Dragon Age Countdown...

[Kunikos]

I was thinking of running Death Magic, Stone Armor, and Arcane Ward, gearing up to be an Arcane Warrior.

[idrisz]

I think arcane warrior's first skill require 50% magic to run, it's a big drainer.

[Enidigm]

No, she doesn't suck because she's bad, she sucks because she is my mage, only crazy (and a spider). Or my mage is her. Which will all be very confusing once we start that torrid affair so lustily promised us by the devs....

I just want Warcraft's death coil, really. Actually, i'd make a Death Knight if there were the option. Ah, the perfect class...

[Boinkology]

Not playing on hard like you but at least on normal her cold spells are great. I upgraded to the cone of cold and it's invaluable for locking down lines of combatants for a few seconds, along with winters grasp.

This + StoneFist, or any combat ability that delivers automatic crit = WIN

Nothing is more gratifying that using a cone of cone to freeze an ogre and some darkspawn, and having the rest of your party shatter them all in one hit.

[VegasRobb]

Human Noble origin is strong. I saw some of it coming but not all of it.

Spoiler:










Mom Cousland rocks.

[SirTomster]

So after playing the PC version, the 360 version and the PS3 version you can play the table top version

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/interviews/6727-Designing-the-Dragon-Age-Tabletop-RPG

Link stolen from @wilw twitter account.

[The Bird Flu]

Are there supposed to be a bunch of A Song of Ice and Fire references or am I just extrapolating them because I just read the entire series in 2 months?

[Jag]

you won't be able to score some DD from blood magic until lvl 12-14, the 3rd spell is AOE Dot/Hold

fire line is probably best line for some offensive power earlier on, you get fireball at lvl 3 if you dump all your points into magic right off the bat.

First level frost is good for freezing out a mob while you kill his friends.

[Case]

When using the WASD keys...

I had to remap "Q" and "E" to camera, then map "A" and "D" to right/left movement. So technically, the default is not WASD.

Also, is there any way to make the "S" key have the character run backwards, instead of turn around and run forward?

I personally don't care, but a friend of mine who's really into MMOs wants this.

[MattKeil]

The point is if you look beyond "boo this game also has elves", the game has tons of unique and interesting atmosphere. World, history, characters, races, magic, demons, dragons - I am looking forward to get to know all this stuff better.

Dismissing those of us who do not find the world compelling in this way is facile and incorrect. It's the presentation of the world that is the problem. Even the more interesting parts of the lore (templar oppression of magic users, enslaved elf culture) is dull and uninvolving because Dragon Age, like most BioWare RPGs of the last few years, tells rather than shows when it comes to backstory and world building. Mass Effect was able to make it interesting with snappier dialogue, a fresher setting and a main character who was actually able to hold a voice acted conversation. Dragon Age has none of this, and so I'm stuck listening to characters drone on reading off some lore builder's notepad while doing the BioWare Conversation Stand and occasionally doing the BioWare Concerned Conversation Pace.

After Mass Effect it feels like a throwback, and the subject matter is so well-traveled that it really needed something with more "oomph" to hook me on it. I'm enjoying the combat, building my character and the way the quests weave into one another in ways previous BioWare games' quests have not. I am not enjoying having a pedestrian world with occasionally interesting facets presented to me with all the aplomb of a university lecture.

Eurogamer's review comments that Dragon Age takes place in a fantasy world that lacks soul and a sense of its own fantastical trappings, and I think that hits it right on the head.

[seventimessix]

I'd try to say why DA isn't very good but it wouldn't come out nearly as eloquent. Matt has summed up my thoughts precisely.

[Sarkus]

Dismissing those of us who do not find the world compelling in this way is facile and incorrect. It's the presentation of the world that is the problem. Even the more interesting parts of the lore (templar oppression of magic users, enslaved elf culture) is dull and uninvolving because Dragon Age, like most BioWare RPGs of the last few years, tells rather than shows when it comes to backstory and world building. Mass Effect was able to make it interesting with snappier dialogue, a fresher setting and a main character who was actually able to hold a voice acted conversation. Dragon Age has none of this, and so I'm stuck listening to characters drone on reading off some lore builder's notepad while doing the BioWare Conversation Stand and occasionally doing the BioWare Concerned Conversation Pace.

After Mass Effect it feels like a throwback, and the subject matter is so well-traveled that it really needed something with more "oomph" to hook me on it. I'm enjoying the combat, building my character and the way the quests weave into one another in ways previous BioWare games' quests have not. I am not enjoying having a pedestrian world with occasionally interesting facets presented to me with all the aplomb of a university lecture.

Eurogamer's review comments that Dragon Age takes place in a fantasy world that lacks soul and a sense of its own fantastical trappings, and I think that hits it right on the head.

Based on comments in this thread it's pretty clear that not everyone agrees with your (and Eurogamers) analysis. I don't think there is anything wrong with others expressing that, just like there isn't anything wrong with you expressing yours. Nobody is "right." It's all just relative to our own perspective.

[mkozlows]

After Mass Effect it feels like a throwback, and the subject matter is so well-traveled that it really needed something with more "oomph" to hook me on it.

It is a throwback from Mass Effect. We all knew that going in, due to its development history and also not being blind when they showed screenshots and movies.

But Mass Effect is by far Bioware's best game, and if you compare Dragonage to any of the others, it comes off looking pretty good, particularly considering that it doesn't get the automatic shared-world benefits of Star Wars or Forgotten Realms. There's a lot of room between "not as good as Mass Effect" and lifeless and forgettable.

[PeterGinsberg]

After Mass Effect it feels like a throwback, and the subject matter is so well-traveled that it really needed something with more "oomph" to hook me on it. I'm enjoying the combat, building my character and the way the quests weave into one another in ways previous BioWare games' quests have not. I am not enjoying having a pedestrian world with occasionally interesting facets presented to me with all the aplomb of a university lecture.

I agree with you insofar as we are talking about the story and how it's delivered.

However, I'm playing the game as more of a series of tactical combat set pieces surrounded by enough story to giving some meaning to the combat. I suppose I play a lot of RPGs that way, and from that perspective, it's working for me.

This is as opposed to Mass Effect, which may have a had a more interesting setting and a more lively main character, but had a far inferior combat system. It also had the most generic uninteresting loot of any RPG I've ever played. And let's not get started about the dune buggy.

For me the often dull story presentation isn't ruining my enjoyment of the detailed world, tactical combat, and character development.

[mono]

But Mass Effect is by far Bioware's best game, and if you compare Dragonage to any of the others, it comes off looking pretty good, particularly considering that it doesn't get the automatic shared-world benefits of Star Wars or Forgotten Realms. There's a lot of room between "not as good as Mass Effect" and lifeless and forgettable.

Describing something as 'best' is about as useful as 'fun'.

I couldn't keep up any interest in ME beyond about 1/2 hour of game time. It's still sitting there in my Steam folder, unplayed, whereas I'm trolling the forum today relentlessly to assuage my DA jones, since I can't play at work. I'm only about an hour or so into the game and already it's ascending some personal all-time charts.

I sense a schism between some PC RPG fans who enjoy the top down, clickety-clickety character management, spreadsheet inducing, heavy micro interactive nature of DA, as opposed to the sit-back and let the game show me a story strengths of console lead titles. Nothing wrong with either approach.

[ChiTownBluesFan]

I wasn't sure if I was going to get this game right away or not, so I never pre-ordered it or anything. All the talk changed my mind, however, so I pre-ordered the game through EB games website. Monday afternoon. Still got the bonueses and everything. Plus, since I'm still going through GTA4:TBoGT, and will be out of town all next week, figured I didn't need it right away so selected the free 5-10 day shipping option. Also ordered the CE edition of the guide (more so I don't miss anything rather than help with the game).

Still received the guide yesterday afternoon - < 24 hours after I ordered it with 'free' shipping - and the game about an hour ago.

Pre-order. heh.

[Tim James]

I sense a schism between some PC RPG fans who enjoy the top down, clickety-clickety character management, spreadsheet inducing, heavy micro interactive nature of DA, as opposed to the sit-back and let the game show me a story strengths of console lead titles. Nothing wrong with either approach.There's nothing wrong with it, but I think game developers and reviewers don't address often enough the difference in playstyles and expectations between certain types of gamers (not necessarily a PC-console thing). Either that or we're not listening or filtering that properly, which I have been guilty of.

[Gendal]

Mass Effect was able to make it interesting with snappier dialogue, a fresher setting and a main character who was actually able to hold a voice acted conversation. Dragon Age has none of this, and so I'm stuck listening to characters drone on reading off some lore builder's notepad while doing the BioWare Conversation Stand and occasionally doing the BioWare Concerned Conversation Pace.
As much as I am enjoying DA, especially over ME, I certainly can't disagree with this. I am reading all of the Codex entires as I get them and for the most part have been entertained but I did read the Stolen Throne, and while light on historical details it's certainly peaked my interest in what's going on right now in Ferelden.

I was also going to complain about Captain Janeway's reading of the witch lines, but really she had to voice exactly what you are complaining about. Not really possible to make that exciting.

[Vincent19]

I sense a schism between some PC RPG fans who enjoy the top down, clickety-clickety character management, spreadsheet inducing, heavy micro interactive nature of DA, as opposed to the sit-back and let the game show me a story strengths of console lead titles. Nothing wrong with either approach.

This seems pretty accurate. I couldn't get past the first few hours of Mass Effect due to a variety of annoyances I had with it, but Dragon's Age already has me hooked, mostly due to the awesome combat and characters. That, and the fact that I love the sleek PC interface, a refreshing sight these days.

[David Erikson]

It is a throwback from Mass Effect. We all knew that going in, due to its development history and also not being blind when they showed screenshots and movies.

But Mass Effect is by far Bioware's best game,...

You got to be kidding.

[Tom Chick]

Even the more interesting parts of the lore (templar oppression of magic users, enslaved elf culture) is dull and uninvolving because Dragon Age, like most BioWare RPGs of the last few years, tells rather than shows when it comes to backstory and world building.

Leaving aside that backstory is called backstory because it's, uh, in the back, I couldn't disagree more. Just as earlier in this thread you missed the blood literally under your own nose -- and under your boots, on your cheek, and probably even getting in your mouth -- I'm surprised to hear this criticism leveled by anyone who's actually played through Dragon Age. And you have played through Dragon Age, right?

Because it does, in fact, show you. The situation between the magic users and templars is the cornerstone of a huge chunk of the middle game. The enslaved elf culture has its own section of the city that's unlocked in the third act. Both of these things are the subjects of at least half of the origin stories, where you actually play out much of this backstory you insist is told instead of showed. These things that you dismiss with a hand-wavy "dull and uninvolved" are parts of the gameplay and the world-building.

