Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins is a video game that consists of 12 releases
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Dragon Age: Origins is a multi-platform action-role-playing game from BioWare. It is considered to be a spiritual successor to the Baldur's Gate series.

Dragon Age: Origins Overview

Dragon Age: Origins is BioWare's next low-fantasy Action-RPG.  It features tactical party-based combat that can be played from either Third Person Over The Shoulder view or from a more traditional Isometric Top-Down View. The game will feature BioWare's signature "Pause and Play" mechanics. As such, it is commonly referred to by BioWare as the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate.  Unlike most other BioWare fantasy ARPGs, Dragon Age: Origins tells a mature story using sex and gore.

Technical

Built on BioWare's proprietary Eclipse engine, the game featuresa similar "face technology" to the one that was used for the conversation system in Mass Effect. It has been confirmed from BioWare that a toolset will be made available to create user-generated content for the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins.

Origin Stories

One of the major features of the game is the Origin Stories.  Players are able to choose and play his or her own "Origin Story", which is be the lens through which the entire game is seen and portrayed.  The way your character sees the world and how the world sees your character is affected by your choice of Origin Story.  For example, you may begin the game as a Dwarf Noble and be a part of the Royal Family of a Dwarven City, or you could be a Dwarf Commoner living in the streets of  the city.  These Origin Stories will provide an introduction to the game and also help determine the overall direction of the story throughout the game.  Characters you meet during your Origin Story may reappear later on as either friends or enemies. Origin stories will also provide the player with some background information on whatever race they are playing. For example, when first playing as an Elf, you will quickly realize the prejudice the people of Ferelden show towards your race. Executive Dan Tudge explained BioWare's perspective on the purpose of Origin stories; "Really, the origin stories are more about your place and your perspective of how the world works."

Dalish Elf
  • As one of the last "true elves", you were content to spend your life wandering with your clan...until a chance encounter with a relic of your people's past threatens to tear you away from everything you've known.

City Elf
  • You have always lived under the heavy thumb of your human overlords, but when a local lord claiming his "privilege" with the bride shatters your wedding day, the simmering racial tensions explode in a rain of vengeance.

Dwarf Commoner
  • Born casteless in a land where rank is everything, bound as the lackey and thug of a local crime lord, you have spent your life invisible...until chance thrusts you into the spotlight, where you can finally prove whether you will be defined by your actions or your birth.

Dwarf Noble
  • The favored child of the dwarven king, you proudly take up your first military command...only to learn that the deadly intrigues of dwarven politics pose an even greater danger than that faced on the battlefield.

Mage
  • Gifted with a power considered a dangerous curse by most, you have spent most of your life secluded in the remote tower of the Circle of Magi to be trained and watched closely by the dreaded templars. Now your final test is upon you -- succeed and prove your strength, fail and you will perish.

Human Noble
  • Born to wealth and power second only to royalty, you find your training in both diplomacy and war put to the test when your father's castle is betrayed from within on the very night your elder brother is to lead the family's forces to war.

Gameplay

Camera
The camera moves along what has been described as a J-Axis.  Having a "J-Axis" allows is a very customizable and unique system for handling the camera.  Depending on how the player zooms the camera, they can either play from Third Person Over The Shoulder view, Top Down Isometric view, or any place in between.  The camera will be able to be adjusted on the fly for each situation. 

Traditional Isometric Camera Perspective
Traditional Isometric Camera Perspective

Combat

The combat functions like a traditional tactical party-based RPG, such as Baldur's Gate.  The player controls a party of four, with each party member having their own skill sets and strengths.  Characters can be controlled directly and used together to achieve victory in battles.  Using spells and skills together in combos is necessary for success.  One example of spells being used in combination is the use of a Grease spell to create a pool of grease which can then be lit on fire by a well placed Fireball spell.  Separately, the spells only have very specific uses and are not extremely effective.  However, when used together, they can set large areas on fire and do damage to several enemies rather than just one like a Fireball spell would normally.  Dragon Age: Origins also features boss battles of sorts against much more powerful enemies. For example, one of these boss battles pits the player against a massive Ogre.  The Ogre had a variety of unique abilities like a Boulder Throw and a grab ability that picked up one of the party members and repeatedly punched him until the other party members managed to knock him free from the Ogre's hands.  The battle ended with a gruesome execution animation where the last remaining party member knocked the Ogre down and then stabbed him in the head with his sword.

