Dragon Age: Origins

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Eluvei said:
Is anyone getting the new DLC, Return to Ostagar, that comes out this holiday season? I'm still unsure myself, since I'll already spend a fortune on Mass Effect 2 very soon. I'll most likely wait for my second playthrough to buy it.

I'll be getting it.
 

Scorpio

Courtesy of Grail's doodling.
Aazealh said:
Did you wear her ring? I did. :slan:

Of course!
But I started to think I should have given it to Alistair or someone for safe-keeping since Morrigan apparently doesn't want to be found. Still, the night I could feel her thinking of me was touching.

As for the upcoming DLC, I will definitely be getting it. Generally speaking, I prefer real expansions, but I suppose I can live with bite-sized chunks.
 

Grail

Feel the funk blast
So... I'm closing in on the final fight of the game (
I'm currently working on taking out those Darkspawn generals scattered around Denerim
). It's been a fun ride so far, and I'm looking forward to playing through another origin story, though I wonder if any of them will be able to top the Dwarf Commoner.

Anyway, on with the screenshots!

OgreStab.jpg

Gotta get the obligatory Ogre shot out of the way. Next to Abominations, Ogres easily had one of the coolest designs in the game. I'd be curious to know what other people's favorites were.

And of course, the equally obligatory I'm-getting-my-tush-handed-to-me-by-a-dragon shots:
hangonSten.jpg


COWABUNGA!

Whee.jpg


Whee2.jpg


Static.jpg

But of course, we all knew I was going to win in the end. :badbone:

TooSexyForMyHelmet.jpg

Aaand I got a snappy new helmet out of the deal!

Also, I could not help myself but continue to be amazed by the fire effects in this game:
ActionPose.jpg


Wowee.jpg


Last but not least, a shot of me and my pal Ser Otto!

IDKmyBFFOtto.jpg

For the longest time I wondered why my character looked so familiar, until the other day when I suddenly realized that she looked like Tori Amos got stuck in a panini maker. :schierke:
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Scorpio said:
But I started to think I should have given it to Alistair or someone for safe-keeping since Morrigan apparently doesn't want to be found.

Bullshit, she said "no" but her eyes said "yes". :carcus:

Grail said:
Gotta get the obligatory Ogre shot out of the way. Next to Abominations, Ogres easily had one of the coolest designs in the game. I'd be curious to know what other people's favorites were.

I liked the blood mage abominations and the Pride Demons. Hurlock Alphas were nice as well, for common enemies. I wasn't an especially big fan of the Broodmother though, seemed too common to me, not researched enough. The ghosts had a nice effect when you killed them but were underwhelming themselves. Ah and revenants of course, those were the coolest!
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Apparently Orson Scott Card (of Ender's Game and related books), has penned a Dragon Age comic, set to debut in March:

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177438
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Dragon Age is on sale for $37 on Steam today only.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/17450/

The digital deluxe edition is also on sale for $47.
 
Just got this baby for Christmahanaquanzika, and I think I've found a new love. Had so many reservations because trying to play and finish Neverwinter Nights 2 before getting this (and failing) was leaving a bad taste in my mouth, but thankfully it has none of its issues. Just killed my first Ogre. That was fun, almost didn't make it. The nameless tower guard was dead. The nameless mage was almost gone and the beast's attention was on him. Al had been knocked back and wouldn't be able to intervene on time, so it was up to one Elf fresh out of the Alienage. One kick below the belt to slow it down, a little dirty fighting to daze it, a lucky slice of a major artery...

slainogre.jpg


...And it was over!

lastsight.jpg


So it's official: Cyrus is takin' over Fereldan now!
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Cyrus Jong said:
Had so many reservations because trying to play and finish Neverwinter Nights 2 before getting this (and failing) was leaving a bad taste in my mouth, but thankfully it has none of its issues.

It will probably explain a few things to know that NWN2 was developed by Obsidian Entertainment and not Bioware. :slan:

Cyrus Jong said:
So it's official: Cyrus is takin' over Fereldan now!

Look at those eyes... He's a fucking psychopath! :magni:
 

Saephon

Die young and save yourself
http://kotaku.com/5436346/dragon-age-returns-to-ostagar-next-week

Return to Ostagar comes out January 5th for PC and 360, and later for PS3. (And really, why wouldn't you have it on PC? :iva:) It'll be 400 Microsoft points, 400 BioWare points, or $4.99, depending on the platform.

I'm torn; I've always been interested in heading back there to explore some more, but I fear you can't do much with Ostagar. It's a pretty place to be sure, but we've already seen most of it, and what else could be there but Darkspawn? I'm hoping it takes longer to complete than Soldier's Peak, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure I'll buy it though.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the update!