-Tom

[mkozlows]

I sense a schism between some PC RPG fans who enjoy the top down, clickety-clickety character management, spreadsheet inducing, heavy micro interactive nature of DA, as opposed to the sit-back and let the game show me a story strengths of console lead titles. Nothing wrong with either approach.

The thing is, though, even if you just talk about people who care about story (which I think has nothing to do with PC vs. console), there's a divide. Because this is a really story-filled game, but it's story-filled in the way pre-Mass Effect RPGs were -- that is, it's like reading an interactive book rather than like watching an interactive movie. If you're expecting the "modern" (i.e., Mass Effect) cinematic style, it's going to come off lame. If you're expecting the classic (i.e., KOTOR/NWN/BG) bookish style, it works really well.

But a lot of people apparently prefer either the cinematic style Mass Effect thing, or else the "20 lines of dialogue total" sparse-story approach of your Oblivions.

[Dan Lawrence]

The thing is, though, even if you just talk about people who care about story (which I think has nothing to do with PC vs. console), there's a divide. Because this is a really story-filled game, but it's story-filled in the way pre-Mass Effect RPGs were -- that is, it's like reading an interactive book rather than like watching an interactive movie. If you're expecting the "modern" (i.e., Mass Effect) cinematic style, it's going to come off lame. If you're expecting the classic (i.e., KOTOR/NWN/BG) bookish style, it works really well.

But a lot of people apparently prefer either the cinematic style Mass Effect thing, or else the "20 lines of dialogue total" sparse-story approach of your Oblivions.

Which is better books or movies? :)

I think its fine to appreciate both, if this game leans more towards the text heavy Planescape Torment style and away from the interactive movie style that so many game use these days then I'll be happy. Its not automatically archaic, just different. At least in my opinion. I mostly just wish it would arrive in the UK so I could see for myself.

[mkozlows]

I think its fine to appreciate both, if this game leans more towards the text heavy Planescape Torment style and away from the interactive movie style that so many game use these days then I'll be happy. Its not automatically archaic, just different. At least in my opinion. I mostly just wish it would arrive in the UK so I could see for myself.

It's text-heavy, but fully voiced and by default subtitles are off, so it's the worst of both worlds. It's like either listening to an audiobook when you're not driving, or like watching the most woodenly-acted movie ever. That's why I think the Mass Effect cinematic style is the inevitable progression of the genre -- once you put in voice-acting, you can't just leave it as stock-still expressionless dudes talking at each other.

[Murbella]

Easily the best rpg in a long long time. Risen and fallout 3, both fun and good games in their own right, do not compare.

The story also isn;t the normal bullshit that some suit paid a guy on the street to write ("dude where is my dad?").

My only complaint now that i've made it past the B grade mmorpg launch stupidity (this was stupid) is that the social site doesn't seem to be getting updated with my character even though all options to do with it in game seem to be on. The character i made with the character creator is still up there, but my new guy is not.

The difficulty also seems overstated if you're playing a mage. It is hard yes, but i am playing nightmare so i expect that. I wouldn't turn it up if there was a higher difficulty though as while i have never wiped, i have come close. The first boss in the game was a long, hard experience that cost me all of my health/mana potions and still killed every character except the main character. I had to take the last 5% of his life or so by doing the fire cone and running. I think having a fire mage with flaming weapons and heal has helped a lot since the fire damage is a huge gain at that level with all physical damage dealers.

[Woolen Horde]

Screaming at EA over the activation problem if you bought it through Impulse got them to add Dragon Age to my EA Download Manager account so I can download it again, but this time it should work. I've got a new key, as well.

[Dan Lawrence]

It's text-heavy, but fully voiced and by default subtitles are off, so it's the worst of both worlds. It's like either listening to an audiobook when you're not driving, or like watching the most woodenly-acted movie ever. That's why I think the Mass Effect cinematic style is the inevitable progression of the genre -- once you put in voice-acting, you can't just leave it as stock-still expressionless dudes talking at each other.

Well I guess we'll see how well I like the voice acting. Personally I wish some games didn't bother with voice acting at all - deliberately. Its all production values and cost at the expense of flexibility and imagination.

[merryprankster]

Because it does, in fact, show you. The situation between the magic users and templars is the cornerstone of a huge chunk of the middle game. The enslaved elf culture has its own section of the city that's unlocked in the third act. Both of these things are the subjects of at least half of the origin stories, where you actually play out much of this backstory you insist is told instead of showed. These things that you dismiss with a hand-wavy "dull and uninvolved" are parts of the gameplay and the world-building.

-Tom

Yeah, this game kinda leaves me wishing I was reading a book. The world it creates for me to enjoy this cool fiction is just so lacking. Instead of this cool fantasy world I get this giant pile of brown yuk, populated by wierdly proportioned ape men (who all stand with the exact same posture). I kinda wish I could just read the story, and leave what things look like up to my imagination in this case.

Maybe I'm being abit of a graphics whore...but honestly the presentation is sort of always pulling me out of the story. The place just doesn't feel alive, and instead of pulling me in, it keeps reminding me that I am playing some silly game.

[Telefrog]

I'd try to say why DA isn't very good but it wouldn't come out nearly as eloquent. Matt has summed up my thoughts precisely.

I agree that the DA world is pretty bland and cliche-ridden. I think "mixing it up" by just making the Dwarves short Klingons and the Elves disenfranchised ex-slaves isn't really all that awesome. I wouldn't go so far as to say DA isn't very good.

Personally, I'm loving DA for it's gameplay.

[Murbella]

If you think the story in dragon age is dull, what game did have a story you liked? Did you turn to stone when you played oblivion (the king of bland generic fantasy)?

[Vincent19]

Instead of this cool fantasy world I get this giant pile of brown yuk, populated by wierdly proportioned ape men

But weirdly proportioned ape men are a staple of any high-fantasy RPG. We can't expect Bioware to reinvent the bar on everything.

[stusser]

The difficulty also seems overstated if you're playing a mage. It is hard yes, but i am playing nightmare so i expect that.
I'm not playing on nightmare, as everybody said normal was freaking hard. And even with a mage, you can't just sit back, =, rightclick on the monsters and wait for them to die like dungeon siege. You need to pause the game and play strategically, but it's not brutally difficult.

I expect the beginning of the game is much, much, much more difficult without AE, crowd control, and healing. Later on you get morrigan and wynne, so no big deal then, although they'd both probably be mandatory party members without a mage PC.

[Telefrog]

If you think the story in dragon age is dull, what game did have a story you liked? Did you turn to stone when you played oblivion (the king of bland generic fantasy)?

I don't think the story, as presented to the player, is dull at all. I think it's engaging.

I think the backstory is dull and built on obviously simple fantasy tropes with a liberal dash of "We switched stuff up!!" As Tom pointed out, it's backstory, so it doesn't really get in the way of me enjoying the game.

[Tom Chick]

The place just doesn't feel alive, and instead of pulling me in, it keeps reminding me that I am playing some silly game.

But Bioware doesn't really do that sort of open-world/living world thing. It's not their bag. If you're expecting something like Red Faction, Brutal Legend, GTAIV, or various other games that create places that "feel alive", you're better off playing one of those. Bethesda is really the only company I can think of that effectively crosses RPGs over into that living world concept. This is not that. This is still an old-school stat-driven party-based RPG. If that's a "silly game" to you, you're probably in the wrong genre. It reminds of whoever that guy was who reviewed NWN2 for 1up with the disclaimer that he didn't like RPGs.

But I do get what you're saying. I wish Bioware had better tech. I would love to see what they could do if they broke out of their idea of world-building as a bunch of interconnected boxes populated by awkwardly animated puppets. They have the imagination and the storytelling chops for it.

-Tom

[Falcon554]

Note sure there tech sucks, but its not state of the art for sure but DAMN is this a great game.

[Telefrog]

Note sure there tech sucks, but its not state of the art for sure but DAMN is this a great game.

It's a damn sight better than NWN 2. That hog still doesn't run on my rig with acceptable framrates unless I disable all the shadows. In contrast, DA runs at a solid 60 fps and it looks terrific.

[merryprankster]

But Bioware doesn't really do that sort of open-world/living world thing. It's not their bag. If you're expecting something like Red Faction, Brutal Legend, GTAIV, or various other games that create places that "feel alive", you're better off playing one of those. Bethesda is really the only company I can think of that effectively crosses RPGs over into that living world concept. This is not that. This is still an old-school stat-driven party-based RPG. If that's a "silly game" to you, you're probably in the wrong genre. It reminds of whoever that guy was who reviewed NWN2 for 1up with the disclaimer that he didn't like RPGs.

But I do get what you're saying. I wish Bioware had better tech. I would love to see what they could do if they broke out of their idea of world-building as a bunch of interconnected boxes populated by awkwardly animated puppets. They have the imagination and the storytelling chops for it.

-Tom

By 'silly' I meant that the characters look like marinettes while delivering thier lines. Imagine if the LoTR movies were done entirely by muppets (with the existing voice cast) on a cardboard set. It would still be a great story, but I doubt if you would have the same emotional reaction to it.

I think that games do not have to be open world to "feel alive", they just need to suspend my disbelief so I don't feel like I'm sitting on my couch watching a puppet show.

[Joe M.]

Dragon Age: Puppet Show? I guess I'm too into the story, voice acting and getting through battles to worry about whether or not characters are 'standing around like puppets'.

[Tim James]

By 'silly' I meant that the characters look like marinettes while delivering thier lines.Haven't played it yet but it sounds like the case where there's so much dialogue/content that they didn't have the resources to polish it up like Mass Effect. Rather than a step backwards, maybe it's just a step forward on a different path? Eventually the hardcore RPGs will catch up to this generation's slick presentation but we're not there yet.

Of course, 5 years from now people will be talking about how they can't feel an emotional connection to a merely well-animated and -voiced party of characters. Dang kids!

[Tom Chick]

I get what you're saying, Merry. You have to accept a lot of old-school conventions to get into Dragon Age. It's almost as if that whole "This is the New Shit" advertising campaign was misleading. :)

Speaking of puppet shows, you know what would be the awesomest thing evar? Lego: Lord of the Rings.

-Tom

[Telefrog]

Speaking of puppet shows, you know what would be the awesomest thing evar? Lego: Lord of the Rings.

-Tom

Off topic, but it completely floored me when Lego did not get the toy rights to LotR, but that cheapass brick knockoff brand did.

[Desslock]

Bethesda is really the only company I can think of that effectively crosses RPGs over into that living world concept.

