Dragon Age 2

2011-03-20 10:23:42 pm

I was playing through dragon age 2 for the third time recently, and I managed to crank out a 4hr 26min run, and I could maybe shave that to under 4. I was wondering what people were getting on average for runs, this is of course skipping all the cut scenes.

Thread title:

Smilge

Edit history:

Smilge: 2011-03-21 04:51:57 pm

2011-03-21 04:51:39 pm

I don't have Dragon Age 2, but I believe it runs on the same (though upgraded) engine as DA:O. Be sure to look through the Dragon Age: Origins thread for any bugs or glitches that might carry over.

One other thing that really helped with DA:O was finding out exactly which enemies needed to die and which ones could simply be run past.

Best of luck to you!

error1

2011-03-22 02:50:00 am

Not a Zelda 2 refrence

the oob glitch should probably still work by having a cinematic talk at the same time as you leave an area. That would take a lot of experimentation if it's actually useful. Not sure what the best way to gain experience is, it doesn't look like the easy glitch method works on PC

SER

2011-03-22 10:50:30 am

Ill have to see about the oob glitch, and experience isn't really a problem, as you gain more than enough of it while trying to get the 50 gold for the deep roads quest. Started a 4th run last night to see if some of my ideas work, and which quests give you the most money.

usernameguy

Edit history:

usernameguy: 2011-03-22 01:37:34 pm

usernameguy: 2011-03-22 01:14:44 pm

2011-03-22 01:11:59 pm

I wonder what happens if you can use logitechSDAZ's hold wall-hopping trick, like Smilge did on the DA1 run, and hop over the door in Templar's Hill that separates the normal act 3 version and the finale version.

Also I wonder what happens if you go out of bounds in the Act 1/2 Gallows and back in to the door for Templar's Hill.

EDIT: my general impression in DA2 is that the mapmakers made copies for things, rather than reusing a map and altering it. That is, the Templar's Hill map that appeared in the Fade is a distinct map from Act 3 Templar's Hill and that's distinct from the finale Templar's Hill. But it's well worth testing, I think.

SER

2011-03-22 02:14:14 pm

I don't know if that would work, I think the area connections to the finale templar area are different than the normal templar area, that is, you have to go from the docks to get to the finale area, instead of just running there through the gallows, I'll check that tonight though as I'm not 100% sure

uanime5

2011-03-22 03:42:36 pm

Can you use DLC in your run, as DAO2 has some DLC that's available for free? This will make the earlier parts easier.

Also some quests only appear if you made certain choices in DAO, so if you import a DAO campaign rather than use one of the pre-established ones you may end up with extra quests. For example if you sided with Bhelen in DAO a relative of Harrowmont gives you a quest in the Dock area to protect him from the Carta.

SER

2011-03-22 04:15:36 pm

I don't have any of the DLC atm, and my 4:26 run was just using the default character thing to try to save as much time as possible on character creation.

error1

2011-03-22 04:40:16 pm

Not a Zelda 2 refrence

DLC is allowed, and recommended if it saves time. Preorder stuff might be a little different because it's not available, I asked about it before but didn't get a good answer. don't know if it's important in this game

SER

2011-03-22 05:10:49 pm

The only way DLC would save time is if the quests gave more money than the other quests pre deep roads, anyone know if the quests and their rewards are listed anywhere online?

Reaver

2011-03-23 02:51:03 am

Someone want to see if you can perform this on the PC? I'm at work at the moment so cant test it. Also is it allowed?

It says it works with any sidequest that doesn't involve a cutscene and from what I recall there are a few in the first act.

logitechSDAZ

Edit history:

logitechSDAZ: 2011-03-23 06:35:49 am

2011-03-23 06:28:44 am

Map glitch

Blackpowder Promise sequence break

Just about every glitch in DAO on 360 worked on PC as well. Hopefully the same thing will happen with DA2.

error1

2011-03-23 09:12:55 pm

Not a Zelda 2 refrence

@Reaver
no that doesn't work on the pc as there is no draw weapon, put away weapon button. It's still possible to draw a weapon by trying to talk to someone far away, or by pressing R to loot far away. As far as I know no one has figured out a combination of buttons that works. It should be noted that in da1 there where pc glitches that didn't work on the console

usernameguy

Edit history:

usernameguy: 2011-03-24 01:33:26 am

2011-03-24 01:23:53 am

Did some experimenting on PC.

It's possible to hop the Arishok's gate by abusing the Gather Party horn just outside the gate in the Docks. Hold position on your main character, with his back facing the gate, Then, run one of the other players to the Gather Party horn. Confirm the same party, and the party teleports to its default positions behind the main character. Some will hop behind the gate.

It looks like the teleport that happens after a Gather Party happens ignores boundaries. Place your main character right,and you'll hop right over stuff.

