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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

More stuff on DA2

So… I’ve finished playing Dragon age 2. Twice.


I’ve mentioned previously the looming spectre that is Dragon Age Origins that continually cast its shadow on this game, so I’ll refrain from bashing unfair comparisons, refuting silly critiques, denying outrageous claims and such here. I would however like to share some random observations and thoughts.


1. Mage Hawke is the most popular variant of the protagonist, or at least that’s what I see when it comes to fan art. I like the Warrior variant best, and it’s really hard for me to get a female Warrior Hawke picture for my workstation wallpaper. Personally I’m baffled because the Champion Armor for warrior looks friggin’ wicked! Yet it’s not easy to find. WHY??? :P I’d pay for someone to do female warrior Hawke wallpaper but since I don’t like or do much E-transactions I can only reward people living nearby… with lunch… or dinner. :P (ALL ON ME!)


2. There’s a significant amount of male Hawke and male companion romance fan art around too.It is significantly more than compared to previous Bioware games. It’s not my cup of tea, but I won’t bash, because that’s their preference. I am merely stating an observation.


3. There was romance element back in Neverwinter Nights (NWN). It was not that… obviously direct, but it was there. There certainly is romance in Jade Empire (JE), though personally my favourite thing in there was Mirabelle (kudos to any who knows “Mirabelle”). In Mass Effect (ME1) there was even a nude sex scene to accompany the romance element; sadly though Mass Effect 2 (ME2) it was not as… hot…or nude. And certainly romance was in Dragon Age Origins (DA: O). Almost forgot, Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR), there was romance there too. So it should come to no surprise that there is so many romance themed Dragon Age 2 fan art, yes?


4. Sadly, I’m not as happy with fact no 3. You see, NWN1 featured a lone prodigal student as a protagonist with no family ties. In NWN2 you had a foster parent who was so distant he might as well have been a hermit-like mentor, and you’re only true family ties are backstories about your real parents. Shepard of Mass Effect series has no family, save for the mention of a mother serving in the Alliance fleet somewhere. In KOTOR, your amnesiac Jedi is in fact the true Sith Lord then but has no mention of family. In JE your entire clan was killed. In Origins, as human noble, your parents were killed early on and your elder brother might as well just be a background prop. Your brother in the dwarven noble might as well be likened to a rival from some other clan. In DA2 though, you travel with your mother, two younger twin siblings (initially at least) and would soon meet your uncle and will at the end find out that you have a cousin (not to mention human mage Warden from Origins as another, distant, cousin). Certainly family element is around throughout and even serves as a main plot. So I was wondering… where are the tributes/fanstuff to celebrate the Hawke/Amell family?


5. Mages had a good thing going with their case over the Templars. I feel for them. Really, I do. That is, until the end of the story/game where somehow several key mage figures went batshit and go all crazy-like, thus destroying their good rep. I ought to have both sides killed. Varric was so right in his opinion.


6. I’m sad I can’t create a Madmartigan-like character (see “Willow” 1988 movie by Ron Howard, starring Val Kilmer). There is no more dual weapon warrior using 2 swords. The rogue in DA2 does not even use swords, they only have daggers. Maybe this is offset by the 2 handed swords being quite fast now, but still this is quite a sad thing.


7. I for one am glad to see the Arcane Warrior gone. Mages shouldn’t intrude in warrior territories! You don’t see warriors doing long range mass nuking abilities! As it is, mage is still the favoured class in DA so it seems, thus its really quite a show of favouritism to allow mage people to be like warriors as well (wear heavy armour and use swords and such)


8. DA2 is sexist? Really? Some people think so. Well I don’t care if it is. Women there have big boobs? The game uses animation and… Principle of animation: Exaggerate! That’s my rationale! Haha! Besides, you would want your player character to be hot! And you want to travel around with hot companions! That’s why romance feature is oh-so-popular! Right?


9. Did anyone notice the toggle helmet option? Well of course you did, that’s why we see faces so much in fan art. Helmets are good and useful and all but we spent (some of us at least) so much time trying to sculpt the purrrfect face with the best choice of hairdo that it’s a waste not to see it in game on the account of… protective gear. This toggling helmet off feature is nice. But I don’t hear much thanks for that, so…. thank you Bioware!


10. Hawke is inconsequential. He/she did not matter. Hawke just waits around for stuff to happen, and even then stuff will still happen if he was not around. That’s what some people think. I disagree, Hawke may not have a Grey warden treaty document that enables him to rally people and he may not end up killing an archdemon, but Hawke’s effect on matters is usually less obvious. I personally think, if Hawke was not around the Mage-Templar thing would have died down eventually, but I don’t feel inclined to write a specific, plot by plot explanation, so I can only hope Hawke’s role will be re-examined by people.


11. I hate getting armour pieces that is not corresponding to your character class. It’s silly because only your Hawke can use these armour pieces, not companions anymore. If Mass Effect 2 is the way to go, have it use the Mass effect 2 armour system, switchable armour pieces, and customizable colour scheme! Use the Champion armour set as a base template for each class.


12. There is no bikini chainmail/armour in dragon age 2. Right? Damn…

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