A lot of the information below was taken from the unofficial wikia page, sometimes directly because I'm a cheap and terrible person, and you can get all of it and a lot more at the following address:
http://dragonage.wikia.com
If you want to know more about the game, I advise you to check their site out as well as BioWare's official site. They detail and explain things much better than I can, as well as lots of features I couldn't fit in below. This is a deep game with a lot of lore behind it, and not a typical fantasy game with elves and dwarves and magic. At the very least, I hope I can get you slightly interested in this very large RPG.
News01/05/2010 - Awakenings addon announced for March 16, 2010. The addon takes place after the original game ended, and sees you rebuilding the Grey Wardens to fight a new threat. "
When the Darkspawn talk, the war is far from over." You can view the trailer at the following link:
Dragon Age: Origins: Awakening Trailer11/19/2009 - Return to Ostagar addon announced for this holiday season. You can view information on this addon and others at the following link:
http://dragonage.bioware.com/addon11/03/2009 - Dragon Age: Origins is now available for purchase!
10/22/2009 - Dragon Age: Journeys is now available to play.
It's a 2D flash game, free to play in your browser, and set in the Dragon Age: Origins world. Playing the game will allow you to earn exclusives items for use in Dragon Age: Origins.
http://www.dragonagejourneys.com/10/13/2009 - BioWare's Social Network website is now live!
http://social.bioware.com/
From here you'll be able to access friends, groups, uploaded character information, and more, as well as being able to download the Character Creator. You can make a character, save it for use with the full game, and even upload your character to the Social Network website.
You can also download the Character Editor directly from the following link:
http://files.bioware.com/dragonage_cc_dl/DragonAgeOriginsCharacterCreator_en.exeAbout
Dragon Age: Origins is an upcoming BioWare RPG for the PC, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Hailed as the spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series and a return to BioWare's roots, it's set to be a heroic, dark fantasy tale to stop a terrible blight unleashed upon the land through 80 or more hours of tactical gameplay. Players choose their sex, race, class, and origin story, presenting them with a wide range of options to customize their character. Who and what you are will impact your story not just in the beginning of the game, but throughout your entire journey.
The PC version of the game will have access to an editor, allowing players to create entirely new content, from new weapons and armor to lands and quests and campaigns. A community site will be established to easily browse and share these creations.
It will also be released digitally through such services as Steam, Stardock's Impulse, Direct2Drive, Gamersgate, and EA Store.
All new copies of the game will also include The Stone Prisoner downloadable content free of charge, featuring a new party member, quests, environments and items. For further information on the various editions, check the
Standard, Collector's, Digital Deluxe Edition? section below.
The intro cinematic, further detailing the plot and the dangers you'll face, can be viewed below.
Gameplay
Dragon Age: Origins features a tactical, play and pause combat system in the vein of Baldur's Gate. You can zoom in or out and play from an over-the-shoulder view, or high above the field of battle. You can pause, give orders, or take direct control of any of the other characters in your party. If you would rather not constantly issue commands, a scripting system is available in which you can place different orders or rules for a character to automatically follow. For example, if an enemy closes the gap between one of your ranged characters, you can create a script for him or her to automatically switch to melee weapons.
You can watch a tutorial explaining the mechanics of the combat system and the journal for the PC version below.
(Taken from Wikipedia) There is no tracking of alignment as in previous BioWare games, but the moral choices of the main character throughout the game will still affect the story. You may save the world whether you are good or evil, but the decisions that you make in the process will change the world around you – deciding who will become King, for example, and affecting nations and races and their places in the world. These decisions will also influence your companion NPCs, possibly causing an NPC to leave your party or even attack you.
Xbox 360 Controller Layout
For a look at the console controls, Giant Bomb has released a 20 minute long video showing the game in action on the Xbox 360.
http://www.giantbomb.com/quick-look-dragon-age-origins-360/17-1528/Gameplay TipsCamp Chest - BioWare has added a storage chest you can download for your party camp.
