21 réponses à ce sujet

[NakedKana]

Hello!

  I really loved both of these games, and I thought it would be nice to compare and contrast them in terms of things that were improved or things from DAO that you wish had carried over to DA2.


  WE WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING AWAKENING PLEASE. I like to try and pretend that...whatever that was doesn't exist. Awakening earns +100 dissaproval from me.


  

  GRAPHICS

Origins

  The Graphics in origins were incredibly sub-par, there's no arguing that. The scenery was generic and poorly rendered and the characters faces looked like plastic and were about as expressive.

DA2

  SO MUCH BETTER. I've still seen better graphics but there's were still pretty good, smoothed out, more detailed and less grainy. The enviornements had a much more distinct style. The faces look way better and thank the maker for improved expressions.


Voice Acting

DAO

  Excellent, a cast of talented voice actors played a solid part in making this game as good as it was.

DA2

  Still excellent, with the added bonus of giving the main character a voice, which made me feel much more personally connected to my Hawke than I am with my Warden. A smart move.


Muscial Score

I think it suffices to say that the music is pleasantly mood setting, though unremarkable, in both games.


Enviornments

 DAO

  Though the graphics weren't great and I've already said I thought the work was a bit unimaginative and bland in DAO, it can be fairly said that they did design a massive world of unique locations that were not often recyled and while I was never stunned by any of them, i never got bored either.

DA2

  The locations given were much more interesting to look at, however you only get a handful. The city of Kirkwall could have been bigger, given you spend 3/4 of the game there. Every cave you go into is the same cave you've been in a hundred times before and this is equally true for mansions, foundries, hide outs, secret meeting places and that strange red corridor that's supposed to be part of that wierd and unique dwarven thaig but you see again like four more times above ground. It gets very, very tiresome to explore the same damn place over and over again.


Load times

DAO

 Go into the house: Load. Go into a room in the house: Load. Walk from one place to another. Load. There was a lot of loading in this game.

DA2

  Thankfully cut the loading screen time by at least a fourth.


Characters

DAO

  this is kind of a tough one. In DAO your Warden doesn't talk, and (for me at least, I don't know about anyone else) that impacts the way I feel about interacting with the provided characters that are in the game. Origins has a pretty good cast of characters, another big chunk of what made the game so good were your strong companion characters. They were interesting and I enjoyed getting to know them, though I feel that they were not as strong as the cast in DA2. Some characters, like Wynne for example, felt a tad unnecessary. I've never seen anyone vote for Wynne as a favorite and despite a mildly interesting backstory. she was kind of bland. I know quiet a few people liked Lelianna to, but she struck me as a bit forgettable as well.

DA2

  I thought that Bioware did what any good company should do. Took something that was already good, tweaked it a tad here and there and then made it even better. Each character really shines, and wether you like or dislike them, they make thier mark in your mind. Each personallity is distinct and I like the fact that you will get cut scenes where you'll walk in on them hanging out together. It makes them feel more alive, because they go about thier day and do stuff , they don't just vanish when they're not with you. I will say that I am dissapointed you couldn't talk to them more. In Origins you can talk every character to death, over anything. It was sad that you couldn't do the same with these more robust characters, which would have been extreamly enjoyable. Even if we just had the option to repeat conversations we already had (I certainly wouldn't have a problem talking to Fenris over and over...)


Combat

DAO

  The combat was passable. I wasn't really fond of the auto-movement and the slowness of which that movement occured. I'm a console gamer and not really much into the strategizing that some of the PC gamers were so fond of, so I may be missing something. Having gone back to DAO after playing DA2 I find myself liking it even less. I've put the game on casual just so that i don't have to bother with it to much.

DA2

  I found the combat highly improved. i know some people are complaining that it was dumbed down, and maybe it was, but the fact remains that I found it to be much more fun. Particularly as a rouge, it's much easier to get back stabs and move into position that it was in DAO. Plus the special moves look much more impressive. I'm a mom and I have to squeeze my game time in, so I generally play on easy or normal (1. to get through the game and, 2. because I play them to relax now instead of to challange myself. Kids are challanging enough.) but I don't mind playing this on hard because I enjoy the combat.

