{"id":293,"date":"2012-11-01T10:00:32","date_gmt":"2012-11-01T17:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.markplays.net\/reviews\/?p=293"},"modified":"2012-10-31T23:54:06","modified_gmt":"2012-11-01T06:54:06","slug":"mark-plays-dragon-age-origins-hour-22","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.markplays.net\/reviews\/2012\/11\/01\/mark-plays-dragon-age-origins-hour-22\/","title":{"rendered":"Mark Plays ‘Dragon Age: Origins’: Hour 22"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the twenty-second hour of Dragon Age: Origins<\/em>, I solve the crisis in Redcliffe while earning Alistair’s ire, and then I decide it’s finally time to go visit the dwarves. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to play Dragon Age: Origins<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Hour Twenty-Two<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maker bless this game. Seriously, I can only begin to tell you how happy I am that I chose Dragon Age: Origins<\/em> for the first longterm Mark Plays game. I admit that I was (and still am!) incredibly nervous about the execution of this project. Without defined beginnings and endings, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to pull it off. Plus, technical problems are the WORST. Nothing is more frustrating than knowing your issues aren’t defined by a lack of creativity or by the presence of writer’s block. But now that I’m using Elgato Game Capture to record my gameplay and share it with you, I feel like I’ve finally reached the full potential of Mark Plays. I can document my discovery for y’all in multiple ways, I can express my frustrations and my joys, and I can wax poetically about the engaging experience that comes along with playing a video game.<\/p>\n

I firmly consider myself of the camp that believes video games are an art form in and of themselves, and I especially think that Dragon Age: Origins<\/em> provides a medium to tell a story. While you could probably play the entire game without giving a rat’s ass about the story, I think it’s intrinsically tied to the experience. On top of that, this is my first experience with an RPG that’s more RPG than first-person shooter. While the Fallout<\/em> games do<\/em> provide character building, they don’t share the same mental process I’m going through with this game. I’m making decisions based on what I think<\/em> my character would do. And look, I admit that I have never waltzed into the world of roleplaying. I follow some roleplaying Tumblrs because they’re fascinating, and I’ve watched some RP board games take place, but I always felt like an outsider. I didn’t get<\/em> what was going on, and I didn’t understand the appeal. Now, I’m not saying that Dragon Age: Origins<\/em> is a pure RPG. I have to put this game in perspective of my own history. I’ve never played Dungeons & Dragons, I’ve never been a part of a roleplaying community online, and, as I just mentioned, Fallout 3<\/em> and Fallout: New Vegas<\/em> are the only games I’ve played that come close the experience of in-depth character building.<\/p>\n

So that’s where I’m at mentally as I play this game. This whole process that I’m documenting is new to me on multiple levels, and I’m just happy that there are so many of you who read along each day, post your own commentary, and make me excited<\/em> to do this. My other two sites don’t have this learning aspect to them. I’m literally learning to do something new along the way, and I’m so appreciative that y’all are here, too. It’s weird that I’m basically\u2026 oh gosh, how do I put this? I’m performing<\/em> in a way because playing Dragon Age<\/em> is about skill, you know? So it’s not a matter of simply reacting to the text. I’ve got to also achieve certain tasks, and I was so terribly worried that I would be so abysmal at playing this game that no one would ever want to follow me ever. But y’all have been so wonderful! Well, accept for the small contingent of folks who yell at me over Twitter and email about Lelani or whatever her name is? I have no idea what I did wrong with this character, but someone sent me the ANGRIEST email about how I need to create new saves every hour so I can go back and get her? I DON’T GET IT.<\/p>\n

Anyway, let’s talk about what I did this hour! I was shocked at how easy it was to conquer everything in the Fade realm. In fact, I have video proof of this!<\/p>\n