OT: Dragon Age: Origins

[Danimal]

I should mention that I played BG2 like Zep does DA. I micro managed everything. But in that game they had nice options for the game to pause combat when someones target was killed and other things like that. I don't think DA has those.

[Macca00]

Couple of questions;

1) Is it just me or is this a difficult game? I have died more times in the first 15 hours of DA than I have in two play-throughs of Mass Effect and KOTOR combined. I already dropped the difficulty down to 'Normal' and after being repeatedly slaughtered last night I'm contemplating dropping it down to 'Casual' difficulty. Just wanted to know because apart from the above games I the RPGs I usually play are JRPGs which are much easier.

2) Speaking of JRPGs, I find I have an easier time in JRPGs than DA because I can go and grind for a few hours and then come back and roll over the bad guys. Do the enemies in DA scale according to your level or can you go do a bunch of side quests, level up and over-power them?

3) I'm still trying to figure out AI for my party members but what I would like to do is play this as a turn-based RPG so I can control each step? Is there physical way to do this? In other words, is there some kind of pause button after each 'turn'?

Thanks for the help guys, finally getting the Urn/Ashes from the mountain last night was a mix of fun (story wise) and frustration (dying around 20 times). Oh, and my first encounter with a dragon was priceless - too bad there's no replay function because I think the encounter lasted somewhere between 7 and 10 seconds before my party was lying in a pool of (their) blood. lol

[Zeppo]

I'm no master of the game by any means; I am still muddling through with barely a clue as to what I am doing. I have found it to be reasonably difficult in many fights, but not quite as frustratingly tough as you seem to find it, Macca. I play on normal, though. I'm not good enough for hard. My main character, a rogue, was a very weak fighter for a long time, so I really needed Sten or Altair to tank and deal damage, as well as Morrigan to deal the heavy damage with her magely powers. Once I got high enough level to get the 'use dexterity instead of strength to determine damage dealt,' however, my rogue became reasonably effective in combat.

I don't think there's a way to auto-pause after every turn, but I pretty much pause after every enemy has been killed to make sure I get everyone targeted on the next mob I want to kill. I do let things go for a little while, but I tend to get that radial menu up pretty often during the tougher battles to make sure I have people targeting the right mob and to use my special attacks as often as possible.

But there have been quite a few times when I get those 'while traveling' ambushes, particularly I remember one with wolves, that just kick my ass. A few times, I've felt I almost killed my game by getting stuck with a too-tough fight and too-weak party and no recourse. But somehow I've been able to do other stuff to level up a bit, and those too-tough fights became easily do-able. I do not think mobs scale in general, but maybe mini bosses and bosses do to some degree. I don't know.

Also there have been times I couldn't get past a fight, and I gave up. Coming back to the game later, though, I was able to get through those fights with better use of potions and poisons, smarter tactics, maybe a little luck. It does seem to me that fights can go very badly and seem impossible, but then more liberal use of potions, buffs, poisons, and flasks seem to make it work. Not to mention using the right spells or poisons for the right enemies.

Like I said in the other thread, I long ago switched it so that I had all messages on, which is a clutter on the screen no doubt, but has helped me a ton in figuring what buffs and such the enemies are using, what poisons or spells the enemies are immune to, and so on.

All that said, my favorite part of the combat in these Bioware games are the fights where I almost don't make it through, but somehow hang on and survive. It seems to happen a lot to me, as it does in Mass Effect as well, and those are the thrilling moments.

[Danimal]

1) Is it just me or is this a difficult game?

Yes it is difficult especially in the beginning, once you get used to things and strategies it becomes a bit less of a challenge.

2) Speaking of JRPGs, I find I have an easier time in JRPGs than DA because I can go and grind for a few hours and then come back and roll over the bad guys. Do the enemies in DA scale according to your level or can you go do a bunch of side quests, level up and over-power them?

Yes encounters level scale, something I detest in games. It's at least a little better here but it certainly destroys the story when you take down a dragon and then get ambushed by a group of thugs who all have top notched feats.

3) I'm still trying to figure out AI for my party members but what I would like to do is play this as a turn-based RPG so I can control each step? Is there physical way to do this? In other words, is there some kind of pause button after each 'turn'?

