The Problem with Politics - Let's Play Dragon Age II

Now now, that is a well known staple of the genre - there are no cloths. The clothes are a lie. Everyone sleeps in armor and store spears and glass bottles in their (invisible) pockets. There's only so much realism you can put into gameplay before it gets ridiculous. I remember listening to a podcast from RPGMP3, where the group was struggling with the weight mechanism, which meant level one character could not carry their starting gear if they rolled anything less then 17 on character creation. The taxman left his money box at home and the woodsman left his ax. You don't wanna put modern gamers through that, not unless you enjoy having bags of shit thrown at your car as you drive to work.

Beside, I'm sure if they had time they might have added little updates to their uniform - but sadly, those little details get shafted when EA decides they want their game to reach the shelf in times for the xmas sales. Too bad there's not likely to be a restored content mode to save this game (or a Reborn version. Square Enix, dare we trust you again?)

I like to pretend this is another casualty of Varric's storytelling- the outfits most of the companions wear are kind of iconic, while Aveline's changes signal the way she moves up in the world.

It's probably just not enough time/don't want to redesign the characters for every act, though.

Okay, I think the thread has finally stopped lagging for me. I have 140 screenshots from making rounds, and I doubt I can upload them all today when I already feel tired enough to beat my head through a wall, but I did catch a lot of banter.

Anders: By now, you must see what an injustice the templars are.
Fenris: Must I? I see templars trying to control what they have good reason to fear.
Anders: But they go too far.
Fenris: Talk to Hawke about his/her mother. Ask her who went "too far."
Anders: You can't hold all mages responsible for that!
Fenris: It doesn't take all mages to cause this. Only the weak ones.

Thanks, Fenris. Bringing up dead mother while we listen is SUPER.

Anders: Do you still support the Knight-Commander?
Fenris: I don't care a fig for her. But she's the only one holding back the madness in this city.
Anders: Holding back? She's howling at the bloody moon! Even her own people think she's lost it. What will it take for you to see that she's crazy?
Fenris: Mages in glass houses shouldn't throw fireballs...

Varric: So, three templars walk into a tavern...
Anders: Not right now, Varric!
Varric: You feeling all right, Blondie? You're always in the mood for templar jokes...

Aveline: How are you at finales, Varric?
Varric: I expecting some practical experience fairly soon.
Aveline: Make it a good one, will you?
Varric: For you, madam, endless sunsets and roses.
Aveline: Varric...
Varric: And the swift hand of the law sweeping all aside! I thought it went unsaid.

Fenris: So, who is "Bianca"?
Varric: My crossbow. Say hello, Bianca.
Fenris: But why Bianca? You must have named her after someone.
Varric: Nope. Mirabelle was taken.
Fenris: The way you fondle your weapon is disturbing...
Varric: Hey! I'm a perfect gentleman. In public.

Tiny stealth reference to a certain other Bioware game here.

Fenris: I notice you hardly ever comment on mages and templars and such.
Varric: It's a lot of humans in skirts. I get them mixed up.
Fenris: I highly doubt that. The subject comes up all the time.
Varric: Tell me about it.
Fenris: And no opinion? One way or the other?
Varric: Opinions are like testicles. You kick them hard enough, doesn't matter how many you got.
Fenris: That's... something.

And maybe one again. Krogans, is what I am saying.

Isabela: So, Donnic was in the Rose.
Aveline: He was not!
Isabela: Easy, big girl. He wasn't shopping for himself. You're lucky to have a man who wants to please you. But, maybe you could indulge him more. Are there areas of intimacy you haven't explored?
Aveline: Why? Why do you give me these doubts!
Isabela: Aveline. If you shove your thumb up his ass, I win.
Merrill: Eeeeew...

Aveline: You know, Isabela, if someone had told me that I'd put up with you for all these years, I'd have punched them flat.
Isabela: And if someone had told me I'd still be here, I'd have done the same.
Aveline: Save your bits, you'll have your ship one day.
Isabela: And what would you do without me as a constant headache in the Rose?
Aveline: Someone would rush to fill the hole. You know, like you never left.
Isabela: That's my girl!
Aveline: Maybe you win once in a while.