  Story

 DAO

  Origins has the beloved and age old 'newbie saves the world from impending doom' story. It's fairly straight forward and has the usual ties of fantasy, including your very own secret royalty! That said, even if the foundations pretty basic, what's built on it is wonderful. I loved thier take on elves and magic, both roles being turned in a different direction. No more beloved wizards that kings looked to for advice. no more mystical elf princess's that people wanna bang. I enjoyed what they did with the Chantry, not only making the religion of the world relevant but also fairly realistic for a fantasy world in that it can be a bit shady under all the pretense. The cultures and history were rich and I was taken in by the world hey created.

DA2

 The story starts a little slowly, but by the end of the game your blown away by it. I enjoyed the thought of a main character who doesn't become a renowned hero in three weeks time. I liked having a family that was relevant to the story, because that's very rare in games. I enjoyed the subtilities of the plot. The game's story played like a well written book. I think I could have done with a bit more news as to what was happening outside of Kirkwall over the years, since Hawke is from Fereldan, you think she'd keep up with what's happening over there.


Skills and Abilities and Other things.

I really liked the converation options of (persuasive), (cunning) and (intimidate) and I was sorry to see them go in DA2.

The ability to pick pocket was good, also wish that had transfered over. The Champion of Kirikwall wants to steal from people dammit!


That's all I an think of for now (it's very late). Feel free to add the things i'm sure i've left out or just to disagree with me in the usually angry forum manner.

[Torax]

I'm not as harsh on the graphics of the original. But I'm not sure which versions we're comparing. To be honest I thought the graphics for the first game were fine on my PC. The 2nd wasn't a huge gain. It had it's strong points and it's weaknesses. For example the stylized versions they were adding didn't exactly sell me in some cases of mobs.Blandness was in both Origins and in DA2. In particular though there were more dungeon variants in Origins than DA2. Which was reflected in most reviews. For example spawns were predictable. Be it fighting spiders, skeletons, mages or some other enemy? You would know exactly where they will spawn to attack you in a cave.

Why would you know where they spawn? Cause besides for a few special cases where a door is blocked and so on? They always spawn at the exact same spot. This was not the case in origins. Though that is just to point out faults in both. I prefer the style of Origins' art compared to DA2. But DA2 was stronger on action and while far more linear than Origins it was a form of story telling that Bioware was testing out to a degree. I think it has potential but needs a lot more work. The acts need to be more fluid.

One thing that seemed to distract the story to me was the year spans to be honest. Origins had you feeling far more like you were just playing your own story. In DA2 it's like so what did my character do for 3+ years? Maybe they'll try and get us to buy dlc content to explain the lost years. But it just seems odd. So for example after the end of Act 2 you are doing god knows what until a random public scene starts act 3, so we are to believe nothing heavy was going on already through the years? I guess so...

The trees were more interesting this go around. Meaning that how you had unique abilities for most companions besides your siblings. So at least there was more individuality between your companions. While the freedom of being able to talk to companions in a camp was great. I'm also fine with how it's spread out in DA2. Lets face it you could have almost all your conversations in the first camp sitting besides quest specific conversations in origins. In both games it was scripted so it's basically a wash.

The companion conversations were an improve I think. Though the ones in origins were great. There was more variance at times based on relationships it seemed. In particular how your conversations with them change based on how you mold your character. Which the character wheel and the 3 types of choices evolve your mood and at times options for quests. This is something that was a big improvement even over mass effect's conversations for Shepard.

The story in Origins was linear but at least you decisions had results you could witness. As in which allies you could call upon during the final battle. Which makes sense because the entire story is about how your character the Grey Warden manages to kill the Arch Demon with help from many forces of Fereldon. Meanwhile DA2 story is more personal and focused in just 1 location. The flaw in Origins is it is slower story wise which makes the game longer by nature. For better or worse. Meanwhile DA2 is faster and far more forced on you. The main complaint I have with DA2 is it far more slaps you in the face with the illusion of choice.