Short of doing what Zeppo does which is pause every so often there is not auto pause that I am aware of. This is most certainly not a JRPG turn based system. I'd call this a real time / phased system. In that all the die rolls etc are being done behind the scenes and you can pause whenever you want, but there is no roll for initiative, ok make this guy do something, that guy does something etc.

Thanks for the help guys, finally getting the Urn/Ashes from the mountain last night was a mix of fun (story wise) and frustration (dying around 20 times). Oh, and my first encounter with a dragon was priceless - too bad there's no replay function because I think the encounter lasted somewhere between 7 and 10 seconds before my party was lying in a
pool of (their) blood. lol

That dragon encounter is tough, scaling aside. Especially if the urn quest is the first one you've done. For example I did Red cliff, then did the magi tower before the urn. Fortunately it is one of the few quest areas you can come back to and doesn't get shut off.

[Macca00]

Thanks for the replies - glad to hear that the game is a bit difficult (but I fully acknowledge the amount of times I'm dying is likely in large part to my own suckage).

Disappointing that the enemies do indeed scale to your level but I'll try to take your advice and be more mindful in my encounters.

Cheers!

[TCrouch]

Didn't really see everything here, just giving you a quick heads up.

There's no auto-pause, but the tactics are just as good. If you create a condition for everybody to first heal themselves if necessary, and then next to target the target of the main character, then they'll always pile on whatever you're attacking. No need for an auto pause if you create a good tactics build.

I had a group that was incredibly efficient--once you learn tactics it's not so difficult. Without it, it can be brutal. But I had a dog that would just be the rogue hunter, slaughtering any ranged mobs with the help of the caster while the warriors would hold down the melee fighters, and then the dog would come back and attack my target, etc. Helped to clear rooms in seconds.

It's a pretty amazing game.

[Gangrel]

Picked this up during boxing week sales, and finally cracked it open tonight.

Playing as a Mage Elf. Usually I play as a fighter, but figured I'd try something different this time.

Anyway, my game game with DLC codes for the Stone Prisoner, the Blood Armor, Feral Wolf Charm, and Memory Band.

however, each time I enter a code within the in game DLC menu, it says "invalid code". I've tried and tried, and know that I can't be making typos....... especially since one of the cars is all CAPS for the code....

Did anyone else have problems getting this stuff?

I've heard if the code has been used, the message says such, so I don't thing anyone scanned my codes......

Anyway, I have an email in to EA tech support, but I imagine nothing will happen, or very slowly.....

edit: Nevermind. I found a spot on the bioware site where you can also redeem the codes, and it gives me the "code has been used" message, which it should ALSO show in the game but doesn't.

I think I'm a victim of the EB games "shelf open copy" and one of the employees used the codes....... I think I will pay them a visit.

[Gangrel]

Lesson learned.... if a game contains free downloads, get it sealed!

The kid at EB was trying to tell me that "the manuals are kept at the desk, and only one guy who works here has a 360 and he bought Dragon AGe for himself, so he wouldn't have taken it"...... the guy VERRRRYYYY reluctantly gave me another card for the Stone Prisoner DLC and the Blood Armor.... and told me if it still doesn't work, I should contact Bioware......

Sure enough, the new card worked. I bet one of the EB punks gave the code to some of his friends..........

Anyway, i'm digging the game. I'm almost 4 hours in and am only at the part where i'm still joining the Greywardens. I'm taking my time, reading everything.......


On that note, has anyone read the DA novels that are set before the game? Just curious if it's worth a pick up for a light fantasy read.....

[RobVarak]

This is a bit f'ed up, but I'm playing 2 games at the same time. Once as a human mage and the other as the dwarf noble warrior. Talk about two entirely different experiences. It is so much easier to spec a party around the warrior! Having a very difficult time at the Mage's tower with the Mage party. 3/4 of the way through and I've burned through all my healing potions...and surprisingly little Elfroot grows on the upper floors of a stone tower. LOL

[Macca00]

After a brief conversation with a friend of mine I realized why I've been finding the game so hard........I KILLED THE F'ING HEALING MAGE that can join your party! LOL I didn't even know that she could join your party - I figured she was some annoying broad. Ironically, she killed me the first time so it took me TWO tries to kill her.

