Let's talk SWtOR!

[Jab]

Well after 30 hours of gameplay of the original Dragon Age I find the game... Laughable. Its relatively fun to play, but oh boy the game is so dumb. You have to switch off scripts completely in harder battles (no matter how well design these scripts are), because they involve traps. Even Leliana tends to run into a melee battle with her longbow, even though no visible obstacles are around.

 

Speeking of Leliana... Boy she is creepy. Every time I hear her voice, I wonder, if there is a psychiatrist in the game. She can visit him with Sten. He had a psychotic breakdown, but it became ok after he killed that family with his bare hands. But now he has his huge sword back, so everyone around him is basically safe... Well all of the NPCs have really just few dialogues and they do not react to the story that often.

 

The game just feels like a dead meat. It seems that Bioware thought, that they could just stuff it with DLCs and (fan)mods later. Most of the locations are very small and barriers are just everywhere (after few steps). Even a marketplace seems like a cemetery. Merchants are just standing around without trying to get your attention. Do you remember Baldurs Gate? In many locations merchants were trying to get your attention ("Step right in, step right in..."), some random commoners were just walking around...

 

And there are still bugs. Im now reinstalling the ultimate edition, because I got some nasty bugs while trying to play the Wardens Keep DLC.

 

Its still relatively fun to play. And I got a nice animation after killing my first dragon. And its a nice looking game. But all-in-all it seems like a poor young brother of BG. Or of NWN 2. That game also often felt empty, but when something was actually happening, it was fun. With well written dialogues, fun NPCs and a damn good storyline (the trial, history of the Illefarn and its tragic hero etc.).

[Twani]

Honestly, I think the original DA has a lot in common with the original Baldur's Gate, or the original Neverwinter Nights. They were excellent games for their time. Excellent. But give them a few years and... yes, they were fun, but I think a lot of the 'best game ever' has a nostalgia factor. Like, if I hadn't grown up on Infinity Engine, would I be able to take the graphics, lack of character development (I mean, Aribeth is the only character who develops in the NWN OC, and she does it in the stupidest way possible), and yeah, I'm ashamed of saying it, but the voices.

 

I mean, I just did the Cassandra romance. No, I didn't need the obvious nipples (though, hey, people have nipples: Bioware finally realizes it!). But the hand holding, the quoting poetry at each other and teasing in their voices, the two of them lying together and not looking incredibly awkward, the love confessions, the people acknowledging our relationship and teasing poor Cass...

 

I thought it was better then romancing Aarin (or whatever the hell his name was- the spymaster of NWN) or Anomen, certainly. Was it better then Morrigan/Alistair? I think the romance was, although personality, it's obviously going to depend on whether you liked Morg or Ali or Cass or whoever better. Still, the actual scene and the build up... nice.

 

(No, it's not as long as say, Jaheira's romance (or even Viconia's). But I could choose different replies! In BG non-modded romances, you generally had three replies: 'You suck and I don't want to listen to you', 'Uh-huh, really?', 'I am very interested in this thing you are saying and will eagerly ask questions about it!' With Cass, I could tell her I was being serious, tease her for being a romantic, be awkward and ask if I was doing the right thing...)

 

 

Anyway, we're doing Thanksgiving today and I'm hiding because if I don't they're going to make me watch football. Ugh. So random thoughts on getting through other dragon age games..

 

++ I already talked about DA:O, so yeah.

 

DA:Awakening

++ First, although this thing cost way too much when it came out, you'll probably want to play it if you can (I think it's only like ten dollars now, thank god?). (If you can't, read a general synopsis of the characters and the end plot.)

++ The main reason for this is foreshadowing. In particular, you'll want to have the three male characters that aren't total drunks in your party for some banter that explains how things got so, um, thingy in DA:II.

++ Second, by all that is holy, download the three fixes I linked fifty gazillion pages ago for the game. If you can't do that (poor consoles) or are too lazy to do it: go to the Knotwood Hills before doing any sort of side quests in the big city (this includes just talking to people; the character you can recruit there needs to have the main side quest not completed to start her personal quest), when heading in to the second area of the Wending Woods equip crap on yourself rather then your best gear (because it can be bugged to all disappear), and do Blackmarsh last out of the Knotwood Hills/Wneding Woods/Blackmarsh trio. After doing that, avoid going in to your 'throne room' until you've goofed off a lot.

