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[Zeliard]

Did anyone have Sten verbally rail into you at camp after Redcliffe (or maybe after the first major quest)? I'm just wondering if that's a scripted thing that always happens, or that he just hasn't liked my decisions so far (or that I never use him).

I was taken aback by his blunt criticism. :lol

 

[Hari Seldon]

Gonna cave and pick this up today.

I prefer console gaming to PC gaming (I can get either 360 or PS3). Anything on the PC version that would make me regret this?

Yes. PC has mods (a few good ones out already, including a party inventory mod, a respec mod, and titty mods!). PC also has iso view which is very useful in combat.

 

[mentalfloss]

Yes It basically says Consoles Suck...

Id like some real people to give their honest take on it having played or seen all three and not some comparison video with different settings.

I'd go with the 360 version. Gamespot's review is the only one alludes to there being 'significant' differences between the console versions. There's a comparison vid out there which puts the 360 and PS3 version side by side -- not between the console versions and PC versions that you may be suggesting. With my own eyes on that vid, I couldn't see any aesthetic difference between the two versions but the framerate on the PS3 version is clearly much worse than the 360 build.

 

[gregor7777]

What you need to do is take control of your tank at the beginning of the match. ALWAYS start off with your tank. Run into the crowd and use taunt to aggro the mobs to you (make sure you go for this skill as soon possible). Then select the strongest enemy and have your tank attack it. From there, switch off to your dps and have them attack whatever enemy is NOT being targeted by the tank (tank will hold the mobs attention due to the aggro move).

You also want to make sure you have lots of health potions, even if you already have a healer(have one of your characters go for the herbalist skill as soon as possible). Make sure you get at least 2 different tiers of potions(lesser/regular, regular/greater, etc), since you can use both at the same time(they don't share the same cooldown timer). I personally have 3-4 different tiers of potions, but that's just me.

As for AI tactics, have all of them (except the healers) start off with:

Self: Health < 50% Use health poultice: least powerful

This should give you enough time to switch characters and pop a stronger potion if the characters are getting pummeled.

And finally, throughout the fight, make sure you constantly go to your tank in order for him/her to pop taunt. You can create a tactic for it, but I find it easier to manually activate the skill.

Good post. I suspect most people (particularly MMO players) are already aware of general tactics like these, but it will probably be a big help to some people that are finding the game too difficult..

 

[NemesisPrime]

Game is so good, making me completely ignore everything else. Even MW2 MP can't hold me away from this.

QFT... I didn't know there were any other games

Only Mass Effect 2 will cure me from DA.

 

[NemesisPrime]

Gonna cave and pick this up today.

I prefer console gaming to PC gaming (I can get either 360 or PS3). Anything on the PC version that would make me regret this?

TBH not really. The PC version is the best... but the experience is there on the console version(s). You won't regret it.

 

[Pyke Presco]

Did anyone have Sten verbally rail into you at camp after Redcliffe (or maybe after the first major quest)? I'm just wondering if that's a scripted thing that always happens, or that he just hasn't liked my decisions so far (or that I never use him).

I was taken aback by his blunt criticism. :lol

Sten get's frustrated with you dicking around and not going to kill the archdemon within 10 minutes of him joining the party. And yeah, it doesnt matter which quest you do first, he gets angry anyway that you aren't just storming the darkspawn camp with your party of 4. Protip, if you do the quest Urn of Sacred Ashes, bring him with you into the city you have to go to, you can set him in his place and he'll start to respect your decisions more.

Man...those four "revenants" in the Brecillian Woods are no joke.

Those ones are the worst, because they spawn with an army of minions as well. The one in the mages tower wasnt so bad because it was just him, but when they spawn in with like 6 trasdh mobs the fight goes from hard to ridiculously difficult.

 

[Alucrid]

So I'm having a debate on whether or not to get this, specifically the Collector's Edition. Is it worth it? The cloth map and bonus DVD doesn't really interest me all that much, but the exclusive DLC does, especially the added quest (don't feel like having "You need this DLC, blah, blah, blah" popping up mid game) and the ME2 armor.

 

[Doytch]

So I'm having a debate on whether or not to get this, specifically the Collector's Edition. Is it worth it? The cloth map and bonus DVD doesn't really interest me all that much, but the exclusive DLC does, especially the added quest (don't feel like having "You need this DLC, blah, blah, blah" popping up mid game) and the ME2 armor.

Not in my opinion. Just get the regular version and buy Warden's Keep for $7 if you want it. It'll still be cheaper.