The old Ultima games spawned that approach - there are other modern examples, in addition to Bethesda's games, including most European RPGs: the Gothic/Risen games by Piranha Bytes (which, like Oblivion, etc., were heavily inspired by Ultima) in particular. Also Two Worlds, and to a lesser extent the Witcher, which has NPC schedules, although it's actually a cross between styles.

[BigWeather]

Off topic, but it completely floored me when Lego did not get the toy rights to LotR, but that cheapass brick knockoff brand did.

Yeah, me too. I'd give my eyeteeth (because I don't even know what the hell those are!) for Lego: LotR!

[Morberis]

I wonder how effective Dragon Age will be at demonstrating that good gameplay and storyline can make up for sub par graphics.

[BigWeather]

Though I haven't played DA (thanks Gamestop!) yet, I wonder if it'd be as good -- or better -- with a more old school presentation to match the gameplay. At least that way the presentation wouldn't get in the way for some people.

[Falcon554]

I don't think it looks bad at all. At times it looks fantastic

[MythicalMino]

POSSIBLE SPOILER BELOW!!!!!!












so, does anyone have the strat guide? In the strat guide while discussing the classes and their abilities/talents, there is listed for each class a "Power of Blood School", which has two (2) abilities. It also says it is only available via downloadable content. Do we already have that, and if so, where do we access it? And if not, when will that be available?


Just got out of the Mage origin (as an elf). I am enjoying the game quite a bit....

[Stridergg]

Though I haven't played DA (thanks Gamestop!) yet, I wonder if it'd be as good -- or better -- with a more old school presentation to match the gameplay. At least that way the presentation wouldn't get in the way for some people.

They would find something else to get in their way then :)

[Adam Altmann]

Dragon Age: Puppet Show? I guess I'm too into the story, voice acting and getting through battles to worry about whether or not characters are 'standing around like puppets'.

There was one dialogue I watched last night (I didn't get very far) where Duncan was standing mostly rigid, blathering on about something, yet his head was moving back and forth ever so slightly and he was staring oddly offscreen. I started giggling because it looked exactly like he was reading his lines off a prompter.

[merryprankster]

I get what you're saying, Merry. You have to accept a lot of old-school conventions to get into Dragon Age. It's almost as if that whole "This is the New Shit" advertising campaign was misleading. :)

Speaking of puppet shows, you know what would be the awesomest thing evar? Lego: Lord of the Rings.

-Tom

Yeah, I guess can accept that this just isn't hitting that warm fuzzy RPG of yore cord for me. I guess I was thinking it would be more of the cinematic experience that Mass Effect was, so I'm a bit let down.

I'm glad the story is as cool and layered as it is, at least that is keeping me playing. Ah well, at least it's a damn good puppet show. :)

(hehe...course Lego:LoTR would probably be a better puppet show..)

[Rasputin]

So I have all these gems and bowls and vases in the "Other" part of my inventory where Gifts are kept. Can I sell these, or will they be used later by some sort of crafting or such?

[Munky]

I'm glad I didn't get the bland, poorly designed, crappy-looking version of this game that some of you did. I'm enjoying the hell out of a fun, engaging, challenging, fine-looking RPG.

[Sean Tudor]

my Stone Prisoner and Warden's Keep have yet to come in. They just keep failing during the download.

It took me six hours last night to download these two DLC packs after finally solving my Bioware account issues on their awful social website. The download kept timing out but luckily the downloader resumed from where it last dc'd. Not sure what the issue was - maybe the servers were horribly overloaded.

[Squee]

I'm also having problems with the DLC. Most notably I finally got the blood dragon armor code to register, and now Stone Prisoner is saying I have to buy it even though it accepted the code on the 2nd.

This whole crappy "Bundled DLC!" instead of being content on the disc and their stupid social networking thing are really irritating the piss out of me.

[idrisz]

yeah I really hate the whole idea of Day 1 DLC, because it's contents that were already worked on during game production.

[Joe M.]

There was one dialogue I watched last night (I didn't get very far) where Duncan was standing mostly rigid, blathering on about something, yet his head was moving back and forth ever so slightly and he was staring oddly offscreen. I started giggling because it looked exactly like he was reading his lines off a prompter.

Heh, I'll have to look for that on my second playthrough. I turned on subtitles so I've usually got an eye on the text even though it's not really necessary.

[Freezer-TPF-]

In the strat guide while discussing the classes and their abilities/talents, there is listed for each class a "Power of Blood School", which has two (2) abilities. It also says it is only available via downloadable content. Do we already have that, and if so, where do we access it? And if not, when will that be available?


It is mentioned in the description of the Warden's Keep DLC (access to which is included with the Digital Deluxe editions from Steam and Impulse, otherwise you can purchase it separately):


+ New items and abilities - talents and spells from the Power of Blood school, unique achievements, and powerful items including a set of Grey Warden Commander armor

[MattKeil]

Leaving aside that backstory is called backstory because it's, uh, in the back, I couldn't disagree more.

That's cool. At least you didn't disagree and then childishly insult me.


Just as earlier in this thread you missed the blood literally under your own nose -- and under your boots, on your cheek, and probably even getting in your mouth -- I'm surprised to hear this criticism leveled by anyone who's actually played through Dragon Age. And you have played through Dragon Age, right?

Oh, never mind, silly me. And you exaggerate the blood tremendously. I've been specifically looking for it since you listed all the "hyperviolent" moments and it's frankly uncommon. Often entire rooms of corpses lack the blood pools that so traumatize you, but the number of weird bugs I've encountered involving the graphical effects leads me to take your word for it that what you played was substantially more crimson than what I'm playing.

I'm 18 hours into Dragon Age. Honestly if it weren't for all the people raving about how much better it gets as the full scope of the story unfolds (some of them not even bothering to imply that I'm ignorant or a liar!), I'd have stopped and moved on to another game by now. At this point I'm impressed enough by how the quests interleave that I'm compelled to see how the events I'm involved in turn out. It was a pretty rocky beginning, though, outside of the well-structured origin part (human noble).


These things that you dismiss with a hand-wavy "dull and uninvolved" are parts of the gameplay and the world-building.

Yes, dull and uninvolving parts of the gameplay and world-building. I did not feel this way about the same game elements in Mass Effect, Baldur's Gate, KotOR, or even NWN. The way Dragon Age presents its world is not engaging to me, both because of the well-worn fantasy elements and the lecture-based presentation of them.

So yeah, I disagree with you and I have explained why. I look forward to your passive-aggressive implications that I'm somehow mentally deficient or unsophisticated for doing so.

[Tom Chick]

And you exaggerate the blood tremendously.

All I did was explain how you were wrong when you told folks the only occurrence of blood was during decapitations. I'm not sure how you figure I was exaggerating by pointing out something you somehow missed. And there's no shame in admitting you were wrong rather than trying to invent something like this:


Often entire rooms of corpses lack the blood pools that so traumatize you, but the number of weird bugs I've encountered involving the graphical effects leads me to take your word for it that what you played was substantially more crimson than what I'm playing.

I'm not sure how you figure I was traumatized, much less that I objected to the gore. For the record, I quite enjoyed the level of gore in Dragon Age.


all the people raving about how much better it gets as the full scope of the story unfolds (some of them not even bothering to imply that I'm ignorant or a liar!)


...your passive-aggressive implications that I'm somehow mentally deficient or unsophisticated for doing so.

Ouch. It's one thing for you to be inarticulate about what you're trying to say. It's something else entirely for you to make up things other people are trying to tell you.

If Dragon Age isn't your bag, that's cool. I imagine it's not going to work for a lot of people. But just as you were flat-out wrong about the amount of blood in the game, you have no idea what you're talking about when you try to dismiss Dragon Age with some pat saying about "show don't tell", specifically when the examples you use are explicitly shown in the game.

-Tom

[Murbella]

I've liked the blood so far, although i wish it cleared from skin quicker and especially during conversations. Of course if you're going wild in a crowd with a great sword you're going to get blood on you!

My fire/heal mage (hoping to be an arcane warrior) has been doing quite well on nightmare. level 7 now, time to see if i can be an arcane warrior somehow.

[Joe M.]

I haven't played as a human noble but as a city elf all the elven drama is very well explained, and you feel its impact throughout the game. I'll leave it at that, I don't want to go into it very much because folks should experience it themselves.

[MattKeil]

All I did was explain how you were wrong when you told folks the only occurrence of blood was during decapitations. I'm not sure how you figure I was exaggerating by pointing out something you somehow missed. And there's no shame in admitting you were wrong rather than trying to invent something like this:

I feel no need to admit I was wrong because I'm not wrong. I don't find it particularly gory, I would not categorize the game as "hyperviolent," and what you describe simply doesn't match up to what I'm seeing on my television. It's hardly any surprise that you and I have vastly different definitions of "hyperviolent," but usually I at least see what you mean even when I disagree. This time it seriously doesn't feel like you're describing the same game I'm playing.


Ouch. It's one thing for you to be inarticulate about what you're trying to say. It's something else entirely for you to make up things other people are trying to tell you.

You're the only one who seems to think I'm grunting in caveman, Tom. Exactly how is one meant to take the accusation that they haven't played the game they're critiquing if not "are you lying about this"? Or are you implying that I shouldn't talk about such things until I've seen the whole game? In that case, why are people even posting opinions at all, or does that only apply to negative ones?

I'm surprised you're actually trying to play the "who, me?" card here. You have a very abrasive attitude toward people whose opinions differ from yours on certain issues, and you take a snide tone with me at the drop of a hat. I'm sick of it and at this point the only reason I don't flat out dismiss you as a troll is because you run the site and I generally enjoy reading your reviews.


If Dragon Age isn't your bag, that's cool. I imagine it's not going to work for a lot of people. But just as you were flat-out wrong about the amount of blood in the game, you have no idea what you're talking about when you try to dismiss Dragon Age with some pat saying about "show don't tell", specifically when the examples you use are explicitly shown in the game.

Great. We disagree about the writing in a videogame. Alert the press and sound the alarms. I am not flat out wrong, I judge the game by (apparently) different criteria than you. It has not grabbed my attention, it does not present the material in an engaging way, and it takes the lazy way out when it comes to introducing backstory and elements about the world necessary to fully appreciate the present events of the main quest.

To me, they spend too much time narrating things out of a talking head and not enough demonstrating the state of things. I need more Circle of Magi and nan abusing the elf servants and less droning history lessons. I am not discounting the possibility that this changes for the better later on. In fact, the statements of people who have played further in (including your vehemence on the subject) is what's encouraging me to keep going.

