Quoting from the Origin FAQ:
"For older EA catalog games, Origin is not required to play – though we recommend you use the Origin application for fast, seamless downloads, auto-patching and additional social features."
Does this also apply in case I re-install the first Mass Effect or any other old (pre-Origin) EA games that used to require internet activation and possibly an EA account? Can I manually download patches for such games from an official source without Origin, or am I stuck with the likes of patches-scrolls.de?