Dragon Age Origins

[Syraxis]

Never bought a DLC out of sheer principle, and never will.

 

I still buy the games though.

[HoonDing]

This DLC (Warden's Keep) reeks of Battlehorn Castle

 

EDIT: I just looked at the CE goodies.

 

"Bergen's Honor = helmet that adds +2 to armor, 25 physical resistance and 6 to attack"

"Final reason = adds to damage, fire power & fire damage"

"Grimoire of the Frozen wastes = adds +3 to all attributes when read"

 

Are those effects the items add as significant as they sound?

Edited October 8, 2009 by virumor

[vault_overseer]

Haters gonna hate, yup.

[Syraxis]

"Bergen's Honor = helmet that adds +2 to armor, 25 physical resistance and 6 to attack"

"Final reason = adds to damage, fire power & fire damage"

"Grimoire of the Frozen wastes = adds +3 to all attributes when read"

 

I bet one will be able to get those either with the command console or a patch will be released shortly after.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm as sceptical as the next person with regards to DLC.

 

But.

 

The economic climate is changing. The way people buy and interact with digital media is changing. Technology changes faster than a formula one car dropped off a cliff. This is the future, a sort of a la carte gaming experience where you buy into and out of different portions of a core product depending on your tastes and preferences. I see DA as a sort of hub product with different adventure products (via DLC) radiating from it. Modding adds a different dimension (release of end-user tools is an act of not inconsiderable generosity, albeit self-interested in that it adds to the longevtiy of the game).

 

So, although I'm not entirely unsympathetic with Ramza's POV, and certainly wouldn't criticze his opinion, I can't actually agree. Because (1) this is The Future and (2) I remember all the BG 1 & 2 fans wishing something similar for that franchise almost ten years ago (the IE engine being a hub product for various D&D games).

 

Lastly, this ain't exactly new. When Baldur's Gate 1 went gold, Tales of the Sword Coast was locked down IIRC, if not actually ready to go.

 

Cheers

MC

Edited October 8, 2009 by Monte Carlo

[Nepenthe]

This DLC (Warden's Keep) reeks of Battlehorn Castle

 

EDIT: I just looked at the CE goodies.

 

"Bergen's Honor = helmet that adds +2 to armor, 25 physical resistance and 6 to attack"

"Final reason = adds to damage, fire power & fire damage"

"Grimoire of the Frozen wastes = adds +3 to all attributes when read"

 

Are those effects the items add as significant as they sound?

 

The last one is apparently a typo, the grimoire adds a total of 3 attribute points, that can be divided between all attributes. (explained by producer Fernando Melo)

 

The other two are supposed to be in the top 1-3 items in their class in the game, and will be available towards the end of the game. Sort of like the Collector's Edition store items in Baldur's Gate 2

Edited October 8, 2009 by Nepenthe

[skuld1]

Oh common! Don't tell me you are THAT much gullible!

It's obvious what they have in mind.

 

You completely swayed me with the evidence you laid out there.

[Volourn]

"they have turned out too greedy. "

 

A. Theyw ere always 'greedy'. They sell video gam,es for money. That's not altruistic behaviour, sorry.

 

B. You are greedy. Just like eveery other customer so no need for the holier than thou attitude.

 

 

Don't like it don't buy it.

 

btw, Just ebcuase you have been buying BIO games for 10 years doesn't mean they owe you anything. The only thing they owed you was the games you actually bought. If you bought BG2, they owed you BG2; NOT DA.

 

And, no, you weren't 'supporting' them. You were supporting yourself. You bought something for YOURSELF to statisfy your greedy gaming habits. BIO sold you games to support themsleves not to benefit you. It just happened it worked out you both got what you want.

 

Customers are not loyal to companies. They are loyal to themselves.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Volourn

[Amentep]

So will this DLC be available to purchase down the line in a hard form (like Fallout 3's for the 360?) Or like "Bring Down the Sky" was for ME1 when the 360 "Platinum Hits" release came out?

 

I haven't been able to tell based on what I've read so far.

[Killian Kalthorne]

I don't think they have announced anything on that yet and it seems that there will be two DLCs.

 

The Warden's Keep and the Stone Prisoner.

 

http://kotaku.com/5376749/dragon-age-origi...ets-day-one-dlc

[Oner]

...

Bio owes me two glasses of lemonade and some chips.

 

 

Obs too.

[Slowtrain]

Lastly, this ain't exactly new. When Baldur's Gate 1 went gold, Tales of the Sword Coast was locked down IIRC, if not actually ready to go.

 

Cheers

MC

 

 

We all remember how the original game box shipped with one empty cd slot. Coincidence?

[Amentep]

Lastly, this ain't exactly new. When Baldur's Gate 1 went gold, Tales of the Sword Coast was locked down IIRC, if not actually ready to go.

 

Cheers

MC

 

 

We all remember how the original game box shipped with one empty cd slot. Coincidence?

 

Where else were you going to keep the expansion disc when it came out?

