Topic: Dragon Age: Origins -> Update: DAO Ultimate joins GOG

[MysterD]

DAO: Awakening - Sigrun Trailer.

[MysterD]

New DA:O - Awakening Trailer.
Mhairi Trailer.

[MysterD]

DAO - PC Patch 1.03 Released
64 MB download.

Dragon Age: Origins 1.03

Patch details:

You do not need to download patches prior to Patch 1.03. Downloading Patch 1.03 contains all previous patches. Downloading Patch 1.03 will provide you with all patch data available.

    * Various changes have been made to code and resources to support the Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening expansion pack. Most of these changes do not affect Origins itself.
    * Some players were experiencing increasingly long load times. A major cause of this problem has been fixed.
    * At higher levels, non-player characters now receive a bonus to armor penetration. This mitigates an unintentional imbalance with well-armored high-level characters, since armor penetration previously did not scale as aggressively as armor itself did.
    * Elite-rank enemies (lieutenants) can no longer be shattered. This preserves the intended tactical design of many combat encounters.
    * Portraits for summoned creatures (like a ranger's wolf) were displaying improperly while in the party camp. This no longer occurs.

[iPPi]

So the expansion is coming out next week... but there doesn't seem to be much hype or anticipation for it.  Perhaps it's being dwarfed by FFXIII and God of War III. 

Who's getting this on release day?

[Pugnate]

I will definitely buy it, and I thought Dragon Age was brilliant, but I have so much on my plate right now. I think I am half way through FF13.

I won't be getting this at launch.

[PyroMenace]

So the expansion is coming out next week... but there doesn't seem to be much hype or anticipation for it.  Perhaps it's being dwarfed by FFXIII and God of War III. 

Who's getting this on release day?

Yea, I think that's exactly what it is, but I do plan to get it soon after it's release. I'm totally in love with the world of that game to pass this up.

[Pugnate]

Wow check this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dragon-Age-Origins-Awakening-PC-PRE-ORDER-Non-Asian_W0QQitemZ130372817739QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_PC_Video_Games_Video_Games_JS?hash=item1e5ad3534b

[Pugnate]

I am going to be moving end of the month... yes again... so I couldn't order a retail copy. I decided to go with that one in the link instead. $25 for the expansion seems sweet.

[MysterD]

Looks like DAO - Awakening has a slip inside that hints at the date 2/01/2011 and has a bloody dragon on it.
This could be the set release date for Dragon Age 2...

[iPPi]

Talk about a major delay, but Return to Ostagar has finally been released on PSN.  Over a month late, and right before the expansion is coming out too.

[Pugnate]

I am still too afraid to download that.

[MysterD]

I am still too afraid to download that.

Bleh @ DAO DLC.

They should've included all that 1 hour or less DLC for free for Awakening buyers, since they're charging $40 for this expansion...

[iPPi]

IGN gives Awakening an 8.5.

I've been hearing it's about 20-25 hours in length, so the length is decent for an expansion.  Based on the review it also appears that the story doesn't have too much correlation to the main tale, which is a definite disappointment.  Everything else plays pretty much identically.

[Pugnate]

gamespot review:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/dragonageoriginsawakening/video/6253721/dragon-age-origins--awakening-video-review?nonRedirectElement=1

Is it just me or does Kevin Van0rd sound like a very anal person.

[MysterD]

gamespot review:

http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/dragonageoriginsawakening/video/6253721/dragon-age-origins--awakening-video-review?nonRedirectElement=1

Is it just me or does Kevin Van0rd sound like a very anal person.

I have no problem w/ him complaining that he think it's just not as good as DAO in the storyline and character aspects.
I mean - really, how could this expansion be, coming out some maybe 4 or so months later?
DAO took YEARS and YEARS to make and perfect - and I think it shows, as that is Bioware's best RPG since BG2.

Plus, not every game and expansion deserves a 9.0+.

EDIT:
I'm glad Van Ord is anal about things - just see his Assassin's Creed 2 PC review, for him ripping the Ubi DRM to shreds b/c it got in the way too many times of a game he obviously wholeheartedly loved. His review was a lot better than IGN's crappy AC2 PC review that basically give it a high-as-hell score and said, "You might want to give it a pass, if you don't have a high-speed Internet connection" and basically left it at that.

EDIT 2:
B+ From 1Up.

About Importing from DAO directly into DAO - Awakening.

A slight random aside: while the PC version requires Origins, the console versions can be played as stand-alone titles. Whichever version you play, be warned that most of your items from various Origins DLC won't be imported. Also, since it takes place after Origins, that means that, while you can bring in a character into Origins, you can't take that character from Awakening back into any DLC for Origins. What this means for future DLC is unknown, but as a general warning: whether you play it on console or PC, you need to make sure to finish Origins and all of its DLC to date, before tackling Awakening.