++ Like Lei and Wynne, two of your companions require going out and about to trigger their sidequests. I just basically spoiled one of them. The other one is the prickly gal.

++ Bringing yourself over from DA:O? Unless you've downloaded the 'Awakening Systems in Origin' mod (which is pretty cool), you're going to find there's a lot of new options in Awakening in both talents you can pick and skills (as well as two new specializations for each class, and one specialization point). If you maxed out, say, all your, I dunno, dual wielding and rogue talents in DA:O, I suggest holding your extra 'talent' points to spend on the dual wielding points rather then randomly throwing them in to, I dunno, archery, when you're unlikely to do archery.

++ Without mods, only items from the Return to Ostagar DLC carry over (no other DLCs). So don't count on bringing your super sword from Warden's Keep.

++ Things you should bring over though: high level runes (grandmaster ones), around 100 sovs, deathroot if you use poisons/traps a lot, and ALL THE GIFTS YOU CAN CARRY. (I once went with like, fifty gifts in my inventory. I maxed out everyone in Origins through dialog.) There is not enough gifts/conversations with affection to win everyone over in Awakenings, so bringing over all, I dunno, the crap jewelry you never gave Morg because you were a jackass to everyone and thus made her love you that way will help in getting high enough affection for personal quests.

++ (As a side note, it's a lot harder to figure out who wants what gift in Awakenings. Oghran is easy, J is somewhat easy, and figuring out of who's left who wants a scarf versus who wants soap on a rope can be bemusing. You may want to download the gift guide mod, or just look it up online, because again, you need to basically give everyone the right gifts if you want to see all personal quests.)

++ There's a certain import bug in DAII that (up to) four characters who survived could, ahem, be set to have died horribly. That's only an issue in for one character (save for a line of dialog change possibility), but if you like that character and would like to see them in DAII, you can have them set as 'dead' rather then 'very much alive'. This happens if... (spoiler!)

 

You decide to save the city and leave the Keep to it's fate, and leave Nathanial Howe at the Keep. Even if he survives it due to your massive upgrading, he'll be listed as dead in DAII.

 

++ Oh, and hindsight... two of your companions to be are very abrasive to you at start. One you can send away for it and they'll come back later, but the other, if you don't watch your step, will just refuse to join if you don't tread carefully around them. So if someone seems like they might be important, you may wish to bite your tongue to see all banter/awesome.

 

DAII later. Ugh, pie. I hate pumpkin pie.

[Twani]

First, my 'W' key is like, stuck. So I probably can't type it. Just, er, insert the letter where it belongs if I miss it.

 

Second, finished my second playthrough. It took so long because I did EVERY FREAKIN war table mission ever (and waited to send Josie on most of them, as this was supposed to be 'noble dude does diplo things').

 

So, after two playthroughs... this is a fun game. ith some definite faults, but fun. At times, it's really, really beautiful. But other thoughts- your decisions don't seem to matter as much as I might like.

 

Putting stuff behind spoilers, save for one arning... I'd ait and romance Sara on a non Dalish. Go ith Qunari. She thinks they're hot.

 

 

As that scene here she's like 'GIVE UP YOUR CULTURE IF YOU LOVE ME' is as aful as Solas's 'YOUR MARKINGS ARE SLAVE MARKINGS' and her 'AHAHA THAT IS SO FUNNY LULZ' follow up.

 

I do like her (sometimes- I mean, her diary after you become friends ith her is adorable (after my Inquisitor told her he hated cookies, she decided she'd bake something else for him, as ell as her struggles ith religion as he as so religious and her anting to save a bottle for him and the drawing of them riding dragons and her little crush on Cass and and... yeah). But she's a bitch to the Dalish. Complete bitch.

