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Dragon Age: Inquisition |OT2| Leave the damn Hinterlands!

PS4 players will have to wait a month (I think) to play it.

CAz_QMQe_Wk_AEv_Xz3.jpg

It has begun.
 

Lucreto

Member
After you kill the first Dragon a War Table missions says you can get it mounted. Does it actually appear anywhere in Skyhold?
 

Gartikker

Member
What is it about this game's combat, that it feels so unsatisfying? I even remember liking the combat better in Dragon Age 2, and i don't recall many things about that game. I could overlook many faults, but since it is such a big part of the experience, it's practically impossible. It's a shame too, because it's clear so much thought and care was put into building the world.
 

Ralemont

not me
What is it about this game's combat, that it feels so unsatisfying? I even remember liking the combat better in Dragon Age 2, and i don't recall many things about that game. I could overlook many faults, but since it is such a big part of the experience, it's practically impossible. It's a shame too, because it's clear so much thought and care was put into building the world.

While I enjoy the combat, there were also plenty of times I felt it came up short. I've been thinking about where it feels lacking, and the best coherent explanation I can give is that the combat doesn't account for space very well.

1. Although they patched Archer AI, one of the biggest issues with companion tactics is their inability to keep away from danger. If an enemy is coming at a ranged companion, their first instinct should automatically be to run, either to a tank or away from enemies. Sometimes they do (once they get attacked) but other times they don't.

2. AoE Crowd Control has been severely limited. In DA2 rogues and mages had many more tools to control crowds of enemies. In DAI rogues have Sleeping Powder which is a weak conal AOE, but otherwise have been reduced to primarily single-target DPS. A DA2 rogue could function both as DPS and AOE CCer in the same build, which gave you more flexibility. It also prevented dagger rogues from being overly squishy since at any given time they had multiple tools to escape or prevent an imminent danger to them. It was also much easier to specialize in CC as a mage. Just look at the Force Mage tree to see what a space-and-pace monster mages could be. Mage trees in DAI are more about damage moves that also have some unique aspect, and most of those damage moves are single-target. Exceptions like Static Cage or Pull of the Abyss show the potential of this combat if areas of effect are taken more seriously.

3. In DA2 you fought mainly in streets, houses, and alleyways. This bunched enemies in ways that enhanced your AoE capabilities. It was much easier to group enemies and then sleep or paralyze them all, for example, than it is in DAI. This is because ~85% (pulled out of my ass) of the combat in DAI takes place in open space. Accordingly certain moves lose a lot of their luster, like the Wall moves. If you're assaulting a Keep and use a Wall move you'll see they can be insanely powerful in claustrophobic spaces. But Ice Wall used as a way to block enemy ranged becomes more problematic when enemies can simply run around it. If enemies can't because of walled structures, Ice Wall becomes very very useful.

I have some other thoughts but I think most of it is in this vein where the combat doesn't allow you to control open space as it needs to in a game where most fights take place in open space.
 

KePoW

Banned
What is it about this game's combat, that it feels so unsatisfying? I even remember liking the combat better in Dragon Age 2, and i don't recall many things about that game. I could overlook many faults, but since it is such a big part of the experience, it's practically impossible. It's a shame too, because it's clear so much thought and care was put into building the world.

Personally I liked the combat fine, I had no complaints

Well I take that back slightly, the AI for characters you're not controlling is somewhat bad

But other than that I feel the combat is fun and looks cool
 

Ralemont

not me
Being a knives rogue, #2 and #3 on your list are things I didn't care for in DA2, in most ways. I didn't find #2 difficult in DAI

Difficulty isn't really the issue, since Nightmare isn't all that difficult. Rather it's a matter of annoyance, or times when the combat isn't being enjoyable.

I'm playing a Dagger rogue now, and there are several issues I have with it:

1. As I mentioned earlier, you can only be single-target DPS for optimal builds. You have virtually no CC whatsoever. While it's fun to gank enemies, I'd prefer a bit more variety than Twin Fangs > Deathblow for everything.

2. The hitboxes are awful. If you're fighting on anything but level terrain there's a big problem with dagger swings not hitting downed enemies.

3. No preventative damage mitigation like warriors and mages have. In DA2 this was done through CC, but in DAI you need to craft daggers/armor with Guard on hit for preventative HP retention. While you could say this is the trade-off for their high single-target damage, it's usually just not worth the risk. Especially on important fights like Rifts or Dragons where it's almost impossible to control either 1. where every enemy's attention is or 2. avoid all the dragon's AOE (mostly a problem with fire dragons).
 
