247 replies to this topic

[Archmage Silver]

The best ending? That's highly subjective. Personally I opted to keep my character alive, and I think that was the best ending I could get out of the game.

[Tempest]

Not to me - there are far more important things than your own life - but I could go on a spiel for hours about this subject. As it is, of my six completed games (one for each origin), it looks like exactly one will be able to carry over, because only one character was so selfish and short-sighted that they used Morrigan's ritual.

Really, Bioware, what was the point of shoving this decision down our throats? I can understand taking the bad ending of ME2 where everyone dies as non-canon, but this...

[Archmage Silver]

The World section for the Awakening has been updated with Kal'Hirol.

[Qwinn]

The dark ritual isn't really canon now. You could've foregone the ritual and had Alistair or Loghain sacrifice themselves.

As for "I can't sacrifice myself and then start as a new guy in Orlais"... why not? Especially if they make it where, if you start with a fresh character, it assumes that the main character of Origins *did* sacrifice himself.

Qwinn

[Kulyok]

I'm guessing the problem is: you can't sacrifice themselves and then import the game(with all your decisions, but without your character) into Awakening. So, if you start with an Orlesian, you'll still be playing someone else's choices(for example, your Warden liberated mages and put Anora on the throne, but in the game with a new Orlesian Warden mages are still under the Chantry control, and Alistair rules Ferelden).

[Qwinn]

Mmm, fair enough. The proper way for them to do it, I'd say, would be to let you import your game, and *then* let you choose if you want to play your original PC or the Orlesian Warden. Who knows, maybe that's what they intend.

Qwinn

[Kulyok]

News:

First, a new character. It is a female dwarf from the Legion of the Dead. A casteless. (Me: and a deserter, it seems. Hey, nobody ever leaves the Legion! Not fair!)
http://social.biowar...7/index/1294042

I think she'll get the boot as soon as she arrives. Preferably together with Oghren. But we'll see.

Now, a few reviews(post-press event):
http://pc.ign.com/ar.../1070087p1.html
http://www.gamespot....4&mode=previews
http://www.destructo...g--163985.phtml
http://previews.team...s-Awakening/p1/

Interesting fact:

"In my hands-on time with the game, I played as the new Grey Warden, Velanna and Anders. The preview build was about six hours into the game, and I found myself in a dungeon where some Darkspawn creatures were ganging up on a female warrior. After my team saved her, she tells of how her group of warriors were obliterated when they tried to invade the castle the Darkspawn are holed up in nearby. You're given the choice to bring her to your team, but seeing as how this was literally the first time I ever played Dragon Age, I made the mistake of leaving her behind and went on my merry way."

- might be another party member. Sigh.

[Crazee]

The dark ritual isn't really canon now. You could've foregone the ritual and had Alistair or Loghain sacrifice themselves.

As for "I can't sacrifice myself and then start as a new guy in Orlais"... why not? Especially if they make it where, if you start with a fresh character, it assumes that the main character of Origins *did* sacrifice himself.

Qwinn

I'd forgotten you could sacrifice Alistair or Loghain. Good point. But ...

Can you import the world 'state', but start new in Awakening as the Orlesian Cmdr? No. The world 'state' only exists and lives on as part of your character's choices - most of the reactivity to events and choices in Origins would simply not make sense if it wasn't 'you' that did it.

[Cal Jones]

Meh. Well it looks like I'll only be importing dark ritual and Loghain sacrifice saves then.

[Archmage Silver]

I like Sigrun more than Anders and Velanna, at least she doesn't outright annoy me. The companions aren't looking that great right now though, the variety isn't what I expected, but I suppose BioWare could pull it off.

Chris had a word or two on the DLC/Awakening issue:

Dragon Age: Origins DLC (from DAO or other prior DLC) is not available in Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening as we've already said.

While I know some fans are not happy with this, the main reason is, due to the advanced level of Awakening, the items you want to bring in would be rapidly less effective than the materials you start with or find early on in the game. Yes, in DA:O Starfang (or similar) are very powerful, but since you can reach level 30+ in Awakening, they would be ineffectual.

Trust me, there are heaps of cool new armors, weapons, spells, etc that you will want to use in Awakening that you will quickly learn to appreciate even more than your DLC items from DAO.

Trailers:
Magic
Banter

Reviews:
1Up.com

Interviews:
Fernando Melo @ Bitmob

[Kulyok]

On the other hand, they confessed the problem is in technical difficulties in transporting DLC items, and that they are considering a patch. I saw it in developers's post, here:
http://social.biowar...ex/1321833&lf=8

[Archmage Silver]

Thanks for the link, that post explains a lot of things. Especially why Oghren is in.

I wonder how good the new gear will be though? This is beginning to resemble a MMORPG.

Edited by Archmage Silver, 20 February 2010 - 10:25 AM.

[Cal Jones]

Cheers for the link. Interesting. I figured that was why Oghren was in. I did try taking him around for longer in one of my games but I still didn't like him any more. I don't dislike him but I'm definitely "meh...".

[Archmage Silver]

The wiki update is good stuff, check it out.

Wikis:
Update according to Chris Priestly

Interviews:
Q & A with Victor Wachter @ BioWare Social
Ferret Baudoin @ BioWare Blog

Edited by Archmage Silver, 21 February 2010 - 10:41 AM.

[Kulyok]

Yep, great stuff, saw it.

By the way, today I heard the "I am the one" song in the DAO credits - and it felt weird to see all these familiar names(Fernando Melo, Chris Priestly etc) in the titles. Like "Hey, it's that guy from the forums, what is he doing there?"

[Archmage Silver]

Yeah, it's different for us, because we're used to seeing their names on a daily basis. Your average gamer wouldn't know the difference.

[Creepin]

Since official site is too much of a WoT to browse in hopes there might be an answer to my question, I'd like to ask here if someone already found it out.
Namely, I'd like to ask if fact of having Awakening installed will have any impact on original game's gameplay, I mean will I have those new spells, items etc from Awakening available in original part of the game or I will lose absolutely nothing if I beat currently released content before release of Awakening?

Edited by Creepin, 22 February 2010 - 01:47 PM.

[Archmage Silver]

... I mean will I have those new spells, items etc from Awakening available in original part of the game or I will lose absolutely nothing if I beat currently released content before release of Awakening?

The new items will be exclusive to the expansion areas as far as I know.

As you know, the class specializations are unlocked for the entire player profile once you get them unlocked for one character, but it's likely that you'll have to play Awakening in order to get the new ones unlocked for Origins.

The spells & abilities might be available in Origins from the get-go, but they're likely to have high restrictions when it comes to level and stats.

All Awakening content will most likely have restrictions when it comes to levels and stats et al. I don't think you'll get that much out of it in Origins.

Bottom line: enjoy the Origins story and gameplay as it was meant to be, you won't gain that much by waiting for Awakening.

[Creepin]

Thanks for detailed answer, Archmage Silver!

[Archmage Silver]

No problem.