Video Games: Deus X-Machinima (E3 Fallout)

[Red Tiger]

Need advice. I've once played Civilization more than ten years ago, and that's all my gaming experience. But now I got interested in Dragon Age and want to try the first game (on PC). Would it be too difficult for a novice? As far as I understand you have to control several characters in battle, that's something I'm not sure I'll be able to do with my slow reflexes.

No

[KiDisaster]

Need advice. I've once played Civilization more than ten years ago, and that's all my gaming experience. But now I got interested in Dragon Age and want to try the first game (on PC). Would it be too difficult for a novice? As far as I understand you have to control several characters in battle, that's something I'm not sure I'll be able to do with my slow reflexes.

You don't really need to control anyone other than your main character in battles unless you're playing on the harder difficulty settings, but I'd recommend starting on easy if it'll be your first time playing an RPG. Dragon Age: Origins has a pretty good party tactics system where you can customize what your AI controlled allies do in certain situations also, which makes it easier to focus on just your main character.

Dragon Age is a fantastic game and personally I don't think it'd be too tough to figure out, though it is a very big game and could be a bit overwhelming at first. The tutorial at the beginning is pretty good though from what I remember. You can also check out a couple of guides/tips for new players, this Reddit thread has a few linked: http://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage/comments/15w1l6/i_just_bought_dragon_age_origins_and_have_no_idea/

If you do decide to try it I hope you enjoy it :)

[Sullen]

Need advice. I've once played Civilization more than ten years ago, and that's all my gaming experience. But now I got interested in Dragon Age and want to try the first game (on PC). Would it be too difficult for a novice? As far as I understand you have to control several characters in battle, that's something I'm not sure I'll be able to do with my slow reflexes.

Go Arcane Warrior, and I'm pretty sure even a novice could solo the whole game on the hardest difficulty.

[Lyanna Stark]

Need advice. I've once played Civilization more than ten years ago, and that's all my gaming experience. But now I got interested in Dragon Age and want to try the first game (on PC). Would it be too difficult for a novice? As far as I understand you have to control several characters in battle, that's something I'm not sure I'll be able to do with my slow reflexes.

Use space liberally to pause and re-arrange your NPCs and it will be fine. It will give you quite easy things to do in the beginning to get used to it all, and you can set up AI commands to your NPCs so the ranged don't run into melee all the time, etc. I pause after every cast spell sometimes just to micromanage, since that's what I used to do in older RPGs like Baldurs Gate and that's how I roll. :P Takes a little time, but I find it worth it. Not to mention that you can save a lot and reload if you find your tactics coming up short.

Lots of people play Arcane Warrior cos it's faceroll mode, but I tend to run my group for well, character interaction and story purposes. Which, given that it is an RPG and not a hack'n slash, I am much happier with. :)

[Inigima]

good to know, thanks. how quickly did you get bored with it, if at all?

I'm not bored with it yet. I've only played a few hours though. Too many other games distracting me and not a ton of time.

[The Anti-Targ]

You know what?

Fuck that noise.

Why is it that someone who does hot rodding or parachuting or painting isn't mocked as not having a girlfriend ever, but a guy who has a fucking awesome system with hydraulics and wraparound screens - and a guy who can actually afford the 25-30k necessary to have this - is a total loser?

Fuck that noise. That's 1990 speaking, and it's bullshit. If you can afford to have a 25k rig to play videogames you likely have a lot of your other shit together and can have whatever flavor of mate you choose.

A VR headset would be miles better than 3*30" screens, albeit possibly no less geeky or dorky-looking. And because the level of visual immersion is so much greater the hydraulic motion simulation system could be much simpler, smaller, unobtrusive and cheaper.

[The Anti-Targ]

Go Arcane Warrior, and I'm pretty sure even a novice could solo the whole game on the hardest difficulty.

Except you don't get to be an Arcane Warrior until quite far through the game. For a complete novice your best bet at survivability is a tanky warrior. Your basic attacks hit hard which means you don't have to worry too much about stamina or mana management to get decent damage off throughout a fight. Or you can go rogue archer and let everyone else frontline the fights while you hide and snipe from a distance, again with decent damage basic attacks not requiring a lot of skill useage.

[The Anti-Targ]

Need advice. I've once played Civilization more than ten years ago, and that's all my gaming experience. But now I got interested in Dragon Age and want to try the first game (on PC). Would it be too difficult for a novice? As far as I understand you have to control several characters in battle, that's something I'm not sure I'll be able to do with my slow reflexes.

Just play on easy difficulty and see how it goes. It is MEANT to be a pause and play game so don't think that you have to let combat run and manage abilities in real time. Pause, assign each party member their next move, unpause and then pause again when you want one or more party member to do something that they're not currently doing, which can include bravely running away.

[Corvinus85]

I thought about starting a new topic about something that's been bugging me, but I decided a post here may be enough.

I've been feeling flat about playing video games lately. I have at least dozen games on steam or from Amazon, which I've wanted to play and just couldn't get into. I may be low on energy.

My day job has me working on the computer 8 hrs a day, so maybe I can't sit another 2-3 on the computer and play a game, even though my mind is often on games.

I don't know how many times I've started a new campaign in a Total War game, or tried one of the RPG/action games I've bought, and giving up after at most a couple of hours.

I've only been playing Counter-Strike, because that doesn't require brain power. I don't even feel like playing Mount&Blade, which is a game I often turn to when I am bored with other games.

I've been a PC gamer for most of my life, but I wonder if it's time to get a console.

[KiDisaster]

I thought about starting a new topic about something that's been bugging me, but I decided a post here may be enough.

I've been feeling flat about playing video games lately. I have at least dozen games on steam or from Amazon, which I've wanted to play and just couldn't get into. I may be low on energy.

My day job has me working on the computer 8 hrs a day, so maybe I can't sit another 2-3 on the computer and play a game, even though my mind is often on games.

I don't know how many times I've started a new campaign in a Total War game, or tried one of the RPG/action games I've bought, and giving up after at most a couple of hours.

I've only been playing Counter-Strike, because that doesn't require brain power. I don't even feel like playing Mount&Blade, which is a game I often turn to when I am bored with other games.

I've been a PC gamer for most of my life, but I wonder if it's time to get a console.

Happens to me sometimes too. Just take a break from video games in general for a while. Eventually you'll get the itch again to get back into it. Or you won't, and you'll find a new hobby to replace it. Nothing wrong with that either.

Plenty of books to read and shows to watch if you need lazy at home time-killers :P Though doing something productive would be even better.

Personally I've been getting really into board games lately. Starting to like them more than video games.

[Sullen]

Except you don't get to be an Arcane Warrior until quite far through the game. For a complete novice your best bet at survivability is a tanky warrior. Your basic attacks hit hard which means you don't have to worry too much about stamina or mana management to get decent damage off throughout a fight. Or you can go rogue archer and let everyone else frontline the fights while you hide and snipe from a distance, again with decent damage basic attacks not requiring a lot of skill useage.

You don't get a proper healer until Wynne, going warrior, especially considering your early survivability might be limited, would probably not be the best idea.

Mage is a better damage dealer, and Arcane Warrior can be obtained fairly early... as soon as you leave Lothering, pretty much.

Personally I've been getting really into board games lately. Starting to like them more than video games.

The social element of board games makes them considerably better in my opinion, shame luck is a considerable part of so many of them.

[Shuvuuia]

Thanks for the answers, everyone! I think now I understand how it works a bit better. I'll try to buy the game this week.

[Corvinus85]

Happens to me sometimes too. Just take a break from video games in general for a while. Eventually you'll get the itch again to get back into it. Or you won't, and you'll find a new hobby to replace it. Nothing wrong with that either.

Plenty of books to read and shows to watch if you need lazy at home time-killers :P Though doing something productive would be even better.

Personally I've been getting really into board games lately. Starting to like them more than video games.

Well I get bored with games from time to time, but this is not getting bored, it's simply not having the drive.

And if I had someone to play it with, I would drop video games in a heart beat in favor of board or card games.

[KiDisaster]

Well I get bored with games from time to time, but this is not getting bored, it's simply not having the drive.

And if I had someone to play it with, I would drop video games in a heart beat in favor of board or card games.

Tried meetup.com, http://www.reddit.com/r/lfg, or local game stores? Unless you live in the middle of nowhere there's bound to be groups you can join. Luckily I was able to get my friends to give board games a shot and now they're hooked on them too.

[Fez]

Well I get bored with games from time to time, but this is not getting bored, it's simply not having the drive.

This has happened to me before. I once went for something like four or five months not playing any games, I watched a lot more TV than I usually do. I just didn't have any interest in the games I did have and none of the new stuff coming out looked that appealing. And there's been shorter times too, or times where I only have interest in playing Civilization and nothing else. But eventually something new and different comes out that sparks my interest again, and I get that, play it and it leads me back down the rabbit.

I think all hobbies need to have breaks taken from them sometimes.

[Corvinus85]

Tried meetup.com, http://www.reddit.com/r/lfg, or local game stores? Unless you live in the middle of nowhere there's bound to be groups you can join. Luckily I was able to get my friends to give board games a shot and now they're hooked on them too.

This has happened to me before. I once went for something like four or five months not playing any games, I watched a lot more TV than I usually do. I just didn't have any interest in the games I did have and none of the new stuff coming out looked that appealing. And there's been shorter times too, or times where I only have interest in playing Civilization and nothing else. But eventually something new and different comes out that sparks my interest again, and I get that, play it and it leads me back down the rabbit.

