Support NeoGAF

[lorddarkflare]

What do party members have to do with anything?

AHHH, you mean the tower. Sorry. Then we are at about the same place. I just Started redcliffe.

cgaming master race:

Am i still a member if i have to go 800*600 to maintain 25 fps(medium)?

 

[Antagon]

For some reason I thought that the graphics were pretty meh at the beginning, but now I've actually really started liking it. Playing in isometric view on the pc is a pretty big improvement though.

Demon designs are fantastic btw.

http://i36.tinypic.com/2nsu1f.jpg
http://i37.tinypic.com/312ejqd.jpg
http://i35.tinypic.com/2q1yw4m.jpg

 

[lorddarkflare]

All their interior environments are fantastic, the exterior...not so much.

Also, those demon designs remind me of how much i love the fade. Awesome level.

 

[Rabbit Lord]

Just finished at about 43 hours. Level 20 Human Mage.

Spoiler

Since I was playing 'good' character I made Alister King and killed the Archdemon myself. Ending was decent but not nearly as good as the last few Bioware games. In my opinion ME and Kotor both had kickass conclusions, and the last couple hours leading up to the ends were also really good. DA's end is kinda decent but I still feel it's lacking something. The last few battles were hard as fuck though. One of the battles I had to knock it down to easy to get past it. Being a blood mage helped in one of the areas that had 5-6 ogres, was able to take control of one, was awesome watching ogres beat the shit out of each other.

Spoiler

I look forward to the sequel. With the codex they really laid out a well developed world with a long history. Of all the characters I really only liked Sten and Shale and I only used Shale for a little. Looking forward to another play through where I will use Shale. The Dwarf and the elf were alright, the rest I don't really care for. For whatever reason I have a feeling the sequel will be years and years in the future, so prolly won't see these guys again. For my party I used Me(Mage-Arcane Warrior/Blood) Sten, Alister and old women.

Now for some screens.

My Human Mage - Bethod.

I think at one point I had sex with one of these...

Me and my peeps in deep roads I think..

I'd hit it...

http://i33.tinypic.com/10fu893.jpg - Spoilerish I guess even though she(Brood Mother) has been in some of the media released for the game.

My dude outside the wardens keep.

Killing Ogres one slow mo at a time.

 

[Ventrue]

Can anyone point out some of the better sidequests, ones I might miss? The Blackstone Irregulars/Mage Collective/KDR/Chantry boards are all horrible and generic. Get 20 health potions, kill some dudes in a back alley, click on some items around town, find these 4 people in the world. What are the more elaborate/story-filled sidequests?

 

[lorddarkflare]

Has anyone here played guild wars?

Every second i play this makes me want a single player Guild Wars.

 

[Relix]

Can anyone point out some of the better sidequests, ones I might miss? The Blackstone Irregulars/Mage Collective/KDR/Chantry boards are all horrible and generic. Get 20 health potions, kill some dudes in a back alley, click on some items around town, find these 4 people in the world. What are the more elaborate/story-filled sidequests?

I am interested in knowing this as well!

 

[Xevren]

In all honestly a large majority of the side quests are pretty bland unless they have codex's involved and you feel like reading them. I just flat out stopped doing quests after awhile and just wanted to beat the game. Took about 40 hours and beat it as a lvl 23 Rogue.

 

[Artadius]

Oh boy, must resist...

Oh please do go on. Judging by your avatar, I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

 

[Ventrue]

I think the ones in Orzammar aren't bad, which makes me wonder if I'm missing any other good ones.

 

[Fredescu]

Oh please do go on. Judging by your avatar, I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

Keep the retarded JRPG vs WRPG discussions out of this thread.

 

[Kosma]

Man man man, I cant decide who to support in Ozzramar. Ive been around town to get the gist of what people are thinking but...sheesh everybody seems to contradict each other!

Can anyone point out some of the better sidequests, ones I might miss? The Blackstone Irregulars/Mage Collective/KDR/Chantry boards are all horrible and generic. Get 20 health potions, kill some dudes in a back alley, click on some items around town, find these 4 people in the world. What are the more elaborate/story-filled sidequests?

They may be a bit bland yeah, but some of them can be quite challenging. I just did some pretty nice quest in Denerim which involved a mini dungeon

 

[lorddarkflare]

Oh please do go on. Judging by your avatar, I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

Hah, people and their infantile judgments.