The illusion of choice is in both Origins and DA2. But in Origins the illusion is choice is no matter who you pick, you have to choose a side. Generally 1 is the good choice and the other is the bad one. At times you got a sugar happy fun time solution like have Zathrian end the curse with his death or if you go to the Circle to have the mages help you save Connor. Overall it doesn't matter. A side joins you either way. Yippy. DA2 instead has some cases that are far worse. Saying you won't escort Saarabass leads to approval from Varric but then you have to escort him anyway cause your log demands it to progress the act. Or how no matter what you do with Grace in act 1 she'll end up back in the circle and angry at you. Can't kill her in act 1. Not helping Anders means he will still get the mats and sneak past to blow up the chantry.

Origins had choices all through that could help you feel as if you were shaping your character or at least your vision of your character. Did your magi origin character help your friend destroy his phylactery in secret so he could escape or did you report it to Irving who would have you help the mage and his girlfriend get caught red handed? No matter what the story progresses. One having you serving the circle the well and another making even Irving angry at you.

There were a ton of little choices that made origin's story compelling. DA2's weakness was the giant lack of choices sadly. You could only choose the fate of your sibling or the end results for your companions. You can change how your character talks. You can decide exactly how some quests end which was how most decisions go any of the rpgs. But there was a giant lack of decisions in DA2 compared to it's predecessor.

The game music was a little more varied in DA2 but some of it just sounds too alike. Too many hints to fenris' theme in other mage songs in DA2. Things of that nature. But I like Inon Zur so that could have me more sympathetic to his work. The sound was improved I think. I liked the voice work in both games though DA2 wins strictly for one thing, the player character talks and isn't a mannequin for once.

Combat wise I just have 3 things to point out pc player wise.

1. R as an auto attack key so reminded me of Kotor and was handy for the faster paced combat.

2. Melee combat was annoying in Origins if you had to chase down to melee a moving target.

3. Closing in attacks as a melee character were fun. Just isn't the Guardian's top force jump from Kotor.

Though Duelist's Vendetta is damn near close to a point OP. I got trapped up on the High Dragon's Plateau with it on a rogue once. Had to wait for it's cooldown to reset so I could find a a target bellow to be able to target to get back to the floor lol

[Senior Cinco]

NakedKana wrote...
  WE WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING AWAKENING PLEASE. I like to try and pretend that...whatever that was doesn't exist. Awakening earns +100 dissaproval from me.

I find it hard to compare one to another, without the complete aspects of one. Pretending something didn't happen hardly excuses the fact that it did infact happen. How can you even start a thread that pits 1 and 2, without including all the details? Does this mean that the rest of the DLC is up for discussion?

Modifié par Senior Cinco, 11 juin 2011 - 07:41 .

[Torax]

Senior Cinco wrote...

NakedKana wrote...
  WE WILL NOT BE DISCUSSING AWAKENING PLEASE. I like to try and pretend that...whatever that was doesn't exist. Awakening earns +100 dissaproval from me.

I find it hard to compare one to another, without the complete aspects of one. Pretending something didn't happen hardly excuses the fact that it did infact happen. How can you even start a thread that pits 1 and 2, without including all the details? Does this mean that the rest of the DLC is up for discussion?

To be fair Awakening was an expansion as opposed to just an DLC and at least in regards to conversations there were many changes at that point which makes it harder to give a guage of which is better. Meanwhile it did add even more content to a much longer overall game basically. Between everything up to Witchhunt. Origins can eat up a ton of time if you're a completionist.

[Senior Cinco]

Torax wrote...
To be fair Awakening was an expansion as opposed to just an DLC and at least in regards to conversations there were many changes at that point which makes it harder to give a guage of which is better. Meanwhile it did add even more content to a much longer overall game basically. Between everything up to Witchhunt. Origins can eat up a ton of time if you're a completionist.

To be fair, you can call a banana a 'yellow' all you want, it's still a banana and content is still content. I don't understand your comment about the lenght of playtime. Unless one can say thay DA2 is short, so far. It's still a young release. Seeing how one of the main chars ( of DAA and DA2 ) is tied directly to the story, and quite powerfully I might add, I can't see this thread staying on the intended track of the OP. I'm sorry... This topic is too weak to the influences of other detailed subject and will spawn discussion in a hundred diff directions.

Modifié par Senior Cinco, 11 juin 2011 - 08:06 .

[Torax]

Senior Cinco wrote...