[Enoch]

If it's a way for developers to wheedle their way around the marketing norm that all major-release games sell at the same price point, I'm all for it. I don't mind paying more for quality, and if the higher combined price of "game + DLC" leads to a higher-quality gaming experience, that's fine with me.

 

Of course, most DLCs I've seen focus on adding quantity rather than quality. But the prospect of future DLC income can (presumably) justify designers spending more on making the initial product better, so it might still work out well.

[entrerix]

my 2 cents:

 

the dlc digital distribution piecemeal product etc business models are still brand new. They are still being worked out as to what consumers want and are happy to pay for. things like this are experiments, the consumer decides whether it succeeds or fails. remember horse armor? fail.

 

fallout 3 dlc? i think that was a success, but im not sure.

 

as far as dragon age goes... i'm not interested in paying 7 dollars for 1 dungeon. i'd pay 20 dollars for 10 dungeons though (ie give me a full expansion pack, not a quarter of one)

[vault_overseer]

You all DO know that this DLC is free, right? It's more of a DRM tool than anything else

[entrerix]

i thought it was 7 dollars, and so does ign.

Edited October 8, 2009 by entrerix

[Guest Slinky]

Warden's Keep DLC:

 

New quests - discover what really happened to the Grey Wardens of old and what led to their expulsion from Ferelden

New features - a base of operations with party storage. Inventory full? Stash new items as well as loot from the main Dragon Age: Origins campaign

New items and abilities - talents and spells from the Power of Blood school, unique achievements, and powerful items including a set of Grey Warden Commander armor

 

Cost: 7$

 

The Stone Prisoner DLC:

 

A powerful new party member to aid in the epic quest to save Ferelden from the Blight

New areas, including the troubled village of Honnleath

New achievements, items, and unique insights into the Dragon Age: Origins storyline

 

Cost: Free*

* Every new retail box of DA:O contains a promotional code on a promotional code card which when redeemed provides a free download of The Stone Prisoner. Digital purchases of DA:O will have the code emailed.

 

From here.

[alanschu]

If something was supposed to be included in the final product, I find it shameful to remove it and sell it as a separate product

 

What makes you think it was supposed to be in the final product?

 

Oh common! Don't tell me you are THAT much gullible!

It's obvious what they have in mind. The worst thing is that I am afraid this will become a trend in the future.

 

Yeah you're right. I couldn't imagine having any idea how any of their decisions were made at all

Edited October 8, 2009 by alanschu

[Niten_Ryu]

You all DO know that this DLC is free, right? It's more of a DRM tool than anything else

 

Wardens Keep cost money, no matter if you DL more pricey digital collectors edition (as you don't get any physical crap) or buy it for $15. Shale, extra character (and probably under developed) is free for all Dragon Age retail games. 2nd hand market it cost $15.

[skuld1]

You all DO know that this DLC is free, right? It's more of a DRM tool than anything else

 

The $7 DLC is only free with the digital deluxe version.

[Guest Slinky]

Warden's Keep DLC:

Cost: 7$

 

The Stone Prisoner DLC:

Cost: Free*

* Every new retail box of DA:O contains a promotional code on a promotional code card which when redeemed provides a free download of The Stone Prisoner. Digital purchases of DA:O will have the code emailed.

 

From here.

[Maria Caliban]

This DLC (Warden's Keep) reeks of Battlehorn Castle

 

EDIT: I just looked at the CE goodies.

 

"Bergen's Honor = helmet that adds +2 to armor, 25 physical resistance and 6 to attack"

"Final reason = adds to damage, fire power & fire damage"

"Grimoire of the Frozen wastes = adds +3 to all attributes when read"

 

Are those effects the items add as significant as they sound?

 

The Grimoire adds 3 attribute points, not 3 points to all attributes.

 

The helmet is one of the best in the game, but you don't start out with it in your pack. It exists in the game world and you can discover it.

 

So will this DLC be available to purchase down the line in a hard form (like Fallout 3's for the 360?) Or like "Bring Down the Sky" was for ME1 when the 360 "Platinum Hits" release came out?

 

There's been no announcement of such, but I'm expecting it, especially as they're planning on a DLC expansion.

 

...Shale, extra character (and probably under developed)....

 

There's no reason to believe that Shale is underdeveloped.

Edited October 8, 2009 by Maria Caliban

[Nightshape]

DLC is perfectly valid, I see absolutely no point in whining about DLC on launch.

 

Extra DLC content for SPECIAL EDITIONS, is a big thing. Having the DLC at launch allows a team to practice using the mechanics in place, and thus turn around more DLC in the long term.

 

Oh and the truth of the matter is simple, all games are eventually going to be DLC.

[Purkake]

Says the biased game developer...

 

DLC is all nice and good if it is actually extra content, like the Fallout ones. Having to pay $10 more to get all of the game at release is not all that nice. How about selling the game for $20 and then having each chapter cost an extra $10? Game developers would love to do it and you wouldn't really be paying more if it added up to $60, but would any of you like that kind of a system?

Edited October 8, 2009 by Purkake