I wanted to throw my weight behind him in everything else except combat. JRPGS excel at this.

I simply found his superior attitude to be annoying and wanted to knock him down a peg(or two), but did not want to de-rail.

I wish people would stop drawing conclusions based on my avatar. You should see my posts in the FF13 thread.

 

[Ventrue]

They may be a bit bland yeah, but some of them can be quite challenging. I just did some pretty nice quest in Denerim which involved a mini dungeon

Nothing is challenging as a mage. Playing on nightmare as a mage is easier than normal as an archer was.

 

[lorddarkflare]

Nothing is challenging as a mage. Playing on nightmare as a mage is easier than normal as an archer was.

I am playing as a rogue on Nightmare and the game is still pretty easy.

Also, those sidequests are a joke. If bioware really could not have come up with better content, they should not have bothered.

 

[Ruzai]

Can anyone point out some of the better sidequests, ones I might miss? The Blackstone Irregulars/Mage Collective/KDR/Chantry boards are all horrible and generic. Get 20 health potions, kill some dudes in a back alley, click on some items around town, find these 4 people in the world. What are the more elaborate/story-filled sidequests?

Sadly, most of the sidequests I've encountered so far have been pretty lacking. Shale and Warden's Keep are probably the most involved, though neither lasts for more than an hour and a half or so.

If you're a rogue, you can do thieving missions in Denerim for Slim Cordry, they at least require stealth and pickpocketing so they should be more involved than the quest boards. I've only done two so far, which have been less than impressive, but I'm hoping they'll pick up.

The quest 'The Mages Treasure', or something like that, in Brecilian Forest was also pretty good and involved a string of challenging fights and a small ritual to puzzle out at the end.

Also, while it's not a quest, I've been having a lot of fun tracking down the six Revenants the codex mentions, and filling in their story. Honestly, following up leads in the codex has been far more rewarding than just about any of the quests.

 

[Kosma]

I am playing as a rogue on Nightmare and the game is still pretty easy.

Also, those sidequests are a joke. If bioware really could not have come up with better content, they should not have bothered.

You playing on console or pc?

 

[lorddarkflare]

You playing on console or pc?

PC with hotfix.

 

[Kosma]

/bow then

Although I don´t really know if I should bow, Im playing on normal and havent tried hard. For me the game is challenging enough. Surely harder then any rpg I played in the last few years.

 

[Ventrue]

You playing on console or pc?

PC as well.

The game is not so much difficult as it is unbalanced. The difference between picking the ideal talents and party members vs making 'poor' choices is gigantic.

 

[lorddarkflare]

/bow then

Although I don´t really know if I should bow, Im playing on normal and havent tried hard. For me the game is challenging enough. Surely harder then any rpg I played in the last few years.

No bowing.

I micro everything, and have been doing so since i started playing the game on normal.

I changed my difficulty when i got to the fade, and i have yet to turn my back.

Also helps that Morrigan (mages in general) are overpowered.

PC as well.

The game is not so much difficult as it is unbalanced. The difference between picking the ideal talents and party members vs making 'poor' choices is gigantic.

Very true.

 

[Kosma]

Guess so, I never really got far into BG2 (Although I have the original box lying around here) and I think that must make a big difference in how you start out. I'm definately a lot better then I was in the beginning.

Some encounters may be unbalanced, but thats part of the joy I think.

 

[Fredescu]

Also, those sidequests are a joke. If bioware really could not have come up with better content, they should not have bothered.

I don't see a problem with money generating fed ex quests. They're obviously optional. I saw the same complaints about The Witchers job board quests. There's nothing making you do them. If you're a completionist, pick them all up when you see them and most of the time they will complete themselves in the process of progressing the main quest.

The best side quests are the ones you pick up from items around the place. I didn't realise there were so many clickable items, so I missed a lot in my first go around. I'm spending a lot of time with tab held down this time.

 

[Kosma]

You know what makes DA so great? No grind.

 

[lorddarkflare]

I don't see a problem with money generating fed ex quests. They're obviously optional. I saw the same complaints about The Witchers job board quests. There's nothing making you do them. If you're a completionist, pick them all up when you see them and most of the time they will complete themselves in the process of progressing the main quest.

The best side quests are the ones you pick up from items around the place. I didn't realise there were so many clickable items, so I missed a lot in my first go around. I'm spending a lot of time with tab held down this time.