 

I decided to go ith a 'romancing Cass, supporting Viv at all times' guy, and it actually worked out pretty well. I feel like fail because I didn't save Ser Barras the coolest templar ever though ;_; I'M SO SORRY. I mean, you're luck stuck with dork Fiona (I ant to talk to her after sacrificing Ali in the fade, but I do like Alistair more then most of my Hawkes, so I don't know if I'll ever see that...) if you go mages, but Ser B can die so easily. Nooo!

 

Viv is harsh, but... her point that circle mages can leave if they get permission from the first enchanter (as Wynne and Finn and even Bethany proved) is, well, a point against my favorite terrorist. Yes, she's privileged as hell... but she does have some points, especially that once Anders exploded everything and then Fiona yanked them from the circle, the mages that didn't vote that way basically got yanked in to someone else's war, which is sort of sad. Also, watching her compliment Cass and scold Iron Bull was fun.

 

My next character, a Qunari Mage (who is already basically at the mage/inquisitor decision) is going to romance Sara and run with Iron Bull and Dorian, and we will gay up Skyhold, damn it. Then I'll make a dwarf for Blackwall (ho I'm kind of meh on, but I heard his romance is angsty and tragic and I do like that), a human mage for Cullen, and I haven't decided on who for Dorian. (Maybe another Qunari, as he seems to like them?) I like Iron Bull and Josie a lot, but both of them seem like BFF's to me: Iron Bull's the bromance best bud, and Josie's my inquisitor's gal pal and they gossip together.

 

I totally pissed off Blackwall this playthrough; never got his quest (probably would have left him to hang, anyway). I was trying to piss off Solas, but although we were never close, I exiled the GW's so I didn't get the 'punch him' scene. That makes me sad, as I like Solas (even if I think he's a magnificant bastard who is probably *not* a good romance choice because of manipulation), and I'm unlikely to ever do a 'try and piss him off' playthrough again.

 

Qunari is going to totally bitch out Cass and Viv, though. Both who I personally think are excellent gals; I loved the Cass romance, and think if you can stand playing guys, you should definitely see it. I have a girlcrush on her, I think: she's tough and kickass and awesome, but sweet core and generally caring and loving. (I kinda ship her and Cullen, if the Inquisitor isn't romancing either.) As for Viv... she's harsh and a bitch and privlaged as hell, but she is also awesome, and I found her quest beautiful and tragic: yeah, she did love someone ugly and old and 'weird', but she *loved* him and tried so hard on that age reversing even though it didn't work, and... I really felt for her.

 

Two things I will never do again (never say never, though): turn Cole spirit and choose the Qun over the Chargers. Iron Bull just seems so resigned in the second, like he knows he did his duty but now is a bit broken inside (also, the KIrem > Tallis EVERY DAY). And Cole forcing himself to forget about well, Cole and speaking spirit monotone... I just thought that was so sad, compared to him growing and changing to be what he wanted to be even if he does good as a spirit. I hope one day he can meet Rhys again and apologize and they can be friends again and everything. ;_;

 

Also, first game, I accidentally softened Leianna (told her not to kill the spy, it was good to pull her scouts back, that our people weren't expendable). Apparently, most people don't do that. This game, I let her do as she will, and remember Alistair's joking remark about her not being Miss Stabbity Stabbity Kill? IT WAS NOT A JOKE. Girlfriend is psycho! Softened Leianna as the divine- sure. Hardened Leianna, I'm surprised she didn't assassinate my Inquisitor for putting Viv on the throne, not her. I don't think my Warden who romanced her would recognize her anymore. Soft Leianna is still awesome. Hardened Leianna, I think if your Inquisitor tries to leave the Inquisition, she would have you stabbed to turn you in to a martyr for moar power.

 

(At the same time, Hardened Lei's 'the Divine never changed me in to anything, she owes me nothing and I owe her nothing' was oddly freeing, even if it involved her being psycho.)

 

I want to write bad fanfic in which Anders and Merill (my 2 babies of the DAII cast) escape Kirkwall related Seb stabbings and join the Chargers (because they would fit right in with crazy misfits) and then join the Inquisition. And Anders is permantly running away from Varric because he feels so horrible about disappointing him. I just have to figure out why they would be together, considering Anders basically hates Merill... ahh, it would be dumb either way. But fun.

