David Hingtgen Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 The tower did seem long and boring IMHO. Not that HARD, just too long. Also---yes, everyone and everything says that having a PC mage makes it easy--which is why my next game will be that. My party for most of the game was my dual-wielding rogue, Leliana, Alistair or Oghren, and Wynne or Morrigan. Usually Wynne, just to heal the other 3 while they were fighting. It worked, but wasn't easy. It's clear IMHO that the game is unbalanced, class-wise. Area-of-effect and stunning/stopping abilities are key---and most non-mages have few if any of those. Every guide and FAQ basically say "if you don't have cone of cold in your party abilities, you're totally screwed in this fight and every other one like it".
eugimon Posted November 16, 2009 Posted November 16, 2009 I think it's just normal mode that's messed up, with no FF, you can spray area effect spells with abandon, with it turned on, cone of cold becomes pretty dangerous unless you have your frontline guys outfitted with cold resistance gear.
bluemax151 Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 In the PC version normal has 50% friendly fire and in the console version supposedly easy and normal have 0% but I can't confirm that because I don't own that version If you use Leliana (which I do) she's more useful for all her utility skills including in combat. There's still a few bow skills I need (scattershot) but I always use her Song of Valor (stamina/hp regen song) and I have her use critical shot/arrow of slaying on a stoned target (usually a mage) for instant death. Dirty fighting/distraction/pinning shot are all good for helping protect your casters as well. Then you've got crippling shot and shatter shot for debuffs. I've been meaning to try out Captivating Song but I haven't needed to as of yet. I wouldn't use a PC rogue archer personally as it kind of boring auto attacking and being so far from combat but they have their uses even if they don't do 1337 damage. I think Bioware's team is still considering additional Dex fixing measures so they may eventually make Rogues better or worse but I'm unsure of all the specifics.
eugimon Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 yeah, console normal has 0% friendly fire. which makes tactics like indiscriminate cone of cold and using a fireball to get out of a mob perfectly good ideas.
David Hingtgen Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Those spells still have friendly effects though---cone of cold will freeze your guys solid too, so they can't go hacking away at the frozen enemies.
eugimon Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Those spells still have friendly effects though---cone of cold will freeze your guys solid too, so they can't go hacking away at the frozen enemies. true, but it's not that big of a deal, a moment or two is usually all I need to shatter and and then use the fire or lightning attacks to clear the field. Then the tanks defrost and everyone is happy.
CoryHolmes Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Anyone else have the camp cutscene of Leliana singing? BioWare rarely does that sort of group scene and they knocked it outta da park with this one. From the music to the way each of your party members perked up and paid attention... just awesome. Just goes to show that videogames don't need blood splattering and copious amounts of T&A to be a good story. ... though splattering blood and T&A are always welcome in my book
David Hingtgen Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 I got that scene--I assumed it was because I got her to 100% liking me. (she's really easy to please---lots of gifts that she LOVES, and just talking to her gets big points)
eugimon Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 you can have 100% and not get that scene, it's all in how you follow her dialog tree
David Hingtgen Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Ok, 100% through a combination of "agreeing and encouraging" dialogue and a few gifts, as opposed to constantly ticking her off but showering her with gifts.
CoryHolmes Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 I'm playing DA on the 360 and am running into a problem. In the ruins near the Dalish Elf camp, I can't get past the door. I fill the jug with water, put it on the altar in the back left corner, kneel before the altar to pray* and that boils all the water away. * on all the faqs I've read, you place the jug, kneel, sip, and dump the rest of the water in the fountain, but for me all the water boils away as soon as I kneel. How do I get past this part?
eugimon Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 I'm playing DA on the 360 and am running into a problem. In the ruins near the Dalish Elf camp, I can't get past the door. I fill the jug with water, put it on the altar in the back left corner, kneel before the altar to pray* and that boils all the water away. * on all the faqs I've read, you place the jug, kneel, sip, and dump the rest of the water in the fountain, but for me all the water boils away as soon as I kneel. How do I get past this part? did you get the tablet in the room with the ghost boy?
