Third DLC to Hit Before the Holidays

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:20 pm

Given how strongly some folks feel about the concurrent release of Dragon Age and two downloadable expansions, I thought it would be pertinent to point out that [url="http://dragonage.bioware.com/addon/#returntoostagar"]BioWare will be releasing a third DLC, Return to Ostagar, before the year is out.[/url]

Return to Ostagar will apparently allow the player character to return to the scene of the initial epic battle, which has been overrun by darkspawn.

So I'm curious to know, after all this hoopla with the internal advertising for the first two DLCs and that they were otherwise not very engaging as far as addons go, do you plan to buy this? Or has the experience with the previous DLCs been enough to deter folks from considering it?

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 4:50 pm

At this point, I'm happy with the game as it is. If they're going to release DLC every four to six weeks, I'll wait until it comes out bundled for a better price.

Return to Ostagar...why? It's burned and broken

Return to Lothering...coming in January.

Ferry to Athkatla, bring Keldorn back and induct him into the Grey Wardens...coming in March.

endboss · Post by **endboss** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:14 pm

Is there an in-game person to tell me about the DLC? How will I know it exists and how to buy???

Crenshinibon · Post by **Crenshinibon** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 5:50 pm

The item DLCs aside, the only one I have, through Collector's Edition, The Stone Prisoner DLC. Personally, I really liked Shale, I thought (mini-spoiler)

Spoiler

her

dialog was hilarious, but felt that the golem lacked interactions at certain parts. Still, Shale definitely felt as if "it" was part of the original game.

Personally, I doubt that I'll get any DLCs, unless BioWare releases them in a compilation as a hard copy.

Nightmare · Post by **Nightmare** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 3:25 am

I sort of liked both the DLCs, though I generally think they're overpriced. I may get Return to Ostagar, depending on what it is. Watcher's Peak at least had some personality to it beyond it being a straight-up dungeon romp, and I'm not sure RtO has the potential to be that. I'll probably decide when it comes out, since most sites review DLC.

I'm more interested if the community will start making extra content/mods with the toolset. I know the game has only been out for two weeks, but I'm looking forward to community (and free) content.

@Ned, "Ferry to Athkatla" is something I would absolutely play.

Tenser · Post by **Tenser** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:31 am

Ok, seriously.

Why oh why do you assume the reader has bought the other two DLCs ?!?!? Do you think we are all idiots and morons ?

DLCs are simply an intelligence test: are you stupid enough to buy them ? Will you pay 7 euro for that one hour of gameplay in Wardens Keep, when fans will soon hand out hours of gameplay for free ? Will you play 7 euros for some item drops when you could easily build stronger ones than these with the toolset ?

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 7:14 am

Dunno if I'll buy it yet - but I might. I enjoy DA:O and don't have a problem with buying DLC I enjoy.

Aqua-chan · Post by **Aqua-chan** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:09 am

Tenser wrote:Ok, seriously.

Why oh why do you assume the reader has bought the other two DLCs ?!?!? Do you think we are all idiots and morons ?

DLCs are simply an intelligence test: are you stupid enough to buy them ? Will you pay 7 euro for that one hour of gameplay in Wardens Keep, when fans will soon hand out hours of gameplay for free ? Will you play 7 euros for some item drops when you could easily build stronger ones than these with the toolset ?

Your remarks are out of line. What's more, at what point did I assert that anyone had bought the first two DLCs? A lot of discussion has been started about the in-game NPCs selling the player the content, and that was the basis for this post.

Keep in mind that for platform gamers, DLCs are the only additional content we get. PC players have more options in that regard, but for those of us on the 360 or PS3, official addons are all we have access to.

I myself will probably go the way of Ned since BioWare did promise multiple DLCs and buy them all as a bundle (although... they promised that for Mass Effect also, and look what became of that). I've been enjoying Dragon Age, but not enough to replay it each new time a DLC is released just to see what's going on.

Ares2382 · Post by **Ares2382** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:19 am

Well I'm not a big fan of the idea of DLCs. Especially ones that come out at the same time as the game. As good as DA:O is, those people who were working on the DLCs could have been put to make DA:O even more polished then it already is. I do have Shale one and the items, but that's only because I pre-ordered. Didn't bother with the Keep one. And was absolutely furious at the shameless in game advertisement of it.

This all smells like another attempt by EA to milk as much money as they possibly can out of this game. Which, sadly, they are doing well.

Seriously, the only reason I bought this game was because Bioware was making it. I do not buy EA games anymore and refuse to support them. It was a hard decision to buy this one for me because of that, but I'm certainly not supporting EA even more by paying them $7-10 more for 1-2 hour long DLCs.

stanolis · Post by **stanolis** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 2:44 pm

Tenser wrote:Ok, seriously.

Why oh why do you assume the reader has bought the other two DLCs ?!?!? Do you think we are all idiots and morons ?

