Dragon Age

[Ingmar]

He has been riding herd on that particular crop of morons for a long, long, long time. The little angry smiley face thing is just his signature deal.

[AutomaticZen]

He has been riding herd on that particular crop of morons for a long, long, long time. The little angry smiley face thing is just his signature deal.

Bioware Social is a special place.

[Hawkbit]

As a collector, I tire of the preorder collectibles fiasco.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter because we almost never use that crap anyways, but it just strokes my fur the wrong way that I'd have to preorder from 12 different places for 3 different editions just to get it all.  I need my CDO fulfilled, dammit. 

This needs a logic puzzle grid to determine where to order which edition of which copy before or after a certain date so that I can get the item I want, stat. 

[Velorath]

As a collector, I tire of the preorder collectibles fiasco.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter because we almost never use that crap anyways, but it just strokes my fur the wrong way that I'd have to preorder from 12 different places for 3 different editions just to get it all.  I need my CDO fulfilled, dammit. 

This needs a logic puzzle grid to determine where to order which edition of which copy before or after a certain date so that I can get the item I want, stat. 

I don't think there's any retailer specific pre-order bonuses or anything for DA2.  If you pre-ordered before the 11th, you get the pre-order bonsues and the Signature Edition stuff.  The main issue there is that you couldn't get the Signature Edition on Steam.  If you pre-order now, you just get the pre-order bonuses.  You can also get Hindsight and The Staff of Parthalan by signing up for the Dragon Age Newsletter.

[Hawkbit]

It's not just this game, but all of them.  RDR, AC, DA:O... the list goes on. 

I'd actually be A-okay if they put all the stuff up as DLC, but at least allow me to buy the stuff instead of me knowing its all out there, unattainable. 

I have a problem.  : /

[Merusk]

As a collector, I tire of the preorder collectibles fiasco.  Ultimately, it doesn't matter because we almost never use that crap anyways, but it just strokes my fur the wrong way that I'd have to preorder from 12 different places for 3 different editions just to get it all.  I need my CDO fulfilled, dammit. 

You could Download and install the preorder items from DA1 from other sources even if you hadn't preordered. I don't recall if this was the case for ME2 as well, though.

[Zetor]

Back in the day Joluv and Deidre shipped with BG2 and ToB eventually unlocked them for everyone (or the player could "hack them in", it wasn't too difficult). How big an advantage are these DLC items anyway?

[Hawkbit]

They're usually not a big advantage at all.  It's only for the obsessed. 

RDR did have the warhorse, though.  It was the best horse in the game... that you could only get if you preordered through Best Buy. 

[Sjofn]

I finally need to say it: Hawkbit, I sincerely love your icon.

As for different places getting different pre-order bonuses, I've never been a big fan of it. The Sims 2 did that all the damn time, which is when I first grew to dislike it. On the other hand, it helped me harden my heart and stop caring about ever pre-ordering anyway.

[eldaec]

This is exactly how stupid DLC starting gear always seems to me :

[tgr]

The industry's policy of never telling us whether or not a game will contain activation-based DRM until after the release date has passed has essentially cut me off from any and all pre-order DLC. vOv

[Reg]

So I hear that Dragon Age 2 has over 100 minutes of cut scenes!

Hopefully, they'll be uninterruptible so as to torture the people who absolutely despise that sort of thing but who will insist on buying the game anyway so they can bitch about it. 

[UnSub]

Much better to have the skip button and the choose dialogue path button as exactly the same one. Saves on programming time and keeps players on their toes.

[Morat20]

You could Download and install the preorder items from DA1 from other sources even if you hadn't preordered. I don't recall if this was the case for ME2 as well, though.

No, and I really wanted the gun that fires black holes at your enemies. And you can't buy that one. Which irks me, because it's been like a year. SELL ME MY GODDAMN BLACK HOLE GUN.