 

[Dunlop]

Thanks for the opinions, funny enough the PC version is sold out everywhere around my work. Maybe I'll finally use my steam account

(I pretty much use my PC for MMO's)

 

[Gromph]

Not in my opinion. Just get the regular version and buy Warden's Keep for $7 if you want it. It'll still be cheaper.

$7 for an storage :lol

 

[wayward archer]

Beat the game finally yesterday. Last battle was sufficiently epic, and along with Mass Effect Bioware has returned to greatness in my eyes (Jade Empire just didn't do it for me).

Definitely gonna play this several times, although I need a week or so to cool down.

I hope the next game takes all of your choices into account, although I doubt it will. Every area you went to would have to have multiple versions of. The most logical thing for them to do is have you travel around the world, maybe go to Antiva or Orlais or to the Tevinter Imperium, and explore those areas. That way they don't have to work around the fact of which Human/Dwarven King/Queen is on the throne, or whether or not you killed any named characters or spared them or

Spoiler

if the Circle of Mages was wiped out completely, and if you got Morrigan knocked up with the Old God Baby

.

The only thing I would change is I would increase it up to 5 or 6 characters per party, keep the three basic classes but add several new specializations, and have tons of joinable characters instead of just 8. I know that going to full voice acting for the entire game makes these unlikely because of all the time intensive work that goes on, but if there's any way to make it happen then I'd love to see a return to BG 1 & 2 days where there were tons of characters that could join you.

The party I used the most was probably Leliana, Wynne, and Morrigan. I played a Champion/Berzerker Warrior. Only time I switched it up was in Orzammar/Deep Roads where I used Shale, Leliana, and Ogham simply to mix it up (healing potions were pretty affordable by that point so a healer wasn't really needed).

Awesome game.

 

[Revengeance]

It took about 10 hours, but Dragon Age finally hooked me, and now all I want to do is play more!

I love that there is no moral alignment - instead of feeling like I have to go all good or all bad, I can play how I want, and not worry about missing out on stuff. I tend to be just and generous, but not afraid to stab a dude over nothing. Really depends on my mood :lol

I really don't love the graphics. Turning off persistent gore helped, but the game looks ages behind Mass Effect 2, and even behind ME1. It's disappointing, but not so bad as to keep me from playing.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Damn I love this game. I just started up my second character and put 2 hours in. I made a dwarf noble dual-wielding warrior and I plan to be more of a ruthless asshole this time around. The dwarf noble origin story was pretty damn good.

 

[Effect]

$7 for an storage :lol

Was going to buy that until I heard about the situation with the actual keep itself. Talk about a rip off.

 

[Tobor]

$7 for an storage :lol

And an extra quest, weapons, armor, and two merchants.

It's fine for $7.

 

[Doytch]

$7 for an storage :lol

Technically there's also a quest. That said, I don't have it so I won't comment on whether it's worth it or not, but if you just want storage, Bioware released a free mod that adds a chest to your camp.

 

[gregor7777]

Not in my opinion. Just get the regular version and buy Warden's Keep for $7 if you want it. It'll still be cheaper.

Just get the Bioware mod for extra storage.

 

[Effect]

Technically there's also a quest. That said, I don't have it so I won't comment on whether it's worth it or not, but if you just want storage, Bioware released a free mod that adds a chest to your camp.

For the PC though. Console versions kinda out of luck I think in that regard. Unless they are going to release DLC like that, that happens to be free as well. Any word on this?

 

[Kinan]

How hard is the Warden' Keep? Shall I attempt the quest around lvl 12 or should I wait a bit? Will I be able to use rewards anyway?

 

[Deleted member 17706]

The content was pretty fun and a related side quest resulted in the best 1handed sword I ever found so I'm not too unhappy with it. I did get the digital deluxe edition during the steam pricing error, though.

 

[syllogism]

How hard is the Warden' Keep? Shall I attempt the quest around lvl 12 or should I wait a bit? Will I be able to use rewards anyway?

It probably scales as it was the first area I visited/completed

 

[Doytch]

Just get the Bioware mod for extra storage.

Yup. Speaking of which, I tried out the third revision of the dexterity hotfix last night, and I'm liking it. Seems like I miss a bit less, and damage does feel upped a bit with my shortbow. Genlocks in the Deep Roads are a bigger bitch than before though. :lol

 

[BeeDog]

Just get the Bioware mod for extra storage.

Got a link? My Warden's Keep chest is full. :lol

 

[gregor7777]

Storage mod

http://social.bioware.com/project/463/

A note to those requesting additional features: while I am always available for advice and even sample code (like many other BioWare developers), this project is meant to be a jumping off point for community modders, not an ongoing development. My hope is that others will take the basics of what is included in this package and run with it.

