reviews
Dragon Age: Origins, A Review
BioWare, another one of my most favorite video game developing companies, is truly a pioneer of games. This statement has never been truer than when it comes to the Dragon Age trilogy. This is part one of a three part series on Dragon Age. So let’s start at the beginning…
Dragon Age: Origins came out for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 November 3, 2009. I was pregnant with my first child at the time and I was not sure what to think of it. My husband seemed to like it but, due to hormones and irritability, I did not until much later, after my first son was born and all the hormones went bye bye. I began to play it again and I was astounded by the fact that I did not like it when I was pregnant. It was addictive and fulfilled some sick completionism inside of me that I did not know was there before.
Character Creation
The graphics were quite nice for its time. It was no Final Fantasy but I found it pleasing to look at with the exception of a few things. I found the bodies to be very awkward looking, sort of shapeless and doll like, and I could not play a dwarf because their arms were so long they looked like humanized gorillas. It made my eye twitch.
Creating a character was a very agreeable and involved process. I have always been obsessed with character creation, taking my time to make the most attractive character I can, depending on how I want my character to be portrayed. You even got to pick the voice your character used in battle. So suffice to say, I was extremely happy with it.
Races
It’s quite nice that you are able to choose from a few different races, Dwarf, Elf and Human, each with its own culture and starting story.
Dwarf
As was explained earlier, Dwarves looked very awkward with their long gorilla arms. Other than that, their faces were very cute, and it was easy to mold an attractive Dwarf. In the game, Dwarves live underground, in a very large city. They are never supposed to leave for the outside, Dwarves that do, are instantly disowned. There are two starting points for Dwarves. You can either be a Dwarven Noble, or Casteless, for Dwarves use the cast system.
Elf
Elves were very tiny, thin and stick like. There are two starting points for Elves, and each starting point gives a very different perspective and culture. There is the City Elves that live in the big city, in a secluded place called an Alienage. Elves in the cities are mostly servants and paupers. Then there is the Dalish elves, these elves live in the woodlands. They are migratory because humans tend to drive them out, so they move from place to place like nomads. These elves cling to their forgotten past before elves became slaves to the humans.
Human
There are all different kinds of humans of course, but only one human starting point. You are a noble and are very wealthy and loved. I really disliked how large human hands were. It seemed so awkward and strange.
Mage
I am putting mage down here as a race for a few reasons. One it is a different starting point all on its own, and two, both elves and humans can be mages, but dwarves cannot. As a mage you begin in what is called a circle tower. Mages are feared in this world, and so they are oppressed and sequestered in large towers full of Templar knights. The Templar knights’ jobs are to watch the mages and make sure that they don’t become possessed by demons, and if they do, they kill them.
Romance Options
One of my most favorite subjects is the romance options. I absolutely love romance in a game, one that you can control of course. It makes a better connection to the characters for me.
Alistair
You meet Alistair in the beginning of your gameplay, after you have passed your starting point. Personally I adore Alistair. He is funny, cute, and a little goofy, but also sort of romantic and sweet. Also, he is a virgin and I hate to say it, but I love deflowering guys. I almost always go for Alistair on a play through. During your time with him you can develop the relationship into something pretty serious. However, there is a instance that if you do not choose the right dialogue, that if he becomes king, he will dump you. It’s sad, and bullshit and it happened to me on my first play through. I was super pissed. After you visit his sister in Denerim, you have to talk to him in camp I think. You tell him that he needs to look out for himself more than he does, and to stop looking after others so much. You say this, and not only will you be able to keep him if he becomes king (and you did not choose the human noble) But you can have a threesome with Isabella in the brothel. A character that you will see again in the second dragon age as a companion AND a romance option.
Zevran
Zevran is an attractive elven assassin, who is very flirtatious and amorous, no matter what your gender is. You meet him when he tries (and fails) to kill you. You then have a choice to kill him, or keep him. I keep him every time. Zev, as his friends call him, has a lot of interesting and morbid tales about his life as an assassin for the Crows, the criminal organization who he works for. Zev is very easy to manipulate in the fact that you can sleep with him whenever you like, and you get a “Zevran approves +1” Every single time. Do you know what that means? Yes, you can literally fuck him into loving you, or liking you at the very least. He is one of the easiest companions to manipulate, as long as you don’t bring up the Dalish, or insult him.
Lilliana
Lilliana is one of my least favorite romanceable options.I have to confess that I never played her romance all the way through simply because, as a character, she was just way too boring for me. The romance with her is so coy and light that it feels as if you are just good friends. Then, if you go and kiss someone else, suddenly she gets all serious on you. I am pretty sure you are unable to complete her romance until you complete her personal mission which happens to be near the end of the game.
Lilliana is an Orlesian bard, or spy. She found succor in a chantry and became a lay sister, and she is a nut job, let me tell you. She joins you because she had a strange dream that she interpreted as the Maker talking to her, and telling her to fight at your side. Honestly, her character can get better, and you can harden her personality like Alistair’s, but I like her much better in the third Dragon Age.