Wow. Really?

I did not like the Witcher quests, but did not mind them since you could easily completely them without noticing just by playing the game normally.

You know what makes DA so great? No grind.

Yeah. Any game that necessitates grind loses big points with me.

 

[Fredescu]

Wow. Really?

I mean, I don't have a problem with their existence to the point that I think they shouldn't bother including them. I don't go out of my way to do them, but like the Witcher most of them completed themselves.

 

[lorddarkflare]

I mean, I don't have a problem with their existence to the point that I think they shouldn't bother including them. I don't go out of my way to do them, but like the Witcher most of them completed themselves.

The ones in DA not so much, but that is not the point.

If they are going to bother with content, i rather it be well done. Fetch quests are sloppy. The minute a fetch quest becomes good is the minute that it is no longer a fetch quest.

YMMV.

 

[Ventrue]

The ones in DA not so much, but that is not the point.

If they are going to bother with content, i rather it be well done. Fetch quests are sloppy. The minute a fetch quest becomes good is the minute that it is no longer a fetch quest.

YMMV.

I agree.

I also have a problem in them being there because they obscure the worthwhile sidequests. You do some of them and they suck so you assume all the sidequests suck, but there are some good ones here and there.

 

[Lafiel]

Can anyone point out some of the better sidequests, ones I might miss? The Blackstone Irregulars/Mage Collective/KDR/Chantry boards are all horrible and generic. Get 20 health potions, kill some dudes in a back alley, click on some items around town, find these 4 people in the world. What are the more elaborate/story-filled sidequests?

Yeah, most of the quests feel reminiscent of the 'uncharted planets' in ME. But i enjoy them way more then those, since anything that involves combat is very enjoyable. And at least the environments aren't as bland.
There are some good quests though, but a lot of them are very short and brief, needs more epic side-quests like BG 2.
Anyone got any strategy's against *morrigan quest spoilers*

Spoiler

Flemeth?

she totally burns my group down in 10-20 seconds. (playing on hard btw).

 

[lorddarkflare]

I agree.

I also have a problem in them being there because they obscure the worthwhile sidequests. You do some of them and they suck so you assume all the sidequests suck, but there are some good ones here and there.

Yeah, and having to search for these frustrates me.

 

[Fredescu]

Skipping job board quests filters out most of them. The rest you can discard based on the description. I wish you could abandon quests though. Your quest log gets messy.

 

[Danne-Danger]

Anyone got any strategy's against *morrigan quest spoilers*

Spoiler

Flemeth?

she totally burns my group down in 10-20 seconds. (playing on hard btw).

Depends on your party really. If you have two melee guys you'll want one attacking from the front and one from the back. Make some room between your casters/ranged guys so that not all of them gets hit by the fireballs. Bring at least one healer and/or lots of potions.

Also bring some fire resistant gear for your main tank.

 

[Confidence Man]

You do some of them and they suck so you assume all the sidequests suck, but there are some good ones here and there.

Where exactly? I haven't found one that actually goes beyond a single errand/job. Mass Effect at least had that Cerberus mini-storyline that you could follow. Even the party member "quests" are just go to X location and it's done.

The Witcher or even Drakensang had better sidequests.

 

[Warnen]

Just a note on the side quest, most of the ones given in the cities lead to a big quest with a pay off. IE the assassin quest lead to a vendor with some cool gear (nice helmet that matches my Supeior Wades Massive Dragon Armor). Think the Mages and Brotherhood do something similar, finish them till I unlock all the areas though.

 

[lorddarkflare]

Just a note on the side quest, most of the ones given in the cities lead to a big quest with a pay off. IE the assassin quest lead to a vendor with some cool gear (nice helmet that matches my Supeior Wades Massive Dragon Armor). Think the Mages and Brotherhood do something similar, finish them till I unlock all the areas though.

Hmm, why does this piss me off?

 

[Cohsae]

Hmm, why does this piss me off?

Because most of those quests are really tedious?

 

[Tokubetsu]

Has anyone here played guild wars?

Every second i play this makes me want a single player Guild Wars.

Let's just say...I had over 140 hours in GW before retail even hit. All from Beta Weekends <3. Still have the collectors box, still one of my favorite RPG scores, still one of my favorite RPGs period. If I could make sweet sweet love to any fantasy setting, it'd be GW's. Sadly, I never got into the plethora of expansions. If I could pre-order GW2 right now, I would.

