Seriously people, stop the bitching (Dragon age 2...and other games)

[Mouse One]

Pfft. The whole point of a demo is to get people excited about the game and make them want to buy it. If someone doesn't get excited about said game based on the demo, it's not a failure of character, for crying aloud.

To be perfectly honest, I don't think the DA2 demo did a good job of presenting anything other than the new combat system. Picking a wasteland for the opening sequence is hardly going to impress anyone with the shiny new graphics engine, for example.

Compare this demo to the Mass Effect 2 demo (spoiler for the three of you who haven't played it by now)

Spoiler

The freaking Normandy gets blown up, and there's that terrific sequence of Shepherd walking through CiC with the gaping hole above his head showing the planet nearby

. That grabbed people because a) it was visually impressive, but still action packed and b) it was a huge narrative hook-- partially because fans of the first game had investment in the characters already, but really just because of some good decisions on what plot elements to throw in right off the bat.

 

[TerranReaper]

If people thought the demo was bad, generally, they won't have a better experience with the actual game. A demo generally shows you how the game will be like, and there are very little instances where a demo does not represent the game at all. Also, if people are unsatisfied with the game, shouldn't they have a right to complain? Especially if they enjoyed the first game?

 

[Ace of Spades]

This is one of those times where I feel very unpopular for liking all the changes BioWare made. I thought that the inventory system and power wheel in Dragon Age: Origins were rather unintuitive and flow-breaking, and it felt like I wasn't doing much as a player when all I needed to do was press one button and my character would win the fight for me. The only problem is that practically everyone else on the escapist found these qualities attractive, so I either need to take on a massive legion of PC gamers with well-crafted opinions or just quietly leave any thread to do with Dragon Age 2 alone.

 

[Blind Sight]

Well it's just the whole 'self-entitled' gamer thing I've discussed on this forum before, it's actually a pretty big problem. In the case of Dragon Age 2, a gamer gets an idea of what they want in the sequel and when it turns out that isn't EXACTLY what's happening then they feel betrayed. It's a side-effect to the personal connection games create. Without any gameplay, they simply assume that it is going to be something they dislike because it's not something they expected or planned for. Also, the term 'casual' is a dirty word in video games, so whenever a concept is streamlined or made more accessible people complain that it's become 'casual' despite the fact that it could be there to simplify an annoyingly complex system.

Now by all means a gamer can voice their opinion on a game's content once it comes out, but to me arguing anything about a game before it comes out is like trying to argue about quantum mechanics when all you've read is a Grade 9 chemistry textbook. You simply don't have all the facts.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

You know what I find hilarious? People bitching about the apparently ruined combat when you can change it back to Dragon Age: Origins style combat in the options >.>

 

[Wharrgarble]

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuinedFOREVER

This is basically it. I can fully get behind people who present a reasonable argument as to why something may not be as good as the original. But if someone plays the demo for five minutes and declares that the game is "RUINED FOREVER!!1" then I just roll my eyes and sigh. People are resistant to change, even if it might be for the better.

 

[fakeangel]

I'm trying to get away from the more mainstream/casual stuff.

1. There are several reasons why mainstream is mainstream. Maybe it's because it's (usually) good.

2. Casual game it's the last thing I would classify DA2, because it has an overaching plot, complex mechanics, and most of all, an end.

P.S.eople today say a game is casual when they don't have anything else to attack it.

It's def more casual and simplified compared to the games i mentioned, thats for damn sure.

How do you know? The only thing out is the demo, and all you got was two sections of gameplay, the most advanced you are on level 6 in a companion aquiring quest.

So, please tell, how do you know after playing a minimum part of the game that is LOCKED in one of the lowest difficulties?

 

[SyphonX]

Further disturbing than the over-dramatic complainers, is this trend where everyone is a corporate shill. I see it a lot with MMO coverage, and I've since stopped researching new MMOs. "You know nothing about the game, give the company a break. Unless you buy the game and pay for a couple months of play or more, and figure out what the game is about, you have no say in the matter."

Yup.

 

[Podunk]

Now by all means a gamer can voice their opinion on a game's content once it comes out, but to me arguing anything about a game before it comes out is like trying to argue about quantum mechanics when all you've read is a Grade 9 chemistry textbook. You simply don't have all the facts.

If there are fundamental problems with a game you don't need to have played it all the way through to notice. (I hope!) I couldn't finish the first Dragon Age because the only plot I cared about was completely ignored (what happened to your sidekick from the start if you were a Dwarf Noble) and the combat was generally dull. I'm willing to accept that this isn't the game for me but the DA2 demo certainly does not make it seem like it's going to liven things up. And while I can't comment on Wheel or No Wheel with any kind of interest, I will say it's annoying to select a dialog option only to have the voice actor say something else, often with a different tone than was originally intended.