If you don't succeed in shooting yourself in the foot, try, try again.

It's a testament to the game that I didn't even realize you could recruit her!

Anyway, I finally got Morrigan to learn some healing spells so I'm not completely gimped.

[XXXIV]

After a brief conversation with a friend of mine I realized why I've been finding the game so hard........I KILLED THE F'ING HEALING MAGE that can join your party! LOL I didn't even know that she could join your party - I figured she was some annoying broad. .

...Dont feel too bad. Thats how I rolled. I did the same thing to the annoying broad....So I taught the other slut(damn was she easy and video game hot as hell too) healing.

Hang tough as it can be done the hard way

[RobVarak]

A quick word about the developer's failure to allow other classes to open locked chests.

Well done, boys.

My mage can effortlessly send epically powerful demons back to the far reaches of the fade with her command of the arcane arts, but that 49-cent lock bough from the local dwarven hardware store is just too much for her to handle.

There really should be either a bash or magical option in addition to lockpicking.

[Macca00]

So I taught the other slut(damn was she easy and video game hot as hell too) healing

I agree. Btw, the same voice actress plays an even hotter character in Uncharted 2.

Why do I suddenly feel like a Japanese teenager......

[ScoopBrady]

So I taught the other slut(damn was she easy and video game hot as hell too) healing

I agree. Btw, the same voice actress plays an even hotter character in Uncharted 2.

Why do I suddenly feel like a Japanese teenager......

That can be taken two different ways.

[Macca00]

So I taught the other slut(damn was she easy and video game hot as hell too) healing

I agree. Btw, the same voice actress plays an even hotter character in Uncharted 2.

Why do I suddenly feel like a Japanese teenager......

That can be taken two different ways.

Me love you long time, Scoop.

[that's probably politically incorrect/insensitive/funny but whatever]

[XXXIV]

So I taught the other slut(damn was she easy and video game hot as hell too) healing

I agree. Btw, the same voice actress plays an even hotter character in Uncharted 2.

Sadly. You may have just been given me the motivation I needed to put UC2 into my ps3.

[Danimal]

I agree. Btw, the same voice actress plays an even hotter character in Uncharted 2.

Why do I suddenly feel like a Japanese teenager......

The real life actress can look real hot and also not so good.

<img src="http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/ ... _002-1.jpg" border="0">

<img src="http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu32 ... k_full.jpg" border="0">

[webdanzer]

I keep trying to get into this game but I just can't do it. I'm aware I'm alone on an island with these thoughts, but I just don't like the gameplay in these Bioware 'action-rpgs.' First, as has been mentioned, it's not your joystick skills that matter here, as there are all sorts of die rolls happening behind the scenes. Which is fine in and of itself, as it is not supposed to be a pure action game. But then the 'rpg' side is gimped as well IMO, by not being turn-based on a combat grid or similar. You are not allowed the fine level of control as you would be in the more classic RPGS where you don't have to worry about AI characters getting stuck on terrain or something and can better co-ordinate positioning and attacks and whatnot. It plays almost like a 3rd person RTS as it is now.

I don't know...I almost consider it a symptom of something being very wrong with design when the best way to play a game is to be constantly pausing it. I feel like in reaching this middle ground between action titles and RPGs the way they have Bioware loses a significant bit from each genre that makes it attractive, and doesn't gain much of anything at all, IMO. I guess they make RPGs more accessible overall, I suppose.

For all the talk about how games like this allow player agency in how they can affect the gameworld, it seems like the player *loses* some control in how they handle their characters.

It seems to me there is a lot of room to do this sort of thing better.

[Danimal]

Web I agree with you, but at least DA has far better control then Mass Effect of your party. ME was a cluster f*** of a design, squad members shooting you in the back, or running in front of you. Not taking cover.

Here is a game that does it right IMO it's called Drakensang. It's kind of like Oblivion but you have a party and you can set the game to auto pause every combat round and control the party which makes it feel turn based.