Massive Ogre Throwing A Boulder
Massive Ogre Throwing A Boulder

Console Versions

In its release of its planned fiscal year for 2009-10, Electronic Arts (now the 'parent' company of BioWare) revealed that the PC version of Dragon Age: Origins has been delayed to hit the expected timeframe for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions in the second half of 2009. The console ports will be quite similar to the PC experience, with a different interface and other usability tweaks. However, it is not be a "spin-off" like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance, but rather a near-direct port of the PC game. In an interview with Game Informer, BioWare CEO Ray Muzyka hinted that some of the better user-generated content for Dragon Age: Origins (e.g. mods) could potentially come to the 360 and PS3 in the form of DLC or a disc.

Races

Human

Noble Human Origin
Noble Human Origin
Although the dominant race within Thedas, the human race is divided over many reasons such as regional borders, cultural issues and of course political greed and gains. Among the many nations, three major human nations stand out in Dragon Age lore.

  • Ferelden: A land of conflict and strife, the people of Ferelden are ones who value the strength of independence and the bond of loyalty. The Ferelden have in generations past lived under the oppression of foreign rulers from Orlesian. Having shed the three generations of tyrannical rule and restored the throne back to its rightful heirs - it now sees its current King, the young Cailan Theirin, march against the darkspawn at Ostagar.
  • Orlais: Regarded as one of the most powerful nations in Thedas, the courts of Orlais are a deadly place to be. While not as 'barbaric' as its Ferelden neighbors to the east, the weapons of the court were just as brutal with its political scandal, whispering gossip and shadowy intrigue - if you have power you would well play the game or lose or station, reputation or even life. It's current Empress, Celene I, attained her position through assassination of her uncle and outmaneuvering her older cousins to the throne. With her direction, the Orlesian people are experiencing a cultural renaissance through arts and scholarly learning.
  • Tevinter Imperium: The once powerful nation of Tevinter, led by a magocracy that looked to the Old Gods for their divinity. As told by the Chantry, their hubris against the Maker's will brought the Blight into existence. While the Blight was eventually defeated, the Tevinter Imperium was devastated and is now a shadow of its former glory.

Elf

Dalish Elf
Dalish Elf
The elven race have burdened a long history of strife, largely due to human conflict. The first conflict came in the form of the Tevinter Imperium invading the Elven homeland of Elvhenan, for perceived hostility.  The result was a lasting effect of slavery of the elven people that is still practiced throughout the Tevinter.  Later, the Elves claimed Dale as their homeland only to once again be subjected to aggression - this time by the Chantry.  The reason for this invasion remains unclear and is hotly debated. Regardless, the Elves were again displaced. As a result, the Dalish Elf and Alienage Elf came to be in the lands of Ferelden.  The Alienage Elves live among humans, but segregated to squalor-ridden small communities, living in the poorest of conditions.  This is contrasted by the Dalish Elves, who choose to remain nomadic, no doubt to separate themselves from human contact. Elves throughout Thedas are viewed as second-class citizens and are looked down upon.

Dwarf

Casteless Dwarf Origin
Casteless Dwarf Origin
Most people on the surface think of dwarves and imagine greedy merchants or dour craftsmen, and certainly those are the faces most often seen by those of us who live under the Maker’s eye. But a journey to the thaig reveals a culture of nobility and of poverty, of proud warriors and of necessary brutality. Much as the heat of the forge strengthens the blade, the dwarves have been hardened by the constant threat of the darkspawn onslaught, forcing their warriors to excel or die, their craftsmen to create masterpieces of durability and style, and their nobles to engage in a deadly political game of intrigue that shames the goings on in the simpler courts of Ferelden. Everything done in Orzammar is done to fortify the remaining domains of the kingdom (of which there are, regrettably, few) against the relentless onslaught of the darkspawn.
 
