The name change

So.. I've gone from FayePlus to Player Dave, how about that. My Origin account name is now PlayingAsDave.

There is a reason for this, but it doesn't exactly have to do with gaming, so I'm going to stick a 'read more' jump here, because I'm not sure if it belongs on this blog. Okay? Okay. Read more if you're curious as to why. Otherwise, stay tuned for the same random gaming screenshots and such.

Dragon Age II screenshots

I've been pushing onwards, finished up Dragon Age: Origins, Awakenings, etc, and moved on to Dragon Age II. Which, I must say, I like a whole lot more than Origins. It's just more ... fun. Possibly influenced by starting as a rogue, all that leaping about in combat is kind of silly, but I love it.

I named my character Sassmaster, because of how utterly seriously I was taking this game. Heh. It made me laugh, and I wouldn't change a thing, but my new character - I already finished Sassmaster's story - doesn't have a silly name. (Her dog on the other hand is named Barkspawn.)

Anyway.. Some screenshots of Sassmaster Hawke.

My team. Usually Anders, Varric, and whoever I felt like at the time. Since this one was investigating a crime, I felt Aveline was appropriate. If there wasn't any particular reason for a specific fourth member, I usually took Isabela.

Hawke is the one who looks like he stepped out of an episode of Blackadder II. [L to R: Aveline, Hawke, Anders, Varric.]

I'm really happy with how this face turned out, I must say. I didn't really have a choice about the jaw or mouth, because the sideburns count as facial hair, and you can't edit those if you add facial hair. But anyway. I love the nose, it's just perfect. I wish I had a better profile image to share, but I didn't take many screenshots I'm afraid.

That's a lot of codex...

So, I beat Dragon Age: Origins, and I decide to import my character to the Awakenings expansion. I'm thinking, it's an expansion, it's not going to have as much content as the base game...

I probably should have cropped this one. Click for a readable size.

Literally thousands of new codex entries. I just stared at it for a minute after this, thinking 'those numbers can't be right..'. I still think it's maybe a bug of some kind, inflating the numbers.

Also, my DLC armour didn't import, which is sad, but oh well.

EDIT: Ahh, that's more like it. I thought something was up with that.

That is so much better. I wouldn't mind thousands of codex entries, but it made it a pain to scroll through with even one category expanded, and the thing took forever to load, so.. yeah.

Sim Shepard: Close enough?

Been plugging away at this Sims 4 version of my Shepard, because it's important that I get it right. (Did I mention my self-sim has the perfectionist trait?)

I know it's not there yet, but I'm not sure if I can do better than this.

Actually looking at them side-by-side is helpful, I hadn't really done that until composing this post. Hmm, yeah, I think I need to work on the ears, that shouldn't be a problem. And the jaw and cheeks definitely need work.. or maybe pull the face up a bit more? Or wider? I don't know.. Will play around.

Two things

First thing: The Sims 4 Create A Sim demo has been released! (I found it in the Origin store under demos. It is free.)

Second thing: I may have already downloaded a Kaidan and an Alistair.. Now to spend forever working on turning my Shepard into a sim. And maybe my Warden, because Alistair would be lonely.

If you're curious what they look like as sims, look for 'gemz123' in the sims 4 gallery ingame, they've created every Mass Effect squadmate, and I mean every. Their Garrus is kinda cute. They've also made Dragon Age characters.

I've never actually downloaded a sim to play before... I blame Bioware.

I am glad this was released ahead of time, because I think it's going to take until release to be happy with my Shepard and Warden sims.

I did already make a self-sim, a sim version of me, because it's the first sim I make every game, but I'm not going to upload it. 'I' am more of a test subject to familiarise myself with the controls, so it's a very basic sim that will never leave CAS.

I must say, based on this brief experience, the body shape control is amazing. I can't make an adequate 'me' in any other generation. I am a bit short, but I wouldn't even inflict that on a sim, so I am a-okay with the default height.

Story time

Couple of Dragon Age screenshots.. Subtitles on, but ignore them, they're mostly unimportant. Though I did try to pick the most vague subtitles I could.

"I would rather die than become a ravening, soulless beast. Wouldn't you?"
Warden: "No comment."

Also, barring any amazing armour later on, (it is my first time through, after all, I have no idea what's ahead) this is probably what my Warden and Alistair will be wearing for the rest of the game. I especially love the armour my Warden is wearing.

