I finished DA... (Spoilers!)

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:26 am

It's one of the better RPGs out there, right along PS:T and FFVI. I enjoyed it toroughly. It was a well-implemented story (maybe not always original, but there are only seven or so really original stories), the characters were well fleshed out and you get to make real choices, or as close to in a linear PC game.
I liked it that the ending was a bit ambiguous (sp?), with Morrigan becoming pregnant from Loghain to protect my character. I wonder how this will come to play in the sequel. Morrigan *did* seem genuine in her intention about not having a darker purpose. What if you choose to sacrifice yourself? How would they make a sequel?
I was a tad disappointed in Alistair in the end, though, that he wanted revenge on Loghain. I found it a lot more fitting to make him attone by becoming a Grey Warden. Do you always have to choose between Alistair & Loghain?
I really liked the tough choices, in the end.
The ending screens were a nice wink to Fallout, I think.
The soundtrack was good, with the openingtrack, Leliana's song and the endtheme being phenomenally beautiful. The rest of the soundtrack was ok, but I would have liked it a little more epic, bombastic. More Hans Zimmer-like, to compare it to something. I have a feeling Jeremy Soule might have done a better job.
I only have one "big" gripe with the game, and that's the freaking lack of numbers in the skill descriptions.

BTW, feel free to tell about other endings, since I'll probably replay it in much the same way anyway.

Post by **BuckGB** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 9:08 am

My guess is that both the random encounters and the ending screens were Fallout-inspired, and they seem to work just as good now as they did a decade ago.

From what I can tell, Morrigan gets impregnated by a Grey Warden regardless of your choices. In my first playthrough, it was my character who decided to take her up on her "offer". I'm curious who she picks if you decline and didn't recruit Loghain, though. Alistair?

While I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline, I was actually kind of disappointed with the game's final couple of hours. Gone was the game's early difficulty - I didn't even have to call any of my armies during the siege at Denerim. My group of four could easily power through the darkspawn hordes and the final, predictable dragon battle was laughable with the help of the ballistae.

Revi · Post by **Revi** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:06 am

I agree, the end was a bit of a letdown. The city siege battles aren't difficult, they're just annoying, and that's not the same. The dragon battle was fun, I thought, but I agree it was easy.

I always prefer RPG games which end with a journey into a very difficult, immense dungeon, with a few tactical boss encounters on the way. I don't like these massive siege-like scenarios at all, I find myself wishing I had a lawnmower with me like the guy in Braindead.

stanolis · Post by **stanolis** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 12:29 pm

i have not finished the game mind you. i haven't been able to decide how i want it to play out, so i have been finding all missing sidequests, delaying the inevitable.

BUT from everything i have read, this is how the main events can unfurl.

+

Spoiler

either alistair and the female human noble become king/queen
+alistair becomes king solo
+alistair and anora become king/queen
+anora becomes queen solo
+male human noble becomes king (? not sure about this)
+alistair runs away to become a drunkard, if you spare loghain

+morrigan is 'demongod' impregnated by male character, no warden sacrifice
+ " " " " by alistair or loghain if female character, no warden sacrifice
+morrigan is not 'demon' impregnated and leaves party, warden is sacrificed, notes: morrigan may still become pregnant, but not the demon god if in relationship (?). if in a relationship with alistair, he will sacrifice himself automatically

.

i have not researched the other characters. feel free to correct me.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:27 pm

If you're in a relationship with Alistair, and you don't take him with you for the final battle, does he still sacrifice himself?

Curry · Post by **Curry** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:53 pm

GawainBS wrote:It's one of the better RPGs out there, right along PS:T

Where's the device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet when you need it the most?

GoldDragon · Post by **GoldDragon** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:05 pm

Not played PS:T, but I haven't had as much fun as I did in Dragon Age with any CRPG for some time.

Despite me kicking my own tail (almost literally) over getting caught by a VERY obvious trap (and subesquently killed to boot), I definitely rank DA:O as one of the top five greatest CRPGs of all time.

And Curry: That device must have been the one that I broke yesterday. Sorry:mischief:

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:11 pm

Just finished for the first time (I have three characters going consecutively. I know, right?) and am itching to pick it up and do it again, but it's bed time so I'll have to settle with posting my depression.

Romanced Alistair with my elf. Wow, there really was no happy outcome to that relationship.

Spoiler

Put him on the throne, he dumps ya. Bring him to the big fight, he sacrifices himself (you don't get a say in the matter which I found horrifically indignant). Maybe have to talk him into marrying that backstabbing wretch Anora.

I'll reload a previous save to see if Alistair can be talked into accepting Morrigan's, ahem, company -- I have coercion maxed out, but since we're in a romance I'm not sure if he'll agree to it or not.

The archdemon... Dear gosh. Once I started with the bastilla it just sat there! Why didn't it move? Why didn't it blow it's fiery breath at the wood bastilla? I don't get it! In my opinion the whole final sequence was not very well done.

Cyro · Post by **Cyro** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:28 am

stanolis wrote:
Spoiler
+male human noble becomes king (? not sure about this)
.

Yeah this is true.

Spoiler time.

Spoiler

You do it by marrying Anora yourself.

Cyro · Post by **Cyro** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:39 am

GawainBS wrote: I only have one "big" gripe with the game, and that's the freaking lack of numbers in the skill descriptions.

Also I don't see why this is a problem, personally I like the fact that the game hides the maths away, it makes it more involving, IMO.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 4:27 am

Cyro wrote:Also I don't see why this is a problem, personally I like the fact that the game hides the maths away, it makes it more involving, IMO.