I couldn't get the second half of logitechSDAZ's skip to repeat on Blackpowder Promise - zoning out at the exact right instant - but I think my timing just sucks.

Three other notes:
- The Gather Party trick doesn't seem to work mid-Act 1, on the Viscount's office door. Maybe I'm misremembering when you see him first (Act 2?).
- On PC, the zz_dae_debug menu doesn't seem to do the same type of party teleport as the Gather Party horn does. Too bad, that would've helped a lot. EDIT: though maybe I just messed up the teleport position when I tried it. Anyone have success with it? I'd be surprised if that were a different type of teleport.
- Also, another way to forceably draw a weapon on PC is to hold down forward (W) and then right click on a door or a zone. I kept running into that, because I tend to hold down W then mouse-look to move around (kind of a handy movement style if you haven't tried it).

Did some experimenting on PC.

It's possible to hop the Arishok's gate by abusing the Gather Party horn just outside the gate in the Docks. Hold position on your main character, with his back facing the gate, Then, run one of the other players to the Gather Party horn. Confirm the same party, and the party teleports to its default positions behind the main character. Some will hop behind the gate.

It looks like the teleport that happens after a Gather Party happens ignores boundaries. Place your main character right,and you'll hop right over stuff.

I couldn't get the second half of logitechSDAZ's skip to repeat on Blackpowder Promise - zoning out at the exact right instant - but I think my timing just sucks.

Three other notes:
- The Gather Party trick doesn't seem to work mid-Act 1, on the Viscount's office door. Maybe I'm misremembering when you see him first (Act 2?).
- On PC, the zz_dae_debug menu doesn't seem to do the same type of party teleport as the Gather Party horn does. Too bad, that would've helped a lot. EDIT: though maybe I just messed up the teleport position when I tried it. Anyone have success with it? I'd be surprised if that were a different type of teleport.
- Also, another way to forceably draw a weapon on PC is to hold down forward (W) and then right click on a door or a zone. I kept running into that, because I tend to hold down W then mouse-look to move around (kind of a handy movement style if you haven't tried it).

Reaver

Edit history:

Reaver: 2011-03-24 11:46:26 am

Reaver: 2011-03-24 11:46:02 am

2011-03-24 05:42:08 am

Quote from "error1":

@Reaver
no that doesn't work on the pc as there is no draw weapon, put away weapon button. It's still possible to draw a weapon by trying to talk to someone far away, or by pressing R to loot far away. As far as I know no one has figured out a combination of buttons that works. It should be noted that in da1 there where pc glitches that didn't work on the console

I feel cheated out of not being able to cheat :'(

EDIT: My idea was that if this trick had worked then you could do a quest like the remains of Sister Plinth where you pick up an item and pass it on, get your money and XP be ready for the dark roads in no time.

usernameguy

Edit history:

usernameguy: 2011-03-27 10:56:38 pm

usernameguy: 2011-03-27 10:22:15 pm

2011-03-27 10:19:38 pm

Reaver - I managed to repeat the infinite XP glitch on the PC ... sorta.

I used the return of Eustice's Pommel, combined with the "forceably draw a weapon" glitch I mentioned above. You stand on the side of the room near Eustice, press and hold forward towards the door just long enough to right-click open the door and draw the weapon. Then right click like mad *exactly* when Hawke just starts to put away the weapon. The timing window is very small.

That said, I could only get a few extra clicks in before Eustice shut down. I couldn't get the "click as much as you please" state the console version had. I might not have the timing right; or the timing is different on PC. I'm not sure. (Maybe you're supposed to pause-and-cick? didn't try that...) The timing is really difficult, either way.

Also, earlier, I managed to use the zz_dae_debug menu to execute a hop of the Arishok's gate. I just did not have the angle right before. I found it helps a lot to put Hawke's left shoulder in the groove that logitechSDAZ recommends. Then do a 'runscript zz_dae_debug' on the console, clear the party, and add back in 3 people.

So this is a third method one can use to hop gates and doors. This one has the advantage that it's relatively repeatable on PC.

That said, I haven't found much else worth hopping. You can hop Orsino's and Meredith's doors in Act 3 but it doesn't gain you anything. I tried hopping the Act 1 Viscount office door but I don't think there's map there, really. Ditto the Act 1 and Act 2 throne room. This game uses too many copies of maps to glitch it this way. Most of the time, when there might be a trigger worth tripping, it's either on its own copy of a map, or it's something you have to talk through a cutscene to get.

Reaver - I managed to repeat the infinite XP glitch on the PC ... sorta.

I used the return of Eustice's Pommel, combined with the "forceably draw a weapon" glitch I mentioned above. You stand on the side of the room near Eustice, press and hold forward towards the door just long enough to right-click open the door and draw the weapon. Then right click like mad *exactly* when Hawke just starts to put away the weapon. The timing window is very small.

