Dragon Age - Page 2

**UnDeaD77** · 10-24-2009, 09:09 PM

Yeah.

Unfortunately, I just found out this is a singleplayer game only. I misunderstood, thinking it was both SP, and Co-op up to four players. I doubt I will be purchasing this now.

**Tarenth** · 11-07-2009, 04:37 AM

Bioware isn't really big on the whole 'multi-player' gaming scene. The notable exception would be SW:TOR which will be a MMORPG. Then again, the main point they stressed when I last looked at it was the intelligent interactions of your NPC teammates, so they could be trying to have their cake and fit a bordello of strippers in it.

On the plus side, its a very Very VERY good single player game. With the different ways you can play things out there is probably some good re-playability to it as well. Not as much as Borderlands with it's co-op and Diablo-esque loot grinding though.

On the minus side...DLC has a few glitches in it. Not the content itself...but GETTING to the content. EA is decidedly unhelpful on this front so if it works fine then you good. If it doesn't work...you're screwed till they decide to fix it.

**DrProctor** · 11-07-2009, 05:42 AM

So, I've played this for about 12 hours now and... oh my, do I find it frustrating! I've nearly given up on it.

Allow me to explain, as an avid table-top gamer, I enjoy a good role-playing game. The thing is, most of the tabletop games that I enjoy tend to be the more story-oriented, and cerebral / social focussed ones (such as those in the World of Darkness line of games) and I've never really been a hack-and-slash fan. Regardless, I had high hopes for this game after playing Mass Effect which I absolutely loved and had no real difficulties with.

Admittedly, I'm not that experienced with computer game RPGs but I swear, almost as soon as my party gets outnumbered, they just get wiped out every single time. I have tried flanking but it seems impossible in many situations because I'm outnumbered by two-to-one in tight spaces. My guys seem to take far less hits to die than half of the enemies (particularly the Hurlocks).

Do I just need more micromanagement of my party (which I loath having to do)? Do I need to min-max my characters and carefully choose how to spend every single upgrade point (also not something that I enjoy, I'm playing this game for the story, not to practice being an accountant).

I suppose that I really was hoping for a very story-oriented game but unless I'm just completely missing something, it seems to be a hack-n-slash rule lovers dream game.

Can any of you give me pointers or is this just not the game for me?

**Gill** · 11-07-2009, 06:21 AM

Have you:

Set up your tactics for each character? You can use the ones included without bothering to customize anything. An archer who isn't using the archer tactic isn't much use. A tank not using the defender tactic isn't a great tank.

Also... try Easy if you're having trouble. If you're playing anything above Easy and not using the spacebar (pause), you're going to have trouble.

Tactical pause is your friend. Use it if you want to micromanage your potions and heals. If the tactic set doesn't contain tactics telling your AI partners to use a certain skill, they won't use it. Check on your AI buddies by pausing and switching to them, seeing which skills they have going and which ones they don't.

**DrProctor** · 11-07-2009, 08:35 AM

Thank you very much for the tips. I spent time setting up the tactics and am carefully micro-managing the team after every kill, which seems to have greatly improved their longevity. Perhaps I will get somewhere with this game after all.

Once again, thanks.

**Tarenth** · 11-11-2009, 08:55 PM

Never underestimate the benefits of strategic placement, initiative, and retreat. I've found that on the 'dungeon crawl' segments of the game where I have to get through a large structure to an objective (most of the game) the best strategy is to have someone use stealth to scout out the path while everyone else stays back. Find the enemy, lay some traps, then draw them into an ambush with your characters placed properly. A tank at a chokepoint is more successful than one standing in the middle of a room and enemies advancing on you through a hail of arrows (everyone whips out some ranged weapon and contributes) then the less I have to deal with in the resulting scrum.

Make sure tactics are set so people are targeting the people getting tanked (either enemy target = tank or tank target = enemy). Maintain spacing and if something rushes past the tank don't hesitate to stun/CC the renegade and refocus the tank on it to get it back under control. Pulling back if your front line (the melee fighters) is breached is also a good idea since its very easy to get flanked and overwhelmed if multiple enemies attack at once. Depending on your talents remember to engage enemies in a systematic order with your tank's positioning as key. With skills you can prevent getting 'flanked' on the side your warrior is holding his shield and later in whichever 180 degree direction he is facing. Turning the wrong way and getting flanked by engaging enemies on your shield side early on can get your tank killed since he'll take extra damage and even backstab from rogues.

