That letter creates more questions than it answers.
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How could a few inventory items slow down save game size and loading time? It seems like at most two integers per item (item type and location). Even if it was much more, come on, seriously, how much data are we talking about here? I find it very hard to accept that this is a real issue.
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If this really is a problem, then why is it that adding the extra storage in the form of extra bags doesn’t generate the same save-game size problem?
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Why doesn’t the DLC extra storage have this save-game problem?
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The storage space was not removed from the initial version because it was deemed to be a bad idea, but because the coders couldn’t solve some problem with the area changing and erasing the storage. So it was considered a good idea but technically difficult. So why not put the storage in a different area that doesn’t change? Oh that’s right, that is exactly what they did in the $7 DLC.
Cubit
2982
I just don’t understand why they couldn’t have patched the extra storage into the game, and left the DLC be additional content.
Whoa, hold on. So if you pause on the 360, cycle through all the characters to give them orders, and then unpause, only the dude you stayed on last will actually do what you just told him to do? That can’t be right…
Also, is this “Tactics” stuff actually a gameplay element that regular people use, or is it like the scripting in the BGs, where like six hardcore geeks went to town and everyone else ignored it?
I think it also seems a lot more supsicious due to the timing. As a player/consumer, it appears like they witheld the stoarge area purposefully to get me to pay for the DLC.
We’ve already covered why or why not that perception is true, but developers and publishers need to know that regardless of the truth, this is the way it will be viewed.
Elf mages have to go through the mage origin; the elf origins are for warriors & rogues. Likewise, human mages have to go through the mage origin as well; the human noble origin is for warriors & rogues. [Dwarves can’t be mages.] Incidentally, elf mages are Alienage (city) elves, not Dalish elves.
From what I saw in Giant Bomb’s quick look, it appears that you can’t actually do what you’re describing here. You go to a character and give them an order and it immediately unpauses. So you can give people commands, but you have to keep pausing and moving. One would hope that the AI would retain what you told your guy to do before the game unpaused, though.
Having looked at the Gamespot reviews, I find myself wondering if I shouldn’t change over to a PS3 version. Does anyone know if I buy this for the PS3, can I still unlock the blood armor for the 360 version of ME2?
My understanding, and one of the reasons I am excited about it on the console version, is that the “tactics” are very, very similar to the gambits from FF12, which worked incredibly well.
I am curious also about the “last man selected remembering his orders” issue though.
Virginia. It’s out for delivery right now.
Gendal
2989
It did the same thing for me on the web page. I kept submitting them and eventually, 4 or 5 tries later, it gave me a green ‘Accepted’ message.
It unfortunately does the same thing as FF12 and limits what you can set up at first. In one way it’s even worse, you have to spend skill points to unlock the tactic slots instead of just money to buy gambits. Minus that I love it, it gives a ton, and I mean a ton, of conditionals. Some of the default ones are quite clever too, but I prefer concentrating my fire better on one mob.
So for instance I changed the mage to always pick the target the main tank is on, or of course you could do the opposite and have everybody concentrate on stuff attacking the mage first. Doing that would mean you probably wouldn’t take down a single target as fast, but you might end up dividing out the damage taken a little better.
Sorry. Looking back at my post, I was unclear. Yes, you can cycle through your characters and give them a command. Attack, cast a spell, use an item. Once it resolves, the character reverts to AI unless you are still in control of that character. Also if one of the triggers of your AI Tactics settings gets tripped, they will revert to AI. (i.e. Health Below 25% will trigger them to take a potion/heal) Then they stick with AI control until you switch over to them and give them a new command. The one thing you CAN’T do is give movement commands. So if you see a fireball coming at you, you can’t pause and give movement commands to all of your guys to scatter. You can only move one character at a time, and the others will either follow you, or stay where they are depending on whether you have the hold/follow button toggled.
In the PC version, you can actually disable the AI(set it to passive) in the PC version and control all party members pretty easily, pausing to give the entire party commands. You can’t really do this in the Console version because it was intended that the console version be more action oriented.
The “Tactics” feature is actually pretty cool. Its accessible to anyone, and you can either decide to let it do its thing on its own. (Which is does a pretty good job with the presets) or you can go in and create custom tactics profiles using a nice little interface with drop down menus and If then statements. Its pretty similar to the gambit system of Final Fantasy 12.
I hope that clears things up a bit. Sorry about the unclear post before.
Gendal
2991
**************PRETTY MINOR SPOILERS
On the whole loot storage controversy I just wanted to add you should sell before heading to the tower in the prologue (and you can’t sell right before you head there). I was hanging on to everything because I didn’t know who would be joining so I ended up deleting and leaving stuff behind.
I’m very happy to hear this; I loved the gambits in FF12 and I think that going forward that is absolutely the way I would like to play part based RPGS. give me the option to jump in, but otherwise let me customize their tactics as much as possible. Too bad they went with the tired idea of artificially limiting when you can use certain tactics though, and making you spend skill slots on them. That’s a curious decision.
About the downloadable items: First step is to go to Dragonage.bioware.com/redeem and enter the codes. Does this have to be from the computer you are going to install the game on? Or is it just prep work and the stuff will be downloaded when you do step two which is start up the game and log in. See I’m stuck at work with a hot little copy of the game and of course have to wait til I get home to load it up. If I could get this step done it would be great.
rei
2994
Destructoid has a 7.5 review up.
I think we should all know by now whether Dragon Age hits your I-love-BioWare-fantasy-RPG-conversation-heavy-exposition-fiddly-stats-pausable-real-time-we-swear-this-isn’t-D&D gene or not. I predicted that this game will have equal parts detractors as well as fans and I think I’m going to be right.
Time to go shout at some people for posting something I don’t like!
(Seriously though, I keep waiting for the ‘Fry It’ review to come in from Crispy Gamer crapping on DA:O for not having split-screen multiplayer.)
Jaysun
2997
Anyone have recommendations on this for platform? PC or Xbox 360? I’m thinking 360…
Khoram
2998
No offense, but that very question has been covered about 1000 times on every forum over the last month :)
The general consensus seems to be, if your PC can handle it (Core2Duo 2.4-2.8 GHz+, 8800GTS+), go PC - you get better resolution, more choice in viewing angles, and the toolset + (free) mods. Unless you have a dilapidated computer chair with splinters and rusty nails poking your ass and prefer your couch or something.
Yeah, I fall firmly in the “pausing all the time sucks” camp, so I doubt I will play this. I can certainly see how it could appeal to others though. I might pick this up later for cheap and see if the tactics system is enough avoid all the pausing.
Jaysun
3000
Thanks.
There are 100 pages of posts here. I’m not going to skim them to find the answer.