Morrigan
Morrigan is one of my most favorite characters; she can be hard to get along with, and reminds me of myself sometimes. Surprisingly, she enjoys jokes and is very vain. Morrigan is a clever, morbid young woman with a practical view of life. Her mother is Flemeth, and becomes sort of important as the whole Dragon Age trilogy progresses. Morrigan has never had friends before, and she has never associated with other people long enough to get used to certain normal everyday behaviors. She does not know how to be polite and, even if you explained it to her, she might remark that it is impractical. However, I really do enjoy her company, to the point where I made a male and romanced her briefly. She was easy to get in the sack, I believe, but her love is a much harder thing to acquire.
Storyline
Dragon Age: Origins, has a long epic storyline. It was very well thought out, and drew you in. It made you feel involved with everything around you. Playing this game is not a simple matter. It is time consuming, so if you plan on playing it for the first time, I would set aside at least a couple weeks if you plan on playing consistently, and a month or more if you are playing in-between going to a job or some such thing.
Combat
The combat is very turn based, and it brought me back to Kotor a lot. Not exactly the same but similar enough. I personally am not too fond of combat like that, but the story was so good that it did not matter so much what the combat was like. However, it was set up very well for strategic planning. So if you are one who enjoys strategy then you will like this. It did help when I was playing on nightmare mode that the combat was turn based.
Quests
Origins is full of quests of all kinds but, honestly, there are a lot of gathering quests. Things that have no real storyline behind it, which is disappointing, but I suppose it is understandable. However, there are some quests to this game that just piss me off entirely. Such as the quests that you cannot finish until you get super close to completing the game. I mean what the hell is the point of that? If I take on a quest, I want it to be something that I can actively do, not something I have to wait and search for the entire game.
DLCs
Now we come to the DLCs. I have to say that they were pretty interesting, if not fantastic. I really enjoyed awakenings, which extended the tale of the warden, or made a whole new tale if yours died. By the way, I never died. I refused to do so, so my guy has to sleep with Morrigan, so what? It’s one night, this was my character’s life! I think she can live with that. However, if you are going to get any DLC, get feast day. It seriously helps you out with your companions. The annoying little shits they are, disapproving of everything you do. Also, if you complete the DLCs, you get a special item in your inventory in the main game.
So in conclusion, this game is massive, fantastic, involved and exciting. It is something I highly recommend to people who enjoy lengthy RPGS. Not only is the storyline interesting, but the characters themselves are charming and even funny. You can be a beacon of light or a herald of darkness. Life is all about choices right?
AuKing Mini Projector Key Details
The Auking is a 1080p Mini Projector with built-in speakers that is compatible with Smartphones and laptops.* (Notice the asterisk) The ports are HDMI, USB, VGA, AV, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It’s $99.99, but you can usually catch it on sale for cheaper.
This projector is pretty popular online. There are tons of glowing reviews for it on Amazon, but I’m assuming if you’re reading this, you care about what I think. And what I think is that this projector is kinda bad.
Also, keep in mind I believe that this projector is being sold on amazon with different branding and shells, but essentially, they’re all the same projector.
These are just some I’ve found.
ALVAR 8000 Lumens Mini Portable Projector
TMY Projector 7500
Projector with WiFi, 2022 Upgrade 8500L
Mini Projector, Aokang 7500 Lumens HD Portable Projector
These all pretty much the same projector with different housing and branding
It is most certainly not for everyone, and it’s not for everyone who loves projectors. The projector has some issues with only a few positives.
Android smartphones are compatible, but only certain Androids, which they don’t tell you before purchasing.
List of Phones compatible with the projector
I’m guessing it’s “compatible” with all iPhones, but oddly enough, they don’t mention it. But I think it’s a safe bet to say that it is. Because saying the Aukling is compatible with smart devices and mac books is technically true, and it’s somewhat misleading.
It has no built-in features to make it compatible with other devices, just an HDMI input. This, combined with poor image and audio quality, means you’d be better off saving your money and buying something a little more expensive.
AuKing Mini Projector Full Break Down
The Auking has an HDMI port, which means it’s compatible with any device that can output through HDMI. But unfortunately, it doesn’t have any ports or software that would intrinsically allow smartphones to project video.
To get your iPhone or Android phone to connect to the projector, you have to do it through HDMI. So, you’ll need a USB-C to HDMI adapter for android and Mac Book or a lightning port to HDMI if you’re using an iPhone. The instructions also recommend a wireless dongle so you can connect your laptop or smart device via BlueTooth (more on that later)
Now here’s the thing, the projector only comes with a regular HDMI cord, so you would have to buy the other cords separately. They don’t mention that before you buy it, so it feels very misleading. Regarding the wireless adapter they recommend, you must connect to it via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, most streaming services have copyright features that won’t allow you to stream content via BlueTooth.