Aveline: You didn't come to my solstice dinner party.
Isabela: Look at you! Dinner parties, cooking... do you have a lace apron yet, or should I get one for you?
Aveline: Don't change the subject. I sent you an invitation, and you didn't show up.
Isabela: I thought it would be... I mean, I don't know. I just don't do family gatherings. Besides, one day you and Donnic will have children, and I'll be the last person you want around them. Imagine all the awkward questions you'd have to answer. "Mother, what's a slattern?"
Aveline: I'll just point at you and say, "That's a slattern."

Merrill: Aveline, you'll look after Hawke, won't you?
Aveline: Of course I will. What kind of a question is that?
Merrill: And sometimes Isabela gets into awful trouble. You'll watch out for her, too?
Aveline: Merrill... what brought this on?
Merrill: Anything could happen. You'll protect them, though! It's what you do.
Aveline: There's nothing to worry about, Merrill.

Made even sweeter by the fact the current party was Aveline, Merrill, Isabela and myself.

Aveline: I didn't expect you to stick around for this mess Merrill. This has nothing to do with your elves.
Merrill: Everything affects everything. We were born, a bunch of things happened, and now we're in a mess with our friends.
Aveline: That seems too simple.
Merrill: Simple is good. It sneaks up on you, makes you smile. Maybe that should be enough once in a while.
Aveline: Simple it is.

Merrill: Aveline... do you think we'll win?
Aveline: Win what?
Merrill: In the end. It feels like something is ending, doesn't it? Do you think we'll win?
Aveline: Nothing is ending, Merrill. Things are a little tense, but it will pass.
Merrill: I hope we win. Varric will make it a good story, I'm sure.

Merrill: Aveline, what's in your mirror?
Aveline: What do you mean?
Merrill: In your mirror. What do you see?
Aveline: A warrior. A wife. All the mistakes I made to get here and make it right. Why, what do you see?
Merrill: Sometimes it's hard to tell. Cracks, mostly... Maybe I'll borrow yours sometime. If that's all right?
Aveline: It's all right.

Oh, weight mechanisms. When I DM my rule is just "you can carry what you want as long as it's not obviously ridiculous," because I don't have time to calculate that nonsense.

I like how Bioware handled clothing/armor in Neverwinter Nights, where it's easy to swap equipment out with hotkeys and you can change back and forth between armor and running around town clothes if you want to bother. I don't know if the game actually responds to what you're wearing and whether it's situation-appropriate, but at least some mods do.

I can tolerate RPGs keeping everyone in their armor all the time, but not being able to change companion armor at all in DAII just draws attention to the problem.

I know Arcanum had a system like that; the reaction to different clothes. No hotkeys, but running around in Barbarian armor in the middle of Not-London makes people assume you're a savage, wearing a suit/dress makes people like you better, if you go naked, no one wants to talk to you... you get the general idea.

Oh, I forgot about that! Arcanum rocks. It's hilarious how if people hate you already, running around naked is enough make the entire town hostile. Just like real life.

And the guards starting to hunt you if you leave dead bodies around because they're smart enough to equate dead body + person with bloodied weapons = murderer even if they didn't watch you. I miss that kind of carefully crafted stuff sometimes. Old style RPGs are the best for that, though there's drawbacks to each type of RPG, of course.

Basically, we're now doing the rounds, as I call it, that is, go around in Kirkwall and do all the Talk To X quests. That is also my excuse for the gazillion shots of screens, and I haven't even spoken to Fenris yet. It's also a way to actually get some views of the Bequest before I head for my last wardrobe change. And can I add it's a bit surreal I actually made it to Act 3 at all?

SHUT UP, ANDERS.

And RIGHT after this he unlocks 'Justice' in my log as I turn away to leave. So I turned around and told him just that.

Um. Isn't this one Anders and Varric?

Oops. I was mistaken.

Shut up, Anders.

I'm pretty sure it's Fenris and Varric?

Maybe it is. Maybe I'm just too used to Anders being the one talking, talking, TALKING about templars and mages all the time, lol.

