DrJ079: I guess it depends on how bad the FPS issues are vs the graphics issues. I'd rather drive a mint Porsche that might sputter once in a while vs a beat up Honda Civic.
I guess it depends on how bad the FPS issues are vs the graphics issues. I'd rather drive a mint Porsche that might sputter once in a while vs a beat up Honda Civic.
Early impressions on this game are "iffy" right now. I have the PS3 version. The only FPS issues I've seen thus far is a couple hiccups during the opening cutscene, nothing during gameplay. I completed the Dwarf Commoner Origin story and now am in the core of the game. I have a Dwarf Rogue.
I decided that while I wanted to be capable in combat, I really wanted to make a rogue who is stealthy and adept at picking locks, disarming traps and things of that nature. As it's put in the strategy guide, more of a scout build than a DPS (damage per second) build. I like playing the longshots.
The hero doesn't speak, except during combat with some threats and shout outs. Throughout the story you get the standard Bioware dialogue trees that can effect gameplay.
Combat, at least in the beginning, is pretty boring. You target a guy, by simply moving the camera until they are highlighted, press X and your guy walks up and starts fighting. You then can press other buttons that you can assign combat arts or spells to and you will do that action and continue fighting. I had a quest where someone joined me and the AI seemed pretty slow. I'd be well into a fight before the other guy opted to join. It wasn't until a little while later than I noticed that you can switch to the other person in your party and manually get them into the fray a bit faster.
I could see how playing this game on a PC is much more superior especially when using the radial menu to assign skills. You hold L2 to bring up the menu and have to hold directions on the analog stick while pressing certain buttons to bring up other radial menus. If you let go of L2 at any time, it closes out. I think they could have done just as well with having the radial pop up and stay just by pressing L2, not holding it.
Graphics are pretty good. Facial animations are good. One thing I thought was odd was in character creation I was going to make my dwarf bald, but when I did that, his skin tone on his face was a little tanned (as it was my selection in skin tone) and the bald head was very not tanned. It looked stupid.
I ended up saving my game and turning the game off a little disappointed. I'm not saying it's not a good game, it just didn't have an immediate "hook" for me like when I picked up Borderlands and didn't want to stop playing. I'm hoping with the addition of party members and advanced skills the game will be much better recieved.
Catastrophic: You hold L2 to bring up the menu and have to hold directions on the analog stick while pressing certain buttons to bring up other radial menus. If you let go of L2 at any time, it closes out. I think they could have done just as well with having the radial pop up and stay just by pressing L2, not holding it.
You hold L2 to bring up the menu and have to hold directions on the analog stick while pressing certain buttons to bring up other radial menus. If you let go of L2 at any time, it closes out. I think they could have done just as well with having the radial pop up and stay just by pressing L2, not holding it.
I could be wrong, but I thought I saw an option related to this in the Settings menu of the 360 version.
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I was watching some comparison videos last night and to be honest the difference between the 360 and PS3 VISUALLY was hardly noticable. The colors seemed a little more vibrant on the PS3 version but the overall textures weren't different enough to warrant what some people are saying as far as it being head and shoulders above the 360 version. The only time it was noticable at all was during close up shots when character dialogue was happening, the actual gameplay looked basically the same.
As a side note when watching the videos I only noticed slow down during one of the bigger battles when a lot of magic was being cast BUT it was same on BOTH systems and even then it wasn't game breaking or anything, we've seen much worse from other titles.
I doubt anyone is gonna be disappointed with it regardless of what system they buy it for. I'll have the PC version tonight and after seeing the videos and what people are saying about it I couldn't be more excited to play.
Solatso: I was watching some comparison videos last night and to be honest the difference between the 360 and PS3 VISUALLY was hardly noticable. The colors seemed a little more vibrant on the PS3 version but the overall textures weren't different enough to warrant what some people are saying as far as it being head and shoulders above the 360 version. The only time it was noticable at all was during close up shots when character dialogue was happening, the actual gameplay looked basically the same. As a side note when watching the videos I only noticed slow down during one of the bigger battles when a lot of magic was being cast BUT it was same on BOTH systems and even then it wasn't game breaking or anything, we've seen much worse from other titles. I doubt anyone is gonna be disappointed with it regardless of what system they buy it for. I'll have the PC version tonight and after seeing the videos and what people are saying about it I couldn't be more excited to play.
Don't say that, you are taking away the fanboy arguments that their version is better.
G-Nitro: Solatso: I was watching some comparison videos last night and to be honest the difference between the 360 and PS3 VISUALLY was hardly noticable. The colors seemed a little more vibrant on the PS3 version but the overall textures weren't different enough to warrant what some people are saying as far as it being head and shoulders above the 360 version. The only time it was noticable at all was during close up shots when character dialogue was happening, the actual gameplay looked basically the same. As a side note when watching the videos I only noticed slow down during one of the bigger battles when a lot of magic was being cast BUT it was same on BOTH systems and even then it wasn't game breaking or anything, we've seen much worse from other titles. I doubt anyone is gonna be disappointed with it regardless of what system they buy it for. I'll have the PC version tonight and after seeing the videos and what people are saying about it I couldn't be more excited to play. Don't say that, you are taking away the fanboy arguments that their version is better.
