Dragon Age

[Xilren's Twin]

Just picked this up for the pc at lunchtime.  Will give it first crack tonight.  In odd sort of juxtapostion, this clearly seems to be a PC game that got ported to consoles, whereas Borderlands was just the opposite.  It's getting so you really have to dig into the details on any multi-platform release to figure out which to get anymore.  From that Gamespot review it specifically mentions that the PC version is better in terms on character control, camera control especially, overall graphics, interface, and of course, the toolset.  But to offset that, apparently the console version is noticeably easier.  What a shockl  

And i have to say, the web game DA:Journeys was a nice touch.  Dont care so much about unlocking stuff for the real game with it, but as an introduction to the lore, concepts and skills, i liked it.  Turn based combat FTW!  Supposedly they are going to continue to release content for that as well.  There is marketing i can get behind.

[Ingmar]

Available: 6 November 2009
This game will unlock in approximately 2 days and 22 hours

Fine, Electronic Arts. I'll just not fucking play your stupid fucking dragon age game. Try me again in 2030 when you've finally decided to treat your customers the same wherever they live.

You guys get Paradox games way before we do. 

I am pretty sure this is just a matter of some deal where their digital distribution release date has to match the retail store release date due to deals with their distributors. There are a lot of reasons that it might be difficult for them to get copies into brick and mortar stores on the exact same day worldwide.

[gryeyes]

Whatever you do don't play on the hardest difficulty setting. Story so far is pretty awesome, tons of lore everywhere that is interesting. The mage intro gives a heavy WH40k vibe (almost biting the entire style). Was tempted to reroll just to play another intro.

[Draegan]

I have no idea what class to play.  I'm going into this game blind and just let inspiration come to me.

[Velorath]

Finally got the Shale DLC downloading, even though on the site when you redeem the code it will say it doesn't work.

[Bunk]

Got my "your copy is waiting for you" call from EB ten minutes ago. 2.5 hours left in my shift...

[Amaron]

That eurogamer review is pretty iffy if you ask me.   It sounds like the author set himself up waiting for some god game and then got all pissy because Bioware used a gameworld that he didn't like.   He came off like some sort of Forgotten Realms sissy getting pissed because the GM wants to play Dragonlance.

Finally got the Shale DLC downloading, even though on the site when you redeem the code it will say it doesn't work.

When I entered all my codes the site said it didn't work and that it was accepted at the same time.

Stolen from FFXII, yes?

Yea the tactics thing looks straight out of FF12.   They even have a skill that lets you open more tactics slots.   I haven't fiddled with it on the PC version because you don't really let the AI do anything in important fights.  It's very handy for the more normal fights though so I probably fiddle with it once I get more skills/abilities that need to be setup.

[Draegan]

I still havn't decided to download this off of steam or buy it from the store on the way home.  Hmmm.

[Yegolev]

From that Gamespot review it specifically mentions that the PC version is better in terms on character control, camera control especially, overall graphics, interface, and of course, the toolset.  But to offset that, apparently the console version is noticeably easier.

Hahaha, console gamers are the 1980's-USA to PC gamers' 1980's-Japan.

[Azazel]

Available: 6 November 2009
This game will unlock in approximately 2 days and 22 hours

Fine, Electronic Arts. I'll just not fucking play your stupid fucking dragon age game. Try me again in 2030 when you've finally decided to treat your customers the same wherever they live.

Didn't we just do this with Gearbox/2K/Borderlands?

[Teleku]

From that Gamespot review it specifically mentions that the PC version is better in terms on character control, camera control especially, overall graphics, interface, and of course, the toolset.  But to offset that, apparently the console version is noticeably easier.

Hahaha, console gamers are the 1980's-USA to PC gamers' 1980's-Japan.

That sentence is painful.

[Slyfeind]

Before I pick this up, how stable is it? Any big issues? I'm barely above min spec, so I'd hate to find "There's a patch coming that will fix XYZ" and have to struggle with some weird bug or search the 'net for work-arounds.