You could connect a chrome cast, Apple TV, or a Roku and mirror or cast your phone to that, but if you don’t have those devices on hand, you’re out of luck.
This means the easiest way to use this device would be with your windows laptop unless you have one of the cords they recommend.
But how does it perform once you get it set up and running? It’s ok.
We have to set our expectations for this price range. The project shows saturated color palettes well but struggles with darker colors.
Darker scenes come out looking grainy and blurry.
While brighter colors look ok.
But all things considered, the video quality will be worse than whatever you have connected to the HDMI. To its credit, however, the projector is bright enough to watch it outside with minimal light pollution.
The audio can be pretty loud, but loud doesn’t necessarily mean good. It does sound like it comes from out of a tin can, but it’s clear enough to hear what’s going on in a movie, so you don’t have to only rely on headphones.
Despite its small size, the Auking’s fans can be pretty loud when it’s on. (Imagine starting up your first-gen PS4 and trying to play Cyberpunk).
This projector isn’t for everyone. I wouldn’t recommend it to most people. However, if you’re a person who wants a bigger screen, you can buy a cheap 22′ monitor and connect you your phone or laptop to it, and the image quality would be better.
Verdict
In most cases, I suggest you save money and get something more expensive, like the ANKER Nebula capsule.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need a projector immediately, this will be ok. For instance, a backyard BBQ where it’s more about the people you’re around than what you’re watching or a party where you want to keep the kids distracted while the adults use the TV (shame on you).
Other than that, it’s worth saving your money.
FAQ
How do I connect my phone to my mini AuKing projector?
Through USB-C to HDMI cord or lighting to HDMI cord
Does AuKing projector support Bluetooth?
Rest in peace, watermelon.
The latest episodes in ‘Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid’ were very interesting to watch.
One was definitely a fanservice episode, and heck, even the producers know that! Episode 7’s title contains the phrase ‘The Fanservice Episode, Obviously’, so that cracked me up.
Episode 7 focuses on the elements of anime that will appeal to any nerd out there. By that, of course I mean bathing suits and comic conventions! Cue the beach episode!
Tohru and company decide to go swimming for the day. Kanna’s adorable as always, while Lucoa doesn’t realize just how sexual she is toward a small boy.
Like, really? You think wearing a very sexy swimsuit in front of a lot of kids on a beach is okay? And why do you insist on torturing Shouta with your breasts? It’s obvious that he’s tempted, but stop trying to seduce small children.
Of course, they’re dragons, so hilarious antics ensue. Tohru and Kanna get carried away in a swimming race, making water splash up everywhere. Also, a crab and watermelon are murdered. RIP.
However, one aspect that I thought was a nice touch was the backstory we got for Tohru. It wasn’t much, but Tohru and Kobayashi have a deep and meaningful conversation about their family’s lives, as well as how humans and dragons are different from one another. Fanservice episodes usually focus on that alone, but fortunately that’s not the case here.
The second half of Episode 7 focuses on Comiket. Tohru and Kobayashi help Takiya run a booth, and we learn that Fafnir is also participating by attempting to sell powerful curses. Wow, didn’t see thaaaaat coming at all.
Tohru notices otherworldly creatures in their true forms at Comiket, as they reveal that this is a great way to show their true forms. With Kobayashi’s permission, Tohru exposes her wings and tail, appearing to others as if she’s cosplaying as, well, a dragon maid.
Episode 7 was very nice because there were many heartfelt and adorable moments.
Meanwhile, Episode 8 FINALLY introduced the dragon that I keep on mentioning in my reviews. Her name’s Elma, a dragon who is a rival of Tohru’s. Elma accuses Tohru of disrupting the human’s ways and tries to force her to return to the dragon world. This doesn’t succeed, however, as Tohru sends her to an open field and leaves her there.
Unable to get back home, Elma stays in the human world and begins working at Kobayashi’s company. Kobayashi teaches Elma how to use computers and technology so that she can keep her job. Of course, this prompts Tohru to become jealous, smelling the scent of another dragon off Kobayashi like a dog does with a human. I won’t reveal how the episode ends, but it ends in a positive manner for Tohru.
Overall, I really loved these two episodes because they made me feel warm and fuzzy. They appealed to the emotional senses through a heartfelt conversation between Kobayashi and Tohru. Elma is also an innocent sweetheart who only wants to bring harmony to the human and dragon worlds. And I can’t wait to see more of her in the upcoming episodes.
I feel like in these two episodes alone, we learned so much about Tohru and her feelings for Kobayashi. She really wants to understand the human world and will do anything to stay with Kobayashi.
I’ll up my rating to a 4.7. These episodes were both fun, and we finally got the new dragon! Bless.
Notice: Undefined variable: user_ID in /hermes/bosnacweb04/bosnacweb04au/b1979/dom.bigorangedesign/wp_site_1589834241/wp-content/themes/zox-news/comments.php on line 49
You must be logged in to post a comment Login