Whoops, what was I thinking?
DrJ079: Hexpane: Looks like PS3 version has some serious FPS issues Seems so, but it appears the Xbox possibly has even more irritating issues so it could be worse. At least according to Gamespot who gave it an 8.5 compared to the PS3's 9.0 and noted the following: The differences between versions aren't limited to the interface. Dragon Age doesn't look amazing on the PC, but it's an attractive game nonetheless. Zooming from an isometric view to a third-person perspective is slick, and while environments don't hold up quite as well when viewed up close, they're consistently lovely when viewed from above. On the flip side, the Xbox 360 version looks positively disappointing. Textures are highly compressed and colors are washed out, though the upside is that this version maintains a smoother frame rate than on the PlayStation 3, where things might get jittery when swiveling the camera around. The PlayStation 3 version features higher-quality textures than those on the Xbox 360, better color saturation, smoother facial animations, and shorter load times. Minor visual hiccups, like corpses that disappear and reappear, are a bit more common on the PS3, however. The PC version is the superior experience, but if you're choosing between the two console releases, the PlayStation 3 has the upper hand http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/dragonage/review.html?page=2 Too bad they didn't take the couple extra weeks they had planned and maybe resolved some of the FPS issues.
Hexpane: Looks like PS3 version has some serious FPS issues
Looks like PS3 version has some serious FPS issues
Seems so, but it appears the Xbox possibly has even more irritating issues so it could be worse. At least according to Gamespot who gave it an 8.5 compared to the PS3's 9.0 and noted the following:
The differences between versions aren't limited to the interface. Dragon Age doesn't look amazing on the PC, but it's an attractive game nonetheless. Zooming from an isometric view to a third-person perspective is slick, and while environments don't hold up quite as well when viewed up close, they're consistently lovely when viewed from above. On the flip side, the Xbox 360 version looks positively disappointing. Textures are highly compressed and colors are washed out, though the upside is that this version maintains a smoother frame rate than on the PlayStation 3, where things might get jittery when swiveling the camera around. The PlayStation 3 version features higher-quality textures than those on the Xbox 360, better color saturation, smoother facial animations, and shorter load times. Minor visual hiccups, like corpses that disappear and reappear, are a bit more common on the PS3, however. The PC version is the superior experience, but if you're choosing between the two console releases, the PlayStation 3 has the upper hand
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/dragonage/review.html?page=2
Too bad they didn't take the couple extra weeks they had planned and maybe resolved some of the FPS issues.
Well it's great to know that at least the console versions are *close* that's really all I ask, I know PC versions will always be better (this gen) but for my console ports, I want the best it can be on each console. Sounds like they did as good as they can. 95% of PS3 games have FPS dips.
Catastrophic: DrJ079: I guess it depends on how bad the FPS issues are vs the graphics issues. I'd rather drive a mint Porsche that might sputter once in a while vs a beat up Honda Civic. Early impressions on this game are "iffy" right now. I have the PS3 version. The only FPS issues I've seen thus far is a couple hiccups during the opening cutscene, nothing during gameplay. I completed the Dwarf Commoner Origin story and now am in the core of the game. I have a Dwarf Rogue. I decided that while I wanted to be capable in combat, I really wanted to make a rogue who is stealthy and adept at picking locks, disarming traps and things of that nature. As it's put in the strategy guide, more of a scout build than a DPS (damage per second) build. I like playing the longshots. The hero doesn't speak, except during combat with some threats and shout outs. Throughout the story you get the standard Bioware dialogue trees that can effect gameplay. Combat, at least in the beginning, is pretty boring. You target a guy, by simply moving the camera until they are highlighted, press X and your guy walks up and starts fighting. You then can press other buttons that you can assign combat arts or spells to and you will do that action and continue fighting. I had a quest where someone joined me and the AI seemed pretty slow. I'd be well into a fight before the other guy opted to join. It wasn't until a little while later than I noticed that you can switch to the other person in your party and manually get them into the fray a bit faster. I could see how playing this game on a PC is much more superior especially when using the radial menu to assign skills. You hold L2 to bring up the menu and have to hold directions on the analog stick while pressing certain buttons to bring up other radial menus. If you let go of L2 at any time, it closes out. I think they could have done just as well with having the radial pop up and stay just by pressing L2, not holding it. Graphics are pretty good. Facial animations are good. One thing I thought was odd was in character creation I was going to make my dwarf bald, but when I did that, his skin tone on his face was a little tanned (as it was my selection in skin tone) and the bald head was very not tanned. It looked stupid. I ended up saving my game and turning the game off a little disappointed. I'm not saying it's not a good game, it just didn't have an immediate "hook" for me like when I picked up Borderlands and didn't want to stop playing. I'm hoping with the addition of party members and advanced skills the game will be much better recieved.