Torax wrote...
To be fair Awakening was an expansion as opposed to just an DLC and at least in regards to conversations there were many changes at that point which makes it harder to give a guage of which is better. Meanwhile it did add even more content to a much longer overall game basically. Between everything up to Witchhunt. Origins can eat up a ton of time if you're a completionist.

To be fair, you can call a banana a 'yellow' all you want, it's still a banana and content is still content. I don't understand your comment about the lenght of playtime. Unless one can say thay DA2 is short, so far. It's still a young release. Seeing how one of the main chars ( of DAA and DA2 ) is tied directly to the story, and quite powerfully I might add, I can't see this thread staying on the intended track of the OP. I'm sorry... 

The underline in specifics. Then maybe the OP is right in not including awakening. They didn't even make mention of any of the dlc content in Origins. So they were basically comparing just origins to just DA2. So you would be the one off base to their topic.

Kthx.

Modifié par Torax, 11 juin 2011 - 08:07 .

[Porenferser]

I personally liked Awakening.
It had a better story then the Main-Game.

[Torax]

Porenferser wrote...

I personally liked Awakening.
It had a better story then the Main-Game.

I liked it to though I just wish it had a little more depth in the companions. It has one of my most favorite companions in Sigrun. I want her back.

[NakedKana]

Awakenings is seprate content from the original game. Not everyone has played it and it's possible to compare these two games in thier base form without it. If you want to get into DLC, then I suppose that, yes, we would be forced to discuss aweknings, which was a rip off IMO.

 

  On the whole, however, I like to think of Awkenings as that molestor uncle you prefer to pretend you don't have.

[NakedKana]

Also, Torax, you make a good point with the choices. You get rail roaded much more often in DA2 than in Origins.

Rail Raoding, for anyone unfamiliar with the term, is when a game forces a player to do something for the purpose of progressing a story. All games do this, and in a good game it feels natural, something the player would have done by choice anyway. There are indeed a few instances where DA2 does not accomplish this they way that Origins did.

[Porenferser]

Pity only that most of the Choices in DA2 are fake.
Most of the game is pre-set and you can change only a few things.

[Torax]

NakedKana wrote...

Also, Torax, you make a good point with the choices. You get rail roaded much more often in DA2 than in Origins.

Rail Raoding, for anyone unfamiliar with the term, is when a game forces a player to do something for the purpose of progressing a story. All games do this, and in a good game it feels natural, something the player would have done by choice anyway. There are indeed a few instances where DA2 does not accomplish this they way that Origins did.

I'm fine with rail roading for a story's path but just don't offer the player a choice and then say "NO YOU HAVE TO DO THIS ANYWAY!". That is the complaint. If the choice is refused fine. But don't offer it like it exists. Felt most blatant in the example given. Though the choice of that read like "Here are your blood mages." where Hawke just says "Take this refuse back to the circle" just seemed badly designed to me. Especially since the only one of like 2 responses I could give grace to that point was "I'll make sure the path is clear"...

Modifié par Torax, 11 juin 2011 - 08:23 .

[Senior Cinco]

Torax wrote...
The underline in specifics. Then maybe the OP is right in not including awakening. They didn't even make mention of any of the dlc content in Origins. So they were basically comparing just origins to just DA2. So you would be the one off base to their topic.

I'm sorry, English is my 2nd language...But, what?

@OP: I commend you on your effort and I understand your intent. It's just, don't be suprised...

[Torax]

Senior Cinco wrote...

Torax wrote...
The underline in specifics. Then maybe the OP is right in not including awakening. They didn't even make mention of any of the dlc content in Origins. So they were basically comparing just origins to just DA2. So you would be the one off base to their topic.

I'm sorry, English is my 2nd language...But, what?

@OP: I commend you on your effort and I understand your intent. It's just, don't be suprised...

You stated how DA2 was just released and didn't have added content in a sense. So you wanting to force awakening to be a part of Origins is flawed for a comparison. The original poster was comparing base Origins to base Dragon Age 2...

Modifié par Torax, 11 juin 2011 - 08:26 .

[Senior Cinco]

Torax wrote...
You stated how DA2 was just released and didn't have added content in a sense. So you wanting to force awakening to be a part of Origins is flawed for a comparison. The original poster was comparing base Origins to base Dragon Age 2...

