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For the conversation wheel, you need to remember what the icons that represent the dialogue choice stand for.
http://www.pubarticles.com/member/user_img/733/1299563733.jpg
http://www.pubarticles.com/member/user_img/779/1299563779.jpg
http://www.pubarticles.com/member/user_img/898/1299563898.jpg
IMO, I think it's bloody retarded, the diamond and hammer icon are really vague. The dialogue choices works like ME2. You get a short representation of what your character is going to say.

Blimey, that sure is alot of icons to memorize. Some are self explanatory but i see what you mean about some of them being a bit vague.

I really, really wish they'd stuck with the silent pc...sigh...

Thanks ;)

Has anyone seen the HD texture pack Bioware is offering on their site?
http://social.bioware.com/page/da2-patches

My copy should be arriving tomorrow, so I haven't been able to check this out.

Direct2Drive and GamersGate have released the game for pre-load and supplied CDKeys. Install the game then when you start it for the first time it will do the release date check. Simply use a US proxy and it will fool it, turn off your proxy of choice then log in as normal with your regular EA account. Bingo.

Seems the way to get around it on Steam is to register the CDKey with the EADM and download it there and simply do the above.
I installed that before even playing it the first time, it does make it look a lot less of a console game.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention, has anyone else noticed a lot of DA:O music has been recycled? I've already noticed Denerim, Orzammar and the street fight music from Leliana's Song.

Oh, so its not interconnected at all? That's dumb.

No it's nothing but a nuisance. I really fail to understand why EA persist in this simply annoying DRM. It's really only pissing off customers because a 5 min google found me the way around it. It was the same with the DLC DRM in DA:O which was stupidly easy to get around and yet people who are not net savvy had to put up with it validating the DRM everytime they tried to play it.

The icons make sense to me, the hammer is iconic for judgement (its a gavel). It represents a statement akin to 'decision made'. My experience with it (its my favourite option) is that it represents dispassionate judgement.

I use it for my team leader sword&board Hawke who I'm playing like a young Loghain before he went off the deep end. Don't be put off by the red colouring.

The gem as charming makes sense too, its not charming in the romantic sense its charm as currency/bribe. A direct attempt to ingratiate yourself with someone via dialogue. I avoid it almost as much as the aggressive option for this play-through. The red fist aggressive lines are just as pedantic and childish as you'd imagine.

They're not that hard to remember.

The Sheriff's star icon is the weird one. The couple of times I've seen it come up and used it, have had exactly zero special results. The first time it can show up is trying to talk your way into Kirkwall. Which only results in the official saying he'll fetch your uncle... something he says after the battle with the deserters (which still happens) anyway.

Seems to be linked to law. I don't want to spoil anything but there is a quest you are offered and the star comes up because... well it's an iffy decision and doing the right thing certainly isn't the legal thing.

Yeah, its got to be bugged its so friendly-friendly.

It doesn't even arc to neutrals helping you out like guardsmen and such. Even Mindblast effects anyone you're standing next to but chain lightning won't touch 'em.

I'd pick it over fireball unless you're planing to grab elemental weapons because fireball paths to bonus fire damage which boosts fire staffs, which boosts elemental weapons across all party members while active.

Also the readme claims on Nightmare that Ogres are immune to status effects. They're not, I horror'ed it just fine. Pommel strike works on them too.
Only its not just limited to law (thus the confusion with the icon), it comes up based on if you've 'earned' enough tone points.

Using it to ask nicely for Gamlen in the gallows only comes up if you've been earning enough diplomatic/helpful points in the prologue.

I think its supposed to represent 'fair deal', you've put in the 'effort' focusing on a tone, here's the pay-off.

I already got Fireball, Winter's Grasp, Cone of Cold and also Elemental Weapons. If Chain Lightning doesn't hit my own companions, I'm so getting it the next level. Then my Mage can do something for a change other than staff bolting and Winter Grasping.

I need an AE for my Mage eventually, probably get Firestorm, or is there a reason Tempest is significantly better than Firestorm? No Blizzard FTL.

Can't wait to see the Ancient Rock Wraith fight, people are saying it's a bitch to fight even on Normal.

He's playing in Nightmare mode. I'm not sure combat in easier modes would be so hard.

I was playing on hard until I found an impossible encounter (for me anyway). After 5 tries and 5 deaths I turned it down to normal. Now the game is too easy though.

There should be a setting between hard and normal.

I meant because of the wave after wave after wave of mobs i keep seeing mentioned everywhere, it gets boring, a task, not fun ;)

Agreed. Sometimes on normal I still run into rather hard boss fights (with a few retries and better planning), but aside from that it's actually quite easy. I thought about putting it on hard since I'm not feeling challenged right now but if hard is *too* hard I'll just slip back to it being too easy. :P