[Sky]

Much better to have the skip button and the choose dialogue path button as exactly the same one. Saves on programming time and keeps players on their toes.

Tie this to a rock and throw it into every development house.

[Sjofn]

Much better to have the skip button and the choose dialogue path button as exactly the same one. Saves on programming time and keeps players on their toes.

Oh my God that has been driving me crazy in ME2. 

When do we get to start a Dragon Age 2 thread?

[Sky]

When someone cares about it? 

[Sjofn]

WELL THEN

[jackblack]

A three year old thread covering pregame hype through game release to sequel talk and the thread is still active!

Okay, I admit I didn't read everything in between but I still like it!   

[Morat20]

I got bored yesterday and picked up Dragon Age again, going with the Human Noble "I have a giant sword bigger than I am, and I'm going to hit you with it until all your blood comes out" type.

I was looking at the DLC's -- I have Return to Ostagar, Warden's Keep, and Shale -- which of the rest (Witch Hunt, Awakenings, that Darkspawn thingy, that one with Leliana, etc) are worth getting?

[Paelos]

I also rerolled the game again as a mage on easy. I'm going three mages, easy mode, total cheese just to actually finish the game for once. We'll see how far that goes.

[Ingmar]

I got bored yesterday and picked up Dragon Age again, going with the Human Noble "I have a giant sword bigger than I am, and I'm going to hit you with it until all your blood comes out" type.

I was looking at the DLC's -- I have Return to Ostagar, Warden's Keep, and Shale -- which of the rest (Witch Hunt, Awakenings, that Darkspawn thingy, that one with Leliana, etc) are worth getting?

I liked all of them pretty well, but if you want to focus on just ones that involve your character that would be Witch Hunt and Awakenings. Darkspawn Chronicles is the most skippable; it is essentially the endgame section of the game over again but you play as darkspawn chasing after Alistair. Value entirely dependent on how much you want to have an ogre in your party that punches the blood out of people. The Leliana one is cute but skippable as well, I like listening to her talk though. 

[Rasix]

Witch Hunt won all sorts of awards for just how bad it is.   

[Reg]

Awakenings was pretty good. It was more like an expansion than the other little DLCs.  Lots of new characters with new party banter, stamina potions, craftable runes and an increase in the level cap makes it even more ridiculously easy to powerhouse through just about anything.

[Morat20]

Awakenings was pretty good. It was more like an expansion than the other little DLCs.  Lots of new characters with new party banter, stamina potions, craftable runes and an increase in the level cap makes it even more ridiculously easy to powerhouse through just about anything.

Hmm. Might grab Awakenings and maybe the Darkspawn one just to see.

One thing that annoyed me was that my first playthrough was with a mage, and I didn't think to do the "Save, learn blood-magic, reload and then continue with my goodie two shoes playthrough with the blood mage specialization unlocked".

Which means, unless they changed it, I can't GET blood mage without rolling up another mage. Which I might do anyways, since the last time I focused on AoE-spam and the Evil Death Tree is pretty fun.

[Velorath]

Awakenings was pretty good. It was more like an expansion than the other little DLCs.  Lots of new characters with new party banter, stamina potions, craftable runes and an increase in the level cap makes it even more ridiculously easy to powerhouse through just about anything.

Hmm. Might grab Awakenings and maybe the Darkspawn one just to see.

One thing that annoyed me was that my first playthrough was with a mage, and I didn't think to do the "Save, learn blood-magic, reload and then continue with my goodie two shoes playthrough with the blood mage specialization unlocked".

Which means, unless they changed it, I can't GET blood mage without rolling up another mage. Which I might do anyways, since the last time I focused on AoE-spam and the Evil Death Tree is pretty fun.

There's a manual you can purchase in Awakening to unlock Blood Mage.

[Ingmar]

Awakenings was pretty good. It was more like an expansion than the other little DLCs.  Lots of new characters with new party banter, stamina potions, craftable runes and an increase in the level cap makes it even more ridiculously easy to powerhouse through just about anything.

