dragon age origins: question on mechanics and game play

[you2]

[New thread since the other thread generally talks about plot]
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Didn't want a sep thread just for this question; but wanted to avoid discussion on the story and focus more on game play and mechanics. Anyways what prompted to start this thread is a question on trap detection:

I'm a bit confused about trap detection; I've read that cunning and some skills
increase chance of detect; thought I still miss a lot (I'm doing the history portion of an elven rouge).
-
The part that confuses me is how do i increase the chance to spot (i.e, if I stand next to a trap for a long time do i get additional checks; is there a search command (i don't see one documented)) or is trap detection completely automagic and either always successful or I always fail for a trap of a given difficulty ? If it is the last case; if i stand next to a trap and increase cunning will I suddenly be able to see it or have I used my one and only chance to spot it ?)
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I guess the part that is really confusing is when (or how often) are checks made. Is it one check per trap? Is there a dice roll? Is it once per proximity to the trap (if I move away and come back). Is there a search command that is undocumented ? Is it totally random (or broken?)

 

[sticks435]

[New thread since the other thread generally talks about plot]
--
Didn't want a sep thread just for this question; but wanted to avoid discussion on the story and focus more on game play and mechanics. Anyways what prompted to start this thread is a question on trap detection:

I'm a bit confused about trap detection; I've read that cunning and some skills
increase chance of detect; thought I still miss a lot (I'm doing the history portion of an elven rouge).
-
The part that confuses me is how do i increase the chance to spot (i.e, if I stand next to a trap for a long time do i get additional checks; is there a search command (i don't see one documented)) or is trap detection completely automagic and either always successful or I always fail for a trap of a given difficulty ? If it is the last case; if i stand next to a trap and increase cunning will I suddenly be able to see it or have I used my one and only chance to spot it ?)
-
I guess the part that is really confusing is when (or how often) are checks made. Is it one check per trap? Is there a dice roll? Is it once per proximity to the trap (if I move away and come back). Is there a search command that is undocumented ? Is it totally random (or broken?)

From what I can tell, detection is automatic, as in you can see the trap, but disarming is based on your cunning. I wasn't able to disarm any traps until I went from 20 to 22/23 on my Rouge. Not sure how chance to disarm is calculated or anything.

 

[AlgaeEater]

Trap detection range increases with trap making skill. (Rank 2 and Rank 4)

Cunning increases detection chance roll against trap modifier. If you zone in and out of an area, you may detect a trap you previously didn't detect because zoning clears failed or success flags on checks for traps. There's one particular dungeon in the game where you can test this out, since it has tons of traps. Without much spoilers, it is the same dungeon you learn the Arcane Warrior specialization from.

Cunning also increases lock-picking skill, and other rogue talents. I thought such skills did not depend on cunning, but even at level 4 lock picking skill, there are chests I still can't lock-pick with cunning at 22 for example.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

While we have a thread about DA mechanics, can someone give a brief description of the combat mechanics of the game? I'm very keen to pick this up, but only if the combat is not turn-based. Is it kind of like The Witcher, or more Oblivion-like? Or is it (*shudder*) turn-based?

 

[ZzZGuy]

Thought I might add that increasing your standing with a character increases a certain trait with a total of 4 levels of improvement. For roughs it is

Spoiler

cunning

, warriors

Spoiler

strength

, mages

Spoiler

magic

. Note that I have not tested this for every character.

Spoiler

Each character likes a certain gift type, so quick save and use trail and error to see who likes what. Personal quests also greatly increase standing. Conversations can increase or decrease standing, and actions you chose can increase or decrease standing.

 

[aigomorla]

While we have a thread about DA mechanics, can someone give a brief description of the combat mechanics of the game? I'm very keen to pick this up, but only if the combat is not turn-based. Is it kind of like The Witcher, or more Oblivion-like? Or is it (*shudder*) turn-based?

both....

if you dont use pause to issue commands, things can get very out of control.

Id say its more like WOW + turn based, thats if u use pause to issue commands.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Is the pause kind of like the command pause thing in Mass Effect? I'm fine with that (in fact I really like it).

 

[s44]

Thought I might add that increasing your standing with a character increases a certain trait with a total of 4 levels of improvement. For roughs it is

Spoiler

cunning

, warriors

Spoiler

strength

, mages

Spoiler

magic

. Note that I have not tested this for every character.

Yeah, not quite. I think one of the mages gets Wil and one of the warriors gets Con.

 

[aigomorla]

Is the pause kind of like the command pause thing in Mass Effect? I'm fine with that (in fact I really like it).

no.

you need to push space bar as its an active timer.

The game doesnt wait for you to press pause.

So yes u can have a round where your main hero is sitting on his butt doing nothing while your team is getting slaughtered.

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

It's essentially Baulder's gate/Torment/KotOR, real time with pause. The mechanics under the hood are not turn based, but you wouldn't know those games were anyway.

But, put simply you'll have to pause very, very often - or die, very, very often. This game is brutal, and you will not be able to manage a whole party in real time without getting eaten alive.

 

[Mike Gayner]

This video explains the combat mechanics quite well. As someone who hasn't been into RPGs in the past, I'm intrigued by this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdPFwfvCpD4 (English subs)

 

[you2]

Does anyone feel like dragon age mechanics have been dumb'ed down (as compared to bg ii) ? I've not terribly deep into the game (about 5 hours - basically the introduction) but it seems like certain things such as searching and picking have been greatly simplified. The skill system is a bit more open but I've not played enough to know if near the end game it remains more diverse then older bio-ware rpg (for example in morrowind/oblivion; by end game all classes were pretty much the same as the tree becomes completely filled out).
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I'm not unhappy with the game but some things do seem a bit simplified to the point of harming the experience (search remaining my primary example). In addition to trap detection I've not yet noticed the ability to spot any hidden items/doors et all...

On the other hand the camera is much improved over nwn2

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

I wouldn't characterize it as dumbing down. Let's be blunt - BG was based on AD&D 2nd edition, a game so complex it required 2 very large rule books as a bare minimum. That system was a clunking relic by then, and to be honest, it wasn't all that great when it was new, either.


You will not get enough points to have the whole tree filled out. Not even close.