"A Dark Room", a text based game for iOS, is marked down to free. Quite addictive game. Old school. Give it a try.

So I'm about 30 hours into Dragon Age 2. I don't hate it, but I can definitely understand the rage of folks who felt betrayed at how different from Origins it is. I do appreciate what they were trying to do: I think the storyline flows a lot better than it did in Origins (outside of the titular parts of said game) and I like that you actually build Hawke's personality based on your responses wherein it actually informs your later dialog options. I also like that it feels like your companions actually have lives and relationships with each other outside of adventuring with you.

My only real complaint with the companions is how hard to please Merrill is and that your companions rarely weigh in when you're about to make a choice they disagree with; you just suddenly get notified of their disapproval after the conversation.

That being said, I hate the loss of the tactical camera and the simplified class advancement and the fact that you're forced to run through the same exact maps over and over again with only randomly unopenable doors or random debris blocking certain routes to vary them. It certainly makes the game feel like it was rushed.

I didn't hate Dragon Age 2, but it was definitely a let down after Origins. Origins was EPIC with save-the-world storyline. While DA2 was about... making money? Plus, I liked the companions in Origins so much better! (Alistair still makes me swoon!)

I'm so excited for Inquisition! I really hope the Dragon Age Keep is able to accurately represent the past storylines because I'm playing on a different console this time, and the callbacks to previous storylines and decisions was one of my favorite parts.

I finished DA2 over the weekend. I found the ending kind of disappointing and forced. I think that's one complaint about the game I agree with in that the ending is pre-determined regardless of what choices you make or who you support. The story is just more logical and fleshed out if you make the "right" choices. Which is aggravating.

I actually liked the DA2 companions, about on par with DA:O ones.

Got DA:I installed yesterday and ran through The Keep to set my world state. It's pretty in-depth in some spots, though there's a couple times it expects you to remember a minor NPC without sufficient context, which is annoying, though that's what Google is for, I suppose.

It could use a couple more layers, though, on some subjects.

Haven't got past first getting control of my character in Inquisition, yet. I was trying to figure out how adjust the graphics settings to fix the fact that everyone's hair and armor looks like it's made out of plastic. The suggestion I found (set Meshes to High) didn't help.

BSG

No that Thanksgiving is receding in the rear view mirror, I've been putting out the call for a crew for BSG 22 - The Return of King Fatmouth. We have three names so far:

Polter-Cow
omnis_audis
NoiseDesign

Who else would like to play?

Finally started recruiting new party members in Inquisition. Sera is definitely unique. Not sure if I like her or not, yet.

BSG

Still sitting this one out, sry.

BSG

Alas! But not to worry, for Laga has also signed up. That means we have four players! As usual, we will use the standard rules and game elements from the base game and the various expansions. With four players, we will have a single Cylon and a Mutineer.

Last game, we included the optional Daybreak module, the Search for Home. That module increases the required distance to 10, and makes the Demetrius available so the crew can attempt Missions to ease their journey. Does the crew wish to add this module again, or play without it?

BSG (Laga)

I can't decide. I feel like Demetrius didn't really help us last game but maybe that's because we didn't attempt very many missions.

BSG

Re the Search for Home, we have one vote for, one vote against and one vote for "Why so difficult?" And one missing vote, which I will pencil in as a vote for "I agree with the first 75% of every sentence Ayn Rand ever wrote, but then she loses me with 'therefore, be a dick to everyone'."

That gives me the deciding vote! I am voting no, for two reasons. First, I think the Search for Home is pretty unbalanced; the best mission does nothing more than return things to the way they are without the Search. Second, it makes things easier for me. I leave it up to you which reason had a greater mearing on the decision. So there will be no search for home, with any luck you'll just kind of stumble on it. Try not to get so overwhelmed that you do anything stupid like get rid of all your medical supplies, mkay?

The files will go out now. And! That means we're ready for character selection. It shall occur in the following order:

omnis_audis
Laga
NoiseDesign
Polter-Cow

Everyone except omnis can put in COs for their character selection. Everyone except omnis, remember too to put in your starting card draw (three cards from your regular draw). With only four players, we won't have any Cylon leaders. Let's begin!