That said, I could only get a few extra clicks in before Eustice shut down. I couldn't get the "click as much as you please" state the console version had. I might not have the timing right; or the timing is different on PC. I'm not sure. (Maybe you're supposed to pause-and-cick? didn't try that...)  The timing is really difficult, either way.

Also, earlier, I managed to use the zz_dae_debug menu to execute a hop of the Arishok's gate. I just did not have the angle right before. I found it helps a lot to put Hawke's left shoulder in the groove that logitechSDAZ recommends. Then do a 'runscript zz_dae_debug' on the console, clear the party, and add back in 3 people.

So this is a third method one can use to hop gates and doors. This one has the advantage that it's relatively repeatable on PC.

That said, I haven't found much else worth hopping. You can hop Orsino's and Meredith's doors in Act 3 but it doesn't gain you anything. I tried hopping the Act 1 Viscount office door but I don't think there's map there, really. Ditto the Act 1 and Act 2 throne room. This game uses too many copies of maps to glitch it this way. Most of the time, when there might be a trigger worth tripping, it's either on its own copy of a map, or it's something you have to talk through a cutscene to get.

Reaver

2011-03-28 02:54:59 pm

If the glitch does work then I was thinking that The remains of Sister Plinth can be picked up in Darktown when you go to see Anders. Seeing as the next stop in the Anders mission is the Chantry then you can switch to day to drop off the remains, get the exp and money, then switch to night to meet with Karl in the Chantry. Or is there an easier choice?

error1

2011-03-28 10:00:36 pm

Not a Zelda 2 refrence

I did some experimentation with a macro that pressed the right mouse button every other frame.
I didn't find any correlation between putting a weapon away and turning in a quest multiple times.
I was able to get max speed mashing to complete a quest 1-4 times.
most I could get mashing pause and right click was 3
mashing both right mouse and a menu button like c or j I was able to turn in a quest 11 times
without any macros you can pause the game and turn in the quest with each character to complete it 4 times
you can do that forwards + right mouse to draw weapon on basically anything you can click on, including your companions

usernameguy

2011-03-28 11:31:37 pm

Nice, error1.

Too bad we can't seem to get the "click as much as you want" thing on PC like the XBox has.

uanime5

2011-03-29 05:44:56 am

Here's a list of all the DLC for Dragon Age 2.
http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/DLC_%28Dragon_Age_II%29

Some of it is promotional which can be unlocked by signing up to newsletters, beating the demo, registering your game, and playing Dragon Age Legends.

The DLC items have a value of 1 copper so you can't sell them for money but you can sell your start equipment and replace them with this.

The most useful DLC are the books 'The Far Cliffs of Kirkwall' (5 sovereigns), 'Lothering's Lament' (2500 XP), and 'Of Things Not Lost' (3 runes). They're in the chest in Gamlen's house (Act 1) so if you rapidly click on the chest you may be able to get these items multiple times.

Reaver

2011-03-29 07:01:25 am

So has anyone tested what's skippable yet like characters and main plot missions? I'm wondering what would be the quickest route to get enough coin and what main plot parts can be skipped to get you to the deep roads fastest in Act 1.

Also what's your opinion on the starting character? Mage, Warrior or Rogue? Mage and Warrior can take out multiple opponents with one attack, but you get a Mage in your party at the start anyway. Rogue can take down individual opponents quite quickly and can deliver quite powerful attacks which would be good against powerful enemies.

usernameguy

Edit history:

usernameguy: 2011-03-29 01:12:48 pm

usernameguy: 2011-03-29 01:03:01 pm

usernameguy: 2011-03-29 01:00:25 pm

usernameguy: 2011-03-29 01:00:08 pm

2011-03-29 12:57:34 pm

Those books seem really handy, especially the money injection. As for the XP book, do we know of any minimum level requirements yet? "Can't fight the Arishok unless your level x?" The runes seem marginally useful - "better than a punch in the face" as some friends would say.

But I think they'll create a new category, simply because earning them was a one-time thing. It wouldn't be fair to allow them without a category, because you'd basically be saying "you cannot run this game" to people who don't have it. I'd argue the books create two different classes of runners. (Assuming they turn out useful, and not superceded by, say, an infinite XP/money glitch)

Reaver - I think it depends on what kind of route this is. Do we have to fight the Rock Wraith directly or can we skip it? Are there one-shot-kill methods? Ditto the Arishok and Meredith. How many fights can we just not skip? What type of fights are they? I imagine we'll be running past most fights.

EDIT: also, the game severely limits your ability to buy health, stamina, and mana potions. It'd be really nice if we could find a way to glitch-buy infinite stamina/mana if we're going to use a "spell" heavy build.