Big problem is that you essentially have to choose skills at random. It also doesn't help when you're formulating tactics. I don't get the whole "involvement" thing with missing numbers. It detracts me that I can't make a rational decision for what spells/skills to chose, which in turn is rather un-involving: as an elite guardian against the Blight, I think I should have knowledge of the abilities at my disposal.
The biggest issue is that with numbers, you can still ignore them; without numbers, you don't get to choose to do see them after all. (Except for excessive digging in the toolset, which isn't very handy at all.)

Aqua-chan, do you have the option of *not* bringing Alistair with you to the final fight?

How does everybody else feel about Morrigan's offer? I, for one, really trust her that she doesn't intend to do anything evil with the child.

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 12:07 pm

GawainBS wrote: Aqua-chan, do you have the option of *not* bringing Alistair with you to the final fight?

How does everybody else feel about Morrigan's offer? I, for one, really trust her that she doesn't intend to do anything evil with the child.

In my game Alistair was a basic party member. I did remember that I had the option not to bring him to the final confrontation, though. I can't say for sure what happens since you go through that whole "goodbye" phase with the team you leave behind; if you can leave him I'm sure he gets put in at some point. I wonder if it's like if you don't take Oghren to find Branka? At the final sequence you're taken to the party selection screen and he's forced into one of the spots?

I also declined Morrigan's offer. It felt doubly wrong to ask Alistair to do it given I was romancing him. Plus it kind of seemed to go against what the Grey Wardens stand for. What's more, Morrigan was a deceitful, manipulative little wretch and I wouldn't trust her with that kind of power.

Also, I'm curious. Was Flemeth really going to

Spoiler

kill Morrigan, or was that something Morrigan herself whipped up to trick you into killing her mother?

When Morri gave me that quest I wanted so badly to have a dialog option demanding to read that grimiore myself before deciding.

Cyro · Post by **Cyro** » Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:52 pm

GawainBS wrote:Big problem is that you essentially have to choose skills at random. It also doesn't help when you're formulating tactics. I don't get the whole "involvement" thing with missing numbers. It detracts me that I can't make a rational decision for what spells/skills to chose, which in turn is rather un-involving: as an elite guardian against the Blight, I think I should have knowledge of the abilities at my disposal.
The biggest issue is that with numbers, you can still ignore them; without numbers, you don't get to choose to do see them after all. (Except for excessive digging in the toolset, which isn't very handy at all.)

I found the descriptions on the abilities more than enough to base my character build from without the actual maths involved. In my experience, my of your damage results from standard attacks unless you're playing a Mage anyway, and things tend to be marked as "high damage" or "low damage" anyway, personally I find that is enough.

I had enough maths involved with my gaming when I was theory crafting for half of my WoW guild.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Sun Nov 15, 2009 4:22 am

Cyro wrote:I found the descriptions on the abilities more than enough to base my character build from without the actual maths involved. In my experience, my of your damage results from standard attacks unless you're playing a Mage anyway, and things tend to be marked as "high damage" or "low damage" anyway, personally I find that is enough.

I had enough maths involved with my gaming when I was theory crafting for half of my WoW guild.

Selecting spells is still half-asses, though. Wether I read the descriptions, or let my dog bark at his favourite, it seems like both are the same. That shouldn't be the case in an RPG. Numbers wouldn't force anybody to do the math, but would enable those that wish to.

Ah, well, I'll have to take my chances with Alistair then, it seems. I hope they don't force him upon you. Orghen was kind of necessary with Branka, so there's hope. I know I wasn't forced to bring Loghain along for the final battle, despite Riordan urging me to.
BTW, I always hate getting characters forced on me for particular scenes.

stanolis · Post by **stanolis** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:35 pm

if you do not take alistair in your party when you go to fight the archdemon. he will not sacrifice himself.

stanolis · Post by **stanolis** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:46 pm

okay, i really think that

Spoiler

flemeth was planning to steal morrigan body. when you go inside to get the grimoire, there is a new robe for morrigan and it's description says 'a welcome home present' most likely to prevent morrigan from fighting back or something to that effect.

i really tried to get alistair to plug morrigan, but the look on his face and his voice. omg. i couldn't do that to any sane person. i really wanted to trust that morrigan wasn't going to do anything evil, but she said that her mother had planned this thing from the beginning, so.... plus, when you refuse, she just leaves. a true friend would not have done that even if they didn't want to see you die. morrigan could have conspired with you to make sure alistair dies since she hates him anyway. deep down, i always knew she was just biding her time.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:39 pm

stanolis wrote:if you do not take alistair in your party when you go to fight the archdemon. he will not sacrifice himself.

Aha, thanks.

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:23 am

Would anyone say Bioware is still making the same classic mistakes they have made in every RPG since the end of the Baldur's Gate series? I know, Black Isle details, etc. I just want to know if they're moving past their ineptitude to learn from their own mistakes.

GawainBS · Post by **GawainBS** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 2:21 pm

Tricky wrote:Would anyone say Bioware is still making the same classic mistakes they have made in every RPG since the end of the Baldur's Gate series? I know, Black Isle details, etc. I just want to know if they're moving past their ineptitude to learn from their own mistakes.

Would you mind explaining that further please?

Tricky · Post by **Tricky** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 5:54 pm

Well everyone agrees that nothing much is left of the Black Isle staff that created the original Baldur's Gate, that the original creative genius has been long gone since Bioware took a hold of things. A lot of complaints have always gone to map linearity, lacking substantial dialogue, compulsory party members, dialogue scenes that unfavourably rearrange your party right before combat starts, etc ~ pretty much everything people sought for in an RPG after Baldur's Gate.

Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate, Baldur's Gate. That game isn't my point. Do people who have played DA feel that Bioware is moving on to bigger and better things after years of mediocre RPG's?