As I studied amongst the dwarves I became aware that their social system was as rigid as the stone that surrounded them. The social caste system in Orzammar has many who are considered privileged: the nobility and the warriors above all others, but to a lesser degree also the merchants and the smiths and the miners. Tradition establishes a clear hierarchy. But as in any culture where there is an upper class, there is also a clear under class. These unfortunates, the so-called “casteless”, are believed to be descendants of criminals and other undesirables and are looked down upon by the ancestors since Orzammar’s foundation. The dwarves we know on the surface are also considered casteless once they leave Orzammar. My guide explained that dwarves who leave for the surface (the “sun-touched,” as they’re often called behind their backs) lose their connection to the Stone and the favor of the ancestors, and thus are worthy of little more than pity... for upon dying they are said to be lost to the Stone forever. Put that way, it seems a sad existence indeed." - An excerpt from “Stone Halls of the Dwarves” by Brother Genitivi, Chantry Scholar

Classes

The game features three base classes as well as specialization packages for each base classes.

Warrior

Available to all races (Human, Elf, Dwarf), the Warrior class has the following unique talents to its class as well as being able to access all four weapon talent categories.
Archery
  • Melee Archer, Aim, Defensive Fire, Master Archer
  • Pinning Shot, Crippling Shot, Critical Shot, Arrow of Slaying
  • Rapid Shot, Shattering Shot, Suppressing Fire, Scattershot
Dual Weapon
  • Dual Weapon Training, Dual Weapon Finesse, Dual Weapon Expert, Dual Weapon Mastery
  • Double Strike, Riposte, Cripple, Punisher
  • Dual Weapon Sweep, Flurry, Momentum, Whirlwind
Sword and Shield
  • Shield Bash, Shield Pummel, Assault, Overpower
  • Shield Defense, Shield Balance, Shield Wall, Shield Expertise
  • Shield Block, Shield Cover, Shield Tactics, Shield Mastery
Two Handed
  • Pommel Strike, Indomitable, Stunning Blows, Critical Strike
  • Sunder Weapon, Shattering Blows, Sunder Armor, Destroyer
  • Mighty Blow, Powerful Swings, Two-Handed Strength, Two-Handed Sweep
Warrior Class Talents
  • Powerful, Threaten, Bravery, Death Blow
  • Precise Striking, Disengage, Taunt, Perfect Striking.

Specializations Include:
  • Berserker
  • Champion
  • Reavers
  • Templar

Rogue

Available to all races (Human, Elf, Dwarf), the Rogue class has the following unique talents to its class along with two starting weapon talent categories.
Archery
  • Melee Archer, Aim, Defensive Fire, Master Archer
  • Pinning Shot, Crippling Shot, Critical Shot, Arrow of Slaying
  • Rapid Shot, Shattering Shot, Suppressing Fire, Scattershot
Dual Weapon
  • Dual Weapon Training, Dual Weapon Finesse, Dual Weapon Expert, Dual Weapon Mastery
  • Double Strike, Riposte, Cripple, Punisher
  • Dual Weapon Sweep, Flurry, Momentum, Whirlwind
Unique Rogue Talents
  • Dirty Fighting, Combat Movement, Coup De Grace, Feign Death
  • Below the Belt, Deadly Strike, Lethality, Evasion
  • Improved Lockpicking, Improved Disarm Trap, Master Lockpicking, Master Disarm Trap
  • Stealth, Stealthy Item Use, Combat Stealth, Master Stealth
 
Specializations Include:
  • Assassin
  • Bard
  • Duelist
  • Ranger

Mage

Available to only Human and Elf and only to those choosing Mage Origin. Mages do not have talents, as the Warrior and Rogue do, instead they receive spells. 
 