 

[rokkolpo]

I have the right to be pissed at DMC5 for the trailer alone.

Let us be pissed at what we want, thank you.

(for the record I know nothing about Dragon Age 2 yet)

 

[loc978]

Hell, I thought the first Dragon Age was dumbed down a little too far from its AD&D roots... the second one abandons the system almost completely and I'm not allowed a little sulk before I move on to games that interest me more (like maybe a replay of Icewind Dale)?

 

[Blind Sight]

Now by all means a gamer can voice their opinion on a game's content once it comes out, but to me arguing anything about a game before it comes out is like trying to argue about quantum mechanics when all you've read is a Grade 9 chemistry textbook. You simply don't have all the facts.

If there are fundamental problems with a game you don't need to have played it all the way through to notice. (I hope!) I couldn't finish the first Dragon Age because the only plot I cared about was completely ignored (what happened to your sidekick from the start if you were a Dwarf Noble) and the combat was generally dull. I'm willing to accept that this isn't the game for me but the DA2 demo certainly does not make it seem like it's going to liven things up. And while I can't comment on Wheel or No Wheel with any kind of interest, I will say it's annoying to select a dialog option only to have the voice actor say something else, often with a different tone than was originally intended.

Well my point is that you actually played the game, in demo or full form, right? That helps to validate your opinion a lot. Demos exist for that very reason, to give you a feel of the game. The problem comes from people who hear a simple announcement, jump to conclusions, and declare it something without even playing it.

 

[Gamefreek]

Well I for one have played Dragon Age, its DLC's and its expansion as well as having tried the Demo.

I don't know what changes they have made to the invantory system but I did sit down and pay close attention to the combat and leveling system

It took a moment to train my self to ignore the rather flashy and heroic style combat the characters use [not that im complaining makes combat a bit more entertaining] but after that I found that at its core it is still the same tactical set up as DA.

You can quickly swap between your team mates to trigger chosen abilities or move them to a position that you think is better. You can still set up tactics for your team mates with similar styles as you could in Dragon age.

They took out the repetitive sword swinging, i.e. swing hit, swing miss, swing oh they blocked, swing hit, swing hit, and high partical effect long casting spells, two things that made it a bit hard for me to really get drawn into combat in Dragon Age.

Graphics are smoother, main character has a voice, the dialog lets you choose based on the personality you want to use for a given situation and gets different reactions and I haven't seen one "derp" face during dialog which is something some people have complained about.

Yes Yahtzee, I'm looking at you.

It's more like the combat used in the cinematic trailers of Dragon Age.

 

[Rad Party God]

Not everything is made of gold, so not everyone will ever like it.

Let them ***** all they want, they will end up buying the game anyways.

 

[Sir Bob]

Never liked Dragon Age to begin with, it was too slow and therefor had very little replay value to me. The only interesting thing they tried out was the different starting areas.

This is my opinion, yet I will not make a new topic about it, and I suggest you don't either. This is because whining about people not waiting for the game to prove their low expectations wrong is just hypocritical, since you don't wait for the game to prove YOU right either.

 

[Continuity]

Actually, elitests are what is ruining the PC platform.


"BAWWWW, NO DEDICATED SURVURS! WE DUN LIKE IT SO WE WONT BUY, K?"

"WAHHHHH, GAME IS CONSOLE PORT! STUPID CONSOLE KIDDIES GB2/NES/!"

"RAGE! HOW DARE THIS GAME NOT SUPPORT 5692p! OBVIOUSLY LAZY CODING ON THE DEVS PART!"


seriously, all "elitists" do is *****, complain, and generally act like douche-bags when one little thing about a game is changed, regardless if it is for the better.

Because of these assholes, developers will be less likely to do anything different than what people already enjoy.

"ORIGINAL GAMEPLAY IDEAS? WUTS THAT?"

elitists, not just for the pc, but for every console, are the reason we get shit-tacular games like Modern Warfare 2, Blops, Medal of Honor, Halo, and Guitar Hero [though GH has been killed thankfully].

wow thats some pretty mobius thinking if you don't mind me saying, i'm still trying to work out in my head how you can possibly fit these view points together.

The first part of your post describes some of the gripes that a so called "elitist" might have, but the second part of your post proceeds to link this to the exact things that the "elitists" are complaining about!?
So in essence you're saying that by complaining about bad gaming trends elitists are creating the very gaming trends that they are complaining about?

 

[Grey_Focks]

Is this thread the forum equivalent of drunk dialing? Except instead of getting drunk and calling someone, you're getting pissed off and complaining about it on the internet? Either way, seems pretty counterproductive, though I too enjoyed the demo. Haters gonna hate I suppose, but just be aware that includes you.