Dragon Age: Origins (WARNING: SPOILERS)

[Boblobla]

Loving the game so far. My main complaint is that I always have to keep a rouge in my party if I want to open any chests.

[Meelapo]

I just recently had a chance to play the PS3 version so here are some thoughts if anyone is still on the fence about the console version.

As some people have stated the game doesn't look that great. It's funny because during the intro cinematic that looks like it's rendered in game it looks not bad. I have noticed the framerate dip when running around the mage tower but not enough to make the game unplayable. You can just notice it like you would notice any drop from like 30 to, say, 24, or something like that. You can see it's not as smooth. Again, not a huge deal.

The textures do look very previous generation. One thing that is weird, and maybe it's my TV setting, is that the colours seem a bit off. I'm in the mage tower (mage origin) and it just doesn't look that great. I don't know, it just doesn't look right. Every other game looks great so I'm chalking it up to Dragon Age. Maybe it'll look better when I get out of the starting zone.

The first character I started was a mage but I went ahead and started a human noble warrior since I enjoy carrying around two swords and looking bad ass in armor. Any thoughts on whether I should go the mage route or the warrior/duel weild route?

There are books everywhere! I think I spent a majority of my two hours of playtime last night just reading all these lore books scattered around.

Also, does anyone find the gameplay a bit hectic at first? With these games I'm usually hitting the space bar before the fight starts and then telling my guys what to do and then letting them go. It seemed, when I was playing the mage origin at least, that as soon as the battle started (against that thingy) I was just overwhelmed with targets and trying to figure out what to do. The only way of pausing is to go to that wheel thing right (L2)? I didn't know how to change characters from there so I could heal that mouse/bear fellow. Do you get used to the controls after a while or are the battles still crazy like that all the time?

The game is not bad. I think I need to spend more time with it because two hours is probably not enough for a game of this magnitude.

[jeremywilhelm]

I havent tried another origin. Is the story the exact same no matter what character you have? Like, i know the plot is similar, but does it follow exactly as all the other origins?

[Icon]

Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm

I havent tried another origin. Is the story the exact same no matter what character you have? Like, i know the plot is similar, but does it follow exactly as all the other origins?

The origins are all different. So those 1-2hrs are unique. The main jist of the rest of the story is the same. What's effected is:

- How your party members react to you / treat you
- How NPC's react / treat you
- Dialogue options differ
- Characters who appear minor/insignificant in one gameplay have backstory via other origins & v.v.

Decisions early in the game have an effect later in the game as well; if you decide during a conversation to kill someone, obviously you won't encounter them again later in the game... which could have provided alternative plotlines. (By no means am I saying don't kill anyone, likewise doing so provides its own plotlines)

There's also story/conversation/party interaction changes depending if you're male or female.

Overall, every scenario you encounter in the game can be resolved or avoided in different ways, sometimes determined or at least lead by what character type you are, resulting in the same game having many, many storyline possibilities.


Currently level 12 & loving it. Color me addicted.

[jeremywilhelm]

But are you forced to eventually go down the same path if you are a total dick to everyone? Will party members split? Can you join the dark forces?

[Esoteric]

Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm

But are you forced to eventually go down the same path if you are a total dick to everyone? Will party members split? Can you join the dark forces?

Party members can take off, fight you and die, or you can tell them to take a hike.

I'm 38 hours through my first playthough and decided to do the good guy route so I didn't kick anyone out of my party, but there are several moments in the game where I could have.

[AnnoyedBear]

New DLC already for the end of the year.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/104/1047610p1.html

Cranking these out pretty fast.
I wonder if they didn't have most of these planned ahead of time and then just release them to keep out appetites sated.

[HeartsOfFire]

Originally Posted by AnnoyedBear

New DLC already for the end of the year.

http://pc.ign.com/articles/104/1047610p1.html

Cranking these out pretty fast.
I wonder if they didn't have most of these planned ahead of time and then just release them to keep out appetites sated.

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they had ALL the DLC done by launch date, and just had planned dates on when to release the next episodes, and for one reason alone: The voice actors. Trying to get the relevant ones back into studio for a new DLC after the game's been launched is no doubt a difficult task to accomplish.

Then again, they could've also taken a look at the COMPLETE game, then drawn random campaigns from the lot to be used later as DLC in the future.

[PsYcNeT]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

As some people have stated the game doesn't look that great. It's funny because during the intro cinematic that looks like it's rendered in game it looks not bad. I have noticed the framerate dip when running around the mage tower but not enough to make the game unplayable. You can just notice it like you would notice any drop from like 30 to, say, 24, or something like that. You can see it's not as smooth. Again, not a huge deal.

