Dragon Age 2

[Nepenthe]

I'm surprised by the amount of companion banter so far, it's the opposite of Mass Effect DLC.

Yeah, I think they said that it's the first Bio DLC with fully-voiced "teammates". Which was about time, some of the miming etc. in ME2 dlc was absolutely painful.

[GhostofAnakin]

I've downloaded but have yet to play the DLC. I started a new character and just arrived in Kirkwall to find a massive statue in Gamlin's home. I click on it and a box comes up that says something to the effect of "do you want to play Dragon Age Legacy? Yes/No". Is that really how you begin the DLC? No seamless integration of the quest into your journal via a message in your mailbox, but just a click of yes or no after touching the statue?

[entrerix]

DA 2 really is a miserable pile of secrets.

 

all its base are belong to me.

 

also, its a ninja that kidnapped the presidents daughter, luckily though, I'm a bad enough dude to stop it.

 

thank you thank you I'll be here all night.

[Nepenthe]

I've downloaded but have yet to play the DLC. I started a new character and just arrived in Kirkwall to find a massive statue in Gamlin's home. I click on it and a box comes up that says something to the effect of "do you want to play Dragon Age Legacy? Yes/No". Is that really how you begin the DLC? No seamless integration of the quest into your journal via a message in your mailbox, but just a click of yes or no after touching the statue?

Yeah, that's a bit rough. It looks less ridiculous in the hawke estate, but since it takes place in a separate flashback, it kind of makes sense. (ie. can't be placed into any of the three main "years").

[GhostofAnakin]

Any suggestions on when the best time to play the DLC is, in terms of how it fits with the rest of the story?

[Nepenthe]

Any suggestions on when the best time to play the DLC is, in terms of how it fits with the rest of the story?

It adapts based on the act and

who's alive and who isn't

. It fits more into Awakening's than DA2's story, and it's set up as a separate varric flashback, anyway. Apparently the loot scales up to level 25, so that might be another consideration in picking the spot when you do it...

[GhostofAnakin]

I'm tempted to wait until I finish the main quest before attempting the DLC. Is that possible? Does it make sense, story-wise, if I do? Am I asking too many questions?

[Tale]

I'm tempted to wait until I finish the main quest before attempting the DLC. Is that possible?

No.

 

Wait, scratch that. I don't know. I was thinking like New Vegas DLC. You could do this in DAO, so maybe you can in DA2.

[Fleapants]

I'm tempted to wait until I finish the main quest before attempting the DLC. Is that possible? Does it make sense, story-wise, if I do? Am I asking too many questions?

 

Once you finish the main quest, you'll have a 'post campaign' save where you can run around in your villa endlessly - and access any DLCs that you've bought

[Nepenthe]

I'm tempted to wait until I finish the main quest before attempting the DLC. Is that possible? Does it make sense, story-wise, if I do? Am I asking too many questions?

1) Yes, there is a separate post-campaign save for the DLC, just like in DAO and (even more so in) ME2. 2) I think I answered this one, I'll say it again, slowly: it's a separate flashback, like all of the other "acts" in the game. So it's kind of a mini act. You timeskip to a separate spot in the time/space continuum. There's some good loot and cash there, so you are kind of shafting yourself if you don't have them during the final stages of the game (which at least on the difficulties I play were easier than this DLC, so YMMV.). 3) Yes! Don't overthink it! It's not serious biznezz

[HoonDing]

I (finally) picked up the game from eBay some days ago and am quite liking it so far, much more than DA:O.

 

I don't give a crap about the recycled areas and enemies appearing out of thin air, after all Mass Effect had the same (it was even worse in this regard) and I got through that game so far. And it's not like BioWare has ever been known for stellar level/world design either, their strengths are elsewhere.

 

Combat is really easy, though, at least on default difficulty. When did revenants become total wusses? I don't mind though, since at least this time trash combat is (generally) over quickly and tunnel length is limited, while in DA:O both tended to drag on endlessly (from what I remember). The voice-over of the female Hawke kinda grew on me as well.

 

Hell, I might even pick up that Legacy DLC.

[Nepenthe]

I (finally) picked up the game from eBay some days ago and am quite liking it so far, much more than DA:O.

 

I don't give a crap about the recycled areas and enemies appearing out of thin air, after all Mass Effect had the same (it was even worse in this regard) and I got through that game so far. And it's not like BioWare has ever been known for stellar level/world design either, their strengths are elsewhere.

 

Combat is really easy, though, at least on default difficulty. When did revenants become total wusses? I don't mind though, since at least this time trash combat is (generally) over quickly and tunnel length is limited, while in DA:O both tended to drag on endlessly (from what I remember). The voice-over of the female Hawke kinda grew on me as well.

 

Hell, I might even pick up that Legacy DLC.