Weird question - I kind of stopped playing this a couple of months ago (work, other games, other hobbies too up my time) and am ready to jump back in. Booted it up yesterday and have to admit that a lot of the story has escaped me. Is there a resource, in-game or otherwise, that might fill me in a little on the background (and choices I made) before I trudge on? Or am I doomed to just try to remember the direction I was headed?

I know that's entirely my own doing, but...would love to get immersed again.
 

Ralemont

not me
Weird question - I kind of stopped playing this a couple of months ago (work, other games, other hobbies too up my time) and am ready to jump back in. Booted it up yesterday and have to admit that a lot of the story has escaped me. Is there a resource, in-game or otherwise, that might fill me in a little on the background (and choices I made) before I trudge on? Or am I doomed to just try to remember the direction I was headed?

I know that's entirely my own doing, but...would love to get immersed again.

Look at your Inquisitor's path completed quests and current quest as that's the main story. If you post what you have completed and what you have still to do I can probably fill you in.
 
Anyone know why I have 3 characters in Dragon Age Keep for Inquisitions, that say playthrough 2, playthrough 3 and current playthrough? Only played the game once.

Have you ever tried out a character even for a bit? A "playthrough" is always created right after one confirms the character creator menu.
 

j-wood

Member
Has anyone tried remote play with the new vita firmware? You can do custom button assignments now, meaning I think we can remap R2/L2 from the touchpad to the triggers!
 

jgwhiteus

Member
Pretty big download update recently (PS4). Anyone know why?

Maybe it's the PS4 equivalent of the latest patch (patch 6 on the PC versions?) It was pretty large, over 1GB, but didn't change much in terms of gameplay - but apparently it made changes to the file structure of the game to prepare it for the DLC (it also apparently screwed up all existing PC mods...)

I recently started up a Nightmare playthrough and experimented with different starting classes, after having played mage previously. I didn't realize class selection would make such a difference - so far the "easiest" class to start off with has been Rogue-Archer, because Subterfuge combined with distance attacks make early fights easy. Mage has actually been hardest to start off with (the Pride Demon fight is actually tough!), though I expect it'll get easier with more abilities and specializations.
 

Lucreto

Member
It looks like the Black Emporium is planned for May according to an interview conducted by Kotaku

About the DLC
Aaryn Flynn said "Jaws of Hakkon is a timed exclusive for the Xbox One and PC (through Origin). This approach allowed for a lot of support from Microsoft and Origin in launching the DLC, so did have that benefit for the team, and we appreciate the partnership. However, as a timed exclusive, it is definitely coming to the game's other platforms, and based on our internal discussions I expect we'll be announcing more details next week.

I hope no one boycotts the purchase, as it's a pretty fun adventure that WILL be available on all platforms. That said, everyone is free to vote / message / communicate how they feel, so if that happens it happens. We're definitely paying attention."

PlayStation being ahead this gen has more people feeling the other side of the effect of MS' policies. Developers might be more apprehensive striking such deals in the future. We would never of gotten this statement last generation.
 

diaspora

Member
While I did like the DLC for going more into the lore of the last Inquisition, I wish that we'd see more of the Wardens given
their civil war combined with mass recruitment of neutral mages and templars looking for a place to go away from the mage-templar war.
 

Gvaz

Banned
Its frustrating because while you get it eventually, it feels like you're being punished for picking the "losing" side, with no way to know what "side" they're on beforehand.
 

HooYaH

Member
Not sure if its a new bug, but ever since patch 6, I get a stutter when going up the main door stairs in Haven. There are other places I also get a stutter. Who knows if Bioware are going to fix it.
 

Gvaz

Banned
Is the DLC really worth $15 because that seems expensive, i could get a full game for that

(i dont really buy games that have tons of dlc anymore)
 

RPGCrazied

Member
Finally back into it, been playing off and on for 30 hours. Just did the fade story quest, sheesh that was epic. Dumb question, where do I get better mounts than this horse I have? I just hit level 15.
 

Yeul

Member
Finally back into it, been playing off and on for 30 hours. Just did the fade story quest, sheesh that was epic. Dumb question, where do I get better mounts than this horse I have? I just hit level 15.

You should be able to buy them from Master Dennet right next to the stables! There's a little post/sign around there that lets you buy mounts.
 

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
Time to stop neglecting this. Finally have enough time to dedicate to playing it.

Just done the quest where the templar sucker punches the lady from the chantry.

Can someone explain the war room to me? Are they just random quests for exp and loot?
 

Yeul

Member
Time to stop neglecting this. Finally have enough time to dedicate to playing it.

Just done the quest where the templar sucker punches the lady from the chantry.

Can someone explain the war room to me? Are they just random quests for exp and loot?