I know that feeling, he never shuts up about it. Checking the Dragon Age wiki, yeah, it's Fenris and Varric.

<3 <3 <3 <3

I love this game, I am sorry I have missed the bulk of this thread!

Sjofn, you've already sacrificed enough of your life to this game.

I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'VE HAD ENOUGH

Nonsense. The sacrifice isn't complete until you start an LP where you put yourself up to replaying entire act finales so the act openers can have Hawke wear new clothes, makeup and hair!

(I need professional help)

That's actually my favourite out of everything. I love Aveline and Isabela's evolving banter, and how they end up such good friends at the end. I even missed it the first time I played because Isabela ditched me amongst everything else going wrong. I'm horrible at first-timing these games.

Yeah, it's a very easy mistake to make. I was surprised when Fenris started it the first time, but I suppose by Act 3 he's become socially normal enough he will start speaking longer sentences. I usually dig them from the wiki for accurate wording, then add ellipses and exclamation marks if I think it suits the voicework better.

Ha, Isabela totally ditched me on my first playthrough too, because I basically ignored her (because I did not yet realize how awesome Isabela is). But yeah, I agree, I think their evolving relationship is fantastic, and I like to drag them around at least a little bit in every playthrough now. <3

I would LOVE to claim I only take Hawke on long, long walks in and out of the Hanged Man and Lowtown with new people every time to collect banter to post here.

But then I would be a liar. It's torture how in the DLC you have to stick with whatever party you arrived with and there's so few trigger points. It's lucky banter is tied to Acts or this LP would have been called The Party Never Stops Talking - Let's Listen To Dragon Age II.

There's a trigger point in the Legacy DLC right next to a party-switching-station and I may have spent way too much time swapping people in and out to hear them talk to each other.



By the way, totally old news by now, but rivalmancing Merrill is the only way to go, and do not let Ingmar ever tell you otherwise.

... this will need to be done. Many times. But later. Yes. I must finish the hat LP first, finish the LP, gotta finish the LP...

The only time I romanced Merrill was as a rival, and it she'd won the vote, it's the path I would have gone. I always end up feeling weird at the end of my friend runs with her and I doubt a romance would have helped.

I only did the friend thing on my first playthrough, after that it was all tough love, all the time. Of course, the one time I romanced her (rival) was totally by accident, because she just doesn't turn my crank for any of my Hawkes. It's Anders if I want to be depressed and Isabela if I want to have some vague hope that my Hawke will maybe feel joy again some day, and Fenris if I feel like I am in a rut.

Shit, I am totally going to play this again, aren't I. Yes I am.

If I count my screenshot folders, Joyce is my 11th Hawke. Add to that I've played Phillip through two additional times and she's very fittingly my... 13th playthrough. I didn't even do this on purpose.

Merrill's seem to be the rescue romance, and when I default to someone, it's usually Fenris or Anders depending on the Hawke. Isabela has one of the best romances, though, so I'm not sure why I tend to forget she's an option.

I think I accidently skipped a one banter before, so I'll toss it in while I remember.

Isabela: You seem especially broody today.
Fenris: Does it bother you? Should I stop?
Isabela: No, don't stop! But could you add some smoldering to the routine? Just for me?
Fenris: Smolder?
Isabela: Oh, and while you're at it, perhaps some cold insolence...
Fenris: You want me to smolder and be cold at the same time? Those don't go together...
Isabela: Shush! Don't distract me with your logic.

Sadly no one ever mentions if anyone has broody babies in his honour as result.

I love how the rest of the party stares blankly as you interrogate your uncle about his mysterious past as a mallet collector.

Also, I love the Izzy romance very much, but it's not as intense as the other ones, since Izzy is so much more laid back. Plus, she's less involved with the whole war thing. I love pairing her with a female Hawke, because then I can picture them strolling along, choosing sexy underwear together and giggling~~
It's really hard for me to look her in the eyes, tho. I mean, damn. She's got freckles just about everywhere, doesn't she?