"At the beginning of Dragon Age: Origins, a battle between the forces of good and evil at Ostagar leave the Grey Wardens nearly extinct and young King Cailan seriously dead. In Return to Ostagar, players revisit the scene of the slaughter, exacting revenge, uncovering secrets, and seeking out the arms and armor of the fallen king. I'd expect the armor might need a little hammering out, considering the good king was crushed like an empty Sprite can." and duncan's head was split open.

i am obviously a loaded idiot who has nothing to live for, and thus will buy anything, including all the DLC and that alistair plushie being made on bioware's forum. Although, i am not sure that i would want to go back to ostagar. Alistair is already pretty weepy and i could not stand to watch him cry. has kleenex been invented yet in DA:O?

fable · Post by **fable** » Fri Nov 20, 2009 4:14 pm

Aqua-chan wrote:So I'm curious to know, after all this hoopla with the internal advertising for the first two DLCs and that they were otherwise not very engaging as far as addons go, do you plan to buy this? Or has the experience with the previous DLCs been enough to deter folks from considering it?

Not going to buy it, or any DLC from Bioware-flavored EA. It's especially insulting given that it's come out right on top of release, making it all the more apparent that this is simply code they pulled out of the game to charge more for. When you consider that just the player-made quest mods in Morrowind and Oblivion more than double the length of the game for free, I can't honestly see spending half again the price for DA:O just to add a few hours' gameplay.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:25 pm

I will buy this just like I bought wardens keep. I like the dlc so far. Will also be using the mods.

hedgewizard · Post by **hedgewizard** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 4:12 pm

I'll not be getting the DLC. Fable brings up a good point in suggesting that BioWare/EA merely left out some goodies from Dragon Age to throw them on the sale table right after its release. Perhaps if the the DLC gets packaged altogether for a low price, or a truly worthwhile expansion comes out, I'll buy that.

Revi · Post by **Revi** » Mon Nov 23, 2009 11:50 am

endboss wrote:Is there an in-game person to tell me about the DLC? How will I know it exists and how to buy???

Oh, you will know. Trust me :laugh:

On a more serious note, I find the in-game advertising intrusive and annoying, but any extra content for this game is very welcome. I plan to buy Watcher's Keep soon, and will be buying any expansion as it comes out. It's a silly system, but understandable in this time of software piracy. It's also not so outlandish if you compare it to the monthly fees of an MMO.

EDIT: Fable, I agree that community-made mods will eventually increase the lifespan of this game more than the silly DLC content, but it will take some time for these projects to start to mature. From what I've seen so far on the community site most projects that add actual content (not customizations) are still very much in predevelopment right now. Not to mention most of these modders seem eager to build entirely new worlds, while what I want is more content for the same setting.

Tamerlane · Post by **Tamerlane** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 12:46 am

Ned Flanders wrote:At this point, I'm happy with the game as it is. If they're going to release DLC every four to six weeks, I'll wait until it comes out bundled for a better price.

I'll be picking up the GOTY edition after I've exhausted all avenues with this current game. Currently have the console version and you can always trade it in for in store credit.

hedgewizard · Post by **hedgewizard** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:22 am

Tamerlane wrote:I'll be picking up the GOTY edition after I've exhausted all avenues with this current game. Currently have the console version and you can always trade it in for in store credit.

That's not a bad idea. I got the console version myself. I know I'll want the PC version later on down the road.

mewp · Post by **mewp** » Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:31 pm

spoiler maybe

I will probably get it. Becaue by then I will still be trying to kill Loghain, and will have started over about three times or more. I like Shale, the other one I thought was rather a waiste of time but maybe the next one will be better. Are they going to continue to do add ons or do we have towait a year or two for htem?

hedgewizard · Post by **hedgewizard** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 1:41 pm

mewp wrote:Are they going to continue to do add ons or do we have towait a year or two for htem?

Buddy, the fruitcakes over at EA are going to keep firing these things out for dough, or so I believe.

mewp · Post by **mewp** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:21 pm

I have nothing to do since retirement so the more they have the better for me. Now that I finally got rid of you know who I am looking forward to any add ons. I wish the game was way longer anyway.

fable · Post by **fable** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 5:00 pm

mewp wrote:I have nothing to do since retirement so the more they have the better for me. Now that I finally got rid of you know who I am looking forward to any add ons. I wish the game was way longer anyway.

Well, yes, who doesn't, but you know why it isn't, don't you? So they can slice off more content and throw it at you later, and you'll end up paying far more than you would consider with one purchase. It's clever, but when you compare it to the original Bioware's attitude of giving you as much as possible for your money because they love roleplaying games and want to share their enthusiasm, this accounting-driven stuff just falls flat for me.

Think I'll just wait on Indie games being done by people who still have that enthusiasm Bioware lost when its owners individually left.