Coming March 2011



http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2/

http://www.giantbomb.com/news/dragon-age-ii-revealed-new-visual-style-new-hero-new-combat/2282/

7/9/2010 2:29:43 AM

fuck this shit

TOR

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

7/9/2010 2:35:15 AM

I'm not really a fan of most of the preview material (particularly the fact that the story sounds generic to the point of being a better-written version of Fable), not a big fan of the more inked and unrealistic visual style (if the concept art is indeed a semi-accurate reflection of what the game will look like, as is speculated... though it could look beautiful. We just haven't seen it in motion yet. Hopefully it keeps the same sort of "low fantasy" setting/feel as DA:O), there seems to be only one main character as opposed to a range of main character choices (male or female, though... similar to mass effect), and it looks like the combat will be shifting to a more action-oriented style rather than the command-based style that I would rather have from the series (likely to satisfy people playing on consoles... I can't imagine enjoying the gameplay in Origins without the isometric view that PC players got to use).

Even with all that, though, I still expect a great game. I might call it a small step in the wrong direction, but Bioware isn't known for fucking up. Also I suppose they got over their desire to make an updated Baldur's Gate-esque game once they finished DA:O, which is a shame. If there's anything I like about it, it's that they decided to leave behind the Warden from the first game and follow someone else.


...It's not exactly easy to speculate with such little information though. Some of it could be completely off-base, likely some of the official stuff is just vague early-stage marketing (which never sounds particularly good to people who are familiar with video game marketing bullshittery), a lot of it could be exaggerated or over-simplified or over-interpreted, and chances are that much of the game is subject to change.

[Edited on July 9, 2010 at 5:36 AM. Reason : .]

7/9/2010 5:12:44 AM

It's definitely pulling a page or two from Mass Effect. You've lost the ability to be an elf or dwarf in exchange for fully voiced dialog.

Seems like the PC combat won't be changed, but the console controls will be streamlined or something. Not an issue with me since I play on PC.

Some Game Informer scans: http://www.neoseeker.com/forums/50328/t1554960-dragon-age-ii-gameinformer-scans-spoilers/

[Edited on July 17, 2010 at 11:07 AM. Reason : ]

7/17/2010 11:06:08 AM

they could just call it Dragon Age since the first one was origins, and now its the age that will actually have more than 1 dragon

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

7/17/2010 11:34:55 AM

^^Cool, most of that article makes the changes not look quite as... uh... changed as was first speculated. That's nice, especially the bits on the PC combat system being the same.

Although they've also given it the "choose a vague summary" dialog system of Mass Effect, and I definitely do not like that at all. There were too many times in ME and ME2 where I would pick a good-sounding choice and then Shepard would spout off something unexpectedly naive, retarded, or dickish (or some combination of the three). Even then, it still worked well in ME, which was more about whether or not you picked paragon, neutral, or renegade, but not so much in a game like DA that revolves around moral choices being three slightly different shades of grey. Being able to see the whole of your character's dialog was important... rather than the good/evil or nice guy/jackass dichotomy, you ended up with choices between less simplified traits (smugness, for example, an option that ME sorely lacked but DA had plenty of) that could endear you to certain party members.

Speaking of the party loyalty system, they seem to have killed the whole idea of realistic consequences for pissing off your allies, as "even if they disapprove, you won't need to worry about them ditching you" and "you can even be openly hostile to your party members and still unlock combat bonuses." Yeah, both of those things have their good points, but not in a series which is (or was) the spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series. Hell, the thing I miss most about BG (besides being able to command 6 people at once rather than 3... I mean seriously, modern era of western RPGs, what the fuck...) is the character system. Too many people to take with you in a single playthrough, plus shit tons of scripted party interaction on every quest.

New art style looks like it could be nice, though. Hopefully they'll touch it up a lot from those screen shots before release (I'm sure they will). The angular look they mentioned is good, but in a lot of the screens, the angular armor pieces looked too much like N64-ish polygons. It doesn't help that the camera angle sucks shit on a lot of those screenshots, which is probably just Gameinformer's fault... too much boring empty sky, needs more high-angle shots to see the scale of the action and blood/fire effects on the ground.


^Eh, there were three full-sized dragons in DA:O. Could have used a couple more, but if they stuff too many dragons in the game, it loses the whole mystique of "holy shit a dragon".

[Edited on July 17, 2010 at 12:53 PM. Reason : .]

7/17/2010 12:30:36 PM

So you're saying the entire star wars saga should take place in an office, so that when they cut to the moon at night its creative and edgy




or there could be like 3 or 4 bosses that are dragons or dragonlike creatures [like a frostwyrm] but keep the fights different and interesting

I'm AstralAdvent and i approved this message.

