Yeah I had that on order and the special guide, but they couldn't get them in stock locally so it was canceled. Should of ordered it via Amazon or something...

 

Anyway, finally finished. Took me 90 old hours or so. Did pretty much everything. Didn't find some of the random bits, not important to story, more for lore. Overall, the story was pretty nice. The areas were pretty large to explore. I liked most of it. Like most of the NPCs you interacted with. Really disliked Vivienne though. I don't know what it was about her, but I really wanted to back hand her silly. I played a 2H human warrior that romance Cassandra. I'm kinda sad at the romance options. While there is more, really it's slim pickings. On that note, some of the so called important choices made me plam face a bit. Like they felt force when clearly another option was viable. Still overall it was a good game story wise.

 

By far the worst thing was the combat. While I really liked DAO's, DA2's wasn't so bad even if it got consoled. Then along comes DAI's which is absolutely terrible. At least on PC. The controls where utter ****. I mean it's really really bad. I can't say enough at how bad it is. Like bad. B. A. D. BAD. For once, if I play thought it again, I'd play it on easy cause I can't be bothered to head desk myself on harder settings.

 

So, good news, it's worth playing and you shouldn't feel like 'ME3's rage inducing want to slap someone in charge till they have no cheeks'.

O Beocat! High five on the Tales of Xillia CE's! I love them too. I also accidently bought a second copy of the second game I need to flip on ebay at some point..

Hey all. Not posted in ages!

 

Well I got in my Inquistion game in. I also got that big butt of a box. The box is nice-ish, but as per that link, everything is pretty cheaply made. The metal game case is too small which kinda sucks. Also not printed manual or something. Seriously...... I do however very much like the cards. They've got really nice artwork and are a nice size. The map is also not so bad. It's just a shame everything else was crappy. Not worth the asking price at all.

 

As per the game, still installing it. So can't really comment. I got in on PC. So if any of you are using Origin, you can find me under saige I think. Btw I use the same name for steam. YAY Disc 3 finally after an hour... at least the 24GB sorta gives me hope the game is large and not got nice things to see.

So on topic, I just looked up Ebgames for that box edition that Dan link a bit back. It wasn't available here in Australia and it seems it is now. It's actually the same price which is amazing. Usually they're much more expensive in Australia. The only option I had was to get Origin's $90 digital version or nada. Since I want it on PC and would like a boxed copy with the extras, I opted to get it. One of the most expensive CE's I've ever bought for what one gets. So hopefully it's good quality. I opted to get it as it really is the defining game if I keep preordering Bioware's games. So fingers crossed that they learnt what not to do to their franchises and fan bases.

While I have a PS3 and 360, I'm a PC gamer. So unless it's exclusively on one of those, I always prefer a PC CE version. Shame that it doesn't really seem like DAI on PC is getting one. I guess I'll be getting it over on Origin simply because it's the only way for me to get the extras here. But yeah. DAI is probably my last straw that I hope doesn't get broken.

 

Plus also trying to keep way from major spoilers. I also believe we're playing a new character, so it's not the Warden or Hawke. Though I'd imagine they'd be a save transfer thingo like always. Not sure if it would matter considering how disappointing ME3's ended up being.

Beh, I'm sad to see this go, but the new forums and I'm sure life in general hasn't made it easy to follow posts.

 

I'm on steam as saige and I think origin using the same name.

 

Onto the topic, I'm actually really looking forward to DAI. I hope they don't stuff it up! It looks really promising, though Morrigan was such a wtf makes no sense! Though I've kept away from story articles cause I like to be surprised, then super rage when BIoware shatters my hopes and dreams like ME3.

I vote for the Tali Silver Tee. Mine is a little worn so wouldn't mind a new one.

It seems I also missed the boat for my size on the Miranda Pin-UP and Shepard Illustration Tee.

I really don't know what to say to you RighteousNixon...

No point in arguing with someone that can't understand what your point, especially on the "internet" as you like to state so much.

I won't bother explaining it more since Beocat explained it in an other way, but I'll like to confirm that I have eight of the ME lithos on my wall and all the rest (other than the recent unsigned ones) in a portfolio. All originally bought from Treehouse. I very much appreciate them for what they are, but for me at least, they're no cultural treasure of the human race.

RighteousNixon wrote...

CDRSkyShepard wrote...
That's all it is, actually. An image from a mass-produced art book that's been dressed up. Most of the lithos we've gotten in the ME3 series have been this way. I remember when they actually had unique, original art we hadn't seen before on the lithographs. Now they're just mass-manufactured prints.