[webdanzer]

Web I agree with you, but at least DA has far better control then Mass Effect of your party. ME was a cluster f*** of a design, squad members shooting you in the back, or running in front of you. Not taking cover.

Here is a game that does it right IMO it's called Drakensang. It's kind of like Oblivion but you have a party and you can set the game to auto pause every combat round and control the party which makes it feel turn based.

Definitely agree with you about Mass Effect, Dan. That's one of the reasons I admittedly bring a bit of a 'Bioware bad taste' with me as I evaluate DA:O. And yes, DA:O is better for sure.

I'm not much of a PC gamer (really, really old rig) but Drakensang looks cool. It speaks to my nerd cred, I guess,(sadly) that I actually owned the P&P RPG it is based on. (A popular GERMAN RPG system)

[TCrouch]

Mass Effect is probably one of favorite games of all time (if not my favorite), so I'm obviously on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

[XXXIV]

Mass Effect is probably one of favorite games of all time (if not my favorite), so I'm obviously on the complete opposite end of the spectrum.

I put ME in my hof so I would be on your end of it...

I keep trying to get into this game but I just can't do it. I'm aware I'm alone on an island with these thoughts

Web I know what you mean about being alone on an island.

Its kinda like the MW2 and UC2 thing fwith me. Everyone who plays them says they are two of the greatest games of all time but Im having trouble getting into em...Though admittedly I havent really given UC2 a chance as Ive been getting distracted by the slew of great games that came at or about the same time.

Different strokes for different folks...

[Zeppo]

I get mightily frustrated at times in ME for the behavior of my squadmates, but it doesn't really get in the way of my enjoyment of the game. As Rob mentioned aa to DA, the game seems to be best balanced if you play the soldier. My soldier playthrough in ME was by far my easiest, in that I was the main damage dealer and could use the squad to do all the special attacks. It was especially fun for the sniping in the outdoors combat, which is extremely frustrating if i'm relying on a squadmate to do it.

It's similar in DA or in KoTOR, but at least in those games, I can take direct control over the other squad members, which would fix the sniping problem in ME, for example.

But hey, for whatever reason the frustrations with the mechanics don't seem to overpower my vast enjoyment of the combat in any of these games. Actually KoTOR was probably the best in these areas. But I still like them all a lot.

I should mention that there is something unique about the combat that I really love compared to other types of games, and that's the fact that I can get completely destroyed, I mean not even close to surviving an encounter, over and over again, but then a big change in tactics, or use of buffs, or in ME ammo selection, and I can beat that battle that before I didn't stand a chance. I remember specifically in KoTOR an encounter with some Mandalorians on Dagobah that was the first time I learned this lesson. It just chewed me up and spat me out over and over and over, to the point where I thought my game was over. But then I changes some weaon buffs, and especially used a lot more stims and such, and I was able to get through it. I've had similar experiences in ME (though less extreme) and also in DA. No other games come even close to that sort of difference from try to try in one specific battle depending on your tactics or weapon selection or especially buff usage and attacks that nerf the enemies. Action games and shooters, I either miss by a little or get through it. With these games, I can feel like I'm completely screwed and totally overmatched, but then I can change things up, pay more attention to the enemy types and their specific strengths and weaknesses, and somehow get through it.

[Macca00]

Finally killed the Archdemon last night....what an incredible game. Clocked in at just under 56 hours (died A LOT and did a lot of side quests.....and I'm a sucker and got the not so great Warden's Keep DLC + Shale's Quest/Thingy).


I wish we had a spoiler thread because I want to discuss what endings you guys had. Does anyone know if the next game will continue the same story (a la Mass Effect) and if so which ending is considered canon?

[Zeppo]

Well, there's a huge DLC coming soon that continues on, but I don't know if there are differences depending on your ending. They haven't made a big deal out of the continuity the way they have in ME.

I don't know when I'm going to get back into this. I'm sucked into ME to finish one more run through with some different choices (such as killing Wrex, which I never did the other times through) before the new game drops next week. Also siince this Jean Reno look-alike is an Adept, I'm not going to rescue Liara until after Virmire. I hear she has a real freak out when you fill her in on all that has happened by then if you wait so long...