Pretty cool of them.

 

[orion434]

I received Dragon Age: Origins as a present, and I'm so far enjoying the beginning... played for about 2 hours. Love the interactions and exploring I have a question if anybody can shed some light on the subject.

In the Achievements it lists "Across all Playthroughs" does that mean 1 character or does that include other characters as well. I assume that once you beat the game you can re-start from the beginning and retain all items & levels as in Mass Effect.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

Is there a fix, unnoficial or otherwise for the blood dragon armor on female models?

 

[Fakto]

$7 for an storage :lol

+ Best wepon in the game [and Damm beautiful]
+ 2 really useful new abilities
+ Superman eastern egg
+ A good side quest
+ 2 merchants

Go for it !

 

[nubbe]

I'd pay $1 for Warders Keep... the quest is over in 20mins or so

Rockstar are the only ones that do DLC right

 

[slayn]

I thought this was really neat. Attempting to describe this without spoilers:

There is at one point a battle I guess you are "supposed" to lose. But after losing and seeing how it briefly pans out, I loaded by save right before because I felt the battle was totally winable.

After winning, I found that doing so rather than railroading you into the event that happens anyway, you skip that entire portion of the game. I'm impressed that they decided to let you skip that.

But now I'm curious, what happens if you lose the particular battle I'm talking about?

 

[cory]

I just blind bought this for $40 from Amazon; I only have one question: Does the codex read to you?

 

[firehawk12]

I thought this was really neat. Attempting to describe this without spoilers:

There is at one point a battle I guess you are "supposed" to lose. But after losing and seeing how it briefly pans out, I loaded by save right before because I felt the battle was totally winable.

After winning, I found that doing so rather than railroading you into the event that happens anyway, you skip that entire portion of the game. I'm impressed that they decided to let you skip that.

But now I'm curious, what happens if you lose the particular battle I'm talking about?

Is this the bit that involves the Landsmeet? I can't think of another part in the game that's like this.

 

[Vinci]

Made my first mage last night. Good god, she's a total badass. She's, like, all Sustainable - and yet she always has mana for her attack spells.

 

[painey]

my one quest left is the Landsmeet but I am now just level 19.5, I don't want to miss out on that lvl 20 Warrior achievement because im sure as hell not playing through again to get any of the others.

 

[firehawk12]

my one quest left is the Landsmeet but I am now just level 19.5, I don't want to miss out on that lvl 20 Warrior achievement because im sure as hell not playing through again to get any of the others.

You should make it up in the final bits of the game. That said, I nearly exhausted all the sidequests (skipped the fetch quests) and ended up at 23 my first playthrough.

 

[Danne-Danger]

Remember kids, always keep a set of low strength armor in your inventory, lest something like this happens to you:

I can get him up to 37str with items but that's still 1 short for all of the three extra sets of armor I'm carrying. :lol

Such a useless little dwarf. Luckily Alistair can solo just about anything at this point.

 

[slayn]

Is this the bit that involves the Landsmeet? I can't think of another part in the game that's like this.

to be more specific I am talking about

Spoiler

when you go to rescue the queen, and on your way out you are stopped by one of loghain's nobles + a small army of archers/mages. If you lose the battle, you are taken prisoner. If you win the battle you kill the noble who has a lot of loot and go on your merry way. I'm curious 1. what happens if you become imprisoned and 2. is that noble significant to cutscenes/story later on if she lives?

 

[Anerythristic]

Battle starts , Pause , Direct all party members to attack the same enemy , kill that enemy , Pause , direct all party members to attack the same enemy...it's almost an exploit. :lol

 

[slayn]

Remember kids, always keep a set of low strength armor in your inventory, lest something like this happens to you:
I can get him up to 37str with items but that's still 1 short for all of the three extra sets of armor I'm carrying. :lol

Such a useless little dwarf. Luckily Alistair can solo just about anything at this point.

Always keep +str items that you find. You can use them to meet the requirements, put on the armor, then remove the +str items for better stuff.

I realized this when at one point, my parties equipment was stripped of me (I forget why). When I got it back, everyone's armor came back but Alistair who was still naked. I was trying to figure out wtf and why suddenly he couldn't wear the armor he had been wearing for the past 10 hours. Finally realized it was because I had given him a +str ring at the time I had equipped the armor, but then un-equipped and sold the ring.

So at that point I had no way for him to equip his armor and he had to run around naked.