1Up's Conclusion

But all in all, Awakening is a fine expansion. It occasionally asks a bit too much of the player (really? I need to read a spin-off book for the villain to make sense?), and man, does it bum me out when it glitches. Though, this is somewhat reminiscent of a previous BioWare pattern, where Tales of the Sword Coast is a decent (yet not great) expansion to the really-good Baldur's Gate. If Tales begat the utterly amazing Baldur's Gate II, and this pretty good expansion is what we need for a fantastic Dragon Age 2 (plus another great BioWare NPC), then so be it.

[iPPi]

This expansion is too expensive.  I paid $40 for the game and got 63 hours from it.  I'm not paying $45 for an additional 15 hours.

[MysterD]

This expansion is too expensive.  I paid $40 for the game and got 63 hours from it.  I'm not paying $45 for an additional 15 hours.

Abou DAO Awakening - I'll look into it probably when it's $25 or cheaper.

[Pugnate]

So I bought it from that eBay link for the $25 or whatever. So far, it is working really well and I wouldn't pay too much more for it anyway.

One issue is that I don't know how to back up the save after downloading it from EADM. Anyone know how?

[Pugnate]

So I played for an hour. The visuals definitely feel better as does the performance.

Funny thing is that I normally get a weird feeling before I start any expansion of whether I want to play, but there was no doubt in my mind when the game started. I felt like I had returned to a dear friend or something.

It felt a little strange not hearing my character's voice after playing ME2, but I'd take this game over ME2 on most occasions.

There are a lot of new skills and stuff. God it feels good to be playing this again. Hopefully it sells well enough to justify another few expansions... especially after having spent a few weeks with Final Fantasy 13 and Heavy Rain. While those two are very good games, there is just something about a hardcore PC title.

[Xessive]

I just hopped back in DAO. I'm playing the main campaign again (at least until I pick up Awakening), restarted with a new character and I feel like I'm enjoying even more than the first time!

[MysterD]

There are a lot of new skills and stuff. God it feels good to be playing this again. Hopefully it sells well enough to justify another few expansions... especially after having spent a few weeks with Final Fantasy 13 and Heavy Rain. While those two are very good games, there is just something about a hardcore PC title.

We PC gamers just like our platform being catered and utilized to its fullest capabilities. While some games might wind up feeling like ports, even if they still do turn out great and all - it's really satisfying to see a PC version being done justice.

Especially in this overly console-driven modern day era.

[MysterD]

DAO - Awakening PC review
B grade from TenTonHammer.

Dragon Age: Origins was an overall great game experience, and anything that provides more Dragon Age is generally going to be a good thing. Players attached to their characters will be happy at the opportunity to continue their adventures. Dragon Age: Origins-Awakening provides another quality RPG adventure with trademark BioWare production value for those players, though the events may seem a bit anticlimactic compared to the grandeur of the original campaign. Value-minded players may wish to wait for the expansion to come down in price, or be bundled with other content. Fans who can't get enough Dragon Age, though, will be happy to jump at the chance to strap on their armor once again.

[MysterD]

Amazon's Deal of The Day for Monday 3/29/2010...

Dragon Age: Origins
PC = $34.99
PS3 = $39.99.
X360 = $39.99.

Over $25 spent, get FREE saver shipping.

[MysterD]

DAO - Awakening => PC Review
ActionTrip - 8.2 (out of 10).

[MysterD]

Dragon Age: Origins - Darkspawn Chronicles $DLC announced for May 18th, 2010.

Microsoft has revealed through its May schedule that some additional content for Dragon Age: Origins is on the slate – although what it is exactly, was not revealed.

Here’s the description:

    This Add-on, “Darkspawn Chronicles” extends the life of “Dragon Age: Origins,” the dark fantasy epic that has you playing as a Grey Warden, one of the last of a legendary order of guardians.

    With the return of mankind’s ancient foe and the kingdom engulfed in civil war, you have been chosen by fate to unite the shattered lands and slay the archdemon once and for all.

We’ll hit up BioWare for more information.

Until then, know that it will set you back 400 MSP/$5/£ 3.40/€4.65.

[Xessive]

With the return of mankind’s ancient foe and the kingdom engulfed in civil war, you have been chosen by fate to unite the shattered lands and slay the archdemon once and for all.

Isn't that basically the story of Dragon Age: Origins?!

[Pugnate]

hahaha

[MysterD]

Isn't that basically the story of Dragon Age: Origins?!

Umm...basically, yeah.

[MysterD]

Darkspawn Chronicles $DLC - Trailer.

Darkspawn Chronicles $DLC info.