Have you played Baldur's Gate I and II on the PC or KOTOR? Most of Bioware games are like this, they start really slow, combat seems simple.. and then around hour 5 things really open up.
In BGII you go from 1 dude hacking or casthing.. to a full party of 6 fighting 10 mobs at once, gets crazy and complicated.
Traditionally thief/rogue for Bioware is the hardest class to play in the early parts, but becomes uber later on. For instance in BGII having a pick locks or hide in shadows party member absolutely pwnz.
I'd say in general 95% of my favorite RPGs start real slow, like 5 hours to get going slow. BG I, BG II, Deus Ex, Morrowind, Everquest 1, Summoner 1...
Some RPGs like to twist this by starting you out UBER..but only as a tease/flashback.. Stripping you of powers and getting you back to gimp. I'd rather not be teased.
timpysan: Catastrophic: You hold L2 to bring up the menu and have to hold directions on the analog stick while pressing certain buttons to bring up other radial menus. If you let go of L2 at any time, it closes out. I think they could have done just as well with having the radial pop up and stay just by pressing L2, not holding it. I could be wrong, but I thought I saw an option related to this in the Settings menu of the 360 version.
Nope you're right. Thanks!
Also, I played some more this morning, tinkering around with a couple of more Origin stories. The Human Noble was a much better start than the Dwarf Commoner. Also, the Magi story is interesting as well. I'll probably scrap my initial toon and try re-rolling a Rogue as a Dwarf Noble and see if that's more appealing.
More PC version is way better reports...
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On Tuesday we posted my review of Dragon Age: Origins for the PlayStation 3. Now I've moved on to the PC version of the game, and the difference is night and day.
I have a relatively modest gaming computer, all things considered. It's got one of the first AMD Phenom processors in it from a few years back, 2GB of RAM, and a ATI Radeon 3850HD card in it. Not too powerful by today's standards, but still a ways out from obsolescence. While installing Dragon Age: Origins yesterday I envisioned a game that was slightly less stuttery than the PlayStation 3 version I had spent several days playing previously. I figured I would start it up, create a character, wander about a bit, and then maybe go to bed. Four hours later I was exhausted, but still reluctant to part from the much sharper, much prettier game I discovered.
Even once I maxed out the graphic settings in the game, the frame rate was still extremely smooth compared to the PlayStation 3 version, and large battles came to life in a whole new way, with a clarity the console version definitely lacked.
So the PC definitely has a leg up on the console version aesthetically. How about functionally?
The PC interface is a world apart from the console version, and if you've playing any massively-multiplayer online roleplaying game, it will be instantly familiar. The pair of three swappable shortcuts in the bottom right corner of the console version is replaced with a standard hot bar, where powers, stances, and skills can be slotted just as they are in countless MMO titles. The select button menu is nowhere to be seen, with the PC version instead featuring a row of buttons at the top of the screen, allowing quick access to inventory, your journal, character stats, and the like.
I wouldn't say the interface differences are better or worse. It all depends on how you are used to playing. As an avid MMO player, I found the PC version easier to navigate, though your results may vary.
As Totilo mentioned previously, the PC version of Dragon Age allows players to scroll backwards into an overhead, Baldur's Gate-like camera, presenting a much more tactical view of the map you are on, as well as adding a bit of extra familiarity for the PC gamer crowd. I haven't used it much, but I do appreciate the option. BioWare has also included the option for mouse-click movement, but I despise clicking to move with a passion that glows hotter than a thousand suns, so it isn't really a plus.
The PC version is also superior in the way it connects to the BioWare Community Website. As detailed by Totilo in his article on the social features of the game, the PC version automatically takes screenshots at key moments in the game, uploading some automatically while letting the player choose from addition shots to share with the community.
Dragon Age: Origins on the PC isn't without its faults though. There is no auto-level option for PC players, so you are going to have to manually update each of your characters as you progress. The inventory has also been streamlined a little, with potions, gifts, and miscellaneous items all lumped under one heading. It's slightly more confusing, but since you should be relatively close to your computer screen as opposed to your couch, it's workable.
Update: We have found the PC auto-level. Thanks guys!
After spending time with both versions of the game, I don't necessarily regret playing through the PS3 version first. I still had a damn good time playing. It's just now that I've seen how the game runs on the PC, I long to see the events of my first character unfolding with the clarity of that one.
Given a choice, definitely go for the PC. It looks better, runs smoother, and it's generally $10 cheaper as well.