[Edited on July 17, 2010 at 5:51 PM. Reason : i'm just saying i shouldn't play the entire game and only see one]

7/17/2010 5:48:56 PM

All pornos should have 75 minutes of build up and one climactic sex scene, so it feels like I've earned it

7/17/2010 5:50:40 PM

Quote :

"i'm just saying i shouldn't play the entire game and only see one"

It's not like any of them are out of the way... I don't know how you finished the game and didn't at least see two of them.

*slight spoilers*
One is the final boss. Impossible to accidentally miss, unless you don't finish the game.
One is Flemeth. This is one of the most basic ally quests, and Morrigan bugs you about doing it at least twice.
One is on that icy mountain-top, and unless I've forgotten something, there's no good reason not to fight it, and the game makes sure you know it's lurking there. Even if you don't have the thing that summons it, I'm pretty sure you can just snipe it awake using spells/arrows.

Quote :

"or there could be like 3 or 4 bosses that are dragons or dragonlike creatures [like a frostwyrm] but keep the fights different and interesting"

Like I said, there are 3 bosses that are dragons, and each fight is slightly different. I even said the game could use a couple more.

We don't seem to be disagreeing in concepts, here, you just didn't play the whole game.

[Edited on July 18, 2010 at 12:21 AM. Reason : .]

7/18/2010 12:20:00 AM

There's also a dragon in the forest ruins.

I thought there were plenty of Dragons. I mean hell I've played plenty of Dungeons and Dragons RPG's with no dragons and didn't feel ripped off.

[Edited on July 18, 2010 at 1:11 AM. Reason : ]

7/18/2010 1:10:15 AM

Eh, I was really only counting the "High Dragon" type bosses. As far as the smaller "dragon" enemies go, there's also one hidden in the Orzammar throne room.

7/18/2010 2:16:48 AM

Oh, Dragon Age doesn't have many dragons? This is a new and insightful observation.

7/19/2010 7:52:41 AM

i would say it had the exact right ammount of dragons

7/19/2010 8:58:39 AM

Still haven't beat DAO.

I absolutely can't stand the combat. And I used to play the shit out of Baldur's Gate, too. Maybe years of FPS and MMOs has soured me....

7/19/2010 9:19:09 AM

Badass trailer released

http://dragonage.bioware.com/da2

[Edited on August 17, 2010 at 2:04 PM. Reason : youtube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Xx0pU-B_yA]

8/17/2010 2:03:34 PM

I want to have sex with that trailer...

This game is shaping up to be awesome...I heart bioware and how much love and respect they have for their audience. Looks like the console gameplay will be alot more...console-eqsue I guess is the best way to put it (faster paced and more responsive). Bringing in the ME conversation wheel which I like alot better than the numbered response lines (plus indicators of type of response, cool little addition).

I love that they're going back to more of a narritive gamestyle. I like the retro feel for DA:O for the silent protagonist (great nod to Baldur's Gate)...but its not as immersive as it could have been with a more "Shepard"-like main character...

8/17/2010 2:18:00 PM

i like the convo wheel as well, but ME2 was kinda short on gameplay. The story is really what kept it worth playing. DAO played really well on pc and it would suck if the consolize it to the point they did ME2. I mean ME1 was pretty consolized as well, but ME2 was over the top. I wish they would realize its fine if the PC and console versions have different UIs and different dificulty levels.

And I want to see a goddamn real inventory. Not some list of items but a freakin grid where i can drag and drop stuff around. Its not that hard to make one and do it pc only, and its a far better experience.

8/17/2010 2:52:20 PM

Quote :

"I wish they would realize its fine if the PC and console versions have different UIs and different dificulty levels. "

They have realized this, that's what they are planning on doing for DA2. The PC version will play pretty much the same as DA1, while the console version will get new combat.

Quote :

"And I want to see a goddamn real inventory. Not some list of items but a freakin grid where i can drag and drop stuff around. Its not that hard to make one and do it pc only, and its a far better experience."

I'm not a big fan of grid based inventories myself. I prefer just a standard weight limit.

8/17/2010 3:03:21 PM

Grid based is just a UI thing. Its much easier to understand how one item affects total weight and its also easier for item comparison (via tooltip) and for moving items around. You also dont need to create a fixed size of the grid, you can just fit it to your carried items. The big long list in DAO was kind of annoying and got more annoying the more items you had.

Its just a better way to take advantage of the mouse.

8/17/2010 8:30:35 PM

Do trailers come with places to put your penis?

8/17/2010 11:18:48 PM

^ I will make one if they don't...

