Dragon Age 2 - Earn Loot From DA: Legends

Yet another way to earn in-game Dragon Age 2 items with Dragon Age: Legends - the Facebook promo game - explaining the five items you can earn. From the Legends blog:

For Dragon Age fans, one of the most exciting parts of Dragon Age Legends is the ability to earn unique unlock items for your hero in Dragon Age 2. We have collaborated with BioWare to develop a set of five items you can unlock in Dragon Age 2 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. We’ll let you know how you can earn each of these items in the future, but for now we wanted to explain a little bit about how these items were designed.
For the back story of Dragon Age Legends, we needed to create a hero who was a renowned demon hunter. We wanted this mythical hero, Evra, to be truly badass. So we made the request “Could you give us a ring that one would use to punch demons in the face?” BioWare did not disappoint.

Thanks, Archmage Silver!
More information.

Is there no end to all this item dlc going on for Dragon Age 2. Seems like every week we hear about buy this play this and get more items for the game.

DLC -> greed -> buy

EA has apparently signed a deal with Facebook to use Facebook Credit (real money -> virtual money). There's a lot of money to be made on Facebook games apparently, so they're naturally looking to tie their traditional games to this ecosystem.

I'm sure no one cares, but this monkey is boycotting Bioware.

I'm sure there are some who would point the finger of blame more squarely at EA, but I recently got NBA2K11, and it's a good basketball game. They don't make many sports games for the PC.

I'm afraid I just might boycot them, too. Not intentionally, though, no, because I think DA2 will probably still be a formidable game worth having. Yet I feel strongly discouraged from settling for any one version of the game to buy because no matter which I choose I feel like I cannot get the most out of the game.
Not only are there different retail and digital editions to consider but also the precise point in time when you (pre-)order as well as the retailer itself. Additionally, there seems to be a wide variety of additional activity/spending I'm required to do in order to get all sorts of extras. Finally, of course we can expect DLC on release and every couple of weeks thereafter.
This makes me a confused and unsatisfied customer. Frankly, it seems a chore just to keep track of what version offers what and how to get the most mileage out of the game. Also, whatever version I'd finally choose would feel inclomplete since I'd be going to miss out on any number of in-game content that is mutually exclusive. After I'd have bought the game, I'd feel hesitant to start to really play the game because it'd continue to be a work-in-progress awaiting extra content around every corner in the form of DLC - I wouldn't want to progress too far only to find out that I'd have to start over to get to this quest and that cool new party member.
Make no mistake, I'm all for offering choices to the player IN the game, adding replayability and complexity. But I don't need this kind of choices OUTSIDE, suggesting reBUYability. Give me the choice of a complete game, a funky collector's edition with trinkets and extras for 20 quids extra and you have my money. But at the moment I just don't know.

This is not a problem exclusive to Bioware games - Bethesda is fishing in similar muddy waters - but they are clearly the worst to me. Aspects of customer satisfaction aside, I am also worried about what this does to game balance.

I rather wonder if I am in a minority having this problem or if these companies are actually hurting their sales badly in the long term by alienating large parts their customer base.

/rant

Well put my fellow gamer, I feel that waiting a year or so when the Ultimate Version is release is the best way to go to get the complete package plus you will save money. Many gamers have Biowares number and are practicing patients and restraint and waiting it out . I will do the same.

Originally Posted by Moorkh
I rather wonder if I am in a minority having this problem or if these companies are actually hurting their sales badly in the long term by alienating large parts their customer base.

I actually kind of agree. But I've a solution for myself that works just fine: I buy the game wherever I want (local retailer, amazon, gameware.at, steam, etc) and then proceed to ignore the rest, especially DLC and promos and stuff. If I should get some items or quests or whatever than I take them but I will not start looking.

I find it rather hard to just close my eyes and hum a tune around gaming news, pretending not to see them

You're definitely not alone, Moorkh. It was bad enough when multiple patches became industry standard, now it seems that "release day" for a game really just signals the beginning of the drip-feed of a game, and if I want the Complete Game, I've got to invest a year or two to keep myself updated on which DLC is coming out, which versions offer the bonuses I want, etc etc.

Frankly, it's wearying. The games are good, mind you, certainly good enough to warrant a purchase, but just which purchase, and when, is the problem these days.

Release day for DA2? I think I'll pass. I tried the "keep up with the DLC model of game installation" with Origins and Mass Effect 2 both as personal experiment, and ultimately decided that though the games were well worth it, what wasn't worth it was all the futzing around with DLC, and separate downloads, and finishing the game and then picking it up again (and then finishing the game again and picking it up yet again… and again… and again…) each time something was released.

