I Kissed A Bard, and I Liked It….

**********CONTAINS MASSIVE DRAGON AGE/THEDAS SPOILERS***************

I’m doing a new play through on Dragon Age: Origins since I can’t play Dragon Age: Inquisition right now.  I thought maybe I’d grab some of the easier achievements I’ve missed in the game… Like Romancing Leliana. I thought it’d be easy. I’ve done it before. Hell, on 360, I romance Alistair, Leliana, and Zeveran AND slept with Iona in my origin, the Dalish elf…and had a 4 some with Leliana, Zev and Isabela in the SAME game, without loading different saves. But, alas, no. I managed to bug her dialogue, and couldn’t progress the relationship any further. I spent the next 2.5 hours trying to get it right.

Task – Romance Leliana
Achievement – Wine, Women and Song

Task – Across multiple throughs, experience all Romance Options
Achievement – Hopelessly Romantic

LOADING “I Kissed A Girl”
(The taste of her cherry chap stick)

First…I dumped her. That worked great. I suddenly got the option to ask her about Orlais. She told me all about shoes and hats and court….and then about Marjolaine.  Cue Wynne collapse. Ambush…Wynne kicks ass.  Let’s talk to Wynne. Ambush. Marjolaine sent these men. Let’s go see her in Denerim. Talk Marjolaine out of killing Leliana. Go back to camp. All mushy you’re not a bad person. Go on a mission and come back to camp, talk to Leliana….hey, baby…how YOU doin? “So you and Alisitair…”  *blink* What? Crap. I’d flirted with him early on in the game, and now that I’ve broken up with her, it’s firmed the relationship between us.

RE-LOADING “I Kissed A Girl”
(Just to try it)

Second…I dumped Alistair…THEN, I dumped Leliana. Go through the Orlais dialogue again. Watch Wynne collapse again. Get ambushed and see Wynne go nuts…again. Go back to camp, talk to Wynne…again. Get ambushed by Marjolaine’s men…again.  Talk Marjolaine out of killing Leliana again. Ask how she’s doing…again. Nothing. No dialogue options. She’s bugged again.

RE-RE-LOADING “I Kissed A Girl”
(It felt so wrong. It felt so right)

Third Attempt….DUMP Alistair. Buy Leliana Ugly Boots. Talk to Leliana. Talk about Orlais. Talk about shoes. Talk about Marjolaine. Get ambushed…by Marjolaine’s men…wait, what about Wynne? Nvm. Off to Denerim. Talk Marjolaine out of killing Leliana. Talk to Leliana. Go back to Redcliffe…still no Wynne cutscene… Go back to camp…Cue Leliana cutscene. Get invited to tent!!! Cue love scene with Leliana and my Warden. And….there’s the achievement unlock…both of them. Whew!

LOADING “I ❤ Alistair”
(I kissed a girl and I liked it…Hope my boyfriend doesn’t mind it.)

(whoever thought of putting Jensen Ackles head on Alistair’s body…you’ve made this fangirl’s day.)

Time to put this back on the right track to becoming Queen of Ferelden. First step, dump Leliana.  Oh, first we have to talk to Wynne…here we go again.

Why I love Thedas and Dragon Age So Much….

…Or, How A Video Game Got Me Through A Break Up

In October 2010, my world sort of fell out from beneath me, literally overnight. On Friday, everything was right in my world, and I was happy. On Saturday, it all shattered and slipped through my fingers. Oh, I certainly did my part to bring on the ruin. But, as I stared at the mess around me, trying to figure out where to pick up the pieces, none of that was on my mind. What was on my mind was what do I do tomorrow? Who do I turn to when the person who I would always run to in the past, was the person I was trying to run from now? I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep.  I went to the bookstore, to get a new book. Always a great distraction…until I fell apart in Barnes & Noble, because that’s where we had our first date.  I left without a book. OK, so that didn’t work.

Gaming!!! Another great distraction.  I had pre-ordered Medal of Honor, so when that released, I played it. I was doing great…I was having a blast…kill streaks and points awards. I laughed, I giggled, and then…it really hit me, and hit me hard. I met him online…playing Battlefield 2…with these guys I was playing with. I couldn’t play anymore. I didn’t even know how to move on, because this person was in EVERY aspect of my life. Everything I did to escape or relax, HE was a part of. I couldn’t get away from him. He was everywhere. At first, it felt like someone had died…then I realized, it might have been easier if he HAD died…at least then I’d have known he was never coming back. I forced myself to go through each and every day…and then…Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate was released. I’d kicked around the idea of playing Dragon Age Origins for a while. I was new to RPGs, and mainly liked Science Fiction. I wasn’t really ready for a high fantasy game….Until I read a review, “It’s like Mass Effect…with Dragons”, and I was sold.