Yeah it looks like the PC release is going to keep true to the DA:O combat system, and consoles will focus more in on action.

I originally bought this game for 360 but after playing it for a few hours returned it for the PC version because the controls we so clunky. I'm looking forward to a better console release (especially since Bioware expressed an interest in being able to port gamesaves cross platform)

8/18/2010 8:57:21 AM

Clunky accurately describes the controls on PC too. I still haven't finished it cause I get tired of micromanaging everyone.

[Edited on August 18, 2010 at 11:56 AM. Reason : ly]

8/18/2010 11:54:13 AM

The combat on the PC was great, just needed some better animation and maybe a few more attack variations.

8/18/2010 12:42:03 PM

You can register for their facebook feed and get registered for a code for free weapons/armor

8/20/2010 11:51:11 AM

Supposedly "extended" trailer

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/exclusive-extended-dragon-age-2/703489

Only about 5-6 seconds of extra stuff though so unless you just want to watch it again there's no point.

8/25/2010 11:58:49 PM

Free pre-order content just announced just pre-order by Jan 11

10/14/2010 2:19:41 PM

Combat video, featuring action and strategic modes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-l8WnT-ktc

12/16/2010 8:41:55 PM

DO WANT!

I'm definitely taking a day or two off of work to play this.

12/17/2010 10:22:27 AM

Developer video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFmulD9ZDHY

1/11/2011 10:45:33 AM

Like.

1/11/2011 11:28:09 AM

signature edition preorders end today FYI

1/11/2011 12:29:02 PM

Not sure if the graphics in that video are the final version.....am I wrong to think that the faces look worse than the original?

1/11/2011 8:51:33 PM

Yeah it's 2 months to release, the graphics are final (although it's possible they are console version)

I think the faces look a little better, but I don't really like the way default Hawke looks, plus I don't like that blood/mud/whatever smudge across his nose at all.

1/11/2011 9:49:09 PM

Just a guess. This was developed in Canada.

^At aboot 4:14-4:15 in the video you see a mouse make the dialogue selection. So the reason would now become - maybe they're demoing with a three year old gfx card.



[Edited on January 12, 2011 at 7:47 AM. Reason : -]

1/12/2011 7:41:57 AM

I think they used the same engine that they used from DA:O which would explain alot too. Instead of just adding extra polish to the old game's graphics they also re-stylized the whole franchise to make it stand out as "Dragon Age". I can appreciate that, as much as I loved the first one, it didn't really stand out visually

1/12/2011 9:06:07 AM

Demo comes out on 2/22. In game item given for trying it out. I'm there!

2/3/2011 1:45:43 PM

Release is about a month away.

Here's a video preview from IGN, I think it looks much better in video than the stills released so far (which I have mostly been unimpressed with, they always take screenshots in the most boring environments)

http://pc.ign.com/articles/114/1148168p1.html

2/8/2011 1:44:34 PM

Finally a really good look at the graphics...I'm really impressed, a lot smoother animations and chracter models compared to DA:O and there's definitely a visual flair that the original was missing.

Can't wait for March 8th to get here!

2/8/2011 1:59:35 PM

^^That does look a lot better than the earlier videos. This is looking like it's gonna be awesome.

2/8/2011 2:06:38 PM

Another HD preview

http://www.gametrailers.com/video/preview-hd-dragon-age/710304

2/8/2011 4:24:38 PM

::nerdgasm::

2/8/2011 4:31:33 PM

About 20 or so minutes of gameplay and commentary from a live demo event

http://www.livestream.com/electronicarts/video?clipId=pla_e1af7357-aff9-4758-b744-c98a28fb5806&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

2/13/2011 1:38:12 AM

Yes, please.

2/13/2011 10:20:01 AM

I have a code for Dead Space 2 armor that can be used in this game, and I'm pretty sure I am going to give it away, as I seriously doubt I will get this game.

2/13/2011 10:29:34 AM

PM me the code!

2/14/2011 8:54:01 AM

<3 Felicia Day

2/17/2011 6:29:26 PM

^seconded...she's oddly hot

2/18/2011 8:46:02 AM

From that developer question and answer section.^^^^^^

Rough quote

Quote :

"There is no final monster, there is no ancient evil. Once you answer the question, "Why did the hero make the decisions he made?" you will have completed the game. Its about the decision the hero makes."

Love it

2/21/2011 12:12:15 AM

Demo comes out tomorrow.

I'm freaking pumped. 27.5 more hours.

2/21/2011 8:34:12 AM

They're saying if the demo hits 1 million downloads that they'll include an extra set of free DLC items for all pre-orders.

Clearly they're confident in this game to push the demo so hard.

2/21/2011 10:40:09 AM