Oh..I see...you're still trying to call a banana a 'yellow'. Well, good luck with that...

[Torax]

How am I calling a banna yellow. I'm basically stating the original poster was comparing release of just Origins to the release of dragon age 2. Which means just specific base content like Shale and the Mabari Hounds. Things like that. But would not include Awakening, GoA and Witch Hunt.

Don't be upset and blame others to probably think the player was trying to weight their argument of Dragon Age 2 to Origins by not including expansions. I didn't see them favoring DA2 for reasons that would have changed if they included the expansions to be honest. Awakening was content additions and yes some characters. But should also point out Anders and Justice are not the same as they appear and one of them is voiced by a completely different actor. So even in their review of voice acting it's different. Since they didn't want the voice of Cullen to also be Anders for DA2. But I digress.

Yes the original poster seems to favor DA2 more than Origins. I do not favor DA2 to the other. I like them both on their own merits. While I do favor Mass Effect 2 compared to Mass Effect 1. I like Origins and DA2 equally for what they are and play them both. But if I did wish to compare them I would not include added content. It's unfair. Should also point I had said at the start of my version that I wasn't even sure what versions the original poster was comparing because I didn't think the graphics of origins were lacking like they did.

To be fair I also downloaded a bunch of better looking armor and so on for both versions of dragon age. Which improved what I felt about both games. Though the Toolset for Origins offered a lot more for the mod makers.

But don't try to act like somehow Awakening magically changes the subject. It's quite the opposite. It makes the conversations different just like it did in Witchunt. Meanwhile the combat is just the same with some added abilities. Some more graphically annoying than others. Like personally I turn off Fortifying Presence & Air of Insolence. I think Fortifying Presence looks silly and Air of Insolence is just annoying to me.

But adding even those talents doesn't offer a giant shift to me in comparison to DA2. Unless you think the original poster was attempting to hinder Origins. I doubt that was their goal.

Modifié par Torax, 11 juin 2011 - 08:47 .

[lionalio87]

Graphics:
Surely Dragon Age 2 beat out the Dragon Age: Origins. No arguing about this, it's the obvious reality.

Enviroments:
Dragon Age 2 is more real and better. Dragon Age: Origins is fine but still mediocre. Even the low quality setting of enviroments of Dragon Age 2 is still better the very high quality setting of DA:O

Maps:
DA:O has a good map, surely it can't be compared to the so great, open and "stunly epic" map like in Assassin's Creed 2, but for the fantasy game, it is still impressive.
DA2: Oooooh a bad joke. The size of the map is fairly small, but that's not the end of the joke. The recycle areas all the time from the beginning till the end. Bah:pinched::pinched:. Eating the same food all the time, it's fine, but watching the same map all the time? I prefer go to bed!!!

Voice Acting
DA:O : Your companions says blablabla what-so-ever, what do you do in these discussions? Still silence? :lol:. Oh com'on, i'm not a dumb, puh-lleeeaaaassseeeee!!!!!

DA2: I say: "I don't agree with this kind of voice acting", Hawke: "Forget about the Grey Warden, I'm in charge here." . Oh my, you're not like my dumb Grey Warden, Hawke, you can speak!!!!:lol:. Let's go to Hanged man, have the beers and talk, Hawke?!

Musical score
Man, I had watched Tom & Jerry before i played DA and if i'm not familiar with its music, I must have asked myself: WTH i'm listening? . Surely DA:O and DA2 is very far to be called "bad", but don't stand at any place near the AC2 or The Witcher, you can't match them!!

Companions:
DA:O: Ok, you have a good friends and good teams around you, Grey Wardens, but if we're good friend, why don't they share more things around than the what-so-ever quests or dialogue? After the quests, stay in the camp, chat chit all the times, and then, sleep? Well, good night, my dear companions.

DA2: On the road: NPC "Hey I want to ask you some thing", Hawke: "No time, we'll talk later in the pub or your place", and then, NPC: "I want you to help me some quests", Hawke: "Bring it on, i'm bored hanging around". From the beginning to the last, they can share with you their quests, pasts, discussions, isn't it great? More over, some great NPC: Varric, Aveline, etc, isn't it more greater?

