Anyone Here Play Dragon Age?

[misskitten]

I only started playing a few days ago and I'm really liking it. I'm currently playing Dragon Age: Origins and I have no idea what position it has in the series, so anyone who feels like enlightening me, please do, lol. I'd also be interested to hear how the different games in the series relate to one another, which are considered better and so on.

I'm getting a grasp on how to best handle combat as a mage. In the beginning I kept getting killed very easily, but now that I'm getting to know both my own character's abilities as well as the abilities of the people (and dog) in my party, I feel like I can take better advantage of the skills I have on hand.

So far the most interesting bit of the game has been being trapped in the Fade after the sloth demon captured me and my party in the tower. I was so frustrated trying to figure out how to complete the various island, and I was especially frustrated with this one island where I seemed to be going in a circle, all the mouseholes and portals kept sending me back to rooms I had already visited (finally I found the one mousehole that didn't and I could finally move on, lol). Shame I didn't get to keep the shapeshifter powers after exiting the fade, I would've loved to have kept that Golem shape - so much easier to defeat enemies with...

 

[feraldonkey]

I love Dragon Age lol you're probably going to hate the second one though, only good thing about it is the combat. The first one just has the best characters in it that I missed seeing in the second one.

 

[donpedrox]

DA: O I believe like its name implies is the first in the series, I however never got too far into the game to tell you how much I enjoyed it or not. I did also play a bit of DA2 but again same story I never got too into it but I can tell you it is a bit different from DA: O.....they went and streamlined everything that is included characters and story.

 

[Emma]

I only started playing a few days ago and I'm really liking it. I'm currently playing Dragon Age: Origins and I have no idea what position it has in the series, so anyone who feels like enlightening me, please do, lol. I'd also be interested to hear how the different games in the series relate to one another, which are considered better and so on.

It is the first game in the series, but there are two book prequels available. Dragon Age II is the second main game, and it has a sequel book that was released a few months ago. The first book covers the occupation of Ferelden by Orlais and the rebellion against them. The second book deals with the origin of Duncan and one of his early adventures. The first game covers the Blight, the invasion by the Darkspawn. The second game, Dragon Age II, covers the increasing tension between the mages and Templar order. The third book covers the escalation of the tensions into a full scale rebellion of the Mages against both the Chantry and the Templars, who leave the Chantry at the same time. The upcoming third game is supposed to cover this conflict.
The second game has some mixed feelings from the fans because it's not happy. It does not have a happy ending. But it's not meant to. It's the middle game of a trilogy. It's supposed to be sort of a cliffhanger ending. Like Empire Strikes Back.

I'm getting a grasp on how to best handle combat as a mage. In the beginning I kept getting killed very easily, but now that I'm getting to know both my own character's abilities as well as the abilities of the people (and dog) in my party, I feel like I can take better advantage of the skills I have on hand.

Mage is the hard one to get used to. It's easy to die with it, but mages have the most damage-dealing potential.

So far the most interesting bit of the game has been being trapped in the Fade after the sloth demon captured me and my party in the tower. I was so frustrated trying to figure out how to complete the various island, and I was especially frustrated with this one island where I seemed to be going in a circle, all the mouseholes and portals kept sending me back to rooms I had already visited (finally I found the one mousehole that didn't and I could finally move on, lol). Shame I didn't get to keep the shapeshifter powers after exiting the fade, I would've loved to have kept that Golem shape - so much easier to defeat enemies with...

I love that part. It had a sense of epicness, desperation, and hopelessness. Far less happy than most games. Do you have all the DLC? One of them has a golem party member.