Orzimmar never ends. The dwarves are asking too much of me, I miss the sun.

 

[Sinatar]

Where exactly? I haven't found one that actually goes beyond a single errand/job. Mass Effect at least had that Cerberus mini-storyline that you could follow. Even the party member "quests" are just go to X location and it's done.

The Witcher or even Drakensang had better sidequests.

There's a pretty cool one in the elven alienage involving a haunted orphanage. The mad hermit quest in the woods is pretty cool as well.

 

[Doc Evils]

Buncha screens random order:

 

[Zeliard]

I think they they were trying for that without being too obvious.

They failed, but he is pretty funny. I love his ornithophobia.

All their interior environments are fantastic, the exterior...not so much.

Also, those demon designs remind me of how much i love the fade. Awesome level.

Christ, you have some fucked up opinions. :lol

Skipping job board quests filters out most of them. The rest you can discard based on the description. I wish you could abandon quests though. Your quest log gets messy.

Well, there's nothing forcing you to accept every quest out there, particularly when you can read the job board quest descriptions before you accept them. Why not just ignore the fetch quests?

 

[Ventrue]

By the way, are the Antivan Crow missions awful like the Irregulars/Mage's Collective? I haven't tried them yet.

 

[lorddarkflare]

Christ, you have some fucked up opinions. :lol



Well, there's nothing forcing you to accept every quest out there, particularly when you can read the job board quest descriptions before you accept them. Why not just ignore the fetch quests?

I have been told, it is my eternal pleasure to share them with the world

 

[Zeliard]

I have been told, it is my eternal pleasure to share them with the world

Shale hates the Fade.

 

[clashfan]

How to train in camp? Alistair tells me to send warriors to him in camp and he will train them. I still can't figure out how to do that?

 

[Ploid 3.0]

I have been told, it is my eternal pleasure to share them with the world

I liked the fade too. It was like a good puzzle section of the game. It was good to me. I even had more fun with it on rogue. Stealth and screwing people up.

 

[Erudite]

For anyone who finds/found the game too easy, there's a 'Hardcore Mod' floating around now.

Hardcore Mod v1.4 - - [works with saved games from v1.2 and higher]

Lyrium dust is now unusable
Minor spell cooldown and mana cost tweaks


Hardcore Mod v1.3 - - [works with saved games from v1.2 and higher]

Hard* difficulty is now the same as Bioware’s nightmare difficulty (*Playing on hard is recommended)
Nightmare difficulty is significantly more difficult
Lyrium potions, health poutices, and injury kits are not useable
AI improvement: enemies will use powerful abilities more often
All enemies have an innate 35% resistance to all spells
Requirements for spells have been changed to a level based requirement
The mana cost and cooldown of all spells and the mana pool of a mage has been significantly altered
Some spells have been removed (they can be skipped while leveling up that tree)
Players no longer gain small amounts of health, stamina, damage, or defense upon leveling
25 tactic slots per character
Rogues gain a skill (not talent) every level, warriors every 2nd level, mages every 3rd level
All shapeshifting is done immediately

As a note, it is recommended to play with the dagger hot fix until bioware official patches it. You can find that fix here: http://dragonage.gulbsoft.org/lib/exe/fetch.php/hotfix/dexterity_fixes3.zip

Explanations for the changes they made are in the link. Changes like making Mages much less overpowered makes me happy, but the complete removal of potions seems a little jarring. Hoping these changes put the game at a nice balance, as opposed to what seems like swinging it to the insane end of the spectrum.

 

[Zeliard]

I like it except for the completely unnecessary removal of all pots. Wtf is that. There are already a surplus of warrior companions as it is, with only two mages.

 

[lorddarkflare]

For anyone who finds/found the game too easy, there's a 'Hardcore Mod' floating around now.

Explanations for the changes they made are in the link. Changes like making Mages much less overpowered makes me happy, but the complete removal of potions seems a little jarring. Hoping these changes put the game at a nice balance, as opposed to what seems like swinging it to the insane end of the spectrum.

I used this for a little bit. Very nice, but Mana regen needs to be bumped if items go, only way to balance it and make it 'fair'

 

[-tetsuo-]

God damn the Fade. It never ends.

 

[lorddarkflare]

God damn the Fade. It never ends.

This is why it rocks.