 

 

Kinda want to work on IWD kids now, but ugh, voices, portraits. That sucks. May just play Elder Scrolls games.

 

I hate my 'w' key.

[Thimblerig]

I haven't been playing much at all (YT writing panic and the negotiations required to borrow my friend's laptop).

 

As of my last session, Zevran continues to be the master of mixed signals. So... he and my PC have a comfortable relationship going, fighting shoulder to shoulder and then sneaking off to camp to, er, something to something. And he seems to flirt with Leliana and Morrigan, just to make it very clear that it's just scratching each other's itches. Well, okay then.

 

Except I accidentally triggered a love confession from the bard (I didn't mean to! She wanted a revolting hairless rabbit-pig, I got her a revolting hairless rabbit-pig: I'm a giving sort of person. I'd take it back if I could!) - and suddenly he's asking me to choose, because he doesn't want to hurt her feelings. And when I do pick him (proclaiming loudly that it's just for the good sex) he tells me some awful poetry he got from a mark he had sex with, whom he still murdered.

 

Are you warning me that you're still going to carry out your contract, Zev-boy? Or just freaking out that someone might like-like you? (Come to think of it, my Warden is pretty much a ringer for whatsername, Rinna. I could see how that would be distressing.)

 

Other than that, am trudging through Orzammar. It's a very long quest chain, sigh... (Am pretending to work for Harrowmont, but actually working for Bhelen. Repugnant as I find the latter, he's doing something for the casteless. It's probably going to bite me, later.)

 

And I... kinda taught the Sten the Templar specialisation, and if he survives to get back to Seheron and teach that, things could get... interesting. Um. (But the Qunari would use that to screw over the Tevinter Imperium first, right?)

[jastey]

I really hated that "you have to decide" speech from Zephran. He is designed in a way that he should not care my PC to sleep around, hey, even to be in a loving relation ship with someone else, as long as my PC is with Zephran if she is with Zephran, if you know what I mean. But no, they had to make it "there can only be one active romance, so the other ones have to be shut down by player's choice, period", making Zephran give this "Oh, but you have to decide because I don't want to hurt a companion's feelings," wtf. which is like "I am sorry, but this is a game and the devs didn't want to have too much work with this, so I have to say this, even though it sounds like 4th wall breaking to you, sorry.". Bleh.

[Twani]

Zev is sort of... not exactly what he represents himself to be at times, so I was okay with his mixed signals as it comes out in a torrent later. Having said that, he and Leianna seem to get along well, so it makes some sense for him to be like "Hey, you might be breaking Lei's heart here, talk to her". It doesn't make as much sense with Ali and Morrigan, neither who he's that close to (and both who dislike him, at least, though he doesn't really have issues with them). I mean, he might be somewhat nervous Morg is going to kill him in his sleep (she would), but Ali? Alistair's not going to do anything but pout and be sad, so why would Zev care?

 

(So have I ever wrote about my Dalish guy who gamed the system so I got everyone's romance dialog full but missed their 'choose or die' and thus had an epilogue where he ran off with all three of them? Sadly, that couldn't be imported in to DAI, though it was funny in DA:A and DAII when both Zev and Lei were like "OH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE <3"...)

 

with my 'W' key the aay it is, I can't play DA:I right no... or most modern games, actually. Boo. Need to buy new keyboard.

 

 

Oh, as for DA:I... this game is actually really easy. I was whining about my dual rogue, but then I put 'gets guard when hits' on his daggers. Suddenly, he's out damaging everyone and never dying (well, save for Viv, as Spirit Blade is OP beyond OP). So don't give up on a dual rogue/Cole, as they get really easy and rather powerful.

 

Once you get to Skyhold, the game becomes painfully easy. Even nightmare isn't that tough, and I struggled with it in Origins and DAII at times. Friendly Fire, though, does make things hard, as basic strategy is 'two+ mages kill all' and then they start killing the warrior. (Reaver spec will also kill all your other melees, if you go that way.) So Nightmare normal is fine, but Nightmare + friendly fire is still at least somewhat tough, at least.