Creation
  • Heroic Offense, Heroic Aura, Heroic Defense, Haste
  • Glyph of Paralysis, Glyph of Warding, Glyph of Repulsion, Glyph of Neutralization
  • Spell Wisp, Grease, Spellbloom, Stinging Swarm
Entropy
  • Weakness, Paralyze, Miasma, Mass Paralysis
  • Vulnerability Hex, Affliction Hex, Misdirection Hex, Death Hex
  • Disorient, Horror, Sleep, Waking Nightmare
  • Drain Life, Death Magic, Curse of Mortality, Death Cloud
 
Primal
 
Spirit
  • Mana Drain, Mana Cleanse, Spell Might, Mana Clash
 
 Specializations Include: 
  • Arcane Warrior
  • Blood Magic
  • Shapeshiftter
  • Spirit Healer
 

Skills

Also available to all classes are eight different skills. Each skill can be increased to four different tiers.
 
  • Coercion:  This provides intimidation and persuasion during dialogue.

  • Combat Tactics: This skill allows more script options in the tactics system.  
  
  • Combat Training: This skill unlocks more advanced combat-related talents. 
 
  • Herbalism: This crafting skill allows a character to create salves and elixirs.
 
  • Poison-Making: This skill is for crafting venoms and extracts. 

  • Stealing: This gives a character the ability to pickpocket NPCs.  
 
  • Survival: This skill lets a character track enemies outside of visual range. 

  • Trap-Making:  Characters who have learned this skill can construct traps or lures from common components, so long as they also possess a plan to build the mechanism. The second and fourth rank of this skill also increase the range at which the character can detect enemy traps. Note that while all characters who have learned this skill can set traps, only rogues can disarm them. Components and plans may be bought from merchants, looted from defeated enemies, or found while exploring
 

Creatures in DA:O
Yes, there are Dragons in Dragon Age.
Yes, there are Dragons in Dragon Age.
High Dragon: The Dragons once ruled the skies. Graceful, and magnificent, the people worshiped them, and their faces adorned statues and buildings. However, hunters drove them to extinction, killing them for their bones to use in enchantments. They were thought to be dead, however a High Dragon appeared out of the mountains and begun a rampage, and the people know that when a dragon begins a rampage it means it is about to lay eggs. So the next age was named in their honor.

The Blight is happy to greet you
The Blight is happy to greet you
Ogre: Ogres are massive, and tower over the battlefield. Their strength allows them to hurl rocks, and destroy buildings. When soldiers get close, they are no safer, as many a soldier has found their death at an Ogre's hands. This makes them the fiercest of all darkspawn, and when an Ogre howls into the night, you know you should hide.
Genlocks and Hurlocks, oh my!
Genlocks and Hurlocks, oh my!
Hurlock: The Hurlock is the shocktroop of the darkspawn. They are the only known creature working for the darkspawn that can speak in human tounge. They adorn themselves in tattoos and often work in a group. They are also known to be able to cast spells.

Genlock: These are short, more numerous, cousin of the Hurlock, these are dwarves corrupted by the Blight.
 
 Their foreheads look even bigger in person
 Their foreheads look even bigger in person
Shriek: Silent and deadly, these skinny darkspawn hunt in small groups and stay hidden 
until they are already upon their targets. Born from corrupted elves, this rarer breed is often sent ahead of the bulk dark-spawn mass. It is said that many will hear the signature scream of the Shriek, but very few will live long enough to actually see one.

Sort of like an upgraded lassie... that likes the smell of blood!
Sort of like an upgraded lassie... that likes the smell of blood!
Mabari War Dog: In the Ferelden culture, nothing is more important than the dog, especially the Mabari. The Mabari descend from wolves who served under the legendary hero, Dane. The Mabari only choose their masters. Whoever, is seen accompanying a Mabari is instantly recognized as a person of worth. The Mabari are also an influential part in the Ferelden military strategy. The Mabari War Dog is a recruitable companion.
 
Silver bullets not included
Silver bullets not included
Werewolf:  Werewolves in Ferelden lore, are believed to be wolves tainted by a Rage demon. They plauge the countryside. Having huge strength and speed, these beasts were known for their ferocity. The great hero Dane, led a crusade to purge Werewolves from Ferelden once and for all.