I'd love to love Dragon Age in the end, but if I don't, and we disagree, maybe you should try to understand that it's possible for two people to have totally different views on something and for neither to be "flat out wrong." Considering the reaction many had to your choice of Far Cry 2 as 2008 GotY, I'd have thought you'd be a little slower to judge minority opinions.

[Matthew Gallant]

It's hardly any surprise that you and I have vastly different definitions of "hyperviolent," but usually I at least see what you mean even when I disagree. This time it seriously doesn't feel like you're describing the same game I'm playing.
I have a sword with "Messy Kills" in green text that I haven't used yet, but I am guessing that it doesn't have anything to do with post-kill social awkwardness.

[Mordrak]

I've liked the blood so far, although i wish it cleared from skin quicker and especially during conversations. Of course if you're going wild in a crowd with a great sword you're going to get blood on you!


"You've got some red on you."

[malkav11]

I guess I'm just puzzled because as far as I can tell the storytelling in Dragon Age, thus far, has been essentially the same approach as in Mass Effect except that Dragon Age is a more sedate game all around. If anything, it's better. (I loved Mass Effect, but I honestly didn't find a lot of the setting that exciting aside from the simple fact that it was SF for once.) Oh, also Dragon Age has the origins, which I think is a wonderful move.

[Tyrion]

The playable characters I've encountered are all great so far. I just wish I could use all of them at once and hear all of their banter instead of just four.

[DragonPup]

So the Digital CE comes with the soundtrack. Anyone knows where Steam hides it?

[Tom Chick]

I don't find it particularly gory

I honestly couldn't care less how gory you find the game. I did, however, want to correct you when you said the only blood is a two-second spurt after decapitations. Someone was asking about the level of gore. You and idrisz misrepresented it when you replied. I'm not sure why you get all whiny and feel the need to play martyr when I correct you for something you apparently didn't even see.


You have a very abrasive attitude toward people whose opinions differ from yours on certain issues

Certain issues? Sure. Guilty as charged. Particularly when the "opinion" is presented as a fact, and it's based on limited knowledge. You will see examples of the stuff you criticized the game for "telling not showing". There's no need to go all whiny when someone tells you that you're wrong about something very specific: namely whether Dragon Age "shows" any instances of Magi/Templar tension and the treatment of the elves at the hands of the humans.


I'd love to love Dragon Age in the end, but if I don't, and we disagree, maybe you should try to understand that it's possible for two people to have totally different views on something and for neither to be "flat out wrong."

If someone doesn't like Dragon Age, it doesn't bother me in the least. What would bother me is someone who didn't like Dragon Age holding forth with complaints like "it doesn't have any dragons", "dwarven civilization isn't well developed", and "there isn't much combat". I'd correct him, too, without feeling the need to address whether he liked the game.

Or, to put it another way, just because two people have totally different views doesn't mean one of them isn't wrong.


Considering the reaction many had to your choice of Far Cry 2 as 2008 GotY, I'd have thought you'd be a little slower to judge minority opinions.

Wait, you think liking Far Cry 2 is a minority opinion? Or just choosing it as my personal favorite? Because I don't think you're going to get a consensus when you're talking people's personal favorite games. More to the point, do you think I care how widely held an opinion is? Good lord.

Anyway, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure there will be lots of people who can't get into Dragon Age, for a wide variety of reasons. I love the game, but it's got its share of problems.

-Tom

[kerzain]

Tune in next week to see if MattKeil becomes the next Lizard King!

[MattKeil]

I honestly couldn't care less how gory you find the game. I did, however, want to correct you when you said the only blood is a two-second spurt after decapitations. Someone was asking about the level of gore. You and idrisz misrepresented it when you replied. I'm not sure why you get all whiny and feel the need to play martyr when I correct you for something you apparently didn't even see.

I don't get whiny, although you're obviously welcome to read it that way if it makes you feel more right. You think I misrepresented the gore level. I do not. Outside of the occasional finishing move that happens now and again (and apparently a dragon kill or two), it's not a gory game in comparison to something like God of War III or something that would legitimately be termed "hyperviolent," the word you used that, at the very least, misrepresents the game as well.

My issue is not that you corrected me, but that you felt the need to use what you saw as an error as a way of impugning character. I even left allowances in my original comment for other versions, but you just went straight for the attitude. There was no call for it.


Certain issues? Sure. Guilty as charged. Particularly when the "opinion" is presented as a fact,

Oh Jesus, Tom. Maybe you could have stusser write up a script that automatically puts "IMO" after every sentence I write so as to not offend your delicate constitution. IMO.


and it's based on limited knowledge. You will see examples of the stuff you criticized the game for "telling not showing".

Awesome. That's all you need to say, and there are far less dickish ways to say it.


There's no need to go all whiny when someone tells you that you're wrong about something very specific: namely whether Dragon Age "shows" any instances of Magi/Templar tension and the treatment of the elves at the hands of the humans.

Again with the "whiny." Does superficially devaluing my posts by grafting your own choice of tone on them somehow make your point of view more valid? Are you aware of how often you do stuff like this to people with whom you disagree?


If someone doesn't like Dragon Age, it doesn't bother me in the least. What would bother me is someone who didn't like Dragon Age holding forth with complaints like "it doesn't have any dragons", "dwarven civilization isn't well developed", and "there isn't much combat". I'd correct him, too, without feeling the need to address whether he liked the game.

And if you used a snide, dismissive attitude while doing it, and called the person you were correcting "tone deaf" and questioned whether they'd even played the game, I'd imagine you wouldn't get a grateful "thankee-sai" and a handshake from them, either.


Or, to put it another way, just because two people have totally different views doesn't mean one of them isn't wrong.

Absolutely agreed, and perhaps I will end up changing my opinion overall when I'm further in, but the first 15 hours or so have left me with this impression and these opinions. You can go ahead and disagree, but I don't see where you feel justified in saying that my dislike of the expository writing style (at least early in the game) is somehow wrong. It's not wrong. I don't like it. That's a fact.


Wait, you think liking Far Cry 2 is a minority opinion? Or just choosing it as my personal favorite? Because I don't think you're going to get a consensus when you're talking people's personal favorite games. More to the point, do you think I care how widely held an opinion is? Good lord.

Er...no. I meant that you hold a lot of opinions that a lot of people call out as flat out wrong, and to my memory Far Cry 2 as your GotY was one of them. As such, I would think you'd be a little less prone to do the same, although maybe you're smart enough to ignore the comments on your articles entirely, in which case I can understand why you don't know what the hell I'm getting at here. I would have used Deus Ex as an example, but your opinion on that has become a cliche by now. It's also one of the "OMG Tom Chick is nuts" things that I happen to think you're 100% correct about, so I prefer not to give you shit over it.


Anyway, don't sell yourself short. I'm sure there will be lots of people who can't get into Dragon Age, for a wide variety of reasons. I love the game, but it's got its share of problems.

Similarly, I should say that I certainly don't dislike Dragon Age. The quest design itself is engaging and feels like a step beyond what BioWare has done in the past, the character building is versatile enough that I do feel like I have a strong say in what he/she becomes (although the more I see mages do insane shit in the game, the more I wish I'd been one), and the dialogue between party members is some of the best BioWare has ever done. Every time Morrigan and Alistair start sniping at one another I stop whatever I'm doing to listen, because it's always, always worth it.

[The Bird Flu]

This is the first game I've played that has taxed my E6750 and 8800gtx to the point where I want to upgrade. I want to see everything in its glory at a constant 45+fps, damnit.

Ah well, maybe next year. By then the hardware to do just that should be relatively cheap, right?

EDIT: Too be fair the game runs great on medium settings at 1680x1050 and AAx2. I very rarely drop below 30fps even in heavy populated areas.

[Albert Woo]

So the Digital CE comes with the soundtrack. Anyone knows where Steam hides it?
On my PC, it's in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\dragon age origins\Bonus. There's some wallpapers in there too.

[Mordrak]

EDIT: Too be fair the game runs great on medium settings at 1680x1050 and AAx2. I very rarely drop below 30fps even in heavy populated areas.

Errr, what? I was going to say, my system is worse than yours and I have no problem with it. I run at 1440x900 though. I can run it at 1680 if I wanted, it's not too big of a hit, but I actually prefer the LCD blur. Everything is too edgy and sharp at higher resolutions which really brings out the flaws. Instead, everything in general now looks a lot more solid and less flat or texturish.

[DragonPup]

On my PC, it's in C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\dragon age origins\Bonus. There's some wallpapers in there too.

Awesome, thank you!

[The Bird Flu]

Errr, what? I was going to say, my system is worse than yours and I have no problem with it. I run at 1440x900 though. I can run it at 1680 if I wanted, it's not too big of a hit, but I actually prefer the LCD blur. Everything is too edgy and sharp at higher resolutions which really brings out the flaws. Instead, everything in general now looks a lot more solid and less flat or texturish.

Somewhere along the line I became a snob in regards to frames per second. I have no idea why, especially when it has minimal impact on games like this. I need to quit running FRAPS and just enjoy the game.

In any case, I can't turn everyone on high with AAx4 without my FPS dropping to 15. As the game looks freaking gorgeous at those settings I'm looking forward to building a rig that can handle it :)

[Gendal]

Every time Morrigan and Alistair start sniping at one another I stop whatever I'm doing to listen, because it's always, always worth it.
Wait? till you hear Morrigan riding the Qunari and his eventual method of dealing with it.

I usually enjoy the Bioware banter but this is their first game that I stop moving and wait, just in case something might interrupt it.

[Sean Tudor]

Tune in next week to see if MattKeil becomes the next Lizard King!

Man I don't know what has got into Matt.

[SirTomster]

OMG, Warden's Keep is finally downloading.

It showed on my download list yesterday and never did download. left the game running all night and no luck.

Reboot computer/steam/dA no luck.

Play again today. Still not downloading.

I then started it up again before going to be and clicked on the redeem code link in the game as a lark. (Under downloadable content in the game and the available content tab) There is a link to your registered game promotions. Hopped back to DA and its downloading. 9% in the last few minutes.

So maybe that will help people. Maybe hitting that page woke up the damn servers or something. Or a coincidence.. who knows.

[Skipper]

First up: Can't we all just group hug. Hell, we are all playing a game here, and a great RPG game at that. We should be celebrating that this genre is still alive and being treated with great titles like this.

Second: This is, by far, a great game. The story is nice, and it's well told so far with multiple cutscenes (5 in my first two hours even), voice, codex entries, and character interaction. The voice acting itself is first rate, I really like some of the voices so far and the different accents. I'm a bit surprised they chose not to voice the main character more though. It doesn't make much sense to have the choice of a voice in the beginning when all it's for is action acknowledgments. Perhaps that changes later? This is about the only thing here that I could see someone saying Mass Effect is better at. That main character voice really draws you in more.

