Re: Dragon Age Origins on a jalopy (first impression on an Athlon XP 3200+)
Nostromo
Anno Domini:
>Okay, I didn't buy it yet, but my friend and I just wanted to see how bad your
>machine could be and still run Dragon Age, and mine was the best candidate. So
>we firewalled it off the Internet and ran his game with a crack, just to see if
>it could. Hackers of the world unite (and I got to see if they were serious
>about Athlon 64 minimum).
>
>The machine:
>
>o Athlon XP 3200+, no SSE2. I can't even run Dragon Naturally Speaking 10.
>
>o Nforce2 bargain chipset with dual-channel RAM crippled to single channel
>
>o 1.5GB of Corsair PC3200 CAS2.5 RAM (Three 512MB sticks)
>
>o 2 Hitachi Deskstar 160 GB
>
>o ATI Radeon X850 (520/540 DDR3) for that Pixel Shaders 2.0b goodness
>
>o Audigy LS
>
>
>Results? With SM 2.0 on the vid-card, the only thing you get is "low" graphics
>detail, so if you want to know what I'm seeing, or want to post some
>screenshots as to what "low" *should* look like on a machine that has any
>business running this sucker, I'd appreciate it.
>
>Low graphics, 1280x1024 resolution, 4x AA and "high" textures and the thing
>runs. It runs well. There are a few stutters on transitions that seem to have
>something to do with hard disk performance. The load times are quite tolerable,
>I've sat for maybe a minute tops going to a completely new location.
>
>I played through one origin story as a human noble fighter, and we called it
>quits. Uninstalled.
>
>And yes. It works, folks. It works well. The textures are just brilliant and my
>machine kept up with almost everything, even combat, with a few odd stutters
>here and there, but beggars can't be choosers. If you don't care as much about
>graphics, this is the underpowered machine _sleeper hit_ of the century.
>
>I just might buy it. My first impressions were not great, since I have played
>through both Baldur's I and II, and every other Infinity game for that matter,
>both KotORs, I've made good headway into Jade Empire, and tried (but hated)
>both Neverwinters. To me, on first blush, it seems like more of the same, so
>I'm going to listen to the reviews as more people finish up with the game.
>
>But it is damned pretty, and that's *incredible* given my machine. It looks
>like a much richer version of Witcher. I imagine having, you know, any lighting
>effects at all, must really make this one quite a treat to look at (I do get
>some nice blur effects though, even with my old card).
Ok, ok, up-n-coming GW (graphics whore) - we get it! ;-p
*** minor spoilers ahead ***
Some of us have played games like Crysis, AoC, Dead Space & FarCry2 on Ultra
settings in 1080p, so you'll forgive us if DA:O is a bit meh. Yes, it has
nice lighting effects, but it's the same ol static corridor world with
hotspots we've had since BG1. And as someone else said, the boundaries/edges
in this world of no jumping, climbing & falling off ledges really work to
break immersion. I'll reserve comments about gameplay &
playability/storyline. The mechanics, such as having to mouse left click on
a mob to execute spells are borked & back to front to most other games, mmos
included - that bit sucks major arse. Voice acting so far in the tutorial is
ok (nothing sensational), & the first Fade area, though underwhelming &
out-of-focus-annoying, has redeemed itself a little with the star-crossed
lovers story in the starting area (I'm playing a mage) & the spiders in the
cellar were actually a jump moment & unexpected - on high graphics the
really munch on you in a spine-tingling way when they overbear you :).
Will keep at it until it's dumbed down console interface (which is there,
believe me) & it's over-simplified skill/spell system get to me.
>They seem to be borrowing from Jade Empire in this game a bit, a little from
>Oblivion too, which surprised me, and a bit from the MMO world as well. It's
>synergy. And it scales. The "tactical view" was a welcome surprise for me, as I
>grew up with that sort of tactical RPG, and all you have to do is roll the
>mouse-wheel back during a combat and you've got mash the spacebar isometric
>combat.
I know you don'r like mmos, but Gothic3 & Witcher were examples of well done
synergetic mmo facets built into a SP crpg - the jury's still out on this
puppy.
>If you've played any of the Neverwinters, KotOR, or even The Witcher, the
>movement and camera controls should come naturally.