 

[SlasherJPC]

Ok so I'm sure this has been answered but is there a way to respect points?

I'm doubting it but a buddy at work is wondering and I'm unsure.

As for my current progress. Just finished the circle of magic quest. 1 down 3 more to go. I already hit the 20 hour mark. Damn, this game really is something else.

 

[firehawk12]

to be more specific I am talking about

Spoiler

when you go to rescue the queen, and on your way out you are stopped by one of loghain's nobles + a small army of archers/mages. If you lose the battle, you are taken prisoner. If you win the battle you kill the noble who has a lot of loot and go on your merry way. I'm curious 1. what happens if you become imprisoned and 2. is that noble significant to cutscenes/story later on if she lives?

Yeah, that's the part I'm talking about. I actually didn't know you could lose that battle... I almost assume a game over state with death, since the game doesn't lead you to believe otherwise.

Spoiler

I chose to surrender and you are taken to Fort Draken as a prisoner. When you're there, you have to basically do a prison breakout... similar to the mission in KoTOR1, I believe. Also, the noble will confront you as you approach the Landsmeet to challenge Loghain. At that point, you can kill her or you can do a speech check and talk her down.

What I would find curious is whether or not you can lose the

Spoiler

duel with Loghain at the Landsmeet itself

. I assume it's a game over in that case as well.

 

[slayn]

Ok so I'm sure this has been answered but is there a way to respect points?

I'm doubting it but a buddy at work is wondering and I'm unsure.

As for my current progress. Just finished the circle of magic quest. 1 down 3 more to go. I already hit the 20 hour mark. Damn, this game really is something else.

no there is not.

On PC, you can cheat and use the console to respec talens and skills, but I don't think even the console can respect stat points.

 

[Fragamemnon]

Ok so I'm sure this has been answered but is there a way to respect points?

I'm doubting it but a buddy at work is wondering and I'm unsure.

As for my current progress. Just finished the circle of magic quest. 1 down 3 more to go. I already hit the 20 hour mark. Damn, this game really is something else.

There's a mod on the PC:

http://social.bioware.com/project/469/

on consoles you can look at the TV really hard and say "I think I can! I think I can!" and it might happen, I suppose.

 

[Ruzai]

Man...those four "revenants" in the Brecillian Woods are no joke.

Those ones are the worst, because they spawn with an army of minions as well. The one in the mages tower wasnt so bad because it was just him, but when they spawn in with like 6 trasdh mobs the fight goes from hard to ridiculously difficult.

I ran into these last night, and I think they're just about my favorite battles of the game so far. They strike a really nice balance with the threat level; ignore either the minions or the revenant and you invariably get destroyed, spread the party out to address both and they'll be picked off one by one.

I ended up neutralizing the revenants in the early moments of the fight by throwing up a forcefield around him. I like to think of him as stuck in a hamster ball, grinding his teeth as I tear apart his little coterie.

 

[AndyD]

Battle starts , Pause , Direct all party members to attack the same enemy , kill that enemy , Pause , direct all party members to attack the same enemy...it's almost an exploit. :lol

I have been doing a fair amount of that as well. It work in over 80% of battles I would say.

 

[gregor7777]

Has anyone here played around with the toolset?

I can't wait to dig into it.

 

[iam220]

The spell tree that starts with Mind blast is probably the best in the game. Force Field is especially useful and has saved my ass many a times. I use it on "bosses" so that I can take them out of the fight for a bit to clear out their henchmen. Or if my tank is being swarmed, I use it on him (stupid ai continues to attack), then I just blast AOE spells. Ever since I started using 3 mages and a tank the game has become much MUCH easier. Maybe too easy. This is on hard.

I really wish someone would create a mod that nerfs mages and allows for 6 party members. That would be awesome.

 

[Cheech]

How hard is the Warden' Keep? Shall I attempt the quest around lvl 12 or should I wait a bit? Will I be able to use rewards anyway?

I went through it at level 8. It's worth the $7. You get some neat stuff, regardless of what your main's class is. The quest is also fun.

Also: DRINK IT. Burn that into your brain if you ever play through the DLC, and you're a mage.

 

[luxarific]

I went through it at level 8. It's worth the $7. You get some neat stuff, regardless of what your main's class is. The quest is also fun.

Also: DRINK IT. Burn that into your brain if you ever play through the DLC, and you're a mage.

Honestly, I drank it and wasn't impressed. I'm playing a warrior human noble and it just kills me too quickly whenever I use it.

 

[FateBreaker]

Shale is a monster! This guy grabs so much experience from my party since he is the one killing peeps so quickly.