And yeah I agree, I haven't been excited about Return to Ostagar at all, but I will buy it. In a game with so much potential for expansions as Dragon Age, set in this massive world, I just hope BioWare reaches for the stars with future expansions, and doesn't just literally retread worn territory like with this DLC.

Like I've been telling Aaz for a while, though it's unlikely, I'd really like to play a Darkspawn mini campaign. Even if it would be a little mindless, I think it would be interesting to play on the opposing team, even if it amounts to a novelty (and really, what's NOT a novelty about Ostagar...?)

(endgame spoilers:)
Still, I look forward to visiting Cailan's corpse with Loghain in my party.
:void:
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Saephon said:
Return to Ostagar comes out January 5th for PC and 360, and later for PS3. (And really, why wouldn't you have it on PC? :iva:) It'll be 400 Microsoft points, 400 BioWare points, or $4.99, depending on the platform.

Thanks for the news. It just so happens that I'll be home on the 5th... Call it fate. :guts:

Saephon said:
I'm torn; I've always been interested in heading back there to explore some more, but I fear you can't do much with Ostagar. It's a pretty place to be sure, but we've already seen most of it, and what else could be there but Darkspawn? I'm hoping it takes longer to complete than Soldier's Peak, but I'm not holding my breath. I'm sure I'll buy it though.

Oh there'll no doubt be sinister places deeper in the woods and then secret caves and so on. I'm not too worried, but also not expecting anything spectacular. I'll be satisfied with something on the level of Soldier's Peak or The Stone Prisoner.

Walter said:
I haven't been excited about Return to Ostagar at all, but I will buy it. In a game with so much potential for expansions as Dragon Age, set in this massive world, I just hope BioWare reaches for the stars with future expansions, and doesn't just literally retread worn territory like with this DLC.

Like I've been telling Aaz for a while, though it's unlikely, I'd really like to play a Darkspawn mini campaign. Even if it would be a little mindless, I think it would be interesting to play on the opposing team, even if it amounts to a novelty (and really, what's NOT a novelty about Ostagar...?)

I think we'll get some serious expansion-level stuff down the line. Many not a Darkspawn campaign (though I'd like that), but the fact they built in an "Other campaigns" option in the game's main menu right from the start speaks for itself.

Walter said:
Still, I look forward to visiting Cailan's corpse with Loghain in my party.
:void:

"I'd warned him to lay his hands off my daughter!! :mozgus:"
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Aazealh said:
I'll be satisfied with something on the level of Soldier's Peak or The Stone Prisoner.
Yeah, I have to admit, though I was skeptical at first, the DLC missions so far have been very worthwhile. I really liked Soldier's Peak and absolutely loved Stone Prisoner. I consider the perks you get from doing those missions totally essential to the whole game's experience.

That being said, I shouldn't have any doubts about Return to Ostagar delivering but .. I can't shake this feeling of "meh" about it.

-----
Update: Return to Ostagar trailer: http://kotaku.com/5436752/return-to-ostagar-with-this-trailer
 
Damn, it looks awesome! I was thinking of buying it later for another playthrough, but that trailer convinced me to get it immediately.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Walter said:
Update: Return to Ostagar trailer: http://kotaku.com/5436752/return-to-ostagar-with-this-trailer

Doesn't reveal much, but it gets the point across: TIME FOR REVENGE! :guts:
 
Meh, I'll probably skip Return to Ostagar. Nothing about it sounds too impressive, and so far, it doesn't sound like it'll be worth the money. I'm skipping Warden's Keep for similar reasons. Seven dollars seems fairly steep for what sounds like a relatively small quest and a couple new abilities (oh, and some storage, but there appears to already be a mod for that).
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
A full expansion could be hitting store shelves (hopefully digital ones too...) in March, according to a New Zealand retailer: http://kotaku.com/5437942/dragon-age-retail-expansion-coming-in-march

The expansion is supposedly titled Dragon Age: Awakening, and "is said to take place after the events of the original game, with a new character, a new origin story, and upwards of 15 hours of gameplay."

It's still a rumor at this point, so hold your breath until BioWare announces something official. But either way, I'm excited! I wonder about the title too... about what it could be referring to. Maybe ... *SPOILER FOR ENDGAME*
a certain powerful evil demon awakening inside its new body...
.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Walter said:
A full expansion could be hitting store shelves (hopefully digital ones too...) in March, according to a New Zealand retailer: http://kotaku.com/5437942/dragon-age-retail-expansion-coming-in-march

The expansion is supposedly titled Dragon Age: Awakening, and "is said to take place after the events of the original game, with a new character, a new origin story, and upwards of 15 hours of gameplay."

