Dragon Age: Origins -- Anyone got it? (no spoilers please!)

[Broomjockey]

Usually I read the info guide that comes with the game, but this time I downloaded it.

There is a read-me file with the download. I dunno how to get to it, atm, though.

Guys don't read manuals.

[Rine]

The first thing I do is read the manual. Well, after I get the installation started. My dad (not a RPG fan) is attempting to play the game and he wants me to go get him the guide for it from the store. I told him it's better to explore on your own but he wants the guide so I'm going to go buy it for him.

I haven't been this impressed by a game in a long time. I'm not sure which one I like better...Oblivion or Dragon Age.

[Chanlin]

What i've liked so far is that while you do have your typical action RPG steamroll battles, aka no strategy required, I've also encountered a few battles where sheer brute force just won't hack it. What I'm talking about here is encounters where I've died, loaded, died, loaded (rinse repeat) developed a strategy based on where I see my failure and then kick the crap out of every last enemy without a single death. Those are the types of encounters I love. And whats better, one of them was a "random" encounter.

[Jack T. Chance]

So, when I picked up the game on Tuesday, I just got the regular editions of the game and the Strategy Guide. Stupid me, I had forgotten to check if there were Collector's Editions coming out. And so, of course there are. A nice hardcover edition of the book with extra goodies like an art section, and a Collector's Edition of the game with all kinds of extra goodies, too. And so, of course, naturally, the CE of the game is COMPLETELY SOLD OUT at stores in my area. I found the hardback CE Strategy Guide at Best Buy, but the game was LONG GONE.

Luckily for me, I haven't removed the plastic wrap on the copies I bought from GameStop. I just ordered the Collector's Editions from Amazon, and will return the regular editions to GameStop tomorrow for a refund! And the best part is, due to Amazon's nicely discounted prices, I'm only paying about $6 more for the Collector's Editions and NO SALES TAX!

[Broomjockey]

Okay, so I'm playing a mage, and I am enjoying it, but I'm still annoyed. There's like... NO equipment being dropped for mages. I think I've found one staff. I've had to buy anything else, and lemme tell you, I'm having issues scrounging up money. I'm doing every quest I come across, and I'm still flat-ass broke and not able to buy even 2% of what I want.

Then again, I'm playing a goody-two-shoes type.

Oh, and from what I can tell, completing quests does NOT give XP, only killing monsters and finding certain codex entries. Since I maxed out persuasion as soon as I could, I don't do a ton of fighting, and this makes me sad.

[LewisLegion]

My CE that I preordered just came last night. I'm sad that I can't touch it or Borderlands until Sunday (waaaaah!).

Slightly off subject, has anyone heard any news about the CE of Mass Effect 2? I'm holding my breath so I can preorder it but I want the CE if they're going to have one...and they're being annoyingly closed-mouthed.

[Broomjockey]

If there was a CE of 1, there will likely be a CE of 2, but I can't remember if ME1 had a CE or not. Usually in a series they'll do them all the same.

[LewisLegion]

I believe there was for the first one, but they have said NOTHING about the second one. I wanna preorder it! I've been waiting three years for this game, I don't want to find out there's going to be a CE released three months after the game itself is released.

I wantz it my precious!

[Broomjockey]

Okay, I'm officially annoyed now. I'm level 9, I've read you're only likely to get up to maybe level 22, and I've found almost no equipment for my mage. I swear, I'm going to make a warrior and just freaking rampage on everyone's ass.

[Rine]

I'm playing a rogue (I'd like to be a bard )...but all the equipment I keep coming across is better suited for warriors. I had wanted to run through the game as a mage, if I had the time/desire, but if there's no equipment...I don't know about that...

[Broomjockey]

if there's no equipment...I don't know about that...

Honestly, I suspect that it's simply the order I'm running through stuff, but you'd think they'd gear the drop system at least a little towards the members of your party. But apparently not, apparently the loot tables are fixed to location. I went for the Arl first, and I'm making my way to the mage tower now. I could buy equipment, but it's frakking expensive.

I do know my second playthrough is going to be as a warrior though, mostly because I got bonus armour for warriors. A rogue might be interesting just because I'm always running across locked stuff. Probably something interesting in there.

[RayvenQ]

For Star Gate and Farscape fans Claudia Black voices one of the NPC party members that joins you. She plays a lippy mage by the name of Morrigan.

Kate Mulgrew voices the mother of Morrigan.

Haven't recognized any other voices yet, but I keep Morrigan in my party just on principle :P

Is it just me or is Claudia's voice perfectly suited to that kind of character?

Also, I was pleased to realise a Dwarf character was voiced by the same person who did the voice for Cyrus in Dawn of War 2, he has an Awesome Michael Wincott'y gravelly chainsmoking voice

I called the "plot twist." Such a hackneyed way to get me out on my own. Ugh.

Personally, I called it blindingly obvious.

Also one thing that majorly annoyed me is (tiny spoiler, unless you've played the start for all 3 of the races)





There's not even remotely a feeling of actual choice in joining the grey wardens, no matter what race you pick

[Rine]

See...I think Oblivion tailored the drops according to what sort of character you were playing, if I recall correctly. I mean, at least for the most part. Sorry that I keep comparing this game to Oblivion...it's really the only PC game I've played that I can compare.

Stuff is *really* expensive. It's almost annoying expensive.

And yeah...the way the game gets your character out on your own is very obvious. I knew it was going to happen as soon as that whatshisname sent the character out to do that special thing. (Trying to be vague to not spoil things. XD)

[Jack T. Chance]

Slightly off subject, has anyone heard any news about the CE of Mass Effect 2? I'm holding my breath so I can preorder it but I want the CE if they're going to have one...and they're being annoyingly closed-mouthed.

*ahem!*

Mass Effect 2 Collector's Edition for PC

Mass Effect 2 Collector's Edition for Xbox 360

Mass Effect 2 Collector's Edition Strategy Guide

Thank the Maker for Amazon.Com!

Honestly, I suspect that it's simply the order I'm running through stuff, but you'd think they'd gear the drop system at least a little towards the members of your party. But apparently not, apparently the loot tables are fixed to location. I went for the Arl first, and I'm making my way to the mage tower now. I could buy equipment, but it's frakking expensive.

I do know my second playthrough is going to be as a warrior though, mostly because I got bonus armour for warriors. A rogue might be interesting just because I'm always running across locked stuff. Probably something interesting in there.

Sir, it is time now for me to pass on to you the accumulated wisdom of my roughly 3 decades as a gamer. Are you prepared to learn a life-changing lesson?

The secret to mastering any game is to fully embrace my video gaming philosophy...

Win if you can, lose if you must, but ALWAYS cheat!

Unfortunately, Microsoft has declared that cheating should be severely limited on Xbox 360 games, so in the case of RPGs like Fallout 3 and Dragon Age: Origins, I'm picking up the PC editions in case I need that option. But then again, when I played Neverwinter Nights, I used the Tool Kit to create a "treasure room" module into which I placed more than a dozen Bags of Holding, and a couple bags of gold, so I could start my characters off with the ability to easily carry all the loot they found, AND so they'd have enough money at the start of the game to buy some good equipment right off the bat!

I'll also be picking up the PC edition of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, because when I was playing the original on the 360, there were definitely times when a god mode would have come in handy... stupid battle tanks, firing their main guns at foot soldiers!

[LewisLegion]

Yes, thank you! My Dad called me yesterday to tell me the CE was officially listed so I reserved my copy at Gamestop. I'm totally stoked I've been dying for ME2 for two years now. I can't wait!