Revenants bugged pre 1.03 at least, are you patched? Also the default difficulty is the "console normal", they no longer have separate difficulties for PC and console, so it's generally worth bumping the difficulty by at least one notch if you want the game to anticipate the fact that 3/4 of your party aren't running on AI alone.

 

Apart from that, pretty much agree with your impressions.

[HoonDing]

Revenants bugged pre 1.03 at least, are you patched? Also the default difficulty is the "console normal", they no longer have separate difficulties for PC and console, so it's generally worth bumping the difficulty by at least one notch if you want the game to anticipate the fact that 3/4 of your party aren't running on AI alone.

 

Apart from that, pretty much agree with your impressions.

I'm fully patched. From what I remember in DA:O, revenants were one-man armies that ditched out a ton of damage, were immune to pretty much all magic and had a very high armour rating. This is pretty much all gone... I can easily paralyze them this time around but even without they are not much more dangerous than a generic elite opponent. Then again, they also seemed to be special boss enemies in the first game that only appeared after breaking a special phylactery. Now they're just regular enemies.

Edited July 29, 2011 by virumor

[Nepenthe]

Revenants bugged pre 1.03 at least, are you patched? Also the default difficulty is the "console normal", they no longer have separate difficulties for PC and console, so it's generally worth bumping the difficulty by at least one notch if you want the game to anticipate the fact that 3/4 of your party aren't running on AI alone.

 

Apart from that, pretty much agree with your impressions.

I'm fully patched. From what I remember in DA:O, revenants were one-man armies that ditched out a ton of damage, were immune to pretty much all magic and had a very high armour rating. This is pretty much all gone... I can easily paralyze them this time around but even without they are not much more dangerous than a generic elite opponent. Then again, they also seemed to be special boss enemies in the first game that only appeared after breaking a special phylactery. Now they're just regular enemies.

Yeah, well, if you run into Beacon and Gifre, it's probably going to feel a bit different. Hopefully.

[Nepenthe]

Also, there's apparently a secret boss in Legacy - one I completely managed to miss.

[The Transcendent One]

i will wait for dragon age 2 ultimate edition.

[Nepenthe]

i will wait for dragon age 2 ultimate edition.

That's an excellent idea.

 

How's the wait for the Mass Effect 2 Ultimate Edition going?

[Lady Evenstar]

i will wait for dragon age 2 ultimate edition.

That's an excellent idea.

 

How's the wait for the Mass Effect 2 Ultimate Edition going?

 

I'm doing the same with DA II. And the approach works perfectly if your interest is sufficiently marginal that you're willing to accept the absence of an ultimate edition as a sign that you weren't meant to play the game.

[Slowtrain]

i will wait for dragon age 2 ultimate edition.

That's an excellent idea.

 

How's the wait for the Mass Effect 2 Ultimate Edition going?

 

 

Everything gets an ultimate edition eventually: it's a sign that the very last drops of cash are being squeezed out of an IP.

 

ME2 just isn't into the squeeze stage yet.

[HoonDing]

Yeah, well, if you run into Beacon and Gifre, it's probably going to feel a bit different. Hopefully.

I don't know who they are, but so far Haste + Death Hex + Cleave = win. If Merrill had access to Creation tree, things would even be more broken.

[Fleapants]

We have no plans for an Ultimate Edition at this time

Clicky

 

That's obviously the expected answer at this point, but I would wait for DA3. DA2 left me very dissappointed and I'm rather glad that I didn't pay for my copy.

[Fionavar]

I am certainly assuming this means you received it as a gift - as there is a zero-tolerance approach to piracy in OBS' online community ...

We have no plans for an Ultimate Edition at this time

Clicky

 

That's obviously the expected answer at this point, but I would wait for DA3. DA2 left me very dissappointed and I'm rather glad that I didn't pay for my copy.

[Fleapants]

Oh goodness yes, I got it for my birthday

[HoonDing]

I finished the game. It's a pity the game suffers from the same boring extended endgame that Origins had, where your party needs to fight through half the city to reach the endboss level. The final bosses are quite nonsensical as well, and the aftermath is disappointing.

 

It's a decent game overall and I liked it, but there's not much incentive to replay because one of the two factions you are forced to choice from is so over-the-top and excessive (particularly their head honcho, who's clearly completely bonkers from the first moment you meet her) that you'd have to roleplay either a complete idiot or total jerkface to side with them. FO:NV had the same problem, with Caesar's legion.

[Syraxis]

i will wait for dragon age 2 ultimate edition.

That's an excellent idea.

 

How's the wait for the Mass Effect 2 Ultimate Edition going?

 

And the approach works perfectly if your interest is sufficiently marginal that you're willing to accept the absence of an ultimate edition as a sign that you weren't meant to play the game.

 

I like this approach.