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Dragon Age Dragon Age: The Veilguard Thread

salaciousbcrumb

salaciousbcrumb

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Gargaune said:
Skinwalker said:
Have fun making a list of everyone who has ever played DA2.
Click to expand...
DA2's victims deserve compassion, not public shaming. DA2 apologists, however...
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DA2 is actually a fun game if you play it with the Covid 19 mod, which explains why all the towns are deserted and has posters saying "Stay at home, save lives." "Remember to social distance." And replaces the enemies with brainwashed zombies wearing masks trying to attack you for not social distancing... Go figure. Or cops spawning behind you trying to arrest you for going for a walk in deserted locations. And also you get attacked if you don't equip a paper mask in a bar while stood up, but can take it off while sat down.

Also tumbleweed mod is essential.

I was a normie when I bought that game in hard copy just based on Origins. After I played it I was looking for someone to put my feelings for it into words and just found positive game reviews in the MSM and after I found people who told the truth about it I trusted them and never the media again.

There are real consequencies for shilling and lying and gaslighting the public.

I mean I never trusted the MSM much for news before but thought film and game reviews must be okay. After that experience I never trusted a word they said on anything and only look at the MSM now to see what is their angle and what they are trying to sell.
 
Gargaune

Gargaune

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cvv said:
Explain to me all the things that are excellent in Origins but terrible in DA2. Start.... now.
Click to expand...
False dichotomy, DAO doesn't need to be excellent for DA2 to be terrible. DA2 shipped with barely a fraction of the required content, obscenely recycling the same little maps like an MMO without the scope, padding out combat with interminable waves of paratroopers, and stuffing the journal with routine A/B filler. It was a glorified tech demo with a AAA price tag, shamelessly streched out to sucker customers, and if some no-name indie dumped it on Steam today, you'd call it a shovelware scam. We're on the cusp of 2025 and I really still need to explain this shit?


Oh, and...

1. Skinwalker
2. cvv
 
processdaemon

processdaemon

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In DA2 I liked the story up until the end of Act 2, some of the companions and the way they interacted with each other, and while I prefer more of a blank slate as a protagonist I found Hawke pretty likeable for a mostly preset character. None of that makes up for the copy pasted maps, the atrocious handling of combat waves and, most importantly in such a story focused game, the fact you can't kill the demonic liability in your team prior to his obviously foreshadowed act of terrorism in Act 3. The latter annoys me the most because if Hawke had the opportunity to kill him earlier it would have been easy to set him up as a martyr and have some other disillusioned mage who agreed with him blow up the Chantry in Act 3, especially since he'd already written a manifesto, so Bioware wouldn't have even had to change the main storybeats to improve the breadth of choices here.

To bring it back to Veilguard, it sounds like they've doubled down on giving you as little freedom as possible with regard to killing/ refusing to take companions and that you can only kill them off in a suicide mission at the end ME2 style. Even DA:I all companions except Varric, Solas and Cassandra are optional (although I don't think you can get rid of Vivienne once you recruit her) so it just seems like yet another example of creeping decline with every game. I really love a lot of old Bioware games but it's disappointing to see them take the wrong lessons from every single one.
 
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Shuruga

Shuruga

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DA:O was an early RPG for me so I view it through rose-colored glasses, but I still unironically enjoy it for the reactivity, atmosphere, and scope. I couldn't even finish DA2: the recycled maps, random "enemies spawn from anywhere" combat that destroys any sense of tactics, anime-style combat for melee classes (which really hurt the atmosphere for me)... partway through I just couldn't do it anymore.

Also, for a lark I asked this question of our AI overlords, here is what Gemini had to say:
Many consider "Dragon Age: Origins" to be significantly better than "Dragon Age 2" primarily because of its more expansive world, impactful story with strong character development, diverse quest design, and a deeper sense of immersion, while "Dragon Age 2" is often criticized for its repetitive environments, a less compelling narrative, and a feeling of being rushed, despite having improved combat mechanics in some aspects.