Please. Comparing an original limited edition lithograph to an art book image is hands down one of the most ridiculous comparisons I have ever seen. In fact, the reasons why this is so ridiculous are so obvious and self explainatory that I am not even going to bother debating this. If there are people out there that legitmately feel that an image in an art book, even if it happens to be a full 2 page spread in a coffee table style art book, is right on par with a limited edition lithograph of that image then....well, thier percpetion of both quality and art is so warped that I honesty feel sorry for them. I could only imagine what the world of art would be like today if a lot of people shared that opinion. Our walls would be totally bare but we would have a lot of art books, lol. In all honesty, I am not surprised to see a statement like this coming off the internet. In fact, one comes to expect statements like this from internet forums. What is surprising is that it was made on a forum that specifically deals with people that are collecting lithographs.

As for calling a run of 500 limited edition lithographs, which is actually a low number in the art world, mass manufacuring of prints....well, you just made a statement of equal ridiculouness. I guess that shouldnt surprise me given the statement you were actually trying to back up. In all honesty why are you guys even here. Buy the art book and be done with it. It will save you a lot of money and your walls wont be so messy with all of those prints hanging on them.

I agree with what CDRSkyShepard has posted. I don't think you quite understand where she was coming from and the slow decline from good Mass Effect lithos that we've been seeing of late.

As a side note, "art wise", I actually am in the industry and can grab that same image (or any image for that matter) from the art book and produce a far better quality lithograph of any size that's limited to one copy. The main difference is just the artist's signature. So really there is no difference when you think about it unless you actually have the original by the artist. And that's just it, the original was modified, by the artist or another person at Bioware for this image to be made into a lithograph. We don't know, we're just assuming it was changed by the artist due to the signature, but then why wasn't the image the same in the artbook? Seems to me like an attempt to market it and make it more appealing vs being actual concept art.

Regardless of all that babble, I'm going to skip it as like most, I don't like the big size of it so can't even store it in a portfolio with the other lithos I have. I also hate what that whole comcept did to the Mass Effect Universe.

I think their deaths were very well done. I dare say they're high points of the game as well due to the emotional impact you feel with their passing.

I posted this in the other thread, but seeing folks post numbers here, here is what I wrote:

This might be considered spoilers but hopefully not.

My one and only game of ME3 I used my completion paragon Shepard. Did all ME 1 including both DLCs with basically all the positive options. In ME2, also the same, every world explored, side quests, all the DLC and no deaths. I did the same with ME3, did everything that was offered and pretty sure I didn't miss anything.

The only three things that I think I may of lost EMS to was from what happened to Kelly Chambers, Fist being dead in ME1, and not going with the side plan in the Krogan arc. Also note this is just before doing Earth.

War Assets:

Alien 985
Alliance 1562
Asari 668
Crucible 755
Ex-Cerberus 250
Krogan 875
Geth 515
Salarian 153
Turian 633
Quarian 790

TMS: 7186
RR: 50% (since I wanted to do the SP before the MP)
EMS: 3593

So yeah, don't think the things that might of affected my final result would cover the distance.

Tietj wrote...

Some of the things that I've heard help maximize EMS are renegade options. So a pure paragon playthrough won't do it.

Funny enough I did do some Renegade things, such as shoot someone in the face first. Like come on, I'm a good guy but not stupid.

This might be considered spoilers but hopefully not.

My one and only game of ME3 I used my completion paragon Shepard. Did all ME 1 including both DLCs with basically all the positive options. In ME2, also the same, every world explored, side quests, all the DLC and no deaths. I did the same with ME3, did everything that was offered and pretty sure I didn't miss anything.

The only three things that I think I may of lost EMS to was from what happened to Kelly Chambers, Fist being dead in ME1, and not going with the side plan in the Krogan arc. Also note this is just before doing Earth.

War Assets:

Alien 985
Alliance 1562
Asari 668
Crucible 755
Ex-Cerberus 250
Krogan 875
Geth 515
Salarian 153
Turian 633
Quarian 790

TMS: 7186
RR: 50% (since I wanted to do the SP before the MP)
EMS: 3593

So yeah, don't think the things that might of affected my final result would cover the distance.

Too make it easier, when you get on the planet look for building 22. It's next to the stone archway facing the actual number 22 on the building.