Dexterity HotfixDagger HotfixLess BloodCharacter Respecialization
The full info about the Dexterity/Dagger 'hotfixes':
In the game as it ships, and in the 1.01 patch, daggers take 100% of their damage bonus from strength, instead of the 50% str / 50% dex mix that they are supposed to. Both of these hotfixes fix this issue. The 'dexterity hotfix' also contains a first pass at rebalancing archery to make it more useful, however, this also applies to enemy archers, so it can greatly increase the difficulty of some areas of the game.
These aren't just some random person's idea of how things should be; they're provided by Georg Zoeller, lead systems designer of Dragon Age.
Where do I find specific class specializations?
Specializations are taught by NPCs, and some can be learned from books bought in stores. Once you have learned a specialization it is unlocked in every game on your profile, including previous iterations of your current game (earlier saves.)
Rogue:
Assassin: Learned from Zevran (if you don't kill him), or a tome in Alarith's Store in Denerim (after the Landsmeet starts)
Bard: Learned from Leliana (companion) or a tome Alimar sells (Orzammar).
Duelist: Learned from Isabela (The Pearl in Denerim). Either have a high dexterity and beat her at cards, or bring one of your companion rogues and they'll help you. Apparently you can also sleep with her and get it if the PC is male, but I'm not sure how this works.
Ranger: Learned from a tome in Bodann's Wares (Party Camp).
Mage:
Arcane Warrior: Learned from The Presence in Brecilian Ruins. He's trapped in a phylactery that you'll find; just do what he asks. ("Nature of the Beast" quest line).
Blood Mage: Learned from Desire Demon in Fade during the Recliffe sequence. After entering the Fade via magic ritual, either bargain with or intimidate the desire demon and it will teach you ("Arl of Redcliffe" quest line).
Shapeshifter: Learned from Morrigan (companion) or a tome Varathorn sells (Dalish Camp).
Spirit Healer: Learned from a tome in the Wonders of Thedas (store in Denerim).
Warrior:
Berserker: Learned from Oghren (companion) or a tome Gorim sells (Denerim Market).
Champion: Learned from Arl Eamon automatically (at the end of the "Urn of Sacred Ashes" quest line).
Reaver: Learned from Kolgrim (Wyrmling Lair). When you get a chance to talk to him, you must offer to finish the Urn quest the evil way. If you do this, he'll teach you to be a Reaver.
Templar: Learned from Alistair (companion) or a tome in Bodahn's Wares (Party Camp).
Where do I find specific party members for recruitment?Wynne: You meet Wynne on the first level of the Circle Tower. She joins your party as soon as you get locked in the tower, and will join the party permanently after you save the tower in the “Broken Circle” quest.
Sten: Release Sten from his cage in Lothering before the town gets invaded by darkspawn (see the “Lothering” section of the Walkthrough chapter for complete details).
Shale: After you leave Lothering, journey to Sulcher’s Pass and get the golem control rod from Felix. Travel to the Village of Honnleath and follow the clues to discovering Shale’s activation phrase.
Zevran: After you complete at least one major world quest line, you will eventually meet Zevran in a random encounter.
Oghren: When you meet Oghren at the entrance to the Deep Roads, he will volunteer to join you and track down his lost wife, Branka.
Leliana: When you enter Dane’s Refuge in Lothering, Leliana will join up with you after you smack around some mercenaries causing a ruckus.
Morrigan: When you seek out the Ancient Treaties in the Korcari Wilds, Morrigan will find you. After the battle at the Tower of Ishal, Morrigan will join your party.
Alistair: When you arrive at Ostagar, Duncan asks you to seek out Alistair, a fellow Grey Warden. Once you talk to Alistair, he joins your party and will stay with you for the duration if you choose.
Dog: Side quests in the Human Noble origin story or Ostagar unlock your Mabari friend.
Secret party member:
You must first defeat Loghain in combat after the Landsmeet, then invite him to join the Grey Wardens.
Gift Information
Gifts are special items that can be given to your companions to raise their approval of you. Give them by viewing that character's inventory and either dragging it onto their paper-doll or choosing 'gift' from the item's radial menu.
Everyone likes every gift, even the disgusting ones, except for certain special plot-related gifts that will be refused by every character except the one they are intended for.
