Dragon Age: Origins, Awakening & DA2 : Othor Games

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:52 am

I just finished my first playthrough of Origins last night, and will probably start Awakening today. Can anyone give me an estimate of how long a typical playthrough of Awakening will take? It took me about 40 hours to complete Origins, so I imagine it would be less than half of that for Awakening.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:01 pm

I just finished my first playthrough of Origins last night, and will probably start Awakening today. Can anyone give me an estimate of how long a typical playthrough of Awakening will take? It took me about 40 hours to complete Origins, so I imagine it would be less than half of that for Awakening.

I'm probably three-quarters of the way through Awakening, and that sounds about right. I'm starting to run out of sidequests; maybe 20 hours or so.

This review (SPOILERS throughout) says it's 25 hours: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dragon-age-origins-awakening-review?page=3

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:43 pm

I really hate forced party members when they aren't central to the plot, like Wynne. Oghren kinda made sense because he was guiding you through the Deep Roads. Having Wynne forced into my party really ground my gears, since she can be killed before proceeding, and she adds nothing to the story except some seriously lame dialogue.

I'm still on the fence as far as DA2 is concerned, since Bioware clearly sacrificed everything for the sake of story, and well, I'm not impressed with what I've seen from the demos. Dialogue was lacking until a certain notorious NPC makes an appearance.

I didn't mind Wynne that much. Made more sense for me to use her for healing than take away cc or offensive spells from Morrigan or my mage, when I played a mage. I really didn't like Oghren. [Or Sten. The one choice that I agree with wholeheartedly in DA2 was speeding up the two handed weapon combat.] I left him behind in Orzammar intentionally because I had my party set the way I wanted. Then when finding Branka, I had no choice but to reset my party to include him. The first time it took several tries to get through the Anvil fight against Branka because of him. And the "Branka is special and can use magic and lyrium deposits" thing, too.

I think they sacrificed some of the story for the sake of the story as well. I played Awakening; I've had a few different outcomes for Anders and Justice. But it is a serious jerk of my continuity chain to fit in what supposedly is going on in DA2. The last of my regret over not getting the game is rapidly evaporating with every piece of new information.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:37 pm

I'm probably three-quarters of the way through Awakening, and that sounds about right. I'm starting to run out of sidequests; maybe 20 hours or so.

This review (SPOILERS throughout) says it's 25 hours: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dragon-age-origins-awakening-review?page=3

I finished it in 12 hours. I strongly advise you just do one playthrough for the story, dont bother with a proper do everything one, becuase you need the wiki especially for 2 companions quests, one may not appear if you do a mission you had access to earlier and the other is very annoying, one wrong word and your going to fail.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:02 am

I've pretty much concluded that Orzammar and the Deep Roads are really the best part of Origins. The Forest is all right, but tough on the hardware, Redcliffe is meh, and Circle Tower is pure annoyance.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:05 pm

I finished it in 12 hours. I strongly advise you just do one playthrough for the story, dont bother with a proper do everything one, becuase you need the wiki especially for 2 companions quests, one may not appear if you do a mission you had access to earlier and the other is very annoying, one wrong word and your going to fail.

Let me mention one item that WILL have you pulling your hair out if you're not forewarned. Before entering the Silverite Mine, make a hard save. When you enter and experience a series of cutscenes, watch the second cutscene closely. If the background is DARK, you've just experienced the dreaded Silverite Mine bug, which causes you to lose your equipped items, permanently. Re-load the hard save and unequip all your stuff. It svcks, but you're going to have to run through part of the Mine naked to preserve your stuff.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:02 pm

Let me mention one item that WILL have you pulling your hair out if you're not forewarned. Before entering the Silverite Mine, make a hard save. When you enter and experience a series of cutscenes, watch the second cutscene closely. If the background is DARK, you've just experienced the dreaded Silverite Mine bug, which causes you to lose your equipped items, permanently. Re-load the hard save and unequip all your stuff. It svcks, but you're going to have to run through part of the Mine naked to preserve your stuff.

That is a very handy tip, thank you. I'm surprised this hasn't been addressed in a patch yet, that is if Bioware has even patched Awakening.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:14 pm

My theories. I'm putting spoiler tags on EVERYTHING,

Spoiler

- At the end of Witch-Hunt, you find that Morrigan has indeed found one of those Tevinter Mirrors and has actually discovered its true purpose. It is a gateway to another realm, beyond the Fade. It is reasonable to assume that this is where the Tevinter Magisters travelled to and NOT the "Golden City" and that is how the Darkspawn were brought to Thedas.