Against an Abomination Demon
Against an Abomination Demon
Abomination: Born from the union of a mage and a demon, the Abomination is a truly a horrrific and powerful creature. Whether with a deal or by sheer force, once a mage is possessed by a demon, the demon may use all of the mage's innate ability - creating a devastating force. Because of this, the Chantry assigned it's military unit, the Templars, to hunt down apostate mages as well as watch over the Circle of Magi to quickly eliminate any demon possessions.

Desire Demon
Desire Demon
Desire Demon: A demon who feeds from the emotions of desire, whether that desire be lust, power, wealth - this demon enjoys twisting the darker wants of those on Thedas and manipulating them. Those who bargain with the Desire Demon often find out too late that the cost of the Desire Demon's constant feed off their greed and lust is a sure path to corruption. In combat, the Desire Demon possesses an extreme amount of speed and magical prowess, making them a deadly foe.
 
Broodmother: 
Broodmother
Broodmother
The grotesque Broodmother shows exactly what the taint of the Darkspawn is capable of when left to its own devices deep within the earth. Deep within the dwarven tunnels of Ferelden, one would better meet his end at the end of steel rather than face down this horrific being.
 
 
When BioWare says Giant Spider they mean it

Corrupted Spiders: These are giant spiders who have spent their days underground, feeding on bats. However, when they started feeding on Genlocks, their numbers flourished as they found an easy meal. Some have now moved above ground looking for space. 
 
 
 

Sexual Themes in DA:O

After Mass Effect made a well-known, highly controversial appearance on Fox News for its "sex scenes", some people were wondering what Dragon Age: Origins would feature in that category. Due to some early trailers, it was evident that there would be some scenes of suggestive themes. In late July of 2009 ESRB has explained what they have noticed in that subject:

"During the course of the game, players are able to visit a brothel where a hostess asks what they are interested in. If players select "Surprise me," they can sometimes wind up face-to-face with a woman, a man, a transsexual, or an animal; sexual activity is never depicted during these brothel encounters. Players can also initiate brief cutscene sequences in which couples (male and female or same sex couples) can be depicted kissing, embracing, and caressing one another as the screen fades to black. Though the game never features human nudity, one female demon character is briefly depicted with bare breasts."

While it has yet to be seen if any controversy will come of the game's mature themes, David Gaider (Lead Writer for Dragon Age: Origins) has personally said there is no bestiality in the game. This puts at suspect what conclusions people may draw from the very dry text of ESRB's summary of Dragon Age: Origin's content.
 

Character Creator

 
Released on October 13th, DA:O's character creator allowed the PC players to create their character before the full game was released. The character can be uploaded to the BioWare social site, awarding the player an in-game item. 

By looking through the files of the character creator several files revealed "spoiler" type information such as talents, specializations and codex that developer's warned to keep away from in case the player wished not to ruin the story.
 

PC System Specs

Windows XP Minimum Specifications:

  • OS: Windows XP with SP3
  • CPU: Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) 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) 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
 
 

Xbox 360 HD Install Size: 6.4 GB


Other Media

 

Novels

There are currently two novels set in the Dragon Age universe.  The first, Dragon Age: Stolen Throne was released March 3, 2009. The second Dragon Age book is called Dragon Age: The Calling. It was released on October 13, 2009.     
 

Flash Game

An episodic flash game spin-off by EA 2D was under development and finished on October 14 2009, entitled Dragon Age Journeys. The first chapter of the game, The Deep Roads was released for free. Players can unlock achievements in the game, which will unlock unique items in Dragon Age: Origins on the PC, Xbox 360, or PS3. 
 

Penny Arcade Comic

Penny acade made a comic called  Penny Arcade: Witch Hunt.It is based around the Dragon Age universe. It can be viewed on the Dragon Age:Origins website.
 

Warden's Quest 

Hosted in London, UK BioWare announced a 24 hour gaming event that allowed ten teams to gather and compete head to head for $12,500 per team member (a total of 50,000). The teams invited to the event were: Team Belgium/Netherlands, Team BioWare Community, Team Canada, Team Czech Republic/Slovakia, Team France, Team Hungary, Team Poland, Team Spain, Team UK, and Team US. Playing on October 28th, 2009 - the winner of the event was Team Hungary.
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Original US Release Nov. 3, 2009
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