Dragon Age 2 - Here be spoilers.

[Merusk]

What's up with the human female's legs in the concept art on that page? 

Also the line "Distinct racial physiology is an opportunity to explore different standards of beauty" needs additional text.  "So long as the females are all large-breasted with narrow chins and waists." 

[Sky]

Demo was kind of cool, but without being able to save and the constant waves of attackers it got old pretty quick. At least my pc could run it dx11 High.

Guess I'll need to actually finish DA:O at some point. Which is kind of boggling to me, since DA:O runs pretty good in 3D, I should be all over it. Ah, well.

[Reg]

For some reason I'm just not interested in this demo. Am I missing anything if I just wait for the real game?

[Hawkbit]

I'm glad someone else said it...

It's basically

1.  Cutscene
2.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
3.  Cutscene
4.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
5.  Cutscene
6.  Cutscene
7.  Mob attacks, slaughter them. 

I'm not seeing the fun, please let me know if I'm missing something.  It's like playing a movie. 

[Engels]

I felt pretty blah about it myself, and I'm not crazy about the new combat animations. Reminds me too much of the 'physics don't apply' Japanime style animation.

Still, if the story's good, I'll probably be getting it.

[Lantyssa]

I'm not seeing the fun, please let me know if I'm missing something.  It's like playing a movie.  

Did you see the breasts?  On the edgy, but tough, but kind, pirate lady?  (I think I figured out my problem with her.  She makes me think of a cheery Suicide Girl doing pirate dress-up.)

I like the art design more (sans the ridiculous bits such as quadbows) than the original, but this is one I'll wait for a steeply discounted Steam sale.

[Hawkbit]

I like boobies as much as the next guy or girl, don't get me wrong.  It's just out of place here.  I gave major bonus to RIFT for offering a more natural look to their women, even if it's still not 'real'.  Now if we can get rid of bikini chainmail, we're off to a better start.

[Engels]

I dunno, since they are giving up any semblance of realistic combat physics, why not extend that to any semblance of realistic megaboob hoistings.

[Shrike]

Interesting. This leaves me with a real quandry--PC vs. 360, again.

My DA:O is a PC save, but I"m not inclined to get DA2 here until it's on Steam for around...well...really cheap. So a 360 DA2 would leave me on the default. Previous experience with ME2 would suggest a very "interesting" world if I go that route. However, one of those defaults is very close to one of the two games I finished as warrior elf. The other save was similar to the dwarf outcome, but with (inevitably) an elf. Decisions, decisions.

I've noticed that DA:O used 360 games are very cheap right now, even the complete edition. Bioware gets too much of my money. It seems I end up with both PC and 360 copies of about everything they put out. I guess it's all about the choices. Do I want comfy couch or Command Chair? Huge screen and home theatre sound, or cutting edge graphics and headphones? I seem to want both when I want them.   

[Ingmar]

I'm glad someone else said it...

It's basically

1.  Cutscene
2.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
3.  Cutscene
4.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
5.  Cutscene
6.  Cutscene
7.  Mob attacks, slaughter them. 

I'm not seeing the fun, please let me know if I'm missing something.  It's like playing a movie. 

It's a demo. The structure isn't going to be that rigid in the real game. Most of the demo is from the very beginning of the game, and it's almost always the case that that part of the game is linear and exposition heavy in an RPG.

[tmp]

I felt pretty blah about it myself, and I'm not crazy about the new combat animations. Reminds me too much of the 'physics don't apply' Japanime style animation.

Difference being, the Japanese somehow manage to make even animated mahjong game look heroic. DA2 combat despite gallons of blood manages to feel absolutely sterile to me. Probably because there's zero visible impact from the hits.

in other news, someone managed to mod the demo to remove locks from character creation and inventory screens. Plenty customized Hawkes in their underwear on the official forums at the moment.

[MournelitheCalix]

I'm glad someone else said it...

It's basically

1.  Cutscene
2.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
3.  Cutscene
4.  Mob attacks, slaughter them
5.  Cutscene
6.  Cutscene
7.  Mob attacks, slaughter them. 

I'm not seeing the fun, please let me know if I'm missing something.  It's like playing a movie. 

That demo was brutal.  I kept looking at the darkspawn and thinking, man I wish I had the old engine back.

I think jarring is the appropriate word.  Here is somethings I noticed:

1.  I hate the interface.  Its not intuitive like the last one and in places it doesn't even look like an interface (the level up interface especially).
2.  WAY TOO DARK.  I can't see some of the scenes very well.
3.  It felt like I was being led on and had no way of affecting the story. Again I hope this was just due to playing a demo but man...
4.  I don't know about you all but after that first scene the two handed sword seemed more of a joke than an actual lethal weapon.  I mean come on I was hitting things 20 times and they barely lost life.   What a crappy system that is.


