Dragon Age 2 - Catch All

Sounding cool. Looks like they are exploring some really interesting ideas.

Scratched wrote:

Trailer: http://kotaku.com/5614842/dragon-age...
More precise release date: March 8 2011 in US, March 11 in EU

Awesome trailer - interest piqued!

Also, IGN has a very interesting preview.

Highlights:

Steimer-IGN wrote:

In Dragon Age 2 the combat system has been stripped of the clunkiness of the original and injected with more awesome. It's much more fluid and feels faster, though people who liked the slower pace of the first game can still pause the and issue commands. Instead of a two- or three-second delay when you select an active ability, your character will instantly perform an attack or spell. Not only is it an immediate occurrence, but the actions themselves are brutal and incredibly satisfying.

Steimer-IGN wrote:

Enemies don't just rush at you from one direction anymore either. Now groups will attack from the front and back, and your AI partners actually kick-ass. In Origins, group members needed to be manually programmed to take potions when they had low health or told to perform spells at certain times, but your squad is now smart enough to figure those things out on their own. You can still specifically program the, but gamers won't be forced to worry about what their AI allies are doing all the time. If anything, the AI might be too intelligent, as I often ran toward enemies only to have them burned to a crisp by my mage Bethany before I got there. Still, it's nice to have battle partners that are an asset instead of a burden.

Steimer-IGN wrote:

The ability tree is what the team focused on re-constructing and it looks promising. Instead of linear progression, different types of abilities are grouped together in a tree. For example all abilities that involve using a two-handed weapon are bundled together and abilities that require a one-handed weapon and a shield are grouped. Abilities can also be built out further than before, as most active abilities can be upgraded at least once.

Steimer-IGN wrote:

In terms of the PC version, BioWare's leaving a lot of the user-interface the same, though they have added a quick command for stamina and health potions on the right side of the action bar. You can still pause the action with the space bar and issue commands to your team, but you should expect to see some changes to how you view fights. Although what we saw wasn't final, it looks like Bioware is developing a new camera for the PC version that's focused less on getting a bird's eye view and more on zooming in around the battlefield and enemy locations. It looks great so far, but expect to hear more about closer to the game's launch.

Steimer-IGN wrote:

If you were concerned that Dragon Age was being fed through the Mass Effect sausage grinder, you shouldn't be. Yes, they've adopted the conversation wheel and cinematic, fully-voiced speeches, but that's no cause for alarm – after all if you developed an awesome tool and storytelling technique you'd want to use it in more than one game too. Bioware has made some great alterations -- sharper graphics, satisfying combat and cinematic conversations.

Guess I should go place my pre-order...

Just watched that trailer.

CGI has come a long way.. wow! I don't care if it has nothing to do with the game but that was cool.

Steimer-IGN wrote:

In Dragon Age 2 the combat system has been stripped of the clunkiness of the original and injected with more awesome.

He claims that DA WASN'T put through the "Mass Effect sausage grinder," but the quote above is exactly the same stuff people said when Bioware switched from ME1 to ME2 (where the "clunkiness" was stuff I actually appreciated to a certain extent, like the Mako or the varied inventory). To be fair, yes, a lot of stuff in ME1 was broken, but I felt they dumbed things down more than needed for the sequel. Hopefully this won't be the case for DA2.

As long as the game doesn't have me "scanning/mining ore" to upgrade my one longsword and one suit of armor that never change, I guess I'll be happy.

It all depends whether they're smoothing off the rough edges with a file or an angle grinder, I'll agree they were very brutal in chopping out anything that was criticised in ME1. There's been no worthwhile footage of in game yet.

I remember looking at youtube user recorded stuff after release to get an idea what DA:O was like before buying it, so it's not as though the first game had tons of footage either. I don't see anything wrong with waiting until after release to judge if I want to buy it, if that's what it takes.

That was the coolest trailer I've seen since the last StarCraft 2 trailer.

I want to play this, but I also want a price drop on Awakening first so I can play that, even though I've heard the stories won't rely on each other. I certainly hope they do something along the lines of the DA Deluxe Digital Edition on Steam, because I fully expect DA 2 to ship with a bundle of release DLC.

I was hoping the real-time combat would be a bit more action-based rather than clicky, but it sounds like it'll be the same only faster. Oh well, I'll still get it.