CoryHolmes Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Given that I have no idea what you're talking about, then the answer is probably no
eugimon Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Given that I have no idea what you're talking about, then the answer is probably no near the beginning of the ruins, there's a little ghost kid that you can talk to, "Hey there ghost boy, do you know casper? Tell that punk he owes me money!" if you look around there's a tablet that has the steps to the elven purity ritual.
David Hingtgen Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Did you fill the jug up before doing all the rest? That's what prevented me the first time. The jug isn't full by default. I don't recall kneeling, just praying, but I could be "misremembering".
CoryHolmes Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Oh yes. After my first misadventure trying to figure that damn thing out, I went to trusty Google and found the procedure and have followed it to the letter. Just can't quite make it past the last two steps, though. Any idea where I find this ghost boy? I seem to remember dealing with him my first run-through of the crypt, but after that...
Wanzerfan Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Oh yes. After my first misadventure trying to figure that damn thing out, I went to trusty Google and found the procedure and have followed it to the letter. Just can't quite make it past the last two steps, though. Any idea where I find this ghost boy? I seem to remember dealing with him my first run-through of the crypt, but after that... Why don't you just break down and buy the friggin' stragety guide?
CoryHolmes Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 Because I play the game late at night and by the time I get to a frustrating part, all the stores have closed
bluemax151 Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 (edited) I'll use cone of cold on my own tank if I HAVE to but usually it doesn't have to come to that. I am more than a little peeved that walking nightmare is more than a little useless but at least I have Blizzard to cast on the wall of archers/mages that usually are involved in upper tier humanoid encounters. That's certainly a spell I'd be wary of casting on top of my own group Does anyone have an official guide? I didn't get one to avoid spoilers but generally I like to get guides for bathroom reading material. Any really good art or flavour text in either version? Edited November 18, 2009 by bluemax151
Wanzerfan Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 I'll use cone of cold on my own tank if I HAVE to but usually it doesn't have to come to that. I am more than a little peeved that walking nightmare is more than a little useless but at least I have Blizzard to cast on the wall of archers/mages that usually are involved in upper tier humanoid encounters. That's certainly a spell I'd be wary of casting on top of my own group Does anyone have an official guide? I didn't get one to avoid spoilers but generally I like to get guides for bathroom reading material. Any really good art or flavour text in either version? Well, they have two versions of the guide, a paperback one that covers all platforms and a limited edition hardcover one that is signed by the BioWare staff (wheter or not the signatures are real or facimilies, though). Wether you want to splurge is up to you.
eugimon Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 The dragon age facebook page is teasing: "If I was a fan of Dragon Age: Origins, I'd be keeping my eye open for something cool coming tomorrow. Just saying."
akt_m Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Have I ever mentioned that I passionately hate counter strike? If you compare with modern warfare now it is sh*t. But back then when people were still playing quake 1 it was very good.
Scream Man Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Assassins Creed 2 tonight!!!!! Excitement!
CoryHolmes Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Excitement! I think you really mean, "Enchantment"!
David Hingtgen Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 That said, let's hear the best lines from DA. (spoiler-free) "He can stay, so long as he's useful"--PC, referring to the dog joining. "And yet we still have Alistair"---Morrigan, immediately thereafter. "Ohhhhhhh, it's one of those subterranean bunny-pigs! They're so cute!" Leliana, if you get her a nug for a pet. I will forever call them bunny-pigs now. Sten, on what he did while locked in the cage when asked by Alistair. "I would pose riddles to passers-by and offer treasures for correct answers". "Really?" "No." (this is much funnier if you know how Sten sounds)
CoryHolmes Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 "Stop looking at my breasts!" Morrigan to Leliana after the latter kept trying to get her to go clothes shopping. "Softie! Poke poke poke!" Leliana to Sten, having fun at his expense. "That stench is outragous! I'll be right back with my soaps and water!" *whine and recoil* Wynn to Fluffy, the Destroyer (my war hound ) "I'd just hoped it would... go away." "That's a terrible plan." "I didn't say it was a good plan!" Alistar and Leliana, regarding his past issues.