I hope its just that I was playing a demo but DA2 looked truely horrible for Bioware's standards. 

[Paelos]

I'm predicting a metascore of 91, since Civ 5 got a 90.

[Sky]

Though a bit repetitive, I didn't have a problem with the melee combat. I liked the animations, and the 2h seemed to have a nice reach. Damage did seem a bit limited on autoattack, but the specials really worked together well. By the end the party was really tight, with a couple stuns and area attacks to lock down bosses and deal with adds. I set up the shield chick as a tank, all stat gains to constitution, focused on her taunt and defensive abilities. Then I worked AE dps with the main character and elemental + the basic heal for the mage.

The magery effects, especially the fire particles, were kind of weak. I didn't look too deep, but it looked like HoT healing rather than an instant?

The dwarven thief was ridiculous with his AE specials. The small burst was really nice, but the rain of arrows was sick, just mowing down groups.

[tmp]

I didn't look too deep, but it looked like HoT healing rather than an instant?

From dev talk it sounds the heals boost the base hp regen rate of the affected character rather than plain add hp, yes.

[Reg]

I just got an email from Stardock and Impulse is now letting me download and install Dragon Age 2.

It wasn't due out today was it?

[Ingmar]

No, March 8th. Are you sure it isn't just a preload?

[Reg]

I imagine it's just a preload. It doesn't say that though - either when I started the install through Impulse or in the email I got saying the purchase had gone through.

It's still downloading. I'll post again when I see what actually happens.

[Velorath]

It's just a preload.

[Reg]

Bleh. No new games for me this weekend!

[FatuousTwat]

Most likely having a root canal on the 8th, but my ereader is supposed to be restocking, and this is coming out, so I guess it balances.

[Ingmar]

The preload is up on Steam now too.

[jakonovski]

Apparently the game will ship without high res textures. You will be able to download them at some point.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6346703&lf=8

[Velorath]

Apparently the game will ship without high res textures. You will be able to download them at some point.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6346703&lf=8

According to the first post from the Bioware guy there, it should be available Monday (the day before the game releases).

[tmp]

Speaking of release dates, apparently in Western Europe the game unlocks March 10th instead of 11th. That's reserved for the second rate, Eastern Europe. And also for the second rate part of Europe that's UK  

(and to make it even funnier Russia gets it March 8th)

[Morat20]

This had made me decide to buy Dragon Age awakenings when I get my new Xbox hard drive. And then get DA:2 sometime after the price drops.

[eldaec]

Apparently the game will ship without high res textures. You will be able to download them at some point.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6346703&lf=8

According to the first post from the Bioware guy there, it should be available Monday (the day before the game releases).

And this does explain why the art in the demo is getting such a bum rap. If its using console textures its hardly surprising.

I'm undecided on whether I consider having to independently download the graphics for a game (it isn't even automatic) harks back to a bygone era for the gaming master race when installing a game was a fucking challenge, or just a depressing signal that these guys are not Bioware any longer.

[Merusk]

The latter.

[Sky]

Hey, at this point I'll sadly be glad the pc gets some scraps to feed its superior platform.

[UnSub]

a depressing signal that these guys are not Bioware any longer.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN DISMISSIVE INTERNET QUIP:

 - You bought BioWare games for the graphics?

 - They haven't been 'that' BioWare since Jade Empire.

 - Hey, SWOR is PC exclusive, right? They'll optimise it for the PC for sure there.

 - Consoles and PCs work together for a greater gaming harmony. Graphics aren't as important for RPGs anyway

 - PC games are a dying platform. Consoles are the future.

[Lantyssa]

Bioware is going down the drain.

[Mosesandstick]

Is there a peacemaker option?

[Sky]

The most important question in my mind, the single thing that would elevate the DA franchise to ME level....

Are there renegade interrupts?

 

[eldaec]

a depressing signal that these guys are not Bioware any longer.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN DISMISSIVE INTERNET QUIP:

 - You bought BioWare games for the graphics?

 - They haven't been 'that' BioWare since Jade Empire.

 - Hey, SWOR is PC exclusive, right? They'll optimise it for the PC for sure there.

 - Consoles and PCs work together for a greater gaming harmony. Graphics aren't as important for RPGs anyway

 - PC games are a dying platform. Consoles are the future.

 - Bioware AUSTIN

[Merusk]

On the upside of things, I just found this out.

If you have DA1 registered to your EA account, you will get the Blood Dragon Armor in DA2.  It should already be showing under "My Promotions" on your Social.bioware account.

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/141/index/6393264