Approval:
DA:O: good, but it's a little monotone.

DA2: Friendship or rivalry, many people argue this, but for me, it is good. You have to play with your NPC through the years
and have their friendship/rivalry, or even approach their heart step by
step. That's better than stay in the same place and gifts->approval
or pranks->shoo, go away in DA:O

Characters:
DA:O: Loghain is the most notable one, yep, he is. There is not much notable characters with the "clear" personalities for everyone to analyse. Boring!

DA2: Sister Petrice, what kind of personality are you?:devil:
Arishok: On behalf of the Qun, I demand the fight!!!:lol:. You're so rude, Arishok, but without you, DA2 cannot be so fun like it should be, isn't it?
A ton of characters with different personalities, that's why somehow DA2 have more fun than DA:O!!!

Combat:
DA:O : OK, combat is fine, challenging. I love the killing cam, it provides the game more fun, but just in the last moment

DA2: Ah-ha, very challenging, but the combat is better than before, nice movements, nice fight. Sadly we cannot see any kill cam but fine, we've already enjoyed all the combat, isn't it? It is good and I enjoy it very much.

Skill trees and abilites
DA:O it is fine, but it is so monotone. We don't waste much time on choosing which skill or abilities we should have, but spend more time to play.

DA2: Man, we should love these kind of skills and spells trees system, they are organized in a clever way, more over, balance your skill trees is one way to achieve victory in combat. Nicely done, Bioware.:wub:



Story:
DA:O: Good main story line, a real fantasy story, but also it have a deep cultural elements throughout the game. We play the game, but also enjoy discover all the other things, yes, it is.

DA2: This time, we've encountered more the crisis in the society, not have to fight against the scourge, the Blight or something like that. The main plot is fine, the depth of the cultural is fairly good, but why the final act is so rush and short like that? There are many mixed opinions about the story, though:mellow:

Modifié par lionalio87, 11 juin 2011 - 09:55 .

[Torax]

Neglected character build up is best way I could describe Act 3. In Origins we had a little more insight into the man via cut scenes after certain acts. Along with of course npc conversations. Like if you asked his Daughter about him. But overall Orsino is hardly even mentioned and only seen right before Act 3. You would have seen a little more of Meredith but there is no way to really see a decline or care to be honest. What makes a good Villain is by learning their motivations.

Meanwhile the player gets insight to a point on the Arishok. He is the only Villain at all with any real logic or purpose. Meredith may give a back story of "Magic is bad" but that is hardly surprising. She's a Templar. So the player gets thrust into a battle and trying to choose between 2 characters that you hardly know and or care about. So the decision is not really about Orsino or Meredith and just Mages or Annulment. Even more destroyed by the fact that either way you fight Orsino first as a scripted mini-boss and then you fight Meredith. Which is even more a slap in the face if you side with the mages.

There were a ton of quests I enjoyed. Just in Act 3 it's hard to find the end as some great epic end. Granted one of the best of late to me is ME2's full like 45-50 minute run. That was epic.

[NakedKana]

DA2 has only recently come out and hasn't much to speak of as far as DLC content, and so I thought it unfair to throw Origins hefty and well done DLC at it when it has none to counter with. I was merely comparing games in thier original form, as released. Geez, some people are a bit touchy huh?

[Torax]

I am still only curious if you comparing console versions or something. I guess I didn't see the graphics in origins as that poor to be honest. I just prefered it's style more than DA2. But that is a stylized thing. In particular how many mobs going from various other shades of skin to becoming narwhals.

Modifié par Torax, 11 juin 2011 - 02:11 .

[blaidfiste]

 Conan the Barbarian VS Conan the Destroyer.  Barbarian/ADAO was slow-paced and had a more epic feel to it.  Destroyer/DA2 was faster-paced, more lively and upbeat.  Both great offerings that contribute towards the whole.

[Senior Cinco]

NakedKana wrote...

DA2 has only recently come out and hasn't much to speak of as far as DLC content, and so I thought it unfair to throw Origins hefty and well done DLC at it when it has none to counter with. I was merely comparing games in thier original form, as released. Geez, some people are a bit touchy huh?

I may have just been looking at this the wrong way. I ment no disrespect, if I came across as harsh.