Regular gifts give approval equal to 1 + (5 if the gift is in the category the person particularly likes) + (4 minus the number of gifts you have given to that character previously, or 0 if that number is less than 0).
Most gifts in the game fall into one of several categories, and each of these categories is particularly desired by one party member, and is worth 5 extra approval when given to them (on top of the base approval for any gift). When you reach 25 approval rating with any character, their codex entry will be updated with a short paragraph describing their gift category.
Alistair likes statues, runes, carvings, and other artistic pieces of rock.
Morrigan likes jewelry.
Leliana likes religious symbols (and fashionable shoes).
Sten likes paintings.
Wynne likes books.
Oghren likes rare booze (and stuff like tankards).
Zevran likes money in the form of gold/silver bars.
Shale likes 'remarkable' gemstones.
Secret party member spoiler:
Loghain likes maps.
There are also gifts that seem dog-specific, particularly the bones and some of the things he finds you (good boy!), but his approval is locked at 100 so they don't do anything for him.
Origin Stories
Origin stories are several hour long segments of gameplay which introduce you to the world and your motivations for joining the Grey Wardens, an elite but now near extinct organization dedicated to the extermination of the Darkspawn. Your origin story, race, and your decisions made in those early hours, will determine how people react to you. Paths will be opened and closed, and you will be constantly seeing the consequences due to your origin and your choices.
There are six origins to choose from.
Human Noble
City Elf
Dalish Elf
Human/Elf Mage
Dwarf Commoner
Dwarf Noble
Characters & Companions
(Taken from Wikipedia)
Duncan – The dedicated warrior leader of the Grey Wardens who serves as a mentor of sorts to the player character. He has been entrusted with the task of leading the Grey Wardens in Ferelden. This is considered a difficult task because the Grey Wardens were exiled from Ferelden 200 years ago.
King Cailan Theirin – Son of the legendary King Maric Theirin who drove the Orlesian Empire from Ferelden. The young and naive Cailan was the first King born into a Ferelden freed of foreign occupation in three generations.
Teyrn Loghain – Loghain served as the right hand of King Maric in the war against the Orlesians and now hopes to help guide Maric's son Cailan in defense of the realm from the Blight.
Arl Rendon Howe - (Voiced by Tim Curry) Bioware: "Howe is the calculating villain, cultured and charming, with an insatiable lust for power, who never hesitates to harm anyone who gets in his way."
Flemeth - (Voiced by Kate Mulgrew) Flemeth is a powerful witch, and mother to Morrigan, who maintains immortality through dark means.
Known party members include:
Wynne – One of the most prominent mages of the Circle of Magi. She is a powerful spirit healer. She often cautions young or arrogant mages of the innate dangers of calling forth magical forces from the Fade. Dangers which justify the common fear of mages and the horrible powers and creatures they can free from the Fade, intentionally or not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sibKH5ViVywAlistair – This young warrior was recruited by Duncan from his ill-suited placement into training to become a templar for the Chantry (the dominant religion of Ferelden). Alistair has seen a hard childhood since his mother died in childbirth. He was raised in service of the lord at the castle in Redcliffe. His experiences have hardened him and created a wry and irreverent sense of humor. He is a romance option.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i2KkWJLLcoMorrigan – (Voiced by Claudia Black) Morrigan is a shapechanging mage, taught by her mother in the wilds of Ferelden. She is a romance option for male characters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJLSdZLdhLoOghren – (Voiced by Steven Jay Blum) Oghren is a dwarven warrior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hx6U7Bvpm0Sten– An elder, powerful warrior of the Qunari people who is seeking atonement for unknown sins.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEDeMSg_phYLeliana - Leliana is from the Orlesian Empire and is classed as a rogue. She is a romance option for male and female characters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFohuh72u48Zevran - A male elf who excelled the ranks in one of the most infamous guild of thieves and assassins in all of Thedas, The Antivan Crows. When he was young he was sold to the Crows, although he resisted the brutal training at first. He became one of the Crows' most promising assassins. He accepts a most dangerous commission yet, a target far-off Ferelden which he hopes would bring him unimaginable rewards. He is a romance option for male and female characters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db_HJa_5RN4War Dog - Mabari War Dogs are a prized and essential part of the Fereldan miltary. These trained hounds easily break the lines of pikeman, pull knights from horseback and with a pack of Marbari dogs, they can cause panic to even the most hardened infantry soldiers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtpLJNtMxQ0&feature=relatedShale - Shale is a mighty stone golem that comes from The Stone Prisoner downloadable content pack. Shale will be available freely to all owners of a first-hand copy of the game. Those who purchase a previously owned copy have the option to purchase him for $15 USD.