 

[misskitten]

It is the first game in the series, but there are two book prequels available. Dragon Age II is the second main game, and it has a sequel book that was released a few months ago. The first book covers the occupation of Ferelden by Orlais and the rebellion against them. The second book deals with the origin of Duncan and one of his early adventures. The first game covers the Blight, the invasion by the Darkspawn. The second game, Dragon Age II, covers the increasing tension between the mages and Templar order. The third book covers the escalation of the tensions into a full scale rebellion of the Mages against both the Chantry and the Templars, who leave the Chantry at the same time. The upcoming third game is supposed to cover this conflict.
The second game has some mixed feelings from the fans because it's not happy. It does not have a happy ending. But it's not meant to. It's the middle game of a trilogy. It's supposed to be sort of a cliffhanger ending. Like Empire Strikes Back.

Thank you so much for the info and brief backstory. Maybe I should get ahold of the books at some point and read up on the story. It was interesting to venture into the game without any knowledge whatsoever about the world of Fereldin. So, I assume this means there's at least gonna be a third Dragon Age game, then, since the second one has that big cliffhanger.

Mage is the hard one to get used to. It's easy to die with it, but mages have the most damage-dealing potential.

Mage is so far the only one I've tried out in Dragon Age. It's gonna be interesting to try out the other options at some later point. The only time I really play as any of the other characters in my party is if mine is knocked out, or I need to unlock a chest (one of the members of my party is a skilled thief, so there's no way I'm gonna switch her for some other character, lol, I find her really useful). Well sometimes I have switched over to the dog because he has this paralyzing howl that is quite useful as well, lol...

I love that part. It had a sense of epicness, desperation, and hopelessness. Far less happy than most games. Do you have all the DLC? One of them has a golem party member.

I didn't really like the Fade that first time, but that was because my character had no fighting skills whatsoever and I managed to piss off the sloth demon who then killed me, lol. The second time I entered the fade I was slightly frustrated at first until I figured out where some of the secret doors were and I got past just being a mouse. Once I got the burning guy form and then especially when I got the Golem form, then I was kinda loving it.

I'm not an X-box live member, so no DLC for me. But maybe I'll change that when I try out Dragon Age 2, cause I know one of the DLC's there is a character based on Felicia Day and I think she's just awesome

 

[Emma]

Thank you so much for the info and brief backstory. Maybe I should get ahold of the books at some point and read up on the story. It was interesting to venture into the game without any knowledge whatsoever about the world of Fereldin. So, I assume this means there's at least gonna be a third Dragon Age game, then, since the second one has that big cliffhanger.

The rumors about the third game is that it'll have a much bigger setting than the first two games and that it'd have much bigger conflicts. It's all rumor, but the one thing it is certain is that it is going to be about the conflict between the Mages and Templars.

Mage is so far the only one I've tried out in Dragon Age. It's gonna be interesting to try out the other options at some later point. The only time I really play as any of the other characters in my party is if mine is knocked out, or I need to unlock a chest (one of the members of my party is a skilled thief, so there's no way I'm gonna switch her for some other character, lol, I find her really useful). Well sometimes I have switched over to the dog because he has this paralyzing howl that is quite useful as well, lol...

Choice of party depends on two things, the skills you do and don't have, and the type of morality you want your character to have. Some companions just don't get along that well with a good character, and the others can't deal with a bad character. If you do a really bad thing with "good" companions following you, they'll actually attack you if they're in the party and you'll be forced to kill them, they'll leave you if they're left at the camp. Won't spoil exactly what that action is though if you don't know.

I'm not an X-box live member, so no DLC for me. But maybe I'll change that when I try out Dragon Age 2, cause I know one of the DLC's there is a character based on Felicia Day and I think she's just awesome

You do not need Live Gold to get the DLC, only Live Silver, and that's free. The DLC you'll have to pay for of course. But it's all well worth it. It has some great DLC. Dragon Age II, if I recall correctly has that annoying online pass requirement. You need to have that for any of the other DLC to work. Just an annoying way to leach money from you. You actually will save a great deal of money by just buying it new, it'll come with the code for it then. Annoying, but nothing we can do to stop it really.

I am a giant with a wardog. I am either making a delivery or besieging your fort. Hope for the former...