I think I'm in the same boat this time around. I'm just going to wait until all the dust the developers and publishers are kicking up settles, and then see what's available at the actual end of the development process.

True — and this is particularly the case with story-driven games — I run the risk of spoiling the game for myself, since there'll be all sorts of chatter all over the internet about such n' such a plot twist, or this character's chest hair or that character's lack of pants, but I begin to find that wearying too, so perhaps staying away from the boards to avoid spoilers won't be such a chore either.

Getting the full game is just far too much work these days if you assume release day is the time to buy, and in the end I find it results in a less satisfying experience.

No two handed sword for my barbarian-like Hawke, so not interested. Actually I am not interested in any item-style DLC.

Yeah it's ridiculous and just money related, but at the opposite fans shouldn't get any DLC items, because they tend to break the game balances.

If you are a true fan, don't regret not have this one or this one but take care to not use any item DLC.

From my point of view it's a wink and greedy smile to the numerous players that put so much importance in items drop. Funnily it's players greed that push them answer positively to this DLC items greed.

I can (and do) ignore the DLC, even if it`s in-game nagging, but the game balance is already broken. Or maybe it isn`t. It doesn`t matter because every time I`m in a tough fight in DA now, I just don`t know if it`s because I lack some items or because my strategy is lame.

Originally Posted by zadokAllen
… every time I`m in a tough fight in DA now, I just don`t know if it`s because I lack some items or because my strategy is lame.

I can help you with that one:

Fights are easy on hard without items.

Edit: On topic: I don't like this DLC nagging and the ingame advertiser in your camp is annoying as hell.

Originally Posted by zadokAllen
I can (and do) ignore the DLC, even if it`s in-game nagging, but the game balance is already broken. Or maybe it isn`t. It doesn`t matter because every time I`m in a tough fight in DA now, I just don`t know if it`s because I lack some items or because my strategy is lame.

In DAO1 you didn't need any DLC items and the only answer was what tactics for the team I choose I should use for this difficult fight. Answer this question with a hurry to get many DLC available was bind you to continue with too easy fights and then boring.

Originally Posted by Dasale
In DAO1 you didn't need any DLC items and the only answer was what tactics for the team I choose I should use for this difficult fight.

This might be true, but like I said it`s irrelevant- because I shouldn`t have to think about it to start with.

This has to do mostly with day-one DLC, I`m not really bothered how much stuff they wanna flog later on.

Originally Posted by zadokAllen
This might be true, but like I said it`s irrelevant- because I shouldn`t have to think about it to start with.

This has to do mostly with day-one DLC, I`m not really bothered how much stuff they wanna flog later on.

Yeah the non complete game released argument, but if you can escape from this illusion when it's about DLC items, then you'll quote that there's no reason to want any item DLC, if they aren't included in the original game then they aren't part of it.

For other DLC adding a companion it's quite another problem. But DLC items… I have buy DKS with various sets of DLC items I had no choice. Same problem, use them and you'll screw a bit your game. It's the fate of all DLC items.

Originally Posted by Dasale
It's the fate of all DLC items.

I wasn`t really thinking about the old "non complete" thingy. It`s more of a dungeon-scale topic.

I don`t see the problem with releasing whatever they please later on. I won`t buy it (unless proper expansion), you won`t buy it. Cool. But if anyone else feels like it, it`s their choice & money.

Originally Posted by zadokAllen
I wasn`t really thinking about the old "non complete" thingy. It`s more of a dungeon-scale topic.

I don`t see the problem with releasing whatever they please later on. I won`t buy it (unless proper expansion), you won`t buy it. Cool. But if anyone else feels like it, it`s their choice & money.

I don't see the difference between items DLC at release or later, apart the non complete syndrome.

You seem think they design and release the game with the purpose to make it too hard to play if a player don't buy any of the optional items DLC at release. The point is more that the game tuning has been done without any of those DLC hence they won't improve the gameplay apart for items greedy players that constantly want more "amazing" items.

I'd say that I see a good point in those DLC items and overall game design they involve, Dragon Age is a game that really succeed to bring back unique items you remember in game, unique that aren't hindered by ton of other items.

Originally Posted by bkrueger
Fights are easy on hard without items.

There are quite a few combat scenarios (some random encounters, for example) which can be fairly difficult on hard/nightmare, especially if you don´t have a mage with the right spells.
The game certainly isn´t challenge incarnate, but I wouldn´t say it´s easy on hard/nightmare. More like … normal .

And yeah, DLC items screw the balance, DLC merchant in camp is an atrocity, etc.