Hmm. Might grab Awakenings and maybe the Darkspawn one just to see.

One thing that annoyed me was that my first playthrough was with a mage, and I didn't think to do the "Save, learn blood-magic, reload and then continue with my goodie two shoes playthrough with the blood mage specialization unlocked".

Which means, unless they changed it, I can't GET blood mage without rolling up another mage. Which I might do anyways, since the last time I focused on AoE-spam and the Evil Death Tree is pretty fun.

There's a manual you can purchase in Awakening to unlock Blood Mage.

And it works retroactively, so it would be unlocked for later Origins games if you bought it in Awakenings.

[Reg]

I'm pretty sure there's a mod that unlocks all the specializations too. Either that I've or I've just done so many playthroughs I don't remember when everything wasn't already unlocked anymore.

[Morat20]

I'm pretty sure there's a mod that unlocks all the specializations too. Either that I've or I've just done so many playthroughs I don't remember when everything wasn't already unlocked anymore.

I play on the Xbox. *shrug*. It's not that hard to get, if I wanted to, and I might play another mage sometime just for the face-rolling fun of it.

[SurfD]

Ok, couple of quick questions:  (yes, i know, this here is a whole thread about this game but I really dont want to try searching through 90+ pages in the hopes of getting lucky)

My bro gave me the Dragon Age Ultimate pack for christmas as a gift, and I finally got around to installing it.   So I have two main questions:
-  Is there a specific order you play the game(s) in?   Like Awakenings first, then Origins, with specific DLC packs in a certain order?
- What is a good Class / Spec combo for a relatively gimp free run through on the first go?

[Sjofn]

Ok, couple of quick questions:  (yes, i know, this here is a whole thread about this game but I really dont want to try searching through 90+ pages in the hopes of getting lucky)

My bro gave me the Dragon Age Ultimate pack for christmas as a gift, and I finally got around to installing it.   So I have two main questions:
-  Is there a specific order you play the game(s) in?   Like Awakenings first, then Origins, with specific DLC packs in a certain order?
- What is a good Class / Spec combo for a relatively gimp free run through on the first go?

Origins is first and the base game, do the Stone Prisoner, Warden's Keep and Return to Ostagar during your run through that. Then do Awakenings. Then do whatever DLC is left that you feel like messing with. Actually, only Witch Hunt takes place after, so if you want to do the other DLC before Awakenings, it doesn't really mess anything up. If you're feeling extra sassy, do Leliana's Song before anything so you get that DLC's leather chest piece out the gate.

People are gonna tell you mage is the overpowered loltastic class, but I think dual wield warrior is a) way more fun and b) pretty fool proof.

[eldaec]

Tank mage : broken as fuck jedi knight class
Other mage : OP
Warrior : all fine
Rogue : a bit harder - looks a bit village people.

Play all the origin stories because they are the best bit, then carry on with whichever dude you like best.

Once you get Wynne or enough health potions to set everyone up on autochug, you can't go far wrong. In fact, once you're past Lothering the bioware reverse difficulty curve kicks in no matter what class you play.

If I had my time again I wouldn't bother with any dlc except stone prisoner, and awakenings if you count that as dlc.

[Lantyssa]

If you like the idea of dual wield warrior, you can do the same with a dual wield rogue which you pump strength enough to get the heavy armors.  It's surprisingly effective.

[Ingmar]

The DW warrior seems to do the most damage but is also the least resistant to annoying knockdown/stun type effects - 2h has a toggle mode that makes them immune to both so it is probably the easiest spec to use to cheese your way through things as a melee type. Shield splits the difference (knockdown immune but not stun immune) but is more survivable against general melee attack sorts of things.

[Sjofn]

See, I wouldn't recommend 2h warrior as the first class because it is SO fucked over by their idiotic stamina system. You can do one special and then ... whee, autoattack. And you swing *slow*.