The combat is well done and it's just hard enough (on normal) to pull me into the game more by forcing me to think, plan, and strategize certain fights. It's a good mix of easy and hard, and allows me to feel like I'm accomplishing something as I get better at it. About the only thing dulling my very favorable opinion of the game is that I'm about 12 hours in and I feel a bit on-rails still. I know (based on my current quests) that will open up some, but comparatively, something like Oblivion or Fallout would be wide open at about the one hour mark. I do realize this can really funk up a story though and they wanted to keep the presentation of that story as intact as possible. I'll gladly get over my problem with that I'm sure, since the story looks like it's shaping up to have a great final battle.

Great job to the devs and anyone else here involved with this game. I'm blown away with how much I like this. Also, fire the guy who nearly killed off any interest whatsoever with that damned E3 Marilyn Manson trailer.

[Enidigm]

I guess it's a great game... if that makes sense. I'm not pumped about going "into the forest" and walking a screen's length down a generic path, and hitting some generic (albiet hard) enemies that have virtually no unique features from any other game. Maybe there is some kind of 20 hours before the real game starts effect going on here, or maybe i'm just not familiar with the "Bioware" style of RPG (although honestly i'd say this game were a AAA copy of Drakensang if i didn't know they've worked on it for so long - of course that game might be a copy of a previous Bioware game... so dunno). I mean the character buildling system is nice, the dialog is fantastic and (apparently) endless.. but the quests are generic, and the enemies are generic (at least so far). It's like you created the world's coolest mousetrap - that does exactly what 20 other kinds of mousetraps do. Hopefully it will pick up later on.

But so far it does seems like they spent far more time making the game "cinematic" than making, say, the combat or monsters unique, despite the combat and monsters being the heart of the game.

[Tim James]

Man I don't know what has got into Matt.I know I've got a bad case of fall fever that is turning up the Internet yelling hormones. I was almost dumb enough to post in a P&R thread today.

[Squee]

I'm also having problems with the DLC. Most notably I finally got the blood dragon armor code to register, and now Stone Prisoner is saying I have to buy it even though it accepted the code on the 2nd.

This whole crappy "Bundled DLC!" instead of being content on the disc and their stupid social networking thing are really irritating the piss out of me.
Thank god. Two days after I got the game, all the DLC is installed, behaving itself, and I finally got my preorder bonus from EA. I just had to beat my head against the game for two days, finally reinstall it in a fit of rage, and everything is behaving itself.

Of course by this point I almost don't even want to play the game because I'm so pissed off, but once I cool down I'll probably get in to it again. But for now it's time to calm myself with some relaxing Torchlight.

[DragonPup]

I am only level 8 and the difficulty even on normal is getting out of hand. It feels like every fight with trash mobs is a struggle, and to make matters worse they make your guys funnel through a narrow door while enemy blood mages hurl giant AOE fireballs and vape your party.

This is getting frustrating.

[Vincent19]

I'm playing on normal as well, about 14 hours in, and you're right about the combat being hard. That said, I'm still loving it.

The main thing that's helped me get through tougher battles is judicious use of CC. There is a skill in one of the mage trees that can create a forcefield around an enemy and take them out of the fight for a pretty long time. I find that using this to take the toughest enemy out of the battle gives me a big advantage while I take out weaker enemies. Overall, there are tons of skills that can take an enemy out of the fight, and the more of them you use, the better off you'll probably be.

[idrisz]

I am only level 8 and the difficulty even on normal is getting out of hand. It feels like every fight with trash mobs is a struggle, and to make matters worse they make your guys funnel through a narrow door while enemy blood mages hurl giant AOE fireballs and vape your party.


mage in this game almost reminding me how crazy powerful mages were back in Baldur's Gate 2...

Even their staff attack is high damage, doing like 41 damage a shot with my normal attack, it's even higher than arcane bolt..

[merryprankster]

I am actually starting to enjoy this game more. After accepting it's "puppet-showness" and getting over my initial disappointment with that, I've really gotten into both the combat system and the story/writing.

I especially like the whole tactics system. I really liked making characters self sufficient and effective in FF12, and the same holds true here.

Not to harp on it, but man, if BioWare was able to bring the aesthetic level of this game up to the level of the story and systems, DA:O would be amazing.

I know that the visuals have always been the weak link in the Bioware armor, but I thought they made some strides in that area with Mass Effect. It's kinda a bummer to that gap widen again with DA:O.

Like I said earlier though, it is one damn fine puppet show!

[Murbella]

After finding some elven ruins and a dragon in them that was completely impossible for me to beat, i was forced to admit defeat and turn the game down to hard. Even then i must have died 5 times before beating the dragon. The floor being almost covered in resetting traps that my rogue can't see didn't help, even less so when half of them are high damage fireball traps.

My mage finally became an arcane warrior just now though and they are indeed pretty nice. It is very easy to notice that you can cast less spells due to the fatigue increase (probably an increase of 60ish even using some special low fatigue chest armor that isn't even massive), but now after i throw my fireball at the approaching enemy group, i can wade in to melee and lay down the destruction.

I am having a lot of problems with enemies attacking the "wrong" character though. The aforementioned dragon would leave my shield tank templar to attack someone else from time to time which was a huge annoyance and dangerous since his special attack could nearly one hit anyone else. My tank gets taunt next level so maybe i can spam that and it combined with threaten will be enough.

[idrisz]

that's because your tank isn't doing enough damage. taunt helps but it's also have a fairly long cooldown, you just need to either increase tank damage or balance your own damage output.

I'm outdamaging my tank just by auto attack with staff, it's hard for tank to put out decent dps vs dragon between all those stuns and overwhelm dragon have.


I just got my ass handed to me by a high dragon at lvl 14.. it wasn't pretty.

[Sarkus]

Having just played through the Dwarven commoner origin as a break from my Human noble origin game, I do have to say that one (human noble) did a better job then the other in setting up the main story. The impending darkspawn attack is emphasized in the human noble origin but not even mentioned in the Dwarven commoner origin. When the opening origin specific story ends and you get the Duncan voiceover about heading to Ostagar, it really makes little sense in the context of what has happened before. So I can see how, depending on which origin you choose, it might be a less then fluid transition.

[Fugitive]

There was an Impulse update this morning that installed the updater properly, but it gave me an error because I'd already done the manual install of it that the Stardock guys posted. It continued on anyway, but now when I start up DA it says that Warden's Keep and The Stone Prisoner are 100% downloaded, but they're still in the 'Downloading' tab, not the 'Installed' tab.

Should they be under the Installed tab? Does the version number requirement on them being red mean anything, since it isn't on the other tabs, even though they all say "1.0"? Ugh, this is confusing...

[Telefrog]

I finally got both the Stone Prisoner and Warden's Keep downloaded. Sheesh! It only took about 12 hours of being online with DA to get it done.

If BioWare/EA wants to continue using this system (let's say with Mass Effect 2) then they really need to step it up. It sucks.

[TheWombat]

Having just played through the Dwarven commoner origin as a break from my Human noble origin game, I do have to say that one (human noble) did a better job then the other in setting up the main story. The impending darkspawn attack is emphasized in the human noble origin but not even mentioned in the Dwarven commoner origin. When the opening origin specific story ends and you get the Duncan voiceover about heading to Ostagar, it really makes little sense in the context of what has happened before. So I can see how, depending on which origin you choose, it might be a less then fluid transition.

I have only played the Dwarf commoner origin, but I thought it went fine--after all, as a casteless peon you have little knowledge and probably less interest in the outside world, or things like darkspawn. Given the story of your life there, I'm guessing just getting by is about all you can think about. And the dorfs seem, well, not terribly concerned overall about darkspawn--they appear to be a rather decayed race.

[Sepiche]

And the dorfs seem, well, not terribly concerned overall about darkspawn--they appear to be a rather decayed race.
Except for how they've been fighting them continuously in the depths of the earth for hundreds of years and all. In the noble dwarf origin they even make a big point of mentioning that most humans think the darkspawn were totally destroyed in the last battle, and how sad it is that the dwarves have been fighting a lonely war against the darkspawn that entire time.

[Khoram]

Actually, I think it's the other way round - the darkspawn are a constant presence in the lives of the dwarves since they've taken over parts of the old dwarven kingdoms (the dark roads). The humans on the surface barely even believe the darkspawn/blight exists (or so I recall from the history lesson in the human noble origin), so to them news of a potential blight may be big news.


Somewhere along the line I became a snob in regards to frames per second. I have no idea why, especially when it has minimal impact on games like this. I need to quit running FRAPS and just enjoy the game.

In any case, I can't turn everyone on high with AAx4 without my FPS dropping to 15. As the game looks freaking gorgeous at those settings I'm looking forward to building a rig that can handle it :)

That's weird, because I have a lower end CPU (E6600) and GPU (8800GTS) and I have all settings maxed (AA at x8, highest detail and textures) at 1600x1050 and have a steady fps around 30. At least it hasn't yet stuttered or become unplayable.

[TheWombat]

Interesting (about the Dwarfs). From the commoner story you don't get any of the feel of the darkspawn threat, I agree with that. It didn't strike me as odd though probably because I read virtually nothing about the game or its races, story, etc. before jumping in and playing. They do mention that commoners can't join the army, so maybe commoners don't care much because, well, they don't do any fighting? Against darkspawn at least.

[Murbella]

that's because your tank isn't doing enough damage. taunt helps but it's also have a fairly long cooldown, you just need to either increase tank damage or balance your own damage output.

I'm outdamaging my tank just by auto attack with staff, it's hard for tank to put out decent dps vs dragon between all those stuns and overwhelm dragon have.


I just got my ass handed to me by a high dragon at lvl 14.. it wasn't pretty.
He is a shield tank though so i don't know how he can compete on damage. Not to mention he runs out of stamina in long fights due to having threaten and that shield buff going.

Eventually shield users can become immune to those things i think when shield wall is up, maybe. Man, maybe i should just take a two handed warrior.

[Eightball]

So...how do I access the Stone Prisoner? Where does the quest initiate from?

Also, having a blast with this game. To this point (about 10 hours in) I can see the point about the story being a bit flat, but understanding that I'm just barely into the game, I don't really care (finished Lothering and the Warden's Keep only). I expect it will pick up a bit.

The character development is phenomenal. I began as a 2 handed fighter, but after dumping 4 or so skill points in 2 hand, I decided to try dual wield. And uh...I like it a lot more. The one first-tier ability that lets you hit multiple opponents is pretty damn useful, even moreso than anything I'd gotten in the 2 hand tree. And then flurry is really decent.