Key points highlighting the differences:
  • World Design:
    "Origins" features a large, varied world with distinct regions to explore, while "Dragon Age 2" largely takes place in the city of Kirkwall, leading to a feeling of repetition with reused environments.

  • Story Depth:
    "Origins" has a more epic, world-saving narrative with impactful choices that shape the story significantly, whereas "Dragon Age 2" is considered to have a more personal, but less impactful story with a weaker overarching plot.

  • Character Development:
    Many fans praise the well-developed and memorable characters in "Origins," while "Dragon Age 2" is sometimes criticized for not giving its companions as much depth.

  • Pacing and Quest Design:
    "Origins" offers a slower, more deliberate pace with varied and engaging side quests, while "Dragon Age 2" can feel rushed with repetitive objectives.
 
gurugeorge

gurugeorge

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Strap Yourselves In
Again, I have to stress that a huge part of the draw of DA:O at the time was the reintroduction of top-down tactical gameplay.

IOW, BioWare had been going down the more action-ey route for several games prior and with the Mass Effect series it had looked like they were abandoning top-down tactical gameplay altogether. I don't remember the details, but I'm pretty sure that DA:O was a labour of love that was undertaken over several years for a sub-team in BioWare that had wanted to return to more of an old school feel, so the game they designed incorporated a return to top-down tactical gameplay as well as having another iteration of the 3rd person action style gameplay that BioWare had been chasing. (Interestingly, as I understand it, the relevant sub-team weren't given much in the way of resources, hence the somewhat sketchy graphics as compared to ME.)

And a huge proportion of the BioWare fanbase at the time really appreciated the return to top-down tactical style. THAT is why DA:O was a big hit.
 
salaciousbcrumb

salaciousbcrumb

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cvv said:
Gargaune said:
Skinwalker said:
Have fun making a list of everyone who has ever played DA2.
Click to expand...
DA2's victims deserve compassion, not public shaming. DA2 apologists, however...
Click to expand...
Explain to me all the things that are excellent in Origins but terrible in DA2. Start.... now.
Click to expand...
Dragon age origins was okay but gave me the chance to suspend my disbelief to buy into a different world for it's playhrough.

Dragon age 2 asked ME to do all the imagination for it..
 
salaciousbcrumb

salaciousbcrumb

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cvv said:
salaciousbcrumb said:
You really know a game has failed when the biggest RPG site on the interenet starts debating if Dragon Age 2 wasn't THAT BAD.
Click to expand...
DA2 is a fucking timeless masterpiece next to this turd. It's more appropriate to say "after playing DAV was Andromeda really that bad?"
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why would you even play nevermind buy anything Bioware produce. There are youtube channels to look at how shit they are. I even produced the "my face is tired," meme here without playing the game.
 
Orud

Orud

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Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut Codex+ Now Streaming!
cvv said:
Explain to me all the things that are excellent in Origins but terrible in DA2. Start.... now.
Click to expand...
Gaider's toupet.
Origins:

gayder.png

DA2:
gaider.png
 
salaciousbcrumb

salaciousbcrumb

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Camel

Camel

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DA:O is a great game with good writing and memorable larger-than-life characters. People still discuss why Loghain left his king at Ostagar(that is they discussed it until BioWare showed that the DA Illuminati influenced Loghain's decision) or what dwarven king should you choose in Orzammar which is the best part of the game with the best writing. It sure has flaws and some areas with tedious combat against a million of trash mobs like the Deep Roads can easily kill replay value. Excellent C&C, streamlined but serviceable isometric combat, three-dimensional companions(funnily enough Sten got based and controversial in our clown world).
 
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Yosharian

Yosharian

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You gonna hit me with the Citation Needed when you only have to hop over to the DA subreddit to see thousands of losers circlejerking over how DAV is a return to form and totally GOTY?

:x
 
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