[Morat20]

From that Gamespot review it specifically mentions that the PC version is better in terms on character control, camera control especially, overall graphics, interface, and of course, the toolset.  But to offset that, apparently the console version is noticeably easier.

Hahaha, console gamers are the 1980's-USA to PC gamers' 1980's-Japan.

What are the specific differences between the 360 and PC versions?

I'm not upgrading my PC to play this, although I've toyed with getting it for the 360.

[schild]

omg tactical view

[Ashamanchill]

Before I pick this up, how stable is it? Any big issues? I'm barely above min spec, so I'd hate to find "There's a patch coming that will fix XYZ" and have to struggle with some weird bug or search the 'net for work-arounds.

I bought this title and installed it, only to get a 'failed to auhtneticate cd' or some bullshit anytime I play it. Customer Service is the standard launch day swamped right now, so I haven't heard back from them.

[schild]

"Remove your characters armor for now"

uhhh ok

Welcome to

Dragon Age: XXXTREME CAMEL TOE

[schild]

10 minutes in, elves are slaves and there's already been an 'elf eating' joke.

Pretty sure I wrote this game.

[Signe]

I might get this from Steam at some point.  I'm tired of boxes, too.  Righ is in the process of tidying up his offices and the junk room and I really, Really, REALLY want to ditch all the boxes I have.  The amount is just incredible to me.  We have 16 year old games from the UK that we don't even have a console for anymore, like the CD32 and PS1.  We have old Amiga games.  Did I really bring CD32 games to the US with me?  Maybe I should dig harder and I'll find the console!  I have copies of games that I never even took out of the mailing packages!  What the fuck is wrong with me?  I think I don't realise because I just toss things in that room and never actually go in.  Or even look.  If I don't see it, I guess it doesn't exist?  Anyway, this time they'll all really make it to the trash.  

[Xilren's Twin]

What are the specific differences between the 360 and PC versions?

I'm not upgrading my PC to play this, although I've toyed with getting it for the 360.

Mostly i think the biggest one is the controls and camera view.  Just browsing around, i found these posts which seem to sum it up rather well.

So I'm picking up my copy of Dragon Age tomorrow, and I have yet to decide which version to get.

Now I know most people are going to say "PC version," and I already know the main reasons for it: Slightly better graphics, modding, and controls. So rather than ask which version I should get, I'd rather just hear more of the pros and cons.

Now with that out of the way, what are some of the specific differences aside from general graphics, modding, and controls? For example, I've heard that the PC version can put more enemies on screen at a time, are there more specific things like that? I'm just looking for something that might make going for the PC version worth facing my personal OCD-type problems with that platform.

Reply:
It really depends on how you want the combat to be. On the consoles it's only little more than an action RPG. Maybe a slightly improved KOTOR. It's not just about the camera that's only up close and can't be zoomed out. You can issue multiple attack commands and use abilities, but you can only move one person at a time while paused. That makes it difficult to use area of effect spells, so friendly fire has been drastically reduced. Normal has zero FF, whereas on the PC it has 50%. Because of the more cumbersome controls, difficulty in general has been reduced. It has been said a couple of times now that the PC version is more difficult.

It seems the console versions are more suitable for just playing the main character in combat and using largely the AI scripting for the rest. Not so much for micromanaging everything.

On the PC you can play like that too, but you have can also take complete control over your entire party member and directly control their every move. Most importantly, you can issue simultaneous movement commands. And this is a game where positioning is actually important.

Reply 2
PC version: Full Party Control and full camera control/top down view. Challenge as intended via proper implementation of friendly fire and higher enemy counts. Superior character advancement system that allows you to save talent points to meet a pre-req (consoles must spend them at level up). Huge increase in value from easy access to community mods and the toolset. Superior interface.

And better graphics, if you even care about that after the other stuff.

Console version: Costs more. Randomly murders a kitten somewhere in the world every time the game is launched.

If you can, get the PC version.

[schild]

This game really really badly wants me to join the Grey Warden.

I'm sorry game, but I can't let the Darkspawn rape and pillage without my strict sayso.

