compare. DMC wins.

And thats exactly the situation we are trying to avoid with "good for what it is" way, no? To avoid game rendered shit by comparison to something it is not meant to be?

All this just goes to show that "good for what it is" is a way of the derp. In trying to establish what DA2 is we already discovered that some think its DMC styles game and some think it's IWD style of game.

Just comparing it to it's predecessor like i suggested in the beginning would be much easier.

* Yes, you didn't really compare it, i got it. The point is that when everybody is free to choose what the game "is" it turns discussion into a mess.

 

[Hamster]

If most of the game is repetive combat, the game is focused more on it than the story.

Well, thats a good point.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Just because there are tons of filler combat everywhere doesn't mean it's the focus of the game. Bioware dumps combat on the player so he has something to do between "immersive" and "cinematic" conversations and to artificially enhance the length of the game.

What IS the focus of the game then? The cutscenes?

No, if you want to brand this game IWD style action rpg and therefore strip it of any chance of being anything other than shit because it does not focus on elemens important to IWD style action rpg, i have no problems with that. It will be just as unfair as comparing it to BG2, but, hey it's not me who is fighting for fair "good for what it is" approach.

What are the elements that IWD was focused on?

What else is there to do? Talk to various characters? Lose yourself in a living, breathing world? Join a faction or two and rise all the way to the top? Craft your own story, perhaps?

All of the above were clealry intended as strong points of this game. Developers lacking time/budget/talent to do it properly is another question.

Clearly intended? Care to back it up with some arguments?

 

[Havoc]

Another example: Risen and Gothics. It's not about exploring... it's about getting your ass fucked by a pack of flying penises, because you suck at fighting.

 

[Hamster]

What IS the focus of the game then? The cutscenes?

Cutscenes, dialogues, characters, companions, exploring the city.

Being a focus of the game is not a guarantee from being poorly implemented.

What are the elements that IWD was focused on?

Combat, encounter design, implementing D&D ruleset, loot, great dungeons, player generated party. Obviously different set than in DA2.

Clearly intended? Care to back it up with some arguments?

What, you think that exploring the city of Kirkwall, talking to companions, geting involved in the struggle between Templars and Mages and making some cosmetic choices to the story of Hawke becoming the Champion were not intended as strong points? I think it's pretty obvious that main efforts of developers were directed here.

 

[Volourn]

"Let's see... Both games are focused on combat, the story and character interaction are only the background for all the killing. The difference between DA and DA2 is the same as the difference between BG and IWD. While combat plays a large role in all these games, DA and the BG games offer more than just combat, whereas in games like DA2 and IWD,"

Are you fukkin' on crack? Seriosuly, are you on fukkin' crack. To claim that DA2 ahs more in common with IWD2 than DA1 or BG2 is plain bullshit. Plain 'ol fukkin' bullshit.

The focus isn't actually on combat. The story pushes the game forward not the combat. Combat is used in DA2 the same way it is in DA1 or BG2 or any other story focused RPG.

Also, btw, IWD is NOT an action rpg. It's a rpg. Just like the Gb games. Except the focus in the GB games as opposed to other RPGs like PST, BG2, or FO is the focus is on combat ie. dungeon crawl.

GB and IWD = action focused dungeon crawl but still RPG

BG2, DA1, DA2, and PST = story focused rpg

FO & ARC = c&c fcoused RPG

ES series = exploration fcoused RPG

BL + ME1 E2+ JE + G series + Dseries = Action RPGs that fcous on different things

 

[Hamster]

Hmm, ok, how about that: DA2 is partialy focused on combat, but the focus is not as strong as in pure action rpgs. Dialogue, story, gameworld and companions are also playing a big role?

 

[Hamster]

The focus isn't actually on combat. The story pushes the game forward not the combat.

Wow, Volourn just said something that makes perfect sense. In IWD you go to the next dungeon because you want more combat and more interesting dungeons, in DA2 you go into combat to see what happens next in the story.

 

[Volourn]

" why does the darkspawn only attack Ferelden considering the deep roads apparently goes all over the continent?"

The latesta rchdemon was found in Feralden Deep Roads hence why it ttargets Feralden. Earlier archdemons I think taregted elsewhere - hence why the wardens are everywhere.

Feralden just got picked on first this time, and outr Warden was fukkin' awesome and took doen the archdemon quicker than it usually takes so it couldn't spread itself elsewhere.

R00fles!

 

[Hamster]

Ok, my final argument before i go to sleep. Yes, i was wrong to claim combat is not a focus of DA2. But no matter how much combat there is, the reason we are going trough it is to see what comes next is the story. Because no matter the ammount of combat, DA2 is still a story-driven game and cannot be braned as just an action-rpg.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Dialogues play a role when they serve a purpose other than letting you know whom to kill. For example, in some games dialogues help you explore the world (not talking about cutscenes here), learn more about characters, gather additional info, discover and take alternative paths and story branches. DA2 does none of that.

The story of the Champion (sigh) is set in stone (or appears to be so far). You don't change your own story, but you can affect some people around you (not sure in what way yet). You're not even living the story. You're re-enacting the combat parts in it, moving from one cutscene to another. I like the low-key approach, but it hardly makes it one of the game's stronger points.

Companions play the same role as any party members do, they go where you click and attack monsters on sight. Again, hardly an important role.

I guess what you're trying to say is that the setting, story, and characters make the game worth playing and somewhat enjoyable, but the same applies to the IWD games.