Why oh why they couldn't just have continuous zoom to 1st person & out to
long isometric, now fucking could they? Oh no, let's re-invent the wheel &
pissfart the player around with yet 3 more hardcoded view modes according to
how *we* think the game should be looked at from. Pfft.
>Overall, if the dialogue and start-up didn't seem so generic and samey, it'd be
>a no-brainer. The Noble Fighter origin felt basically the same as the start of
>NWN2, KoTOR I and II, and numerous other RPGs. I should hope other "origins"
>are not as staid. As it is, it looks like BioWare has gone back to basics to
>attract a new audience to its style of RPG, and I've played through enough of
>those basics enough times that it's starting to get a little tired.
Yuppers.
>We'll see how the rest of the group fares, eh?
>
>This is, officially, the first time I've thought about buying a new PC in a
>year. It's amazing software engineering by the DAO team to scale so well to old
>iron, and I'd love to know if the writing picks up later.
I'm actually thinking about going back to play more of NWN2 (I never even
got to Neverwinter when I left off at that fort). Is that a compliment to
DAO? ;)
Vincenzo Beretta
"Zaghadka" <zagh...@hotmail.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:qg80g5t9easm6asro...@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:39 +1100, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Nostromo
> wrote:
>
>>I'm actually thinking about going back to play more of NWN2 (I never even
>>got to Neverwinter when I left off at that fort). Is that a compliment to
>>DAO? ;)
>
> annoying
> druid in tow. I short circuited the Lizard Man quest by negotiating
> because I
> was so bored with the start up areas.
>
> And I arrived, took a look, and said to myself, "That's it?!! *This* is
> Neverwinter? Screw you guys I'm outta here." The box looks pretty next to
> Gothic 3 on my side shelf here, though.
>
> The oversimplified dungeon maps (pick path a or path b, but don't even
> think
> about getting lost) really killed that one for me. It was like they spent
> all
> their time on the *scenery* for what was the RPG equivalent of a rail
> shooter.
>
> Graphics whoredom and full talking comes at a terrible cost when producers
> won't step up the writing and _design_ to a similar extent.
>
> DAO seems to have *many* of the same flaws, but it just isn't as *bad* as
> NWN2.
> It's pleasant, and the voice acting, while stilted, is still competent and
> sometimes even moving. They could do more, Pixar surely does, but not
> until
> gamers and the gaming press *demand* more. I'm sure DAO will be a
> watershed
> experience in RPG for some 20-something who's never played the "Bioware
> Epic
> RPG" before. Me? I've got better uses for my time until I get a new
> machine,
> and then I'll probably grab it off the bargain shelf, or as part of a
> shovelware package.
>
> I'm expecting a little more from the industry at this point. My standards
> are
> probably a little too high, and I'm likely a customer not worth pleasing
> at
> current price points. That's the fact. My expectations, however, are right
> where they should be. I don't expect anything. You might do better to
> start
> from that point too. Otherwise, you start to sound like grandpa.
>
> I suspect we're up against a hard limitation of the current technology. A
> sort
> of "baroque period" of the RPG (from music history). In that era, they
> couldn't
> do anything innovative without equal temperment (which allows you to
> change
> keys) so they turned to adding lots of ornamentation, voicing tricks, and
> fugues. But essentially, the music sounded very samey because all you had
> was
> the major key and its relative minor, and you had to *retune the
> orchestra* to
> do anything else. Then Bach came through with a new tuning system and
> everyone
> went back to basics again (the classical period began). I think there have
> been
> numerous attempts to *do* more with CRPG, and all of them have been
> bugfests
> full of fail because this really is *all* that can be done with the genre
> given
> the current tools.
>
> I suspect its something very fundamental in the underlying design and code
> that
> needs to change.
>
> In the meantime, DAO is very, _very_ nicely done, but graphics are really
> just
> more baroque versions of the Aurora/Odyssey/Electron engine line, as you
> note.
> They've gone as far as they can with this design, and numerous cracks
> *are*
> showing.
>
> Simply put, it is everything I've come to expect from the mainstream
> gaming
> industry, Bioware, and EA (if you know what I mean). ;^)
To sum it up... how do you find the game?
Nostromo
Anno Domini:
>On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:39 +1100, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Nostromo
>wrote:
>
>>I'm actually thinking about going back to play more of NWN2 (I never even
>>got to Neverwinter when I left off at that fort). Is that a compliment to
>>DAO? ;)
>
Very well said. Being a music history buff (of sorts) I know exactly where
you're coming from! ;)
>I suspect its something very fundamental in the underlying design and code that
>needs to change.