I downloaded the game, and I completely lost myself into it. From the opening sequence, I was a goner. It was the perfect distraction for what I was going through.  Over the next few weeks, I’d play a game that was unlike any other I’d played in my life. The characters, the writing, the story, the score…it was just astounding. It was easily the best game I’d played in my life. It wasn’t my favorite, no that was Mass Effect…but, it was damn close…and it was better than Mass Effect.

As I played, something happened. Maybe it’s the way Bioware writes their games, or maybe it was because art can mimic life so well. Whatever the reasons, I learned that, just like the game I was playing, moving on takes time and patience. Sometimes, you fall. Sometimes, you have to start over. And, sometimes, you have to accept this is a bad day. Walk away, and come back to it another time.  At the end of the game, during the epilogue, I smiled. I wasn’t over it, but I had moved on.  And, I knew I’d be ok.

In Your Heart Shall Burn…And So Shall Your CPU

The used for this trailer suits it perfectly. Wondering what it is? “Into the Darkness” by The Phantoms. It’s available for download on iTunes.

OK! That was interesting. I finally completed the rather epic prologue for DAI. It’s nearly a game in and of itself, weighing in with more holy crap moments than any COD game I’ve played. It took me about 24 hours from character creation to flirting with a certain ex-Templar after a huge battle. I also took the long way. I wanted to level up as much as possible before taking on “In Your Heart Shall Burn”. The game recommends you be level 8-11, so I attempted it as a mid-10. Worked out great for me. I actually didn’t even realize I was at the peak of the quest until it suddenly went to a cut scene and saw this huge hulking beast, come out of the fire, striding toward me like he was going to take my head off. What a cut scene! 20 minutes, and a few choices later, you realize the game is just getting started and it’s going to be a one hell of a ride.

Sadly, my CPU and second hard drive crapped themselves shortly after playing Saturday night, and I won’t be able to finish the game any time soon.

(Kim Soo Hyun should really get a medal for his ability to cry on camera.)

Dragon Age Inquisition, Take 2: Starting Over

So, I wanted to show my daughter how the character creator worked in Dragon Age Inquisition. I discovered you CAN move the character around when you’re adjusting the facial features. You just need to have your cursor UNDER the square where the adjustment is done. So much easier! The new one I created was so awesome, I couldn’t bear to let her go. What to do…what to do….Ahhhhh screw it. I started completely over from scratch with the new one I made. Meet MacKenna “Mac” Trevelyan…Take 2.

Much better, right? Same class, same layout. She has red hair….and a British accent. Boy, does THAT make a difference. The British voice actress is so much better.

Starting over 13 hours in has a mixed reaction. On one hand, trudging through The Hinterlands all over again sucks. On the OTHER…I’m taking my time and leveling up doing smaller fetch quests. I was a Level 6 when I took on the Mage quest last time. I’m a high 8 right now, and I haven’t even picked a side yet, let alone start the associated quest.

*****MINOR PLOT SPOILERS BELOW. YE BE WARNED*****

Speaking of picking sides. Taking my time leads me to an interesting choice. Mages or Templar? Templar or Mages? Traditionally, I’ve always sided with the Mages. They are treated like criminals, forced into circles and watched like hawks. I’ve always thought they should have a little more freedom. My choices in both DAO and DA2 showed that.

In contrast, I’ve always thought the Templar too extreme than I wanted to deal with. Cullen, in particular, is quick to say kill all the Mages and destroy the circle in Ferelden. He changes that tune a little in DA2, when he sees Meredith corrupted by Red Lyrium. And, in DAI, he’s considerably more pro-Mage, and admits Mages didn’t always deserve his view of them.

But, if the King’s Road in Redcliffe shows us anything, it’s that the Mages are completely BONKERS when given their freedom. The game is quick to point out these are apostates, and that Rebel Mages, those that left the Circle, aren’t like this, and washed their hands of them. Not that the Templar are any better. They’re right there with the Mages, waging their war, and not caring who gets in their path, killing famers and villagers alike. It’s like the War of the Five Kings in A Song of Ice and Fire (no coincidence, either, I’d bet). Again, the game is quick to point out these are Templar who defied orders to leave the Mages alone, and abandoned the Order.

So, that’s where the problem with the choice is. There is no right or wrong side here. The Mages and Templar burning Redcliffe to the ground are not part of the Mages and Templar you need to side with. The Mages have right to freedom, but there IS a need for the Templar. I don’t know that I think Mages should be forced to live in the Circle, but I’m not sure they should be at the other end of the spectrum, either. I think I agree with Cullen when he says he’s not sure he wants Mages running around completely unchecked. There’s a middle ground that would work for everyone. Question is…does the path lie with the Templar or Mages? Who’s more likely to compromise?

Listening to my Companions and Advisers, I think I’m going to side with the Templar this time.

Dragon Age Inquisition, Early Thoughts

So, I’m about 13.5 hours into Dragon Age Inquisition. It’s not enough time to develop a full opinion. It’s a 100 plus hour game. I’m not even 10% completed yet. But, I do have some early opinions. HINT – It’s good…really, REALLY good.