Those books seem really handy, especially the money injection.  As for the XP book, do we know of any minimum level requirements yet? "Can't fight the Arishok unless your level x?" The runes seem marginally useful - "better than a punch in the face" as some friends would say.

But I think they'll create a new category, simply because earning them was a one-time thing. It wouldn't be fair to allow them without a category, because you'd basically be saying "you cannot run this game" to people who don't have it. I'd argue the books create two different classes of runners. (Assuming they turn out useful, and not superceded by, say, an infinite XP/money glitch)

Reaver - I think it depends on what kind of route this is. Do we have to fight the Rock Wraith directly or can we skip it? Are there one-shot-kill methods? Ditto the Arishok and Meredith. How many fights can we just not skip? What type of fights are they? I imagine we'll be running past most fights.

EDIT: also, the game severely limits your ability to buy health, stamina, and mana potions. It'd be really nice if we could find a way to glitch-buy infinite stamina/mana if we're going to use a "spell" heavy build.

uanime5

2011-03-31 09:28:18 am

The DLC books are available to all BioWare Social Network users, so you'd be creating separate categories between those who registered their games and those who didn't. I think separate categories should only be used if the DLC required money to obtain (you have to buy something) or required special actions (such as playing Dragon Age Legends). DLC you can get by signing up to a newsletter or by completing the demo is easy to obtain so most players won't have a handicap.

Regarding getting the money for the expedition if you complete all the main quests you'll get the quest 'Enemies in Low Places' and a dwarf called Dougal will agree to pay the 50 sovereigns for you in exchange for being given 100 sovereigns later (you can kill the dwarf later rather than pay him). This may be a faster way to get to the Deep Roads than getting 50 sovereigns.

Here's someone who shows you how to kite the most challenging enemies, including the Ancient Rock Wraith in 11 minutes:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-II/Dragon-Age-II-Characters-Classes-and-Builds-Spoilers/Ancient-Rock-Wraith-down-Mage-Nightmare-solo-Questions-Answers-and-Updates-thread-6659541-1.html

The main advice for the Ancient Rock Wraith is 100% electricity resistance and a staff that does spirit damage.

If you become a Blood Mage, put a lot of points in constitution, and get a lot of equipment that give you more money per HP then you won't need mana potions. Here's a guide:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-II/Dragon-Age-II-Characters-Classes-and-Builds-Spoilers/The-Primal-BloodForce-Mage---A-Guide-for-the-Intrepid-Nightmare-Mage-6814284-1.html

Other good combinations are using Hawke as a shield and sword tank, while Anders heals him.

The DLC books are available to all BioWare Social Network users, so you'd be creating separate categories between those who registered their games and those who didn't. I think separate categories should only be used if the DLC required money to obtain (you have to buy something) or required special actions (such as playing Dragon Age Legends). DLC you can get by signing up to a newsletter or by completing the demo is easy to obtain so most players won't have a handicap.

Regarding getting the money for the expedition if you complete all the main quests you'll get the quest 'Enemies in Low Places' and a dwarf called Dougal will agree to pay the 50 sovereigns for you in exchange for being given 100 sovereigns later (you can kill the dwarf later rather than pay him). This may be a faster way to get to the Deep Roads than getting 50 sovereigns.

Here's someone who shows you how to kite the most challenging enemies, including the Ancient Rock Wraith in 11 minutes:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-II/Dragon-Age-II-Characters-Classes-and-Builds-Spoilers/Ancient-Rock-Wraith-down-Mage-Nightmare-solo-Questions-Answers-and-Updates-thread-6659541-1.html

The main advice for the Ancient Rock Wraith is 100% electricity resistance and a staff that does spirit damage.

If you become a Blood Mage, put a lot of points in constitution, and get a lot of equipment that give you more money per HP then you won't need mana potions. Here's a guide:
http://social.bioware.com/forum/Dragon-Age-II/Dragon-Age-II-Characters-Classes-and-Builds-Spoilers/The-Primal-BloodForce-Mage---A-Guide-for-the-Intrepid-Nightmare-Mage-6814284-1.html

Other good combinations are using Hawke as a shield and sword tank, while Anders heals him.

error1

Edit history:

error1: 2011-03-31 03:03:21 pm

2011-03-31 03:02:43 pm

Not a Zelda 2 refrence

Quote:

DLC required money to obtain (you have to buy something) or required special actions

those aren't special categories
his concern was that they are longer available

usernameguy

2011-03-31 09:03:30 pm

Health potions, too, are limited. So Blood Mage doesn't really solve the whole potion-gathering problem. (It probably exacerbates the problem, I think. Now more people are consuming a single limited resource). It'd still be nice to glitch-buy infinite potions, assuming you couldn't glitch your way past 80% of the game.

The electricity resistance and spirit damage sounds handy. A 11 minute kite might come in handy if the party arrives vastly under level.

And yeah, what error1 said.