BioWare has kicked up a page for the Darkspawn Chronicles DLC that was revealed yesterday. This $5 standalone adventure will see you playing as a darkspawn; from the official blurb:

    You now fight as the Darkspawn! The city of Denerim, jewel of Ferelden, girds itself for war. As a hurlock vanguard, you alone hold the power to make thralls of your fellow darkspawn and drive them into the heat of battle. Heed the archdemon's call—Denerim must burn!
    * A look at an alternate history: what if your character had died in the Joining ceremony, and the Grey Wardens marched under Alistair's command instead?
    * A standalone adventure in which you command genlocks, hurlocks, shrieks, and even the mighty ogres.
    * Complete the module and unlock an epic Darkspawn item in DA:O and Awakening.

EDIT - June 4, 2010:

Bioware talks about upcoming Patch 1.04 for all platforms.
Here's so far what they got done w/ this patch.
Release date on the patch is still TBD.

•    Game saves on Xbox 360 were being corrupted if you sold too many items to the same merchant.  Saves will no longer be corrupted if you do this.
•    Daggers will now properly assign the dexterity-based damage bonus
•    Updated audio drivers to fix a number of audio related crashes.

[MysterD]

Patch 1.04 is out for DAO and DAO - Awakening.
Around 90 MB.

[MysterD]

DA:O Website -> DA:O - Witch Hunt $DLC announced.
IGN -> DA:O - Witch Hunt $DLC Preview.

[MysterD]

Bitmob -> David Gaider of Bioware reflects on writing characters for games.

I'll emphasize stuff he said on writing DAO characters here, in quotes.

Morrigan

Morrigan was different. Morrigan was hard to write.

It’s funny. I don’t know if you’ve ever read this comic series called Sandman? It has a character named Delirium, who was one of the Endless. When I first started writing Morrigan, I made her like Delirium in the way she talked and related to reality. She never knew what planet she was on.

And again, that wasn’t working. Then I went to more of a hard-edged personality. It was difficult to find that place for the person who’s romancing her -- I wanted the player to feel like he got through the armor that nobody else could. I think I found it, and that felt very gratifying, but she was a hard character to write. A very, very hard character to write.

Alistair

I remember Alistair actually is one in Origins who I really enjoyed writing just because -- most people don’t know this -- we had an entire version of Alistair where he was this grim, veteran warrior. An older and just a very serious type who was distrustful of you, and he wasn’t much fun.

Nobody liked him because he was so untrustworthy. We really wanted to set this up as a romance interest as well as a good buddy for a male player, and it wasn’t working.

He touched on that Carth [a KOTOR character Gaider also wrote -Ed.] vibe a little bit much, but he really hit a bad note with the male players. So, it came down as one of those revisions where we just couldn’t fix him.

Even though it was painful to make the decision to start all over, it really worked out well. I think Alistair and the fact that he’s fun really came across. He was quite a popular character.

Shale

Shale was another character where I had to go back to the drawing board. It did touch on HK-47 a little bit, but to me it’s very much a different character. HK-47 was sort of a heartless killer, and he was funny in his heartlessness in a Bender of Futurama kind of way.

I know I’ll probably get flak for this, but I always pictured Shale as this sassy black woman trapped in a body of rock. That was the image that worked for me while I wrote [laughs]. I really enjoyed Shale as well.

[MysterD]

Witch Hunt $DLC - Reviews
GameSpot -> 5.0 for Witch Hunt $DLC (out of 10) - ouch!
Kevin Van Ord is reviewing here.

You can finish Witch Hunt in around 90 minutes, but that's 90 minutes you should devote to Dragon Age: Origins' other, better DLC. Even Morrigan herself seems bored by the whole thing, displaying little of her signature sneering wit in the precious few moments she appears onscreen.

The main game is, at its core, fun to play, and so you may still squeeze some amusement from the simple battles and appreciate the obscure hint of events to come. But even the most fanatical Dragon Age enthusiasts will come away bewildered by a brief and hollow addition to a universe that surely must have greater mysteries to reveal than this.

IGN -> 6.5 (out of 10) for Witch Hunt $DLC.

Closing Comments
If you're willing to spend money to see Morrigan again for about five minutes and get an unsatisfactory explanation of what's been going on, then you should buy Witch Hunt. If not, then it's tough to really recommend this downloadable content. The tale of how you find Dragon Age's sparsely clothed mage is a decent one filled with personality and humor, and the combat encounters, as brief as they are, can be fun, but Witch Hunt ultimately doesn't provide enough substance to satisfy.

[MysterD]

DA:O - Ultimate Edition - "TRAILER".
Coming October 26th.

[iPPi]

Wow that trailer sucked.

[MysterD]

Wow that trailer sucked.

Music does NOT fit the trailer at all....

[Pugnate]

The Dragon Age 2 trailers have also been quite shit.

edit:

I can't believe he said that about Shale, because it feels true.

[Xessive]

Music does NOT fit the trailer at all....

Haha wasn't that the problem with the first DAO trailer?

The lyrics work for the game just not the music.

[MysterD]

Dragon Age: Origins - Ultimate Edition = $24.97 to download from Impulse.

[idolminds]

I actually just got Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition for $15 at Target, PS3 version.