 

I mean, I don't mind them having casual difficulty, and I wouldn't oppose to them putting in a narrative like Mass Effect or even a god mode like IWDEE has for people who are having trouble. But I wish they'd make the hardest modes actually hard, with things like 'enemies having better tactics' rather then 'EVERYONE BUT YOU GETS FIVE MILLION HPS WEEE'.

 

Anyway, I'm about to start IWD:EE with Kuylok's NPCs. Then... I may write my own? I dunno.

 

(Though I keep having dreams about writing either a halfling or an elven druid for BGII. I say 'or' because in some dreams, she's halfling, and some, she's elven. It's sort of weird.)

[InKal]

heh

 

I must lower my DA:I rating a little. ;F

6/10 max. 8.5/10?? not a chance lol

recycled boss. jeeeezzzz........ I has my red stuff here and you has your green stuff there, so imma gonna touch your green with my red (instead of just bite your puny head off) and says: whaaaa, incompatible!!!! then imma gonna throw you against that funky machine (instead of just.. dunno.. TEAR YOU TO PIECES??) and blah blah avalanche fly away my Archdemon!!

 

retartet forced emotionals and epicness. like Skyhold after the "they killed him (in the dlc) and he just run away" boss. why everything is so extremely bombastic and epic (except it's not epic at all, not really) suddenly?? so we are so fucked up mang, we doomed and totally lost, right? why? coz that super duper mega skyhold is waiting for us just to go there!! oh, we not gona like live in the woods forever? ohhhh, what a disapointment, all my heavy handedly forced "emotional engagement" totally crushed. I dont mind the singing, really!! it's actually the least stupid thing in all that mess.

 

the super sexy bitch I want so bad.............................................I CANT ROMANCE!!!!!!!!!

0/10 thx gaider bye

[Twani]

I have a new keyboard with W's! Fear me!

 

I freely admit that I only understand half of what your saying, InKai, but I think the 'dramatic emotional sequence' worked- and I'm an agnostic, which means 'faith based scenes' don't usually work for me. It's basically 'This is the end, our Hero has not saved the day, our leaders are bickering'- then G basically yanks on their emotional strings to get them to follow behind you. It works, as I'm pretty sure Solas was considering bailing at that point: when he saw everyone come together, he was willing to stay and open up, and only he (and a certain person you won't meet till Wicked Hearts) knew about Skyhold because it was an elven stronghold and Solas Is Very Elvey.

 

As for Viv (who I think you're talking about?), she's in love with someone else. It's sweet. Well, as sweet as she gets. She is badass, though... 'Fiona, you're dementia is showing' is probably the best line ever.

 

(If you're talking about Sera, just roll a gal. If Leianna, SHE WILL CUT YOU SHE IS CRAZY AVOID.)

 

As for super sexy bitches I want, Dorian is gorgeous and I think his Chariot romance card is the prettiest of all the companion/adviser cards. I mean, I'm totally cool with him being gay, it totally makes sense that he is, and I'm glad that there's an actual gay guy in game, but... want. I can't get in to the male voices, though! I actually don't like American Female that much, either... Alix just did a great job. And I only rarely hear Traynor.

 

 

Sort of funny that SWTOR now has the pre-Revan flashpoints doable by solos, but I think they're not avaliable free to play, as, you know, Revan. Meh. One day I'll probably resubscribe. Right now, I am having fun with EQ2, horrible graphics aside: my Coercer soloing everything in her sight is always fun. And I'm finally on my beloved Odus again.

 

 

Playing BG2 again, to try Jatsey's Ajantis (feeling really awkward with Anomen, and had to dump Rasaad, as it just seemed so out of character for Rasaad to flirt with a woman who was engaged but it was hard to find a nice option to make him stop). Went and looked at Altan and Ayberk. Now redebating my decision to put the second in the first game: it would fit the story better for him to be in the second, admittedly, but I wrote so much already and he's fun arghhh. Also, cringing over Altan's earliest writings. He's supposed to come off as 'head in the clouds and sort of awkward', but I went too far and he comes across as a male Merill. I mean, with less fabulously horrible decisions (save for that one in his youth he gets all bitchy about), but still like totally 'would get himself locked in the Viscount's closet while picking daises' embarrassing/sad. Really bad. Have to work on that.