Scratched wrote:

It all depends whether they're smoothing off the rough edges with a file or an angle grinder, I'll agree they were very brutal in chopping out anything that was criticised in ME1. There's been no worthwhile footage of in game yet.

I remember looking at youtube user recorded stuff after release to get an idea what DA:O was like before buying it, so it's not as though the first game had tons of footage either. I don't see anything wrong with waiting until after release to judge if I want to buy it, if that's what it takes.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm going to buy it on day one, regardless I'm just a little disappointed that the game having only one origin, unchangeable name, etc., and hope it's not simplified to the point of being an almost different gaming experience.

SommerMatt wrote:
Steimer-IGN wrote:

In Dragon Age 2 the combat system has been stripped of the clunkiness of the original and injected with more awesome.

He claims that DA WASN'T put through the "Mass Effect sausage grinder," but the quote above is exactly the same stuff people said when Bioware switched from ME1 to ME2 (where the "clunkiness" was stuff I actually appreciated to a certain extent, like the Mako or the varied inventory). To be fair, yes, a lot of stuff in ME1 was broken, but I felt they dumbed things down more than needed for the sequel. Hopefully this won't be the case for DA2.

As long as the game doesn't have me "scanning/mining ore" to upgrade my one longsword and one suit of armor that never change, I guess I'll be happy.

Actually Steimer is a she.

I'm looking forward to this a bit more now. Nice to know that they haven't gimped the PC version like I was being led to believe. I still want to see actual gameplay though before I commit in either direction.

Cool trailer, but I can't help thinking he'd have been better off opening with that fiery hands business rather than saving it until he was almost dead.

Concerning info coming out about the PC version, that seems to clarify info from the IGN preview.

No tactical view!!!! No toolset!

While the tactical view was outright dismissed for the console, the PC version would be getting a modified version that has the 'key elements' of the view.

"As to the subject of tactical view, I can confirm that we will not be doing a tactical view on consoles, though we are looking into some expanded party control that I think will make console players quite happy."

"On the PC, however, we are still working with the camera to keep the key elements of the tactical experience there" said Laidlaw.

I feel a great disturbance in the force.

I don't like this 'key elements' idea. This is sounding more like ME:Fantasy by the day.

I will boil down my purchasing decisions in a simple way.

Proper tactical view=Day one sale
No, or gimped tactical view=75% off sale

That's actually a few weeks old (the thing about the toolset and view) and was fairly quickly debunked by Laidlaw in the (so fiery it was practically molten) forum post where it cropped up because the french article apparently got the wrong end of the stick / was badly translated.

I believe he mentioned something along the lines that there may not be a NEW toolset for DA2 because it sounds like they are basically still using the same tools as the first game, so they would probably be looking at upgrading the existing toolset instead.

The camera thing does sound a bit more iffy as his comments were a bit vague (in the original comment he says that they were still playing around with how far out you can zoom and that it probably wouldn't be as far out as the first game)...so i dunno. Need to see footage I think.

Err, whoops. Missed the date on that post.

I'm still concerned about the view though, until there is clarity I'm going to remain circumspect.

More than likely a modder will probably figure out how to make the birds eye view.

trueheart78 wrote:

.....lots of cool stuff.....
Guess I should go place my pre-order...

I actually lost interest in the first one towards the very end and haven't completed it. The tasks just became really naggy to me and I became board with the combat. I had no plans on getting the second one until you posted that link. The combat is going to be more fluid, have better feedback, and better AI... Hell yeah! It is giving me the urge to skip Starcraft 2 for a day and wrap up DA:O.

Yay! My character will be fully-voiced. Too bad I can't be a dwarf...

Grubber788 wrote:

Yay! My character will be fully-voiced. Too bad I can't be a Boron... :(

This is, after all, what you really meant, yes?

SommerMatt wrote:
Scratched wrote:

It all depends whether they're smoothing off the rough edges with a file or an angle grinder, I'll agree they were very brutal in chopping out anything that was criticised in ME1. There's been no worthwhile footage of in game yet.

I remember looking at youtube user recorded stuff after release to get an idea what DA:O was like before buying it, so it's not as though the first game had tons of footage either. I don't see anything wrong with waiting until after release to judge if I want to buy it, if that's what it takes.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm going to buy it on day one, regardless I'm just a little disappointed that the game having only one origin, unchangeable name, etc., and hope it's not simplified to the point of being an almost different gaming experience.

Well...you couldn't change your name in Dragon Age either. First name yes but not the last name. I'm pretty sure it's the same in DA2.

Vector wrote:
SommerMatt wrote:
Scratched wrote:

It all depends whether they're smoothing off the rough edges with a file or an angle grinder, I'll agree they were very brutal in chopping out anything that was criticised in ME1. There's been no worthwhile footage of in game yet.

I remember looking at youtube user recorded stuff after release to get an idea what DA:O was like before buying it, so it's not as though the first game had tons of footage either. I don't see anything wrong with waiting until after release to judge if I want to buy it, if that's what it takes.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm going to buy it on day one, regardless I'm just a little disappointed that the game having only one origin, unchangeable name, etc., and hope it's not simplified to the point of being an almost different gaming experience.

Well...you couldn't change your name in Dragon Age either. First name yes but not the last name. I'm pretty sure it's the same in DA2.

Yep, you had a surname based on your Origin, not that it made any difference.

MrDeVil909 wrote:

Yep, you had a surname based on your Origin, not that it made any difference.

Heh... I couldn't tell you my surname in DA for either character I've played. In ME, though, I'm pretty sure it's Shepard.

Oh I have no idea what it is. I think you only see it in the character creator.

You don't have highly developed naming conventions for your fantasy/sci-fi characters? And you call yourselves nerds.

I have a simple naming convention that I developed when I was playing Guild Wars. I applied it in the name selection part of all my DA characters.

You'll notice it's not called Dragon Age: Origins 2. It's Dragon Age 2. You want your fancy origins, play Origins. I and the rest of House Aeducan will be playing a FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

My main in DA:O was a human rogue so he was from the House Couseland. Beyond that I have no idea. It didn't come up too often.

Vector wrote:

My main in DA:O was a human rogue so he was from the House Couseland. Beyond that I have no idea. It didn't come up too often.

Unless you were a human or dwarf noble the last name never really came up. I mean, it's not like someone is going to recognize the last name of some random casteless dwarf or city elf.

This is from the games rader hands on re: PC Camera...

laidlaw wrote:

He zooms in and out to demonstrate how certain camera angles with the old system could complicate matters for some of the encounters featured in Dragon Age II. “So we basically said, ‘Okay. That is a problem.’ I don’t want to end up playing a game where I could not know there are archers shooting me because I’m looking the wrong way. So the camera doesn’t do quite the same thing it did, but still what’s very, very important, is that element of being able to maneuver around the battlefield,” says Laidlaw.

Laidlaw pauses the battle he booted up and pulls the camera back. Way back. The camera is no longer locked to a unit on the battle, so we didn’t see any panning about in this build, but all the functionality of the old camera system remains intact. You can pause and resume battle at will, queuing orders as you sweep across the battlefield as you did in the original.

Then Laidlaw starts adjusting the height of the camera as he floats across the battlefield. From what we saw, the only significant difference with the new camera system for the PC version is that it no longer snaps to that extreme top-down view, that made the game look like an RTS. It also doesn’t let you angle your camera upward as sharply for those extreme views from the ground. “It’s not only identical, but it actually gives me a better view of what’s happening,” adds Laidlaw.

“I understand why people are like, ‘Oh my god! It’s going to be simpler and dumb!’ But the tactical camera is just changing. It’s still there and I think it’s very effective. I totally get why there would be concerns, but we’re still working on it,” explains Laidlaw.

laidlaw wrote:

“I understand why people are like, ‘Oh my god! It’s going to be simpler and dumb!’ But the tactical camera is just changing. It’s still there and I think it’s very effective. I totally get why there would be concerns, but we’re still working on it,” explains Laidlaw.

It's incredibly refreshing to hear a developer state that they "understand" why people might be worried, rather than just brushing off concerns as the squawking of whiners who just "don't get it."

Okay, I'm not going to go all NMA about the camera...

...yet.

If it is legitimately and improvement I'm open to it, and it sounds good.

Trailer looked neat, but they all look pretty good nowadays, so it does nothing to persuade me. I'll probably still buy it, but I'm a bit skeptical.