Had to share that one. Just too great. :xd:

 

[misskitten]

You do not need Live Gold to get the DLC, only Live Silver, and that's free. The DLC you'll have to pay for of course. But it's all well worth it. It has some great DLC. Dragon Age II, if I recall correctly has that annoying online pass requirement. You need to have that for any of the other DLC to work. Just an annoying way to leach money from you. You actually will save a great deal of money by just buying it new, it'll come with the code for it then. Annoying, but nothing we can do to stop it really.

Oh thanks, I was under the impression that you had to have a paid membership to get x-box live, and since I have no interest in playing my games online, I saw little point in paying to get it either (but I was a bit annoyed about not being able to access DLCs, but now that I know I can without paying for a membership - just the content itself, that's great

 

[Viral Maze]

Tbh, I thought the DA novels were utter garbage, but that's just me. You can still get a 'full' experience by skipping them (or wiki'ing them!)

DA:O is def one of my fav RPGs ever. Top 10, easily. I definitely recommend getting the DLCs and expansion. Its such a well done game in terms of story and gameplay.

As for DA2, it was meh. They streamlined the heck out of the game. Combat has a very actiony feel to it, rather than tactical (like Origins), which isn't bad, just different from the Origins formula. Story and impact is subpar. Forget everything you learned in Origins about the Darkspawn, they pretty much take a back seat here as the storyline takes a left turn and presents the story of Hawke, some ******* I couldnt care about, even though he was 'me'. The other characters are the only redeeming aspect of DA2 (except Merril, she's way too stereotypical).

If you like Origins, play DA2, but it is different, so be prepared for that.

 

[Emma]

Tbh, I thought the DA novels were utter garbage, but that's just me. You can still get a 'full' experience by skipping them (or wiki'ing them!).

I really liked them. I only had one problem with them at all. The first one was actually the best one, up until the end. Spoiling as little as possible, the ending of the first book is extremely abrupt and the climax isn't covered, you're merely told that they're going to do it, it happens between scenes, and you're told a summary in an epilogue. That was very poorly done. But the rest of the book up to that point was brilliant.

As for DA2, it was meh. They streamlined the heck out of the game. Combat has a very actiony feel to it, rather than tactical (like Origins), which isn't bad, just different from the Origins formula. Story and impact is subpar. Forget everything you learned in Origins about the Darkspawn, they pretty much take a back seat here as the storyline takes a left turn and presents the story of Hawke, some ******* I couldnt care about, even though he was 'me'. The other characters are the only redeeming aspect of DA2 (except Merril, she's way too stereotypical).

DA2 was a mixed bag. I loved the voices for Hawke, both male and female. They were exceptionally well-voiced.
The story... is kind of hard to get into. Your choices really don't affect the overall outcome too much. They didn't do the darkspawn again because their established lore prevented them from being used again so soon to such a scale. The skills system is better as are the items. I'm not sure I'd call the combat better. It's just... different. Not exactly better or worse. There are three main plots in the game, and there are three main acts in which they take place, each one separated by several years. The overall plot is the mounting tensions between the subjugated mages and the oppressive templars. You can choose your side, but it doesn't really affect the outcome. It still turns into a bloody slaughter.
Like I said before, it's definitely not a happy ending game. It's an intermediate. Building up to a conclusion in the next game with a much larger conflict. Whether you like it or not depends on you taking in the whole story, books included, and your personal take of the situation.
I do personally enjoy Dragon Age: Origins more though. But the rest of it is still good.

 

[Viral Maze]

I honestly couldnt get into the novels. I tried twice, and got around 200 pages into Stolen Throne before I dropped it. I dont know what it was, but it just wasnt doing it for me.

This makes me want to play DA2 again. I loved every character in the game, and it definitely seemed like a real world, telling a personal story within a overarching fantasy epic (dumbed down gameplay and dialogue options aside).

I'm feeling a mage this time... or Rogue... Roguish mage?