[AcidCat]

Let me make sure I understand this game, just to be sure I'm not missing out - It's like a story-heavy forced-grouping MMO with standard autoattack/special combat, but it's single player, so you're grouping with NPCs that require you to routinely pause the game to micromanage. And it's done in Shitty Brown Realism style. Am I missing anything?

[schild]

Let me make sure I understand this game, just to be sure I'm not missing out - It's like a story-heavy forced-grouping MMO with standard autoattack/special combat, but it's single player, so you're grouping with NPCs that require you to routinely pause the game to micromanage. And it's done in Shitty Brown Realism style. Am I missing anything?

It's just Baldur's Gate. You either like it or you don't.

-

The Blood Engine in this game seems like it took more work than the lipsync engine.

[ghost]

Dragon Age: XXXTREME CAMEL TOE

This also begs for a sequel

Dragon Age 2:  the Moose Knuckle Empire.

[Tarami]

Let me make sure I understand this game, just to be sure I'm not missing out - It's like a story-heavy forced-grouping MMO with standard autoattack/special combat, but it's single player, so you're grouping with NPCs that require you to routinely pause the game to micromanage. And it's done in Shitty Brown Realism style. Am I missing anything?

You're missing that this game has the worst case of verbal diarrea the gaming community has ever seen. It's like the writers were paid per word. It's just obnoxiously verbose to a level I honestly can't quite stand.

[AutomaticZen]

Let me make sure I understand this game, just to be sure I'm not missing out - It's like a story-heavy forced-grouping MMO with standard autoattack/special combat, but it's single player, so you're grouping with NPCs that require you to routinely pause the game to micromanage. And it's done in Shitty Brown Realism style. Am I missing anything?

It's KOTOR with a Baldur's Gate-style tactical view with elves replacing Jedi.  As Schild said, either you like or you don't.  I've been waiting for another pause/queue combat system forever.

[gryeyes]

Good idea to turn dialog text on unless you want to spend 30 mins of every hour listening to fuckers talk.

[schild]

Good idea to turn dialog text on unless you want to spend 30 mins of every hour listening to fuckers talk.

First thing I've did, before even starting the game.

These people just will not shut up.

[schild]

You know, I said that when


wouldn't shut the hell up and now I've gotten to


and it's been nonstop talk talk talk talk

I swear to god, Kojima must be playing this and be all "OH THIS IS WHAT I SOUND LIKE, I'm... a DOUCHE"

[waffel]

The Codex seems like a cool idea, but after listening to NPCs talk for 30 minutes I just can't bring myself to delve more into the lore by reading it.

[Montague]

The human noble prologue is le awesome. Of course I'm a sucker for medieval settings, so that might be it too.

The tactical/exploratory view transition is great. It's like NWN without the suck.

[Slyfeind]

Wow. Suddenly not very interested. I really hate reading anything in games these days. Like, anything. Okay, maybe three or four words per hour. Maybe Dragon Age is just Not For Me. Are there any choices like "Skip to the end, how do I kill it"? Fallout 3 had those, and I loved 'em for it.

[schild]

You can just press escape when you finish reading or if you don't give a shit. Story seems interesting enough, other than the fact the game probably has more text than "The Writer's Cut of War & Peace."

[gryeyes]

The human noble prologue is le awesome. Of course I'm a sucker for medieval settings, so that might be it too.

The Magi prologue was likewise awesome. Unique items get their own codex entry hooray! Yeah, just read then hit esc or you wont last very long.

[HaemishM]

I swear to god, Kojima must be playing this and be all "OH THIS IS WHAT I SOUND LIKE, I'm... a DOUCHE"

OH, I'm quite sure he knew exactly what he was doing.

[Rasix]

It's Baldur's Gate with a more Mass Effect story presentation.  Wordy motherfuckers the lot of them.  I love it.  Others will not. My old college roommate would hate this shit.

The code redemption was fucking tiresome.  EA.com account crap is absolutely horrible.

Not sure why I picked rogue.  Always a bit squishy at the start.

edit: I must stay, the system performance of this game is beautiful.  I meet recommended specs and it runs like a dream.