Interesting, but I didn't expect anything so soon to be honest. Maybe they just don't want to leave us with any free time once we'll be done with Mass Effect 2? :guts:
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Aazealh said:
Interesting, but I didn't expect anything so soon to be honest. Maybe they just don't want to leave us with any free time once we'll be done with Mass Effect 2? :guts:
Seriously ... Although I have to admit, the thought of ME2 expansions really cuts into my excitement over DA:O expansions. :carcus: I suppose that's part of the risk BioWare knew they'd run into by launching these two titles so close together.
 

Scorpio

Courtesy of Grail's doodling.
Walter said:
Maybe ... *SPOILER FOR ENDGAME*
a certain powerful evil demon awakening inside its new body...
.

Wouldn't that mean that only one version of the ending was cannon? It just seems like after they went through all that effort to have every character origin intermingle perfectly in the first game that it's odd for them to ruin that now. Also, if that ending is the basis for the new game I would rather play it as my surviving character.

Regardless of what they do with it, I'm incredibly excited for the next part of the story and happy to hear that its coming so soon. The only problem is finding the time to play all these games, especially with these damn steam deals going on. I'm pretty much set for the entire coming year, not even taking 2010 releases into account.
 
Beat the game as an elf warrior. I opted for
morrigan leaving so the wardens survive.
I started a human mage, planning on an arcane warrior specialization, as well as being a jerk to everyone I encounter.
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
Return to Ostagar has been delayed. No set release date as of right now. (http://kotaku.com/5440229/dragon-age-origins-wont-return-to-ostagar-on-time)

"We're sorry but the planned Return to Ostagar downloadable content scheduled to launch on January 5th has been delayed for all platforms," Priestly writes. "We will update you as new information becomes available."
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Walter said:
Return to Ostagar has been delayed. No set release date as of right now. (http://kotaku.com/5440229/dragon-age-origins-wont-return-to-ostagar-on-time)

"We're sorry but the planned Return to Ostagar downloadable content scheduled to launch on January 5th has been delayed for all platforms," Priestly writes. "We will update you as new information becomes available."

With all the games I've got queued I can't say I mind this delay. Hopefully they even push it back after ME2 and integrate it into a bigger package.


EDIT: Well, guess what?

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/105/1058169p1.html said:
US, January 5, 2010 - Today, BioWare and Electronic Arts put rumors to rest and announced Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening, the first official expansion pack which is slated to be released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 16, 2010. The expansion will require Dragon Age: Origins and will cost $39.99.

Set after the events of Dragon Age: Origins in the land of Amaranthine, players will take on the role of a Grey Warden trying to rebuild the order of legendary warriors. Along with this monumental task, players will have to discover new secrets of the Darkspawn menace as well as face off against deadly new threats such as the Inferno Golem, Spectral Dragon and a mysterious foe that calls itself the "Architect." Fortunately, Awakening raises the level cap of the game, and provides new abilities, spells, specializations and items for players to acquire.

Players will also have the option to import and revise their characters from Dragon Age: Origins, expanding on the customization of their heroes. Players can also choose to create a brand new Grey Warden from the land of Orlais. Five new party members will also be available for players to recruit and add to their band of adventurers.

According to BioWare co-founder Dr. Ray Muzyka, "Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening shows BioWare's commitment to our fans by delivering new story-driven experiences which enrich the dark heroic fantasy universe our fans have come to know and love. The vibrant worldwide community of Dragon Age fans will relish uncovering the secret motivations of the darkspawn, revealing how the darkspawn continue to infest the world despite the defeat of the Archdemon."

If they release expansions like this one regularly they're going to make obscene amounts of money. Anyway, my first reaction is still "whoa, already?" Having said that, it better pack some serious content to justify that price. $40 is rather close to the price of the game itself... Depending on what it offers I might just wait for a price drop.
 
Aazealh said:
$40 is rather close to the price of the game itself... Depending on what it offers I might just wait for a price drop.

I'll probably wait even if it's big. Mass Effect 2 is most likely gonna last me far beyond March anyway. But I'm glad they'll keep releasing stuff, and as you said before, that's why that option "Other campaigns" exists.

Trailer here, with ending spoilers of the original campaign: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/expansion-debut-dragon-age/60438
 
I saw
Alistair
in the trailer. I didn't choose this option but what if you had him
executed?
I just chose to
exile
him. Does the trailer go on the premises that
he becomes king
or just that
he joins you again?
 
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