- The Chantry is a lie.

At the end of Witch-Hunt you learn that Flemeth is neither human, demon, Fade-Spirit or anything of the world. She is something else as Morrigan puts it. I believe that Flemeth comes from the Mirror Realm and may even be an agent of the "Maker" (or equivalent). In the extended trailer for DA2, Flemeth explains that change is coming etc etc. I believe that Flemeth has been working towards that goal her entire time living in Thedas. She is an agent of change, a "prophet" if you will.

- I believe that Bioware will go ahead and make the Morrigan + Child arc mandatory and this is the "Champion of Ferelden" that we see in the DA2 trailers. This single event was perpetrated by Flemeth so that a champion worthy of the name could be born to lead the world into a new age. In the DA2 trailer you see the champion use a form of Blood Magic to summon dragon arms to rip the Darkspawn in half. I believe he is calling upon his Old God powers.

- At the end of Awakening, assuming you let the Architect live (i don't know the other ending), you learn that much of the Deep Roads have been reclaimed. Providing the events of the Golems of Amgarrak (spelling) ending, I assume that the Harvesters will be the new enemy of the Deep Roads. I also believe that the Architects plan may survive either way judging from the Darkspawn seen in the DA2 trailer. You can see that he is not a "mindless beast" like those in DA:O. Although savage, you can see that he has an aura of intelligence by way of skill and assumed motive. The way he walks up the steps and approaches the King and slays him suggests vengeance to me.

- Flemeth will play an integral part in DA2 and may very well be a major factor in any future DA games. Not unlike major characters in games like The Elder Scrolls.

Interesting. Thoughts?

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:11 pm

[...]

Champion? Ferelden? You mean Hawke? They are the Champion of Kirkwall, not Ferelden. And they are in no way related to Flemeth and her daughter. So who do you mean? ^_^

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:34 pm

One problem. All of that is far too unique and actually interesting to be Bioware's plan.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:00 am

snip

You're not playing as the Warden, or the "Champion of Ferelden," and he has not been in any of the trailers. You're playing as Hawke, "Champion of Kirkwall," who's been the focus of all the advertisemant. And I don't know what trailer you're talking about, but I'm assuming http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlACgYHtWCI&feature=related. Let's clear a few misunderstandings: those horned guys are not Darkspawn, they're Qunari. And the spell Hawke uses to finish the Qunari off is nothing special, just some finisher move for mages which is available in the game.

Also, the God Baby ending is not being made canon (unfortunately). There are three default scenarios if an Origins save is not imported, and only one of them leaves the possibility of that being the ending of choice.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:29 am

what!!! but i want a half dwarf/mage god baby being canon. i really thought that morrigans dark ritual was going to pop up again in the sequel as a plot point

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:16 pm

what!!! but i want a half dwarf/mage god baby being canon. i really thought that morrigans dark ritual was going to pop up again in the sequel as a plot point

Nope. These are the defaults (DAO spoilers):

Spoiler

Hero of Ferelden: Ended Fifth Blight by killing Archdemon and survived. Placed Alistair on the throne.

The Martyr: Young Dalish Elf who died to kill the Archdemon. She left the kingdom ruled by Alistair and Anora.

No Compromise: Dwarven noble took command of Grey Wardens. Exiled Alistair, sent Loghain to his death against Archdemon, and left Anora as Ferelden's ruler.

Here's my theory: the Dark Ritual will mean absolutely nothing, changes absolutely nothing about the future, and will be completely ignored/disregarded/forgotten about by the time DA3 comes. To not affect anyone's personal continuity at all. Even though they've done that already with Oghren in Awakening. And Anders and Justice in DA2.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:29 am

whats the point of transferring saves then, grr. How would you survive killing the archdeamon then? Bummer, oh well, i guess

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 7:57 am

Nope. These are the defaults (DAO spoilers):

Spoiler

Hero of Ferelden: Ended Fifth Blight by killing Archdemon and survived. Placed Alistair on the throne.

The Martyr: Young Dalish Elf who died to kill the Archdemon. She left the kingdom ruled by Alistair and Anora.

No Compromise: Dwarven noble took command of Grey Wardens. Exiled Alistair, sent Loghain to his death against Archdemon, and left Anora as Ferelden's ruler.