The Technical Stuff.
I’ve seen complaints about the game stuttering and freezing. I’m running the game on Ultra and I’m not having any issues. I have an old i7 960, 12GB of RAM, and a GTX760. Runs great. The video has a small amount of noticeable interlacing on SOME cutscenes. But, they are few and far between. They weren’t lying when they said the game was an open world. It is insanely HUGE. It’s broken into more manageable regions that can be unlocked, thankfully. The combat has a learning curve. The tactical camera doesn’t zoom out as much as DAO, but it zooms out quite a bit. Once you get used to it, though, and find a key mapping that works for you, the combat is nearly on par with Dragon Age Origins. Pause is still the way to go They’ve also made it so button mashers can press X to Jason X to attack. I personally think it’s the best of both worlds, but some are complaining about it. Oh…and mages can no longer heal, and you’re limited to carrying 8 health potions at a time, to be used amongst all your party, and can only be restocked at Camp. Say…WHAT?! Hoping maybe a patch will change that. It’s an added challenge that doesn’t make sense.

The Premise.
After the events of Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age II, Thedas is left in total chaos, as a war between mages and Templars burns out of control. A Conclave, a meeting of mages, Templar and Chantry, is being held in the Frostback Mountains…home of Andraste’s Sacred Ashes. They’re hoping to broker peace and put an end to the war. While the conclave is in progress, there is an explosion, tearing open a rift into the Fade, making the Veil thin. You are the sole survivor, and you bear a mark on your hand that gives you the ability to close the rifts. So, naturally…everyone accuses you of initiating the explosion. Later, it’s decided you’re chosen by Andraste, and half of Thedas worships you, while the other half wants to kill you. Of course they do! You just can’t catch a break in Bioware games.

The Set Up.
The game starts with a bang on the menu screen. Seriously. Clicking “New” kicks off the opening animation, right on the menu screen, before loading into to the opening sequence, and character creator. Once you’ve created the Inquisitor of your dreams, you’re taken through a prologue of sorts that leads to the title screen. But, that’s not the end of the prologue. No. It goes on for about TEN hours. The downside is the game seems to have no direction, no plot. You’re walking around Thedas doing fetch quests and can easily get lost, and actually forget you’re here to do something. And, I won’t lie…I worried that it was going to be worse than DAII. The UPSIDE, is that all those little fetch quests and combat scenarios make for an excellent trial by combat (har har) tutorial. By the time I got back on track, I was comfortable with the tactical camera and issuing commands through it. I actually chose to spend a little longer in The Hinterlands so I could level up a bit more until I went after the main plot line.

The Plot Sickens.
Once you get back on track, and leave The Hinterlands, the story kicks off. Then things get really interesting, really fast. It’s obvious something isn’t right. People aren’t acting like themselves. One mage has completely forgotten she wants to help the Inquisition. A Templar cold cocks a Revered Chantry Mother. There is something definitely rotten in Thedas. But…that’s not the most interesting part. You’re thrust right off the bat into a game changing decision, in true Bioware fashion. You have to make a choice. The game can’t progress until you do. It’s a big one. Flip a coin. Roll the dice. Close your eyes and point, but make it…and then watch the game go.

Bottom Line.
Unless they screw up and screw up royally, Bioware is BACK! This is nearly on the same level as Dragon Age Origins, and certainly Mass Effect quality.  Yay!

Dragon Age Inquisition, Character Creator.

First, the character creator is a HUGE learning curve. Take your time with it, and don’t be surprised if you make it through the opening sequence and toss it out the window. While there are a few improvements, including the return of scars (Mass Effect fans rejoice!), overall, it’s clunky and about as un-user friendly as you can get. It freezes your character into position as you fine tune facial structure. Meaning, you have to keep exiting out of that setting, turn your character this way and that,  then go back into get it right. I found that jaw and chin were the worst offenders. At one angle, the jaw would look fine, but at others, horrible. After a good long hour, I finally started up the game…and immediately quit. I hated her. Back to the drawing board.

However, it’s not all bad. Other than the interface, it’s great. You can set the color of the inner and outer iris. You can’t tell from the picture, but my Inquisitor’s eyes are actually blue/green. You set the color with a color wheel, giving you access to whatever eye color combination you want. The same for the make up and tattoos. There are a bunch of scarring options…and then you get to set the position and intensity. I went with a half-Glasgow Smile and a slice through the eyebrow. This is a voiced character. You get two voice options. One speaks with a feminine English accent. The other is deeper, more sarcastic and American/Canadian. I went with the American voice because it suited her look. More often than not, I choose a witty or sarcastic response. The voice acting is just OK.

Another hour later, and my result was MacKenna “Mac” Trevelyan. Human noble, Rogue, dual weapons. I’m not 100% satisfied with her, but I like her enough to go through the game…and she’s way better than her predecessor. She look a lot like my Commander Shepard…then again, so does my Grey Warden.