>
>In the meantime, DAO is very, _very_ nicely done, but graphics are really just
>more baroque versions of the Aurora/Odyssey/Electron engine line, as you note.
>They've gone as far as they can with this design, and numerous cracks *are*
>showing.
>
>Simply put, it is everything I've come to expect from the mainstream gaming
>industry, Bioware, and EA (if you know what I mean). ;^)
He, he, to be sure.
>BTW, have you checked out Torchlight yet? That one has my interest too.
Oh yes, & now that D3 is not likely til 2011 (or God knows when!), I won't
feel like I'm cheating by playing a bit more of it :). I just wish it had a
co-op LAN mode - the Mrs & I would probably be doing nothing but if it did
*sigh*. Oh well, let's see what they do with the mmo mode in 18 mths or so
(it will probably beat D3 to market as well).
--
Nostromo
Matt v3.3
> The caveat? I'm guessing you've played this game before. It
> doesn't seem to be taking any risks.
More of the same of BG1/2 is fine with me. ;) Absolutely. By all
accounts, what I'm hoping it does is more great NPC interactions,
party banter, romances, etc. As in, story. Give it to me now.
--
};> Matt v3.3 <:{
Mark Morrison
That's what you'll get :)
I'm on my second playthrough, with the combat on Easy, just for the
new dialogue and stories from a new team. I'm looking forward to
making different choices this time, and seeing how the game is
different for a Mage than how it played for my first character, a City
Elf.
Wolfing
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:20:03 +1300, "Matt v3.3"
>
My first run is with a mage on hard, perfect difficulty setting for me
(all battles are fun, some get me sweating hard). I'm thinking on
playing next run as a dwarf warrior on normal (I really don't know how
I could manage some of the battles I fought on hard without my mage)
Andrew Rybenkov
> I'm on my second playthrough
Wow!
So what is playtime? 10-12 hours?
--
Andrew Rybenkov
Paul Murray
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:02:19 +0300, Mark Morrison <bl...@aol.com> wrote:
>> I'm on my second playthrough
> Wow!
> So what is playtime? 10-12 hours?
I think it would depend a lot on how interested you are in taking sidequests
and reading all the various backstory and history that is given to you.
I'd say if you do all 6 Origin quests, that is probably 6-8 hours, then as
far as the main game goes I've played about 30 hours, at a slow pace, and
am not near the end of the game yet.
Toolpackinmama
> I'm on my second playthrough, with the combat on Easy, just for the
> new dialogue and stories from a new team. I'm looking forward to
> making different choices this time, and seeing how the game is
> different for a Mage than how it played for my first character, a City
> Elf.
I haven't made it all the way through yet. I am juggling three
characters, two of whom have been rerolled once each already.
Mark Morrison
My first playthough was about 35 hours, give or take an hour. I
forget the precise time.
My second playthough should go faster, as I have subtitles on, and am
skipping all the dialogue that I've had before - I'm only listening to
new stuff unlocked by having an entirely new party.
I've read that some quests/areas are unlocked due to the party you
have so I'll see how that unfolds.
Wolfing
> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:43:14 GMT, Paul Murray <p...@murray.net> wrote:
> >On 2009-11-17, Andrew Rybenkov <aryben...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:02:19 +0300, Mark Morrison <bl...@aol.com> wrote:
> >>> I'm on my second playthrough
> >> Wow!
> >> So what is playtime? 10-12 hours?
>
> >I think it would depend a lot on how interested you are in taking sidequests
> >and reading all the various backstory and history that is given to you.
> >I'd say if you do all 6 Origin quests, that is probably 6-8 hours, then as
> >far as the main game goes I've played about 30 hours, at a slow pace, and
> >am not near the end of the game yet.
>
> My first playthough was about 35 hours, give or take an hour. I
> forget the precise time.
>
> My second playthough should go faster, as I have subtitles on, and am
> skipping all the dialogue that I've had before - I'm only listening to
> new stuff unlocked by having an entirely new party.
>
> I've read that some quests/areas are unlocked due to the party you
> have so I'll see how that unfolds.