I just finished OC with a non modded game on the second hardest difficulty. While most of it wasn't hard, some fights were a decent challenge for my AA. The settings did seem to affect all damage as I had to turn it down near the start as I was getting killed far more than my liking. The highest setting just has enemies do 200% more damage. The story isn't that bad in OC, though it's not amazing either. As others have said, it's just a learning curve for people and the real hard stuff is playing with some of the mods or online. BG has a great story, and will give you more control and a challenge, however once it ends, that's basically it. NWN on the other hand can keep going. That is if you want to try out other mods people have made, and there is a lot of them, or if online is your thing, plenty of game worlds still up and running.

As a fellow Australian, I've had delays from items shipped from them. I've tried both methods of shipping and other ones they used to have. I've bought a lot of stuff from the store and honestly never hand that big a problem. In fact I'd say they've been rather good with everything and helped when I did have a problem or request. I even have gotten refunds without any problems.

To be honest, neither of the shipping options offered to Australia is fast. Both take about the same time on average. However I find XPO to have less chance of an item taking longer or coming with damage, such as the box a lithograph is in. Though I live in a major city so not sure how that would affect someone if they're out in the sticks. Neither option has any real tracking. As to tracking, unless you pay for express shipping services, having tracking actually will delay an item. Also note that not everything is sent via air either, it could come via boat depending on who's the provider. Then as mentioned you got customs to deal with. Usually they're pretty good in this country, but sometimes they do delay an item.

In the end, I would of waited longer before reacting the way you did.

Oh, a tank can dps, just not as good, even with a decent build. It's a why bother on easy settings. On harder settings it helps to have a tank vs running around and kiting, and even then, sometimes you do need to run around and kite like a headless chicken.

Fact is, while I appreciate the fights, some weren't balanced at all with what characters you have and when you absolutely need to bring certain characters to 80-90% of a game that you basically don't like, well, the game fails at fun.

I've finished the game with a 2H Hawke, Isabella, Varric and Merrill. No healing, no tanking. Some fights are basically impossible to do if you don't have Anders or Aveline (If you're not a tank Hawke and even then she has better talents) on Nightmare. Mind you a 2H Hawke build damage is absolutely stupid when done right and if you build Merrill well, she's basically a tank. I think if I had gone with a mage or worse, a rogue, it would been that much more harder. Hell Isabella basically made out with the floor half the fights but I kept her, cause I liked her banter and she was far more amusing.

So yeah, Nightmare mode, would be fun, if I didn't have to be pigeoned into playing it in a way that I don't enjoy.

But back to what the OP was talking about, aggro management and playing or using a tank, is pointless unless you're planning to play on nightmare. It certainly helps on the hardest boss fights on Hard, but you can still manage well without a tank. So I'd respec your warrior Hawke to a vanguard/zerker build, take Merrill's specific tree talents and respec and put everything that you had in willpower to get her constitution up and just watch everything get smashed. Hell if you have Anders just for the healing and support, make sure he takes haste, bring along Fenris with a similar build to your Hawkes, and things die even faster.

No, tanks are broken in this game. They're basically useless in some fights and downright pointless in anything other than the hardest fights on Hard and most of Nightmare difficulties. What point is there to tank when it's faster to just blitz everything with four dps builds, than have to manually control a tank and run around and hit everything. Hell you can just kite around in some fights and it's works far better than having a tank eat the damage.

Yeah rather interesting and great for those that missed out and wanted some nice lithographs in a more compact size.

Samara and Kasumi, if we're also adding in ME1, then I'd change that to Samara and Liara.

It came with the frame. It's just acid free foam core. You can probably get them separate and cut them to size if you have a frame style you like to go with. With my plexiglass, I just didn't get non glare, cause like I said, not that bright a room to be an issue, but I'd recommend to get UV coated at least. Unless you're planning on putting it in a corridor with near to zero natural light.



I believe the OP has the site that sells something similar if you're in the USA that's pretty reasonable. Though you'd still pay more than you would for the lithograph, but for me it's worth the extra dollars.

ThrakF wrote...

Ok, another question. How important is the artcare backing for the lithos, because I would rather not spend the archival frames money, but I would if the backing was important?

It comes down to you really and how much you value your lithographs. For me, while they're in a dry room, it can on occasion get very hot or humid, so for the extra value I went and got good backing that is acid free. I didn't get the top of the line glass simily as they're not in direct sunlight or in a very bright room, so I felt there wasn't a need.  I paid $35 for each of my frames so for me it wasn't too expensive.

Funny enough I can still read it on my screen if I squint.

Welcome back!

I approve the move Duke. Looks great.



I still need to hang mine. Haven't had time to go get some decent nails that won't break my hallow walls to bits. I finally think I've got a good re-arrangement too, so I'm going to have six on the planned wall. I'll post some screens of the frames and what they look when I get the up on the wall.