Well I've been playing the PC version for a couple hours now and while it does look better (playing with everything maxed, including AA) it's not leaps and bounds better graphically, at least not from the video's I've seen online of the console versions. If people are playing the PS3 version or the 360 version you're not necessarily "missing out" but it does look more polished. The textures are less blah but still not really incredible. Some background textures during cut scenes look down right ugly, like 5 years ago ugly.
With that said, some iffy textures during cut scenes are so forgivable you basically won't notice after a little while. The story, I'm playing the Human Noble Origin, is VERY well put together so far and the voice acting and dialogue are spot on. It's everything I was hoping for as far as combat goes, being a big NWN and BG fan, but some of the Skills and Talents for the Warrior feel a bit lacking if you want to use a sword and shield. Still I AM very early on so we'll see how everything progresses. I'm forcing myself to stop for the night because I have work in the morning but I could easily play until I collapse from exhaustion if I didn't have to be up early. Gonna be a LONG day tomorrow.
I installed the game and the 2 free DLCS.. amazon just sent me the codes for the additional 2 free DLCs... gotta love free DLC
Hexpane: I installed the game and the 2 free DLCS.. amazon just sent me the codes for the additional 2 free DLCs... gotta love free DLC
Gotta love EA. Can't put the DLC that's available at release on the damn disc!! Makes trading games less desirable since you can't get these items when you get it here on goozex or at GS/ebay, etc. Foreboding what the future holds... 100% DL-only games.
enderfall:Gotta love EA. Can't put the DLC that's available at release on the damn disc!! Makes trading games less desirable since you can't get these items when you get it here on goozex or at GS/ebay, etc. Foreboding what the future holds... 100% DL-only games.
100% DL only future is marketing hype. I was watching Xplay and some douchey guy who does "news" kept pestering the guest about "ok so how long til we can finally get rid of discs? 5 years?" the guy was so pro DL only it was silly.
Surveys consistently show that consumers like physical disc media, and the ability to resell it or just have it on a shelf. The idea of "digital only" is just a marketing term. Info on a DVD or BRD IS digital, it's the same info that is on a HDD. The difference is if your HDD craps out you lose everything, if your disc gets scratched, its just 1 disc.
"Physical media" still exists, even if they go STREAMING only (so bogus and will never work in the next 10 years) even then there is still "physical media" the server holding the game files.
As you mentioned the real drive behind "GET RID OF SILLY DISCS" is simply greed on the part of corporations.
The real, and best model for consumers has been out for decades. Buy the disc, THEN install the disc you own, your own HDD> If your HDD craps out, reinstall on another.
"Best of both worlds" has been around long before marketing hype about digital distribution being the "future'. DD isn't the future, it's the past, and it's a failed model.
DVD and BRD sales are slow not because of the media model, it's because of piracy. Corporations want to go DD only so they can squash pirates. We all know how much of a failure that has been.
There is ZERO advantage to not having a disc. Even the XBOX lets you install a disc on your HDD, that is the model, it works, and has worked forever now.
That being said, Bioware I think had more control over DLC than EA. If it was EA controlled, it would all be paid CHEAT FILES ROFL ... Bioware is at least selling real content, not in game cash or cheat codes the way EA wants it.
The biggest and probably only factor is that publishers can control the resale market, so DD is coming no matter how many people prefer disc based games. Pirating is a concern, but just look at how much money GS pulls in a year. Trust me, if the next gen of consoles all convert to DD-only and the next Halo, or Modern Warfare, or God of War, etc. were only available that way, people would convert. Developers know this and so do the publishers. The old, "if you build it they will come" mantra. It's already starting with movies and games are only a matter of time. Sure a few people might hold out hope and wait to see if the game industry will cave in, but eventually when you're left with nothing but last gen games, you'll cave in too.
enderfall: The biggest and probably only factor is that publishers can control the resale market, so DD is coming no matter how many people prefer disc based games. Pirating is a concern, but just look at how much money GS pulls in a year. Trust me, if the next gen of consoles all convert to DD-only and the next Halo, or Modern Warfare, or God of War, etc. were only available that way, people would convert. Developers know this and so do the publishers. The old, "if you build it they will come" mantra. It's already starting with movies and games are only a matter of time. Sure a few people might hold out hope and wait to see if the game industry will cave in, but eventually when you're left with nothing but last gen games, you'll cave in too.
The old resistance is futile bit? History has shown this is not what will happen, instead piracy will simply increase and people will flock to free web games or iphone games.
Sales of "full" games always are higher for the disc than the DL version. Again this is marketing hype and pressure, in an attempt to squash pirates. Pirates have been around ever since the invention of ocean travel. They are not going anywhere.
I just got 22.99 for the Lion's Paw Boots on ebay. :) Between that and the $10 off, I'm at like $30 spent on the game. Still not sure what I'm going to do with the memory band, those are only going for like $6 right now.