 

(It's sort of hilarious, though.)

 

Banter is still good (Faldorn's still needs redone), though, and I do like his interjections. Just need to work on the actual romance track. Argh I hate romance track. Why did I decide to do this?

 

(Especially as BG1 needs an evil for females romance track more then it needs a good one...)

 

Argh.

 

 

Feeling urges to play Skyrim. Vilja just got a new release- she's the best companion for Skyrim, and she's fifty times of awesome. Of course, it means all my Skyrim gals are lesbians, but, well, hey. Nothing wrong with that, I guess.

[jastey]

Twani, I am looking foreward to seeing your NPC(s) mod developped. Any way you turn it, they sound intriguing, to say the least.

 

-And thank you for the hint about Rasaad - and probably also Dorn and Hexxat - for official romances in BGII hitting on a potentially engaged female PC. Completely forgot about those (after putting so much effort into Anomen's crossromance content)!

[Twani]

Oh, god, NPC mods.

 

I was developing my druid character in my head. I keep thinking Bioware missed an opportunity with Suldanessellar (did I spell that right?). They have this beautiful elven city with this dramatic elven past, and... no characters are from it! (Coran from BG1 (and Kuylok brought him to BGII, of course) is from Tethyr, but never directly says he's from the city in canon- there's lots of elven cities in Tethyr.) Now, part of that is because they didn't want someone to meet Bodhi/Irenicus and be like 'OH HAI THAT'S THE QUEEN'S LOVERS (SISTER)', but... so much potential! But how to make sure they didn't spoil the story?

 

Well, what if they were also an exile of sorts, although probably before the Irenicus thing happened? Then all they'd be able to do is be like 'Hm, Irenicus is an elven word... but a lot of people speak elven' and maybe go 'Huh, that vampire had pointed ears... a half-elf? Fae? Elves don't become vampires (shatup Viconia, Aerie, you don't exist)'. And Fenmal is the elven god of outcasts and exiles, who has druids in his service (yes Forgotten Realms elves can be druids Demihuman Dieties says so, yay 2E), and he has that whole dramatic past with having been Lloth's lover and almost seduced to the darkside that could go with a druid character who had a similar past and is fun to play with, and I'm like 'Oh no now I have another character I want to write'.

 

And then I was playing Ajantis, Keldorn, and added Isra to my party for a bit to see her banters with Keldorn and I was like 'You know what this game needs? A paladin of HOAR. The bitterest, hatefulist, most knight in sour armourist paladin in the history of the world.' (Though how would lawful vs gods orders of revenge before reason go with advising Anomen? Hm...) And then I got another idea that would be fun to write.

 

And then I realized I had two characters halfway written and should probably focus on them and I am so horrible at keeping to one project at a time and damn it, this was supposed to be out last summer. Sigh!

 

 

But yeah, Rasaad! I sent you a few ideas about that, though they're dumb. You should ignore them, probably.

 

 

 

On the Dragon Age Inquisition side, miracle of sound produced a DA:I song that's lovely:

! It's a very pretty song (that also ties in to their DAII song- fight for your values, fight for your friends). I would sort of recommend it to someone thinking about the game, but on the other hand, it is spoilery (the visuals- you can listen to the song without them with no spoilers). It uses mostly images from promo materials, but there are a few spoilery things- including an outline of the main bad guy, and particularly the 'big part' of Josie's romance. But it's pretty.

 

All their songs are so pretty. ;_;

[jastey]

Twani, not sure this helps you, but it took me 10 years to finish one BG1 to ToB NPC mod, and I have three others in the works (one is in beta in German, one is stuck at his quest, the last is my own personal mage that will be SO fabulous once I actually start writing for him.) And I am doing proof reading and translating and I am working on one greater mod with others and I am updating several other mods... What I am trying to say is: It is pretty normal to get side-tracked. Sometimes it's good, because it can get dull to work on the same thing for too long, and sometimes it's not so good, as it prolongs the original project, naturally.

 

And you suggestions for Rasaad were very helpful and not at all dumb!