Reviews & ArticlesWitch Hunt the Penny Arcade Dragon Age comic
5/5 -
Giant Bomb review - "
However, as the sort of guy that has lovingly played an Infinity Engine game at least once every year for the past decade, I can think of no higher praise for this throwback than to say that Dragon Age: Origins leaves me feeling fairly confident I won't need to dig out the classics for this ritual next year."
9.5/10 -
GameSpot video review - "
If you're hungry for a fantastical original fantasy setting, an awesome story filled with memorable characters, and fun multi-layered questing, Dragon Age will fill you up. This is the RPG you've been waiting for, the one that's going to keep you up at night and invade your dreams."
94/100 -
PC Gamer UK - "
Roleplaying games now have a great deal to live up to."
9.2/10 -
UK IGN PC - "
Bioware’s achievements in all this are incredible. It cannot be stressed enough at the depth of the universe they have conjured. Every corner you look, there is a sense of age, of something old. Entire mythologies for multiple cultures have been brewed up, entire religions mapped out in their own belief systems, history that stretches back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Cities look lived in, worn – majestic and squalid places that spill with times gone by and a sense of place. The castles look like they have been there for centuries, and truly, there is an uncertain sense that they have been. That Ferelden and its inhabitants were waiting patiently in the wings for all this time, waiting for their chance to shine. Well, like the Grey Wardens, their time has come. Let us unite then, and in the words of an old friend: We shall show those cursed Darkspawn our hearts – and then show them theirs."
92/100 -
Absolute Games review - "
It has everything that is sought by the most jaded fans of the genre..."
9.1/10 -
Gametrailers video review
90/100 -
Game Informer review - "
Even more than Mass Effect, the nation of Ferelden feels like a fully realized setting with its own history, conflicts, and power groups."
8/10 -
Eurogamer PC review - "
In its desperation to infuse this setting with 'maturity' - be it of the sober, political kind, or the game's painfully clumsy gore and sex - BioWare has forgotten the key ingredient of any fantasy: the fantastical. Without it, you're still left with a competent, often compelling, impressively detailed and immense RPG, but it's one that casts no spell."
The People of Dragon Age: Origins – An Interview with Sten, Wynne and the Tower GuardScreenshots
PC System RequirementsWindows XP Minimum Specifications
* OS: Windows XP with SP3
* CPU: Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) single core running at 1.4Ghz or greater
* AMD X2 (or equivalent) running at 1.8Ghz or greater
* RAM: 1GB or more
* Video: ATI Radeon X850 128MB or greater
* NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT 128MB or greater
* DVD ROM (Physical copy)
* 20 GB HD space
Windows Vista Minimum Specifications
* OS: Windows Vista with SP1
* CPU: Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) single core running at 1.6Ghz or greater
* AMD X2 (or equivalent) running at 2.2GHZ or greater
* RAM: 1.5 GB or more
* Video: ATI Radeon X1550 256MB or greater
* NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT 256MB or greater
* DVD ROM (Physical copy)
* 20 GB HD space
Recommended Specifications
* CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4Ghz Processor or equivalent
* RAM: 4 GB (Vista) or 2 GB (XP)
* Video: ATI 3850 512 MB or greater
* NVIDIA 8800GTS 512 MB or greater
* DVD ROM (Physical copy)
* 20 GB HD space
Standard, Collector's, Digital Deluxe Edition?All new copies of the game include free
Blood Dragon Armor for use in Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. The code can be used for any platform. If you buy the game for the Xbox 360 but want to use the Blood Dragon Armor for Mass Effect 2 on the PC, you can.