[Sepiche]

The character development is phenomenal. I began as a 2 handed fighter, but after dumping 4 or so skill points in 2 hand, I decided to try dual wield. And uh...I like it a lot more. The one first-tier ability that lets you hit multiple opponents is pretty damn useful, even moreso than anything I'd gotten in the 2 hand tree. And then flurry is really decent.
This reminds me. Is there any way to respec? I hate to have wasted points on a particular weapon type if I find out I like another better.

[stusser]

You should see a quest under "extra content" or something like that in your journal, telling you to travel to a mysterious merchant. That's it.

[CastOutDevil]

I am only level 8 and the difficulty even on normal is getting out of hand. It feels like every fight with trash mobs is a struggle, and to make matters worse they make your guys funnel through a narrow door while enemy blood mages hurl giant AOE fireballs and vape your party.

This is getting frustrating.

Hahaha, sounds like Bizarro World NWN2. In Soviet Russia, NPC corral you into doorway and AoE.

[Matt Perkins]

Hahaha, sounds like Bizarro World NWN2. In Soviet Russia, NPC corral you into doorway and AoE.
This is a very challenging game on Normal difficulty. The AI is not dumb. I'm loving it.

[JM]

Steam thinks I need to redownload the whole preload. Joy.

[zengonzo]

Advanced Tactics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al61HGGraoc

[Murbella]

How is that even possible? What did he do to make that enemy stuck to his character and how can i do it to make things stuck on my tank?

[JetLagger]

Advanced Tactics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al61HGGraoc

Hey! This is the exact same strategy I use as a Vanquisher in Torchlight. Lay down a trap and run around in circles.

-Tim

[Kevin Grey]

How is that even possible? What did he do to make that enemy stuck to his character and how can i do it to make things stuck on my tank?

Not sure what he did in that video but you can unlock both Threaten and Taunt to get enemies to focus on your tank. I usually have Alistair constantly broadcast threaten and then use my rogue to backstab continuously.

[zengonzo]

It is hopefully less effective against a series of enemies. Would've been nice to at least see some reaction from the poor bastard.

[Kunikos]

So I have all these gems and bowls and vases in the "Other" part of my inventory where Gifts are kept. Can I sell these, or will they be used later by some sort of crafting or such?

Sell. If they are craftable they will show up in the other part of the inventory with the rest of the items.

[Kunikos]

Not sure what he did in that video but you can unlock both Threaten and Taunt to get enemies to focus on your tank. I usually have Alistair constantly broadcast threaten and then use my rogue to backstab continuously.

This is something that was seriously lacking in NWN2. There is a Fighter ability in D&D that wasn't implemented that is what most people actually want when they see "Taunt" in the skills.

[idrisz]

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/bioware-defends-dragon-age-dlc


"I categorically reject that any features or game systems in this game were designed or removed to 'bilk users for more money'," he added.

So they admit they limited inventory size due to save game limitation(technical), which they resolve before the game release by having a storage chest, which they put in a DLC that cost 7 dollars.

apparently this was done not to force gamer to paid them for storage.........

-Design limited inventory space
-Solve space issue but put it in a DLC that cost money
-Deny feature was designed/removed to bilk user for more money..

WTF!!

[Tom Chick]

So rather than being arsed to actually go to the source, you're linking to an article about a comment in response to something written on a website by me, the guy who hosts this forum? Why don't you just go hang out at Kotaku where you'd fit right in? Guys like you make the internet what it is, and that's not a compliment.

Here's what was posted (http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/11/bioware_responds_to_dragon_age.php) before the revealing tidbit you managed to read on Eurogamer.

-Tom

[stusser]

What I don't understand is how they can say the DLC was added after the game code was frozen when the DLC dude is sitting in your camp prompting you to purchase it. He has a full conversation too, fully voiced and everything. I think it's bullshit.

Still a great game, though.

[idrisz]

sorry Tom, here is 2 link to describe the situation. can't link the zoeller comment from your article, plus the Article I linked have a link to your article as well.


tom's article
http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/11/dragon_age_the_hidden_seven_do.php

search Commenter Zoeller in that article for the real news.

[Tom Chick]

Oh, great, be all apologetic and make me feel like a jerk! Sorry right back at you for getting so pissy. :)

-Tom

[idrisz]

Oh, great, be all apologetic and make me feel like a jerk! Sorry right back at you for getting so pissy. :)

-Tom

I read the original article first, but I was unable to find a way to link that comment in that article.

It be easier if comments were setup like the post in the forum where it's super easy to link individual post.

[peacedog]

Here's what was posted (http://fidgit.com/archives/2009/11/bioware_responds_to_dragon_age.php) before the revealing tidbit you managed to read on Eurogamer.

-Tom

You call it a minor issue there, and I see why, but IMO it;s more than minor. Not a deal breaker. But it's obnoxious that I had to leave the elven werewolf ruins to go back to town to get rid of all the crap I had (I was somehwat deep in). I already junked a bunch of stuff I probably could have sold for pennies (but since I am going back there anyway. . .). Almost all the "normal" weapons and armor I had, e.g. And I have no idea how much deeper I'll be going in that dungeon.

Yeah, ok, I didn't *have* to do it, but money seems to be somewhat useful (my house dwarves have many useful devices for sale and I'm trying to plan ahead to get potion reagents. and then there's those manuals that look liekt hey grant specialization access). Also, some of the gear I have I might want to give to a companion. I have one inventory expansion (so 80 items), and I've been looking for more.

It's a significant issue, IMO. Though it's silly that it is, since a fix shouldn't be that tough. And it's lame about the lack of camp perma storage (out of the box).

[stusser]

I really don't enjoy limited inventory being used as a progression mechanic. Selling backpacks, etc. I spent every single copper I got on backpacks.

[Mordrak]

I really don't enjoy limited inventory being used as a progression mechanic. Selling backpacks, etc. I spent every single copper I got on backpacks.

Well, it depends on what the game is trying to do. In this format, heavy narrative, module-esque progression from one place to another... I agree. I'm already hit my limit of 120 and it seems to have paid off at least in the sense I had to make very few choices about what to pick up in my first major quest when you're finally given a choice of where to go.

So I'm hopping as I do the other ones, I'll be able to pay off that and start to finally afford some of the other, more desirable items that actually improve my characters.

[stusser]

Yes, so in the beginning of the game you're forced to spend every penny on backpacks, so later on you can spend money on the fun stuff. That's not strong design, in my opinion.

[Mordrak]

Ya, but it's not every penny. I can still buy gifts and stuff mostly, which run a few silver each usually. Heh. =P

In this game, ya, either give us max inventory from the beginning or bring down the price. But I could see it being a cool mechanic if it was a fantasy rogue-like centered around a merchant/adventurer character where you had to weigh your own skills and equipment versus profit for your merchant company. But that'd be a very, very, different game. :)

[stusser]

If I were the designer, I would get rid of all the generic nonstacking loot and just give the player more money. If the player wants to buy a generic tier 5 longsword, they can do so at the shop. Looted items should be interesting in some way.

Deciding which items to destroy to free space is not good gameplay. Neither is trekking back to town to sell loot. Diablo has town portals for a reason.

[Cubit]

Found this while browsing the Forza 3 storefront. Yay for crossovers. :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2480/4079713222_9e6fffbfde.jpg

[mkozlows]

Deciding which items to destroy to free space is not good gameplay. Neither is trekking back to town to sell loot. Diablo has town portals for a reason.

Lord knows it can be taken too far -- the rusty tin can expeditions in fucking Fallout 3, for instance -- but I think Dragonage is very much in line with classic games. I think if you simplify inventory too much, you end up with Jade Empire or Mass Effect, where it just doesn't feel interesting at all.

[Murbella]

Backpacks aren't that expensive...

I've only seen the one in the very start and a 2nd one, but i had no trouble buying them both with money left over to buy various other things. I couldn't afford the 22g stat points book yet, but only because i bought tons of potion ingredients and some armor to put on my newly made arcane warrior.

Inventory space can be an issue, but not a huge one. It basically just comes down to somewhat limiting the money from selling stuff and even then only HUGE dungeons have run me in to the issue of having to throw away minor money loot.

[stusser]

They were like 5 gold apeice. After buying those first 2 backpacks my character was down to under 2 gold. So it really was pretty much all the money I had collected up to that point.

[idrisz]

the problem is that those gold adds up, the most gold I had was 110g, and even one of those epic weapon/armor requires up to 130g+.

not mentioning one of the dagger was like 143g, I haven't brought any skill books either.

if you save up your money through the entire game, you might be able to purchase 1-2 of those items.

[Vesper]

If Derek is reading, I have a feature request: Codex searching. I really like to refer to Codex information, and I have to click all around to find information on a specific topic.

[stusser]

Saving up to buy powerful items is fine, nothing wrong with a game that doesn't totally trivialize money by the time you make it a third of the way through, although it is pretty unique in that aspect.

Saving up to eliminate annoying aspects of game design like a limited inventory, on the other hand, not so much.

[Murbella]

And yet you admit in your own posts that you didn't have to save up to buy them. The rate you generate money is higher than the rate you find backpacks for sale from what i've seen so unless you buy every item out there, it shouldn't be a problem.

I also played quite a bit with only the 1st backpack so you way overplay the problem because of your hatred of limited inventory.

My greater annoyance is that i think tactics slots are too limited.

[stusser]

Right, but I can't really spend money on anything else that I actually want.

[Scrax]

Yaaaaay, I can have a rare in-game homo relationship! Oh my god! They kill him off in the first 5 minutes! I'm suing for emotional damage :(.

[Morberis]

I'm not sure but judging by the reactions of one of my companions you can have another.

[Damien Neil]

There was one dialogue I watched last night (I didn't get very far) where Duncan was standing mostly rigid, blathering on about something, yet his head was moving back and forth ever so slightly and he was staring oddly offscreen. I started giggling because it looked exactly like he was reading his lines off a prompter.

This is another reason I don't like fully-voiced dialogue: The accompanying video is invariably so terrible that I find myself not even looking at the screen while the voice plays. I'd rather be reading the dialogue so as to have something to pay attention to other than a bad puppet show.

[Dan_Theman]

I'm not sure but judging by the reactions of one of my companions you can have another.
I noticed that was confirmed by Bioware. Of note, the female love interest alternative at the very beginning also gets killed pretty quickly (probably at the very same point), so no favorites are being played there, lol.

[Mordrak]

Deciding which items to destroy to free space is not good gameplay. Neither is trekking back to town to sell loot. Diablo has town portals for a reason.