The war table stuff let's you spend power to open new areas, do the real-time missions for influence which then allow you to unlock perks, and sometimes you get things like schematics/weaponds/metals/herbs/gold for certain war table missions you finish. The 3 advisors give you different suggestions on what you can do for each war table mission and then you pick who you want to use. When the real time is up and they complete the mission you get their report and your reward/exp/influence. Sometimes some story stuff in the main game ties into the war table missions and other times there's missions that kinda follow their own little story path with multiple war table missions that correspond to that. You can go here to check what rewards you can get with whatever advisor, since sometimes one of them is the best option to use out of the 3. Hope this helped!
 

Lashley

Why does he wear the mask!?
The war table stuff let's you spend power to open new areas, do the real-time missions for influence which then allow you to unlock perks, and sometimes you get things like schematics/weaponds/metals/herbs/gold for certain war table missions you finish. The 3 advisors give you different suggestions on what you can do for each war table mission and then you pick who you want to use. When the real time is up and they complete the mission you get their report and your reward/exp/influence. Sometimes some story stuff in the main game ties into the war table missions and other times there's missions that kinda follow their own little story path with multiple war table missions that correspond to that. You can go here to check what rewards you can get with whatever advisor, since sometimes one of them is the best option to use out of the 3. Hope this helped!

Thanks!

Seems a decent little addition.
 

diaspora

Member
You finished it already?

Had is the wrong word. "Having".

edit: I'm curious having replayed Awakening... since
Corypheus is a preist of Dumat from Tevinter, which old god was the Architect a priest of? I mean it's pretty much a given that he was an ancient magister right?
 

RDreamer

Member
Looks like they confirmed the DLC is coming to other platforms in May.

Ouch, what a dumb move. On top of nearly a month and a half wait, they're going to launch it alongside Witcher 3?
 

Xevren

Member
Eh, they really dropped the ball on supporting MP compared to Mass Effect. Took them way too long to get some new classes in.
 

Maledict

Member
Eh, they really dropped the ball on supporting MP compared to Mass Effect. Took them way too long to get some new classes in.

Yep, and the equipment system doesn't work well either. Totally random items means that rare stuff may as well not exist for me in the game, and the fact that even white accessories are ultra rare just seems dumb.
 

Xevren

Member
Yep, and the equipment system doesn't work well either. Totally random items means that rare stuff may as well not exist for me in the game, and the fact that even white accessories are ultra rare just seems dumb.

Yea the loot system is really what drove me to stop playing it, it's fucking terrible. Finding an upgrade can be nearly as bad as vanilla Diablo 3, just terrible. Should have just done the manifests instead of this garbage.
 

diaspora

Member
Looks like MP is getting new classes, including a familiar face.





Every time I think I'm out, they PULL me back in.

No big hat? absolutelydisgusting.png

edit: It occurred to me once when I was high that it would be nice to have a fire emblem game but with the story/setting/characters/writing all be done in the Dragon Age world.
 

RoKKeR

Member
Considering picking up the Deluxe Edition on XBO for $35. Is that a good price? Also, what do you guys think about the possibility of it hitting EA Access some time around E3? Hard to know because they don't have a game quite like Dragon Age in the Vault yet.
 

Ralemont

not me
Considering picking up the Deluxe Edition on XBO for $35. Is that a good price?

For the deluxe edition yes, but the deluxe edition doesn't have anything I'd consider great over vanilla, and I'd be surprised if you didn't find the vanilla for $30 or under soon.

That's what the cheap ass gamer in me says, the guy who loves this game says buy it and play it asap.
 

diaspora

Member
Considering picking up the Deluxe Edition on XBO for $35. Is that a good price? Also, what do you guys think about the possibility of it hitting EA Access some time around E3? Hard to know because they don't have a game quite like Dragon Age in the Vault yet.
Worth it.
 

Hollycat

Member
Do pickups improve in quality on subsequent playthroughs? On my second go around I noticed I was picking up rare items in Haven, and I just started my third and I'm already getting mid level shields, tier 2 ores, and fade touched items, and I haven't even left Haven for the first time yet.
 

stn

Member
Quick question, has some spoilers.

So I finished the court party and came back to Skyhold. I had some conversation with Blackwall and now he's no longer in my party. I kind of forgot what happened. Anyone remember why he would leave?

And...

On the war table there's a mission worth 40 power that is based on storming Corypherus' base. Is this the last mission?

Thanks!
 
How are you supposed to know the damage rating and requirements for certain schematics before buying them? I just bought some battlemage armor from one of the vendors in Val Royeux for 3 grand, only for it to tell me that it's for humans only (I'm an elf) when I go to craft it, nor does it have a higher rating than the armor I wear. :/

Is there something I'm missing here, or it an oversight?
 
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