The textures do look very previous generation. One thing that is weird, and maybe it's my TV setting, is that the colours seem a bit off. I'm in the mage tower (mage origin) and it just doesn't look that great. I don't know, it just doesn't look right. Every other game looks great so I'm chalking it up to Dragon Age. Maybe it'll look better when I get out of the starting zone.

Man everything I keep hearing about the graphics of the console versions just makes me sad. Previous generation textures?

I run the PC version at 1680x1050 with full everything and vsync turned on, and I will say the textures are some of the most impressive parts of the game, especially for a game that is mainly meant to be played zoomed out for party co-ordination. Right on par with the textures in games like Crysis: Warhead. The phong shading is particularily impressive.

I assume it's because the PS3 only has 256mb of RAM and 256mb of VRAM, which means it cant retain textures on too large of a scale. Sucks for those of you with noobsticks!

[3 Justin 3]

I don't get the hate for the graphics for consoles. I'm running it on 1080i through my 360 and the game looks awesome. They aren't as spectacular as Mass Effect, but it is a much bigger game, and it does NOT suffer because of it.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by jeremywilhelm

But are you forced to eventually go down the same path if you are a total dick to everyone? Will party members split? Can you join the dark forces?

*Spoiler*

There still is the same main story. Nothing earth shattering really, just the methods of how you complete it.

The 'blood mage' is one of those things.

It can have some grave ramifications and effects on who is in your party and who leaves.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by HeartsOfFire

I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they had ALL the DLC done by launch date, and just had planned dates on when to release the next episodes, and for one reason alone: The voice actors. Trying to get the relevant ones back into studio for a new DLC after the game's been launched is no doubt a difficult task to accomplish.

Then again, they could've also taken a look at the COMPLETE game, then drawn random campaigns from the lot to be used later as DLC in the future.

They finished the PC version in the spring and have been working on the Console versions since. So this whole time, whatever it was like 6 or 7 months they have devoted an entire team to DLC.

So you are right, it is already done and will be released accordingly.

[AnnoyedBear]

Originally Posted by GreenLantern

They finished the PC version in the spring and have been working on the Console versions since. So this whole time, whatever it was like 6 or 7 months they have devoted an entire team to DLC.

So you are right, it is already done and will be released accordingly.

I guess that makes quite a lot of sense.
I mean a game of this epic in proportion would need to be done or else we'll be waiting for years like WoW expansions and such.

[Icon]

I'm a fan of more DLC. Especially for a game of this type. (Go to an area & do stuff relatively un-affected by other areas in the game)

That said, I predict only a couple more "official" DLC addons, then they'll focus on Dragon Age 2, imo.

[AnnoyedBear]

Maybe they'll support it for 4 full DLC's for the next year while they're working on 2.
Complete speculation but who knows what BioWare is thinking.
Again like someone said above they worked on the consoles longer so they probably have those already done.

[Icon]

Official addons/DLC aside... I'm a big fan of them providing the toolkit so anyone can make addons. Not that I'd have a clue as far as where to begin creating things myself, but it should mean endless goodies until the sequel.

[MickMcGeough]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

Man everything I keep hearing about the graphics of the console versions just makes me sad. Previous generation textures?

I run the PC version at 1680x1050 with full everything and vsync turned on, and I will say the textures are some of the most impressive parts of the game, especially for a game that is mainly meant to be played zoomed out for party co-ordination. Right on par with the textures in games like Crysis: Warhead. The phong shading is particularily impressive.

I assume it's because the PS3 only has 256mb of RAM and 256mb of VRAM, which means it cant retain textures on too large of a scale. Sucks for those of you with noobsticks!

The PC textures are 256x256! I don't know about Warhead but 256x256 is low res by today's standards. The characters look great IMO but the settings are brutal. Not that it really takes away from the game, it just looks dated.

Luckily for PC there are unofficial high-res texture packs that apparently make a huge difference. Going to try one out this week.

[silentsim]

Started as a warrior but definetly gonna redo this as a mage or rogue i think.

[3 Justin 3]

Haven't touched this since MW2 came out. Now Assassin's Creed 2 is eating all my time. And this game is supposed to be like 100+ hours. Lordy, too much gaming with too little time.

[LockedOut]

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Haven't touched this since MW2 came out. Now Assassin's Creed 2 is eating all my time. And this game is supposed to be like 100+ hours. Lordy, too much gaming with too little time.

It's pretty slow now till January so you should have some extra time. Next big title is probably Mass Effect 2 at the end of January.