Diablo was not only a very different game, but I constantly just left loot on the floor too in that game.


Right, but I can't really spend money on anything else that I actually want.


I'm not sure about your money problems, but so far I've been able to buy everything I wanted, except when it comes to magic items. I mostly buy a few supplies and rely on drops or harvesting for everything else. If Idrisz is right, that's pretty interesting a bit of a bummer too. Dragon age isn't as much of a high magic setting as most loot heavy RPGs. It makes sense that magical items are expensive. That said, you figure you could get enough money to buy at least one of the highest priced item. heh.

[Desslock]

Idrisz is right - you cannot get enough money in this game to buy all the high end magic items for sale at vendors. You actually have to be really frugal to be able to buy 1 or 2 of them.

[Desslock]

My PC Gamer podcast on Dragon Age is up too: http://www.pcgamerpodcast.com/?p=277#comments

[Sean Tudor]

Excellent podcast Desslock. :)

BTW you mentioned the social website. They made some changes today and it seems to be working better. But I have yet to see my ingame characters uploaded to my social page on the website.

[BigWeather]

Quick DA question -- Mass Effect had a really slick in-game achievement browser (one of the features that when a game has it I loooove, just shows a bit more care on the part of the developer); does DA also have one? Do the achievements offer bonuses like ME's do? How does the Codex stack up with ME's? I loved all that backstory.

[Kevin Grey]

Quick DA question -- Mass Effect had a really slick in-game achievement browser (one of the features that when a game has it I loooove, just shows a bit more care on the part of the developer); does DA also have one? Do the achievements offer bonuses like ME's do? How does the Codex stack up with ME's? I loved all that backstory.

Don't know about bonuses but the Codex is just as good as ME's and the Achievement browser seems well done too.

[unbongwah]

What annoys me about DA's limited inventory is how arbitrary it feels. A stack of full suits of platemail armor takes up as much room as this twig I found by the side of the road? Really? If there must be inventory limits, then I wish there were separate bags for "big stuff" (weapons & armor) vs "little stuff" (reagents, jewelry, etc.), with the presumption you can carry a lot more little stuff than big stuff.

[Murbella]

The social site finally seems to be updating my character, but it has 1-2 DAYS of delay on it.

[Stridergg]

But for whatever reason Bioware is doing it, selling additional inventory space for real-world money stinks.

I don't understand all this hoopla about DLC and inventory space.

If you don't think the game is worth it with its limited inventory, don't buy it or wait for when it's cheaper. If you don't think the DLC is worth it with whatever it's offering, don't buy it. If you think DLC offers something valuable that is going to enhance your gameplay, buy it. Just like with about everything else in life.

The game is perfectly playable without DLC's, even without any of the backpacks you can get from the in-game vendors. Yes, we would like more of everything and we would like it all for free but, err, stuff costs money.

If EA/Bioware, in their quest for money, have rendered the main game unplayable or extremely annoying until you buy some DLC, I would agree with complaints. But they haven't. All this moaning "They are in this for the money!" is kind of ridiculous, of course they are.


They were like 5 gold apeice. After buying those first 2 backpacks my character was down to under 2 gold. So it really was pretty much all the money I had collected up to that point.

This is simply not true. The first two backpacks I bought were under 1g each.

Besides, the same point applies here - if you think backpacks are not worth it, don't buy them, buy whatever you think is going to help you better at the moment. In my game, I did delay purchase of one of the backpacks because I needed money for something else. It's not the end of the world. That's what the game is about - options.

Not being able to lug home all the junk you encounter is not the end of the world either. :)

[Skipper]

What I find a bit more annoying than just having the inventory issue in the first place is that there are several points in this game where if you don't loot a corpse, a quest finish will then clear the entire area of corpses, meaning you lose all of that potential loot.

Tom also mentioned the problem with locked chests, which are just a bit too numerous in areas where you never get back to, long before the point when you add a rogue to the party. Not having played a rogue from the beginning, I'm not sure how big that penalty is for NOT taking rogue as my main class. I felt a little miffed about it after about the 10th locked chest I passed and even more miffed when those areas then were locked out. Penalize the player for not taking a class mix when he has the choice ... not when he does not.

[Rock8man]

Tom also mentioned the problem with locked chests, which are just a bit too numerous in areas where you never get back to, long before the point when you add a rogue to the party. Not having played a rogue from the beginning, I'm not sure how big that penalty is for NOT taking rogue as my main class. I felt a little miffed about it after about the 10th locked chest I passed and even more miffed when those areas then were locked out. Penalize the player for not taking a class mix when he has the choice ... not when he does not.

Speaking as someone playing a rogue, so far you're not missing out. The only thing that seems to be in locked chests are components (for traps, poisons, healing potions) and if you're really lucky, maybe a healing potion, stuff like that. There's really nothing in locked chests so far that is all that impressive, or even mildly impressive. Pretty disappointing, really. There's only the satisfaction that you're leaving no stone un-turned.

[mkozlows]

Tom also mentioned the problem with locked chests, which are just a bit too numerous in areas where you never get back to, long before the point when you add a rogue to the party. Not having played a rogue from the beginning, I'm not sure how big that penalty is for NOT taking rogue as my main class. I felt a little miffed about it after about the 10th locked chest I passed and even more miffed when those areas then were locked out. Penalize the player for not taking a class mix when he has the choice ... not when he does not.

But look at it this way: In the early game, a fighter has the advantage of being all super-fighty. A mage has the advantage of being all super-magicky. A rogue sucks in combat, so has to have some compensating advantage.

Me, I'm more annoyed about all the "Persuade" options I can't take due to not playing a cunning rogue. If someone had said upfront that cunning was CHA, I would totally have played a rogue, because I like talking my way out of things.

[Dan Lawrence]

A warning for those who grabbed the patch on 64 bit versions of Vista/Win 7. You may also need to grab the latest VC2005 redistributable, particularly if your .exe/Play button doesn't work. The patch seems to have upgraded versions without including the new redistributable.

Its here:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=766a6af7-ec73-40ff-b072-9112bab119c2&displaylang=en

You want the x86 version. Ooops Bioware! :)

[Brian Rucker]

I've run a rogue through one prelude and I can echo that. The locked chests really don't give up the good stuff, like decent armor or weapons, those are out in the open. Which kinda defeats the purpose of locks for, y'know, protecting those valuables.

[Stridergg]

What annoys me about DA's limited inventory is how arbitrary it feels. A stack of full suits of platemail armor takes up as much room as this twig I found by the side of the road? Really? If there must be inventory limits, then I wish there were separate bags for "big stuff" (weapons & armor) vs "little stuff" (reagents, jewelry, etc.), with the presumption you can carry a lot more little stuff than big stuff.

And lugging around 5 stacks of platemail armor, 7 greatswords, 50 flasks of potions, etc. feels perfectly fine? :) Gazillion of other games are handling inventory in the same way, it's not like DA's inventory is somehow uniquely arbitrary.

It does sound like a great idea for a DLC though :) Or a mod. I am sure at some point we will see gem bags, herb bags, rune bags and so on.

[Brian Rucker]

Me, I'm more annoyed about all the "Persuade" options I can't take due to not playing a cunning rogue. If someone had said upfront that cunning was CHA, I would totally have played a rogue, because I like talking my way out of things.

It's in the manual. They discuss Coerce and how it figures into persuade (cunning based) or intimidate (strength based).

[malkav11]

By the way, am I missing something or is this really the first Bioware RPG without a morality stat?

[Ben Sones]

Tom also mentioned the problem with locked chests, which are just a bit too numerous in areas where you never get back to, long before the point when you add a rogue to the party. Not having played a rogue from the beginning, I'm not sure how big that penalty is for NOT taking rogue as my main class. I felt a little miffed about it after about the 10th locked chest I passed and even more miffed when those areas then were locked out. Penalize the player for not taking a class mix when he has the choice ... not when he does not.

I played through a bunch of the Origin stuff with both a Rogue and a Warrior, and to be honest, the locked chest loot wasn't that big a deal. You'll end up with some extra money and one or two usable (normal) items, but the best items come from drops and the treasury at the beginning of the game (which any class can access). I think it's a good way to give the Rogue a thematic bonus, but it's not like you are missing out on any earthshattering gear if you go with another class. The funniest part of checking out the locked chests was when I finally got to open the second chest in mama Cousland's bedroom. The unlocked one contained a bunch of useful gear, the locked one contained... a mushroom. The rest of the locked chests are pretty similar--even the ones in later areas, like the tower.

My advice: don't worry about it. I decided to go with my Warrior for the rest of my playthrough.

[Skipper]

Glad to know I didn't miss anything in the chests, although Tom did mention there were a few places he revisited with nice gear in those chests. As for you guys missing out on fighter stuff, my in-party rogue both out damages me and pulls aggro away from my continuous taunting. You guys catch up quick. The problem is without that fighter to help you with positioning, you aren't nearly as effective.

[Stridergg]

Me, I'm more annoyed about all the "Persuade" options I can't take due to not playing a cunning rogue. If someone had said upfront that cunning was CHA, I would totally have played a rogue, because I like talking my way out of things.

They say so in description of "Coerce" skill, which you have access to during character creation. Which is pretty upfront. :)

[BigWeather]

Don't know about bonuses but the Codex is just as good as ME's and the Achievement browser seems well done too.

Urge to buy rising... rising... rising.

Thanks for the information! I loves me some in-game achievement tracking!

[Disconnected]

What annoys me about DA's limited inventory is how arbitrary it feels.

I agree. Either no limit, or an abstract weight value that reflects the circumstances. Carrying a full suit of plate mail would not be physically possible in a real fight. Wearing one would.

The limitation thing is either a sim mechanic, or it's a carefully designed meta-mini-game that players can only lose at, possibly to varying degrees. The latter concept is only slightly more idiotic than a Space Invaders clone without controls or highscore table.

I know it's a cRPG tradition. But traditions aren't necessarily good, and this particular one was born out of a tabletop sim mechanic. Either do it right or don't do it at all. The arbitrary nonsense limitations is murder for my suspense of disbelief.

Anyway...

Why can't I buy DA:O? Stardock go kick EA & tell them I want my copy already.

[Ben Sones]

At level 7/8, I don't think I've ever run out of inventory space. Does it get worse later in the game?

[zengonzo]

I kinda appreciate an RPG that actually provides different experiences based on what class you pick. I know how frustrating it can be to see Door Number Three and not be able to get behind it, but isn't that, too, part of the experience? That your choices should lead down diverse paths? Doesn't that make it ultimately more interesting, even in mind of the frustration?