Of course random encounters and post conversation set pieces defy your abilities to plan ahead since they just group you up and place you in melee with whatever is trying to kill you. I've had the annoying problem of always having my squishies (mage and healer) in front of my warrior and rogue whenever a major boss fight begins. -_-

**BlindGamer** · 11-18-2009, 10:45 AM

With dungeons and buildings where there are a lot of enemies - e.g in orzammar and the deep roads, Ive found a nice setup whereby I have my main character (a mage) set up a blizzard, and Wynne set up an earthquake, to trap the enemies. Then if i have time/no enemies are escaping i can set up an inferno and death cloud with my main while my rogue and warrior use their bows. I take absolutely no damage and kill 10+ enemies in a room in about 40 seconds. If there is say an ogre, which more often than not will pass the physical resistance checks for the earthquake and blizzard, then i can just use cone of cold on it which freezes it for about 5 seconds then concentrate my fire on that.

When i get the crushing prison spell, that will shatter any frozen enemies in the blizzard also, so basically i have a complete dead zone i na room with 5 AoE spells going at once, and then arrows flying in as well, its great to watch

**austforbeer** · 11-18-2009, 02:44 PM

I was getting destroyed in this game at first and I couldn't figure out why. I was trying to play it like an RTS which doesn't work. My wonderful wife showed me the way. Pause, use it early use it often. This game is all about micromanaging.

I only wish I had more free time because I could easily play this game all day long.

**UnDeaD77** · 11-19-2009, 12:08 AM

I'm 52 hours in, and still probably have awhile to go. Still enjoying the game a lot.

**BlindGamer** · 11-19-2009, 05:47 AM

Im about 40 hours in, in the Deep Roads right now

This game is just getting better and better as i am finding more tactics and spell combinations and armour etc. Anyone got the full juggernaut set? Ive got it on alistair now and it looks sahweet

**FYAH29** · 11-19-2009, 09:01 AM

I'm somewhere between 25-30 hours in, finished the Broken Circle and Redcliff main quests as well as both dlc options. Have made some progress on the Forest quest, but haven't yet been to the Deep Roads yet. I'm heading to Denerim? next. I play Alistair, Morrigan, Wynn, and my duel wielding rogue elf. Great game, really enjoying the playthrough. I tend to pause and setup most group members every few seconds of each fight which causes the encouters to take abit longer, but keeps me from wasting potions and mana when I don't have to.

**Reaperassault** · 11-19-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FYAH29

I'm somewhere between 25-30 hours in, finished the Broken Circle and Redcliff main quests as well as both dlc options. Have made some progress on the Forest quest, but haven't yet been to the Deep Roads yet. I'm heading to Denerim? next. I play Alistair, Morrigan, Wynn, and my duel wielding rogue elf. Great game, really enjoying the playthrough. I tend to pause and setup most group members every few seconds of each fight which causes the encouters to take abit longer, but keeps me from wasting potions and mana when I don't have to.

You have copied my exact set up, other than that I haven't done wardens keep yep after the forest that is next on my list.

On a different note, has anyone installed some of the mods or player created items into their game yet? I just got the toolset working with my install so I might see how difficult it is to play around with a thing or two.

**UnDeaD77** · 11-19-2009, 10:53 PM

I've installed a few things, this really cool sword, and couple sets of armor. Right now, though people are still learning how to script with the toolset, so your items you tend to download, duplicate every time you restart the game. So you'll have to delete them, until the mod makers fix their scripts.

http://www.damods.com/index.php

Site just launched, as Bioware's social site is a bit unorganized on completed mods at the moment.

**Namebot** · 11-19-2009, 11:59 PM

I enjoyed the game quite a bit. The ending was nice and left me wanting a more immediately.

**UnDeaD77** · 11-20-2009, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namebot

I enjoyed the game quite a bit. The ending was nice and left me wanting a more immediately.

Good thing for the toolset then. Lots of mods in the works. Some of the higher quality may take a few months to release though.