Here's my theory: the Dark Ritual will mean absolutely nothing, changes absolutely nothing about the future, and will be completely ignored/disregarded/forgotten about by the time DA3 comes. To not affect anyone's personal continuity at all. Even though they've done that already with Oghren in Awakening. And Anders and Justice in DA2.

If that Happens BW will piss alot of people off.
I doubt it.

Also demo out today, I can finally dismiss completely or get it, allthough at this point it just means getting the ultimate edition, becuase they already screwed me out of one dlc, may aswell wait for the rest.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:23 am

maybe this is all just a bad dream and bioware is [censored] with us. I hope cus i want my demon baby since i went in the mirror with morrigan.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:12 pm

ya i went with morrigen too, grr, idk. They better make the story hella good if since they cropped the parts they don't want in it

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 9:02 am

maybe this is all just a bad dream and bioware is [censored] with us. I hope cus i want my demon baby since i went in the mirror with morrigan.

Demon baby seems most likely, we had a dlc for it after all, all ended the same.
So yeah. I also want to see what powers that kid has.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 6:53 pm

Nope. These are the defaults (DAO spoilers):

Spoiler

Hero of Ferelden: Ended Fifth Blight by killing Archdemon and survived. Placed Alistair on the throne.

The Martyr: Young Dalish Elf who died to kill the Archdemon. She left the kingdom ruled by Alistair and Anora.

No Compromise: Dwarven noble took command of Grey Wardens. Exiled Alistair, sent Loghain to his death against Archdemon, and left Anora as Ferelden's ruler.

Here's my theory: the Dark Ritual will mean absolutely nothing, changes absolutely nothing about the future, and will be completely ignored/disregarded/forgotten about by the time DA3 comes. To not affect anyone's personal continuity at all. Even though they've done that already with Oghren in Awakening. And Anders and Justice in DA2.

Figures. My usual ending doesn't match any of those. I did one Ultimate Sacrifice ending for two playthroughs for two characters. After that though....

Spoiler

No matter which origin I played, I conscripted Loghain, married Alistair and Anora, and allowed Loghain to kill the archdemon. My pc happily went off to build up the Wardens in Amaranthine. And after clearing up those pesky darkspawn out of the Deep Roads and getting the Wardens back into form, my Warden went off with Leliana to research the darkspawn.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:56 pm

Demon baby seems most likely, we had a dlc for it after all, all ended the same.
So yeah. I also want to see what powers that kid has.

No, it's not very likely at all. There are three defaults, two of which slash it entirely. And Witch Hunt in particular even downplays the child's importance. Morrigan will say he is a mere "means to an end," and regardless, she still has an agenda that involves going into the eluvium. And the "big change" everyone's going on about happens regardless of his existence. As far as I can see, all signs point to the kid ultimately being unimportant.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:30 pm

Is it worth me getting DA:O ultimate Edition on PC. I can get it for less than ￡20. I did play Origins on Xbox 360 but it didn't seem made for consoles so the control system on the pad didn't feel right.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:15 am

Is it worth me getting DA:O ultimate Edition on PC. I can get it for less than ￡20. I did play Origins on Xbox 360 but it didn't seem made for consoles so the control system on the pad didn't feel right.

It's a great game and I think there are some high res texture replacers and other mods available for PC, so yes, I highly recommend it.

Personally I liked Awakenings - is that included?

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 8:28 am

It's a great game and I think there are some high res texture replacers and other mods available for PC, so yes, I highly recommend it.

Personally I liked Awakenings - is that included?

Everything is in the ultimate.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 10:11 pm

You're not playing as the Warden, or the "Champion of Ferelden," and he has not been in any of the trailers. You're playing as Hawke, "Champion of Kirkwall," who's been the focus of all the advertisemant. And I don't know what trailer you're talking about, but I'm assuming http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlACgYHtWCI&feature=related. Let's clear a few misunderstandings: those horned guys are not Darkspawn, they're Qunari. And the spell Hawke uses to finish the Qunari off is nothing special, just some finisher move for mages which is available in the game.

Also, the God Baby ending is not being made canon (unfortunately). There are three default scenarios if an Origins save is not imported, and only one of them leaves the possibility of that being the ending of choice.

Thank you for clearing that misunderstanding.

» Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:54 am

The demo is out on xbox live. Im downloading it right now and will share my thoughts after playing through it.

if it ever downloads :brokencomputer: