Dragon Age : Origins (all platforms) Review.

[PZ]

Sounds like great advice - thanks guys.  Even though it is something that should be obvious, I often forget to do so, and have regretted it on occasions when I had to repeat part of a game from an old save.

:-X

[Fiach]

While you can save where you want to on 360, it does auto save in significant situations, unlike most consoles that only offer a checkpoint/autosave situation.

People actually bitched about Rage, that you could save anywhere....but it didnt autosave....christ, the games only redeeming feature and people bitched about it  :D

[Art Blade]

 ??? :D

[PZ]

Thats called Wardens Keep...

Is it possible that it is called Soldier's Peak?  I just took a mission from a demon that looks like a woman in armor - she wants me to attack a tower.

I'm also playing with the tactics menu - changing what the characters do once battle starts - looks quite interesting in the sheer number of things you can have these characters do once being attacked.

well, it's back into the game...  :-()

[PZ]

The RPG is quite a departure from the FPS that I typically play - the story is almost like reading a book, or watching an epic series like Lord of the Rings.  The ability to choose the tactics of the team members, their weapons, armor, and special characteristics make for a marvelously varied experience.  I am enjoying this game more, but in a different way than the Fallout series, which is somewhat of hybrid between FPS and RPG.

[Fiach]

Yes mate Soldiers Peak is the name on the map, but the building iirc is called Wardens Keep.

That demon is an ancestor of the guy who brought you there. There is a guy in the next section, you can kill him or let him go according to your personality what he drops is only useful for a certain type of mage. There is a liquid you can drink, but its only useful for mages that want to use Blood Magic.

After you finish, if you leave the area and return, you will be able to do a couple of things.

If you found the meteor, a guy there will make you a sword, be careful when you tell him what kind of sword, it can be two handed or one handed, so if you are using a shield, then you need the one handed, its called Starfang, one of the best swords in the game.

You can store stuff in a chest there too.

BTW, in your party camp, you can buy the rest of the Blood Dragon Plate set for a couple of gold each, I dont tend to use it, I would probably use Helm of Hornleath (+2 to each stat), Blood Dragon Plate (free with DLC) and one of the Warden Commander armour that regenerates (I think) stamina in battle.

Also in the party camp is a kid called Sandal, he will use runes to enchant your weapons for you, dont bother using runes unless they are Master or Grandmaster ones though.

If you go to Denerim, go into Genetivis house (the name will highlight on the door) and insist on searching it, you can then go to Lost Haven, enter the dungeon there, when you get through it you can fight a dragon that has some pretty good loot, but you dont have to kill it if you dont want to.

There is a pretty awesome sword in here that can be used by mages called Spellweaver, if you havent got it before you get to the mountain top, go back inside as you have missed a cave. Its especially useful for Arcane Warriors, so its good to know where it is, for subsequent playthroughs. The Arcane Warrior class is a secret class that you unlock in the Nature of the beast part of the main Quest. Its arguably the most powerful class in the game.

Here you will meet a guy that will ask you to pollute the ashes, if you do, some team members will attack you, but if you do pollute them, you will open up a secret class called Reaver, so save, pollute the ashes, fight your mates, get the reaver class opened, then reload the save and dont pollute the ashes, the class will still be open for you. You will need a pinch of the ashes to heal someone as part of the main storyline, so you will have to go to Lost Haven anyway. At the end agree with genetivi to open the place to the public :

Spoiler

If you killed the dragon its OK, but if you didnt, the dragon will leave the area in disgust at all the tourists!

You will meet drakes (kid dragons) they can be looted for drake scales, these are for a specific quest, that needs to be done in a specific way, it will get you two sets of leather armour and with the large Dragon Scale, you will get dragon plate armour, but its quite specific on how to do that quest, otherwise you will get crap armour and the shop will close down.

Glad you are enjoying it, I think you will enjoy a second playthrough more as you will be used to the combat and classes. :)

[PZ]

I did not kill the guy at the top of the tower, and when I went back down, Sophia? was very upset and began attacking me for cheating her (she had fixed the veil before I went up the tower).  Her armor was quite good, so I now have it.  :-()

[Fiach]

I always just kill her, I think some of your team get annoyed if you do a deal with her. Yeah its very good armour :)

[PZ]

Getting her to repair the veil seemed to be the thing to do because she said that it prevented other demons from entering this world.  I don't know if she was lying, but I took the chance anyway, and didn't have too bad a time getting back out with all my friends and our skins intact.  :-()

[Fiach]

I always kill Sophia first for her armour, then equip Alister with it to fight the demons with Avernus, I'm guessing it plays out pretty much the same either way :)

What I do with Avernus is go across the battlements to another room and there are maybe three or four spawns of demons, then he asks if you want to fight him or not, then you are done with the area.

Its a pretty good quest as there is alot of Grey Warden lore to add more substance to the story. :)

[PZ]

Yeah, it is a good one - can't wait to get back in  ;)

[PZ]

Well, I'm stuck - I'm in Ostagar, and am looking for the last piece of King Cailin's armor, and have come across a door that is barricaded from the other side - can't figure a way in.  :D

[Fiach]

I never got that DLC mate, as I dont play warriors, so didnt need the armour. I have heard that from a lore persoective its very good as it gives a better insight, into why he was there.

Sorry I cant help though :(

[Art Blade]

Before Fiach posted I had checked google with "Dragon Age origins armor blocked door" and when I read "DLC" I wasn't sure if I was on the right way. From what I read you either "chop through" (doubt it) or, more likely, need to travel a long way through upper and lower parts to find a second entrance.

[Fiach]

Well tbh, DAO isn't a puzzlefest, if you cannot reach something directly, it means that you need to find another route. Anything that can be interacted with would highlight itself.

There are a couple of puzzles in the game, eg. one a series of (easy) riddles and another where you have to place your team on different sets of blocks to make a bridge, but one every occasion, you are forwarned that there is a puzzle and with regard to the bridge, a hint on how to complete it.

I think Art hit the nail on the head, you probably need to try a different route :)

[Art Blade]

As long as they don't let me and my explosives in to help you sort that door problem, I think Fiach might be right.  :-()

[PZ]

As long as they don't let me and my explosives in to help you sort that door problem...

:-X

I did find a series of tunnels below, but other than a series of epic battles, did not lead me to anything useful, and the map did not show the usual arrow icon indicating a transport spot.  Probably need to check that area again.  It is kind of nice though, that once you clear an area and return, the "mercs" haven't spawned again... and again...  :-()

[Art Blade]

 :-() +  :)

[PZ]

I discovered the solution.  When working your way through the hidden passageways, there is an exit at the far end that apparently just returns you to the surface.  The first time I went out this exit, I just turned back and went back into the tunnels.  However, this time, I went further out into the surface ruins, and triggered a fight with another ogre - really tough to defeat.  Then the last foe looked like he was one of the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz - he had the last piece of Cailin's armor.

[Fiach]

Gratz mate :)

[PZ]

Thanks Fiach - you wouldn't by chance nave experience with the Circle of Mages quest?  ????

I'm able to morph into a stealthy mouse, and have conquered a Desire Demon, but now can't find my way off the island - does not seem to be any method except a closed portal door

[Fiach]

Yeah mate, thats an incredibly important quest, I mentioned it earlier. You cannot leave until that quest is finished and its a LONG quest, its best to do it all in one sitting as it can get quite confusing.

You will get many different forms, Mouse, Golem, Fire creature and Arch Mage. Each form will allow you to access different areas. Each area is barred by different access points.

Mouseholes, Fire, Glass looking doors (Arch Mage) and Massive Doors (Golem).

Each area is accessed via a pedestal, when you activate the pedestal, you will see a pattern with different points, you can do the points in any order, but each has its own boss, that needs to be defeated. After you defeat all the bosses, you leave and go to another area, to reclaim all your party members.

Then you get back to the mage Circle and w%&k your way back to the ground floor.

Buy a bag from the Quartermaster either at the start or the end, you can revisit the QM at any time either way, if you have already left.

The IMPORTANT thing is, you need to be focused. Every area that you access will have hidden (not very well hidden) rooms, These rooms will give you free permenant STAT Points, So always keep an eye out for mouseholes/Glass Doors etc as with dilligence you will get a ton of freebie stats.

The area will seem confusing at the start, but basically you need to find a NPC that will transfer his power to you, then fight the areas boss. Golem is pretty awesome, so you will be best to use that mostly in combat after you aquire it. But each power has a single attack and an area attack, they are all powerful, so combat should be fine, just do your best to get the free points.

So just choose a grid point, enter it, find the NPC for the power, search for free stat points, kill the boss (very easy) and move on.

In the last area, near the end, there are also free stat points so keep your eyes open for doors etc.

I know its kinda vague, but there is no simple way to do it, just drop into each area and be thorough checking every room, kill the bosses and move on. If you dont feel ready, you will have to load an earlier save. I do it fairly early as you can see from elissas diary when she is summoned to the Circle of Magi.

http://openworldgames.org/owg/forums/index.php?topic=2486.0

Good Luck :)

[PZ]

Ah yes, the diary - no I recall.  It makes so much sense now that I've experienced some of those quests  :-X

I wonder if I'm stuck on an island with no way out.  There is a tall glowing pedestal (with no activate icon), and the Desire Demon is dead along with her two minions.  I can't seem to find any escape, but because I'm a mouse, I'll look for a mouse hole.  ^-^

[PZ]

Fiach, do you have an idea how I might get through the doors that are locked, with a message that it will take mighty force to get through?  Also, how to get through the fire barricades?  I've gone through all of the mouse holes, but there are not enough to get into some of those secret areas.

One really cool thing is that I met a Templar spirit, and he gave me the ability to change into a spirit - that sure did help on the mage island.  ;)

[Art Blade]

Doesn't sound like FC2 at all, does it.




:-()