Isabela romance is the one who seems more carefree but it has his moments. Like when Isabela runs away in the middle of a Qunari invasion. Or when she runs away again at the end of Act 2. She may have also emotional moments when giving her a gift - especially in Act 2 - and MotA has one of the best moment if you're romancing her. It just seems less dramatic, probably because no one makes a big deal about it in-game.
I also love pairing her with a female Hawke, for the same reason. And it's really sweet.

There is a weight mechanisms in Skyrim. Let me tell you how much I hate it.

Also, yay for Joyce new hairstyle! I really like default Hawke, but only if playing as a mage. I use default Hawke for one of my warrior, but I change the color of her eyes and her hairstyle in Act 2 - plus make up and a new tattoo. I don't play much as default!Hawke because I love the customization part, it makes part of their characterization.

On a unrelated note, today I finally romanced Fenris again and when Hawke went to his studio to spend all day doing nothing I clicked on the bottle of wine, the statue and the books and every sentence was Fenris related. This game loves trolling people who romance Fenris.

Yeeeeaaaah, sometimes I wonder why they don't use the 'block out party members from view' in every relevant cutscene and not just some of them. "Oh hey, Gamlen, tell me of your painful past romance. While Fenris, Anders, and Isabela stare flatly at you. Go on. Don't be shy."

I only ever do femalemance with Isabela. I never actually considered why, but I like that reason.

All in all I think Isabela's is the more 'normal' option. She is by and large the least mentally screwed up love interest, and I like that in a way. Like someone said earlier - I think it was Sjofn? - she's the romance if you figure Hawke has earned a break. It took me a while to warm up to her this much, granted. In the beginning I really had her pegged as walking fanservice.

I am atrocious at the Elder Scrolls series. I get confused, I get lost, and then I get killed by rats.

For females I am so in love with the Bethany preset every female ends up with it. It's amusing, because I always use the Carver preset for the male. I'm considering very seriously my next DA2 challenge will be to try as a minimum the two presets swapped and maybe the iconic Hawke for both, though I am not crazy about how the male looks.

The game just drives in the knife with Fenris... I thought I'd spared Joyce the worst by not using Fenris in party, and then I get Varric's conversation about him right after Leandra died. Thank you, game.

I forgot to mention how much I love Uncle Gamlen. I can tolerate his horrible comments about love interests and wanting money and being kinda awful just because he has this good moments where I care a lot for him. Even if he spends money at the Blooming Rose when Hawke and his/her sibling where trying to make up a living for all of them. Damn your realism, game.

I kinda had that problem too, I was just hopeful because Bioware. I love her romance, but I probably feel more her issues about trusting people because it's something I actually saw in real life, so it remembered me of it. Goddamit game.
The character I need more time to care about was Bethany. She was sweet and she was the little sister and...I never really take her anywhere for a while.

All of above except rats. I get killed by pretty much everything. And I get lost pretty much everywhere. Without even knowing why. I just end up stealing books all the time. And killing the people who owned the books.

I have two male characters based on the same preset, the other ones I'm not sure because I just spend a lot of time playing with the CC and figuring out how to make they look like the idea I have of them. Sometimes I avoid some presets because of how the siblings turns out. Even if they always look the same if I play a black character, it must be magic.

First time I played after that night Hawke went to the Viscount and he sent Hawke to talk with the qunari. And who is a qunari expert? I had to have him in my party.
And then Legacy came out and I had to reconsider my headcanon, since apparently they never spoke about what happened to the point that Hawke tries to talk about it while killing darkspawn in the Deep Roads.
If DA3 ends with Fenris killing Hawke I won't be surprised.

I have also never taken that option. I have watched video, though. It was traumatic.

He doesn't even get angry. The guy so characterized by his constant simmering rage that it's one of his unique class abilities, and he's so gutted that he doesn't even get angry. ;_;

Fenris clearly hates the Dracula musical, though.

Oh, Fenris. <3

(I never got to see his face when choosing the flirt option because Hawke was an archer.)

And when I thought it was impossible to hate Danarius more, he gloats over being a rapist.

What the hell is wrong with people who enjoy handing Fenris back to Danarius.

The only person he trusted sold him at the first occasion. There is nothing worth fighting for anymore.
;_;
How To Destroy Someone.