All new copies of the game include
The Stone Prisoner downloadable content, featuring a new companion (Shale, a dwarven golem), new quests, new items, and new environments. It can be bought separately for a price of 15 USD.
If you had pre-ordered any version of the game, you will have received the
Memory Band, a special ring which adds an extra 1% to your experience gain or can be used to add a single point into a character's skill set.
If you pre-ordered at participating retailers, you will have received one of five in-game items. For example, Amazon.com offered the Lion's Paw boots, which adds to armor, dodge, and evading missiles.
The
Collector's Edition will include a special tin case, a cloth map, a making-of DVD, a soundtrack, trailers and wallpapers and concept footage, and three in-game items. These items include
Bergen's Honor, a massive helmet made of dragonbone;
Grimoire of the Wastes, a special book that adds +3 attributes points when read; and
Final Reason, a magical staff of immense power. You can view an image of the Collector's Edition and further details of these in-game items below.
The
Digital Deluxe Edition, available at participating online retailers such as EA Store and Direct2Drive, will include all of the in-game items in the Collector's Edition, but obviously none of the physical items. Because of this, purchasers will receive
The Warden's Keep downloadable content, a player keep featuring new quests, items and abilities, free of charge.
The Warden's Keep downloadable content is available for purchase on all platforms.
The Stone Prisoner Trailer
The Warden's Keep Trailer
Posts
25 hours in, and I've just gotten to the point where I'll tinker with tactics. Was finally able to clear that abandoned building in Denerim setting Alistair as a devoted tank, who will self-heal as necessary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDeawqKzEVM
Dragon Age: Origins: Master Your Taint
SC2: XxKhrushchev.539
I think it's a mod.
More likely they just used the editor to create their own cutscenes. You can do that, apparently.
http://social.bioware.com/project/1281/#details
I love you.
But I've also played every intro.
(Dwarf Nobel spoiler)
However, I thought I was doing well with my romance option (was going for Lileana) but I never got the option to sleep with her. Or get her personal quest. I think the only quests I got were Morrigan's and Orghrin's. Hell (end game spoiler)
But now I can't wait for Ostigard and Awakening.
Fine! You win this time!
White FC: 0819 3350 1787
And the "Play Pretty Dress Up" sequence.
"Quick and dirty removal of spiders from the game"
http://social.bioware.com/project/1237/
edit: and the bear version http://social.bioware.com/project/1013/
I'm going for my 3rd run to hopefully give me 1000/1000.
Steam - Minty D. Vision!
Origin/BF3 - MintyDVision
And random encounters.
Or probably just give up!
edit: Along with perfectionist (all endings) achievment too. Just seems like there's too many variations.
Steam - Minty D. Vision!
Origin/BF3 - MintyDVision
Steam - Minty D. Vision!
Origin/BF3 - MintyDVision
There's no other way to check it?
More like delayed until the end of the month, from what I hear.
And that video was fantastic.
I'd try the "accomplishments" part of the codex. That's where they keep other loading screen info like toughest enemy killed.
How specific is "perfectionist?" Every companion's ending? Just
Also wish I knew what my first ending counted as, since the epilogue bugged out. I don't know if it counted what's in the epilogue or counted what was in the hall....
so
Alistair killing the archdemon
Loghain killing the archdemon
and the deal with Morrigan?
Just a minor nit: the Accomplishments section is off the character sheet. (And it does include things like the percentage of the game, although I think that percentage is calculated to include all the origins).
I downloaded the Bioware camp storage chest mod and that's full...about to start filling up the storage chest in the Warden's Keep next.
if i'm not currently using it or waiting to get enough stats to use it (usually only the case with 42str req armor) it's sold. If it's not used for healing potions it's sold. If it's a journeyman or lower rune it's sold. The only salve I use is rock salve and fire salve, I guess you could use spirit for the final fight but really you don't need any of them. Spam your weapon coatings and bombs as much as you please to get rid of them too.
But I had NO problem selling useless shit in this game. Sold all the balms and all the poison stuff (All you need to make potions is flasks, concentrator liquid, distillation liquid, and elf roots, everything else I sold), and the arrows. Those always give me a gold or two.