bluemax151 Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Minor spoilers can be avoided by not clicking thumbnail Shale: "The swamp witch has a great deal in common with my former master" Morrigan: "The swamp witch. How original." Shale: "The swamp witch has the same arrogance, the same air of cruelty. I would hate for it to have possession of my control rod, if it still worked of course." Morrigan: "Let me tell you what you can do with your control rod, golem." Shale: "Is it telling me that if the rod did work, it wouldn't want control over me?" Morrigan: "I wouldn't go so far as that. I could, for instance, command you to go jump in a lake. A very deep lake." Shale: "It fools no one, the swamp witch would control everything if it could. It would have us all dancing on its strings." Morrigan: "Oh you know me too well golem. Your revealing gaze has laid me bare." Shale: "I will be watching the swamp witch. It must not be trusted." Morrigan: Sigh "Now your beginning to sound just like Alister."
David Hingtgen Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Best Zero Punctuation ever---and it's DA: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/vie...gon-Age-Origins
CoryHolmes Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Best Zero Punctuation ever---and it's DA: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/vie...gon-Age-Origins As much as I enjoyed that one, I think his review of Halo Wars was much funnier
mikeszekely Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Best Zero Punctuation ever---and it's DA: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/vie...gon-Age-Origins It's pretty good, but not as good as his Fallout 3 review. *opening credits* "Yeah... it's pretty good." *closing credits* And yes, I know the credits stopped and he actually reviewed the game after, but after weeks of Yahtzee verbally raping every game he played, that tiny bit at the beginning made the whole review.
eugimon Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Finally got around to putting in some time on the MW2 single player campaign and, what the hell, it's over already? It was neat.. I guess. I still hate their infinitely spawning choke hold level design and the way enemies just magically appear depending on where you go and it's nice to see that Tom Clancey has an heir apparent in the "deus ex machina = plot" school of story telling. Action sequences were fun but it really lacked originality, as the game suffers from a huge case of "rinse and repeat" not just compared to the previous MW but from it's own level designs. Oh well, multiplayer is still amazingly fun.
RD Blade Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 I'm all wrapped up in Assassin's Creed 2 right now. Nice follow-up.
mikeszekely Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Finally got around to putting in some time on the MW2 single player campaign and, what the hell, it's over already? It was neat.. I guess. I still hate their infinitely spawning choke hold level design and the way enemies just magically appear depending on where you go and it's nice to see that Tom Clancey has an heir apparent in the "deus ex machina = plot" school of story telling. Action sequences were fun but it really lacked originality, as the game suffers from a huge case of "rinse and repeat" not just compared to the previous MW but from it's own level designs. Oh well, multiplayer is still amazingly fun. You summed up my thoughts on Modern Warfare 2 pretty well.
anime52k8 Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Finally got around to putting in some time on the MW2 single player campaign and, what the hell, it's over already? It was neat.. I guess. I still hate their infinitely spawning choke hold level design and the way enemies just magically appear depending on where you go and it's nice to see that Tom Clancey has an heir apparent in the "deus ex machina = plot" school of story telling. Action sequences were fun but it really lacked originality, as the game suffers from a huge case of "rinse and repeat" not just compared to the previous MW but from it's own level designs. Oh well, multiplayer is still amazingly fun. you do realize that MW2 DOESN'T have infinitely spawning enemies, right? Also, if you actually THINK about where you're going, you can come up with some pretty novel ways of getting around firefights, instead of just running into bottle necks and dieing over and over. and it's still a better story than halo, so there you go.
mikeszekely Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 The dragon age facebook page is teasing: "If I was a fan of Dragon Age: Origins, I'd be keeping my eye open for something cool coming tomorrow. Just saying." It's new Dragon Age DLC.
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