[stusser]

At level 7/8, I don't think I've ever run out of inventory space. Does it get worse later in the game?
If you've never run out of inventory space, you must be playing the game differently than me. I pick up everything, because I need the money.

[ChiTownBluesFan]

Glad to know I didn't miss anything in the chests, although Tom did mention there were a few places he revisited with nice gear in those chests. As for you guys missing out on fighter stuff, my in-party rogue both out damages me and pulls aggro away from my continuous taunting. You guys catch up quick. The problem is without that fighter to help you with positioning, you aren't nearly as effective.
Without (hopefully) giving too much away...

There does seem to be one side-quest you can't complete in the game if you don't start as a rogue, in the first section past the origin stories. Or, at least, I couldn't find a way to open that chest, which I think was just locked. If there was a key, I missed it.

That's the only one that annoyed me from not playing as a rogue.

[stusser]

Post it in the spoiler thread, I don't know what you're referring to. I know of several quests that can't be completed without the crafting skills in your party, but haven't encountered any that require lockpicking yet, and I completed the area immediately following the origins.

[unbongwah]

Tom also mentioned the problem with locked chests, which are just a bit too numerous in areas where you never get back to, long before the point when you add a rogue to the party.
It's one of the cardinal rules of CRPGs: if you want to loot everything, ALWAYS play a rogue (with maxed lockpicking skill). It's one of the main incentives for being a rogue. But like Rock8man said, the best loot in DA:O isn't in locked chests.

Me, I'm more annoyed about all the "Persuade" options I can't take due to not playing a cunning rogue. If someone had said upfront that cunning was CHA, I would totally have played a rogue, because I like talking my way out of things.
I don't know if the in-game tooltips or whatever mention it, but the wiki entry on skills (http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Skills) under Coercion mentions, "Strength contributes to a more intimidating character, whereas cunning contributes to a more persuasive character." You sure it isn't in the manual or level-up screen somewhere?

Gazillion of other games are handling inventory in the same way, it's not like DA's inventory is somehow uniquely arbitrary.
The fact that many games adhere to the same absurd arbitrary conventions does not automatically make that convention any less absurd or arbitrary. My suggestion is, if they want to include inventory limits in the first place (for whatever reason), a low limit on big items and a high limit on little items is at least a little less absurd (if no less arbitrary).

Why can't I buy DA:O? Stardock go kick EA & tell them I want my copy already.
Are you not in the U.S.? Because it's right here (http://www.impulsedriven.com/dragonage).

At level 7/8, I don't think I've ever run out of inventory space. Does it get worse later in the game?
It does if you're hanging onto every reagent, potion, gift, etc. you come across, since each item takes a separate slot. I'm not that far into the game and I've run out of space once or twice because I'm such a packrat. At this point, I plan to use up or sell as much of that crap as quickly as I can.

[Ben Sones]

If you've never run out of inventory space, you must be playing the game differently than me. I pick up everything, because I need the money.

I pick up everything, too. I'm playing a warrior, though, so there's a fair bit of loot that I couldn't get in the Origin section of the game. And I do sell stuff that I don't need, whenever a vendor is handy.

[Disconnected]

Are you not in the U.S.? Correct, I am not in the US. Or Canada, for that matter. You don't happen to know the release date in Euroland, do you?

[Chris Nahr]

Today, according to the Internet retailers I checked...

[Disconnected]

Today, according to the Internet retailers I checked...

That's what I thought, but Impulse says no-no! ):

[Telefrog]

Without (hopefully) giving too much away...

There does seem to be one side-quest you can't complete in the game if you don't start as a rogue, in the first section past the origin stories. Or, at least, I couldn't find a way to open that chest, which I think was just locked. If there was a key, I missed it.

That's the only one that annoyed me from not playing as a rogue.

No spoilers, but if it's the one I think you're referring to there's a clue in the quest itself.

[peacedog]

At level 7/8, I don't think I've ever run out of inventory space. Does it get worse later in the game?

My current questing has lead me to clear about about 4 entire screens, with an unknown amount to go, without getting back to town (and I got sucked into the "well, surely I'll be doing X just around this corner. . . no that corner. . . well maybe the next corner" effect). Had I know I'd have gone back after a rather large encounter in the third area (I was sure I was getting to the end, though). Though I bristle at the need to go back even then. Anyway, I continued on.

With 80 inventory spaces, I more than filled up (I would say I easily junked 20+ items). That's taking everything that isn't nailed down, and getting most if not all encounters in an area. Entering, I probably had between 35 and 40 inventory spaces occupied - potions, ingredients, and some weapons and armor I was lugging (generally stuff I was going to hand to a different follower or thinking about swapping to). I found 60+ items in this. Some stuff was an easy throwaway candidate (some of the gems aren't worth toting back to sell, I think). Some stuff was potions I told myself I'd save for a big encounter but decided to junk (lesser acids and poisons. I have some stronger stuff I'm holding onto). Some was mundane weapons or armor I found and wanted to turn into cash.

[Cubit]

Looks like the first patch is out:

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/11/06/dragon-age-patch-out-targets-difficulty-issue/

[mkozlows]

I don't know if the in-game tooltips or whatever mention it, but the wiki entry on skills (http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Skills) under Coercion mentions, "Strength contributes to a more intimidating character, whereas cunning contributes to a more persuasive character." You sure it isn't in the manual or level-up screen somewhere?

Okay, um, apparently I suck. I change my statement to "I wish they had said it somewhere other than in the manual, the UI, and some wiki thing."

Maybe a developer could have come to my house and told me in person?

[zengonzo]

http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/704358679_ayGHY-L.jpg

[Sean Tudor]

I don't understand all this hoopla about DLC and inventory space.

You do know this is Qt3 where serial complainers gather to stroke and console each other about the gaming evils of the world. Sit back and enjoy the show. ;)

[unbongwah]

Just a heads-up for anyone still looking for the physical Collector's Edition: Amazon has it (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002HP0RA4/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20) back in stock. Well, the PC version is listed as "in stock;" the console versions are listed as "ships in 10 to 14 days."

[Matt Perkins]

Just a heads-up for anyone still looking for the physical Collector's Edition: Amazon has it (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002HP0RA4/ref=nosim/cheapassgam08-20) back in stock. Well, the PC version is listed as "in stock;" the console versions are listed as "ships in 10 to 14 days."
I got all crazy and went down to BB a day after it was released and bought a CE version right off the shelf.

CRAZY!

[Mordrak]

Penny Arcade Comic

That's more sad and pathetic than funny.

[zengonzo]

More like a dramic.

[Skipper]

I liked the blood splatter. A nice touch considering some of the completely off the wall conversations you have in the game where the entire party is covered in blood spatter.

[Pogue Mahone]

I particularly enjoy flirting with the female members of my group while we're all covered in gore.

[Lunch of Kong]

Maybe a developer could have come to my house and told me in person?

Our company has that! It's called telephone support. For a few thousand dollars per year, you can ask a tech support specialist to read to you from our selection of manuals. And you know, you pay for this service, so if you want us to read it out to you, we certainly will!

[Murbella]

So anyone figure out how to edit companions (likely with the toolset) so a bunch of them don't have illogical skill/talent/spell picks?

[Equisilus]

So anyone figure out how to edit companions (likely with the toolset) so a bunch of them don't have illogical skill/talent/spell picks?

Do you mean to turn off the autoleveling so that you can choose those things? That's right on their character screen, if so.

[Shimarenda]

I turned off the "persistent gore" after the first time it appeared. It bothered me that its distribution on my character had nothing to do with his positioning in the fight. It also made him look he had rusty armor and a case of the measles.

[Murbella]

Do you mean to turn off the autoleveling so that you can choose those things? That's right on their character screen, if so.
Nope, turn off crappy customization before they join you. Such as leilana focusing heavily in archery and every warrior except one being two handed focused.

[Lizard_King]

Nope, turn off crappy customization before they join you. Such as leilana focusing heavily in archery and every warrior except one being two handed focused.
I would use the hell out of that.

[merryprankster]

I would use the hell out of that.

Me too!

[Murbella]

I'm probably just going to see if i can use a console command to give sten extra skill points to put in shields to replace his two handed skills because allister annoys the hell out of me when i do evil stuff. Or maybe i will just see how viable a two handed tank is, but doesn't seem likely given my shield user has trouble on harder stuff even. I'd likely do the same thing with the bard since for the life of me i can not figure out how archery even starts to compare to dual wielding for rogue.

[Alistair]

Hmm. Enjoyment just fell of a cliff in the Fade. A maze, really? With Nautilus holes? These are okay until I get lost, which takes oh... a minute or so.

[Blackadar]

Well, I can confirm that the Warden's Keep takes only an hour. I had exactly $7.18 in Pay Pal funds, so I don't feel like I spent any "real" money buying it. But if I had, I would feel sorely disappointed almost to the point of feeling ripped off. It's not that "epic" of an area, the quest is only OK and it feels like a cheap ploy to get you to buy it for storage and a decent vendor. Hell, you don't even get the keep in the end.

On the flip side, the ending of the Redcliffe quest (and the choices you're given) is one of the best quests I've done in 30 years of gaming. thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup thumbsup

[MattKeil]

Hmm. Enjoyment just fell of a cliff in the Fade. A maze, really? With Nautilus holes? These are okay until I get lost, which takes oh... a minute or so.

This is why I swapped you out of the party at that point.

[Piemax2]

I liked the Fade because I liked the new abilities used there, but I did have to look at the strat guide a lot; w/o it I would have felt the same way as I don't like mazes.

[shang]

I personally enjoyed the Fade quite a lot (for the most part), but I admit it could've been a bit shorter.

[Mordrak]

I personally enjoyed the Fade quite a lot (for the most part), but I admit it could've been a bit shorter.

*SPOILERS -- Sorry, I thought that this was vague enough*

Yeah, I really liked swapping between forms and using their combined abilities during fights.

[Tom Chick]

SO, I GUESS WE'RE DOING SPOILERS LIKE THE ONE BELOW IN THIS THREAD? HMM. OKAY...







I found The Fade episode surprisingly linear, but it can be confusing if you don't maintain a careful situational awareness. And since it's full of the best carrots imaginable -- permanent stat boosts! -- I didn't mind how long it went on. And the narrative pay-off is excellent. Oh, how I wish I'd brought Shale and Dog with me. :(

-Tom

[merryprankster]

Bah...I'm stuck in the fade and am a bit bored with it. I feel like I'm just wondering in circles pausing all the time to switch forms. Stupid pausing. I miss the Golden Breadcrumb Trail.

[Shimarenda]

The countdown continues for my PC Gamer with the Dragon Age review. I feel like Charlie Brown checking the mailbox on Valentine's Day.