Look, honestly, if I can make a woman look almost indistinguishable from a man, it's my idea of perfect. I wouldn't even play female characters at all if certain romance options weren't restricted. Mass Effect is the exception, I alternate genders because consecutive Shepards are easier to tell apart when they sound different.

Mass Effect easter egg

Soo, in Dragon Age, I'm working through the quest to get Dwarven allies. I'm working my way through the game, if not as fast as I'd like. (And Alistair got a bit more chatty since the last post, which helps. I was worried.)

Anyway, I just came across a note seemingly written by a dwarf named Shepard, mentioning the effect of mass. I think Shepard was at one point going to be another 'silent' protagonist, as only one person actually speaks in the note. I am very glad that never came to pass, I love my voiced Shepards, male and female.

"Mass will have an effect," he says.
As long as it lifts us out, I figure.
Should have specified "within my lifetime."
"Gives us time to talk", he says.
"How's a dwarf get named Shepard?"
Up yer shaft.
"No really, because blah, blah, blah."

(Enlarge image for the rest of the text.)

So. Dragon Age.

I love it, but.

I love it, but I can't settle on one character, I think I've created six now?

I love it, but I 'hardened' Alistair (toughened him up a bit, made him more of a leader, less of a follower) and now I regret it so much.

I love it, but at times like this I wish I kept old saves.

But, I did get a series of screenshots of Alistair dramatically felling an ogre, so there is that, I guess?

This is from Return to Ostagar, which I believe is DLC, I got the 'all DLC' version of the game. The sword is also from there, and I have the armour too, but he's not strong enough to equip it yet, poor dear.

Aaanyway. I already miss young Alistair, but I can't even say if it was me or the things he's seen that has changed him, really. I guess I should just keep going. "Dig til we hit daylight."

I'm really just treading water until the Sims 4 comes out, and hoping the CAS demo comes out soon... (And if my Kaidan sim looks anything like Kaidan, I will totally share.)

Birthday, whee.

Well, technically, my birthday was yesterday, but anyway! I had a great time, a really amazing time actually.

The 'just okay': I specifically asked people not to get me anything, but I got cash anyway, which I will be putting into savings, because I have a long term goal that requires much money. But I'd still kind of prefer if no-one got me anything. Oh well, that's really not much of a complaint. 'Wah, someone gave me money! On my birthday!'. Yeah, a bit silly when put like that.

The 'awesome': I learnt that my brother and his partner had already played Dragon Age (a game I have just started this week), so we discussed that for a bit, and later I managed to get everyone gathered around to watch some Farscape with me. In this age of 'watch it on the computer, seating for one', I really miss just watching stuff with people, talking over the show and all. (Poking good-natured fun at it, more like. But we have one rule: Only in the comfort of our own home. Mostly so we can pause and go back if a line was missed.)

All in all, a good day.

Heads up though: I haven't been taking screenshots in Dragon Age, because it's my first play through, and I'm playing with subtitles on, both of which make it a less appealing prospect. I want to be concentrating on the story, not what would make a good screenshot, and subtitles in screenshots bugs me, probably because I am way overcautious about spoilers? I dunno. Also, third reason: I play fully zoomed out, makes it easier for me to see what's going on, but not so clear in screenshot form.

So, um, yeah. Might be a bit quiet around here, until I get Dragon Age out of my system... or Sims 4 into it.

Virtual reality mission

One of my favourite missions of Mass Effect is the one where you go inside a Geth server. I don't want to give too much away, but it is interesting and different, and I like it a lot.

Shepard's reaction to being asked to stay still:

Move.

A lot.

There's no combat in this mission, but you do have to remove the glowing red 'infected code', with a provided weapon. Mostly though, I like the information you learn during the process, about the geth, their creation, and the war with the quarians. It's interesting.

Screenshot dump and assorted thoughts

I've been a bit busy, first avoiding the Priority: Tuchanka mission, then doing the Priority: Tuchanka mission and several more 'Priority:' missions in the same day... so it took me a while to get around to looking through my screenshots. Here are some screenshots.

As my first Shepard, I stuck with the black and red colour scheme for his armour. Later Shepards only differ to distinguish them from this Shepard.

"More likely they have Batarian Shard Wine."

Because I can never just stop at Tuchanka when there's a Kaidan just around the corner. Kaidan needs wooing, because of course he does. (More like, Kaidan needs to woo, since he's the one to bring it up. Although I still maintain Shepard was flirting in that hospital visit.) And then I launched right into the Quarian one, and man... Spoilers!