A fistfull of comments

[Ned Flanders]

So, having read through the manual a few times now and with about 20 hours of play time, I've got a couple of minor gripes and some praise.

1. No combat log: With the introduction of a whole new system of mechanics, I was hoping to see details of how combat 'works'. I guess most of it can be inferred (attack vs. defense, damage plus armor penetration, etc), but I was hoping to have access to details. It would also be nice to see if patterns can be identified with certain abilities or spells not working against specific enemies.

2. The codex is chaos. Everything is numbered so it is difficult to go back and find a specific entry. A linked system would've been great to jump to related codex entries (dalish history, Chantry history, e.g.). Probably will make a spread sheet that outlines the various entries or wait until someone else does something real nice I can tap into.

3. The graphics: seem just fine to me (PC). The Eclipse engine might have some years on it, but it gets the job done. Wilderness maps like the Brecilian forest are fantastic as are the people inhabting Ferelden. I'm a little uncertain why some are so critical here. The graphics in BG2 were always average at best and most CRPG players will still say to this date, it is the best game in the genre.

4. Combat Tactics: Two thumbs up. You can basically configure things in here and put your fighters on auto-pilot. I never put sustained effects in my fighters tactics pages so if they need to be switched, it's a manual thing. Rogues also work well on auto-pilot, though they have to be moved here and there for proper flanking. This allows for most of the focus during combat to be centered on mages keeping them free from harm and most efficient with spell selections. I'm doing my first run through on normal though, which has offered little challenge thus far (party is level 8). Higher levels of difficulty may not be so tactics friendly.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable game, good story thus far, and a pleasure that comat isn't a pause fest. I like the 'killing blows' animations.

[BuckGB]

2. The codex is chaos. Everything is numbered so it is difficult to go back and find a specific entry. A linked system would've been great to jump to related codex entries (dalish history, Chantry history, e.g.). Probably will make a spread sheet that outlines the various entries or wait until someone else does something real nice I can tap into.

Just to add to that, let me also proclaim my annoyance with the fact that the codex entries renumber themselves when "secret" additions become available throughout the game. My guess is that the person who thought this was a good idea was also contributing ideas to the marketing team.

In any event, I'll be posting a codex database of all 319 entries (aside from a few I can't seem to find...) in the coming days, so you might want to wait for that before putting any work into chronicling them yourself.

[fable]

Just to add to that, let me also proclaim my annoyance with the fact that the codex entries renumber themselves when "secret" additions become available throughout the game. My guess is that the person who thought this was a good idea was also contributing ideas to the marketing team.

Heh. Got that right. They really blew it, and the ironic thing is, how utterly it contrasts with the atmospheric entries, themselves. Clearly, the people who were involved in the writing had nothing to do with the implementation of their material in the game, where it was handled in the most pedestrian manner possible.

[zippythezip]

I hope you write a dummies guide to the combat tactics, I dont have a clue.:speech: How do they work exactly, some of my slots are in red, are they working? At the moment I keep my fingers crossed or run my party my self.
Guess I am getting too old