I think all hobbies need to have breaks taken from them sometimes.

Thank you for your advice.

[ebevan91]

I skipped all of last generation in console gaming so I'm thinking about jumping back in with an Xbox One. The MCC bundle looks good at $399 which I can actually get cheaper from an employee discount.

[The Anti-Targ]

You don't get a proper healer until Wynne, going warrior, especially considering your early survivability might be limited, would probably not be the best idea.

Mage is a better damage dealer, and Arcane Warrior can be obtained fairly early... as soon as you leave Lothering, pretty much.

The social element of board games makes them considerably better in my opinion, shame luck is a considerable part of so many of them.

But Arcane Warrior is also a missable speciality.

You certainly put out the damage as a mage, but as I said, it relies completely on spells which requires mana management. As a warrior, esp a two hand weapon warrior your basic attacks deal decent damage so you don't need to manage stamina so much. So I think warrior is an easier starting class for a complete novice. Playing on easy health management shouldn't be too hard.

Personally I don't like playing warrior classes. For DA:O my first play through was as a mage. My warrior playthrough of DA:O was as a two handed weapon wielding city elf female, for the lolz. For DA2 and DA:I my fist play through was as a rogue, though I enjoyed my mage play through of DA2 the most. Haven't done a second run through Inquisition yet.

[Lightning Lord]

But Arcane Warrior is also a missable speciality.

You certainly put out the damage as a mage, but as I said, it relies completely on spells which requires mana management. As a warrior, esp a two hand weapon warrior your basic attacks deal decent damage so you don't need to manage stamina so much. So I think warrior is an easier starting class for a complete novice. Playing on easy health management shouldn't be too hard.

Personally I don't like playing warrior classes. For DA:O my first play through was as a mage. My warrior playthrough of DA:O was as a two handed weapon wielding city elf female, for the lolz. For DA2 and DA:I my fist play through was as a rogue, though I enjoyed my mage play through of DA2 the most. Haven't done a second run through Inquisition yet.

My first go was as a Dalish warrior. I think it was one-hand+shield. But subsequent plays have been with mages. I love me some fiery death :)

I was actually just coming in here to inquire from folk who know...I rock an Asus laptop with i7 2.4ghz, 12gb ram, GeForce GTX 765M 2gb video card...when I run scans on if my system can operate certain games (Witcher 3, DA:Inquisition), it seems the processor is not up to snuff... at all for the former, for Rec'd for the latter. I assume this means I should write off Witcher 3, but how much negative impact would the processor be for DA:I? Also - I hear raves abt Witcher 3, never heard anything abt Witcher 2, how's that one?

Sorry for being ignorant :) I am stuck in the gaming past, and often forget that my system actually can run modernish games*

*That said, I picked up Rome:Total War during the Steam sale and have been playing that, with increasing fury at my inability to maintain Cordoba and Greek provinces...no matter what I do, those asshats revolt and I have to exterminate them anew ever 8-10 turns. Tips?

[The Anti-Targ]

My first go was as a Dalish warrior. I think it was one-hand+shield. But subsequent plays have been with mages. I love me some fiery death :)

I was actually just coming in here to inquire from folk who know...I rock an Asus laptop with i7 2.4ghz, 12gb ram, GeForce GTX 765M 2gb video card...when I run scans on if my system can operate certain games (Witcher 3, DA:Inquisition), it seems the processor is not up to snuff... at all for the former, for Rec'd for the latter. I assume this means I should write off Witcher 3, but how much negative impact would the processor be for DA:I? Also - I hear raves abt Witcher 3, never heard anything abt Witcher 2, how's that one?

Sorry for being ignorant :) I am stuck in the gaming past, and often forget that my system actually can run modernish games*

*That said, I picked up Rome:Total War during the Steam sale and have been playing that, with increasing fury at my inability to maintain Cordoba and Greek provinces...no matter what I do, those asshats revolt and I have to exterminate them anew ever 8-10 turns. Tips?

I suspect if you drop the framerate to 30fps you should be fine with DA:I. A CPU can bust a nut if you are asking it to do calculations 60 times per second, but if you halve that number it should be able to handle it. 2.4GHz vs the "minimum" 3.3GHz for The Witcher 3 sounds like too big of a gap to just ignore it and buy the game anyway. If you had a 2.8 - 3.0GHz CPU I'd say the game would be playable, but at 2.4GHz you would probably experience performance problems even at a 30fps setting. Major frame rate slow downs and freezes when there's lots going on on screen, but probably playable during quieter periods. Sometimes a game will just refuse to run at all if the specs are way too low.

Can you buy The Witcher 3 off Steam? Now that Steam has refunds, no questions asked as long as you've not played too many hours, you can buy it and if it doesn't work or plays like crap you can get a full refund and not be out of pocket. Risk free stress testing of your gameplaying capability of your computer.