[Twani]

So, um, life is not going good for me at all... but still, merry Christmas to those who celebrate (and a mostly belated happy holidays to those who celebrate other holidays). I hope all is going well.

 

 

Anyway, the most important mod for DA:I has finally come out (that's an exaggeration, but not quite): BETTER 'BASE' CLOTHES. AKA, no more beige pajamas! Instead, you can have black ones (and black > beige), and if you go with the option of the inqusition symbol on your breasts (...ahem?) it looks sort of offically rather then pj-y. It took me a bit to make it work, but I reread the instructions and was like 'oh, duh' and there, it's working. My Qunari looks a whole lot better now. She looked so ridiculous in beige.

 

(Anyone notice the little stomach bulge your character looks like they have when they're leaning over while making judgements? I don't mind that my character might have some meat, but it seems weird on the elves, who look broken thin (like, creepy so- look at their arms!)- both female and male are so much smaller then Sera and Solas, even if playing grr big strong warrior champion).

 

I spent yesterday surfing tumblr looking at beautiful dragon age fanart. There are some done in the style of ancient Japanese blockart that I found that are beautiful. Also hysterical: someone did a If Dragon Age Characters had tumblr (click part 2 and 3 for DAII and Inqusition), which are funny (I was told there would be followers!/I AM NOT CASSANDRA STOP ASKING). Also: someone wrote a fic where Anders becomes the Inquisitior. It's m/m, but if you can deal with that, it's kind of cute; not the best writing ever, no, but funny. It's here. (But a horrible part of me wishes I had never read it and had the idea myself, because I think I could have written it even better. But that's selfish, isn't it? Meh. Maybe I could write Merill (my other DAII baby) the Blood Mage, Inquisitor! Er... yeah.)

 

 

 

As for BG, I gave in. As Altan is being uncooperative (or more truthfully, I'm in a bad mood and he's too pollyanna to write), I decided on writing the paladin. Who is, um, still nameless.

 

I'm giving myself one month (well, and an extra week, because December is sucky): I stop at the end of January, in which I will be done (well, I'll finish any dialog I'm in the middle of/any coding that needs to be done, but you know, mostly done). (I know people do one day and one week NPC's all the time, but I'm not quite good enough at coding for that. >.>) Just a simple mod, probably using a NWN portrait as the guy I like to go through for portraits has been busy lately and an IWD soundset because I sure can't do voicing (my mic doesn't work, for starters).

 

Hoar is sort of dark for a paladin (I mean, there's a reason he lives with Bane in 3E/4E), but I think I can pull it off without having her do things that are going to be like 'Um, why has she not fallen?' by using the Order of Poetic Justice, which serves both Hoar and Tyr. There are still going to be some questionable things about her: three, mainly. First, she does not approve at all of fighting the worshipers of Beshaba (Hoar's one and only ally) about to burn Viconia (but she can talk them in to releasing them to her in promise she can come up with worse ironic punishment to a murderer then burning). Second, she doesn't approve of giving Yoshimo's heart to the priests of Ilmater because Hoar is big on the 'revenge', and not so much the redemption. And third, while she will advise Anomen to follow the law when it comes down to it, if you're romancing him the good way and he does find out that Saerk killed his sister, she'll encourage him to kill Saerk (which causes him to leave the party, so, sucky advice, unnamed paladin).

 

I wish there was more AD&D information about Chessenta. The only book I can find on it is 1st edition. There's also very little information on what the people look like, so... eh. I'm going with a black portrait, which I think works (lots of Amnish there, which sort of has 'Moorish Spain' vibes- Valygar is black (unless you believe he's randomly heavily tan unlike any other NPC with sudden dreadlocks)), but I'm sure someone is going to bitch about how dare she be black because people bitched about Hexxat being black, and Hexxat's from freakin' Chult (tropical Africa). People are odd about that one.

 

 

Kind of enjoying IWDEE's 'god mode'. I am so sick of people getting petrified and imprisoned in BG2. Petrified, I can stop: my sorcerer took protection from it and dutifully casts it whenever beholders show up, but only she's able to make herself immune to imprisonment. Hate that spell so much.