Wow. I think I've already spent some 80 hours in my first playthrough
and am probably about 65% into the game (but then again, I do read all
the books and notes I find, they do help a lot immersing you in the
world). Also playing on hard difficulty so tougher battles require a
lot more pausing and micromanaging (which I love)
Andrew Rybenkov
thanks, folks.
30-35 (and especially 80) sound awesome!
> Also playing on hard difficulty
Considering the patch made "easy" and "normal" even more easier,
"hard" will be the only choice.
--
Andrew Rybenkov
"But Todd Howard is not to be blamed for everything... It's his parents that gave birth to him" - killrog
Justisaur
> On Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:39 +1100, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Nostromo
> wrote:
>
> >got to Neverwinter when I left off at that fort). Is that a compliment to
> >DAO? ;)
>
> druid in tow. I short circuited the Lizard Man quest by negotiating because I
> was so bored with the start up areas.
>
> And I arrived, took a look, and said to myself, "That's it?!! *This* is
> Neverwinter? Screw you guys I'm outta here." The box looks pretty next to
> Gothic 3 on my side shelf here, though.
>
Did anyone like NWN? It's appeal was the quite good fan made modules,
quite good expansions, and for me the appeal of rolling your own.
NWN2 was even worse past the initial town which was very good, rolling
your own didn't work for me, the editor wouldn't even run, and from
all reports was much more complicated and difficult to use.
Supposedly the expansions for that were very good as well, but I never
got around to trying them since I was so pissed off at the editor not
working, and the as usual wizards being screwed and useless as a
class.
- Justisaur
Justisaur
> On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:45:05 +0100, in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg, Vincenzo
>
> Beretta wrote:
> >> Simply put, it is everything I've come to expect from the mainstream
> >> gaming
> >> industry, Bioware, and EA (if you know what I mean). ;^)
>
> >To sum it up... how do you find the game?
>
>
> It's a good game. It's very pretty, but the engine is bells and whistles over
> the NWN2 engine (think Witcher). The music is gorgeous classical/celtic. The
> voice acting is a cut above the industry standard. The writing is solid.
>
> When Baldur's Gate came out, and this was all an amazing step *up* from the
> /status quo/, it was a transcendent experience.
>
> Now, everyone does this. They aren't doing anything (at first blush) above
> current industry standard. Bethesda did this level of graphics in Oblivion.
> Gothic 3 did *better* graphics, and the soundtrack too.
>
> I didn't have much time to explore the rules system, but it feels very MMOish.
> I've read reviews that say that the system starts to break down later in the
> game, as the complexity and difficulty levels go up. I wasn't astounded by it,
> but it is designed for a *computer*, which is a cut above 3rd ed. D&D.
>
> World-crafting teaser (and it's just a teaser but I'm ROT-13ing it): Gurl'ir
> znqr gur vagrerfgvat qrpvfvba bs univat ryirf or n _fynir_ pynff. Vg'f n fbeg
> bs cnfgvpur bs Abegu Nzrevpna yvoreny thvyg, pbzovavat obgu gur cyvtugf bs
> oynpx fynirf naq vaqvtrabhf Nzrevpna gevony angvbaf vagb ryivfu fynirf naq
> Qnyvfu jvyqzra yvivat va gur sberfgf jvgu n enpvny ungerq sbe uhznaf. V gubhtug
> vg jnf n avpr gbhpu gb oernx sebz gur Gbyxvra cbegenlny.
>
> Save files are 500KB a pop, so if you're not loading a new area when you do
> one, saves and loads are *silly* fast.
>
> All in all, it is a solid title. If you liked Infinity (Baldur's, et al.), if
> you liked KoTOR, especially if you liked the Neverwinters (which I didn't), you
> will like this one, and you totally won't regret buying it.
Hm... Hated baldur's (other than voice acting/chracters), loved KotOR,
and NWN hated at release. 1 out of 3. I think I'm skipping this one
until it's bargain basement. Although if it's like NWN it'll retain
it's price for a long long time, we'll just have to see.
- Justisaur
Sheldon England
>
> Did anyone like NWN?
Absolutely. Loved NwN but haven't yet tried NwN2. So many modules and
stories. So many characters. The Original Campaign was so-so but Shadows
of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark were very enjoyable.
Aside from my current MMO, the Civilization(s), and Silent Hunter III --
NwN is probably the PC game I have spent the most hours playing.
Though I admit I haven't played it in a couple years now.
- Sheldon, picking up DA:O tonight