[SapphireIce101]

Welp, since the patch and the hotfix for DA: I it doesn't function horribly anymore aka I don't need to set it to 25 in resolution to actually play it. Yay! Also, I restarted my archer...again. Hmm, Must flirt with both Solas and Sera. Huehuehue.

 

I always did find it funny when someone whined that Hexxat was black, and a lesbian. Its also hilarious how some people seem to think she's like the first black lesbian in any media format. *cough* That being said, I think it would be cool to have a Paladin of Hoar. Hmm, I smell a potential use of Blackguard kit here.

 

As for Adamanta, the half-orc Cleric/Thief.... No progress has been made on her. Though, my writer for her just came back to me...So, yeah, only three banters with Minsc so far...hah... I think I'll share one for the lolz of it.

 

 

Adamanta: By Brandobaris' wrinkly toenail! Is that a pygmy giant void Hamster? Look at you! You're so cute?

Minsc: What?! Boo is not cute, he is an instrument of Justice!

Adamanta: Is he a Trombone? He's a very cute Trombone.

Minsc: Ah, well yes, Boo is a rather cute warrior for Freedom. Aren't you Boo?

 

 

Adamanta is buddies with Minsc. I can see Coran semi-flirting with her or at least commenting on her thieving skills. Alora and Adamanta talking about halfling stuff. Imoen and Adamanta luling for the fun of it. Hopefully, my partner and I can get back to work on her as soon as the holiday is over.

 

Ah, IWD:EE's story mode. I do wonder if that feature will be back-ported into BGEE and BG2EE in patch 1.4.

 

Life isn't going well for me either right now.

[Thimblerig]

Caught up on more DA yesterday. I destroyed the Anvil of the Void, whatever that will mean for the future safety of Orzammar. (Sorry, you guys.) Of my list of people who couldn't be trusted to use such a horrifying thing wisely, Branka and Bhelen were right at the top. And then I crowned Bhelen anyway, sigh. Sometimes it feels like there's no good answer in this game.

 

We went back to Denerim and had a really odd encounter with the Crows (Taliesin's bunch) in the middle of carrying out a job for the Crows (Ignacio's happy crew.) I thought the encounter was well written, but Zevran's assertion that he'd be just fine now so long as no Crows realised he was still alive came off a little weird. "Hey Ignacio, we finished your job. Uh, too bad Zevran didn't make it. We cried tears. Oh, this tanned, blond, tattooed and handsome elf? He's new."

 

Have done a bit more of the main plot - Arl Howe's estate and Fort Drakon. I hate being allied to Arl Eamon. I hate it. He made Alistair sleep in the kennels, drove off the boy's sister, seems to have done his best to crush any shred of initiative the boy might have had as an adult, and is now paying attention to him now that he's Useful. And he's presenting himself as the good guy. You are not good people, Eamon. You are a prick.

 

Riordan's cut scene introduction was very nifty. (There were 200 Wardens at the border waiting to come in? 200? What I could have done with that!) I can't help but feel that Anora is playing chess with people, and that if the Wardens had not escaped Fort Drakon she would have sweetly explained to her father that she'd used herself as bait to help him with his designs, because family always sticks together. I don't actually hate her for that - she's in a difficult position - but she makes me very wary.

 

And - I break myself out of Fort Drakon (with a weird amount of ease: that first cell-door was eminently pickable and the guards peculiarly blind to the shortness and slightness of my Elf character when she's in armour), I get back, and there's not a single Welcome Home from my party? Guys, I have mental trauma here! Tell me you worried, tell me you missed me... Can I at least get a hug? Bah.

[SapphireIce101]

Tbh, Eamon is always a dick. He's always using Alistair. Hell, Eamon forces Alistair onto the throne, and without being married to Anora, then Alistair is basically a pupet ruler because Alistair makes Eamon his second. As for the dog kennel thing...that was more Isolde than Eamon. Isolde always did believe that the rumors about Alistair being Eamon's bastard child was true. Heck, sending Alistair to a chantry was Isolde's idea, all Eamon did, albeit being a dick to Alistair, was making his wife happy.

 

Honestly though, I think the bigger dicks to Alistair are Fiona and Maric.